We had all these girls together for Easter weekend:

Yep, Elle got those finals done, packed up all that she owns in Hawaii, found a place to store everything while she’s gone (she’s doing an internship in the mainland this summer) and flew on over to meet us here:

 Where time slows down.

Which we welcomed with open arms.

 
It was chilly so we bundled up with every warm thing we brought to go cook our tinfoil dinners on the beach in the yellow glow of the sunset.

We nestled close to the fire and through tears I read my sisterโ€™s talk (that I posted HERE) to everyone to bring in the Easter spirit (thank you Sayds, It was so beautiful!)  Trudged back through the sand, sticky from melted marshmallows and drenched in smoke but so worth it to feel that family togetherness backlit by the orange sky.

The Easter Bunny still found us with those traditional gobs of string leading to the Easter baskets:

I felt the magnitude of this big day, wanting so much to honor what we celebrate.

I feel like we are good at studying the Holy week, and celebrating too, some years more than others, but I found myself wondering at church even more at the deep beauty of it all and hoping my children felt it, which made me poke them to sing the songs at church and take away phones, etc… but the bottom line is that that desire really needs to come from them and I know that.  I do love that they have that desire.  I just need to let it blossom.

We find what we’re looking for.

It was a great sacrament meeting filled with beautiful messages lined (at least to me) with how we are all God’s children, and all have such different journeys and how much we can learn from one another, especially through Christ’s example. One of the musical numbers had me teary.  I loved a great story that a lady a row behind us shared with me after church was over and everyone was filtering out.  It was a story about her husband’s journey which was pretty fascinating.

I love human connection and how much we can learn from one another.

But perhaps my favorite part of the day was when Dave led a little discussion over brunch after church.

He talked about repentance and how we should be practicing that great gift every day.  I love how our girls listen up when Dave talks, makes my heart heavy with happiness.

In other weekend happenings, we went paddle boarding, all six of us, Lucy balanced on the front of my board and then Elle’s.

We paddle boarded down to where one of my good high school friends and his family were staying, and it was fun to catch up with them:

 We took a little boat ride out into the sunset….with cards of course:

 Lu is convinced she’ll beat me some day ๐Ÿ™‚

 We biked:

Dave and I snuck in a little date to sweat our hearts out here:

We did Lucy’s favorite:

And we soaked in some beauty sunsets.

It was a good Easter weekend switch-up-slow-down. 

12 Comments

  1. Thank you for sharing i grew up in Newport Beach Ca.Love n miss my home.Youre rental looks great .I joined the church in Henderson Nv.Im so greatful for that it was worth the trip xxx thank you again xxx

  2. It looks like you had a lovely Easter!
    You post lovely photos and have wonderful adventures.
    Iโ€™ve noticed your brown wrap sandals many times and cannot find a pair like them. Would you mind telling me what brNd they are? Warm regards – Jenn

    1. Those are Eileen Fisher that I found at Nordstrom Rack a few years ago and have worn right into the ground. I noticed Target is selling knock-offs right now, I better snatch some up!

  3. Long time reader, first time commenter. Love the tradition your family has of the string leading to each child's Easter basket, so fun!

    I actually have a selfish reason for commenting – our family is moving next month and we have only one space for a table in our new house and I LOVE the round white one you have in your home. I have searched high and low on all the internet furniture stores I can think of and cannot find it and have even asked a few custom furniture places if they can re-create it for me, but have had no luck.

    If you remember, will you please share with me where you got yours? I love that you can fit so many people around it and since we are a family of 7 as well think it'll be perfect.

    Thanks for your help and I look forward to gaining more parenting & spiritual gems from your blog ๐Ÿ™‚

    1. I wish someone would start a business selling round tables like this one because this is probably the most common question I get asked on the blog ๐Ÿ™‚ It really is a great table…we need some great wood-working blog reader to start a little business selling those puppies. We had it made because we couldn't find anything that was 72 inches in diameter. We found a table maker guy and had him copy a side table I liked from Pottery Barn. I hope you can find someone! The lazy susan it golden for us too for meals as well as games. Good luck!
      xoxo

    2. Shawni, thanks for your reply! Well, at least now I know for sure the direction I need to go in. We're moving from Maryland to the Raleigh, North Carolina area so I think we'll have to wait until we get there next month to start our hunt for a table maker guy as good as yours. Seriously the base is perfection! And YES a lazy susan is a must, plus the wood grain on the white table looks so nice! I was guessing it was 72 inches and that is totally what we're going for too. Thanks again for taking the time to share your info about it. Fingers crossed…

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