Ways to make Easter special

Here are some ways we have found to make Easter special, if you have some additional ideas feel free to leave them in the comments!

1.  A favorite Easter tradition for our kids over the years has been reading the book, Benjamin's Box.  It's a fun historical fiction book of a boy who collects treasures that remind him of his interactions with Jesus.  It's a companion book to the Resurrection Eggs.  We read part of the story each night leading up to Easter.

2.  Life is short, so bring out the good dishes for Easter dinner and make a special meal!  There are many ideas for making your table setting special, but one fun thing I did last year was put a chocolate chick in a little nest of Easter grass in a glass dessert cup by everyone's place.

3.  Add some Easter music to your playlist and rejoice that Christ the Lord is risen today!

4.  Buy a potted Easter Lily or some tulips to bring the beauty of spring into your home.

5.  Decorate eggs with your kids.  It's a mess but they love it.  Then when you do your Easter egg hunt hide the real eggs instead of those ugly plastic ones.  If you don't know what to do with all those hard boiled eggs, make deviled eggs with them!  Here's a great recipe.  (Is it right to make "deviled" eggs at Easter?). (:

Deviled Eggs--

12 hard boiled eggs
1/2 c. mayo
4 slices cooked and crumbled bacon or 1/4 c. real bacon bits
2 T. finely shredded cheddar cheese
1 T. honey mustard
1/8 t. pepper
Slice eggs in half lengthwise, remove yolks.  Mash yolks in bowl and add remaining ingredients.  Spoon back into egg whites.  Makes 24.

6.  There are some good ideas out there for special Easter food.  You can make Resurrection cookies, empty tombs made out of donuts, or Rice Krispie nests with peanut m & m eggs.

7.  Decorations always help set the mood, and although it is hard to find nice Easter decor, it is out there.  One thing I am glad we have is our Easter scene, kind of like a manger scene but with Jesus at the empty tomb.

8.   Watch an Easter movie together as a family.  We have the movie Resurrection, by Max Lucado.

Easter Lack

We are still having computer and internet problems.  So frustrating!  The above photo is from a couple years ago, but it won't be long and we should have a new foal or two around here again!  Spring is a great time of year.  There are signs of spring here in our neck of the woods, tulips poking up through the ground, NCAA tournament brackets lying around the house, lots of wind, and wild turkeys strutting around in the fields.  I am thinking about Easter.  Have you ever noticed the lack of Easter decorations and Easter music, especially compared to Christmas?  It doesn't make sense.  Easter is a much more joyous holiday for Believers, but all I can find in the store to decorate my house with are cheap plastic eggs and stuffed rabbits.  If any of you know of any good Easter decorating ideas let me know.  Pinterest didn't help me out either.  I did manage to round up a few Easter songs for a playlist, so that's been nice, but it's nothing compared to what's available for Christmas.  One of my favorites is He's Alive by the Continentals.  Well, this post is a little scattered, kind of like my life lately, but I hope you are able to get out and enjoy the springtime blessings God has given us this week!

The Ides of March

The middle of March is the time we plant our spring vegetables

here in our part of the country- and thankfully today was a beautiful

day for it!  AJ and SJ helped me plant the sugar snap peas.

My Grandma taught me to love sugar snap peas, she loved

her garden and would show it to me when we would go to visit.

We also planted some lettuce, kohlrabi, and carrots.

The white stuff in the dirt is ashes from our woodstove.

We heard they are good for the dirt,

especially if you are adding manure to your garden.

Now this evening we are getting our first spring thunderstorms-

perfect for watering our seeds.  This time of year is so nice!

As the rain and the snow
    come down from heaven,
and do not return to it
    without watering the earth
and making it bud and flourish,
    so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater,
 so is my word that goes out from my mouth:
    It will not return to me empty,
but will accomplish what I desire
    and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.

Isaiah 55:10-11

Fishing and More Waiting

Hello!  I feel like I haven't written anything in a long time!

We have been having internet and computer issues, so

that's the reason for my lack of posts lately.  I am

convinced that technology has not made our lives easier.

Thankfully it looks like spring has come to our state, and

that always improves one's outlook.  We were even able

to do a little fishing Sunday, and although we didn't catch

anything, it sure was nice to sit outside and enjoy the warm air!

We are still waiting to hear something about our adoption.

There are two sisters, age 9 and 11, and a 1 year old girl

who we are waiting for right now.  Because of the timing

of meetings, it could happen that we would have to choose

between them.  Please pray with us that we won't have to choose!

We are praying that God will make it very clear which

child or children we are supposed to have.  Thanks so much

for praying- sometimes when we have to pray for things

for such a long time it's easy to wonder if God is

even listening.  But He just reminded me again yesterday

that He cares about even the little details- there were two

instances yesterday where He showed his love and care for us.

So even though God is having us wait on the adoption,

it was so nice of Him to remind us He does hear.

I waited patiently for the LORD;

he turned to me and heard my cry.

Many, O LORD my God,

are the wonders you have done.

The things you planned for us

no one can recount to you;

were I to speak and tell of them,

they would be too many to declare.

Psalm 40:1,5