easter sunday

(egg dyeing a few days early... we had so much fun and cracked so many eggs in the process)

easter morning was relaxing and sweet in our home. the easter bunny doesn't go crazy, but did put out some baskets for us! the girls got their easter dresses (courtesy of grandma bodtcher), tic tacs, otter pop covers, and church books (amelia got the book of mormon illustrated version plus some card games, and scarlett got "dinosaur goes to church" with two dinosaurs because that's what she's into lately). jer got a small basket as well, even though we promised no baskets for each other... oops! the girls had a mini-hunt with the eggs they dyed and obviously loved posing for their picture.

bunny-shaped pancakes for breakfast and we headed over to slc temple afterwards (stake conference day for us, no thank you).

walking around temple square was (and always has been) a perfect alternative to stake conference. the girls love noting the effect of the different seasons on the temple grounds... the fountains and "waterfall" were their favorites for spring. afterwards, we all took a nap before easter dinner at the bodtchers!

grandma bodtcher always spoils us! i think the kids all had like 33 eggs a piece... some filled with cash!

i love this holiday and i love my savior.

mother's day

amelia brought home a wrapped mother's day gift from preschool on thursday. she was very serious about me not opening it until sunday, the actual mother's day. she held strong all afternoon and evening, not even telling me what was inside. however, by friday, she cracked... and asked me to open her gift. it was a sweet magnet for me fridge and a darling card, and she was so please with herself.

she helped daddy and scarlett pick out my mother's day flowers and chocolate while I worked on saturday night as well. she woke me up sunday morning and yelled "IT'S MOTHER'S DAY! YOUR FLOWERS ARE BY THE PIANO! COME SEE!" and I was so excited and happy. it was around this time that our family seriously discussed the difference between secrets and surprises, because we have no secrets in our family.

I am so grateful to be a mother. I do not take it lightly or for granted. I am well aware of the struggle of infertility that so many women face, that break so many hearts; and I will never forget it. I get up every day to nurture, and I dedicate my entire purpose to mother them. I have bad days, and I yell and cry and say the wrong things and lose my patience often, but I try my best. I think about where I can do better and I get up the next day and try my best again. motherhood is all the confusing feelings and emotions and it's so incredibly lovely and difficult at the same time.

xo

easter sunday

amelia's typical lunch and dinner, why am i not surprised?

the bigger bunny's name is amelia, and my amelia thinks thinks the little bunny's name is scarlett. :) (but it's actually susanna :( )

love the way scarlett is staring at amelia.

I say this every holiday, but they are so much more special with kids! We tried not to go nuts this Easter, but we sorta went a little nuts. Luckily, I still remembered a book about Christ and an "empty tomb" for each girl. the girls loved their new kitchen utensils and played all morning! (yes, even scarlett loved just holding her allotted one spoon and cup). While Jer hid the hard-boiled eggs we dyed, I talked to the girls about Jesus and His sacrifice and His love for us. Amelia said, "okay, mom" when I finished. I laughed. I fully believe in continuous teaching in all aspects because little humans just absorb everything. I sometimes just wonder if she thinks I'm absolutely nuts (probably).

We watched conference and then took the girls to the park for lunch. Amelia sobbed when we went home to take a nap (ah, love this toddler stage. so much). Jeremy and I watched/napped through the afternoon session before getting the girls dressed for Sunday dinner at the Bodtchers. (Jeremy's mom gets Easter dresses for the girls, and I was a little bummed we didn't have church this Sunday. Still, we dressed up just for the egg hunt)

love my scarlett girl

(thanks emily, for these beautiful pictures!)

whenever i ask amelia, "what do you say for the camera?" she yells, "CHEEEEEEEEEEESE!!!!" but doesn't necessarily smile...


I'm grateful for the Easter promise. I love spring and focusing my Savior's sacrifice. It was perfect that conference weekend coincided with Easter this year, as it allowed to think about how I can improve and renew myself. I'm so blessed (not lucky) in so many ways. In my day-to-day life, I'm exhausted and impatient and broken. I pray often to just get through the day, hour, minutes. But still, I grew these little humans and nourished them and teach them and they make me so very happy (and crazy too!). I'm so blessed and so loved!

Hope your Easter was just wonderful.
xo