Paas For A Moment.

This Easter will be a casual one at our house.  No formal meals, fancy dresses or complicated table centerpieces.  We seem to be coming into the holiday with a big case of low energy and general disdain for fuss.  Thank goodness the rest of our extended family seems to be on the same page.  You know you're not looking at a real Martha Stewart holiday when the email you send inviting everyone actually mentions that your house will not be clean and that people should bring pasta salad and wine.  I can't imagine why Better Homes and Gardens hasn't offered to come photograph the event.

Of course, Easter means egg dyeing and that always opens the door for Eliza and J.D. to regale everyone with their favorite stories about how I've ruined some of their egg decorating experiences.  Something happened to me when I had kids.  I've always had a little hippy/granola thing churning about, but once I actually produced children, I shot straight ahead into Earth Mother mode.  One year, I prepared brown eggs instead of white ones and we ended up with Easter eggs in a dazzling rainbow of khaki.  But my biggest Easter Fail came the year I felt the whole Paas egg coloring kits were just a little too commercial and that we needed something more organic.  So we dyed eggs using spinach juice and crushed berries.  Don't bother trying this yourself.  You need to soak an egg for about 10 hours in crushed raspberries to give it even a slight blush.  And your kids will never let it go.

I'm wearing these today:

They are extremely comfortable and have kind-of a biblical look which I think is appropriate considering the holiday.  Of course, I realize now I need to fast-track that pedicure appointment.  TMI?

And, if you're looking for something different to serve this Easter, try Ina Garten's Croque Monsieur instead of a big ham.  I've done this in years past and it has been very well-received.  It's easy to make for a crowd, it's a nice brunch/lunch item, it's Frenchy, the sauce you slather on it is the best liquid ever, and it goes nicely with a Sauvignon Blanc.  Enjoy!

Have a wonderful weekend!!

gratitude:  running errands as a family, white jeans, honeysuckle-scented soap, houseplants with a strong will to live

thanks and love.