Easter 2013

Just a simple plan for Easter, really...

A little differently played out this year...  The boys and I will sleep in on Good Friday, see a movie, have a fun lunch.  The Girl will be home, but I work all weekend.  Kind of sad about that, but she will be able to spend time with Dad and brothers.  I put together E. Bunny sussies; can't break with tradition there!  I will miss going to church with all of them on Sunday, but it can't be helped, and I will keep Easter in my heart the whole day. It will go fast, as weekends always do....it seems like the year is slipping by quickly, on the whole.  And Monday will be here before we know it.

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For I remember it is Easter morn,
And life and love and peace are all new born.  ~Alice Freeman Palmer

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Happy Easter, everyone!

Zilker in the Spring

I hope all of the folks who don't love the beauty that is Austin don't stay here...

More for me.

I know that sounds harsh, but I am tired of hearing people poop on being here.  If you don't love it here, go where you will be happier.

And don't come to Zilker Botanical Gardens, because you might change your mind...

Why, hello Mr. Photographer!  You look like Scout...

Yes, Central Texas weather is HOT.  

Yes, we are having a drought.  

This isn't news...

There is so much beauty to be found in these little pockets of Austin.

Especially in the Spring...

I would rank this city as the loveliest place I have ever lived.  

Not that I'm any kind of world traveler....

But, my family is here, and I have had such a fulfilling life here.  I chose to move here because I wanted to be here, and I choose to stay. Go where you will be happy, but bloom where you are planted!

Mealplan Monday #53 and Juan in a Million

One of the things the boys and I love to do is discover new fun places to eat.  Recently, we visited Juan in a Million downtown.  To get decent Mexican food in this town you have to travel downtown, as north Austin is a barren suburban wasteland filled with chain restaurants.

 No really, they are thrilled to be there - just hungry.

 Then, IT arrived.  The Don Juan.  World's largest breakfast taco.  

The thing must weigh a pound.

I challenged both of them to finish it!

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Monday - (freezer) Chimichangas, salad, crock pot pintos
Tuesday - Creamy Spagetti, peas and carrots
Wednesday - Pulled pork stuffed baked potatoes, salad (the last of the pulled pork, for now!)
Thursday - Orange Chicken with rice and green beans in the Dutch oven
Friday - Mom off! Pesto Chicken Pasta, corn and Stadium clean-up with the Boy Scouts. Joy.
Saturday - Easter Dinner:  Spiral Ham, green bean casserole, oven carrots, rolls.
Sunday - Sammies and deviled eggs
Dessert this week will be a strictly pineapple version of this cake

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And they did.  It's so gratifying to see them eat.  Makes my heart glad.

March Thrifting

I really needed some new summer stuff, and lately, the boys aren't as into thrifting...so I had to wait until Spring Break was over and hit up my favorite Salvation Army.  

I hit paydirt!

I found a pair of shorts, a pair of capri's, a tee, and some like-new Keds slides for me, a pair of shorts for hubby,

 ...and these darling birds!  I'm sure you have seen these - they aren't rare.  But I remember my mom having a set when I was a child.  They lived on a doily atop the TV cabinet.  I always thought of them as "love birds" for no particular reason.

The lady sold them to me for $1.50 for the pair.

 One of them had been broken and repaired with glue that discolored over time.  Exactly like something that would have been in my childhood home.  We were forever breaking something - there was just too many kids, not enough supervision!  My mother was always wailing 'I can't have anything nice with you kids".

More on that later...for now, it was nothing spray paint wouldn't disguise, and after two coats of Rustoleum in Heritage White satin, they went to live on the floating shelves in our master bedroom.

They add a very Spring-like touch to the shelves.  I love them!

 

 You can't even tell which one was repaired, unless you take them down to examine them.

Just like a family - repairable, redeemable, lasting, lovely.

Shared with:

Rock Island Tea

Over Spring Break we made the most delish iced tea - this is The Girl taking some with her "to go" on her way back to Waco.

 She's pretty much a sweet tea addict...

It was sweet and lemony and tasted like an amaretto sour.  YUM. 

Here is the recipe, adapted from the Houston Chronicle:

Rock Island Tea

2 T. unsweetened tea powder
1/2 c. sugar
1 can. frozen lemonade concentrate
1 T. almond extract
Blend all ingredients together and stir until sugar is dissolved.  Add water to make 2 quarts.  Chill, then serve over ice.

I think it might be my favorite drink this summer, right after iced coffee!

Mealplan Monday #52 with braces for Bubbie

One of our Spring Break days last week was a wash, with two dental appointments and just general lethargy.  Scout had a wisdom teeth extraction consult, and Bubbie was scheduled to get braces.  Here you can see he was thrilled to show me his 'before 'smile.  

Not gonna happen.

 "Go away and let me put on my shoes, mom."

 Ok, in his defense it was 8 a.m.  On Spring Break.

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Monday - Spinach and Sausage Cresent Bake, carrots
Tuesday - L.O. freezer soup, fresh bread
Wednesday - Fish Tacos, mango pico salsa, refrieds
Thursday - Mom's Bruschetta Meatloaf, masheds, salad
Friday - Freezer Meal - Pork al Carbon (in the crock), rice, black beans
Saturday - Dad grills
Sunday - Freezer Buffalo Chicken, leftover mashed potatoes, corn
Dessert this week is Savannah Banana Pudding

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 For the 'after' shot, he wasn't much more cooperative.

 But after a loooong nap and taking him for a frozen treat, he was in a better frame of mind.

 Still taking it easy and looking forward to an afternoon spent on the couch...
and I'm sure he's not thrilled that Spring Break is over.

Austin mural photo scavenger hunt

On Wednesday we got out to play in the craaaazy Austin SXSW traffic and take the Austin Mural Photo Scavenger Hunt from Are We There Yet, Mom?  So much fun to get out and about, finding our way around enjoying the beautiful weather!  We couldn't do all of them in one day, but here's the three that we found:

For this one we simply parked in the Greater Austin United Way's parking lot - it is right off MLK and IH35.  I had Scout take one of me by myself to send to Hubby, too...

 This one took some doing as traffic on South Lamar was ridiculous at 4 p.m.  

Scout thumb upped every one...

The sloooow drive down the crowded street was great for people watching.

And look at this other wacky graffiti mural we couldn't stop at but will come back to, maybe in the summer:

Next up, a friendly hello:

For this one, we parked at a nearby McDonald's and walked a block over, stopping at Cornucopia to sample popcorn on the way back.  Fun!

I think it would also be fun to pose at some Austin businesses that have fun or artsy signs out front, like these:

and

In between all the photo scavenging we ate and thrift shopped.  And we were all worn out by dinnertime - mission accomplished for Wednesday.