Easter 2011

 I love Easter!  I love the fact that Christ died for us and He saved us!  I love that Easter is an opportunity for families to spend time with one another.  I love that I was able to see my little girl on her first Easter, celebrating the fact that Jesus died for us and that He has risen into Heaven and He lives forever in us!

Cole and Pamela came down from College Station on Friday. So Saturday evening we went to Wal-Mart to purchase all our Easter ingredients.  It was way past bed time by the time we got home, so we put babies to bed and then stayed up late (Like 1:30 am) cooking and cleaning and working on a few other things.  We made Broccoli salad, deviled eggs, a boxed cake...I know, I know, We Cheated..., and baked beans.  It was so much fun cooking and chatting and cackling with my sissy! Love, love, love her!  Sometime during the night a special bunny visited our house and left some goodies for two little people!

My alarm clock rang way too early at 6 am, but I managed to get out of bed and quickly get myself ready for church.  We had to figure out how to get Cole out the door without seeing the goodies the Easter Bunny had left him and Ava....So What Worked??....Putting a blanket over his head and making him walk blindly that's what worked!  We went to Church with Nana and Poppy and Katie and Kellie out in the middle of nowhere, to a teeny, tiny church.  After church we headed back home to see what the Easter Bunny left.  But first we had to make a quick stop through Starbucks. Mmmmm...

When we got home and were walking to the front door, Coley found bunny tracks leading up to the door!  He was so excited to find this clue and even more excited to see where the tracks led to inside.  By the door he also found a bowl of carrots and some carrot crumbs (if that makes sense).  The Easter Bunny also left a message on the white board that said, "Happy Easter Cole and Ava! Love, The Easter Bunny."  Cole was so super excited to go through his basket full of goodies from the Easter Bunny.  He got some new dinosaurs, musical toys, and a ton of candy!  Ava slowly went through her basket with a little LOT of help!  She got a new romper, diapers, 2 bibs, 2 rattles, teething bracelet, a bird figurine, a book, socks, and a new RazBerry!  She has been one good girl!  Then we gathered children, food, and Ava's essentials and headed to Grandpa's house.

We have a huge family, but this Easter was probably one of the smallest family gatherings we have ever had.  Half of the family was spending Easter elsewhere, but the day was still good!  We ate a hearty lunch of Brisket, sausage, broccoli salad, baked beans, coke salad, baked new potatoes, carrots, and Greek bread.  Then the Easter Bunny hid a ton of eggs in the front yard.  The kids searched high and low, but eventually they found all the eggs.  The Easter Bunny hid some special toys for Ava.  She had a blast crawling around on the ground picking up her new toys!

Ava eating Easter Lunch in the high
 chair that everyone and their mom has used.
Literally!

The Hunters

Sweet Lyla bringing eggs to Ava, 

Ava hunting.

She found something!

Ava and Lyla.

After we left Grandpa's house, we (Mommy, Daddy, and Ava) ran to Whole Foods to get Ava some fruits and vegetables to make more baby food.  Then we went to my dad's, a.k.a. PaPa's to visit with him and Grandma.  We had had a long day, so we didn't stay long before we headed home!

Looong day!  But so blessed to share it with family and even more blessed that Jesus died for us!