Embracing Rest this Easter

Easter is normally so busy for us. I have choir all weekend and that alone, three services, takes up most of the weekend. But on top of that we usually go to a local egg hunt on Saturday, rushing everyone out of the house dressed and well fed, to be there early just to sit in a line to wait for parking. Only to arrive and be shoveled through an overcrowded line for the egg hunt, which is actually just eggs being thrown on the ground, not hidden at all. They should call it and an "egg pick up", not an egg hunt. Obviously you can tell I'm over it!! All this to come home and to rush myself getting ready for the choir evening ahead of me, because we are called to be there 2 hours early.

SO... instead this year Kyle and I decided to start a new tradition. One that included waking up slow and drinking coffee in the yard while the kids actually searched for eggs in our own park- like back yard. Bonus... with our best friends!!

And they all just stood there perfectly for the picture...

I made a huge breakfast of eggs, potatoes, and bacon, coffee galore and juice for the kids. We all ate and I got lots of compliments on my famous potatoes. I finished up with the kids while Kyle, Chris and Rikki headed outside to hide eggs, which they had stuffed while I was finishing up breakfast. They stuffed like a million eggs. SO much better than the 6 eggs your allowed to pick up at the local hunt!! Plus Eliana has food allergies and I picked out all the candy so she could eat it (dairy and gluten free).

After all the eggs were securely hidden we released the hounds, I mean kids, from their picture taking duties to go find the sugar filled fun.

I love that I'm in all these pictures with my ears on!

Hey there handsome! ^ This is what its about folks, drinking coffee in the yard!

Best friends, Moms :)

Relax...

I adore this picture of the Dad's!

Sitting in her treehouse with a basket full of candy on a sunny day with her family and best friends, life never tasted so sweet!!

Love these babies so!!

Cheese!!

Love, love and more love.

The Kenny's!! 

The Bailey's!!!

After we pried the candy from their sticky hands, we encouraged them to go burn off some energy while we just hung out, tanning in the sun!

John is a master at riding the whip! Quynn gets a little nervous!

Just Married... Just Kidding! But so adorable!

And then there's these two!

So cute! Two two year olds!!

And then they rode off into the sunset to nap time... lol Cayleb crashed, looked at Eliana!!

Our friends made their way home and I made my way into the shower. I got ready and tried out a new headband I bought from a local girl who makes them. My idea was that it was kind of like a crown of thrones! Lol, too much? I didn't think so, I loved it!

My beautiful Mommy!

My mom picked me up and we were off to go worship the Lord! I felt excited and not overwhelmed, it was so nice to spend the morning at home!!

Before I added mascara.

Maria got this awesome photo of us that night. Love this girl so much!!

After our concert!

Obviously loving the headband selfies :)

Lol you never see this angle of me!

I came home just in time for bedtime. The kids were snuggled on the bed waiting for me! I was loving the worship that night and equally grateful to come home to my beautiful family. We read stories and prayed together before sending the kids off to bed. Once we knew they were truly asleep, I set out their Easter gifts. We don't do the whole bunny thing, so the kids know these are gifts from us. We explain that Jesus gave us the ultimate gift and so we would like to symbolize that by giving them gifts.

New swimsuits like last year, but this year they get two because we are going to Hawaii!

John of course woke up first, but I had to get pictures before he could dive in.

Love having a mantle!!

Eliana got tankinies this year!!

John's are a bit big, the guy is growing like crazy and in between sizes right now (between a size 7/8 and a 9/10, the kid is 4!!)

Books and a bubble machine!

Books and bubbles for my bubs too:)

So thankful for God's amazing blessings poured out onto our lives, being able to have this wonderful home and give our children gifts. Such a blessing. Thank you Jesus for the forgiveness of our sins.

Oh good morning handsome boy, thank you for being so patient while I took pictures!

Oh I love you sweet boy!!

You are just growing way too fast!

And then my sweet girl woke up, so sleepy. I picked her up and carried her to her gifts. Landed her and snapped a picture. She seriously looks so adorable!

Good morning sweet girl!!

You are so precious!!

And mommy loves you so much!

From there I finally took down the gifts and the kids had a blast! I had no idea that those bubble machines made noise too, and lit up like a laser to your face at 7 am. None the less they were a huge hit! The kids loved them! I had to quickly get myself ready, we were supposed to be at the church by 7:30 am, I was still not ready at this time. My mom came in and snuggled on the kids while waiting for me. We pulled up late to the church but I was totally fine with that, I need to be able to spend Easter morning with my family.

Kyle gets the kids dressed and ready all by himself. Feeding them, doing hair and making sure their clothes look nice. He seriously does such a great job! He gets to the 9 am church service on time and is there front and center to watch us sing!

This year there was a lot going on in my family. We usually like to get together at someone's house for a big family thing. This year we decided on a restaurant. And we were really glad we did! Everyone had come to church and watched my mom and I sing in the choir, then we all headed out to lunch at my grandpa's favorite place. Although we prefer someone's house, this worked out really nicely.

We came home and the kids got right to it with the bubble machines.

Laser to the face!

And that concluded our Easter! It was so nice and relaxing. Not overwhelming at all, just what we needed. Giving time to truly focus on what its all about, Jesus, and what he did for us. That's the thing with these holiday's. It's so important to take the time to truly focus, rather than be so busy we loose what it is we are celebrating.

Happy Easter!!

That night we read several of their new books. John got a big book of "Why" and he is truly fascinated. I love how his brain works. We even had leftovers from our lunch for dinner. It was truly just an easy going weekend filled with love and focus on God's love for us.

The next day I worked so hard at cleaning the house. I cleaned everything. We stayed home all day with a ham in the slow cooker. I made potato salad (all organic goodness of course) and a fresh cabbage salad to go with our ham. The kids played outside all day in the sunshine followed by baths. We all enjoyed a great dinner together and it was lovely.

Good morning!

It's a beautiful day!

Bubble machines for the win.

Our Easter was wonderful. And truly I mean Wonder Full, we are full of joy and awe over God's grace and abundance in our lives. Truly grateful. We give Him all the glory. Thank you Jesus for the ultimate sacrifice, and the forgiveness of our sins. Thank you that we have the freedom to worship you and praise you. Thank you for your love and blessings upon our lives, we know that it is all through You and we are grateful!!