Easter Weekend

The sunshine over Easter weekend was warm and glorious – just what my soul needed!

The other day when I finally got around to downloading the pictures from our camera {yes, life has been a bit hectic and intense lately}, it made me happy to go through them because for nearly three full weeks following that weekend, we have been getting consistently drenched with Spring rainstorms!

I have known since January that Easter was going to come early this year (March 31st), but it still seemed like it snuck up on me.  I didn’t get any pictures snapped on Easter morning when we were all dressed up (I needed to be at Church early for choir practice), but I did get quite a few from our family egg hunt.

Trying to get all four kids to look happy and at the camera at the same time is not an easy feat!

Last Easter Ari wasn’t much into the egg hunt thing (probably because he wasn’t even one and he didn’t even know how to walk at the time), but it was absolutely delightful to watch him get into the action this year.

Once he discovered there were chocolate spoils hidden in his eggs, there was no stopping him!  {Thankfully each egg only had one M&M in it so if he ate them all at once, it wasn’t a big deal.}

All the kids seemed to thoroughly enjoy themselves. I am definitely grateful we have a backyard to have so much fun in.

I adore the carefree and happy feelings this picture evokes!
Life is good!

After our egg hunt, Keri surprised us with a sweet, little Easter gift – some Spring magnets that now live on our fridge!

Her thoughtfulness and generosity continually inspire me to be a better person!

On Easter morning, the kids woke up to pictures of Christ hung up all over our home and a little Easter gift.

I cherish the Easter season and all it represents!

Easter – 2012 Style

Easter is definitely my favorite holiday, though this year most people might not have guessed that.

Instead of focusing on Christ and the renewal of life that is ushered in with the Spring season, and instead of doing our 12 Day Countdown to Easter activity and participating in community sponsored events, we have been busy fighting a plethora of germs these last few weeks.

Germs – the gift that keeps on giving.

We have been hit with colds, upper respiratory infections, two kids with double ear infections complete with bulging ear drums (this is only the second and third time our kids have ever suffered from ear infections, the first one was last April), strep, conjunctivitis, and coughs that just won’t go away.  Add allergy flare ups and a few other ailments to the mixture and then combine that with sleepless nights and you have a recipe for disaster.  Needless to say I have been running purely on survival mode.  I am just grateful we have good health insurance, competent doctors (who are probably tired of seeing us) and that I have remembered to give all the antibiotics that have been prescribed – 5 over the last few weeks.

But despite all the infections giving us a run for our money, we still managed to have a bit of an Easter celebration – even if we didn’t cook an Easter meal or dress in Easter clothes.

Our 2012 Easter picture.  Who says you need nice Sunday pastel clothes, bunny paraphernalia and healthy kids to take an Easter picture? At least they are all smiling in this one and the runny noses have been wiped.

We read, albeit briefly and kid-friendly style,  the Easter story and discussed Christ’s resurrection and the Atonement.  We held our own Easter egg hunt the Saturday before Easter.  The kids got a few things in their Saturday Easter basket from us (they really have no clue who the Easter Bunny is) and they got a few things on Sunday morning that were more focused on Christ.  (Thankfully the Easter shopping had been done early this year.)  I also managed to put up a few pictures of Jesus on Easter Eve for the kids to wake up to (not the dozens I traditionally do).

At least I feel like I am f.i.n.a.l.l.y. seeing a bright, healthier light at the end of the sick tunnel.  And I hope I don’t jinx myself by saying that I hope this summer is free of illness .

Hopefully everyone reading this had an uplifting Easter season and hopefully you found some quiet time to ponder the true meaning of this sacred time of year.  I am eternally grateful for Christ and all that He has done for each of us. Indeed, He has Risen!

“And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ,
we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies,
that our children may know to what source they may look for a
remission of their sins.” ~ 2 Nephi 25:26

“An Easter Poem”

Within the last 4 or 5 months, Keri (who is in third grade) has developed quite a fancy for reading and writing poetry.  Back in the beginning of November, she devoured “A Light In the Attic” by Shel Silverstein in less than 24 hours.

Here is her latest creation, complete with artwork.  Drawing is definitely one of  her other favorite passions.

I hope you have a magnificent, happy and peaceful Easter week!

Focusing On Christ During The Easter Season

I have always found it ironic that we celebrate the Christmas season for nearly a month, yet many people only celebrate Easter one day out of the year.

To help our family truly celebrate Easter and what it means, the resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, we have started a few new traditions over the course of the last couple of years.

One thing we do is a countdown-to-Easter activity which is known by a myriad of names – the 12 Days of Easter, The Easter Egg Story, Easter Story In Eggs and Resurrection Eggs.  You can find a description of this here. The first night we do this activity, we also read an easy-to-understand kids picture book that depicts the birth, life and ministry of Christ.  [Note - this activity can be started tonight as you count down the 12 days until Easter, or it can also be done as a single lesson.  It is quite easy to gather all the items you need.]

Another tradition we started last year is after the kids are in bed on Easter Eve, I put up dozens of pictures of Christ around the house.  Most of the pictures I use come from old calendars.

