Easter Weekend + A Winner!

We had a fun filled Easter weekend. 

It was busy, busy, busy....including running a half marathon!

I hosted Easter Dinner so I did some menu planning:

On Friday we had more Easter activities....Making Easter Cookies with cousins:

 Dyeing eggs:
On Saturday morning, I woke up bright and early and headed off to run the Livermore Half Marathon
My sister Elyse & brother in law Jason also ran it!

It was such a GREAT race running through the Livermore wine country, vineyards and green rolling hills.
 
 I somehow managed to PR and took 1 minute off my time, finishing at 1:49:27 which is an 8:22 pace. I will absolutely do this race again next year!

This was the shirt we got along with our wine barrel medal & wine glass. After the race they had wine tasting, beer tasting & a band. We didn't stay for all that since I had to get back for Claire's end of year basketball party.

 Can't believe this was my 3rd half marathon in 5 months...so glad I got back into running!

We actually went to church on Saturday night. Our church had 2 Saturday night church services and last week at church on Palm Sunday our pastor asked that if it worked for your schedule, he would love if people could come to the Saturday night service to make room for more guests on Easter Sunday. Easter Sunday can be really crowded so he wanted to make sure guests/visitors had a seat. We didn't have plans Saturday night, so that is the Easter service we went to.

After church we went to dinner...I wanted a bacon cheeseburger and fries...I was starving after running the half marathon!

I get this burger all the time, it is one of my favorite meals. It tasted SO good after running a lot!

When we got home the put the kids to bed and then Kevin and I were the Easter Bunny!

It was a busy day...my Fitbit had the most activity that it has ever had:

We told the kids that they couldn't wake us up  or go downstairs before 8am on Easter Sunday...we needed sleep! :)

The kids were so excited to go downstairs....there were Bunny Prints outside:

 

There were marshmallows leading them to their Easter Baskets:

Easter breakfast..cinnamon rolls! After breakfast the girls and I decided to go Egg our friends. We figured most of them would be at church or at brunch, so we wouldn't get caught egging them :)

You've been Egged Printable {HERE}

Easter afternoon/evening was awesome.

Our family & friends came over and we had apps & watched March Madness

Kevin organized an awesome Egg Hunt for the kids and adults. Dinner was so delicious...

And, so was dessert :)

I made my Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough cupcakes with mocha frosting, Carrot Cake Cupcakes with cream cheese frosting and I also made Lemon Bars

Good food, good people & feeling thankful for what Christ did for us on the cross.

I hope you had a wonderful Easter weekend also!

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A few announcements!

The winner of the $100 Target Gift Card Giveaway is:

Katherine B.

Congrats! Leave a comment or send me an email to claim your prize!

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See you back here for What's Up Wednesday!

Our bonus question for the month is... 

What are your Spring Cleaning Tips?
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Pesto Chicken, Sun Dried Tomato & Artichoke Pizza

As you might know, pizza is my favorite food. 

I could eat it everyday.

  At Christmas I got THIS pizza maker.

(It is also on sale HERE)

We have been making pizza for dinner at least 1 time a week since we got it! 

I have been experimenting with different pizza toppings/recipes and there have been some REALLY good ones!

Like I mentioned in January, once a month I am going to share a new pizza recipe with you.

You don't need the pizza maker (you can use your oven) but I am letting you know that using this pizza maker gives your pizza an authentic pizzeria taste! 

I am planning on sharing a new pizza recipe the last Friday of each month in honor of Friday Night Pizza Night that we have every Friday night at our house. 

In January I shared my BBQ Chicken Pizza Recipe {HERE}

Last month I shared my Fig, Prosciutto & Arugula Pizza {HERE}

Today, I am excited to share my:

 Pesto Chicken, Sun Dried Tomato & Artichoke Pizza

Here is what you need:

- Pizza Dough (I use pre-made dough from Safeway. Trader Joes also has premade dough, but Safeway's is so much easier to work with & tastes better! You can make your own dough, but when the pre-made dough is only $1.50, this is a no brainer!)

- Pizza Sauce

-Pesto Sauce

-Sun Dried Tomatoes

- Artichoke Hearts

-Chicken

-Mozzarella Cheese

-Feta Cheese

- Basil

Split your dough in half and roll out your dough on a lightly floured surface:

Mix together in even amounts 1/2 pizza sauce & 1/2 pesto sauce

Add sauce mixture to crust & top with mozzarella cheese:

 Add Pesto Chicken:

For the pesto chicken, I used my Quick & Easy Shredded Chicken Method {HERE}

I use about 1 cup of chicken for this pizza & mix a few heaping spoonfuls of pesto sauce into the chicken.  So yummy!

Add artichoke hearts & sun dried tomatoes:

Add more mozzeralla chesse (this helps prevent the chicken from getting dried out)

Add crumbled feta cheese on top of the mozzarella cheese:

The final thing to add is the fresh basil. I put the basil in a ball:

And, then cut the ball of basil, that is how you get strips of basil :)

Add to the top of your pizza & Bake in your pizza oven (or regular oven at 450 degrees) for 8-10 minutes.

