Easter Week

We have what I think is a very meanigful and fun Easter tradition.   We celebrate Easter for week by reading the stories of each day of the Savior's last week of his mortal life.  Like on Palm Sunday we read about what happened on that day, Monday what happened on that day and so forth.  It causes everyone to pause during this sacred holy week and think about each event that took place.  I also buy an Easter lily every year which I think is a gorgeous flower, so pure white, elegant and sweet smelling..a perfect symbol of Easter.   We  enjoy watching good movies such as "The Robe," "Ben Hur," "The Ten Commandments" and every great video produced about Jesus.  We also fill our home with the very best sacred music and draw closer to the Savior during this holy sacred week.  

This is our favorite activity of the week.  We have a passover dinner.  This happens on Thursday night...the night Jesus gathered with his 12 apostles in the upper room for the Last Supper. Sometimes we  dress up as people living in Jesus' time in Jerusalem with shawls and veils and robes but sometimes we just come as we are.  We create our own version of the passover feast to focus on certain things we think are important.  Because the passover feast includes unleavened bread and lamb we buy the yummy Greek sandwiches "Gyros" that you can find at Greek restaurants.   We talk about why we eat lamb and "flat bread," like they did at the real last supper.  We also serve finger foods such as grapes, vegetables, and olives.  Next year I might get some baklava or natural honey comb for dessert.  We talk about how they ate then and where and what they did.  We talk about the events that took place during the Last Supper, Jesus washing his disciples feet, introducing the sacrament and about how much Jesus loved his disciples and what he taught them that night.  We do all of this by candlelight!  After the meal, we usually watch one of the beautifully prepared movies the church has produced about Jesus crucifixion and resurrection.    This is such a special night for our family and one of our children's favorite family traditions.  Our kids just love it!

Then on Friday we color Easter Eggs......Here are the youngest three boys having fun coloring Easter Eggs.  The boys love getting the same candy every year--Russell Stover chocolate bunnies, chocolate marshmallow eggs, chocolate and malt easter eggs, m n m eggs, peeps etc.  I love all the pastel colored candies.  It is such a fun time of year.    

On Saturday we usually have the Easter Egg Hunt.  The past two years we have just had it at our house.  We miss the big Easter egg hunts we used to have with all the Knudsen cousins at Cottonwood on the Creek.  All the cousins have grownup except for our kids.  We will have to see if we can pull one together next year with friends.

Even though I don't have pictures I must mention two events that made this year extra special and unforgettable.  

Saturday Night-Steve and I went to an amazing concert put on by the BYU Combined Choirs and Philharmonic Orchestra.  Steven Schmidt our nephew, who performed in the concert had invited us to come.  The music was absolutely beautiful and inspiring.  I shed a few tears and noticed that Steve did as well.  It was truly unforgettable and PBS was there to tape it.  I can't wait to see it again and get the music on CD.  Steve's mom had been brought to the concert by our cute nephew Ben Schmidt and she had a marvelous time which made me happy!  We were lucky enough to be able to bring her home after and had a wonderful time talking in the car on our trip back to Salt Lake City.  

Sunday-We enjoyed a special day at church and then came home to have the traditional Easter Sunday Dinner.  Our guest of honor was Steve's mom.  She made the day more special by being there.  After dinner, while our kids watched "The Ten Commandments,"  we asked Mom to tell us stories about her childhood and life.  We had a wonderful time listening to her and we even video taped it.  She had a ball telling us her stories and the hours just flew by.  It was a special day and made Easter this year unforgettable.