A Happy 15th Birthday

I have always loved trying to make our children’s birthdays extra special.

It’s been much harder to do the last few years due to our last two babies (sleepless nights/babies in your late 30s and 40s is HARD), our big out-of-state move, and just way less energy than I had when I was younger... Last year one of our daughters’ birthdays fell on Holy Saturday and I said “next year I’ll throw you a big party with friends!” That next birthday was this past Monday.

Between the quarantine and Easter I had not made any plans, other than the gifts that I had bought previously and tucked away in my closet.. I was too tired to even stay up and wrap them on Sunday night let alone bake a cake or pull together any other decorations. When I woke up in the morning it brought tears to my eyes when I walked out to the kitchen and discovered beautiful thank you cards scattered on the counter for every member of the family from the birthday girl. Each card had a sweet and personalized message on the back. I love her so much! She is so beautiful both inside and out and I’m grateful for the gift of being her mother!

 

I was still determined, despite the circumstances, to still make her day as special as possible! As our children have gotten older it's become more about spending quality time with them instead of fun and creative birthday themes. The birthday girl had a Latin Exam to complete for her online class first thing on Monday morning, but after that we took the rest of the day off! While she was getting her exam done I wrapped her birthday gifts, made cake decorations, and came up with a fun plan for the day. 

The birthday girl loved the Cookies & Creamery Ice Cream cake that "Rose" had for her birthday last December, so I was going to try and pick one up while we were out. 

I wasn't sure what size I'd be able to get so I made two toppers just in case. That ended up being a good thing since we arrived back home to the two year old covered saying "I ATE CHOT-LIT!!!" with the remnants all over her mouth... At least she only ate one of them and the bigger design just fit on the smaller cake size I had brought home! 

Anyway, it had been over five weeks since our girls had left the home with the exception of enjoying our property or neighborhood walks! (In fact we shut off the liability insurance a month ago, keeping comprehensive only to cover parked cars, on all except my husband's car in order to save as much as possible while I've been laid off work.) We joked that this year she was going to get an "ESCAPE... the Little House on the Prairie" themed birthday. (She had a Little House on the Prairie Birthday Party four years ago.) Sean and the boys agreed to watch the little ones while the three older girls and I got OUT of the house for the afternoon! 

 

Armed with hand sanitizer, and handkerchiefs to use as face masks if needed, we got in the car and everyone held their breath to see if  Mom could still remember how to drive. ;) 

  

The last place the girls had been was to Sunday Mass on March 15th. Our parish actually continued to have Mass through that following Friday, but between a virus that hit some more of the children on Monday morning and then our college boys flying home on the 17th (after spending their spring break and then "second spring break" with a friend in NJ/NYC) our quarantine started early... We still don't have public Mass yet, but as of last week the church is now open for visits so that was our first stop. 

 

Next up was Dutch Bros! We drove through for her birthday drink. Blended Chai is her favorite! 

The girls in the back shared a Snickers Freeze. I stuck with a small breve, no flavor but still a treat. 

Idaho currently allows hiking as long as we "recreate responsibly" and maintain social distancing from those who are not immediate family/household members. I ran in to a store to pick up lunch (Arugula Balsamic Grass-Fed Burgers from Pilgrims!!!) and then we headed to Tubbs Hill to hike. 

 

Last spring we hiked Tubbs with friends every week and WE MISS THAT SO MUCH!

Next we headed over to walk the boardwalk. At 3,300 feet (nearly 3/4 mile) long and 12 ft wide, the Coeur d'Alene Resort Floating Boardwalk is the longest floating boardwalk in the world and encircles the marina on Lake Coeur d'Alene.

This was actually the first time we've walked the full length of the boardwalk! We started to during the road trip I took these three girls on back in 2014, but it was so windy we stopped at the bridge. 

Look at them!!! 

I actually took Sean back yesterday and he and I walked it again. So peaceful!  

 

On the way home I ran into Cold Stone and thankfully had just enough charge left on my cellphone to order cake(s). They didn't have a huge selection and I wasn't able to get the large Cookies & Creamery Cake we were hoping for. The large cakes were all chocolate glazed, which wouldn't exactly work with my homemade decoration... sooo, I got two! A large Peanut Butter Playground with "Happy 15th Birthday" written on top and a small Cookies & Creamery that I was able to scrape the decorations off and decorate myself.

With everyone home, the cakes didn't last long! Everyone had a small piece of each on her birthday and then they finished the second half of the large cake after dinner last night. Such a treat! 

For starting the day without any plans it all came together beautifully. 

I guess the nearly 20 years of practice... and boxes of past decorations... is paying off! 

After I dropped the girls (and frozen cakes) off at home I ran over to Papa Murphy's to pick up our pizza order, along with some roses and a gallon of milk (which we had been out of for over a week) at the grocery store. There wasn't much to choose from in the floral section, but when I saw this bouquet of roses I knew they were perfect for her. 

 

  

Birthday gifts were next and included a new swimsuit, a beautiful Tolkien throw blanket from Tea with Tolkien, an Oregon sweatshirt, ChromaCat, and a new backpack style purse... She was recently diagnosed with scoliosis and her doctor recommended backpacks over totes. The one we picked out is technically a "mini diaper bag" but super cute and filled with lots of awesome pockets. It's the same platinum color as her favorite tote/purse and I have a membership to Freshly Picked so was able to get it at a great price. 

