Easter 2017 was on April 16. No family party this year. Why? Mom and Dad (Margie and Lamar) had been on a trip to California to visit Shane&Alicia's family (blog post coming at some point) and just barely got back for the holiday. I suppose we still COULD have had it, but the family had just recently had an impromptu get-together (Red Robin, Yum) April 8th, 2017 and there would be group gatherings in June and July, so no official Westra Easter, backyard egg hunt or funny photos with fluffy bunny ears.
Mom wrote: March 15, 2017. Normally we would be hosting our Easter brunch and egg hunt right now. Our yard looks beautiful for Easter. We had a wonderful time with Shane and Alicia and the kids. They took us many places to see the sights. We are going to Easter dinner tomorrow at Chris and Kim's.
To include some pictures on this post ... here's what the siblings shared (emails, end of year calendar contributions, etc).
I glanced through social media (Instagram) but didn't find any other Easter pictures from this year.
From Jen:
Our Easter was quite low-key ... some years it's almost been like Christmas, but there wasn't much this year. Without the Westra party (prepping the eggs usually has me shopping and getting everything out at least a week in advance). I meant to pull the plush ears out ... but they are up in the shed now, and it felt like too much work for just our boys. So just some candy and a couple small toys for the little boys. A new "rubic" type cube that's been driving Keaton and Landon crazy (it's got no colors, it's mirrored, and the "squares" aren't all the same size either). We missed Callahan Easter morning, as he was in Idaho for a basketball tournament (they won it). The Reeses eggs are a favorite with the older boys (and me) ... I actually prefer the ratio of chocolate to PB filling over the regular cups. Cal and Keaton really like the Cadbury mini eggs ... those are ones so many people rave about, but they just don't tempt me. Just plain chocolate with a candy coating ... we love the FavorREDs jelly beans ... all shades of red. Red IS the best. I made our annual meringue nests once, and made some sugar cookie eggs that we decorated (we didn't get around to hard boiling and dying actual eggs).
From Wendy:
Hope you all had a wonderful Easter. The girls had fun at their Young Women's activity dyeing eggs with plants, flowers, and roots. It was Josh's birthday Sunday, and since it is Easter weekend, we had an Easter-themed party. The kids dyed eggs and had an egg bash, went on an Easter egg hunt, ate lunch (hot-dogs and chips), opened presents, and ate cake and ice-cream. Jaiden made the cake and Janelle and Josh filled over one hundred eggs with candy for the easter egg hunt. To make the hunt more challenging Jared used the Westra trick and wrapped duct tape around some of the eggs and threw them up on high windows or other hard to reach areas. Happy Birthday to Josh and Happy Easter!! Josh was born on Easter Sunday 11 years ago! This is the first time his birthday has fallen on Easter Sunday again! Our kids hit the jackpot at an "invitation only" Easter Egg hunt Saturday morning sponsored by one of our realtors. They excitedly gathered up eggs, candy, toys, and prizes! They even agreed to take a picture with the Easter Bunny, even though these bunny costumes are always a bit creepy. Sunday we had an Easter egg hunt and Jared and Janika decided to put two snails in one of the eggs for a trick. Janelle was the lucky person who got the magic egg and we got a pretty funny video! Click here to see it: https://youtu.be/qE5lMtPuv-w
Easter was April 1, 2018. Originally, I wasn't going to blog this year (or 2017). There wasn't a Westra gathering for the holiday either year. No egg hunt in the Westra backyard, fuzzy ear pictures or stickers on faces. But then I thought, perhaps I'll note WHY there wasn't one ... just to keep the record straight. And there are a few photos after all ...
In 2018, Shane's family was in Cali... and Shane was in Amsterdam. Jensen's weren't going to make it up this year. The numbers had been dwindling, with only a few littles to look for eggs. Mom/Margie sent out a couple emails ...
March 23 ... Since Easter weekend is General Conference weekend this year, with no time to party between meetings, I guess we should skip this year's Easter get together and plan a family get-together here the 1st Sun. in May or last Sunday in April to celebrate the May birthdays. We could do April 29 or May 6. We only have D & D's 3 little girls to hunt eggs. All our little ones are growing up! New Haven moved the neighborhood Easter egg hunt to tomorrow instead of Easter weekend because of conference.
