We're So Gorgeous

Easter tends not to be a huge holiday at our house. It's mostly a continuation of other spring
holidays we celebrate--everything from Ostara, at the beginning of the season (celebrating the very first hint of Spring) Holi (Indian festival of colors), Songkran (Thai Water Festival, kind of like Holi--still learning about it really) Passover (which tends to get rolled in with Easter) to Beltane, at the end (pagan fertility festival. The way it's usually celebrated is definitely not for kids, so I usually treat it as May Day rather than do anything special). Easter usually comes about mid-way. For us it's more about bunnies than resurrection, but I do review christian concepts more at this time, talk a lot more about spirituality and religion and how it all fits together. This year, we focused on how Karma relates to leading a christian life, using the example of Kingdom of Heaven (great movie! Go see it if you haven't already).

Some may argue with my methodology, but I feel a global religious education will end up closer to the mark than any one viewpoint. My main goal is to create mindful, spiritual people who can synthesize a philosophy that gives them balance and strength. Exposing them to more ideas certainly isn't going to hurt, and gives me a nice launching point to address all sorts of issues that they probably wouldn't run into much in this country. I want them to be comfortable in their own country (because I'm not) but I don't want them to become too provincial, either. It doesn't make sense for our family.

But back to Easter. It was cool and rainy here. Tristan worked the night before, so he came over early to hang with his bros and play Easter Bunny. Gareth decided he was too big for such things and opted to help the Easter Bunny. Vincent was delighted to take on the Egg Hunt by himself.
One of the neater things that happened was, the grass decided (very suddenly) it was time to grow! Yesterday, nothing. Today, new green shoots everywhere on our newly landscaped front lawn. Our new neighbors are much, much better with plants than I'll ever be. It underscored the spirit of spring (and bunnies).

After we came home, Tris grabbed a shower then crashed out in my bed for a few hours (why, when he's still got one of his own here, I don't know. All three like to steal my bed. I think it's the christmas lights in the palm tree that attracts them) .

Gareth was banished to the kitchen to finish the chores he avoided the day before.

I kept Vincent out of his brothers' hair by drawing pictures with him out on the patio. Periodically, the sugar buzz would get to him and he'd be forced to become a bunny.

This involves much hopping!