I do this because on Easter morning I want the kids to wake up and remember what a sacred and special holiday it is.  I also want them to see the pictures all day long so they can be reminded that Easter is about the life of Christ and the gift He gave us, the Atonement.  It is not all about chocolate bunnies, colored eggs and jelly beans.

We still like to do simple Easter baskets in our family, but we typically give these to the kids on the Saturday morning before Easter.  I know some people who give the kids their baskets on the first day of Spring.  After all, Easter is also the celebration of new life and Spring symbolizes this.

On Easter morning we give the kids a little something, but it is normally something that is centered on Christ.  A new picture of Him, a pencil with a scripture on it, or stickers of the Savior.

Recently I also made some marble magnets that tie in beautifully with Easter.

Here is a tutorial on how to make these.  They are incredibly easy.  And instead of using pictures of Christ, I actually used stickers I had on hand.

I know we all have different ways we like to celebrate holidays.  The ideas I have shared work well for us.  Each family unit is unique so it is up to us to figure out what works best for our own families.  However, I would love to hear what works for you.  What are some of your favorite things to do to celebrate Easter?

A Triumphant Easter

I hope and pray we all have a glorious Easter weekend and that we can each find a moment to quietly ponder the sacred and blessed event we celebrate so we can become more committed “disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ.”

“My Child” by David Bowman

“One of the great consolations of this Easter season is that because Jesus walked such a long, lonely path utterly alone, we do not have to do so. His solitary journey brought great company for our little version of that path—the merciful care of our Father in Heaven, the unfailing companionship of this Beloved Son, the consummate gift of the Holy Ghost, angels in heaven, family members on both sides of the veil, prophets and apostles, teachers, leaders, friends. All of these and more have been given as companions for our mortal journey because of the Atonement of Jesus Christ and the Restoration of His gospel. Trumpeted from the summit of Calvary is the truth that we will never be left alone nor unaided, even if sometimes we may feel that we are. Truly the Redeemer of us all said, ‘I will not leave you comfortless. [My Father and] I will come to you [and abide with you].’ …

“As we approach this holy week … may we declare ourselves to be more fully disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ, not in word only and not only in the flush of comfortable times but in deed and in courage and in faith, including when the path is lonely and when our cross is difficult to bear. This Easter week and always, may we stand by Jesus Christ ‘at all times and in all things, and in all places that [we] may be in, even until death,’ for surely that is how He stood by us when it was unto death and when He had to stand entirely and utterly alone.” ~ Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, “None Were With Him”

“Security” by David Bowman

“Consider the Lilies” by Simon Dewey

Happy Easter!

The Easter Story In Eggs

Last year our family implemented a new Easter tradition.  It is a very simple and easy activity, yet it helps everyone reflect on the true meaning of Easter and why we celebrate this sacred event.

This countdown-to-Easter activity is known by a myriad of names.  The 12 Days of Easter, The Easter Egg Story, Easter Story In Eggs and Resurrection Eggs are just a few of the names I have heard.

Regardless of its true name, this Easter presentation is a unique advent activity which helps people, especially children, focus on the real symbol of Easter, our Savior Jesus Christ … not bunnies and eggs and chocolate.   (Although we still do little Easter baskets and egg hunts in our house.  We just choose to do these aspects of the holiday on another day other than Easter Sunday.)

First you gather 12 different plastic eggs and then you number them 1-12.  When the eggs are filled, you will be placing them either in an empty egg carton or a basket.

In each egg you will put a piece of paper with a scripture on it.  You will also add a small item to represent the passage to be read.  (If you have more than one young child, you might want to put double or triple the number of items in every egg so each child can each take something away from the activity.)  The 12th egg, though, will be symbolically empty to represent the empty tomb when Jesus rose on the third day.

1. Matthew 26:26-27,39 (sacrament cup or small cracker or chex cereal)

2. Matthew 26: 48-49 (chocolate kiss)

3. Matthew 26: 14-15 (3 dimes) [This fulfilled the prophecy in Zechariah 11:12-14.]

4. Matthew 27:1-2 (knotted twine)

5. Matthew 27:15, 17, 21, 24-26 (chunk of hand soap)

6. Matthew 27:28-30  or Mark 15:16-17 (square of red or purple fabric)

7. Matthew 27:31-32 (small nail or toothpick cross)

8. Matthew 27:50-51, 54 (crushed rocks)

9. Matthew 27:57-60 (strip of white cloth)

10. Matthew 27:60, 62-66 (a small, flat stone)

11. Mark 16:1, 2-6 (bay leaf or other herb)

12. Matthew 28:5-6 (empty)

There’s still nearly a week left before this countdown activity beings which gives you plenty of time to create your own set of eggs.  And if you can’t find an item, you can also print a picture of the item on paper from the computer and use that in your egg.

This activity can also be tweaked and done as a single lesson. It is great for Sunday School lessons, Family Home Evening lessons (FHE)  and for teaching Seminary.  It also makes a nice gift to give to neighbors.

Furthermore, there are many variations on what items and scriptures you can use.  Here are a few links to more ideas:

Annie’s Easter Story Eggs

Explaining Easter to Children

The Easter Egg Story

Egg Carton Easter Story

Happy Easter!

Happy Easter!

I hope we are all able to find some quiet time today to reflect on the magnificent event we celebrate this Sabbath. It is truly a wondrous gift.