my blessed life

(this is my Easter bunny with his basket of eggs~ he was made by a family friend and given to me when I was 9) We have had a lot of fun this Easter season! This year is the first in seven years that we have not been on a church staff at Easter. And while there are many rewards that go with that, it makes for a very busy time. Each year afterwards I always think, "well, we didn't have time to...(dye eggs, hunt eggs, do any Easter crafts...etc)". So I think I decided to do it ALL this year since we didn't have extra commitments. And we did try to do it all! lol! Saturday Vince and the kiddos made a giant egg puzzle by coloring it on foam board and then he cut it into pieces with a hot knife (Vince LOVES to play with syrofoam in case you don't remember the puzzle from Mr. B's birthday last year). The egg puzzle turned out cute and we hid the pieces along with the eggs in the yard today for the egg hunt. Next on Saturday's agenda was sugar cookie baking! ...

May you have a wonderful Resurrection Sunday!!

Easter Menu Red, white & blue salad *** Grilled salmon *** Grilled mixed vegetables with garlic cilantro butter *** Deviled eggs *** Rolls *** Sweet tea *** Carrot cake

So, which ones of you with small kiddos~or grandkiddos~ have a stack of puzzles around your house like this? If your kiddos are like mine, they work these so often that the boxes are just falling apart. I decided that I'd had enough of taping them back together. There had to be a better way! All of a sudden I had a spark of a memory...somewhere I'd seen an idea something like this: So I got busy right then and there, cutting the tops off the boxes and ziploc-ing those suckers along with their pieces into bags. So nice and neat! I put them all into one small basket. And there's room to add plenty more, if need be. And that works for me! For more great ideas at Works For Me Wednesday, head over to We Are THAT Family .

The Princess is really enjoying her new pink kitchen~and, frankly, I'm almost jealous because it's just so cute!! I just had to share it with you today: the whole setup some *table linens* and potholders here we have some dishes and her new Paula Deen children's cookbook Pizza, anyone?? And aren't those the cutest pots and pans?! the detail on her vintage kitchen towel the cooktop with utensils birthday cake~yum! milk or honey with your tea? *cutting* foods~so fun! I'm so glad we made the decision to upgrade her tiny plastic kitchen to this one. Plus we got rid of the millions of pieces of plastic food in exchange for fewer wooden pieces. Quality over quantity! Thank you, Papi and Nana, for helping pull off this birthday surprise! (And if you are wondering if this is part of that amazing Pottery Barn Kids set~it's not. It's from Target: a much better value and just as nice, I think).

Well, here we are again at the beginning of the week. It's been a good day! Church this morning, then breakfast~for~lunch and a nice long nap. We had planned to take the kiddos to an Easter drama at a local church tonight, but it was so full we decided to try it again this weekend instead. I'm looking forward to this week! Lots of Easter fun is on the agenda! So here's what's for dinner (at least here's what's planned unless a house showing interrupts): Monday: chili cheese dogs with potato salad Tuesday: beef vegetable soup and cornbread Wednesday: steak fajitas and Spanish rice Thursday: grilled chicken strips and pork chops Friday: (small group) grilled burgers and the works Saturday: fish tacos Easter Sunday dinner has yet to be decided. We are still finalizing plans for that day and until we do, I can't plan the menu. What do YOU have planned for Easter Sunday dinner? I'd love some fresh ideas!

A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted, " Hosanna to the Son of David!" "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!" "Hosanna in the highest!" Matthew 21:8 & 9 NIV