Easter 2015

Primary party

Our Primary activity was amazing this year.  It wasn't the traditional egg hunt.  They rotated to 3 different rooms to make a cute bunny ears craft, bake resurrection rolls and make a neat Easter family night kit. 

 

 

 listening intently to Jerianne tell them the story of Jesus' resurrection

 This was my favorite part and I think was the kids' too.  Each ingredient they baked with was symbolic.  The marshmallow (Christ) was white and pure and they put it in butter (the oils) and then in cinnamon (the spices) and wrapped it in a crescent dough (linens)  After the rolls were done - the kids looked inside the rolls and the marshmallow was gone.  It was pretty cool.

 When the activity was over, there were children in groups sitting on the floor just eating their refreshments and their rolls and I noticed as I walked around that each little pocket of conversation was about Jesus and the resurrection.  The kids were all so interested that the marshmallow as gone and how Jesus was also gone from the tomb.  The older kids were teaching the younger kids.  It was very cool and memorable.  And we used our 12 egg Family Night kit on Easter morning - and I loved it.  Very neat activity.  Thank you to the primary presidency!

 

Lucy's Preschool egg hunt and party

This was an insane egg hunt.  Each child came away with about 50 eggs.  And on top of that they gave prizes.  They hid a silver egg and a gold egg and if you found those you got a huge bag of treats and toys.  Lucy actually found BOTH of them.  So, she gave one bag away and kept one.  And then of course there were cupcakes and other treats as part of the party.   So, even if I'm a loser when it comes to holidays - other people in my children's lives more than pick up the slack.

 



 

 (trying out a prize)  a sneaky mysterious stranger

Baptist Egg Hunt

 

Don't ya love when you are just on a bike ride and you happen upon an amazing egg hunt?  This was Brunsick Baptist church's egg hunt.  (I use the word "hunt" loosely here.  It's really more of an egg race - no hunting involved) They saw us passing by and insisted on the kids joining the hunt.   They gave them grocery sacks and entered their name in the drawing and they were all set. 

 During Lucy's turn she saw a plastic "cupcake egg" in Luke's section.  It was purple and she wanted it so bad.  After her turn was over she told Luke about it and where it was.  And I'll be darned if that little boy didn't race right over to it and run all the way back and hand it to her.  And then ran and got a pink one for Maryanne and brought it all the way back.  And his grocery sack was still empty after minutes into the race.  (He still totally scored plenty of eggs but I loved that he got the girls' egg first.)

There was a giant bounce house they played in afterwards and the kids were having the time of their lives.   Lucy came out unscathed but someone jumped and sat on Luke's face and he came out with blood gushing down his face. 

Then it was time for the drawing.  It was the 4-5 year old girls drawing and they pulled out.... "Lucy Hale!"
She was excited to win and got a huge gift basket of toys.  I felt a little embarrassed since we don't even go to their church and were there as guests.  We sheepishly took it and thanked them.

But then it was overkill when the 6-7 year old boy was drawn and it was .... "Luke Hale!"   And his prize was a BRAND NEW BIKE!!  Then, I was more than just a little embarrassed.  Luke already had a bike and this was just too much.  I told Luke he needed to give it back so another boy who needed a bike could have it. 

Luke was a pretty good sport about it and shyly went up and asked them to draw another name.  They were really sweet about it and let Luke read the name.  And the boy who won was really excited and everyone gave Luke a lot of attention for doing that so I think he felt really good.  (I actually think some people mistook his shyness for sadness and thought I was a mean mom to make him give away his prize so they gave him extra attention.)

 

 

Friend Egg Hunt at Ellendale Park

A group of friends organized this egg hunt and this time it was an actual hunt.  It was fun because there were some eggs that were hidden really well so it took the kids awhile to find them all.

 

Our friends the Austins.  They had me snap a family picture and since they are moving and we are going to miss them so much - I thought I should post it here.   Moment of silence....

 

 

 

I love Easter.  It's wonderful to remember what Jesus did for our sakes.  And that death is not the end.  It's a joyous and beautiful thing to celebrate.  Here's an old throwback:

1999 - Jerusalem