If anyone is still reading my blog

I can't believe it has been so long since I last blogged. It just has been the craziest month. My mom came to visit at the beginning of April and then I had a four day break that was completely crazy and then Drew's brother and their five children came to visit. It was tons of fun. We had seven boys under the age of nine running around. We had a blast. (I will post about this in a few days) Then we got sick, birthdays, callings, etc. etc. It just has been a little crazy but I am going to try to post a few things in the next couple of days. I have missed all my blogging friends. I hope you are still out there!! Thank you Katrina for the photo!

Crockpot reciepes

I know summer is coming and crock pot cooking seems more for winter but I also love to use it in the summer because it doesn't heat up my house. Off the blog Today's Daily Dose I found a bunch of incredible crock pot reciepes. Check them out here and here. I just love the crock pot because it is simple and tastes great.

Do you have any great crock pot recipes to share?

Another Blog

Well lately I have been on this craze to save grocery money. I have started the The Grocery Game. It is truly amazing. I have never gotten so excited to grocery shop each week. When I go to pay I feel like I'm in Vegas only the numbers are spinning backwards and the savings is going into my pocket!! It has been so much fun. Not only have I stayed within our buget but I have also added tons to my food storage. I have decided to start another blog about my savings adventures.

CVS Fabulous Finds *** Kroger Bargins

Can you guess how much I paid for all this??

If you have time check out my other blog here.

Have you found any bargins this week?

Launching Our newest project!!

When we started the adoption process for the first time I really wanted to keep everything hush hush and then as time kept ticking away we started to spread the word more and more. I realized that we had a very positive outcome. Many family and friends were able to pass the word along. (and I always think you never know how or where that little word is going to go) So in an attempt to begin the process a little more open I wanted to share our latest creation with you. Drew and I have been spending day and night creating our new website to share with birthmothers. Our website is www.drewandmegan.com. Please take a few minutes and check it out. Please remember this was not done by a professional (after you look at it you might think we should have had a professional do it) but we just wanted to be able to write it and create it from our heart.

In honor of adoption I wanted to share this sweet poem:

Not flesh of my flesh

Nor bone of my bone,

But still miraculously

My own.

Never forget

For a single minute:

You didn't grow under my heart

But in it.
© Fleur Conkling Heyliger

Easter Week

This Easter Drew and I decided to do something a little different (see my post below on a book called Christ Centered Easter.) We started on Palm Sunday (last Sunday) and did a little activity each night of the week to focus on the Savior. It has made such a difference. I truly felt the spirit. It was especially strong in our home the whole week.

Sunday night we discussed the last week of Jesus's life and made a timeline with these pictures. I also found clip art on the computer and made a coloring book that corresponds to the pictures on the wall (my kids were able to color the pictures all week long.)

Monday night we discussed the Easter Story ( I found one similiar on sugardoodle) with little visuals in the Easter Eggs. My kids absolutely loved this activity.

Tuesday and Wednesday night we discussed what a parable is and discussed different parables. The first parable was called the parable of the bicycle (a modern day parable) and the other was the Ten Virgins.

On Thursday we read a story called the Belayer (scroll down) and made these cute edible tombs. As we were reading the story I got really emotional and it was so sweet to see Derek do the same. I know that he felt the spirit. It was a touching experience for the whole family.

Friday we made Easter Story Cookies.
It is a fun activity and my boys really got the idea behind the resurrection.

On Saturday night we had a Jeruselum Dinner (lentil soup, flat bread, olives, grapes, nuts, cantaloupe, grape juice, etc. )and ate things that would have been available during Christ's time(in the future we will eat on the floor and won't use utensils but for now we did a modified version) and then we watched an Easter Dream.

This morning, Sunday before Easter Baskets we read this story called Jeremy's Egg.
This week was a wonderful experience that really brought us closer to the Savior.

After this week I think Easter has become my new favorite holiday. It was so great to incorporate some new traditions and make extra special memories for the whole family. I know next year we will do some of the same activities and create some new ones. I am excited for this new tradtion because I know the older my children get our discussion about the Savior will grow and our Easter Celebration Week will hopefully help us to continue to get to know him even better.

Best of Swap!

I love swaps and I most recently participated in the Best of Swap! It was so fun. I traded with another girl Shannon from Utah. I had her and she had me. We had to send each other the Best of our City and State. I sent her some fun stuff from Tennessee like toffee from the Nashville Toffee Company, Tennessee T-cakes (that Oprah loves!), CD of country music, Colts chocolates and few other fun items. Shannon was from Provo, Utah and sent me some really fun things like BYU paraphernalia, Jazz pencils, Lion House rolls, honey, fry sauce (which I love!) and green jello (which was very funny). It was a great swap. Thanks to Kristen for setting it up!

This is what I sent

and this is what I received. It was so much fun! I love getting packages and getting to know new people.

Have you been in any fun swaps lately?

My Little Man

I finally took Owen to get his two year old picture taken. He is very shy and didn't want to pose but finally after a little while he warmed up and we managed to get one good shot. I usually spend a bundle but since Owen wasn't cooperating I spend the fewest amount of dollars ever on pictures! New pictures just make me so happy. He sures looks like a little man and not a little baby!