Anticipating Easter

I always dislike taking down my winter mantle decorations. Not that we have a ton of people over that would see that there is nothing on our mantle, but I just like to have it decorated {because, basically, our fireplace is huge and ugly}. I have some cozy Fall and Christmas decorations that I've accumulated over the years thanks to my mom, MIL, and little bit of clearance shopping, and I keep my snowmen up until the end of February. Even though I usually complain that I don't have anything to replace them, I very rarely find myself able to justify spending money on decorating.

A few weeks ago my friend Laura posted a link on Facebook showing this cute little Spring mantle decoration, and I finally convinced myself that I just needed to quit my gripin' and put one together. My mom was here for a couple days and {since she has much better decorating sense than I do} helped with some ideas {and moola :O)}

My mom and I were talking while she was here and discussing the fact that there doesn't seem to be much in the Protestant church about anticipating Easter Sunday like there is with Advent for Christmas. Catholics, of course do Lent, but we don't really have anything. {Although, I must insert here that we've witnessed our wonderful children's pastor has really been emphasizing this the past several weeks on Wednesday nights...asking the kids to "ponder their ways" each week in anticipation of the sacrifice that Christ made to forgive their wrongs...and we have greatly appreciated that.} Anyway, I added in an Easter "countdown" similar to the one I made for Christmas a few years ago. Each card has a several verses for us to read for the 28 days prior to Easter Sunday. My thought is that we'll read the verses and do some reflection on what Easter means for us as Believers.  Some nights we'll just have individual quiet time {at least the big kids will}, some nights we'll pray together, and some nights I'd like for us to pray for those friends and family that don't yet know Christ as Savior or have fallen away. The cards get flipped after the reading is complete and I put the words "He is Risen!" on the back.

So, pretty much mine ended up looking nothing like the inspiration {except for the birdhouses, I guess}, but I like it. A lot. We're not really finished, since the kids are helping paint the birdhouses and we haven't had enough time {nor have I had an abundance of patience} to get them done. I'd also like to get something to fill it out a bit more...some grapevine or something...so if you have any hanging out in your {local} backyard that you'd be willing to part with, I'd be forever grateful.  Here are some {not so great because the lighting in that corner stinks and I still don't know the best settings to use for our camera} pictures.