Joyous Feast-Pascha Moments and Updates

A beautiful joyous feast to all.  

From Holy Saturday at Midnight until this upcoming Sunday, is one day! 

Christos Anesti! Christ is Risen!

Check out these cool Pascha Chocolates!

Actually found these while we were heading to the awesome Metropolis of Boston Retreat Center for the National Presbytera Retreat. It was a fantastic time and the facilities are so beautiful and staff are very engaging and attentive.
Next retreat is in October in Texas, mark your calendars!!!
Can't wait to see all my Sister-Presbyteres, it truly is a sisterhood.

We stopped at this grocery in Concord that turned out to be divine. 

I found these, they made me giggle. I've been wanting to share them for a long time.

Here are some of our beautiful flowers from our Kouvouklion.

They are still aromatic.

I made this wreath on Holy Friday, after helping with the flowers for the Kouvouklion.

This year we weren't able to get bay leaves and these gorgeous lemon branches came instead.

These were left over and so before heading to the Apokothelisis service (the Un-Nailing), 

I was able to tie this together. Not as structured, sort of whimsical?

Too big? What do you think?

The World Weeps

Icon from The Life of Christ in Icons Board Book by Marina Paliak 2011

Here are one of the adorable crafts from our Lenten Retreat.

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Holy Thursday

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Today we celebrate, wave those palms.

Not sure of the original source, if you know it, contact me please, to allow proper credit. Thank you to the sweet soul that shared it with me and gave me a BIG smile and laugh.

Have a Blessed Holy Week!
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Pentecost and Kites

Pentecost was this past Sunday. It started with a beautiful liturgy, followed by the Kneeling Vespers and an evening with 800 of our closest friends and our Hierarch for dinner.  In between we were able to squeeze in some kite flying.  Made at school and one of the most awesome kites I have ever seen. SO MUCH FUN! What's Pentecost without squeezing in some kite flying after all.

Did you do anything special to help the little people celebrate the day?


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Palm Sunday

No palm is too little to wave for the Lord. Have a blessed Holy Week.

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21 Favorite Ideas to Decorate Easter Eggs

40 Days-40 Lenten Recipes (and more)

So with Easter/Pascha approaching, a girl's thoughts turn to... the eggs of course.
It can't be recipes and food all the time.

I started thinking about all the gorgeous egg tutorials I've seen on Pinterest.

So I thought I'd share some of my favorites and some history I learned, along the way.

Enjoy and then let's get cracking!

Sorry couldn't resist.

St Patricks Day Green Smoothie

40 Days- 40 Days Lenten Recipes

Happy St Patricks Day

God grant you many years,

if you celebrate today.

Did you realize St Patrick

is considered an Orthodox Saint.

So what makes it high protein? The kale, avocado and almond milk.

I have never had a food processor before and recently acquired one.

How did I ever do anything before?

So more smoothies, here we go!

Would you like to Guest Post for 40 Days-40 Lenten Recipes 2014 Challenge?

Last year I challenged myself to complete posting daily and offer to you all, 40 recipes for Lent.  

My hope was that it would help that ever present question, "what are we going to eat?" and I am always trying to answer that question. In fact, it is the question that led me to discover blogs in first place. Admittedly this season always brings with it, a sense of excitement and renewal. I am looking forward to Lent this year and returning to cleaner whole eating.  This year's lenten offering to you all, will focus on easy and healthy recipes and few other surprises.

Drum roll...offering 5 guest post openings . 
Would you like to be that guest?

If you would like to be a guest, please email me.  To be considered, please submit either a tutorial or recipe with at least one clear picture of the finished food item or activity.  If submitting a recipe it must be vegetarian or vegan to be considered. 

40 days Recap will be posted soon!
So send me an email and come over to Share the Day!

Holiday Moments

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

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Nativity of the Theotokos

Your birth, O Theotokos,

 brought joy to the whole world, 

for from you dawned the sun of righteousness,

 Christ our God. 

Freeing us from the curse, He gave us His blessings. 

Abolishing death, He granted us eternal life.

This picture is from a trip we took to the

 Nativity of the Theotokos Monastery,

 in Saxonburg, PA.

We wish them Xronia Polla and remember them,

as they celebrate their Feastday today.

Beauty, simplicity, and peace, such a special place.

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Sweet and Holy Mother of God

I originally posted this last year.

This picture was taken during the procession in the year 2011, 

it is one of my favorites, as is this Feastday. 

I cannot describe the aroma of the flowers as it passed me.

Full of Movement, Full of Peace, Full of Love.

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Know and remember that the matter of your salvation is always near to the heart of the Theotokos, the Mother of God, for it was for this that the Son of God, by the favor of the Father and the cooperation of the Holy Spirit, chose her out of all generations and was incarnate of her in order to save the human race from sin, the curse ,and the eternal death, or everlasting torment. 

As the matter of our salvation is near to the Savior, so likewise it is near to her.

Turn to her with full faith, trust, and love.

St. John of Kronstadt

Most Holy Theotokos, Save Us

CHRIST IS RISEN-TRULY HE IS!

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Preparations-The Eggs

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Kali Anastasi

First Anastasi

If you are unable to physically attend a service,

you can join in observance through,

Live Online Chapel

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Great and Holy Friday

If you are unable to attend a service physically, you can join in observance through,

Live Online Chapel

Kali Anastasti!

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Great and Holy Thursday

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Happy St. Patricks Day!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Did you know that St. Patrick is considered an Orthodox Saint?
Another excellent entry on Saint Patrick-visit here.


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Feastday Mantle

When we started decorating for feasts this year, we decided to incorporate some of our icons. 

In the front you will see the sweet icon of the Annunciation with St. Vasilios behind, then St, Nicholas, the Holy Family, St. Spyridon followed by the Icon of Theophany.

Above is the Icon of the Theotokos of Vladimir.

Everything on the mantle has meaning and significance and make me smile.

Below is a basket with all our Christmas books to be shared.  I keep them all together and pack them away together each year.  We are always excited to see them when it's time.

Having them on the mantle this year, feels like it brought them even closer.

Lord Jesus Christ Have Mercy,

and our sweet Saints pray for us all.
Happy Feast Day, Xronia Polla!
To all of us but esp. to all with the name Vasilios and Vasiliki, Basil and all the variations.

Happy New Year!

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Easy Peasy Appetizers Continued...

Happy 12 Days of Christmas!
Being that we are still in the happy celebrating place in the calendar,
decided to share some more thoughts for easy-peasy appetizer ideas.

How about...

IDEA#1

Stuffed Peppapews


I used marinated mozzarella balls,
cut them in half,
 then placed them inside the peppapew.
What is a peppapew, you ask?
Just about the yummiest sweet pepper there is.
They are about the size of a cherry tomato
and have a teeny tiny kick to their flavor.
I've seen them both in the gourmet mediterranean bar area of grocery stores
and pickled in jars.





IDEA #2

Jarlsburg cheese and Granny apple slices on a Triscuit cracker.



Both of these really complement the flavors of their partnered food
and are super-easy to make.
Who wouldn't love that combination?

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