Easter in Kavasila - top top!!

Happy Easter! Our weekend in Kavasila was incredible. Words won't do justice to the feel, the family, the food, the vibe... so I'm posting all but three of the (many) pictures that I took, with hopes that the images will do a better job of conveying just what kind of a weekend we had. No wonder Hendrik doesn't want to leave! I don't want to either. And if and when we do (we must, I think), it won't be the last time we see these places and these people. Thank you so so much to the Mixalopoulos clan for making us feel like a part of your family - ευχαριστώ!!!

saturday morning: the easter bunny came! the kids were verrrry excited to hunt for (and eat) eggs; after Steve finished his practice, we hit the road, and made it to Kavasila 4:00ish

Bill doing the kokoretsi, the walkway, kids
at play, at play, watching Max
more play, prepping the lamb, fleurs

A with her candle, and H with his; both - made by Nik's fiancee, Constantina (for the midnight church service)
more and more and more lamb prep, with Hendrik taking it all in
lamb #2, for chops + all-day appies, our boy, en route to town for coffee at 6:00ish

more en route to the cafe, and Alana stopping to smell (all) the flowers
shop across the way, coffee for some.... beer for others :)
across the street, big eggs!!!, much excitement about the rock-lawn

a cafe with an open space for kids = the best.
more fleurs, busy at the butchers, walking home with Nik
prepping the pit for Easter Sunday: all day grillin'

Alana LOVED the screen door (and Max the dog), I was the only Brinkman who made it to church at midnight (Hendrik had a serious meltdown after a long day full of sugar and stimulation, the poor feller)
my candle, the crowd, and people heading for home - to eat!
at the table, yamas! meat soup and meat meal, at 12:30am-ish

The next day: Bill and Nik had the fire going before we woke up, and it was all meat and beer and grillin' for breakfast.
(and the sign on Nik's door - gotta love it!)
taking it allllllllll in | CAKE! this is what I had for breakfast - the one on the right is an orange cake, made with crumbled phyllo.... soooooo good!!!!!
our family! Hendrik was Nik's helper, until the smoke started irritating his eyeballs. Pointing at the big lamb....

two grills and lots of meat, and it's not even 12:00 yet. gypsies arrived playing music ("oh sh$*," someone said, "the gypsies are here!" - I'm wasn't too sure what this meant, but they played music louder than ours and got ppl dancing...)
climbing, a bus sched from our walk into town (mis-placed photo), and watching the world
beer and meat, and tennis. from across the street (where there are chickens, bunnies and lots of fruit trees), looking back.

swinging, the table, beer and meat for lunch
lunching, laughing, cutting the Easter bread
there were people coming and going all day, with music and drink flowing perfectly | carving time!

meat plate!! a full table... and my plate
full table, happy kids eating dessert, Alana happily playing with rocks
nap time for all in the late afternoon was followed by coffee and play in Gastouni, a village away

Doesn't it all look amazing? It was. We reluctantly drove home at 8:30 after a serious chip chow-down, ate some fruit, showered up the kids and went to bed as tired as can be. There are more words to accompany some of these images, and hopefully I'll get to it soon. Easter 2014 was a weekend to remember, that's for sure! Again, ευχαριστώ to the Mixalopoulus family, and Happy Easter to all!