Rewind: Easter

So I thought I'd go back and fill in a few gaps.

First up is Easter!

Last year we were quite involved in observing Lent in an age-appropriate way with Asa especially but also including Anna Reaghan as much as we could.  This year, the newborn fog made that a bit more difficult.  Hopefully we'll be back with it next year!!  But I did want to make Easter special.  So while feeding Lila I started browsing (Pinterest, where else?!) for ways to underscore the huge huge HUGE meaning of Easter for us.

Unless he's heard something at school, our kids haven't even really heard of the Easter bunny.  But we wanted to go beyond that and make sure we pointed to the risen Jesus as we celebrated.  We wanted to put together baskets (or in our case, buckets) of some small treats, but I didn't want them to be rinky-dink trinkets that pointed to Jesus just for the sake of giving a trinket.  I wanted to find things the kids sincerely would enjoy as well.  After gathering ideas from several blogs and brainstorming on my own, I came up with this year's Easter basket list:

Flower bulbs - for the new life we have in Jesus.
Torn Black Paper - for the torn veil when Jesus died—he made the way for US!
Washcloth - for when Jesus washed the disciples’ feet.
Fruit Gummies - for the fruit of the Spirit—Love joy peace patience kindness goodness faithfulness gentleness self control
Empty Egg - for the empty tomb—He is Risen!  Hallelujah!
Tissues - for the linen in which Jesus was wrapped for His burial.
Salted Pretzel Fish – Jesus said, “You are the salt of the earth,” AND, “I will make you fishers of men.”

Glow stick – Jesus is the Light of the world!  And he said, “Let your light shine before men.”

Hairbows  (for our girls)– Jesus said even the number of hairs on our heads are counted.

Candy – Taste and see that he Lord is GOOD!

Book – Jesus the WORD of God! (Asa got a new children's Bible and the girls got new sweet books about Easter (AR) and that Jesus LOVES us (Lila))

chalk - the Bible says we are God's masterpiece, created to do good things for His glory

Erasers - because Jesus "erased" our sin

play doh - We have been learning the song "Jesus Let Us Come to Know You" and there is a verse that says, "Touch us/Hold us/Use us/Mold us"  God, please MOLD us in Your image!

kit-kat bars - because Jesus' body was broken for us

We also had a special Easter breakfast of a donut with the bottom cut off (so it would stand up) with a munchkin donut in front of it--the tomb and the stone that sealed it for the kids to roll away.  They loooooooved this.  The tangible aspect really clicked with them both.

My play group had an egg hunt the week before Easter.  I just took the girls as most of the kids are 1-2 (more AR's age range), and I didn't want Asa to steam roll anyone. ;)  I also knew he'd have an egg hunt at school so he'd still get in on the fun the following week.  This was the first year Anna Reaghan was old enough to enjoy an egg hunt (last year we had the stomach flu, and the previous year she was a baby). She spotted eggs and collected them right away.  Then her amazement continued (and exploded!) when I showed her how to open the eggs and there were TREATS inside!!  She couldn't stuff her face fast enough!  It was tooooo funny. 

Asa had an egg hunt at school the following week, and then our neighborhood had an Easter story time and egg hunt the day before Easter.  It was fun to get to know some new neighbors and see some we have already met.  The neighbors hosted face painting as well.  Asa & AR both loved it all. :)

 AR & Matt in the foreground, Asa beyond them with the orange bucket :)

 AR checking out her eggs

 their spoils--Asa won the chocolate cross in a drawing at the story time

 Asa's shooting star face paint

Anna Reaghan's princess crown

The night before a Easter I also quickly sewed up a dress for Lila from the scrap fabric I had left over after making AR's last year (it still fit albeit shorter than last year)!  I need to get some pics with my real camera, but here is a camera phone pic.

We also woke Asa to exclaiming HE IS RISEN and he answered HE IS RISEN INDEED!  Last year we woke AR first and took her to wake Asa as it as Mary (a woman) who had the gift and joy of telling the others Jesus was/is alive.  I forgot to go to AR first, but Asa did delight in bursting into her room and telling her Jesus is alive. :)  Sweet, sweet memories. :)