Happy Easter!

We went about our order of Easter festivities a little different -- Friday morning was officially our "Family Easter" as Daddy was home and kids were off from school! 

Kayla was very intense about her egg decorating!

So was Joshua!

The finished product!

Since we just moved here, we got to explore all kinds of fun places to hide the eggs in the backyard -- we've never had a fence, trees, landscaping rocks, bushes, etc -- it was really fun!  Here they are -- putting together their aerial plan of attack once we let them outside!

Tyler got a 2-minute head start.

It nearly killed J and K to sit there and watch him!!!!

A little acrobatic work!

Jump Joshua, Jump!

So this year, I had put cut up strips of paper that formed a puzzle . . .

 . . . it was perhaps more complex than it needed to be!  It ended up being a group effort!

The finished product . . . "go look in the basement shower" -- and low and behold, there just happened to be three Easter baskets!

Thanks G and G Nelson for the special $2 in our baskets!

K was especially delighted with the DVD Frozen!

Tyler, Daddy, and his new bat bag!  

I made an "official" Easter lunch on Friday since I knew it wasn't gonna happen on Saturday or Sunday -- too crazy with all of the responsibilities at church. When we packed everything in Topeka, I realized that our china had not EVER been used the entire 7 years we were in KS.  So . . . I resolved that it was gonna get used more . . .  the kids were so confused why we were using fancy plates:)

Since I was involved in the Easter services at church, the kids ended up spending several hours there both Saturday and Sunday while we had rehearsals -- they are just quite the troopers I tell ya!  We are so thankful for the people like Vikki (Bryan's assistant...aka "Miss Vikki" to Tyler) and Regina (below) that make these wait sessions more enjoyable for the kids.

Great, great, weekend full of services that focused on the risen Lord!  The best part for me was Sunday afternoon when Joshua paused at the top of the steps and called down "Mom -- I hope some people there today asked Jesus to take their sins away."  Me too, bud.  

That's what this is all about, eh?

An after church photo -- Joshua (9 years), Kayla (7 years) and Tyler (5 years).

Bryan and I -- photography courtesy of Joshua!

After church, we had a great afternoon and evening as a family.  Tyler had a milestone this weekend -- he learned to ride his bike WITHOUT TRAINING WHEELS!!!!  So far, there haven't been any major spills -- but I am sure that is coming at some point:(

The kids wanted to eat out side.  We don't have deck furniture yet, so we improvised!!!!

Five year old boys can make guns out of anything -- even half eaten hot dogs!!!!

J and K on the path next to the yard.

Finally getting to use those rollerblades from Christmas!  Didn't know if we would EVER see the warm weather for that!

A little fire action pit.  

I told Joshua that when he sits in that chair it reminds me of 

Buddy in the movie "Elf."  He is growing up way, way, way too fast.

So thankful for the chance we had this Easter to enjoy the BEAUTIFUL weather, spend time with family, and most of all to celebrate the risen Lord!  Happy Easter !