Easter traditions: A Case Study

Eggs by Salvatore Vuono / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/images/view_photog.php?photogid=659

 Our family is gearing up for Easter.

It is a time for reflection on the life, death and resurrection of our Lord, Jesus Christ. It is a time for worship, fellowship and family gatherings. And, it's also a time for traditions.

This makes me recall the traditions (or sometimes a lack thereof regarding picking a church and sticking with it) my parents had with me and my siblings. Their traditions were an interesting mix of church services at churches we didn't normally attend (yes...we were THOSE people...you know...the family that only attended Christmas and Easter services), family visits and secular Easter "fun". You see...my Mom is (was?) Catholic. My Dad is (was?) Presbyterian. So, my siblings and I would get a smattering of Catholic masses mixed in with Presbyterian services for good measure. Mix in some Easter "fun". Bake until done!

The night before Easter, my Mom would have all of us kids dye hard-boiled eggs. I liked using the little clear crayon that would let you make your own designs on the eggs that would show through after they were dyed. Once the eggs were dyed, we put them in the refrigerator. Somehow, miraculously, some of them appeared in our Easter baskets the next morning. That smart Easter bunny!

On Easter morning, my brothers and sisters and I searched the house for our Easter baskets and plastic eggs filled with all sorts of goodies. Some of the eggs had jelly beans of all assorted colors. Others had some money in them...usually coins...finding some with quarters in them was like hitting the jackpot! I loved to see how creative my parents the Easter bunny would get on hiding places. Each year seemed to up the ante. I would check the usual suspects first...the cabinet under the sink...behind the couches...in the bathtub behind the shower curtain. No hiding place was too bizarre or off-limits, except perhaps in my parents bedroom and bathroom! Each child had their own specific basket that my parents the Easter bunny used each year. And, we knew that. So, if one of my siblings, say...for example...my brother Brian...found my basket before I did, in theory, he was supposed to not say anything so that I could try to find it. Those times were hilarious because he would be practically bursting at the seams wanting to spill the beans (not the jelly ones...hahaha...) in anticipation of telling me! My parents would admonish him..."No, let your sister figure it out!"

Once all of the baskets were found we were allowed to have some candy before church.

Can anyone say "Peeps"?!? Love, love...L.O.V.E. them!!!

(Note to self: this could be a BAD tradition to continue with my boys...see why below...) I don't recommend this strategy for various reasons chief of which is getting your kids "sugared up" before church does NOT lead to a relaxing worship experience for any involved! Also, doing all of these secular Easter traditions BEFORE recognizing the true reason for Easter puts the cart before the horse (sorry Mom & Dad...just sayin').

AFTER all of this excitement (and sugar), we would all get "ready" for church. This usually meant us kids would straggle around trying to eat as much candy as humanly possible BEFORE my parents just about "had it up to HERE" with us (visualizing my Dad with his hand WAY over his head...lol). Whose idea was it, again, to search for candy-filled baskets & eggs BEFORE going to church? That Easter bunny strikes, again!

My Mom was always the last one out of the house to go to church. As a mother myself now, I can COMPLETELY understand why that happens! For the husbands out there, let me explain this phenomenon. Mom is busy getting everyone ELSE ready FIRST. Then, and only then, can Mom focus on finishing getting herself ready! Inevitably, my Dad was always out in the car (honking the horn for my Mom to get her butt out there...ahh...setting the mood for attending a worship service...lol). By the time we got to church, everyone was in a foul mood. Most of us didn't want to be there as all we were thinking about were the Easter baskets waiting at home for us.

Once we got home from church, my Dad would put on the movie "Jesus of Nazareth". (I actually DO love that movie!) Mom made ham, mashed potatoes (a yam just for me), green beans and corn. The house would smell like warmth and family. My paternal grandparents and aunt would stop by. Hey! The Easter bunny brought us baskets to their place, too. Go figure!

