Monday, April 21, 2014

Our Easter Sunday story in pictures, celebrated with traditions and a new visit to Palisade Wine Country!




Just a handful of reasons I am crazy about holidays:

- They bring us all together.  I get excited over the unity that it brings to most everyone!  We are all using social networking mediums to show the same happenings at the same time...and that's pretty darn cool.

- Hanging out and taking moments to "just be" with family is NOT overrated.  Those are the best ways to spend our minutes. 

- We celebrate beauty with intention, and that obviously, is a beautiful thing.

-  Of all the five senses, the gift of taste is one of my favorites.  We get to enjoy every bite of delicious stuff. 

-  Traditions.  I thrive on them.  Traditions draw full circles, they bring us together, and trigger cherished memories.  


Easter is a blessed holiday, full of promise for fresh tomorrows.  It is a holiday with new beauty, life painted in pastels, and handfuls of cool sunshine.  It is a story of redemption and resurrection: hope perfected. 





Easter begins the day before...
When you call a house full of boys down to color eggs, they show up with holes in their jeans, mud on their faces, and no shirts on.



Our Easter always starts out early Sunday morning with TRADITION.  When I was a little girl, we left our empty baskets and colored eggs on the front door step with a carrot for the bunny.  Early in the morning, we would hear a really loud knock on the door.  Hearts thudding, we would race to the door and open it to find our Easter baskets on the step, full of treats, and wrapped up in colored cellophane.  The Easter Bunny does that with our boys too.

Bringing the baskets inside!

Hanging out after the basket buzz,
full of sugar at 7am.

Chris started his own special JELLY BEAN tradition with the boys a couple years ago.  He did this with his family growing up and he loved it.  This year, the night before Easter, he hid 500 jelly beans! The house looked so fun dotted with colored jelly beans everywhere!   In the morning, the boys had a contest to collect the most.  Chris said the winner wins...drumroll...a tummy ache.

Jelly beans set out the night before...


Then we gather together for an Easter brunch.  This year's menu was:
Ham and Cheese Eggs
Herb Potato Skillet
Roasted Cauliflower
Strawberries







We find the eggs that our quick bunny hid after breakfast.








The boys spend time on Easter morning playing with their new treasures from their baskets.  Titus received a new harmonica.  Titus and Chris spent time playing music together.  It was super sweet and of course I grabbed a photo.


Then it's a mad rush to get all handsome and lovely for Easter Sunday church service!
Oh, we did it!




This year, we changed up our normal tradition and we all went out for a destination Easter meal instead of feasting at home.  My mom and I love to tie our cooking aprons on for most big holiday dinners, but lately we've been loving hanging our aprons up! ;)

My brother, parents, and the five of us,
drove to Palisade Wine Country 
to a peaceful place out in the quiet country.


 Wine Country Inn is a traditionally beautiful bed and breakfast, 
in the heart of Colorado wine country. 
 The harpist added such a calming and soothing atmosphere to our Easter day!


I think Wine Country Inn is perfect for the Easter holiday, 
with its rows of white wicker chairs, 
green grass and fresh blossoms, 
and white picket fences. 
 Nothing says spring better.





The Inn had special springtime visitors for the little people.



We spent a lot of time outside,
front porch sittin'.

It was truly a beautiful spring day!


My parents always give the boys adorable holiday surprises!
My mom made baskets with carrot-themed and chocolate treats.
She included seeds and soil for them to pot their own flowers.


"Ok, we're hangry now"



Our meal at Wine Country Inn was delicious and fun!  
The buffet included an omelet and crepe bar, a carving station, and lots of desserts.



After our meal, the Inn provided a festive egg hunt for the kids.
Baskets ready? Go!



After our filling feast, we ended our Easter celebrating with a walk around Palisade country.




I hope your Easter Sunday was a beautiful memory.
Happy springtime friends!



 Moore Archives:
Our Easter story last year: Pushing the Doors Wide Open to Spring

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Friday, April 18, 2014

Lindsey Letters ART, a Quiet Bedroom, and an Easter Resource


Today I am partnering with Lindsey Letters Shop!  One of my favorite things is discovering unique finds, little treasures that shine my life.  I have a mad appreciation for all things beautiful and for things that elevate the artful beauty in life.    Lindsey Letters Shop does just that. 


