Happy Shrove Tuesday!

Happy Shrove Tuesday (or Fat Tuesday) to everyone out there! We love Shrove Tuesday for several reasons. The first is that it is a reminder that one of our favorite holidays is approaching, Easter. Easter is such a joyous holiday to begin with, but because William was born on Easter Sunday the holiday means so much more to us. The other reason we love Shrove Tuesday is because that means we get to have our traditional pancake dinner. Colby and I have celebrated this tradition since before we were married. Who doesn't love a good pancake?!

So the next question some will ask is "What in the world is Shrove Tuesday?" For those who are interested, Shrove Tuesday is the day before the first day of the Christian season of fasting and prayer called Lent. The word shrove means to obtain absolution for one's sins by confession and doing penance. Shrove Tuesday was named from the shriving that English Christians were expected to do prior to receiving absolution immediately before Lent begins. Now a days many Christians use Shrove Tuesday as a day of self-examination. A day to consider the wrongs they need to repent and what areas of life they need to improve their spiritual growth in. Usually it is an area in which they feel a strong need to ask God's help in dealing with. Shrove Tuesday is also widely associated with the eating of foods such as pancakes because these used up ingredients such as fat and eggs, the consumption of which was traditionally restricted during Lent.

After Colby prepared our yummy meal of blueberry pancakes for the boys and chocolate chip pancakes for the Momma we talked a little about our past year and which areas we need to improve in. We both agreed that we need to get back to church. After last spring we stopped going, and both of us feel very strongly that William needs to grow up going to church. We both did and that is something we want for our son. So hopefully this Shrove Tuesday gave us the push to start doing this again.

We hope everyone indulges just a little tonight. We sure did! Here are some pictures from this evening.

William relaxing while Daddy cooks

Will enjoying his pancakes


Colby and Will enjoying some honey before the pancakes.


Sara enjoying her chocolate chip pancakes


Love,
The Tates