Easter Celebrations!

During the week of Easter we celebrated with some of our old family traditions and some new ones.  Alan's parents had traveled all the way from Texas to visit us for a few days, and they brought eggs for hunting! The boys each were assigned different colors so they all would receive the same amount of eggs.  They had a blast searching for their own particular colors! Thanks Grammy and Granddad!

After finding all the eggs, it was time to open up to find treasures of candy, gum and quarters! Alan and I told the boys they could use the quarters to do their own laundry next time! (Just kidding of course!!!) 

The RV park campground where we were staying had an Easter party on Saturday as well. They had all kinds of crafts, games, snacks and a table to dye eggs.  The boys had a blast!

At the end of the party they held three separate Easter egg hunts for various age groups. Joshua's age group went first.  As all the children (ages 1-3 years) were running around picking up all the eggs they could find, we noticed Joshua was passing up a lot of eggs and only picking a few here and there.  When the hunt was over he showed us his basket...

All of the eggs he picked were BLUE! He was looking for only blue eggs! We realized he probably thought he was supposed to just get one color based on the egg hunt we had the other day with the grandparents!!! So funny! He had a great time anyway and was SO excited about his blue eggs!

During the older children's egg hunt, Micah found the prize egg!!! He was so excited! There was candy and $3 dollars inside too! Whoo Hoo!

The next day we attended an Easter Service at Grace On the Ashley Church in Charleston.  What a loving and friendly church family and staff! Alan and I realized this was actually our FIRST time to attend an Easter worship service together as a family. During the blessing of serving many years in Children's Ministry, we all were usually in the nursery/children's area teaching and/or caring for young children or babies during the Easter services.  I think we did attend about 20 minutes of one service one year with 2 of our boys, but that was it.  Please don't misunderstand me...we really did love serving the children and families in the ministry.  This was just an extra special time for us to be together as a family...worshipping and celebrating our risen Savior!

After church we came home to the RV and Alan cooked a special lunch of baked ham, mashed potatoes, cheese grits casserole (we felt like we had to eat some grits since we were in the south!!!) and homemade bread from the bread maker.  We had green beans but didn't get around to cooking them until we had leftovers the next day.  Alan does enjoy cooking and he does a great job too:) It was delicious! That evening, Alan read the story of Jesus' resurrection from our Children's Story Bible.

We also have an Easter family tradition of making Easter Resurrection Rolls.  First, we take marshmallows (representing Jesus' body) and roll them in melted butter (representing the oils).

Then, we roll the marshmallows in a cinnamon/sugar mixture that represents the spices for anointing. After that, we roll up the marshmallows in crescent dough (for the linen cloths He was wrapped in) and put them in the oven.  After they are done cooking, the marshmallows have melted away inside - symbolizing Jesus rose from the dead and the empty tomb!

We hope you and your loved ones had a wonderful Easter together! What a great time to remember how much God loves us. 

"This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life. God didn't go to all the trouble of sending his Son merely to point an accusing finger, telling the world how bad it was. He came to help, to put the world right again. Anyone who trusts in him is acquitted; anyone who refuses to trust him has long since been under the death sentence without knowing it. And why? Because of that person's failure to believe in the one-of-a-kind Son of God when introduced to him."

John 3:16 The Message

Blessings to you and yours,

Jill and the boys:)