Easter Sunday

This Easter Sunday we spent the day relaxing as a family. We dyed eggs with a little food coloring.

Emma was very concerned about how we were going to get the candy inside.
I spent most of the time in the kitchen, and was happy to be there. Here's some fruit appetizers. I served this before giving the kids their baskets full of candy in hopes that they were fill up on fruit.
It worked!
We didn't have money to buy new dresses this year so I didn't really care that about the strawberry drips.

The boys hung out on the couch with the meat and cheese.

Soon we had an egg hunt out in the yard. I went to help Ruby hide the eggs, but ended up just taking pictures of her the whole time.

Ruby, my little meticulous child, soon got the idea of matching the colors of eggs with their surroundings.

After she finished hiding the eggs, the kids ran out to find them. They ran through the yard, grabbing eggs and putting them in their baskets. All of a sudden Ruby burst into tears. "They're taking all the eggs. I want them back!" She cried. (Don't worry I stopped taking pictures and actually comforted my baby girl with a hug).

This year I broke the cycle of Easter insanity and waited until after church to give the kids their baskets of candy. No sugar meltdowns at church...imagine that!

"Oh Chocolate bunny, I just love you!"

In church yesterday morning they brought in a live lamb. The pastor went through how sacrifices were so meaningful to the jewish people. It brought tears to my eyes to see that little innocent lamb and think of how it would be sacrificed for the sins of the people.

Jesus was the lamb of God and unlike the lambs which stayed dead, he rose from the grave and conquered death so that we can live.

I had already planned to make mutton for dinner which didn't go over well with the kids who had spent the morning petting that cute woolley little baby. Bill and I, on the other hand, thought it was pretty delicious!

What I Learned At Bible Study

This is a sidenote from what I was planning on talking about but I just want to throw in that it's really nice that even though I live in a small town, there seems to be a women's event for wherever you are in life. There's MOPS, homeschool co-ops, reading groups, play groups, precepts bible studies, Beth Moore bible studies, basically anything you feel like.

I like that because I've been in places where it's difficult to start, let alone finish a book, and then again I've been in places where I just can't get enough of the bible and studying each and every word is important to me.

Right now I'm going to a weekly women's bible study at The City Church, which is a big church with several different campuses. They have different speakers every week and they definitely lean toward the more joyful, charasmatic side of things. Not what I'm used to or always comfortable with but they are amazing women, it's a good church and it's perfect for where I'm at right now.

But here's what I want to tell you about... This week they invited a speaker named Deborah Enos, who is a certified nutritionist. She gave a 90 minute presentation on good health and good eating. She's written a book called "Weight a Minute" which has chapters that you can literally read in one to two minutes! After a morning of her giving practical tips on healthy eating, I purchased her book and devoured its contents over a cup of afternoon coffee.



What she said resonnated so much with my own feelings about food and health, what I've learned from watching Food Inc. and other good information that I've picked up along the way.

Her book is NOT talking about a diet. It's a long term plan that supports simple principles that you can live by.

For instance she says to eat breakfast within 30 - 45 minutes of waking up. This jumpstarts your metabolism and can improve your whole day! She gives good examples of breakfasts filled with protein and fiber which will keep you full for three hours and curb sugar cravings that magically appear, at my house, around naptime;)

She also talked about being positive about ourselves and our bodies and instead of focusing on what we think needs to change, focusing on what's good. Being healthy starts in our minds.

You may be rolling your eyes at this point, sometimes I do when it comes to the whole "positive confessions". But Deborah Enos did have a lot of good things to say that I already agreed with so I guess I could give some of that positive thinking a chance;)

One more thing. After watching Food Inc. which I mentioned awhile back, I felt very overwhelmed on my next trip to the grocery store. I felt so convicted about the way big meat companies treated their animals and was sold on the health benefits of grass fed cows, free range eggs and organic fruits and veggies, but didn't know a simple way to go about changing our habits. I found myself vigorously scrutinizing every package and label and driving my kids crazy in the process.

Deborah's simple practical tips made my next grocery store visit much more exciting and reasonable. Instead of walking out with next to nothing I had a weeks worth of meals planned out...breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks!

My B-Day in Pictures

Yay! I finally found my USB cord so I can once again upload pictures. It might be a little late to show you Christmas pictures, but here's a bunch from yesterday...

(I'm pretty much the only picture taker around here and I was feeling like I'd been a little left out lately so bear with all of the self-taken arm in view shots...)

Appetizers inspired by Julia

New shoes

Flowers from my man!

Ruby (like her bangs?) and ME

I can only get my kids to take sweet pictures if I guarantee them a silly shot:)

My favorite dinner: Grilled salmon, baby red potatoes in butter and parsley and blanched asparagus...mmmm:)

My little angels



See?

My other little angels

Emma Joy and ME

I bet you're thinking I'm the one who really enjoys the silly shots...okay, you're right;)

ME and my MAN

ME and my *little* man

Dessert...mmmmm:)

Too bad there is still half of that cake sitting in my fridge calling my name....I....must....resist....the cheesecake....ugh

All in all fun birthday

Loved the family time

Doesn't feel like 30 years has gone by....

....okay it does