My Favorite Holiday Has Come and Gone Again. Easter 2014.

Despite having a few sicknesses and a chaotic half-packed house, we had a pretty perfect Easter weekend. We had a full house, with Grandma, Grandpa, Uncle Cameron and Aunt Serena!

We started our festivities off with a glow in the dark egg hunt in our back yard. We had intended to join up with some other members of our ward and do one with them that evening, but there was just too much going on, so we just did our own. I think we've got a new tradition on our hands. Our boys loved searching the yard with flashlights and looking for glow sticks to help guide where eggs were stashed. 

Then we colored our eggs. I think I might do it differently next year. It was too much to do all of that in one night. The boys got so tired. They were having fun though. I promise.

We take our egg dying, very, seriously. 

I even colored one too. Love me some marbled eggs. 

Then we topped the night off with a glow in the dark bath. They were in heaven. 

Sunday morning was a rough start. Being half packed and boxes everywhere made for a stressed out mama but we got the boys ready and "suited-up" for church! These are our attempts. 

Then we got it. 

After church, the indoor egg hunt commenced. But the boys had to wait. They waited patiently for everyone (including adults) to be ready for the egg hunt. Part of the fun is seeing them find the eggs so we wanted everyone there before they started looking!

Then they got their search on. Kade had the most difficult time finding his basket. The Easter bunny likes to be tricky now that Kade is getting older. 

The boys with their Easter loot. 

These three guys, got new sunglasses. 

Grandpa taught Kade how to fly his kite! Kade loved it! Tadd took a nap or he would have been out there too! Kade had so much fun flying his new kite. 

And then dinner. Not to toot my own horn or anything, but it was pretty dang good. We had salmon, asparagus, pasta salad, cucumber salad and red potatoes and everything tasted so delicious! Then Debbie made some lemon meringue pie that was super delicious. It was just a perfect meal. So tasty! 

We had so much fun! Easter is definitely my favorite holiday!

What a beautiful time of year. Celebrating the Atonement and resurrection of Christ during the resurrection of nature's living things. There were wildflowers out and things are turning green again! I'm so grateful for the Atonement and the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Because of Him we can be with our families forever. 

This most recent birthday that I celebrated, came with a typical but beautiful birthday card from my loving Grandma Lauritzen. I was particularly emotional with this card as it was signed simply, "Love Grandma" instead of the usual, "Grandma and Grandpa". This was the first birthday for me without words of love and support from my Grandpa. I looked back through my monthly emails and found this, that I just love,

"The more I learn about our Father in Heaven and Jesus Christ, the more deeply impressed I am by their intelligence, knowledge, Priesthood power, and – above all – by their love. I am in awe of the knowledge required of physics, chemistry, biology, geology and all of the other “ologies” to enable the “ordering” of matter to create this earth and the solar system. Imagine having that kind of knowledge and power and still being concerned enough about all of us that Jesus was willing to come here and be the sacrifice without which our progression would be stymied. I am humbled the more I think about it. How deeply grateful I am."

He was always so good at sharing his testimony of the gospel with me as well as just about everyone else! As a goal this year, I'm trying to be more like him. I've never been good at sharing my testimony with those around me. But I'm trying to do it more often and I'm grateful for my Grandpa's example! I miss his emails every month. I miss his bear hugs. But I know through the atonement and resurrection I'll see him, as well as all of my loved ones that have passed, again. What a beautiful blessing!