We ARE family...

While the exhaustion of the week set in...

I found myself

crashed out early last night,

laptop on my lap...

blog open...

pictures in the middle of edit...

and too tired to finish what I must have started.

I had spent several sleepless nights this week in worry and I had prayed hard to allow my

MIND

to let go the overwhelming stress I had felt for my son.

It worked...

I slept 10 hours last night and it felt like a 

MIRACLE!

We had too many fabulous memories of 

EASTER and VISITOR'S

not to document all that we did and all that we enjoyed.

 Peter Piper Pizza 

does have worthwhile "junk" when it is placed on Kylie in the form of jewelry!

 Only in Arizona can you swim in April because you are actually HOT!

 Cade enjoyed sneaking up on Rachel and pushing her in!

Rachel gave him "payback" several times over after that and this cute boy loved every minute of it!

 She rocks the sunglasses and floaties!

 Our Easter Egg Hunt crew!

 On your mark...

get set...

 GO!

 In an attempt to "keep up" with the big kids her feet wouldn't keep up and down she goes!

 It only slowed her down for a moment!

 So grateful that Kent and Whitney joined us for

EASTER Sunday!

Our kids LOVE them and all the FUN and LOVE

they bring with them. 

 We got these TWO boys to come outside and away from the video games to at least WATCH the fun!

Way to go Chris and Tom!

 At one point and time we had 20 of us all together!

Rachel reminded me that during

holidays and with NO family around we are usually

ALONE.

I think my kids were especially grateful to have so many family members join us this year!

 We attempted to get a picture with Jacob and myself in the picture...Jacob wouldn't be a part of it!

 These girls make me smile!

 I sure love my granddaughter...

she is a beautiful girl!

 Kylie loved hanging out with my "BIG" girls!

 We attempted to COLOR EASTER EGGS...

but no one was really interested

 They were just having too much fun with all the FAMILY

doing silly things like this:

 Whitney is a good sport!

Last year I threw away all my EASTER baskets...

I'm not really sure this year why I did that or what I was thinking.

So I had to get creative...

knowing they needed new TOWELS

I came up with this: 

 I found a FREE printable with the following saying:

HIP HOP hooray

Some BUNNY was here!

 Kylie's TWO favorite people:

Kent and Whitney!

 J.T. spent lots of time in everyone's arms as we all 

LOVED

being able to meet him!

Such a sweet happy little boy!

 They were also supportive of my kids

attending Rachel's soccer game and Chris's volleyball game!

We sure do love our family...

and we sure LOVED that they came to visit! 

We had ONE other activity but I will share those photos tomorrow! 

      

Visitors and Easter Message

We have visitors...

 Cade-9 years old

 Kylie-3 years old

 Shayla - 7 years old

 

JT - almost 4 mos. old

 My one and only sister

(we have 6 brothers...who we love)

but we were ALL we had growing up in the girl department.

Even though my sister and I are 

EIGHT years apart...

we have been each others BEST friend.

The one and only time we were pregnant together we ended up with these TWO cute boys only 

EIGHT days apart!  

 Jacob and Cade are BEST buddies. 

Today during our Easter Egg Hunt when Cade found the only

GOLDEN EGG

he shared his good fortune with JACOB!

They have a connection...

because they are family first!   

 Seven years ago I headed to my sister's house to find

REFUGE

from a raging storm going on in my life.

Instead Shayla was born the day of my arrival

and it is the one and only time

I've ever witnessed

the birth of a child.

I treasure the experience and have a soft spot in my heart for

SHAYLA!     

 Donna just gave birth less than four months ago but she always looks gorgeous no matter what!

 Maybe it is logistics...

or maybe it is we are sisters...

but our families have a special connection.

And despite our children's age difference 

my children have the best friend cousins ever!

I was honored that they would ask me to take these special pictures of their sweet family...
they all just make me smile!

***********************

I attended one of the best church services today.

One of our own

KIE LOVELL

is leaving for his mission this week.

Because he has been public about it and because he mentioned it in his sacrament talk today,

I do not hesitate to comment that

he had been told that he would 

NEVER

be able to serve a mission

because of past mistakes and sin.

He petitioned the First Presidency of the Church on several occasions to be able to be granted permission to go.

It was finally granted in February!

His story is what EASTER is all about.

The story of the 

ATONEMENT

and

CHRIST'S LOVE FOR EACH OF US.

Kie and so many of us

are living proof that if we change and repent

and turn our lives

over to God

that we can truly find

JOY

in this life and in the life to come!

Happy Easter!  

         

Cade LAMENTS!

 
KIDS are FUNNY!
Cade begins months ago bugging his mom to come and play with his bestest cousin "Jacob"
His does not relent and encourages his mom that he wants to visit "Jacob".
She gives in - drives the 11 hours to let Cade visit Jacob!
Upon arrival he informs us that his mom says they are only staying for "2" days.
 
To which he exclaims, "2 DAYS is LAME!