Sweets and Treats of Easter 2013

One of the best things about Easter are the treats that the marketing world has decided "goes" with Easter.  Like the super yummy Cadbury eggs.  I love the big cream ones, like really really love them.  Not to worry though, like the rest of the general population, I love the mini's too.  Yeah the ones with the hard candy shells and creamy smooth milk chocolate in the middle...pretty much perfection in candy as far as I'm concerned.  But who do you think came up with the idea of an Easter bunny?  Okay, fine we can let a bunny be the symbol of this religious holiday, but then why the eggs, like chicken eggs? From a bunny? Seriously makes zero sense to me but whatever, this girls not gonna complain about her chocolate!   

Usually I don't mind coloring all the hard boiled eggs that don't make sense, in all sorts of beautiful colorful creations.  This year I just was not feeling it.  I was just too tired.  I'd had a horrible migraine and been feeling generally fatigued for a couple of weeks now, and the big egg dying party with my kids and Tara's that we had planned sounded like it would require way more energy than I had. Yeah I know that last statement is one close friends never thought they'd hear from me.  No energy, yeah right, but sadly its totally true.  So this year I passed the buck to Jeff.  He got to be the fun dad coloring eggs with all the little ones...They thought that was a real treat!

Due to the most amazing downpour that I was awake listening to at 4 am Sunday, it was way too wet to have out outdoor egg hunt.  So we kicked everybody out to my house and did it inside my mom's.  It was such a treat to open the door to all these cute kids ready for church with their baskets (or bags, cause they're "too old for easter baskets") ready for the hunt.

I loved watching these sweet girls gathering up their goodies

And laughed as these guys went selectively through only grabbing a few of their favorite treats. 

It was so sweet to have all of us together on a Sunday again

We waited too long to get a picture of all the adults.  My dad left early for church because he had been asked to speak.  My dad is amazing and I love the way he teaches and presents to a group.  He knows how to make you feel whatever he's talking about.  When you're feeling something you're not easily distracted and you're more likely to remember it.   I will not be forgetting his sweet testimony shared this Easter Sunday. I love my dad.

And I'm not gonna lie, riding in Ms B going anywhere is always a treat!  We all rode to church together and remembered when we had gone to a ward in Santa Cruz in the bus with all of the Bohn, Greenlaw,  VanWagenen, and Rickards crew.  When we showed up at church in the bus and people just kept coming and coming out of the bus we joked that we looked like one of those kidnapper vans sneaking across the border.  (Yep totally aware that it's probably not politically correct to share that, but c'mon you know exactly what I'm talking about!)

This time when we got to church the Greenlaws pulled in right behind us.  Corey said he thought to himself, "Hey how sweet someone went and picked up all the old ladies and brought them to church for Easter!"  and then he saw me step out. Instead of it dawning on him that Tara and Jason might be in town, his first thought was, "hey wait, why is Jen getting out of the old lady bus?!" THEN it dawned on him...

Our church programs include singing from the younger children 3-11 years old on most holidays.  Drew falls into this category for only a few more weeks,  and feels way too mature to be up singing with the younger kids, but went reluctantly up after some encouragement form his brothers (totally in jest), and from his mother (totally serious).  

His brothers and cousins thought it would be so sweet to make awesome faces at him the entire time he was singing to try to get him to crack up laughing while he was up there.

My brilliant sister suggested I snap a few pictures of them doing so...

Which I happily shared with Drew.  Just to be sweet, he shared all of their lovely faces on instagram.  

My grandparents came over to join us for dinner right after church.  It's always a treat to see them!

When I asked the guys to get together for a picture wouldn't you know my sweet Grandpa would be the one to give me his backside and let me know it was his BEST side!

My Wes.  Most weeks he keeps his Sunday clothes on long after everyone else.   Not sure how comfortable that might be but for some reason I just find it kind of sweet to see him still in is suit and tie 

Ashlyn and Brynne got matching little dresses and cardigans this week and were so dang cute in them, but when I tried to get a picture they refused to treat me with anything but this super silly one with their arms tucked up inside their sleeves.  Sweet.

This little love takes her time warming up to anybody.  So when she lets you hold her and love on her it is a special treat!

Having my dad and my son working together in the kitchen to get dinner ready was sweet

Not having to make the rolls this year and getting lots of help from all the family in the food prep was a treat for sure!

As close as I have always been with my grandma, I don't think we have ever taken a three generations picture.  I now wish I would have grabbed Brynne to make it four, but still getting one with the three of us is a treat. 

Can you feel the love Grandpa has for his grandkids.   

Can you see the way we all adore him?

This is pure and genuine sweetness.

The best treat was after dinner having all the guys in working on the dishes til they were all the way done!!! Wahooo!

Of course whenever Grandma comes to visit we have to get in a good card game.  It's such a treat for her!

The treat for us was that my Grandpa actually played!  I can count on one hand the number of times I've seen that happen!!

And in the other room my dad was sweetly playing a game of headbands with the little girls.  Totally melts me!

In the middle of all of this my dad came in and said, "Jen there is the awesomest lightning storm going on outside right now I just know you'll love it come on out!"

We all went out and quietly sat on the back porch balcony and listened to the rain pelt the water in the pool and drip off the flowers in the pots of the porch.  We were treated to the best light show I've seen in years.  Best way to end a sweet day was with a treat like that!