Happy Easter!

As a child, we had the most wonderful holidays. This was mostly due to the hard work and creativity of my parents. Easter was one of those special holidays where it was always less about the presents and more about being a family, enjoying spring (even on those rare snowy ones) and dressing in our best Easter outfits. When I think back I can recall several special Easter's where my memories are so clear it's as if it was yesterday. I remember Mom making us the best and prettiest dresses, and going to spend time at Grandma's where we would look for Easter eggs and just have good old fashioned fun. But, it was not always easy for my parents to make holidays happen without us knowing that our family may have had less in the way of finances and for what it's worth, we never really knew until later in life how our parents struggled.

My mother would work extra jobs to buy us nice things and my Dad would spend his weekends, literally, in the swamps, trimming down pussywillow bushes and hauling them back to the minivan, to later trim, bundle, and sell to a dealer at the Broadway Market. On Easter Sunday, our traditional and often times antique or handmade baskets, were filled to the brim with the best chocolates from local confectioners. We would race downstairs to seek out our baskets that the "bunny" had hidden about the house and he always found clever places to hide them. One year, after searching all about and feeling quite defeated as my siblings had already found their baskets, my big brother pointed one small finger up to the ceiling. There it was, my basket was hanging from an old beam in our 100 year old house. I never noticed it, as my Mom had always displayed baskets from the beams.

Sadly, so much of this type of holiday fun is taken for granted by so many. But, not by me. I understand the sacrifices my parents made to ensure we had the best holidays and best memories of home and family. I consider myself very fortunate. I hope that by realizing these sacrifices and having such wonderful memories, I will be a better parent myself. I want my own children to have wonderful, special memories of their holidays as well as their every days.

This Christmas passed and, due to Michaels early arrival, I was barely able to make a dozen Christmas cookies. I excused myself from it this year, but next year will be different. This Easter Michael will have his own antique Easter basket, just like I had. He will have pictures taken with pussywillows, peeps, and his basket - of course dressed in his best Easter clothes. He won't remember this Easter, but I won't ever forget it. My little one is growing fast and it's these times that I want to remember most so I can tell him all about it as he gets older.

I think Easter is a great time to reflect and remember that being thankful doesn't just come at thanksgiving. It comes at all different times in our lives, and this Easter is definitely one for us.