The Lighter Side of Easter

   I was missing not being home for Easter with my grandchildren.  It has become a tradition to hold an Easter hunt & picnic with our family in our back yard.  This is a tradition that I think I love even more than the kids and DEFINATELY more than their parents!  The excitement of the kids, the fun of hiding eggs and other treasures and then watching as they scurry around laughing and picking things up is something I look forward to it every year.  As the grandchildren have grown older we have had to turn to hiding money eggs in a bit harder places in order to keep them involved.  Again...I'm not sure they cared as much about not being involved nearly as much as did!  
   To help with my longing for "egg hunt madness", we were able to watch much of the mayhem from our security camera mounted on our wall at home.  We can connect to the camera from here and be like a 'fly on the wall' observing what is happening at our house.  It was great to watch the countdown from the family room indoors as the kids were all gathered with curtains closed waiting for the OK to run out and get started.   In fact we were able to watch on multiple screens!  Both Ryan and Brett followed children around outside with their iphones as they darted around with baskets in hand.  LOVED IT!  Later that same day (Saturday) we had the missionaries over for an Easter dinner.  It was great to share the holiday with them.  I boiled some eggs and they had a good time decorating them to take home.  A bonus for me was when we asked them to share some of their favorite family memories of Easter - 3 of the four said their favorite memory was the tradition of an egg hunt at their grandparents home!!!  If, as grown men, this still carries such a lasting sweet memory...then it makes all the mess, time, money and effort worthwhile every year.  As in all things related to the Savior... Easter is a symbol of love, And Love can be shown in many different ways,  even in plastic eggs, family time and chocolate rabbits.  The key is to make sure the Savior remains the reason and focus of Easter with family gatherings an added bonus.

We always feel more at home and somehow a little happier when we have the Elders in our home!  They are so much fun and always bring such a great spirit.