Easter Weekend 2016

After returning home from our fun Spring Break vacation, I was thankful we still had one more week before Evan had to go back to school.  After all that fun, we desperately needed a week to relax and catch our breath.  We also had a sick little man to care for.  After a few days at home and a trip to the pediatrician and children's ER that did not provide any answers, he seemed to be feeling back to normal.  By Easter weekend, we were ready to celebrate.  Since Evan's birthday fell on Easter Sunday this year, we knew we wouldn't have an official party for his birthday.  Our trip to Florida was a big part of his birthday celebration, but we wanted to make his actual birthday special too.  On Saturday, we headed down to visit Grandma to celebrate his birthday and Easter.

We tried for a brother picture, but Brody was so uncooperative that I cut him out of these.  Evan and Mattox looked too cute though. 

Here are a couple of Brody that aren't too bad.  He still didn't want to get too close to Mattox. 

We dyed Easter eggs at Grandma's.  The boys didn't actually help much and ran off to play while Aunt Naomi and I finished.  I tried writing their names on some of them, but most didn't show up.  The choo choo train I drew for Grady did show up pretty decent though. 

Grandma with all of her boys.  I took the boys' nice shirts off while they played and dyed eggs and forgot to put them back on before the egg hunt.  They would have gotten them dirty anyway. 

Mattox did okay taking milk from his sippy cup, but he has since learned to drink from a straw  and prefers that method better now. 

These boys had a blast finding eggs.  Aunt Naomi tried to "hide" some too easy for Grady, but I went behind her and made them a little harder.  He enjoyed the challenge.  

Several eggs were hidden higher in the trees for Evan and Brody. 

Evan had to climb the tree to get an egg.  

Brody was very happy about finding his special shiny egg.  I hid three special eggs for each boy to find with some quarters in them. 

Little Grady loved hunting eggs with the big boys. 

We had a special little hunt for Mattox.  He still needed Mommy's help since he won't walk on his own yet.  

He liked putting his eggs in the basket...and taking them back out too. 

"What is this thing?"

It had started to drizzle a little, and he wanted to climb the slide.  Maybe next time. 

We did manage to visit his big sister Mattie and take her special Easter flowers.  

Mommy and her sweet baby angel and rainbow. 

And with all of my babies. 

I love when our family can all get together. 

Grandma with her babies and grandbabies visiting Grandma Mattie. 

Visiting Great-Grandma.

And a picture with the cross has special meaning at Easter.  Jesus lives!

I don't know what Brody was saying here.  Maybe "Happy Easter!"  He seemed to get special enjoyment out of opening his mouth as wide as it would go.  Mattox and Grady think he's hilarious. 

Easter morning brings baskets of surprises.  Evan got a new movie and some special Easter candy.  

Brody also got a movie and some candy. 

And little Mattox got a special Easter book and his first peeps. 

My sweet little bunny eating his first sweet peep.  I know he probably won't always care for these, but my babies sure do love them at this age. 

All of my babies eating their first peeps.  It was Evan's and Mattox's second Easters, and Brody's first.  Evan and Brody were both not quite 1 yet.  Evan got two Easters his first year.  I think Mattox's face was the cutest, but I love Evan's very happy face.  He had just finished eating his dinner so his peep was dessert.  He was going straight in the bath afterwards.  Brody is just all business about eating. 

My sweet little bunny. 

And some family pictures on Easter Sunday before church.  Yes, it does usually make us late to do this.  Sigh.  We had to sit in the overflow room because the service was already full. 

For once in a long time, I think Brody maybe had the best smiles in these pictures.  

And I had to try to get some special Easter pictures of little Mattox.  He was wearing a special outfit I had bought for Evan's second Easter.  It is a reversible outfit with Humpty Dumpty on one side and a cute little group of bunnies and teddy bears on the other side. 

All of my boys looking so cute in their Humpty Dumpty outfit. 

But his interest in being photographed didn't last long.  

I tried to get him interested in his Easter basket goodies, but he only wanted to eat his peeps. 

Unsuccessfully trying to get him to sit still.

Not having it. 

I broke down and fed him a peep.