Preparing Our Hearts For Easter

I always have so many things that I want to do with the kids, especially around the holidays.  Decorate the house, specials crafts, cooking projects, all the usual stuff...  I tend to overwhelm myself... a bit.  With Easter coming up my mind has been racing.  As I sat thinking about the crafts and the cooking and the fun Easter festivities, I realized that there was really only one thing I had to do.  Just one thing I had to get right, and that was to make sure the kids new why we celebrated Easter.  I love the pretty pastels and the cute little chicks and bunnies, but Easter is about the cross. 

Whew, all the crafting pressure is off... and if we get to it, great!  If not, oh well!

I began searching for some Easter devotionals for the family a couple of weeks ago.  I was hoping to find something for month leading up to Easter, but didn't discover that until yesterday (for lack of reading to the end of an email!).  Since I didn't find the month devo, each night we've been reading about the life of Jesus in The Jesus Storybook Bible.  It is the best children's Bible ever!  I love it but better than that the kids love it too!  What I did find was this family devotional/activties that begins on Palm Sunday and has something for each day leading to Easter.  I will have to do some modifications because the kids are small but I think it'll be really fun.  I really like the meaningful Easter basket idea at the end!