Happy Birthday to our beautiful girl! We love you dearly! 

Painting an Easter Calendar

Have you seen this gorgeous 2020 Easter Calendar (affiliate link) from Clear Creek Family?!? 

I printed it out for my children to color this Easter, but have actually been enjoying painting it myself a little bit at a time each day! I've been wanting to spend some time painting with water colors for years and finally have had the opportunity... in about 10 minute increments! I'm loving it. 

(Note: It's based on the Traditional/Extraordinary Form Calendar.) 

2020 Easter Calendar • Pocket Box of Water Color Paints • Water Brush

Go download it now over on Etsy! 

{affiliate link} 

Happy Easter! Alleluia! 

Good Friday Lenten Dinner for Children

Every year our children look forward to our Lenten Dinners which were originally inspired Alice's Lenten Teas. Here is the link to this year's Holy Thursday Lenten Dinner.

For a number of years, when we are all able to go to Stations and the Veneration of the Cross, I would move this particular dinner to either Passion Sunday or Holy Saturday and just serve soup and Hot Cross Buns on Good Friday.  Last year we had it on Holy Saturday (which also happened to be our daughter's birthday, before heading to the beautiful, and very long, Easter Vigil Mass as a whole family for the first time!) This year, due to the pandemic and stay-home order I had the time to pull this simple and symbolic dinner together once again on Good Friday as our one family meal for the day.

My Book of the Church's Year

Even though there are a number of menu items, it basically just includes the ingredients to assemble your own burrito along with a hard boiled egg, a fruit leather and a Hot Cross Bun.  While the Hot Cross Buns were rising, we spent the afternoon praying along with our parish's live stream of Stations of the Cross and Good Friday Service.

~ The Water Bowl ~

Glasses of Water to drink and a bowl of water for washing hands...

"Pilate took water and washed his hands before the crowd saying, "I am innocent of this righteous man's blood." Matthew 27: 24

~ The King's Crown ~

A Small Bean, Cheese and Chip Crown... We use it to make burritos. 

"And Pilate asked Him, 'Are you the King of the Jews?' And He answered him, 'You have said so.'" Mark 15: 2

~ Out of Envy ~

Avocado slices, also for the burritos, which are green for "envy"

"[H]e perceived that it was out of envy that the chief priests had delivered Him up." Mark 15: 10

~ The Purple Cloak ~

As usual, Grape Fruit Leather was served for the Purple Cloak. I remembered to pick up a box during my last big Costco haul a couple weeks ago... 

"And they clothed Him in a purple cloak . . . ." Mark 15: 17

~ The Crown of Thorns ~

Usually we make Crown of Thorns with Ritz Crackers, Peanut Butter, and Pretzels.... I finally managed to get peanut butter from Costco, but we don't have the crackers or pretzels so I ended up just going with our centerpiece for this menu item this year.   

On Easter Sunday the thorns in our Crown of Thorns centerpiece are replaced with flowers and the purple candle with our Paschal Candle. 

". . . and, plaiting a crown of thorns they put it on him." Mark 15: 17

~ Golgotha Eggs ~

Thanks to our hens, and the beautiful spring weather that is finally starting to arrive, we have lots of eggs! Our 16 year old drew skulls on the Golgotha Egg this year using Food Decorating Pens. I really love how easy it is to prepare our eggs with our countertop egg cooker. They are so much easier to peel too! 

"And they brought Him to the place called Golgotha (which means the place of the skull)" Mark 15: 22

~ The Seamless Garment ~

Using my kitchen scissors, I quickly cut the tortillas to look like a seamless garment and cubes of cheese for the dice used to cast lots.

"But the tunic was without seam, woven from top to bottom; so they said to one another, 'Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it to see whose it shall be.'" John 19: 23-24

~ The Two Robbers ~

Last month I picked up a basil plant at the store and pulled some leaves off to serve with our Good Friday dinner. The two fresh sprigs of Basil (each) are used to represent the two robbers. Legend has it that the Basil plant grew around the site of Christ's crucifixion. Basil is also symbolic of both hatred and best wishes. The taunting thief and the good thief come to mind.

And with Him they crucified two robbers, one on His right and one on His left." Mark 15: 27

~ Vinegar to Drink ~

"And one ran and, filling a sponge full of vinegar, put it on a reed and gave it to him to drink, saying 'Wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to take Him down.'" Mark 15: 36

~ The Temple Curtain ~

Tearing Temple Curtains (aka Napkins) in half... After dinner Bud went to grab the copy of The Picture Bible to show me the pages he had recently read.  

The Picture Bible - Highly recommend this picture bible for young children!

"And the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom." Mark 15: 38

~ The Roman Centurion ~

100 Cherry Tomatoes represent the 100 Roman Centurion.

"And when the centurion, who stood facing Him, saw that He thus breathed His last, he said, 'Truly this man was the Son of God.'" Mark 15: 39

~ Laid in the Tomb ~

Hot Cross Buns were included for this menu item this year. 

"And he brought 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."

The Wonder Offering

You can find the pictures from our 2009, 2010, 2011, and 2015 Good Friday dinners in the archives for Good Friday. You can also download and print our small card stock signs here.

Next we'll start baking our Paska and molding butter for Easter Sunday!