March 25... When we mentioned not having the Easter get-together here because of conference, Rick wrote and invited us to come there for Easter/Conf. weekend, and said they were off Fri. and Mon. So we decided to do that and will leave Thursday morning and return home Tues. morning. We needed to be to church by 8:15 this morning for choir since they were having the Easter program today and singing. It was mainly a missionary farewell for a girl in our ward, but the choir sang a beautiful number, the piano guy did a cello solo, his 7-year- old son sang a solo, and we had our "ward orchestra." It consisted of 12 people---6 adults, 3 teens, and 3 younger children. Mostly violins. We really have a musical ward. A couple other violinists were out of town.
A few days later Wendy wrote ...
Mom and Dad arrived Thursday night and so I brought Dad to Josh's soccer game with me. The score was 2-0 and Josh scored both goals and so he was pretty happy about that. This is only rec soccer -- Josh really wants to try out for competitive soccer. He is a good little player and so I think he would do well in it. Rick and I were asked to interpret for a big musical production down here Friday night (The Lamb of God) and so that was a bit stressful trying to hurry and pull that together. Friday morning the post office called and said that Jared's call was here!! Rick and I were interpreting that night and one of Jared's best friends was working until 10:00 and so he set the mission opening for 10:30. He had about 25 people there. Saturday we all slept in. This is the first year we didn't bring our kids to the city Easter egg hunt. We just had our own hunt!! We really enjoyed General Conference today. Rick and my Dad and Jared went to the Priesthood Session at the church and then went to Carl's Jr. I think that will be a good change to combine the High Priests with the Elder's Quorum.The older girls hid eggs for Josh and Jenna and Jenna's friends, Clarissa and Audrey. We had a nice Easter. The kids got their Easter baskets this morning and then Rick and Jared made our traditional "Conference Crepes." They were even better than usual now since Jared works at the Crepery and was able to share his knowledge. We really enjoyed conference this weekend and were touched by the amazing spirit felt during the talks and music! All of the kids took notes -- even Jenna! During the break the kids dyed Easter eggs. Tonight we had a delicious turkey dinner and then Grandma and Grandpa played games with the kids while Rick and I skyped Janika and tried to figure out a time to go up North to meet Brandon's parents.
Here's a few photos from the other families ...
The Blackham family takes Easter pictures! ;)
Email from Jen:
Hope everyone had a good Easter. I've gone a little overboard on the "nests" this year, making many batches of them. Really only Cooper, Cal and I like them, but we LOVE them. Not sure why I only make them at Easter. The ducks started laying just in time for Easter! True "hunts" each morning to see if I can find any. Coop accidentally colored his hand ... don't mix silly putty and playdough (he was trying to make the putty a bit softer)! The orange color did NOT want to come off!
If you are one of the Westra Six Siblings, and you think about Easters in the Westra home, there are a few classic memories. Like looking for hidden jelly beans in all the little nooks and crannies of the lava rock fireplace, and finding jelly beans months after Easter. We also were sure to reach up IN the fireplace to the little ledge to see if there were some hidden there. Here are a few more of the classic Westra Easter items.
The Country Bunny book: This is likely not unique to just the Westra family, this is a classic for many. Westra Siblings remember this book being read to use and it became an Easter classic. Jen had to get a copy for their home library/Easter box.
Grandma Lucille's Cookies: Grandma Burgener often had an ice cream bucket full of cookies on top of her fridge to feed hungry grandchildren. At Easter, there were eggs and chicks, sugar cookies with a smooth icing.
The Plastic Baskets: The four baskets, two green, one yellow, one pink, made their debut in 1971. They remained THE Easter baskets for the foreseeable future. Grandchildren have now used these baskets in classic Westra Easter egg hunts.
Boxes of Cereal: As the picture above indicates, "sugar cereal" boxes were an Easter tradition. Every child got their own box, and it was theirs, not for the family. The Blackham household has recreated this tradition some years (Easter2020).
Paper Plate Bunny Faces: The illustration in the top right of the collage in a modern day paper plate bunny. Even though the little paper place bunnies created to represent each family member were hung up every year (for many years, not exactly sure when it ended) there didn't appear to be a picture of them. Viewing the video of old Easters however, there was a glimpse (screen capture included in the collage above - those ARE the originals!). These were the Easter equivalent to the famous Christmas stockings.
