Easy Yummy Supper

Thought I would pass this along in case anyone doesn't know this little trick.  A friend told me to try this and it is fabulous.

Put a (thawed) chuck roast in the crock pot, about 2-2.5 lbs.  Add a can of beef broth and a package of taco seasoning. (I make my own taco seasoning... it is so much better than the stuff in the package, I think.)  Cook on low all day, 8-10 hours.  Then pull apart to use for soft tacos.  I used to always use ground meat for tacos, but this is WAY yummier.  And, then I freeze the leftover meat and use later for beef enchiladas.  So easy, so good.  Gotta love a crock pot meal that makes a lot and is so easy!  Try it!

Easter!!

With the extent of my horrible blogging as of late, I think we should all be impressed that I am putting up Easter pictures before even a week has gone by!  Proud of myself. :)

Reagan had Friday off of school, plus we had an extra treat that Grammy and Poppy were here, so we had a fun day that included coloring eggs.  Whoever came up with putting the eggs in a wire whisk is a pure genius.

 On Sat, we had family photos made that morning.  The girls wore their Easter dresses for the pictures, which turned out to be the only pictures I have of them.  Our battery was dead on Sunday morning after taking all of these photos, so there were no pics on Sun.  I hope the photographer got some good ones... anxious to see them!

Saturday afternoon fun:

Aunt Mary baked cookies for the kids to decorate outside after the egg hunt.

 Uncle Kyle getting spiffy for the big event... wearing fleece.

 Ready or not, here they come!!!

 They made a mad dash.  This is the only photo I have that contains all the "big" kids while hunting.

 Poppy was Brooklyn's wingman.

I love this action shot of Reagan and Austin, mid-sprint.

 Etta's first egg hunt!  I love this picture... "GIMME!"

 She doesn't look too impressed with the contents.

 Brookyln on the move.  I see this picture and stop to MARVEL at how much God has done for her.  There was a time we thought egg hunts weren't possible.... melts my heart to see her RUNNING!

 Beautiful girl.

 I guess Mary wanted to make sure that Etta could find one herself... so she bought an ostrich easter egg!  :)

 See?!  Brooklyn kept her Poppy close-by. 

Etta and her giant Easter Bunny.

 Not sure she really needed much help!

 Happy cousins.

 Brooklyn thought she was gonna "help" Etta with her big egg...

 ... Etta gave that a "no thank you."

 Cookie decorating time!!!

 Brooklyn was INTENSE with her icing and decor.  It gets even more interesting...

 Reagan and her bunny cookie.

Cutie kids.  Brook's lips crack me up.

 So dainty and cute, right??

 Then she found the sprinkles...

 Mouthful.  :)

 Then the kids discovered those brightly colored eggs in the centerpiece were confetti eggs.  Austin made the first strike!

 R was out for revenge!  :)

 Then Grammy was a victim!!

Even Etta got hit!

 Jonathan had TOO much fun getting Aunt Jodi!  It was really cute, and I was COVERED.  :)

 And Brook joined in.  :)

 This face describes the day:

 Reagan did some special bonding with Baby Etta this weekend... melts me. 

 The confetti in those curls also melts me!

 Then, Brook was back to her cookie. 

Check out the mountain of sprinkles:

At this point, might as well just eat the sprinkles straight....  Silly girl.

 Reagan and her fascination with roly polys.

 Hugging their habitat.  :) I convinced her to let them go and not take them home in my van.  I mean, we have our own roly polys at home.  These needed to stay at Aunt Mary's house and not die in the jar...

 Easter morning, opening their baskets.  Right before the death of the camera battery.  ;)

Presently, I have Reagan home sick from school on field trip day.  Such a sad day to get the pukes!!  Hopefully it is short lived so we can go to Disney on Ice in the morning!  Pics to come (hopefully!)

LOVE

Reagan's bedtime prayer tonight:
Dear Jesus,
Thank you for my family.  Thank you we got to go to church today.  Thank you for Easter, and for Christmas.  Thank you that you were dead and then you weren't dead anymore, that you rose.  Thank you for all the people I know and all the people I don't know.  Thank you for you and for God.  We love you.  And thank you I have school in the morning.
In Jesus' Name, Amen.


My cup overflows. 

Heavy Heart

Today, I am so sad for a family I don't even know.  But if you read this, please stop and say a prayer for a family from our church, the Carpenters.  Like I said, I don't personally know them, but she teaches at an Elementary school around the corner from us and they go to our church.  Almost a year ago, their 4 year old son suddenly died at soccer practice from a heart condition they didn't know he had.  Yesterday, their 22 month old daughter died from the same thing.  They found out shortly after Cade's death that Addi had the same condition... and she passed yesterday before she was able to receive a transplant.  I can't even imagine what it would do to me to come out of a year's worth of sadness and stress and be childless.  Please pray for this couple.  Oh my goodness.  If you want to see faces of who to pray for, check out their blog here.  Thanks.