Easter 2013

Easter this year was so much fun. Now that Greyson is walking...more like running all over the place...we have been able to include him in all the festivities. 

We started the week off with an Easter party with our play group! We had a trial egg "hunt" for the kids to see how they would do...they loved playing with the eggs & throwing them all over. 

We celebrated daddy's birthday with friends (Matt, Emily & Jace). As it turned out, Matt P's birthday was that very day & so we had an impromptu get together to celebrate. Emily already had a cake for her husband & just added an "s" to it so we could include our Matt =)

Our church had their annual Easter egg hunt in the church yard. Greyson kept thinking each egg was a ball so he would say ball & throw it instead of putting them in his bucket. He finally caught on & had a lot of fun.

 There were at least 25 kids in attendance & they all got a prize egg in the end. Greyson got a little ball & bat to play with this summer as his prize.

While we were waiting for the prizes & everything, I was in charge of the flowers & decorating the church for Easter. This was the table in front of the church...I just love tulips! They look like spring =)

Sunday morning, we got up to see what the Easter bunny brought =)

Greyson walked all over the living room looking for his basket & then spotted it behind a chair...he was very interested in all the contents, especially the food =)

Next we went to find daddy's. He had a basket, plus card & gifts since he shared Easter Sunday with his 30th birthday.

We couldn't forget to wear the bunny ears! Nana got them for him for his first Easter & I think I will make it a tradition to put them in his basket each year so he can wear them during breakfast =) I wonder if he will still enjoy that when he's 18...

Matt's gift to me for Easter was money to buy clothes...=) I have been eating pretty clean lately so candy & other snacks weren't that important to me & I enjoy shopping way more so it worked out for both of us. I was happy to buy a few new outfits for spring including my Easter dress I wore Sunday to church. When Matt admired my dress he said...did I get that for you? haha

We got all dressed up in our "Easter" finest & went to Resurrection Sunday services!

 A BIG thank you goes to "Aunt Jenn" for finding Greyson's outfit & sending it to us. It was hardly visible in the photo, but the outfit had little white & yellow pinstripes & a pocket with a little white "handkerchief" sticking out the top. TOO cute!!! 

Church was wonderful & we had lots of visitors. I love this time of year when we welcome spring & everyone celebrates the risen Savior. After church we went to my inlaws house to celebrate the rest of Easter & Matt's birthday. 

Uncle Jac & Jacinda got lots of Greyson time in while they were here from Florida.

After lots of family photos, we changed into our play clothes to play with the ever doting uncles.

My mother in law had a beautiful Easter table set complete with butter in the shape of a lamb. My grandma used to carve a lamb out of 4 sticks of butter but this one came from walmart. None of us had that kind of time =) it was soo cute!

After dinner, we had lots of dessert! A cake & sugar cookies Matt & I made for his birthday & a delicious apple pie that Jacinda made. I didn't get a picture of it, but it had little lamb crust shapes on the top too!

Matt did most of the "interesting" decorating & I kept mine pretty normal. He went all out with faces & combining colors..I'm sure you can tell which ones were his =)

Then it was time for Easter baskets from Mimi & G'pa & gifts from Aunt M & Uncle J too =)

She even had a little mini Easter egg hunt set up for him after he opened his basket.

We've been asked several times if we are sisters, related some way & even twins. I hope to have another red head in the family someday & already think of Jacinda as a sister anyway. We took this picture together because we "matched" a little bit =) 

 Nana & Papa got to come the day after Easter & gave Greyson another little Easter basket.

It was SO cute & had these adorable little fuzzy wind up toys in it that Greyson was just carried away with. The little chick & bunny hop all around & he just watches them go! We got cute shoes & lots of other fun things from them too. 

He immediately wanted his yogurt from the basket...those make great alternatives to Easter candy!

 I hope you had as good a Happy Easter as we did celebrating the true meaning of this holiday. Yes, there are Easter bunnies, eggs, festivities & candy...but what's really important is knowing that Jesus died for our sins & didn't just stay that way. He rose from the grave 3 days later so that one day we might live with him. I am so thankful for what Easter means to our family...it is truly the best reason to celebrate of all!