easter & recipes

Easter weekend was absolutely beautiful.  We woke up early to attend sunrise service with some family and our friend Sheldon at our church.  By 6:00am we were on the lawn outside listening to beautiful music and just basking in the sunlight that our God created.  It was a beautiful message of how Jesus spoke to those around Him after he had Risen.  It was so amazing just listening and picturing the immense feelings those must have felt, that got to see Him again. And it's beautiful to know that one day we will too. I was telling Mr. Charming on the way to church how moved I am by how He has changed my heart.  That Easter went from family and bunnies and chocolate to getting excited to wake up and be near the cross at 6 o'clock in the morning.  It's a very peaceful, life changing, forever kind of thing.  

After church we went back home to relax for a bit and we cooked a big brunch together.  Organic eggs, turkey bacon, sweet potato patties and fresh avocado were enjoyed next to the fresh colorful flowers Mr. Charming surprised me with upon me embarking on my new journey with the Summer 2014 issue of the magazine. We also went to Sprouts to get Easter dinner food and So Delicious changed their ice cream recipes to not only be dairy free, but GLUTEN FREE.  I'm not really partaking in sugar right now, but on a splurge day THISISSOEXCITING. Thank you So Delicious for being so delicious and recognizing the needs of us special people out there who miss cookies too. 

After a quick nap and a filling breakfast we headed to Mr. Charming's sister's house for a day of game playing and this delicious veggie "pasta" that I whipped up with some EB butter and turkey lunch meat.  It was SO good, I went back for seconds and will be making it again.   We played Carcassonne board game, which is SUPER fun and SUPER addicting.  We are big board game people.  Mr. Charming and I later found the Carcassone app for our iPad and are super excited to have a new vacation app game!   Click on the photo below  to get the perfect veggie pasta. 

That evening for dinner, we drove to my mom's (who lives almost 2 hours away, so it felt like a mini-roadtrip)  and spent time with her and my dad, my sister, her fiance and my ever-adorable niece Peyton.  I'm bummed because I forgot the camera at home, so the photo journal of my day ends with the veggie pasta goodness.  We made stuffed sweet potatoes and spent hours and hours looking through old photographs of me and my sister growing up.  Going over those old memories was such a refreshing recharge to my soul.   Sometimes you get so caught up in the "busy" you forget how much you miss spending time just "being" with family and those close to you.  Mr. Charming and I are going to try to make a trip out at least once a month just to spend quality time like that.  Enjoying each others company, relaxing, and maybe finding more old photos.