Easter Activities & Egg Hunts Around Town

Happy Spring! Easter is around the corner so I thought I'd round up a few fun activities in town to do with your families. One of my personal favorites is the Easter Parade in downtown Snohomish. Apparently, it is the only Easter Parade in Washington State! 

Easter Parade
Snohomish on 1st Street
Saturday, April 15 
11:00am-1:00pm 

The Snohomish Chamber of Commerce and Community Transit present the 37th Annual Snohomish Easter Parade, April 15, 2017, 11 a.m. on First Street in Downtown Snohomish. This traditional “Salute to Spring” Parade is a community favorite.

From pirates to princesses, bands to barn animals and floats to furry bunnies, kids of every age just love our Parade. Parade Entry information is on the Snohomish Chamber web-site at snohomishchamber.com.

Eggstravaganza Egg Hunt

Mill Creek - Heatherwood Middle School

Saturday, April 15

10:30am-12:00pm

Join Mill Creek Recreation & Tourism and Community Event Sponsors for the annual Eggstravaganza Egg Hunt-- Rain or Shine.  The event includes face painting, balloon animals, bounce houses followed by a special visit from the Easter Bunny!  Bring your camera.  Each age-appropriate egg-hunt will have candy throughout the multitude of eggs.  Please bring your own basket to collect eggs!

Egg Hunts for 1 year through 4 years- begins at 11:00am

Egg Hunts for k-5th Grades- begins at 11:30am

Admission: Please bring a canned food item for the Mill Creek Community Food Bank

Easter Egg Splash
Mill Creek YMCA
Saturday April 15 

The Easter Bunny went swimming and dropped all his eggs in the pool! Help us collect the eggs and return them to the Easter Bunny in exchange for fun prizes.

• You can turn in up to two eggs for prizes
• There will not be any swim testing during the event so if you have not been previously tested you will receive a red wristband.
• Children registered in Session Two will be required to have an adult in the pool with them. This adult does not need to pay or be registered.
• Please arrive early to check-in

When: Saturday, April 15
Session One: 2:45-3:10 pm for ages 7-12
Session Two: 3:15-3:40 pm for ages 7 and under with parent

Facility Members: $6
Program Members: $12
Registration Opens: March 1

Gold Creek Church Egg HuntWoodinville Campus
Saturday, April 15
4:00pm

Woodinville’s Egg Hunt will be Saturday April 15, 2017, at 4:00pm. The Event will be at the new Woodinville campus. Along with the egg hunt there will be inflatables, cotton Candy, popcorn, and carnival games. 

Address: 6621 Maltby Rd, Woodinville, WA 98072

Christmas Traditions

When I think of Christmastime, family traditions come to mind. During all the hustle and bustle of the season, it's comforting to come back to traditions, either ones from childhood or new ones that you've chosen to start with your own children.

When I was a kid growing up on Whidbey Island, we would always go to a local farm and cut down a Christmas tree. The farm had a "reindeer" that we got to ride and hot apple cider and cocoa for afterwards. I still remember the styrofoam cups and how scalding the cider was to drink. Another special tradition that started at my Aunt Judy's house was the Christmas tree fairy. Each tree had a fairy that lived in the branches and I would talk to her about anything and while I was sleeping, she would leave gumdrops for me in my bedroom. I remember kneeling under our tree and truly believing that this fairy was there and listening. Oh, childhood innocence!

When my kids were small, I knew that I wanted to start new traditions. It's easy to get overwhelmed and think we need to DO IT ALL or our kids are somehow missing out, but I think having just two or three traditions makes it fun and special. We enjoy family movie nights where we pick a Christmas-themed movie, get in our pjs, and have a special snack like the individual bags of kettle corn from Trader Joe's. Another favorite tradition is jumping in our van and driving around nearby neighborhoods looking at everyone's Christmas lights while listening to carols on the radio.

Lastly, it's important to me to teach my kids about giving (because in reality, they are obsessed with their wish lists and what they are going to get) so we have done different family giving opportunities over the years. For a few years, we bought small gifts and wrote cards and stuffed them into shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child; one year we bought gift cards and wrote encouraging notes for foster teens and I had the kids draw pictures in the cards for them; and another time, we let each kid pick an animal donation out of the World Vision catalog for needy families in other countries.

Now that you've heard about some of my favorite Christmas traditions, I'd love to hear about yours!

Merry Christmas!
Rachel

Super Simple Chicken & White Bean Chili Recipe

Ingredients:
4 c. cooked chicken (rotisserie works great!)
3 cans Northern white beans (strained)
1 yellow onion
32 oz chicken stock
1 jar salsa
2 c. pepperjack cheese

Chop onion and add to pot with chicken stock. Heat on medium low for 10 minutes. Combine the rest of the ingredients in the pot and simmer for 30 minutes. Enjoy topped with sour cream and tortilla chips or crusty bread. 

