Easter Weekend

Easter weekend with our Klair Marie was heavenly.  This year she was old enough to understand all the festivities which made it incredibly enjoyable. Saturday we celebrated with Sam's side of the family, and his parents hosted an Easter egg hunt. Watching her run around with her cousins was too much cuteness to handle. Even though they're older than her, she can keep up. When it came to hunting eggs, Klair's experience at our house last week came in handy. She knew exactly what to do. We tried to help her, but she didn't need our assistance. She scoured their backyard and honed in on each egg with precision and skill. She was mindful of each of her prizes, making sure that none fell out of her basket. And, when it came time to open them up, she did it with ease--stuffing her face with the candy and carefully putting her money in a pile next to her for safe keeping. 

For her Easter basket I made a trip to Target and... well that's all I needed to do because Target is awesome like that. She scored a dress, hat, bunny, bubble wand, coloring book, eggs, candy, edible grass, and a bucket. Mustn't forget the bucket... she loves that thing.The only things that didn't come from Target are the hair bows that I made her. They are ridiculously easy to make and I was really pleased with how they turned out. Look back for a tutorial in the next few days. 

Easter Sunday we woke up, went to church, took a lovely little family nap, and went to my sister's for dinner with my side of the family. I have 3 nephews on my side, and they adore miss Klair Marie. They all play together so well. Watching her with all her cousins this weekend (both on Saturday and Sunday) forced me to realize that she really isn't a baby anymore. She is an outgoing, busy, stubborn, happy, brilliant kid. And, although it's hard to let go, I love this new phase. 

Fun doesn't even begin to describe her. 

This Easter weekend was a wonderful reminder of what is important in life--the people that make it count. I'm so glad that Sam and I have each other and our little girl. I'm grateful to be surrounded with such a loving family. Most importantly, I'm grateful to my Savior. Because of him, I have all this. Because of him, the joy that I felt today can be my eternal reality. 

"And now, after the many testimonies which have been given of him, this is the testimony, last of all, which we give of him: That he lives!" -D&C 76: 22

Klair's Outfit Details: 

Dress & Hat: Target (Not Online--But I love this and this. ) | Bow: Homemade | Shoes: Carter's | Pajamas: The Children's Place (similar here)

This post is part of the "Little Things" Linkup. 

Easter Photos with My Klair Marie | eShakti Dress Review

I love Easter. Growing up, my mom would always buy me a dress in a bright, springy color that I could twirl and flaunt. Now that I have a daughter of my own, I want to keep this tradition alive... for both of us. Because let's face it, I may be grown up but there are some things I choose not to grow out of...such as my love of dressing up on the Easter holiday. It's fun! And having the cutest baby around to coordinate with doesn't hurt either. 

eShakti sent me this dress, and I am in love with it... and with their company. They reached out to me a few weeks ago and let me pick a design. First of all, I love their business model. They have dresses (and other apparel) from size 0 to size 36, and  they feature real women of all sizes on their website and social media sites.  Additionally, they make customizations based on your body type and style preferences. For instance, this dress that I picked was originally sleeveless and had a longer hemline. I was able to add sleeves, and shorten it to account for the fact that I'm a little vertically challenged. They asked for my measurements, and within a couple of weeks they sent me my dress--designed perfectly for me. Oh and the best part? My dress has pockets! 

Perfect for a mom on the go... or for any woman for that matter.

Basically my experience with them was awesome, and if you want a dress for a special occasion, or if you just want to treat yourself to something nice... I highly recommend eShakti. Check them out for yourself. And, if you decide to buy something, use the coupon code "awees" to get 10% off an order from now until May 4th. 

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Also, in case you're wondering, these photos were taken at the Draper LDS temple. We made a trip up there yesterday, and I'm glad we did. The grounds were absolutely stunning and bursting with new life for spring. Klair was enchanted with the flowering trees and bright blooms all around her. And, of course, the temple itself was captivating. Being on those sacred grounds with my little family was a good reminder of the true meaning of Easter. 

Klair was such a good sport for the photos, but as we were leaving Sam snapped this gem. 

It looks like my intuitive little girl knew that we were done, and she was celebrating. 

My Outfit: 

Dress: eShakti | Necklace: Local Boutique (similar here) | Belt: Vintage (similar here) | Earrings: Forever 21 (similar here) | Shoes: H&M (similar here) | Watch: Skagen (similar here)

Klair's Outfit: 

Dress: Carter's | Shoes: Carter's | Bow: Homemade | Bunny: Target (similar here)

*note: eShakti sent me this dress, but the opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Family Fun | Easter Festivities

Klair participated in her first Easter egg hunt this past weekend, and it was a smashing success. She was cute as can be, and picked up on the process quite quickly. I'm not sure which she liked better--collecting the eggs, or discovering the candy inside. Regardless, I enjoyed her enthusiasm!

Due to her current only-child status, we decided to invite her cousins over to participate. While having an Easter egg hunt with one kid would yield more candy for said child, we just didn't think it would be nearly as fun for her. We invited the kids from both sides of our families because, well, the more the merrier of course! All the kids were adorable, and it was thoroughly enjoyable watching them scamper about with big old grins on their faces. Our initial plan was to have the hunt outside and let the kids run around, scouring the greenery to find the egg-shaped containers filled with little pieces of Easter joy. Our plan didn't take into account the possibility that the amazing, 70 degree weather we've been experiencing might come to a screeching halt on the day of the party. Well, that's what it did. It rained, and even snowed yesterday. So, rather than take a (literal) rain check, we decided to move the festivities inside. It actually turned out quite well, despite the fact that I'll likely be finding Easter eggs in random places of my house for the next few weeks. 

In addition to the Easter egg hunt, we also had a barbecue with both our families. It was wonderful to have the people we love come together to celebrate the Savior's resurrection. Good food, good company, and good fun. What more could you really ask for? It was certainly a great reminder of what's truly important, and why the atonement of Jesus Christ is really so meaningful in my own life. 

What fun things have you done and/or do you have planned for Easter?