Easter Candy

I have been in a strange mood the last few weeks due to events that have taken place in my life. Last night as I was thinking about the Easter weekend and why we celebrate I realized that I love this time of the year because of the gift that Jesus gave us in sacrificing himself for our sins. My earliest childhood memories involved getting a new dress, patent leather shoes, white gloves, and a new hat. I just loved getting dressed for church in my new clothes and I especially felt special if my shoes had a little heel on them. I remember going to church and singing "Jesus Christ is Risen Today" it remains one of my favorite songs and I still remember all the words. We got together with my aunt and her family and had dinner either at her house on Orchard Lane or at our house on Crescent Drive. It was a family time and I still feel close to my cousins even though we live in separate states because of those frequent dinners together. I remember prior to Easter my mother getting eggs for us to color. Remember the wire thingy that you used to pluck the egg from the dye? I just loved to color eggs. We couldn't afford the fancy egg coloring kits that had sparkles but we did just fine with the old Paas egg dye thank you very much. We always had Easter baskets with yellow Peeps and chocolate bunnies. I would eat the ears first. I still do. I let my peeps get stale because for some reason I liked them better hard. My children were raised with most of the same customs and I found myself buying the same candy that my mother did. I did however buy multiple kinds of dye kits. I remember using every cup I had in the house because my kids didn't share well. One year while we lived in Texas my mother in law came to visit over the Easter Holiday. I can still see the horror on her face when she came into the kitchen to see about 20 cups on the table with different dyes, oils, crayons and color transfers. She looked at my son and daughter, covered in dye and sparkles with spilled dye all over the table and floor and said "I need a drink". It was priceless. I really miss those times. I miss coloring eggs with my kids and making a horrible mess. I miss the innocence.

While I was working last night I thought to myself that when I got off I was going to go to the store and by myself a chocolate bunny and a package of yellow peeps. Within 30 minutes 3 people came into the ER and while gathering my patient information I asked their weight. They all weighed within 5 pounds of my current weight and I was horrified. It completely ruined my desire for my bunny. The jury is still out on the peeps.... they have less calories.

So this weekend color eggs for me, buy a bunny and some peeps and celebrate the true reason for the holiday.