Easter Weekend

Every year, a wonderful lady from our church

puts together an Easter Egg Hunt for the kids.

She starts the afternoon with a story

This year it was The Tale of 3 Trees.

It was a fictional story about 3 trees and what they hoped to become one day.

The first tree wanted to become a treasure chest to hold wonderful treasures and precious things inside.

The second tree wanted to become a great and mighty ship to carry Kings across the oceans.

The third wanted to stay right where she was, and grow tall up to the heavens, so that when people looked at her they would look to heaven and think of God.

One day 3 woodsmen come and chop all three trees down.

The first tree was taken to a shop, and was made into a feedbox.

The second tree was taken to another shop and built into a small fishing boat.

The third tree was taken and cut up into lumber strips and left in a wood pile.

The next thing we see is a man and a woman holding a baby surrounded by farm animals..with the feedbox in front of her. The woman lays the baby inside the feedbox to sleep and the "tree" realizes he is holding the most precious of anything inside.

Then, we see an ocean, with a tiny fishing boat rocking in the waves.

A tired man, wakes up, tells the waters, "Peace". And the storm ceases.

The "tree" realizes he is carrying THE King Of Kings.

At last, we come to the 3rd tree. She is being put into a cross formation. Then, the next thing she knows she is being carried through a crowded street on a beaten man's back. When she finally gets laid down, soldiers are nailing the man to her.

As it is risen to the Heavens, she realizes that when people look at her, they WILL think of God. Forever.

It was a beautiful story. Very emotional, even if it was fiction.

After the story, we had hot dogs and chips...cheese puff, LOTS of cupcakes..and cookies.

Then, it was time for the Egg Hunt.

The little kids {1-3} had to find the eggs closer to the church building.

The older kids had the rest of the church yard.

Charlotte got outside, and must not have understood what was going on, because she threw down her bucket and took off running in the grass, PAST all the eggs she was supposed to be picking up!!

IF she had waited for me to go out with her, I could have explained the whole thing to her. OH WELL!!

So, I called out to her : "CHARLOTTE! Come back! Pick up your bucket! You have to find these eggs!!!" She came running back to where she threw her bucket and started looking around!

It was hilarious! {when I get my other computer working, I will upload the video somehow!!}

After that, she was on a role. She found 14 eggs!!!

Then, we decided to crash the older kids egg hunt since the younger ones were done already.

But, by the time we got there, all the eggs were already gone.

Charlotte had soo much fun, and I cannot wait until NEXT year when I am chasing after 2 kids! ha ha!

Easter Sunday was a very good day.

We all got up, got ready and I got 2 shots of the girls before church. No family shot.

I spent all of Sunday School class in the nursery.

The morning service was about to start, and I took Charlotte and Audrey out there until Children's Church was dismissed.

Charlotte does not like to sit still. EVER. ESPECIALLY so when she is supposed to be.

I was sitting on the 2nd row in "our usual spot" and Audrey started to wake up, so I took her out of her carseat before she started crying.

So, there I was in the SECOND pew, mind you, wrangling a 2 year old and holding a 2 month old! I was one of THOSE mothers. You know the ones, the one that cannot control her own children. I had always said I didn't want to be one of them, {really!? Who WANTS to be one of them!?} But, there I was, in all my unmotherly glory.

I was trying to get Charlotte to sit down, luckily it wasn't the sermon portion of the service, just the announcements {embarrassing enough, though. Really.}

Jackie was where I wished I wasin the choir

and he looked RIGHT at me and mouthed :"tell her to sit down"

I gave him "the look". I mean, really, what did he think I was TRYING TO DO!? Knit a sweater!? I certainly was not putting a trampoline under her.

I did what any other American mother would do, and I said : Charlotte, look at daddy!"

She turned around, looked at him, he mouthed "SIT DOWN"

Slowly she turned all the way towards the front and scrounched down in the pew.

I was relieved, really I was, but a tad bit ticked. {okay, so more than a tad}

I thought to myself..."why won't she do that for me?"

After the initial threat of daddy wore off, she started getting restless.

And, Audrey started to get cranky.

So, I grabbed Charlotte by the hand and we as quietly as WE could, walked out of the sanctuary with my head held LOW. I had been defeated.

After Church we headed back to our house {still no family picture} and Jackie started lunch {praise God for a cooking husband!!!}

{still no family picture} I changed Charlotte into something else so she COULD get it dirty.

Jackie also changed. I was still in my dress, hoping against hope that a picture would magically happen anyway.

Around 3, my dad came over.

Charlotte, Audrey AND Jackie were sleeping.

When he came, it woke 2 of the 3 up.

I let Charlotte sleep a little bit longer..because you don't want to wake IT..or anger IT!

When I finally woke Charlotte up, it took her a while to fully wake up.

I went out to hide some eggs, so my dad could help Charlotte find them.

She was soo excited!

She took Daddy's {known to her as Papa}{not my personally favorite name for a Grandpa...but, whatever!} hand to walk outside, and I wanted to cry!

After she put an egg in her bucket she would grab his hand again. OH how precious it was!!!

After the hunt was over, we all came back inside to go through the loot!

It was then time for us to go back to church.

I still didn't make it in the service.

I have hung that wish up for a while.

I am okay with it.

Not that I LIKE missing sermons.

I don't like it at all.

But, Audrey needs mommy right now.

And, mommy cannot let go just yet!

{Did I mention that we still hadn't taken a family shot, yet!?}

After church, Jackie and our Assistant Pastor went out for coupon shopping.

{still no picture....}

Since I KNEW it wasn't going to happen {again, I am defeated..}

Charlotte, Audrey and I posed for a little picture! ha ha

Charlotte was in her pjs...Audrey was in hers...and I was still in my dress.

I felt like I had been left at prom.

But, it was still a wonderful Easter.