More Easter Fun!

At my weekly Tuesday morning Bible Study, all of the groups take turns bringing snacks to share and this week was our MOMS group's turn. In addition to the food, your group is responsible for decorating the food table. I enjoy doing this & have volunteered for the table decorations several times. When I volunteered I didn't realize that our week to bring snacks was Easter week, so I wanted the decorations to be extra special. But I also wanted something simple. Instead of using eggs & bunnies, I decided to go more with the "old rugged cross" theme. My original idea was for Jeff to bring home a couple of potted planters & then we (he) could make a Cross out of wood & stick it down in the dirt. Long story short, our signals got mixed up & Jeff instead came home with a couple boxes full of cuttings from our old yard which is blooming out beautifully for spring (we still own the house!) The cuttings were gorgeous, but then we had to figure out on the fly what container to put them in...all of the vases seemed too small or just not right. Finally, I remembered a HUGE glass vase I had with some fake flowers in the bedroom & it was perfect for the centerpiece. Then we used some antique light blue glass canning jars for smaller arrangements on the sides & one on the drinks table. 

The song "Jesus Paid it All" has been running through my mind this week, so I chose to use those simple lines..."Jesus paid it all...All to Him I owe" on a little sign that I hung on the cross. If I had not been doing this at 11pm the night before, I might have used my Cricut to cut out beautiful letters, but instead I just wrote the sign myself! I actually did not want to just print it out because somehow writing the words felt much more personal. 

Here is the main food table with the 3 arrangements. I made the sign like a "sandwich board" so you could read it on both sides of the cross.

This is the arrangement on the beverage table.

I have to give my husband his props because he cut all of the flowers from our yards (except for the roses) AND he arranged the flowers in all of the vases AND he even dropped them off at the church for me because I would have a hard time getting it all inside with the food & the kids & all of their stuff! What a blessing he is to me!

I'm so thankful that we are able to send our kids to Christian schools/preschool and so this week was full of several wonderful Easter celebrations! I've already blogged about the Easter parade on Wednesday, then Thursday was one FULL day! We had Jack's lower school Easter Program Thursday morning. 

I forgot to take my zoom lens in, so I only got this FAR off photo!

Where's Jack?

Keeping Drew entertained during the program

From there we raced over to the girls' school for Darcy's egg hunt, Sophie's Egg Hunt & family picnic, and then Darcy's class Easter party! 

By the time we got to Darcy's egg hunt, most of the hunting was finished & they were just enjoying some time out in the beautiful sunshine!

Sophie's Egg Hunt

Jack enjoyed getting to come along & "coach" the girls during their egg hunts. 

There are more eggs over there?!!

Sophie was SO excited that Daddy could be there!

Drew is hunting for Easter eggs or perhaps some lunch!

Found some puffs!

And a banana!

Sophie showing off her special lamb egg

It's difficult to concentrate on eating when there are so many eggs to open with treats inside!

Hmmm, what is this?

Look, I found an egg!

Last, we headed back inside to Darcy's class for her party and, of course, more treats!

Whew, by the time we got home at 1:30, the kids had eaten enough candy to last a week! To burn off some of that energy & since it was SO nice outside, we stayed out in the driveway & cleaned out the car! I'm talking took EVERYTHING out to  vacuum in all of the cracks & crevices...surely we vacuumed up at least 10 pounds of goldfish & cracker crumbs! We also removed from the car over 30 books & magazines, 22 DVDs, 7 socks, 2 mittens, 9 jackets, crayons, pencils, toys, and a partridge in a pear tree! I should have taken before & after photos of the car, LOL! But now the car is clean & we are ready to enjoy a beautiful Easter weekend! Easter is such a special time with so many fun things to celebrate, but it is also an important time to reflect on the amazing love that God lavished on us through His son, Jesus. I was just thinking how my heart is often like my car...filled up with too much junk. How I need Him to cleanse me, to search me, to convict me, to lead me. How I thank Him for the amazing work He did on the Cross!

I hear the Savior say,
“Thy strength indeed is small;
Child of weakness, watch and pray,
Find in Me thine all in all.”

Jesus paid it all,
All to Him I owe;
Sin had left a crimson stain,
He washed it white as snow.

For nothing good have I
Whereby Thy grace to claim;
I’ll wash my garments white
In the blood of Calv’ry’s Lamb.

And now complete in Him,
My robe, His righteousness,
Close sheltered ’neath His side,
I am divinely blest.

Lord, now indeed I find
Thy pow’r, and Thine alone,
Can change the leper’s spots
And melt the heart of stone.

When from my dying bed
My ransomed soul shall rise,
“Jesus died my soul to save,”
Shall rend the vaulted skies.

And when before the throne
I stand in Him complete,
I’ll lay my trophies down,
All down at Jesus’ feet.

Jesus Paid it All 

Elvina M. Hall 1865