April 25, 2017

the Easter pageant

Just before Easter, on Good Friday actually, we took our family to the Easter Pageant at the Mesa temple. I have the fondest memories of this pageant growing up. Since we lived so close to the temple we could often here the pageant late at night, even weeks before the pageant began. We would say the angels were singing us to sleep when we would lie in bed and hear it. Well I still have a dream to be in this pageant some day, but until that happens I'm content bringing our family each year (now that we live here!).

Since the kids had the day off of school, we made an adventure out of going to the pageant. The two older boys and I drove out to the pageant right after lunch. We got there by 1pm and spread out our blankets to save these seats.

 
Did we need to be there by 1pm? No way. But I tell you I like adventures. So we played games, ate ice cream from Dairy Queen (except for Ky who showed self control to stay good on the no sugar thing), read books, and walked through the visitors center to pass the time.

 
  
When the sun started to go down, about four and a half hours after we arrived, Eric brought Layla, Perry, and our dinner.

 

We spent more time playing games and hanging out on our blankets with our friends.
I took Layla and Perry to do a little exploring, too.

 
 
 
After seven hours on the temple grounds, the pageant began and we spent an hour watching the story of Christ's life unfold on the stage. And my heart swelled up with love for my Savior and for that family of mine all snuggled up together on the blankets in the grass under that perfect Arizona night sky. A perfect way to start the Easter weekend.

 
*please note: 12 and 13 year old boys love spending eight hours outside with their mom. They are begging to do it again next year. But they hope next year we can make it 10 hours.

Ha!

In spite of some vocal complaints and grumblings, I know deep down we made some good memories together that day.