Fantastic Friday

So, this was me (except he's cuter) at 8:45 this morning when the kids were supposed to be arriving at Celebration Saturday (CCD) by 9. Yay. Luckily I've mastered the art of being ready to head out the door in five minutes (thank you early-morning Adoration shift!) and by some miracle my two older children were also on the fast track this morning so we were actually only about 2 minutes late (it also helps to be 3 minutes from church). Why, do you ask, were we so sleepy?

Well, first things first.

Friday morning I shipped the little peep above out for his first-ever birthday outing with our sitter. She took him to the Children's Museum and he loved it. I am so thankful because, since our membership ended, I've been feeling a bit guilty that he's never been there. Problem solved.

It was also helpful because we happened to be having a play date that morning. We invited a few friends over and had an excellent morning singing, playing and making pretzels. This is an excellent home school opportunity. Food science, math, nutrition...and music all wrapped up into one!

The music came when we all joined in a rousing chorus of "Fruit Salad" by the Wiggles :0)

Our friends left, luckily lunch was taken care of (sort of), we cleaned up and took some short naps so that we could head out to meet with our new friends at Pittsburgh Area Slovaks. I've been feeling out of sync with the Tamburitzans for a few months now...it's mainly Croatian and there are other issues as well. Enter the PAS. There is still dancing and will eventually be singing, along with cello playing, so that's all good. The best part, though, is the strong desire by the older members to preserve the Slovak heritage and pass it down to the younger generation. Yesterday was the Slovak Easter Village. What an amazing opportunity for our family to join in making some of the things that go along with a traditional Slovak Easter.

The kids did batik dyed eggs

made Easter bread with a cross on the top (the ends were supposed to be split and curl to represent flowers for Our Lady but the kids' looked a bit more like crossbones ;p)

They made chocolate sheep molds

and what Easter dinner is complete without the Easter butter lamb?

Plenty of time in between to play with friends!

Each kid got this much loot to take home. They were beyond excited (they must have been, I think we finally got home at 11:15 and no one but G even looked tired)

 

We are so blessed to have found this group. More of what I have been searching for - people who love our common ancestral history and our faith...a place where we can openly talk about the joy of Easter and concentrate on the "Lamb" even if an occasional bunny did show up ;0)

 

Have a blessed Sunday!