The Best Pet EVER!

We welcomed Taco Boy into our home this weekend. Evan received straight A's on his report card and earned some extra cash doing chores and decided to buy a Webkinz Chihuahua. All he knows about Chihuahuas is that it is the mascot of Taco Bell, consequently his name, Taco Boy. His diet consists of tacos, doritos, burritos, pop tarts and jolly ranchers (according to Evan). The best part is that I don't have to do thing! No complaint from me! Someday we will get a real pet again, but for now bring on the Webkinz!

Siskel & Ebert

I have rented entirely too many movies lately, but I'm on a roll. I am not usually a very good judge of movies. Matt was out of town all last week and I watched four very cute movies that I would recommend

1. August Rush
2. Dan in Real Life
3. Nancy Drew
4. Bee Movie

I also rented Jane Austen Book Club. I liked it, didn't love it. It was sloooow.

Carrots, Green Beans & Peek-a-Boo for Dinner

Declan

Evan the Entrepeneur

Evan made his first 2 bucks from changing dirty diapers! He made $1 a piece. He will do anything to earn money!

Making Easter Meaningful

In an effort to make Easter a more meaningful Holiday I have come across this recipe that we are going to try out. Hopefully this will become an annual Easter tradition. I cannot stand all of the commercialized Easter bunny crap that the kids buy into. Hopefully Easter will be more Christ-centered this year and every year to come in our home.

The Easter Story Cookie
To be made the evening before Easter

You need:

• I cup whole pecans
• 1 tsp. vinegar
• 3 egg whites
• pinch of salt
• 1 cup of sugar
• ziploc bag
• wooden spoon
• tape
• Bible

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F

Place pecans in ziploc bag and let children beat them with the wooden spoon to break them into small pieces. Explain that after Jesus was arrested, He was beaten by the Roman soldiers. Read John 19:1-3.

Let each child smell the vinegar. Put 1 tsp vinegar into the mixing bowl. Explain that when Jesus was thirsty on the cross, He was given vinegar to drink. Read John 19:28-30.

Add egg whites to vinegar. Eggs represent life. Explain that Jesus gave His life to give us life. Read John 10:10-11.

Sprinkle a little salt into each child's hand. Let them taste it and brush the rest into the bowl. Explain that this represents the salty tears shed by Jesus' followers, and the bitterness of our own sin. Read Luke 23:27.

So far, the ingredients are not very appetizing. Add 1 cup of sugar. Explain that the sweetest part of the story is that Jesus died because He loves us. He wants us to know and belong to Him. Read Psalm 34:8 and John 3:16.

Beat with a mixer on high speed for 12 to 15 minutes until stiff peaks are formed. Explain that the color white represents the purity in God's eyes of those whose sins have been cleansed by Jesus. Read Isaiah 1:18 and John 3:1-3.

Fold in broken nuts. Drop by teaspoons onto wax paper covered cookie sheet. Explain that each mound represents the rocky tomb where Jesus' body was laid. Read Matthew 27:57-60.

Put the cookie sheet in the oven, close the door and turn the oven OFF. Give each child a piece of tape and seal the oven door. Explain that Jesus' tomb was sealed. Read Matthew 27:65-66.

GO TO BED! Explain that they may feel sad to leave the cookies in the oven overnight. Jesus' followers were in despair when the tomb was sealed. Read John 16:20 and 22.

On Easter morning, open the oven and give everyone a cookie. Notice the cracked surface and take a bite. The cookies are hollow! On the first Easter, Jesus' followers were amazed to find the tomb open and empty. Read Matthew 28:1-9.

Priceless!

Declan, Dylan & Dawson at Nana's house.
Dylan

We had the opportunity to have cousin Dylan in our home for a couple of days. What fun the kids had w/ him. We don't get to see him often, so we try to make every moment count. He fits in great at our house, he is 1 year older than Carter, 2 years younger than Evan. But he acts as a buffer between the two. Perfect! No fighting, just lots of playing, just as it should be. Anyhow, Carter was testing Dylan and asked, "which baby is which?". Dylan said, "Easy(as he pointed to ) Dawson & Declan". I was amazed! I asked, "How'd you know?" Dylan said, "My brother." I said your brother?", And he said with total clarity, "My brother Donnie told me." What do you say to that? Donovan died a little over a year ago, but he will always be Dyl's brother!

In a pinch....

In my quest to be Supermom some things slide. But in my efforts to get the house in "show condition" in as little as 45 minutes, as well as get all 4 kids out the door at lunch time, I have discovered short cuts. Two that I used just yesterday, fleece zipper pajamas make great dust rags! And the other shortcut that I am not so proud of, only because they should have already been folded and put away, is the laundry. I took a clean pile of unfolded clothes from my bed and put them back in the dryer! But I got all 4 kids packed up,fed,out the door and to the airport on time. What more can you ask for? I have a whole bag of "in a pinch tricks", but I will never put my covered cake pan in the oven, just to get it off of my counter top. The next time I turned my oven on, I melted the lid. Some short cuts are not worth taking!