Easter Dinner ... At Last!

And at long last the flu has vamoosed, so we were able to hold our Easter Dinner this weekend. It was great fun, even though several family members could not make it up. We missed cousins Caitlin, Colin and Tina (all from New York) as well as Grandma Barbara and Auntie Marcia (who were each away on trips down south).

If I may, I'd like to share some photos from our day ...

We set up seating for 11 in the dining room ...

... and situated the children's table close by in the family room.

I prepared a small table for holding desserts and paper goods. And here is Bookworm's contribution ~ the vegetable tray:

The weather was so fine (a bit chilly but bright), that the boys spent a good deal of time in the yard playing ball ...

... while dinner was being laid out on the buffet (aka the kitchen island):

We served haddock pie, baked ham, maple-glazed carrots and onions, roasted potatoes, roast beef, pineapple casserole and fresh bakery breads (olive, pepper jack and French).

And then came the desserts ...

Assorted cheesecakes, pound cake with ice cream and butterscotch sauce, lemon meringue pie, fruit salad, oatmeal cookies and brownie-bites. (Oh my, I'm glad there are leftovers!)

As we lingered around the tables enjoying dessert and coffee, I couldn't help noticing how the sunlight played off the wine glasses ...

(I just love sunlight; it makes everything look pretty, don't you think?)

This was a wonderful day! We are so blessed to have most of our family living close by. And I am so blessed to have my mum's guidance and help throughout all the planning and shopping and cooking and orchestrating ... I could not have done any of this without her!

I really do love putting together family celebrations, both small and large. First of all, there's the incomparable reward of gathering and visiting with loved ones, but then there's the creative side to it all ~ all the little touches that make each holiday unique. It's nice to keep things comfortingly familiar, but full of little surprises too. But whatever the celebration, there are so many details in the undertaking, it really warrants (dare I say it?) a notebook of its own. Hmmm, I'll think on that one a while, but for now I'll add "Entertaining" to my "What" List ...

And as that list keeps growing, I'll start working on the next step of organizing which is the How. But, first! April's Themes and Plans cannot wait any longer - that must be my very next post! And it will be, but not until much later today (or even perhaps very early tomorrow).

So for now then, have a happy Monday! Thanks for stopping by ~ as always, I appreciate your visit!