A New Springtime

We are a Resurrected People

Let the celebrations begin!

Easter Morning: He is Risen! Alleluia!

 
 

After Church, we had our Easter lunch:

 
My son Joseph set the table while mom and dad where cooking. The tablecloth is actually a sheet. I love the delicate spring flowers on it.

DH did pork chops on the grill. We had red beans and rice, potato salad, mashed potatoes, green beans and pineapple. Simple and delicious!

Later, we went outside for a bit of warm sunshine and recreation.

 

Grandma and Baby Eliana sitting in the soon to be patio.
 

 The kites were a big hit.

The girls got paid in jelly beans for helping the boys  with their kites.

Up, up and away!

DH even got in on the fun. What a great way to celebrate the Resurrection, raising  kites into the air.

When the kiddos got tired they moved on to:

 

 

The lil' bird whistles could be heard chirping though out the day. 

 All of the activity helped us to work off our calories so there was enough room for....

 
our traditional lamb cake. My Max reminded me of this the week before Easter. It is so great to know they look forward to the traditions.

 We sat outside on the swing relaxing and talking and drinking...

some tea. Ahhh, the small wonders of life!

It was such a delight to sit back and see the kiddos so full of energy and having no worries.

Easter, new life,  we are a resurrected people.

God surrounds us with His love and His life. It is so good to share it with each other!

  Happy Easter!

Carrying Ones Crosses and Being Resurrected with Christ

     
 
 Today is Good Friday, the day our Lord was crucified. As His follower I have also carried some crosses in my life. I came to the Lord because my life was broken and I didn't know how to fix it. Jesus showed me and I am still learning through the Holy Catholic Church how to repair the damage sin has created in my life.

 During the past thirteen years of my life I had to carry some crosses.  At first, I was like one of the apostles in the boat saying, Lord, Lord don't you care if I drowned. I was so frightened of suffering. I had a pretty worldly upbringing and easy access to most of what I wanted in life. I was spoiled so to speak. Most of the time I got my way.

 It wasn't until God started growing me up as a Catholic that I realized how to carry a cross and how it leads to the Resurrection.

Crosses

• a worldly marriage
• Resurrection: having to learn how to become selfless and have a Christian marriage

  

• oldest son rebellion
•    Resurrection:  entrust everything to God through prayer and works

• 3 miscarriages    
• Resurrection: learning the value of life and openness to life, trusting in God

• 4-c sections   
• Resurrection:  learning the flesh becomes less important

• post partum depression  
• Resurrection: God loved me first without having to prove myself

• ectopic pregnancy  
• Resurrection trust in the sacraments of confession and anointing of the sick, trust and be not afraid

I am not afraid of sharing these crosses because I have learned so much from them and I have been given a great privilege to unite them with that of Jesus's to offer up for myself and all of humanity. It is when I have had these crosses that I cry out the most and commit my spirit to God the Father and allow Him to heal and transform me.

This is why we call today Good Friday because if it would not have been for the Cross there would not have been any Resurrection.

Jesus Christ is real, I have experienced His love personally. He is my Savior and my God! Through Your Cross and Resurrection you,Jesus, are the Savior of the World !!

   

Sweet Easter Baskets Filled with Tweets, Treats and Totes

 I feel so blessed to be able to use the gifts that God has given me to bless my family. Today, I was looking at some blogs and I came across a cute tote bag. I was inspired to make a couple for the girl's Easter baskets. I had that wonderful spring  floral that I was going to use for a pillowcase top but I ended up using it for the this project:

These are so easy to make you don't even need a pattern. The blue checked was from some curtains that I had made out of sheets. The seed packet pocket is from a tablecloth that I got at a tag sale last year. I ended up making three bags.

 

This one is for Abba Do.

This one is for Hannah.

I made one just  like Hannah's  but just a bit bigger for myself and I added...

 
a big inside pocket and two smaller cell phone pockets on the other side.

I was going to put the totes in the girls Easter baskets like this...