Serves 8. 

~Rachel

Wrapping up the Year and Taking Time to Breath...

Well hello Mamas! Where has the time gone and how can we be entering in to the last weeks of school/Mops?! I don't know about you but I am always amazed at how hectic this time of year can feel. As a former teacher it was always a busy season too and knowing how I felt as an educator,  I am certain it may feel the same for our school aged kiddos. Even as parents we may be feeling different stresses as we prepare for the home stretch. Extra events are piled on the calendar, sports activities multiply as the weather improves, end of the year parties are planned and the lists go on.

It has me thinking about several things. One being how thankful I am to have the time with you all every couple weeks, to refresh, share our stories and encourage one another. To fill our tanks and face the week ahead. It is truly a blessing. Also reflecting on all that I have learned alongside you ladies. The wonderful speakers, the lessons and the wisdom we gain from being together. Specifically, that whole piece we heard on breathing and some simple relaxation has been beneficial to me as of late.

Today I stopped the piles of laundry, the dishes, the many many to do's.  I could feel my chest tightening as I ran through through how everything would possibly get done.  I remembered to stop and take a breath, actually many deep breaths ;)... We headed outside, enjoyed the swings and breathed it all in. Sometimes, in fact most times, I think it is ok to take a break and step away. Isn't that what we are doing while we enjoy each other's company each week? What a wonderful gift!

Glad as always to have your company this year and hoping you take a little time to slow down when things get tight or just a little too busy. Stay tuned for some upcoming announcements and open positions for our MOPS groups in the next week or so.

Thanks so much you all and happy May!

Annie

Upcoming Dates:
5/4 and 5/18 MOPS Meetings 9:30-11:30 a.m.
5/12 and 5/26 NCPC Play Dates 10:00-11:30 a.m.

Spring is on it's way and thank you...

Hello Mamas and hope that your February was well.  I meant to get on here before the end of the month and wouldn't you know, sickness hit our house again and it just throws everything off. Thankfully spring is around the corner and sunshine will do everyone a little good!

I wanted to extend my gratitude for letting me share with you a couple weeks ago, that was such an honor to share my story and journey with all of you truly amazing women.  I can't tell you enough how much your open arms and feedback meant.  I am lucky to be a part of this group...

I just wanted to check in briefly and leave a couple of the handout's information for any of you that may be interested.

Here is the breakdown of how we do meal planning and budgeting (taken straight from the handout)...

Here are the 5 key ways we save each month (some I have gone into detail with previous posts and some I will share soon)...
1. Once a month shopping
2. Making our cleaning products
3. Growing a square foot garden
4. Thrift shopping
5. Making beauty products

Today I will go more in depth as to how we "once a month shop". After doing some research and practicing for a couple months I was able to cut our grocery bill in half. Now for food, cleaning and diapers/wipes we are able to spend about 500 dollars. While this system may not work for everyone it has worked wonders for us and enabled me to quit my job to stay home. I know that with some extra effort we could probably cut this even more and I am working on figuring that out!

Here's how it works...
- we shop one day a month (usually a Saturday and as close to the first of the month as possible) and it typically takes about 4-5 hours there/back. We most often bring the kids with us!
- we stick to 3 stores (Costco, Trader Joes and another grocery store such as Whole Foods or Albertsons)
- we buy in bulk as much as possible. For example at Costco we get chicken, beef, fruits, some veggies, sugar, bread, tortillas, butter, milk, cream, cheese, paper towels, toilet paper, etc...
- we buy other organic or high quality items at Trader Joes such as Cereal, lunch meat, fruit, veggies, Bronners Soap, shampoo/conditioner, etc...
- then at the other store we fill in the gaps with whatever we could not find at the previous two stores.
- we come home and unload - cook, chop, and freeze. We cook all our meats and freeze them in portions (so they will last throughout the month). We also chop/freeze some of our fruits and veggies (if not already frozen) so that they will last all month. This step helps tremendously with time... When you need to make a meal you have everything ready and it just needs to be thrown into a crockpot or defrosted.

Some helpful tips
- having a second refrigerator in the garage has been nice - when shopping once a month it gets crowded. Having only one refrigerator would still be possible - just take extra orgnization.
- we shred our cheese ourselves (it is cheaper than buying shredded)
- eat fruit and veggies that are not frozen and will spoil quickly first. Apples and oranges will last a long time so we eat those later in the month.
- we use Greek yogurt for everything - not really... but almost! We use it for yogurt, sour cream, dressing and pasta sauces.
- we eat many eggs, beans, etc for other sources of protein.
- I make our granola, cookies, pancake mixes, etc... from scratch
- we don't buy snacks... nothing other than fruits, nuts and the occasional cereal to snack on.
- we meal plan! This piece is important. This allows you to strategize how you will stretch those groceries throughout the month!

