Easter Sunday Kids Sermon

Ok...so here's the plan...I gave the kids the "homework" of cutting out the pictures and matching the scriptures that match of the timeline of events from Palm Sunday to Easter (see the last post).  If they bring the The True Meaning of Easter writing with picture colored and the pictures/scriptures back they get a prize.  Really all the kids will get one. I can't leave anyone out. 

I'm putting the True Meaning of Easter writings up in church at the welcome table displayed for everyone to see. 

During the service I'm going to review the pictures/scriptures match up that they did with display board and then we are going to watch the cutest video about Easter I've found.  I know we saw an animated version of the arrest and crucifixion last week, but I think this video will be better suited for all audiences including the adults...These kids reenact the Easter story in such a cute way, the videos to choose from:
Easter Story with Kids Choice #1
Easter Story with Kids Choice #2

They are both great!!!! Choose whichever one you think better suits you and your church.

For a prize today I'm giving them goody boxes with stuff to work on during Big Church...I have stressed that Easter is not really about Easter bunnies, Easter eggs, and candy. Here are the boxes I'm using...got this idea from our weekly eat-out night at Taco Bell.  I will redecorate them first though... Ours is brown cardboard...this is the only pic online I could find.

 

Here's what I'm putting in the boxes...

1.) Easter grass

2.)Coloring pages from the timeline of Easter http://jacques-mylittlehouse.blogspot.com/search/label/Bible%20coloring%20pages

3.)Easter Crossword Search http://churchhousecollection.blogspot.com/2013/03/christian-easter-word-search-for-kids.html

4.) A little craft...either cross or tomb craft

5.) Maybe I'll put a little bag of jellybeans or something small.

 

That's the plan...I may change all this before Easter Sunday! LOL.  If you guys/gals have any ideas shoot them to me!

 



Palm Sunday Kids Sermon Lesson

Palm Sunday Lesson-

So today we are observing the Lord's Supper in service and time is pretty tight.  So I'm showing the first half of a YouTube video clip (about 2 min) that leads up to Easter next week.  I've included the link below.  It is an animated version of the arrest and crucifixion from Zondervan The Beginners Bible.  It doesn't show anything too gruesome but conveys the message well for children.

http://youtu.be/wq-NhRUIejo

Last week week we talked about Jesus praying in the Garden of Gethsemane and in Sunday school they are talking about Jesus coming in to the city on the donkey and the people waving and laying the palm branches down.  So we are building the lesson backward...I know.  But it really works.  You just keep taking the kids back one step at a time.  Then show this video and the pieces will all fall in to play.

If I had planned this better I would've talked about the Last Supper in preparation for the Lord's Supper today at church.  We live and learn. :)

Here are the packet contents that I filled for the kids today so they could work during Big Church:
1.) The Real Meaning of Easter writing with box to color (They write about what they've learned about Easter...no bunnies...candy or egg hunts allowed. I'm going to hang these up for next week.)
2.) Coloring Page of the Lord's Supper
3.) A Bible scavenger hunt with the scripture and match it to the picture (kids are to complete this during service, at home, and bring back to me before next Sunday for a prize).
4.) Two 8.5 X 17 sheets of white copy paper to paste the scavenger hunt pictures and scriptures
5.) a pack of 8 ct. crayons (Target-$0.78 each)
6.) a pair of safety scissors
7.) a glue stick

Valentine's Day Children's Sermon/Craft Idea

Our church does a children's time sermon right before our pastor gives his sermon. Since it is right before Valentine's Day...I'm having the children come forward for the "message" on 1 John 3:16-18 Let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth. They are making their own Valentine's during the "big" sermon today.  I've given them a ziplock baggie with all the supplies they need to make a few valentines.  I even gave them a little print out of some people in the church who need a valentine and a suggestion to make/give a valentine to a lost friend. Here's how I did it...

I bought a tiny heart craft cutter at Hobby Lobby for $3.99. I cut construction paper and foil for the tiny hearts.  I kept the strips and they can also re-use those on their valentines as a border.

 

I even made baggies with all boy colors. 

 

I found a free printable valentine's card template at www.familyfun.com . I also put blank cards in there so they could make their own. 

I am also putting a valentine rock in their bag to give to someone special.  I modged podged a paper heart cut out on a rock...super easy...colors for both boys and girls.

 

After it was all said and done we had tons of foam heart valentines stickers left from previous years, so I added some to their bags to help with their decorating. 

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!

Gingerbread Houses- No kits!!!

 This was the best gingerbread making party ever!  I pre-made the gingerbread houses this time and let them dry 24 hours prior to the decorating party.  It really helped. They were rock solid! I used a small whoppers christmas carton you buy at walmart on the Christmas isle, duncan hines white tub icing, and graham crackers.  It was perfect!  Cheaper than the kits for sure!I bought all kinds of candy.  I made homemade icing and put into the empty tie-dyed color bottles you can get at walmart. This was a huge hit at church with the kids!

Fishing in My Back Yard

So I went fishing with the family today after we all got home from work and school. We bought the boys some little Spiderman fishing poles during Spring Break so we could actually make use of our back yard (considering we are right on the lake). Needless to say the boys got bored and went bike riding while I stayed behind to enjoy the peace and quiet rhythm of casting and reeling. Needless to say I ended up catching two fish!!!!! I'm so proud!!!! I haven't been fishing since I was a little girl with my Grandpa Smith on Lake Hamilton in Hot Springs. It brought back some good memories! My boys thought it was awesome that their mom caught the fish...the only girl in the house!

