Easter

Christmas has always been my favorite holiday.

I have always loved Easter, certainly. But the traditions and suspense were never trained in me from childhood like they were for Christmas.

Reading this post is helping me get very excited about taking more time to delight in and celebrate the meaning of Easter.

You can follow that same link and download a FREE Easter devotional and get some ideas for how to cultivate some traditions in your home.

parenting resource

How Children Raise Parents

I read this book years ago and have been wanting to read it again. I appreciate Dan Allender as an author because I enjoy his humor and vulnerable honesty. I remember this book being instrumental in changing my perspective on learning my child rather than me as the parent being this driving force in raising my children.

Here is a great review of the book...take a look at it. It gives a great summary, quotes, and the essence of the book.

gifts

I read the blog, A Holy Experience, today and wanted to share this portion of the post:

If I am moved but choose not to respond, won’t I soon harden, unable to respond?

When we are touched, we must reach out or soon we stiffen and nothing touches us and we feel nothing.

That Bible Levi’s reading, it has these words, “Jesus said, “Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.” (John 13:17)

Christian hands never clasp
and He doesn’t give gifts for gain
because a gift can never stop being a gift—
it is always meant to be given.

~One Thousand Gifts

When we are grateful for His gifts, we give the gifts away, because a gift never stops being a gift.

the heart of an orphan

Oh Lord, how would you have us bind up the brokenhearted? (Isaiah 61:1)

spring time brings

Lots of fresh baked sourdough bread since I've recently acquired a sourdough starter that lives in my fridge and gets fed every week :)
(picture courtesy of my friend August who has also attempted to maintain a sourdough starter; along with another friend Jacqui!)

Dressing up in spring time dresses and heading to birthday parties (aren't they getting so big!)

Yummy fresh fruits and veggies to make lunches look like rainbows on your plate :)
(I jumped the gun and bought these from the super market but I cannot wait for the farmers market to open!)

winter time brings...

Tea parties with friends, heart shaped sandwiches, fruit, and a hand painted tea pot from my creative girls...

Sunggles from Dad...

Lots of dressing up and finding creative things to do...

Homemade chicken and rice soup for the cold days that sneak up on us...

...And pictures and photo shoots with animated children (Sweet little punkin' wouldn't stay still for some shots of the amazing sweater her talented Aunt Lacy knitted).