Easter Week

Our Easter was really fun this year. We had so much fun hunting for candy-filled eggs with the boys. They really got into it. I loved the squeals of excitement and the hustle bustle of finding the eggs. But the most fun part was doing our best to have a gospel-centered Easter, filled with all kinds of methods and activities we tried to teach our boys about Easter and its meaning and Christ's love for all of us.
The most fun activity for them were felt board stories. Boy oh boy they retained tons of information, much more than I would have guessed. And it melted my hear to watch Kolton tell the stories to Micah. What a sweet moment it was!
The one I would not repeat, or at least I would tweak, was the "Jerusalem Dinner." I thought it sounded fun and neat to try foods that Christ may have eaten at the Last Supper. I set a goal to try cooking a new food from a different country once a month, and I figured this could count. So off I went to the store to buy lamb, barley, dried figs, and various cheeses, fruits, nuts, etc. I even made some unleavened bread. Well, the lamb and barley ended up being Chance's dinner for the next week. (He was definitely happy I made it) And everything else was nibbled a bit and then thrown away. But all in all, it was fun to try something new (even if it was gross) and kind of visualize a little more what it may have been like in Old Jerusalem. I feel like we learn better when we try to live things or model them, rather than just reading.
The other thing the boys loved was role-playing the parables. I got this great book from Deseret Book called, "A Christ-Centered Easter" and it was just filled with many wonderful ideas and traditions about how to remember Him and incorporate not only the crucifixion and Gethsemane, but the entire week preceding the resurrection. I would highly recommend it to anyone. It's good some good ideas and insights for all ages, and it also helped me come up with my own.
I so appreciate and love my Savior and all He's done for me. I love Easter and the special times we have throughout the year to remember and honor Him. I feel his love daily in my life, and I rely on it many, many times throughout my day as I do my best to raise a family and grow together in the gospel. I hope I can pass this love and appreciation and understanding on to my children. It truly is such an amazing blessing.
The rest of Easter was filled with a few egg hunts for the kids. And even one for us. My cute parents decided to organize a flashlight hunt for us older kids this year. It was so much fun! Thanks Mom and Dad.
I got some darling Easter outfit for the boys, but I somehow forgot to get a picture. I will post one soon.
Happy Easter everyone!