The DDA Trouble Free Zone Part 4

[Cinderumbrella]

If anyone is near a TV turn on E! now!!!!!! This Chris Farley Patrick Swayze Chippendale Dance off from SNL is on right now!!!!!!!!

 

[ReAnSt]

I have 2 OT questions:

1. What are some Easter activities/traditions you do with your kids besides egg decorating and hunting? Glynis, I'm putting you on the spot because I know you'll have something

I can help with number 1 but not 2.

Here is something that we have done when I was a kid. Our version might have varied a bit.

Easter Story Cookies


A couple years ago, I discovered a recipe for Easter Story Cookies. I was intrigued with the idea and decided to try them out. What a wonderful opportunity this presented to further teach the truth of Easter.

Begin this recipe on Saturday, the day before Easter.

1 cup whole pecans

1 teaspoon vinegar

3 egg whites

pinch salt

1 cup sugar

zipper baggie

wooden spoon or a wooden meat hammer

duct tape or packing tape

Bible



Preheat oven to 300*F.

Place pecans in zipper baggie and let children beat them with the wooden spoon or hammer to break them into small pieces.

Explain that after Jesus was arrested he was beaten by the Roman soldiers. Read John 19:1-3.

Let each child smell the vinegar. Put 1 teaspoon of vinegar into the 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 the 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. Then put your pinch of salt in the bowl.

Explain that this represents the salty tears shed by Jesus's followers, and the bitterness of our own sin. Read Luke 23:27

So far, the ingredients are not very appetizing! Add 1 cup sugar to the bowl.

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 Psalm 34:8 and John 3:16.

Beat with a mixer on high speed for 10 to 15 minutes until stiff peaks form.

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 sheets.

Explain that each mound represents the rocky tomb where Jesus's 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 to seal the oven door.

Explain that Jesus' tomb was sealed. Read Matthew 27:65-66.

Leave the kitchen. If you've been making these cookies just before bedtime, GO TO BED!

Acknowledge that the kids are probably sad that they've worked hard to make these cookies, and now have to leave them in the oven overnight. Explain that Jesus' followers were in sad when Jesus died and the tomb was sealed. Read John 16:20 and 22.

On Easter morning, open the oven and give everyone a cookie. Ask the kids to notice the cracked surface. Have them bite into the cookies. The cookies are hollow!

Explain that on the first Easter morning, Jesus' followers were amazed to find the tomb open and empty. Read Matthew 28:1-9.

HE HAS RISEN!

We also did various crafts and things leading up to Easter. Always made homemade Easter candy and Jello eggs. If I think of anything else I did I will let you know.

When I was in college I could never go home for Easter so I spent it with various friends families, who had younger children. So I will share some neat things I saw.

The one family put the eggs and all of the basket items and hid them out in the front lawn, inside the house and all over the yard. Things were hidden in the trees, the grill, in the pool, on the roof all over. Inside the house basically anything was fair game. I am sure it started out as a traditional egg and basket hunt when the kids were young but evolved into a full blown out scavenger hunt of the yard and house. Some things had clues on them for some of the better hidden items.

Another thing that was done at one of my friends house, was a spider web of the whole house. This was done completly inside but could also go outside depending on where you live. Tied at the bottom of each kids bed was a piece of yarn with something tied to it. This yarn was stretched all over the house, around the furniture, up and down the house, in various rooms, in the bathroom. All of the kids strings were webbed together throughout the house. Along the way there were various items attached to the string, at the end of the string there Easter basket was tied fast. This way it took longer than a traditional basket hunt. Also the kids had to work together and everyone had a blast. If you do this you might want to declare a no string zone. Also the closer you get to the basket the bigger the string ball will be so it won't fit through small spaces, it might have fit through when you started.

Becky

 

[Steffy]

Hi everyone. Don't die of shock, but I'm back!!!!!