Sugar Mold Eggs: Mom had made a couple sugar mold eggs that were brought out every Easter for years and years. It was so much fun to look in the little hole to see the secret world inside. Jen totally planned on making some herself at some point - collecting molds of various sizes and small figures to create the inner scene, but it never happened. Jenna has made some with her church group though (Jenna's Sugar Eggs).
Jenna's eggs, just part of her collection.
Mom/Margie's eggs were larger, with the viewing hole at the end, similar to the ones pictured below. It was a smaller hole though. When I was younger I remember marveling out how it could have been created (like a ship in a bottle) not realizing that the frosting around the edge covered up a seam, that originally the egg had been two halves. Mom used her decorative icing skills she had learned years earlier (Creative Cakes).
No one can really remember what happened to the eggs (did they finally break? Were they thrown out?) or when they stopped being displayed each Easter. They were on display for many years (1970s/1980s), and similarly, a gingerbread house was brought out for Christmas. Mom/Margie also remembers:
"One year, your Grandma Westra/Burgener made sugar mold eggs for Easter and mailed them to our home in Richland, Washington. They are a lot of work, but very fragile. They arrived all broken. I felt bad since she had gone to so much work and effort. I can't remember if I told her they broke in transit. Probably not, as that is not my nature."
On The Westra Way blog, all the recent Easters have been documented, starting in 1996. But what about before? When the Westra siblings were growing up. Looking through the Dropbox photos, here's a compilation of photos and video...
Not a lot of photos, but a few! Baby Scotty, and then Scott a little more grown-up with cute Chris.
Skip a few years to 1971 ... Wendy and Jenny are Easter additions.
Love the found photos in color (converted from slides).
This was the first year the plastic baskets made an appearance.
They are still around later ... going on 50 years now!
1973 - Easter was April 22.
Is that a snow pile behind the kids? Late snow!
1977 - Easter was April 10. Add Shane ... and color!
1979 ... Jen is wearing the dress Wendy had on two years ago.
Where is Chris?
1982 - Easter was April 11. Captured the baskets and the "cereal" tradition.
Wendy had posted about this Easter with some memories from her journal (Easter 1982).
Derek just missed this Easter, born just a few weeks later.
... then there was a dearth of Easter photos (pretty much until 1996) but I did find this one of Derek from 1985 (three years old... hadn't quite joined the family in that last featured photo). The photo below was also labeled 1985, an Easter visit to Grandma Lucille.
BUT WAIT ... while photos couldn't be found for some of the years in-between these pictures, there was VIDEO! So that you don't have to go through the entire two hours to catch the Easters featured on film, here's a highlight reel of some live action Easter over the years! There are seven years featured ... 1970, 1971, 1972, 1974, 1977, 1979 and 1983. There are some good views of the house/yard in Washington, then the Hermitage house ... paper plate bunnies hung on the wall. Easter Memories!
Growing up Westra, one of the fun activities would be to watch old home movies. Dad/Lamar got a "moving pictures" camera in 1969, and it would be brought out to record action shots for the next 10+ years, until a new VHS camcorder replaced it. The camera probably looked a little like the one pictured above (top left). It recorded onto 8mm film, little 3 inch reels. There were 43 little reels. You can see in the picture above, how Dad labeled them all, and stored them in old Planters snack cannisters. Movie film. To watch said film, it required a projector/player ... probably like the one pictured (bottom left). The reel would be added to the front wheel, and would feed past the light, and be projected onto a wall or screen, and then wind up onto the wheel in the rear. When the film was finished, the end would flap, flap, flap around until the machine was turned off and the rotation stopped. There was no sound recorded, just "moving pictures" ... but one of the things we Westra kids enjoyed was when Dad would play the film backwards. We'd laugh and laugh as our little bodies on the screen would run backwards and go UP the slide.
It was quite a bit of work to watch these film reels. Getting out the projector, getting it on the wheel, feeding it into the machine. At some point, as technology improved, Jen got the reels converted to VHS. In the box with the old film reels was the invoice. $3.50 per reel (I peeked at prices today, and it's $10-$20 per small reel). The company took all the little reels, and combined them into six larger reels, and sent those back with all the home movies now on VHS tapes (one full, one with just the little bit extra that hadn't fit onto the first tape). When VHS went out of fashion, Jen had the tape converted to digital.