I was overwhelmed at first by the idea of once a month shopping, but now I wouldn't trade it. Before I was going to the grocery store 1-2 times a week and like I said spending twice as much! Now I have more time and money! Our meals are planned and they taste better because I am planning and changing it up.

Here are my goals this year to bring this budget down even more...
- make my own bread (this could cut our budget down by about 20 dollars)
- once #2 is ready for potty training this year we will save around 60 dollars a month!
-continue to research what veggies/fruits to buy organic or not.

You can also find some of my meal plans and recipes on my blog -
www.zevyjoy.com

Hoping that March is off to a wonderful start for you and that you each find encouragement and rejuvination in your visits together tomorrow.

UPCOMING EVENTS
3/2 and 3/16 Mops Meetings 9:30-11:30
3/10 NCPC Play Date - 10:00-11:30 a.m. at NCPC

Success

Hello Mops Mamas! It was wonderful to see you this morning and we missed those of you who were unable to make and praying those feeling ill will be on the mend soon.

Today's talk (from both Lauren and Tricia) was packed full of wisdom, encouragement, vulnerability and gave us mamas a chance to authentically connect. I took away many important points that I hope to keep as a part of my daily internal talk/encouragement when self doubt or frustration sets in. A reminder that we can't do it all (the butler, the maid, the chef, the hostess, etc...), but that we can choose to do one thing well and focus on that. Our gifts/choices as mothers may be different from one mama to the next; comparison and judment are void when we make this acceptance. I loved the encouragement that God made each of us and for that very reason we are special; seeing our children in this very same light is priceless.

What does success look like this day in age where we are expected to be running the top and bottom floors (as Tricia shared) and how do we compat the need to acknowledge the failures over the triumphs.  Because let's face it, every day is a triumph even when it involves diapers and cheerios. Our children are our gift - and we are theirs.

Wishing you a wonderful week ahead and till next time...
Annie

Important Dates-
January 26th - Girl's Night Out - Shawn O'Donnells Trivia Night 7:00pm
January 28th - NCPC Play Date - 10:00 - 11:30

Merry Christmas!

As usual, this month passes me by and before I know it, it is Christmas morning.  We are opening presents, eating so much food and making one family visit after the other.  There is much anticipation leading up to this special day and sometimes it can be quite stressful.  For some, it can bring up feelings of loss or pain.  It is a magical time of year, and yet it is not a cookie cutter experience for everyone. As much as I love all the treats, pretty decorations, and traditions, it can bring on a lot of pressure too.  I can feel my chest get tighter as I worry about making things just right.

As the countdown ensues and we have nearly 3 days left before Christmas day... I want to encourage you to take a step away from it all; at least enough to breath for a minute.  Because the truth is that it will all still be there when you get back.  Your sweet babies and little ones will not remember what color wrap you used or even half the toys they may or may not get.  No one will notice if you buy a store bought pie or skip the cranberry sauce.

What they will remember are the conversations, sitting at the table with you, singing carols, and staring at twinkle lights.  Treat yourself to the joy of this season by giving yourself the grace that it is good enough and that you have done a wonderful job.  Skip a bow or two in all the wrapping and enjoy the little things.  Most importantly, when I feel overwhemed by all the expectations I remind myself of the reason for the season.

Wishing you a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! Blessings -

Upcoming Events...

12/22- Girls Night Out - 7:00 A Festival of Carols at Seattle Symphony

1/6 Mops Meeting 9:30-11:30

1/13 Woodland Park Zoo - 9:30 - 12:00

1/14 NCPC Play Dates - 10:00-11:30

1/20 Mops Meeting 9:30-11:30

1/28 NCPC Play Dates 10:00 - 11:30

Choosing Joy

Hello Mamas,
I hope you each had a lovely Thanksgiving- I truly do.
I also apologize for my delay in writing you this month.The last couple weeks have been so busy and I am certain yours have been too.  As we approach the holiday season each year, I am always amazed at how busy things get, even when I think I have it together or have things planned.  In an effort to share the realities of motherhood I want to be authentic in sharing the true stories of my experiences with you too.

It has been on my heart to talk with you about the last couple weeks and I hope it will bring you some encouragement.  Most of you will remember that little wind storm we had a week and a half ago.  It was a blustery day that turned into a storm.  A situation which caused many homes to loose their power - ours being one of them.  In the scheme of things, not a big deal; but I found myself throwing a little bit of a pity party.

Here are a few of the details I chose to focus on during those couple days...
-we lost power for a total of 48 hours.
-we shop month to month and freeze many of our groceries.  As the hours turned into days without power, I began to worry that we were going to loose all of our food and have to buy more.  Spending money we just do not have right now.
-We stayed at my mom's whose place is tiny and the kids do not sleep their best there, especially on a school night or when they are coming down with colds.
-it was tiring to drive back and forth for clothes each day and check on things. Laundry was piling up and pretty soon we were running out.
-Mops was canceled and I love seeing all of you mamas a couple times a week.
-I couldn't make coffee every morning and had to go to starbucks.  The second morning they were literally out of drip coffee.
-p.s. it was cold!!!!

