Happy Easter!

So, I wrote this about a month ago and just finally got around to editing it:) We made it through the illnesses and cold weather of winter and finally Spring is here!!!! This year was especially nice because we have a house now with azaleas and a magnolia tree that are such beautiful contrasts to the dead winter. My parents came for Easter, which was really fun for all of us! The kids totally forgot who Mom and Dad were because it was all about Grama and Grampa. We took them to the circus on Friday, which was a reminiscient childhood memory of when my parents took us. The kids did great and were mesmorized by the acrobats, the clowns, and the animals. Nate said he especially liked the motorcycles and the elephants. When the elephants were done, KK kept looking at Grama and with her big eyes said, "happened ephes?" and she would shrug her shoulders and gesture with her upturned hands. When they came back on for the finale, she was super excited!!!! On Saturday, we went to the Easter egg hunt that Montclair puts on at Dolphin Beach. We have almost lived here a year, and we finally made it to a community event! They divided the beach up into age categories so Kaitlyn lucked out because she was in the 0-1 category. Her competition for the eggs were not very mobile so she was able to get a lot in a short amount of time. She was so tired of picking them up that she started throwing them back in the sand! We awaited the arrival on of the Easter bunny who showed up on a boat and while we were waiting to take pics with him, Kaitlyn discovered her candy and Nate hung out with some of his friends he saw there. It was a lovely Spring day and we just enjoyed being outdoors. Later, we all dyed Easter eggs. Even Grampa got in on the action!

We began Easter day by getting the kids all gussied up for church. They looked quite adorable in their Easter attire. Kaitlyn especially loved her "at" which I found her wearing when I went to get her out of her crib. She was quite adorable sitting there sucking her thumb in her pj's with her hat on her head! We took some family pictures and then headed off to church. Andrew and I were singing in the choir so my parents sat with the kids. Not even half way through the program, I looked out in the congregation and they were not sitting where we left them. I don't even know if they heard the quartet that Andrew and I sung in b/c they were trying to contain our little rugrats. I love music at Christmastime and at Easter. I feel like it invites the Spirit so strongly and I love singing and listening to music about our Savior. Andrew and I got to sing the song "This is the Christ" which is one of my favorites. It wasn't our best, but the message is so wonderful. Our Savior truly loves each of us so much and gives us daily hope in our lives. The atonement and resurrection are so marvelous! My parents, unfortunately were not able to get as much out of Sacrament meeting, but we were so grateful for their help:) Maybe next year we'll take turns being in the choir. After church, we prepared a fun Easter meal complete with ham with pineapple glaze, baked potatoes with all the fixings, bunnies on the lawn (pear bunnies on green jello that kind of ended up looking like mice), asparagus, coconut macaroons, and Andrew's lemon bundt cake- yummy! Nate and I also made bunny cupcakes for fun. Another fun thing about having our own house is we got to hide Easter eggs in our own backyard and the kids loved it, until they realized that there was no candy inside. Their tears quickly dried when they realized the Easter bunny hid  Easter baskets around the house with plenty of candy inside.We then took a family walk to make room for cake and ice cream. It was a perfect Easter day and we such a great visit with Mom and Dad, even if Dad and I kept beating Mom and Andrew at hand and foot!!!!