Ok, so I have to admit that Easter didn't quite go as planned.
I had spent the better part of last week finishing Easter gifts (see here) and thinking about traditions. I was very excited for Easter. Gabriella was too. She had seen her dress and the baskets we made. She asked every morning if it was Easter. She literally broke down into tears when I told her she still had to go to sleep 6 more times before it was Easter.
On Wednesday of last week Joe's brother and wife came to town to help Joe lay tile in our kitchen. It was so fun having company...to bad our house was torn up! Our refrigerator was in our hallway, our oven was in the garage and our table was in the middle of the family room. Not very much room was left in here.
Because I wasn't so brilliant, that meant I couldn't boil eggs to dye, I couldn't bake sugar cookies to paint, or anything else Easter-y that involved the kitchen...including Easter dinner.
Our place was a disaster zone. But I had hope, because it was all going to be done Saturday night. Jenn and I went to see Mama Mia in Seattle that night (yes, seeing a show in Seattle was on my list of things to do while we were here, and I'm happy to report it was fantastic!) I couldn't wait to come home and see everything complete. The tile looked great and I love it! But the house was still a hot mess!
We went to bed and I begged for my oven to be put back first thing Easter morning. We woke up like every other morning and started to make brunch. Gabriella didn't even know it was Easter, which was okay by me since the Easter bunny hadn't even "come" yet. After the kitchen was put back together and we ate, I thought it was time for their baskets.
We hide a few eggs filled with notes around the house (thanks for the idea Bryn) and Gabs and Gwen went on a little scavenger hunt...to the book drawer, the bathtub, the computer, then to the pantry where the Easter bunny ate some crackers before he went home. That's where he left their baskets.
Both girls really enjoyed the spool people. Quickly after, we were off to church. When we got back in the car, Gabriella had a little purple plastic egg in her hand. She asked us, "Do you wanna know what the best thing about Easter is?" We said sure, kind of nonchalantly. She opened up her little egg and unfolded a small piece of paper. She turned it around to show us in the front seat and said "Jesus" while holding His picture.
She carried on by telling us the whole Easter story. My favorite part was when she said that He showed His friends his hands. It was so wonderful to hear her tell us the story. She made us so proud. Thanks to amazing Primary teachers, she really did understand what the best thing was about Easter. And she taught me a lesson. And now, we have our new Easter tradition that I was so desperate to have. I couldn't come home from a lesson like that from my 3 year old and immediately hide eggs to hunt. So we didn't, we enjoyed the rest of our Easter Sunday as a family.
Our new plan: Easter Sunday is to remain about what really is the best thing about Easter...our Savior. Today, the Monday after, can be about everything else. Today we had our Easter egg hunt, today we took pictures, and today we'll dye eggs for FHE.
I love my girls more than tongue can tell. They teach me something everyday. How blessed I am to be their mom and how grateful I am that we have a new, perfect Easter tradition.
10 comments:
Cute pictures Jamie. The girls look adorable in their dresses and I'm glad they liked their little spool people. Sounds like Easter Monday is a perfect tradition. Why not spread out all the fun! Happy FHE!
They look so cute! I am so glad they liked the spool people. Both of their hair is getting so long! I love your new family tradition. I guess I have some work to do because all Dax is talking about is the "bunny coming!" Maybe Gabriella can call him and tell him what yesterday was supposed to be all about!
What a great day! Ironically enough, we also will be dying eggs for FHE ~ the day after Easter! We love you all!
I love your girls dresses. They turned out so darling!! Love them. And I am glad they love their spool people too. What a wonderful mother you are. I am sorry things did not turn out as planned, but it sounds like in the end they really did. After this year I have been really trying to decide how make all the easter stuff more on a spiritual side on actual Easter Sunday. I have some ideas. I like your idea to do a lot of it on Monday. We did do a good amount on Saturday, but I want even more to focus on Christ. We will see what I can come up with for next year. I hope your FHE tonight went well!! Really, your girls look so cute in their dresses.
We do Easter Bunny stuff on the Saturday before Easter and leave Sunday for the Savior. I love it that way since I am not too crazy about the silly bunny taking away from such an important day.
So did you put the girls in their easter dresses Monday? And I love it how you are flexible. True sign of a great mother. Glad the kitchen is done and that you are getting back to "normal". Love those spool people.
Their dresses turned out amazing. They are simply adorable in them. I think your idea of making Sunday for the Savior and Monday/FHE for the Easter bunny and eggs and everything else is a great idea. And it sounds like Gabriella is already "getting" what Easter is really all about.
The dresses turned out so cute. Thanks for sharing all your cool crafty ideas. Your girls are so loved by their Mama. I'm so glad Gabriella remembered the lesson. I just love the sunbeams! They are the ones teaching me.
What a perfect Easter. I am glad you decided to be flexible and ended up creating such a wonderful Easter tradition :). I love the sunbeams too! I lead the singing in primary, but will often go sit with the sunbeams during sharing time. You are so lucky to have your own at home!
Such beautiful girls- how did the tiling go- we're about to do re-tile our entire downstairs (1,100 sq. ft.) Tyler is pretty sure he can do it alone- I have my doubts- mostly I don't want to be out of my kitchen for more than a couple days!
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