Ok.  Even when I write this list and read back over it - I am reminded of how negative it sounds. Sure these were some of the things that were happening and it was also the perspective I was choosing.

But... here is what really happened. It all started with Starbucks.  That second day when I went for my coffee and they were out - I instinctively thought about being frustrated.  As they apologized they also handed me a free coffee voucher.  I quickly realized how wrong my perspective had been.
I again ran through my list above, but instead this time the list looked something like this...

-We only lost power for 48 hours and it could have been longer.  It could have been worse.  Electricity is a pretty wonderful invention that we live with daily.
-We have food and a lot of it.  We can handle the need to replace it one time if needed.
-We had a warm place to stay and were with family. We had each other.
-I was given a break from folding loads and loads of laundry.
-I ran into one of you from Mops during Everly's ballet and had a impromptu play date.  Just what both Everly and I needed.
-I got a free coffee when I couldn't really afford to be out buying lattes.
-We had heated cars and a place with heat.

I have to continue to remind myself to try my best to choose joy in situations where sometimes it is easier to choose something else.  It is a practice to be intentional about and like I said it is something I struggle with, especially as a mama with busy schedules, sick kiddos, no power and the holidays around the corner.  My hope in sharing this with you is that when you are feeling a bit overwhelmed that you will see there are the sweet little gifts inside of the tough places.  Hang in there mamas and know that you are not alone.

Hope that your week is off to a good start and looking forward to seeing you soon.

Annie

Seasons

Hello Mamas, it was a treat to gather today and have time of fellowship with one another.

As I sat today, I began thinking about the changing seasons; how we are in the middle of fall and before we know it winter is on its way.  This is true as well for our roles as mothers.  Some of us in times of diaper changing, late night feeding, others running after toddlers and calming tantrums, some with kindergartners and homework, and then not to forget those who have been on this path before us with grandchildren of thier own.

What a gift each season brings and just as the beauty of changing seasons in our weather, which put together make one beautiful year; so does our gathering as women from all different stages of life, encouraging each other in this very important job of motherhood.

Hope the rest of this October is wonderful for each of you and thankful to be a part of a community of such lovely women who do all of the above.

Some important reminders for this month...

• 10/27 Girls night out - 7:00 p.m. movie (more info. coming soon)
• 10/31 Halloween Party - 10:30 a.m. Brookdale Mill Creek
• 11/4   Next MOPS meeting 9:30-11:30

Here are the Lyrics to the kid's sons to practice so they can sing it at the SOFIA trick or treat event at Mill Creek Assisted Living.

I'm A Little Pumpkin 

(tune of I'm A Little Teapot)

I'm a little pumpin

Orange and round,

Here is my stem,

I grew in the ground.

When I get all cut up,

Don't you shout!

Just open me up

And scoop me out!

Welcome to a New Year of MOPS!

Hello Mamas and welcome to MOPS this year! It was a wonderful meeting this morning getting to see all your faces, some new attendees and those from years past.  I loved Melissa's message today and it warmed my heart to think of how we can support one another in this adventure we call "Motherhood".  Motherhood is a beautiful calling and what a better way to embrace it than with our theme of "A Fierce Flourishing"; because let's be honest along with the beauty of our role it can also be challenging.  As with any facet of our life the choice to look for joy in all circumstances bears the fruit of so many good things; and done together is a true gift. 

For you shall go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and the hills before you shall break forth into singing, and all the tress of the field shall clap their hands. Isaiah 55:12

As Melissa shared, each of us is unique and beautiful in our own way; we bring so much value to one another and to our families.  I am thrilled to anticipate how we will learn to celebrate lavishly, embrace rest, and notice goodness in each other's company.  Here is to a new year and glad to have you here! Till next time Mamas, have a blessed few weeks ~

Annie

Some Reminders and Upcoming Events for the Month

• 9/24 ~ NCPC Play Date 10:00-11:30am @NCPC
• 9/19 ~ Afternoon Tea 1:00-3:00pm @Jen's House (for children 5 and up)
• 9/22 ~ Girls Night Out 7:00 Dinner @ Tablas Woodstone Tavern in Mill Creek Town Center

Don't forget to be working on your Placemat Projects and bring them in next meeting!

Easter Blessings

Hello mamas! Hooray for Spring! I hope you have had the chance to enjoy some of the sunshine we have had, as well as some time to rest and relax over Spring Break. Most importantly, I am thankful to have celebrated Easter last Sunday, and I hope the joy of that morning fills all of us with extra hope, faith, and love in the days to come.

