Easter Baking

Hot Cross Buns for Good Friday

served with Tomato Basil Soup

Ukrainian Easter Doves...

... and Paska for Easter Sunday!  

And I'm sure I am re-gaining some of that lost weight just from smelling all this bread!  ;)

Our day ended with a trip to the Urgent Care for Captain.  He actually has been recovering from a staph infection since last week, and today he had an allergic reaction to the antibiotics.  He will now be on Benadryl for the next week or so... It's been a really rough week for him, though our trip to the ocean was a nice distraction!   I'm just thankful that we were home (in town) when he came down with the reaction, and that Sean was home this year!  (Last Good Friday I was on my own taking Snuggles, and all the rest of the kids, to the hospital for an x-ray!  Yes, this is one tradition that has got to stop!) 

Anyways, tomorrow I'm hoping that we will be able to dye Easter eggs, mold butter, bake our lamb cake, and get started on the rest of our Easter Menu.   How are your Easter preparations coming along?   

A Child's Way of the Cross

"When Jesus was taken before Herod, John led the Blessed Virgin Mary and Magdalen over the parts which had been sanctified by his footsteps . . . they stopped and contemplated each spot where he had fallen, or where he had suffered particularly; and they wept silently at the thought of all he had undergone. The Blessed Virgin knelt down frequently and kissed the ground where her Son had fallen, while Magdalen wrung her hands in bitter grief, and John, although he could not restrain his own tears, endeavored to console his companions, supported, and led them on. Thus was the holy devotion of the 'Way of the Cross' first practiced; thus were the Mysteries of the Passion of Jesus first honoured, even before that Passion was accomplished, and the Blessed Virgin, that model of spotless purity, was the first to show forth the deep veneration felt by the Church for our dear Lord."

(The Dolorous Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ from the meditations of Blessed Anne Catherine Emmerich)

And He withdrew from them about a stone's throw, and knelt down and prayed, "Father, if thou art willing, remove this cup from me; nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done." Luke 22:41-42

When He rose from prayer, he came to the disciples and found them sleeping for sorrow, and He said to them, "Why do you sleep? Rise and pray that you may not enter into temptation." Luke 22:45-46 

While he was still speaking, there came a crowd, and the man called Judas, one of the twelve, was leading them.  He drew near to Jesus to kiss him; but Jesus said to him, "Judas, would you betray the Son of man with a kiss?" Luke 22:47-48

Then they seized Him and led Him away, bringing him into the high priest's house. Luke 22:54

So when Pilate saw that he was gaining nothing, but rather that a riot was beginning, he took water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying, "I am innocent of this rightous man's blood; see to it yourselves."  Matthew 27:24-25

And all the people answered, "His blood will be on us and on our children!" Matthew 27:26

And Herod and Pilate became friends with each other that very day, for before this they had been at enmity with each other.  Luke 23:12

Jesus knelt down by its side, encircled it with his sacred arms, and kissed it three times, addressing, at the same time, a most touching prayer of thanksgiving to his Heavenly Father for that work of redemption which he had begun.  The Dolorous Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ, Blessed Anne Catherine Emerich

Thus began that triumphant march of the King of Kings, a march so ignominious on earth, and so glorious in heaven.  The Dolorous Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ, Blessed Anne Catherine Emerich

Next I beheld our Blessed Saviour and Redeemer - his bare feet swollen and bleeding - his back bent as though he were about to sink under the heavy weight of the cross, and his whole body covered with wounds and blood.  The Dolorous Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ, Blessed Anne Catherine Emerich

So they took Jesus, and he went out, bearing his own cross, to the place called the place of a skull, which is called in Hebrew Golgatha.  There they crucified him. John 19:17-18

And he bought a linen shroud, and taking him down, wrapped him in the linen shroud, and laid him in a tomb which had been hewn out of the rock; and he rolled a stone against the door of the tomb.  Mark 15:46

Having first seen with their own eyes that the body of Jesus was really there, [the guards] fastened one rope across the door of the tomb, and a second across the great stone which was placed in front, sealing the whole with a seal of half-circular shape.  The Dolorous Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ, Blessed Anne Catherine Emerich

At this moment the rock was so violently shaken, from the very summit to the base, that three of the guards fell down and became almost insensible . . . [Our Lord's] body was beautiful and lightsome, and its beauty was that of a celestial being.  He was clothed in a large mantle, which at one moment looked dazzlingly white . . . His large open wounds shone brightly, and could be seen from a great distance.  The Dolorous Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ, Blessed Anne Catherine Emerich

The seal of the grave is broken; He who reposed therein is living; He whom we saw die upon the wood of the cross, as the outcast of mankind, He has proclaimed His divine dignity; neither seal, nor grave, nor stone, nor oak could withstand Him; He is risen!  Sermons of the Cure of Ars

* The boys were just asking to see their old Playmobil scenes of The Easter Story (here are the links from 2009, 2010, and 2011) and I realized I never posted the pictures from last year, so we are adding them now.

My Daybook :: March 24th, 2013

We just got home last night from spending one night and two beautiful days at the coast to celebrate Sean's 40th birthday!  I started writing this post at the hotel but never did get around to adding pictures and posting. Now to finish unpacking, start the laundry, and finish our Spring Cleaning before the Triduum begins. I hope you all have a very blessed Holy Week!

