Easter Weekend With the Wendels!

Gotta love alliteration! And spell check! I mean, I actually used to know how to spell words. Now I just have to make a close guess, and it'll let me know if I'm good to go or not. How could you not just adore a system like that. Except for those times when it decides that the word you want simply does not exist, even though you know for sure it does. Or when it just doesn't accept wordsmithery! It's an ART FORM people! Get with the program!
Well, my weekend was wonderful, up until Sunday night when I decided to puke my guts out. Just for kicks! The crazy thing is, I really used to throw up all the time. In fact, I think I might have kind of liked it. I at least prided myself on the fact that, if I wanted to be bulimic I could be. I had an automatic gag reflex that just couldn't tolerate things like powdered milk or beans. But this time around I found myself dreading each retching experience. So on Monday, rather than going to the zoo, or being beaten with whips for eggs (bizarre Czech tradition)
I slept until noon, then took the train home to sleep some more.
But you didn't tune in for the Sarah sickness patrol, so I'll talk up the weekend a bit. I had a GREAT time with the Wendel family! They really are amazing. The weather was perfect, and I spent ages running around with the kids in the back yard. I hadn't run so much in ages.
On Saturday we went to seriously the MOST ghetto "petting zoo" and park. You couldn't actually pet any of the animals. Basically there were just a lot of birds and some random animals in a pen like wild boars, sheep and goats. The playground was made up of wooden equipment that was falling apart due to time and the elements. Boards were missing from the merry-go-round, one teeter totter had only half a seat and the other only one handle bar (this meant I spent a lot of time being the other half of the teeter totter team using my arms and getting quite a work out!). But the kids managed to have a good time anyway. We think they're already acclimating to the slower pace of Czech life.


Before we left, the girls got to picking flowers. Erica handed me this little offering. So sweet!

On Sunday we went to the Easter service at their church. It wasn't quite a classic sunrise service or anything. But it was at least in English. After church we came home and the kids took naps. I was reminded of all those times as a child that I would whine and complain that Mom and Dad wanted to take naps before the egg hunt! But even Claire declared, "I'm actually feeling a little sleepy." Which was a HUGE concession coming from her!
The glorious weather beckoned to me, and I succumbed willingly. I helped sticker the eggs for the appropriate children, and then sat and drank in the sun. When the kids woke up the party just kept going.



After the squeals and thrills of the egg hunt, we moved on to a little egg dying. It was a bit difficult to get everything to go smoothly, but we managed to get some decent eggs out of it, and I think the kids mostly had fun. Erica was super into it at least. She did the most. Claire just kept dropping them, and Elisha was more excited about freezing himself in the sprinkler.

In between there was also some bubble blowing. I really loved this picture of Erica. She's such a sweetie.

Unfortunately, just as the overly helpful Czech neighbors warned, I think the heat got the better of me. I managed to be all right until bed time, but the whole night was consumed with un-consumption. All in all, however, it was a great weekend. It was so nice to get to talk with Cari as well. I feel so blessed to have her here, and hope I'll be able to head that way next year as well. It's like a little slice of home only 4 hours away. And this time...there was a key for the bathroom...very useful!