March 16, 2018

Planning Ahead: Our Holy Week and Easter Baskets

The best laid plans of mice and men often go awry but I've still got a few things planned for the upcoming weeks and I thought I'd share in case you're looking for any ideas, too.

This year my kids and my husband have Holy Week off and I am praying for good weather because we are hoping to:

- work in the yard, cleaning up some flower beds and catching voles
- clean the windows (I like to meditate on the Light of Christ while I wash my windows.)
- stain two outdoor benches

I should probably tell Travis about these things. ha!

We will also be fasting from all non-religious tv for the week. Old school Veggie Tales, CCC of America cartoons about the saints, and The Great American Bible Challenge on Netflix will be watched. We will also do a Family Movie Night on Wednesday where we watch The Prince of Egypt, also on Netflix. I think that movie, the Steven Spielberg animated film about Moses, is a great launch into Triduum. Travis and I will likely watch The Passion on Good Friday.

On Good Friday we will also be eating the symbolic Passion lunch that Lacy at Catholic Icing developed years ago. I make modifications because of our food allergies but the gist is the same. (Maybe I should blog about what we do? Would that be helpful to anyone?)


Our kids' Easter baskets are going to include the following

jump rope (affiliate link) - my kids are merciless on jump ropes and even the nice ones are failed us so I'm just going basic this time around

children's umbrellas (affiliate link) - I did this several years ago and the kids loved it. Three of them are still in excellent shape but two of them need to be replaced and Tee is finally old enough for his own.

bubble wands (affiliate link) - it's like Oprah: every body gets a bubble wand!

bubble refill (affiliate link) - to go with the wands and our bubble blower and bubble mower

pogo stick (affiliate link) - my kids have been asking for one for months. We are getting one for the older kids (not pictured) and the one pictured above still in its packaging (affiliate link) for the little ones.

water bottle (affiliate link) - each of my kids gets a Thermos water bottle when they begin Kindergarten. It serves as their cup ann that way there is no confusion of which is whose. L's Doc McStuffins one is old, faded, and a bit too juvenile for my almost tween, although she uses it without complaint. I'm excited to give her this pretty, more grown-up one.

Other great ideas from some of my favorite online stores are:

The Catholic Journaling Bible from Blessed Is She (affiliate link) - I love mine. It makes for great study time since it has all the footnotes and cross references plus room for notes, prayers, doodles...

Catholic Bible Stickers from Look to Him Be Radiant - my friend Katie makes these and I LOVE mine. As much as I wish I could doodle beautiful things in my Bible I am not artistic and so when she started selling these - they fit the margins of the BIS Bible perfectly - I immediately purchased some. I love that they add little touches of beauty next to my scrawling notes.

Custom Felted Bead Decade Rosary from Lily Joy Designs - I have one of these babies and I love praying with it. It would be a perfect companion to one the Mystery studies!

Madonna of the Blossoms print from Sleightholm Folk Art - one hangs in my living room each Spring and I love it. Absolutely gorgeous.

Strong Brave Loved t-shirt from Someday Saints Designs - so pretty and perfect for a teen or tween.

Gold Foil Sacred Heart print from Small Gifts Great Love - one hangs in my kitchen and I love it!

The new study series from Blessed Is She - Mystery - I wrote Believe! (affiliate link)


Now, I need YOUR help, please! My almost 8 year old boy needs a big gift for his Easter Basket and I can't think of anything to give him. He doesn't need a new umbrella, water bottle, helmet, swim trunks, or anything like that. Can you help me out?

9 comments:

  1. A Frisbee like the Beam-o (just got one for a kid's birthday they're playing with it inside and out). Darth Vader lego watch. 4M Water Rocket kit. Lux blocks building kit. Domino set. Chess set. Magic set. Set of Calvin and Hobbes books. Nerf gun. Nerf bow set (using nerf bullet not arrows).
    Just off the top of my head!
    We got the kids two pogo sticks at Christmas - they're a lot of fun. Your Easter basket ideas are wonderful!

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  2. My 7yo wants a bug vacuum for his 8th birthday next month. About 20 on Amazon, made by lakeshore.

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  3. Stomp rockets. So fun. Very entertaining for all ages.

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    1. That pogo stick you bought is amazing. Again, fun for all ages. I'm talking parents too ;)

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  4. How about a watch for your son? Or a favorite book, or a new game?

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  5. Does he have a pocket knife/utility knife?

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  6. Check out a hex bug on amazon. It’s not very expensive, but super fun. Especially when you make mazes for it.

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  7. A kids watch or fitness type watch? I found one at Aldi for $5. Also, my 9-year-old son loves these types of code books.
    https://www.amazon.com/dp/0486798712/?coliid=I1W9L76Y4XIN0B&colid=3KANL6238WWNL&psc=0&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it

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  8. My 8 year old has recently been super interested in the American revolution bc I found a $5 dvd of Liberty’s Kids at Walmart before Christmas and bought it out of nostalgia bc his older brothers used to love that show! So for Easter I got him a tub of revolutionary war soldiers from Amazon, the magic tree house book on the revolution as well as the companion book filled with facts. I also got him a bow and arrow set(suction cups) from amazon bc his beloved set from last Easter broke!

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