Easter Fun

Well tonight we officially started our first Easter activity.  The kids have Easter parties on Monday and Thursday at "school" and need to bring pre-filled plastic eggs.  I went to Wal-Mart and bought some stampers and tonight I filled the eggs and the kids put stickers on them.  Since our Sundays are always busy we got ours ready tonight! 

 Reid picked a lot of Benny the Bull (a character from Dora) and Lightning McQueen stickers for his eggs.

 He had fun for about 10 eggs and then he decided to hang out on the couch. 

 Lilly probably would have put stickers on thousands of eggs!  She was a sticker-sticking machine!  ( ;

 She did some princesses, some sports, some Dora, and some cross stickers. 

 These are the stampers.  I am kicking myself because Oriental Trading Co had free shipping one day this week and I meant to order their "He is Risen!" stamps for a lot cheaper than these but I forgot.  Oh well these are cute too! 

 Our finished eggs ready to be hidden! I would love to tell you that I talked about Jesus at all while we did this but that would just be a lie.  Don't worry, though, because we have some activities this week that focus on the real meaning of Easter this week!  I am hoping to do an activity each night (like I did with the advent calendar before Christmas). 

 Reid's awesome teachers sent this basket home with him for us to do the Easter story this week.  I am so thankful that he has such great teachers to love on him!

This is what was in the basket along with instructions and a verse for each day. 
Sunday--palm branch--John 12:12-14
Monday--little lamb--John 1:29
Tuesday--butterfly--Ephesians 2:5
Wednesday--towel--John 13:1-5
Thursday--cup and crackers--Matthew 26:26-28
Friday--cross and nails--Matthew 27:32, 35, 50
Saturday--stone--Matthew--27:59-60
Sunday--empty Easter egg--Matthew 28:1-2, 5-6

I love this idea.  I am looking forward to doing it each night with the kids.

I found these awesome toddler/preschooler resurrection eggs off of Pinterest (also all of the following ideas came from there as well).  There are six eggs that we will make as we tell the Easter story.  There is a little poem that goes with them, too.  I LOVE these and I feel like they are much more on Lilly's level than the traditional resurrection eggs.  We are doing these in my KDO class, too. 

I love this stained-glass cross.  Last year my only Easter goal was for Lilly and Reid to know that every time they see a cross it should remind them that Jesus loves them.  So I am excited to make these with the kids and have them hanging on the window.  That is still my main goal for this year, too. 

We are going to make this little Resurrection Garden too.  I know they probably won't get the real meaning behind this yet but I know Reid will love playing in the dirt and with rocks. 

We will be making yummy resurrection rolls.  I am so excited because these sound so cool and so yummy!!

The rest of the activities are ones that I am hoping to get to as well!  I like this Empty Tomb Craft.

I also love this Caterpillar to Butterfly activity too.  I didn't know until this year that the butterfly is an Easter symbol.  The first stage is the caterpillar which stands for His life on Earth.  The second phase begins from the cocoon stage portraying the crucifixion and burial of Jesus.  And the third stage is the butterfly representing His resurrection and beautiful new life. 

This is a fun homemade soap activity that goes along with Jesus washing the feet of the disciples. 

I may let Lilly practice her cutting skills with this palm leaf activity. 

I am excited about all of these Easter activities.  I know we probably won't have time to get to them all but we will have fun trying! 

Well we spent the day working in the yard and now my allergies have gone crazy.  I am sooo thankful for the discovery of Cepacol!

Friday Fun

This morning we went to a super-fun costume playgroup hosted by my friend Beth.  It was such a fun idea and the kids loved it!! 

 I laid all of Reid's costumes out to let him pick and he chose, "the star one."  You may know it is as Captain America.  If handsome is a super power--he has it!  (:

 Lilly started the morning in a princess dress but right before we left decided she wanted to be a cheerleader.  She probably would have changed ten more times if I would have let her.  3 and already having a wardrobe crisis.  Ha!! 

 Cody--his mom hosted this fun party!  He is a sweet boy! 

 We pulled up and they have a boat and Lilly was so excited when we drove up.  She kept saying, "Mom they have a boat!!  Do you see the boat??"

 The sun was in her eyes.  She said, "I can't keep my eyes open!"

