Easter 2014

It is becoming increasingly difficult to find coordinating/matching Easter Sunday attire for  my boys. When you have  a 5 month to 9 year spread it is not easy. Cute Max came with  me and was an awesome help with Lewis while we tackled the task running from Gap to Children's Place to H&M and back multiple times. There are three times a year that I subject myself to this craziness of matching outfits: Family pictures, Christmas and Easter. It is a bit of a headache but SO satisfying when I see them all dressed up and darling together.

It is kind of a silly tradition in the grand scheme of things. How does dressing my boys up in matching pastel colored shirts help them to draw closer to the Savior and remember his crucifixion and resurrection? 

It doesn't.

Not at all. 

I find Easter and Christmas traditions to be equally silly. Let's put candy in some eggs and go find them (there is symbolism with an egg--birth/new life of course but for young children that can be a bit difficult to grasp). Let's put candy in a sock and hang it in our house! Let's decorate with bunnies and flowers! All of that is fun and good and the last thing I want is to rob my kids of fun BUT I like to put time toward things that are meaningful. I want to spend my effort creating traditions that bring the true meaning of Christmas or Easter, as the case may be, closer to homeI want my boys to remember the fun but treasure the sacred, eternal significance of such special holidays with spiritual meaning. 

So, this year I decided to start a tradition that I first used as a Primary sharing time activity. If you're LDS you've likely seen it done. You put small objects in a number of eggs each signifying something different about Easter. One could be a nail and then you read the scripture that talks about the nails that were driven into the Savior's hands and feet. Another object could be a small piece of white cloth that could be a reminder of Christ's burial clothes. One object could be a rock symbolizing the stone rolled away from the tomb. The last egg is empty to signify that the tomb was empty b/c Christ over came death and was resurrected thus giving us the gift of forgiveness and resurrection.

I'm not sure if it will resonate with the boys but it's worth a shot. 

 We started the morning with an egg hunt around the house and back yard. 

Here are the boys with their bags, ready to go.

 In Brandon's family, it is tradition to hide the Easter baskets.

Benson was delighted to find his!

 I'm not sure what word to describe Max's excitement upon discovering his basket?!

Possessed?! haha.

 James striking a pose.

We can't forget Mr. Lew! He thought Easter was great success!

Happy Easter!