Dying Eggs

I think we all know what it means when it's the day before Easter... time to dye eggs!!

Last year I dyed eggs with Brianna and we did these super cool tie-dye eggs! They were very easy for her to do at her age then (23 months old) and I loved the way they turned out:

But of course I wanted to try something new this year. Turns out there are only about a million ways you can dye Easter eggs. Finally I decided to go with something simple since I knew she was going to want to "help" a lot more this year. I just did a simple kit that my grandmother gave me a few months ago. We went with the ol' Magic Crayon and Brianna drew on the eggs, then we dyed them and put stickers on them.

 We made an egg for Hunter and one for Brianna!

 We did put glitter on one egg. I only had black glitter so we made a bumblebee egg. Very simple process - put double-sided tape on your egg (you can make it a lot prettier by punching it out into circles, but who has time for that?) and then roll the egg in glitter.

Our final eggs - all stickered up and ready to be made into deviled eggs for Easter lunch tomorrow!!

Show me how you dye your eggs - I'll try something new next year too!

Love This Quote

Read this quote and it definitely hit me. It's from the book "The Shaping of a Christian Family" which I haven't read but I'd like to!

"A Christian who is saturated with the Word... is likely to have a calm, wholesome outlook on life; to be kept steady in the path of God's will in either joy or sorrow, wealth or poverty; he is likely to be a pleasant companion, not voluble in aimless talk; and he will not be overly disturbed by world conditions."

Picture Update

 One of Brianna's new favorite pastimes is card games. You can thank me for that, because Stephen isn't a big fan of card games! So far we play Uno, Go Fish, and Super Circles pretty frequently. I'm so glad someone will finally do game night with me. :)

 A couple of months ago, Brianna moved into her big girl bed finally! She was super excited and has done so well sleeping in it! Transition was so smooth! The best part is that for almost two weeks she's also been out of Pull-Ups at night. I love the fact that she can get up in the night and go to the bathroom and go back to bed. Now when Hunter learns how to do that maybe we can finally sleep all night again...

 She is trying to learn how to draw stick figures. This picture is from a couple of months ago - now she knows how to differentiate between the arms and the legs. Haha!

 The funny story about this picture: She had colored the blue portion on the scarf that is a bit messy. After I started coloring the scarf different colors at the other end, she looked at the part she had colored and said, "Mom... please move that one!"  Poor girl wanted me to move the colored section so I could keep on with my pattern. Sorry, babe, doesn't work that way!

 This is the outfit I call her "Little Nenah" outfit. Her Nenah (Stephen's grandmother) always looks so nice and she loves bling, so I know she would approve of this outfit!!

 Brianna was playing with blocks one day and got the great idea to flip the chair over and build a tower on top of it. I think she might be a future architect.

 Normal at our house.

 Wasn't someone supposed to be watching the baby who was within reach of the lotion???

 Bri frequently builds towers for Daddy to see when he gets home from work. And heaven forbid if they don't stay up the four hours until he gets home!!!

Did not know Brianna knew how to take pictures on my phone.

Easter Egg Hunt

This year was Brianna's first Easter egg hunt at school. Fortunately, her Oma was in town from Georgia, so we went with Hunter to help out the teachers and a couple of other moms at school.

Her class was pretty chaotic. Even at just 2 and 3 years old they knew nothing serious was going to happen today, which was the last day of school before Spring Break!!

This is Hunter's favorite part of Bri's classroom. I always have to drag him out of the kitchen. Similar situations happen at home as well...

 Hunter found one egg and promptly threw it away. He spent the rest of the time playing on the playground. None of that sissy egg hunting for him. Of course, had he realized most of them contained candy he probably would have taken it more seriously!

 This is Martha Anne - Bri's BFF from school. She's very good with Hunter because her brother Henry is just a couple of months younger than Hunter!!

Obviously we broke into the eggs as soon as we got into the car! We got tons of Starburst, M&Ms and chocolate!

Instead of regular snack time, they had their Easter party.

Then, after school we had a Sonic mystery shop.

So basically my kids have been junk food junkies all day. Just waiting for the crash!!

From the Attic

It's been a while since I posted something "from the attic", which means somehow I have found more of my personal belongings at my parents' house!

