We have had a wonderful blessed Easter! After speaking to my two oldest on skype first thing this morning (they are in Barcelona), we finished preparing for church. I snapped this picture of my children with their new dresses (and tie for the boy!) before getting in the van.
Edited: Yes, I sewed all their dresses! The pattern is pretty easy and whips up fairly fast. The girls all wanted “Pride & Prejudice” era dresses. I even made one for me (but it doesn’t look quite as nice on a pregnant mama). The two oldest will make their own when they return from Spain. We will all wear them again on Mother’s Day. I’m hoping to get a family picture taken then and will post that when/if we do.
Church was wonderful as always. I sang a musical number, Beautiful Savior (that link is the BYU Mens Choir), with two other ladies. It is always a treat for me to sing with others that know how to harmonize! Usually I sing the alto part but today I sang 2nd soprano (can’t quite hit the F the high soprano sang in the descant).
After church we listened to this amazingly beautiful and moving CD.
It is an oratorio composed by Rob Gardner and performed by talented soloists, the London Symphony Orchestra, and a truly angelic choir. It is the perfect way to celebrate Easter! To hear the story of the end of Christ’s life put to moving music that touches the heart and soul – as my 8 year old daughter Fudge said during ‘Hosanna,’ – “It makes me have happy tears in my eyes.”
You can hear selections of some of the pieces here, or purchase it here at Spire Music, or as an instant download from amazon
You can see a preview of Hosanna below:
I especially love how Rob Gardner chose my favorite instrument (what I call the instrument of heaven), the cello, to represent Christ in the music. Watch “Gethsemane” below to see for yourself.
As a special gift (I received my copy as a gift from a friend) I will send a Lamb of God CD to two random commenters on this post. Just answer this question:
What special thing did you do today to celebrate the atonement and resurrection of Jesus Christ?
GIVEAWAY NOW CLOSED
This activity goes along with day sixteen of The Living Christ: An Easter Countdown.
© 2007-2011 Chocolate on my Cranium, LLC all rights reserved
Thanks to your example we memorized “The Living Christ” and surprised my husband with it after our Easter dinner. It was a wonderful experience for all of us.
Happy Easter Cocoa!
Oh thank you so much for the wonderful resorces this countdown.
We have been enjoying easter this past 3 days. Today was a veritable feast at church. The most amazing part for me though was as I was holding my small sleeping niece, I looked down at her and had an emotional testifying of our Saviors love for us all. He knows each one of us and loves us all.
Small and simple testifying of the Holy Ghost. The Savior lives, He knows us and He watches us all, even (or maybe especially) the little ones. What a beautiful gift these precious babies are to us.
We were able to watch/listen to some talks by apostles about the resurrection and we also had our children view the Joseph Smith movie (only our oldest 7 finished it). It was a wonderful evening. I’m looking forward to honoring the whole week next year.
I listened to disk 2 of The Messiah this afternoon, and spent some time reading Jesus the Christ. We also worked on teaching Monkey about the Resurrection and what makes today special at several different points; his answers this evening are much more satisfactory than the first this morning!
Well, we did eat chocolate as part of Easter today, but not to celebrate the resurrection of Christ . . . we made Resurrection Rolls, shared our Resurrection Eggs with friends, read books and stories about Easter, attended church, spent time with family, etc. during this Easter season to celebrate the miracle of the Atonement and Resurrection!
We had a testimony egg hunt, but yesterday was such a fun day…we went up on a mountain and participated in a community worship service at the base of a cross…I wrote about it today! It was really neat!
http://beinglds.blogspot.com/2011/04/leading-my-children-to-cross.html
What an awesome Easter we’ve had! Thanks for your neat countdown! I think we will have to try that out next year!
We attended our church meetings, and had an especially moving Sacrament Meeting, as well. Both my older children (3 & 5) fell asleep (it was nap time) and I was able to listen with my ears and my heart. FABULOUS!
I probably shouldn’t comment, because I already have a copy, but, if I’m chosen, you could either pick someone else, or send it anyway, and I would forward it to someone I know who might enjoy it…it’s up to you 🙂
Anyway, our Easter was pretty low-key, the kids got new outfits, but that’s it. We went to church and visited my husbands dad. But the part about out Easter that was special to me was having the Lamb of God playing in the car, so every time we drove anywhere we got to hear part of the beautiful music. I love how listening to it lifts my soul and surrounds me with the warmth of the Spirit.
