Friday, April 5, 2013

Pushing the doors open to FRESH SPRING: our Easter Sunday dinner and celebration 2013



The promises of the Easter season are full and spill over with fresh reminders of hope and newness.  The fresh spring that awakens the world, celebrates with a colorful chorus of greens and pastel flowers. We push our doors open to the outdoors to search for colored eggs and to enjoy picnics of cold salads and ham.  Finally, the moment that we've all held our breath for is here: new sunshine gifted in a fresh new season, SWEET SPRING.


And we celebrate the empty cross that made our spirits full.  You can read our Easter story of REDEMPTION here.



our spring mantel 2013


By tradition, along with everyone else, the kids happily colored eggs the day before Easter Sunday.  Color-spotted paper towels sprawling across the counter, stained fingertips,  the strong smell of vinegar tickling our noses, and the sound of silver spoons clanging as eggs were lowered in and lifted out of egg dye.

...Oh! What a beautiful mess







Our family Easter tradition is to leave our EMPTY Easter baskets outside the night before Easter for the bunny to see and to FILL!  The boys race outside once it's dark and line up the baskets on the doorstep.  They leave the colored eggs out for the Easter Bunny to hide as well.

And of course each boy always leaves a carrot because
 the Easter Bunny probably misses his giant dreamy garden
 as he is busy out visiting homes.

Waiting in anticipation for the Easter Bunny to fill their baskets *bright and early* the next morning!


Early in the morning, the boys always hear a startling LOUD knock on the front door and they stumble downstairs and open the door to discover that the Easter Bunny has filled their baskets, and wrapped them up in cellophane as a festive surprise! The boys grab their baskets, peek around for signs of Easter bunny ears, but usually only spot a trail of leftover carrots that the Bunny left behind.

This year, along with their fun-wrapped baskets, the boys found giant foam airplanes to fly in the spring skies too!  

Last year, the Easter bunny left gorgeous pocket kites to fly.  See here for details.  Outdoor toys that work in the wind are perfect for spring.



Chris recently started a new tradition for the boys.  I know a lot of other families do this one too!  Chris' family did this when he was growing up and he is passing it down for his boys: The Giant Jelly Bean Search.  At night, he hides millions of jelly beans around the living room, leaving a colorfully dotted room for the boys to wake up to! 



Who else practices this tradition? It's a new one for me and I love that it is something Chris does special for our boys.  He puts them in such creative spots too...



This year, we celebrated Easter Sunday dinner at our home sweet home with my parents and brother.  I got to tie on my flirty apron and do some cooking!


The heart of the home is cooking.




Our Easter Menu 2013

Pork Tenderloin
Homemade Creamed Corn
Balsamic Roasted Asparagus
Strawberry Spinach Salad
Traditional Potatoes Au Gratin
Leek & Gruyere Cheese Potato Bake
Homemade dinner rolls (yummmm!)
Green Grape Salad
Bacon Cheddar Deviled Eggs
Veggie Tray assortment
Cheese and Cracker Tray
Mint Pie and Chocolate Cream Pie (compliments of my mom)



My mom is an incredible pie maker! Thank you Mom. <3 p="">



Deviled Eggs of course


Lots of snacks while hungry lil tummies wait for the big
SUNDAY DINNER



For some reason, hard boiled eggs taste so much better on Easter!  
I like to have them out and ready to grab on our holiday funday.

 


I thought it would be a SUPER idea to use snow cone holders for Easter eggs! 
I've also used these snow cone holders here:
and for fruit cones




More snacks nestled in my favorite Rosanna dishes:
nuts, oranges, and cream filled chocolates.

I'm such a fan of all the lightened and brightened soft colors of springtime. 



This is a bunny I painted when I was a little girl and it matches a painting that Chris and I just painted recently in the background too. :) 


The kids discovered and explored more Easter goodies from my parents as we prepared dinner.  Titus with all of his new finger puppets.  Titus puts on the BEST puppet shows.  ever.


For the table this year, I added in bursts of hot pink.


Each place setting had a different colored napkin and a little jelly bean filled Easter basket.


For the centerpiece I made a hot pink feather nest with a glass hot pink bunny in the center.




Holidays, 
a time to gather




Past Easter POSTS:








My brother, my parents, and our team 5!


Blessings to each and every one of you during this season
of 
NEW LIFE
FRESH BEAUTY
REDEMPTION
and
of course,

l.o.v.e.










6 comments:

Blondie's Journal said...

You made your Easter Sunday so festive and fun for everyone! I love your Easter traditions and your boys are going to have such wonderful memories!

XO,
Jane

Natasha in Oz said...

Wow, what a feast and what a lovely family! Beautiful post.

Hope you have a wonderful weekend.

Best wishes,
Natasha in Oz

Jane said...

Now that's a feast! You put so much love in all you do with your family. And they really appreciate all you do for them. It's truly a blessing...

I love Chris's tradition of "hiding" jelly beans. My boys would have loved that...I'll have to remember this for grandkids...

You are so blessed to have your family join you for holidays. It's becoming more difficult around here, but that's just part of life. We celebrate random days with spontaneous dinners...and I LOVE that!

xo J

Rattlebridge Farm said...

What an enjoyable post. I'll share your jelly bean game with my granddaughter. What fun! Hope you have a great week!

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