catching up: part one {easter and spring break}

It's the end of April and I know I haven't blogged in quite a while (again). It's been on the to-do list, but I just haven't had the spare time...or made the time, rather. And we've had a lot going on (more to come on that later...).

Easter was nice. Joe's family was all here, and the rain that threatened held off until the afternoon. Hannah and Joseph got up early enough to check out their baskets before Daddy had to leave. I took the kids with me to the sunrise service, dressed in their new Easter clothes. Hannah went last year but it was special having them both there this year.

We came back home to make Empty Tomb rolls, a tradition we started last year. I love the focus this activity puts on the real meaning of Easter. I really try to make Easter about Jesus, but it is not easy to do with all the parties, egg hunts and baskets of candy and toys. Of course I love putting together baskets for the kids filled with stuff they'll love, and have no plan in stopping that, but I try to keep it under control.

Once Gran Gran and Poppy, Aunt Sarah, Aunt Betsy, Liam and Marshall were all here, we went to the church for the egg hunt and worship service. I got tears in my eyes as we sang "Christ the Lord is Risen Today" as is so easy for me to do.

We came home and had lunch - or feast, actually - prepared by Gran Gran. The kids played outside, getting their nice clothes all dirty but having a great time while we watched.

Meme came in town for the night and brought Easter goodies for all four of us. It was back to school on Monday morning and one more week of school before spring break. Hannah and Joseph had their last soccer game and Joseph missed a couple days of school with strep. I don't like when my babies are sick, but I love the special time I get to spend with them alone.

That Friday we hit the road.

We enjoyed a full, but fun, spring break. Joe performed a wedding for a church member on Amelia Island and we enjoyed the little getaway. The kids had plenty of fun playing with Meme in Savannah, including celebrating Joseph's birthday early at their favorite "cook-on-the-table" Japanese place.

In other news, Hannah lost her two front teeth!!! Not kidding, one that Tuesday night and the other one the next. In between, on the one day they had at home during the break, they played Jesus in the backyard. Completely thought up on their own. I looked up from reading and Hannah was "washing the disciples feet".

There was also plenty of silliness, as there usually is with these two.

Granddaddy and Mrs. Renee went to Hawaii and sent surprises which these cuties were happy to model:

And it's time for school pick-up. Second (and way fun) part of spring break ahead. To be continued...

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.

catching up: holy week

Spring is here! (And we've had the pollen to prove it.) Our Holy Week was jam-packed with activity. Hannah had a field trip to the Museum of Arts and Sciences in Macon. Joseph and I followed the bus and enjoyed tagging along.

Both kids had their Easter parties and egg hunts at school. Hannah's was on Thursday…

She enlisted Joseph as her official helper and he was thrilled!

The egg hunt took about 5 minutes and then we were back in the classroom watching the kids happily stuff their faces with cheese puffs, cookies and cupcakes.

Joseph's party was on Friday. I have a problem with parties on Good Friday, but nobody asked me. It was, however, a beautiful day, and Joseph had a fun time. Just look at all these eggs, ready to be snatched up by eager preschoolers!

Joseph was more into it this year. (And Hannah certainly was - stay out of her way!) He did a pretty good job filling his basket. Joe's basket, actually. You see, I ordered the kids Pottery Barn Kids baskets when they were born but did not realize how huge they were. This was the first year they carried them on Easter Sunday. Hannah used hers for her school hunt, but you see how she and Joseph both held it!  We went with Daddy's smaller one for Joseph's school hunt (also from PBK but a long time ago). Speaking of Daddy…

I adore my boys. Joseph also stood still long enough for me to get a picture with his BFF, Weston.

And there I am, sweaty from a run. It was a hot and sunny day and we spent a good portion of it outside, but we didn't forget what it was all about:

Worship is an important part of Holy Week for us. It is the busiest week of the year for Joe and he has services on Thursday, Friday and of course, Sunday. 

On Maundy Thursday, Hannah received Holy Communion for the first time. It was really special and sweet watching her participate in something that is so sacred to us as followers of Jesus. There is no set age children start taking communion in the Methodist church; a child can begin taking it whenever. But to Joe and me, we wanted to wait until our children understood the significance of what they were doing. I've had several conversations with Hannah on recent communion Sundays, as she's wanted to receive, and I knew she was ready. Joe talked to her about it, she had a very good understanding of it, and we decided the service on Maundy Thursday evening would be the perfect time. After all, that is when it was initiated by Jesus. 

Good Friday service was at noon with scripture and meditations on the last seven words of Christ. I had Joseph with me, and with the solemnity of the service was a little unsure of how he'd do, but he pretty much sat quietly next to me the whole time. Even after all that sugar he consumed at his preschool party!

Saturday came, and with it - Meme! We dyed eggs on the back porch… 

…Sweet Easter aprons courtesy of Meme, of course. We also made bunny cakes. Instead of our traditional large bunny cake, we used different size bunny-shaped cookie cutters to make smaller ones so the kids could decorate them however they liked.

Then we went over to hunt eggs and play with dear friends. Hannah loved seeing Elizabeth and Jane, and their cousin Gena.

It was such a fun (and full) day!