Easter egg hunt -- with a spiritual twist

Happy Easter! We hope everyone has enjoyed all of the fun traditions at this time of year.
I had a neat experience today that I wanted to share. Matt and I have talked a lot about wanting to keep the focus on the Savior on Christmas and Easter, and as I was thinking about how to do that, I felt like I was very blessed to have some ideas come. One of them was for our family home evening activity today. If any of you have had little children, you know how hard it can be to keep their attention for very long. I think it's great, because it helps me think outside of the box and figure out what works for us and our little one. Well, knowing Ian LOVES Easter egg hunts, and wanting to tie that in somehow, this is the idea I came up with: Using pictures of Christ throughout His life (I just used pictures from a book we made using a set of pictures from the Friend magazine) and a few eggs, I numbered the eggs and hid them with the coordinating picture. Inside each egg were the directions of which room to go to in order to find the next egg and picture, except the last egg had a treat in it. (I hid the first egg in plain sight to get us started, and my observant little Ian found it really quickly, before I was ready for my lesson to begin. Can't put anything past that little boy! He seriously is so observant and notices/remembers the tiniest details.) Then, for each egg/picture, I found a coordinating video on youtube of that time of the Savior's life. Most had a song and pictures or video clips, but one or two were video clips from the new Bible videos the LDS church has put out. For one event in the Savior's life, we just read the account from the scriptures.
The activity turned out even better than I'd hoped! Ian was SO excited to find each egg! It felt like Christmas excitement! :) For the first egg or two, he was so excited that he just wanted to move on and find the next egg, and didn't watch much of the movie. But, I was surprised how quickly he wanted to sit with us and watch the whole video. Ian would look at the coordinating pictures in his hands, and point it out when he saw it in the video we were watching. One experience with a video was particularly special to me. Ian had clearly felt the Spirit in a few of the movies and songs, but this one was different. We were listening to "This is the Christ" with scenes from when the Savior was resurrected and visiting his disciples in "The Testaments" and another LDS church produced movie about the Savior. Ian kept pointing the pictures and to the Savior and saying, "He's alive! I found Him!" and then twice he pulled both Matt and I in for a group hug and gave us huge kisses. I could tell that he felt the joy the Holy Ghost brings when we talk of Christ, and the love that follows that joy. It was such a neat mommy moment! I felt so blessed to have been a part of it. I'm so thankful that Heavenly Father inspired me to know what movies to do, and how to reach our precious two year old. It was a testimony to me about how children love to learn about the gospel, have family home evening, and feel the Spirit. It is never a waste to do family home evening with our families, no matter how much thought and preparation we may need to do. Children are so precious and so tender. I feel so blessed to have the opportunity to be a parent! Families bring so much joy!
If you are interested, here is the list of videos I used for our FHE:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OmLsEUWK4u4 (Away in a manger) pic #1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fo1w7Zr_Jmw&feature=related (Jesus Once was a little child) pic #2

pic #3 - go to scripture in Matt. 3:13-17

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KfzqVXdb9pk&feature=relmfu (I Know that My Redeemer Lives -- video of His life) pics #4 & 5

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EpFhS0dAduc&feature=relmfu (about the Atonement) pics #6 & 7

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MlKetn7ZiNU&feature=relmfu (bible version of the resurrection) pic #8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aqpvjsc6X8Y&feature=relmfu (This is the Christ -- resurrection) pic #9

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4C1tH_WLEio&list=PLD00E61B5D4511060&index=6&feature=plpp_video (I'm trying to be like Jesus) play at the end of the hunt, after egg #7 is found

Hope you enjoy this beautiful Easter season! I know we have! Love you all!

Back to the blogosphere :)

Hey, everyone!

So, it has been FOREVER since I've written on here. To be honest, life is busy and when I have free time, neither this blog nor my cooking blog were priority. When I did have the itch to write, I didn't even know where to begin. But, thanks to a friend (thanks, Marie!) who has given me the needed nudge to get back on here and keep my family and friends updated.
I was thinking about life lately and all I've been learning. I think I'm going to take this blog a little different direction than just updating. I've been having so many neat experiences as a mom and wife, and so many, many things that I'm learning. I think the only thing that will get me on here regularly is if I feel like I could be doing some good or helping someone. So, I'm planning to post every day (or probably more realistically, every few days) and share some of the things I've been learning about myself, our Father in Heaven's plan for you and for me, about purposefully mothering and living our lives, and maybe even about what I've been learning about taking care of our bodies. Of course, there will be a liberal sprinkling of a certain cute 2 1/2 year old that has stolen our hearts, and other goings on. :)
I hope that by doing this, we can all learn together and strengthen each other. As I start writing, I would LOVE to hear your thoughts on the things I've written and what you've been learning, so please leave comments or message me on facebook if there is anything you want to share!
For now, I just want to tell you of our love for you. Thanks so much for always being there!! We have the best support system ever!!