Sister's Choice Quilts

My interests are quilting, reading, cooking, family, decorating, and matters of style. I post regular quilting tutorials and book reviews of current fiction.

Easter At Our House

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Easter in our family is always exactly the same.  We all gather at Dad’s house around 11:00, and everyone always brings exactly the same offering to the pot lunch brunch.  No variations, no subsitutions allowed!  No one misses this brunch unless they are in Tierra del Fuego (like my nephew) or sick as a dog (like my husband). 

My mother in law usually makes the sacrificial lamb shown in the photo above.  This year she is recovering from knee surgery and couldn’t get out of her house, much less make the lamb, so my lovely daughter Sara took over.  The concept is so simple really.  You make a batch of Rice Krispy treats and moosh them into an oiled two part mold in the shape of a lying down lamb.  Let it set up, unmold and decorate as you choose.  Sara had her lambikins on a bed of green coconut, and the lamb itself had a frostinged face ( a new embellishment) and coconut over all for fleece.  No one had the nerve to cut into it while Sara was around, but I bet my nephews will get into it tonight.  We have had a lamb like this at our Easter brunch for three decades!

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Grandpa Jack dyes the Easter eggs, and is ever so disappointed that his dye of choice, Ruby’s Egg Dye, is no longer available (not seen since the ’80’s).  You see, he likes to make swirly colored eggs, not those dull solid color ones.  We made do with a dye called Dudley’s, which he said was "a dud".  I think they look pretty good though.

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We had fruit platters, bagels, croissants and loads of bacon and sausage.  My sister Andrea is the family vegetarian, and for some unknown reason, has cooked the meat on Easter for as long as I can recall.  She put her foot down this year and announced she was done with that.  She was switching to sticky buns and someone else could do the meat from now on.  My sister Trish jumped at that, and clever girl, she precooked sausage and bacon and home and only had to warm it up when she got here.  My sister Kate makes a killer eggy mushroom egg strata, and I always have to make a special version of blueberry French toast that is also an egg strata type thing.  By the time we got those dishes on the table, everyone was digging in, so I didn’t get a photo.

We had 21 folks around the table.  As everyone arrived, we put a mimosa (champagne and orange juice) in their hand.   We ate, we laughed, we were thankful for spring and for the family (most of us) being together.  The loved ones who weren’t with us were remembered and it was another perfect Easter over with by 2:00 pm.

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My personal Easter Bunny, Remy, is above, lovingly cradled by my niece Maddi.  Ozzie stayed home with my husband, who is still under the weather with the horrible 60 day cough that is going around.

So here we are, another Easter over, our tummies full, and Spring to look forward to!

34 responses to “Easter At Our House”

  5. Can your family adopt me????? What a great tradition and togetherness. I loved readying about it. I also have a Westie and they are such different animals. Remy is the cutiest….Mine is 2 years old and his name is Nesbitt….Thanks for letting us read about your family and your happenings. Hope Hubby is well soon…..

  6. Can your family adopt me????? What a great tradition and togetherness. I loved readying about it. I also have a Westie and they are such different animals. Remy is the cutiest….Mine is 2 years old and his name is Nesbitt….Thanks for letting us read about your family and your happenings. Hope Hubby is well soon…..

  7. Your family gatherings always sound so spectacular, like reading some novel. Thanks for sharing your traditions. What fun!

  8. Your family gatherings always sound so spectacular, like reading some novel. Thanks for sharing your traditions. What fun!

  11. Sweet photos, good looking yummy food.
    And 60 days, I have another 30 to go???? No wonder my cough syrup had a refill. Gross.

  12. Sweet photos, good looking yummy food.
    And 60 days, I have another 30 to go???? No wonder my cough syrup had a refill. Gross.

  15. What a feast It makes me hungry to look at it all Im glad you all had a good time Glad mil is getting better.And hope your hubby gets better soon.he needs a hot toddy.1 tbs of honey.1 tbs of whisky half a small cup of boiling water mix together drink then go to bed. my grannie made this for us when we had a cold.
    Hugs Mary.