In the weeks leading up to Easter, some of us participated in the "1000 Gifts" book study class at Northcreek. I sure enjoyed learning the art of gratitude and being thankful for the many many small blessings God pours into our lives each and every day. If you really stop to count---it is incredible! Just now I can look at the photo of those tulips and appreciate the beauty of the colors, the shapes of the petals, and also how they pop against the beautiful seagreen painted fence. :) (Not to mention how we were created to be able to SEE such brilliant colors).

The author of the book, Ann Voskanp, says: "As long as thanks is possible, then joy is always possible." If you haven't tried it, I encourage you to write a small (or large!) list of gifts you are thankful for--and I pray this process deepens your faith, and brings you closer to our loving, almighty God.

Words of Wisdom

Something Yummy

A place for individual recipes, and/or entire websites devoted to food and cooking! :)

foodnetwork.com
superhealthykids.com

Book Nook

Devotionals, parenting books and inspirational stories that may help us in our mothering journey. 
One Thousand Gifts, by Ann Voskamp

A Brave New Year

 Happy New Year, mamas! I sure keep thinking about our speaker last week---wasn't she good? I wonder what brave thoughts/ideas/dreams have potentially been running through your head(s) :) A couple days ago, my kindergartner came running up to me when I was attempting to start in on the mountain of dishes after dinner. " Mom, come join us!" she exclaimed. "We're celebrating! We're dancing!" (All three of my kiddos having a dance party in the living room). I stopped briefly to watch and it was such a joyful moment. I think one of the bravest things we can do as moms is to say "No" to "those other" house/life/mom jobs and "Yes" to our kids more often than not. And to just be OK with living in a messy house---albeit one filled with playtime and love. Because one second later, those seemingly small little moments will be over, maybe not to come again. And we will have missed them. Wherever you need it in your life right now, may you have bravery and courage, and may the Lord give you strength in your journey.

Words of Wisdom

Something Yummy

A place for individual recipes, and/or entire websites devoted to food and cooking! :)

http://www.sixsistersstuff.com/ 

http://www.laurenslatest.com/

Book Nook

Devotionals, parenting books and inspirational stories that may help us in our mothering journey. 

Screamfree Parenting, by Hal Runkel 

How to Talk So Kids Will Listen & Listen So Kids Will Talk, by Adele Faber and Elaine Mazlish

Happy (Almost) Halloween!

Hello mamas! I hope you are excited for some special Halloween fun coming up in just two short days! This is a picture of a dear friend of mine's little 19-month-old daughter. She is Little Bo Peep! YES, her mom MADE everything. Don't you love her little woolly sheep legs? Not to mention the dress. Tooooooooo cute. Yep, this mom is a sewer and has been long before kids. Me? I purchase from the store or online and it's all good. :) Regardless, it is one of those times to make great family memories---from pumpkin patches, decorating or carving pumpkins, dress-up, and finally---trick-or-treating.

But speaking of memories---what about when you have one of those "parenting/kid episodes you'll never forget?" moments, which will also no doubt be etched in your memory forever? I had one of those yesterday. In a desperate attempt to take a shower (and thinking my oldest two would not fight for 10 minutes, or get into trouble) I locked my bedroom door and proceeded to get in the shower. I eventually heard banging on the door, yelled back that I would be done soon, then the banging stopped. I thought they had heard me and went back to playing. NO---they LEFT the HOUSE and went to TWO neighbors houses thinking something had happened to me! The next sound I heard was the doorbell---where I go sprinting in my bathrobe to find my sweet retired grandma neighbor and the kids, now in tears. In their escape from the house the front door had also locked behind them, so they had been locked out, as well. In a big misunderstanding---we had lots of talks and I will NEVER lock my door again, so they can ALWAYS get to me. They also could not hear me yelling at them due to the noise of the shower, fan, and a second bathroom door that was closed. And I did NOT take a super long shower---it was an over-reaction on Allison's part. We also got to discuss how to call 9-11. OH MY. But to TOP IT OFF---that afternoon I locked myself and all the kids out of the house (again!) when we went to play outside. Luckily, we were playing with neighbors, who warmly welcomed us over to their house until my husband got home.

Somehow I managed to stay decently calm through it all and probably the best part was getting to chat afterwards with my sweet neighbor who had ushered the kids back to me. She told me not to feel bad, and told me story upon story of when her son was little and all the similar things that had happened when raising him. I think we should write them down---so we can laugh later, if we haven't already. Or maybe the fear/anxiety will make a permanent imprint so there is no need to write it down. So many adventures in parenting!!!!!!!!!!!!

Words of Wisdom

Something Yummy

http://www.skinnytaste.com/

http://www.justapinch.com/

Be You, Bravely!

Hello MOPS mommies! Welcome to the first blog post of the 2014-2015 MOPS year. :) I hope you enjoy what you find on here. Just email mopsncpc@gmail.org or comment on our Facebook page (NCPC MOPS) if you have anything you'd like me to share---whether recipes, great quotes, parenting articles, fun things to do with kids, etc. You name it!

