Happy Easter!

We had a great Easter weekend!  We tried really hard this year to put focus on the Savior and teaching our kids why we really celebrate Easter.  It just melts my heart to hear Kirstie talking about Heavenly Father and Jesus and how she knows they love us.  Although we've tried to focus on the Savior, all of our pictures are all about the non-religious side of Easter.  Go figure.

Kirstie is our little artist.  She spends a lot of time drawing pictures for friends and family members each day. So, coloring eggs was right up her alley.  She was mad that we had to wait all the way until Saturday to do it.  

We're pretty lucky that we didn't have any cracked eggs.  Ian's still working on being gentle!

TA DA!!

Each year we alternate who's family we spend Easter and Thanksgiving with.  I always joke with Brent that odd-numbered years with the odd family-- his.  (Just kidding Buchanans!)  Since we wouldn't see my family on Easter we stopped by my parents' house on Saturday for some Easter fun.  The kids got to have their own Easter egg hunt and play outside for awhile.

The kids got a cute little golf set to play with outside.  They are both in love with it!

Ian's happy to add yet another sport to his list of things to play.

 His other new love-- the sandbox.  I think I know where he's going to spend all his time this summer!

Easter morning came bright and early!  Although we had talked about the Easter Bunny coming, I don't think it really occurred to Kirstie that it was actually happening until she walked out and saw her basket!

 The Easter Bunny brought both of them new flip flops, sidewalk chalk, a puzzle, and their own set of construction paper, stickers and glue stick.  It made mom very happy that she doesn't have to share hers now!  The kids also got a parachute to play with outside!  We brought it to the Buchanan's house that day and had fun playing with our cousins!

We had an early morning egg hunt in the backyard.  We wanted to make sure to get all our Easter festivities done and not be rushed for church, so we didn't waste anytime.  We were outside looking for eggs before 8:30.  It was pretty chilly and the grass was still wet.  Ian didn't like walking on the wet grass in his new flip flops, but he wouldn't put on shoes.  In the end, he was content just to play with toys instead!

Kirstie took the egg hunt very seriously.  Luckily, she had Belle help her find the eggs (Belle goes EVERYWHERE with her.)  She was very sweet to give some of her eggs to Ian put in his basket while he played with toys.

Ian also got a fireman hat in his basket.  Back in July, the kids got a free (code word for cheap) fireman hat from the fire department at Sandy's 4th of July activities.  The hats are completely smashed, but Ian wouldn't let us throw them out.  So, the smart Easter Bunny gave him a new one.  He loves to put it on and ride around on his little pirate ship that he got for Christmas.  

 All dressed up!  What beautiful kids!!  

After church we went over to the Buchanans' for dinner.  We had another Easter egg hunt here too.  Unfortunately, the batteries in my camera died.  Then, I ran out of memory.  So I only have the one picture here.  But we had fun here too.  After dinner the kids played outside-- Ian found their sandbox and was once again in heaven.  We couldn't even get him out to eat dessert.  Grandma took Kirstie and her cousins Payton and Kamden on a wagon ride to go see the goat and zebra at a nearby neighbor's house.  (Yes, I did say zebra-- they have a pet zebra, goat, emu, horses, and who knows what else!)