Easter Egg-Straveganza!

Swoosh, I am wiped out, as is everyone else in the family, especially my children (judging from the way bed time went) from this weekend! Here is run-down of all the activities we smashed into one weekend:

Friday - Dyed eggs, Ollie's night out with Mommy and Auntie Nikki; we saw Rio.
Saturday - Community Easter egg hunt at the park, afternoon with the Matthews family, which included Easter egg hunts for the children AND adults. I "found" a Starbucks card, Nikki "found" a Jamba Juice card, and Joe came away with a delicious caramel apple.
Sunday - Woke up, read the Easter story as a family, then checked to see what the Easter Bunny left for the kiddos. Went to church, then headed out to Ladera Ranch to spend Easter with our family. This included another Easter egg hunt, a lovely time with family we love dearly, and a visit from Buzz Lightyear and Woody.

As you can see, it became very easy to let the message of Easter slip from our grasp, easily being replaced by the Easter bunny and egg hunts. I am a firm believer in allowing my children use their imaginations to their fullest extent, which includes Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, someday the Tooth Fairy. I want them to have as much fun as they can before the realities of true life start taking away from their ability to imagine, pretend, and explore.

With that said, it is so important to me that my kids grow up knowing Christ and His amazing love. I want them to know, to the core of who they are, that Jesus is our hope and the reason for all we are and what we do. However, it's not easy to explain the death, burial and resurrection of Christ to a three and one year old. So we did our best to remind them that Easter is about Jesus first and most importantly.

We sang this song in church today, and although I know it's not a new song, it really touches to the core of what Easter is about. I think it so beautifully defines this day we celebrate and gives such hope in times when it seems like the light is fading quickly in this world around us. In Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand!

In Christ alone my hope is found
He is my light, my strength, my song
This Cornerstone, this solid ground
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm
What heights of love, what depths of peace
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease
My Comforter, my All in All
Here in the love of Christ I stand

In Christ alone, who took on flesh
Fullness of God in helpless babe
This gift of love and righteousness
Scorned by the ones He came to save
'Til on that cross as Jesus died
The wrath of God was satisfied
For every sin on Him was laid
Here in the death of Christ I live

There in the ground His body lay
Light of the world by darkness slain
Then bursting forth in glorious Day
Up from the grave He rose again
And as He stands in victory
Sin's curse has lost its grip on me
For I am His and He is mine
Bought with the precious blood of Christ

No guilt of life, no fear in death
This is the power of Christ in me
From life's first cry to final breath
Jesus commands my destiny
No power of hell, no scheme of man
Can ever pluck me from His hand
'til He returns or calls me home
Here in the power of Christ I'll stand

 Here are a few pictures from this wonderful weekend.