We would visit my Mom's parents during the Easter season and get handmade baskets from my grandma. She made recycled baskets from butter containers. She made recycling cool before it became cool in my eyes! I was always impressed with her baskets because she made her own chocolate! She must have had some molds she used because the chocolates were in different shapes...eggs, bunnies, etc. Those are what I remember the most from her baskets.

Now that I have children of my own. I'm trying to develop new traditions with them. Am I keeping all of the traditions my parents passed down? Yes, but in a modified version. The focus is more on Jesus and fellowship, then the "fun" eggs and stuff come after. My husband comes from a deep tradition of church-attending Presbyterians. So, from the beginning, (and I mean while we were even DATING), we decided we wanted to attend a church regularly together. And, once we had children we would want them to also attend regularly and enjoy the fellowship that comes with being part of a church.

We do dye eggs the night before Easter like my Mom did with me and my siblings. My husband and I are going to give them candy but not in copious amounts. We may include things like coloring books, crayons and little toys. Plus, we know that that clever bunny will be showing up at TWO sets of grandparents houses!

This year we're celebrating Easter dinner at my parents' house. Ahh...brings back memories. I'm ready for my "Jesus of Nazareth" marathon. Bring it on!

What are your Easter traditions? Feel free to post yours in the comments on my blog!

Choosing a Pediatrician For Your Newborn

Many expecting parents are so focused on the impending birth of their little one that they overlook the importance to plan for the baby's medical care once they arrive. Newborns see a pediatrician many times during their first year of life, beginning just after birth. Plan ahead to choose a good pediatrician before your newborn enters the world.

Plan Ahead

Expecting parents should begin the search for the right pediatrician about three months before their due date. An excellent way to find a pediatrician is to ask other new moms, neighbors and friends about the pediatrician they use, and ask if they like the doctor. Asking obstetricians and midwives is also a good way to get pediatrician suggestions.

After making a list of possible pediatricians, go to the website of the insurance company providing the family medical coverage. It is important to ensure that a pediatrician is a preferred provider with the primary insurance company. Because a baby needs so many well-child visits, vaccinations and sick visits, paying the extra cost for an out-of-network doctor can create significant expenses for new parents.

Narrow the Candidates

After making a list of candidates, determine a final list a pediatricians to consider. Base the top choices on how close the doctor's office is, how many people have recommended the doctor, if the office has extended hours such as evenings and weekends without extra charges, and if the office has a nurse hotline to call for basic questions.

This is a good time to ask those who recommended the doctor what they liked most about the pediatrician. Do they encourage questions? Have a great bedside manner? Keep patients moving quickly through the office without long waits? Determine which items are most important to you and prioritize the list.

Visit the Offices

Visit the offices of each of the doctors you are considering. With an appointment, it is possible talk to the doctor directly. Ask their views on cord blood banking, circumcision, breastfeeding and other issues important to parents and children post-delivery. Cord blood banking is where the baby’s umbilical cord blood is collected following delivery to be saved for the family and potentially used in a future medical treatment for the baby, possibly a sibling. It's important to see how the staff interacts with you and your concerns before choosing to work with them and your baby.

Be sure to ask what happens if the primary doctor is out of town or unavailable, especially for an after-hours emergency. Do they have other doctors in the practice? Do they have an agreement with another pediatrician to cover in those situations? Answering all of these questions will help you feel more comfortable going through the transition of expecting mother into motherhood knowing that you will have trusted people to work with concerning your newborn’s health. 

This article was written by Alan Cassidy, an active writer within the blogging community covering maternity and childbirth, and always advocating for infant and children’s health. Connect with him on Twitter @ACassidy22

I love spring! The birds chirping. The crisp, refreshing air. The sense of newness!

It makes me want to clear out clutter in my life. Today I am doing exactly that. Spring cleaning. Perhaps there will be yard sale in my near future! ;) I know the boys have been "practicing" for a yard sale for quite some time now.

Here's a nice video I saw today on this subject: http://finances.msn.com/save-money/32644975?from=boacopy

Speaking of something new for spring, I'm on the look out for some new spring recipes. If anyone has any to share, please comment on this blog post and I'll share them on the blog! My mealtimes are stuck in a rut. So, I need all the help you can give me! Thanks!!