 

but when I was playing around with the things, I realized that all of the items would fit perfectly inside of the bags. They can carry their totes to the park filled  with their bubbles, jump ropes, frisbees, and bird water whistles. I didn't even plan this; Divine Providence once again!

Here is how they look now. I am going to put candy around the outside,too.

 

I have 6 baskets to fill so I try to keep it simple. I picked up some cheepies at Wal- Mart.

I always save the paskets and grass. I especially like this paper grass, it's less of a mess.

• frisbees $1 ea.
• bubbles  $1 ea.
• jump ropes $1 ea.
•  bird water whistles $1.50 Big Lots

Under $4.50 not bad. Of course I still have to get the candy.

I just love these, aren't they tweet?

 

Join Backyard Eden for Make It Your's Day for more projects.
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We are an Easter People!

                                          

 Today, is the Day the Lord Has Made let us rejoice and be glad. I must confess I am doing this post at the very beginning of Easter Day; I actually need to go to bed but I want to unload the last couple of days! Good Friday, the kiddos and I went to witness to life at the Planned Parenthood a couple of towns over. What an awesome gift we have been given to be able to be a part of such a ministry. When I see my family among other CCatholics that love Our Lord and His Truths ,I am so thankful to be a part of it all! We are an Easter people! The glory of Christ's Resurrection out shines the darkness in the world today through His resurrected people, us!

Earlier today we died some Easter eggs, even hubby and the teenagers got in on the fun.

                                            

  Lots of thought and concentration went into those eggs.

                                           

I  love having traditional rituals that bring us closer together. God is so great to give us a Catholic faith so rich in celebrations and traditions.

                                             

The kids were so enthused to be able to dip and dye. Their eyes seemed to sparkle with delight as their eggs changed colors.

                                               

                                               

 Our finished eggs were so colorful, unique and beautiful just like each member of our family. Each year we grow closer to each other and closer to Jesus. May the blessing of His Resurrection bring us all closer together and allow us to bring His love to the World!

 I am so excited(and exhausted) so I must go to bed now. Tomorrow I will try to post the pictures of the Easter baskets that the kiddos will receive. After fasting and sacrificing God always blesses us. He gives us so much more than we could ever offer to Him and yet His love for us is so abundant. May He bless you; have a wonderful Easter!

Work Of Human Hands

We are finally finished !!  It was alot of work but we can take pride in the work we did with our own hands. We made a total of four nativities. One we will keep for ourselves, one is a gift for our Godchild, and the other two are Godparent gifts.

Making these gifts made me think of the part at Mass where we say, " Fruit of the vine and the work of human hands." What a beautiful statement of how Christ allows us to participate in creating. Even in the gifts that become His Body and Blood, He allowsus to create them.  I hope these wooden presents will bless those who will receive them.

 

For the manger we used Alene's tacky glue and a c-clamp, no nails involved. It dried over night and is very sturdy. This is the one we will keep. I hope the kids will play with it and treasure it for years to come.

 

This one is for our Godchild. I found the crate at Jo Anne's Fabrics for $3.99 and we added some  "hayish" looking stuff we also found at Jo Anne's $2.99 a bag. It's not Spanish Moss but I forgot what it's called.

 

This is the other version we made, a bit rustic and simpler.

 

We placed them in a basket with some tissue paper and "hay" and then wrapped them up.

 

Here is the next one. The arch is a bit smaller but it still works. the figures could be placed closer together so more of the arch shows. Either way would work.

 

Put in a basket and ready to be wrapped. They're all slightly different and that's what is special about hand-made gifts.

Spring Happenings/ Still Easter

  Over the past week there have been many interesting happenings here at the Coleman House. Last  week, when I went  to my OB/Gyn my blood pressure was a bit high. She suggested 1/2 hour of lying on my side 3x's a day. I was not very successful at doing this but it was still in my mind as an ideal to try and reach. I was also battling terrible mouth pain and ended up in the dentist office.He told me I have pregnancy induced gingivitis. No fun believe me. Salt water and Sensodine toothpaste are the relief tools and they have helped.

