I can hardly believe how fast this year is flying by!
It seems like I was just making my Easter entry from last year and here we are again! Wow!
I am so happy for traditions that we have as families that both bring us closer together, AND strengthen our testimonies. Learning and living the gospel of Jesus Christ makes me feel so happy and really makes life full of meaning and purpose. Combine that with fun family activities and traditions and I am happy all day! :)
This year, we followed out our weekly traditional activities:
~We began each morning with a picture, bible video, and discussion of what was happening during the Savior's life that day, and thought about how we could try to be more like Him.
~We dyed Easter eggs and talked about what each color represented spiritually and also made the "Easter Story Cookies" where each ingredient taught something about the Savior's death and resurrection.
~We talked about "cleansing the temple" and keeping both our home and our bodies clean and pure...also did a puzzle of the Salt Lake Temple...
~We enjoyed our candlelight Jerusalem dinner! (One of our favorites!)
~We had secret pals all week and wrote on our "Love One Another" tablecloth. At the end of the week we discovered who our secret pals were and read all of the love notes on our tablecloth over our Easter dinner.
I have also learned how to be very flexible and celebrate Easter week everywhere we go! Especially this year because we also went on a family trip to Zion's National Park! AND...Kierra's dear friend Katelyn fell 16 feet out of a tree trying to free a kite out of it's branches and broke her back and her wrist! We are so glad that she is OK...but needless to say, instead of doing our 3 days of darkness Easter egg hunt with everyone, I just had Clint do it with all of the little ones while Kierra and I spent Easter night up at Primary Children's Hospital with Katelyn and her mom.
We also added a "Progressive Temple Dinner" night that I absolutely loved!!!
Just us girls went this time since all the boys had a date night at the Jazz/Lakers game!
(We will bring them next time though ;)
We started our "Progressive Temple Dinner" with an appetizer of smoothies that we ate in the car on the way to the Oquirrh Mountain Temple.
We admired the beautiful flowers and trees as well as the temple itself...
We talked about goals and boys and dating and about MY Prince Charming :) and our wedding day...
We then traveled to Draper where we went to the Corner Bakery and Cafe and had yummy sandwiches and salad for dinner and then drove to see the Draper Temple!
I love this temple for so many reasons...
~It is majestically beautiful!
~I was able to bring all of my children inside this beautiful temple before it was dedicated...
~AND...this is the temple that we can see out the window from our house!
Even though we only live 2 miles away from the Jordan River Temple, this is the one that is visible from our window because it is set on the hill. It is the last thing that we see at night after we turn out all the lights to go to bed. Kierra told me that she likes to kneel on her bed to pray and when she is done, she looks at the temple... :)
The night we were out visiting these temples was also the night of the Lunar eclipse and the moon was sooo huge! The picture was so far away so it doesn't really do it justice...but it was amazing!!!
Finally, to end our Progressive Temple Dinner night, we traveled with our cookies in hand from the bakery to the Jordan River Temple. Kambriella had fallen asleep on the way, so Kierra and I just continued to talk about special temple things...it was a such a special night.
The temple represents such goodness...it symbolizes light, love, and eternal families...
I am so blessed to live in a place where literally in one night I was able to visit these 3 beautiful temples.
It was an awesome part of our Easter celebration.
Also, being in Zion's for part of our Easter celebration made it extra memorable. For me, just seeing all of the beautiful things that have been created for us strengthens my testimony of the love that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ have for us.
As we hiked, we combined it with our Easter walk, looking for things that went along with the Easter story...something black, something red, something alive, something dead...we took turns carrying "rocks" (or sleeping children) that reminded us of Jesus' cross that he had to carry...
We talked a lot...and played and explored...
We also stopped to eat snacks that represented the objects in the Easter Walk...
