Easter holds a few other traditions

An egg hunt:  This year only two little boys and 115 eggs.  Uncle D gets the job of hiding them in the yard. Almost every year there is one or two that show up in the garden during the summer.

Not to happen this year. The weatherman was right.  Rain.  So, inside was the hiding place.  Sure enough, after the boys went home, there was still one egg that showed up. 

•  A Carrot Cake:  During the early years, Mimi would create orange carrots and little green stems on the cake.
•  Now it is usually sprinkles. 
•  And now, she is in Minnesota.  We often check in on Saturday to see how "we" are getting along.

A typical piece of our favorite carrot cake 

This year, Mimi was working all day and was not sure she would be able to make it happen.
Mine was frosted and on the cake pedestal early evening. 

 Just to keep it fresh and cool I put the domed stand in the back room closet.
Easter morning. 
About noon when Uncle D arrived I had him help  lift the cake into the dining room.

"Mom, the cake is covered with ants"

We call them sugar ants and there they were,  so busy destroying the sparkles.  I thought I could just sweep them off, but no, they were under, all over  and probably inside. 
Out in the garage it went
Uncle D  offered to run to Safeway for a cake, but since he still had 115 eggs to hide, hubby got his keys and started out.

About now, our neighbors Tyler, Heidi and little Eleanor were coming down the path.
Wait!  What was Heidi carrying?    I quickly ran to the front door and I hope I said hello before I said
" What is that you are holding?"    It was a lemon cake.  
Shouted to Uncle D ... run after Dad and tell him we have a cake !

And he did.. And we did. 

Pretty soon Tiffany arrived with deviled eggs, asparagus,  cookies and some sparkling beverage

Mari and Lucas arrived with the most beautiful fruit salad

Ham and herb bread...and all 12 of us begin the feast 

While still around the table we pass the

             "Resurrection Eggs" 
Starting with Jesus loves the world and ending with an empty tomb 

  

Looks like we are ready for dessert 

Story not over yet.

When Tiffany went out to the garage she saw the cake,

she said " Mom that was thoughtful of you to hide the carrot cake when Heidi came with her cake"

When the truth came out, Tiffany and Mari got hysterical and I finally had to laugh about it.

I live an exciting life 

.

Nope.   

 

During the Easter season we would have Hot Cross Buns while we were growing up

Not sure when it stopped, but the next time I remember was about 4 years ago when we invited an English couple to join us for Easter dinner.   She made home baked Hot Cross Buns

Traditions during the holidays are nice and I decided to add this one, at least for the two of us, for breakfast Easter morning.

It was an extra excuse to go to British Pantry for dinner.  

Slipped into the bakery before dinner, and no Hot Cross Buns. Not surprised, but a little disappointed.

Story is not over yet

Back to the dinning room and our favorite waitress Paula,  seated us and took our order.
I inquire about Hot Cross Buns and she confirmed that they were not sold in the restaurant.
The bakery  had been baking them all week and today, they sold over 800.

While we were enjoying our very  British dinner, here comes Paula. 
She handed me two wrapped up  Hot Cross buns.  She said they were hers and she had been eating them all day, so now they were mine 

And so it happened we had hot cross buns for East Sunday breakfast

Story is not over yet 

Just before the Sunday School singing began, Bethany said..
I have been wanting to bake Hot Cross buns for a long time and finally decided to do it.
We can have some with coffee after singing 

and then I have a few for you to take home

And I did

End of story

I live an exciting life 

 

memories are made of this

It started with a text from our neighbor.

He is in Boston, waiting out the virus situation here, and he remembered   that last year at Easter, he spent the day with us.        ( I had forgotten.. I was too absorbed in the now...not able to be with family)
The thing is,  he is not a Christian, but he wrote...Have a blessed Easter.

I was touched.
  I thought it was worth writing about. I was busy in the kitchen and as I headed to the computer I remembered something...my grandpa would say  " you can't cook dinner in the living room"  That was his way of saying that the stove was on and I should be heading back where I was needed.

You know how it is with memory..... sometimes you have it, sometimes not

Hard to forget Easter 2018 .  It started out in a normal sort of way.  We always celebrate here,  and the usual menu.   I was bending down to lift out the clay pot for the ham.   I could not get back up.   The pain was bad.   Very bad. With the help of hubby, we got the ham into the oven.  I stayed home from church. The girls always come early and help.  But, Anita called..".sorry,Christian is sick, I am so sorry, we can't come.  Tiffany is going to bring the salad for me." 
I could not let her know my concerns....
Then,  the doorbell rang  and it was Anita and family   " April Fools".
The rest of the day went well.  With the help of the girls our other guests had no idea what the morning had looked like, or notice my unusual walk.  

here is that pot...

Now you see it...now you don't... gone !




Another Easter memory...  forgetting where I hid the eggs... So Damon took over on the 100 + outside eggs, and I now take pictures of where the inside eggs are  ( they have $$ )

This is always on the menu
Jeanette's recipe.... Carrot cake 

Always on the table...no new ones this year  ( date on his bottom 2013 )   He is a keeper, that Old Bunny   

And there is more to decor than food

Gifted to our kids about 35 years ago
Full of Sees Candy !
Now it houses those yellow Peeps.  The same ones for a few years. No one eats them anymore.  Hmm.  Maybe I should introduce them to the grandkids   

These are also very old.... Solid sugar, me thinks.
No one dares to eat them either 

And pretty much always something "musical"  


One year we invited our neighbor across the street to come for Easter dinner.  He declined,saying he needed to pack, he was moving the next day.  So, our boys ( all the family here that year) headed across the street.  Sure enough, he had not packed yet.  Apparently he could not come to grips with the fact that his house did not sell and he could not make the payments and he needed to be out ! We all lent a hand.  

