Hoppy Easter: Part 2

Easter weekend was so much fun!  We spent this year at my parent's house so we could be present when my brother-in-law was confirmed in the Catholic Church at the Easter Vigil service on Saturday night.  It was a very special celebration to be a part of and I was so happy to be there to support him.  I had only been to the Easter Vigil one other time and the first time I was not prepared for the length.  This time I was, so I enjoyed it a lot more.  For those who are not Catholic, this is a 3 hour service (not typical, just Easter Vigil).  It is a very solemn and beautiful service that begins with a candlelight vigil.  During the service, any adults that are joining the church are Baptized (if they never have been) and Confirmed.  What an amazing way to celebrate Christ's sacrifice for us, by watching adults exercise their right and their desire to allow him into their hearts and lives through Baptism and strengthen their faith through Confirmation.  Easter is such an amazing time of year and I was reminded this year how blessed I am to be one of God's children and how much He loves me through the celebration of his sacrifice.

Uncle Brian getting Confirmed

Of course, there was plenty of Easter Bunny, egg hunting and baskets to keep us busy too!  The kids enjoyed the celebrations and the family time!

Jackson with the Bunny Cake he and Granna made.  I had to laugh at the green whiskers.  (They looked a little like snot rockets to me!)

We had Easter Baskets on Saturday morning because that's when Uncle Brian and Aunt Jessica were going to be with us.  That crazy Easter Bunny must have known that we would want to wait for them to get to the house because he hid the baskets in the garage with a short poem to help us find them and he left a box of eggs for us to take outside and hide ourselves when we were ready (he didn't want the chocolate to melt).

Baskets in the garage

Jackson with his poem to find the baskets

The kids were thrilled with their basket goodies which consisted of one toy each, some flip flops, sandals and ball caps (the Easter Bunny was fairly practical this year, he must be aware that my house is overflowing with toys and that my kids are OBSESSED with shoes!)  Then it was time to hunt!  Big people hid eggs and them little people scavenged!  There was of course ANOTHER confetti fight!!  We apparently can't get enough of messes or torturing each other in my family, I'm not sure which.  It was all a blast!

Gage

Jackson's new hat

Babies and Baskets!

Uncle Brian, Gage and Jackson

Poppo commentating the egg hunt play-by-play

Aunt Jessica and Aunt Kiki helping hunt

Uncle Jacob and Westin hunting

Gage bypassed a BUNCH of eggs on the ground that he COULD reach and headed straight for this egg that he COULDN'T reach.  We all laughed!

Jackson

Yes, he ended up with TWO baskets of eggs!

Poor Westin just didn't feel good enough to keep hunting!

Brooklyn decided it was time to take it easy after some serious hunting!

 After all the fun, we got dressed in our Easter best and headed dinner to celebrate Brian's Confirmation before Mass.  No, were we not crazy enough to take 5 kids to a 3 hour Mass.  Clint took them back to Granna and Poppo's after dinner, then he and I went to church together on Easter morning so he could go too!  After a wonderful Easter lunch made my Granna on Sunday, we made our way home!

Westin

Brooklyn LOVED this

Kynlee and Poppo

Westin, Kynlee, Gage, Brooklyn, Jackson (Granna made the precious dresses, I can only take credit for the bows, but she made the roses for those too)

The only downside to the weekend was Westin feeling pretty crumby and being pretty pitiful and cranky.  Poor guy!  Otherwise, it was fantastic!!  Another successful family holiday!!  Praise God for sending us His only Son so that we may all live with Him forever despite our many, many daily transgressions.  What an amazing reason to celebrate!!