Coffee Filter Flowers and Easter Wreath

When spring was officially here, I had to remove our coffee filter snowflakes from our French doors in the kitchen.  They really had been so pleasant to see, that I knew I wanted to do something fun for spring.

It didn't take long for me to think about how flowers could be made in the same fashion as the snowflakes. I wanted to make a little scene full of flowers, but as it turns out, the children weren't so interested in the process.  They did sweeten our view though.

 M knew she wanted to add stems and leaves.  She made the grass herself after I got her started.

 We used small coffee filters.  We colored with markers, and then spritzed with water, just like with the snowflakes.  After they dried, I folded them and cut them into varied flower shapes.  Consider skinny or fat petals and rounded or pointed petals.  

(The Frugal Family Fun Blog did something similar with water colors.  You might like to see that, too.) 

Since no one is looking to make an Easter wreath at this point, I'm just adding this project to this spring post.  We also made an Easter wreath when M asked to decorate before the family came to visit for Easter weekend.  (I don't decorate seasonally.  I just don't.)  I know a blog I love inspired this, but I'm not sure which one.  (If you know, please leave me a comment!)  The children colored and decorated eggs with markers and stickers.  I also wrote on a few.  I loved it when I drew a cross, and M wanted me to write, "My Jesus is alive!"  The "I ♥ Jesus" was also her idea.  So sweet!  I'm thankful that my daughter knows the reason we celebrate Easter.

I cut the center out of a paper plate to prepare the wreath.  After cutting lots of egg shapes, I let the kids decorate.  When they were completed, we glued them to the plate.  Voila!

Easter Read Alouds

I wanted to share our favorite Easter books with readers.  We have several great books, but really, the best one to use to explain Easter is the Holy Bible!  As we've been using our resurrection eggs, I have been reading a lot of text (more than just the single verses I mentioned in the post) to my four year old.  She loves it.

Easter at Our House is a cute book that describes how one family celebrates Easter with an early egg hunt, Easter baskets, dressing up and going to church.  I love that the pastor shouts, "Christ is risen!" and it brings cheering and tears.  Before bed, the story of how Jesus gave His life for us all is read.  This is a cute book with a great message and rhyming text written and illustrated by P.K. Hallinan.

Though it focuses on Jesus' trimuphant entry instead of his death and resurrection, Little Colt's Palm Sunday is a book I am thankful to have added to our Easter collection this year.  Author Michelle Medlock Adams begins the book with the biblical text from Luke 19:30-36.  It goes on to tell the story of Little Colt and how he came to be the donkey that Jesus rode into Jerusalem.  I really love this book, and how it honors Jesus, and yet is told from Little Colt's perspective.

The Legend of the Three Trees is a popular story that tells how three different trees had big dreams, but God doesn't fulfill those dreams the way they envision, but all were with Jesus at one time or another.  One tree becomes the manger that Jesus lay in.  Another became the boat in which Jesus calmed the storm.  The last was made into a rough wooden cross where Jesus saved the world from sin.  I was thrilled to find this at a thrift store!

Carol Heyer has written and illustrated the incredible book. The Easter Story, explaining why Christians celebrate Easter!  I love how the life of Jesus is sandwiched between an introduction of Eastertime and some of the things that we think of at Easter-most of all, Jesus!  Then it goes on to tell the incredible story of Jesus life, accompanied by fabulous illustrations.  This is a fabulous book of explaining Jesus death and resurrection.  Though it is appropriate for a 3 or 4 year old, even older children would be engaged in this book.  I highly recommend it!

We have a couple more books worth mentioning.  The Miracle of Easter  is a beginner reader.  Though published by a secular company, I thought they did an overall good job of presenting Jesus life as an important Christian holiday.  There was one statement that I didn't agree with (that before Jesus no one could go to heaven), but really, it was a good book.  A "fun" easter books for younger children is Corduroy's Easter.  With lift the flaps it's a fun book.  (But then again, we love all the Corduroy books!)

We have a houseful of family coming to visit us this weekend, so I will say to you now that I hope you have a blessed Easter.  May your hope be in our Savior, Jesus Christ.  He is truly the risen Savior...His gift of salvation is a gift...just accept it.  None of us deserve it, but God gave his son so we could join them in heaven one day.  I hope to see you there, my friends!

Spring's Bird Nest-Edible!

Don't forget this is the last day for the FOUR GIVEAWAYS!
M had her Easter party at preschool last week.  She brought home this incredibly cute bird's nest!  Though I didn't make it, I did help eat it.

M formed her own little nest (and was very proud of this).  It is made from chocolate flavored crsipy rice treats.  Under the little peep are three blue jelly beans pretending to be eggs!  They were quite a surprise.

I love that she attends a Christian preschool and as we've been reading and teaching about the death and resurrection of our Savior, Jesus Christ, the same exact things are being reinforced and taught at school.

Though this Christian school goes through eighth grade and has a good reputation, we are only intending to use the school for M and E's preschool years.  After that our plan is to transition to the local public school.  It is a purposeful decision on our parts, though we recognize the benefits to homeschooling and using a Christian school.