Slice up your pizza & enjoy!

This is one of our favorite pizza combinations!

It's full of flavor!

YUM.

Happy Pizza Friday, but more importantly, Happy Good Friday.
I hope you all have a wonderful Easter weekend!

Books, Basketball & World Water Day

Today I am talking about what I've been up to lately and because I had a sinus infection all last week...this past week revolved around Books,Basketball & World Water Day!

BOOKS

Yesterday I finished The Good Girl...it was one of the best books I have read in 2016 (I am up to 18 books so far!!!)

You can get it HERE

 I really loved the author's writing style, so I got her 2nd book today:

Pretty Baby is on sale today HERE for just $1.99 for your Kindle!

And, that made me discover that her 3rd book is coming out in May:

You can pre-order it HERE.

 I love it when I find a new author I love! 

My other favorite author of 2016 is Sarah Pekkanen.

You can see the books she has written HERE

I have read these 4 books of hers this year:

She has 2 other books I want to read & a new one coming out this summer! Yay!

Speaking of new books coming out this summer....my favorite author of 2015.....Liane Moriarty announced a few days ago she has a new book coming out in July!!! EEEK!

You better believe I already pre-ordered it!

You can do that HERE

See all her books HERE

We love books in this family.

Here is what the Easter Bunny is bringing the kids with their Easter baskets...Books!

For Luke:

 Get it {HERE}

Same author as Dragons Love Tacos which Luke loves

My girls are OBSESSED with American Girl dolls & their books, so Claire is getting this Lea Clark mini doll & book set. It's on sale, under $20 for both!

Get it {HERE}

Kate loves MaryEllen, so I got her the book & mini doll (also on sale for under $15 for both!)

Get it {HERE}

Thank you Amazon Prime for coming to the rescue when I needed to order last minute books for them today! Phew! I am way behind on Easter basket items.

Speaking of Easter Baskets....every year I am pretty simple with Easter Baskets...they get a new swim suit, cover up & flip flops along with a new book/movie. I snuck away to Target without kids today to get Easter goodies. I planned on getting it prepped last week, but because of being sick, I was way behind!

This swim suit for Kate:

Get it {HERE}

and THIS cover up.

This swim suit for Claire:

Get it HERE

and THIS cover up.

For Luke, he is getting THIS rash guard:

and THESE swim trunks:

BASKETBALL

As you know, I LOVE March Madness.

Have you been watching the games?

The first & second round games are my favorite because ANYTHING can happen!

This year has been no exception.

The most epic 1 minute of basketball I have seen was the last minute of the Northern Iowa vs. Texas A&M game!!! AMAZING.

Did you watch it?

Here is my bracket so far....I am doing okay...I am tied for 4th in my school pool.

I usually go with Duke or Kansas in the Final Four and/or winning, but I switched it up this year! 

Eeek! I hope I don't regret it! 

WORLD WATER DAY

Did you know that today, March 22 is World Water Day?

On Saturday we joined Team World Vision's Global 6K for Water.

8,000 people around the world ran on Saturday for the Global 6k.
 We each walked/ran for a child in Africa who now has water for life.

Our bibs had the name & photo of the child we sponsored who now have clean water for life. 

Just $50 provides clean water for a lifetime.
Right now 748 million people in the world don't have access to clean water.

 Yes...Luke wore his fireman costume....He insisted. He had on his orange shirt & bib under his costume. He ran for Edmund :)

I was so proud of the girls, they walked/ran the entire 3.72 miles without stopping.

3.72 miles (6k) is the average distance children in Africa have to walk daily for water.
It was a great lesson for them, we explained that the girls on their bibs that we supported have to walk 4 miles each day to get water & sometimes that isn't even clean water.
We let them know that now the kids on our bibs who we sponsored & ran for will have access to clean water for the rest of their lives! 

I think World Water Day is so important....to bring awareness that millions of people in the world don't have access to clean water.

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A few reminders:

$100 Target Giveaway is going on & ends this Friday

Enter {HERE} if you haven't already!

AND

The Rodan + Fields March Madness deal is also going on, if you want to become a preferred customer.

You get $20 cash back, 17% off your order and FREE Shipping!

I would LOVE to help you with your skin care needs!

We have products for all skin types. 2 of my top sellers are our Reverse line (for sun damage/pregnancy melasma/age spots) 

 Reverse also helps with fine lines, especially when used with our Amp Roller

 

Unblemish is also a top seller..because it works! It was named the #1 Acne Skin care line in the US! 

 You can take this quick 6 question survey to find out what products are best for your skin {HERE}

All our products come with a 60 day empty bottle 100% money back guarantee. 

You have nothing to lose...what are you waiting for?

I would love to help you get started!

The March Madness deal also applies if you join my team...17% off your kit. 

You could get $75-$150 cash back!

Such an awesome deal!

Email me for more info!

melissa_larson17(at)yahoo.com