Snow Days!

These are the memories that I will always cherish...I pray my children will remember these into their adult years...such fun times! Thanks mom and dad for hanging on to that sled from when we were kids...I bet you never thought we'd use that thing again...You are leaving a legacy! If I can be at least half the parents that you all were to me, I might turn out ok afterall! You all are the best! Thanks for leaving so many good memories with me...and yes...I have many wonderful memories to share! I love you all!

Christmas Pictures

Thanks, Mindi! The pictures turned out awesome! My favorite is when Jacob is looking up at Ethan!

Pumpkin Carving!

So here is Ethan's first experience carving pumpkins!!! No more pumpkin painting for him. He helped outline, punch, and poke the design for this pumpkin! He did really well!

It's a bat in case you can't tell! We even made some Green Ghoul Punch! Fun times!

Baking...and Jacie's Birthday

Today is my niece's birthday. Jacie wanted a Halloween birthday party this year, so we all pitched in to help! I made some desserts...one-eyed monster cupcakes, pistachio-boo pies, and some cut-finger/bone and skull bone cupcakes! I had a fun time making them!!! This is a must for next Halloween!

Artsfest

The boys and I went to the Artsfest here in Conway. All the art depts. are teaming up to put on an annual arts fest in Conway. I think this was the 2nd or 3rd year for the festival. It is really neat. Vendors set up to sell their artisan work. They set up booths of free things for the kids to do such as sculptin, painting, collage making, chalk drawing and face painting. We had a blast this year! Ethan picked a puppy dog face and, of course, my Jake picked a lion face. This is him doing his lion roar!

Doesn't he look so sweet! My sweet Ethan...he is getting too big.

K-LOVE

So yesterday my son, Jake, who is three, is listening to K-Love on the radio...96.9, our favorite station. He then shouts, "K-love.com, mom! Did you know that I have a K-love in my class?"

I asked him if he listened to k-love in his class, and he said, "No, mom, I have a k-love in my class!" It took me a minute, but I think he meant to say, "I have a boy named Kaleb in my class!". My son thought they were saying Kaleb on the radio instead of k-love.

He is too much...I almost peed myself I was laughing so hard!

Simon Says

So tonight we are playing a friendly game of "Simon Says". We each took turns being "Simon". Dennis gave out commands. I gave out commands. Then our youngest, Jake, wanted to give out commands. He hadn't quite caught on how to play the game yet, or at least he hadn't figured out how to give commands. He would say, "Simon says...touch your nose." We would all touch our noses because that's what "Simon" told us. Jake would then shout, "Noooo, Simon didn't say it!" It didn't matter if he said Simon says or not...everytime he would say, "Nooo, Simon didn't say!" and shake his finger back and forth.

Ethan took his turn and he was a much better "Simon" than Jake. He gave great commands! The best command was when Dennis and I were playing against each other and Ethan said, "Simon says...touch your tattoo!". Dennis and I laughed so hard because we both knew I had lost and he had won. I guess sometimes it comes in handy to have a tattoo!!! Especially when you are playing a mean game of Simon Says!

Hickory Dickery Dock

Ethan had to dress up as his favorite character in a nursery rhyme for school. He chose "Hickory Dickery Dock". I think he was the cutest mouse ever! We couldn't buy anything at all. We had to make the costume from items we had at home. I got one of my hair bands and glued the posterboard cut-out ears to it. I used an old pink belt that I had laying around for his tail. We also "painted" his face with my brown eyeliner to make the whiskers and nose! We had a lot of fun! I have to say I'm pretty proud of his costume!

Children's Choir Performance

Here are two songs from the children's choir performance! They sang "New Attitude" and "Amazing Grace". I'm so proud of them! Even Jake and Whitney, the two youngest of three years, sang their little hearts out!

(Ethan and Jake are on the far right.)

God is Good!

Blogging Explosion

Okay, so I've been a little busy...sorry to keep you all waiting...we've had so many good times over the last few months, it's time to share!!! You might have to scroll way down to catch everything that I've added! Sorry...



I have to get busy posting so that Rachel and Lamar can keep up with us...Gosh how I miss them.



Anywho...hope you all enjoy!



Martha

Ethan is toothless!

In case you all haven't noticed my son is growing up...He's lost his two front teeth! Wow...soon he'll be driving a car...I'm definitely not ready for that! God grant us the strength to raise these two beautiful boys!

Ethan's 5th Birthday!

We had Ethan's Birthday at Dixie Cafe. It was packed!





He was so shy...

I love my mom! She colored along with the other kids. I want to be like my mom more and more everyday...she is the BEST!

Ethan's favorite present was his remote controlled four wheeler, but he absolutely loved his "first" monetary gift from Grandma and Grandpa Hibbard!

After the party we went bowling as a family! We had a blast! Ethan got to go bowling because he got all green faces at school that week! GO ETHAN!!!! We knew you could do it!

Hanna's Baptism!

The Lord rejoices along with his people every time that a child declares Jesus as the Lord and Saviour of their life! Praise God for Hanna! We love you, Hanna! May you see God in all things!