Easter Weekend

Happy Easter!

Our Easter weekend started on Good Friday, with GREAT friends....the best of friends, really. Once every couple of months, Sam and Jason come over for Chinese Friday. Abby spends the night with her grandma (so sad!) and we spend time together- just the four of us.

There are many reasons why we love Sam and Jason.... they are more then friends, but truly our family. But something special that we appreciate so much is how "easy" our friendship is. All four of us work a long day on Friday. By the time that evening rolls around, we are tired and ready to just relax. And that's exactly what we do.....we just do it together.

I never worry about what my house looks like, or what I'm going to wear, or what perfect dessert I'm going to whip up. Instead we wear our sweats, (Troy and I are usually in pajamas), eat take out Chinese food.... munch on cookies, maybe have a glass of wine. It's just easy. And I so appreciate having friends like this. Don't get me wrong- these are also the friends that we celebrate every special occasion with, or attend parties and such with. We're not always bums. :) Sam and Jason have seen us on our best day.... and on our worst. That's what makes them family.

After we eat Chinese, we usually move to the family room floor for games. We laugh so hard, and have the best time. Just for our own personal memory...quote of the night "I'm below a bag of Grippos." ;-)

We played a new game this time called "5 Second Rule," and I loved it. Troy was TERRIBLE, which is RARE and it tickled me so much! In the game, you receive a card that would say something like:
"Name 3 things that keep you warm.. or name 3 Mexican restaurants, or 3 breeds of dogs." It sounds simple enough, but you only have 5 seconds to name the three things. Your brain literally just freezes sometimes. Troy would panic and it was hysterical. I think Jason won... but that's nothing new! He usually wins every game we play!

I then talked them into playing Disney's Scene It. Yes, I know.... I'm 31. I am the MASTER of all things Disney. I know every movie, every story, every character, every song.... we visit Disney World every year. Last year, twice.

Jason won. I don't get it!?

As always, we so enjoyed Chinese Friday. Thank you Sam and Jason, we love you!

Was this not the most gorgeous Easter Sunday? The weather was perfection.

The Easter Bunny visited our house.

Troy got me the new "Pioneer Woman" cookbook! She is one of my favorites! If you don't know Ree Drummond (The Pioneer Woman) you must read her book, "Black Heels to Tractor Wheels." It is not a cookbook, but her true life story of how she, a California city girl- met and fell in love with a cowboy rancher. It is a beautiful, entertaining and fun love story! I highly recommend it. When Ree (a sushi and martini girl from LA) married a cowboy (who was a meat and potatoes man) she was forced to learn how to cook. Learning to cook for him was kind of how she got her start. This is now her second cookbook (pictured below), and she has her own show on The Food Network. I have heard that Columbia Pictures purchased the rights to her book, "Black Heels to Tractor Wheels," and there is a movie in the making. Reese Witherspoon is rumored to play Ree Drummond. It has been a couple of years since I've read anything on this, but I would love to see it develop. Cheryl S- this will so be a date for you and I!

After bunnies and baskets, we went to service. The pastor gave a fantastic sermon on giving your life FULLY to Jesus. It sure spoke to me. He also read lyrics from a new Rascal Flatts song (of all things!?) that I hadn't heard before. I will include it at the end of this post- you HAVE to listen to it.

After church, we changed into something comfortable and went to my mom and dad's for Easter lunch. Isn't their house so pretty? I love how green everything is all of a sudden!

My mom can put on a spread like nobodies business. It is unbelievable.

We had a green salad with raisins, cranberries, green and red peppers, cheese, etc. It was so good.

She made ham, pork loin, green beans, carrots, two kinds of potatoes, corn, stuffing, gravy......

....banana pudding and a strawberry dessert that has many names. Some people call it "your mom's strawberry stuff" -Jennifer Rowe, some call it "strawberry goodness"- Jennifer Hammond, and I call it.... Heaven. It is so so good.

After lunch, it was Easter Bunny Basket time! Yes..... we all still get baskets.... baskets like you wouldn't believe.

Troy, waiting to get in his basket, while everyone else is talking, or doing something else. He is so funny- you should see him on Christmas morning at my parent's house. He truly is the old saying "like a child on Christmas morning."

Mom finds the neatest things for our Easter baskets. She got me this kitchen gadget. You drop this into your pot when making hard boiled eggs, and it indicates when they are ready. Isn't that neat? I never know when my eggs are ready- this will be so helpful!

Kandice and Troy have an Easter tradition of their own. They trade Easter basket goodies. Sometimes it is a one for one (like one Reese's for one Snickers) and sometimes the stakes are higher! Today Troy traded a rabbit filled with Cadbury Eggs, for a Reese's Pieces carrot. I told him that was a bad trade- but he wanted an additional Reese's Pieces. :) I'm not sure what other "deals" they might have made.

We had a wonderful Easter weekend!

I love the traditions of Easter and all of the cultural things that we do to celebrate..... a meal with family, bunnies, baskets, tulips, a new dress for Sunday service....

But what I love even more is knowing a God ... that would give His only Son, so that I could live eternally with Him.

To know that because of Him....I have hope, peace and joy. To know that because of Him, I am changed! A life with Him is a different life then that of the world's.

As I mentioned earlier, during service today the pastor noted a song tiled "Changed," by Rascal Flatts. I had never heard this song, but when he read the lyrics I knew I would love it. I looked it up the second we got home, and it is wonderful. I told Troy that anytime country music meets Jesus, I am a happy girl ;-)

I hope your life is forever changed by knowing Jesus!!

*no copyright infringement intended. All rights belong to Rascal Flatts....and whatever other legal thing I'm supposed to say to make sure that everyone knows I do not own this song or video.

Before closing, I'd love to ask for your prayers for my Father-n-law, Papa George. Tomorrow he is having his left leg amputated. He is a diabetic, and several complications have lead to this surgery. If you knew my Father-n-Law, you would know that even with his health complications- he is always on the go. He is involved in more church outings, groups, activities then I can count. I can't imagine how this will affect his quality of life, and I would really appreciate a prayer for both him and Troy.

Thank you!

Love,

Kristin