It’s still Easter today! Happy Easter!
Let’s jump in the ol’ T.A.R.D.I.S. and take a look back at the Triduum, just for posterity’s sake, shall we? And let’s, um, go backwards. ‘Cause, why not?
In case you missed it in all the hubbub yesterday, here are all the Easter photos.
Scroll to the very bottom for new free printables for the Easter season.
Holy Saturday
Holy Saturday meant finding where I had stashed all the new Easter clothes, and making sure things all fit, and, when they didn’t, making a quick trip to Old Navy.
We put away the Lent decorations, and gussied up for Easter.
We dyed (and painted) Easter eggs.
For the first time ever, we tried using the brown eggs from our backyard hens (on the bottom), as well as the white eggs from the store (on top) that we usually use. I think the brown eggs turned out really beautifully. The colors looked really rich compared to the white eggs, I thought.
Good Friday
On Good Friday we ate hot cross buns. Yum.
We finished up the last of the Holy Week declutter and donate in the morning.
From noon to three we read from the Bible, said the sorrowful mysteries of the Rosary, then, once the little kids were napping, walked over to venerate the cross at our local parish. In the evening we had friends over for our annual Good Friday Fish Fry, and Stations of the Cross. (Thanks, mom, for cooking!)
Holy Thursday
On Holy Thursday we did our customary morning Seven Churches Visitation. It is traditionally supposed to happen at night, after Holy Thursday services. I kept figuring, SOME day I’ll be able to do that. Then, a few years ago I just decided I didn’t want to keep putting it off until SOME day, so we just moved it to the morning. Each year we’ve tried to visit seven new to us churches. Some of our very favorites have been the non-Roman rite Catholic churches. They’re so different. It’s cool. We do two stations of the cross at each church. This year we brought along change the kids had been collecting during Lent, along with the thirty pieces of silver from Spy Wednesday, to put in the poor boxes.
After naps, we watched The Prince of Egypt and ate gummy frogs. Then we went to Holy Thursday services. Then we came home for our special meal, which I’ve decided to start calling a Last Supper rather than a Seder, so as to avoid confusion. 🙂 I’m not sure that Jesus had knishes, but I’m not sure that he DIDN’T either.
Finally . . . reading from the Bible and family foot washing. Lulu quite enjoyed having her own feet washed by Gus, but was having NOTHING of washing my feet.
Spy Wednesday
On Spy Wednesday we had our last BIG cleaning day, then in the evening, the kids searched for Judas’ thirty pieces of silver. In a new twist this year, we used flashlights. It was fun that way, but it made it tough to take photos.
In case you missed it, here was my post about the first few days of Holy Week.
And my guest post at Teaching Sam and Scout, the link didn’t work when I posted about it here last time. So here’s one that does work, I hope.
I hope your family will have a very fun and blessed Easter season! Speaking of Easter seasons, instead of saying the Angelus at noon, during Easter, we’re supposed to say the Regina Caeli. So, I made up a printable of that for you . . .
image and save it to your computer for your own personal use. You may
print the images and or upload them and have prints made for your
personal use or to give as gifts. (These are sized for 8×10 or square but will
print well much bigger.) You may use my images on your blog, just please
link back to my blog. If you would like to sell my images, please
contact me first. To request a custom printable, visit my Etsy shop here.
For LOTS MORE free printable prayers, check out my Pinterest board.
Enjoy!
I love your 7 churches tradition on Friday… There is really only one church around here (two if you count the little mission church that is only unlocked for services) so that's not really an option for us : (
Yeah, I'm pretty sure LA is the biggest Catholic diocese in the world. Rome must have more churches. But we've sure got plenty.
Yay, Dr. Who reference. Happy Easter!
The Starving Inspired
We do foot washing at home, too…how do you decide who washes? This year husband and I were a team…older two boys…and youngest two kids….then the kids all wanted to do daddy's feet too…or should everyone wash everyone? I hope you can make sense of this.
Well, I don't think you can do it WRONG. It's the thought that counts. But as far as how we do it at our house . . . We put names into a hat, and everyone draws a name (and redraws if they get themselves). Then, someone sits down in the chair, and whoever drew that person's name comes up to wash his feet, then the washer sits down and someone comes up to wash his feet, etc. Sometimes the circle closes, and we just have to pick a new person and start over. But at our house, everyone washes one person and gets washed by one person.
I love the Spy Wednesday tradition! I've never done that one! We did the 7 churches here in Pgh, PA. There are SO many to choose from. Great idea to do it during the day. It's such a LATE night!
I love Boden and am also expecting. Is your dress non-maternity? If so, how did you order — just one size up or two sizes? Happy Easter!
It's not maternity. I ordered one size up and it fits just right, but I'm twenty-four weeks. It SEEMS like it will fit all the way through, it's a full skirt. But I won't know for sure until we see how giant I get . . .
Happy Easter! Christ has Risen! Great story on a young boy in Saint Louis who, through Make a Wish Foundation, was priest for a day… brings my heart extra Easter joy.
http://stlouisreview.com/article/2015-04-02/priest-day-wish-came
The seven churches tradition is one I've not encountered! Perhaps because there are only two near to us!
Lulu looks delighted that you are soaking your feet near her. 😉 We do feet washing as well and my kids love it. But really I'm commenting to ask your secret for the vivid colouring of your brown eggs! I haven't bothered colouring eggs since the ones in the grocery stores here in Australia are brown, and I didn't think they would colour well, but yours are stunning! Would you mind telling me how you did it?
We used the brown eggs from our hens, hard boiled. The dye was just food coloring drops, vinegar, and boiling water. I think they were are best looking eggs ever. And we've eaten them all up, so I think I'm going to let the kids dye some more tomorrow. It's still Easter, after all!
I love the 7 churches idea; we totally saw your post and did this too! And we loved it! I think if one lived in a place with less churches that are in fairly close proximity to each other it would be fun to choose 7 holy places in general (i.e. a Marian shrine in your yard/house, favorites statues/alcoves at church, even favorite religious art within your own home). I just loved the idea of making a sort of mini pilgrimage, where you "journey" from one place to another praying even if they end up being in VERY close proximity to each other. 🙂 Thanks for sharing, Kendra!