Geese Before Liturgy...

I'd love to know the varieties of geese we found this foggy morning. Canadian Geese are easy to spot, but what about the others?

Pascha: The Resurrection of Christ on NBC...

Image from Jordanville's 2009 Paschal Photos

From goarch.org / Mar 5, 2010

NEW YORK – The video presentation of “Pascha: The Resurrection of Christ,” a program highlighting Orthodox Christian Pascha, or Easter, will broad cast on NBC affiliates nationwide this April. The program, produced by Greek Orthodox Telecommunications and sponsored by FAITH: An Endowment for Orthodoxy and Hellenism, highlights Holy and Great Week, focusing on the deeply moving and ancient services that recount the Gospel narrative leading to the Death and Resurrection of Christ. Archbishop Demetrios of America leads a procession of the faithful around the church and outside where, following the reading of the Gospel of the Resurrection, they proclaim the joyous hymn “Christ is Risen!"

The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America is working with affiliates nationwide, urging them to broadcast the program within their local area. Broadcast information will be posted as soon as it becomes available from affiliates. Below you will find a listing of NBC affiliates by state. Please check the listing for exact date, time and station. Please contact the Department of Communications if you need assistance. You may also contact the Program Manager locally to request coverage. For more information on coverage, please log on to The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese website.

Waiting for the Birds...

This little ones are waiting impatiently for the birds to return to our area now that the weather is warming up. They love going to church early because the geese are already swimming in the water behind the building and wandering around the lawn. It will be nice to see the goslings once they hatch!

Christ Carrying the Cross...

After seeing this as inspiration, I commissioned a woodworker to create a figure of Christ Carrying the Cross. I am really happy with how it turned out! I would really like a wreath like the one Anne Voskamp's son carved, but ideally I would love to use it for the Nativity Fast (40 days), Great Lent (48 days), and Dormition Lent (14 days) so it might be tricky to create.

Rainy Day Color...

This Week's PreSanctified Menu...

Last week, one of our guys cooked for the parish, giving me the night off! This week, I was back on with renewed effort. I made Aunt Nadia's Shrimp and Linguine, Tossed Salad with balsamic vinaigrette dressing, French Bread, and Whole Fruit Bars in Grape and Tangerine...

Aunt Nadia's Shrimp and Linguine

1lb linguine
2lb raw shrimp
6 tsp. oil
6 cloves minced garlic
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper
1 can of minced clams with juice
1 cup of dry sherry
1 jar of marinara sauce
1/2/ tsp. basil
1/4 tsp. oregano


Saute shrimp, garlic, salt and pepper in oil until pink. Remove shrimp. Add can of minced clams and juice, sherry, marinara sauce, basil, and oregano. Simmer for 20 minutes. Serve hot over linguine.

Notes: I only use 1 lb of shrimp for this recipe and it is plenty for our family of four. I also substitute apple juice for the sherry.

Lenten Cleaning: Halfway through Great Lent...

My new computer set-up on one of the kitchen counters... I don't have a desk, and I am so excited to get all of my stuff off of the dining room table!


Though I got a little derailed last week with a doctor appointment that became an all day event, my birthday, and two visits from family, I only have a little bit to catch up on with my cleaning. I have a feeling that I will fall behind again this week due to some beautiful weather that is calling us all outside to play, but that is okay with me!

March 4th: Living Room
March 5th: Craft Cupboard
March 6th: Saturday
March 7th: Sunday
March 8th: Dining Room
March 9th: Baseboards
March 10th: Windows
March 11th: Glass Doors
March 12th: Kitchen
March 13th: Saturday

How is your cleaning coming?

Basil Pesto and Babaganoush...

While my mother-in-law was here over the weekend, we had some time to make two things that my husband loves to eat during the fasts, basil pesto and babaganoush. The babaganoush recipe is just a basic one that I have seen on the internet, but this is the only basil pesto recipe that I have been able to find that omits Parmesan cheese, making it dairy-free.

Basil Pesto
1 cup olive oil
1/4 cup packed fresh basil leaves
1 clove garlic
1/4 cup pine nuts
1 tsp. salt

Blend very well in a blender or food processor. We like ours spread on french bread or bagels. Another favorite way to eat it is to mix it with pasta and peas.

Babaganoush
1 large, dark and firm eggplant
1 clove of garlic, crushed
3 Tbs tahini
1 lemon, 1/2 at a time
salt, to taste

Wash eggplant and prick holes throughout with a fork. Roast eggplant on foil covered baking sheet at 450 degrees for 20-30 minutes, until soft inside. Scrape out of the skin with a fork and add to food processor. Add other ingredients. Adjust salt and lemon the next day if needed.

An Explanation of the Orthodox Three-Bar Cross...