What a great theme this year, yes? It certainly takes a lot of bravery and courage as a mom---whether that comes in small forms or large. Small like getting through the next hour of your day, or larger life changes. One thing is for sure: with God and each other, we absolutely can do it! Luke 18:27 says "What is impossible with man is possible with God." And Proverbs 17:17 says "A friend loves at all times". I hope that in this group we find a true place to experience God's love, and to love and support each other. It amazes me to think of how each of our unique mothering journeys might unfold this year and to see God work in our lives in us and through us. Let's take a deep breath and see where some bravery might lead! :)
~Hannah

Wise Words

Something Yummy

A place for individual recipes, and/or entire websites devoted to food and cooking! :)

http://allrecipes.com/

http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/

Book Nook

Devotionals, parenting books and inspirational stories that may help us in our mothering journey.

Jesus Calling, by Sarah Young

Personality Plus for Parents, by Florence Littauer

Happy Almost Summer!

Edmonds Marina Beach

Hello mamas! Can you believe summer is just around the corner? What a blessing it has been to get out and enjoy the warmth of the sun already, even though it's still spring. I have been pondering the sermon I heard on Easter Sunday studying John 20:1-18 where Jesus appeared to Mary Magdalene after having risen from the dead, but she didn't recognize him, "thinking he was the gardener" (John 20:15). Pastor David urged us to consider the ways in which we sometimes don't recognize Jesus in our everyday, routine lives---because we may be too busy, distracted, or just don't stop to think about the situation and look for God's work there.

And it got me thinking---there are so many ways God shows up to meet our needs in the everyday----so many blessings and small things to be thankful for----what are some of the ways you have seen God in your everyday lately? A toddler napping when you desperately needed them to? A 2-year-old trying a bite of new food? A longer stretch of uninterrupted nighttime sleep? A friendly text from a friend? Playing outside? A brief moment to yourself? The list can go on and on.  I think the more we can do this, the more we will realize just HOW MUCH God loves and cares for us---and He has each of our days in His hands.  Even though there will always be tough moments during the day, or sometimes many tough days in a row, if we really look we WILL find the bright spots there too---we just have to remember to look, and say "Thank You, Lord!" :)

Wise Words

I have so enjoyed the "Beautiful Mess" theme this year. I hope we have all come a little closer to embracing our beautiful, messy, chaotic lives with little ones.  This may include usually having dishes in the sink, living mostly out of laundry baskets, and stepping on lots of crumbs with bare feet.  But it ALSO includes breathing in the sweet smell of skin after bath, feeling cuddly bodies draped on ours, and exploring the world through big, round, curious eyes---eyes that need their mama to love them through the mess.

Love you, mommies.

-Hannah

Happy Easter

Hello mamas! So I panicked a little (or a lot) last weekend when I thought I had left my 3 newly-purchased Easter buckets in the cart at Fred Meyer and was dreading they would be sold out, and it was going to be rather inconvenient to try to get them back, or find others. I still feel like a "newbie" when it comes to a lot of this stuff (Easter baskets, Santa, etc) and it often stresses me out---just going in the stores. Ick. Overwhelming! But I know, and YOU know, what Easter really is. I am trying so hard, as we are just embarking on forming our own traditions with our little ones, to keep things simple, and in perspective. Jesus. Love. Died. Cross. HE LIVES!   Thank you to a former MOPS mom, Melanie, for sharing the following Easter post----short, powerful words from the popular "Momastery" blog, by Glennon Doyle Melton. (p.s. Found my kids' buckets hidden all-too-well under the stuff to fill them, down in the black garbage bag I am using to HIDE everything). I blame it on mommy-brain for not looking more thoroughly. :)

http://momastery.com/blog/2014/04/13/back-from-the-dead/

Family Fun! 

(click on links, below)

Local Easter Egg Hunts-this has a list for all over Washington state. Check under King and Snohomish counties for ones in our area!

City of Mill Creek Easter Egg Hunt

Skagit Valley Tulip Festival-breathtaking views up in Mt. Vernon, WA.

Resurrection Rolls 

Recipe and Instructions for Easter Rolls that tell the true meaning of Easter which is the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.
...
Ingredients needed:
Crescent rolls
Melted butter
Large Marshmallows
Cinnamon
Sugar
Preheat Oven to 350 degrees
Give each child one triangle of crescent rolls.
Explain that he crescent roll represents the cloth that Jesus was wrapped in.
Read Matthew 27: 57-61

1. Give each child a marshmallow.
This represents Jesus.

2. Have him/her dip the marshmallow in melted butter.
This represents the oils of embalming.

3. Now dip the buttered marshmallow in the cinnamon and sugar.
This represents the spices used to anoint the body.

4. Then wrap up the coated marshmallow tightly in the crescent roll (not like a typical crescent roll up, but bring the sides up and seal the marshmallow inside.)
This represents the wrapping of Jesus' body after death.

