Learning Lent

When I mentioned to my husband that all the Lenten devotionals I was finding were specifically Catholic, he just looked at me. As evangelicals, Lent has not been a traditional part of our family's Easter observance. But why not?

Happy Easter!

We spent a beautiful Easter day with family.

Who needs eggs when there are ladybugs to be found?

Happy Easter to you and yours!

A tradition continues...

 

We're getting ready for Easter Sunday!

Easter Window & Our Favorite Easter Story Books

The girls and I decorated for Easter this morning with a lovely stained-glass cross on our front door. I thought about doing this project on our back door, but our neighbors might as well know from the start that we're a little craft-crazy around here.

I just love the effect of tissue paper stained glass. For this project, I made the outline of a cross with masking tape and then let the girls fill it in with cut pieces of colored tissue paper.

They both did a great job and even A was entertained for quite awhile sticking up the tiny pieces of tissue paper.

To keep the paper stuck on, we first applied a watered-down solution of washable Elmers to the window with a sponge brush. Filth Wizardry recommends glue pens, but I haven't been able to find any around here. (Did you ever see her tissue paper window collage? Amazing!)

The cross is just as lovely from the inside. I can't wait to see what it looks like at night!

Our Favorite Easter-story Books:

I've reviewed all of these books before, but I thought it would be a good idea to visit them again. Finding books to explain the Easter story to young children is difficult, but here are my favorites.

The First Easter by Carol Heyer

I think I found this one at Walmart. What I love about this book are the illustrations. They are gorgeous and none of them actually show Jesus' face. The story is explained in detail, although you may wish to rephrase or sum up parts, as the writer doesn't take the time to explain what a "Pharisee" is or what "Passover" means. To see more pictures from this book, visit my original review.





The Easter Story by Patricia A Pingry

This is the go-to board book for explaining the Easter Story to young children. The illustrations are nothing special but the story is told succinctly and at a level appropriate for little ones. Read my original review.








Let's Celebrate Jesus on Easter by Amy Beveridge

I have no problem enjoying secular traditions along with sacred ritual. We enjoy decorating eggs and doing crafts about bunnies as well as attending Good Friday and Easter Sunday services. This book helps put those secular celebrations in perspective and even connects them with spiritual truths kids can appreciate. Read the full review.

Who needs Peeps?

When you've got bizarre mutant monster marshmallow chicks to eat?

I'll admit it. I almost didn't do this post because these little guys turned out so... odd. But I've been yelled at by my friends for only posting my successes, so here you go. How to make weird-looking marshmallow Easter chicks:

First, be inspired by this post at Living Locurto. Think to yourself that those look adorable and easy and decide to try them, only without the edible markers (because how often do you draw on marshmallows anyway?) and the frosting (because there's no way I'm whipping up an entire batch of frosting for this little craft).

Next, smoosh a jellybean into a marshmallow, hard.

Now melt some chocolate chips and "draw" your eyes and wings with a toothpick.

Break a toothpick in half and insert both pieces into the marshmallow as legs. Now all you need is the "feather" on top. Mix powdered sugar, milk, and food coloring together to form a thick icing. Blob on top.

And there you go! An odd-looking but definitely delicious sugary treat sure to please your kids.

As long as you don't try to take their picture!

Be Patient, Little Chick by Claude Clement

I was pleasantly surprised by this library find. From the moment Little Chick is born he is impatient to do more and be more than a little chick. His mother preaches patience and after several scrapes, he learns his lesson and appreciates his mother.

It's a very straightforward story with a clear moral, but I think that's what makes it so charming. It has a vintage feel of the type of story I might have been read as a child. The illustrations are warm and lovely. Definitely worth a check-out if you happen upon it on your own library shelves!

We heart Splotch

I'm back! Our move went great (despite the rain - and snow!). We've been busy unpacking, decorating, and enjoying our new digs. But I couldn't let the week before Easter go by without any posts, so I'm back to review one of my favorite new books:

Roly-Poly Egg by Kali Stileman

Of all the books I received from Tiger Tails, this is by far my favorite. Splotch is a little bird who lays an egg: "small- yes, spotty- yes, and absolutely perfect in every way!" In her excitement over her egg, she drops it and thus begins the egg's adventure through the forest.

Each page chronicles the egg's journey from animal to animal and finally back to Splotch. The illustrations are beyond adorable and have a Carle-esque feel in their paint and cut paper collages. A dashed line on each page encourages children to trace the egg's path. In the end, kids get to lift the flap of Splotch's egg, for a delightful spotted surprise!

This book just begs for fan artwork, so we pulled out our paints after church today and got splotching!

I let the girls pick out two paint colors and then they mixed and went to town on the paper. We used folded cardstock so we could give these away as cards.

We each thought our painting was small- yes, spotty-yes, and absolutely perfect in every way!


Disclaimer: Roly-Poly Egg was provided to me courtesy of Tiger Tails Books free of charge in exchange for a review. This does not in any way influence my review.

Happy Easter!

Oh Happy Day!

Peace, joy, and many blessings

on you and your family this Easter Sunday!

