I know that we had a GREAT Easter, maybe one of the best, yet! And I don't need pictures to prove it or remember it? Nope! I believe because I experienced it first hand! And I will remember because loved it so! I was thinking about that and I realized that it is kind of similar to the way everyone who saw Jesus after the resurrection must have felt. Gosh, if I had only had my camera then EVERYONE would have believe that I Jesus is ALIVE!
But they didn't have a camera to snap a quick picture and upload it to facebook so that the WORLD could see that He in fact is risen! Nope, they had to go back and tell everyone about what they had seen and experienced. They believed it because they experienced it, but they had no physical evidence to share with others, other than the joy and hope that escaped their souls!
So y'all are going to just have to put on that frame of mind and receive the JOY (in words) that is escaping my soul as I think about our Easter weekend...
We started our weekend on Thursday night with Family Date Night! This is one of my VERY favorite things to do. Thursday is typically the night that Justin and I (pre-Caden) always went out on the town. It seemed to be MUCH less crowded on Thursday night and it was a kick-off to the weekend. By Friday night we were always ready to curl up on the couch and veg. Thursday was the perfect night.
Since Caden we have tried to do family date night whenever the budget allows. So for our Easter family dinner we went to one of our favorite restaurants in Austin and we all pigged-out! Oh my... we were all so full! It was so much fun to sit, eat yummy food and hang out as a family. Luckily my boys are troopers and agreed to go to the store with me after dinner so we could stock up on food for the weekend. I had my menus prepared days in advance and was excited to cook and entertain our guests!
Friday morning we woke up to Justin's grandparents, Caden's great-grandparents knocking at the door... so not literally woke up to that, but they came early in the day to spend a few hours with Caden before Nana and Paps got there. We all ate a big lunch at Chili's and spent lots of time playing in the back yard that morning. After lunch it was imperative for Caden to take a nap (poor thing wore himself out, showing off his backyard adventures to his Great Poppa and Great Gran. After Caden's nap it was time to get ready for Good Friday service at church.
Caden was excited to see his sweet Thursday morning friends in the nursery on Friday and had a great time. He did cry, but who could blame a guy?! He wanted to stay and hang out with his Nana and Paps. The Good Friday service at our church is also so moving. I love it so much. Our church is usually rockin' on Sunday mornings, full of life and celebration, but on this one day each year our church takes time to remember the cross. The Pastors all wear suits (which never happens normally) and the room is dark. The candles are lit the music is quiet and voices are hushed. It is very much like attending a funeral and indeed that is exactly what the cross was wasn't it?! We stop and remember the sacrifice that God made for us. We nail our names to the cross as we walk out the doors. We hear the bang, bang, bang and get a small, very small taste of what that day might have been like for Jesus' family, friends and followers. We get a taste of the sacrifice... we remember that day!
And we remember so that on Sunday we can CELEBRATE!!
But before we celebrated on Sunday we had a bit more fun with family to partake in. I fixed Pioneer Woman's yummy, yummy Chicken Parmesan on Friday night for all of us after church. While I was in the kitchen Nana and Paps were hangin' with Caden in the backyard. Again he wasn't missing the opportunity to be a little ham for his grandparents!
After dinner and Caden was in bed, Jusitn and I and Nana and Paps hung out on the porch and chatted. The air was crisp and the stars were out... it was a sweet night to be outdoors. Although we love and adore our sweet Caden it is nice to talk adult to adult every once in a while and we were thankful that we had that opportunity to spend time with Nana and Paps.
Saturday morning we had a big breakfast and sent Nana and Paps on their merry little way only to have to turn around and get the house ready for KK and Albi! Our Easter weekend shifts have worked out well the past few years... it is so nice and we are SO spoiled to get to spend a part of our weekend with both sets of parents/grandparents.
KK and Albi got to the Rock about lunchtime and of course went straight out into the backyard to see what Caden was up to. He gave them a quick run down of the place and then we all headed inside for a light lunch! Caden of course went straight back outside after to lunch... we had to make sure he was good and ready for nap because after his nap we had big plans...
Well big plans to eat that is... but the way we ate he definitely needed some energy! The weather in Austin was gorgeous on Saturday so we took full advantage and headed out for a little big of Austin's finest patio dining. YUM YUM! We ate and ate and ate... are you seeing the theme here? My body is definitely retaliating today after all of the yummy but not so good for me food I ate all weekend, but let me just clarify that is was TOTALLY worth it! Totally!
After dinner we spent some more time in the back yard...Caden had to be sure he got ample time to show off his skills of course. Then it was time for bed and coconut cake! I LOVE this cake... a Barefoot Contessa speciality and a yummy, yummy treat when you are in the mood. It is a beast to make but so worth it! I am excited to say that we only have a few pieces left... you know the whole, sooner it's gone the sooner I don't have to eat anymore bit...
The next morning Justin and I had to pop out of bed early so that we could get to church and bed ready for the craziness that consumes the nursery on Easter Sunday. KK and Albi were gracious enough to keep Caden behind and let him have extra time at home that morning. So they were the ones responsible for getting him dressed and ready to go... and he looked great!
Now to be fair and completely honest, KK did try to snap a picture of Caden in his sweet oufit, but let's just say that KK should stick to being the GREAT KK that she is and leave the photography to some one else... hahaha! Sweet KK you tried! :)
After Justin and I wrangled the 9 kiddos in the nursery that morning we enjoyed participating in the Easter Sunday celebration with KK and Albi! It indeed was a celebration! Lots of clapping, be-bopping, shouting! He is Risen, indeed friends!!
After church we came home and had a fabulous brunch!! Thanks to Martha Stewart and her oh so wonderful menus I had planned for us to have a yummy brunch and thankfully everything turned out as it was supposed to. KK and Albi brought a yummy ham from the NB Smokehouse and I fixed a Spinach and Guyere quiche and a yummy spring salad and we topped it off with Mimosas, wine and of course the coconut cake! OH and deviled eggs... not my fav but a fav of KK and Albi's so we made them! It was yummo!! And Caden found two new favs to add to his list... quiche and ham!
After lunch/brunch we spent more time outside and then said goodbye to KK and Albi who had to race back to San Antonio to go to the big Baylor game that night! It's too bad about our Bears. They gave it their best and WATCH OUT WORLD next year, because both Baylor teams are going to be good!
So you see our Easter weekend was FILLED with FAMILY... FOOD and of course SO MUCH FUN! We celebrated the reason for the season with quiet and with lots of noise... we are so thankful to have been blessed with the families and friends that we have. What a great Easter weekend!
To our families...
We love y'all so very much! (Even those of you who we didn't get to share this Easter with! We love y'all the same!!)
Happy Easter!!
1 comment:
Sounds like you had a great Easter weekend! Full of great food is the best...I'm very impressed with all your cooking skills! Do share the good recipes!!
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