Easter Weekend!

We had a lovely Easter weekend. On Saturday night my best friend Claire came over to have an Easter Eve dinner with us. I roasted a whole chicken that I stuffed with lemons, onions, and cooking wine and it turned out great! I was really excited because it was my first time doing that sort of thing. We also had stuffing , rolls, steamed veggies, and home made angel's food cake. I had so much fun cooking and baking. It is always nice when it is for people you love.

We also dyed eggs with Keegan. That was pretty exciting. His idea of dyeing his egg was to toss it right in the bowl. We had fun laughing at all the broken eggs.

This was the first year I did Easter baskets for our little family. Keegan's first Easter he was only 8 days old an we were pretty exhausted so we had a low key affair at Craig's parents. Last year Easter was on Keegan's birthday but the day before we had a huge 1st birthday party so we went to church and everything but did not do eggs or baskets etc. I had a lot of fun choosing things for the baskets and putting them together. My Mom sent out a really cute package full of stuff so even though she was in Seattle, I like to think of it as a joint effort! :)

We had a good day together as family. We went to Craig's parents in the afternoon for an egg hunt and delicious feast. Keegan had a really fun time running around with his cousins and playing basketball with his Dad, cousins, Papa, and aunts.

We didn't make it to Stake Conference on Easter because unfortunately Keegan can't handle being in the chapel for that long. We did play spiritual music  though, had prayer, and reflected.

The first thing I thought of was this poem that my Mom read to me when I was a kid that was later adapted into a song by the LDS group Afterglow. When I think of Easter and the Resurrection I often remember these words:

THE TOUCH OF THE MASTER'S HAND

'twas battered and scarred and the auctioneer
Thought it scarcely worth his while
To waste much time on the old violin,
But he held it up with a smile:

"What am bidden, good folks?" he cried,
"Who'll start the bidding for me?"
"A dollar! A dollar!" then "Two! Only two?"
"Two dollars, and who'll make it three?"

"Three dollars once, three dollars twice . . .
And going for three . . . " but no.
From the room, far back, a gray-haired man
Came forward and picked up the bow.

Then, wiping the dust from the the old violin,
And tightening the loosened strings,
He played a melody pure and sweet,
As a carolling angel sings.

The music ceased, and the auctioneer
With a voice that was quiet and low
Said, "What am I bid for the old violin?"
And he held it up with the bow.

"A thousand dollars! And who'll make it two?
"Two thousand! Who'll make it three?
"Three going once? Three going twice?
"And going . . . and gone!" said he.

The people cheered but some of them cried,
"We do not understand!
What changed its worth?" -- Swift came the reply,
"The touch of the Master's Hand."

And many a man with life out of tune
And battered and scarred with sin
Is auctioned cheap to the thoughtless crowd
Much like the old violin.

A "mess 'o pottage"
A glass of wine
A game and he travels on.
He's "going" once
And "going" twice
And "going" . . . and almost "gone"

Then along comes the Master, and the foolish crowd
Never can quite understand
The worth of a soul or the change that's wrought
By the touch of the Master's Hand
I hope that all of our friends and family were able to have a great weekend with those that they love. I am so grateful for the blessings in my life. When I am going through trials and d