Hippity Hoppity Easter

On Good Friday, Aubrey and I met up with my mom, sister and my three nieces for a photo shoot. It is always a fun time getting the cousins together. Ella is four, Juliana is one and a half, and Addison is zero....I mean..about 6 months old. Aubrey is always surrounded by girls! Most of his playmates are girls. I don't think he minds one bit. We went to the Norton Art Gallery which is actually just down the street from where we live. They usually have a beautiful display of azaleas this time of year but since Spring sprung early this year...the blooms had already come and gone. Oh well, it's always a good backdrop for pictures!

These two are the same age and so funny together. Check out the stare down.

He is a true O'Neal...always has his mouth open in pictures b/c he won't stop talking!

It was tough work getting everyone to look at the camera AND smile AND sit still. Had to include one with sweet Addison. This pose pretty much sums up her personality. Laid. back.

After the photo shoot and naps, we dyed eggs. The kids loved it but it was hard not to make a mess! Aubrey kept wanting to squeeze the eggs. Not a good idea. So, he mostly played out side.

Easter was not the norm this year. Aubrey ran a fever Saturday night and was not feeling well at all. We weren't quite sure what was up but hoped he would be feeling better in the morning. He was still not himself in the morning so Seth stayed home with him while I went to church to teach Sunday School and attend the Easter service. I hate they missed it. Before I left, we let Aubrey open his basket.

I put his basket on the front porch so the Easter Bunny could fill it! We took Aubrey to the front door and were getting him excited to see what was on the front porch (since he really has no idea about the Easter Bunny yet). He was excited to see his basket on the doorstep and we brought it in for him to look through. I also made some resurrection eggs like these. It was a helpful way to explain the true meaning of Easter to Aubrey. I also used it for my 2 and 3 year old Sunday School class. Simple and easy.

After I got home from church, we decided to go to my parent's for lunch since we didn't want to miss out on all the fun. We didn't plan on staying for long since Aubrey was "sick". Once we got there, he had so much fun playing I think he forgot he was "sick". (I really think he was just teething...but who knows. Poor kid has been teething since he was three months old!) So, he got to enjoy an Easter egg hunt after all!

When the kids went to find eggs, the eggs had started sweating and the dye was bleeding off. So we decided it would be best if he not get his WHITE shirt tie-dyed. 

We found a new shirt for him to wear so he was looking dapper again. Here he is next to my tree that was planted when I was little. I have several pictures standing next to this tree.

It's a great climbing tree now!

Aubrey always has lots of fun at Nannie and Pepaw's house. He enjoys riding the "tractor", also known as a riding lawn mower, and mowing with this pretty pink mower. I know Seth is looking forward to the day when he can actually mow!

Every Easter is such a special day for me. As I grow as a Christian, I think each year it becomes more meaningful to me. I tend to reflect on the past year and what God has taught me and brought me through. It brings me to tears (which isn't hard to do typically but it's even worse now that I'm PG!) to think of the many blessings I've received by following and trusting in Jesus and his death and resurrection. And the beauty of it is that it is a gift! No charge or requirement for membership. Just belief and faith that Jesus is who He says He is. It is just amazing to me how undeserving I am of His blessings and gift of eternal hope but yet He's included me into His family. And I long for the day when there will be no more sorrow or pain but only continuous praise of Jesus...maybe a tiny bit like Easter and Christmas!