Jesus and the Easter Bunny

The Easter Bunny made an appearance at the Wallis home. It was full of the customary jelly beans and Reese's pieces carrot but we were intentional about filling it with things that represent the REAL reason we celebrate Easter - Jesus. For an almost-two-year old, that comes in the form of the Veggie Tales:

Perhaps next year we'll try the Resurrection eggs? We had a great time celebrating at church with Papou and Uncle Steve while YiaYia was needed in the children's wing. After making one last quick run to the grocery store, we headed to YiaYia and Papou's for lunch with Great Grandpa and Great Grandma Newell. While waiting for everyone to arrive, we thought we'd take a picture or two (there were over 200 taken by the time we headed home so please be patient...) Here we are with one camera-shy toddler attempting to take a family picture before lunch and a nap.

I guess we should have tried harder by moving the photographer to stand in the same general direction as the neighbor's dogs so we'd all be at least looking at the camera. Oh well, you get the idea...

Uncle Steve drove in from Chicago late Friday night and after spending a rainy Saturday together shopping for shoes, we were all excited to get the weather we got on Sunday! I'm not sure words can express the pure joy Phoebe has with her Uncle Steve. It could be that he does things like this:

Here Phoebe is practicing her new-found skill over at YiaYia & Papou's.

Thanks, Uncle Steve for the encouragement in this arena - not sure we need it...

And since the weather was so perfect, Phoebe got out the dreaded swing. Last summer she'd get in this thing and wouldn't want to get out. However, when you see the fun she's having, how you can you deny her this simple pleasure?

Even Great Grandpa got in on the pushing!

This is a profile AFTER Easter lunch - the girl knows how to put away some lamb and Greek potatoes! Check out that belly!

Phoebe enjoyed tickling and being tickled by her Uncle Steve!

After a long chat at the dining room table, everyone finally made it outside to watch Phoebe hunt for eggs.

And since it was SO pretty, the boys got out YiaYia and Papou's big swing - this year Phoebe is big enough to climb up by herself. She loved swinging with Uncle Steve.

But she REALLY loved swinging with Great Grandpa. And forgive me, but I couldn't decide which of these pictures I liked more, so I'm posting them all. I have to say, Phoebe has this guy hooked!

And just so everyone knows her singing enthusiasm continues to grow, here she is belting out part of her ABCs with Uncle Steve (he's already moved on to working on her multiplication tables...)

After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.

The angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples: 'He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.' Now I have told you."


So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them. "Greetings," he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me."

Matthew 28:1-10