The Easter Triduum

The Easter Triduum begins tonight with the Mass of the Last Supper and ends with evening prayer on Easter Sunday. I can't believe Lent has flown by so fast, and Easter is almost here! Maybe it is due to Easter being so early this year. Anyhow, I thought I would take a second and share our plans for the next few days.


Holy Thursday:

• Our candle is lit in living room & has been all week.
• Read Bible Story for today and place symbol on Jesus Tree.
• Since today is also called Green Thursday, lunch will be spinach noodles and veggies.
• Read John 13:1-15.
• Story time: Through the Eyes of John
• Make or Buy Hot Cross Buns for Tomorrow.
• For dinner ~ Mexican Restaurant with relatives.
• 7 pm ~ Mass of the Lord's Supper.

Good Friday:

• Candle lit in living room.
• Fast (adults), abstain (kids).
• Read Bible Story for today and place symbol on Jesus Tree.
• Hot cross buns for breakfast.
• Story time: The Little Rose of Sharon & Children's Stations of the Cross
• Create a page for our Liturgical Notebooks while listening to The Passion of Christ (We have been listening to this all lent and my kids LOVE it!)
• Blow out candle in living room.
• 3:00 at Church: Passion & Veneration of the Cross.
• Don't forget to bring Rice Bowls to Church!
• Purchase Easter lilies while in town.
• Hubby & I will watch The Passion of the Christ after the kids are in bed.

Holy Saturday:

• Read Bible Story for today and place symbol on Jesus Tree.
• Decorate Easter eggs.
• Make Easter Candy--I bought a really neat kit for this!
• Make Resurrection Cookies.
• Decorate Paschal Candle.
• Hubby & Boys will clean out Fire Place (since there is no light/fire in it today).
• Prepare food for tomorrow.
• Prepare clothing for tomorrow.
• Easter Vigil Prayers at Home.
• Assemble Easter baskets and hide eggs after the kids are in bed.

Easter Sunday:

• Early Mass.
• Light Pascal Candle.
• Read Bible Story for today and place symbol on Jesus Tree.
• Easter Baskets for kids.
• Brunch at home.
• Indoor Easter Egg hunt.
• Dinner at Rascal's Godparents home.

We are also doing an easy little craft that I found in The Fifty Days of Easter for the Christian Family that you could still start today... I have been meaning to post about it, but got sidetracked with my Spring/Easter Cleaning. It is a Caterpillar/Cocoon/Butterfly project. On Palm Sunday, you create a caterpillar. I used these directions. We then placed the caterpillar on the school table, where the kids have been looking at it all week. Tomorrow, Good Friday, we will place the caterpillar in a brown paper bag cocoon. After the kids go to bed on Saturday night, and I am decorating for Easter, I will depose of the caterpillar and replace it with a beautifully decorated butterfly. On Easter morning, the kids will open the cocoon to find the butterfly, which is a symbol of the Resurrection! This can then lead to a discussion about Jesus who rose from the dead, and in the future butterflies will remind them of our Resurrected Lord!

Next year I hope to do a Jonah project with the kids... We'll see! :)

Does your family have any special Triduum traditions?

Spring is here!!

March wind is a jolly fellow;
He likes to joke and play.
He turns umbrellas inside out
And blows men's hats away.
He calls the pussy willows
And whispers in each ear,
"Wake up you lazy little seeds,
Don't you know that spring is here.
~Author Unknown


Here are a few Spring worksheets/writing assignments
that we might try out.

Have a great Holy Thursday,
and Happy Spring!!!

Spring Cleaning ~ Reality Check

Well, it is Wednesday night... Are you wondering if I got all my Easter Cleaning done??? The answer is NO!! I did get a lot done, but not everything that I had hoped. Some of the things on my list I intentionally put off once I realized just how long it would take, i.e. sorting through the kids clothes, and cleaning out closets and cabinets. Those projects can wait till after Easter, when I can tackle them one at a time.

