Ashes

We burned our palms from last year the other day, and the kids thought it was awesome.

Just as Jesus throws our sins into the fire and turns them to ash when we avail ourselves of the sacrament of reconcilliation. Yeah....that's AWESOME.

Lenten Activities--part 3

Lenten Countdown

I got this idea from Matilda over at 4Real:
http://tiredtwang.blogspot.com/2007/02/making-preparations-part-2.html
and thought it would be fun for the kids to "see" the forty days of Lent. When I shared this with some other moms, one of them had the idea to put on a family picture to move along the path. On Holy Thursday I will add a holy card of The Last Supper; on Good Friday, a sticker of the Crucified Christ and a"stone" to cover the tomb; and on Easter the "stone" will be rolled away to reveal a holy card of the Risen Christ. But, ssssshhhhhh.......the kids don't know that part!
Here's a picture of the chart as it is now, in our school/dining/family room;

Lenten Activities----part 2

Crown of Thorns and Sand

I cover a tray with sand and place a grapevine wreath on top. Dye toothpicks in strong coffee and lightly glue them to the wreath, to make the thorns.

In the center, I place a purple votive I found a t Dollar Tree last year. Usually, I put this in front of the kitchen sink on the bar. There, I can see it everyday (several times!) and am reminded that Lent is a "desert time."

On Saturday night (before Easter Sunday) after the kids are in bed, I pull the thorns off and decorate the wreath with a pretty spring ribbon and some silk flowers. A white pillar candle in the center represents the Triumph of the Cross--Jesus' ressurrection.

This stays in the same place where the desert scene was and reminds me of the Easter joy until Pentecost comes.

A side note: the location of this display is just inside our front door, where it is visible as we come and go. I have found it to be a good reminder for me to keep Lent, and then Easter, foremost in my mind when we leave the house and when we return.

Dad--Your hat is finished!!

Coming soon, to the daughter's house near you....

from the daughter's house not so near you.

I will be mailing this to Le-Le and she will felt it to fit you.

Lenten activities--part 1

At the beginning of Lent last year, I put this dead branch in to a vase with some dull river rock to hold it. In front was a jar of kidney beans and an empty bowl. Whenever we did some type of penance (ie: relinquished the last cookie, did an unpleasant chore, etc.) we would move a bean from the jar to the bowl. The goal. of course, was to empty the jar before Easter.

This photo shows the branch as it was on Holy Friday. So let's back up a bit.

On Tues. or Wed. of Holy Week, we made caterpillars out of egg cartons, and hung them on the branch. On Holy Friday, we made our caterpillars "cocoons" (aka coffee filters stapled on), to symbolize the time Jesus spent in the tomb.

When the kids woke Easter morning, they saw this--

A beautiful branch full of new life. The butterflies, of course, are Jesus resurrected. The blossoms show us that even when things seem dead, there is life. Just as when we die, we will be made beautiful in Eternal life with Jesus in heaven.

The bowl of beans had miraculously turned into lovely eggs (peanut M&Ms), showing us that God can and does create something beautiful out of our meager attempts to serve Him.

We will do this activity again this year, as we really liked it and got a lot from it.

I hope you might try it at your house, too!

Sarah's schedule

The other day, Sarah was busy as a beaver, writing and writing and writing. I didn't see it until later and when I read it, I burst out laughing. It is so cute!
Click on the picture to read it up close. Oh, how I wish that was my schedule!

Coming soon to a blog near you.......

Lenten

activities for your viewing pleasure.

Math today

We (read: I) decided to use the pattern blocks to demonstrate graphing.

We sorted the blocks into groups of 5 each.

Then we graphed them, and used our math manipulatives to add them up. I suspect we are missing a block somewhere, but that ended up being a good thing in this case.
Then, as usually happens (thank goodness for curious kids), they wanted to know how they made that other kind of graph they had seen on an episode of "Arthur". Hence, the line graph demo. Just for kicks, I added the pie graph. I am always amazed at how excited they get over this stuff. I wonder if I was ever excited about school because all I rememeber are the unpleasant parts. I'm glad we are giving them a love a learning. They will go far with that.