Memories of Easters Past

     Preparing for Easter this year, I'm finding myself a bit nostalgic. A lot nostalgic actually. It seems all of a sudden, I'm the Grandma they're all coming to visit. The GRANDMA for heaven's sake! Me! I'm the one baking pies, planning the menu, and getting extra quilts and pillows out.
     In my mind, I'm still the squinty, permed-hair girl in the picture-looking just a bit frazzled from readying herself and three little ones in their Easter finery for Sunday church (I have no idea where my son's tie is).
     I actually think this is the only Easter picture that I'm in...I was usually the one taking pictures. I know I'm not the only mom missing from the Family Album.

     Truth be told, it doesn't seem that long ago that I was the child! When we were young, Easter traditions seemed very straightforward and easy. 
     We always got a new Easter outfit that included, but was not limited to, new shoes, dress, hat, purse and gloves. Just RIDICULOUS amounts of lace, dotted swiss and white patent leather.

     We dyed Easter eggs (no plastic eggs back then) using the same PAAS Easter egg dye tablets that I buy now http://www.paaseastereggs.com/egg-decorating-tips.php To this day, just the smell of distilled vinegar takes me back to my childhood.

     We hid the eggs over and over again, occupying ourselves for hours. For some reason, my normally fastidious mother allowed us to hide them in our formal living room?! 
     Between sofa cushions, inside crystal vases, on top of piano keys...I can clearly recall many of my favorite hiding spots. We would even unscrew light bulbs in lamps and replace them with eggs. On more that one occasion, the egg carton went back into the refrigerator missing an egg or two, as we would invariably lose an egg or two.
     Candy baskets were a tradition as well. I had my favorite candies

and my least favorites!!

image from pinterest

     There was always awful green grass that stuck to your candy, but that same grass would magically produce just one more jelly bean when you thought all the candy was gone!

     We'd got to church where there was usually some graphic re-enactment of the crucifixion that never seemed to disturb us and always stayed in our minds.
     Then we came home and had our big ham dinner and my favorite; Paska, a sweet Easter bread that was made by my best friend's mom.

My poor re-enactment of Paska

     Pickled red beet eggs finished out the menu.

     My favorite part of the day was at the end of the day when we all watched "The Ten Commandments" - still one of my top five movies.

     I hope this stirs up some of your favorite Easter memories; I'd love to hear some of your family traditions and cherished family memories.
     May you and your family have a blessed Easter!

                                                       HE IS RISEN!