WITH PARENTING ALSO COMES MAKING DIFFICULT DECISIONS. ONE OF OURS HAS BEEN HOW TO HANDLE RELIGIOUS HOLIDAYS. ON ONE HAND, WE DON'T WANT THE KIDS TO MISS OUT ON ALL OF THE FUN KID ACTIVITIES THAT COME WITH THIS DAY. BUT, KNOWING WHAT EASTER TRULY REPRESENTS AND THE SACRIFICE THAT WAS MADE, WE ALSO DO NOT WANT CANDY, EGGS, AND EASTER BUNNIES TO BECOME THE FOCUS IN OUR HOME.
SO, WE STILL LET OUR KIDDOS PARTICIPATE IN EGG HUNTS AND OPEN EASTER BASKETS, BUT ALSO STRESS THAT THESE THINGS ARE ALL JUST PART OF A HOLIDAY THAT MEANS SO MUCH MORE.
ONE SPRING ACTIVITY THE KIDS LOVED THIS YEAR WAS GOING TO SEE THE CHICKS AT ATWOODS!
AND, BOY, DID THEY MAKE ME WANT TO TAKE HOME A BABY CHICK! THEY ARE SOOO CUTE. I JUST HAD TO KEEP REMINDING MYSELF: THEY ARE MESSY, AND THEY WILL GROW UP.
THE WEEK BEFORE EASTER WAS OUR CHURCH'S TWO-YEAR ANNIVERSARY. COMEDIAN, MICHAEL, JR., PERFORMED SATURDAY NIGHT FOR THE COMMUNITY, AND THEN HE SPOKE THE NEXT MORNING AT OUR SERVICE. BECAUSE OF THE WEATHER, WE HAD TO MOVE ALL OF THE ACTIVITIES INDOORS, SO OUR CHURCH EGG-HUNT WAS HELD IN THE GYM.
CHECKING OUT ALL THOSE EGGS AND WAITING FOR THE "HUNT" TO BEGIN!
NEITHER ONE WAS TOO EXCITED ABOUT HUNTING EGGS AT FIRST
BUT, SIS GOT INTO IT ONCE THE HUNT STARTED!
AND, J-MAN FINALLY STARTED ENJOYING IT AS WELL!
THE BASKET IS PRETTY FULL!!!
WATCHING THE BIG KIDS TAKE THEIR TURN
GRANDAD AND MIMI CAME TO CHURCH WITH US THIS DAY, SO AFTERWARD THEY CAME TO OUR HOUSE FOR LUNCH AND GAVE KENNEDY AND JENSEN THEIR EASTER BASKETS!
LOTS OF GREAT GOODIES THAT THE KIDS LOVED!!!
DURING THE WEEK, THE KIDS AND I WENT TO MARTIN NATURE PARK WITH SOME FRIENDS AND HAD A VERY FUN EASTER EGG HUNT THERE AS WELL! WELL, LET ME REPHRASE THAT - I HAD FUN! KENNEDY AND JENSEN WERE OVER HUNTING EGGS AND DIDN'T DO MUCH OF IT. BUT, THEY DID HAVE LOVE PLAYING ON THE PLAYGROUND!
SATURDAY EVENING I WORKED ON EASTER TREATS AND EASTER BASKETS FOR THE NEXT DAY.
THIS IS WHAT I CAME UP WITH THE KIDS' SUNDAY SCHOOL TEACHERS AND OUR TRAINING MENTORS AT CHURCH:
BUNNY CHOW:
2 Cup Broken Pretzel Sticks
2 Cup M&M Candies (Milk Chocolate)
16 Oz. Almond Bark
2 Tbsp Spring Sprinkles
Mix Pretzel Sticks & M&M Candies In Large Bowl; Melt Vanilla Almond Bark According To Package Directions; Pour Melted Chocolate Over Pretzel/M&M Mixture; Pour Bunny Chow On Large Piece Parchment Paper On Counter Top; Sprinkle Mixture With 2 Tbsp Spring Sprinkles; Let Stand 10 Minutes Until Hardened; Break Into Pieces & Store In Ziploc Bag To Store
P.S. Original Recipe calls for Oreos as well, but I completely forgot to pick up a package when I was grocery shopping (and, yes, I even had it written on my list). I made it with Oreos last Easter, and it was just as YUMMY!
