Holy Week~

 What is known as Holy Week (from Palm Sunday till Easter) was pretty eventful for us.  Valerie spent the week at her dad's.  She dyed her hair several colors and pierced her own lip and wore a shirt I have never seen before.

Asher did an Easter Egg hunt at JMU Thursday evening.  The soroities and fraternities really did a lot of work for this event.  Asher was so happy to have been a part of it.

He made a toss and got a high-five.  They made all the kids bunny ears- that is some serious time investment!

 Friday, we had already planned to go to King's Dominion.  I got two year passes last year, and although I did have to buy one for Asher for the first time this year, I think it will still be a good investment.  Asher REALLY loves the park.

He really was happy and talkative during the drive

He makes me smile with his little song!

We looked at the dinosaurs.  Asher liked it, but for me, it was very blah.  

Asher really was adorable when I got him this lollipop.  The candy store worker was like "wow, you are lucky! He is so happy with something so simple!"  Lucky, indeed, I am becoming more and more aware of how lucky I am.

Asher went on this little roller coaster- which he LOVED and a SCARY bigger one- The Ghoster-Coaster.  He was all about riding this one again, but not at all wanting to ride the Ghoster-Coaster again.

 Saturday, Asher went on ANOTHER Easter Egg Hunt at the JMU Arboretum- also put together by Sorority girls.  This one was in such a gorgeous spot and all the kids were tripping over themselves to find eggs and give them to other kids.  So darned cute.

Beautiful venue too!

One full basket.

Asher LOVED this and was definitely ALL ABOUT the second round of the hunt at the Arboretum

Afterward, Matt and Asher went to a church cook out, but I had to go to work, then I needed to put together Easter baskets.  I thought Valerie was coming home Sunday (but she didn't) and I did not want to be up late doing it.

I came home to 2 ferns from my amazing friend Katy.  It was HER birthday and she brought me presents.  Silly bear.  I love them and hope to keep them alive!

When they got home, we dyed eggs.  I am way too high-stress for this to happen more than once a year.  Liquid dye, Janie and Jack (should have taken his clothes off), fragile eggs, and toddler boy...  He loved it though.

This is Valerie's basket

I rock at Easter baskets, if I do say so myself.  Hers had a lot of really fun stuff in it.

This is Asher's.  He loved his too.  Yay, Easter Bunny.

At Church, Matt and Asher were dressed alike.  I thought we would get through sacrament ok since the Easter Bunny brought dominoes, but Asher was having NONE of it and totally screaming.  Super fun.  Why do we have little kids in the chapel during sacrament meeting again? I will say, life was so nice when I dropped Valerie off to cook play food during the main meeting of church...

We have Easter flowers!

This little guy is wearing a suit Asher wore for about 10 minutes last year,.  SO  ADORABLE!

This is Asher's fresh-baked-cookies-are-yummy dance

Sunday was great.  It was a good sacrament meeting.  I taught Relief Society.  We talked about the themes of the lesson, and we read THIS blog post  then THIS.  Needless to say, we were all very thankful for the gift of eternal life that we have thanks to the gift of the Atonement.  I was in the best mood that I have been in for a long time.  It was actually even better than Christmas (as it should be).  I thought to myself... How can I get Jen to share her story?  And I asked if anyone in the room had a knowledge that Jesus really was resurrected, and you know want happened? Jen raised her hand and told her story.  That was grace.  You should buy her mom's book (it is really cheap on the Kindle).  Jen saw Jesus Christ when she was in that coma.  She had a choice, she chose to stay.  I am grateful.  Nothing can usher in the Spirit like Jen telling of her experience on Easter, let me just tell you.




I had planned to host an Easter Dinner again this year, but after feeling pretty darned depressed about things with Valerie, I canceled it.  It worked out too- we were invited to the Jones/Adams family dinner and it was quite lovely.  I am blessed beyond measure with the good people around me. (and a dinner where there are more desserts than "real food" is A-OK by me).

Lindsay, Katy and Me.  We love each other.