"Hoppy" Easter 2016

"Hoppy" Easter, everyone!

Cheeeeesy and "puny".

The TV & Movie Star, Barbara Billingsley (aka June Cleaver from "Leave it to Beaver") was my husband's grandmother.

It addition to being beautiful, glamorous, and amazing - she was also a fantastic grandmother.

For more than 50 years, she hosted an annual Christmas party.  For many of those same years, she hosted a family Easter party complete with a grand Easter Egg Hunt.

One of the many special things she did for the Hunt was to hide a special "Golden Egg" with money inside.

I've continued the tradition with my own children and we've always had a special "Golden Egg".

The only problem was that it was really a big, yellow plastic egg.  So, you can imagine my delight and excitement when I found a giant Golden Egg in a stationery store on State Street in Santa Barbara last year.

Even though my kids are teenagers, I didn't hesitate to buy it.

It is a thing of beauty.

It also has a stopper on the bottom, like a piggy bank, so it is easy to put the money inside. $$$

I love this tradition.

Perhaps, one day I will have my own grandchildren and the remarkable Golden Egg will have many more moments of glory.  In the meantime, it was used today for the Teenage Easter Egg Hunt I hosted on my cul-de-sac.

The teens did NOT want to do it (at first), but then they really got into it!  Fun times.

This little stuffed animal "Peep" also made an appearance at the Easter luncheon festivities!

With Waterford crystal, Royal Danish silver (from my wedding), placecards, etc. - hopefully the rest of the occasion was a little more upscale...

And with salads, salads, and more salads - hopefully, it was also on the healthier side of things.

Of course, I did serve carrot cake for dessert!

YUMMERS!

A few years ago, I picked up some Tasting Party sets at Pier One.  They were regularly $30 - but on sale for $7.  I couldn't pass them up.  I love to use them for the Superbowl and other parties.  The little receptacles and spoons held some healthy little treats today.

My neighbor loved these mini caprese salads with marinated mozzarella.  I think he had 4 or 5.  That made me very happeeeee.  I had 2 (just so he wouldn't feel bad).

These bunny egg holders were from Pottery Barn or Crate and Barrel ( I cannot remember).

These meticulously decorated eggs belonged to dear, sweet Grandma Barbara.  When her estate was being divided, there wasn't a Golden Egg to be found.

There were these stunning egg decorations, however, and I took them as a reminder of the love Barbara had for making holidays special and memorable.

Link up:
The Charm of Home
http://thecharmofhome.blogspot.com/2016/03/home-sweet-home-265.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+TheCharmOfHome+%28The+Charm+of+Home%29

The Essence of Home:
http://theessenceofhome.blogspot.com/2016/03/share-your-style-party-59.html