Easter 2014

This week was CRAZY! I think that my Nikes have a hole in the bottom from all the running around I was doing. I am glad it's over and I'm looking forward to a few lazy days with my little girl.

We hosted my family and Koby's family for Easter so our little home was packed with people and lots of delicious food. Raleigh was all over the place but I know her favorite place was in the kitchen with the food. She did great with so many people around but heck if you have food then you're her new best friend. I suspect a few people kept food on their plates constantly just so they could here her say "Peas".

Watching her go after the eggs was just too funny. She was so good at it too, especially being her first time doing an egg hunt. Koby & I pointed the the ones that were hers and she ran over to get them. We had to give each kid a specific color of egg or my niece probably would've gotten them all.

I also got this beauty done on Saturday night. It was my first big chalkboard. I found it much easier than the little one on my fridge. We got our Easter family picture in front of it, but I am still waiting on that picture since it wasn't on my camera. What do yal think?

Five Links Friday! #1

This is a new thing I am trying out. It's going to be a few links that I liked each week. I love holidays so this week I thought it would be very appropriate to start this new Five Links Friday with an Easter theme. I will hopefully be doing/making all of these on Sunday for my family and friends.

1. Sweet Creamy Bunny Shake-Dukes & Duchesses

2.Peeps Fruit Kabobs-The Frugal Girls

3.Dyed Deviled Eggs-FOODjimoto

4.You've Been Egged-Happy Home Fairy

5. Rubber Band Dyed Easter Eggs-{Home-ology} modern vintage

These are all such creative ideas. I am so excited to try out all of these on Sunday. My hubby i think is most excited for the egg dying. Hes like a kid when it comes to coloful activites like that. If anyone has done any of these fun ideas then please let me know in the comments how they turned out.



This originally was posted Friday night, but for some reason my computer decided that I post on Saturday instead. Sorry for the delay.

Holiday Pancakes

If anyone knows my husband then they know he loves pancakes. He could eat them anytime of the day. When he eats them it's best to take him to a breakfast buffet or have a lot of pancake mix at home because he can put some away, as long as I make them like his granny. I had a spur of the moment thought to color them for Easter. My hubby came in & looked like at me like a just killed a puppy or something. He thought I was ruining them because they were colored. After reassuring it wouldn't change the taste, he let me finish making them. In the end he was happy with the result & so was I.

Just add a little food coloring to the mix until it's the color you want. I did mine for Easter with pink, greens, & blues. Its definitely fun for kids to create the color & see what it turns out to be. I loved making these. Hope you and your kiddos or hubby do too.

Cracked Easter Eggs

                              

Egg dying is a tradition to so many families. A fun way for kiddos to be creative & get messy. My little Raleigh is still too young to participate but my big kid (aka Hubby) had fun. He did this one with his friend, but wanted me to share his creations. It's great to be a kid every once in awhile. It's nice to enjoy the things you did when you were a kid. They tried to keep everything clean but of course...they are men. We only got a few done, but I have some more saved for crafts later. So here are the simple steps to this fun design.

Things you need:

• Hard-boiled Eggs
• Food coloring
• Spoon
• Vinegar
• Bowls
• 
  

First boil the eggs so they are solid all the way to the middle & won't crack all over your counter. Take them out of the water & tap with a spoon on the places where you want the cracked design.

Place in small bowl. Drop food coloring on the places where you want it to show up on the eggs (on the cracks is best). Pour a small amount of vinegar over the egg. It should have a light coat over the whole egg. 

Wait a few minutes then PEEL!

                                       

They are great for kids to see how something you do that might seem small can change something in a big way. That could be taken in so many ways but it makes me think of treating others nicely because they might be a little fragile one day (like a cracked egg) & something you say or do could change their day or week completely. It's great for kids to have a meaning behind crafts, but not every craft has a meaning of course. This one just made me think about others a little more. 

Easter is about more than eggs & candy & bunnies though. The bigger meaning is ignored by so many, but I feel so comforted when I have someone say "He is Risen""The tomb is empty""Our Lord has saved us". Strangers say it to me on the phone & it just makes me smile. I love searching the parking lot at church for a space then end up parking forever away & lugging a baby that far. Easter is a great time for family & I was lucky enough to have some close. God Bless.

Eatin' Easter Treats, Peeps & Krispies

If you have never had homemade rice crispy treats then you've never experienced the awesome power of marshmallows. I wanted to do something festive tonight for dessert because my in-laws were coming for dinner. We usually eat at their house on Tuesday, but they were going to help me clean some because my Raleigh has now decided she likes to held a lot! Oh joy, so when I set her down she cries. Sorry kid, we aint gonna do this. We got almost every room cleaned so I am a happy momma.

Anyways, I decided to go with Easter Rice Crispies then added some cute festive decorations on at the end. Here is the trick to delicious gooeyness:

Ingredients:

• 3 tbsp butter
• 10 oz marshmallows (the minis are easier)
• Green food coloring
• 6 cups Rice Crispy cereal
• Easter candy (i used m&m)

First you melt the butter in a big pan. Once the butter is melted, then add the marshmallows. Try to refrain from eating...if you can. Stir & fold marshmallows til melted.

Remove from heat. Next, add 4-6 drops of green food coloring or until your desired green color, mix well. I liked mine to look like green grass, but since we have weird weather its still got brown patches too. Add cereal, fold in til all is coated, I found adding a little at a time is less messy. Mix in the candy of your choosing, start to cave to the munching while cooking. Press into a 13x9 glass pan, easier for you later if you spray it with Pam.

Let cool or for impatient people like me, faster results put in the fridge. Finally, my favorite part, DECORATE!!!

& the verdict is...?

Well dinner & dessert turned out to be a success. Plus I got my house cleaned in the process. It's nice to have family around that are willing to help you clean so you don't feel overwhelmed, because being a mom definitely does that to you. I enjoyed a very long hot bath after everyone left & now ready for bed. Good night all. Hope you enjoy the ooey gooey, chocolatey treats during Easter. Remember what Easter is truly about though, our Lord Almighty. Hope to see you in church on the 31st!