Easter Week

 Madie is really excited for Easter this year. She and I have worked on a couple of projects to get ready, and she is raring to do more.

Here she holds up a stretch of paper eggs we colored. This is now decking a shelf in our kitchen. I think we're going to be making a lot more of these. Madie had a blast and they really are wicked cute.

Something I told Mike early on in our marriage was that I wanted to emphasize the reason for our holidays and traditions. Many of us don't know why we do things we do every year or even every day--I didn't want to live that way any longer and I didn't want my kids to live that way. Obviously the fun stuff is great too--despite what people may believe about me, I am not a Santa hater. I love Santa. But I also like to tell the story of St. Nicholas to my kids. 

Easter baskets are a little different--I don't mind if my kids have Easter baskets. I don't mind if my kids do not have Easter baskets. I never remember believing the Easter bunny was real (unlike Santa). The first Easter basket I really remember having was one my "mom," Anne, gave me when I was 14 and living with her family in the States after my own had moved to Saipan. It was great! But not something I have strong nostalgic feelings towards. Mike finds my lack of Easter basket love disturbing. So, we do Easter baskets.

We also decided to do a Holy Week "advent," if you will, starting today with the Triumphant Entry. Madie loves having something to help her count down the days to something, so she is excited. I think she's even more excited about Easter than Christmas because the calendar--which went up yesterday--is significantly shorter.

There is one frivolity I love and will always love about Easter: jelly beans. And here is one for you.