We LOVE The Sound of Music around here.  Singing, dancing, beautiful scenery, adorable love story, courage, history, family- it is everything I love!  In this particular scene, Maria dances around her bedroom with the Von Trapp children, teaching them to think of their favorite things whenever something is going on that they don't particularly enjoy (in this case, a thunderstorm).
Little problems = life lessons.

Inspired by Maria, I thought it would be fun to list my new favorite things every once in a while.  April, after all, is a month known for its thunderstorms.  You probably won't gain any life lessons from my lists, but you never know!  This post is going to be random, fun, and a little weird.  Just like me!  Make sure you read to the end to hear some fun news coming up, and I would love to hear some of your April favorites in the comments!

I picked this up at Sephora the last time I was out and about on the town (Mamas know that's pretty rare) and I fell in love!  I am a big rose fan- anything rose- and the mint leaves your lips feeling a little tingly.  The tin container feels vintage too, which goes with the whole rose thing.  It is a little expensive for lip balm, but a fun investment for yourself or a great gift idea.  I take it with me everywhere.

Hillsong Worship, Hillsong United, Hillsong Live, I love it all!  I have been a fan for years, so of course I really enjoyed seeing this movie.  We just rented the DVD and watched it here at home.  It tells the story of Hillsong Church and Hillsong United, but also features some of their most popular songs in concert.  
There's one part of the movie that chokes me up every time.  It shows people all over the world singing "Mighty to Save" in different languages and environments.  Some of the people singing are funny, like a guy in a yellow suit who sings, "He is mighty to save" while doing some strange dance.  Every time he sings, Reed laughs and says, "What's he doing?" and I usually laugh at Reed.  A few seconds later, a woman in a third-world country sings while washing clothes by hand.  Her voice is the most beautiful of all, and her son is watching her and playing the guitar in the background.  It is a breathtaking moment in the show, and I tear up literally every single time I watch it.  The movie is not sad, I'm just a crybaby!  It truly conveys the message that God is changing lives everywhere, and it is a beautiful thought that someone across the world could be singing the same song I am because of God's work through Hillsong.

Yes, I just transitioned from crying over the Hillsong movie to coffee creamer.  I told you this would be random!  This is my new favorite coffee creamer.  I mean, it has a picture of Cold Stone ice cream on the front.  What could go wrong?  I seriously haven't bought another type of coffee creamer since the beginning of April.  It is sweet, subtly flavored, and simple.  It isn't too rich or too flavorful.  Just perfect!  I'll have to try it for the icing on my cinnamon rolls sometime.  Hmmmm...

I know that Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day products have been around for a while, but I just recently picked them up and tried them out.  And.... I'm not going back.  I am a Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day convert.
I have always been skeptical of natural cleaning products.  I'm afraid that they aren't really doing their job.  No more- these are an exception.  Made with plant-derived ingredients and essential oils, these clean really well AND smell amazing!  Plus, they are cruelty-free, something that I am just now becoming more aware of.  They are now a staple in my home and have also become my go-to gift idea for friends and family.

My favorites list would be a fraud without a book.  I have devoured Karen Ehman's 40-day devotional on the lips in fewer than 40 days.  It shouldn't be a surprise confession that I have a little problem using my words wisely, considering that no one can tame the tongue (James 3:8).  I recently felt a little nudge from the Holy Spirit to pursue some study in this area.  This book not only challenged me to keep my mouth shut most of the time, but it also evaluated when it is necessary to speak up, and how to speak in certain situations.  It is funny, simple, short, and very powerful.  This is the first book I have ever read by Karen Ehman, a popular author and speaker with Proverbs 31 ministries.  I was so impressed with Zip It! that I've already ordered her newest book, Listen, Love, Repeat.  I promise I'll share my thoughts on that one, too.  I certainly still have a LONG way to go with this mouth of mine, but I'll take "imperfect progress".

Amidst the rush and craziness of Christmas this past year, I picked up a book at the library my mom recommended: The More of Less by Joshua Becker.  The timing could not have been more perfect.  Feeling overwhelmed by the "stuff" and business of the season, I resolved that with the new year I would begin my journey to find less, whatever that meant.  
​Less stress.
Fewer possessions.
Less worry.
Fewer distractions.
Simplicity.
Minimalism.
Many people think minimalism means living out of a backpack with no stuff, and I guess it can for some.  To me, that doesn't sound fun or helpful AT ALL.   My initial response to minimalism was selfish and pitiful: "absolutely NOT.  I already don't have enough of anything.  Now you want me to give away what I do have?!"  
Oh, was I so wrong.

The thing is, I'm not really a pack rat.  No part of my home is like something from Hoarders.  I don't collect soup cans, or newspapers, or cats.  That should count for something, right?  Do I have some clutter? Yes. But we don't even live in a space where we can keep too much extra stuff. Enter poor, pitiful ME. 

