Easter Sunday

Easter has to be my absolute favorite day of celebration during the year. I'm not sure I could accurately put into words how it makes me feel. But Sunday morning our church service began with this, which is a good start (and worth the 3 minutes of your time). It's pretty amazing when you really think about it. And hearing Towns tell me bits and pieces of the Easter story over the last several weeks that we've been talking about it makes me love it even more. There's just something about hearing a 4 year old say "Jesus died on a cross for us with nails in his hands" that gives me chills. She's so innocent, and there's not a doubt in her mind that it all really happened. I'm so thankful for that. I've heard her teaching her class of make believe children about it. Sometimes I think things go in one ear and out the other, so it does my heart good to know she's paying attention!

We had a great weekend that was jam packed full of fun, and it should come as no shock that over the last four days I took 411 pictures (literally)! We've had Easter parties, an anniversary, surprise visitors, and everything in between!
I think I'll start with Easter morning and work my way backwards which may take more than a few posts...
Sunday morning I was up with the chickens as my grandmother would say. I wanted to take in every single minute of the day and not waste it. It was a gorgeous morning. Not a cloud in the sky. Just thinking about what the day was about made it even more incredible. And it's hard when you have little ones because while they understand and appreciate what Easter is, naturally they still like the whole Easter basket concept. As long as they know where the emphasis should be placed, I think it's ok to let them have fun with it. And fun they had!
When I was a little girl I vividly remember the Easter Bunny leaving his paw prints on our porch and down the sidewalk. It's something I thought was so neat as a kid, and our girls love it now too!



Everyone was up rather early and ready to go...

Once they figured out which basket belonged to them, I let them draw jelly beans to see who got to dig into their basket first. Usually it's a free for all with things flying everywhere, and by the end of the 45 second tornado we have no idea who got what. I opted for a different strategy this time!
Cate drew the pink jelly bean and got to go first...

But she couldn't get past the new Crocs she found in her basket to see what else she got! So Bethany being the sweet big sister and impatient gift opener that she is helped her out. B, you're going to have to give these chicks a page from your book!

Cate got the cutest book - Sassafras Goes to Hollywood - which just might have been written with her in mind...

Towns drew the yellow jelly bean which meant that if we played by the rules she would have gone last. But Bebs, once again being the best big sister ever, let her go in her place because she knew she could hardly wait any longer!

She always takes her time and looks at everything so carefully...

And then there's Bethany who does nothing of the sort! She flies through everything at mock speed! Her favorite Easter treat was her new lunch bag...

An iTunes gift card, a monogrammed beach towel, a bathing suit, fun gold flip flops...and surprisingly, a little Old Navy lunch bag takes the prize. Wouldn't have guessed it!

Afterwards, the girls headed back outside to analyze the bunny paw prints...

They came to the conclusion that they were pretty small to belong to the real Easter Bunny!
Speaking of, he hid eggs outside for them before hopped on down the bunny trail which was icing on the cake...


Nothing like hunting eggs at 7 a.m.!
After all the eggs were gathered, it was time to have breakfast and get ready for church. And according to Cate it was time to eat chocolate instead. Not getting her way usually goes over like a lead balloon...

It didn't take long to get her mind off of it, though!

Bethany's precious friend Madeline dropped by Saturday to give the girls these sweet little purses to take to church on Easter. Towns got hers ready to go Saturday night, of course! She brought along her offering and a few snacks and was ready to go...

One of my favorites from Easter morning...

And J wouldn't be J if he didn't do something like this in the middle of picture taking (I believe at this particular moment he was holding Towns' bunny purse and swinging it around acting like a girl)...

Thanks to my friend Amanda, this is the one and only family picture I have...

Cate was the one-woman welcoming committee Sunday morning. She found her friends first thing and had to give them lots of Easter love...


Daddy led the barefoot (only in the South) princesses into church after they socialized for a bit...

I truly enjoy every part of our worship services, but the music is what I really love. Maybe it's the Southern Baptist in me. Last Sunday I got to tapping my toe so hard that my wedges almost failed me. So with an Easter service that lasted well over an hour with at least half of it being music made me a happy lady! I wish I could bottle it and take it with me every week. It's always so good!
After church, Cate was literally hiding from me so I wouldn't take any more pictures of her...

You can try that stare down, but Mom wins every time...

Talk about battle of the wills!
She likes pictures when they're on her terms. Like when she's sitting in her fun, pink chair...

Or when she's in her Easter dress trying to catch bugs...

Hope your Easter Sunday was a special one!
(And that you didn't spend it catching bugs!)