Wonderful Easter Conference

Every year .....well not every year.......but most years we dye eggs for Easter{ two years ago we did it after Easter, because I can't stand this tradition, but felt guilty and did it after.} This year I decided we are done with that tradition. No one eats the eggs....okay maybe Skip, but not all of them. I usually throw them away and really what do they have to do with Easter any way?

About ten years ago we went to this community Easter egg hunt, which was a terrible experience. Jack was three and was left in the dust of hundreds of 3-5 year olds and received no eggs. It was crazy. I was turned off to the commercial holiday and decided to try to make it more Christ centered......which is what it is all about, right?

SO.... a slow ten years later we are down to a small egg hunt in the house. They do receive baskets, but they are full of books, games, pictures, and things that are Christ centered. The plastic eggs do have some candy in them, but not a ton. I have found that the journals, scriptures, and other things that they receive make for a more worshipful Sabbath and raise more questions about our Savior.......to each his own, but this is working for us.

I was so happy that conference was on Easter this year. Wow, it was uplifting to say the least. Now Conference in our house does not always go swimmingly. No matter how hard I try it gets noisy, there can be fighting, some people are prone to fall asleep and keeping the kids interested for eight hours of Conference can be an overwhelming task.
I think I found the secret though; invite people over to watch, and invite the missionary's over for good measure. Plan a nice lunch, make sure everyone is showered and dressed nicely. Seriously, you don't want to fall asleep with your guest there; that would be rude. The kids behave in such a nicer manner when they are groomed properly.

It helps that the youth need to take notes for the Conference Bowl that is the following Wed. night youth activity. In fact I love this, because Blake and Sam watched Jack and Skip take notes. { Skip serves with the youth and they were both constantly pausing the broadcast to make sure they got all the details. Plus telling us to be quiet so they could hear} Sam and Blake decided that they should take notes too. Now Blake is not the best speller yet, so he would write down a key word then draw a small picture beside it. It was awesome to see what things jumped out at him and then see his illustrated interpretations. When we discussed Conference later he was able to pick out a number of things from his notes that he had gleaned.
Claire did much better sitting at the kitchen table with me, taking her own notes and stamping like crazy.

We stood together and sang. I loved this. I am usually the only one that does this.....sometimes one of the kids will sing with me.
Listening to a Prophet of God say all the inspired words that he did, which incidentally seemed written just for me, was at times overwhelming. The whole conference was a spiritual experience for me. The Spirit in our home was calm and peaceful. I was able to listen without getting mad. I know that sounds crazy, but many a conference I just have to say I can't wait to read it, since I could barely catch any of it.
I love that so many talks were testimony's of our Savior and his love for us. It was just perfect for celebrating Easter. The kid's got it......they still want the candy, but they got it.