Happy Easter... Monday Morning

Can we just hold onto the feeling that was yesterday. 

FOREVER.

Do you see this picture above.  This was the Gibson Amphitheater yesterday.

A before and after.  And how amazing the after is... how amazing to worship and praise our Risen King all together.  

Our church, Reality LA took a leap of faith and rented this venue at Universal City Walk

in order to have our whole church all together, one service, with invitations to friends and family.

Here was our vantage point.

They've never done this before.

Just last Thursday, one of the pastors, whose son was playing on my son's baseball team

told me, "We have no idea what to expect."  

They did no advertising.  It was just word of mouth from the church.

They did that intentionally he said, so that those people who were brought for the first time,

so there would be real connections to build community and to stay connected

beyond Easter Sunday.

They had baptisms afterwards.  I look forward to hearing how it went.

This was my little crew as we headed back to the car to get our food for a brunch and egg hunt at a friend's house.

But first, these are my bed head kiddos opening their Easter baskets from mom and dad and doing a little egg hunt in the morning.

this is one of those head massagers...um also a gift mommy can use. ;)

Lush had the cutest bath bubbles for kids shaped like carrots.  And I found a little Japanese store at the mall that had the CUTEST little gifts, like sandwich and hardboiled eggs molds. 

I couldn't wait to test them out.  So they're kind of more of a mommy gift too.

daddy helping out

Now, for the more fancy egg hunt in their Sunday best. ;)

 The day wouldn't have been complete without daddy giving them a few spins in the wagon train.
They're begging for one...but I think they're heading towards being too big.
Which reminds me, in church I held my littlest for awhile during the praise and worship so she could see.
And it dawned on me, by next year I probably won't be able to do this anymore.  SIGH.
When did this happen.  My littles are becoming not so little.

And a family photo op.

This is what it usually takes to try to get a decent one with us.  Notice the water on my son's shoulder, his dad had just doused his whole back with water.  Shortly after a little retaliation took place.

Ah, now there we go.  Good enough.

Happy day after Easter everyone!

329. An amazing service

330. An amazing praise band

331. songs I love

332. a new routine beginning tomorrow

333. hope in knowing the Lord has a plan with that routine

334. last day of vacation

335. life giving shopping with my girls

336. creative drawings from my girls

337. friends to do life with

338. learning a new game

340. whipping up a dinner out of nothing 

and it actually tasting good.

341.  This Easter window art for all to see by my middle one

a mom walk

That's what I call the walks I take alone.

I told my husband yesterday, 

I think I need a mom walk tomorrow morning.

Meaning one just for me.

Just pandora & the hills & fresh air.

Time to process and reflect and get centered.

And to simply praise.

Here are some pictures from along the way.

Please scroll to the very end to pray for a little girl named Daisy Love. 

"At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two 

from top to bottom.  

The earth shook and the rocks split."  

Matthew 27:51

I want to ask that you pray for this sweet girl Daisy Love.

She is seven and they've just found a tumor, 

it's her third bout with cancer in the last three years.

Her father is the pastor of the church that planted the church we attend.

Their faith is amazing..amazing.

And the video titled "Daisy's New Song" posted yesterday... take a minute to watch it.

It shows just how remarkable Daisy is.

lead me

A game of follow the leader.

With a creative twist.

A line in the sand

that twists and turns

and spins in circles.

Counting gifts...

325. A child's ingenuity.

326. And the scripture that came to mind watching one lead.

"Lead me by your truth and teach me, for you are the God who saves me.

All day long I put my hope in you."

Psalm 25:5

327. The sighting of these ... the excitement never, ever grows old.

328. And this moon last night...gorgeous.

hear the bells ringing

Last year I wrote about this road trip.

And the "Hear The Bells Ringing" song.

Our kids were given a cd of the Veggie Tales version of "Hear The Bells Ringing"
(they call it the Easter song) to practice for a little performance they did on Easter Sunday.

That cd has remained in our car because our youngest absolutely LOVES to belt it out.

ALL YEAR LONG.

And why shouldn't she?

Lately her new thing is to ask for the windows to be rolled down.

Of course I oblige.

Because she wants the whole world to hear about our risen King.

And her JOY over it all.

It makes me smile.

Her big brother gets beyond embarrassed.

Because he's at that age.

But he'll get over it.

Because listening to the song, it's hard not to feel the excitement.

SUNDAY is coming!

