MaeLyn's Musings

 When a member of the bishopric sent a message to my husband several weeks ago asking if we both could meet with him, I was mystified. Usually that kind of invite suggests a major calling, but we both currently have stake callings, so that wasn't likely. The call ended up being an invitation to plan the ward Easter party, and they wanted something more Christ focused than bunnies and egg hunts. A week later, we found out that it would be a combined activity with another ward, and that a representative from their ward would assist us.  I'm not usually a party planner - one of my kids got one birthday party growing up. Thank goodness that Steven loves to plan and organize. He was the one who came up with our overarching theme. In the end, I think the activity turned out really well. Here are some of the features: The Garden of Eden This area was a reminder of how the Savior created the world, with an opportunity to create a simple banner that people could bring home and use to...

Dying eggs used to be a fairly simple endeavor. We boiled a bunch of eggs, covered the table with several layers of newspaper, set out cups with hot water, vinegar and food coloring, and let the kids dip their eggs into the colored cups.  As the years go by, however, the tradition has evolved. For one thing, fewer of us desire to participate in the coloring of the eggs. Sadly, it is no longer a family activity. This year, only three of us participated.  Also, the eggs we end up with get more intricately decorated by those who do want to color them. No longer do we get solid colored eggs, dipped in just one color dye. Now the process involves markers, Q-tips, white crayons, and food coloring mixed with small amounts of lemon juice, as well as the usual cups of colored vinegar water for whole-egg dying. Now we get eggs with character! Vanellope von Schweetz, Stitch, Perry the Platypus Cogsworth, Buzz Lightyear Shrek, some random chick in an egg... Ar...

Spring Break is over. Easter is in the past. All the kids are back at school. The house is quiet. It's not clean yet... I know what I'll be doing today. But it is quiet. It's funny how after a break--whether it is spring break, Christmas break, or summer vacation, it is always nice to get back to normal routines again. Anyway, here are pictures from our Easter:  Grandma Hiatt sent us a package almost a month before Easter, and a week before Easter, the kids talked us into opening it, so they could see what was inside. The bunny basket (apparently from Steven's childhood) filled with candy filled eggs, and brightly colored wrapped packages sat on our living room table for the week, unopened, untouched. I was very impressed by my children's forbearance. The morning dawned bright and early, with the kids awake and ready to go hunt Easter eggs. A couple days before, they had prepared treasure hunts for each other, and on Easter Eve, they set them up, so one egg wo...

Peter got to give in a talk in Primary on Sunday. He wrote the talk himself. Here is what he said (according to his own writing): Jesus is our Savior. Well first, what is a savior? A savior is someone who saves, like a teacher who teaches. Jesus Christ came to earth to save us. Then, why do we need to be saved? Well 2 reasons. 1st, we die. 2nd we sin. But Jesus saves us. But how? Think you are a chalkboard. Jesus is the eraser and your sins are the chalk. So when we sin, the chalk draws on the chalkboard. But when we repent, the eraser erases the drawing. But how does Jesus save us from dieing? Well what's the next holiday? EASTER! And what's Easter all about? Resurrection! Resurrection is living after you die. Jesus is our Savior because he made it possible to live with him again. I say this in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

With the time change and some of my tulips poking their green leaves through the soil, it comes to my attention that in spite of the snow which fell this morning in defiance of the weathermen's predictions, spring is not far off. Easter is only three weeks away. I was thinking about Easter - what decorations I have, what activities we do, and in general thinking about the traditions that we have, and I have some questions for my readers. I hope you'll take a few minutes to give me a thoughtful answer. 1. Do you decorate your home for Easter? If yes, what kind of decorations do you use? Is it all chicks, bunnies and eggs? Are they "Easter" decorations or "Springtime" decorations? Do you have anything to help you remember the religious purpose for the holiday? 2. What Easter traditions do you have?  Do you and/or your children get new clothes? Do you give baskets full of gifts and candy? Do you get up early in the morning? Do you color eggs and have East...