catching up: easter

Easter Sunday started at the crack of dawn (literally) with a sunrise service on the front lawn of our church. Joe's done this the last three years and I've enjoyed going. My mom stays at the house with the kids and I get up early and rush to get ready. This year my little girl went with me! It was breezy and cold, and we sat in metal seats, but it was totally worth it.

Such a beautiful setting for worshipping our risen Lord.

I wised up from last year (another windy and cold morning) and dressed accordingly. Top and suit jacket but with skinny jeans instead of the suit skirt. Hannah wore her pink metallic skinny jeans and bunny shirt - with a turtleneck underneath and a coat on top! I did run to the car and grab our warm PBK fleece blanket.  My sweet girl crawled into my lap and munched on dry cereal during Daddy's sermon.

It was perfect.

We visited the breakfast in the church fellowship hall and then went home to make Empty Tomb Rolls and do Easter baskets. Baking the rolls is something we started - and fell in love with - last year. You've probably seen them on Pinterest. You dip a marshmallow in butter, roll it around in cinnamon-sugar and then wrap it up in a crescent roll. We used a cupcake tin this year and that was way more efficient than the cookie sheet. When you take them out of the oven and break the rolls apart, the marshmallow (representing Jesus) is "gone" and there is an empty space (tomb). The kids helped Meme and me make them so it is a really good (and yummy!) teaching lesson.

I read Hannah and Joseph the Easter story and when Daddy came home they got to go see what was in their baskets.

Both loved their butterfly nets (dollar store) and new books, but Hannah was most excited about her new polka dot dress (she's worn hers in navy the last two years but has now outgrown) and her Frozen kite. Joseph was wild about his water gun. With "colors" for the bathtub, bubbles, seeds to plant, Ninja Turtle band-aids, etc. there was plenty of excitement.

We got dressed in our Easter finest and headed to the church for the egg hunt!

Joseph was more selective in choosing which eggs to pick up. Hannah was all about quantity!

How sweet is he in his first seersucker suit?! And, Hannah, wearing my dress:

Ahhh! Be still, my beating heart. How I love those two. So precious to me.

Such special pictures to treasure.

We were blessed to have my mom and Joe's parents with us, too!

…Just some of the cute kids of Sandersville.

After church, which featured a cantata this year, we came home and Gran Gran hurried to get lunch ready. I took the time to take a few more photos of the kids:

Our Easter meal was delicious. Gran Gran prepared a whole spread for us and brought from Savannah. A honey-baked turkey, butter beans, candied sweet potatoes, congealed salad and biscuits. And homemade carrot cake. Yum!

Later on, Hannah and Joseph dug into their baskets from Meme.

Meme gave "Daddy" a mini soccer goal. Joseph was eager to try it out while pizza was in the oven for dinner…

Meanwhile, the girls read through the Resurrection Eggs. If you've never heard of this, I highly recommend! I actually made a set when I was a young'un. But this is the real deal and easier if you don't want to gather all the supplies and do it yourself. Inside each egg is an object depicting part of the Easter story. You read along in a little booklet. Another great activity for children - perhaps a little over Joseph's head this year, but Hannah loved it.

It was a wonderful Easter, a happy day with family celebrating our Savior! I hope yours was, too.