Holy Week Preparations

The Easter triduum is one of the busiest several days of my Catholic year. As we begin Holy Week, I am taking a deep breath and diving into much planning. 

Chris continues to travel for work--which is difficult in certain aspects, but one bright side is that I can save time by serving cold cereal for dinner and the kids will be quite happy.

This is our final week of school before switching to a summer routine, so I'm wrapping up some studies, planning what our summer studies will be.

In addition to all the holiday festivities, I'm also planning a family vacation: I did all our beach shopping last week, now have to plan the meals as well as any tourist outings while we are there.

The children have tried on all their Easter outfits, they do fit, and now they're confiscated in my closet so no harm can befall them.

My box of Easter supplies has been brought down from the attic. Chris gallantly went to the store on my behalf to buy candy for the Easter baskets, then hid it somewhere in this house so I wouldn't have to know where it is and either (A) be tortured by its presence or (B) eat it all in a terrible Lenten gorge and be required both to drag myself to Confession and spend more money on candy.

I do still have to plan my Easter triduum meals and place on the calendar exactly when I will do my grocery shopping: if something doesn't make it onto my calendar, it doesn't get done!

Note that what I think is my smartest improvement to this year's plans is remembering to cook Easter desserts on Thursday and freeze them, rather than on Good Friday when we're fasting, making the sugary scents particularly torturous. It only took me a few years to figure this one out.

To my local friends: If you run into me this week and I look a little crazed in the eyes, you'll know why. And I'll know why you look that way too!

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File this one under "You Know You're in the South When . . ."

The children take swim lessons on Fridays. Last week, the swim director approached us moms on the bleachers and said, "Next week's lesson is on Good Friday . . . is anyone planning to be here? Should I move class to another day?" A couple of other moms admitted that they were not planning to be there, I waved my hand and said we weren't going to come to class (it's just too solemn of a day). It turns out that none of the moms were going to swim class on Good Friday, and only two of us are Catholic. The South isn't particularly Catholic in its makeup, but it is devotedly Christian! I am very pleased to have a makeup day for swimming.

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May you have a blessed Holy Week!