Easter/General Conference Weekend

The Saturday Morning of Easter we got up and went to the traditional Richmond city Easter Egg hunt. 

Claire was excited to see Lilly there. 

After the hunt we came home to get ready for General Conference.  This was the first year I really wanted the kids to watch all the sessions. In the past I have only made them watch on Sunday. This year I felt like Brad was old enough to watch them all. I didn't want it to be a fight and I didn't want to force him. 

My friend Trisha gave me the idea to do a General Conference Store and have the kids earn money by listening to conference and taking notes to earn extra money. 

I got prizes that the kids could buy with there conference bucks. 

It worked like a charm. I didn't have to beg them to listen or get frustrated. It was the best idea ever!!! They listened to every word and did it all on their own. I still can't believe they watched and took notes with every single session. 

In between the Saturday session we dyed eggs to take a break. 

The next morning we ate our eggs we dyed for breakfast and I made traditional General Conference cinnimon rolls. 

Then we wrote our thank you letters to the Savoir for the atonement and put them in our tins.  

After our letters we watched some church videos on the Atonement...and we cried and bore sweet testimony of the Saviors sacrifice and atonement. It was a tender moment that I never want to forget. I love to hear my kids tender and young testimonies. I was never as strong as they are. I sure love them. 

Then the kids got their Easter baskets from Randy and I. Claire got a bracelet loom, H got Jake the night, and Brad got a water balloon launcher and a new golf glove.  

It was a bit different to have General Conference fall on Easter. It was nice to be home all day but hectic trying to do all our traditional Easter traditions mixed with General Conference traditions. 

In between conference sessions we had Easter dinner. Matt and Tori, Nanny and Papa joined us. The day was so beautiful and sunny. We ate outside. 

After dinner we did our Easter Egg hunt. 

H was so funny. He stopped and opened the eggs as he went. Every time he opened up a peanut butter egg he gave it to Tori because he knew they were her favorite. She had quite the stash. 

Then he would put all the opened eggs in a pile and wouldn't put them in his basket. 

The kids stayed in their pajamas all day long since we didn't have church. 

Brad is almost getting too old to do Easter Egg hunts. It makes me sad. He was trying to play it cool and not get excited about the hunt...

...but he couldn't help but get into it and smile. 

Matt finally went out to help H get eggs so he would stop opening them and giving it all to Tori. 

He is such a fun uncle! It was cute watching him guide H around to find eggs. 

"Cracking" open the eggs on the side of the bowl. They do this every year. It makes me laugh. 

It was so warm outside that we couldn't even keep the candy outside it was melting way too fast. 

After the second session of conference, the kids got out their bubbles. 

We had yummy ice-cream and waffles for dessert. 

Brad convinced Papa and Randy to help him shoot the neighbor kids with his balloon launcher. 

Pretty soon a bunch of the neighbor kids were out in the field begging to get shot by a balloon. 

It was such a nice weekend!