A Most Blessed Pashca May 31, 2011

April 23 and 24, 2011

Pascha 2011 was the most Blessed Pascha we have had really since our first Pascha together as husband and wife 7 years ago.
Mainly due to having Noah on Good Friday 6 years ago, being prego with Silas the next year and then my health took a turn for the worse when i develop Postpartum cardiomyapthy 4.5 years ago
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This year I was feeling wonderful therefore I was prepared, made all the traditional Pascha food for our basket.
Eric Served and the kids were angels for me during the 3.5 hour service that started at 11:30pm.
It is the most beautiful service and I am so blessed that my children, love it, understand it and look forward to it.

It was just the most beautiful and Blessed Pascha in years!

I did not have the opportunity to take as many pics as I would have liked or as many as I normally do. With Eric serving i was preoccupied with the kids and soaking up each and every second of the service. However, I did take a few good videos and really Video is so much better when it comes to documenting a Pascha Liturgy.

Each year for the 40days before Easter we observe Great Lent in which we fast from meat. diary, oil, wine and most seafood. We also lay low meaning we do not host or attend parties and we use this time to reflect and pray.,
After the Holy Pascha midnight service each Family fills their “pascha basket” with ham, kielbasa, cheese, diary and oil products and we all go to the hall and ‘break the fast together” It is the perfect ending to a perfect middle of the night Celebration.
We usually get home around 4:30/5am just as the sun is coming up and the birds chirping. It is the most wonderful time of the year for us.

CHRIST IS RISEN!!!!
INDEED HE IS RISEN!!!

The Tomb of Christ lays in the front of the middle aisle. As each person enters the church they Venerate the tomb of Christ by doing three full prostrations and kisses the plashchanitsa

Silas looking sleepy and “Rewwy want my bed, but I like being at church in the middle of the night mama,mama rub my back please”
Silas is the sweetest little guy around:-) Zofia was her lively diva self from the minute we woke her up at 10:45pm

Noah, Silas and Zofia durning the procession at midnight.
I bought the cutest linen suits and ties for the boys and the most fabulous dress for Zofia. Sadly we did not get a portrait style pic of them on Pascha but we will be dressing them up in the Pascha outfits and having a photo shoot soon:-)

Procession at Midnight

Blessing of Baskets

A very magical New years May 3, 2011

For the first time in years we decide to stay in on New Years Eve and celebrate with the kids. 2010 was a year of much positive change for our family and 2011 will be a year full of even more positive change and new endeavors and i just wanted to stay home with my amazing husband and beautiful children and celebrate the end of 2010 and the begining of 2011

We had the kids take a later nap so they could stay up late.
We ordered Asian food, i made lots of yummy, healthy snacks, we had sparkling juice for the kids, watched a movie and then watch the festivities in Chicago and NYC on TV and played games.
I bought fun hats and noise makers and we had and absolute BALL. This was the best New years Eve!

We rang in 2011 with the kids at 10pm

We put the kids to bed at about 10:45. About a half hour later we hear little foot steps piddling down the stairs. Noah and Zofia did not want to miss out on the “real” celebration.

I was so curious as to what Silas our “party animal was doing and why he did not Join his big brother and little sister. So i went up to his room and was quite shocked when i saw this.
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Bless his heart, He was passed out. This was out of the norm for Silas our little “frat boys” LOL

Christmas 2010 March 18, 2011

CHRIST IS BORN!! GLORIFY HIM!!!!!!
December 24 AND 25, 2010

Every year on Christmas eve morning. We pack up the van for the day and head to the city for a very yummy Breakfast at Ann Sathers in the Andersonville Neighborhood of the city. It is our little family tradition we started the first year we were married. The food is amazing and they have the best cinnamon rolls which they are famous for here in Chicago.
We buy several dozen rolls to give to our friends and family and we stop at their houses along the way to my parents. It is super fun and our friends and family love it and look forward to it each Christmas eve.

We have had the same waitress for the 3-4 years and this year she recognized us and said “you guys come every Christmas eve right…i remember you guys and especially because of all the dozen boxes of cinnamon rolls you guys by” We love this tradition.
We had a nice Christmas eve at my Parents house. The kids were very excited and happy about their gifts from Grandma and Grandpa:-)
They are very blessed to have the most loving and amazing grandparents. Thanks Mom and Dad….we all love you so much!





We love are funny and goofy Grandpa……the kids loved these glasses he bought for them:-)

The family before Holy Supper at my parents house….i am taking the pic.

Christmas Tree 2010

CHRIST IS BORN!! GLORIFY HIM!!!!!!
Chritsmas Day at Church

Kids with Grandpa and Grandma on Christmas day at our house.

