Happy Easter (A day early) !!

Yes Indeed! I know I am posting this a day early, but my Andrew leaves for a week long trip tomorrow (his FIRST trip! EH! I have so many mixed emotions about it-- mostly good emotions thought!) and I thought we could just celebrate a day early!

Thus, we are celebrating with a couple of new traditions and a little fun :)

Like the Easter eggs with verses and visuals (I didnt have time to search out all of the visuals but next year, I will fulfill that last part!). Each egg has a verse that leads up to the resurrection (where the last egg is left empty to symbolize He has RISEN!). I thought it was a great family tradition to start that my family did when I was younger. Next year, I might hide the eggs or just have them opened every evening at dinner time....So much potential!

 And I really had fun with making a meaningful centerpiece for our dinig table as well. I have enjoyed having the symbols of spring and life in the place Andrew I go most often-- the kitchen!!

 Here is my pretty Easter Lily! Yes, I paid WAY too much for it, and my husband is suffering from the pollen you can see is hanging from it, but I personally have enjoyed these beautiful flowers!!

 As always, we have Easter baskets! I made this one for Andrew (and Eli!):

 I found this cheap little chick at Walmart... and I couldnt resist!

 The booties were to remind him that we have a special treasure from God on the way. He said he was going to take them on the trip just to remind him to pray for our little girl while he was away. I am really glad he is!

 Love this card (thanks Dad and Mom!)-- it really reminded us each time we were at the sink what this week is all about.

 Here are the contents of the basket:

...Lots of chocolate eggs and yummy sweets....

 ...a pretty tissue flower...

 And a jar of Easter S'mores, just awaiting to be made!! MMM...

 Ok, so here is how you make your own (these make great gifst as well!) :


1. Crush 1 sleeve of graham crackers into crumbs & dump into the bottom of a canning jar.


2. Place your Peeps (or bunny-mallows since I hate Peeps!) in the jar – against the side.

3. In the center of the Peeps/Marshmellows place 1/3 cup of brown sugar. Then place 1 1/4 cup of M&Ms/Hersey chocolate eggs on top & you’re almost done!


4. Print off the sheet of how to make your Yummy Easter S'mores and include as a gift tag on your jar.

Like this:

Here is the gift label I designed you can print out and use for the baking instructions:

 I also had some spare time to make my hubbie a scrapbook card. He really enjoyed it!

(I hope I have time to do this again someday!!)

 Last, but not least, we celebrated with a Easter brunch!

Carrot cake muffins



 Eggs
 (that have Lecithin all over them from the cast iron skillet-- o brother. I will get this down someday!),
 an orange,
and yogurt with strawberries!!

Eli really enjoyed his treat as well:

 Yes, he LOVES his chick-a-dee!!

 Ok, tips for making these S'mores:


1. REALLY distribute your Mellows and chocolates. If not, you will just end up with a sugary mess instead of a marshmellow square!


2. Consider using foil or really greasing your pan down well to you can get the S'mores OFF the pan! (As you can tell from the snapshot, I could have used these tips. LIVE and LEARN!)

ANYWAYS, that is our Easter adventure thus far! Andrew has been packing for his trip during this time, but he is preparing our bikes for a ride later tonight after we get out of our movie (we are going to the Bear's Tooth for "The King's Speech"). The best part about this fun little gig is they serve dinner WITH the movie! It will be very interesting, but I am just excited to spend some time with my hubbie before he leaves.

Speaking of which, I have got to go help him! I will write more about the week and all God has been teaching me after he leaves, but until then, I will leave you with a note my husband's grandfather sent his family. I thought it was very thought provoking and encouraging (more tips/thoughts for our child training!). Enjoy and Happy Easter!

A few thoughts as I sat in front of the cross this early morning,

Are we really connected as a people, are we dedicated to serving each other as Christ has served us. Yesterday was Maundy Thursday and as we washed each other’s feet, I wondered why Jesus preformed this loving act on his disciples. What was his purpose, why was this done as he prepared himself for his impending suffering and death? He was scolded by Peter, who said to Jesus, “I will not allow you to wash my feet, but I shall wash yours.” Jesus admonished Peter and said “If you do not let me wash your feet, you cannot follow me.” Then Jesus washed all his disciple’s feet. He excluded no one, nor did he wash one’s foot better than the next.

I wonder if that offer would be made today in our competitive unconnected society, how it would be received? Would we scramble to see who could be first, or would we help the poor, the afflicted, and the less fortunate to the basin before we insisted that our feet be washed? Would we be concerned about how our feet looked before we dare show them to Jesus? Would we offer to wash someone’s feet to help handle the crowd?

We learn our competitiveness at an early age. When we were quite young and played organized team games, very little attention was paid to the less athletic players on our team, score was kept so we would know who won and how many times have you asked your children, after a game WHO WON? In school we competed for grades, attention from our teachers and professors, acceptance from our peers, being too fat, to skinny, having a hooked nose, wearing glasses to see, to short, to tall, ad-infinitum. Then we grow up and we compete in the market place for just the right job, or we are forced into a position of toil without an opportunity for growth. We must outwork the next guy if we want to get ahead, and forget the consequences to family, God, ourselves in the process. Can you imagine the corporate executive that would inform his board and stockholders that we shall forgo a profit this year because we have a few feet to wash that belong to our neighbors? Better yet, could you imagine a group of stockholders deciding to forgo a dividend this year because in doing so they can solve the hunger problem in East Africa. Would we complain that their leaders will just steal the money? Could we skip the new car this year and help the less fortunate realize just one of their dreams?

I think this is what Jesus is calling us to do. We must have a new awareness of each other and our needs. We must be willing to be available to one another, to build each other up, to sharpen each other so we may serve as He intend us to serve. This life is not a competition; we cannot earn Christ’s love. He already loves us in ways we cannot understand. His love is perfect, He extols us to love him with our whole heart, mind, and soul, and our neighbor as ourselves. Let us greet Him on Easter Sunday as He rises with a new determination to serve. Let us pick up the towel and the basin.

Bob