Goldfish crackers = represents something dead ;)
Swedish fish = represents something red and alive ;) ;)
Pretzel sticks = represents the beams of wood used to build a cross
Pretzel twists = represents a crown of thorns
oreos = represents something black for 3 days of darkness
Ginger snap cookies = represents the stone rolled in front of the tomb
(These snacks worked great because we were in the sun and I didn't want anything that would melt.)
We even had squirrels everywhere wanting to share our snacks!!! :)
It was simply beautiful there...
These crazy people always make me smile...:)
This water was FREEZING!!! We were guessing maybe 40 degrees?
But it was still so much fun to go exploring ...I think we crossed the river about 6 times...
Good memories :) Fun times :)
On our ride home from Zion's we also watched movies and listened to a dramatization of the last week of the life of the Savior. I believe that you can have fun as a family AND build each other up and strengthen each others testimonies when you PLAN to make memorable and meaningful experiences. I think it is so fun! AND it makes me sooooo happy!!!
I just love my family :)
On Easter day, Kierra's friend Katelyn had a terrible accident and broke her back and her arm...
We were very worried for her, and we prayed that she would be alright. And although we never want anything bad to happen to anyone, it's inevitable that things do, and the timing of her accident falling on Easter day was yet another reminder of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. His suffering and death for us was not just for sin, but for sorrow, and hurt, and pain, and sadness...
Katelyn is going to be just fine, and we are so thankful for that!
We are also grateful that we have a testimony and knowledge of the gospel of Jesus Christ, testimony that He hears and answers our prayers, testimony that He knows us and loves us, and that this Easter we saw yet another sweet example of the effects of His loving Atonement.
2 days after Katelyn's accident, she had already been admitted to Primary Children's, had multiple tests done on her back, and had surgery on her wrist. Katelyn's back is indeed broken, but will be able to completely heal. She has to wear a back brace continually for 3 months, and her cast on her arm for about 2 months. She considers herself to be one very lucky girl!
So, a midst all of the craziness of her accident, 2 days after her accident was Katelyn's 16th birthday!!!
After seeing all of the concern and worry on Karren's face, worrying about her daughter and wondering if she was going to be alright, Kierra and I knew that we needed to make something special happen for Katelyn! So, with a trip to KOHL'S and a midnight trip to Wal-Mart, and some heaven aided brainstorming, we were able to throw together a surprise 16th birthday party right up there at Primary Children's Hospital! :)
We wondered if we would be able to pull it off with only 1 day to plan, but I think it turned out beautifully!
We had prepared a list of "16 Reasons Why We Love Katelyn!"
Some of the gifts were silly, like a package of "ICE" gum with the reason being that
"We love Katelyn because she really knows how to break the "ICE" when it comes to meeting guys!"
...then, some of the gifts were more meaningful, like a cute new pair of shoes with the reason being that
"We love Katelyn because she will always "stand" beside you, and really tries to put herself in your "shoes."
I had picked up a cake and balloons from the bakery and then had all of their friends meet at our house after school where we carpooled up to the hospital. We decorated the room that the hospital had set aside for us, and then when Katelyn came in everyone shouted "SURPRISE!" :)
Kierra led the group in giving Katelyn the gifts...each of the friends took a turn reading the paper that we had prepared, and it was so sweet. Katelyn would laugh, and then she would cry...and so would her mom. :)
Kierra combed Katelyn's hair, and they all just sat around eating cake, talking, laughing, and riding up and down on the hydraulic bouncy office chairs. When it was time to go, we all went to see Katelyn's room where everyone hugged her and told her they loved her.
I think she ended up having a really good day.
:)
So, our Easter celebration this year was an all encompassing chain of events that led us to a realization that we are celebrating the life of the Savior every single day in everything that we do.
Whether it is in the week before Easter or during the school summer break or on a Saturday afternoon in September...remembering the life and love of our Savior Jesus Christ is a privilege and opportunity of every member of the church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.
We promise when we are baptized that we will always remember Him...then we renew those covenants each week when we partake of the sacrament.
So, Easter week, and every single day, let us remember to be true disciples in word and deed and
ALWAYS remember Him!
