Easter weekend

We just wrapped up Easter weekend and it was a good one in the midst of this crazy time.  We were originally planning on being in Rome on Easter Sunday which is unthinkable now! It is SO crazy to think how fast and how much things have changed in just a couple of months.

Right now everyone continues to be at home and practice "social distancing." We haven't been able to gather with our families and friends and so it was kind of a bummer not having a big Easter like we're used to but we made it fun and it ended up being a really great weekend. We visited grandmas, cooked and baked lots of food, and really enjoyed quality time together. With how much we travel this whole "stay home" thing has really been different for Andrew and me but I think it's been really good for us and our kids to be forced to slow down. Even though we've had to cancel trips I feel like this was so much better to be able to spend quality time at home.

On Friday we decided to go visit Andrew's Grandma Fonny (she's 98!) and even thought we couldn't give hugs we had a really nice time. She sat in her yard and watched Chance do an Easter egg hunt we brought for him. It was a sunny, warm day (finally!) and her trees were blossoming and I just felt so happy and peaceful watching my cute kids and enjoying spending some time with her. We also brought a picnic and laid on a blanket and visited with Grandma. She hasn't been able to do anything with anyone so she was so happy we did this and it was so fun to watch her light up watching Chance chase eggs and Ellie crawl around. She still calls Chance "Chase" which cracks me up but we love it.

Naturally I made Ellie and Chance pose for a photo shoot because they looked so cute and Springy! Ah they make me melt! It only I could get Chance to smile like a normal person...haha.

 We also brought Chance's soccer ball and goal and he and Andrew ran around and played soccer after Chance had found all his eggs. Grandma loved watching them and I loved laying in the sun. At one point Grandma mentioned how pretty her trees looked because they had just been trimmed and I couldn't help but think how amazing she is, she's always able to find beauty and joy in every situation and I absolutely love that about her. She's one of the most positive people I've ever met and I love her like my own grandma.

I was so happy to see the blossoms in full bloom on grandma's street. This is one of my favorite little streets in all of Utah! 

After we went to Grandma's we came home and had naps (all of us...perks of quarantine!) And when the kids woke up we hung out at home and baked Easter cupcakes and hung out. It was a lot of fun! 

Saturday I got up before the sun and went for a long 12 mile run. It felt so good to be up before the world and run long and hard. One day I'm going to be old like our grandmas and I just really enjoyed this run by myself. I hope I never take for granted how good it feels to be young and strong and alive! I came home and hung out with the kids while Andrew went for a run, then we had the best time waiting outside on our curb for the Easter Bunny to come drive through our neighborhood. The city set this up and it was a cute little bonus for us since we couldn't go anywhere. Chance loved waving at the bunny and having fun shouting across the street to our neighbors as they sat in their yards.

After the parade we packed up and headed up to Grandma Cows (her real name is Joye and Ellie is named after her but that's her nickname because of her farm) but we went up there for another Easter egg hunt! Andrew hid the eggs in her beautiful yard and we visited and had fun with her while enjoying her gorgeous views. The kids loved seeing the horses too and I loved taking pictures of them! It was another awesome day and I couldn't help but thinking if we had been in Italy during this time we would have missed out on this special time visiting with our grandmas.

After we went to Grandma Cow's we went to Andrew's parents house for our third and final egg hunt. Chance was in heaven and played with some of their toys outside while Andrew and I ate lunch on the deck and visited with Andrew's parents and Joshy from a distance. It was such good weather and it was sooo good to visit with people even though we couldn't get closer. 

We ended Saturday with lots of cooking (potatoes and rolls and cake for Luke's birthday) and had fun being home with just the four of us. 

On Sunday we woke up and did home church with Chance and he was may be a little traumatized about the crucifixion of Christ but we did our best to teach him HA! We had fun being lazy on Sunday morning and in the afternoon I finished making us a yummy feast of WAY too much food for only 2 adults and a toddler and a baby (whoops) but we had a yummy dinner and another great day. 

We didn't have real flowers this year so Chance and I made these awesome tulips for our table centerpiece. :) 

Andrew and I also celebrated our 8 year anniversary on Sunday! It's so crazy to think of all that has changed in 8 years! We've built so much together! We watched our wedding video in the basement with our kids and talked about our early dating and marriage days and it was so much fun. Hopefully we'll get a much needed date night in the near future and actually enjoy a real anniversary but this will do for now. I can't even imagine having a babysitter and actually going out again. That sounds SO nice. Sigh. 

Spring time blossoms will always have a special place in my heart! 

I am feeling so grateful for my little family, our home and my health during this crazy time in the world. I can't believe I'm living through a time where my friend just brought me a mask for me and Chance to wear to the grocery store, I don't leave my house without hand sanitizer, and I've only been to one store in over a month. These are definitely times I never thought I'd see, but I'm realizing for me this is a great experience to go through. There is so much value in slowing down my life. I am always busy, always going, but in the last month I've felt more moments of peace than I can remember in a long time.

Happy Easter!

xoxo

-steph