Happy Easter

One of my goals for this year was to implement some family traditions to celebrate Easter. Well, I kept thinking Easter was a long way off and then suddenly it wasn't anymore. I made an attempt at Resurrection Eggs, but I didn't have eggs and wasn't really prepared, so it didn't go over very well. I don't know if I will try it again...We did read everything in The Children's Illustrated Bible from the time when Jesus enters Jerusalem until his ascension into heaven. Then, I made this summary poster with symbols.  I have visions of doing something like I did with the Advent Jesse Tree for Easter (maybe a Passion Tree?).  Unfortunately, I just could not pull that off for this year.






We made resurrection rolls for the first time, lots of fun.  Having read about these Friday night, I went out on Saturday to buy crescent rolls (yes, I bought whomp 'ems!) and marshmallows.  You also need cinnamon and sugar and melted butter.  There are tons of posts out there about these.  To make them, follow these steps:
1. Roll the marshmallow in butter.
2. Roll the marshmallow in cinnamon-sugar mixture.  I think I used 1 T sugar and 1 t cinnamon.
3. Place the marshmallow on the crescent roll.
4. Wrap the crescent roll around the marshmallow and pinch the seams well.
5. Bake according to the directions on the package.

The idea behind these is that the crescent roll represents the tomb and the marshmallow represents Jesus.  The butter and cinnamon-sugar mixture represent the oil and spices that Jesus' body was anointed with.  During baking the marshmallow melts, so that when you open up the roll, the marshmallow (a.k.a. Jesus) is no longer inside just as Jesus was no longer in the tomb when the women arrived.

I thought there would be an amazing, wow! how did you do that??? moment for the kids.  There was none.  Mary caught on right away and knew that the marshmallow just melted.  Everyone loved the rolls, though, and I will definitely do this activity again! 

Here are the supplies: crescent rolls, marshmallows, melted butter and cinnamon sugar.

Maggie is rolling!

Mary is sealing!

The rolls are baking!

Matthew and Jonathan were really fussy, so I gave them each a marshmallow!  Needless to say, they liked them a LOT!

The finished product.

The girls decided all on their own to celebrate Easter morning by running around the house playing pot lids, commonly referred to as cymbals, and shakers, commonly referred to as maracas. They sang, "Everyone Ought to Know Jesus." I love these kids.

Maggie on the shakers!

Mary on the pot lids!

In the afternoon, we had some time to plant the marigolds!