Day after christmas……..Just chillin after a busy few days.

We had an Amazing and very BLESSED Christmas 2010

Luke skywalkers, spiderman,princess OH MY January 3, 2011

October 29, 2010
Noah had his class Halloween party Friday. I am one of two room moms so we were in charge of the party and i LOVED it. I had so much fun planning, dressing up, setting up the party and running the party with the help of my fabulous co-room mom.





Karlie, Noah’s little girlfriend:-)

Noah’s Kindergarten class 10/29/2010

The kids had so much fun and so did I
I always wanted to be room mom and i love it!!!!!!!

Fall is in the air January 3, 2011

Oct 9, 2010
A fun day at Sonny Acres pumpkin farm with Mamma and Baba

Silas could not WAIT to go down the “big slide”

We has a great time. Poor Noah got sick just as we got to the farm but he was a tropper and made the best of the time we were there. Of course we cut our day very short because it was clear Noah was not feeling well at all.

We made a quick stop at target so i could pick up everything i needed to make the kids costumes.
I found this fabulous witch hat for myself and Silas just had to wear it. He was a HUGE hit throughout Target and everyone thought he was so cute…he was:-)

The loves of our lives December 5, 2010

Spring 2010

Our Neighbor Kelly is a photography student.
Eric is mentoring her and she is always wanting to shoot photos of the kids.
We did a little spring photo shoot in April.
I think they turned out super cute….i just love that they are so organic and not in a stuffy studio.



Noah 5yrs, Silas 3.5 yrs and Zofia 2yrs
The boys would not cooperate for individual shots so we just got Zofia. She is just so adorable in these photos. Feel so blessed to have Zofia….the little daughter i always dreamed of.

Noah is FIVE……oh my December 5, 2010

April 2010

I can not believe that our first born child is five years old already.
Noah is the most amazing, compassionate and smart five year old.
He brings such joy into our lives.
He is our miracle baby as the docs thought i was miscarrying and wanted me to have a D and C.
I am so glad that i put my faith in God and not the doctors and went for a second opinion because i can not imagine our life without our sweet Noah.

Happy birthday stinky hims ( that is a nickname eric came up with when Noah was a baby….don;t ask just laugh and smile lol)
WE LOVE YOU SO MUCH BUDDY!

We had a fabulous stars wars themed party for Noah.

Another fabulous cake by Michelle

Present time!!!!!!!! Noah is such a blessed little boy…he received just wonderful presents.


Noah thanking Auntie Mary….he is such a sweet little man:-)

Instead of treat bags i put the ingredients for home made playdoh in a mason jar and gave on to each child. It was a big hit and so much more useful and better then a bag full of candy and silly little toys.

Buddies


Casey, Noah and Alexander

December 2009 October 3, 2010

We welcomed our friends Casey and Gwen into our home a few days a week again while their Mom and Dad worked.
We love having them over, the kids have someone to play, with my children are entertained meaning i have an accomplished day:-) and we have so much doing art projects,learning letters, numbers,shapes, colors and going on field trips and nature walks.

A race between Brothers, Noah and Silas

“Awe that was a good race Silas”
<
The boys at the Zoo

Zofia and her best friend Gwen

The Butterfly Learning Center November 5, 2008

I have always dreamed of watching children in my home while i raise my own and i have always dreamed that one day i could open my own preschool. I created a business plan for my own preschool for my senior project in college and called it The Butterfly Learning Center.
Well these past few weeks and the next few weeks The Butterfly Learning Center has been open for business and i have loved every minute.
Even though i have not felt the greatest it has made me feel good to watch these sweet children!

Snack time today

Just a video of the children Building with Blocks today

mvi_0925

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Hold on to your seats for this one people……. November 4, 2008

Juliana Matusiak Meng VOTED…YES I VOTED FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MY LIFE.

For those of you that know me understand why this is such a big deal.
I was never about politics, don’t talk to me about politics, don’t lecture me how i should vote, i am a free thinking hippie and i don’t vote period.

There is still a bit of that Juliana in me but there is a part of me that has changed and i do care about politics a bit.

I voted at 6.52pm at the very last minute that is how long it took me to decide to take the plunge and if it was not for my FABULOUS hubby i am not so sure i would have.

I feel good with my choice(s) and i feel proud for the first time in my life to be an American and to be given this right.

Wow i can not believe i just said i feel proud to be an American!
I love our country and love our freedom but i grew up travelling abroad and i saw first hand how much we Americans take for granted and sometimes that rubbed me the wrong way that is all.
Eric you can refrain from making and snarky comments my love:-)
For those of you that do not know me do not take that statement the wrong way if you think you can not understand what i mean by that do not try and just trust me:)