The Tridiuum and Easter

On Holy Thursday, a friend invited us on a kid-friendly church tour. We visited four churches from ten in the morning until noon. We didn't make it to the traditional seven, but given that we had three one-year-olds with us (six children six and under in total), I think we did pretty well.

We started at our own parish and went to three churches in Bellevue - Sacred Heart, St. Madeline Sophie, and St. Louise. We said the Our Father, Hail Mary, and Glory Be at each church.

We didn't do foot washing (although I did give the girls a bath that they screamed the entire way through, so I'll call that enough servant love for one day) but we did have a "Last Supper." Roast lamb, bitter herbs, latkes, applesauce, and wine, of course.

Claire and Maggie were big fans of the matzo and grape juice. Unfortunately, only Adam enjoyed the lamb. It was too gamey for the rest of us. I'll have to experiment with different recipes and cuts of meat in future years. Or maybe we'll go the modern Middle Eastern route and have gyros. 

After three years of missing the Tridiuum Masses, we finally clued in that we could just take turns going on our own. So, I went to the Holy Thursday service. I forgot how much I love that liturgy. And how early you need to arrive to get a seat!

We had sloppily-iced hot cross buns for breakfast on Good Friday.

Followed by lentil soup and pretzels for dinner.

My dad arrived Friday evening while Adam was at Mass. On Saturday, we took the girls in for haircuts and introduced my dad to Tutta Bella, our favorite pizza place. We went to a birthday party during their usual nap time. Claire and Maggie were so exhausted afterward. We had planned to put them to bed very early that night, but we realized that we could put them down for late naps instead and go to the Easter Vigil. 

This is the best shot I have of my dress - it was a clearance find at Anthropologie. Claire was pretty well-behaved and Maggie really wasn't too bad, considering.  We probably each spent a third of the Mass in the narthex with her. Overall, we're very glad that we went! 

The biggest downside was that Claire and Maggie were in no mood for pictures at 10:30 pm. After we tucked them into bed, we set out the Easter baskets and fell into bed ourselves.

It was so nice to have a relaxing Easter Sunday at home. 

I spent the first half of Holy Week making the girls a little something for their Easter baskets. 

A purple cape for Claire, "just like Elsa."

And a doll for Maggie that matches Claire's from a couple Christmases ago. 

We lemon rolls, bacon, and fruit salad for breakfast. Because Claire and Maggie loved our Advent wreath so much, we had a simple Lenten centerpiece of a purple cloth, grapevine wreath and candle that we'd light each night while singing "Take Up Thy Cross." For Easter, we got these cute egg candles and have been singing "Jesus Christ in Risen Today!" instead. 

While Adam bathed the girls, I hid eggs in the backyard. Claire helped me dye these confetti eggs and then I filled them up with Fruity Pebbles cereal. Then it was hunting time!

I made everyone dress in up their Easter finery again to attempt some better pictures, but this was the best of the bunch. Little girls, why can't you stay still and look at the camera for ten seconds? Why is that such a monumental task?

Luckily they redeemed themselves with some pretty cute shots of just the two of them.

We put them down for early naps and had a grown-ups only Easter lunch of pork roast, mashed potatoes, green beans, and carrot cake. 

Oh, I almost forgot to show you our Easter decorations. 

It's been a challenge to find Easter decor that's not too cheesy. So far we've got a ceramic bunny and lamb from Target, a dozen speckled eggs in mason jars, and a springy Rifle Paper Co. banner. All of our Easter books are in those baskets on the hearth - I've had quite a few lucky finds at Goodwill.

 

Hope you are having a wonderful Easter Octave!