He Is Risen Today: A Joyful Easter

 We left the beach in time on Saturday to enjoy being at home on Sunday, but not before letting Ryder open his Easter goodies from Nana and Pawpaw. Our plan was that we would wake up Sunday morning and go to our church and have a nice morning together before our Easter Egg Hunt of 2011. Unfortunately the morning took a turn when I woke up feeling more pain in my neck than I had ever felt before. I must have hurt myself worse while we were at the beach, by lifting Ryder many more times than I should have, and lifting our stuff to pack the car, as my neck had already been stiff, I just made it worse. I laid on the couch most of Sunday early morning with an ice pack, and a glob of Blue Goo on the right side of my neck in hopes that the day could be salvaged. I was still excited for what the day was really all about, and kept explaining to Ryder in the best way I knew how, that Jesus had risen today and what a Joy that meant!

 While my neck was resting and trying to get better, I let Ryder open his gifts from the Easter Bunny. We skipped going to see the EB this year, in hopes that next year would make for a better experience after what we went through last year! I just think that 2 year olds have a bad sense of their furry characters and it just wasn't happening, but he was still happy to reap the benefits that the EB had brought him! We also let Ryder open his goodies from his Grammy and Grampa that had arrived from Florida and were waiting on him by the front door when we got home from the beach. There was also a sweet gift for Brynley inside.

 Ryder was very happy about the chocolates, jellybeans, Peeps, coloring book, play-doh, stickers and books and his favorite was his big chocolate bunny and the blue and green play-doh. I felt really bad about having to miss church, but by resting my neck started feeling better that late morning which meant we were ready to have our easter egg hunt! I did the best I could to hide Ryders easter eggs, but with a stiff neck I pretty much just tossed the eggs under the bushes and grass that I could find.

 I had to get a few cute pictures of the Easter Egg Hunter before we started the hunt, and he was in an extra cute mood, giving me lots of cute smiles and kisses.

 And he's off!

 There was lots of fun to be had by all, and there was even a request for another hunt, which we promised after nap time. I love my sweet boy and having Easter to share with him and Scot made my day. Just thinking about how lucky we are to have such an amazing God that sent his only son to die for our sins makes me want to cry, because I couldn't imagine how that must have felt. I hope that you all had a Happy Easter!