Ruth’s SOLS: Easter in Photos + Words

This post is inspired by Ali Edwards’ post, Easter Sunday Photos + Words.

Growing up, the Easter Bunny always left my basket on the nightstand beside my bed.  However, at Andy’s house, the Easter Bunny left baskets on the kitchen table.  Not surprisingly, the Easter Bunny is one of compromise and at our house, she leaves a bit of candy on the bedside stands and he leaves the baskets on the breakfast table.

The Bunny is a strange one at our house and fills the baskets with underwear, toothbrushes, toothpaste and a toy.  This year the toys were:  Billy (Thomas the Train’s friend); a purple sparkle My Little Pony; and a latch hook craft kit.  He also included Peeps — considering marshmallows are big right now in our world.

We celebrated like always at one of our favorite places — church.  It was good to celebrate the most important holiday in our religion.

Every year we have dinner at Grandma and Grandpa’s house.  There’s the traditional Easter meal:  ham, green beans, mashed potatoes, rolls, and dessert.  This year the dessert was strawberry shortcake, a family favorite.  With the addition of the girls to the family, we are now able to have a boys’ table, a girls’ table and an adult table.  Usually the boys’ table is a bit more crowded, but we were missing some cousins this year.  Always the adult table is the crazy, zany one.  🙂

The annual egg hunt always follows dinner.  This year the big kids helped the little kids.  It is neat to see the changes that happen almost before our eyes.  For years Andy & I were in charge of hiding the eggs.  Now the older cousins do.  It used to be the adults helping the kids, now it’s the kids helping the kids.  I love the way it takes an entire family to raise a child.  I love the way family traditions influence who we become.

And here we all are . . . the first time we’ve taken an Easter photo that isn’t in the fancy Easter clothes!  My what a big crew we are . . . and Andy’s brother, his wife, and four kids are missing + one other cousin.  Really, when did those kids get so big?  And have I really been hanging around this family for nearly fifteen years?  Once again, I’m struck by the passing of time.

The rest of the day was filled with playing outside — riding the gator for the little guy, playing “pig” for the guys, a movie for the girls, and catching up for my sister-in-law and me.  All in all, Easter day was perfect.  Just like always.  That is one thing which is timeless.