easter

Easter (or Pascha in the Orthodox world) service for us, starts at 11:00pm and goes into the morning until 2:30ish.  The kiddos go to bed early in the evening to get as much rest before the service as they can; when they were younger, we would get them to church either half-alsleep or sleeping and they would pretty much sleep through the whole service.  But now, they are awake during the service and I love it because now they can really experience the joy of the Resurrection.

Anyways, when we get home from the Pascha Service, we have a delicious meal...at 3:00am-ish!  This is a tradition here and the kids start on the menu a couple of weeks before.  After the food is devoured and the Pascha presents are opened, we go to bed (yay)...but do we sleep in?  Ya'd think so, right?---after an almost sleepless night.  But no.  Not around here.  Our chicks are up and rearing to go around 6:30am.  Lovely.

Dang early birds.  =)

At noon that day, our church has its annual Pascha Picnic.  We absolutely luuuuuv this time with our church family.  It's when we hang and eat and drink and eat more and play games and eat more.  It's a pure celebration of Easter!

Between some of us good friends, we always give our kiddos Easter gifts.  Here is what Jenny made for our kids this year:

And the games.

Races.

Tug-o-War.

Egg Toss.

Major competition.

=)

Here, the girls are on their second try to win the Tug-O-War against the boys.  And this time, they have a secret weapon---GUNTER!  Yes, Gunter hid amidst the girls and helped them secure their victory!  Smart thinking girls!

This year was special.

JIM & I.

WON.

THE.

EGG TOSS.

Mind you, this is the biggest competition of the day.  The winners not only get to claim VICTORY but get (or have--matter of opinion) to take home the trophy.  And the trophy is no small trophy; it is 2.5 feet tall and 2 wide and has been the pride and joy of the St. George Egg Toss winners since 1963.  Buuuut...you have to store this ginormous trophy somewhere in your house until the next year when you bring it back for someone else, or maybe you again, to win.

Notice the egg on top.

HA!