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Monday, April 9, 2012

A Busy Week and a Joyful Easter Celebration

It has been a very busy week! Palm Sunday afternoon we went to grandson Patrick's birthday party to celebrate his 2nd birthday. Patrick is a huge Elmo fan so he had an Elmo cake and Elmo cupcakes, he really, really liked the red icing. Here is a picture of Pat the day he was born http://www.beanielife.blogspot.com/2010_04_01_archive.html

The beginning of the week was quite and uneventful, I had two shirts to sew for Patrick and Henry for them to wear for Easter, and a skirt I needed to finish for myself.  I planned to have the sewing projects done by the end of the week but this did not work out.  On Friday I had my grandsons over, we did grocery shopping in the morning along with a few other errands and then we went to Good Friday Mass at Most Precious Blood Church, where my my good friend Cyndi attends, she helped keep the boys corralled! We attended PB many years ago and our children all attended the parish school so it is always nice to visit and see people from the past.  Later in the afternoon the boys went home and I decided that I would spend the evening sewing.  So much for my plans.  I had just started to put together the baby quilt for soon to arrive grandson Charlie, I was pinning the top onto the batting and backing, when my phone rang.  Daughter Amber called to say that they had a flat tire and were waiting for the roadside assistance to come assist them but her husband Brad needed to go to the ER.  We left immediately to go help, I took Brad to the ER, it turned out he had a kidney stone and it was obvious that he was in extreme pain. Dave stayed with Amber and the boys, she had to stay with the vehicle because she had to sign for the roadside assistance. Dave wanted to change the tire but there was no jack to be found.  Thankfully roadside assistance finally turned up, changed the tire, we took the boys home and Amber headed to the ER to be with her husband. Needless to say no sewing was done Friday evening. I am glad to report that Brad is feeling much better.

On Saturday I had the day to myself, thankfully, because I had a ton of sewing to do and food preparation for Easter Sunday.  First I put the ham for Easter dinner into the roaster so it could cook then I finished putting together Charlies quilt, it is now ready for hand quilting. Then I sewed together Patrick's shirt except for putting on the buttons, then did Henry's shirt except for putting on the buttons, it was now one in the afternoon so I took a break from sewing. During my "break" I made a pineapple upside down cake, while it baked I made a lemon icebox pie, and iced four dozen sugar cookies, then cleaned the kitchen and went back to my sewing machine to finish a skirt for myself.  By four all the sewing was done except for buttons, all the holiday baking/roasting was done, the kitchen was clean and I had brought the dry laundry back in from the wash line.  I made a large mug of tea and started sewing on buttons, I had four on each shirt and nine on my skirt and the waist band needed hand stitching. Finally I was done, I wrapped the boys Easter gift, their newly made shirts, a pair of shorts, and a new spring jacket, and then got ready for church.
Most years we go to the Easter Vigil Mass, this is a beautiful mass and one I really enjoy as it is a time when we welcome new people into the Catholic Church with the sacraments of baptism, confirmation and first communion.  This year at Easter Vigil I celebrated my 19th year as a Catholic!  Our church Easter Vigil started at 8:30 pm, it started outside with the fire to burn the oils from last year and to light the Paschal candle, we then processed with lighted candles around the outside of the church and then headed inside. There is so much in the Easter Vigil, we move from darkness to light, we smell incense, we renew our baptismal vows, we listen to many beautiful readings, we truly celebrate the wondrous miracle of Easter! This year our parish had two men come into the Catholic Church, the younger one was easily in his fifties, he received baptism, confirmation and first communion, the other man was in his seventies and he received confirmation and first communion, it was beautiful to be able to participate.  Mass was over at 11 pm and we headed home.  

Easter Sunday I didn't have too much to do, Dave and Emily helped get everything done and by one everyone had arrived for dinner.  This year I had ham, because that is what my family likes, and I decided to do a leg of lamb.  I had never cooked lamb before and was a little nervous about how it would turn out, see picture below of the herbed leg of lamb just before it went in the oven.  I did not need to worry as the lamb cooked up beautifully, it was tender and delicious, my parents, sister and I all enjoyed it very much. Later today I am going to my Mom's house and she is going to teach me how to make Pan Haggerty, a stew made with left over lamb, this recipe was handed down from my Dad's grandmother! 




We enjoyed a great dinner, ate too much dessert and generally had a good time on Easter Sunday.  It was a bright, sunshiny day, but very windy.  After dinner several went outside to fly kites, grandsons Henry and Patrick are really impressed with kites.







After kite flying everyone headed out front to play Corn Hole.  Corn Hole is a simple, fun game, Dave and Matt built two sets a few weeks ago and I made the toss bags earlier in the week, we found the building directions on line.





All in all it was a hectic, busy Holy Week, and a busy weekend, but a wonderful week culminating in the celebration of our risen Lord. Happy Easter!

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