Forecast

Today

Blizzard Warning
Hazardous Weather Outlook


Heavy
Snow
Hi 33 °F

*sigh*

At least the forecast improves after the weekend.
Maybe spring will stick around for a while after this.

{pretty, happy, funny, real}

~ Capturing the context of contentment in everyday life ~

{pretty}

my Easter flowers

{happy}

Monday: first time in hiking boots this spring!

{funny}

staticky hair and sunglasses on slides

{real}

spring!

Easter Sunday 2011

Easter Sunday we celebrated the Son in the sun!

It was probably the nicest day we've had so far this year.

I snapped this picture of our blue, blue sky
first thing after jumping stumbling out of bed.


Despite our late night celebrating,
the kids were up earlier than I had hoped
to search for their eggs and baskets,
and begin the day's sugar intake early.


The Baby found her basket first,
hidden under a napkin in her cart.


All twenty-four hard-boiled eggs were found
(because Mommy threatened that
we wouldn't leave for the day until they were).


Every year, the kids get new bathing suits
and sunglasses from Dad and Mom
in their baskets.
This year they got new water shoes and hiking packs, too.

Who's ready for summer?


The Baby just started getting the hunting for eggs thing,
but she really dug the jelly bean thing.


We spent a wonderful afternoon and evening
with friends.


The kids scored during their second egg hunt,
and quadrupled the candy Daddy and Mommy had provided.

*sigh*

The Baby thought the eggs with candy inside
were much more fun than the hard-boiled ones.


And she's been playing with them ever since.


There was kite-flying.


And horseback riding.


And just enjoying the warm weather for a change.


But all that food and fun and fresh air
sure tuckers one out.


And we've been hungover ever since.

Happy Easter!

Saturday

Saturday was a
JELL-O beans making,


pie baking,


errand running,
Easter-clothes-for-The-Boy searching,
hair cutting,


egg dying,


mess making,


finery wearing,


trying-to-be-still-and-remember before
Vigil attending,
Alleluia singing,
baptismal promise renewing,


lily smelling,


Shirley-Temple-and-Cosmopolitan drinking,
late night celebrating,


eye rubbing,


Resurrection day.

Alleluia!

Resurrexit, sicut dixit. Alleluia!

Easter Blessings to you all!

Michelle

Still

The cross still stands on Calv'ry hill,
Tree of a new and blessed life;
And in a garden close at hand
The Lord of life and death lies still.

The peace of death enfolds him now,
Anguish and pain can do no more.
The Victor-Victim for our sins,
He sleeps awhile to rise again.

To Christ who died for love of us,
Bearing our sins before the throne,
To Father and to Paraclete,
Be glory till the end of time.

The Wood of the Cross

This is the wood of the cross,
on which hung the Savior of the world.

Come, let us worship.

Hot Cross Buns and Good Friday Tea

I've always wanted to make Hot Cross Buns on Good Friday.

The kids were sleepy this morning, so I did.

And, thanks again, to the inspiration of Jessica and Alice,
after we attended the Good Friday liturgy at the University,
we celebrated our second Lenten tea.

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

(cream cheese, refried beans, and melted cheddar
with "crown" of tortilla chips)

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

(guacamole)

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


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

(grape fruit leather)

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

(Ritz crackers with creamy peanut butter
and pretzel piece "thorns")

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

(hard-boiled eggs)

The Seamless Garment
"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

(tortilla "tunics" and mozzarella cheese cube "die")

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

(basil leaves)
[According to The Herb Society of America,
legend has it that the basil plant grew
around the site of Christ's crucifixion.
The Victorian Language of Flowers lists basil as
symbolic of both hatred and best wishes.
The taunting thief and the good thief come to mind.]

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

(balsamic vinegar)

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


The 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

(100 tomato halves,
eaten with the cheese cubes, basil, and vinegar)

Laid in the Tomb
"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."
(Mark 15:46)

(lemon poppyseed muffins with raspberry jelly)