My baby is 18 today!

The 50 Days of Easter

One of these days I will actually post an event while it's happening, but for now here are some of our spring activities.

The Church celebrates Easter for 50 days concluding with the Feast of Pentecost. Our children's school always has Spring Break during Easter Week. So it is usually a very fun and festive time for us.

We launch into Easter with a Holy Thursday "Passover" meal - lamb, unleavened bread (pita), bitter herbs (spring mix with vinaigrette), apples with cinnamon and raisins (to resemble the bricks that the Israelites had to make), and of course Kosher wine. :-) After 40 days of giving up wine for Lent, that glass of grape wine tastes really good.

There can be no resurrection without the crucifixion. We love celebrating Easter Sunday, the Holiest day of the Church Year, after we have fasted, prayed and given alms for 40 days.

Then, it's Spring Break. This year we went to Fredrickburg for a few days. We climbed Enchanted Rock, shopped, and ate delicious German food.


We also toured the newly updated Museum of the Pacific War. It was very well done and could take many hours to see the whole thing. Surprising for such a small town. I highly recommend it if you are ever in that area.

The wildflowers were amazing this year as we had a lot of rain during the Spring. The Willow City Loop outside Fredricksburg was a beautiful drive.

Now, maybe I'll get around to July 4th in the near future.

BFF (Best Friends Forever for you non-texters)

Last week, Abby and I went to visit one of my dearest friends from high school, Kim Gilchrist Nisbett. Kim was always light-years ahead of the rest of us. She was class valedictorian, married her high school sweetheart, Keith, (while still in high school) and put us all to shame with her artistic, musical, and theatrical talent.

(Please forgive me for posting this pic, Kim)

Almost 30 years later, she has 10 children (plus one son-in-law) who are/have been home schooled, a family farm, and a beautiful life in a small, idyllic town in Missouri.

Kim and Keith have founded a local theatre group. When I learned that they were going to be performing Pride and Prejudice I knew it was time to make a visit. Abby and I were not disappointed! It was a top-notch performance. Ever since we returned, we have been unable to pull ourselves away from watching all the various adaptations of Jane Austen's works.


You can see some more of their work at:

www.Finelinendrama.com


Our 10 year old daughters, Abby and Anna, quickly became new BFF's.



Thanks to the whole Nisbett family for hosting us and giving us such a memorable experience.

We love you!

Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!’

"LET US GO TOGETHER TO MEET CHRIST ON THE MOUNT OF OLIVES. TODAY HE RETURNS FROM BETHANY AND PROCEEDS OF HIS OWN FREE WILL TOWARD HIS HOLY AND BLESSED PASSION, TO CONSUMMATE THE MYSTERY OF OUR SALVATION."

St. Andrew of Crete, from The Liturgy of the Hours, Office of Readings, Passion Sunday

Christmas cookies at Easter

I was going through old pics and realized that I never posted these beautiful cookies that John made with the children at Christmas time. When I returned from Christmas shopping I came home to trays and trays of these.

They tasted as good as they looked!

Haircuts

The girls got tired of detangling spray and tears so we opted for cute classic haircuts. It's been such a timesaver, and they are really enjoying their new looks.

All basketball, All the time

3 teams, 8 practices and 6 games a week. We are up to our eyeballs in hoops. It's so much fun to watch the Crusaders, but I'm glad it's almost over.

VARSITY

MIDDLE SCHOOL

4TH GRADE GIRLS

And here we have the Crusader rock band. They'll be playing at the school Valentine's Dance.

The cutest nephew on the planet

We had the privilege of visiting with my sister, Kim, and her adorable son, Nathan, numerous times in 2009. Life is not dull when they're around! We're looking forward to more fun times with them this year.

Double trouble! The giggling between these two is priceless.

Surprise Christmas gift

Animals have a strange way of entering our lives on unusual days. This little girl showed up in our garage on Christmas Day, obviously hungry and homeless. Our dog, Ignatius (Nacho) really needed a companion as he is an outdoor dog. So we decided that "God" sent this one to us, and we named her Joy. After several weeks, I'm convinced that God would never intentionally do this to me. Is there any messier, more destructive creature on Earth than a puppy? Good thing she's cute.

Christmas Greetings and Happy 2010

On the 10th Day of Christmas...

we finally made our Gingerbread Houses.

Masterpieces!

Pyromaniacs

After our long burn ban was lifted, the guys couldn't wait to get out there and burn everything in sight. I think all males are pyromaniacs.