Make My Week - Easter

At Christmas time there was so much anticipation

I made an advent calendar, we decorated, we p r e p a r e d

and at Easter - the best bit - I dropped the ball

So yesterday I made the boys some 'Resurrection Eggs'

I found an excellent tutorial and print out here.

I went to 4 shops and finally found some very large eggs at spotlight (probably needed to think about this a little earlier me thinks). For $6 (the eggs), 60 cents (in one of the eggs) and some printing which I did for free I now have something special to use every Easter.

Everything else was at home. I objected to the purple cloth when the Bible says scarlet - so I chose scarlet. I know purple represents royalty and they were mocking the 'royalty' of Jesus when they clothed him in the robe but to me scarlet represents more accurately - the Bible translation, the blood he bled on my behalf and the sin he washed away.

Now they are in a bowl ready to be looked at and on Good Friday we will have a candlelight dinner and open them all. We'll do the same on Easter morning.

I've got all our Easter books and stories out and put them out.

I want the joy, the sacredness, the wonder, the HOPE of Easter to hang in the air with the scent of hot cross buns and the knowledge of welcome, sweet, unwarranted, undeserved, but freely given welcome into the Father's embrace.

Joining in with Leonie with this most simple of projects because sometimes the simple things I make are the ones that mean the most.

Do you do anything special for Easter?

Sacred Pauses

I am high energy

I talk fast

I laugh loud

I'm not good at silence (any one who has met me will attest to that)

Listening without 'adding to' does not come naturally to me

And so this week as I journey toward Easter I am trying to slow, to quiet my heart and to learn the gentle rhythms of Grace.

Easter is the most important of all my celebrations in a year but I feel like it becomes squeezed out and turns into a chocolate frenzy with a sideways nod to the Jesus who took my place on death row.

This week I want to slow my words, let my loud laugh become gentle joy and wait in silence for the gentle whisper that says it all and more.

 

B.M.W.B Taking Time

A special project for a little boy. It would be easy to let him do it himself and get on with something else.

Instead I joined him

Talked about his colour choices

Let his 'craft' be interesting to me

These kind of times are times I never regret. Stopping to be with my boys never actually means the important stuff doesn't get done - this is the important stuff.

He was so proud of it

Course the use of the reverse camera is also easy, instant fun!

Becoming the Mama I want to be is about taking time to enjoy the journey of parenting, to honour it's value and to hopefully inspire and encourage each other. 

 

Simple. Achievable. Intentional: becoming the mama I want to be

I look forward to seeing your linkies this week. The code for the button is just on the right ------------>

Twelve of Fifty Two

A portrait of these boys shooting up, hurtling towards the mighty trees they will become

Enjoying them as seedlings

Bounce - re-discovered this fire engine shirt - would like to sleep with it on. Tried mum and dad (mum said what dad said - good try kiddo)

Flip - playing in a 'real' golf tournament

Friday

Thankful for friends who make beautiful, inspiring, symbolic things.

Deb made this for our family it has a special meaning and fabrics that represent who we are.

Thankful for rain and sunshine

And for the boys who make me laugh everyday

Joining in with Meghan

Make My Week - we are family

There was a mark on the wall I wanted to cover up.

I felt the urge to do some more free motion stitching

I was inspired by Dee's cool family portrait ensemble

This is what I did

I kind of like it, even though it looks nothing like any of us :)

Joining in for show and tell with lots of other lovely crafters

A Valentines Dinner

The Atlas had surgery just before Valentines Day so I thought I'd postpone our Valentine's dinner for a month.

Last year we did our first one and this year I wanted to do something new.

Each couple was asked to submit (independently of each other) the following information

1. A song that reminds them of their partner (The Atlas used these to make a playlist for the evening)

2. A quote, saying, line.... that means something to them
3. The place they were when they realised they were in love with that person
4. A place they would like to take their partner

Over the course of the evening we played a few rounds where people had to match up the couples with the answers, people also had to do a place card for their partner with things they loved about them on one side (just for their partner to read) and the worst pick up line they could think of on the other side.

It was a really nice night and I enjoyed doing some simple decorating and prepping dessert (it was a planned potluck). It's amazing what some candles can do!

We're very blessed to have a good stack of couples in our lives to do this kind of stuff with.
Above you can also see my Tasty Tuesday creation from the Hummingbird Bakery Cookbook - Raspberry Cheesecake Brownie - mmmmmmm (see the photo under No.1) Oh. So. Right!

And the prize for the winning couple? 'Date Night in a Bag'....

Have you ever been to a Valentines Couple's Dinner - what did you do?

Joining in with Ange

B.M.W.B - small things

As a person I don't to be predictable in the bad sense.

I want to try new things and have a can do attitude (which I don't always)

Do when The Atlas was recovering (before the drought was declared) the boys and I washed the car together

Maybe we didn't do a perfect job but we did do something new together that they hadn't done before and I certainly hadn't done for a long while!

I hope my boys grow up with a sense that their mama will give things a try and she's not afraid to get wet.

Have you tried anything new with your little people lately?

Becoming the Mama I want to be is about taking time to enjoy the journey of parenting, to honour it's value and to hopefully inspire and encourage each other. 

Simple. Achievable. Intentional: becoming the mama I want to be

I look forward to seeing your linkies this week. The code for the button is just on the right ------------>

Eleven

Every week these boys whose lives are mine to share

Growing

Changing

Laughing

I couldn't love them any more if I tried

 

Things I Know Nothing About

When it comes to blogging I'm kinda clueless..... last night while we were talking about Around the Table (5 weekends away!!!!!!!) and all the boring jobs that no one will even think about if things go well there was conversations about google reader closing

and stuff like that and I kind of tuned out and then today it seemed it was the talk of the blogs. Mainly they were talking about Bloglovin (they must have run out of g's when they named it!).

Apparently you can transfer it all over there and if you want to follow me this is how you do it (I think....not an expert) yeah so now I am there as Create Hope Inspire....

hopefully and stuff :o)

Follow Create Hope Inspire blog with Bloglovin

To all those good people out there

This week I'm crunching (I think that is a good term!) on people in my life who say yes

Yes to organising a scrap bag swap - thanks Nin! And to Annie b who sent me this amazing parcel of goodness

This swoon-y bag and pile after pile of wonderful scraps in all my favourite colours

Wrapped in a tea towel. Love it!

Loving crazy women who say yes to organising bloggers get togethers.

Loving inspiring women like Meghan and Kristy whose running exploits and hot bodies have made me want to have a go

And the crazy women in my life who said they would do it with me, because I know I wouldn't otherwise!

And The Atlas who told me to buy new shoes because when I out my shoes on the first day the sole was flapping. I just ripped it off and ran anyway....

So now I have purple ones!

I have a lot of great people in my life who say yes to friendship, and sharing life and creating stuff and even exercising together.... Pretty jolly blessed actually

Joining in with Meghan of course