Who dyes Easter Eggs at nine o'clock at night?

...someone who just can't seem to get her (c.r.a.p.) together...!!!

At eight thirty five Friday night before Easter I said to Jaycee and Luke,

"Go get your pj's on, I'm running to the grocery store, when I get back we'll dye our eggs."

They looked at me, then looked at each other.

"Yay! We get to color eggs AT NIGHT!!!"

I put a pot on water on the stove to boil and filled it to the brink with pure white fragile looking eggs.

"Keep an eye on the stove, guys!" I hollered on my way out the door.

Twenty two minutes later our kitchen smelled of vinegar, as eggs, hands and counter tops began to turn shades of green, blue, hot pink and orange.





Thus began our whirlwind weekend of celebration.

Why must everything be so rushed?

Saturday commenced with a memorable trip to the temple to witness the sealing of sweet Trey to his family. What a beautiful experience watching my sister and her family all dressed in white standing together in the plush glory of the temple sealing room. It was a rare glimpse in an eternal perspective...so appropriate this Easter weekend.

A quaint family gathering organized to perfection by my fabulous younger sis was a nice time to visit with relatives and celebrate Trey's official conduction into the Halling family and onto the records of the church.

Work followed.

Then a late night filling baskets with goodies and toys. No secrecy needed as we do not believe in the Easter Bunny in our family. Years ago one Easter Eve when Lexi and Kelsey were young I spent the better part of an hour (at least) attempting to calm two hysterical little girls who were suddenly terrified at the notion of a giant bunny hopping through our house during their slumber. I finally had to dispel the ridiculous fantasy in order to soothe their worries...

"THERE'S NO SUCH THING AS THE EASTER BUNNY!" I exclaimed. "Dad and I fill your baskets, hide the eggs, EVERYTHING!"

They just looked at me with eyes wide and tear-filled.

"Ok, that makes me feel better..."

and that was the end of the bunny!




Easter Sunday was lovely...up until Primary where I attempted to teach the story of the Resurrection to a group of nine six year olds visibly rushing from the gallons of sugar engulfed in the form of marshmallow peeps and jellybeans. A young visitor to our class added to the mayhem as he recounted experiences of helping his grandfather slaughter cattle (what?!). Before I realized what was being said, he explained in great detail the slicing, bleeding, and whining of a dying animal to the horror of myself and the rest of the kids and compounded the attention issue by regaling my young class with a nauseatingly nightmarish story. Attempts to bring focus back to the sacred subject at hand were hardly possible, so I relented and passed out plastic eggs containing...even more sugar.

After church we hosted an Easter dinner with Scott's side of the family and each of the kids gathered multi-colored eggs hidden within the nooks and crannies of our backyard. Bubble gum, tootsie rolls and even a few dollar bills (slipped in by Grandma) ended up in the baskets of the enthusiastic children.







As the day came to a close I had just a few moments to reflect on the holiday that had just taken us by storm. Despite late night egg coloring, out of control primary kids, and organizing Easter dinner, I was somehow able to hold consistently in the back of my mind an image of the Savior in his resurrected glory and feel his sacrifice and love for me...


...the one who just can't seem to get things together.