1. Perhaps Definitely my favorite consumer part of Easter is Reese’s eggs. My husband and I share this love so our first time seeing them in stores each year is quite humorous! (similar to our expression when we see the first ad for McRibs…yep, we’re dorks!) I LOVE these eggs for some reason and can’t say no! I have limited myself this year in the name of counting calories but have enjoyed one or two for the season:) Well, this year beat is all because we found in Walgreens what my husband refers to as “the mother egg”…it is the same as the Reese’s egg (and made by Reese’s) but HUGE! Like 800 calories huge! So, I got it as a surprise for him for easter:) no worries, I’ll just have a bite;)

2. What is in your easter basket?? This is my first year making a real easter basket for Beans. I opted for not all chocolate and eggs though. So, she is getting sidewalk chalk, some little Dora stuff, a flower headband, and a hollow chocolate bunny (figured she could eat it better being hollow). So, what’s in yours???

3. So, in the name of cliche I wanted to invite anyone who doesn’t have a church to go to this Sunday to our church, Powell Church. Supposedly they have something special planned and I’m pretty excited because these guys know how to throw down:) So stop on by!!

4. My new Etsy find for easter that I would love to have. Peep toe toddler shoes! You can’t get much cuter than that! Next year I’m so planning ahead to get Lenabeans some funky shoes….because she does love her some shoes!

5. A little deep to end our five off. Today is Good Friday. This is the first year I think I’ve really paid attention to its true meaning and felt it. Mostly thanks to this article on Relevant Magazine . This weekend is what they call in the article “the whole enchilada” and the “heart of the Gospel”. You know the person at work who gets on your nerves, the next door neighbor who doesn’t mind there business, the friend who loves to start drama, the homeless guy on the corner asking for money, the town drunk?? Jesus died for them and for you! I love that! Perhaps the most life changing thing for me was when a lady handed me a little slip of paper that said “God loves you more than any other person in this world”. At the time I was younger and not sure if I really even loved myself and that simple statement changed that and my relationship with God. I still have that slip of paper. Now more than ever believe that and feel so honored to celebrate the joy and sorrow of this day.

An excerpt from the article:
We must not try to sanitize what Jesus did. We need to enter into His Passion along with its pain and ravaging; its unfairness and cruelty; its bitterness and loss. Here we embrace the whole story (not just the good parts). And embracing the whole story makes redemption richer.

its that time again! our fave five ramblings of the week…you know you’re excited! In other news…rumor is we are getting a visit from thw new-to-the-world Indy next week!!!!!! I can hardly contain my excitement! I can wait to pinch his cheeks, give him kisses, and take some pics:) also, I have a kickin’ weekend ahead so some fun sneak peeks next week!

if you are a photographer…head on over to KnoxPhotog’s to get in on the action of the CPQ giveaway!

ok…now onto the five:)
1. It’s almost Dogwood Festival time here in Knoxvegas! The Dogwood Arts Festival has tons of stuff going on. My fave: driving the dogwood trails on a sunny day with the windows down! Highly recommend it!

2. a full plate. that is what I have. Oprah did a show earlier this year on living a simple life. I always think about that and how I could make my life simpler. I could cut out some things (and hope to in the next year or two) but right now, my plate is full and we’re working with it. I like being busy to a point. However, I am learning to say no to things that make my plate overflow…because we don’t need a messy plate, now do we?! full we can handle, overflowing…not so sure. Something about spring that makes me what to live a simple life and be outside more in my bare feet. mission this weekend…enjoy the simplicities of life!

3. hot tea. its my comfort. I have 2 cups of hot tea on most days. one in the morning and one at about 3 in the afternoon. I ran across this website to enjoy. I have yet to buy anything but it is on my list!

4. Guatemala. A first in alot of ways. My first time to that particular country, my first mission trip that I have been invited on and not had to hold fundraisers to pay my way (the money was given to us going by church members which is HUGE to me!!!!), my first time away from Brad and Lena, the first trip in quite a while that I’m not in some sort of leadership. So, lots of firsts. Although mission trips are my heart, its been awhile since I have been on one like this. I am going with a few others from our church as part of a bigger group. We are going to serve and learn as we look at the program and future for Powell Church. I am so excited but man, will I miss my Lenabean (and Brad!). I have promised myself this is the only time I go on a mission trip without her. Why? Because I want her to experience the world and see it for all its beauty…even the messy stuff. All that said, if you could say a little prayer for me if you think about it. We are going the first week of June so plenty of updates ahead but I wanted to mention it now so you could be thinking and praying.

5. oh dvr, how I love thee for taping my shows so I can watch them when I get a chance, commercial free. i love thee for thinking about me when I forget that I really do want to watch the new episode of real world. however, our love has been strained lately. particularly on the day that you decided to crap out right as Tyra was about to dramatically announce who was going home on ANTM. do you know how much that hurt dvr? do you? please don’t take this personally but I think that we have to part ways. its not you, its me. your harddrive has changed over the years and I just don’t think I feel the same way towards you anymore. please don’t be mad that I am replacing you with a newer version. I’ll always have a special place for you in my heart. (hehe..joking aside….we had to get a new dvr so we lost all our dora’s, planet earth, yo gabba gabba’s. it was a sad day. luckily the new one came in time for me to dvr the newest yo gabba gabba tomorrow! wootwoot!!)

have a gloriously simple friday!