Four months ago, I often felt like I didn't have the things I wanted.  I always felt the need for more.  How was getting rid of stuff going to help someone who felt like she still didn't have enough?
​
In the middle of that season, I still felt the stuff crowding in on the edges of my mind.  I was often stressed and anxious, my heart felt discontent and covetous, I always wanted MORE.  I heard myself say:
"I don't have anything to wear!" (staring at a closet full of clothes)
"I wish I had a car like that." (driving my car that works perfectly well)
"I need to go to the grocery, again." (sorting through a full refrigerator)
"I never have time for me." (scrolling through social media for the tenth time in an hour)
"Must be nice to have this much space." (dreading cleaning my own home)

A discontent and greedy heart is an ugly, lonely, heavy load to bear.  Because on top of it all, guilt settles in. After all, I knew, deep down, that I was abundantly blessed with everything I needed. 
Thank God for grace and the power of less.

January 1 rolled around and I dove in.  I wrote down my reasons for choosing minimalism and posted them on my refrigerator.  And every week I would get rid of a box or two of items.  Sometimes I would go through a room at a time and ask myself, "when is the last time I used this?"  If it had been over six months, I donated or pitched it.
Becker recommends boxing things up that you haven't used in a while, and if you don't need them in a few more months, donating them, but I found that getting rid of things right away worked best for me.  And you know what?  I haven't missed a thing.

​4.  I am picking up new hobbies.  What working mom of a two-year-old has hobbies?  This one! Less stress, more white space in my calendar, and less to clean means more time for me and the things I love.  I've started reading again, and not just books for work.  I bake chocolate zucchini muffins whenever I want to.  I started a blog!  In fact, Joshua Becker's "15 Reasons I Think You Should Blog" was the catalyst for the start of Soul Food Time.  Having time for myself again has been so much fun, and it all started with a decision to simplify.

5. We have extra money to be generous and have fun.
The decision to own less inherently means more money.  More money to save, more money to give, more money to spend on experiences instead of things.  This part is the biggest comfort of all.  There is nothing like feeling content, blessing others, and having fun.

There's a new man in the fam', and his name is Samuel Boaz, AKA "Bo"!  Isn't that the sweetest name?  My sister-in-law, Brook (affectionately known as "Aunt B"), and her husband, Sam, welcomed this little guy into the world yesterday.

Jacob, Reed, and I rushed to the hospital as soon as we found out that Bo had arrived.  Reed had to stay in the waiting area with Cha-Cha and Poppy while we met Bo, which was a major bummer, even though he has his flu shot and everything.  He was pretty confused about it since we had talked the ENTIRE way to the hospital about how to treat a new baby!  We rolled with it though, bribed him with a few suckers, and discovered a fish tank in the waiting room that provided the perfect distraction.

There is just nothing like meeting a newly born baby.  Little Bo was warm and curled up in his little newborn blankie.  He just rolled his head around a little and checked me out with one barely-opened eye.  He's an observant little fellow.  After looking me over and approving me (whew), he squeaked and hummed like newborns do (I had completely forgotten about that!) and captured my heart in about 0.034 seconds.  I couldn't believe how peaceful and content he was!  Such a good boy already...

Aunt B is doing great, and she and Sam are striding confidently into parenthood (the coolest, most exciting hood, in my opinion).  I'll be sure to post pics of Reed and Bo in the near future as they begin their adventures together as cousins!

Take care,
Rebekah

Holy Week is one of my favorite times of the year.  I love the seriousness and solemnity of the week, the opportunity for reflection, and the extra time with family.

For the past three years, we have kicked off Holy Week with a Christian Seder, or Passover Meal.  I understand this can be a "hot topic" in the religious world for many reasons, but our family really enjoys this time of meditation.  We certainly do not pretend to be experts in Jewish tradition; however, as believers in Christ, we recognize Him as our Passover lamb, and the Christian Seder connects some of the traditional Passover elements to our new life in Jesus.

My mother-in-law takes her responsibility of arranging the Seder very seriously.  She sets a gorgeous table and creates an atmosphere of beauty and peace. We do make an effort to maintain an attitude of reverence and reflection throughout, which can definitely be a challenge with a toddler!  As usual, my family provided our share of inopportune moments of comedy.  But more on that later.

We entered the Passover meal through the side door of the home over which she had draped a red banner, symbolizing the Old Testament direction to spread the blood of the lamb on the doorposts and also the covering of Jesus' blood. 

Then we started the Seder.  It only lasted about 15 minutes or so.  I didn't take any pictures during the meal because I didn't want to distract or interrupt.  Here is a quick guide to what we included in our Seder and their symbolic meanings created and researched by my mother-in-law.  I'll list a few websites at the end of the post if you would like to do some research of your own.

1. Candles on the table: Jesus, the Light of the world
2. Platter of roasted lamb: Jesus was our final perfect Lamb Who was sacrificed for us all.
3.  Unleavened bread: the body of Christ that was broken and slain for all
4. Boiled egg: new life.  We have new life in Christ because of what he did for us on the cross.
5. Bitter herbs (horseradish): the bitter vinegar on the sponge Jesus was given to drink on the cross.
6. Charoset (description below): Symbolizes the mortar and bricks the Israelites used in making the bricks for the king of Egypt.
7. Karpas (parsley or celery): everlasting life because of Christ's resurrection
8. Small bowl of salt water: tears for those who haven't accepted Christ as their personal Savior.
9. Grape juice: Jesus' own blood poured out for us all. 

