A Late Easter Greeting

I'm a little late getting up an Easter post, but didn't want to skip it all together. We had a wonderful celebration of the Resurrection of our Savior! It was a beautiful day and we enjoyed a new tradition in the morning (more on it below), a great Easter service at church and dinner with neighbors. I made my first ham and Chris family's recipe for ham sauce--and both turned out great!

So, when is a good time to snap pictures of the children in their Easter outfits? There is most definitely not time before heading off to church and after church they were hungry and tired. So, what you see is the best I got. I didn't even get one of Ella along. Maybe a staged photo shoot is in order?!

Dawson was really interested in the flowers.

At this moment he was contemplating how to eat it!

He did wear shoes, but I took them off during church.

I love his cute feet and can't keep them covered!

And on to our new tradition. I had been looking for something fun to do for Easter and my friends at MOPS mentioned making Resurrection Story Cookies. Ella had a great time with it!
You make the cookies as you tell the story of the resserection (thus the name). Then you put the cookies in the oven overnight and when you wake in the morning you eat them. They are supposed to be hollow in the middle--to symbolize the empty tomb. Our were not, nor were those of my friends who made them.

Ella did not like leaving the cookies in the oven overnight. Delayed gratification is difficult for a 3 year old (okay for me too, I wanted to peek so badly). We made the cookies late because Daddy was working all day with water polo--so bedtime was pushed way back until 9pm. She came out of her room once with a very sad face to tell me that we had left the cookies. At ten I went in to remind her that she needed to be sleeping. Here is how the conversation went:

Me: Ella, you need to close your eyes and your mouth and go to sleep.
Ella: It is hard to go to sleep.
Me: Ella, why is it so hard for you to go to sleep.
Ella: Momma, those cookies are in there!

Here are some pictures of the event!

The finished product! Yummy!

Here is the recipe!

RESURRECTION SUNDAY STORY COOKIES

You need:

1 c. whole pecans

1 tsp. vinegar

3 egg whites

pinch salt

1 c. sugar

zipper baggie

wooden spoon

tape

Bible

Preheat oven to 300 F. (this in important - don't wait till you are half way done with the recipe!)

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 the Roman soldiers. Read John 19:1-3

Let each child smell the vinegar. Put 1 tsp. 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 to 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 Isa.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 Matt. 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 Matt. 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 Matt. 28:1-9.

HE HAS RISEN!!!!!

-- Author Unknown