Marvelous Monday: Holy Week and the Easter (Egg) Story

For many Christians, this week, the week before Easter, symbolizes "Holy Week" or "Passion Week"-- the last week of Jesus' life including his crucifixion and resurrection. The week began yesterday, Palm Sunday, when Jesus entered Jerusalem to cheering crowds and ends on Easter Sunday when we celebrate the Resurrection and that He is ALIVE! I encourage you join Finding Hope here on Facebook as they share thoughts and scriptures each day this week on Jesus Christ's crucifixion and resurrection and how is the foundation for our HOPE.

Many of you have probaby heard of Resurrection Eggs. We mentioned them in this post two years ago and you can buy them here for 16.99. Good news is you don't have to spend 16.99! I was so excited when my three year old daughter who is now old enough to understand and appreciate them came home from preschool with her very own set that she made in class! I love her preschool.

You can make them with your kids too. It really is a great way to impress the Easter story from Matthew 26-27 into their hearts and minds.

All you need is an old egg carton, 12 plastic colored eggs and the items below to go inside each egg. If you really want to go all out, see how this mom implemented it as a full on activity (I think for homeschool).
Here is a print out that coincides with each egg.


Have a Marvelous Monday!
Hannah

Training up Tuesday: Eggciting Easter Fun!

Here is a fun Easter treat that your children will LOVE. My 15 year old sister still loves to make these every year and my 2 year old gobbled them right up this weekend. It's really inexpensive, easy and fun for the whole family!

Easter Egg Jello Jigglers
-2 large boxes of your favorite flavor or color of Jello
-2 1/2 cups of bowling water
-Favorite Easter themed molds (try Dollar store but Target & Walmart definitely have them)

Egg mold~scary looking! Think this is really for implants or Egg Jigglers--Ha! :)

Spray Jello mold w/ nonstick spray margarine. Pour Jello mix into a bowl or measuring cup. Pour boiling water on top of Jello mix. Mix together. Pour into mold. Refrigerate for 3 hours.

Voila (notice that 3 were already eaten)!
One HOPPY girl!
Happy jiggling!

One more thing...speaking of eggs, a fun homemade craft you can do to teach your children about the REAL Easter story is make your own Resurrection Eggs. Click here for a step by step guide.

Free-for-all Friday Part 2: Easter Calla Lilly Wafers

Special thank you to one of our RWAV followers, Linda, for sharing this Easter baking tradition in her family.


Calla Lilies, because of their trumpet-like form, are said to be symbols of Christ's triumph over death by His Resurrection. The following recipe is a revised and updated version of the one that came from my Great Grandmother Pearl.


Calla Lily Wafers
(Makes about 15 cookies)


2 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
5-6 Tablespoons flour
Dash salt
1/4 teaspoon vanilla


Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix just until well-blended. Batter should resemble pancake batter. Pour 1 tablespoon of the batter per wafer onto a baking sheet sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Only bake four cookies at a time, and only for a few minutes, just until set and barely browning at the edges. Loosen with a spatula. While still hot, use your hands to form the wafers into "ice cream cones". You must work quickly or the edges will crack. Spray the pan for the next batch.


While the wafers are cooling, mix up a small batch of white icing. Tint a little of it yellow. Frost the insides of the lilies white using a small pastry brush. Pipe a yellow stamen down the center.

Tip: Bake these on a dry day. Humidity tends to make these cookies start to uncurl.

Air bubbles were caused by overmixing the batter, but even the "duds" taste alright.

The wafers are set upside-down to cool.

A finished Calla Lily.

Friday-Free-For-All: Happy 1st Day of Spring!

SPRING!!!! Yippppeeeeee...my very favorite season of all. I love the smell of fresh cut grass, all of the blossoms, blooms and signs of new life...not to mention, being able to break out cooler clothes and flip flops...you name it, I love it.

Spring arriving also means that Easter is close behind! Each Friday, from now until Easter, we would love to share Easter craft ideas for you and your families. Please send them to us along with any pictures at roofwithaview@gmail.com. You will even earn extra entries for our April Giveaway so don't be shy, girls!

To kick off our Spring and Easter fun, I thought I'd share a craft (baking) idea that I've received several of times in email. I've heard the cookies aren't the best cookies you've ever had but it seems like a tangible way of reminding yourself and helping your children understand the meaning behind Jesus conquering the grave.

Easter Resurrection Cookies
(to be made the night before Easter)

Ingredients:
1 cup whole pecans
1 tsp. vinegar
3 egg whites
Pinch salt
1 c. sugar

• Preheat oven to 300 degrees (important!)


• Place pecans in zipper baggie and let children beat them with the wooden spoon to break into small pieces. Explain that after Jesus was arrested, He was beaten by Roman soldiers. Read John 19:1-3.


• Let each child smell the vinegar. Put 1 t. 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 c. 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 12-15 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 Isaiah 1:18 and John 3:1-3.


• Fold in broken nuts. Drop by teaspoons onto wax paper covered cookie sheet. Explain that each mound represents the rocky tomb where Jesus’ body was laid. Read Matthew 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 Matthew 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 Matthew 28:1-9.


• Share the Easter Cookie Story with your friends and email us YOUR ideas!

Print this recipe here. Happy Spring!!!