Easter, Simply Easter.

This year Easter was the simplest we’ve ever had. Partly because of finances, partly because we’re really trying to teach our children the true meaning of Easter.

No Easter Bunny, no new clothes, no baskets. What? Nothing?

I did want to repurpose my girls some dresses but ran out of time, I wouldn’t have minded giving them little gifts like I did last year, but I waited until there was no money in the checkbook to think about getting anything. The girls got stuffed lambs that I got on clearance last year. The boys chocolate Easter bunnies that we got at a community Easter Egg Hunt on Saturday. So were they deprived?

We spent the entire week celebrating Easter! Had a special Birthday Dinner & Passover Feast. Read scriptures daily about the last week of Christ’s life. And had a special dinner today.

It was simple but lovely. It’s simplicity reminded me of a trip my husband and I went on to Denmark around 7-8 years ago. (Wow, has it been that long?) My husbands Wonderful Uncle and Aunt live there and were kind enough to host us and take us to many of the different tourist sites there.

My favorite experience happened to be when we visited Frederiksborg Castle.

It was amazing. Here in America you go to museums, or tourist places and everything is roped off and guarded. There although I’m sure it’s heavily secured you feel as if your going back in time because you don’t see the guards, glass walls, or any of the security devices. You're there walking through history. You can read more about the castle HERE!

The most fascinating part for me was the Palace Chapel, and one small ajoining room.

Opulent, ornate, Baroque through and through. Truly a marvel to look at. But really spiritually empty compared to a little dark room off to the side of it. The little dark room is the Kings Prayer room and it contains 23 of the most beautiful pictures of Christ’s life you have ever laid eyes on. It’s like walking on sacred ground – these pictures are so touching. And the joy and peace you feel is wonderful. You forget the worldly materialism of the chapel as you focus on the Savior’s life.

The paintings were commissioned when the castle was restored after a fire. It took Carl Bloch 14 years to paint the 23 paintings and they transformed his life in so many ways. He is one of the greatest artist’s to ever interpret the life and death of Christ. To see more of his paintings go HERE.

My favorite painting, which I had never seen until that trip to Denmark, is called ‘Agony in the Garden’.

It’s humbling to know how much the Savior suffered in my behalf. Some day, after I’m out of debt, I love to purchase a large copy for my home.

I guess what I’m saying is that Easter can sometimes, like Christmas, get too ornate for it’s own good. You can focus on the ribbons, baskets, fancy dresses, colorful trappings much like the Chapel in the Frederiksborg Castle. But to get the true feelings of this marvelous holiday you have to simply go to the Scriptures, feast upon the words of Christ, feel his love, and remember with gratitude the greatest sacrifice ever made in your behalf.

I hope my kids got it, and if they didn’t I hope that they will at least remember all that we’ve done. They might not get it until they are grown and parents themselves. I didn’t get it as a child. Why does the Easter Bunny visit everyone else’s house but ours? I didn’t get it until years later. So I’ve really tried to do activities with my kids to help them remember what Easter is really about. Hopefully that will help.

I hope you all had a wonderful and peaceful Easter Sunday!

Healthy Halloween (?)

Does this scene make you shake in your boots thinking about how the wee ones will celebrate Halloween this year on too much sugar? Want to change tradition for the better?

If so then read my article over at my other home – Love is New Additions to the Family. Then you’ll have to let me know whether you think I’m on another wild ride to crazy land or if it actually has some logical merit to the idea.

What? Me forget Halloween?

No, I haven’t forgotten Halloween! And for those who are just getting to know me you will soon find out how nuts I am over this holiday. Family themed costumes, forcing the kids to sing and dance for their goodies, parties, healthy food. Did I just say 'Healthy' in conjuction with Halloween? See I am a little off my rocker, but in a good way.


I’m going to pull out the stops this year and do both Christmas and Halloween at the same time. They may have to ship me off to the funny farm when all is said and done, but my family will be smashing in our matching costumes and I’ll be able to relax over Christmas.

Yes, I decided on a theme – the boys aren’t too thrilled but are willing to play along as long as I let them foot the bill to buy an extra costume of their choosing for the big night. What me? Complain that they want to spend their money instead of mine? I’m good with that. They will have to wear the theme costume to family involved shindigs though. We are revisiting one of our old favorites and doing the...

So here’s a sneak peek at who’s playing who.

Prince Erik – The Witches ‘Oreo’ Soldier. Watch the Movie they march around chanting ‘Or – Eo’.

Me, Myself and I – Wicked Witch.

My kids might want to be singing the ‘Ding-Dong, The Witch is Dead’ song by the time the end of the month roles around.

Abner – Tin Man

T-Rev – Scarecrow

Evo-man – Cowardly Lion

Lea – Glenda the Good Witch She’s got the golden wavy hair down pat. Won’t even have to try and make her look like Glenda!

Princess – Dorothy

Hope – A Munchkin (what else) She’s got the perfect height and curly hair

Boots & Chilly (Princess’s Build-A-Bear Monkeys) will be going as Toto and a Flying Monkey.

