Easter 2024

Oleg's family invited us for Easter. We had a great time with food, games, and an Easter egg hunt. Grammy came with us, but Oleg and Darcy were working. It was relaxing not to host or collaborate with the Easter Bunny.

The egg hunt was indoors and outside, and naturally, like every year, we didn't find all the eggs. That's become a tradition. 

Happy Easter to all who celebrate!

Easter 2023

I contacted the Bunny earlier to ensure Easter was as fun as last year's when I brought fun to the PA household where I spent the holiday. Oleg and his family were bringing Ukraine traditions. It would be an excellent mixing of cultures.

I awoke early. The Easter Bunny met me outside for last-minute preparations.

Once everyone arrived (Darcy was working and not there), we held the Easter scavenger hunt paring "children" against "adults." I needed one of my family members on each team, but Tom was not as helpful as I intended. Example: they figured out the clue was on the fence.

Tom: "Now we just have to figure out how to get out there."

Steph: "Yeah, he wasn't with it."

After the treasure eggs were collected, we rolled the dice. Eggs were passed back and forth until the last turn. The golden eggs carried better prizes, but no one left empty-handed.

Next, we hunted for eggs. That took considerable time, and we still have not found about six eggs as of the last count. I told everyone that is one of our traditions.

From there, we played a crack-the-egg game from Ukraine. Oleg's family decorated eggs using colorful napkins wrapped around egg white slathered hard-boiled eggs. Much better to eat afterward than dyed eggs.

We hit one another's eggs, and whoever's egg didn't crack moved on. It came down to tech guy and Steph. The tech guy won.

We had a Steph charcuterie board, a honey-baked ham dinner, and a delicious traditional Ukrainian Easter cake to wind down the festivities. We also forgot to photograph our table. That is usually Darcy's job. 

Two days later, Maggie and I found three missing Easter eggs. A week later, in PA, Steph found one of the missing eggs from 2022! 

Keeping the tradition alive.

Easter 2022

I spent Easter in Pennsylvania with a precocious 12-year-old. She'll tell you that I made her hunt eggs. Secretly, she enjoyed it. I had planned to bring stuff with me for the big day, but time and my poor memory screwed that up, and I had to shop for stuff during one of our daily errand run-around days. I also ordered a gift on Amazon for next-day delivery. Easter - check!

My plan was to stuff eggs with puzzle pieces that would have to be put together to find the clue. I did this years ago with my girls, and it was a huge hit. The problem was I went with the 24-piece puzzle instead of the 48-piece one, and Steph pointed out that those weren't going to fit inside the plastic eggs. Her suggestion to fold the puzzle pieces was not helpful, but then again, this is the mother who got fed up over something or another one Easter and yelled, "There is NO Easter Bunny!"

I decided to channel my inner Kelly (that's our friend whose creativity we miss) and stuffed treasure hunt clues I got off the Internet (I am NOT like Kelly in coming up with my own). Then I hid the puzzle pieces that morning while everyone was occupied. I was so organized that I didn't mess up!

First, we hunted the eggs. I made Maggie's older brother participate, but there wasn't much pushback on that. Apparently, other PA parents have kept up the Easter Egg hunting tradition in our house, and I look forward to the day, say, six months from now when these eggs are discovered. (A group of the over twenty-year-olds slept where we hid the eggs after a night before Easter liquid overindulgence. Not that we in any way are blaming them.)

Luckily, only one egg with a clue was missing. Maggie found her eggs first and began the treasure hunt. She was good at figuring out the clues, although I gave hints on a few. 

Clue number 9 said: I have all the clues, can create many a thing, there's really no telling what my keys and mouse might bring. 

Maggie: "That's you, Cara. Let me search you."

Me: "Flattery will get you very far with me."

Thus the hints!

Once she had all the puzzle pieces, Maggie built it, flipped it over with precision (and the help of a flat tray and spatula), and then wandered while repeating the clue. It didn't take her long to find her basket. Nate had to stop to run an errand, but when he returned, he gave it his all.

Nate: "Somewhere I never go? I don't know. The laundry room?"

The baskets were in the dryer. They were a hit. So was the game. Then Maggie made everyone an Easter breakfast. 

Later that day, we took Auntie Kim to the train station for her return home. Then we had Easter dinner provided by the Hershey Country Club. We ate salmon, beef, potatoes, veggies, several salad varieties, and dessert choices. A few family and friends came, and we spent the rest of the evening talking and telling stories.

A very nice Easter.

Darcy: "Well, I'm glad it was because the Easter bunny didn't come to our house! I'm just saying..."

Easter 2021

Easter snuck up on me. I thought it was later in April for some reason. Since our family was vaccinated either fully or partially, I decided it was time to throw a celebration. I am not Betty Crocker, nor am I Martha Stewart, but darn it, this Easter was a joyous, delicious, and festive day.

Mostly because we hadn't done anything this exciting in a year.

I actually got out my Easter decorations and used the tablecloth I'd received on my trip to Pennsylvania before COVID. I planned the menu and did the cooking--what there was of it. My niece helped in the kitchen, and she deserves the credit for the table set-up. My BIL was here from CA. Darcy and Oleg were not.

Dinner was buffet-style and eaten outdoors. Between the appetizers and dinner, we had an Easter egg hunt. The adults were hesitant to get started, but they got into it after spying eggs. Everyone raced to find the golden egg. My MIL was right on top of it, but she got beaten to it by my niece. It was taped to the bottom of a chair. Brea won the prize! It was a game we played after dinner. I won!

I'm hopeful our year will have much more celebrations. People! Get vaccinated! Help the cause!

Easter/Passover 2019

Tom and I spent Easter/Passover at my friend SueG's house. Both girls were at school getting ready for finals and for the end of the year, so we spent Easter morning watching Elliot hunt for eggs. I attended church to celebrate Passover, Earth Day, and Easter, and then I headed over early to help with the dinner preparations.

I was in charge of appetizers and the egg hunt. I had ninety eggs filled with goodies, and each egg had an initial to eliminate one-up-manship. SueG and I hid the eggs. There were so many we quickly ran out of "hidden" hiding spots.

The food was plentiful. The company was entertaining. Even the dog enjoyed himself moving from the kitchen where the food preparations were happening to the table of appetizers in the living room.

The big reveal of the night came with the cake. SueG's SIL had ordered it and picked out a Spring pattern. Our local grocery outdid themselves with that. We spent more time sitting and inspecting the cake then we did in eating it. Very intricate.

Happy Spring Everything!

Happy Easter

Every holiday that wasn't Christmas my father would leave great candy, treats, and a card at our place at the table so that when we awoke on that holiday morning those yummies would be waiting for us. The cards were usually funny cards that made him laugh along with us as we read them. I have carried on this tradition of placemat yummies, but this is the first year that I thought my daughters would appreciate funny cards.

This is the one I gave my eldest:

Happy Easter Everyone!