A Visual Lenten Lesson

Early in the Lenten season, one of the activities we did with our local Catholic homeschooling group was to make a crown of thorns for each family. The children filled their wreaths with toothpicks, to represent the thorns on Christ's crown. Then, all during Lent as they made sacrifices and performed acts of mercy, they were able to remove a thorn from the crown and replace it with a flower. The goal is to have a wreath of flowers by Easter. The boys have been so excited doing their good deeds and sacrifices all during Lent to fill in the wreath. We've had lots of sharing and room cleaning these last few weeks.

Easter Sugar Cookie House

Ever since decorating graham cracker houses on Christmas the boys have been hooked. Emanuel even wanted a cookie house instead of a cake for his birthday. Today we were at Target looking for Easter cookie cutters when the boys spotted it... an Easter Cookie House kit!
"Please, mom and dad, can we buy it? Please?" Dad said yes, and Emanuel got to hold it. He spent the rest of the shopping trip waxing on about the virtues of this cookie house and how thankful he was to have it. It's nice to have thankful kids!

For mom and dad, the virtue of the cookie house was as an incentive. They cleaned their room so well and quickly, lunch went by without a hitch (and without seconds and thirds, which NEVER happens), and they even cleaned up after themselves without being told more than once!