 Little Addison in the background.  Cody (Incredible), Ryne (Sleeping Beauty), and Layton (Superman). 

 All smiles. 

 Beth played a little song where the kids shook their Easter eggs filled with jelly beans.  They had to participate to get the jellybeans!!  There was also lots of yummy food.  Thanks Beth for such a fun morning!! 

 Addison is such a doll and is always dressed in the latest fashion--such a doll! 

After playgroup I had a hair appointment (and the angels sang because it was PAST DUE).  My friend Brittney does my hair and she offered to just do my hair at her house so the kids could play.  I am so thankful because the kids were entertained and I got to relax and get my hair done while they ran around like wild monkeys children do. 

 They played in her boys' cop car. 

 They had so much fun!!

 Reid didn't want to change out of his costume.  Ha!  He also got a hair cut today and Lilly got a pretend hair cut. 

 Lilly spilled water on her pants so she just took them off.  I am really trying to get her to understand that pants aren't optional.  How is it working for me??  Not so much.  Anyway I told her to go put her pants on and instead she came back on with Brittney's rainboots on. 

Just a typical Friday with these cuties.  Ha!  Hope you all have a great weekend!

Airplanes & Sidewalk Paint

Tuesday after bible study we joined some friends for lunch at the airport cafe where we ate lunch and watched the planes take off. 

 It was nice outside (a little windy but still beautiful) so we sat outside. 

 The kids loved watching the planes take off!  (I think it is fun, too, but shhhhh--it is all for the kids.  ; )

 As you can tell the kids were too busy watching the planes for me to get a photo of their faces. 

 "A plane!!!"

 Okay so it may be really hard to see it in this picture--but Lilly fell and hit her eye on the corner of something in her room.  She has a a mark and a bruised eyelid.  It looked bad immediately--it was one of those times where I was freaking out but couldn't let her know I was freaking out so my voice went up a few octaves.  It really didn't phase her too bad but it looks pitiful. 

 Today we went outside to play with some sidewalk chalk and some sidewalk paint. 

 Reid painted and painted with the roller! 

 And as some point he sat in some paint.  He had paint all over him. 

 After he painted he wanted to sweep.  I had taken the broom outside to sweep off the porch and he wanted to help too.

 My beautiful girl! 

 Our whole driveway looks like this.  (:  I am sure all of our neighbors love it.  Ha!  I have really enjoyed just spending some fun time with the kids this week! 

Also my niece turned one week old today!!  Also friends that know Bert and Becca--they have a blog here!!  I am loving seeing all of the sweet pictures of her--still can't wait to hold her!! 

Brittany's Baby Shower

Saturday I had the honor of helping throw a shower for my sweet friend Brittany and her baby Isabella! 

 Jennifer, me, Brittany, and Jenna--the hostesses and the baby mama.  Haha. 

Washcloth flowers--we saw this cute idea on Pinterest and then Jennifer made them and they turned out SO cute! 

 We used onesies and some of those cute monthly stickers to decorate.  (My friend Rebekah did this at Luke's shower.)  I love these monthly stickers by the way!  How is it that Reid is only 2 and they already have new cool stuff out since he was a baby??

 We had a bow making table.

 Having lots of fun making bows!

 The mommy-to-be even joined in on the fun!  I wish I would have gotten a picture of all the finished cute bows!!

 We asked Brittany what her favorite little girl book was and she said Pinkalicious so we got that book for the guests to sign a note to Isabella!  We also had cards and a blessing ring for guests to write their favorite scripture or encouraging words on for Brittany and Isabella.  As we were planning we wanted all of our decorations to also be gifts for Brittany and Isabella too! 

 The dessert table.  We had cupcakes, yogurt parfaits, chocolate-dipped-pretzels, and pull-and-peel twizzlers.  We asked Brittany what she craved during her pregnancy and she said pull-and-peel twizzlers so we had to have those!! 

 The spread!  Caesar salad, veggie cups with ranch, spinach dip, parmesan chicken salad, fruit kabobs, fruit dip, and crescent roll breakfast casserole. 

 This was my food contribution.  All of the food was so good!  

I love girly showers!  She got so much much fun and frilly things for Isabella!  I just can't wait to meet little Isabella and see her in all of those fun clothes...and hold her!!  ( :