Happy Easter!

I love Easter. I wish the Easter season received the same emphasis as Christmas. It is such a hopeful, reassuring time of year. Andrew and I were talking today about maybe celebrating Lent next year. We live in an area with a lot of devout Catholics and I really like their tradition of giving something up for 40 days (I know there is a lot more to it than that, but I like the idea of sacrificing something so that you are constantly reminded of the upcoming Easter celebration). Maybe it would help us prepare a little better. 

My sister-in-law Jessica has an "Easter Advent Calendar" that she made where you can read a scripture for each day of the week leading up to Easter. The scriptures tell you what Christ was doing on that particular day.

I used this idea with the Primary class I taught today. I think with a few modifications (I would switch up the scriptures a little...and use the KJV) it would be great to do as a family in the future.

This video is a great way to get in the Easter spirit:

We also made "resurrection rolls" that I originally read about here, and found the recipe here. They were a HUGE hit (there are a few boys in the house who are particularly fond of anything sweet for breakfast). Andrew dubbed them an official Easter tradition after the first bite. 

Below are a few pictures from our neighborhood Easter egg hunt yesterday. Andrew had to work so I've been meaning to do another small egg hunt today so he could be there. But the temptation to take a nap instead might be too great. 

I decided I'm not being the "candy regulator" around the holidays anymore. It is a hopeless job. Too much whining for weeks on end about how much candy he can have and when he can have candy (for breakfast? I don't think so). This year, I just told him to eat it ALL. One day of candy-eating chaos. No limits. Anything left over is going in the trash (okay, I might eat a little too). This tactic has already taken a load off my shoulders.

The boys clearly did not waste any time and immediately got to work, sorting out the good stuff from the stuff they don't care for. (Cams always gets stuck with the candy Luke doesn't like).

It was ugly. And I surely paid a price by having a three year old who was too wired to sleep last night. But now it's done!

After all this celebrating business, the truly best part of Easter is having a few moments to look around and  realize that the things I treasure most in life will be mine forever because of Jesus Christ. Even those things that are temporarily taken from me or those trials that temporarily cause me pain and suffering...all of that will one day come to an end. I believe in the healing power of Christ both now and in the future. He resurrected and was victorious over death so that we all might experience that supreme joy. Is there any gift greater than that?