If you celebrate the holiday of Easter, I hope you had a wonderful day with friends and family.

We celebrate in our own way, mainly a relaxed day spent together, cooking a special meal, laughing, and generally just being us.

There’s also a tradition I always uphold on Easter weekend. I watch Easter Parade.

When I was growing up, I would spend the summers with my grandparents and one of the things we’d do, especially my grandmother and I, is watch old movies. A lot of Doris Day and a lot of Judy Garland. I loved both of these women and I am still a big fan. Easter Parade has always been one of my favorites. Judy Garland and Fred Astaire were delightful together and oddly enough, it was their only movie together. Kind of sad as both were superb talents as actors, dancers, and singers.

I loved the costuming, the beautiful women in elegant gowns and the men in smart looking suits. You can’t overlook the fact that women had gorgeous figures that didn’t have to slip into the single digits for them to be considered desirable and beautiful. Men were gentlemen and women were ladies. Movies from this era make me smile and I love all the songs. The movie reminds me of my childhood, the good things, the good parts, the dreams I used to have.

Of course my favorite song from the movie is  Easter Parade and here’s the clip for it…(you’ll have to forgive the subtitles…lol)

I hope you have some very happy memories and traditions that make you smile… I used to get Easter baskets filled with gifts and candy and I loved them, but these movies are part of me and part of the influence of who I’ve become in my life. Music, and song and gaiety and warmth and comfort and good food. My grandparents were a huge part of my childhood and as well a huge influence in who I’ve become.

Speaking of good food, my kids and I made Marshmallow Reeses Brownies today. I found the recipe online the other day on a blog called BruCrew Life and oh my goodness they are gooey and rich and so amazing. Here’s the recipe…

Marshmallow Reeses Brownies

by Inside BruCrew Life

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes

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Ingredients

• 1 brownie mix
• 2/3 c. oil
• 1/4 c. water
• 2 eggs
• 1 bag peanut butter eggs (or cups)
• 1 c. marshmallow fluff

Instructions

• Spray a 9×13 pan with baking spray and set aside. Preheat the oven to 350* In a large mixing bowl combine the brownie mix, oil, water, and eggs. Beat until just combined. Spread half the brownie batter in the bottom of the prepared pan. Lay the peanut butter eggs on top of the batter. Drop spoonfuls of marshmallow fluff around each egg. Top with the rest of the brownie batter. Spread the batter completely over all the marshmallow fluff swirling slightly. Bake for 25 minutes. Cool completely before cutting into the brownies.

~lissa