Her mission statement on her website reads, "to create lettering that is beautiful, yet approachable; to create art that gives life and hope." 




photos via Lindsey Letters


When I found Lindsey Letters, I was instantly captured and charmed.  I gave this beautiful Lindsey Letters canvas to my mom for Christmas.

Her bathroom fireplace...sooo cozy!


It describes who she is perfectly.  My mom has always been an early riser, always with an extra bounce
(or ten!!) in her step first thing in the morning.  Ever since I was little, until today, her spirit soars to greet her Savior every sunrise as she opens her worn Bible, pulls out her journals and devotionals, and even sometimes sings a hymn.

Her bedroom and bathroom are a peaceful sanctuary.  Through the years, Mom has taught me tiny treasures of advice.  One thing she always said was to create a sanctuary in the bedroom, a place of quiet rest.  It builds a beautiful place to begin every new day!

PS She doesn't even know that I tip toed in here to snap some pictures...





The variety of things she has taught me through the years sticks like honey to my heart and I don't forget them.  MY room is far from a sanctuary.  It's more like a storage room SLASH laundry room SLASH workroom SLASH exercise room with an unmade bed somewhere in the mix.  But someday, it's my goal to have a sanctuary bedroom just like my mama always taught me!  It really does make sense to create a place of peace, a reprieve from the outside hustle.

I am in love with my Mom's new canvas that adorns her peaceful space, but that's not all that Lindsey Letter's has...


Lindsey Letters has an entire collection of beautiful art.  In addition to the print I gave my mom, here are some of my favorites! All photos below via Lindsey Letters Shop.






The message on my Mom's canvas is also perfect for Eastertime:

Early in the morning,
my soul with rise 
to Thee.  

Easter is a morning holiday, 
a time to stand with arms wide open and greet the sunrise, 
and a time to delight in new growth.

Happy Easter Friends!

For Moore Easter ideas, recipes, and adventures check out these links:













The government makes me say that I was compensated for this post but all thoughts and opinions are my own and always will be. 

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Wednesday, April 9, 2014

Paper Airplane MAKING Themed 10th Birthday Party!



We celebrated Titus turning 10 in March while on the ski slopes.  However, on the weekend, I wanted to throw him a fun party-party with our family and a couple of sweet friends too.   We had this party at my parent's beautiful Colorado home.  Thank you Mom and Dad!



The Theme...

I wanted to celebrate his 10th with a big themed party.  Cameron's 10th was a Lego-build-a-birthday party and Dakotah's 10th was a Lil Athlete's Olympic party.  For Titus I chose a Paper Airplane Makin' party!  I was really excited about this theme.  It celebrated timeless tradition, classic play, and finding fun in simplicity.  This theme is not to be confused with an airplane themed party.  No boarding passes and luggage here! ;) The party is all about the creating, building, imagining, and classic playtime of children.  I thought this age group was ideal for this idea too.

The Preparation...

Originally, I made a lot of invites to pass all around everywhere.  But afterwards, Titus told me he only wanted a couple friends, not a group.  He also knew exactly who he wanted to ask.  He may be quiet, but he always confidently knows exactly what he wants! I kinda love that sweet and quiet boy of ours!

A paper airplane is, of course, an easy invite idea.  Fly them right on over to your friend's!

The original invites for our Paper Airplane MAKIN' party!

I drew zippy little airplanes on clear cups for easy decor.



The Plan...

My goal for this party's decor and food was to design an intimate, comfy gathering place around the table; and to make a colorful place of fun for kids to create.  Titus is quiet and peaceful who enjoys playing,  so I wanted his party to mirror that.


If you're a long-time reader of my blog, you know I've thrown lots and lots of parties!  Parties are very expensive.  If you are looking for a frugal idea, this party theme is the most cost-effective one I've done!  ...A stack of paper and you're (almost) good!

Food & Snack Area...