And here's a little gift for you.
I've turned the Easter subway art into a card. You can find it in a few different colors.
Raspberry, Lime Green, Sepia, and Aqua.

It's an A2 size, which is 4 1/4 by 5 1/2.  You print this on a regular 8 1/2 by 11 sheet of paper.
If your printer has the option to do manual sheet feed BORDERLESS, make sure you click that so
it won't get cut off.

Enjoy and HAPPY HAPPY EASTER!

helping

Here's a little tidbit about me and the kitchen.

In case you're wondering what that blue shape on her forehead is,
we went to a place called giggles and hugs.
 It's supposed to be a dolphin, but looks more like a dog to me.  Either way she could care less.  

I totally and completely let my kids help
with the making of treats.

But when it comes to dinner, for some reason I shoo them out of the kitchen.

I think I need the space and I often times don't want them seeing
everything I'm putting into their food.  Because I know their reaction to
actually seeing it going in is that they'll think they won't like it.

So I hide it creatively.
And meanwhile I'm not involving them in the food prep.

Back when I was sick with pneumonia and my husband was out of the country
working.  I was really not doing well and so I enlisted my kids.  They all made
salads and my son actually finished cooking the turkey burgers for them.

They were oh so excited to be helping with dinner.

And I realized why don't I do this more! Really, it was one of those major DUH moments.

SO they've been helping more with things like asparagus soup.

And do you know, they're eating more of it because they had a part of
MAKING it.

So there's a little picture me imperfectly confession.

Perhaps you're already on top of this and totally have your
kids in the kitchen at dinner time.
But for me it was an area where I realized I was majorly missing the mark.

And now they're asking, "What else can I do, What else can I do."

To the point where I'm not sure what else to have them do!

By the way...I wasn't good about taking the after pictures,

so the two recipes we made yesterday can be found
here.  This was a yummy pinterest find.  The kids & grown ups (even our neighbors) loved them.

and here, from my dear friend Kim's blog.  She has other yummy recipes on there too!

And just because, I wanted to share this little Easter display we have on a hutch in the kitchen nook.

The book, in case you don't know about it, is "Benjamin's Box."  It is a story that goes with the Resurrection eggs.  I like it a lot.  And everything else was made by my kids.

That plate, Jackson made in class using broken egg shells to create a mosaic.

And the grace garden, each one of them made one in Sunday school this past week.  I was so impressed by the work the teachers put into making that possible for each of them.

rite of passage

My not so little man is ten.
On April fools day, he's having a dream party.
Designed completely by him.

Oh.. the things that I'm getting used to having a boy.
An air soft war.  I really never thought I'd be allowing this.
But you know that whole 'wild at heart' philosophy.
Boys are driven to be warriors, knights, to fight for what is good.
And we need to foster this.  Well foster we did today.

And after their hard work, they got to soak their sore muscles,
followed by roasting marshmallows,

and singing happy birthday with an ice cream cake and candles that didn't blow out.

That was a little april fools surprise.

All while watching a movie and eating popcorn.
I think he's in ten year old heaven.

And do you know it's one of the easiest parties.
Because I'm not organizing anything.
They're just hanging out.
I'm feeding them and here if they need me.
But gone are the days of cute printables and themes and organized activities.

But do you see, he put his arm around me.
And he knows I'm here.
He knows that I will always love him.

I'm still wondering how it is that he is TEN!
Happy Birthday buddy!

easter subway art

I couldn't wait to post this...
I've been looking for some easter subway art and didn't find
one focused just on Jesus with more of a vintage feel.

So I decided to make one.

And I'm making it free for you (just click on free) to print and share with friends.
If you do take it or share it, would you mind letting me know.
I'd love to hear or see how you used this in your Easter display.

***UPDATE 3.24.13*** ADDITIONAL COLORS have been added in the google docs.
You asked, and it wasn't hard to adjust so feel free to download in red, purple or sepia too!

Mine will go on my mantle tomorrow... pics will follow soon!

And if you have questions when you get to google docs, let me know.
Click on the color you'd like, go to file and then download to your computer.
Then you can print at home or take it in to be professionally printed.

Happy Easter everyone.  Let me know if there's another color you'd like and I'll work on it!

I love the joy of knowing He has conquered the grave!

If you're interested in purchasing some of my other scripture art for a friend or yourself

come visit willow of wonder on etsy.

USE THE CODE SPRING SAVINGS FOR 20% off, now until March 31st.

Happy Easter Everyone!