Easter 2013

   After many years around 3-4 years any way Joel has not got a picture with the Easter Bunny. For some odd reason he was scared of him. I never pushed my son to get a picture with the Easter Bunny. I knew that someday he would get over his fear, and finally he did. 
   The reason I never pushed the Easter Bunny (at Christmas I don't push Santa) is because I want him to concentrate on the real meaning of Easter, and that is what Jesus did on the cross, and Him acending into heaven. We still do the fun Easter things though: Easter egg hunts, color eggs, and have an Easter Basket.

  Joel looked very handsome in his Easter outfit. Blue really does him well. He was really decked out this year. He looked so grown up. His godfather and him love flat caps, and so they wore one each this year. It really topped off the outfit. 
  

Joel helping with offering.

 
    We of course started out day at church in the house of the Lord. We had sunrise breakfast with our family and church family. Then we had Sunday School, and regular morning worsip time. Joel loves to help out at church more and more all the time. This Sunday he helped with taking up regular offering and Easter offering (goes toward missions).  It is nice to see my son want to take part in helping out around the church. He doesn't do it for attention to himself, but away to help Jesus. It was neat to see my son have his head bowed during prayer for offering, and again when we had family altar prayer time. Joel loves to talk to God.

    This year I wanted to do something really fun and educational for Joel. So, I came up with an Easter Basket Adventure Hunt. I did it for many reasons. First, reason is that my son concentrated on the true meaning first, and that is Easter being about Jesus, and church. Second, is to just have a little learning fun.
   So, this year the Easter Bunny wrote Joel a note telling him that the Easter Basket was hidden somewhere in Winterset at someones home. Throught out the day Joel was given clues to find Large Easter Eggs that had words on them. Each clue had Joel do some learning fun: Count, give directions, spell last name, color awarness. When all the eggs were together Joel put them together and found where the basket was. I hid eggs at different places, and Joel had to go to different homes to get them. Joel really loved it. 

    After all was said and done of finding the eggs and getting his Easter Basket we went home. We decided since it was a good nice windy day the two of us would go outside and fly kites that he got for Easter from his godparents, and from me. Joel loved it. It was his first time flying a kite on his own.  He did a very good job too. We can not wait for another good day to fly his kites again.

   This was a great Easter. Can not wait to see what next Easter will bring.