Family traditions.

Just got back from a wonderful trip to visit with the fam in sunny Florida. It was a different kind of Easter because I got to share it with Witt's family too. Funny thing is we've lived just 40 minutes away from each other practically all our lives! So it was nice to finally see where he spent his childhood, look at old photos, and share in each other's family traditions.

I learned that Witt's family has a tradition of the Big Easter Egg Hunt, where his Dad & Mom strategically fill 50+ plastic eggs with clues & treats, all around the backyard. It's a riot. (And hard to win, I sadly came in last place). We had to work as a team to piece the clues found inside the eggs together to then find our Easter baskets. And there were so many! And gifts too! Here's a sampling of my winnings:



And Mom & Dad gave me an Easter basket filled with my favorite: Cadbury Eggs! She also gave me the most fabulous book, filled with wonderful projects to begin...



All the stuff is like what you would find at Anthropologie (but better) - tshirts restitched with loose strings and haphazard edging, vintage looking and soft.

The day before Easter we went to a wonderful antique "store" - much like our long lost Lakewood - Renniger's. Tons of items to peruse and pick over. We had gone antiquing in Mt. Dora the day before, so we were kind of antiqued-out. I know, can that really be? I think our eyes were just tired from concentrating on finding from that day, and boy, we had a really good finds... from vintage Hazel bowls and cups to a Russel Wright pitcher we got for $15! I kid you not. A very good find indeed. I did, however, purchase an amazing orchid for $10, since mine hasn't bloomed this year.




Oh, and I almost forgot! Ellie got an Easter gift too. Doesn't she look smart!



And there were even more gifts... K & D had a great time on their honeymoon in Costa Rica, and they brought me back the most beautiful piece of art (thank you!!!). You're supposed to use it as a dish, but I have it on my coffee table for display. It's just so delicate and lovely - an exquisite handmade piece of wood with little bits of dried leaves glued on top.




And, there's one more gift to share. I can finally make all those recipes from my Food cookbooks I've been dog-earring for who nows how long! I'm thrilled. And a little confused as to why the Easter bunny thought I was such a good kid to give me such a wonderful present! So unexpected.



But, back to traditions for just a sec...

"Happy Spring. Happy new beginnings."

That's mom's tradition - she writes it every year in my card to remind me that that is what Spring is all about. It always makes me think of Spring as a time where I can start anew, close the chapter on the year prior, clean out those cobwebs, and live my life the way I've been intending to. I think that's why the New Year has never been an important holiday for me... I really think of Easter and Spring as the true new year — brimming with possibilities, life, and (re)birth.