5. Place all in a 350 degree oven for 10-12 minutes.
The oven represents the tomb--while you are waiting for the rolls to bake, read Matthew 27:62-66.

6. Remove rolls from oven and let them cool slightly.
Now the children can then open their rolls (cloths) and discover that Jesus is no longer there! HE IS RISEN!!!!
(The marshmallow melts and the crescent roll is puffed up, but empty.)

~ Now read Matthew 28:1-10

Enjoy your warm rolls as you rejoice at the good news of Easter!
And then go and tell someone else the good news today! ~ C4C

Bottom of Form

Recipe found at: Cowboys-4-Christ Facebook page

Northcreek Presbyterian's Holy Week Church Schedule, click here

Wishing you a very Happy and Blessed Easter.

Love, Hannah (and my baby bunny Allison, when she was 5 months old) 

March 19th, 2014

There are so many great mommy articles out there on the web.   But the following one is really, REALLY good. Please read. Thank you Stephanie from our group, for sharing.

http://faithandcomposition.wordpress.com/2014/03/10/mom-unmasked-embracing-authenticity-in-motherhood/

Wise Words

True! Keep up the amazing work, mamas.

Hehehe. True, too! I think I would also add three-year-old. :)

A Beautiful Mess

Brought to you by my kitchen counter. The catch-all for everything! Today's bounty boasts some hand-washed dishes, a marker box, a pile of boxes to be recycled, toys and socks. :)

Something Yummy

 The kids and I have had some fun (and actual success) in the kitchen recently! That's huge. :) We enjoyed the following healthy snacks.

Yogurt Muffins (with added blueberries)

This recipe is from the cookbook "How To Cook Everything" by Mark Bittman.

1 T oil

1 C white flour

1 C whole wheat pastry flour

1 and 1/4 C yogurt or sour cream (I think the secret for us was using whole milk baby yogurt! Ours was strawberry but any kind would work)

1/4 C sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 egg

1-2 C blueberries, if you wish

Mix dry ingredients together. Mix wet ing. together. Gently blend together. Bake at 375* for 20-25 min. Makes 12 muffins.

Walnut and Dried Cherry Bars. We loved these! Could substitute almost any nut, or dried fruit.
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ellie-krieger/walnut-and-dried-cherry-bars-recipe.html

March 5, 2014

Well, this day my blog post happens to fall on Ash Wednesday! Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of the season of Lent, or the 40 days preceding the beginning of Holy Week, leading up to Easter Sunday. Often people either GIVE UP something or DO something during this time, to remind themselves of the sacrifice Jesus made for us on the cross. I think there are so many great things we could do. But, to be totally honest, trying to attempt doing something special during this supremely busy time of mothering little ones feels a little overwhelming to me. But then I got to thinking----aren't we ALREADY sacrificing, daily, so many things, as we live into our calling as moms??? Showers. Sleep. "Sit-down" meals. Going to the bathroom alone. :) Breathing in one minute of quiet when someone is not yelling "Mommy!" at you? The list goes on and on. So it is my prayer during this season of Lent that we offer up these daily small (and yet they aren't!) sacrifices to the Lord and remember him in all these things we are already doing.
  "I will sacrifice a freewill offering to you; I will praise your name, Lord, for it is good." Psalm 54:6

Wise Words

In light of our topic on marriage last week, I appreciated finding the following quotes:

This came from the Facebook page for "Focus on the Family" with the caption: "Never underestimate the power of your God-given love for your husband or wife. Love heals, restores, & covers a multitude of wrongs."

From the "Conscious Parenting" Facebook page. I like how it could apply both to a relationship between spouses, and between parents and their children.

A Beautiful Mess

Brought to you by my lovely "Leaning Tower of Laundry" :)

Something Yummy

Thank you to Mary from our group for sharing the following recipe with us! (She brought it to our Feb. 13th meeting--delicious!)

A New Year!

Hello mamas! I have missed my last couple of posts so here we are now and it is the end of January. I have been so inspired by hearing from our mentor mom, Judi Little, and speaker, Barbara Everett, in the past few weeks so I am sharing a bit from them below, under "Wise Words!"

Wise Words

Judi encouraged us to pray that God would lead us in a "New Year's Renewal."

In the  Message, Romans 12: 1 & 2 says: “So here’s what I want you to do: take your everyday, ordinary life…your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking around life, and place it before God as an offering. Fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you and quickly respond to it. God brings the best out of you: He develops well-formed maturity in you.”

She said "We can make all the resolutions we want but we can’t change ourselves. But when we willingly offer our lives to God, He will change us." Amen to that!

