Anticipating Easter

When I think about Easter, I smile because I know Spring is on it's way, flowers and children will bloom and I'll get reminded of new birth - the yearly new birth of the Earth and my new birth in Christ.  So when I was asked what I liked about Easter, I couldn't help but smile because there are so many things to love.


I LOVE celebrating the resurrection of our Savior.  Jesus's sacrifice and resurrection is our main focus at Easter.  My children learn about the Easter story every year at church and we read it to them every year at home.

I LOVE Easter music at church.  Our church has a wonderful choir and orchestra.  They put on an Easter cantata every year.  It's upbeat and energetic and gets us in the Easter spirit.

I LOVE getting a new dress in the latest fashion but even more I LOVE seeing my kids in their new clothes.  I'm not a matchy, matchy person, so we don't always coordinate, but we individually look good.  I also believe in letting my 5-year old son be comfortable in shorts and a polo shirt.  The more he is comfortable, the less he squirms in church.

I LOVE finding a new hairstyle for my girlie and fixing her all up.  We have discovered hair blogs and visit them often.  When Easter approaches, there are LOTS of hair ideas posted out there.  This basket weave has been my favorite so far.

While we're on the subject of Easter, I just want to interject that I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE tulips.  You can see some of my buds in this picture.  I get so excited when my tulips bloom every year.  I literally go outside to visit them once a day.  I LOVE it when I get to take Easter pictures in front of my tulips!!

I LOVE playing the Easter bunny.  Since my kids get lots of candy everywhere else, I try to give other little trinkets and toys in their Easter baskets, like Star Wars shirts and Zhu-zhu pets.

In typical Easter fashion, we have a big Easter meal, complete with ham, roast beef and lots of vegetables that my kids won't eat.  (They eat the meat and a baked potato.  They are missing out!)

I LOVE helping our kids search for Easter eggs at my parent's house.  We put initials on the eggs so they each get to find the same amount.  The hunt is repeated over and over and over and .....

Best of all, I LOVE Easter candy. The kids always find candy in their eggs.  I can't eat chocolate but I LOVE Smarties and Skittles and Nerds and I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE jelly beans.

Easter, to me, is a very happy holiday.  We get to celebrate outside (at least most years, one year it snowed), we get to eat our weight in good food and Easter candy and we get to see everyone in their Sunday best.  What's not to love about Easter?

I thought I'd end by asking my kids what their favorite things about Easter are.

David - "I like the chocolate bunnies and I like to do the Easter hunt and I like to see my cousin."
Julie - "I like to see my cousin and I really like to get the candy in the eggs when we go Easter egg hunting and I like all of the chocolate in the candies."

I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Hop blogging program, for a gift card worth $25. For more information on how you can participate, click here.