Easter Weekend 2015

Celebrating Easter this year was extra special because it was the first year that Ella could really understand what the holiday was all about. Abby was excited to share with Ella everything she knows and all the ways we remember Jesus during this season. We spent the whole week remembering Jesus' sacrifice and promises through a bunch of different activities. Nagymama was here with us the week leading up to Easter and it made it even better to have her here to be a part of it.

On Good Friday, as we were having dinner and talking about the significance of the day, Abby was really excited to share "the perfect song" she learned in school. She sings it every week at chapel and though she has taught it to us many times, she was right. It was the perfect Good Friday song.

  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w9_PvtO-hV4 

After dinner, we piled into the car and visited a local church for their drive-thru presentation of Holy Week. We all enjoyed watching the scenes played out in front of us, but it was especially powerful for the girls to see the Bible stories we had read and reread throughout the week come to life. Ella was particularly excited that Jesus waved to her while he was walking through Jerusalem with his donkey. :) The girls have been dramatically acting out the scenes ever since. At any given moment, I can walk into the play room to find Ella hunched over "in the garden" crying "Father, not my will, but yours..." or Abby creating empty tombs. 

Saturday morning, we made Resurrection Rolls for breakfast before we headed to the Torn's for an Easter party complete with an egg hunt. 

It was a great morning celebrating Easter and Isaac's first birthday all in one.

The girls were extra excited about the Easter party because not only would they be with all of their little friends, but Abby's teacher Mrs. K was going to be there. Abby gushed about how happy she was to see her teacher outside of school. Ella was just excited to spend time with Abby's teacher who she hears so much about every day. When Ella saw Mrs. K, Ella stared at her in awe and then hugged Mrs. K like it was the moment she had been waiting her whole life for.

When we got home from the party, we were all in need of serious afternoon naps, but naps are pretty hard to come by these days. Ella fell asleep on the way home and transferred right into her bed. Abby was resisting, so Mama suggested Abby go downstairs with her and nap for a bit. I thought for sure she would be back upstairs ten minutes later, but the house got really quiet and I went down to find this precious sight.

When everyone woke up from naps, Daddy was in charge of dying eggs, while Mama and I prepped what we could for Easter lunch.

Easter morning started with a hunt for goody-filled baskets.

We spent the morning at church, then came home to get ready for lunch. But not before we got some good shots of everyone in their pretty Easter clothes.

 

Papa, Uncle Cory, Grandma and Casey arrived just as my Bubbly Artichoke Dip came out of the oven. Everyone knows they can't be late for that because Joe can polish it off in minutes.

The girls were excited to show Grandma the dyed eggs they made with everyone's names on them.

Seven adults, two kids, three dogs...and we were all ready to eat.

Then, it was time for the Easter Egg hunt. Even Ollie got into it this year finding his own eggs. Maybe next year I'll fill a few with dog treats.

 

 

Cooper watched longingly from the window.

 

After we ate, Uncle Cory did not disappoint when he gave in to his food coma...

...but the girls weren't going to let him sleep through Annie.

Introducing Grandma to the new Annie

 

 

Not sure if it was everyone going home or coming down off of the major sugar rush from the afternoon (thank you grandparent Easter baskets!), but the girls were ready to crash when everyone left.  We got in jammies, watched the ending of Annie and the girls insisted on falling asleep with the new animals both Papa and Grandma put in their baskets.

Abby fell asleep holding her Daddy's finger.

The Monday morning after...

• eating way too much left over Kremes and missing Nagymama
• learning to tell time on the candy watches Grandma put in their Easter baskets
• asking for a piece of candy every five minutes and finding reasons why Mommy should be rewarding them with chocolate
• lots of time outside enjoying their new chalk
• need sugar detox

yay! Ella is learning to write her name.

I told you we miss Mama when she's not here. She left with the rest of the family on Easter, but she was going to be in New York for one more whole week. So, the girls and I had to go see her one more time while she was so close. We spent the day together and ended our visit with a Starbucks date. Saying bye to Mama to at the end of a great visit has always been hard for me, but now having to peel my hysterical children from her ankles as we say goodbye...takes hard to a new level. No exaggeration. The girls made a full blown scene in Starbucks like I was a stranger trying to kidnap them. As we drove home that afternoon, my heart was full and thankful with a hint of sadness. And she wonders why I start campaigning after every visit for relocation to the same zip code.

A Week with Nagymama

We had a great time with Mama when she came to visit for a week in April.  Life always feels extra special, but also refreshingly normal when she is here with us. We enjoyed our favorite Hungarian meals together and a few meals out too. Abby and Ella have started adding to the list of their favorite Hungarian meals for Mama to make. Every now and then, I get a chance to squeeze into the kitchen to cook for Mama too!

Mama took the girls to buy fabric to use in the new sewing machine Mama gave Abby in January, then the girls tackled their first real sewing lesson.

Joe and I came home from a long evening spent at the car dealership to find Mama on the floor with the girls having tickle fights and laughing hysterically together. It was the sweetest.

When Abby heard we were going on a girls' date to see Cinderella that afternoon, she went and got herself ready. She got herself dressed (complete with matching scarf) and asked me to do her hair the way she wanted. :) Doesn't she look so grown up?

We all loved the movie. Not only was it beautifully done, but the writers chose to emphasize beautiful messages throughout the story about kindness, courage and forgiveness.

Ella loves knowing that Cinderella's real name is the same as hers. She says it makes her and Cinderella "matchy friends".

After an afternoon at the mall and movies, the girls were wiped out. Ella wanted to take her rest with Mama. 

As one of the first sunny days of the season, the girls broke out the sidewalk chalk while Mama and I sipped on some iced coffee in the sunshine.

One of my favorite moments from this visit was taking Mama to get her very first manicure and pedicure as an early Mother's Day gift. We spent the morning together at the nail salon and she LOVED it! :) It was a really sweet time.