Umm... Thanks?!

So I challenged my family to have a question in mind as they listened to conference.  Mine was about how to be a better parent to my teen, preteen family. 

So thanks Heavenly Father, but really, the whole conference didn't have to be for me.

My Sis

I stole my sister Megan for an impromptu photo shoot.  Isn't she adorable??

I love seeing her so happy and excited!!

The Hunt

So we brought the kids into our room and blindfolded them (see here) and then headed to do our hunt for our family.  Here is what our utter destruction looked like

It doesn't look too bad, but when you factor in the fact that they were blindfolded and had to maneuver around it was pretty effective.

We had a lot of fun watching them and there was even one bloody nose, but we figured that just made the whole experience more effective.  Then we sat everyone done and watched the video.  It was a fabulous way to start our Easter morning!

The Hope of Easter - Another Testament

Over the years we have really cut back on the Easter Bunny side of  Easter.  We do some candy and they usually get some sort of surprise.  This year we decided to do even less.  So, I've been looking for things that will focus on the more spiritual side of Easter and I came across an activity that is kind of an Easter hunt, but instead you trash your house, spread candy all around and then blindfold everyone, and then relating details from the story in 3rd Nephi talk about how their has been a great destruction upon the land.  All their family has been lost, the world is in utter darkness and complete chaos, and they need to find their family (the candy),  and then find their way to the temple (which will just be the couch).  While fun and hopefully memorable I was still looking for a way to really bring the message home.  So while looking at videos on Mormon Messages, I remembered a video that I had bookmarked and never got around to going back and watching.  This one is from "Another Testament of Christ", the same photographer and team that did "Reflections of Christ".  As I watched it, tears formed in my eyes.  Not only was this exactly what I was looking for to share with my family, but I felt such an overwhelming reminder of the love of our Savior.  So on that lengthy intro...  Please watch.  And remember that He loves you.