A New Mexico Easter

Here we are in our new Easter outfits.  

I swear I look like I am in pain, but I believe it was just the sun hitting my eyes.  Or maybe I'm just getting old and it shows more when I smile. But I wanted to show my whole dress.  All of that is embroidery!  It comes from a new website that I was introduced to by a friend called eshakti.  They customize your dress for you.  You can change the neck, the sleeves, the length and give them your measurements and they make the dress for you.  Super excited about it!

We had a super low key Easter, but a nice one.  One where we laughed together and enjoyed each others company.  

I taught my class and did the eggs with objects in each one that represent the story of Christ's last time on the earth.  I have changed it a little to focus on the things I think should be focused on more.

My version:

1. Matt 26:26-28 (sacrament cup)  This is the Last supper and the institution of the sacrament

2. Matt 26:14-15 (3 pennies wrapped in tin foil) The 30 pieces of silver

3. Matt 26:36-45 (Olive oil) representing the Garden of Gethesemane

4. Matt 27:1-2 (rope) Jesus is bound

5. Matt 27:18-24 (soap) Pilate washes his hands

6. Matt 27:35 (dice) casting lots

7. Matt 27:50-54 (rocks) the earthquakes, ending with the soldiers believing that Jesus was the son of God

8. Matt 27:57-60 (white linen) burial

9. Matt 27:62-66 (large rock) stone sealed on tomb

10. Mark 16:1 (cloves) to anoint the body

11. John 20:2-9 (small roll of gauze) seeing the empty tomb 

12. Matt 28:6 (empty) he is not here but is risen

I would like to tweak it a little more and put in the part about Mary seeing Jesus.  More than anything I wanted to focus on the fact that he had risen and not so much about the death.  The death is in there, but it's not the main focus.  

What I found was 1. 8 year olds, even my smartie pants kids, have trouble reading long scriptures.

2. They don't understand how scriptures are laid out or are written down on a paper.  They kept saying Matt- what does Matt mean?  I had to tell them more than a couple times that Matt was short for Matthew.  Then they would say 26 dot dot 26 dash 28.  3. They really can't find scriptures.  I had to go around showing them every single time, even though we stayed in the same 2 chapters most of the time.  I had to say, "don't turn your page, don't turn your page.  Stay where you are" almost every single time and then come around and point to the right verse.  So that took our whole lesson!  But at least we talked of Christ and the real reason for Easter AND we learned a little about how to find scriptures!