PEEPS ON A STICK:
2 Boxes of Peeps
Lollipop Sticks
Treat Sacks
THIS ONE IS PRETTY SELF-EXPLANATORY. YOU SLIDE THE PEEPS ON A STICK, WRAP WITH A TREAT SACK AND TIE AT THE BOTTOM! THEY MAKE VERY CUTE TABLE DECORATIONS AS WELL (USE THEM IN A VASE AS A CENTERPIECE).
WE GOT THE KIDS BEACH TOWELS AS PART OF THEIR EASTER BASKETS. AS MUCH AS WE ARE IN THE WATER DURING THE SUMMER, WE NEED THEM! WHAT I LOVE IS THAT THESE TOWELS HAVE POCKETS IN THEM TO HOLD THE MANY SUPPLIES YOU NEED FOR THE POOL/LAKE/BEACH!
AND, YOU CAN FOLD THEM UP INTO A TOTE!
FIND THEM ON ETSY AT:
WE ALSO INCLUDED CUTE LITTLE TRAVEL PILLOWS FOR OUR TRIPS (ETSY: http://www.etsy.com/shop/Loubugsboutique), BUBBLES (ALWAYS A FAVORITE WITH OUR KIDS), COLORING BOOK FOR LITTLE MAN, AND AN EASTER PURSE TO MATCH HER EASTER DRESS FOR SIS.
MY GUYS ON EASTER MORNING! NOBODY ROCKS THE SWEATER VEST BETTER THAN OUR LITTLE BOY!
OUR PINK PRINCESS READY FOR EASTER SERVICE!
WE ATTENDED THE EARLY SERVICE AT OUR CHURCH AND THEN WORKED THE SECOND SERVICE. AND, IT WAS AN AMAZING MESSAGE, AS ALWAYS!
"PRAISE BE TO THE GOD AND FATHER OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST! IN HIS GREAT MERCY HE HAS GIVEN US NEW BIRTH INTO A LIVING HOPE THROUGH THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS CHRIST FROM THE DEAD..."
- 1 PETER 1:3
AFTER CHURCH WE HEADED TO KYLE'S PAPA'S HOUSE FOR THE AFTERNOON!
SIS AND BROTHER DECIDED PAPA WOULD LIKE THEM TO ROCK HIM!
AND, GRANDAD MIGHT LIKE SOME HELP TOO!
THEN, WE HAD AN EASTER EGG HUNT!
JENSEN RELAXING WITH PAPA AND GRANDAD ON THE PORCH!
RUNNING OFF SOME ENERGY
THEN, IT WAS TIME FOR A TRACTOR RIDE!
DADDY WAS PRETTY EXCITED ABOUT THIS!
J-MAN GOT TO HELP GIVE THE CALF A BOTTLE!
FINALLY BRAVE ENOUGH TO PET THE LITTLE GUY!
SIS WASN'T ABOUT TO TOUCH THE BABY CALF, SO SHE RELAXED IN THE GRASS...
AND CHASED THE YELLOW BUTTERFLIES,
WHICH INSPIRED JENSEN TO TRY TO FLY!
ME AND MY BOY!
IT WAS A LONG DAY FOR OUR LITTLE ONES, AND THEY WERE COMPLETELY WORN OUT BY THE TIME WE FINALLY ARRIVED HOME!
BUT, THERE WAS MORE EASTER BASKETS TO OPEN FROM GRANDPA AND GRANDMA!
WERE THEY EVER EXCITED! YOU WOULD THINK THEY HAD NEVER SEEN FOOD BEFORE! LOL!
"NOW IF WE DIED WITH CHRIST, WE BELIEVE THAT WE WILL ALSO LIVE WITH HIM. FOR WE KNOW THAT SINCE CHRIST WAS RAISED FROM THE DEAD, HE CANNOT DIE AGAIN; DEATH NO LONGER HAS MASTERY OVER HIM. THE DEATH HE DIED, HE DIED TO SINCE ONCE FOR ALL; BUT THE LIFE HE LIVES, HE LIVES TO GOD. IN THE SAME WAY, COUNT YOURSELVES DEAD TO SIN BUT ALIVE TO GOD IN CHRIST JESUS."
- ROMANS 6:8-11 (NIV)
