traditions

Springy Eastery Type Party!

by oh amanda on March 20, 2008

in crafts,easter,family,God,holiday,Jesus,me,moms,motherhood,parenting,party,party theme,spring,traditions

Easter is four days away! Four days and we are still wearing coats outside! What happened to spring sandals and sleeveless Easter dresses? I guess Lydia and I will be stylin’ on Sunday with tights and hats!

I have a thing about Easter. It started a long time ago—when I first heard that the word “easter” wasn’t in the Bible. I just assumed it was like “trinity” or “rapture”, not actually in the Bible, but it just meant something else that was for real. Well, not so. According to the wiki, which I don’t entirely trust, there are several etymological roots for this word. But the one that most interests me has to do with the goddess Eostre, who is pictured with lots of pet bunnies. (Ring a bell?)

I know back in the day, Christian holidays got mixed up with pagan holidays. I get it. I know the missionaries were just trying to get people into “the fold”. So, yeah, combine your pagan feast with the day we celebrate Jesus’ resurrection, whatever, just stop worshiping the bunny rabbit god. I know there is not one thing I do in my Christian walk that isn’t tainted by American tradition or a completely random pagan history. I understand it.

And I really didn’t mean to ramble this long about it. I’m not an expert. I haven’t studied it extensively. But anyone with half a brain has to wonder what eggs and bunnies have to do with Jesus coming back to life.

But I never knew what to do about it. I mean, I love a good hard boiled egg colored pink. I pine all year for a Cadbury egg. And I simply adore a little girl in a flowery dress! Last year, I read a post by Shannon about this very thing. She and her family have a First Day of Spring party and do all the “easter” traditions—then on “Easter Sunday” they celebrate the resurrection of Jesus. What a great idea!

So, this year, we had our first Spring Party! It wasn’t a big huge party–just Lydia and Nora playing together.  We just celebrated Spring like we’d celebrate Back-to-School or the first snow! It was perfect!

We dyed eggs.

We made lamb, bunny & chick puppets. (I like the bunny best.)

We even had an egg hunt. Lydia and Nora were so polite–Nora would show Lydia where an egg was, then Lydia would put it in Nora’s basket!

Then we decorated cupcakes with marshmallows and m&ms. It was really cute…and apparently really yummy!

I know in the grand scheme of things, eggs and bunnies aren’t going to ruin Lydia’s spiritual formation. But in an effort to do my best for her and for the Lord, I like this Spring Party idea. I didn’t feel like we were pushing so much into one day (or skimping on the chocolate eggs). It was just perfectly balanced. I can already tell on Resurrection Sunday, we’ll be able to just talk about Jesus and hang out with our families.

Of course, she’ll probably get an Easter basket from her grandparents. Oh well.

{ 24 comments }

oh! ho! ho! the SIXTH.

by oh amanda on December 10, 2007

in authors,books,christmas,contest,me,moms,oh ho ho,sisterchicks,traditions

Let’s get right into it shall we? We’re into the sixth week of thecontestthatneverendsyesitgoesonandonmyfriend and there’s just no need for an introduction!

One of my favorite Christmasy traditions is about ten years in the making. My 5 best friends (my sisterchicks) and I have a Christmas party. We go to someone’s house, bring some food and exchange presents. And maybe throw in a game or two. We always have a food theme–fondue, chili, casseroles, etc. (This year is tapas!) And our gifts are always a themed gift basket. I absolutely adore gift baskets–or themed gifts. (I usually try to theme my gifts for my whole family. One year we did all books–audio books, travel books, kids books! This year I wanted to do an etsy Christmas. Les wasn’t too pshyched about that one.)

Anywhoo. Where was I ?

