Friday, April 6, 2012

Dying Eggs





Well. We have chickens so...we have lots of eggs. And we eat lots of eggs. And come Easter, we dye lots of eggs. Eggs eggs eggs.



These photos are actually from last year. Our eggs are green and brown so they made sort of interesting hues when dyed with the standard 6-colored 99-cent Paas egg dying kit.



Kind of softer more interesting shades I think. Which is fun. So if you are looking to mix it up a bit this year...try dying brown eggs instead.



I am thinking we might try some home-made dyes this year... Red cabbage? Onions?



And I am thinking we might even skip candy altogether this year. Is that horrible? Not that I'm opposed to sugar or anything...it just doesn't hold any meaning for me on Easter and we always buy too much. I am starting to think more about why we do the things we do on Holidays and how much of it is just because that is the way we did things growing up and how much is because it actually holds meaning for us. I love family traditions, especially ones that enrich the feelings and meanings surrounding special Holidays but I am realizing that as a mom, that can sometimes mean a lot of stress and busying about instead of focusing on what really matters to us. So I guess that's what I am trying to figure out.

What matters to us?

Chocolate bunnies? Maybe. Easter egg hunt? So fun for the kids. But one in our back yard (as opposed to many over several days) will probably suffice. Ham and cheesy potatoes and bunny cake? Could we celebrate without those? Would we want to? Jelly beans...I can live without them. Unless they are pear and Jelly Bellies.

What about you? What do you do to make Easter special for your family?

11 comments:

  1. We've done the onion skin eggs and they are beautiful! I bet the brown eggs would be gorgeous.

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  2. Gosh I love those subtle colors! Our chickens are kinda weak sauce lately, so we're dying white eggs. Now I want to go buy some brown!

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  3. haha I am totally with you on the "unless they are Pear and Jelly Bellies" statement. However, I looooved the Easter egg hunts at church as a little girl even more than the backyard ones. I think mostly because one of the moms made interestingly-shaped Jello jigglers and my mom never made them...

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  4. I agree with you about candy—it's not very meaningful. I also hate having so much candy around at holiday times. We eat too much and it makes feel sick so we stop eating it, and then it hangs around forever and eventually I just throw it away. I think the worst is cheap chocolate. Ugh.

    P.S. The towel came—thanks! It's lovely.

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  5. Last year we did the egg hunt on Saturday so that Sunday was less hectic and could (hopefully) be a bit more spiritual. I think we will try that again this year. As for candy, I managed to discreetly buy a couple things while shopping with the kids (that's getting very tricky to do anymore, and I should probably quit trying). I didn't sneak in any chocolate bunnies, and while I really like those at Easter, I don't think anyone else will care or notice if there are Reese's eggs instead of bunnies in the Easter basket. Because really, how much chocolate do small children (or any of us) really need? Your eggs are really pretty.

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  6. love those egg cartons and eggs. and i also love that hostess twinkies sponsored this post! at least that was my ad. i am with you on the traditions. you have to think about what you want and make it happen. that said i've been eating a fair amount of cadbury eggs. love you!

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  7. I think it is really great to question traditions and do what is best for your family.

    I always loved getting Easter candy as a kid because we never got it any other time, except Halloween, so it was a big treat.

    Also, Aunt Leslie dyes her eggs raw, not boiled. I wish I had known that when the kids were little. She just lets the kids dye them, and then they go back in the fridge.

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  8. Yeah... Maybe what I need to do is stop letting them have so many treats all the time and then they will be really special on holidays. Anyway, it's mostly that I haven't gotten around to buying it yet and don't want to spend the day tomorrow racing around last minute to get it.

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  9. We have a surplus of eggs too and this year was the first dying the brown and green with the Paas dye. I was surprised at how they turned out. We left them in the dye really long and they colored very dark yet vibrant. I love the egg holders. Where did you find them?

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  10. i love that you are trying to be mindful of Holidays and traditions. i feel the same way.
    your eggs look divine and i feel the very same way about jelly beans.
    i promise i'm not trying to be your creepy twin either.
    looks like a great easter was had by all!

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