Happy Easter. And Easter and Easter and Easter.

I celebrate Easter for the whole spanking 50 days.  Do you?

We began well.
A little sickness in the family.

A lot of chocolate stuck to the floor as the bunny crumbles...

And it's just the beginning.  So it's okay if it takes awhile to sink in.

Our dining room table on Easter Morning.

We grew the wheat grass again this year.  It always surprises me how it waits to grow in earnest until the days before Easter.  

I also trimmed the (with my son's help) peach tree and a branch bloomed inside.  lovely.

We pulled out our Easter Icon and it will be on the table for this WHOLE Easter celebration.

Lindt eggs and bunnies.   And a copy of the Kursk Root Icon that we have visited earlier in the year.  

I doubt the chocolate will make it until Pentecost.  But I'm happy to shop again.  

Passover

He was fascinated with his freedom to have a "wine cup".  

We visited a local parish again this year to celebrate the Passover meal through the eyes of a Catholic.  

The local Knights of Columbus has been putting this on for nearly 10 years.  

It's not quite the same as when we have visited the local Jewish community.  Or the Messianic Jewish Passover meal, but very nice to do. 

And very low key.  The pastor does much of the reading.  

And we do the traditional lighting of the candles by the mothers of each family.

The booklets help us all follow along.  

The kid wine makes everyone happy.

Sharing the matzo bread.  

And yes.  That wine cup was the highlight this year.  

Resurrection Sunday

Icon

Last week we went to see the Kursk Root Icon that was traveling through our area.

Our veneration of the icon and participation in the Akathist hymns were our way of showing the unity we share with our Eastern brothers and sisters. 

Before the service, a woman went outside with the visiting priest.  I loved catching this confession in progress.  Isn't it beautiful?  You can see the priests stole wrapping her in reconciliation.  

 And an edited at home closer look.  

Have you been able to take advantage of confession this Lent?  There is still time! 

Lamb of God, 

You take away

the sins of the world,

Have mercy on us.

Lamb of God

You take away

the sins of the world,

Have mercy on us.

Lamb of God, 

You take away 

the sins of the world, 

Grant us peace.  

Perks of living in the country...your neighbors let you know the second a lamb is born and you drop your school work and go to see the triplets that have just been "dropped".   Then you return when they are three days old to touch them.  

Fun with photos

I got a "fancy" phone more than a year ago and have enjoyed learning how to take lots of photos.  I'm now trying my hand at turning my photos into watercolors...with an app.  

Aren't these fun?

Are you still celebrating Easter?

It's the fourth Sunday of Easter.  Good Shepherd Sunday.  We will enjoy our last session of Catechesis of the Good Shepherd for our oldest today.  9 years of Catechesis has gone by too quickly!

I'm still reflecting on the Easter Liturgy we attended.  The children are continually telling the story of singing "Christ is Risen from the Dead.  With death, he trampled death.  And to those in the tombs he granted Life" over and over.

Here are some photos from our Easter 2012.

Family photo at the front of the church.

Blessing of the Easter Baskets after Liturgy.

Peeking into others Easter baskets.

Yummy raisin bread in our Easter basket with the traditional Byzantine cross.

After the Liturgy a friend of ours received the Rite of anointing with oil.  She was scheduled for a kidney transplant in the Easter season.  It was wonderful to witness this!  Here you can see the priest holding a Bible over her head.  

Besides reflecting on our Easter Liturgy, we are taking family trips and doing more fun schooling.  We are also spending lots of time in nature.

Does the Easter joy remain?

The weeks of Easter continue.  Do you continue to have Easter joy?

A look back to Holy Week 2011

This year we did the Stations as a family each Friday that Daddy was in town.  Instead of using real candles, I got those little battery operated fake look alike candles.  It was much safer with a grabbing baby.  Daddy reads here while a 4 year old feels sleepy.

After each station was "visited" we turned that candle off.  

Suprisingly we had hail one day during Holy Week. (and lots of rain!)  The kids were able to bring in some piles of hail for a nice science exploration.

Upon our deacon's encouragement, we moved the veiled crucifix into the dining room.  

Crosses were made out of palms.  Other things were tried, none were picture worthy.  

A child learned how to feed himself yogurt.  Mostly.

First egg hunt.  (with a little help)

Easter vigil attire.

Mom went a little overboard with Easter Morning goodies.