Holy Week - Palm Sunday

I love Easter.  It's my favorite holiday.  Last year we had really well thought out activities every day of Holy Week as we prepared to celebrate the resurrection of our Lord.  This year, I had to tone it down a bit because I realized there was no way I could prepare an entire Messianic Seder alone while taking care of a seven week old.  So, we're still doing activities everyday, but they're just less involved than last year.  Hopefully, it will still be as meaningful to the kids.

Yesterday, Palm Sunday, starts off the Holy Week celebration for Christians.  I explained to Hunter and Charlotte that Palm Sunday is the day that we remember Jesus riding into Jerusalem for the Passover feast.  I reminded them of the first Passover and why the Israelites celebrated it every year, telling them that it was a big holiday like Christmas is for us.  Then we talked about how Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey colt, as a king would.  And that the disciples spread their coats onto the colt's back, as they would for a king.  And that the people raised palm branches in the air when Jesus rode through, as for a king.  And that the people shouted praises at Jesus, as they would at a king. 

We practiced shouting, "Hosanna!  Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!"  I explained that Hosanna means, "Lord save us!" (I actually didn't know that until home group the night before!).  And told Hunter and Charlotte that the people didn't understand that Jesus would die to save us from our sin, but thought that he would become their king and save them from the mean king that ruled over them.

So, we went into the yard (actually James and H and C did, while I sheltered Grey from the cold inside) and gathered leaves.  They kids excitedly brought them in and we did leaf rubbings to remember the palm branches that were raised for our King.  The true King...

You're Six

I found these birthday interview questions online, so we are going to start asking them every year.  It was interesting to sit with Hunter and hear his answers...

1. Favorite color? Blue

2. Favorite toy? Legos

3. Favorite stuffed animal? Bear

4. Favorite thing to sleep with? My bear

5. Favorite fruit? Watermelon

6. Favorite cereal?  The chocolate…cocoa puffs and cocoa krispies

7. Favorite thing to eat for breakfast? Donuts

8. Favorite thing to eat for lunch? Turkey sandwich

9. Favorite dessert? Chocolate

10. Favorite drink? Sprite

11. What do you want to eat for your birthday dinner?  Mac n cheese

12. Favorite animal? Bears and crocodiles

13. Favorite book? Pete the Cat

14. Favorite song? Imagination Movers

15. Favorite game? Ninja game on cool math

16. Favorite TV show?  Ninjago

17. Favorite movie? Star Wars

18. Favorite thing to do outside? Play in the pool in the summer and have water gun fights in the spring

19. Who is your best friend? Zack

20. What do you want to be when you grow up? A builder

Hunter,
I can't believe you're six!  When I met you six years ago, I fell head over heels.  I am honored to be able to call you my son.  I've loved watching you grow into yourself over these past six years.  Some of my favorite things about you are your compassion for others, your sensitivity, and your creativity.  I love to listen to you play excitedly with your toys...you have such a vivid imagination.  I love how much you love your brother and sister and how sweet you are to them.  You are such a great reader and writer, and I love to read all of the notes you write to us.  My hope is that you will look back on your childhood and be assured of our love for you and of God's love for you.  As our birthday book says, there's no one like you, buddy, and there never will be again.  You truely are fearfully and wonderfully made...

Ninjago 6th Birthday Party

We talked for a long time about what kind of birthday party to have for Hunter, and he finally decided on a Ninjago themed party at Pump It Up.  I found this super cute Ninjago printable package on Etsy...

 

Hunter also went back and forth about whether he wanted to invite only boys or have girls come too.  He's such a sweet, inclusive boy that he decided that it wouldn't be very nice not to include the girls, so he invited his entire class (22 kids), 5 other friends mostly from church and of course the 4 cousins.  We only had 4 friends from school and 3 of the other friends plus the 4 cousins.  I really think it was because of spring break (and that for some crazy reason I booked the party for 9:15 am).  Now that he's school age, I'll have to remember that for future years.  But even though all of his friends couldn't make it, Hunter had so much funs with the ones that were there!

 

He and Charlotte were so excited before the party started!

  

Grey sweetly slept through most of it...

I'm never good at taking pictures at Pump It Up.  They always turn out blurry...

 

The boys had lots of fun together...

Group photo (minus cousin Carson)...

More of my Ninjago printables...

 

 

I found this idea on pinterest and was so excited to make them...

 

After jumping, we had a snack...

Then the boys goofed off some...

And we had cupcakes...

And finally opened presents!  Hunter kept asking, "Is this the last one?" with every present.  I think he didn't want it to end!

 

He got lots of great gifts from his friends and family.  It was a great party!  I love that boy so much and loved celebrating him today!

Spring Break

Even though we didn't go on a trip, we still had fun at home over spring break!  Aunt Courtney came in town at the beginning of the break, and the day she left, Aunt Mel and her crew came into town.  The kids have had so much fun hanging out with family.  I didn't get tons of pictures, but did take some during 2 of our outings.

 

Aunt Courtney and I took the cousins bowling on Monday afternoon...

Hunter and Charlotte would get really excited when they knocked the pins over...

It was really cute:)

On Wednesday Aunt Melanie and I took all the kids (other cousins this time) to the zoo...

 

They just spontaneoulsy did this.  It was so sweet...

Tomorrow is Hunter's birthday party...we are pumped!  All 4 cousins will be there...that's a first I think!