I found a sheet of paper that obviously was supposed to be filled with compliments from other people in the classroom (anonymously of course). It said things like "You're a good friend", "nice", etc. and then in extremely big writing - "You're a dictionary."  I'll take that as a compliment!

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Not sure what assignment this was for, but here are eight "facts" I wrote down. This was in 1993, I believe. And some are still true to this day!

1. Some people always want to get things for free.

2. I am afraid to climb to the top of any tree.

3. When I was little before I was even in kindergarten, I learned to read.

4. My teacher thinks that I am good in all the subjects.

5. I am happy when I get to stay with my aunt, uncle, cousin and dog in La Grange, Atlanta.

6. 20 years from now I'll have a job as a teacher.

7. If I had $5, I would give half to poor people and half to the church.

8. I'm glad it's almost suppertime because we're having pizza tonight.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Christmas List:

1. Bengals Hup one, Hup two, Huddles!
2. Barbie workout set
3. Great Shape Barbie
4. Baby Kicky
5. Black My Buddy and Kid Sister
6. Red Beauty Case Set
7. Get in Shape, Girl!
8. 6 transistor set
9. Touch & Tell
10. The Spelling Master
11. Whiz Kid video
12. Quizatron
13. The Cookie Countery
14. "Smart"
15. Alphie
16. The Talking Computer
17. Magna Doodle
18. Disney Match 'N Glow
19. Kitchen Cuties
20. 27-piece medical kit
21. Play typewriter
22. Tommy Tutor
23. Super Vision
24. Bankers Hours
25. Magic Match
26. Vroom, Vroom
27. Mr. Mouth
28. Tapsie
29. My Best Friend
30. Stacy Two-Wheeler
31. Teddy Ruxpin
32. Patty Cake Doll
33. Sue and Her Beauty Salon
34. Charlie McCarthy
35. Parisian Barbie
36. Swan Lake Barbie
37. Bob Mackie Barbie
38. Happy Holidays Barbie

Christianity in a Secular Workplace - Part 6

I am reading a pretty heavy read right now, "Don't Waste Your Life" by John Piper. If you've ever read any John Piper you know his books require a lot of time and dedication to reading and understanding. So I've been reading this book for ages but it's so good. This is one point I feel like needs to be shared, and so I'm taking the time to paraphrase some things in this chapter for you. I hope it resonates with you and helps you.

Please note, he makes a point to say that some are called for "spiritual vocations" such as missionaries but that those people could not do their work without people in "secular vocations" working to support them. He does not at all have a condescending attitude towards secular work.

P.S. After writing this blog I have broken it into six parts so it's not as much heavy reading. Please read each different blog post, as it shouldn't take very long now that it's broken up.

6. We make much of Christ in our secular work by treating the web of relationships it creates as a gift of God to be loved by sharing the Gospel and by practical deeds of help. Personal evangelism is so important that it is easy to think of it as the only important thing in life. But we have seen that the Bible puts a lot of emphasis on adorning the Gospel, not merely saying the Gospel. But the speaking of the good news of Christ is part of why God put you in your job. He has woven you into the fabric of others' lives so that you will tell them the Gospel. Without this, all our adorning behavior may lack the one thing that could make it life-giving. The Christian's calling includes making his or her mouth a fountain of life.

Secular work is not a waste when we make much of Christ from 8 to 5. God's will in this age is that his people be scattered like salt and light in all legitimate vocations. His aim is to be known, because knowing him is life and joy. He does not call us out of the world. He does not remove the need to work. He does not destroy society and culture. Through his scattered saints he spreads a passion for his supremacy in all things for the joy of all peoples. If you work like the world, you will waste your life, no matter how rich you get. But if your work creates a web of redemptive relationships and becomes an adornment for the Gospel of the glory of Christ, your satisfaction will last forever and God will be exalted in your joy.

I hope you enjoyed this "series". If you want to read the book, I would highly recommend it. If nothing else, I at least encourage you to read each small section I have blogged about. It might make you happier in your vocation. I know I have struggled at times with "homemaker" being a vocation but it most definitely is - and I am always looking for ways to glorify God in the things I do at home. No matter what kind of job you have, it is possible to glorify God in it. Any comments - feel free to leave them here. :)

Christianity in a Secular Workplace - Part 5

I am reading a pretty heavy read right now, "Don't Waste Your Life" by John Piper. If you've ever read any John Piper you know his books require a lot of time and dedication to reading and understanding. So I've been reading this book for ages but it's so good. This is one point I feel like needs to be shared, and so I'm taking the time to paraphrase some things in this chapter for you. I hope it resonates with you and helps you.