First of all, I apologize for not letting anyone know about leaving. My dad was called out of the country for work, and he asked me to look after my mom. She has diabetes, heart problems, etc., and dad is nervous about leaving her alone. So, I only had time to pack up the twins, make quick arrangements for the older 2 kids to get to school and back, and hit the road. I love being with my mom, but they don't have Internet at the house, and that is just a bummer! I was able to log on once at the local university, but didn't have enough time to catch up on the DDA. I tried to get Alan to post what was going on, but he felt funny about doing it, so he didn't. I'm sorry to have caused so much trouble. You'll all be happy to know that the Queen, and Tammi have already given me my talking to, so I've been properly disciplined.

Now that I'm home, I'm trying to catch up. I'm still back on page 925, so it will be a while. Looks like we've gained some new members! Welcome to everyone! Welcome home Amy, Kevin, Alyssa and Matthew! I'm so glad that you had a great time! It's awfully good to see Denise posting again! It's feeling more and more like old times in here! Kate's new designs are amazing as usual, and I see a whole new summer wardrobe for my kids appearing.

My BIL had the gastric bypass surgery and things did not go well for him. Unfortunately, he neglected to tell his surgeon that he has some medical condition where he reacts badly to anesthesia. Consequently, he wouldn't wake up.....for 4 days....!!!! I guess it was so bad, they opened him up again to see if there was some problem with the procedure. The only person who knew about the condition is his ex, and she didn't even know he was having surgery. Once they got him awake, he developed pneumonia because he wasn't able to do his breathing exercises for those 4 days. So, his recovery is not going as well as he'd like. Poor guy! However, if you don't tell your doctor about things like this, you kind of deserve what you get! I'm just grateful that I didn't have any of those kind of complications.

Well, back to catching up! Talk to you later!

Welcome home Glynis!

I'm just geting to your return home post, so you see how far back I am!!!

for your BIL

 

[UP Disney]

If anyone is near a TV turn on E! now!!!!!! This Chris Farley Patrick Swayze Chippendale Dance off from SNL is on right now!!!!!!!!

I'm really bummed!!! I missed it!!! I caught it when they were coming back out to get their results.

 

[babytrees]

All this talk about babies and all the fun(and not so fun stuff!!) makes me want another one. But after 8 years of trying/practicing and no other little ones I live vicariously through all the new little ones here and in real life. I am blessed to have 2 girls but we always thought we'd have more...I am always reminding the girls "God's plan not ours" but sometimes it's hard to give it to Him and not take it back.

 

[tmfranlk]

I'd love the recipe for the Resurrection Cookies.

I had never seen the eggs that tell the Easter story until Christopher attended an Easter party last yeer. Thanks for reminding me to go look for them. I'm going to get my hair cut and colored tomorrow so I'll go look right after!

I guess the hard part is that Christopher is the only little one in our family and we always go to my MIL's house for Easter. He hunts by himself, but it's just not the same as having a group. I really need to come up with something special for an "only" child. I saw the yarn thing too. It was way complicated. We're going to make the tie-dye eggs (Kristine, I'll be thinking of you).

My friend printed directions for Resurection eggs from online somewhere a couple of years ago and made her own. The directions game easy home stuff to use.

 

[julia & nicks mom]

I had to do the 6 hour fasting test too!!! It was horrible!!! To top it off I had to go to a good friends wedding right afterwards, so I was starving!!! I can't believe I didn't pass out at the mass!!!

When I had my first one with Julia the girl could never find a vein - she poked around forever - and finally used my hand

by the time I had it with Nick I knew enough to tell her to use a butterfly needle!!

The night before I had my test with Julia - I went out to dinner at Don Pablos - and ate a lot of chips!! DUH!!!

 

[Steffy]

I am married to Sybil!!!

Last night Bill tells me, "It would be frivilous to take an extra trip in the fall"

This morning I ask him to hand me the phone so I can cancel the reservation...he says, No...just wait"

Wait! Wait for what?! I am ready to kill him.

Maybe you were better in the "charming" department than you thought...

 

[tmfranlk]

Ok I have a nomination for DH of the year over here...
I came to bed still not feeling well. My head is pounding. My DH comes in & gives me his work lap top so I can "DIS" in bed. He knows this cheers me up. Aaaahhhhhhhh!