Oh yeah, our sisterchickck gift baskets. (I should say “basket” because really, they get so big, they just explode into a giant gift! We graduated from actually sticking them in a basket long ago!) This is so fun—we literally talk about these all year. Here are a few of my faves:

  • Movie Theme: I did Psycho. I included the movie, a towel, some cute shower curtain hooks and a very large knife–all nestled inside a hotel’s ice bucket!
  • Color Theme: I chose pink. Then titled it, “Real Girls Love Pink.” I gave a pink candle, a pink purse, pink chocolate–all pink girly stuff!
  • Rooms of the House: I did the kitchen—a big salad bowl with matching tongs, a salad dressing mix carafe and some other stuff that I can’t remember. All I know is I still wish I had that bowl for myself!

Well, our sisterchick party is THIS WEEKEND at MY HOUSE! Oh my goodness, I have so much to do. I really want to tell you about my gift–but well, my chickies read this blog. Sorry. This year, we drew names and we’re doing a gift basket specifically for that person! I can’t wait! I’ve been thinking about mine for months!

So, I want to share in the sisterchick love by giving away a themed gift basket! Now, settle in, because gift baskets need some ‘splaining!

The title of my basket? (Yes, it has a title.)

CHOCOLATE BEACH.

Are you so excited? I am!

Here we go…gift #1:

A few weeks ago, a real live author, Julie Carobini contacted me about giving away a book for oh! ho! ho! (I started reading her blog because she’s a first time author and I’d love to be her! Well, apparently she has read my blog, too! *blush*) Of course I was ecstatic and I had been wanting to do a themed-gift prize but couldn’t think of a good one. So, Julie’s book is our theme cornerstone!

 

 

I read this book a few months ago and I loved it. How could you NOT when the title is CHOCOLATE BEACH? It’s a fun chick/mom-lit book about a mama who…well, here’s the publisher’s review:

Bri Stone has it all: the man of her dreams and their surf-ridin’ teenage son, a chocolate-loving best pal, an adorable beach bungalow, and a kicky job as a Southern California tour bus host. She also has a few things she didn’t ask for: a know-it-all friend, a snobby mother-in-law, and a Fabio-meets-Dilbert boss. All three of them seem eager to share their strong opinions and suspicions about Bri’s relationship with her husband, Douglas. When Bri’s rose-colored glasses crack after she finds evidence that Douglas has grown tired of her carefree ways, she resolves to win him back. Can Bri reinvent herself–and recapture his heart?

Fun, right? It was! And it should be because Julie’s fun. (Seriously, who stalks her own books? and her favorite authors? Or takes her kids to see American Idol?) Plus, the characters are forever eating chocolate. Next time, I hope she includes the recipes! (Oh, Julie’s 2nd book is called Truffles by the Sea. YUM. It’s out in February!)

Now onto gift #2…with a title like CHOCOLATE BEACH, you just must have chocolate! So, I went to my favorite chocolatey store to pick up some chocolate for you! And I came home with Harry & David‘s Moose Munch Confection.

If you haven’t had Moose Munch, yet, well, you just haven’t lived. It’s the yummiest caramel popcorn, then a few of those yummy caramel popcorn pieces dipped in chocolate along with cashews and almonds. There’s all kinds of versions–dark chocolate, peppermint and my favorite, dark chocolate cherry. Could I say yummy a few more times?

Gift #3. Here she is folks, the wildly popular Vera Bradley! I’ve got the cutest little book cover in the peacock fabric. This thing would be perfect for your favorite paperback, a journal, a calendar or even a photo album. And considering this chocolatey-beachy theme, that’s what I’ll do, use it as a photo album. (Maybe I could put some cruise pictures in there?)

Gift #4. What else would you need on the BEACH while eating CHOCOLATE and reading your new favorite book? How about a lovely beach-type-bag?!

 

Do you love this? That pattern just makes me happy! My friend (yes, I’ve actually met her before!) Jen from Crafty Daisies makes the most fun stuff and has it all for sale (hint, hint) in her etsy shop! So, I’m excited to make this bag the official “basket” in our gift-basket!

OK, I know that was long. When I’m tired, I get wordy. (What am I saying? I’m always wordy!) So, in a nutshell:

YOU COULD WIN A BUNCH OF STUFF.

