Easter Morning

On Easter morning, we got up bright and early - we were going to try to take both kids to church for the first time!  Before we got ready to go to the First Baptist Church, the kids got to check out what the Easter Bunny had brought them.

 

The Easter Bunny gave them both fun things.  They each got a book, a spring-y stuffed animal, two other toys they'd wanted, and a monogrammed pail to take to the beach this summer.

Katie Anne's book was Knuffle Bunny Free, her springy animal was Melody from Hello Kitty, and her two other toys were a bouncy ball and a mini Ladybug Pillow Pet, both of which she'd really wanted.  She also got a little candy in her basket.

SJ got a textured board book called Little Feet Love, two different kinds of teether toys, and Keroppi from Hello Kitty.

 

The kids loved everything in their Easter Baskets!

After we got through checking out the baskets, we got ready for church - and actually made it there, on time, with both kids!  Katie Anne had a lot of fun playing and learning in Wee Worship with Lily and some friends from Cubbies, and SJ was excellent in the service with Saunders, Josh, Vanessa, and I.  After church, we took Katie Anne outside to egg hunt with some of her classmates from Cubbies.

SJ was so tired - he was definitely ready to go home and take a nap after his busy Easter morning!

Because of the visitation for Papaw on Easter Sunday afternoon and the funeral the next day, we didn't have our normal Johnston family Easter lunch at Angela's as planned.   We also missed celebrating Easter with my family and hunting eggs at my parents' house due to my mom's surgery and Papaw's passing, although we did get to see my side of the family on Easter Sunday for the visitation.  Despite the sadness we were all feeling and all the changes from our normal Easter routine, it was still a good Easter for the kids, and SJ enjoyed his first Easter!

Easter Egg Hunt

On Saturday, we went to the Country Club for our annual Easter brunch and egg hunt with Saunders's family.  We met Doc, VJ, and Grandmama for a yummy brunch of the traditional favorites.  Katie Anne did a wonderful job at the table - she was on her best behavior, ate a good breakfast, and she loved reading her giant Disney princess story book quietly while the adults ate.  

SJ did a great job at the table, too - he ate his breakfast quietly, chatted with everyone for a bit, and then he took a little nap while he was drinking from his sippy cup!

 

Here are some pictures of Saunders and his family at brunch...

It was a little bit hard for me to be cheerful with everything that had gone on recently, but I really wanted to enjoy SJ's first Easter and Katie Anne's first time in the "big kid" hunt, so I did my best. 

After breakfast, it was time for the hunt - or "the running of the children", as Doc calls it.  It was Katie Anne's first time moving up to the 4-7 year old hunt, so I was a little bit nervous that she wouldn't be able to keep up since she just turned four.  Of course, that shouldn't have been a concern - she's an egg hunting pro!  She had a great time and had no problem keeping up with the big kids.  She got to hunt with Lily this year, so she was very happy about that!   Here are both pretty girls, patiently waiting for the egg hunt to begin!

 When the Easter Bunny told the kids it was time to start, Lily and KA took off running, and poor Lily tripped over the rope and lost her footing!  I was snap-snap-snapping away down field a bit, and I caught the moment she went down!

 Of course, Katie Anne almost stepped on Lily, and then fell right next to her!

 Katie Anne took less of a blow when the girls took their tumble, so she jumped back up and took off.

 The hunt was on, and she wasn't about to let some big kids sweep the field clean of eggs!

She did not forget about her fallen comrade, however.  Here she is, looking back and yelling, "Come on, Lily!!!"

 Lily had to get just a minute of tlc from her dad...

 and then she was ready to gather lots of eggs, too!

 KA on the hunt...

 Using her dress to help her hold more eggs...

I wonder where she gets that competitive nature!?!  You know her daddy was loving all this!  He said she's wearing cleats next year.  ;)

 Hunting with the Caswell boys...

Katie Anne even managed to find the prize egg in a hole...

 

 

Posing pretty with her basket full of eggs!

 Despite their initial fall, both girls managed to get lots and lots of Easter eggs.

 Bear came over to see what the girls had found, and they got a picture together.

 Then, SJ came over - he'd watched the hunting from the sidelines with Doc, VJ, and Grandmama.  They checked out the goodies in their baskets...

 and took such a sweet picture together!  I love this one!

 We got a good family picture in our color-coordinated teal, too.*

Then, it was time for Katie Anne to trade in her prize egg...

The kids in the three-and-under age group got baskets with stuffed animals inside, and Katie Anne was shocked when she was handed an envelope and not a basket.

Imagine her disappointment when she realized her envelope contained money and not a stuffed animal like the other kids!

Once we told her that money could just as easily buy a little basket and a stuffed bunny, she realized it was actually a prize worth having!  Haha!

Doc, Grandmama, and VJ with the kids:

*A note about our color-coordination... I always dress the kids to coordinate with me for picture purposes (because I'm cool like that).  I would be happy to get Saunders something that's at least in the same color family, too ... and I've done that a time or two, but he usually thinks that's way too goofy and prefers to dress himself.  So, he had no idea what the kids and I were wearing for Easter.  He already had this shirt, and he got dressed first on Saturday morning.  As soon as I saw him, I said, "Oh, no ... a giant Milwaukee's Best Light can is going to come out of the sky and crush you."  He wanted to change when he realized we were all wearing teal, but I wouldn't let him - it was too perfect to change!  I love it!  :)