EASTER WEEKEND UPDATE!

So, we started Saturday with Mark working, the kids fighting, and my sweet son loooking out the window exclaiming, "LOOK! It's SNOWING!"

UGH!! At that point I was quite seriously feeling like packing my bags and flying south. COLD weather for Easter was putting me in a sour mood, to say the least!! The fact that we were getting ready to host the whole family clan plus friends was just a detail in the back of my mind.

But, thanks to my darling daughter (who I am sure was on her best behavior out of a deep desire to receive large amounts of candy from Easter Bunny) Saturday afternoon turned my mood around as she flipped her fighting with her little brother energy into getting stuff done energy. She cheerfully and eagerly finished two of her usually complained about reading lessons. She made all the beds in the house, was like a little Easter bunny dream as she cleaned and organized and helped the whole evening. I was truly in shock as she has never taken such initiative before!! I was SERIOUSLY WOWED. She also proved to me that she CAN do a LOT more than I am currently requiring of her.... which will prove very useful in the future...hehe.

We also did an Easter Craft that day, which was making this little Easter egg garland out of construction paper.

Late that night, after the kids were in bed, the Easter bunny came 'round and dropped some goodies off for our kids....

Easter Sunday was really great though. We went to church, where Lena wore her super cute little Easter hat and gloves like a little southern belle, and Dane was dapper in his little pink dress shirt and matching tie! (Of course I got no cute pics of them...so I'll have to try and get some from someone at the party to post!!) Here we have the two littlest cousins in the family so far..
Putting a whole extra level of adorable-ness into the word, "toddler" !!

Our dinner table, which was the main point of our gathering- eating delicious food together as we talked and laughed. We had a Honey Baked Ham, as well as a homemade ham, smashed red potatoes with homemade (thanks mom!) gravy. For sides there was steamed asparagus, green beans, egg salad, jello shaped like Easter eggs, homemade rolls (YES Lisa, my moms!!) and my favorite jello with mixed berries and mandarin oranges in it- YUM! Dessert was a rich chocolate bunny cake that my sister made that doubled as our little nephew Oliver's belated Birthday cake! We celebrated his big turning 2 later that night.

And just for fun, comparing bellies!! What is scary to me is that she is practically DUE and we look the same size!!! YIKES!

Just a snapshot of the little birthday boy and my kids in the background. You can see Dane's cute pink dress shirt...

Thanks everyone for coming and sharing fun together! We had a great time!