You asked!

Just a few answers to some of your questions!

I don't spend a fortune on paint. I get tired of whatever color I've painted and paint over it too often to spend $35 a gallon on some name brand paint. My favorite cheaper brand of paint is Valspar (found at Lowes). I've tried American Tradition, Olympic, Behr, and a bunch of knock-off brands and Valspar is my favorite. It gives the best coverage for the price. I always get the satin finish because I can wipe little finger prints off of it easier. My master bath is painted "Woodlawn Sterling Blue." It is gorgeous with white and I know I will have a bathroom painted that color in our new house. It's so soothing and "spa like."

The sleeved bib that McKenna is wearing in this picture was actually a hand-me-down from a friend who is now 9 years old! We have two of these bibs and they're the best. THEY'RE MACHINE WASHABLE and waterproof! Love them! Check out the Bumkins website here. They're a little pricey, but they last forever (almost a decade so far). McKenna is the third child to wear this bib! They have much cuter ones for girls on the website and on Amazon, so check it out if you're interested!

EASTER PLANS :

Easter is just around the corner and so we're starting to get our hearts ready to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus! I have found Easter to be a touchy subject with preschoolers. The story of the crucifixion is graphic, violent and sad. It's hard for sensitive little hearts to wrap their minds around the evil that took place on the day of the crucifixion. My kiddos know Jesus as their friend and I know that they love him. Christian asks if he can go play at his castle all the time. So the idea of people hurting Jesus, the nails in his hands, the crown of thorns, just isn't pleasant for them to think about. So do we just ignore that part of it and talk about Easter eggs and candy? NO way! Understanding that Jesus died for our sins and that he overcame sin/death by rising again is essential to having faith in Jesus! This is not something we can skip! This is a great book that we've read over and over again. It covers the basics of the crucifixion and resurrection without being too graphic. It shows Jesus on the cross, but it's not bloody or scary! I would highly recommend it for kids ages 2-4. And it's not that expensive. You can find it here on Amazon. I'm sure there are lots of other great books too (Emma's reading something different, but I'm not sure if I love it yet until she and I get a chance to talk about it), let me know if you have one. I'm just sharing what I've found.

And this year we're doing something new. I think age 3 is a great age to start traditions. This was the year when our Advent Jesse Tree tradition really became meaningful to Christian so we're going to do something similar for Easter. I'm sure you guys already know about these but in case you don't; Resurrection Eggs are plastic eggs that come in a carton and each egg has a different symbol of Easter inside. A cup to represent the last supper, a cross to represent the crucifixion, etc. You can even buy a little workbook to go with them, although we don't have that. I'll have to let you know how this new tradition goes.