Easter Cookies & Resurrection Eggs

Here's an idea for some Easter Cookies that I plan to use this year. I haven't baked them before, but the description is great, and it sounds like a great visual. I don't remember where I found this, but I'm excited to try it.

Easter Cookies: To be made the evening before Easter

You need: 1 cup whole pecans, 1 tsp. vinegar, 3 egg whites, pinch salt, 1 cup sugar, zipper baggie, wooden spoon, tape, your Bible

Preheat oven to 300 degrees (this is important-don't wait until you're half done with the recipe)!

Place pecans in zipper baggie and let children beat them with the wooden spoon to break 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 tsp. vinegar into 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 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 it and brush the rest into the bowl. Explain that this represents the salty tears shed by Jesus' followers, and the bitterness of our own sin. Read Luke 23:27.

So far, the ingredients are not very appetizing. Add 1cup sugar. 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 Ps. 34:8 and John 3:16.

Beat with a mixer on high speed for 12 to 15 minutes until stiff peaks are formed. Explain that the color white represents the purity in God's eyes of those whose sins have been cleansed by Jesus. Read Isa. 1:18 and John 3:1-3.

Fold in broken nuts. Drop by teaspoons onto wax paper covered cookie sheet.Explain that each mound represents the rocky tomb where Jesus' body was laid.Read Matt. 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 and seal the oven door. Explain that Jesus' tomb was sealed. Read Matt. 27:65-66.

GO TO BED! Explain that they may feel sad to leave the cookies in the oven overnight. Jesus' followers were in despair when the tomb was sealed. Read John 16:20 and 22.On Easter morning, open the oven and give everyone a cookie. Notice the cracked surface and take a bite. The cookies are hollow! On the first Easter, Jesus' followers were amazed to find the tomb open and empty.Read Matt. 28:1-9

I also LOVE the resurrection eggs. For those of you who have not invested in a set of these, please do. There are twelve eggs in a carton (you can hide them or whatever). The important thing is that there are items inside the eggs that tell the story of Easter...well, the entire story of our Messiah. Some of the items are a a cup (fromthe last supper), praying hands (Garden of Gethsemane), a nail (the nails from the cross)....and so on. There is a book that explains each of the items and gives verses for reference.

$3.00 Silk Drapes

I found the quilt man a few years ago at a Flea Market Extravaganza in Springfield Ohio. He sells the most beautiful quilts around, and he has discount bins as well. These discount bins, my friends, are where the treasures are. I dug through these bins to find several $3.00 duvets that were in a color I adored. They are a natural brownish copper or bronzed color and I had no particular plans for them at the time of the find. They are a fancy-silk (I had seen some in Pottery Barn for a small fortune). I later decided to turn the duvets into window treatments, and I did some minor re-working (I cut the duvet down the center and sewed a hem, then I attached the classic rings by clips and slid the on the curtain rod). A cream "Cinderella" bow makes them match my girls rooms. Once I discovered how much I loved them, I searched for the Quilt Man, and found that he also frequents the Hillsville Flea Market in North Carolina. Wouldn't you know...I found several more of these gorgeous duvets for $3.00 each. My whole house has beautiful drapes!

More Treasures...

This refinish was the perfect size furniture for my entryway space, and it was my husband's baby furniture. That's right, my mother-in-law mentioned to me that she hated to get rid of it since she remembers the phone call (while she was in the hospital delivering my husband) saying that her furniture (which she loved) was being delivered, just in time.

It was golden wood and rather dry, so it was actually my easiest refinish yet. I barely sanded it, rolled on black paint, scuffed off the corners, replaced the hardware and added some poly.

I placed it in my entryway hall, and we use the drawers for storing those items you want to drop when youwalk in the door....keys, wallets, change, gloves, the girls purses etc. Each family member has their own drawer (or two), and the entryway stays tidy because of it. It is extremely practical and a family treasure.

Trash to Treasures

With the yard sale season on the horizon (whew hew-thanks for the reminder Jen), there are tons of make-over projects out there just waiting to be invisioned ( I mean spray painted....).

A few years ago, I began to "shop" my family. Yes, I invisioned my family's trash (uh hum, I mean my family's heritage items) as the treasures I needed to complete my home. My mom had several old pieces with great bones, my mother-in-law had an incredible piece, and my grandmother had some treasures as well. I'm going to show some of my favorites over the next month or so....these are the "after" pictures.

My absolute favorite is this sewing table that my grandmother used to love. Not only did she sew family projects, but she used her talent to serve the Lord (only the Lord knows all the "jewel bags" she sewed). The original was golden brown and the handles were the swirly type (not the pretty vintage ones, just the cheap ones). I painted the surface, added some vintage staining detail and sealed it (my youngest actually painted the legs by herself...my 3 year old that is). We love to talk about Grandma as we use it, which is often. Not only does the finished product match my decor (which means we can leave it out and enjoy it), but Grandma would have loved that we use it so much.

Snow Day

In addition to two amazing snowmen (Thanks Ter-Ter) and the fastest sled in town (Thanks Ryan), our family participated in the World Championship Pecan Cracking Contest. I was showing off some of my home making from this week.....shelling fresh pecans. I was excited to hear that my very own Grandfather had been a Pecan Cracking Expert. In fact, he and my Dad had Pecan Cracking Wars where a "Champion Pecan" would be forced upon another pecan until one of them cracked under the pressure. The remaining pecan would be the Champion and would remain thus until beaten by another pecan, who would then take the title of Champion (Yes, my Grandfather and Father crack pecans with their bare hands...). As of today, my Dad was the..."Pecan Cracking Champion of the World". What fun!
Our family has always taken pleasure in the simple things. We enjoy nature and worshipping God through all of his many gifts to us. It was so nice to laugh and talk (and shell pecans) with my family today. I am so thankful for the snow, for its beauty and for the simple gifts God has given us that make life rich and enjoyable.