Back to Big Breakfasts...

I really enjoyed making a blueberry pancake breakfast this morning... it has been a long time! I feel accomplished when I cook two to three meals a day, but the reality is that my family doesn't like to eat that much:( Fr John rarely eats breakfast anymore and prefers a big lunch (which makes a big dinner too filling) and the babies love cold cereal right now and simple meals like a bit of meat and cheese and a yogurt. Oh well... there are worse problems!

Sombody's Growing Up...

We bought Little Man his big boy carseat this past week while we were away. He looks so cute riding in it now! He got a little car sick on the ride home (three clothing changes within an hour!), but all is well now. The only problem with him being in this seat is that I can't fit into the middle seat anymore! It is funny how big the car seemed when we bought it and were expecting our first... children and their things certainly take up a lot of space!

Bright Wednesday...

Each year we head about a hour away from my father-in-law's church to one that holds a Vespers Service and Agape meal on Bright Wednesday evening. This year, the Metropolitan was able to come at the last minute, so the children and I got to see him for the second time (the first was The March for Life in January)! It was nice to see all of our friends there, too! :) All our children cared about was that they served hot dogs and strawberries with whipped cream with the meal!

Bright Tuesday...

We had a lunch date with Sugar Plum's godmother this afternoon and not only enjoyed her company, but got to see the Bantam Silkies she and her family keep in their garden! The have three little ladies who are not quite a year old and just hatched three little chicks! We even got to take home two eggs for Grandfather from one of the hens who is not mothering the babies right now. Thank you for a lovely afternoon, Auntie Claudia!


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Bright Monday...

Every year we try to go to my father-in-law's church for Bright Monday Liturgy. We love to go celebrate Pascha with the people that Father John grew up with! The nicest part of the day is that my dad's parish is close to my father-in-law's, so the three priests in our family get to serve Liturgy together!

Pascha Morning...

Paschal Shelf

Little Man and his camera

Sugar Plum's dress

Egg Hunt Spoils

Paschal Vespers

Censing the church during the Agape Vespers service at noon

April 19th...

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. Enjoy our little Bright Week Vacation... we drove up to visit our families yesterday and are staying through Thursday morning!
2. Spend a little time at some of our old haunts with the little ones. We are particularly looking forward to taking them on a canal walk near my father-in-law's house.
3. Take a little time to pop into a shop or two to find replacement "Sunday shoes." Mine are hopelessly scuffed!
4. Visit with Sugar Plum's godmother (who has some baby chicks in her yard!) and with Little Man's godfather.
5. Stop complaining - both verbally and in my head!!

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.

Christ is Risen!!

Great and Holy Friday...

Liturgy on Great and Holy Thursday Morning...

On Holy Thursday morning, we ascend Mount Zion with Christ and the Twelve, and enter into the upper room. Once there, we witness the awesome moment when, at the Last Supper, Christ abolishes the ritual practice of the Old Covenant and establishes the ritual of the New Covenant, prophesied by Jeremiah, through the sacrament of Holy Communion. The faithful receive Holy Communion at that Holiest of Liturgies."

-Journey to Pascha: A Daily Guide Through Holy Week

Holy Unction on Great and Holy Wednesday...

For an explanation of Holy Unction, please go here.

Holy Week Links for Little Ones...

Great and Holy Week for Little Ones - Katherine has generously created a pdf file that contains the labeled icons for Holy Week for printing, sorting, and using in a three-part tray.

Journey to Pascha - The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese has put together a pdf description of the services of Holy Week for children (though I think parents would probably benefit as well!).

And, just because I am sad that we had our last Bridegroom Matins for this year tonight:

Calling All Anne Lovers...

I found this book at BJs on Thursday and whipped through all 387 pages! It was a good book in my opinion, but I only just read all of the Anne books last year so I am no Anne expert. I must say that I am thrilled that Anne and I share March 5th as a birthday, according to Mrs. Wilson (and maybe L.M. Montgomery and I just missed it!)!

If you read Before Green Gables, did you like it? If you haven't read it, will you?

Palm Sunday...

Early April Seasonal Shelf...

Fields Around Our Home...

The fields that are barren all autumn and winter always look so pretty in early spring! The green starts to creep back in but the best part is the clover that spreads a purple haze over everything for a few weeks until planting begins. These pictures are a bit blurry because they were taken from the car as we drove by... don't worry, I was in the passenger seat!

Living Easter...

We visited a nearby Living Easter on Saturday night (the same church did the Living Nativity in December) and really enjoyed it! It was very solemn, tasteful and child-friendly - a good way to near the end of Great Lent!

Spring Seed Project for Toddlers...

Last Wednesday, Sugar Plum and I planted wheat berries in an Easter basket she got last year... Look how quickly the wheat grass grew!! I am so happy that we planted wheat berries as opposed to flower seeds because it was almost instant gratification for an impatient toddler who wants to see results NOW! I soaked the berries for 24 hours in a bowl of water on my counter and then we lined the basket with a plastic bag, filled it with dirt, and spread the berries thickly over the top of the soil. We sprayed the seeds with water and covered them with some plastic wrap to keep them warm. Within a few hours, we could see the seeds sprouting! This has been a great experince for our little one... plus, we have a pretty centerpiece for Pascha!

Diapers and Homeschooling...

Courtney has written three great posts on cloth diapering: How We Cloth Diaper, Caring for Wool, and The Cost of Cloth Diapering... all are excellent posts for both old hands at cloth diapering and those who know nothing about it!

Katherine penned three (so far!) posts on how she teaches her children all about the Orthodox Faith (a plan she worked on with our daughter's godfather!! What a small world we live in!). Learning through the Year of Grace is an overview on what she does and she also offers her plans and book list for the Paschal season. Finally, she offers her lesson plans for Bright Week, which look pretty awesome. I wish that I could stay at her house and work on The Paschal Canon in color with her children... I can't wait to see pictures!

Living and Learning for April...

Faith

Saint Mary of Egypt

Palm Sunday

Great and Holy Week

Pascha

Bright Week

Homemaking

Keep to Homemaking Budget

Complete Lenten Cleaning

Rain Boots for Self

Meal Planning & Weekly Shopping

Prepare for Pascha

Visit a Farmer’s Market

Begin Indoor Herb Garden

Goals

Improve Prayer Life

Reading: Real Learning: Education in the Heart of the Home and Close to Home: One Orthodox Mother's Quest for Patience, Peace, and Perseverance

Create a Homemaking Routine

Cultivate a Quiet Spirit

Habits to Work On

Picture Book Reading after Breakfast

Afternoon Walk (and Trike Riding!)

Evening Playtime on the Porch

Cleaning up as We Go

Book List

Make Way for Ducklings

Flower Fairies of the Spring

Spring

Brambly Hedge Spring Story

The Very Hungry Caterpillar

Eloise Wilkin Stories

Cheerios Play Book

Miss Rumphius

A Big Treasury of Little Animals

Rituals

Baking on Monday

Library on Tuesday

Playdate on Wednesday

Arts and Crafts on Thursday

Games on Friday

Learning

Learn the Lord’s Prayer

Practice Being Still and Quiet during Prayers and Services

Setting and Clearing the Table

Sorting Recycling

Daily Lenten Activities

Full Paschal Moon (9th)

Nature Table Scene and Book Basket

Visit a Garden

Listen to stories on the iPod

Complete Kumon Books for Two-Year-Olds

Rainbow Walk

Sing Roy G. Biv Song

Hang a Crystal to Catch Rainbows

Don Rain Gear and take a Walk in the Rain

Look for Birds

Keep a Bird Journal