As we progressed through the meal, we discussed each of these in more detail.  We were able to make Old Testament connections to many of them, or my mother-in-law would explain what she had researched regarding the traditional, Old Testament meanings of each food.

One of the symbols, charoset, was my only responsibility for the night.  I mixed together chopped apples, chopped pears, nuts, and grape juice the day before and carefully placed it in a nice dish in the refrigerator.  Want to guess who forgot their responsibility?  Yep... left it in the refrigerator.  Our quick substitution, trail mix, was hardly the traditional charoset, but everyone was really gracious in going along without it.  
​I made it... I promise!

When we got to the bitter herbs (AKA horseradish), Reed stuck his finger it before I knew what was what.  Eeek!  He started coughing so much and we had to get him a Capri Sun.  But then he wouldn't stop sticking his finger in it- I think he liked it!  He kept sneaking a taste, coughing, and drinking his juice.  It was a horrible cycle!  I had to eventually take it away.  Weird kid.

After we were finished, Reed asked that we sing "Happy Birthday."  He's two, and after he saw us light the candles, he concluded that the whole thing was a birthday celebration for no one other than himself.  So much for a learning experience (this year, anyway)!  So we gave him some cake and sang "Happy Birthday"!  How else do you respond to that?

A cold, dreary day in April is a perfect time to go do something special with family.  My mother-in-law suggested The Root Beer Stand in Sharonville, Ohio.  Root Beer Stand?  Count me in!

This place was so likable and inviting!  We had the option to sit at the indoor bar or an outside eating area.  We found a cozy corner inside because it was really​ cold out and ordered a gallon of root beer.  The waitress brought out a bunch of frosted mugs and poured plenty for everyone.  ​

Reed even got his own little glass!  Awww!  These pictures are making me thirsty again!

It was pretty busy inside, but it was an exciting kind of busy.  The ceiling was covered in hanging baseball hats, old photos covered the walls, and the bar was full of people enjoying hot dogs and root beer. Kids, especially, arrived super-excited.  There were rows and rows of toys above the bar, and kids could play while they waited for their food.  It seemed like everyone knew the drill, too.  The waitresses had the toys on the bar before the kids could sit down, and everyone was just happy and buzzing around.  There was a tic-tac-toe board that looked really fun, but I decided to leave it alone.  Ugh- adulthood!

Reed was immediately swept away by his grandparents and aunt (lucky kid).  We are so blessed to be surrounded (like 10 minutes away surrounded) by both my family and Jacob's family.  It is a rare thing these days, right?  So you will hear A LOT about all of my family members. But let me take a moment to introduce you to Cha-cha (Jacob's mom), Poppy (Jacob's step-dad), and Aunt B (Jacob's sister).  The love and excitement they show at any chance to see Reed (or his parents, I guess- wink- parents, you know what I'm sayin') is breathtaking.  I mean, Aunt B traveled like 40 minutes across town at 8 1/2 months pregnant just to see her nephew for an hour.  That's love!

Anyway, back to hot dogs and root beer.   Jacob and I took advantage of this blessed moment of freedom to look at the menu.  ​

The menu was simple and affordable.  As soon as I saw chili-cheese foot-long, I didn't even look over anything else.  But here it is for ya!

Look at this chili dog!  Yum-O!  I ate the entire foot-long quickly and with no shame.  If anyone watched in awe, I didn't notice. While I was in chili-cheese-dog heaven, the Little Outdoorsman sneakily convinced his grandparents (or maybe they convinced him?) that he NEEDED a root beer float.  He can be very persuasive.  His technique: he looks at them.  Amazing!  And Cha-cha and Poppy begin suggesting a variety of taboo treats (before lunch!! gasp!): "suckers? root beer float? chips?  What do you need?"  He thought seriously and carefully over his options and said, "Ok".  Within moments a HUGE root beer float was placed in front of him.  I wish I had those skills!  
He dove in to the float too quickly and got a major brain freeze.  It was so cute.  He just opened his eyes and mouth really wide for a couple of seconds and then smiled and took another big drink.

There was a playground behind the stand that was most definitely the brilliant idea of a parent of a root-beer-float-eating kid.  After watching Reed eat like half of a root beer float in under two minutes, we resolved to visit the playground regardless of weather conditions. We played for about 15 minutes, or until all of us except Reed were freezing.

It was a perfect family outing to end Spring Break.  It's back to work next week for me.  I feel like Spring Break always fills me back up and helps me return to work feeling fulfilled and energized.  If you are in the area, stop in and enjoy some fun food with friends or family.  It is a seasonal place, so be sure to check out their website before you go!
www.therootbeerstand.com/