Joyous day

I love it when Easter weekend and Conference weekend coincide. It means there's a lot of this:

[Watching conference + napping. Inspiration by osmosis]

It's hyggli + inspiring. The kids used to call it "pajama church" and it's almost the sole reason we have DirectTV satellite--so we can watch conference here in the comfort of home rather than go to the church. In between sessions we go on walks and make lemon meringue pie and sit in the sun.  It's the great gateway weekend to spring.

In keeping with tradition, the Easter Bunny hid the baskets: Sam's was in the dryer, Maddy's in the bathroom closet invisible behind the bandaids and hair products, and Lauren's tied up in the shower. (Note: in our house one Easter Bunny gets the basket treasures and lovingly fills the baskets, a different Easter Bunny hides the baskets, the harder to find the better. Let's call them Beneficent Easter Bunny and Trickster Easter Bunny, shall we?)

Sam just reminded us that we haven't dyed Easter eggs yet.  We get later and later in the holiday with Easter eggs and pumpkin carving.  Before long we'll do Flag Day Easter eggs and Nativity jack-o-lanterns.  Or so I fear. Sam, faithfully upholding the role of the youngest, keeps us honest in our sticking with traditions.  We're lucky we have him around...life is a lot more fun if you do things Sam's way.

More weekend photos:

Peepshow

Every year we look forward to seeing The Washington Post's annual peep contest published on Easter.  This year (its 4th) did not disappoint. We especially liked the Eep! (UP!), Where the Wild Peeps Are, and Peepeline entries.

Here's a link to all of the fantastic entries. Enjoy!

When we were brainstorming what we would do for a peep theme,  Sam said "Masterpeeps Theater," Maddy said "Hidden Valley Peeps" (her favorite salad dressing), I thought Gladys and the Peeps would be great (I think someone has already done this at some point).   What about you--what would you do?

Good night, 2009

Some of us are seeing the new year in with a bang

or at least a fancy party/ball...

^loving & sisterly after some get-ready friction about borrowing things and who's taller

Warm soup and a rousing game of monopoly by the fire for the rest of  us.

(Sam: "Mom, do we have to go in to Boston tonight?  I'd rather just stay here with you and dad.")

Sold!

December glimpse: 3

The anticipation is building...

Chris and Nancy arrive from NYC this evening

The kids get out of school for vacation this afternoon 

Let the holiday begin,

Ready or not.

(I'm a little bit not: we still haven't decorated the tree, just sent out cards yesterday (will post here later) and we've kept everything verrrry simple this year but I'm embracing the hygge and emphasizing the togetherness. Or trying to, anyway.)

May your days be merry and bright!

(I'm off to grocery shop.)

Snippets + verbs

photo via

Shivered.  It's cold 'round here.

Read.  I loved this essay by Mental Tesserae.  And this passage from One Magpie.  Kindred thoughts in both of these.

Wrote.  Posted on Segullah this week, a (religious) piece about Mary and her "how shall this be?" response. (If you've read this blog for more than two years, you might recognize the first paragraph or so...) Also, I've played around with the formatting for this blog. I've been having so much fun...like moving the furniture around without all that effort and floor scraping.

Watched.  Had a long-awaited movie date with G this afternoon. It's been ages since we were able to get out just the two of us...ever since our girls acquired social lives and obligations. (Although last night we did go out to dinner. Sam came with us and was a wonderful dinner companion.  Still. Not really a date.)   We stopped off at the Danish Pastry House on the way home to prepare for St. Lucia Day tomorrow--hooray! Now I'm catching up on emails and watching It's a Wonderful Life.  "George Bailey, I'll love you 'til the day I die." (Someday I hope my kids understand how George Bailey-like their dad is, in all the right ways.  Because he is, lucky us.)

Delayed. I have a take-home final due next week.  No headway there. Also, we haven't yet taken our Christmas card photo. Ditto no Christmas tree...hopefully Monday's the day for that.

Savored + celebrated.  Feeling really content to take my time with the holidays this year.  Each day I'm doing a little bit and shunning any guilt or agendas (trying to, anyway). So far: books, candles, garlands.  Next up: tree, nativities, presents.  Bit by bit, especially until finals are over.

. . .

Best of .09: Food.  Hmm. I think I'll dub this the year of Really Good Chocolate. Truffles from Burdick's. And Nancy sent me some decadent chocolate from a chocolatier in her Brooklyn neighborhood: the really good stuff, with interesting flavors like pepper and salt and chiles.  It's not new to me but I upped it a notch.  How 'bout you? Best new food of 09?