By Fr. Theodore Jurewicz

The Top Bar - The Explanation:
The top bar is the title-board, which Pilate ordered to be hung in mockery over Christ’s head on the Cross. On this board was inscribed: "Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews" in Hebrew, Greek, and Latin (abbreviated to the Greek initials ‘INBI’ or the Latin initials ‘INRI’ in the Western tradition). This is replaced with the Christian inscription: "King of Glory" – below the knees of the angels. On the title-board is inscribed the initials 'IC XC', being the first and last letters of Christ’s name in Greek. In addition, just above Christ's arms we see the inscription: ‘NIKA’, which in Greek means: "He conquers" or "He is victorious." Frequently, we see these last two inscriptions together: 'IC XC NIKA', meaning: "Jesus Christ is victorious" (over death and sin).

The Middle Bar - The Explanation:
The middle bar is that on which the Lord's hands were nailed. On either top corner we see the depiction of the sun (left) and the moon (right), for "The sun hid its light, and the moon turned to blood." (Joel 2:31) The inscription: "Son of God" is placed on both sides of Christ's head, and below His arms we read the inscription: "Before Thy Cross we bow down, O Master, and Thy holy Resurrection, we glorify". The halo of Christ is inscribed with three Greek letters meaning "The Being" or "He Who Is", to remind us that Christ is the same God Who identified Himself with those words to Moses in the Old Law.

The Bottom Bar - The Explanation:
The slanted bottom bar is the footrest. There is some question of whether it was actually on the Cross of Christ, but it is acknowledged to be a necessary attribute of the Cross, worthy of veneration and prophetically alluded to in the words [Let us] worship the footstool of His feet... (Ps. 98:5). In prayers for the Ninth Hour, the Church likens the Cross to a type of balance of righteousness: "Between two thieves Thy Cross did prove to be a balance of righteousness: wherefore one of them was dragged down to Hades by the weight of his blasphemy whereas the other was lightened of his transgressions unto the comprehension of theology. O Christ God, glory to Thee." The meaning of this prayer is as follows: the Cross of Christ stood for a scale of justice between the two thieves: for one of them sank in to hell, dragged down by his blasphemous words; and the other, the wise thief, ascended into heaven, because of his repentance. The church fathers attempted to render tangible the thought of the unfaithful thief going to hell for his blasphemy through the just judgment of God (the lower end of the bar), and of the wise thief going to heaven for his repentance and his praise of God (the upper end).

The Images - The Explanation:
On the Cross is our Savior, Jesus Christ. Note that He does not wear a crown of thorns, and that His feet are nailed with two nails. Behind the body of Christ, on either side, are a lance (which pierced Him) and a sponge (which was soaked with gall and offered to Christ to drink) on a pole made of reed or cane. On the body of Christ is depicted blood and water flowing forth from His side. Below the feet of Christ is four Slavonic letters meaning: "The place of the skull became Paradise". Hidden in a cave under the earth is 'the skull of Adam'. We are thus reminded that Adam our forefather lost Paradise through the tree from which he wrongly partook; Christ is the new Adam, bringing us Salvation and Paradise through the tree of the Cross. The city of Jerusalem is depicted in the background, for He was crucified outside the city wall.

30!

Yesterday, I turned 30! It was a great day and I can honestly say that it was the best birthday that I have ever had. Two of my siblings (we missed you Katharine and Nicolas!) were able to come the night before and started my birthday right by surprising me with gifts at 12:09 am (the time I was born on March 5th). In the morning, I woke to find one sister had hot-footed it to the grocery store to get breakfast for us all. Afterward, I took a nice long bath (complete with treats from Lush that my sister gave to me). Lunch was at Olive Garden and then my sisters took the little ones to the mall playground to play while Fr John and I went to Best Buy for my gift (a new laptop!!!!). When we returned to pick up the children, Anna, and Juliana, we discovered that they had taken Sugar Plum and Little Man to get new outfits and then to a portrait studio to get their pictures taken! So sweet! We finished my birthday with a chocolate cake the Juliana baked and topped with cool whip and fresh berries. It was delicious! Unfortunately, Anna and Juliana had to leave after cake, but my mother-in-law and one of my brothers-in-law arrived soon after (they'll be here for the weekend) bearing one of my favorite treats - fresh bagels! Yum!

I am a very happy lady:)

Display Bookshelves...

I have wanted to own a display bookshelf for our current children's book reads for a long time, but couldn't find exactly what I wanted. I love the Pottery Barn Kid's version, but when I found these picture ledges at Target, I knew that I solved my problem cheaply and easily. I bought them a long time before we even moved to this house (and that will be 6 months ago this month!), so it was really exciting when Fr John had some free time to hang them. He wasn't sure that he like the idea, but I was very happy when after it was all finished, he said that he thought that it really completed the room.

Commitment to Loveliness: No. 53...

