Easter Weekend

As you may have noticed, Ella and I went to Scarborough to spend Easter weekend with Auntie Belinda and Uncle Stefan.  We had a wonderful time.

We stopped by Peterborough on the way to Scarborough.  Grandpa Jim and Grandma Linda took us out for lunch at East Side Mario’s.  It’s Ella’s current favourite restaurant.  We had a nice visit and I’m glad Linda had the day off.

Auntie Belinda decorated the house for our birthdays (Grandma and I).  And no, the walls aren’t quite so yellow in person.  It’s more of a pumpkin and looks quite nice (for her house).

Uncle Stefan and Ella had a great time playing all weekend.  Ella loves having someone who loves video games as much as she does.  Uncle Stefan won the favourite uncle award this weekend with his castle creation.  This castle has everything a good castle needs, including a working drawbridge and secret entrance (don’t tell).

Sunday we were able to go to church!!  Easter service at St. Mary Magdalene is always wonderful.  Ella and her new bunny spotted the Easter garden.  Ella did really well making it through the 2 hour service.  Our local church is only 1 hour, and even St. Barnabas in Ottawa is 1.5 hrs.  Grandma forgot snack, but Momma had a couple Easter eggs in her pocket that got Ella through the service.  I wanted to take some pictures of the inside of the church, but as usual, Grandma made a bee-line for the door and I had to hurry along.

It never fails, regardless of when Easter falls, Easter Sunday is nearly always unpleasant.  This year was no exception.  You can’t see our new dresses because we had to wear sweaters (or poncho in Ella’s case).   This is the park behind church.  It used to be the location of the convent and school.  My Grandma Rees was raised by the sisters at the school when her parents left her behind in Toronto when they went to Winnipeg.  One of my favourite pieces of jewelry is the crucifix given to Grandma by one of the sisters when she finished school.

Ella came home to find quite a change in our Easter garden.  The stone is gone from the tomb, the wheat is growing like crazy, the lilac branches are even trying to bloom!  Ella really loved the eggs hanging on the branches.