He is Risen!!!!

On Easter morning the kids got up right on time.....the Easter basket was ready and the jellybeans hidden:) They loved the simple, but fun items in their basket, especially Kailyn's books and Will's dinosaurs (go figure, right?). After allowing for some time to play with their new treasures and having a yummy breakfast of cinnamon rolls, we headed downstairs for the jellybean hunt!The kids found all the jellybeans in record time this year! So much fun!These are as good as the pictures got Easter morning....oh well....they are still absolutely precious:)

Tomb cookies object lesson

The night before Easter Sunday, the kids made tomb cookies! What a great experience for the whole family. We started off by beating pecans (like the soldiers beat Jesus), then added vinegar (what Jesus was given to drink on the cross), salt (the tears of Jesus' followers), egg whites (eggs represent new life)......and so on. The ingredients needed to be beat for a long time, but we all took turns and got it done! Then we added in those pecans and dropped the batter on a cookie sheet and each cookie represented a rocky tomb. We then sealed the oven door just like the tomb was sealed by the huge boulder and went to sleep. The kids were surprised to find the cookies were empty in the morning:) I look forward to adding more scripture next year and the following years as they get older and can understand a little more detail! He is risen!

Community Egg Hunt

The Saturday before Easter we headed to Dunton Park for a community egg hunt. It was the first time I have ever tried something like this with the kids and I was by myself....needless to say the kids stuck by my side and did wonderful! There were a ton of people, but luckily we got up towards the front of the pack and the kids were divided into age groups. Our strategy was to head straight to the back and then start picking up the eggs.....worked pretty well. Kailyn and Will each picked up about 4 before I cut them off so there would be plenty for everyone else:) Among our treasures were candy and other goodies, as well as a free cheeseburger from McD's for each of them! What a fun event....we can't wait for next year!As the kids finished up...it started to sprinkle. So thank you Lord for allowing us to have such decent weather!

Beach Day!!!!

Last week (the last week of March) we packed up the sandtoys, a picnic lunch and our bikes and headed to the state park! What a beautiful day (although much warmer at the house than by the water)! The kids climbed some dunes, played in the sand and did some swinging......I had hoped to walk along the shore and let the kids feel the water, but Will had an accident, so we had to go home:( All in all, a wonderful morning filled with sun and sand...it doesn't get much better than that!

Easter Fun!

This Easter season we decided that the kids were old enough to color eggs!!! What a fun afternoon earlier this week! The kids were super excited and I think Ryan and I were too:) They did a great job and I'm already looking forward to next year.We got a zoo animal pack and the kids loved the animal egg holders!We also decorated eggs with dot art and did jelly bean math.....the kids had a blast and Will did a great job sorting his jelly beans by color. It was fun to watch because Kailyn picked a color and then found all the ones that were the same, while Will just picked one and matched it on his mat!

Another craft that the kids had a fun time creating......a true reflection of what Easter is really about! "He is not here: He has risen, just as He said!" Matthew 28:6

Fun on the deck!

We had our first campfire of the year and even made dinner over the open fire!!! Few things in life are as fun and relaxing (once everythings put away)! The kids did great and remembered to walk around the firepit!!!! They could have played until dark....but the next day was a school morning for Kailyn so needless to say........I tried to get the fire going before Ryan got home from work and did not do very well.......he had to start all over when he got home. But to my defense, he had kindling with him and knew which wood was best and dry:) All in all, a fun family night outdoors, the first of many to come!

Hosanna!!!

To prepare and celebrate Palm Sunday, the kids and I always pretend that Jesus is coming on his donkey...we lay down blankets and coats and make palm branches to wave while we sing "Hosanna!" The kids love doing this and it's a great way to prepare our hearts for Jesus.

Then we made donkey puppets (as we were also working with DeeDee Deer and the letter D)....Will was putting his together by himself and it was hilarious where he was putting things:)
The finished project.....so cute!