The best Easter... ever?

I think it just may have been.
I have written in past years about the challenges this holiday usually brings for our household-- Greek Orthodox vs. Catholic traditions, not having any close family near by to celebrate with, our failure (?) to be part of a strong church community.  Unless we are in Athens for Easter, the holiday usually brings more frustration and disappointment than it's worth.  Last year I took the kids to a friend's place for Catholic Easter while C worked, and then on Greek Easter we skipped church all together and hit up a local festival during the day, just to get out of the house.  We had fun, but something was lacking.  Easter is a family holiday, a time to spend together and appreciate all that being a family means.  This year, finally, I think we got it right.

We spent the week doing Easter crafts, dying eggs, and decorating the house.

We took the kids to church on Friday for Epitafios and Saturday for Anastasi.

And today, through some serendipitous circumstances, we ended up hosting an Easter party with our very close friends from Virgina.  You know, the kind of friends who you call cousins, even though you're not really related?  It was awesome.

Costas has lived in the States for a long time, but he still gets very homesick at Easter.  This year he got to grill lamb, so he was happy (but he wished it was a whole lamb on the spit).

We did an egg hunt.  The kids got to be kids for a while.

And finally got a picture of the 4 of us-- who cares if the kids aren't looking at the camera? 

We were together and enjoying the day.  They went to bed happy.  Maybe this was the best.

3

Getting into the holiday spirit a bit more.  Today I bought Christmas cards and helped George finish up his book report on his favorite holiday story.  (shocking, we only have 5 Christmas books in the house, and one was in Greek).  I'd like to put up the tree, but it isn't safe until we get another baby gate..

The chaos of the season

Somehow I always end up feeling rushed and stressed in December,  no matter how much I prepare or plan ahead.   This year is different but the same.

In December, 2012 I was very pregnant and trying to plan Christmas around prepping final exams and grading for 5 (6?) classes. I was also finalizing layouts and edits for the book.  I made a Christmas quilt but didn't get it quilted in time.

In contrast,  this year I have no end-of-the-semester stress, no snowy frozen commutes , and almost all of my Christmas shopping was done before Thanksgiving.  But still I feel like I'm running around trying to get a million things done at the same time.  That there will never be enough time to do it all.  Ahhhhgh.

Does anyone have any secrets for staying calm and sane during the holidays?  Please share!

(We did manage a nearly stress-free Thanksgiving though.  My secret: baked sweet potatoes)

Quilting, as always, is great stress relief,  but all of the sudden lately it seems when I take time to quilt instead of doing some other chore,  I just fall behind in my routine and spend the rest of the week recovering.   

Gone are the ideas of handmade presents, care packages to far away friends, and planning holiday parties.   I'll be lucky if my Christmas cards make it on time (the international ones, anyway).  And the quilt from last year? Which sat, basted in my closet for 11 months ... I have 24 days.   I hope I'll find the time..

Happy Easter!!

It is not always easy to combine cultures and traditions in regards to holidays in our house (especially when said holiday falls right at the end of a busy semester).  Easter was much easier last year when we were actually in Greece.  But as a mom it's my job to try to find fun in anything we do, so this is a peek at how we did Easter this year..

A little crafting..

Some egg decorating..

Easter baskets..

Family time..

No church, candles, visits to or from any bunnies.  No lamb on the spit, no family party.  It's tough, pulling it together on your own.  Easter is such a social, traditional holiday, aside from the spiritual religious part.  But we're doing our best.

There's an egg hunt planned for this afternoon and Greek food for dinner.   (and maybe quilt binding during nap time? but I won't get my hopes up..)