Kitchen/Dining Room:

• Clean the cobwebs
• Clean Light fixtures
• Dust window sills
• Clean the Window & Sliding Door (Inside & Out)
• Wipe Fingerprints off Walls
• Clean Microwave Inside & Out
• Clean out Refrigerator
• Clean off outside of Refrigerator
• Clean off TOP of Refrigerator
  
• Clean Oven
• Clean Stove & Fan/Hood
• Run Clean Cycle on Coffee Maker
• Wash Canisters/Knick-Knacks
• Wash Glasses in Cupboard I didn't get to it, but Tracy did!
  
• Clean and straighten cupboards and drawers This will take forever
  
• Clean off top (and under ledge) of Dining table and Polish
• Dust the bottoms of the chairs
• Scrub Down Cabinet Fronts
• Dust the baseboards
• Clean Under Sink
• Put Away Stray Items
• Sweep and mop the floor I think I'll do this tomorrow
  

Living Room:

• Clean cobwebs
• Clean Mini Blinds I tried... any suggestions??
  
• Dust window sills and front door
• Clean switch plate of hand prints and walls if needed
• Clean phone
• Clean pictures
• Dust furniture and Mantle
• Dust baseboards
• Organize Bookshelves
• Organize the coat closest After Easter Purging Project
  
• Put Away Stray Items A bit of laundry left to put away in the morning
  
• Clean Wood stove Hubby & Boys will do this Holy Saturday
  
• Vacuum under Couch Cushions
• Vacuum the floor (including under furniture)

Laundry Room / Bathroom:

• Put all Purged Items in Car to Donate
• Put away all Laundry
• Put Away Stray Items
• Look behind Appliances for socks, etc.
• Remove Cobwebs
• Clean Light Fixtures
• Clean Window Inside & Out
• Wipe Down the Top of the Washer and Dryer
• Clean the Gunk from rim of Washer Door
• Throw Out Empty Bottles and Trash
• Burn all Burn Trash
• Empty the Trash
• Clean Trash Can
• Organize Cabinets & Drawers
• Clean Toilet
• Clean Shower
• Wash Shower Door
• Wash Mirror
• Clean Counter top
• Wash Area Rugs
• Sweep and Mop Floor

Hallway:

• Remove Cobwebs
• Put Away Stray Items I don't know WHERE to put them! They will probably end up in my closet... aarrgghh
  
• Clean Door Knobs, switch plate and walls of hand prints
• Dust baseboards & doors
• Mop Floor Does it really need to be mopped ever? ;)
  

Master Bedroom:

• Organize Dresser Drawers
• Organize Nightstands
• Organize Bookshelf
• Anything to donate??
• Clean Under Bed
• Put Away Stray Items
• Wash Mattress Pad, Sheets and Dust Ruffle
• Make Bed
• Remove Cobwebs
• Wash Windows (Inside & Out)
• Dust light fixtures
• Dust & Polish Furniture
• Clean Fingerprints off Door & Walls
• Vacuum Room Including Under Bed & Closet

Master Bathroom:

• Remove Any Cobwebs
• Clean Light fixtures/Light bulbs
• Wash Area Rugs
• Clean Bath
• Clean Shower
• Remove Water Spots from Shower Door
• Clean Sink & Toilet
• Wash Mirrors & Windows (Inside & Out)
• Clean Candle holders
• Clean Switch plate
• Clean Scale
• Organize Makeup
• Organize Drawers & Cabinets Another after Easter Purging Project
  
• Can anything else be thrown out/donated? GET RID OF IT!! YES!
  
• Empty Trashcan
• Clean Trash Can
• Wash Floor

My Closet:

• Too big of a project to accomplish this week
• Shut door :)
  

Kids Bathroom:

• Remove Any Cobwebs
• Clean Light fixtures/Light bulbs
• Wash Area Rug
• Wash Shower Curtain
• Clean Bath
• Scrub Bath Toys
• Clean Sink & Toilet (Including down side)
• Wash Mirror & Window (Inside & Out)
• Clean Candle holders
• Clean Switch plate
• Straighten Drawers & Cabinets
• Can anything else be thrown out/donated? GET RID OF IT!!
• Put Away Stray Items
• Wash Floor

Need: New Light bulbs above tub, 2 new light bulbs above sink, baseboard installed.


