P.S.

Just a few random pictures before daughter #1 and grand daughter #4 arrive. I am sure those of you who are frequent visitors to this blog know that I am ALL about tradition...and I'm not real good with change. But, sadly, as my family grows and everyone begins to have their own lives, sometimes I need to be a bit more "flexible". And so, I am learning to "get what I get and don't throw a fit". I got to see two daughters and two grands this past weekend. I got to spend yesterday with another daughter and two other grands...and, I managed to squeeze in some egg decorating at the last minute. My oldest grandson was off at a church activity but the rest of us got to decorate almost 4 dozen eggs so "we did good"! Of course, if you look closely at the really rough pictures from my phone, you might notice that Presley has a St. Pat's tattoo on her neck. And no, it hasn't been there that long. Apparently Nana gave them WAY too many tattoos in their goodie bags and she is still putting one on every day! Let's just say that if she was my first grand daughter ( oh so many years ago ), she would be dressed in Easter finery and probably matching the eggs but these days I'm just happy I have a few still young enough to humor their old Nana - no matter how they're dressed!

Before we gathered for our egg dying, we were out at Kimberden Farms for Presley's weekly riding lesson. I don't go all of the time so when I do, I really notice the improvement! She is now cantering all on her own...and fast...at least to this old Nana's eyes! She has tried many different activities and this seems to be her passion so I guess I will have to get used to it. I know that "jumps" will be coming soon. Yikes!

Another of my traditions has always been baking Easter goodies as gifts. Over the years I have tried my hand at all sorts of baked things but I must say, baking is not my forte. This year I wanted to take some things to St. Pete, Tallahassee and to Jen's family so I decided to do things that might travel safely and could be used as munchies along the way. I ended up making Easter Muddy Buddies, Rolo Pretzels, Easter Rice Krispie Treats and then, of course, I had to do my Easter Bunny cookies but I used a new glaze instead of butter cream icing. I found the glaze recipe on Pinterest and it was wonderful because it was nowhere near as sweet as royal icing but it dried very quickly so the cookies could be stacked without sticking together. I'll definitely use it again. As soon as I glazed them, I sprinkled them with Wilton's white sparkling sugar and they turned out very pretty. In the past, I have put real ribbon bows on these guys but because I wanted easy eating access, I didn't do that this year.

And, since I think Mother Nature is probably done throwing us some of the surprises she threw our way this year, I thought I would show you the one place that our really cold nights was appreciated. My pansies have never been happier! I simply can't cut them fast enough! I love pansies so I am not complaining because I know they will be giving way to other flowers that don't mind the summer temps that are sure to be here soon.

I have a fun afternoon planned and then tomorrow we are on our way to Tallahassee. I hope everyone enjoys all of the blessings of this beautiful holiday and I will be back soon!

Finishing Up!

I'm home for just a little bit so I thought I had better get the rest of Easter 2018 in the record books. Believe it or not, I come back to these things probably way more than anyone else. It helps "jog" my memory and I need all of the jogging I can get these days. Just be warned...picture overload because this is probably the last chance I will have to post until I return from my next trip!

Loving my new table runner.

This is the second year I have put the vintage collection here on these shelves and I like them better than in the living room.

The sunroom is feeling so much larger now that the treadmill is gone...not to mention all of the other stuff I had stacked and waiting for the dreaded garage sale!

All of the space next to that door used to be taken up by the treadmill. Of course, once it was gone, I couldn't stop looking at the "emptiness" so I moved over this little chest and chair. That door leads to the garage so it is actually nice to have a surface there to put down things coming or going. I hung a hook for an extra set of keys and a basket to hold flyers, coupons, etc. waiting to go into the car. I am not crazy about the "dead" space above the chest so this area is definitely still a work in progress!

 

So that is a very quick tour of this year's Easter. I just got back from a visit in St. Pete with two daughters and two grand daughters. We had so much fun that I really forgot about taking many pictures but I did get a few from my favorite spot down there - her front porch and a few on the day we walked downtown and ate, laughed, and played tourist in the most fantastic spring weather ever!!

This was my view every evening...

 ...and here it was every twelve hours later.

We spent a full and fun day in downtown St. Pete.

So I am home and scrambling to get caught up and fit in some Easter traditions before I head off again. A few more pictures to come. Stay tuned.

Hippity Hoppity...

I am definitely playing catch-up on the Easter decor. Part of it is because I really gave myself such a short window with all of the St. Pat's decor up until March 18 but also because I have been having fun with friends and family and keeping really busy. Since I leave early in the morning, I figured I had better at least get one more room posted before I go. Off we go into the kitchen.

One more holiday where the little things are so easy to grab out of this old carpenter's box.

I am loving this little daffodil painting done for me as a birthday gift from a friend of many years. She is the one that did my beautiful pumpkin paintings last fall. She has really become very sought after and her work is all so colorful and happy. She saw my FB post about the beautiful spring bouquet gifted me by daughter #2 and that daffodils were my favorite flower. She said that is because they are my "birth month" flower and made me this beautiful little painting to commemorate that fact. I have had the mini-faux plant for a few years and I love it in the treat jar from daughter #3 so this little vignette is like serendipity! Sorry the picture was so hard to shoot. I think she uses a glaze over her paints and it is impossible to just a clear shot of them.

Gee, I didn't have much to say about that tour. That's either because I really didn't change much or I'm in a hurry to get this posted-or a bit of both. I am off to St. Pete in the morning. I'm heading down with daughter #2 and grand daughter #3 to visit daughter #1 and grand daughter #4 for a few days. Then it is back here for a day and then daughter #1 and grand daughter #4 will be here. Hoping to spend a bit of time with the 3 little ones that live here and do some traditional Easter things before we hop in the car and head to Tallahassee on Friday to spend Easter weekend with grand daughter #2. If that has you totally confused, don't feel bad. I'm living it and not sure I have it straight myself. Easter is always a hard holiday to get us ALL together because of all of the different spring break schedules involved. At least we will manage to get a few of the cousins together at different times this week so we're doing better than I thought we would. I will try to get back for another post or two in between but if not, I know I will have much to share the next time we visit. Stay tuned.