Barbara Everett spoke on "Loving the Little Years." I have very choppy notes (because she spoke quickly and was so intriguing!) but here are some highlights to the best of my ability:

• Don't get defeated by negative "self-talk." Look in the mirror each morning and tell yourself "YES YOU CAN, AND YOU WILL."
• Our bodies are tools, not treasures. They will never be the same after pregnancy, childbirth, and nursing. Accept it.
• Don't fall into the myth of needing to "find ourselves" apart from our children. They are forever a part of us and we are being refined through our journey as moms. 
• When you are presented with new problems, praise the progress of the old problems you don't have anymore.
• We are the boss of our children, and God is the boss of me.
• God is my Boss. "These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full." John 15:11

A Beautiful Mess

This is Rose's washer. :) Her husband restored it to perfect working condition!

If I could actually take a picture of the entire inside of my house right now, I would. Just visualize parts and pieces of toys LITERALLY strewn from room to room because I have three mini tornado children. Hey just doing our most important job of playing!! (But we do need to work on cleaning up somehow....) :)

Something Yummy

Rose shared the following links for us:

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Slow-Cooker-Pepper-Steak/Detail.aspx?evt19=1http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/blueberry_pie/http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Maries-Easy-Slow-Cooker-Pot-Roast/Detail.aspx

And here are two yummies from breakfast at our last meeting!

Hillary's Fritata:

1 cup artichoke hearts, sliced (frozen, canned, or in oil)
1 cup zucchini, chopped
2/3 cup onion, chopped
2/3 cup red bell pepper (can use roasted if you want)
1 teaspoon garlic, minced
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
5 eggs
1/3 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
Dash of pepper
1 1/2 cups soft bread crumbs
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
8 oz cream cheese, torn into small chunks (can substitute reduced fat kind if you want)

Sauté artichoke hearts, zucchini, onion, bell pepper and garlic in oil until tender crisp. Combine the eggs, milk, salt and pepper in a bowl and beat until blended. Add the vegetable mixture, bread cubes, cheese and cream cheese and toss gently to combine. Spoon into a greased 9-inch pie plate. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until light brown and set. Cool 5-10 minutes before slicing.

Double the recipe for a glass 9x13 inch rectangular pan.

Rachael's Pasta Salad:

The salad is very easy: favorite pasta(i used rotini), favorite veggies 

( I used tomatoes, olives, cucumber, bell pepper and green onion) and I added ham but it taste great w/out meat. Then you mix all that with a bottle of Italian salad dressing and I add Parmesan cheese ( about a 1/2 cup), let it sit in the fridge overnight before serving. You can tweak this recipe with many different veggies, boiled eggs, cooked bacon, diced chicken, etc.

Thankful

And here we are. Two weeks and a day until Thanksgiving! How did that happen?! In case you may be panicking and stressing out right now, let's just stop for a moment together and take a deep BREATH. Regardless of whether you will be spending time with friends or family, having a large gathering or small, eating a traditional feast or not, this is a time to count the MANY blessings from God that surround us all daily. No family is perfect and while it may be hard at times to all "get along", I pray for God's love and peace to be with each one of us as we start this holiday season. I pray we recognize that there is ALWAYS something to be thankful for. God bless you, mamas.

 

Words of Wisdom

 

 

Our Beautiful Messes

Erin's Laundry Pile

 

Erin's Garage

 

Sarah's Shoe Basket (She says even with a "system," things don't always work out just right) :)

 

Sarah's Bathroom (Her caption read "When mommy says she can't play cars because she has to take a shower...." Isn't that SOOOO precious?!!

 

 

Something Yummy





Rachael's Overnight Monkey Bread!

16 to 18 unbaked frozen dinner rolls (I use Rhodes)
1 (3-ounce) package cook and serve butterscotch pudding mix, not instant
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup pecans, chopped (optional)
1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, melted

The night before place frozen rolls in a well greased Bundt pan. Sprinkle dry pudding mix over rolls. Sprinkle brown sugar over pudding mix. Sprinkle chopped pecans over brown sugar. Pour melted butter over all. To prevent the dough from forming a hard crust while it’s rising overnight, cover with a damp towel or tightly wrap with plastic wrap. Let rise overnight at room temperature, about 8 to 10 hours.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Bake in oven for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow it to cool for 5 minutes. Turn pan over onto a serving platter to remove. Serve by pulling apart chunks with forks.

Crockpot365 Mashed Potatoes

I made these last year and they are incredible! Just made them in the pot, no slow-cooker to keep warm.

Sweet Potato Casserole

This is amazing. But 1 tip---roast (bake) the sweet potatoes in the oven. Individually wrap 4 tightly in foil and bake at 400 degrees for about an hour. (Place on foil-lined baking sheet because the sugars may ooze out) :)

COSTCO Pumpkin Pie

In case you haven't had one, they are very tasty! I will be buying one this year for the small gathering we are having at our house, along with a pre-ordered, (pre-cooked) turkey and gravy from Central Market. No guilt, no fuss! :) Oh yeah, and using paper plates!! Keeping it simple.