Easter 2014

Easter usually happens for us in 2 parts, so we get to celebrate all weekend. It's a mix of rejoicing with our church and our families in different settings. 

The past few years on Saturday we've had a egg hunt for the boys and then brunch at Ben's parents' house with his siblings and my parents + siblings as well. Everyone gets a chance to see the little guys do their thing and then we all eat and fellowship. It's a great time and something I really enjoy every year. 

Egg hunt in Grandpa + Grandma's backyard

Opening their eggs and Easter "baskets" (book bags!) 

Usually we try to have the boys decorate eggs during the week before but we just didn't get to it this year, so we brought a kit with us and did it after brunch. It worked out okay but it was rather rushed and Kai didn't really seem to be in the mood. 

Sunday morning the boys woke up early and I was planning on sleeping in a bit until I realized their Easter baskets were set out for them to find. I popped up quick to snap a few pictures, but they were so fast I didn't get anything good. Shortly after we headed to an earlier service at church. This was our first Easter at our current church and we thoroughly enjoyed it. Afterwards we headed out to Florence where later that afternoon we would celebrate with my extended family at my Grandpa + Grandma's house. Prior to that though we met up with some friends at one of our favorite coffee shops since we don't see them nearly enough and any day now they are moving too far away. It was a nice visit, albeit quick. 

Later that afternoon we gathered at my grandparents' place to eat and watch even more kids hunt for eggs. The beach is only a couple blocks away from their house so we all walked down and had the egg hunt right on the beach. We added beanies and water shoes to the boys' Easter outfits, which I found hilariously adorable. 

For the most party I followed after Desmond and Ben kept an eye out for Malakai while they ran all over the place. Malakai took off with the bigger kids up the hill. I love that he's getting old enough for adventures like this. While Desmond was easier to follow, he had a harder time keeping his eggs in the basket. His method cracked me up, he would pick up an egg, open it and put the candy in his basket and put the egg back in the sand. Pretty smart, but I had to follow after grabbing all the empty eggs so his unsuspecting cousins didn't run along to grab the empties. 

They had a blast running around after all the eggs and playing in the sand at the same time. We got quite a bit of sand in our baskets, but thankfully most of their candy was wrapped. They also took about half the beach home with them in their shoes. I'm not the biggest fan of sand, but it was all worth it. 

Desmond enjoyed finding driftwood and "digging for treasure" with Malakai. I'm told in the picture below where my sister and Ben are laughing that Malakai handed Des an egg that was filled with sand. Brothers. 

 

We had neglected to get a family photo the day before so I'm thankful that my mom snapped this one on the beach, even though we are disheveled and mis-matched, it's a great memory. 

{April 20th, 2014}

We headed back up the house to "de-sand" and the boys got another set of Easter baskets from G'Pa + Mima as well as more treats from Great Grandpa Rob + Great Gram Rhea. We stayed to visit for a bit and then headed back home, tired and content. 

pinstripes

Here are the pictures I mentioned in my Easter post. Malakai in his pinstripes on Easter Sunday. He didn't mess with the tie or the vest all day, I was so proud!

{that might be my hand keeping him from running across the stage}

Photos courtesy of Elizabeth Clark. 

Easter Saturday {and Sunday too}

We did our family celebration of Easter on Saturday this year for a number of reasons. Ben's mom and my dad both work graveyard so Sunday after church they needed to sleep. Speaking of church, since I work there and Ben was on the worship team and in the drama, we were all there til 1pm. Then afterwards Kai needs his nap.

I am SO thankful we chose to have brunch and do Kai's 1st egg hunt on Saturday because the weather was sunny, warm, and absolutely perfect. Sunday, it was cloudy, cold + raining almost all day. We also did his Easter basket on Saturday morning so he could use it for his egg hunt later.







We got him his first Bible, a little bunny, sidewalk chalk shaped as eggs, and empty plastic eggs. I thought about it later and we could have put something like fish crackers or cheerios in them since I didn't want to do candy, but he was happy with the empty eggs. They were his favorite gift.

Once he was done taking them apart and putting them back together we all got ready to go to my in-laws house for Easter brunch with them and my side of the family as well. I decided it had been far too long since we got both sides together and it would be fun for both sets of grandparents to be there for Kai's 1st Easter egg hunt.

We had a great potluck brunch of rolls with turkey + ham, assorted fruits + veggies, deviled eggs, strawberry lemonade, and muffins. Of course there was also plenty of Easter candy. Afterwards Ben and my siblings "hid" the eggs in the backyard.

Malakai was confused at first and just ran around the grass. Finally Ben pointed out an egg and told him to put it in the basket. When he did everyone clapped and cheered and he was hooked. He found the rest of the eggs all by himself and had a blast being the center of attention.

Thanks to my mom and her artistic eye for all of the Easter egg hunt photos!

{daddy was the basket holder}

{the cheering section, and mama takes a turn}

{stopping to smell the tulips...really he was looking for eggs}

{afterwards he had to show off his collection to my brother's friend Haley.}

{Easter Seesters}

{the best attempt at a family photo. someone just wanted to run}

The next day, Easter Sunday, Ben left with a friend for worship practice at 6:30 am. Malakai and I left at 7:45 am to set up the classrooms and goodies for my volunteers. I was so blessed to have extra volunteers since there would be a lot of visitors to the church for the holiday. I thanked them by delivering coffee + muffins. Unfortunately I made the mistake of wearing wedges and with all the walking between the cafe, the sanctuary, my office (upstairs), and the two classrooms my feet were killing me!

It was so fun to see all the kiddos in their Easter best. Malakai wore a pinstriped vest + matching pants complete with a clip-on tie. Unfortunately I didn't get any photos, but I think someone else did. When I get a copy I'll be sure to post it. He looked like such a little man!

Worship, the drama, and the message were fantastic. We just love our church so much. I am so thankful that I am learn something and am challenged in my faith each and every week. 

How did you celebrate Easter?

"He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead, 

just as he said would happen."

(Mat.28:6, NLT)

P.S. Don't forget to enter my current giveaway, ends tomorrow night!

Easter weekend wrap up

We've officially owned our new home for a week now and have been living in it and cleaning around boxes for that long as well. It's taking a surprisingly long time, but that's mostly because Ben hasn't been here much. He was in the Easter drama at church and they had 3 hour practices every night this past week. So Ben would get home from work, play with Malakai, eat dinner, go to practice, come home, go to bed. It was a whirlwind of a week and proved to be quite the challenge for me.

I had a bit of a breakdown at the end of the week. I got overwhelmed by the needs of this house and my son simultaneously and doing it by myself. I'm so excited for Ben to be home every night this week! I did have one little victory on Friday night though. I put Malakai down in his crib and instead of getting upset he played quietly and fell asleep on his own. It was the sweetest little miracle.

Malakai's first Easter was a blast. I took him to first service with me where my parents and siblings joined us to watch Ben in the play and listen to the message. Malakai fell asleep at the end of the play and napped in my lap for the rest of service (40 minutes!). I was so glad because I had to work in the nursery for 2nd service and then we were off to brunch.

Yesterday was my first day as lead volunteer in the nursery. I wouldn't have been nervous since I've been working in the nursery for 6 years, but it was Easter! It was a bit stressful with 11 babies and only two adults at first. We got two additional volunteers but one of them got sick and had to leave. It all turned out fine by the end of service, but it was surely exhausting!

We had brunch with my extended family and everyone had to get their photo taken with the Easter baby :)