Resurrection Cookies

Easter celebrates the greatest miracle, Jesus' ultimate reason for coming into this world--his death and resurrection. For several years now, my sister has shared with me an Easter tradition she enjoys with her kids: the resurrection cookies with the Bible story. With my oldest being a young four, I think this year she will enjoy the baking and really start to get something out of the Biblical story of Easter. This is a version of the cookies and story (you can easily find many other variations), and it is intented to be done Easter Eve so that the special surprise is revealed Easter morning!

Resurrection Cookies
1 c whole pecans
1 t vinegar
3 egg whites
pinch salt
1 c sugar

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. (this in important - don't wait until you are halfway done with the recipe!) Place pecans in a zipper bag and let children beat them with a wooden spoon to break into small pieces. Explain that after Jesus was arrested
he was beaten by the Roman soldiers.

Read John 19:1-3

Let each child smell the vinegar. Put 1 vinegar into mixing bowl. Explain that when Jesus was thirsty on the cross he was given vinegar to drink.

Read John 19:28-30.

Add egg whites to vinegar. Eggs represent life. Explain that Jesus gave His life to give us life.

Read John 10:10-11.

Sprinkle a little salt into each child's hand. Let them taste it and brush the rest into the bowl. Explain that this represents the salty tears shed by Jesus' followers, and the bitterness of our own sin.

Read Luke 23:27.

So far the ingredients are not very appetizing. Add 1 sugar. Explain that the sweetest part of the story is that Jesus died because He loves us He wants us to know and belong to Him.

Read Ps. 34:8 and John 3:16.

Beat with a mixer on high speed for 12 to 15 minutes until stiff peaks are formed. Explain that the color white represents the purity in God's eyes of those whose sins have been cleansed by Jesus.

Read Isa.1:18 and John 3:1-3

Fold in broken nuts. Drop by teaspoons onto wax paper covered ookie sheet. Explain that each mound represents the rocky tomb where Jesus' body was laid.

Read Matt. 27:57-60.

Put the cookie sheet in the oven, close the door and turn the oven OFF. Give each child a piece of tape and seal the oven door.Explain that Jesus' tomb was sealed.

Read Matt. 27:65-66.

GO TO BED! Explain that they may feel sad to leave the cookies in the oven overnight. Jesus' followers were in despair when the tomb was sealed.

Read John 16:20 and 22.

On Easter morning, open the oven and give everyone a cookie. Notice the cracked surface and take a bite. The cookies are hollow! On the first Easter Jesus' followers were amazed to find the tomb open and empty.

Read Matt. 28:1-9.

HE HAS RISEN!

In the Mist of Laundry

...today I think the baby had the most fun because of her big sister. Or I might have, hearing her giggle so much.

Caley's Chickens

Butterscotch is giving us eggs.


So are the other nine hens running around Caley and Lawsen's yard.

Several months ago, my first and second graders and I were talking in Sunday School about our pets as each child was attempting to construct their family mobile. Caley and Lawsen mentioned that they had ten chickens, along with a horse and dogs, at home. But it wasn't until after class when Caley stayed to get help finishing her mobile that I found out those chickens are laying hens. And when I found out the family gets more than enough eggs each week and the number will only increase as the hens mature (they are about 7 months old now), we made a deal. And these are Caley's hens; so she gets the dough.


And we are regularly getting farm fresh eggs now, all because of a little Sunday School chat about our loved pets. Yum!

Bonding with Daddy

She loves her Daddy. She knows her Daddy's favorite singer is George Strait. She requests GS songs almost anytime we drive. She is catching onto the words:

A is for Apple

(j is for jar prints)

Before our baby girl was born last May, our oldest spent the weekdays at "her school" while I taught middleschoolers full-time down the road. Once the baby arrived, it has been me and the girls fulltime. Looking for ways to create "school" myself during this time has been a mixed bag. The simple ABC and number learning and having fun in the process hasn't been too hard, especially with a couple good resources. Finding regular playmates has taken more effort.

One of my current good resources is Art Across the Alphabet by Kelly Justus Campbell. My sister let me borrow this book that she enjoyed with her two oldest. The book simply gives art ideas for each letter of the alphebet. Each time a letter was decorated this fall and winter, I tacked it to the top edge of our daughter's walls around her room. Having just finished her last letter this week, her room is looking pretty colorful, with a nut shell covered "N," a string covered "S," a band-aid and button covered "B," and so on.

As for regular playmates, the last month has been wonderful. Several moms and I have come together to have playgroup for four hours once a week. Every week, two moms care for the kids and two moms are "off duty," and we rotate through until each home has been played in! For the first playgroup, our girl confessed the night before and morning of that she did not want to go. Now she asks if I can stay home, and she can stay all by herself. I explain that sometimes she will get her wish and sometimes she won't. I am so glad that she has warmed up to this time in her week, and I hope we can continue the fun for many more months to come!

(m is for mosaic)

Three Firsts

Yesterday...

1. Our baby girl started eating finger food all by herself!


2. We joined the flatsceen revolution. We bought a small LCD with some tax return moolah.

3. I attended my first Prospect House reunion. One of the most enjoyable years of my college experience was lived in a large house two blocks from CSU campus on the corner of Prospect Road and Shields Street with five other girls.

(a mix of us then)



(a few of us now)