fat tuesday

So yesterday on the way to school Jamie and I told the girls it was Mardi Gras. After the big explanation about the big party and beads (which they are familiar with considering they have hundreds of those beaded necklaces!) we attempted to explain the meaning of Mardi Gras, or "Fat Tuesday" in the religious sense. When I asked them if they knew what Lent was Ellie said she did. She said "it's when you put your money in that box for 40 days". I then realized I had not done a very good job explaining what lent really was. Yes, we put money in the box that sits on our table for every meal that we eat, and at the end of lent we give that money to the families that don't have enough money to have good meals like we do. So I had to explain that was one of the things we DO during lent, but there was more to it than that. I told them how Jesus was in the desert for 40 days, hungry and without many of the luxuries that we are so lucky to have. So when I told them that we needed to give up something to remind us daily what Jesus went through they had all kinds of ideas. Ellie's first idea was TV...I said lets not get carried away and pick something a little more realistic. The next was the computer...again not much better...can you say webkinz?! Caleb was in the back seat saying he was giving up brushing his teeth...also a bit extreme! When I told them that it needed to be something you really liked to do he then said he would give up sleeping which Lily quickly pointed out "Caleb, you can't stay awake for 40 days". You know what comes next..."yes, i can". Lily then chimed in saying she would give up milk (funny since she is on a non-dairy diet!), then juice (you can see what she lives off of!), and when I suggested giving up whining she whined NOOOOOO! We told them to think about it during the day and let us know after school and we would celebrate fat tuesday tonight. So after Grandma took them to Red Robin for their fat tuesday treat, mud pie and all it was time for the big decision to be made. Ellie settled on not biting her nails and "not being mean to people" (I am thinking is that really something you have to work on giving up?!) but I suppose a little focused kindness could never hurt. Lily decided on giving up sucking her thumb (a good goal since she is almost 5)...but a REALLY tough one for her...maybe she can do it for Jesus!