Nursery / Guest Room:

• Move Guest Bed to Garage in order to create an actual Nursery/Playroom.
• (Keep or Sell Mattress?) Still not sure? But at least its in the garage now.
  
• Put Away all Laundry that has accumulated
• Organize Changing Table
• Organize Dresser Drawers
• What can go????
• Put Away Stray Items
• Wash Mattress Pad, Sheets and Dust Ruffle
• Flip Crib Mattress
• Remove Cobwebs
• Wash Window
• Polish Furniture
• Vacuum Room

Boy's Bedroom:

• Organize Dresser Drawers Purging Project
  
• Sort Out-Grown Clothing ditto
  
• Organize Closet
• Organize Bookshelf
• Organize Toys... Anything to donate??
• Clean Under Beds
• Put Away Stray Items
• Wash Mattress Pad, Sheets and Dust Ruffle
• Flip Mattresses
• Remove Cobwebs
• Wash Mini blinds
• Wash Window (Inside & Out)
• Dust light fixture
• Polish Furniture Ran out of Furniture polish... added to shopping list.
  
• Clean Fingerprints off Door & Walls
• Vacuum Room Including Under Bed & Closet

Girl's Bedroom:


** The dresser took the place of the toy box.

• Organize Dresser Drawers
• Sort Out-Grown Clothing
• Organize Closet
• Organize Bookshelf
• Organize Toys... Anything to donate??
• Clean Under Beds
• Put Away Stray Items
• Wash Mattress Pad, Sheets and Dust Ruffle
• Flip Mattresses
• Remove Cobwebs
• Wash Mini blinds
• Wash Window (Inside & Out)
• Dust light fixture
• Polish Furniture
• Clean Fingerprints off Door & Walls
• Vacuum Room Including Under Bed & Closet

School Room:

• Remove Cobwebs
• Wash Window (Inside & Out) & Monitor
• Dust light fixtures
• Clear off Desks
• Throw away all pens that don't work
• Sharpen Pencils
• Empty Pencil Sharpener
• Toss Old Receipts
• Empty Trash can
• Clean Trash can
• Dust Furniture
• Check Supplies of paper, ink, stamps, cards and envelopes
• Put Away Stray Items
• Vacuum under desks and the whole room

I didn't really get to spend much time in here... But, it did get a good cleaning last week when we moved the furniture around and added the bookshelves from the garage. There is just too much stuff still... Time to do it all over again, or like Cheryl said, Lather, Rinse, Repeat!




Front Porch:

• Sweep down cobweb and spider webs
• Put Away all Snow Boots
• Put away all Stray Items
• Sweep Deck
• Scrub & Hose off Deck
• Clean Front Door

It has been raining all week, so I didn't spend hardly any time out side.. The car didn't get done for this same reason.

Car:

• Clean and Vacuum Car
• Put Away Stray Items
• Wash Inside Windows
• Take all Items to be donated to Saint Vincents


NOTES: Pick up more furniture polish, and light bulbs.


QUESTIONS FOR YOU:

What is the best way to clean metal mini blinds? I wiped them down, but they are still soooo dirty...

Any suggestions for a water spot remover for shower doors? One that actually works! :)


Thank you all for putting up with my cleaning posts... I hope I haven't bored you to death! With all this done however, I am really looking forward to the next few days. Now, I just need a good nights sleep! Good night, God Bless!

Spring Cleaning ~ The Laundry Room

Today I tackled the laundry room. This room was actually our one and only bathroom/utility room before we added on to our home. It desperately needs to be remodeled, but was cut out of the budget along with our kitchen when we added on a couple years ago. Someday it will get done, but today I just needed to worry about getting it cleaned up.

Look at these photos taken this morning:



I currently use this bathroom as a laundry room... And since I like to hang dry a lot of clothing, I use the shower stall to do so. (That's why you see clothing in there.)

