Saturday afternoon we had a yummy dinner with my Mom and Mark!!! Arren and her family were there, my older sister Avi and her kiddos, my cousins Brandon and Bryan, my Auntie Di and Uncle Bill and my Uncle Larry!! We were missing a few but had fun none the less! Mom and Avi put together a little Easter hunt for the kids, and then the adults played a few rounds of spoons!!!! There was lots of laughter and good visiting!!! Years ago at one of our family gatherings my Auntie Di had an awesome rainbow purse (I love purses), I jokingly told her that when she had enough of that purse I would gladly take it off her hands!! Saturday she came up to me with her hands behind her back and said, "well Amber, the time has finally come!" And from behind her back she pulls out her coveted rainbow purse!!!!!! I was so excited I jumped up and gave her a big hug!!! She then told me to look inside, opening it up I found a beautiful carving of the Nativity out of Olive tree wood from Jerusalem!!!! My Aunt had gone there on a ladies tour and I had told her if she came across any Nativities carved out of Olive Tree wood I would love to have just a little one!! She told us about her trip and her experiences in Jerusalem, it sounded like an adventure of a lifetime and having her relate her stories made me feel like I was there with her, oh how I'd love to go to Jerusalem...one day!!!
Sunday we were able to go to church where I taught the youth a beautiful lesson about the Resurrection, and we watched a very powerful video!!! After church we came home and got ready to have another family Easter dinner!! I cooked a yummy ham and "Darth Tater" potatoes!!! I also made a strawberry and grapefruit spinach salad with creamy lime dressing!! Rachel brought the punch and Myrna brought buns and dessert!!! Her dessert was amazing!!!! It was a mud pie ice cream cake!!! My mom and Mark, Myrna, Avi, Owen and Maryssa, Rachel, Jared, Liam and Jonas, and Bonita joined us for dinner!! It was lots of fun, great food and lots of laughs! In the evening we all piled into the truck and went out to check the cows and tag any new calves!! Bonita loved this, she said she has wanted to live on a farm with animals!! All the little boys pet the calf while Jared had it in the box of the truck to tag it! The mom was a little anxious with all of us out there but she left us alone!
Monday morning the kids woke up and noticed a trail of chocolate robin eggs leading out of their room to baskets in the living room left by the Easter Bunny!!! They each got a little Lego set and got right to work building them!! Then they noticed candy filled plastic eggs and other candy hidden around the living room upstairs!! They each got a basket and went on a hunt!!! The rest of the day we will take it easy, catch up on laundry, check the cows periodically, watch a movie and just be together!!
I am thankful for my little family, I love how they play with each other and help each other build lego! I am thankful for my Savior, for the sacrifice he made for each of us individually so that we can return to live with Him and our Heavenly Father again. As a mother I can't imagine allowing my child to go through such agony without intervening in some way. But our Heavenly Father knew this is what needed to happen in order for us to have eternal life, and for that sacrifice I truly am grateful. I am thankful for the gospel in my life, for the knowledge I have of why we are here, who we are and what we are working to achieve....living in the presence of Our Father in Heaven and our elder brother Jesus Christ, and the families we have been blessed with here on earth. What a wonderful feeling of hope. I love this Easter season of new beginnings and hope for the good that is to come!
Every one I know has today off except for Dave.:( I heard about the mud pie. Wanted some of that. Glad your Easter has been good so far.
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