Easter's on its way

Easter is an odd holiday for us. We never know if we'll be home or be at my parents' house.

If my nephew's birthday falls on Easter weekend, like it did last year, we'll be there for his party (I usually make his cakes). But if Easter and his birthday are on different weekends, like they are this year, we stay home.

I struggle with holidays at home because it seems silly to cook a huge traditional meal for just the three of us. But since Biscuit got here, I at least want to try to get into decorations and treats.

After Biscuit arrived, I told my Mama that I wanted to collect some holiday decorations. Well, I only needed to say it once because she was on the lookout.

Every Easter bunny we have was something that Mama found and bought for us. Here are some of my favorites:

My Granny gave me a collection of milk glass, and
I think it looks pretty with the multi-colored eggs.

Rabbits, rabbits and more rabbits.

This is my favorite. It's Jeff and me hiding eggs for Biscuit!

Plastic eggs, jellybeans and decorations on the dining room table.

This pretty little trinket is a music box. It plays "Easter Parade."

This little house has a sign over the
front door that says "Egg Factory."

When I was a kid, we had grade mothers at school. The grade mothers' main job was to provide food and treats for the holiday parties. That was back when we had Easter, Christmas and Halloween parties instead of spring, winter and fall festivals.

One of my favorite Easter treats Mama made for my class was Easter basket cupcakes. She made green frosting, then put three jelly beans on top of each one. Then she took pipe cleaners and bent them into an arch, sticking each end in either side of the cupcake. Each cupcake looked like a little Easter basket with eggs in it.

As I got older and got more involved in the kitchen, Mama and I would make chocolate-covered peanut butter eggs and chow mien noodle bird nests. And we often made something lemon. Nothing says spring like a lemon dessert.

So this evening, I decided to carry on some of mine and Mama's traditions. I made the bird nests and some lemon sandwich cookies with vanilla-almond filling. I wanted to make the chocolate-covered peanut butter eggs, but I just didn't have the gumption!

Plus, we've got a package of six store-bought ones on the kitchen counter. Maybe that'll work for this year!

Here are the treats I made: