Happy Easter

I couldn't post my Easter greetings on the actual day, since I was tucked away in a cabin in the Smokies, unplugged from the electronic world and surrounded by family--parents, brothers, sisters-in-law, nieces and nephews--and having a wonderful, relaxing time of it, although I did fear for the lives of my children while we toured a dark and slippery cave.

Here's a recurring theme:  when our family takes a vacation, I don't realize how badly we need it until it's almost time to pack up and come home.  Right now, the last load of laundry is in the washer, but my heart is still watching the sunrise in Tennessee.  The kids are low-key today too, which is such an undeniable blessing.  Owen ran through the house in his underwear, looking for his uniform.  Helen spent a good twenty minutes quietly fussing at her footwear to feel right, and in between adjustments of her socks, she played with a comb.  Jack played alone in and around the farm's semi parked outside (with permission.)  Henry napped and is napping.

Busy day or lazy day, may you experience the power of Christ's resurrection in your lives!  That is the reminder of Easter--the hope of real and glorious new life in spite of our circumstances.

Easter Makey-Makey

I started Helen's Easter dress several weeks before Easter. I finished it several days before Easter. And now I'm posting about it nearly a month later.

I used fabric from my stash. The bias tape around the neck and sleeve holes was vintage; the zipper was also truly vintage, all thanks to my sister-in-law Leslie's late grandmother. The zipper even happened to have been used already, but carefully removed and saved by the same grandma. I chose to be slightly amused, but simultaneously grateful that I didn't have to speed to a fabric store to buy one.It needed something else, so I messed around with the leftover bias tape from the hem. I didn't have quite enough to make a rosette, so I ended up adding a few buttons and beads from my stash to make a pin.

We got a few snapshots of the family before the kids dropped food on their clothes from lunch and fell apart from needing naps.That afternoon we got together with family for an egg hunt and Easter dinner. I made Easter Egg Bread, which was more of a novelty recipe than a dying-to-eat-that-one-again recipe. At least it looked pretty! The leftovers made an excellent bread pudding.The bunny ended up as part of an egg, ham and potato casserole.