What a glorious weekend.

I cannot remember having a more beautiful Easter weekend.  It was absolutely gorgeous.  I took Good Friday off work since Jay and the kids were home.  My courthouse is one of only a few that does not close down on Good Friday :(  I almost always take it off though because the kids are out of school.

Lane celebrated his 10th birthday this weekend and Friday night he had his friends over, we had a wienie roast and sleepover.  They were all so good.  There were no major mishaps or injuries.  Everyone got along.  They played hard outside until about 9:15 and then they bedded down in the living room for a movie. We heard not one peep out of them until about 6:45 the next morning.

Saturday evening we celebrated birthdays and Easter with Jay's family.  Again, what a beautiful day.   We decorated eggs, went out to eat, had an Easter Egg Hunt, ate ice cream and cake and opened gifts.

Sunday morning, we attended Sunrise service at our church, which consisted of a cantata.  Everyone did great in that.  Then we ate our traditional stuff-your-self-silly breakfast and had worship.  We were home by 9:30, I think, and I went straight to bed for a nap!

When I woke up, Jay & Lane were fishing up a storm.  Catching fish every cast.  They were not much bigger than your hand, but it was still fun.  I just sat on the ground and watched.  We did some stuff around the house, went mushroom hunting (too dry, Jay says - found zip), met some friends at the local state park and walked the trails with our kids, grabbed some pizza and came back to our house to eat.

The kids - they went frog fishing.  I say frog fishing because they were catching fish with a hook and pole.  It was dark and they had flash lights.  They had a ball.  Caught a bunch too.  Now they are dressed and in my fridge in a bowl waiting for the next phase.  Ugh.

As we were waiting on the 'dressing' of the frogs, my friend, Beth, Madolyn, Harper & I were sitting in the living room.  Josie jumped in through the window with a small mouse in tow.  I ran, chasing her into my bedroom where she dropped the mouse, who was still alive, and it scurried toward my bed.  I immediately did the only thing I knew to do, besides scream, and I stepped on it.  Ugh.  I yelled for a cup or container or anything.  Everyone was screaming and scrambling.  Beth dumped this small plastic box full of craft supplies out on the floor and I lifted my foot and we scooped up the mouse - who was not feeling well by this time. Josie was ticked.  Too bad.  The window was shut, asap.

Talk about jitters!  Funny thing, Harper had just come inside and told us about them screaming outside when the frogs tried to get away...she imitated the scream and we got after her to not scream in the house.  It wasn't a minute later, we were all screaming like small, hysterical children because of the mouse!

It was one of those weekends you just don't want to end.  After the winter we've endured, it was an awesome reward.  Over and over, I kept thinking to myself,  is there a better way to celebrate Easter than with this gorgeous weather?  No way.  What a wonderful reminder of God's power over all things.  Everywhere you turn, there is new growth, new life, various shades of green.  We, too, have been given new life through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  Hallelujah!