Lent in our Home

We're still pulling out of a illness that was full-family-take-down, so we're a little late in getting some things started for Lent.

Aside from doing calendars this year, we're taking moments during our day to talk about doing things to show Jesus we love Him.  I think they're still a little young to understand the whole sacrifice thing (at least sacrificing joyfully, anyway) so we've been encouraging behavior like cleaning up messes we didn't make and sharing.

I'm also trying to do Stations of the Cross with the kids on Fridays. I printed out a kids version that has great images and a short prayer after the reflections (which are a little too old for them.)  I laminated them and put them on a ring so the kids can flip through them.

The kids are really enjoying the countdown calendars.  One of them is a printout from Catholic Icing that they color on each day, and has cute drawings to depict Holy Days.  Lacy's blog always has wonderful ideas for celebrating our faith with kids! We're also going to start her idea for an Alms-giving Box.  I love this simple, visible, tangible way kids can participate and see what giving to others means.

Our other calendar comes from These Forty Days.  I didn't have any purple poster board so I simply glued purple cardstock onto a piece of cardboard (diaper boxes have many unusual uses.)

I love the trans formative nature of this calendar; after placing caterpillars on leaves during each day of Lent,

the kids will come down Easter morning to see that they have all transformed into butterflies!  I think I'm going to hang them in some fashion resembling a mobile; it should be beautiful!