I've seen these adorable candy airplanes all over the internet:  They are made with a stick of gum for the wing and Smarties for the plane.  They usually have Lifesaver candy for airplane wheels.  I left the wheels off so our candy planes would more imitate a PAPER airplane.  I also pulled colorful sprinkles through all of our food decor as part of a playful theme.  This birthday cake flavored taffy has sprinkles.

Sprinkles again!  This time in the bowl of popcorn.


I made mini veggie rounds.  Hmmm, shaped like a cookie, but they're not!


I used giant marshmallows to represent big clouds and stuck mini paper airplanes in each one.  My two older boys were lifesaver helpers with this party.  They made ALL of my paper airplanes.


Water cups with the zippy airplanes drawn on...


I had extra fudge from the birthday cake flavored fudge I made on his real birthday.  More sprinkles!


I fell in love with these divided plates.  They're just so much more fun for kids, right?


Absolutely.



The Cake...

Titus didn't want a birthday cake.  He asked for brownies.  I made homemade oreo brownies and made wedding cake frosting, creating a brownie cake.  Again, more sprinkles too keep in theme.

Brownie Cake for the non cake lovers


This was a mini tiered cake, so I made extra brownies with a string of paper airplanes for decor.



Milk n' brownies

I tied metal paper airplane charms onto each milk for a party favor. I found these on etsy.



The Decorations...

For part of the decor, I made a tablecloth from kraft paper and wrote "how to instructions" for building various types of paper airplanes all over the tablecloth.





For the main party decor, the two older boys and I made white paper airplane garland out of 50 paper airplanes!  I used blue lightbulbs above the table too for a fun effect.  We hung the garland over the main table. 

Again, Cameron and Kotah were HUGE helpers for this party, couldn't have done it without their fast airplane folding skills. 

White balloons, 
white ribbon,
white paper airplanes.





The Activities and Fun...

I also had a basket of colored paper to choose from, markers to decorate planes, and books on how to make paper airplanes.



Cameron and Dakotah worked hard the day before building a variety of paper airplane models to display.  The kids were able to pick what type of plane they wanted to build, find the instructions, and build!

I made a display of the models.
This miniature embroidery hoop is from a sweet etsy shop: 
MontClair Made... More on this further down the post!


A closer look, with their names


PRIZES!

Cameron was super awesome!  He found tutorials on YouTube and made dollar origami as prizes for the party.  It was incredible!  I wanted to have prizes for the planes: highest flying, longest, shortest, etc.


This plane took him 20 minutes to make!


Along with the airplane charms mentioned earlier, we sent these fun big flying rockets home as party favors.



Building, making, imagining, creating.
And flying.



 


 

 
It was actually too funny watching all these colored planes buzz around my parent's house.  Watch your head everyone...


 I found a blogger who made a homemade paper airplane launcher that I liked, so Chris made one for us to use outside. (Thanks babe!)
Ready, set, launch!

We all flew tons of airplanes off the balcony.


The Makers!


The Gifts...

I (always, always!!!) love to find gifts that match the party theme and to double as party decor.  I've promised a blog post JUST on this topic before and still need to share it!  We gave Titus a paper airplane kit to motorize his airplane by battery.  It was nifty.  It came in a super cool vintage box too!


I also found this adorable tiny paper airplane embroidery hoop at an etsy shop: MontClair Made.  This little shop's products are fun, witty, and unique.  Nothing feels more special than a special, custom, handmade gift.  Working with Clair was super easy too!  I am in love with this bitty hoop!
I used it in the party decor and it was also a gift for Titus to have a keepsake for turning 10. I left a note on the back.


Our boys are Lego crazy so my brother and parents gave him airplane Lego sets.


This balloon isn't a paper-airplane BUT it is most definitely a Titus face.  Titus smiles like the classic happy face, with closed smile spreading across his entire face.  He draws big smiley faces on everything.  So this balloon was his!



The End...
Happy 10th Birthday
Titus!



The party prep helpers
with the birthday boy,
brothers. 


 Dear Titus,
Always create,
and always set flight to your dreams.
Love,
Mama


For MOORE party ideas, use the search tab at the top right on the blog.  
We've done lots and lots of parties!

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