Hoppy Weekend

Happy Easter!


Since I failed miserably at planning anything for St. Patrick's Day and April Fool's Day, according to better-parents-than-me who do fun stuff for their kids on EVERY holiday of the year apparently, I decided to try and make Easter weekend special for Sweetpea. Our usual Easter egg hunt at our friends' house was foiled this year since they moved to Portland. I mean, really, how selfish.







Saturday started off wobbly about three minutes after I got out the beautiful Pysanky eggs we decorated last year at our friends' Easter do. I set them on the table and went upstairs to do something, only to come back down and find this one in pieces on the stool, and Sweetpea wailing in her room. Sigh. Crisis averted with cuddles and it was an accident and just be more careful next time although I must admit it was a bitter blow since I'm the one who made it.






I wasn't well prepared enough to order our own Pysanky kit this year (I'm ordering NOW for next year), but we made do with your basic everyday egg decorating and Sweetpea was happy.

Our next hiccup was when Sweetpea created this map for an Easter egg hunt for all her friends the next day - problem being that we hadn't invited anyone over since my husband and I were desperately in need of a quiet weekend. We obviously didn't consult our daughter on this matter. She seemed to accept this, but the next morning at breakfast brought up (again) the unfairness of not having a baby brother or sister. Such is the life of an only (obviously deprived) child.

We then enjoyed a pre-Easter dinner made by English hubby - fondue. I only mention this because Sweetpea claimed that she liked it better than pasta. If you know my daughter at all, you will realize this is a statement of mind-boggling proportions.

Easter morning began with a mini egg hunt to keep Sweetpea busy while we dozed, and then homemade waffles for breakfast (and one slightly scary looking bunny pancake). Scroll down for the best waffle/pancake recipe EVER.

In the afternoon English Daddy set up a seriously challenging egg hunt outdoors. He doesn't mess around. Thankfully Sweetpea loves climbing trees.

Hopefully we made up for the lack of invited Easter egg hunt guests and no sibling (again) with the sheer amount of chocolate we let her eat over the course of the day. Hope your day was equally happy, because for all my sarcasm (who me?) we had a lovely weekend, summed up by this email Sweetpea sent - with a little help - to her Nana and Grandad:

Last night we had our early Easter dinner. We had fondue and bread and veggies. I ate some of my veggies. My Daddy made the fondue. I liked it better than pasta! Then we had a cupcake.

When I woke up this morning, I saw Easter eggs on the floor of my bedroom. I followed the track of them and found my basket and put them in my basket. The eggs went up the stairs and ended at a present for me in Mummy and Daddy's bedroom. But they weren't for Mummy and Daddy. It was a baking kit for me! You could bake cakes or pies. Also I opened it and looked inside.

I ate an Easter egg and later I ate a chocolate bunny. Then I got a pancake Easter bunny for breakfast.

Yummiest Waffles Ever

• 3 eggs, separated
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup oil or butter (melted)
• 1 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 2 tsp brown sugar

Beat egg whites until soft peaks form and they are white and fluffy (If you've never beaten egg whites before then for the love of Myrtle use an electric beater).
Combine dry ingredients. Combine wet ingredients, and then combine with dry.
Then and ONLY then, GENTLY fold egg whites into the batter.
Cook on griddle or waffle iron.

(Serve with fresh berries and Canadian maple syrup, because it's the best of course.)