Early Easter

This weekend my good friend Brynn got married.  I was so glad to be able to attend her wedding and meet her new husband.  She looked absolutely radiant.  The ceremony and reception were held in a barn (a very nice barn) just a mile or two away from my in-laws, so we got to spend some time with them.  Then my family was having an early Easter dinner since my sister leaves this week for her next semester at BYU-Idaho, and will miss actual Easter, so we got together and had yummy ham, potatoes, rolls... all that good Easter food.  The girls were so happy to play with both sets of grandparents.  Since we were down, we did Easter egg hunts with both families.  Here are some of my favorite shots from the fun and busy weekend:

Higgs:

I love how much Julie loves to help Arek and, likewise, how much Arek loves having her help him

Kallie and Grandma Higgs building the stackable

Time for Easter Egg Hunt #1: Ready, set, go!

Kallie taking a break from finding eggs.  I love the barn in the background

It's hard to see, but Julie is so excited to find yet another egg.  Her expressions crack me up 

Despite Kallie's scowl, they were having a good time; it was just really bright outside

mmm... mmm, M&M's and jelly beans :)

 Glads: 

Grandma Glad and Julie dying eggs.  Arek is the only person in our house who will eat hard boiled eggs, so the most we ever dye is 2 or 3.  Julie was so excited to be able to dye lots of eggs with her grandma.

Don't you think they look like twinners?  I suppose that's because I look like my mom, and Julie looks like me :)

Easter Egg Hunt #2

Once Kallie discovered yogurt raisins in these eggs, she didn't want to put them into the basket

Finding the loot with Aunt Dani

I'm so looking forward to this week, sharing the Easter story with the girls.  Julie loves watching the New Testament videos on lds.org, so I think we will do that a lot while we discuss the importance of Easter.  My favorite thing to do on Easter Sunday is open the 12 eggs that go through the last few days of Christ's life with scriptures and items that symbolize each scripture, ending, of course, with the last egg being empty, and the scripture reading "He is not here, for He is risen."  LOVE that activity.  I'm thinking/hoping Julie is more interested in it this year.  Either way, though, I am excited to celebrate the Atonement of the Savior and his triumph over death.  

Happy (Early) Easter to you all!