Easter Happenings

Here are my three kidlets all ready for Easter morning services.

Hubby and I are both Sunday school teachers (different grades), so we also had separate parties in our classes that morning. Of course, that meant I had two parties to prepare for, LoL. So I made about 5 dozen cookies, a fruit tray (always a hit with the little kids) and many goody bags with assorted items of candy and toys-thank goodness for the dollar store!

I had planned to roast a turkey for Easter dinner (we're not big pork fans), but hubby surprised me with the decision to take the family out to eat- he said I had done enough work on other things, he wanted me just to relax- what woman would argue with that? It is such a rare occasion for us to go out to eat (I always think of all the groceries I could get with that money) so it really was a treat- and no kitchen to clean up afterwards!

Every year our church puts on an Easter performance, and this year my boys had a small part in one of the scenes. While it was a small part, they still had to be at rehearsals three evenings this past week, which wasn't easy to fit in the schedule. However, they were thrilled to be a part of it all. I look forward to this performance each year because it's totally centered on the true meaning of Easter, and in particular this year it focused on Heaven and what awaits us there (loved ones, ect). So I cried liked usual, and felt like my soul had been refreshed. I need that sometimes with all the other hustle and bustle going on. I suppose we all do.

Because the day was so packed with activities, we didn't get to our Easter egg hunt until after the Evening services. My kids were really good about this, considering they were really looking forward to it. If you live in the Northwest, you know this is still our rainy season, so we did our hunt in the house where it was nice and dry.

I was amazed when I went into several stores this year, Easter items are getting bigger and more expensive it seems. I had decided I wanted to keep ours low-budget, so it didn't end up becoming Christmas-in-a-basket! I picked up a few dollar toys, chocolate bunnies (a requirement) and a small amount of candy.

Of course, much of the fun was in the scavenger hunt anyway.

End result: they had alot of fun, and were quite content with their small amount of loot!

My daughter and I made these decoupage eggs together. She was fascinated with the whole process. We invited her brothers to join in, but they were immersed in the creation of a lego kingdom...can you imagine boys wanting to do that instead of decoupage?

I hope you all had a wonderful and blessed Easter~

Happy Easter

Hear the bells ringing,

They're singing that you can be born again.

Hear the bells ringing,

They're singing Christ is risen from the dead.

The angel up on the tombstone said He has risen just as He said.

Quickly now, go tell his disciples that Jesus Christ is no longer dead.

Joy to the word, He has risen, hallelujah

He's risen, hallelujah

He's risen, hallelujah

May the Luck of the Irish be with You

Last night the kids made a leprechaun trap. They had so much fun running around looking for various items that might "lure" one of the wee people to the trap, and hopefully catch him in the act. We used gold dollars and one of Mommy's sparkly bracelets, as well as one of my daughter's miniature tea cups with saucer. Then we camouflaged with small pine boughs.


Now my daughter is running around talking about how she is going to have a "pet" leprechaun, LoL.

We, of course, did discuss that being wily and sly little fellows, leprechauns are not at all easy to fool, let alone catch. But maybe we will atleast be able to tell he stopped by....

I plan to post pictures of our various St. Paddy's day activities later today, so until then:


Free Glitter Graphics

5 days and counting...

Today was spent working on maps of Ireland, and making a mini-book about snakes. There is actually a tie-in there: legend has it that Saint Patrick himself drove the snakes out of Ireland. Makes me wish he had immigrated here!

And if the mention of snakes made you shudder, just wait...your turns coming Marva, Nikki & Kristy. The boy breed just naturally wants to learn about and handle the things! So I settle for the learning, and let them look at them through glass at the zoo, Lol.

Ireland is a beautiful country. I haven't been there myself, but my younger sister has. I thus far must settle for pictures. There are very few places I would step off of good ol' U.S. soil for, but Ireland is one of them. Maybe I'll shoot for our 25th wedding anniversary...so only 10 more years to go! If I save up all my pennies...

We made tentative plans for our St. Paddy's day party. As it is also the beginning of Spring Break (for those bound by such rules) we will be able to invite some of the kid's friends to it. Fingers are crossed for good weather...

And I am trying out some new recipes with a definite Irish twist to them. I just wish I had not tried that Dubliner cheese. It's absolutely delicious and full of fat calories...

My children are also copying Irish Proverbs for penmanship this week. So here are a few to consider:

• Shallow water makes great noise.


• Falling is easier than rising.


• Man talks, but God directs.

When Irish Eyes are Smiling

I am calling off all other posts (of mine that is) to dedicate the next week to all things Irish.

One of the few things I share with my birth mother, with whom I did not live while growing up, is a love of my Irish heritage. And I, of course, am not 100% Irish- but I quess you could say I'm just enough! And I have the hair to prove it. As did my mother and great-grandmother (and now my daughter).

I should maybe say up front that I am not Catholic, and St. Patrick's day is not about a Saint or religion to me, just about being Irish. And I won't drink a drop that day (well, maybe some Tea).

I love just about any holiday, even more so now that I have 3 children. While I know people who do not celebrate many holidays, for a variety of reasons, I always feel each holiday is what I make of it.

So I will leave you with my favorite Irish blessing:

May the road rise to meet you,

May the wind be ever at your back.

May the sun shine warm upon your face,

The rains fall soft upon your fields.

And until we meet again,

May God hold you in the hollow of his hand.

Traditions

I spent some time last night searching the internet for Christmas tradition ideas. I hit on a blog that had so many great ideas on it, I couldn't even begin to put a fraction of them into motion- and I want to do just about every one of them!

One idea that we had already started was reading a new Christmas story each night of December, culminating in the story of Jesus birth on Christmas Eve. Tonight we read "A Ragged Christmas Feast".

It was a story about a feast that was held each year for the poor children in Dublin, Ireland. These poor, ragged little children were thrilled to receive all the tea and hot buns they wanted at this feast. No gifts- just something to eat and to warm them.

My boys found it interesting and pondered the moral of the story, while my daughter colored and told me I had repeated myself twice! We're all looking forward to tommorrows story. I will probably post some of the other ideas tommorrow. That's all folks~

Rainy Days

What a cold and rainy day today was. As funny as it sounds, it's actually making me a little homesick for the midwest. While I have to admit it gets much colder in Indiana (my home state), it's a different kind of cold.

I miss the crisp cold weather that makes you catch your breath, and the beautiful white landscape. The cold in the Northwest seems to just creep into my bones and stays there. And I much prefer snow to rain.

I'm not really meaning to complain, it's just interesting to me that after ten years I would still miss the Midwest winters. These rainy days make me want to hole up in the house with the kids, I think I could be content to do that.

My living room is so cozy with the Christmas tree lights twinkling, the smell of candles burning, the smoky mountain Christmas music playing.

Every day I put out another gift under the tree, and all the kids rush over to see whose it is. They don't seem to realize I'm taking turns! And they don't really care if it isn't their turn, it's just exciting regardless. And I don't think anyone gets as much enjoyment out of the whole thing as I do~