Easter

Easter is a low key event in our home. We don't go to church, we don't get together with family, in many ways it's just an ordinary day, made special by little things.

We have a neighbor who leaves "Easter bunny tracks" on the front stoops of the homes up and down the street where little kids live. We awoke and retrieved the paper to find large, human-sized bunny tracks on our steps (I think she uses corn starch and a stencil of some sort).

Lindsey and Marissa were happy to come down the stairs to find Easter baskets awaiting them on the piano. Unlike many of their counterparts, their Easter baskets are small. They don't need much, they are perfectly happy with the little treats that they get, and I get really annoyed by the commercialism of Easter of all holidays. Christmas, okay, it's a birthday, let's celebrate. But Easter? Someone died, okay? Have a little respect.

The jelly beans were a hit with Marissa, not so much with Lindsey. Chocolate eggs, also a hit with Marissa, not so much with Lindsey. But they both enjoyed the little chicks that had Play-Doh in them.

We had our friends over for Easter dinner which, in typical fashion, was delayed by my not-terribly-planned-out prep work for the meal. (I could've gotten more done earlier, prior to their arrival, but opted for a nap instead. Who wouldn't??)

Everything was ready on time except for a side dish that I was trying out for the first time that took longer than expected. Thankfully the ham stayed moist while it stayed in the oven an extra half an hour, and the potatoes were done all the way through (unlike other years when they aren't QUITE done when I have to take them out). So we ate later than scheduled, but we certainly passed the time with fun conversation and entertainment from watching the kids.

Lindsey and Jamie had lots of fun playing dress up. Jamie looked so beautiful when she came to our house wearing a beautiful spring dress with an adorable cropped pink sweater. This was promptly traded for velcro-on dress up clothes and "noisy" shoes, as Lindsey calls them, or those dress up high heels. They took turns being Cinderella in Lindsey's Halloween costume from this past Halloween. Lots of running around and giggling abounded, with Marissa behind them, trying to keep up and be a part of the action. Unfortunately she and Molly are just a little too far apart in age (and size!) to really be playmates right now, though Marissa did have fun "dancing" with Molly (see photo). So Marissa was handed the role of annoying little sister who always follows us around, and Mom can't you make her leave us alone?? Oh...I remember those days...but from the point of view of the little sister, not the mom!