Easter Morning

This year we sat down and tried to figure out what kind of Easter Traditions we wanted to start using with our family, being that this was the first time in 12 years Leon hasn't been playing Holy Week and Easter masses and the first time in our married life that we got to spend the holiday together. I gotta say, it was pretty great!

While we planned on hot cross buns for before mass, the preparations for our Easter dinner feast took over and we decided to pocket that one for next year. Instead, we crayoned and dyed our brown eggs with a few leftover dye that I found at a store last year. While they weren't the most stunning of colors, they did the trick. Too late in the process we found that you could actually by hard boiled white eggs at a few stores near us...add that one to next year's list. 

So after we colored our eggs on Holy Saturday we left them on the table for the Easter Bunny to hide for us. In the morning, the eggs were gone, he left a parental map for recapturing the eggs and we were off to hunt for our breakfast. 

This happened somewhere in between pajamas and church clothes for Stella. Note the "Buona Pasqua" box upside-down on the floor, marked with an Easter egg on the top. The tricky bunny only had so many hiding spots for the baskets, and it was essential that the eggs were found and eaten first.

Perfect model toe point

 They were so thrilled they did a fish dance.

Emma did her part in peeling the eggs. Stella...not so much.

"After that, can you peel me some grapes, too?"

 This job did require extreme focus. So much so as to cut out all facial expressions.

"Must...keep...peeling"

 Fortunately the supervisor was kindhearted and not very demanding.

"I'm still not sure I'm going to even eat those things" 

"No really, Stella! They're great!
With enough mustard, mayo and bread, you can eat anything!"

 But no, Stella did not eat those eggs. She was holding out (though she didn't even know it) for a much, much bigger egg. And in this case, bigger was certainly better.

No mustard required here.

 It was a chore, but the kids did manage to work through those massive chocolate eggs. Fortunately, not all before church.

Oh the drudgery!

 Just kidding. She just had to remember that her face worked.

Best. Breakfast. Ever.

 Leon only looks nervous because he's not wearing any pants and I have a camera.

"Act natural. Just acting natural."

 Dieter had a little basket as well, just without hair clips and without the cool strobe light flowers on a spring handle. Turns out he wanted he could have used one of those flowers.

"WHAT THE?!..."
 

 Or he could just steal both of his sisters' toys and call it good.

"Power! I feel the power!!

 Soon after that breakfast party ended we scurried off to mass at Santo Spirito in Sassia for some good ol' english language liturgy, made a mental note not to ever let the children eat so much sugar before mass, especially a mass I'd like to participate in, and then captured our likeness (add that to the tradition list) before changing and start cooking our ultimate Easter feast.

Happy Easter!

Then, I couldn't choose the best, so I'll just include all the out-takes of the peanut gallery here:

 "Give him a hug!"

"Perfect!"

"Now bring out his double chin! Good!"

I could do this all day. Can't get enough of these faces! So glad our family gets to see their cuteness too.

We had such a dinner party that afternoon that included three seminarians, a family of four, and a surprise visit from my old favorite CUA roommate (who's brother is a seminarian) plus some. Leon cooked the meal full force with 3 or 4 appetizers, almost completely normal American-style braised ham, garlic mashed potatoes, sauteed asparagus, ginger and cinnamon carrots with currants,followed by delicious carrot cake and peanut butter truffles. I made my favorite parts of the meal: dessert and drinks, which included a cool green champagne punch. Yes, you should see the way I mix juices and liquor together. It takes skill.

This was definitely a very memorable and fun Easter day. At the end of the cleaning we fell exhausted to the nearest cushion. Only for a few moments of course, because we had yet to pack for our Easter vacation. At 10 pm I started packing, finished around midnight and we left the next morning at 6am to catch our early train to Florence.

But that's something for another blog post. :)




To Be Continued...

Athens, Greece - Feb. 2015

We're back! I gave myself a year maternity leave from all things computer. Which is just basically this blog. So I'm sure you all have been waiting in rapt anticipation! Or not. Either way, here are some more of our adventures! (In no particular order)

How do you shake of the winter blues? You don't need to if you already live in Rome, but Grandmama and Pop Pop needed to from their never ending winter in Maine. They surprised us with an early visit in February and together we all decided to hop over to a warmer climate...Athens, Greece.

First, you must be sure the pack the essentials. (Yes, we took the children)

d

Dieter was too heavy for a carry on,
so we checked him.

Next, get plenty of rest.

