Easter Celebrations

This year Easter coincided with our Spring Break and so we were able to have a few different Easter activity.  We got together with some friends at the church for a spring/Easter on Thursday and had a good time.  The kids made pinwheels, decorated eggs, made candy necklaces, made their own pizzas, went on an Easter Bunny Hop (cake walk), some of the girls made flowers for their hair and we ended it all with an Easter Egg hunt and snow cones.  I wish I had more pictures of the day but it is always hard to get out the big camera and still chase kids and the little camera is so slow.  I guys this means I need a new small camera for activities like this. 

Waiting for snow cones.

It is so hard to wait.

Lucas's close-up.

I had a picture of Chloe with her cute hair flower but it won't upload correctly.  Technology is not my friend.

Saturday we went out looking for Easter clothes but we couldn't find any.  Apparently waiting till the last minute was not a good plan.  Later that night we dyed eggs and ate treats, thank you Grandma.  Guss and Owen were really slow in joining in because they decided to take a really long time to clean up their toys but they joined in at the end.

We had to keep things out of Lucas's reach.

Mr. Mischevious

Eating his Bunny Money from Grandma.

Sunday morning the boys woke up early to see what the Easter Bunny hide around the house.  We made them shower and get dressed while they waited for the two little ones who were still asleep.  After Chloe and Lucas woke up everyone got to go and find their baskets and the eggs that were hidden all over the house.

Lucas was off to a quick start

but that was only because we let him downstairs first.

Ready to roll.

No pillow is going to keep Guss from a piece of candy.

I am not sure what this face means.

Caught in the act.

Owen with his pile of eggs.

Success!!!

Lucas only needed a little help from Mom to find his basket.

The spoils of the hunt.

The kids got Hex Bugs in their baskets and they played with them most of the day.

Our little bucket head.

We enjoyed a good Easter dinner with friends and then finished out the night by reading the end of the Easter story.  The Friend magazine had scriptures from the life of Christ for the 8 days leading up to the ressurection and we had been reading them each night through out the week.  It was a really nice way to present the reason for Easter to kids.  We had a really good week celebrating Easter and I am really grateful for all that Jesus Christ did for us.

Following the Leader

Last night for family home evening Lucas was in charge of the activity.  We decided that we would just do whatever he did.  When we told him it was his turn he ran in place, like Owen had done earlier for the song which was Do As I'm Doing.  We started singing Do As I'm Doing again for Lucas and he just beamed as we all followed him.  He started running around the loop and we followed.  Ben hid and jumped out to scare him and start wrestling at one point but Lucas was not happy about it.  Without words he let us know that he was still in charge and that we needed to follow him.  Then he got down and started doing push-ups with a scream at the top.  We followed and he was so happy to watch that finally everyone did what he wanted instead of him always having to do what others wanted him to do.  I didn't take a picture but I really wish I would have.

Off to the Races

Guss and Owen decided to take Chloe and Lucas on a piggy back race around the loop.  I think Guss and Chloe officially won but they all had a great time.

Spring Fun

It is finally starting to get warm enough to spend some time outside.  Chloe, Owen and Lucas were the first to catch the bug to be outside.  The rest of us came out after a little coaxing. 

Guss reading with his bare feet right next to the snow. 

Maybe that is why he didn't want to be outside very long.

Chloe loves to swing as high as she can, yelling, "It's the best day ever!!!". 

Owen loves baseball. 

This time we decided to add some snow balls into the mix.

He got it.

It's going...

it's going...

it's gone!!!

Pinewood Derby Time

This year Guss and Ben started working on their car a few months before derby time because Dad was going to be out of town for the 2 months before the competition.  Guss had a plan for a Star Wars speeder and Ben let him have creative freedom in the design.  The two of them spent a lot of hours together in the basement and they had a good time together.  Ben was out of town for the pack Pinewood Derby but he had Guss all ready to take care of any last minute things that may have come up.  Luckily, there was no problems.  The car was really fast.  So fast, in fact, that it flew off the track twice and he was still able to come in second. 
The top three went to the district race and, thankfully, Dad was home in time to take Guss to the race.  There were about 55 cars involved and while Guss didn't rank very high in speed he did come home with the best in show trophy.  He was so proud of his trophy and we were really excited for him.

The official weigh-in.

Guss would wait for his car to start at the top for the track and then race it down.

He got a compass for his second place finish.

Top three.

Best in Show