This is a picture of Easter to me. My sweet Connor placing a beautiful cut flower on the cross on Easter morning. Not only is it a picture of life, new life made from the death of another, it is also of a child - with that faith I long for - child-like.
Wouldn't it be so much more simple if we could all just trust, believe and breath in peace, peace that is ours for the breathing? As his sweet little boy hands grasp the flower, still vibrant with color though life cut from it, he maneuvers it just right into the secure frame of the cross, where it brings beauty to a symbol of new life and hope. Death bringing life and beauty. A familiar theme in Christianity.
Lots of thoughts have filled my mind since Good Friday and Easter, prompting me to begin a new blog with my "God Stuff" and reflections. I will keep blogging here, though, because my kids are my "God Stuff" reminding me each and every day how precious life is, how simple it is to believe and what unconditional love feels like. They are walking iron sharpeners, diamond refiners, gold shiners...
So, I believe this was the 6th annual Woodruff and Cole Bunny Cake making extravaganza...
Yep, back in 2011...Can you believe it?
Sarah and I have gotten smart over the years...We cook, cut and put on the icing...
The kids decorate (and eat candy).
Sweet sweet mom moment! What a treasure these three are and oh, my, Rachel. What a silly one, that girl!
In action with mom, putting on the final touches...
Told ya there was eating of candy...'tis expected...
And my three little goofballs, with ring leader Joker again...
Cookie making time with this cutie!
I love baking with my kids. Not only is it a wonderful bonding experience, it also gives me the opportunity to teach them so many things. Lindsay Jane was very interested in measuring when we made these sugar cookies. :)
But...she was more interested in licking the batter...
And got an amazing kick out of making green grass for our little garden cake.
Setting up the garden..
And a proud little girl! It was so hilarious. I thought I had bunnies and was going to make carrots in the rows of the garden with crumbled oreos for dirt, but I had ducks...so we used eggs...whatever works! So, we had a garden with eggs coming out of the ground and the ducks perched around...not sure Betty Crocker would be amused, but I was!
Ha! Now, just imagine those are bunnies and carrots in the rows of the garden...
Rolling out the dough and cutting the sugar cookies...it is never a short task, but so much more fun with this little love. She is actually really good at it!
Have I mentioned how very much I love having a little girl?
Easter morning baskets and letter from the Easter Bunny!
And three excited little ones!!
Easter bunny did good this year!
And I finally got my resurrection rolls right! The kids were impressed and Landon actually taught the other two all about the rolls and their representation. You take a marshmallow, pure and spotless, representing our Lord and Savior, and cover it with butter and cinnamon and sugar, representing the spices that were places on Jesus's body to prepare him for burial, then you wrap the marshmallow into a crescent roll (a pillsbury grande, no generic folks, they don't work) and seal the edges, just like they sealed the tomb. You cook them and...the marshmallow melts, leaving an empty space in the middle of the role, representing Christ's resurrection!! What a neat visual for kids and what a yummy treat!
Pinning the flowers on the cross, such a special time for me.
The Cole babies...
Next stop...Nanny's pond for some fishing...
Connor got a great catch! It slipped out of Stan's hands before he could let Connor hold it for a picture. :(
Lindsay Jane got to ride in the canoe with her daddy. :)
Nanny got to have the cutest passengers ever in her gold cart! She did bribe them with nutty buddies...
We dyed eggs.
We decorated those sugar cookies Lindsay Jane and I made. :)
And, Nanny organized an Easter Egg Hunt indoors since it was rainy yucky weather. She also put together a scavenger hunt in true Nanny fashion.
Everyone got some really great finds! Nanny made sure it was fair and equal and that there were some prize eggs with money in them!
Nanny and all of her sweet littles. :) What a happy picture!
Could this little series be any cuter?
Serious decorating, here...
Joker, again...
Sweet smiles from the gals...
The birds nests...pre egg and bird habitation...
Crazy events that happen when moms try to do crafty food stuff...
Girly girl posing...
Caught again!
Sweet sweet friends! Sweet and crazy all the same. What an awesome friendship these kids have and they are not even our neighbors and they have never gone to school together! Planning play dates has been a bit more challenging as they have all gotten older and are in school, but we still make it happen and the depths of these lasting bonds show up deeper every time. I love that my kids have friends that are their "home" in this crazy world. I know that they know they can count on their friends, like the Smiths and the Woodruffs and really believe they will be friends for life. What amazing memories. What treasures.
And Connor even perked up from his eye surgery just two days before this was taken to hang with his buddies. :)
And...another throwback to 2012!
Time for the Resurrection Easter Egg hunt! I love watching the kids read the verses and the older ones explaining the gospel to the younger ones. It is one of those mama things...the things you realize that matter...in the midst of all the other noise. It really matters that my oldest child and one of his BFFs are explaining the gospel to their younger siblings and friends. Pausing, I realize just how good it is to be present with my kids in these moments.
And...it's a lot of fun camouflaging eggs...
Our new readers did amazingly well!!
Love these mama moments, caught on film...but another mama. Being present in these times, answering those hard questions, letting this sweet little thinker work it all out in her mind before speaking, the mama so tender, so patient, so loving. To me, just a picture of God's love.
Love this one...
Love this one too!!
And the middles are starting to teach the babes...
And, the last egg was empty, representing the empty tomb. What an awesome way to explain the gospel. If you have never done the resurrection Easter egg hunt, it is totally worth doing. It is such a great great way for kids to learn about the events leading up to Jesus's death and resurrection.
And...we ended the day with allowing the kiddos to play in the creek bed. What a wonderful Easter filled with lasting memories and warm hugs to my heart.
I hope you enjoyed!!
