Easter morning brought everything from yarn mazes to Resurrection Rolls.
In an attempt to "celebrate Easter as big as Christmas" like A.J. wanted, I may have bit off more than I could chew.
Last year A.J. spent the week before Easter researching everything from the suffering in the garden to the Dead Sea Scrolls.
He wanted to know why our family didn't make a bigger celebration of the Savior's sacrifice for us and his subsequent resurrection than we did for his birth.
After all, his birth, while yet glorious and beautiful, didn't even compare to what he did for each of us.
I planned to make it a ten day celebration and reflection, but with being out of town for Spring Break, and lots of other things, it all fit into a couple of days.
But...we did it right.
We learned of Him. Remember what He did for us. Reflected on how we can honor Him. Celebrated with family. Had a beautiful Easter service at church. And...had a very complexed web of colored yarn to follow to Easter morning baskets.
We started with the coloring of eggs. My camera is not playing very nice, (I MUST take it in and learn how it works. Oh, how I miss my Nikon!)
Annie took the painting of the eggs very seriously. She would not even look up for a photo.
Ellie and Brooke introduced Tymber to our ritual of eye-dying!
Easter morning, (and when I say morning I mean 12-5am) brought prepping everything from the baskets for the basket discovery, to breakfast prep, to previewing a video on the Savior and reading the account of that morning one last time.
Tymber's yard color was green. It went from her basket directly to her crib! Mom was very tired when I got to the 7th basket!
Music and the Spoken Word directly from Salt Lake!
The boys made the Resurrection Rolls! These were absolutely perfect!
They tasted good, required only simple directions, and the boys made them perfect on the first try. (I actually made a second batch for my Young Women, and they didn't turn out near as good!)
There are recipes all over Pinterest, but the one the boys chose had you cut the marshmallow in half and it made perfect tombs.
Resurrection Rolls:
one tube of crescent rolls
4 large marshmallows (cut in half)
Melted butter
Cinnamon and sugar
Cut marshmallows in half, roll out dough triangles, roll marshmallow in butter and then cinnamon/sugar mix
place in the middle of dough and roll up, pinching the sides making sure there are no holes
Place in sprayed muffin tin and bake 11 minutes at 350 degrees.
The marshmallow melts leaving an "empty tomb"
**You can also make icing with powdered sugar, chopped pecans, milk to sprinkle on top.
Absolutely PERFECT!!
A.J. and Annie were playing "pioneers" during the Spoken Word. We especially loved A.J.'s bonnet!
After we had watched the story of the Savior's final week and discussed the price he paid for each of us, the kids quickly dressed in their Easter attire and went out front for a very melted chocolaty egg hunt!
I love this boy! He still looks great in braces!
Tymber ready for church and sporting her first "heeled sandals" as the girls called them.
Not one family picture was great...but these were the closest we had to good. (I love that Easton is "not smiling." I believe that had something to do with postponing the Easter egg hunt until a proper picture was taken.)
Our beautiful girls!
Tymber wondering why this hot pink egg, with her name on it, tasted like plastic!
Papa and Annie!
Brooke and Ellie smiling as always!
Tymber's first PEEP!
I am certain that is NOT on her approved 8th month dietary plan!
Madie helping in the kitchen, and Nana below making an amazing dinner of ham and potatoes! Love you Nana Cecil!
Annie wondering how long she has to wait before she gets to take a sip of that apple cider.
Papa & A.J. and Nana & Madie~
We all L.O.V.E. Nana!
Not the safest idea all day...but very cute and quickly fixed with a new outfit and safety on the ground.
Nana's beautiful Easter cake!
I love this picture of Annie..."Fun on the Swing"
The light was absolutely gorgeous, just like our little Annie. I couldn't get the perfect shot, but we tried.
This is Annie doing her "yoga" poses!
Ellie stayed behind sporting one of Papa's t-shirts and Nana's hug.
It was a perfect day. Full of fun traditions, time with family, moments of real reflection on the fact that the plan we all agreed to in heaven became possible because of our elder Brother, Jesus Christ. He said, "Send me." Then he went, lived perfectly and died perfectly. He is risen...and so will we. And when our family experiences that miracle, Sam and Gabrielle will join us in perfect little Cecil bodies.