It's time for another Commitment to Loveliness! This is a fun way to increase femininity and beauty in our lives each week without even trying! All you have to do is choose five things that you would like to work on or do during the week that will increase the loveliness in your life!

Here is my list for this week:

1. Moisturize! I've been battling dry, cracked hands all winter long. They are so rough, I don't want to stroke my children's cheeks with my sandpaper hands!
2. Keep up with laundry and dishes. When these two things are under control, the house looks fabulous - even if there are other things lying about.
3. Fix my hair and put on a little makeup each day.
4. Catch up on my Lenten Cleaning List. I'd also like to finish the tasks for this week early since we will be gone all day Thursday and my birthday is on Friday.
5. Grumble and sigh less!

Once you have chosen five simple things, post them on your blog and let us know in the comments section. If you do not have a blog, but have a commitment to share, please post them in the comments section.

Lenten Cleaning: Week Three Check-In...

It is hard to believe that we are beginning the third week of Great Lent already! I fell a little behind on my Lenten Cleaning, but only have a few more tasks to complete before I'm all caught up. We didn't have a chance to install a second row of shelving in our family closet, but that will eventually come (hopefully before our little one arrives).

February 15th: Master Bathroom
February 16th: Master Bathroom Drawers and Cabinets
February 17th: Family Closet
February 18th: Family Closet (to install a few more shelves to hold linens)
February 19th: Dressers
February 20th: Saturday
February 21st: Sunday
February 22nd:Master Bedroom
February 23rd: Nursery Bathroom
February 24th: Laundry Room
February 25th: Toy Closet
February 26th: Nursery and Closet
February 27th: Saturday
February 28th: Sunday
March 1st: Hallway and Steps
March 2nd: Entrance
March 3rd: Loft and Guest Bedroom
March 4th: Living Room
March 5th: Craft Cupboard
March 6th: Saturday

How is your cleaning coming?

This Week's PreSanctified Menu...

Michelle M.'s Lentil Soup (this got rave reviews and requests for the recipe!)

Salsa and Chips (it was National Tortilla Chip Day, after all!)

Fruit Salad (made with strawberries, pineapple, and grapes)

Just So You Know...

Last night, we were all lying in bed waiting for sleep to come. Papa asked Sugar Plum what kind of baby was in my belly - a kitten or a puppy? Indignantly, she replied, "Papa, we're having a skin baby! Just like us!"

Haircut!

I haven't gone to get my haircut since July 2008... that is a long time even for me! My hair was getting scraggly at the ends and I always get the urge to get a makeover around my birthday. I didn't really have anything in mind, but I went to a lady that I knew I could trust. I just told her that I wanted the natural curl in my hair to come out and that I didn't want it cut too short. She gave me lots of layers and instructions to scrunch, scrunch, scrunch. Unlike last time, I am very happy!

P.S. Don't look to closely at the top of my head... lots o' gray!

It's Been Awhile...

I'm sorry that I have been so absent from this blog. We've been doing well and not much is new. Great Lent has been going pretty well for us, though it has not been without its challenges. Nighttime services have been very hard for the little ones this year. The past few months we have been in such a groove with dinner, bath time, reading, prayers, and bed by 7:30 - 8:00. With weekday evening church services beginning at 7pm, everything was topsy-turvy for the little ones. Bath before dinner, no nighttime reading, sleep not coming until 9 or 10... Fortunately, nap time has remained the same (and Sugar Plum is sleeping again!!), so that really helps.

For now, we are just enjoying more time at home. We've become quite the crafting family... we actually are out of construction paper and scrap paper and have had to resort to Papa's printer paper! Markers are drying up, paint bottles are empty, glitter is dwindling (thankfully!!) etc. Our fridge has never looked better!

I hope that your last few weeks have been going well!

Hungry Hordes...

Tonight is the first Presanctified Liturgy of the year. Hopefully, minestrone soup, tossed salad, bread, and dump cake (from our Letters of Grace curriculum) will be enough! Somehow, I don't think I'll be taking home any leftovers... no matter how bad the food is!

Great Lent for Little Ones...

Last year, we created a Lenten calender to mark the days of Great Lent (the idea came from Jessica). This year, we are going to do things a little differently. While I liked the calendar to see where we were in the fast, we always forgot to do the stickers for each activity and church service. This year, I am going to keep things simple. We are going to work on three things daily this Great Lent: prayer (by learning a short prayer by heart - this is mostly for Sugar Plum since she is old enough), fasting (by placing one favorite food- one per child- into a basket each day and then emptying the basket in our church's food pantry box each Sunday before Liturgy), and almsgiving (by adding coins to a bank each day and emptying them into our church's poor box each Sunday before Liturgy). These are all simple ideas that I am hoping that I can follow through on that will hopefully help our little ones these next six or seven weeks.

Mary is planning on notebook pages for the Sundays of Great Lent, as well as three-part cards for each Sunday.

