I love this kid...

This is my baby brother Paul, aka Wog (paulie-wog) Click on his picture to read emails from his mission. He is the bomb.com. (and seriously funny, and a little...well, nevermind, just read) any comments you leave on his blog will go to my mom. Enjoy!

Easter Weekend

Friday we colored easter eggs. Carson figured out all too quickly how to crack them open. This is the first year we did the shrink wrap (you know, the plastic wrappers that you drop in boiling water) the kids were truly amazed. They also loved coloring on them then watching the dye resist the crayons. (We dyed them Friday because BJ worked Saturday.) Later Friday night, BJ and I went and saw 10, 000 B.C. with Nate and Michelle. It was good. (I was relieved it ended the way it did)

Saturday, we had the annual neighborhood easter-egg hunt (in our back yard). Invites were sent out to all the neighbors, they dropped 1 dozen eggs per participating child off before Friday Night. Saturday morning, Michelle and I hid them. The kids assembled at 9:30, then we sent them through the gate according to age. They each found 12 eggs, played for a little bit, then left. We were done by 10:00. It was a lot of fun, especially watching Carson. He got his first egg, opened it, sat down and ate the candy, then called it good. He then played on the swingset until all the big kids finished finding their eggs and saw more out there and started collecting Carsons for him. Good times had by all!

After the easter egg hunt, AJ got ready and went to Bridgers Birthday Party. They went bowling! He said he had a lot of fun (Hopefully Lisa, Bridgers mom, survived too!)

While AJ was at the party, I (with Ash and Cars) went to Olive Garden with longtime friends, Jill, Melissa, and Vanessa (Nicole was out of town-Viva Las Vegas!). After Lunch and AJ's party, we went to Grandma and Grandpa white's house for an Easter Party!!!
We had a BBQ and then a perfectly organized easter egg hunt. The picture above is all the White grandkids except Jake :( ..(He was upstairs wondering where all the kids went!) They are watching the Easter Bunny movie (title?) while magic is happening in the back yard ;) We had a very busy Saturday!


EASTER SUNDAY-
BJ got home from work and surprisingly, the kids were still in bed! When they woke up, they realized the Easter Bunny came and hid their baskets and the eggs. They had a lot of fun finding the eggs. After Church, we went to Grandma and Grandpa Castleberry's (and I left my camera home...DANGIT!) and had an AMAZING (for those of you who know my mom, it couldn't be anything but amazing!) dinner. At dinner, mom and dad had put together a story: Each person had a numbered egg. Inside the egg was a visual object and a short statement telling part of the story of why we celebrate Easter. It was really great, and the kids were even interested. I am so glad they did that. After, we had an Easter Egg Hunt and the kids found more than candy, like- bubbles, chalk, money, sticky bugs, and stuffed animals. What a great Easter weekend.

I am so thankful for Easter and the symbolic reminders we see everywhere. I love my Savior and am overwhelmed by the Sacrifices he made so I can live this wonderful life for eternity.

Oh. And we also had a TON of fun playing Rock Band.

What makes Sunday worth it?

Sometimes, for the mother of 3 that I am, Sunday is such a headache that I wonder, "What on earth am I doing???" I spend all morning saying, "Don't make me tell you again...", "Hurry Up", "That is not appropriate for church". Then I suffer through sacrament while trying to keep my kids contained in a 3'x8' span of metal chairs because we are never on time for a padded pew, while at the same time keeping them out from under the chairs, and out of the neighbors cheerios (what's wrong with ours???) Then I teach primary, which is fun, but I teach the sunbeams...I have a sunbeam at home! Carson rarely stays in nursery, AJ is frequently found roaming the halls, or visiting the bishop, Ashlyn insists on sitting on her teacher's lap every Sunday! Then there's the drama when we get home; What's for lunch? Should we put them down for a nap before we go to grandma and grandpa's for dinner? Should we pack pj's or plan on being home by 7:00 which will NEVER happen?

Wouldn't the day be a lot easier if we just decided to stay home? Can we just teach the kids about God and Jesus on our own time on our own terms? Wouldn't life be easier if we weren't part of organized religion? Should we just quit? Should we just tell them that they should go, but not go till they're older?

My answer is definitely not. ABSOLUTELY not. I know that although at this point in our lives it is a HUGE trial, but it is just that. . . a trial that can be overcome. Seriously, what if I gave up every time things got a little difficult? What if I gave in any time I got tempted? Where would my life be then?

What if Jesus just gave up?

I was at BJ's parents house for corned beef and cabbage for dinner tonight, (yum!!!) and Emelie, his littlest sister showed me this video clip of a skit done to "Everything" by Lifehouse.
Thanks Em.

ps. Jesus really does love everyone! It's never too late, you aren't that bad, let him in.