Easter Weekend (2019)

It was another wonderful Easter weekend in these parts...we partook in our favorite traditions and spent QT with our family and friends.  Here is what it looked like....

Good Friday

After a full work day, our little fam dropped Diana off at dance and then headed to the "Living Stations Of the Cross" with our church.  They hold this on the grounds up on a local healthcare center and historical castle in town.  As always, it completely touched us and we thoroughly enjoyed every moment- even Pidge!  You can't help but walk away in tears- it truly captures the somberness and meaning of that day and the complete Passion.

Later that night, Diana and I headed to bed early but Daddy took Pidge to "stick and puck" where they could play some hockey together....so cute!

Holy Saturday

This is one of my favorite family traditions.  My parents come up and we color our eggs, make bunny breads and bird nest cookies and I always make us lunch.   The kids have a blast and I just love this day because we are continuing a lifelong tradition.

They also brought incredible Easter baskets for my girls which they promptly tore open!

We also waited for them to make the Resurrection Rolls this year!  I read the instructions to everyone and what every ingredient symbolized- these are such a great recipe to make with kids; it truly explains the meaning of Easter AND they love the finished product.  I used Shay's recipe HERE

and we got lots of work done...

After the bunny breads were formed, they needed to rise and it was perfect timing.  We needed to get Diana to her dance studio as the RAD scores had come in EARLY!  We were so nervous yet excited and my mom came with us!!

I am so glad we went.  (It was optional but Diana didn't want to wait the entire vacation week to find out- and who am I kidding neither did this Mama!)

She found out that she scored at the highest level called "Distinction" with a total score of 82!  I was so proud- we hugged and cried and Mimi did too :)

On our way home, we were on Cloud 9!  It was time to get those bunny breads in the oven and make the bird's nest cookies.  So we did- we rocked our Easter prep and had a blast doing it!

When we were done, we just crashed early.  I wanted to make sure everyone was rested for Easter.

Easter Sunday

We were up bright and early so I could get the beef roast in the oven and get the salmon made. The girls were up early too of course and were thrilled with their baskets from the Bunny!

Then it was time for one last egg hunt!  I feel like the girls found all of the eggs in less than a minute-hysterical :)

and needed to capture the flowers in bloom- motivating me even more to get out and do yard cleanup and mulching!

 After the hunt, it was time to get ready for mass.  We always go an hour early so we can get an entire bench for our fam!

A few pics before heading out...

Then I left after communion to rush home and get all of the food ready...my parents came back early too to help me out and we made it happen!

My Mom grabbed bagels from my favorite bagel shop ever- Bagel World in Reading.  Check out their "Easter Bagel"- it is plain but all pastel colored- so cute!

 

This is "Pizzagaina"- essentially an Italian Ham Pie- it is an Easter tradition with my family- my cousin Michael made this one and brought it to my parents and they brought it on Easter to share with everyone- it was amazing!

 

Then we needed to get one selfie while everyone was still here....

Then the big kids headed off to their mom's house...my parents and brother took off...my father in law went to take a nap and we hung out with the McLains for the rest of the day and night...though it was so so much work, I thoroughly enjoy opening our home and showing my love for my peeps on holidays like this...makes me feel even more grateful for it all!  Hope you all had a wonderful Easter!

Linking up for Hello Monday, too, HERE