Debra LaValley's Blog

Easter Memories

Today is Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday is only a week away. Easter brings so many memories for me. My mother always baked a ham pierced with cloves and pineapple. The house was full of relatives – almost like Thanksgiving. Growing up, we would leave a raw carrot and sometimes some grass from outside (if the snow was gone) for the Easter Bunny. We had no doubt that there was an Easter Bunny. My mother showed us the large rabbit claw marks on the wooden floors (turned out to be hammer marks left in the wood when the floors were put in . . . or were they?) and then there were the large bunny bites out of the carrots and the grass was eaten too! Of course, there was an Easter Bunny!

Our Easter baskets were filled with a chocolate or white chocolate rabbit (depending on our preferences – the Easter Bunny always knew our favorites), jelly beans (my favorite are black jelly beans), marshmallow Peeps, and always a toy. We would get a jump rope, or ball, marbles, stuffed animal, or jacks along with the candy. The Easter Bunny also hid jelly beans all over the house. My siblings and I would scramble about the house looking for the sneaky places the Easter Bunny hid jelly beans. Sometimes, we would find a jelly bean we missed, weeks later!

One Easter, my mother had made me, my sisters, and herself a very groovy Easter dress with a matching 70s hat. I know there is a photo somewhere … but I wouldn’t want anyone to squirt any liquids they may be drinking out his/her nose while viewing it. Simpler times – for sure – but thinking about them still makes me smile.

Have a wonderful Easter everyone! Also, join me in taking some time to reflect on what Jesus did for us over 2,000 years ago and the beauty of spring!

Peace to all!
Debbie 🙂