Resurrection Rolls

  We used to make these Resurrection Cookies every Easter, but honestly, even though I love the process, and how verse by verse you add ingredients, no one loved the cookies in the end.   If you are looking for a …

Resurrection Garden

  I am posting this earlier this year, because last year we ALMOST didn’t get enough grass growth by Easter to be pretty.

  This Tomb scene was our Centerpiece at Easter Dinner! {it had more grass then this}

   This was a really fun hands-on activity that all my little people could help with, and unlike the Stringed Easter Eggs, it kept their attention. Plus, what a great way to keep the focus of Easter on CHRIST, in the midst of Easter Egg Hunts and candy!   

Here is what you’ll need:

• Terra cotta mini pot for the tomb
• Terra cotta tray
• Small pebbles
• Grass seed
• One small bag of potting soil
• Small twigs or nails and wire
• A round or oval rock about the size of the tomb entrance (Yeah right, good luck!)
• Spray water bottle

  You can tell from the following photos, that these were taken last year, my how everyone has changed! 🙂

  First, prepare your tray and “tomb”.  Some people glue the pot to the tray, but Dale just wanted to use sand, and it worked great, clever man!

Everyone is excited to help!

Next, mound your potting soil until it forms a hill, leave the front of the tomb soil free. Pack down tightly.

Sprinkle grass seed all over your soil.

Try to avoid the sandy area in front of the tomb.

Lightly cover seeds with more soil.  Add small rocks to the bare sand area, going into the tomb if you’d like.

Place in a sunny place, (Away from your chickens or your mischevious 2 year olds!!!!) and water daily with a mister bottle.

   If you want, you can make crosses out of nails wired together like this:

Or you could do twigs like the original picture shows.

We waited to put our crosses on top because we don’t want them to get rusted. They are a special gift Destiny got from her adopted Grandma, Esther.

 This was such a fun project for us and a GREAT reminder of what we are celebrating at the end of the month….

That Jesus died for you and me, but death had no hold on Him!  

Hallelujah!!!!!

  How fun that on Easter morning when we wake up and celebrate HE HAS RISEN, they have a visual of the empty tomb that they have been taking care of.

~T

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Resurrection Cookies

  So an Easter Tradition at our house is making Resurrection Cookies!  I love the Bible verses associated with each step, and the kids love to help make these!!! The end result is a meaningful Easter story and a yummy snack (breakfast treat?) for the next day.  Dale reads the Bible verses and the kids take turns adding the ingredients.

*Plan ahead, this recipe sits over-night.

click for easy printable

1 cup whole pecans

1 teaspoon vinegar

3 egg whites

pinch salt

1 cup sugar

ziplock bag

wooden spoon or a wooden meat hammer

Masking tape

Bible

Important: Preheat oven to 350*F before starting.

Place pecans in 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 a 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 John 3:16 & Psalm 34:8

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

*A 4 little Ferguson reader just told me that if I would use a glass bowl, rather than metal, my cookies would have more loft!!!!  Apparently, there is some chemical reaction with the metal and the egg whites that causes them not rise as much.  Thank you for the tip, Debra!!!  🙂

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 on to 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 and go to bed. Acknowledge that the kids are feeling 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

The next morning, open the oven and give everyone a cookie.

Take a bite, the cookies are hollow!

Note: Last year our cookies were not done, still chewy and soft inside, so we just baked them a bit longer at 350* that morning.

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

What are some Easter traditions in your family?

~T

Resurrection Garden

  This Resurrection Garden is EVERYWHERE! I’ve seen it on facebook, pinterest, had it sent to me via email, and also saw it on these blogs: The Encouraging Home & We Are That Family.

  Apparently, the photo going viral is by Melissa Holt, but I was unable to find a way to link to her, so I won’t use her photo.  It is GORGEOUS!  Ours, not so much, but I think you’ll still get the idea. 🙂

   This was a really fun hands-on activity that all my little people could help with, and unlike the Stringed Easter Eggs, it kept their attention. Plus, they LOVE spraying it with the spray bottle very day!  It will make such a beautiful centerpiece for our Easter table on Sunday!

