Happy Easter!

We managed to fit in a quick Easter basket hunt before church this morning.

Braden's required a shovel to hide.

Ryder and Lynden didn't have it quite so hard.

Poor Lynden hasn't graduated to chocolate yet. 

Besides a brief and messy interaction with his birthday cake, 

chocolate is still an unknown substance.

Thanks to Pop & Mimi for the fun books.

And for their sweet outfits!

Ryder found his basket first and gave Daddy lots of tips. 

Nope, not in the tumbleweeds.

We helped Lynden find his basket.

Finally Daddy found his Easter basket in the sand. 

Happy Easter from the Appersons.

HE IS RISEN!

Keeping Up With Traditions

Holidays always bring with them a lot of memories.

I love sharing childhood traditions with my kiddos at times like this.

The first of which is Paska.

My Mom would make Paska (Mennonite Easter Bread - baked with fresh orange and lemon) 

and then top it with buttercream frosting, jellybeans and shredded coconut. 

Even then, I didn't really love it as a child.

But I do now, even though we only get as far as toasting and buttering it.

Here are my 5 loaves baking in the oven.

It turned out light and delicious.

Don't ask how many of the five are left...

One other family tradition was going out to breakfast on Good Friday.

I guess most Americans don't get the holiday off, but we were still able to get out for a delicious breakfast at our favourite spot before Daddy had to head to work.

This is a tradition we've inherited from my husband's family.

I had about given up on an Easter Egg hunt for the kids this year because EVERY SINGLE EGG made and sold at Walmart, Target, and everywhere else I looked was made in China. 

And then I saw a social media post from my favourite WA toy store - Fairhaven Toy Garden - advertising that they sold American made plant (not plastic) based reusable Eco Eggs.

Wohoo!  

Thank you Amazon Prime for free 2 day shipping!

It looks like we'll be carrying on this tradition as well, 

and supporting an American business at the same time. 

Double win.

Saturday At Its Finest

Growing up, Saturday was our day to get things done. 

I still love Saturdays for that reason.

So, after a yummy breakfast of our favourite Belgian waffles with fresh strawberries 

and a morning music practice at church, 

we got busy.

Braden had a friend over and the two of them were out in the shop working on a change table for their new little baby coming soon, so I had the house to myself.

My first project was a Pinterest-type craft that I've been forming in my mind over the last week.

These days it's rare that I don't have a helper close at hand.

And here it is.

My new burlap Easter banner. 

That's what Easter's all about anyway, right?!

Here I have to pause and tell you a little story about what happened yesterday.

I had been working in my sewing room and Ryder was sitting next to me playing with a calculator. 

He pressed the plus (+) sign and was so excited to show me the 'cross' that showed up on the calculator screen.

"Look Mama, it's a cross. 

Just like where Jesus died."

Little conversations like this make my heart to happy.

I finished up the productive part of my day by preparing my garden bins and two big galvanized metal tubs for spring planting.

Fertilizer is in and the soil is turned and ready for planting.

Now if only I could find those herb seed packets that I bought last week...

Resurrection Sunday

HE IS RISEN!

That's what it's all about anyway, right?  As with most holidays there's always the temptation to let the minors become major and get caught up in the pastel outfits, baskets, eggs, bunnies, and chocolate of Easter. While I'm not advocating the dismissal of fun traditions that are associated with the holiday, I do want to remind myself, and now my children, the true reason for the excitement of the day. 

For Christians, today is a day of hope.  

And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins....but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

1 Corinthians 15:17, 56

HE IS RISEN INDEED!

With that in mind, here are a few snapshots of our Easter - the highlight being a wonderful morning of worship with our local church. So thankful for the believers at Grace Bible Church!