Easter 2013

This time last year, Peter was smack dab in the middle of a 6 month deployment.   And this year he is home with us!!   So our Easter weekend felt extra special because we were all together as a family.   The celebration started last week when we received a big package from Susannah's Grammy and Grandmama.   And then we continued the festivities with a visit from the Easter Bunny on Saturday morning, an egg dying session on Saturday afternoon, a family dedication service at church on Sunday morning, and a potluck dinner/egg hunt with friends on Sunday afternoon.   Super busy and super fun!! 

Here are some photos of all the Easter action:

One of the surprises that we received in our Easter package from Tennessee.

The Easter bunny came to our house Saturday morning and left his footprints all through the house.

He was kind enough to leave a basket for the adults that had all the best Easter candy.  Why are the egg shaped Reese's cups so much more delicious?

Thanks Easter Bunny!

Susannah rounding the corner and getting her first glimpse of what he had left.

A Sesame Street book????

And play-dough????

And new sunglasses???

And synthetic grass????   This was hilariously her favorite part.   She thought they were ribbons and kept putting them in her hair!! 

Stylin' in her new shades at the beach on Saturday afternoon.

As soon as we woke up from our nap we got started with our Easter egg dying.

Susannah had fun, but didn't like the "patiently waiting for the eggs to soak in the color before we take them out of the cups" part.

This was one of my favorite memories from growing up and I was so excited to share it with Susannah.

And Aunt Nancy of course!!

So fun!

After the eggs were finished, Susannah got her sand shovel and helped Daddy in the garden.

And then it was Sunday morning.   Time to celebrate the real meaning of the holiday.  

My people

which in my opinion, makes me the luckiest girl ever.

Really.   Back brace and all.

Susannah wasn't super excited about the prolonged photo shoot so this was the best shot we got of her with her beloved Aunt Nancy.

Our Easter church service was especially memorable for our family because we were able to participate in the family dedication ceremony.  

Susannah was a little shy at first, but she warmed up and did a great job.   (not that she really had to do anything except listen quietly, which I guess can be a pretty difficult task for a toddler.)

We have been so blessed by the church family we have here in Coronado.

It was the perfect place to publicly promise God that we will raise Susannah to love and trust him above all else.

After church it was time to set up for the egg hunt and potluck dinner we had planned with some friends.   I can't believe Susannah is old enough to need a "kid's table" for dinner.   It makes me sad and relieved at the same time. 

The egg hunt was hilarious.   Susannah figured out that the plastic eggs had candy in them and she wanted to open each egg that she found and immediately chow down. 

She enjoyed herself for sure.

"Look Mommy!"

Meadow helped the kids look for the eggs in the garden.

It was an adorable afternoon.

Here are Susannah and her friends checking out their loot.

Of course a picture of them all looking would be asking waaay too much.   ;)

Baby Ellis wanted in on the photo shoot.

We topped off the weekend with Susannah's favorite......cupcakes!!   

I hope all of you had weekends full of love and family.    We miss you all!!