Easter Sunday

We had Stake Conference today, and we went the extra mile by going in person and not watching it on zoom, go team. I thought it was appropriate to try and step it up for Easter Sunday. It was 2 hours long, and the kids did great sitting through the whole thing. No one even went out for a bathroom break! The teenagers did really well listening too. Elder Clark Gilbert was the visiting authority and he and all the other speakers shared touching and heartbreaking stories about deaths in their lives or their friends and families lives and how Christ helps us through those hard times. They also shared stories about trials and conversion. Jocelyn, a recent convert who is awesome and in our ward, shared some of her story of how she came to know the Church is true. She was baptized 5 months ago. It was all really good. It started at 10, but we got there early at 9:20 to make sure we got a soft bench and weren't on the metal folding chairs. I grabbed some old notebooks for the kids to draw in to keep themselves entertained. Before the meeting started Wes was at work entertaining Peter. He drew some cars, a few faces, and then started doing math. 

"I can't just draw anymore... math is more interesting!"

He really likes geometry, which will help him if he does become an architect, which is what he is thinking he'd like to do. He proudly showed me the correct answer he just got. 

Abi found this in the notebook she was using, from a time that Natalie was getting ready to play school ~ funny! 

People: 

Joe - Principal

Natalie - School teacher

Owen - Student

Daniel - Student

Peter - Student

Sophia - Art Teacher

Mom - Janitor

I'm glad she notices what I do all day here at home! Haha. At home after conference was over, Wes was showing off his baby soft skin from his leg wax last night, which he and Mel did when they were up past midnight last night. Fun things happen among the siblings in the late hours of the night. 

We watched a little bit of the Chosen to catch Melodie up, and then we went over to Coreys' parent's house for dinner. Joseph drove up from Provo to join, as well as Corey's siblings and all the cousins. A package that Corey's parents sent to Mel in November was returned - it went to Brazil and back! Impressive. It had Christmas presents and Mel's birthday presents in it, so Mel got to celebrate Easter and Christmas and her birthday today! 

Before we ate, the adults visited a little and the kids wrestled with each other - Peter taking on Owen...

And Owen hanging on cousin Seth - 

And showing affection to one another too - 

Grandma had an old bunny mask that the little kids had fun wearing. 

Joseph wore these funny bunny glasses when he was a toddler, as evidenced by this card that Joseph found today as he looked through the scrapbooks in Grandma's room. 

That is an Easter card I made many years ago, when I was a bit more creative. We thought Peter looked especially cute in the glasses - it's Peter Rabbit! 

After dinner, cousin Rhyan hosted an egg hunt for the little kids.

They enjoyed it, of course. 

Finding the last of the eggs - 

Showing off their loot.

And then the adults visited some more (Wes had my phone...) 

and we made strawberry (and blueberry) shortcake for dessert (that was our family's contribution to the dinner) and watched another episode of the Chosen, and Grandma gave a cute treat to all the kids. Peter holding his carrot full of treats.

It was a nice Easter Sunday. I especially liked watching the Chosen. I thought more about the Savior today than I think I have done during Easters of years past. I am grateful that he conquered death and to know that He Lives today. I believe with all my heart that because of him, I will live again and will be able to be with my family forever. I am so grateful for that knowledge!