Like Sheep to the Slaughter

Isn't he adorable? The inspiration came from these sheep on Southern Living. My co-worker Mike saw it and tore out the page, knowing it was something my girls would love. Wasn't that thoughtful? His wife has trained him well! :)

The magazine used melted white candy coating to attach the mini marshmallows to a Milano body. I didn't have any candy coating so I planned on using melted white chocolate chips, but I didn't have any of those either. In the end I coated the Milano with marshmallow fluff and covered it with the marshmallows. I attached the Milano face, marshmallow eyes and ears, and mini chocolate chip pupils with the fluff as well. The hooves were mini pb cups from Trader Joes.

He ended up looking so cute! I took a few snapshots, got the baby up from her nap, and then went to get the sheep to surprise the girls...

Now I know why they suggested candy coating. Don't worry, we quickly put him out of his misery!

May you and your family be blessed this Easter weekend!

Bunnies on the shirt! Bunnies in the hair!

Bunnies everywhere! E's preschool Easter party is this Thursday and the poor child had nothing festive to wear. I know, the shame! Obviously I'm being facetious, but E's classmates are so often decked out in the cutest, gymboree-est outfits, it makes me a little embarrassed I clothe her continually in t-shirts and jeans. So, this time I'm clothing her in an adorable t-shirt and jeans.

I ran across a bunny stencil download at Two Giggle Boxes and used it to do a simple bunny applique on E's old t-shirt. It's a size too small, but I figured we could squeeze one more use out of it before it was stuffed into the attic. The fabric I used for the bunny is a scrap I had on-hand, and I thought the green and blue was a nice change from pink.

To complete the ensemble, I attempted this bunny ponytail holder inspired by Vanessa at Silly Eagle Books. (If you don't know Vanessa, run-do-not-walk over to Silly Eagle Books and check her out. When I read "we go through books the way pandas tear through bamboo forests," I knew I had found a kindred spirit. Seriously, you're going to love her.) Vanessa used large buttons and pretty ribbon to make her ponytails. All my buttons were ugly, however, so I covered one in the same fabric as the shirt. Vanessa and I debated whether eyes would make these accessories even cuter, so I went ahead and glued a couple on. You be the judge. I think I like Vanessa's minimalist approach better, but E was happy with her new hair doodad.

And because I promised you meaningful Easter books this week (not to mention I am plum out of bunny books)...

Let's Celebrate Jesus on Easter by Amy Beveridge

This board book (it comes in a $3 paperback version as well) is a great companion to The Easter Story. Instead of explaining the origin of Easter, the book lists some of the fun things we do at Easter-time and then juxtaposes that fun thing with a truth about God. For example, one page shows a little boy looking for Easter eggs with his friends accompanied by the words "At Easter I will hunt for eggs..." The next page shows him holding his dad's hand in a crowd and finishes the sentence with "But Jesus never has to hunt for me- he always knows right where I am. 'Every moment you know where I am.' Psalm 139:3"

I was a little dismissive of this book at first, because it seems to focus on the secular aspects of the holiday, but I've grown to appreciate it. Much of our celebrating does involve egg hunts and chocolate bunnies, and I like how the book ties these familiar things into spiritual truths my girls can understand. I also appreciate the inclusion of short Bible verses in each section. The book finishes with a simple prayer that is perfect to finish up our bedtime routine.

Playdough Easter Mountain

Egg trees are nice and I love nativity scenes, but what's the equivalent for the Easter story? My friend Kristen turned me on to the answer. She found this wonderful activity that has you make a playdough mountain which you can use to play-act the Easter story with young children.

Ingredients for playdough:

• 4 c. of flour
• 1.5 c. salt
• 1.5 c. water
• 1 Tbs. oil 

Mix and knead the playdough, adding extra water until it's the right consistency. A was more than happy to help!

Find an empty aluminum can. I had plenty of full (and expired!) cans to choose from. Pull off a chunk of playdough to create the tomb stone and mold the rest of the dough around the can to create the mountain. Be sure to poke a hole in the top of the mound for the cross.

Bake at 250 degrees for 4 to 5 hours. (The smell of the cooking playdough will make you crave baked goods - watch out!) When it has cooled, decorate however you'd like. I had E paint the whole mound dark green and then I sponge-painted over that with a light green. To keep the surface from scratching my table, I hot-glued the mountain to a sheet of green felt and then trimmed the extra.

To make the cross, tie two sticks together with a pipe cleaner and insert into the hole. I hot-glued a bit of moss and a few flowers at the entrance of the tomb, as well as a bit of moss at the base of the cross. I left the stone naked.

Now you can create pipe cleaner figures to act out the different parts of the Easter story. E asked if she could make a sign that says "The tomb is empty." Amen, girlfriend! He is risen!

Yesterday I promised an Easter story book that's perfect for toddlers:

The Easter Story by Patricia A Pingry

There's nothing particularly special about this book, except that it tells the story of Jesus in simple, clear language that young children can understand. (And after all the books I've searched through, that makes this a very special book!) It explains who Jesus was (son of God), what he did (healed the sick, taught his disciples), and introduces early that there were people who didn't like Jesus or what he taught. It easily moves through the triumphal entry and the last supper, touching gently on his arrest and death, and spending a joyous time on his resurrection!

It's the best first introduction to the Easter story I've found. Have you found a better? I would love to hear it!

I'm linking up with:
- Get Your Craft On @ Today's Creative Blog