EASTER SUNDAY SPECIAL

The weather on Easter Sunday was dewy and fresh.  A little cool, but enjoyable.  The rains came through the night, then not again til just before dusk. 

The kids enjoyed grabbing their goodie filled baskets from the ever elusively hopping bunny.  This year Tyson got a spider yo-yo and waterball catching set.  Alyssa got a jump rope and mermaid barbie for the bath.  Also a few little snacks but not too much.

The lighting outside was just perfect for photos.  But Alyssa was NOT having any part of it.  I wanted to get a whole slew of fun country setting photos in her cute $10 floral Easter Dress, which I loved.  I managed to salvage a few from the numerous one’s with her mean faces and snarls…my favorite one of course is the the candid one of her running with her basket in surprise. 

Tyson was cute with the photos.  I only had his attention for a minute or two, but I was able to grab some cute shots of him.  I love that they had their new pup in some of the shots.  

We said goodbye to Grandma Suzie and Grandpa Dallis and went to have Sunday dinner with Dad and Jami.  We had a nice time there before we headed home again.

On the way home,  the sunset was just beautiful.  It was nice to listen to relaxing Sunday music on FM 100 ( I know, but really it’s true.  We always have FM 100 on in the background at home on Sundays)  It was nice to talk with Todd and ponder over our recent travel to the Holy Land and remain so close to our state of mind coming home to Easter weekend. 

 

EASTER WEEKEND ‘11

We spent Easter weekend in the country with family.

The days are casual and always filled with and surprises.

Friday night the kids spent time in Grandma Suzie’s raft room, then put on a talent show (or tried to) anyway.  The boys talent was…wrestling!

Saturday afternoon we went to Grandpa Clark and Grandma Jami’s.  The kids dyed eggs and decorated treats.  Then went to the movie RIO.  After the movie we went back to the house where we were all treated to Easter Egg Hunts.  The little kids, the big kids, and the BIGGEST KIDS I mean ADULTS.  The adults get to hunt in the dark with flashlights.  Oh what fun!  It’s always a mad dash to find the plastic shelled loot.   

Sunday was a beautiful morning.  It was a fun surprise to hear that two baby chicks out to the farm hatched on Eater morning!  The lollypop suckers below are cake bites I tried to decorate with my friends for the holiday.  I need some more practice on making those, but they sure were tasty!

 

SMART GIRL!

Alyssa says:

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“Mom, he can understand me! 

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He can understand me! 

I just went over to him and sang a song…

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Ruf, ruf. Ruuufff, ruf. Ruffity ruf…

then he came closer and then licked me!

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I can speak 3 languages.

English. Spanish. And Dog!

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I can’t believe I know how to speak Dog!”

BUNNY FOOD

When I saw this cute “dinner carrot” recipe on Facebook, I knew my kids would love it.  They are made from frozen crescent roll dough.  I stuffed them with a chicken and cream cheese mixture.  We added yummy chicken gravy over them to eat.  I couldn’t find fresh dill at the store, but that’s what looked even cuter in the photos I saw where the carrots had been stuffed with an egg salad mixture.  Yummy!

SPEAKING OF BASKETS

We’re still loving our Produce Basket Group.  This is the latest crop of Fruits.  We also got a load of veggies!  Corn on the Cob.  Carrots.  Potatoes.  Onions.  Lettuce. 

Sometimes we get fresh Blue Berries, Raspberries and Strawberries.  Tomatoes.  Lettuce.  Garlic. etc.   

Lots of good stuff!

D&C 35:8-9

“I will show miracles…

unto all those who believe on my name”

D&C 35:8-9

This photo was taken while walking from the Temple Mount in Jerusalem on my way through the gates to the Jewish Wailing Wall.  This chair seemed to be abandoned, which made such a powerful impact on me. 

EGG DIVE

Last Saturday we enjoyed spending time with the kids.  We took them to the Rec Center for the annual Egg Dive.  They had a few fun games for the kids like a fish pond, the egg in spoon races, and gunny sak hopping races.  Cute. 

We then met our friends at the amusement park for the afternoon.  It was Alyssa’s first year being tall enough to ride the large roller coasters.  She’s as much of a thrill junky as the rest of us.  She loved them.  She’s only 6.  Yikes! 

I still remember the first time I rode the tall white coaster.  I was 6.  It was with my uncle.  Nothing like the good ol’ fashioned tummy tingles!  The kind that only the clitty clack and rickety rack of a a rolling hilled wooden coaster can produce.

IN LOVE…

I did it!  I surprised my family with our new little puppy!  ME!  The self proclaimed non-pet lover.  I admit it.  I am NOT a pet lover.  But, well…  I knew I’d have to resign again sometime, so why not now? 

