Happy Easter-2013

Easter this year was so great. It started off crazy stressful. Right before (I am talking like 3 days before) Ryan was born we met with the 2nd counselor in the Bishopric and he told me I had been called into the Relief Society Presidency and then asked us to talk on Easter Sunday. Talk about a full load right before you have a baby :) In the end I am sooo thankful we were asked to speak on Easter because it gave me the opportunity to learn, ponder, study, and read about The Atonement of our Savior. I needed that and consider speaking a blessing.

Of course we both waited to write our talks until about the night before. We were given five weeks and we totally procrastinated. I did really think about the topic through the five weeks which was also a blessing. Because of the Atonement I am given the opportunity to have this beautiful family for eternity. That in and of its self is the amazing. I love this family.

 Because of the Atonement I am able to have a relationship with my Heavenly Father. Without the Atonement I would have sinned once and been cut off from Him. Oh how grateful I am that I am able to repent through the Atonement and become closer to Him. The Atonement provides so many beautiful gifts to us.

 Because of the Atonement I am able to receive direction and guidance on how to raise these three kids and how to be a good mom. I am able to feel the spirit, receive promptings and be directed. 

I am eternally grateful for the Atonement. It allowed me to experience all the things in life that make me the most happy... Having a relationship with my Heavenly Father and His Son Jesus Christ, having an eternal family, being a mom and wife, enjoying my family and enjoying my life with the knowledge that we can go back and live with Him together.

I love Easter. I love what it represents and I love all the Eastery things too. This year I completely dropped the ball though. Big time. I didn't even decorate my house. I always have my house decorated for each holiday. This year I haven't once :( and my kids have been really bummed about it too. Anyway, while trying to prepare our talks we quickly got the Easter baskets together, realized I had bought like two things of candy (how does that even happen?), quickly slapped together a scavenger hunt for them to find their baskets, forgot to leave out carrots...I could go on and on about all the things I did wrong. :) Here Brooklyn is reading their clues.

The kids loved their clues and loved running around the house to find the next one. Weston's was hid in the play room dress up bin.

Brooklyn found her's in the dryer. 

 As awful as I felt about botching Easter...my sweet kids didn't say anything and thought their baskets and the few pieces of candy were perfect. They each got a pair of aviators and they loved them...These were a little too small on him so we got a bigger size.

Among a bunch of things they loved, Brooklyn loved her flip flops :) So we didn't have any plans for dinner so we bought some ribs to eat for Easter. On Easter morning I realized we didn't have any propane to grill them on the bbq. Wade and I were so stressed and didn't know what we were going to have. I tell ya...this is my life...complete disorganized chaos!

So we gave our talks at church and everyone said they were amazing. I don't know about mine but Wade's talk was seriously was the best talk I have ever heard. He had people in tears. I love hearing him talk. 

After Sacrament meeting a cute family in our ward invited us over for dinner!!! YAY! Our Easter was saved! Thank you Bates family!

We had a GREAT time at their home and the kids had fun too. 

Ryan looks like he has a cone head in this picture but he doesn't don't worry! Weird angle!

So that was our Easter. A little crazy and hectic with preparing our talks and forgetting a lot of Easter things including having an Easter egg hunt that my kids begged for and the Easter Egg dye pack that never got opened. But...we had a great Easter Sunday in terms of what the real meaning of Easter is.

Here are some bath pics of my little baby boy.

Brooklyn loves bathing Ryan. She is such a mommy already. 

Ryan man...is the best baby! He is almost sleeping through the night. We feed him at 1030 pm and he usually sleeps until 5am. Then wakes up to eat and is back down and doesn't wake up again until 8. He is such a sweet little guy with a temper :)

Looking at his mama! 

Ryan is really starting to chub up. He eats WAYYYYYYYYY more then my other two did. I better get to the gym and starting beefing up my arm muscles because I have a feeling I will be hauling around a fat man :)

Oh Brooklyn...self portraits already. I am going to have to ban her from Facebook later on! :) She is cute though!

And my little Weston. Always up for a party. He is just a cool kid. As long as his attitude is in check he is a pretty perfect kiddo! Boy can his attitude get him in trouble ;)

So that is it for now!

I have a busy day. Chores, RS stuff, treats to make for RS visits tomorrow, swim lessons, back yard clean up ( we are laying sod this weekend...I can't wait) and some errands then tonight off to dinner at a friends house!