Easter 2012!

Saturday morning we went over to Mom and Dad's church for an easter egg hunt. My mom was helping out with the kids' activities and had told us about it. The big kids were in one room with mom and some other helpers, and I went with Rachel to the little kids' class. They did a few crafts and played some games. Rachel walked right in, sat down beside another little girl, and started coloring. I think she is going to do just fine when it comes to preschool (even if I won't!) Then they let the kids loose on the playground to find eggs. Rachel is still a little slow at it, so she only ended up with 4 eggs. But thankfully they took up all the eggs and gave the kids treat bags with candy and toys inside instead, to make it fair for everyone. Thought that was a good idea. The kids ended up with Reese's eggs, which Arnold and I stole from them ;) After the egg hunt they got to play on the playground for awhile and run out some energy. I ran into a lot of people I knew growing up, and it was great to see everyone and get to talk a little bit. I always feel so strange when I get around people I used to know, I feel like I am not "ready" to be this mom of 3 kids. It feels like just a character I am playing.. although I know it is very, very real! After all the egg hunts we went to the family life center and they had made lunch for everyone-- chicken nuggets, fries, applesauce, and cupcakes. The kids had invited their cousin Bekah to come to the egg hunt too, so we all sat at the table together during lunch. It was a fun morning!

That afternoon we went over to Arnold's parents house, along with Jenn and Bekah, for some more Easter fun. The grandparents had all the kids their own Easter baskets full of goodies. They all got a few toys, juice bottles, cotton candy, and chocolate bunnies. Brooke is my WEIRD child who doesn't really care for chocolate (I know, right?!) so I got to eat her's (not that I'm complaining at all!) The inlaws had also gotten Arnold and I our own bunnies-- cookies and cream flavored (we are still big kids after all!) So we ate those too. Brooke also fished all the reese's cups out of her basket and gave them to us, too. Needless to say before I left there, I was feeling sick on my stomach!! The kids then took turns dying easter eggs. A little later they were all wanting to eat them, so we ended up eating all of the eggs, too. We actually got my neice to try her very first hard-boiled egg, and she liked it!!!! (yay) Easter is one of my favorite holidays, of course for the obvious reasons, but also-- I love any holiday that is about eggs and chocolate-- two of my favorites things to eat! ;) Then the kids went outside to hunt eggs in the yard. All the eggs were filled with jelly beans and M&M's. The kids came back inside, dumped all their loot out, and started eating again. I usually restrict how much candy they are eating, but we are a lot more "laid back" on holidays. I can't get over how much sweets they had though.. probably not the best thing to do after what we went through at the dentist lately with Brooke!!! (just give me a "Worst Mama Award!!") But they all had a great time, and that's what mattered. Arnold's dad and I ended up falling asleep on the couch (we are the sleep-loving people of the bunch I guess).

That afternoon Jennifer and I went to the movies together, while Arnold and his parents took charge of the kids for awhile (thank you guys!!!) We went to see "October Baby." I don't know how I was so behind and hadn't even heard of this movie at all.. so thankfully Jennifer told me about it. When I looked it up online I knew it was something I wanted to see. When we first got there we were the only ones in the small theatre (everyone else was there to see Hunger Games or the new American Pie movie, which I will get to eventually!!!) We had taken our 2012 popcorn buckets and gotten our buttery popcorn and big cokes (yes, even AFTER all the junk we had eaten over the course of the day.) But you can't go to the movies and not get the heart-clogging goodness.. seriously. Anyway, the movie was about a girl who had been the product of a failed abortion. She had survived, and her mom didn't want her, so she was adopted. She didn't know she was adopted until she was a teen though, and found out due to some medical problems she had. Then she went on a roadtrip with her childhood best friend to try to find her biological mother. I won't ruin all the details/surprises in case anyone wants to see it, but it was really, really good. Especially coming from someone who was adopted, and who is also so pro-life-- it really hit home with me and struck a nerve several times. I think I cried the entire last 30 minutes of the movie. But oh, it was so good. A movie of surprises, love, loss, forgiveness, God's grace.. and everything in between. The adoptive dad was played by John Snyder, who was in the old Dukes of Hazzard. Arnold's grandmother used to say he looked a lot like him.. I guess I can see it now. I only hope Arnold looks that good as he ages ;) (haha love you honey!!)