Pop pop has the magic touch 

Get your travel buddies in tow for the flight.

 And assume the proper attitude.

Your choices: Super excited or blase. 

We arrived late in the evening on the evening of Friday the 6th, found the hotel and had some of the most amazing gyros at The Grill House restaurant at about 11pm. I can still taste them. I wish I had taken a picture so I could continue to drool over them. If you think you've had a pita before, I'm sorry to say that you really haven't experienced the glory of a pita until you have it fresh from the people who invented them. A-mazing.

Next morning we started hiking around exploring the place and were trying to find a road up to the Acropolis. We found a scary tree that gave us directions.

Whatever you do, don't turn right.

 One if every 4 people get swallowed by said tree. I barely got out alive with this selfie.

We squeezed through this "neighborhood" trying to find the one main landmark on our itinerary.

Did I mention I love our stroller?

 Can you imagine having this as your front door and stoop?

What a view! 

 The path got so twisty that Emma and I ran ahead to see if this was the right way. The path became almost impassable even with our awesome stroller.

Standing above Athens

 It didn't seem the right way so we turned back around.

The lazy photographer just gets pictures of people's back side. 

 Big hill. Need break.

Nothing gets by Dieter

I had read how the city was strewn with graffiti. Turns out it's true.

Quote from the Aussies in Greece.

 We kept truckin' through the marble streets lined with restaurants. Not too terribly unlike Rome. Except I much prefer marble over cobblestone.



Naturally, the churches look a little different than most in Rome.

Love the stonework

 On this street, I felt like a track was dropped in between some houses.

Let the races begin!
(After another gryo)

 The happy snowbirds out in the sun!

Synagogue. 

 We took the long way around those ruins and went through this park.

Kids: "Enough pictures already"

So nice to see bare ground and green trees!

 This little cave was the beginning of the Greeks underground water system. Maybe.


We n spotted a red haired monkey in its natural habitat.

Monkey's got hip shoes

 Wait, that's no monkey, that's very small model.

Cutie

 The men overlooking the ancient creation of men.

Whoa.

Amphitheater

 Leon and I got a solo trip to the top of the Acropolis. Because I didn't go the first time with the whole crew. Carrying ALL of the children wasn't that appealing.

Ruins? Nothing I ain't seen before...

Just try to impress me

 I suppose these are older than our Roman stomping grounds...But if you want the facts you have to look them up yourself.

Sometimes a mother can be found without her young.
But usually only after she's eaten them. 

 Then we reunited with the happy crew at the bottom. Dieter enjoyed his shoulder ride very much. But even more than that, he enjoyed sampling Granmama's hair. The wind blew it into his mouth, sticking bits to his toungue, then he proceeded to chew it like a cow.

The fun ones

 And the philosophers...

Apparently contemplating very different ideas

 Ok, they're fun too.

So nice to be with Pop Pop!

 Let's not kid ourselves here. The main point of this trip was to eat. And it was a point we made again and again.

I'd tell you where we ate but...

It's all Greek to me!

On Sunday we hit up a lovely church.

Where Stella was happy to show us how to pray.

First, think cute thoughts.

 Then whip out some prayer hands.

Hold eye contact for a very long time

 And show off your devotion wherever the camera finds you.

Still looking?  Good.

 Even the churches look Greek. Funny.

Best story about church this morning was when a crazy man was walking around outside after mass had ended. When Stella was sitting here in her stroller the guy walks by her, throws her a coin, and meows. Yes, he meowed. In his most realistic cat voice.

Thank you crazy guy! I like cats too!

Can't get enough of this little face

 Then, he threw an orange up all the steps that rolled and hit another woman's foot. She looked at me and I shrugged saying it wasn't me. Then he up and chucked one at Paul. He waved as I snapped his picture.

"Greetings! Would you like an orange?!"

After mass I bought a bunch of random food that some Phillipino looking women were selling from coolers in the church yard. I figured it'd be good for the flight home. They even had small bags full of gravy to go with their meat-stuffed bread thing. Oh and kebabs. I did manage to get meat on a stick into the airport. I think in America it would have been considered a weapon.

These people at the cafe made me do a double take. Only one man is really having coffee.

More cool graffiti. No stopping. Must walk.

 I took this to prove there are English speaking hippies even in Greece.

We did not eat here. We only ate where they served pork.

Mmmmm what I wouldn't do for another fresh gryo...... I would go back just for the food.  So good!