Please note, he makes a point to say that some are called for "spiritual vocations" such as missionaries but that those people could not do their work without people in "secular vocations" working to support them. He does not at all have a condescending attitude towards secular work.

P.S. After writing this blog I have broken it into six parts so it's not as much heavy reading. Please read each different blog post, as it shouldn't take very long now that it's broken up. You can find Part 1 here. You can find Part 2 here. You can find Part 3 here. You can find Part 4 here.

5. We make much of Christ in our secular work by earning money with the desire to use our money to make others glad in God. Our secular work can become a great God-exalting blessing to the world if we aim to take the earnings we don't need for ourselves (and we need far less than we think) and meet the needs of others in the name of Jesus. It is true that everyone should work if he can, and that, in general, if you work you will have what you need. But this general rule is not absolute. Drought may strike your farm; thieves may steal what you've earned; disability may end your earning power. But God, in his mercy, wills that the work of the able-bodied supply the needs of the helpless, especially in hard times. You can steal to have. Or you can work to have. Or you can work to have to give. When the third option comes from joy in God's goodness, it makes him look great in the world.

Christianity in a Secular Workplace - Part 4

I am reading a pretty heavy read right now, "Don't Waste Your Life" by John Piper. If you've ever read any John Piper you know his books require a lot of time and dedication to reading and understanding. So I've been reading this book for ages but it's so good. This is one point I feel like needs to be shared, and so I'm taking the time to paraphrase some things in this chapter for you. I hope it resonates with you and helps you.

Please note, he makes a point to say that some are called for "spiritual vocations" such as missionaries but that those people could not do their work without people in "secular vocations" working to support them. He does not at all have a condescending attitude towards secular work.

P.S. After writing this blog I have broken it into six parts so it's not as much heavy reading. Please read each different blog post, as it shouldn't take very long now that it's broken up. You can find Part 1 here. You can find Part 2 here. You can find Part 3 here.

4. We make much of Christ in our secular work by earning enough money to keep us from depending on others, while focusing on the helpfulness of our work rather than financial rewards. God intended from the beginning that satisfying work would provide for our needs. God worked in the beginning and the humans he created in his image would work. Before sin entered the world, that work would be without futility and frustration. When man and woman chose to be self-reliant and rejected God's fatherly guidance and provision, God subjected them to the very thing they chose: self-reliance. The curse under which we live today is not that we must work. The curse is that, in our work, we struggle with weariness and frustration and calamities and anxiety. But just as death will be a reality to the end of this age, so much we work in this fallen age against many obstacles that often make work hard. Not yet may we return to paradise and pick fruit in someone else's garden. Able-bodied people who choose to live in idleness and eat the fruit of another's sweat are in rebellion against God's design. If we can, we should earn our own living. We see throughout scripture that Jesus does not say it is wrong to earn your own living and eat your own bread, but he also says that we should not labor for food that perishes. Don't focus on mere material things in your work. Don't labor merely with a view to the perishable things you can buy with your earnings. Work with an eye not mainly to your money, but your usefulness. Labor to love people and honor God. Think of new ways that your work can bless people. Stop thinking mainly of profitability and think mainly of how helpful your product or service can become.

Finding Our Way Home Review

When I started reading "Finding Our Way Home" by Charlene Ann Baumbich, I felt that the story in the beginning was rather slow. I also didn't like the characters' personalities very much. There wasn't anyone in the story that I really related to. But the more I read in the story, the more I started to like the characters and wonder where the story was going.

I felt like the character of Sasha was not very realistic. She is a ballerina who has gotten a career-ending injury at the age of 38, but she acts like an 80-year old. This girl is just a few years older than I am, but she acted way older than her age. Although, I suppose her personality needs to be taken into account for that too. The other main character is a 19-year old named Evelyn, who is breezy and naive and brave and capable of doing anything! She seemed really overbearing in the beginning of the book, but by the end, I rather liked her.

The book is the story of the relationship between these two women. It was an easy read after the first few chapters, and I did enjoy it once I got into it.

I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review. All thoughts and opinions are 100% my own.