Sunday morning the kids got up at 5:45!!!! I couldn't believe it, I heard them talking and running around and I thought I was dreaming. But no.. they were wide awake, excited about seeing what the Easter Bunny had brought them. So I got up (while Arnold stayed in the bed mumbling about how it was an ungodly hour to be up) and took them into the living room. They were so excited over everything they got in their baskets. Caleb and Brooke got new Wii games (Wii Fit Kids and Star Wars), new Eric Carle books to finish up their collections, change in their easter eggs (they are really into having their own money these days), and some other various things. Rachel got a new sipcup, stuffed sheep, little owl family (owls!!) and a few other things. Arnold said the Dora head easter eggs were really creepy... just floating heads in her basket.. but I thought they were really cute!!! Anyway, the kids played their new games while I made some cinnamon buns for breakfast. Arnold eventually got up and joined us (can't believe he missed them opening their baskets though!!) Then we all got them dressed in their Easter outfits. Rachel finally got the dress I had been saving since way back on our Anniversary trip when I bought it. I also put her own little white sandals, a matching bow, fake pearls, and she carried a little purse with her that she had gotten in her basket. She.was.ADORABLE. Oh my goodness... I can't get over how much my little girl has grown!!! We wanted to leave the house by 7:30, and we ended up pulling out of the driveway around 7:35, so not so bad. Definately not bad considering we had to get 3 little kids ready that early in the morning, when Arnold and I are NOT morning people at all!!!

We got to church and dropped the kids off in their classroom. Arnold had to meet up with a lady and talk to her about some responsibilities he is taking on in the church, so I sat in the "lobby area" and waited on him (while eating more of the little reese cups that I found in my purse, thanks to Brooke!) Then we went downstairs to the 8am service. There was actually a lot of people there, I was happy to see that! I heard there had been a good turnout for the sunrise service, too (which we never would have been able to make, even if the kids did get up at a crazy hour!) After service we went back to the kids' area, because I was supposed to work at the 9:30 service, since it was the 2nd Sunday of the month. Since we had only driven one vehicle that morning, they let Arnold stay in there with me as a "volunteer of the day" :) He wasn't too sure of it at first, but kids always seem to like him (and dogs-- which I never get, because he isn't too fond of either!! Haha.. I joke..) There is a little boy in there that is usually very clingy and wants to be held. He held out his arms for Arnold right away. Arnold actually ended up getting him down and got him to color, and play with some toys. When his parents came back to pick him up they were so surprised. I guess Arnold is amazing with kids after all, who would have thought?! ;) Maybe he should become a regular in there with us ;) Also, while we were in there, one of the other workers took the kids to the bathroom. Rachel wanted to go, but I didn't think anything of it, since she always likes to go at church but never does anything. Well guess what? She PEED IN THE POTTY!!!! For the very first time!!!!!!!!!!! Oh my goodness... didn't think i'd be that mom that shared all the intimate details of her kids life that no one really cares about, but if you were me, you'd understand. That kid is so stubborn, you can tell she is the baby of the family. But she finally did it, and I am elated, even if it WAS for another person. Like my friend Jess said-- it was an Easter miracle!! :)

After church, we went over to my parents house. They were having us over for lunch and yet even more Easter fun. They had easter baskets for the kids too (told you they were really spoiled!!) And one for Arnold and I too.. our's had some new kitchen gadgets in it, and some snacks. One of the things the kids got was a new board game, so we played that until they got bored of it. Then my dad hid eggs in the backyard and we went outside for another egg hunt. Thankfully my dad was nice enough to get a family picture of us on their front steps (because we all know I have to have my memories!) For lunch we had ham, roasted asparagus, mashed potatoes, squash casserole, deviled eggs, rolls, sweet tea, and brussel sprouts (ewwww.. which my mom MADE me try one. Still at 26 years old she is trying to get her kids to not be picky eaters). The lunch was so good, my mom is still an amazing cook! Anyway, after lunch we played outside in the yard some more. Mom had gotten everyone squirt guns, and so we had a squirt gun fight. It took Rachel awhile to figure out how to shoot the water out of it, but once she did she went after people.. it was so cute. Caleb is sneaky.. he came up behind me and soaked me.. not the sweet boy I thought he was, after all! ;) Then we finished off the afternoon with my mom reading the kids their new books out on the back deck. Couldn't have asked for a more beautiful Easter day.. it was sooo nice outside!!

I hope everyone else had an awesome Easter, also! :)