Today marks Features & Fun Friday lucky #13! But more significantly, we are almost officially a quarter of the way through 2014. Um…what???

{Top 5 Round-Up ~ Spring & Easter Side Dishes}

1. Fresh Carrot, Pea, & Mint Salad, photo & recipe by Return to Sunday Supper
2. Warm Green Beans & Asparagus Salad, photo & recipe by Best Friends for Frosting
3. Parmesan Garlic Asparagus, photo & recipe by Chef-In-Training
4. Spring Pea and Potato Salad, photo & recipe by A Splash of Vanilla
5. Spicy Garlic Green Beans, photo & recipe by What’s Gaby Cooking

How amazing do all of those spring side dishes and salads look?! Wouldn’t they be a perfect addition to your Easter menu?

(Feel free to pin the round-up collage above, but to grab or pin the recipes, please be sure to click through to the original sources…thanks!)

I’ve been up to a few spring-celebratory, Easter-friendly goodies myself! Here they are, in case you missed them over the past few weeks… (Click on the title below each photo to be taken to the corresponding recipe/printable.)

Hard-Boiled Egg Chicks & Bunnies

Slow Cooker Brown Sugar Ham

Honey-Glazed Carrots with Thyme & Lemon

Roasted Asparagus with Brown Butter Pecans

Easy Creamed Corn with Parmesan

Spring Salad with Mixed Berries, Candied Almonds, & Honey Citrus Vinaigrette

Springtime Asparagus Tart with Ham & Mushrooms (great for using up leftover Easter ham!)

Carrot Cake Sandwich Cookies

Chocolate Bird’s Nest Cookies

Lemon & White Chocolate Tiramisu Mason Jar Trifles

Free Easter Hymn Printable {with 3 color choices}

Free Easter Printable {with 3 color choices}

{Behind the Scenes at 5HH}

We had another fun and busy month around these parts! Here are a few highlights that I shared on Instagram throughout March:

We kicked off Spring Break with a family trek to Aggieland to watch an A&M basketball game, and while there, we made time to gawk at the future of Kyle Field.

I had some special one-on-one dates with my big boy this past month, including brunch…

…and a first grade field trip!

The middle child continued to be my ever-present food blogging assistant, always willing to relieve me of my food photography duties…

…or offer his aid in the clean-up department.

And the baby? Well, she was up to her usual shenanigans, stealing raspberries…

…and pilfering carrot cake whoopie pies.

As I look through the viewfinder of my camera while taking food photos, it’s become a common occurrence to notice a chubby little hand creeping somewhere into the frame by the last few shots. But that hand is so cute that I usually just keep on snapping. 😉

On top of all of our fun in March, April is shaping up to be an eventful month as well! Of course there’s Easter to look forward to. But then later that week, I am excited and nervous to be attending my first ever blog conference, where I can’t wait to learn a ton and meet lots of amazing fellow bloggers! On the other hand, I’ve never left my whole family since having kids, and I’ve never left my daughter since she was born, so flying out of town by myself for a few days is a big step for all of us. But I know that I’ll be fine and they’ll be fine, the time that I’m away will fly by, and the kids will be in good hands between Daddy and three doting grandparents.

One more upcoming April event worth mentioning is an awesome Mother’s Day giveaway that I’ll be hosting in a couple of weeks! I’m getting together with a big group of blogging friends, and each one of us is putting together a fabulous basket chock full of goodies fit for indulging your favorite mom (and yes, that can include yourself!). The giveaway begins April 15th and you won’t want to miss entering for your chance to win!

Thanks, as always, for stopping by, friends! Have a happy weekend!

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I always love hearing from you! ~ samantha {at} five heart home {dot} com

This post may be linked up to House of Rose, 4 Little Fergusons, and these fabulous parties!