Happy Easter!

After having many conversations this week about Jesus rising from the tomb leading up to Easter, it was fun to actually wake up and remind Cate that today was Easter, the day dedicated to Jesus' death and resurrection that gives us grace and life.

We started the morning with an Easter basket that had treats symbolizing the Easter story.

Each jelly bean color represented different things (Jesus' blood, sin, grace, new life, etc.). The chocolate money was a reminder of Judas' betrayal. The rock -- edible and filled with chocolate! -- symbolized the stone that was rolled away. And the lamb is a reminder that Jesus is the Lamb of God and always with us.

I was so excited when Greg found this resurrection-themed Easter basket idea online this week. So excited, I spent some time Thursday gathering these items and making my kids their first-ever Easter baskets from us.

Then we enjoyed our church's breakfast potluck, which is always one of my favorite meals of the year and included delicious cinnamon rolls that helped me break my dessert fast. After church we went to my mother-in-law's house to join several other relatives for lunch, laughter and, of course, an egg hunt.

It was Ben's first egg hunt. But he knew what to do. All boy, I tell you.

Greg's cousins hid the eggs for the kids. And Cate found the one in my favorite place ...

Apparently, the mounted deer head that is a pile of my brother-in-law's stuff didn't bother my girl. I guess she thinks deer are friendly, especially when they're just decoration.