Easter

One of my favorite holidays...We always host Easter at our house (except for the year I had my spleen removed, and there was the whole stomach flu thing one year, and oh, we missed the year the house burned).  Ok, so other than that, we always LOVE to have the whole family over for lots of food, an egg hunt, and our favorite tradition...a big water gun fight.  I'm not sure how the water gun fight started, but it is a favorite pasttime in our family.

The Easter bunny always hides the baskets in our home.  He leaves the boys clues, which leads them to their baskets.  Hunter and Andy may be tired of playing along, but no playing along=no baskets.  This fact usually encourages them to get up and start looking.
Kevin...oops, I meant the Easter Bunny,  always comes up with some great riddles and hiding places for the boys.

The boys with their Easter goodies

After the boys found their baskets, and had a FEW pieces of candy, we all got ready for church.  We went to the early service and heard a wonderful message.  We then enjoyed some time of fellowship in our Sunday school class.

My handsome men

Aren't they precious?

We tried to get a picture without Ryan...Did I mention that Easter Sunday was also our 13 year anniversary?

After church we hurried home to make last minute preparations for Easter dinner. 

My sister and mother-in-law

Nana and Papaw

Katey, ready to hunt eggs

After we ate, we went outside for the egg hunt.  The kids were collecting money at the rate of $1 for each 20 eggs.  It was originally $1 per 15, but since Amy brought extra eggs, Kevin started getting frugal.

The kids waiting to hunt eggs

Let the fun begin...

Alena was happy with just one egg

Amy brought confetti eggs!  The kids had a blast cracking them on each other's heads.  This is Lauren breaking one on Kevin's head.  He then decided to crack a hard boiled egg on Lauren's head.  The only little problem was that we got in kind of a hurry when we were boiling those last few eggs.  Needless to say the hard-boiled egg was soft-boiled and Lauren woulnd up with a head full of egg yolk.  I washed her hair and she paid Kevin back by hitting him in the head with a water gun later in the day.

Even Papaw got covered in confetti!  Hunter found the $5 prize egg, although Katey nearly wrestled it away from him.

After the eggs were counted, we broke out the water guns and then the real fun started!

Somehow the teams wound up with Kevin (the biggest kid of all), Jonathan, Bethany, and Ryan against  Hunter, Andy, Katey, and Lauren.  The second team was a little outmatched, but they certainly gave a great effort.  They soaked one another, while all of the more "mature" adults sat in the safe zone (the porch), and threatened the life of anyone who aimed a water gun in our direction.

After everyone was soaked and exhausted, we came back inside, changed clothes, and ate a little more.  We had a great time spending the day with our loud and crazy family.

Resurrection Cookies

We decided to try a new recipe the night before Easter.  We made resurrection cookies.  Click the link for a copy of this recipe. http://www.christian-homemaking.com/resurrectioncookies.htm

What a wonderful recipe to share with the children. These cookies are made the evening before celebrating the Resurrection, and are cooked in a warm oven overnight so they will be ready on Resurrection Sunday morning.


You need to preheat oven to 300 degrees (this is important--don't wait until you are half done with the recipe!)

3 egg whites
1 cup whole pecans
1 tsp. Vinegar
A pinch salt
1 cup sugar
A zipper baggie
A wooden spoon
tape
Bible

1. Place pecans in zipper baggie and let children beat them with the wooden spoon to break into small pieces. Explain that after Jesus was arrested, He was beaten by the Roman soldiers.
Read John 19:1-3.

2. Let each child smell the vinegar. Put 1 tsp. vinegar into mixing bowl. Explain that when Jesus was thirsty on the cross, He was given vinegar to drink.
Read John 19:28-30.

3. Add egg whites to vinegar. Eggs represent life. Explain that Jesus gave His life to give us life.
Read John 10:10-11.

4. Sprinkle a little salt into each child's hand. Let them taste it and brush the rest into the bowl. Explain that this represents the salty tears shed by Jesus' followers, and the bitterness of our own sin.
Read Luke 23:27.

5. So far, the ingredients are not very appetizing. Add 1cup sugar. Explain that the sweetest part of the story is that Jesus died because He loves us. He wants us to know and belong to Him.
Read Ps. 34:8 and John 3:16.

6. Beat with a mixer on high speed for 12 to 15 minutes until stiff peaks are formed. Explain that the color white represents the purity in God's eyes of those whose sins have been cleansed by Jesus.
Read Isa. 1:18 and John 3:1-3.

7. Fold in broken nuts. Drop by teaspoons onto wax paper covered cookie sheet. Explain that each mound represents the rocky tomb where Jesus' body was laid.
Read Matt. 27:57-60.


8. Put the cookie sheet in the oven, close the door and turn the oven OFF.
Give each child a piece of tape and seal the oven door. Explain that Jesus' tomb was sealed.
Read Matt. 27:65-66.

9. GO TO BED! Explain that they may feel sad to leave the cookies in the oven overnight. Jesus' followers were in despair when the tomb was sealed.

(Ryan was pretty sad to leave the cookies in overnight.  He placed 2 guards outside of the oven to watch over the cookies.)

Read John 16:20 and 22.
10. On Resurrection morning, open the oven and give everyone a cookie. Notice the cracked surface and take a bite. The cookies are hollow! On the first Resurrection, Jesus' followers were amazed to find the tomb open and empty.
Read Matt. 28:1-9

They are hollow on the inside.  These were lots of fun to make.  They taste like a meringue with pecans in it.

Easter Preparation

We enjoyed a whole week of Spring Break right before Easter.  We spent some time getting ready for our annual Easter egg hunt/water gun fight.  Ryan chose egg heads which he decorated like family members.  Andy chose sport eggs, and Hunter chose camo eggs.

Ryan decorating his eggs

Andy working on the baseball eggs.

Hunter and Andy arguing over who had the most eggs

Granny is the one in the white cowboy hat, in case you were wondering. He called her "Cowgirl Granny."

Hunter with his camo eggs and his special "Kaylee" egg

Ryan decided to create a new recipe which included coffee, flour, vinegar, and the broken hard-boiled eggs.  The house smelled awful for at least 2 hours!

The Sheep

The Chicks

The Bunnies