Easter 2014

For Easter we've started the tradition of doing Easter baskets on the Saturday morning before Easter Sunday. We can take our time, enjoy the contents, and that way the next morning we can just focus on getting ready for church.

This year the girls wore their new matching birthday dresses from Grandpa Billy and Grandma Gayle. Lucy even wore curlers in her hair the night before to be extra fancy.

After church on Easter Sunday.

Lucy loving all her surprise treats found in her basket Saturday morning. It was her "Best day ever!"

The contents of all the "baskets": Zach got a tie, candy, cologne, and shaving kit. Lucy got egg dying kits, garden gloves, long satin play gloves, hair clips, play doh, and scratch art. Clara got a dress, hair clips, and sunglasses. Also See's candies from Grandpa Billy and Grandma Gayle to share with Lucy. I got garden gloves and weeding tool, milano cookies, hair bands, Dior Lip Glow balm, and hair bands. 

Dying Easter Eggs

I always wait until after Easter and then boy a bunch of egg dying kits half off and save them for next year. 

What do you do for Easter? Family traditions? Special foods?

My mom used to make coconut bunny cakes, and we always had to search the whole house to find our baskets. The oven, dryer, fireplace, and in kitchen cupboards were popular spots.

We usually got new Easter outfits as well, and the mine usually came with a white straw hat and gloves. Fancy!

We would also dye Easter eggs every year, which was always a lot of fun.

Boyd, Scott, Sean and I on an Easter morning. Sporting our new Easter outfits.

Krista and I Easter Morning.

Easter 2013

I think our new tradition for Easter is to celebrate it on the Saturday before with baskets, egg, candy, etc. I loved how much more relaxed it made Easter Sunday itself.

This year we didn't get to decorate eggs because of my pregnancy, but it is one of my favorite holiday traditions. Another favorite is Easter baskets!

Happy girl! Excited to color her place mats.

Lucy's Easter Basket

Mom's Easter Basket

Dad's Easter... pile?

Ready to squirt dad with her new water gun!

Upgrading to cups!

Lucy got her own big water bottle!

Thanks Grandpa Billy and Grandma Gayle for the See's jelly eggs!

Art Lesson: Clear Glue and Oil Pastels

Inspiration for this project found here.

Supplies:

Clear glue

Paper

Oil pastels

Directions:

1. Draw picture using clear glue. Overlap objects to create depth.

2. Let dry over night.

3. Choose a color for a section and fill in paper area in between glue lines. Draw darker on the outer sides of the egg, gradually getting lighter as you get to the center to create the illusion of roundness. Use white in the middle, gradually blending with the original color as it gets closer to the edges. 

Baked Pear Vanilla French Toast with Buttermilk Caramel Syrup

This is supposed to be a breakfast food, but it was soooo delicious that I would also consider it a dessert. It could go either way! I also love the fact that you can prepare it the night before, refrigerate it, and then pop it in the oven the next morning when you want to eat it. It is the perfect food for a holiday breakfast, which is exactly what I used it for. Happy Easter! It is delicious, impressive, quick, and easy.

I also used a recipe from Our Best Bites for Buttermilk Caramel Syrup to serve with it. This could also be made the night before, refrigerated, and used the next day. Mmmm. 

Look at those pears!

First, the french toast:

Baked Pear Vanilla French Toast
Originally from The Reluctant Entertainer, found on Pinterest via: Taste and Tell

serves 6 to 8...to however many you cut from a 9x13 pan

total prep time: 10 minutes
inactive time: overnight
baking time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:

1 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup butter
2 tablespoons water
3 fresh pears: peeled, sliced, and cored (I sliced mine in rings)
4 cups French bread, cut/torn into small pieces (About a whole loaf)
1/2 cup pecans, finely chopped
9 eggs
2 cups milk
2 teaspoons vanilla

Melt the butter and brown sugar in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the water and continue heating until bubbly. Remove from heat and pour into a well-greased 9″x13″ baking pan, making sure to spread it evenly. Arrange the pears on top of the brown sugar mixture. Sprinkle the bread evenly over the pears, then sprinkle with the chopped nuts. Beat the eggs, milk and vanilla together and pour evenly over the entire mixture. Press the bread down with a spatula once you have poured the egg mixture on top to make sure the bread soaks up the liquid.Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Preheat the oven to 350F. Bake uncovered for 40 minutes or until it becomes puffy and the eggs are no longer runny. 

Sauce poured, pears layered, and topped with bread, now just waiting for the nuts and then egg mixture!

Wait 40 minutes...

Voila!

Delicious from every angle.

Secondly, the sauce:

Buttermilk Caramel Syrup

From Our Best Bites

Ingredients:

3/4 c. buttermilk
1 1/2 c. sugar
1 stick real butter
2 Tbsp. corn syrup
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. vanilla

Combine buttermilk, sugar, butter, corn syrup, and baking soda in a LARGE soup pot.

Bring ingredients to a boil and reduce heat to low (as long as it’s still bubbling, you’re okay). Cook, stirring very frequently, for 8-9 minutes. This requires constant vigilance.

When it’s done, it should take on a golden-brown color. Remove from heat and add vanilla.

Before

During

After: The delicious results.

 The beauty of it all coming together!

Pears sliced into rings lay flatter and more evenly on the bottom of the pan.

Delicious served warm or cold.

Let's eat!

Easter 2012

This Easter we enjoyed some love from afar through various packages brought to us through the mail. We love getting real mail! Especially packages, and even more especially packages involving cookies or chocolate. :)

Thank you family! 

I wish we lived closer to our family and loved ones, but we are also blessed to have made close friends here in Texas. Now all we need is a bigger airport and closer Temple! 

Now for Easter baskets, fashion, and more!

Thank you Aunt Krista! She loves it!

Thanks, Mom! I loved it all!

Thank you Grandpa Billy and Grandma Gayle!

Lucy's Easter Basket: Chocolate Eggs, "Awesome" slap bracelet, Wooden train whistle, Wooden slide whistle, Recorder,  Sidewalk chalk eggs

Mom's Goodies

Dad's Goodies

Lucy found her treasures!

Excited about her new recorder.

Alas, you cannot play the recorder with your nostrils.  ... Or can you?

Chocolate!

"One egg,...not enough.."

Chocolate Coma

"Must get it all in my mouth!"

"Stay in my mouth!"

"Where'd it go?"

Caught in the act.

"How do I get this melted chocolate off my hands and into my mouth?"

"I wish this was chocolate."

"Is this chocolate?"

"Is this?"

Note to self: Take pictures before church and not after, which is when your baby needs a nap

Sad, sad girl.

Bracelet: Gift, found here. Love it! Thanks, Anne!

I was pretty excited to wear this skirt that I thrifted a few weeks before for about  $6.00!
100% wool, and it has pockets! Such a pretty color.

Shirt & Necklace: Forever 21

Easter Feast!

I had a little bit of an epiphany a week or so before Easter. I didn't really have a lot of plans for Easter, decorations, dinner, or otherwise. I was thinking about how I celebrate it, and started thinking about what Easter was really about and what it really celebrated.

It was no revelation to me that Easter is about celebrating the life and resurrection of Jesus Christ, but when I stopped to think about it, I realized that I had more reason than ever this year to really celebrate and remember Him and those events. Without His atoning sacrifice it would not be possible for any of us to be resurrected, for us to be together forever as eternal families, or for us to repent and become like our Father in Heaven and return to Him someday.

The Savior of the world made it possible for me to see Peter again and be with him and our Father in Heaven again.

He is risen! Thanks to Him for His atoning sacrifice!


Happy Easter to all, and to all a good night!