All you have to do is write a post about a themed gift—-either a fun giftbasket someone gave you or the best themed gift you ever gave, or maybe one you’d give if you were a millionaire. I don’t really care, the rules are extremely loose on this one. But the fun part is my sisterchicks and I will be judging them at our party on Saturday, the 15th. (I guess we’ll choose the most creative, or just which one we like best. I’m pretty sure, they’d all be up for some comment bribery, too.) We’ll live blog the winner and then after we all sign the card, your Chocolate Beach present will be in the mail! (I haven’t really told them all we’re doing this. But it is at my house, so I guess I get to choose the entertainment!)

Just write your gift-basket-themed-present post on your blog, sign the Mr. Linky below with the link to that post (not your whole blog). Make sure you link back to me, so everyone can share in the gift-baskety-linky goodness!

And thanks again to Julie Carobini for donating her book Chocolate Beach and for inspiring this fun prize! Make sure you check out buy her books and visit her blog!

 

{ 20 comments }

oh ho ho! week fiiiiive.

by oh amanda on December 3, 2007

in christmas,contest,family,me,memories,oh ho ho,traditions

Week Five? Yikes! That means we are inching careening closer and closer to the big day–Christmas! So, it’s time for another fun contest-giveaway-thingie! And this one has to do with decorating!

I know some of you had your Christmas tree up the day after Thanksgiving. Some of us (like my parents) will get theirs up on Christmas Eve. We got ours up this week and I love it! I don’t think anyone’s tree is as ever as beautiful as ours. The ornaments are some we’ve collected throughout our marriage–almost everyone represents something special to us. This is only the 2nd tree we’ve had in our almost 10 years of marriage. For our first few years, we lived in apartments. We’ve been about to move to a new location several Christmas seasons, a tree was just not worth it. So, it has always been special to have my mini tree.

When I was 15 my mom bought me and my brother our very own miniature trees. Every year she would buy us a new miniature ornament to decorate it. My brother and I always looked forward to rushing to Hallmark each season to see the new ornament in our little series. (I’ve got bells, the bear family, snowmen and hearts. Jason got stuff like tractors and cars!) The idea was that we would take it with us when we went to college, got our own apartment or got married. And that’s just what we’ve done! To see that little tree in our first apartment was a piece of home! Each little ornament is a little piece of a Christmas past that I can hold in my hand!

I finally bought my husband a mini tree and started a mini ornament collection for him. (For some reason I started a Snoopy series for him and it is just never ending! His whole tree is covered in Snoopy! When will it end?!) For Lydia’s first Christmas I bought her a little tree and covered it with mini ornaments. This year we put up a new ornament on Lydia’s tree and she is so proud of her “baby Ki-mas” tree.

I love to see our little Christmas trees lit up around the house. Our big tree is special, but I like the personal touch my little tree has. I hope Lydia will feel the same way about hers!

Hallmark has discontinued their series of miniature ornaments. (Which I am very upset about if anyone from Hallmark is listening!!!) So, instead of new mini ornament in a series, they introduce an entire series of six per year. That doesn’t work well for us, who wants 6 new ornaments on a mini tree every year? But whatever. I don’t work for Hallmark like I should. Mama was talking about buying one of those series and giving each of us an ornament from it. Or we’ll have to start scouring the stores for another mini ornament. Either way, we love our mini tree tradition!

Now, onto the prize! I’m giving away a $20 gift card to Hallmark. That is exactly how much a set of mini-ornaments cost from Hallmark. Or if you need to get a giant Hallmark ornament, you can do that, too!

To be entered to win, we’re doing a photo tag! All you have to do is take a picture of your favorite ornament and post it on your very own blog. and Then link back to that post (not your whole blog, just that post) in the Mr. Linky below. If you’d like to tell us why you love it or what it means, feel free. If not, just make sure you link back to oh! ho! ho! so everyone can share in the ornament-linky-love! And tag your friends, too! I love Christmas ornaments! I’ll announce the winner this Friday.

(I’ll share my ornament in another post. This post is already as long as…well, Christmas.)

CONGRATS TO OUR WINNER—LEIGH! 

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