Happy Easter

 

I always find that I am a crazy mom as I watch my littles collect eggs, encouraging them to get more and more, and then immediately regretting it when I see all the candy they've collected. Why is every Holiday full of CANDY? What else could we put in those eggs? Marbles (no, they'll choke), jewelry (no, too expensive), cheap plastic toy figures (no, who needs more cheap toys?)... you get my point.

I did an Easter egg hunt with our friends where the children founds eggs with different items relating to the Savior and his death and resurrection. The last egg is empty representing the empty tomb. I am glad that I did this because we become completely distracted by the Easter baskets, the Sunday outfits, the candy and such that I would bet most kids have no idea what we are really celebrating.

HE IS RISEN! Without our Savior, death would be the end; because of Him I can be together with my family forever.  The is the gospel or "good news" and I want to shout it from the rooftops!

 

Sweden knew just what to do this year and filled her basket with lots of eggs, she even found the golden egg with $5 in it!

 Raising their hands because I was likely getting them to smile by asking "who wants to open their eggs!?" Looks like Fox might have collected the most this year!

 

Easter Morning they found their baskets full of lots of treats, swimming gear, bubbles, rocket copters, slingshots, water bottles and more. SPOILED :) 

 After church we had the Fosters and Marshalls over for a yummy lunch. It was a beautiful day, so we ate outside and sat at the dining table Ben just built us. He worked really hard and it turned out better than I imagined!

 

The kids are wearing the dress and bow ties made out of their Grandpa Keith Larsen's dress shirt, given to us by Nana.

I LOVE YOU

Christmas with Grandpa

Of course Magnolia has the REAL Santa for pictures. Fox loved seeing and Santa and sat on his lap happily, Finn was hesitant and Sweden was obviously scared. Scared but it's still adorable!

 

Santa at church.

 Finn with his friends and his teacher, Mrs. Gallardo at school. He put on such a great Christmas show in his pjs with his class!

 

 

Our tradition is to give our kids their Christmas pajamas the night we decorate the tree. The boys were so excited for their glow in the dark pjs- dinos wearing Santa hats and space ships. 

 

My dad joined us for Christmas this year and I am so glad he did.  It would be his first Christmas without Mom and I wanted to make sure he had a wonderful time and felt her with us.  We put a stocking out for mom and put some of her favorite things like flowers and butterscotch in it, along with notes from each of her children saying something they remember about her.  It was special to read those Christmas morning and to feel her presence.  I was a little scared to have my dad come for Christmas, knowing it would be hard to see him without my mom, they have always been attached at the hip. However, I was able to have some good conversations with my dad and even read through some of her journal entries, for that I am grateful.

 

We took the family to Morgans Wonderland for ice skating, fake snow, rides and Christmas lights. It was such a fun evening and the perfect weather for pjs and snow hats. 

 The Fosters joined us for Christmas Eve, we reenacted the Nativity, sang "Happy Birthday" to Jesus and exchanged presents. We gave our kids their yearly Christmas ornaments. Finn received a lego snowman inside a globe, Fox received a dinosaur, and Sweden received a shoe because she loves all of her shoes and moms shoes.