My Halloween goal – To only spend $100 on costumes (all ten of them), handouts, décor, you know the whole sha-bang. And that's it! Not a penny over. I think I can do it. I found a blue and white gingham slip cover ($4.99) at the local thrift store that I’m going to make over for Princess’s costume. And found some great curtains ($2) that when dyed will be perfect for Evo-man’s main costume. I don’t think I’ll have a problem finding material for the costumes that way. Yeah for thrift stores! The main expense will be in accessorizing.

So here’s what I’m doing for my Halloween countdown this week.

1. Pull out and put up Decorations. They are stored under our house and while I'm getting the Halloween boxes out I'm going to go ahead and get out the Christmas lights at the same time. Why waste a trip. I plan on finding a dry nice weather day, after I look at the 10-day forecast, to hang the lights. There’s no way I’m doing it on a rain, ice, snow slicked Thanksgiving Eve again.

2. Start sewing the costumes that I have the supplies for now – this week. I’m going to have to average at least 3 costumes a week to be ready on time. I’ll probably have to turn the dining room into a sewing room for a month, but I’ll try and get some Christmas sewing in as well. If sewing isn't your thing and you can't find what you need at the local thrift store do some internet searching on inexpensive costume ideas. It's amazing what you'll find.

I might have to make November my cleaning month to make up for putting Prince Erik through the dirty house blues.

3. Plan your Halloween on Paper. We are doing a Healthy Halloween again this year.

That means we aren’t buying candy to hand out. See I’ve learned so much over the past two years about family health and I know several children that suffer from diabetes and childhood obesity. I will definitely fill you in on our plans as far as the healthy and non-food alternatives we plan to use. Plus, if I buy the candy, well I’d have to kiss my $100 to Smiley good-bye because I have no self-control around chocolate or any kind of candy for that matter.

Anyway, I’ve got to launder my thrift store finds and unpack some holiday boxes.

Bringing Back May Day

Whatever happened to the May Day we celebrated as little kids in elementary school? I'm probably dating myself by saying this. But have you ever celebrated May Day?

I have vague memories of twirling around a Maypole in the school gym to the tune of ‘The Entertainer’ (?) and wearing flowers in my hair. But that’s as far as it went. I think it might have been a big holiday somewhere else – maybe Europe. All I heard about it on the news today was there were rallies and protests for one cause or another taking place.

Being the champion of lost holiday’s that I am, I decided to do a little digging into May Day and what it was all about. It seems it get’s it’s origin from several different places. Some of those traditions are very pagan so of course I’ll have to not follow certain specific traditions. You won’t find me as going off into the fields or woods and invoking the blessings of fertility on me and my special someone. Sorry, as you can tell from my own little herd I don’t need any extra fertility - Thank you very much. But the Bonfire the night before might be fun – to bad it’s usually raining bucket’s this time of year.

Not finding too much online I decided to just make what-ever I wanted to celebrate our own version of May Day. So we made some flower hair wreaths for the girls and took flower baskets to the neighbors to thank them for putting up with our rowdy and crazy shenanigans for the past umpteen years.

Here’s how we made the flower hair thingy’s. And an added bonus is that 100% of our supplies we acquired at our favorite $1 store.

Supplies needed - Pipe cleaners, fake flowers or even Hawaiian flower leas, and various sizes of ribbon. And don't forget the Scissors.

For a child's hair wreath you will most likely use 2 pipe cleaners, 3 for an adults.

Fasten two ends together wrapping them tightly so that you can still string the flowers over them.

Then you'll want to totally dismantle the flowers. If you'll notice they flowers already have a convenient hole in them. Well your going to want to grab some Skizzor's (as my kids affectionately refer to scissors) and make an additional hole next to the one already there.

Then thread them on your good old pipe cleaners...

And smoosh them together...

When you have almost filled your pipe cleaner up you can then start adding some ribbon streamers. For the large ribbon's you want to make some holes in the top in which to put the pipe cleaner through.

Smaller ribbons you just loop on like this.

Twist the pipe cleaners together and Ta-Da!

All done! It takes between 20 - 30 minutes per wreath.

Don't have the time or patience? Well then here is a Total shortcut...Or you could totally do it the easy way and break the string of an Hawaiian lea - I know this sounds odd but shorten the lae by making it a couple inches longer than it would need to be to go around your child's head. Tie it back together and add some streamers and BOING - you've done it again. Been really crafty on the cheap and made your little girly's feel like a fairy queen.

Traditionally you take the baskets of flowers and goodies to friends and family and leave it on their door the night before May 1st (sometime after the bonfire - I guess). We were a bit late so we took it around today. Of course we couldn't find appropriate shoes, or even matching ones for that matter, but the neighbors are used to our fashion statements. Evo-man decided socks would do just fine. Unfortunately the socks didn't fare so well. Lea and Princess did just fine with bare feet. And Hope out ran them all.

Don't you just love how we react to that glowing ball of gas. Squint, Squint.

So no, we didn't participate in any rally's or complain how things just need to be changed. Instead we went out and did something to make someone else feel a little bit better. How much better would the world be if we stopped complaining and just did something nice for someone else, and showed our appreciation to those around us?