We kicked around waiting for a while, we kicked around Guiney Pigs, Rabbits, frogs, lizards.  We’ve been on KSL all week.  I take that back.  Todd and Tyson have been on KSL all week.  I loosely told Todd last week that if we got another lab, I’d love a Chocolate one.  So when he emailed with the photo of this one, I really had to think it through.  In the mean time of telling Todd I thought we should wait for a while and maybe not deal with the puppy stage again, I called the owners and met them before the kids and Todd got home.  It was perfect timing.  He had NO clue. 

I must admit, I took one look at his gorgeous green eyes and I was smitten.  I was SO excited to show them all.  As soon as Todd got home, I ran outside and got the pup, placed him in an Easter basket again and brought him inside.  THEY WERE SOOO EXCITED.  I loved seeing their faces.  Todd was totally surprised!  I think it’s possible he was happier than the kids.

…I think Champ would approve!

P.S.  Name still pending.

 

 

SHH…DON’T TELL!!!

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SOME BUNNY’S GONNA BE SURPRISED!

I’ve always been a sucker for Chocolate at Easter!

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HE ATE ROCKS!

Mom:  “He was a rock eater!  What was he thinking?” 

Alyssa:  “Mom, he was only 3,  He didn’t know any better.”

Our playful little Champ, just didn’t know better.  He ate rocks.  Again.  We think??  While we were gone on vacation, he stopped eating.  He got weak.  He was being taken care of by good neighbors who watched after him in concern.  They finally wrapped him in warm blankets and put a heater on him.  He still didn’t recover.  He went to heaven.

It’s been a rough one.  Alyssa’s best friend.  Her daily routine broken.  She melts down a few times a day.  She draws pictures for Champ.  She’s worn a locket with Pamper’s picture in it to school for the week.  Poor girl. 

Tyson chose not to tell his friends.  He’s been pretty sad.  But I think is able to reconcile the fact in his head a little easier.

Champers Daddy is sad.  He and Todd were best of buds.  It’s been RUFF.  I’m sorry, I just couldn’t resist.  Sometimes a little humor goes a long way!  OK…so maybe I could’ve done with out it.  :0(

At any rate.  We are sad.  We miss our little Champers very much.  I’ve never been a pet person.  I think animals belong on farms.  I get in trouble when I say that.  HOWEVER, for having a doggie…he was the best darn doggie ever.  I have shed my fare share of tears this week.  I miss his scrawny little tilted face staring in at me every day.   

See ya up in heaven little buddy! 

You really were a CHAMP!

HIATUS

Realizing it’s going to take me a while to sort through all my vacation photos, thoughts and quotes from our trip, I’m gonna have to move on to different happenings and what-not for the next week or so.  I can’t wait though to share some of the great things I saw and learned.  Until then…

I AM HUMBLED

No Expression of word or thought of mine right now can begin to describe my feelings towards the things I have seen and heard over the past 3 weeks of my life. 

I am simply amazed at the opportunity in which Todd and I were given to travel back to the land where Christ was born and where His ministry first took place.  Where He was crucified and ultimately laid to rest in a garden tomb, where He would emerge as the Savior and Redeemer of the world.

I am humbled and honored to have walked on Holy Lands and witnessed generations of evidence that He lived.  That He still lives.  And that…He loves us.

I am deeply grateful for the timing of this trip as well.  To live and breath His life and Resurrection this spring time only weeks before we formally celebrate Easter is pure Joy.  What an incredible way to arrive home and take the next few weeks to continue my thoughts focused on my Savior and all that I have seen and soaked up.  I am so excited to share all this with my children.

I count this trip as one of my greatest blessings in life.  I have been blessed to know that I will accomplish the things which the Lord wants me to do, in an orderly and precise manner.  I have no doubt that this opportunity fit accordingly with in those accomplishments in my life and that He helped pave the way for this opportunity to come to fruition.  I am so thankful to have experienced this with my husband and his/our family.    

I love my religion.  I believe Joseph Smith to be a true prophet of God.  I believe the Book of Mormon to be another testament of God, and I sustain our living prophet.  However,  if I were stripped of the freedoms to outwardly worship as such, I am glad to know that God lives.  He lives in the heavens, and on this earth…through His people in every nation, kindred and tongue.  They Hear Him.  They Breathe Him.  They know Him.  So as long as I have God in my heart, and AS my heart.  I will follow Him.

 

Oh Jerusalem,  by Greg Olsen. 

This is the first print of Christ that Todd and I got for our home years ago.  I never realized that the view of Old Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives still looks that way today.  The walls, the buildings, The arched gates.  It is beautiful!  The BYU Center sits atop the Mount of Olives today, and the chapel faces the walled city of Old Jerusalem.