Anticipating Easter

I stumbled upon a great blog The Homespun Heart awhile ago. I don't remember how or why, but there have been so many great ideas that I'm hooked.

In a recent post she mention her plans for leading up to Easter and what she had done last year. What a great resource of ideas and plans and that got me thinking. Tonight, my boys and I made palm branches out of cardstock for Palm Sunday tomorrow. Last year we added something to our slider windows each day about the Easter story - grass, a donkey, palm branches, crosses, empty tomb, angel...

THH Plans:
Palm Sunday: Jesus the King
* read Matthew 21:1-11 and The Colt & The King
* coats on "donkey" (either daddy or our dog)
* coats/blankets on "road"
* wave palm branches and say "Hosanna!" Talk about what that means (Oh save, please save, save now)
* Sing Blessed Is He

Monday: Jesus the Servant
* read John 13
* wash feet; talk about what it means to be a servant

Tuesday: Jesus the Betrayed
* read John 18
* money bag with 30 pieces of silver
* talk about what it means to betray

Wednesday: Jesus the Deliverer
* read Exodus 6-12
* talk about fleeing from Egypt and Passover history
* perhaps older children would enjoy watching Prince of Egypt tonight

Thursday: Passover
* Seder Dinner & Passover Meal

Friday: Jesus the Lamb
* read John 19
* cross on wall (Homespun Memories for the Heart recommends writing down sins on paper and nailing them to a cross! Great visual for older children.)
* hammer nails into wood
* burial in tomb
* have Hot Cross Buns

Saturday: Jesus our Savior
* read Mark 27:62-66
* guards posted at tomb, waiting
* go through basket of Easter items
* Cinnamon Rolls in cross shape

Sunday: He is Risen!
* read Luke 24
* Resurrection Biscuits
* new clothes
* crocheted lamb egg cozy
* tomb is empty!
* Just before church, have each family member release a pink or purple helium balloon and sing a favorite Easter song - a great visual! (This idea is from Homespun Memories for the Heart)
* Lamb Cake for dessert (I was thinking about doing these cupcakes instead of buying a cake pan that looks terribly time consuming!)

As you can see it's a bit involved, but we'll definitely be pulling a few ideas from this to add to our own