I cleaned everything, including scrubbing the walls, and when hubby got home, he even moved the washer and dryer so we could clean under and behind them. The room actually looks SO MUCH BETTER!


**I don't like dead animals on the wall... But when hubby wanted to hang his fish in the school room, we compromised and it got hung in the laundry room. Also, this was our only shower for 5 years and 3 babies--we had no bath tub at all!!! I use to set up a nursery baby bath inside the shower that I found at a boutique. I am so thankful for our addition!



Our Washer & Dryer are of the stackable variety, and I am thinking of stacking them once again to make room for a second refrigerator. What do you think? I originally unstacked them so I could have the boys help with changing over the laundry...

Anyhow, there is a little bit of today's progress. Hope you had a very productive day too!

Wednesday of Holy Week

Today is my sister Jennifer's 29th birthday!! Aaahh... She will always be younger than me, even if it is only by 14 months! I wonder if birthdays that fall during Holy Week are suppressed just like the feast days?! ;)

Happy Birthday Jen!!!

I hope you have a wonderful birthday! We are looking forward to your next trip home for a visit! Love you!!!!

Wednesday of Holy Week Psalm 21:23-32

I will proclaim your name to my brethren: in the midst of the assembly I will praise you; "You who fear the Lord, praise him; all you descendants of Jacob, give glory to him; revere him, all you descendants of Israel! For he has not spurned nor disdained the wretched man in his misery Nor did he turn his face away from him, but when he cried out to him, he heard him." So by your gift will I utter praise in the vast assembly; I will fulfill my vows before those who fear him. The lowly shall eat their fill; they who seek the Lord shall praise him: "May your hearts be ever merry!" All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the Lord; All the families of the nations shall bow down before him. For dominion is the Lord's and he rules the nations. To him alone shall bow down all who sleep in the earth; Before him shall bend all who go down into the dust. And to him my soul shall live; my descendants shall serve him. Let the coming generation be told of the Lord that they may proclaim to a people yet to be born the justice he has shown.

Spring Cleaning ~ The Nursery

While I am taking a break to feed the baby, I thought I would share the progress on another room.

If you've been to my house you will no how far this room has come!! It had basically become the dump room for everything that didn't have a home... Outgrown clothing, unfolded laundry, baby supplies, the guest bed, and much more.

One of the things Peter Walsh has you do is Hash out with your family how you would like each room to be used. Then move out everything that doesn't fit in to that vision.

We have had this room set up for so long as a Guest room, and it was getting used so rarely that it really frustrated me, and made me feel like we were wasting that space. I finally almost got hubby to agree to convert it to a nursery for Snuggles. His crib was in their already, but he rarely used it since the room was so messy.

Anyhow, hubby wasn't too excited to come home to this last week:

But, he was able to fit it into the (detached) garage until we decide what to do with it all. I would love to sheet rock our garage and make it either a guest room or school room. Maybe someday!

Yesterday I cleaned the room and now we have a functioning room for Snuggles! I also moved all the Little People out of the girls room and put them in the toy box here (the toy box came from the girls room too--to make room for a dresser), now my little ones can play in here while I school with the boys since it's right across the hall from our school room! I love it!

I even got a couple pictures up on the wall!

Now, if I could just figure out what to do with all of this:



Well, back to work! :)

And the winner is...

Congratulations!!

I'll be contacting you, to see which basket you would like!

THANK YOU to EVERYONE that participated in the

Easter Hope Challenge

You guys are AMAZING!!!!

Together, we have

$3250.00

to give to the Hadley Hope Fund. You have all completely exceeded the hopes and expectations I had for this little raffle. I can't thank you enough!

Please remember to keep the Hadley's in your prayers, and in the future, if you would like to continue donating to them, they set up a paypal button on their website!

Thank you again! I hope you all have a very blessed Holy Week and joy filled Easter!

Spring Cleaning ~ Master Bedroom & Bath

Well, we really have gotten quite a bit of Easter Cleaning done... There is just SO MUCH MORE to do. I am really trying to limit my decluttering and focus on the actual cleaning, since I could easily get stuck in a closet or cabinet for a full day! Does that ever happen to you?

