Easter Celebrations 2011

So, our Easter celebrations have been going on for quite a while now... about twenty four days before Easter we started talking about Jesus dying on the cross and why we celebrate the Easter Holiday.

How do I know it was twenty four days before Easter?

Because we made a paper chain to help the kids count down! :)

The both had paper chains in their rooms hanging on their walls and they were serious about counting down for the day Jesus rose from the dead! It was a fun little way for them to keep track of days and keep them reminded of why we celebrate Easter.
On the night before Easter Sunday Sophia asked me to read her the Bible about how Jesus was crucified on the cross and how he rose again. I thought it would be way over her head but she really enjoyed me reading her the story. We read about how the Jews lied to the Romans about Jesus' sentence so that he would be crucified, she said, "They lied!" We read about Jesus being wiped, it was hard to read, hard to think about and while I didn't want to read this to her she wanted to know, she didn't want me to stop reading... I read it to her she said, "Wow, mommy, Jesus really loves us. I really want to go to heaven to meet Him"

Oh sweet one!

The celebrations began last weekend; our church had a lunch and Easter Egg Hunt it was a great celebration. The kids loved seeing Josh Wilson lead worship service and they loved having lunch with their cousins at church.

This is Sophia with her cousins (my brother's girls) Gracie and Ella.



Here is Troy waiting for the Egg Hunt for "Preschoolers"



Then a week went by...

Saturday (before Easter) we spent the day with my family. We had a late lunch/early dinner, egg hunt, and swimming. My brother took the kids on a hay ride and I think I even saw Sophia in her swim suit riding a horse... the day was a busy, fun, blur... I got one picture of Troy wearing the Easter shirt I made him. Sophia wore her shirt and got dye on it while coloring Easter eggs at the barn. Like I said, a busy, fun, blur of a day...



We got home and put the kids right to bed because the next morning was Easter... this was the night Sophia insisted I read her the story of Christ's death and resurrection.

After the kids got to bed, the left overs got put away, a very tired Easter Bunny left Sophia and Troy a basket of goodies by their bedroom doors.



Those little smiling faces were over joyed to find their baskets the next morning.



Troy does not like pictures in the morning... Happy Easter Troy! Stinker!



Then we got ready for church... all dressed up to celebrate Resurrection Sunday!!



And one of the parents...



After a wonderfully uplifting church service we headed home to get ready for lunch. Tony's parents and his brother came to celebrate and eat some Baked Ziti with us in the afternoon. They stayed for about two hours and when they left Tony, the kids, and I headed to the pool to enjoy some family time.

It was a wonderful Easter Sunday.

We watched the 'Case for Faith' which is a great movie I totally recommend. Then my parents came by with more left overs and a treat for the kids before bedtime. Then just as we thought the day was over... my sister came by and we did homework together... the kids were in bed, Tony was watching the commentary on 'Case for Faith' and Lana and I did homework until after midnight... stinkin' school!!

I actually just finished my final, new class starts tomorrow... I am "officially" in the masters program now so school keeps moving on and on and on... things are going well though, just very time consuming sometimes. :)

Hope everyone had a Happy Easter