Then there was the day after Easter..because am sure hubby would not cut wood on Sunday.    Just down the trail, he had been cutting and stacking and on Monday...

But this year, well it will always be remembered.   No egg hunt.  No family gathering. But, wait... 

I put on a spring Sunday dress.... had prepared an almost typical Easter dinner with what I had on hand ... The new family next door have two little girls.  They are 2 and 5 years old.   About 9:00 we got the word that they were heading out to gather eggs.  So, while standing on a step ladder, I peeked over the fence.    It did not take them long to find 17 ( one is still hiding ) colored eggs.  We waved goodbye and headed inside. 

We had our own corned beef dinner and then met with most of the family on Zoom


The boys across the street came to our door with a basket of treats "Pick out something you like"

So this year will indeed be an Easter to remember. And every day we are thankful for the morning, long ago,  when Jesus arose from the grave !   Simply believe and receive the greatest gift of all... Salvation !
Read more in the Bible.  
Need one?    just ask me


I live an exciting life

and thankful

Easter


The table has been set for days...except for the flowers

And it is a good thing

because

just about the time the ham was to go into the oven

I lifted that pot and my back said, NO !

Thankful for texting

First  little girl

Sorry family, my little guy had a bad night. His ear infection kept all of us awake
But, maybe one of you can bring a vegetable to make up for it

Then big sister 

I am happy to make a salad, I have all the ingredients
And Mom, don't worry, I will come early and help get things  ready
Take care of your back

So I did.  Actually fell asleep for about an hour
Went into the kitchen to find that the oven "start" button had not been pushed.
Oh well, I am not going tell anyone. Just start it now.

Then 

to the front door

Little girl, her hubby and "sick" little guy

"APRIL FOOL'S  "

Ok,  little guy was on meds and feeling ready for the egg hunt and

ready to surprise the rest of the family when they arrived.

That was pulled off in great style  

First bouquet.  And one for each lady !

Never too many desserts

A closer look, from our new English friends
Hot Cross Buns and little sweet cakes ( and a bouquet of daffodils )

Family Tradition recipe : carrot cake,  frosted without the carrots

If you like lemon, this is the cake/bread for you

And then the hunt

Someone had filled 100 eggs with coins and candy

another someone hid them in the back yard just before brunch

Because of the weather the eggs were hidden in more obvious spots this year

so obvious that the crows were attracted to them and that was the end of two of them 

Being unsure of the weather, Grammy hid 9 eggs in the living room.  They each had candy and $. So when the boys got a little restless, Grammy told them they could start looking. Find 3.  Some high. Some low.   But Grammy could not remember where they were hidden.  The boys asked for hints and she just could not remember.   ( seems to be something with eggs. A couple years ago, she hid the eggs in the back yard and, for months after Easter, the boys found eggs in the garden . She got fired )

This year, simple enough, ......

there is still one egg,  or is someone trying to pull one over on Grammy  ? !  

♥  ♥   ♥   ♥   ♥

While seated around the table, 12 colorful plastic eggs are passed around.  They are called "Resurrection Eggs " 

The first verse is the one we all know

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son and whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life.  John 3:16 

The verses continue on from God's love for the world to the coins of betrayal to the thorns of the cross and the final egg..
 empty ...He has risen !   

There is more to Easter than the displays at the market.  

Yes, we do love chocolate and all those bunny stuffies and napkins and things.   Spring is the time of new life. 

 Easter is the reminder that Jesus died and rose again .  

  Let us never forget.  May we always be thankful and share this true story year round.  

Read all about it in the Bible, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. 

Somehow when the dessert has been consumed,and the eggs are in the baskets, it feels like the party is over..

There are still dishes, and such, but they wait

Good byes, thank yous, hugs 

now time to put my feet up   

Then middle girl calls from Minneapolis

The perfect end to a wonderful, amazing, full of surprises day.

Monday Morning  Delights

When you come to the end of a perfect day

 or a pefect week...
      
                

                  ( Cousins..so glad they love each other.
                                         so glad they live close to me.   )

        

    Guess I should start with Monday.  We helped put on a dinner for some men who are waiting for employment. They are living at our neighborhood church and our small group took a turn to prepared the meal……    Kind of out of my comfort, once I am out of the kitchen. But a friend accompanied me and we ended up at a table with some very friendly and normal guys.  One is a painter and was able to give some  tips on that project .  We laughed a little and enjoyed what they called “ the most amazing meal “. Brought my camera, but forgot to use it. 

    Wednesday evening was a black tie 90^th birthday dinner for my aunt.  I am still feeling the excitement. We spent 4 hours in a very warm and welcoming atmosphere.  Cousins, conversation , delightful food and service with  smiles.
         Photos of food family and......

                                                 Birthday Princess, Aunt Pat

                                             Lobster Bisque

                                                                 Salad

                                                              filet

                                                    Birthday cake

                                                 and  

                                     Fun

                   

   Friday was a first time catered dinner at our home.  We wanted to thank  the many helping hands that brought us through more than two months of recovering from a broken wrist.  It was Good Friday in more ways than one, so at least half of the intended guests were either singing in the choir and committed to attending their church service.    As always, the right group of guests  were around our table.  Why didn’t I take a photo of more than the food ?

Today is Easter.A beautiful sunny day in Bellevue.