Here is what you’ll need:

• Terra cotta mini pot for the tomb
• Terra cotta tray
• Small pebbles 
• Grass seed 
• One small bag of potting soil
• Small twigs or nails and wire
• A round or oval rock about the size of the tomb entrance (Yeah right, good luck!) 
• Spray water bottle

  First, prepare your tray and “tomb”.  Some people glue the pot to the tray, but Dale just wanted to use sand, and it worked great, clever man!

Everyone is excited to help!

Next, mound your potting soil until it forms a hill, leave the front of the tomb soil free. Pack down tightly.

Sprinkle grass seed all over your soil.

Try to avoid the sandy area in front of the tomb.

Lightly cover seeds with more soil.  Add small rocks to the bare sand area, going into the tomb if you’d like. 

Place in a sunny place, (Away from your chickens!!!!) and water daily with a mister bottle. 

   If you want, you can make crosses out of nails wired together like this: 

Or you could do twigs like the original picture shows.

We waited to put our crosses on top because we don’t want them to get rusted. They are a special gift Destiny got from her adopted Grandma, Esther.

  

This project was done 3/22 and as of today, 4/4, it has only sprouted a little bit.  I am bummed and wish we had started sooner, but the directions said it would only take a week or so for grass to grow.  I am hoping by Easter it will look really nice!

 Once the grass grows more, and can help hold the crosses up, I will move them into position at the top of the mound. 

This was such a fun project for us and a GREAT reminder of what we are celebrating this week….

That Jesus died for you and me.

But death had no hold on Him!  He is risen, Hallelujah!!!!!

  Come back and see me tomorrow, I will be sharing the recipe for Green Bean Bundles, and another Easter Tradition at our house: Resurrection Cookies.

~T

Egg-citing Pinterest Craft

This is Post 2 for today, be sure to head back one post to see photos from our Spring Break! 🙂

   So pinning on Pinterest is fun, right?!  I pin a lot from my own site and am always pleasantly surprised how it brings new people to our little blogosphere here at 4 little Ferguson’s. 

  One of you asked me if I am addicted to Pinterest last week, and I had to stop and think about it before I answered.  I’d say Facebook is a bigger time killer for me actually!  I just pop on once in a while to pin a few things, and then I am off again.  I am pretty proud of myself for actually following through with some of my favorite pins.…

  Let’s see, there was the Organization Board for my laundry room.

T-shirt Scarves

The Banana Caramel Pinterest Pie and Coconut Cream Pie Bars.

Now, these

Easter Eggs!

FUN, right?! 

Kinda. 

  Let’s just say this is one of those “Family Crafts” that turned into a Mommy and Daddy craft.  It was messy, it was hard, it took some time, but the end result was cool! 

(Except for the poor green one, the balloon leaked air all night so it shriveled as it dried…we turned it into something else, which you will see below.) 

  I think using water balloons and making little circle ones to hang on strings of lights would be cool too!  And maybe more manageable?

  Come find 4 little Ferguson’s on Pinterest!

~T

Stringed Easter Eggs

You’ll need:

1 ball of string per egg, a disposable cup and some stay-flo starch

And a disposable roaster to put the starch in.

Roll the balloon in starch, covering all areas.

Have a kiddo help you with the stringing, until you realize its going to take 14 hours.  Go to Plan B.

Plan B: Have 2 grown ups take over while your 8-year-old photographs you and the other kids, who have clearly already lost interest in this particular craft…..

Wrap string all over balloon in different directions making sure its tight and the balloon is evenly covered.  Then roll it in the starch again, being sure to cover all areas, and set it on a cup to dry in your garage overnight.

Flip the egg end for end the next day, to allow the bottom to dry, too.  This is when we discovered the poor green egg had its balloon leak all night and so it shriveled as it dried.  We turned it into a nest for Chicky.

Once its dry, pop the balloons and decide how you want to display your colorful eggs! We decided to hang them from lime green tulle with a cheerful bow. 

(Not outside, that was for lighting reasons only!)

I am glad these are reusable year after year, ’cause it’ll be awhile before Dale and I are ready to take a craft like this on again!