Yesterday, the majority of the day was spent in the Bedrooms and Bathrooms. I started with the Master Bedroom since I figured I could keep the kids out of there once it was done! It wasn't too hard since I had a good jump start on it a couple weeks ago when hubby was out of town.

I really wish I would have taken a picture before I started cleaning. It looks so much better now, and is so much more peaceful!

Some of the things removed from this room (a couple weeks ago) included: Exercise Ball, Toddler Bed, Old Computer, Sleeping Bags, Lots of Laundry, and tons of other stuff. Having all of that out made cleaning so much easier!

Here are a few pictures:





We have been trying to decide what to put in this corner, but after moving the bookcases from the garage to the school room, we needed some where to put one of the school room bookcases.



Hubby was able to move a whole bunch of books out of his closet, and I was able to have a spot for some photo albums. At some point I need to go through all of our books. But not yet.



All of the drawers (except for 2 of hubby's) are cleaned out!! I love it!!
Here are before and after pictures of my nightstand drawers.

Before:


After:


Now I don't have to keep all my books on top of my nightstand!

After the bedroom was done, windows, lights and all, I moved on to the Master Bathroom.

I started with organizing one of the cabinets:



And then moved on to clearing off the counter. (Most of my makeup was on the counter...) I got rid of enough stuff to fit my makeup under the sink, but I am going to save the rest of the cabinets & drawers for another purging project.

I cleaned the Bathroom from ceiling to floor, and realized just how much I LOVE my bathroom windows!! They are top down/bottom up, and they fold in to clean the outsides!! It was so easy!



I even set up a new reed diffuser that Carrie gave me for my birthday, and found new candles for near the tub!

Still to do:

• Need 3 can light bulbs for Master Bedroom
• Need touch up paint in a couple spots
• Organize Bathroom Drawers & Under Sinks
• Buy a lid for toilet -- it broke shortly after installation, and we still haven't replaced it. I asked for a new one for Christmas, but I didn't get it. I was serious!

Also... Does anyone know of a great product for removing water spots? I scrubbed and scrubbed with no luck. I use to have an amazing product called Amaze, but the store that sold it is out of business, and I can't even fins it online. What do you use? Does it work?

I will try to post some more of our progress later, but for now, my break is over!

WoW ~ Week 3

It's Wednesday already. My goals last week were to eat well (as in healthy food choices), drink more water, and exercise at least 3 times. Instead of exercising 3 times, I had pizza 3 times... Oops! Other than that not so little slip up, and the delicious mint Hershey kisses I had on St. Pat's day, I did great and drank more water, though still not enough. Regina did so much better! Way to go Regina!!!

Even though I didn't actually exercise, cleaning house has got to count!!! I am SO SORE!! How many calories do you think you burn as you are scrubbing tile and windows? My neighbor thought I was crazy when she looked out her window yesterday and saw me on a ladder cleaning some of our outside windows. Anyhow, I am coming to realize that it will not be possible to finish all that cleaning by tonight, but I am hoping to get a good bit more done today, if I can stand up that is.

I was sort of disappointed when I weighed this morning. Yesterday I was down a pound more than today. But nevertheless, I am still down one more pound from last week. The exciting thing is, that I am now a half of a pound less than I weighed pre-pregnancy with Snuggles! Yeah!! (I did get down a few more pounds during that first trimester with Snuggles, but that doesn't count since it was since I was so sick.) Now I just need to lose the weight I gained during the two previous pregnancy's. It may take awhile at this rate!

Summary:

• Week three progress: -1
• Overall progress: -2.5
  

Check out everyone else's progress here.

Need: More Hiding Places

Me: Come on boys, please help me just a little longer. We want to have a clean house for Easter, don't we?

Captain: Weeellll... It would actually be better if the house is messy.

Me: Why is that?

Captain: Well, then if it rains, there will be more places to hide the Easter Eggs in the house!

I ran across this link that lists 50 places to hide Easter Eggs (including 25 ideas for indoors). I think we will be just fine, even if we do get the house clean in time!