Easter Weekend

Our Easter weekend was so great. Brandt got totally spoiled with all the easter egg hunts. We had already practiced at home during the week, so he had it down by the time the real thing came.

We went to the Montpelier city easter egg hunt for the first time this year, and Brandt loved it. It was indoors, which was nice since it was so cold outside, and although I felt clausterphobic with so many people, Brandt loved that part, too. He was giving the other little kids hugs even though he didn't know any of them. He got some candy, but also got some books and coupons to Subway, which I thought was way better than candy. And the best part is it only cost $1!!

Sunday morning Brandt was excited to see his basket filled with his very first baseball mitt, a Thomas the Train bouncy ball, and glow-in-the-dark stars for his bedroom. Apparantly when Bryce was growing up his Easter Bunny hid their eggs every year, so that's what our Easter bunny did this year.

It sure didn't take him very long to find the eggs hidden around the living room, and it took him even less time to start opening them and eating the candy inside.

Then it was off to church. Testimony meeting was so good and uplifting, something that I was in desperate need of, and Brandt actually made it through most of it. He probably would have made it except he could see "bampa Van" clear up toward the front of the chapel and threw a huge fit when I wouldn't let him down to go up there. He did great in Nursery. Tara does such a good job with them every week. Whenever I peeked in he seemed to be having a good time. One time when I looked in he was hugging Lily and tipped over on her so Tara was rescueing her.

After church we were off to my mom and dad's for Easter dinner and another Easter egg hunt with Rylie and Amanda Jean. Curtis pretty much hogged Amanda Jean the whole time! :)
We were all actually able to be there for the first time in a long time, and I think my parents especially liked standing back and watching their grandkids have so much fun.

Brandt grabbed one basket for himself and one for Rylie, but Rylie was using a bag so he could fit more in it, so Brandt just kept both baskets. It worked out ok until they started to get full. We tried emptying them into a bag for him, but he thought we were stealing them from him and wouldn't let us take them. So... he spent a good share of the time picking up the same eggs he had already picked up and was just dropping out of his basket as he went. He wasn't the only one who was afraid of losing his eggs; Amanda Jean didn't even want her mom to take them out of her hands to put them in her basket.

Since Rylie is the oldest, he was able to find some of the trickier ones pretty much on his own.

JACKPOT!! Bryce and Curtis hid the eggs for us, and by the time they got to these they were sick of it, so they very creatively dumped them on the ground in one pile and turned a plastic tote upside down on them. The kids thought it was the best!

Next on the list for our marathon day was Grandma Hemmert's for yet another Easter egg hunt. Brandt took Doug over to see the dog and even though it's dark (I'm not a great photographer) I thought this was so cute.

Most of the family was there other than the Hanke's, and it was fun to see all the Sleight cousins with their kids who are about Brandt's age. He had fun playing with them.

This picture is here purely for Kevin's sake since he was teasing me about not taking any pictures of him. Well, here ya go Kevin. You are officially on my blog now!! :)

Riley and Uncle Dan were playing football, and Brandt wanted to be a part of the action.

Brandt and Alexander, just hanging out. I promise I didn't make them pose like this, just sorta happened.

This is one of my most treasured pictures of the day; four generations- Grandma Jennie, Shellie, Bryce, and Brandt. What a fun way to remember the reason for Easter spending it with family. As I look around me, especially at my own little one, how deep my feelings of gratitude are for my Savior's atonement for me. I know that He lives and loves me. I hope that I can show that type of love to other's, once again, especially to my little Brandt buddy so he'll have a desire to build his own testimony.