Resurrection Sunday 2012

 ^'"But Mary stood outside by the tomb weeping, and as she wept she stooped down and looked into the tomb. And she saw two angels in white sitting, one at the head and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain. Then they said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?”
She said to them, “Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him.”  Now when she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, and did not know that it was Jesus.  Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?”
She, supposing Him to be the gardener, said to Him, “Sir, if You have carried Him away, tell me where You have laid Him, and I will take Him away.” Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to Him, “Rabboni!”..."

The weather this past Sunday was absolutely beautiful...perfect for a day celebrating the resurrection of Jesus!!

We did our tradition of opening the Resurrection eggs for devotions that morning and then ate breakfast.  Right before we left for church, we quickly took a family picture:

I'm slightly depressed this picture isn't totally focused...but I love this group of people!!!

We arrived at church and met up with our friends, the Jacksons, who decided to come to our church that day because of a chicken pox epidemic at their church!

The service was good, I sat out in the 242 Cafe with Judah-man, Daddy, and Gabrielle and Boaz Jackson because I wasn't feeling 100% well.

After some fellowship after church, we headed up to Grandma and Grandpa's!

We arrived around 2ish and soon we ate the delicious meal Grandma fixed!

Twice baked potatoes = one of the best ways to eat a potato. :)

Ham!

Yummy beef brisket!

After we all had eaten our full, Grandma brought out a "light" dessert...

It was a delicious blend of strawberries, Cool Whip, angel food cake, and chocolate!

After sitting around and talking for a while, it was decided to start the annual Easter egg hunt.

Talking before the hunt began.

Meet Lucy, Grandma's new dog.  :)

After lining up for our usual Easter picture, the kids were released!

On the hunt!

Lydia's got an egg!!

Aww, look at the lovebirds. :)

This was Judah's first time getting to participate in Grandpa's egg hunt, so he was a little confused at first.

He soon got the hang of it, though, and was looking all over Grandma's mulch bed for the hidden eggs!

Caleb on the run!

Everyone was running everywhere to gather as many eggs as was humanly possible! :)

Judah braved the mulch bed alone after all the eggs were gone.  :)

Lucy taking a little break. :)

Once most of the eggs were gathered, everyone gathered on the front lawn to dump their goodies into their Ziplocs:

Daddy and Grandma.

Some of Judah's eggs. :)

This year Grandpa filled the eggs with coins, M&M's, and Sour Patch Kids.  Needless to say, all of the goodies were greatly appreciated (by our banks and tummies)!

Judah was loving Grandma and Grandpa lush green grass (how'd you know Daddy took care of their lawn? :).

I love how his shirt is just a little too small and you can see his tummy poking out! :)

After opening and reaping all the abundant goodies, we headed to the back deck and enjoyed the great weather and fellowship.

My cousins, Amanda and Diana...I wonder what they're thinking!

Daddy and his bro talking. :)

After about an hour on the deck, we went inside and got our Easter baskets!  Of course, we had to get the usual picture on the steps first:  (picture coming eventually :)

We dug into all of our goodies, watched one figure skater on T.V., and then played a game called Quelf.  Diana had brought the game and said it was really fun so we all tried it out!  I think Grandma ended up making us all laugh the most...she got this card that said before she could say more than 3 words she would have to ask her foot for permission to speak and then say "Permission granted!" in this high, squeaky voice.  It was absolutely hilarious.  I died laughing every time!  On a second thought I think that card might have Grandma.  Whoever knows Grandma, knows that, as Grandpa says, "Women have great verbal skills."  Grandma is no exception to this rule but having to ask her foot for permission to speak and then to reply with "Permission granted!" in this squeaky voice made Grandma say very little at all the whole game.  She was very relieved when that card was canceled near the end of the game. :)

Usually I got the cards that made me do something embarassing (like sing my favorite childhood song through clenched teeth while giving myself a scalp massage) and I failed almost all of them.  I'd bust out laughing before I could go a few words and laughing was a penalty, so I stayed near last place with Daddy. :)

Anyways, Hannah eventually won the game (to Grandma's relief) and we all headed to the kitchen for a light dinner of sandwhiches, chips, and leftovers.

We closed out the night with a little bit of Courageous.  Sadly, we had to leave part-way through to get home in time for Halle's milking.  :-(  But, we had a great Resurrection Sunday anyways!

Kimber :)

Resurrection Sunday 2011

This year's Resurrection Sunday was a little different than the "normal."  Instead of going up to Northern VA to celebrate with Daddy's family, we got to celebrate it with Mama's side of the family!  (We celebrated Resurrection Sunday with Dad's side a few weeks before.) 

