Authentic Life: Easter or "Eatr"

It feels like this past month has been a whirlwind. We had a great Easter. A great Easter service at church, and just generally, a really good day. James was really funny about Easter. I would say, "James, what is Easter about?" And then he would say, "Eatr Bunny." And then I would say, "I know, but what else?" And then he would say, "Jesus (which sounds like Eeus) rose, owie." I taught him to say Jesus rose, but the only "rose" he knows is how he walked through the rosebushes one day outside in the flower bed and got an owie. I thought how funny and fitting it actually was for him to say owie about Jesus dying and rising from the dead. Interesting. Out of the mouths of babes, huh?

We had a really fun Easter egg hunt at church the Saturday before Palm Sun. We had a great turnout and lots of fun! And, lots of candy - which is what mattered to my friend, James.

Here I am trying to get James to hunt eggs instead of playing on the playground. He did not understand why he should want the eggs. Finally, I busted one open and showed him the candy. It was still a toss up between hunting and playing.

Landon hung out with the preschoolers for a lot of the time and they played with this parachute. See James watching them? He thought it was really, really fun until they all went under the parachute - then he started freaking out screaming. ha. I think it scared him when they all disappeared, and he thought they were hurt.

Um, what, do you think you are like 5 years old or something, Buddy? I am trying for broken bones to stay away as long as possible for us...

RIGHT. These eggs have candy. See, James, I would never steer you wrong!!!

Sweet Nanda and James!

More parachute fun (guess I should have organized these pictures better)

Fun with pizza in the fellowship center before watching a Veggie Tales movie.

The Sat. night before Easter, Eric and Kelli and Caroline came over - some of our favorite people in the WHOLE world. We ate dinner together and colored eggs. James just kept cracking his eggs - because he's watched me do our boiled eggs in the mornings - or he kept throwing them because we bought special coverings for the eggs that were like balls. Basketball, football, etc., so he wanted to throw them hard. Every time he put one down in the colored water, he heaved it in there as hard as he could. Good thing it was just vinegar and coloring.

Our family.

James and Landon Easter morning. Ah, how things have changed since I took this exact picture last year :)

James' Easter basket. He was pretty excited. A bubble gun (That he thanks God for every night when I ask him what he wants to pray for). The Little Engine that Could DVD, a watercolor paint book,

a chocolate bunny that we got because it was like a basketball, and it took numerous times of James playing with it until finally part of the foil came off, and he gasped, "CHOCO KETTY!" He had no clue :) Some bath fizzies to color the water. Veggie Tales books,

Some Barney books, and a great tool kit. I got most of these things for his basket at the Methodist Church consignment sale a few weeks before - awesome! The drill is the best because it makes noise and everything and lights up!!!!