Easter 2017

There is love in everything. EVERYTHING. As I was running Saturday morning I finished up and noticed this grape leaf. In it was a perfect little heart. I had to take a picture because I knew it was Heavenly Father telling me he loved me. I had been thinking a lot about Easter and Gethsemane, the Savior atoning for my sins, the Crucifixion, and Resurrection. I had been thinking about Christ's life and the parables he taught. I thought about all of the times he healed the sick and sad and the broken in the scriptures. I thought about all of the times he has healed me. I thought about the hope that my faith in him gives me for my life and my children's lives.

As I started my run I was thinking about my kids who I had left at home to clean their rooms. I left them with the promise that if they did a good job we could go to a movie later. In my head I thought, they are not going to do a great job. I'll probably have to go clean their rooms anyway but then I thought what would Jesus do? He would probably go and HELP them clean their rooms and so that is what I resigned to do when I got home from my run. In that moment a car pulled up right next to me and it was one of my dearest friends in the whole wide world. She waved and cheered me on and it made me so happy to see her! It made me realize that Christ sends help to me too! He did in that moment a sweet message of love and support, how lucky I am to have a relationship with him, my brother, my Savior. I am so grateful for him and his life.

It was a wonderful weekend with my kids. On Friday we got a lot of chores and errands done. I spent a whopping $300 at Costco on groceries. We were out of major stuff like toilet paper, paper towels etc. Man that stuff adds up! I cooked a ton this weekend and am sad to say that we have blown through most of the groceries I bought already. How can that be? I guess with everyone home for three days in a row it all adds up. We enjoyed the time off by going to the ward and neighborhood egg hunts. We cooked delicious meals, slept in, took naps, watched movies, had friends over to swim, the kids set up my tarp on the hill at the park as a huge slip n' slide. We enjoyed a lovely Easter Sunday church service and dinner with my family. It was such a wonderful three day weekend! 

We have been outside as much as possible enjoying the beautiful, warm, Spring weather. We love riding around our neighborhood trails. We had family night on Monday. We talked about anxiety and coping strategies as the kids have AZ Merit testing/ State Testing this week and next. We talked about how healthy food, exercise, and plenty of sleep help us to feel less stressed. We then went for a walk around the dog park and then stopped at the park on the way home. I sat on the swing and began to swing. My kids came over one by one to swing with me and Ellie said, MOM! I didn't know older people could swing like that! (I'm thinking...OLD PEOPLE?!?! Gee, thanks!) I said, watch and learn. She was amazed that I could swing and I thought....that is sad. That means we haven't swung together in way too long. I can't believe how fast time flies. It makes me want to go to the park and swing with them every day, just soak up every second possible. 

Ellie sure loves her brother. I am so lucky to have these two. Aydan says he is growing his hair out until the end of summer. We will see how that goes. We are taking life one step at a time. Sometimes we stumble and sometimes we run, sometimes we rest, and sometimes we go at an easy pace, I consider it a privilege to walk it with these two. 

Good things to come. 

XOXO- The Sunny D