Easter Festivities 2012

I cannot even imagine where I would be today were it not for
    that handful of friends who have given me a heart full of joy.
    Let's face it, friends make life a lot more fun.
- Charles R. Swindoll  
 

 Easter brought with it friends and traditions. Amber, one of my closest friends from my younger years (I met her when I was three, but our dads went to college together), flew up from Southern California to spend the holiday with us. She has been with us a few Easters of the children's lives and we LOVE IT!

Amber got to join us in dying Easter eggs... and her parents (Uncle Ron and Auntie Grandma) came down from Bellingham to be with us this year too! It was a special time. When Amber and I were little, we'd have Easter egg hunts with her family every year... now we were able to carry this tradition on in a sense!

 I took pictures on Easter morning of the kids all dressed up for church.

BOYS!

 

Kezia didn't last so well so we tried again after church outside. Kezia did better outside, but the boys (especially Tate) "couldn't see... it's too bright out!" (Thank God for sunshine, but their eyes just weren't ready for it!)

 

 
Uncle Ron and Travis hid Easter eggs for the kids. 91 eggs and Katiree hauled in about half of them. She's a pro! The boys will catch on soon enough and she'll find it's not so easy to just head a different way and gather while the boys follow each other looking for eggs. It was so much fun to have beautiful days surrounding Easter since it allowed us to do so many things outside!

After the search, we counted eggs and found the Resurrection eggs (they were numbered). This allowed us to tell the story of Jesus' death and resurrection by opening up 12 eggs with symbols and verses! Because Katiree can read this year, she was able to read all the verses in her eggs! Amber, Auntie Grandma, Uncle Ron, Auntie Marjie and six Armstrongs all enjoyed the sunshine... and the kids enjoyed some treats from their eggs too!

 

 

We feel so blessed to celebrate Christ's resurrection with our family and wonderful friends! It was an Easter to remember!
HE IS RISEN!

The warmth of a friend's presence brings joy to our hearts,
    sunlight to our souls, and pleasure to all of life.




 Favorite people, favorite places, 
Favorite memories of the past, 
These are the joys of a lifetime. . .
These are the things that last.