Easter Week, day 2

Here's a picture that I forgot to add to our egg-dying post.  Can you see Brian about to go in for the tummy?  :)  And happy boys, too!

 

Tonight we did an activity that involved a little more preparation.  We did it last year, so I tweaked a few things (and will next year, too!).  I found the idea here: https://powerofmoms.com/easter-seder-a-new-spin-on-an-old-tradition/

and changed a few of the things (like eating olives--I'm not buying a can of olives to throw away!) to make it more Marchant-family friendly.  Also, we didn't make the boys eat anything they didn't want to.  Basically, it goes through the days of the week before the crucifixion and puts little actions or symbolic foods to it.  I think next year, I'll include more reading of the actual scripture passages, rather than just reading the story as written in the linked post above. 

 

 Here's Mckay's plate after we finished. I really should have taken a picture at the beginning!  It looked so pretty.  Oh well.  I was lucky tonight to get everyone at the table.

Happy Birthday, Brian!

Happy Birthday, dear Brian! 

On Friday, we got to go to the temple (together, even!) to the baptistry.  We took 30 names of family members that we've found over the past few months.  Most of them were families--brothers, sisters, and parents.  I felt so excited and happy to be able to go with Brian to do these family names. 

Then, today, the boys and I made a scavenger hunt and sent Brian all over the house and yard to find his birthday present.  Except Camden kept telling him exactly where to go.  He he!  Next year, I'm going to be more sneaky and hide the clues without the boys. We had brownies and ice cream (special soy-based "ice cream" for Brian, but maybe next time we'll try the almond or coconut variety to see if he likes it better).

 

Daddy's new BB gun, shooting a birthday balloon in the back yard.  It took 2 direct shots to pop the thing!  Don't worry--more protective eyewear will be worn in the future.

Easter Week

So, I had grand intentions this year to make the month of March a wonderful preparation for Easter, as I try to do with December and Christmas.  But, this year, I couldn't figure it out, so we're going to focus on the week before Easter, and call it wonderful. :) 

 

I found this idea of Names of Christ Easter Eggs from http://www.cranialhiccups.com/2015/03/names-of-christ-easter-eggs.html

I don't think we've ever dyed eggs with our kids, and I thought egg-blowing sounded potentially disgusting.  Let's keep it simple, right?  So, as a family, we brainstormed different names of Christ and wrote them with white crayon on the boiled eggs before we dyed them.  Camden wrote about half, and I wrote the others while Daddy made Mckay giggle. :)  (LOVE that sound!)  I love the way they turned out!  But now I can see the benefit of egg-blowing--that you can display them, rather than hiding them in the refrigerator to eat later. 

 

 

Here are some other Names of Christ:
http://lds.about.com/od/jesuschrist/a/names_of_Jesus.htm

Any ideas of what to do with the extra dye?

Snow Fun!

We were so lucky to be invited to spend some time with my Uncle Kraig and Aunt Jena and their family at their cabin.  I've never really done sledding or snowmobiling, and neither have my kids.  We had so much fun!  I thought I was doing great at taking pictures, but I didn't get quite as many as I hoped.

Camden is that little blue spot on the snowmobile.  He loved it! 

 Mckay wanted to sled sooooo badly!

 Again and again! (And on a very big hill!)  Sometimes I took him, but mostly Brian.  I finally made a deal with Brian that I'd come and help get Mckay back up the hill.  The snow was easily up to my knees, so that little thrill-seeker had the easy job!  Just wish we had toddler snow goggles for him.

 so hard...can't make it...too steep...

 Here you can see Camden's little face at the end of his ride.

 Later, Brian and I got to go out.  Jena's dad took us to this amazing spot where it felt like the top of the world. It was so beautiful--just blue and clear and untouched by anyone except us.

 Daddy and Mckay on the swing

 Mckay all by himself

 Nate wasn't much up for the snow, but he had a blast with the games inside.  He and Hailey played for a long time!  The bigger kids came in earlier and made awesome tunnels and forts with all the sleeping pads

 Master Sledder...Camden!  He absolutely LOVED the sledding.  Over and over and over, by himself,  on the giant hill, too!  It was so fun to watch him.  And he could climb up the hill mostly by himself. :) When we got home, he said, "We need to go back there," just before he fell asleep.  

 Up and down the stairs, playing peek a boo.  

Fun with cousins! The little black heap is Camden. :)

There were a few miracles of finding lost keys, unfreezing frozen pipes, saving some ill-prepared scouts, and finding other lost keys.  Thank you so much, Kraig and Jena!  And thank you, Clyde and Karla!