Easter

For Easter this year, we had a fun weekend at home. It seems that every other year we're usually some place else for Easter (last year we were in Moab) so it was nice to spend the holiday at home. We did most of our Easter festivities on Saturday so that Sunday we could truly reflect on why it is we celebrate this holiday. I was a little worried when I woke up to the ground covered in snow, but fortunately it melted by the afternoon. We actually spent the morning tearing out the flooring downstairs. We've been working on new flooring this year. It has been nice to see the transformation in the home. It wasn't easy to move into a home that Jeff bought with his ex-wife, but I can truly say, with everything we've done over the past 3 years, the home is mine.

After we finished working (and the snow melted), the kids wanted to take the machines out for a ride on West Mountain. Thankfully, I was in the side-by-side with Jonas! The trails were SUPER muddy and all the kids (Jeff included) were caked in mud by the end of the ride. Still, they seemed to enjoy being outside and starting some of our favorite Spring/Summer activities.

Jonas slept through his first trail ride.

I think we brought home half of West Mountain on ourselves and the machines! 

Amber and Jacob

Finally, Jeff's parents joined us for our annual egg decorating and hiding. This was Jonas's first Easter. Jeff helped him color an egg, but Jonas was more interested in how that egg tasted after it was colored rather than the color itself. Silly boy! After we colored eggs, each of the kids hid each other's eggs. This provided for some rather inventive hiding places. There were decoy eggs, eggs up ladders, eggs hidden in plain sight, and so much more. Let's just say they didn't go easy on each other. It was fun to watch them scramble to hide the eggs then search forever to find them. I'm not sure they would have continued to search if the eggs didn't contain Easter candy! It was really an enjoyable evening with family. We enjoyed a nice dinner together before ending the festivities. 

Dallin's friend, Tanner, brought over a couple bunnies to enjoy for the afternoon.

A happy boy for his first happy Easter!

The next morning, the Easter bunny visited the kids and dropped off their Easter baskets. 

Once the kids (minus Jonas) were sufficiently in a sugar coma, we got dressed and decided to focus on the real meaning for the holiday - our Savior, Jesus Christ. I am so grateful for my Savior. I am grateful for the knowledge that because He lives, I can live again. I am grateful that He not only conquered physical death, but also spiritual death. I know that I will live again...and I know that, if I can follow Him and repent of my mistakes, I can live with Him and my Father in Heaven again. I am so grateful for His love. I am grateful that, in spite of all my imperfections, He has never once given up on me...even when I have given up on myself. Through His atonement, I can have the strength to do good, to be a little kinder, to forgive, and to love. I am grateful for His life, His death, and His resurrection. I am grateful for this Easter season.