Happy Easter!

Happy Easter everyone!  This year was a little different for us in that rather than travelling to be with extended family, we stayed home and had our own fun.  The reason we stayed home was because I had surgery 3 days before and was definitely not up to going anywhere.  Before surgery, my mom and I sewed these cute matching outfits for the kids for Easter.

I think the dresses and ties turned out really good.  The kids were being bums though and did not want to take pictures.  The girls did fine but the boys were totally fake in their smiles.

Come on boys at least pretend like you like each other and smile...  I did make the ties a little long but that's okay the better to grow into, right.

Here is my cute baby girl:

Finally a smile when Dad was with them.

Easter morning was pretty relaxed with the kids.  They loved the things they received from the Easter Bunny.  Instead of a lot of junk, the Easter Bunny brought the kids baseball stuff.  Emily and Colby will be starting baseball soon so they each got a mitt, as well as a bat, ball, and tee to share.  Logan also got a Velcro mitt and ball to play catch with.  

For breakfast Russell and the kids made Easter bunny cinnamon rolls.

That afternoon we had a good time dying Easter eggs with Grandma and Grandpa Morwood.  This is always our favorite Easter tradition.

We took the mess outside and enjoyed the sunshine that had finally come our way.  The kids love coloring eggs and even Charlotte got in on the action and had a good time. 

Also in the afternoon, we had our very own Easter hunt.  Russell had fun hiding eggs all over our backyard.  One by one the kids came out to look for the hidden eggs.  It was so fun to watch and the kids had fun running around.

I loved watching them run around laughing and looking for the eggs.  It definitely made me happy to be alive after surgery.

When they had found all of the eggs, it was time to go through and look at all of their loot.

Yummy Reese's eggs and Sixlets!  My favorite!  Of course the kids will be sharing with us so Russell and I got our favorite candies to hide in the eggs.  The kids were adamant that they were not sharing but we will see who wins out... 

After the Easter Egg Hunt, we were loving the sun so much that we did not want to go inside.  Russell and the kids spent the next hour or so swinging and playing in the yard while I relaxed on the patio soaking in the Vitamin D.

This was the first time we were able to put Charlotte in her little swing.  As you can see, she absolutely loved it.  I am sure we will be spending a lot more time outdoors swinging and having fun.  We had a great Easter!

I am so grateful to celebrate Easter and celebrate Christ's Atonement and Resurrection.  Because of this, I know that we will live again after we die and we will be with our loved ones.  This knowledge has been very comforting to me especially at this time.  I also know that Christ took upon Himself all of our pains, sicknesses, and sins when He performed the Atonement for us.  He did it because He loves us more that we can know and understand.  Usually when I think of the Atonement, I think of sins but it was so much more.  It was our pains and sicknesses and any trial we have had as well.  When I think of this, I start to feel really sad.  Being diagnosed with cancer has been the hardest thing I have had to go through.  The emotional roller coaster, the doubts and fears, and the anxiety and stress have been outrageous.  I would not wish cancer on my worst enemy so when I think that Christ had to go through this as well, it makes me feel sad because I want to take that pain away from Him and just let me deal with it because He does not deserve that cancer at all.  But I guess Christ had to go through that in order to know how to comfort me at this time which is what He has done many times.  This lesson on compassion and love is also one I need to learn so that I can help comfort others in their trials as well.  For this I am grateful for my Savior and the Atonement this Easter season and always.