Easter

Easter is kind of a strange holiday for young married couples. Do you get each other baskets? Do you hide them from each other? Do you make a fancy dinner? Or do you just think of the Savior and go to church and wait to start traditions until you have your own kids?

Ethan and I talked about what we wanted to do, and we decided that we would do Easter baskets. Anytime we would see an Easter section in the months leading up to Easter, we looked for baskets, but could not find anything cute. We ended up finding these cute matching totes in the dollar section at Target (holla! I'm obsessed.) And the Easter planning began.

For several weeks, we secretly decided what to put in each other's baskets. With stockings, baskets, and pretty much every holiday in general, we try to set a budget/limit so we are giving and receiving similar things. On Easter morning, I set out our baskets and when Ethan woke up, I told him we had to see if the Easter bunny had come yet!!

He did.

I asked Ethan not to get me any candy, so that's why it looks like he has so much more than me... that and I stuffed about 6 pairs of socks at the bottom of his basket. Oh, the things you ask for as an adult! :) He surprised me with a bunch of Disney movies that I have been wanting and I filled his basket with lots of treats and Star Wars things... his favorite. We laughed and had a great time.

My mom actually sent us an Easter package with all the beautiful things you would need for an Easter table setting. Boy, was I stoked to see that. Because of this, we decided to invite Katelynn and Erik over for Easter dinner.

So we spent all morning prepping for dinner. I pretty much made it to look like a holiday my mom planned using her roast, cheesy potatoes and jello recipes. Yum! I also made deviled eggs for the first time which, let me tell you, is stressful because I don't like deviled eggs. How am I supposed to makes something taste good when I don't think it ever tastes good!? Ethan assured me that it was all delicious. I wish I had pictures, because it was fun to make, but we were too busy chowing down.

After prepping for dinner, we went to church. All day, I had the song "I Know That my Redeemer Lives!" stuck in my head. In the different choruses of each verse, the song talks about all the things Christ lives for. I told Ethan I wanted to pick something that He lives for in particular and focus on it that day.

Since we didn't sing the song during church, I played in on the way home. We pulled up to our apartment as the song finished and Ethan asked me which phrase I liked best. With tears in my eyes, I couldn't help but feeling an overwhelming gratitude as I listened to all the things He lives for and how each of those things effect my life.

We decided to focus on the phrase "He lives! All glory to His name!" because we feel like it really encompasses how grateful we are for the Savior. You can listen to the song here.

How grateful I am to know that Jesus Christ lives. Because He lives, I get to be with my family forever.

After church, we threw the rest of the food in the oven, and the Nystroms came over for dinner. We gave them the baskets we made them, and enjoyed the yummy food. A game night followed. It was a successful Easter in my book.