Easter with Em, take 2 :0)

Emmie came out again to visit us around Easter time.  I say we make this a tradition :0)  Before I do an official post about her visit, I wanted to post about Easter.  Saturday we {made it in time} saw the Easter Bunny and did an egg hunt at the complex play ground.  The kids loved her (yes, Sarah from the office said that this was a girl bunny), even Alex!  They kept hovering around her and giving her hugs.  Gotta love it! During nap/quiet time I made scrapbook paper monogram tags for each of our bags...inspired by some that I had seen at Target. It made for a fun little creative outlet while Em snoozed with Elijah on the couch, and it will be fun to use them each year.  After Alex got up from his nap the kids came downstairs to find their Easter bags.  We had little bags for each of the kids (with fun surprises added from Bompa & Mémé and Aunt Rachie) and then Em emptied her carry-on with all sorts of other cute clothes, candy and gifts for the kids AND for us.  She has always been UBER thoughtful!

Remember me mentioning the Panda Cheese commercials?  Well when I saw this panda bear at the Outlet I couldn't help but buy it for Alex!  Then I found these little panda treats and knew they had to go in his Easter bag ;0)

Before heading out for church we of course had to get a little family picture.  If you look closely Elijah is also sporting a bow tie ;0)  Good ol' Target dollar bins.

Sunday morning Ed & Ruth Anne came over for brunch then joined us for Sacrament meeting.  It was so nice to spend the morning with them, especially since they just recently moved away :0(  After sacrament meeting I came home and started coming down with a really nasty cold that put me out for the rest of the day.  Sweet Emily whipped up a lovely Easter dinner for us while Bry wrangled the three kids.  Bless you, Schmem!  Bring back memories from Thanksgiving? ;0)

With it being Easter weekend and all I was especially grateful for the conversation that Em and I had one night after she got into town.  We talked a lot about baggage, change, repentance, making mistakes and the Savior's atonement.  I'll probably say this each year, but even though I don't even start to comprehend the atonement, I am grateful that I have this life to learn, to change and grow and to become more like my Heavenly Father!