Very often throughout the day I had to keep telling myself that we weren't going to Grandma's! :)  It's crazy how, if you do one thing every year the same way, you get programmed to think it's going to be that exact way for the rest of your life! :)

Anyways, before we left for church I managed to grab everyone for pictures.  Sadly we were already running a tad late so we didn't get a family picture. :(  BUT, we still have individual photos and they will have to do! :)

We'll start with the youngest Wassenberg:

Judah was already buckled in his car seat before I got his picture, so we took one in his seat! :)

Miss Lydia.

Josiah

Eden

Seth

Caleb

Alexis

Me (a.k.a. Kimber)

Hannah

Mama-dear

Papa bear.

After photos we piled into the car (quickly, I should add) and were on our way to church!  

After a wonderful church service, we headed over to Uncle Sean's house for a special Nash Luncheon.

There was lots of food and desserts present and after stuffing ourselves the younger kids went on an Easter egg hunt (courtesy of our Uncle Sean who knows his nieces/nephews love candy!).

Lydia found an egg!

Uncle Sean, Aunt Amanda, Uncle Matt and my cousins Erika and Allie hid the eggs.  Some were in interesting places! :)

Some of the adults (and cousins) watching the proceedings.

Aunt Amanda hid a "golden egg" and whenever a gold-colored egg was found the kids were to open them and see what was inside.  A few just had a note that said this wasn't the real golden egg and the search went on. 

Mason, my cousin, found the real golden egg and was very excited about the $10 inside! :)

Uncle Sean checking the ground for any missed eggs.

By the way, I don't think I've told you guys yet...if I have, I'm sorry...but my Aunt Amanda is pregnant!!!  She's due in September and will found out if she's having a boy or a girl this month!  We're so excited for Uncle Sean and Aunt Amanda!

It didn't take long before Lydia started breaking into the goodies!

After emptying the eggs and felowshipping some more we went home and had our usual "popcorn and movie."

"But Mary stood outside by the tomb weeping, and as she wept she stooped down and looked into the tomb. And she saw two angels in white sitting, one at the head and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain. Then they said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?”
She said to them, “Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him.”
Now when she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, and did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?”
She, supposing Him to be the gardener, said to Him, “Sir, if You have carried Him away, tell me where You have laid Him, and I will take Him away.”
  Jesus said to her, “Mary!”
She turned and said to Him, “Rabboni!” (which is to say, Teacher)."

John 20:11-16

I know this is late but I hope you all had a wonderful day celebrating our beautiful Savior's rising again!

Resurrection Sunday 2009

"Now on the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they, and certain other women with them, came to the tomb bringing the spices which they had prepared. But they found the stone rolled away from the tomb. Then they went in and did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. And it happened, as they were greatly perplexed about this, that behold, two men stood by them in shining garments. Then, as they were afraid and bowed their faces to the earth, they said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen! Remember how He spoke to you when He was still in Galilee, saying, ‘The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.’”"

Luke 24:1-7

[As is typical of my blog posts this is not a short one! :)]

The day before Resurrection Sunday our family cleaned up the house and prepared for a "Resurrection Dinner." Since we would be gone during most of the daylight hours on Sunday we had our dinner on Saturday. Paw-paw, Na-naw, and G.G. (my grandparents and great-grandma) came over to share in our feast! :)

Lydia chewing on a Resurrection egg.

The table (set with Mama's fine china and glasses) and the workers in the kitchen.

Hannah's 1st place buttermilk rolls - Lexi helped make them too! :)

Cookies!

We made spritz cookies on Friday and decorated them with icing and sprinkles and my grandparents brought some butterstar cookies from Ukrops.

Our menu for dinner was as follows:

Roast Beef

Potatoes

Carrots

Greenbeans

Kale

Asparagus (garden fresh)

Buttermilk Rolls

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Sparkling white (and red) grape juice

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Refresh-Mints (a.k.a. pillow mints)

After dinner and clean-up we made our way into the den for some time reading about Jesus' death, burial, and resurrection and then some time praising Him through song.

We used the Resurrection Eggs that we had from our past church (HEFC) to illustrate the different Bible truths and to make it fun for the little guys. There were 12 eggs (all different colors) and each stood for something:

Egg Color - Contents - The Item Represents - Scripture

Hot Pink - Coats - The Triumphal Entry - Mk. 11:7-8

Light Purple - Coins - Judas' Betrayal - Mt. 26:14-16

Dark Green - Soap - Jesus Washes Disciples' Feet - John 13:4-5

Light Yellow - Bread - The Last Supper - Mt. 26:26-28

Dark Blue - Flower - Garden of Gethsemane - Mk. 14:32-35

Light Pink - Thorns - Crown of Thorns - Mt. 27:29

Light Green - Cross - Jesus' Crucifixion - Lk. 23:33

Dark Orange - Cloth - Darknes Noon to 3 P.M. - Lk. 23:44-45

Light Blue - Spear - Piercing Jesus' Side - Jn. 19:32-34

Dark Purple - Spices - Burial of Jesus - Jn.19:39-40

Light Orange - Stone - Stone that was Rolled Away - Mt. 28:1-2

Dark Yellow - Empty - Empty Tomb/Resurrection - Lk. 24:1-8

[Please forgive my terrible columns! :)]

A flower from the Garden of Gethsamane.







