Hoppy Easter!!

We got to celebrate Easter multiple times this year! Brandon and his brothers have a tradition of going to the LDS General Priesthood Session of Conference together and afterwards go to dinner. With the men gone, the kids and I invited our aunts and cousins over to make "bunny cakes". MaCayla, my niece, had shown me a video on YouTube for these really cute bunny cakes. We had decided months ahead of time to do them. So everyone came over to our house to do so!! That morning, I was going up to Logan to help my brother clean his condo since he was moving out, the twins and my Mom went with me. Laura spent the morning and afternoon baking 15 cakes (yes you read that right)!! Granted, they weren't 9 inch cakes, they were a smaller size (not a whole lot smaller), but still it was a TUN of work....what an awesome girl!!! Each cousin was able to decorate their own cake!! Lilly had a friend over and so she and her friend, Laura and I made more frosting than we care to think about. The three girls ran the show and did a great job of helping the younger kids and making sure everyone had a good time.

On a side note, Liz and Luke worked their butts off at Paul's with me!! Liz even accidentally slammed her finger in the car door but never once complained, she got it bandaged up and went right back to cleaning with Grandma Connee and I. Luke was a huge help to Paul. We had a fun morning working together in Logan.

Anyways, we made a massive pot of Mac and Cheese, ate and then got down to the business of decorating. It was a lot of fun!! I am blessed with good family, this includes my "in-laws". Since there tends to be a negative connotation with that name, they are simply and truly, my family.



The kids were with their mom for Easter this year, so we celebrated with Grandma Connee the following weekend. Grandma Connee, Pookie, Brian, Andrea and Lincoln, came up to our house. We dyed eggs and had an Easter egg hunt. Andrea, my mom and I, have come to the conclusion that celebrating the week after a holiday is actually quite fantastic!! For starters, everything goes on sale. Big time! Wahoo!! And it is a lot less stressful. Brandon and I enjoyed our Easter at home and we had celebrated it the Saturday before with his family. We both noticed that by spreading it out a little, we got to really enjoy our time over the holiday. It made the time spent with our families more fun, less stressful.



Grandma Connee gave the kids water guns for when we go swimming. Pookie and Brian decided to teach the kids how to put their hands on the end where the water squirts out and push so that it makes a very annoying farting noise. Paul, Brian and Luke formed a boy band that they call, The Flatulent Fellows. UGH
 
Also, while dying eggs, I walked into the kitchen to see Laura's hand FULLY submerged in one of the cups of dye.  Stopping dead in my tracks I instantly look to Pookie.  "She is sacrificing for the sake of Egg Dying", he says.  Apparently, Paul asked Laura if she wanted to help make the best egg, ever.  Of course she agreed.  He asked what color she wouldn't mind her hand being for a while....she of course said orange.  "This is why you are my favorite" was Paul's response and so, he and Laura set out for the coolest egg ever, which apparently required the dying of one of her hands....which was an orange color for several days. While we had a wonderful Easter and enjoy the fun parts to holidays. Brandon and I are eternally grateful to our brother and Savior. For his ultimate sacrifice which allows us, such imperfect people, to return to him. Over the past couple of years, the atonement has become something new and more tender than either of us could imagine. All we can say to that is, the Gospel of Jesus Christ is True! Amen!