My oldest son called wanting to return home and there was much to consider for the whole family. It was a day of intensity and stress.

Yesterday, I went back to the OB and of course the blood pressure was still up. I was told that she  wished that i would  go on my left side on bed rest but she didn't enforce it yet. I had to get lab work for my platelets because they are doing their funny business again and I have an ultrasound scheduled for Monday to see how the baby is tolerating the high blood pressure. Please keep us in your prayers.

  Today I am starting my informal bed rest regiment. I will be homeschooling form the couch on my left side. My mother actually took the 2 younger boys for the night and today, Raphael 9 and Max 7. Thank God for her charity. My hubby has also been so supportive and is doing a tremendous job of household management.

I also see a lot of positive and beautiful things around me. This is what the New Springtime is about to me. Seeing the light outshine the darkness. Knowing that even though there are these little deaths (crucifixions) the resurrections are right around the corner.

I see the beauty in the positive things God has placed in my life. I would like to share  some of them with you. These pictures were taken by my 9 year old son.

Joseph and Abbey putting up a cabana in the back yard. Ages 4 and 14. Behind them our beautiful cherry tree in full blossom.

Abbey being the silly girl that she is.

The best doctor money cannot buy. She examined me and said, " I know your problem, your pregnant."

Raphie captured the daffodil perfectly. It is glowing in the warm sunshine.

The flag out front and more daffodils welcoming Spring.

Beautiful two tone daffodill coming up in the mist of a dead plant from last year. How life overshadows death. Alleluia!

 

A Resurrected People

                                          We are a resurrected people, that is what our priest tells us each Easter Season. How exciting and true. He said to always remember those times of resurrection in our daily lives. The times we Jesus raises us from our little graves along the way. This is the reality of our rising from the dead! We are an Easter people.

    I have experienced this many times over and I am now beginning to be able to have hope even in the midst of my trails and sufferings. Jesus is always with me in my strength and in my weakness. I haven't and and still struggle with being patient with the whole process of dying to myself and rising with Christ but God knows me and is helping me to learn this beautiful reality!!

Happy Easter to all of you, an Easter Resurrected People!

   We enjoyed a truly wonderful day! My oldest son showed up to church on his own, Alleluia! He is risen. We all made it to church on time and my mother managed to save us a pew. Alleluia! He is risen. The easter meal and dessert was delicious.  Everyone was full and sleepy afterward. Alleluia! He is risen. We are so blessed to have such a wonderful and loving God. I want to focus on the Alleluia this Easter season and try to reflect that in my posts. It's good to be blogging again. Here are some pictures from our Easter Feast:

These are the Easter baskets I put together. Some items I got at my favorite thrift store, Savers. Other things I bought new. The thrift finds were my favorite but I could ony make it ther once, it is about 20 minutes away. The girls got the girly stuff: headbands, sparkly socks, sunglasses, and a purse ( $ store finds) Each got a shirt $1.50, mini care bears 2/$3.00, care bear book $0.69,and mini jewelry cases: a lady bug and a butterfly $3.50/2). The boys got over the door B ball hoops $3.99 ea., I spy books $0.99 at the thrift store what a deal, journals and pens, and some balloon rockets. Joseph, 14, got a calligraphy set a sockerball rug $2.50 from Target and a basketball bank $2.50 also Target, and 2  T-shirts. I like to keep track of what I bought and the prices. It is possible to have a large family and provide nice things with the gift of frugalness it works. My kids loved what they got and one even said," Mom I like my basket way better than that pre-made one at Wal-Mart I saw. Alleluia! He is risen.

 

 

Our traditional lamb cake, the kids favorite.

Every year we take a picture out in front of our home: Joe( DH), My Great Uncle Walter (87), Joseph (14), Kafele (19), Me and baby in the belly, Abigai l(4), Hannah (6), Raphael (9), and Max (6).

Me 31 wks. pregnant , My mother, Abigail, and Hannah

Alleluia!! Thanks be to God for such wonderful blessings!! I hope everyone has a wonderful Easter season!