Now THAT is love! How sweet! I think there are two awards today.

 

[bear74]

Wow!!!!!!!!
I didn't log in for 2 days and you did 1000 posts!!!!! I may never catch up!! I am back on 1074 trying to catch up.

But- here's my good news as to why I was away-
Check out my new car!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Apparantly all my "charm" worked out after all! (Just not for a free dining trip in the fall!) DH felt bad about having to turn it down after all so this was my "consolation" prize.

I would post a real picture of it on my driveway, but it is starting to drizzle and I don't want to get it wet It is silver like this picture, though.

very nice congrats

 

[babytrees]

Easter at our house involves the Resurrection Eggs, Easter Egg hunts both at home and at work church. We also are involved in leading a Wednesday Night Service and Abi was The Tree in a telling of the Easter story last night. This year we will add an Easter egg hunt at a friends home. Love the cookie recipe...may have to try and incorporate that into my weekend.
What I couldn't believe was I was reading over on the Budget board, the amount of money spent on Easter in those houses is more than I spend on my girls for the entire year of presents. .

 

[weluvdisney]

Delta says the flight is operated by another airline - so I actually think that is a good thing - maybe I should call and find out!!

Don't book it on travelocity - they had higher fees - book it as a one way on Delta's site and a one way on Airtran

I just priced it like that and it is $358.30... I will book it like that!!! Let me know if you call what they say!!!

 

[julia & nicks mom]

Now THAT is love! How sweet! I think there are two awards today.

I actually think there were 3 -

you should all know had mad DH was when he found out he didn't get to wear the crown for a whole week - that is was only for a day!!

we might be on to something!!

 

[weluvdisney]

When I had my first one with Julia the girl could never find a vein - she poked around forever - and finally used my hand

by the time I had it with Nick I knew enough to tell her to use a butterfly needle!!

The night before I had my test with Julia - I went out to dinner at Don Pablos - and ate a lot of chips!! DUH!!!

When I give blood or they have to take it, it takes forever for the nurses to find a vein!!!

 

[tmfranlk]

I am making another t-shirt tomorrow...so I may upgrade to GREEN!!

So there are different levels! Beginners start with blue and can then move up in the ranks?

 

[weluvdisney]

Hey Marti,

DID YOU HEAR ABOUT YOUR NEW ROOM-MATE????

 

[julia & nicks mom]

I just priced it like that and it is $358.30... I will book it like that!!! Let me know if you call what they say!!!

and the other thing Travelocity doesn't tell you until you are ready to pay is that they won't do e-tickets on flights with different carries - so you would have to pay them an extra $20 for a ticket

 

[Cinderumbrella]

I'm going to bed- please don't post another 100 pages tonight!

 

[tmfranlk]

So I let my insane jealousy of my 4 yo get the best of me and I permed my hair!! I was bored and wanted a change and Julia has been telling me more and more she wants her hair straight like mine - I decided it would be better to make mine curly like hers - so Dawn you are getting your wish and can see a curly haired mom for Julia!! I also think having curly hair is more believable for me now that I have Julia!!

Here you can see my crocs - AND I would like to point out that NONE of these pictures were taken at the front door!!!

It looks great!!

 

[Steffy]

That is so funny!!! I never put 2 & 2 together before. I'll have to ask my mom about that! They were married in December and I was born the next November. My mother turned 19 the week after I was born!

They were really, really happy that I was born after midnight on November 16 (6:17am). My dad had started a new job and the insurance didn't take effect until November 16. Hunting season in Michigan starts on November 15 so dad had been out hunting early the morning of the 15th. Mom didn't want to wake him up when she went in labor. Silly woman!!!! If I was awake, I expected my DH to be awake!!!

Hunting is very BIG in Michigan. November 15th is a U.P. national holiday as it is opening day. The schools shut down for the day. There are so many students & teachers that hunt that they had trouble meeting their quota some years so they just stopped fighting it.

Schools and some businesses are closed for the first day of hunting out here too!