Easter festivities

Easter weekend was very busy with all types of festivities! On Saturday we had a Thomas family reunion (my mom's side of the family) in Farmersville. Judah and Levi got their Easter baskets from Gigi. Judah was super excited because his basket was Lightning McQueen from the movie Cars. Gigi also bought him the movie (which we have seen in some form or fashion about 6 times in the last week)! Saturday night Gigi babysat the boys so Stevie and I could go our with my best friend Kerri and her husband and another couple. When I got Judah up out of bed the next morning, he had slept with his Cars Easter basket. Too funny!

Judah hunting eggs with Gigi and his Cars basket

Most of the Thomas Family (a few were MIA)

Sunday morning we had a yummy breakfast at Monica and Kathy's house before heading to 10:30 am mass at our church. We all went home for an afternoon nap (very nice:-). Then we finished off the day by having a scrumptious Easter meal at Stevie's parents' house. The cousins hunted eggs that we mommies and daddies hid. It was so much fun watching the cousins hunt eggs. As you can see from this picture of Judah behind the patio door, he was in such anguish waiting to go find all of the goodies!

Is it time yet?????

Cousins with all their goodies!

The Lenten season and then the Easter season that follows are two of my favorite things about the Catholic Church. You spend 40 days really focusing on and remembering the Lord's passion, suffering, sacrifice and death on the cross. You give up something and/or add some type of spiritually beneficial habit to your life as a way to participate in the sacrifice Christ made for us and to grow closer to him through suffering. Then during Holy Week (the week that starts with Palm Sunday and ends with Good Friday), the sanctuary is stripped off all it's beauty-no flowers are displayed, the candles are snuffed out and any statues or crucifixes are covered in purple cloths. It is a stark reminder of the sorrow and suffering of Jesus. But then, when you walk into the church on Easter morning it is a glorious celebration of his resurrection! There are Easter lilies galore, the candles are lit and the new "pascal candle" (a candle that stays lit from Easter to Good Friday of the next year) is lit and on the altar. All of the purple cloths (reminiscent of sackcloth) are removed and the music is full and rich. And then it gets even better....in the Catholic liturgical season, Easter is not just one Sunday, it is a 50 day season! So we celebrate the Lord's resurrection for 50 whole days! The readings and sermons during mass focus on this one cornerstone of our faith. Oh the beauty of the Catholic Church!

Happy Easter everyone! Alleluia, alleluia, he is risen indeed!

Our family after mass....Levi started his nap a little early!