Easter!

Holidays get better and better with kids! It's so much fun to be able to start traditions with your own family and see the smiles on your child's face with all the exciting festivities. Plus, it's always nice that most holidays include candy that you can smuggle from your child. That's my guilty confession. Easter for us lasted almost an entire week starting with packages from grandparents all the way to spending an awesome Easter weekend getaway at a friend's cabin.

Braelyn was excited about all the loot that Grandma Kaye sent. She especially liked the chocolate Peeps. You can tell how much she liked them by the chocolate ring around her mouth! I'm usually a stickler for no sweets before meals, but that rule goes out the window with holidays. How could I resist this little face asking for "bite bite!" and "more more!" even if it was before dinner?!

We wanted to invite Jana up for Easter but then we got an invite to go to a friend's cabin. So, we had Easter early with Jana and invited her up for dinner and an Easter egg hunt. Plus we wanted Braelyn to practice hunting eggs before we went up to the cabin so she could scout out all the good candy for mommy and daddy. She got the concept of finding the eggs, but then she got a little distracted with eating the candy inside. By the way, Starburst jelly beans are soooooo yummy!

And then the festivities really began when we headed up to the cabin. Easter morning was a blast watching Braelyn and her little friend Drew ooh and ahh over all the candy and toys in their baskets. I think Drew really fancied the bright pink Easter hat that Braelyn got.

The boys, I mean men, all went shooting with their coveted guns while the women chatted. Uh, yeah right! I got in there and shot too, I just don't have a picture to prove it!

We had another Easter egg hunt where Braelyn got even more candy to add to her loot.

The boys also had a hard boiled egg eating contest to see who could chew and swallow an egg the fastest. Ben lost! The second it started, he laughed chunks of egg came flying out of his mouth.

It was so nice to just hang out in the great outdoors. Braelyn especially loved going for rides in this wagon. She couldn't get enough of it.

We were really good, and even went to church Sunday morning. Pat on the back for us. Braelyn had the cutest Easter dress that my mom bought for her and the most adorable green shoes that I found for free at a garage sale!

Braelyn has been the best little travel bug lately. She just chills in her car seat and eats her snacks.

And of course, when we got home we had yet another package waiting from Grandma Kaye with more presents. Kaye makes the most beautiful jewelry, which I am so lucky to receive! This jewelry was actually my "early birthday" gift but Braelyn seemed to think they were hers. She put them on herself. Smart little girly girl!

So needless to say, we had a wonderful Easter week. We couldn't have asked for a better vacation. I am so happy to be a parent to be able to teach Braelyn the importance of holidays like this. Besides all the fun and games, Ben and I know that Jesus is the Christ and our Redeemer. He lives and loves us. We are responsible as mother and father to teach this to our children and I know that Braelyn feels the love that Jesus and her Heavenly Father have for her. Her little spirit is closer than you think to the Savior. It's so cute and we never taught her this, but every night when it is time to go to bed she points up to the picture of Jesus on our wall and says, "bye Zeezus" then waves and blows a kiss. She is such a sweet little spirit and I hope that she keeps this innocent testimony forever.