Welcome to “Moments” here on JoyFoodSunshine. At the end of every month I share a recap of all the shenanigans that went down in crazy town (i.e. my life in a nutshell).  So here it is for April 2017!

Recipe love:

Here are a few must-share recipes from the month of April from my favorite spots around the web!

Flourless Chocolate Hazelnut Cookies from The Sweet and Simple Kitchen {I’ll take 5 please}!

Bacon Avocado Egg White Breakfast Sandwiches from Joyful Healthy eats! {Ritch would LOVE}

Lemon Tarts from Wife Mama Foodie {GORGEOUS}

Paleo Chocolate Brownie Muffins from The Vintage Mixer {Chocolate Love}!

Blackened Salmon Bowls with Avocado Sauce from Dishing Out Health {Dreamy}!

Life with my tribe:

Mara Hope

I’m sure you’ve seen it…but this has been the highlight of our month year. Welcome Mara Hope.

She is the best baby. I am in love. Newborn snuggles forever.

And those sweet morning stretches & smiles. I can’t even.

Easter

Mara was born on Good Friday, so Easter was a bit different for us this year {and arguably the best it has ever been}! 😉 We totally weren’t prepared and kind of dropped the ball…but our kids still had fun! 😉 It helps that we don’t do the whole Easter bunny thing, so they’re used to church being the main event on Easter Sunday with a side of jelly beans in the afternoon! 😉

I was able to get the kids dressed up and shipped off to church with Nana and Papa Fitz, while I stayed home and got some sweet time snuggling my newborn in a quiet house {hallelujah}!!

Since my hubby is a pastor {of this church – SLC friends come visit!!}, I had been a tiny bit stressed about being in labor on Easter Sunday. Of course, he assured me time and time again that having a baby was infinitely more important than one Easter service, but I was still hoping he could be there!

Obviously, someone else filled in for him on Good Friday {actually, it was my amazing web guy…if anyone needs web support for your blog or site check out his info here}! Since we got home early Saturday afternoon, he was able to go to church Sunday morning which was great! He cleans up really well….#stillinlove #almost10years

Nana & Papa Fitz Visit

I wasn’t due until April 20th, but had a feeling I would be having this baby sooner, so I asked my mom to change her plane ticked to come earlier. She chose to arrive on April 14th, and lo and behold that is sweet Mara’s birthday! She was in the air when Mara was born, and got here just in time to relieve our sweet friend of her kid-watching duties while we were in the hospital. Once again {she arrived the day Naomi was born as well} God knew the perfect time for my mom to arrive and I’m so grateful for it!

Having my mom and stepdad here was SO wonderful. They were able to make my kids feel super special and loved while Ritch and I caught up on our sleep and soaked in little miss Mara. Obviously Ritch was a rockstar, but it was so great having a 1:1 ratio of adults to children…I can’t even tell you! My momma is so helpful and my kids adore her and Papa Fitz! Having them here during Mara’s first two weeks of life made the experience absolutely wonderful. Ritch and I even got to sneak out for a quick date!!!! LOVE HIM so much!

Gabe Turns 4!!!

Thankfully Mara came early enough for me to get my act together to make Gabe’s birthday super special for him! Unfortunately all three older kids were sick with a nasty cough {and Gabe had croup}, so we had to postpone our fun outing of eating lunch at Village Baker and going to the Children’s museum {which Gabe has been requesting to do on his birthday for months}.

But…he was royally spoiled, and my husband decorated the coolest cake ever for my Star Wars loving boy. Yes, you heard me right. My husband decorated this cake! I baked it and made the frosting…but he gets all the credit for how cool it looks! Ritch is super artistic {besides being a pastor he is also a graphic designer} and is much better at decorating cakes than I am! There’s really nothing my man can’t do!

A few of my favorite things…

New Toms! 

After stalking the Toms website for months, I finally found a new pair of Toms that I fell in love with! My old ones were totally falling apart after many years of wear and tear! I love these so much!

These Fudgy Paleo Brownies

I started making this recipe with cashew butter {instead of almond} and it’s to.die.for {not that it wasn’t already}! Plus they’re ready in less than 15 minutes start to finish, so I can whip up a batch for dessert in no time! If you haven’t tried them I highly recommend you do so ASAP!

Lululemon Align Pant 

I am obsessed with these leggings from Lululemon. I put them away during my pregnancy so my baby belly didn’t stretch them out…and the first time I put them on again was a joyous reunion. They are the comfiest pants I have ever worn, and I could live in them all day every day!

Well that’s all she wrote! I’d love to hear a highlight from your April! What are you looking forward to in May?