~ Rachael

Tyler stirring dough while Evan poses

Evan and Tyler helped Mommy make semi-homemade Cinnamon Rolls using the Pillsbury Specialty Hot Roll Mix.

The rolls turned out so well that I think we will make them this way from now on instead of just buying the frozen ones!

Now the house smells like a bakery. Yum!

The boys will get to enjoy their rolls in the morning for breakfast. They didn't finish baking until after they were fast asleep.

Kneading the dough

We almost weren't able to make them because we didn't have flour. But, I asked one of our neighbors who provided some flour. So, as thanks, I took a couple of rolls over to their house as soon as they were done. They were quite appreciative and asked me if I could give them the recipe sometime! Well now...I'm becoming quite the domesticate, huh?

Enjoyed an absolutely gorgeous day with the boys & John! Thank you to my friend/neighbor for inviting us to the park with her & some other Mommies & kids! I've never seen that playground area so packed! We had some lunch at The Waterfront in Pittsburgh then walked along the trail. Then, we decided to go to the Penn Hills library (instead of going inside the Barnes & Noble and spending money on books...lol). We loaded up on FREE library books. Then, we finished off the evening with some ice cream at "A Different Twist" in Penn Hills. Not too shabby! ;)

Creative Mommy is coming back...

My creativity seems to be returning. It felt like it went on hiatus for a bit. But, now I feel like my creative juices are ready to flow, again! The challenge is harnessing it so that I still pay attention to my homemaking duties, as well!

I made a set of 8 Peacock Feathers Blank cards and posted them for sale on my PaperCrafter's Nook page on Etsy.com. You can check them out here: http://www.etsy.com/listing/90314642/peacock-feathers-blank-cards-8-pack

Let me know what you think of them!

Happy New Year 2012!

Happy New Year, everyone!

I know I have not been blogging very much lately and apologize to those of you who may have been waiting for a post (any posts?) from me. I feel like my voice has been taken from me. Does that make any sense? Like my muse, wherever it was, departed never to be seen, again... Please, anyone else who blogs or writes, tell me that this is not a permanent condition! I've even considered whether this blogging thing was still "for me". What relevance does it serve? Is it only self-serving blather? Does anyone even care? But, I come back here, anyway, because it seems a bit therapeutic. :)

2011 was a crazy year. I'm not sure I can say I'm sad to see it go.

However, I am quite excited about the coming year and the possibilities it holds (and I'm not talking about the Mayan prophecy for 12/21/12, either...lol). ;)

Already, I took steps today to work on some personal goals. I took a walk around my neighborhood to work off some of those New Year's Eve calories (can you say "kielbasa & sauerkraut?!"). Ironically, I ran into one of my elderly neighbors who gave me two cookies to take home to the boys ("They're so cute!"). Yes...the cookies DID make it home to the boys (luckily she lives CLOSE...lol). BTW...I apologize if you are one of those people who dislike people who laugh at their own jokes by using LOL all the time. If that's you, you are not going to enjoy my posts very much (lol). ;)

Another one of my personal goals is to get more organized in all areas of my life. So, I took a "baby step" (Thank you to Dave Ramsey for that terminology) in that direction today by cleaning my back yard (a.k.a. the toy graveyard). I'm sure my neighbor, Megan, will appreciate that one. ;) Actually, I have to admit that I jumped the gun on the baby steps for this particular goal before we hit the New Year. So far, since I've been home with the boys, I've gotten most of the laundry caught up, kept the main living areas relatively clean (which is saying A LOT with a 4-soon-to-be-5-year-old-in-March and a 3-year-old boys running around the house!), and even make my bed on most days (lol). Making a bed...what a concept! So retro...I even (get this) made the BOYS' bed the other day. Of course, it was UNMADE within a matter of hours (a new record), but it's the effort that counts!

What "baby steps" have you made today towards your goals/resolutions for 2012?