The first “official” day of Spring has come and gone, and Easter is {literally} just around the corner.

Have you prepared your little ones for the arrival of Peter Cottontail?

With a few tools and a little preparation, I’d like to share one of the most magical Easter secrets I’ve ever witnessed in person.

My mother is the most amazing mother I ever could have asked for.

Now I know what you’re thinking, but you’re wrong. My mom is actually the best mom of all. Case in point ~ Santa still manages to bring holiday pajamas and Christmas movies to my (grown) siblings and me on Christmas Eve. She manages to infuse all family activities with an element of whimsy. And several years ago, after my youngest sister had left for college, she adopted a brilliant idea:

Easter. Bunny. Footprints.

Since there were no longer [...]

More >
Leave a comment
Tags: Create Easter Bunny footprints, Easter

Here Comes Peter Candy-tail

We all know the bunny that debuts every Easter as Peter Cottontail, but let’s face it—in recent years, this holiday has become all about the candy. As the mother of two children under 6, it’s becoming harder to keep the “Easter” in Easter. And it’s made nearly impossible as retailers begin stocking their shelves with pastel-colored candy as early as February 15th.

Thinking back to my childhood, the highlight of my Easter (after a new Easter dress and shoes) was a big (hollow) chocolate bunny. The boxed bunny sat in my basket atop a bed of green plastic grass and was surrounded by a few Reese’s® peanut butter eggs and some jelly beans. While marvelous to me then, it’s a basket that would be considered simple by today’s standards.

More >
Leave a comment
Tags: Easter, Easter baskets, Easter candy, Easter eggs, Easter gift ideas

My grandmother was always the consumate hostess with her menus and table settings calculated down to the the tiniest of details.  Planning for our family’s Easter celebration was one of the occasions she happily anticipated as she pulled out her finery of Gorham’s Buttercup silver and her Wedgewood Wild Strawberry china.  She even had a collection of crystal salt wells and spoons, as well as some beautiful, crystal knife rests.  Her table always sparkled with her various collections.

As a little girl, my mother made sure I had a special outfit, to include a new pair of white patent leather shoes and ruffled socks.  If time permitted, my dress was made with smocking, embroidery and even a matching cotton voile apron.  (You can understand where my attention to dressmaker details originated.)  Of course, every proper little girl had a [...]

More >
Leave a comment
Tags: Bunny S’mores, childhood memories of Easter, Easter, Easter desserts, Easter stories