The month of March gave way to April showers days before the calendar flipped to a new month, washing away pollen and greening the earth in even more splendor than before. Easter and springtime bring forth thoughts of new life and new birth. Continue to appreciate the beauty surrounding you as you make the most of the season. Rejoice with the holidays below, then create new ones to celebrate the gift of life and love with family members.
      Scrabble Day - Challenge family members to a game of Scrabble to see who's the best word-maker. For a faster, more rousing game, play Speed Scrabble. Dole out seven tiles to each person; keep the remaining tiles turned upside-down in the middle of the table. On "go," each person begins forming their own pattern of words. The first person to use all seven tiles says "go," and each person draws another tile from the middle. Continue play until all the tiles are used; players may rearrange tiles continuously to form new words. The first person to use all of their accumulated tiles is the winner. (If you don't have a traditional Scrabble board game, use yesterday's newspaper. Cut out article headlines of one page and snip individual letters apart. Then work together as a family to make new words into a Scrabbleboard pattern.)
      National Pretzel Month - Purchase soft pretzels from the frozen section of the grocery store. As a family, create a buffet of toppings, like softened cream cheese, soft cheese spread, cinnamon sugar, garlic butter, mustard, or perhaps pepperoni or bacon bits. Then, enjoy for an afternoon snack or even light supper!
      Jump-Over-Things Day - I'm guessing there's a celebration for just about anything! Fashion an obstacle course outside of strange and unique objects to jump over. Then have a relay to see who can complete the course in the shortest amount of time.
      Post-it Notes Anniversary - Give each person in the family a different color of post-it notes. Encourage each person to write sweet notes to everyone in the family and stick them all over the home.
      Easter - Dress in pastels and spring colors and celebrate Christ's resurrection with family at church. Drive the long way home and continue to admire the blossoms that decorate trees and shrubs. In keeping with the pretzel month celebration, let the kiddies fashion crosses from pretzel logs. Cut one in half for the horizontal piece; attach it to a longer vertical rod using a strawberry-flavored pressed fruit roll. Push the pretzel into a marshmallow for a stand.
      Astronomy Day - Look in an encyclopedia or check out books from the library on constellations visible in the sky this time of year. Then take blankets outside in the evening to stargaze. Look for familiar constellations, make up some pictures of your own with the stars, and watch for falling stars. Listen for owls; tell bedtime stories or talk about your favorite things to do at night; or just enjoy the quiet of the evening.
      Absorb April with all the senses - enjoy the sights and sounds, fragrances and flavors that accompany Easter and springtime.

Statesboro native Julie Bland Lavender celebrates with husband David and children Jeremy, Jenifer, Jeb Daniel, and Jessica.