Easter Sunday Gathering

 This year we had a smaller group that came for Easter dinner.  Mindy's group opted to have their Easter celebration with her family.  Tucker's family spent their Easter at home in California.  Derek in China.  Spencer in Colorado.  Lyndsy doing the wilderness program.  So that left Lynda Ann's family and Maren's family.  Our total was 14 people.  We had the usual Honey Baked Ham, (Greg's favorite), baked potatoes, and carrots along with a bundt cake and ice cream.  This cake was the center piece for the table.  I bought it at Nothing Bundt Cakes.  It was a chocolate chocolate chip bundt cake and it was delicious besides looking darling on the table.

Table setting for Easter Dinner

All of us showing our eggs and getting ready for the the traditional egg contest.  It is always fun and always surprising as to which egg will last not getting cracked!  Neal is holding up my BYU egg and his Utah egg.  

Greg was over on the couch so I had to get a picture of him with his contest egg.

Some of the action.  Maren and Lynda Ann.  I don't remember who won out of the two.  It is also a decision made as to who will hit and who will just hold.  Love this tradition every year.

As the egg contest went along.  It came down to Boston and his grandpa.  Boston had both ends of his egg that weren't crack and Neal had one end of his egg that was cracked.  We all thought for sure that Boston would win the coveted contest and have his name added to the egg trophy.  After all, he had two ends of his egg intact.  Well .  . . . . .  I will also say here that everyone was rooting for Boston.

But against all odds and actually kind of sad, Neal's egg out lasted the hits from Boston's egg.  Neal felt badly and wanted to let Boston be the winner but Neal's name went on the trophy for 2023.

The happy winner.

With all the fun and laughter that comes with the gathering of family we still need to remember the real reason we celebrate Easter.  Easter is still that wonderous miracle it was on that early morning centuries ago when our Savior left the tomb.  Our hearts should swell with joy when we think of the triumph of His Resurrection.  Eastertime is a time of rebirth.  It means Spring is in the air.  We sense the stirring of new life everywhere.  Eastertime is sunshine and showers and blue skies.  Most of all Eastertime is a refreshing of the soul, a renewal of our love for our Heavenly Father who gave his only begotten son for our redemption.  The greatest blessing that Easter brings is the belief in a risen Christ.  Easter is the time for rejoicing.