Thursdays

Thursdays are our busy days:  school, violin lessons for three, and basketball for the older two kids.  I like to try to make really filling meals for days like this so that I am not tempted to get fast food while we're out.  I wanted Chipotle in the worst way tonight, but settled for salad and pizza at 8pm.

We've been reading a lot lately.  I have been enjoying Howard's End as an audiobook.  It's been great to have it to listen to in spare moments.  Little Man and I have been reading The Wheel on the School this month as part of our language arts curriculum and it has been so enjoyable that all three children beg to listen in!  It is such a great story! Little Man is also devouring Ben Hatke's graphic novels (so much so that I regularly find him awake reading well past his bedtime.  

I've been loving small knitting projects lately!  It is quite satisfying to cast on and finish something in just a few days.  That being said, I am on the final knitting "to do" in my queue and need to figure out what will be next! 

Gold in the Grey

 

There are still daffodils blooming under the trees in our garden.  One of the best things I did was to plant several varieties that peak at different times in the spring.  It is very cheering to spot new ones gently nodding during the grey days of April.

New Dolly Announcement

Meet Sugar Plum's latest dolly, Lydia!  Adopted from an antique shop for a mere $12, the proud mama is excited to introduce her to her sisters shortly.

I'm Not Crying, You're Crying!

Our little girl was picked up this afternoon for her first job as a mother's helper to one of our parishioners.  It was a successful two hours and she is wanted back...  which makes her very, very happy! It feels like yesterday that I was holding her hands to help her learn to walk.

Daffs and Pancakes

Guided By the Lonely Star

“Guided by the Lonely Star, beyond the utmost harbour-bar, I’ll find the heavens fair and free, and beaches of the Starlit Sea. Ship my ship! I seek the West, and fields and mountains ever blest. Farewell to Middle-earth at last. I see the star above my mast!”
-Bilbo’s Last Song (at the Grey Havens) by J.R.R. Tolkien 

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My sister-in-law, Danyella, requested that I make her a black hat, so I chose a Lord of the Rings inspired knit hat called Grayhaven.  It was a fairly easy lace pattern and the result, while not terribly visible in black yarn, is really pretty.  I hope that Danyella likes it!

Calling Cards

I have wanted calling cards forever, so when my friend Grace showed me hers, I decided to get some made.  I love the ones that I ordered from Nancy Nikko!  They arrived so quickly and were very carefully packages.  I can't wait to pass them out!

What's for Dinner?

Bright Week is a good time to take the family out for ice cream at dinnertime!

Pretty Russian Eggs

A lovely parishioner in our church made these beautiful eggs for our children with those fancy egg sleeves.  I've done a little reconnaissance and found similar ones on Amazon!  I know that my little ones would love to dye eggs and use these egg wraps.  I'll file the idea away for next year!

A Baptismal Juniper Bonnet

I finished a Juniper Bonnet for a sweet little baby who made her debut a bit early and had to have a NICU stay.  It will, God Willing, don her downy little head after her baptism.

Christ is Risen!

Great and Holy Saturday

Great and Holy Friday

Our 2018 Pascha Menu

 

 

Spiral Ham with Brown Sugar Glaze

Kielbasa and Stone Ground Mustard

Scalloped Potatoes

Roasted Parmesan Asparagus

Hard Boiled Eggs

Greek Pascha Bread

Cheese Pascha
Kulich
Feta and Kalamata Olives
Vegetables and Ranch Dip
Chocolate

Strawberry Blueberry Trifle (with homemade pound cake)

Overheard...

Daughter: (over the speakerphone in the car) Papa, why is the number 666 the devil's number?

Papa: I will have to tell you about it when you come home later.

Daughter: (after Papa hangs up the phone) Oh, fiddlesticks! Now he's going to prepare a sermon for us. 

Eldest Son: It will probably be as long as one of Saint John Chrysostom's. We'll have to remember to clap when it's over.

Great and Holy Thursday

 One of my favorite jobs during Holy Week is to buy flowers to be passed out at the tomb of Christ on Great and HOly Friday.  This year, I chose tulips.  The colors go perfectly together...  which was not planned at all.

The Icon of Saint John Chrysostom was drawn by Little Man, Age 1o

Great and Holy Wednesday

One of the things that I am trying to accomplish this week is this white bonnet.  It was commissioned by an Instagram friend a few weeks ago and will be used, God Willing, for her third child's upcoming baptism.  Once this one is finished, I will begin a hat for my sister-in-law, Danyella, and bonnet for our new little nephew, Benedict.

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The Icon of the Mother of God was drawn by Sugar Plum, Age 11 

Great and Holy Tuesday

Father John and the children spent some time today watching part of The Gospel of John, which is one of their annual traditions during Holy Week.  They also like to read their entire Children's Bible over the course of Holy Week.  It's very sweet to see the children cuddled up in bed with their father reading the Scriptures.

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The Icon of Saint John the Almsgiver was drawn by Little Man, age 10.

Great and Holy Monday

What a day of joy this Great and Holy Monday is!  Our newest nephew was born today!  We've gathered a basket of tiny baby things from the attic to post to my sister.  I cannot wait to see him wearing these wee things that the four older boys in the family wore.

I changed around our little feastday shelf this morning.  The hyacinth and muscari from Annunciation are blooming beautifully and scenting the house with  their heady fragrance.  I left the sheep up and put out our Holy Week and Pascha children's book.  I adore the illustrations in this slim volume.

Our oldest two children have been drawing icons during the Bridegroom services this week, while their little brother colors some in from the Potamitis Press coloring book line.  It's been wonderful to see how hard they work on their icons.

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The Icon of the Mother of God was drawn by Sugar Plum, Age 11

Palm Sunday

 

By raising Lazarus from the dead before Thy passion, 

Thou didst confirm the universal resurrection, O Christ God! 

Like the children with the branches of victory, we cry out to Thee, O Vanquisher of Death: Hosanna in the highest! Blessed is he that comes in the name of the Lord!

Eliseea's Baptism