April 5, 2010 5:39 AM
Easter confessions of a tired old mom
I was feeling pretty uninspired about Easter dinner (for 27), so googled Easter Menu (do you ever feel like Google is a mother's best friend?) and came up with a couple of new ideas.I made ambrosia, revealing a deep rift in the family - between the Coconut Camp and the No-Coconut Camp. We did see one defection from the NoCo to the CoCo side: my oldest grandson Tim, shown here looking very much like his father Kip when he was 17.
I also made the Seven Layer Salad - which was a big hit - you might want to try it.
This morning I found four packages of asparagus - traditional with ham here - in the fridge, which I somehow forgot to cook.
We did not do Easter baskets this year and no one seemed to mind. When there is candy in the house, it seems to linger on and on - and I just was feeling like So What?
When I think back on how excited I was as a young mother to carry out all the traditions, I realize that at this stage of motherhood I'm running out of steam. After 41 years, I feel like the social director on a cruise ship. Those of you who kept having or adopting babies into your 40's will probably know what I mean :)
This year, more than ever, our focus was on Jesus and his sacrifice for us - thanks to our church's provision of meaningful observations of Lent and then Holy Week: Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and the Easter Vigil. Today I feel a strong sense of spiritual renewal. and am thanking God for that.
How about you? How was your Easter?
Posted in Mothering, My life | Permalink
Comments
Momma!!! I'm running out of steam too, and I'm only starting!!! :-)
Good to hear about your Easter. 27 people??? Wow!
I attended mass Wednesday, thursday, friday and saturday, and you are right, there is a lot of meaningful traditions I loved seeing for the first time. I specially liked the Easter Vigil, particularly the the welcoming of the RCIA members, very elocuent. I found myself wishing I was up there too.
Thanks for the layered salad, I will definitely give it a try!
Blessings Momma!!!
Posted by: LadyLovas | April 5, 2010 7:12 AM
I was just so glad that here in Maine, not only was there no snow, but it was 80 degrees! Usually at this time of year there are 6-10" of snow on the ground.
Posted by: Mary Eckstein | April 5, 2010 7:25 AM
We had a fantastic Easter. Our daughter, Andrea, 44, gave birth to Peter, her 6th son and 7th child at 4 AM Easter morning. Mother and baby are doing great. She and her husband and kids had made it to the Easter Vigil Mass before heading off to the hospital.
We spent the night before Easter with the kids - ages 13 through 3 and let them stay up to watch a hysterical Marx Brothers movie. Two of the older boys then joined my husband and I to say a Rosary for their mom and baby brother or sister. We finished it just after midnight.
Our daughter had showed us where the candy for the baskets were and the candy filled eggs for the egg hunt and the 13 and 11 year old had a blast hiding the eggs just as it was getting light outside.
They have an Easter scene similar to a Nativity scene, so I took the stone away from the front of the tomb and put the oblong stone with the white cloth on it inside as Andrea had instructed. The little kids were excited about the empty tomb. (I think the figure of Christ has been lost or broken by little loving hands over the years) The phrase of Eucharistic prayer, which is said throughout the Easter season, is profoundly true. "The joy of the resurrection renews the whole world."
C. S. Lewis once said something about Easter for kids that stuck with me: Christ Risen and chocolate eggs!! He said the balance will shift as their faith matures.
Keep shining your light, Barbara!
Posted by: Judy | April 5, 2010 9:05 AM
Ha!
I too forgot to cook 2 bunches of asparagus, which I had even
cleaned to go with my rack of lamb and salmon filet, salad, potatoes and strawberries.
I guess I'll make asparagus soup tonight!
Posted by: Leslie | April 5, 2010 10:50 AM
My kind father in law bought us a spring leg of lamb from a local farm. My dear hubby made his famous ceasar sald. I roasted the potatoes with the lamb. And cook some carrots. My daughter and mother in law made desert. Easter baskets were simple. One package of their favorite candy along with one item they each had been bugging me for. That ranged from a protien powder to a book and facial scrub., We do a bit of a spring cleaning the week before and ta daa! Easter. We went to 6pm mass after everyone left in the afternoon. A beautiful way to end the evening. Happy Easter Monday!!
Posted by: Jane | April 5, 2010 12:41 PM
I had a wonderful easter with both sets of our parents.Actually, our good friday was the most memorable yet...
Regarding asparagus: a quick yummy recipe:
Cook asparagus- toss with: pasta, tomatoes, artichoke hearts, mozarella cheese and pesto sauce.
Good stuff, easy :)
Posted by: Lisa | April 5, 2010 1:16 PM
As long as we are confessing...
I didn't do the whole candy thing this year for two pretty good reasons. First, it is a rather unhealthy way of celebrating a holiday and second, three of us are allergic to corn syrup and processed sugars! We ate homemade sugar-free desserts and plenty of fresh fruit instead. Only one child missed the candy and only because he remembered a particular type as being part of our family tradition (although, he didn't mind starting a new tradition). The other four children didn't even notice!
Posted by: Birdie | April 5, 2010 4:45 PM
We had a wonderful Easter in New York City centered around my son's entrance and confirmation in the Catholic Church. We attended Good Friday service, Easter Vigil, and Sunday morning mass. We, too, left behind our usual Easter traditions of baskets (kids are 22 and 20 and I couldn't muster the interest to stop and buy candy in the city), home-cooked dinner, new dresses. Instead, we went to breakfast before mass on Sunday and then after mass we went and sat in the sunshine in Bryant Park for hours. Then moved to Madison Square Park and ate hamburgers at the Shake Shak and watched the people and their dogs. It was a wonderful day.
I did miss my five cup salad, our variation of ambrosia: one cup each of crushed pineapple, mandarin oranges, mini marshmallows, coconut and sour cream.
Happy Easter!
Posted by: Sandy C. | April 6, 2010 8:05 AM
I have to admit that I was pretty tired this year, too. And I don't have nearly the excuse that you have, Barbara! I let a lot of traditions go that I usually do. I love Lent and I especially love Holy Week and Easter, but it seemed like a lot this year. It seems more complicated in years like this one, when western Easter and Orthodox Pascha are on the same weekend. I prefer it when they're separate. We don't do Easter baskets (usually) or lots of candy, but we do dye eggs red using onion skins. It's fun!
The good thing was that letting so many things go helped me see what I missed. I enjoy our traditions just as much as my children, but sometimes I need to remember that. :)
I don't cook a traditional Easter meal, since we're still in the stage of "going to Mom's house." But I love the seven layer salad!
Posted by: lucy | April 12, 2010 9:35 AM