Alexis was one of the egg-passer-outers; Daddy was the other.






Eden and Josiah took the eggs around and showed them to everyone.

A thorn in symbolism of Jesus' crown of thorns.

Lydia wandered around the whole time.

Daddy would have someone look up each verse that went with the item in each egg and they would read the verse as Weedels and 'Siah showed everyone.

A cross symbolizing Jesus' crusifixion.

A black cloth showing the darkness that covered the earth as He hung on the cross.

A rock representing the stone, in front of Jesus' tomb, that was rolled away! :)

Once we finished the eggs we sang and praised the Lord until Daddy said it was time for dessert! :)

Mama played the piano and Caleb beat expertly on the D'jembe.

Hannah, Na-Naw, Paw-Paw singing. (not chanting)


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Our Resurrection Sunday plans were to get up early, take showers, eat a speedy breakfast, and then head up to our Aunt and Uncle's church to watch my Uncle get baptized and become a deacon. We took some quick, self-timed photos before we left around 8:30.

The picture is way bright and I cropped it...

This is one of the original pictures.


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Our Uncle and family attend First Baptist Church in Woodbridge, VA. It was a beautiful church and pretty big because it had to fit the 1,000+ members and all the Resurrection Sunday visitors. We could hardly find a parking spot! :)

The service was a bit different from ours. My Uncle was the last to get baptized (after over 25 people).

My Uncle (the one on the left) and the pastor.

After getting baptized.

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After he (our uncle) got batized, we went to our Grampa-ma's house. Grandma took the normal family pictures before we all got comfy and then we waited for dinner. Of course, dinner was one of the best! :) Grandma made twice-baked potatoes, greenbeans, salads, and Grandpa cooked the Omaha steaks to perfection! :)

My cousins, left to right: Diana - 13, Stephen - 11, and Amanda - 14

Everyone, but Lydia, on the steps by the Easter baskets.

Grandma.

After we looked at our Easter baskets we went outside for the Easter egg hunt.

Everybody (but napping Lydia) lined up, ready to get their eggs.

Daddy was the fantastic photographer for the rest of the pictures!

Lexi's ready (far left)!

Josiah on the hunt.

Lexi on the move!

'Manda and Hannah searching for eggs.

Eden found one! :)

Mama helping Josiah!

Uncle Greg

After we thought we had found all the eggs (we found over 8 later) we went to the pavement, got a plastic bag from Grandpa for our goodies, and opened the eggs, and examined the contents.

Stephen peeking inside an egg.

Zoe, Amanda's pug, behind Seth.

My beautiful Grandma.

Caleb and his goodies.

Diana and Stephen on a toddler's toy going down the hill! :)

Eden on a bike.

(Eden just recently found out she can ride without training wheels, so she's been zooming here and there and showing everyone her new-found skill!)

Amanda and her lovely Mama (a.k.a Aunt Amy).

My gorgeous Mommy. (no bout a dought it)


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Even though we did do lots of different things not directly associated with the Resurrection, we still tried to remember what the day was about, and that without his sacrifice and rising from the dead, we would not have eternal life and we would all still be lost in our sins.

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We left later that night and arrived home around 9:30.

Josiah resting on Mama.

(Lexi was photographer)

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I mentioned on my last post that we were going somewhere this week. Daddy worked for the Mixons (some friends from church) for a couple months, in exchange for a week-long stay at their beach house located in Emerald Isle, NC. The house is beautifully decorated, Oceanfront, and more! If you'd like to view it go here: http://www.shorewoodrealestate.net/crystal_charm.htm. After some different things they offered us an extra 2 days to stay since no one was renting the week before or after us! They have been extremely kind and have tried (and suceeded) in making this vacation fun and easy! This will be the 10-Wassenbergs first-ever family vacation by ourselves and we're greatly looking forward to it! I would love to say lots more about the prepration for the beach but it's Friday night and we're leaving tomorrow morning so we still have some packing to do, cleaning up, etc.

I'll try and make up a post as soon as I can and I'll have toooooonnnnnnnnnsssssssss of pictures! :-D

All for Jesus,

Kimber