Outside my the hotel window... 
we can see the Pacific Ocean!

I am thankful... 
that we were able to plan a last minute mini-vacation to celebrate Sean's 40th birthday!  He had made me promise to not plan a party for him, but on Saturday morning when I suggested a drive to the coast to attend the Latin Mass for his birthday/Palm Sunday, he thought that sounded perfect!  Even though it is Spring Break we were still able to reserve a Family size Room at a hotel for Sunday night, so once again we had to leave the house bright and early to make it to the 8am Mass over two hours away!

I am thinking...        
about getting older, and how fast the years are passing... Aren't we still in our 20's?!  On the drive over to the coast I kept teasing my husband...

 

"Road signs sure take on a whole new meaning when you hit these milestone birthdays - like turning 40 - don't they?!" 

... and while driving through the amazing, gorgeous, and ancient Redwoods... 

"Forty really isn't that old... If you are a tree!"

 

I know... It won't be long before I am going to regret teasing him about turning 40! And our children have already picked up my sense of "humor."  On my last birthday Captain said, "Mom! Now that you are 35, when you round you have to round to forty instead of thirty!"  No more Math lessons for that boy... ;)

Learning all the time... 
After Mass we took Father out to breakfast and then we drove down to the harbor before heading north to our hotel. I asked Sean to swing back around so I could snap a picture of the Coast Guard Ship. I never did get that picture, since we got a little distracted by all these sea lions and fur seals!

Don't let the pictures fool you... These Sea Lions stink!

As we drove away we overheard Snuggles say "That almost made me throw up!"  

Celebrating the liturgical year... 
It was so nice to attend a Latin Mass on Palm Sunday!  Father even asked the boys to serve. There was a visiting priest as well, who offered confessions after Mass.  I've been extra overwhelmed lately and was very happy to be able to go to confession one more time before Easter.  I also loved the penance he gave me: "Give hugs to four of your children and tell them that you love them!"



It was the perfect day to sneak in lots of hugs!

From the kitchen... 
To keep the cost of our trip to a minimum we avoided eating out for the most part.   I had packed water bottles, juice boxes, peanut butter/jelly/bread, snacks, muffins and oatmeal and then we picked up some fresh fruit and a birthday cake at the grocery store once we arrived.  We did pick up a pizza to take back to the hotel room for dinner - half BBQ chicken and half Garlic chicken, as requested by the "birthday boy."  

I didn't think about how much smoke those 40 candles were going to create... I'm just thankful that we didn't set off the fire alarm in the hotel. That could have been really bad! ;)

I am working on... 
strengthening my lungs again after that awful cold! It was so heavenly to be able to go for a run on the beach with my husband!  We snapped a couple pictures during a break at the tide pools during low tide.

 

I am creating... 
a check list for Easter!  I picked up a couple other small items at the gift shop across the street from the hotel for Easter (a red dragon for Snuggles, since it goes so well with his Knight themed books, along with some cute little purse size note pads with butterflies and peacocks on the cover for the girls) and also ordered one more book for Rascal since one of his books is on backorder.  I've also been making a grocery list and I think our Easter dinner will be pretty similar to last year.

I am hoping... 
that the kids are all healthy again by Easter. Some of them are still coughing pretty badly, especially at night, but I think we are finally reaching the end of this virus.

I am praying... 
for a special intention.

I am reading... 
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory to the children. We have never let them watch the movie  (and don't plan to) but they have been captivated by the story and keep begging for more.  Even little Rose keeps asking for "just one more chapter!"  Twinkle Toes forgot to bring a book on the trip so she has started over at the beginning to read it again.

Pondering these words...
from my page a day calendar.  How interesting, considering the penance I was given. I wonder if Father has the same calendar! ;)  I doubt it...

I am listening...  
to very excited children!  One of them has already asked for an "ocean" themed birthday party for their next birthday.  They are all having so much fun!  We have also started a list of "things to bring" the next time we are able to come over to the coast: A kite, shovel, sand buckets, frisbee, etc...

Around the house hotel room... 
Traveling with a big family is difficult and expensive, so we usually avoid it when ever possible, opting for a summer camping trip or day trip for our family "vacations."

This trip actually worked out well though and I am hoping we will be able to do it again!  We booked the "L shaped Family Room" which had 2 queen sized beds, a queen size pull out couch, and we asked for a roll-away.  The girls had one of the queens, Rascal and Snuggles had the couch/bed, Captain had the roll-away, and we bought a pack-and-play for Bud!

Here are a few more pictures taken during the afternoon, in the hotel room and on the beach. 

One of my favorite things...  
watching the Sunset over the ocean.

This week's plans...

We had a dear friend and her children over for lunch today, and tomorrow we will be working on some Spring cleaning and grocery shopping for Easter.  Other than that it will be a quiet week in our home as we observe the Triduum and celebrate Easter!

A little peek at Monday...

because I just haven't shared enough pictures from our trip yet! ;) 

After checking out of the hotel on Monday morning we headed North to another beach, a couple lookout points to watch for Whales, and then to a park before driving home.