Love those dresses! Did you make them?
Happy Easter!
I really enjoyed Easter today. I got to attend a mission farewell for some dear friends going on a family history mission. I then got to teach sharing time in my own ward. I loved teaching the children about the last week of our Savior’s life. The Spirit was so strong. I really appreciated the childrens comments and their love for the Savior!
Well, for one, I just listened to and watched the video for Hosanna. I’ve watched it before because two of my friends were singing, but today it was different.
And despite having the standard Easter bunny trappings, he left a note that we read in bed about how hiding the baskets reminds us of the atonement, and then we sang primary songs. It was a beautiful morning around here.
We focused on the Savior and his resurrection today. This is the first year we’ve done the secular Easter things before Sunday, and I enjoyed the clarity it allowed to focus on the Savior. I read some New Testament accounts at the tomb to my four-year old, and she continually amazes me with what she absorbs. Poor hubby was sick, so couldn’t attend Easter dinner with my sister. It was a lovely day, despite the rain.
Cocoa! My girls absolutely ADORE the new dresses! Did you use a pattern or did you create it yourself?
We also love that CD, and had planned on listening today, but I fell asleep and so everyone turned it off and let me sleep! ;o) We’ll probably spend time this week listening to parts of it.
I love your blog and all your fabulous ideas. Thank you for sharing.
We have spent a great deal of time talking about the true miracle of Easter this week. Our nightly family devotioanls have been centered on the final week of Christ’s mortal life. Today, we read from the bible of the miracle of the risen Lord. We also listened to some uplifing music, attend our church meetings and sang praises to our Heavenly King.
We love the Easter Season!
Thank you for adding to our celebrations!
Well…I played “the instrument of heaven” for a neighboring stake’s devotional program tonight (a mini Handel’s Messiah.) Unfortunately, the rest of the family didn’t go with me as we had a sick child. The day was still really nice though.
I LOVE those dresses!
I taught my wonderful CTR 7 class about the Resurrection… kinda grossed them out with the sweating blood part!! Love primary!!
I’m a fairly new reader of your blog but I’ve really enjoyed the Easter ideas you’ve shown lately and I used one of them today. I helped my little girls draw and color a picture of the empty tomb and we made a little paper “rock” to cover the entrance and a brad to make it rotate away like you did with the bowls. They really liked it and spent quite a bit of time playing with them.
We also had stake conference today and I sang with the choir all the beautiful Easter hymns. It was kind of nice to be able to sing (though my poor husband had to battle 3 small children alone in the audience!)
This CD sounds really neat, I’ve never heard of it but I love music and play oboe in a local orchestra.
on thursday my husband washed the girls feet as Christ did his disciples. Was the most touching thing. The spirit was so strong and I almost wept at seeing my little one year old so softly point her feet into daddys hands and the bowl to be washed. Was lovely.
Sunday was church and my husband had no meetings so for the first time in Years he was home sunday afternoon (we are usually all alone) and while this might not sound very spiritual he ended up playing a 5 hour monopoly marathon with the girls (it was a gift from extended family the day before)
I dont play board games (bleck detest them) so this was VERY SPECIAL! lol.
On Friday we had a hands on lesson about some of the events around the crucifixtion and resurrection then made resurrection rolls.
Saturday was Easter dinner with family.
Sunday part of the family was sick, so some went to church, others stayed home. Those who went to church taught siblings their lessons when we returned.
This will seem mundane…but, following Mass, my husband and I were preparing the Easter meal for our family while our children played together. Since our one year old was very quiet during Mass (she’s not always!), we’d both heard the entire homily. We spent our cooking time thoroughly discussing the topic and how we can apply it to our individual lives and our family (the Domestic Church). The topic? New Each Day…the Resurrection isn’t just one day at Easter…it’s for us to live each day. When we mess up…it’s New Each Day. Try again tomorrow. Simple? Yes. Necessary to hear again? Oh, yes!
I love the dresses! We watched the Living Scripture video “He is risen”
thank you for your inspiring countdown to Easter. i have enjoyed it immensely.
