We've Got a Mystery on Our Hands...

Maybe you can help solve this.

See all those colored eggs in our lawn? At first I thought they were plastic eggs filled with candy. I thought to myself, "The kids are going to be so thrilled and excited!!!"

But  upon closer inspection......

They are not plastic eggs filled with candy, but appear to be dyed hard-boiled eggs! These are real eggs, folks!

These 2 eggs give us our first clues. The orange one says, "I was here." The blue one says, "I am the Easter Bunny." Hmmmm......

See all those eggs? The pictures do not give you the correct idea of how many eggs there really are!

See all those eggs hidden in there?

We spent a few fun minutes picking them all up. How many do you think we have?

Any guesses without counting?

We counted exactly 100 eggs. Someone must really love us. Egg Salad Sandwiches, anyone?

Easter!

You've all heard me blog about our lovely aunt Renee. WE LOVE HER!!!! Every year, all year my kids (especially McKay) look forward to the annual Easter Egg hunt. Right after Christmas, McKay starts asking, "How many days until the Easter Egg Hunt?" I got so tired of answering him, we made a chain this year so he could count for himself!

This is not your normal, typical easter egg hung. We're not talkin plastic eggs and candy. We're talkin more eggs and candy than you can comprehend; eggs with money; eggs with toys; different games to play and prizes to win, 2 huge bounce houses and more cousins than you can count!!! Fun, fun, fun!!!!

Sorting out all their spoils!

The happiness on that face cannot be beat!

Quarters, quarters, quarters!

Mick's pooped after a long day!

We love Renee and her sweet family. They do so much for everyone; always! Renee is such an example of love and service to me. I want to be like her someday!!!

We love Auntie Nay!!!

Every year Brett's FABULOUS and FANTASTIC aunt, Renee, does a HUGE Easter Egg hunt for all the little cousins. My kids look forward to this day almost as much as Christmas. I am not kidding. Every year after Valentine's Day, they ask about the hunt. They even ask about it in the fall. The just LOVE this day!

Maybe it's because:

There are TONS of eggs...and I mean tons!

Some of the eggs are filled with money!

Some of them are filled with prizes!

There's a jump house!

All the cousins are there!

All of the Aunt's spoil my kids!

All the cousins lined up before the go- ahead. Notice most of them have grocery bags, not baskets. The first year we discovered the bags were too small! The kids don't mind that at all!

Here is McKay with Renee, showing off his loot!

McKay is thrilled with his money egg!

Connor and cousin filling up their bags with the loot!

Uncle Greg getting set-up in the Sumo outfit with Brett's dad. This was a hit with all the brothers and older cousins. (Cherry, I had pics of you, but decided you'd like me more if I didn't post them....You can thank me later.)

Here are the kids at the start of the HOA hunt. Also a great time!

Kenna was exhausted by the end of the HOA Egg Hunt

We had such a fun day. Thank you everyone who put so much time and effort into making it so great!

Happy Easter!

After a whirlwind trip to D.C. and getting home about 11pm the eve of Easter, we were tired, to say the least! We were so happy to be home and thrilled to see the kids. It's amazing what a little time away can do for your spirit as a mom and wife! We were so grateful to be home and to have had a safe trip and that our kids had a safe trip. We were so grateful to our wonderful parents who had the kids while we were gone. We just wanted to stay up and play and talk, but it was late and the Easter Bunny still needed to come! And he did! Some candy for the kids, some coloring stuff for the twins, a Jub-jub for Connor and the movie, "Enchanted". The kids were as pleased as punch. We were just happy to be with them and to be able to celebrate Easter together.

I love this time of year and the symbolism that Spring has in our lives in reference to the Savior and His Atonement. The renewal of the earth-- coming out of the dreariness of winter into the light and warmth of Spring; the newness of life all around: flowers, trees blossoming again, baby animals being born, the grass and hills and mountains coming to life again-- turning green again. That is what the Atonement can do for us. Our lives, once cold and dead and dark can be revitalized! We can have newness of life, we can begin anew! What a miracle the Atonement is and I am so grateful for it and hope for myself, in this season, I will understand the Atonement more and use it more fully in my life. The gift has already been given, it's up to us to use it.