Next year we are bringing back the Maypole!!! and maybe the bonfire... if it's not raining buckets that is.

Fool for a Day times 356

Every Day is April Fools Day when you live in our home. I woke up to the sound of our cat Spooky hurling all over the floor by our bed this morning. ‘This ought to be a good day,’ I thought. Nothing like waking up to a sick cat after being up all night with a bed-avoiding 2 year old.

So I tried the whole April Fools on Evo-man when I went to wake him up. Usually waking him up is a very time and labor intensive activity.

‘Evo, Hurry and get up we need to leave for CA.’

‘Wha, What?’, his eye’s popped open, and he groggily sat up. Usually it takes 10 minutes to get him to the sitting up stage so I was pleased with the quick progress.

In the next room Prince Erik was caught off guard, being half asleep as well. ‘Huh, what is happening?’

I quickly said April Fools and Evo-man was immediately depressed until I suggested that he could tell me about the spider in my hair or the dent in the car later on and blame it on April Fools. This seemed to perk him up a little.

Princess had overheard the conversation and then regaled me for the rest of the day with, ‘Mom, Lea wants you,’ followed immediately with a smirk and, ‘April Fools.’ Or, ‘There’s a monster behind you – April Fools.’

It started wearing on me within an hour. I guess I deserved that didn’t I?

Prince Erik whispered in my ear, ‘Am I scary to you…are you scared?’ and then proceeded to run around really fast in an attempt to pretend to be Edward from Twilight. I literally snorted out a laugh with that. Nothing is funnier and less-romantic than when he tries to be something he is not – romantic, with the exception of the dancing thing. Somehow when he tries to be romantic, like the guys in novels, or movies, it just comes over as corny. And Corny he does well. My real idea of romance is an extra hand at washing dishes or folding clothes. It’s comforting to know he at least tries.

Now I’m off to make meatloaf cupcakes with mashed potato frosting for my kid’s dinner, and grilled pound cake with cheese colored frosting sandwiches for dessert. I'm sure I won't fool the kids in the least but at least I tried.

Ups and Downs

Here are some of my ups and downs for today. I guess it's good that there is opposition in all things. That way we can really appreciate the great things that happen, no matter how little.

Up: Receiving a surprise St. Patrick’s Day package from Trenadoll.

Thanks, I think I’ll wear the shirt every other day until the 17th. That will give me at least evey one day in between to throw it in the wash. Makes me want to put on some Irish Dance Jiggy Music and start attacking that clutter monster again.

Down: Oh, that's right the clutter monster has made a roaring comeback during the later-end of February when the kid's creativity kicked into high gear. Also still craving my exiled novels but glad they're not in the house to distract me.

Up: Finding this amazing package of Ooey Gooey Chocolatey Chewy Brownie Mix that is almost 100% more healthy than any other brownie mix out there.

Just Substitute the 1/3 cup oil that it calls for with applesauce and you’ve got the perfect birthday treat for you kid to take to school. Less than 90 calories and less than 2 grams of fat per serving.

Which reminds me... Here is my first revised St. Patrick’s Day recipe and it involves the above mix. Make the brownies with applesauce of course in a 9 by 13 pan. Cool. Mix together 1 sm. container of plain yogurt, 1 sm. pkg. of sugar-free vanilla pudding, 1/2 cup of skim milk or plain soy milk, ½ tsp peppermint extract, 2 drops green food coloring. Smooth mint layer on top of brownies and chill in the fridge. Opt. If you want to add extra calories then slowly melt ¾ cup chocolate chips mixed with 3 TB butter. Spread chocolate mixture on top of chilled mint layer. Of course chill again.

Down: It costs over $6 buck-a-roo's a package. Drat it’s still chocolate and I still can’t have it. Double-Darn those tremors. At least I don’t feel too guilty giving it to my kids. Just a little expensive lick please.

Up: Bought tickets to an upcoming book signing by the author of the Twilight series.

Down: The book signing is over four hours from my home and I have to wait until May. I still can’t believe I did that-I know this means I'm officially insane.

Up: My son hit All-Star status (goal weight) at his 20/20 kids program. Ya-ho!!! He has done so awesome. The sports club even wants to feature him in their magazine. Look out Hollywood here he comes.

Down: Watching him pig out on carbs this evening and realizing that I can’t police his food. This has to be his choice. It’s still hard to not try and step in. Still hard to see my kids making my same mistakes.

Up: Getting ready for my Favorite Holiday’s St. Patrick’s Day and Easter. Today I pulled out my favorite Easter book that is chuck full of a week’s worth of Christ-centered Easter Activities for the whole family. Love it!

Down: My favorite Holidays are next week and I’ve still got a ton to do before they arrive. Wish me luck! On second thought, maybe the little people will bring some my way.

Up: All the kids in bed before 9:00 p.m.

Down: No they aren't, and it's after 10:00 p.m. and they still keep getting up. I guess I'd better go hog-tie them so they won't get up, and read them an ubber scary story about the haunted hallway. Kidding, of course, or maybe not.