Spring Break 2013 {thankful thursday}

Despite the rain that clouded Easter and the fog that’s shrouding the neighborhood today, spring break has made me very thankful.  Mostly because Joshua stayed home for the past three days, and let me tell you, I sure can crank out the to-do list when there’s someone else around to help occupy these kids.

While my list mostly consisted of getting ready for Easter weekend, his was all about working in the yard, which necessitated a really long trip to Lowe’s that was pretty successful for creating beauty.  Sidenote: I’m a bit in love with instagram and the fact that it makes any picture look better.

Getting those kids to earn their keep.

I’m really thankful Lowe’s took the guesswork out of what I should put in the planter this year to make it Southern Living beautiful for a couple of months before I forget to water and the plants shrivel in the July heat.  This is a ready made re-planter that I simply transferred.  Yay for simplicity!

Finally, I’m grateful to all my facebook friends who offered up fantastic ideas for how I could decorate for hosting Easter dinner.  It never would have occurred to me to use a flat sheet as a tablecloth!  Totally stole this out of my girls’ room.

I’m learning everyday how to embrace this house, and I’m also on a mission to use what we have, rather than constantly feeling that I can’t be hospitable just because I don’t have the perfect centerpiece or all matching dishes or whatever else I might be using as an excuse for not being happy and content with our abundance of blessings.  A little Pinterest inspiration helped me feel like I had set a lovely table…

and of course, my kids were all about the edible centerpiece.  I used my fine china for like the second time since we’ve been married and got over the notion I have that it’s too fancy for my eat-in kitchen.  You know what I think?

Special is a mindset, not an occasion.  If you wait for that perfect special moment, it will never come and you’ll miss lots of opportunities along the way.

The kids picnicked in the girls’ bedroom and everyone was happy.  Well, except Annabelle who was having a pout over something ridiculous.

Easter might not have been ideal springtime weather, but it was beautiful and sacred nevertheless.

linking up with Julia today…