I would love to hear about anything that you are doing with your little ones this holy time of year.

Also, if you are not Orthodox and are wondering what I am talking about, you can learn about Great Lent here and find out why Orthodox Christians fast, here.

Lenten Cleaning...

February 15th: Master Bathroom
February 16th: Master Bathroom Drawers and Cabinets
February 17th: Family Closet
February 18th: Family Closet (Shelving for Linens)
February 19th: Dressers
February 20th: Saturday
February 21st: Sunday
February 22nd: Master Bedroom
February 23rd: Nursery Bathroom
February 24th: Laundry Room
February 25th: Toy Closet
February 26th: Nursery and Closet
February 27th: Saturday
February 28th: Sunday
March 1st: Hallway and Steps
March 2nd: Entrance
March 3rd: Loft and Guest Bedroom
March 4th: Living Room
March 5th: Craft Cupboard
March 6th: Saturday
March 7th: Sunday
March 8th: Playroom
March 9th: Dining Room
March 10th: Baseboards
March 11th: Glass Doors and Windows
March 12th: Kitchen Counters and Decor
March 13th: Saturday
March 14th: Sunday
March 15th: Pantry and Microwave
March 16th: Freezer and Refrigerator
March 17th: Stove and Oven
March 18th: Drawers and Cabinets
March 19th: Put Out Spring Decorations
March 20th: Saturday
March 21st: Sunday
March 22nd: Desk
March 23rd: Paschal Shopping (Clothing, Children's Paschal Baskets, Paschal Egg Hunt)
March 24th: Garage
March 25th: Front Porch and Deck
March 26th: Clean Car
March 27th: Saturday
March 28th: Sunday
March 29th: Back Porch
March 30th: Plan Paschal Clothing and Quick Clean of the House
March 31st: Paschal Baskets and Clean Garbage Cans
April 1st: Flowers for Hanging Baskets and Mulch Flower Beds
April 2nd: Launder Spring Bedding
April 3rd: Great and Holy Saturday
April 4th: Pascha!!

I'd love to see your spring cleaning plans if you have any!

Valentine Dots...

This is the second year that we've made Elizabeth's Valentine Dots. They are delicious, easy, and the recipe is totally toddler friendly! I love how they look in my great-grandmother's butter dish, too!

Cheesy Bean Dip...

This dip doesn't look very appetizing, but it is so, so good!!

Cheesy Bean Dip

1/2 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sour cream
1 (16 ounce) can refried beans
1/2 (2 ounce) package taco seasoning mix
1 tablespoon dried parsley
2 tablespoons chopped green onions
3/4 cup salsa
1/2 (8 ounce) package shredded Cheddar cheese
1/2 (8 ounce) package shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

In a medium bowl, blend the cream cheese and sour cream. Mix in the refried beans, taco seasoning, parsley, green onions, 1/2 the Cheddar cheese and 1/2 the Monterey Jack cheese. Transfer the mixture to a baking dish. Spread salsa over bean mixture. Top with remaining Cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses. Bake in the preheated oven 20 to 30 minutes, until cheese is slightly browned.

Pregnancy Update - 14 Weeks...

We went in for our third doctor visit for this pregnancy yesterday, and everything is looking good. We got to hear the heartbeat for the first time and planned for our next visit which is in two weeks. Starting at 16 weeks and ending at 32 weeks, we will have one visit each week for a check-up and a shot (17 Alpha Hydroxyprogesterone Caproate) which will hopefully keep our risk of delivering early at bay. If you have had these shots, will you tell me how they worked for you? Thanks!

Oh, the little lamb and gray blanket were gifts for this baby from my sister, Anna! I love having a few new things for each child... this poor babe will have all hand-me-down clothing and baby gear, so treats like these are so much fun!

Inspiration Garlands...

I was so inspired by Emily's seasonal banner last month (scroll down to January 26th, 2010 to see the post). I decided to make two for our playroom. This was the perfect time to make them in our house since we have a ton a beautiful postcards from my sister's recent trip to Paris, France and London and Oxford, England. I really love how they turned out and I think that it will be fun to gather pretty things for these ever month or so.

Egg Salad Sandwiches...

We were in need of a little something different for lunch today, and egg salad sounded really good! Normally, I only make egg salad and deviled eggs after Pascha (Easter) to use up the multitude of eggs we always seem to have left over from the Paschal Liturgy. It was big hit today though, so I think that I will try to make it more often!

The Blizzard of 2010...

Fr John on Blood Oranges...

Fr. John came home late tonight from a house blessing and began fixing himself a plate for dinner. He grabbed the last orange from the fruit bowl , took a knife, and cut the orange in half letting out a little yelp as he saw the inside. Thinking he cut himself, I ran over. He showed me the orange and stated, "It's like cutting into a horror film!"

I am still laughing!