  16. What a feast It makes me hungry to look at it all Im glad you all had a good time Glad mil is getting better.And hope your hubby gets better soon.he needs a hot toddy.1 tbs of honey.1 tbs of whisky half a small cup of boiling water mix together drink then go to bed. my grannie made this for us when we had a cold.
    Hugs Mary.

  17. Sounds like a wonderful day. Spending time with family is the best. We spent it at my daughter in laws parent’s house along with lots of their family and my adorable grandson who started walking last Friday when I was baby sitting him! He even got into the egg hunt. Haven’t had this much fun since my kids were little ages ago.

  18. Sounds like a wonderful day. Spending time with family is the best. We spent it at my daughter in laws parent’s house along with lots of their family and my adorable grandson who started walking last Friday when I was baby sitting him! He even got into the egg hunt. Haven’t had this much fun since my kids were little ages ago.

  25. The table looked absolutely beautiful! I love the eggs in the long basket. Simple and stunning. And that little westie – adorable. Can you share your blueberry french toast strata thingy?

  26. The table looked absolutely beautiful! I love the eggs in the long basket. Simple and stunning. And that little westie – adorable. Can you share your blueberry french toast strata thingy?

  27. Your family affairs are wonderful! I always enjoy hearing about them. Tell Sara her lamb was spectacular and I love her embellishments. I hope your husband recuperates quickly. That stuff is no fun at all.

  28. Your family affairs are wonderful! I always enjoy hearing about them. Tell Sara her lamb was spectacular and I love her embellishments. I hope your husband recuperates quickly. That stuff is no fun at all.

  29. Well, no wonder everyone shows up every year unless they are very ill or very far away…who would want to miss all of this??? Such fun to see and hear about…love that long basket with the eggs in.
    The Easter lamb of Rice Krispie treats is so clever…I never would have thought of doing anything like that, but it would be a big hit around here with the boys. Filing that one away for next year. (And, you know…if you ever want to shake it up a bit, I can see that lamb formed in a little bit different way, perhaps, and colored slightly differently…to resemble…well, you-know-who: OZZIE! Can’t you just see an OZZIE treat like that? Maybe for his birthday!)
    Un-crafter that I am (that’s why I love your blog so much, I can live vicariously), I tried coloring the eggs a la Martha Stewart from last week’s show…hers were lovely bits of lacey looking girly type eggs…mine, well they looked like the Shroud of Turin dyed eggs…foggy and intermittent. Shown on the blog in case you are in need of a good laugh under “Craft-ING.” Have a good week and thanks for always sharing with us!

  30. Well, no wonder everyone shows up every year unless they are very ill or very far away…who would want to miss all of this??? Such fun to see and hear about…love that long basket with the eggs in.
    The Easter lamb of Rice Krispie treats is so clever…I never would have thought of doing anything like that, but it would be a big hit around here with the boys. Filing that one away for next year. (And, you know…if you ever want to shake it up a bit, I can see that lamb formed in a little bit different way, perhaps, and colored slightly differently…to resemble…well, you-know-who: OZZIE! Can’t you just see an OZZIE treat like that? Maybe for his birthday!)
    Un-crafter that I am (that’s why I love your blog so much, I can live vicariously), I tried coloring the eggs a la Martha Stewart from last week’s show…hers were lovely bits of lacey looking girly type eggs…mine, well they looked like the Shroud of Turin dyed eggs…foggy and intermittent. Shown on the blog in case you are in need of a good laugh under “Craft-ING.” Have a good week and thanks for always sharing with us!

  31. Traditions are a wonderful thing, aren’t they? Thank you for sharing yours. I love the picture of Remy, too! Sorry your hubby couldn’t join in the festivities.

  32. Traditions are a wonderful thing, aren’t they? Thank you for sharing yours. I love the picture of Remy, too! Sorry your hubby couldn’t join in the festivities.

  33. Nicole, I just love Remy…look at that darling pup! If you can email me your mailing address..I have a darling little card I want to send you…my dog groomer’s brother is a pet artist and, well, you will see!

  34. Nicole, I just love Remy…look at that darling pup! If you can email me your mailing address..I have a darling little card I want to send you…my dog groomer’s brother is a pet artist and, well, you will see!