Easter Memories

When I think back on some Easter memories, one that pops out is that my mother made the cutest Easter egg tree that I've ever seen! She blew the eggs out and colored them. I don't know how she did it, but each egg was perfectly cut in half and dyed. She then got a branch (manzanita) and cleaned it up, put it in a container, then proceeded to decorate each egg half. Mom used rickrack, ribbon, lace and bows to fancy each little egg 'basket' to hang on the manzanita tree. She added 'grass' and even put a few jelly beans or candy in each one of the eggs, and tied bows on the branches as well. It was quite the centerpiece! Other memories are of picnics out in the hills, away from city life. The food she packed was so yummy (doesn't everything taste better on a picnic, anyway?) Sometimes we went to the mountains with our basket of goodies, but wherever it was, we enjoyed being together as a family to celebrate Easter. Some of the all-time-favorite food items were: potato salad, deviled eggs, and ham sandwiches. Usually there were pickles, olives, chips and some sort of dessert, too. It all makes me long for those fun times and my mouth is starting to water just thinking about the good food. I have tried to make the holidays special for my own children through the years, enjoying some of the same traditions. One that they will probably remember is the Easter egg hunts. We celebrated the 'bunny' on Saturday, saving Sunday for the real reason we celebrate this holiday. When I was teaching Primary, I found a cute idea and shared it with my class to help them remember the true meaning of Easter--putting a crescent roll around a marshmallow and baking it, symbolizing the tomb of Christ. When the roll is baked, the marshmallow has disappeared--He is not here, but has risen! I hope that we all remember the true meaning and thank our Savior for His infinite Atoning Sacrifice for us and resurrection that makes it possible for us to live again. I know He lives!