Easter Weekend!

The week leading up to Easter was non stop busy.  I can't tell you how thankful I was that I had gotten sick the week prior and not this week. 

I was busy with the usual kids, school, child care etc AND

Installing new hardware on all the doors to keep my little escape artist in

 Taking a meal to a new Momma (paying it forward for the forever gratitude I feel for the love I received after each of my kids)!  I've concluded it is a million times easier to make double of what I am delivering and do it early in the morning so that there is no rush at meal time.  If the new Mom is in good shape I will even deliver it in the morning and have her throw it in the oven so I'm not driving a hot meal with my own hungry kids in tow ;) 

 I was delivering supplies to a couple gals and prepping to make several trifles myself for the wedding family dinner

 I was doing laundry and scrubbing my house top to bottom trying to recover from the disaster state from being sick the week before and preparing for a handful of over night guests and 20 family members for dinner friday

 I was buying supplies and making treat bags for an egg hunt my mil requested for the friday dinner

 Friday morning I was busy helping set up for the wedding.  I could only stay a few hrs but loved giving a hand and wished I could have done more.  AL had 4 birthday invites this weekend as well (she turned down one) but it also added to the busy!

 I love party planning so this was up my alley.  Also fun to get to know some more of the grooms family!  My niece married into a great family without question.

 Friday night we had almost all of T's siblings over for dinner (just missing one older bro) plus neices and nephews, my sil and mil.  I knew I was going to be busy decorating all day and would have wedding dessert to put together that night so I took the easy road and ordered chinese.  T told me all day long I was ordering way too much food (he was right) but I figured 2 "dinners for 7" seemed just right to feed 20 with just a bit leftover.  As it turned out most of the neices and nephews didn't love chinese and barely ate it.  We had soooooo much left over.  The restaurant also threw in two extra dishes.  I wish I had a pic.  Needless to say we had left overs for lunch all weekend and it was great!!

A pic of T's siblings playing a game after dinner.

 We had hoped to do an egg hunt at the park but it was cold and snowy so the basement it was.  With a dog in the house I don't hide treats just plastic eggs that were traded in for a bag of goodies and bubbles.  Side note the dog managed to eat an entire hollow lindt chocolate bunny and had a pretty good near death experience........pretty sure if I showed her another bunny she would do it all over again.

AL managed to wiggle out her second tooth in one week right after dinner.  She was convinced she may have swallowed it but I was fairly sure she hadn't.  I offered a jelly bean reward and in about 1 min flat her cousin had found it in the carpet!  Nothing cuter then a toothless grin.

 

 After dinner my SIL asked if she could help me make trifle and boy did I put her to work!

 Saturday late morning was the temple wedding.  We decided to leave kids at home with my parents so we could relax and not worry about WR who would be close to nap time.  The kids were thrilled when Grandpa took them outside and taught them and the neighbor kids how to throw a perfect snowball!  Thanks Mom and Dad.
I promised LF I would get a pic of T and I.  Not my fave pic of myself but here you go!

 Waiting for the newlyweds

 This couple is just so darn cute and so sweet

 My gorgeous niece

 T's oldest brother, and his two daughters and the groom

 T's mom and the cute couple

 The whole H family crew that was there

 We went home and had enough time to eat, get kids dressed and clean and headed to the church for the ring ceremony, family dinner and reception.  The one down side is that the majority of T's family that live in town don't drive so for any holiday we are in seperate vehicles with T driving all over to pick everyone up.  I arrived much earlier then T to deliver deserts.  I had hoped to get a family pic but no luck but I did get some cute ones of the kids!

 JA tried his hardest to get his brother to look at the camera lol

On the left is the brides brother who flew in early afternoon and then 3 of T's bros

 I love this SIL of mine!

 (Don't hate me AK for posting this)  My sweet friend is the grooms sister.  Our kids love each other and so they are all pretty excited to be "related" now!  P.S.  I loved her dress

 After the ring ceremony the easter bunny came hoping in.  My kids were thrilled.  WR kept saying "wow" over and over! 

 He spent a lot of the evening looking out the door for the bunny after he left

 These two cousins are just a few mths apart in age but haven't spent much time together.  They had a blast being silly together!

 My other sweet SIL, T's bro and their 6 kids

 The grooms family is huge, he is the youngest of 8 kids!  They did an adorable welcome to the family and gave my neice her official #43 in the bunch

 There were several touching speeches, some hilarious entertainment and an amazing turkey dinner

 JA with his favorite buddy delivering a note he made for him

 We attempted a grandkids shot after dinner but at that moment it became apparent that my 4 yr old nephew was missing so there was some serious panic and a LOT of frantic searching.  (I felt for my SIL big time).  He was discovered outside in the parking lot so he is MIA from the pic

 Siblings reunited!

 All of T's siblings just missing his older brother  (Good thing the girls are so pretty ;)

 T's older brother (the brides father) is technically T's half brother.  His family pedigree is a bit complex.  Anywho, His brothers biological father flew up saturday afternoon with his wife, daughter and granddaughter.  It was touching to see them there to support the bride!

 I drove the kids home and then T drove family home and returned to help clean up at the church.  A perfect day but an exhausting day.  We slept well.
Sunday morning we had a special church meeting with an apostle visiting.  We were assigned to just listen to the meeting in a different building and the connection was brutal.  A neat opportunity but sadly we missed most of it with the connection going in and out.  Oh well, my Dad attended an additional meeting and sent me his notes.

Our house guests headed out sunday.  I can't tell you how much I love our new space and the full bath on the main floor.  So easy to have company!
We went to my parents for another amazing turkey dinner and to celebrate my nephew's 9th birthday.  So fun!

 My Mom always sets the cutest table with Easter treats for everyone

 Some of our favorite friends joined too

 When we got home the kids spotted the queen and single air mattresses still set up in the toy room and were delighted when we agreed to let the big kids have a sleepover! 

 One perk to working for government is that T always has the unofficial holidays off.  We enjoyed the amazing weather all morning.  AL had a birthday party and I finally got out on my first run since moving to this house (gasp).  I wasn't sure I would even be able to run a block so I was pleased that I could run 3km non stop.  I could have kept going but want to take it slow and steady so I avoid any further IT band injury.  I honestly felt like I found a piece of myself I've been missing all these months.  Running is just a part of my soul

 We hit the beach after and played on the playground.  WR kept busy tossing sand with a broken shovel to the hundreds of sea gulls and geese on the other side of the snow wall that is still up!

 It felt so good to be there in the plus 18.  We all left a little sun kissed!