One of my favorite things yesterday was a lesson I participated in for YW’s we listened to beautiful music about the Savior, read beautiful Easter stories, wrote our testimonies and feelings about the Savior in our journals and pondered quietly the meaning of this special holiday (we have an amazing young womens pres.). I love Easter!
P.S. Your little ones look beautiful! Those dresses (and the girls who wear them)are gorgeous, good work! And your little guy is adorable of course!
We eat fish & have honey on homemade rolls and read in Luke 24 parts of Christ appearing after His resurrection.
Love the dresses! We enjoyed a simple and happy Easter. We did a puzzle and talked about becoming “whole” again. We love the Messiah but don’t know why I only pull it out around Christmas. Thanks for all the great reminders and hope those lucky girls have a fabulous time in Spain! They will be craving real churros and chocolate for months to come.
What great dresses!
We had a delicious dinner with my husband’s family here at our house. Then we topped off our Easter “tree” with the last ornament from the countdown I got from you;) and read “The Living Christ” in its entirety. Well, I made other people read because I can’t read when I cry. It was a beautiful evening to top off a beautiful day!
We enjoyed a beautiful program at church – both the speakers and the music testified of our Savior Jesus Christ. I also read the account of the last week of the Savior’s life in the scriptures. My heart again was full as I read those words and knew that they were true.
I bet you looked every bit as lovely as your daughters in your dress. Pregnant women are more lovely than any other women, because they carry a tangible reminder of the reality of our Creator, a new life. You are at your most beautiful stage in life–cherish this time and make the most of it. Someday, you won’t be pregnant every other year and will miss it fearfully.
We read from the scriptures the account of the Resurrection to our young children
What touching pieces of music!
Throughout the week, we read verses from the New Testament about the Savior’s life, we prepared to sing in the choir for Easter Sunday, and then we ended the day reading Bruce R. McKonkie’s testimony of the Atonement in the April Ensign. It was a beautiful day!
My oldest son came home from his mission just 2 weeks ago. We were able to have very Christ-centered conversations together as he shared some of his experiences. Instead of baskets this year filled with toys (the Easter version of the Stockings!), we went to the local church bookstore and chose up-lifting/Savior oriented books along with your prescribed “chocolate” for each child (21, 20, 16, 12). They loved that and were all seen reading their books during afternoon nap time.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts, ideas and testimony with us!
Jenn Morgan
Spokane, WA
I have listened to this production a few times over the last few weeks. I downloaded it from itunes and have had it on my ipod. I burned a CD of it and put it on radio Easter Sunday Morning. We listened to it while we all relaxed and enjoyed our Morning before afternoon Church.
We had our egg hunt the day before with friends and the kids got a few chocolates on Easter morning. It was a rather quiet, simple Easter Day at home.
We watched “Finding Faith in Christ” as a family and my husband sang in the choir and in a quartet at church!
Thank you for all the wonderful ideas you post on your blog.
I sat with my children and told them the story of Easter and finding the empty tomb. Then when our Resurrection rolls came out of the oven, we took turns opening ours to find the empty tomb. It was perfect for their level (ages 4&6).
I love your site. Your FHE ideas are great and your homeschool ideas are wonderful as well.
We celebrated Christ’s resurrection before church by reading scriptures and having a fancy and delicious (but super easy prep on Sat. night) breakfast surrounded by pictures of Christ. After church we ate dinner with family at both grandma’s houses.
The CD looks fabulous!
Yes, I did eat chocolate today so I guess I can call it a successful day and go to bed:)
Thanks again for sharing so many inspiring ideas!
It was stake conference, so we had didn’t have to rush out quite as fast today, so we had a nice breakfast and I shared what I had learned the night before at the adult session. Later in the day, we had a nice dinner and discussed the talk given by our stake pres. straight out of John, the story of the Resurrection.
AWE! I want to see Julie so bad!!!!! She’s so adorable!
Marie
Thank you for your Easter Countdown! We used it in our family this Easter and plan to memorize “The Living Christ” now as a family too. 🙂
This Easter Sunday was wonderful — I was able to focus on the Savior quite a lot, as I played for a men’s group to sing “Beautiful Savior” in church, and I played a piano solo “Come Follow Me”. I then got to play in primary, and directed a stake choir practice in the evening. It’s pretty hard NOT to feel the wonderful spirit of Easter Sunday when you have the whole day filled with music about our Savior. Love it!