The Chronicles of the Westra Family had been posted to the blog before, here it is again ...
I'm not sure how many minutes each 3" reel held, not many. Google says between 2-4 minutes. That does seem accurate, as the final compilation is almost two hours long. As certain subjects (Scott's 6th Bday, EastersCompilation, TimelessToys) have been featured in a blog post, smaller, more easily digestible, clips have been included. There will be more to come... found footage added to existing posts, and new posts featuring some of these events. Even though the video quality isn't great, it's still priceless!
Here's a TABLE OF CONTENTS as it were, based on Dad's labels (in bold) and Jen's additional notations. Glance through and see what's there, and you can use the time stamp to go directly to where you want to watch. Birthdays, Christmas and Easter seemed to be the main focus through the years
#1 December 1969
Scott's 6th Birthday (:34)
Christmas 1969 (2:18)
#2 Easter 1970
Easter (3:10)
Wendy's Birthday (3:35)
Chris's Birthday (3:39)
#3 November/Christmas 1970
Jen's Here (4:59)
Sledding in the driveway (video troubles - maybe redo?)
Scott's 7th Birthday (5:05)
Christmas (5:07)
#4 Dec 1970/Easter 1971
Jen New Year's Baby (5:14)
Misc Family/Hula Hoop
#5 Easter 1971
Easter (5:57)
Wendy's Bday (6:22)
Swimming (6:26)
Little Jen in a Recliner (7:22)
Swingset (7:36)
In the Yard (8:03)
Jen Crawl/Walk (8:09)
Bathtub (9:11)
Family
#6 November 1971 - Jenny
Jen Bday (9:55)
Sunday Dress (10:59)
Outside/Big Hole (11:10)
#7 December 1971
Scott's Bday (11:30)
Bathtime (13:00)
Christmas (13:15)
#8 January 1972 - Snow
Snow (14:11)
Sledding (14:29)
New Years (15:13)
More Sledding (15:48)
Snowman Pictures (16:06)
#9 March 1972
House/Yard (16:27)
Swing (16:59)
BigWheels (17:49)
#10 Easter 1972
Easter (18:36)
Bath (21:17)
Jen/Table (21:27)
#11 Wendy's 4th Birthday
Wendy's 4th Birthday (22:00)
Sunday Best (23:51)
#12 Aug/Oct 1972 Richland - SLC
Carving Pumpkins (25:00)
Richland Friends (25:15)
Richland House
Sandbox (26:00)
White Dress (26:35)
Hermitage House/Yard (27:00)
#13 Thanksgiving 1972
Snow (27:40)
Hermitage House/Inside(28:16)
Pictures for Christmas Card (28:45)
Grandma Norman's House (29:05)
Grandma Burgener's House (29:40)
Snow! (30:30)
#14 Scott's Birthday
Family Party (31:31)
Friend Party (32:54)
#15 #16 Christmas 1972
Christmas at Grandma Norman's House (33:47)
Christmas Morning/Dollhouses (35:55)
Grandma Burgener's House (39:25)
#17 Snow 1973 (40:05)
#18 Wendy's Bday (40:30)
Sandpile (41:38)
Family Reunion/Tortoise (42:00)
#19 Summer/Sept 1973
Chris's Bday (44:20)
Four Siblings (46:10)
#20 Nov/Dec 1973
Snow (46:40)
Jen's Bday (47:25)
#21 Xmas 1973/Easter 1974
Decorating the Tree/"Pool Table" (48:27)
Scott's Bday (49:15)
Christmas Morning (49:43)
Easter (51:27)
Christmas 1974 (52:47)
#22 Wendy's Bday (54:23)
Cleveland (55:35)
Hermitage Backyard/Swings/Swimming (1:00:09)
#23 Yellowstone. Mammoth.Jackson
#24 Yellowstone. Chris Bday 1974
Family Party (grandparents/cousins) Chris's Birthday? (1:01:07)
#25 Jenny Bday. Scott Bday 1974
Another Family Party, Jen's Bday? 1:01:40
Jen's Birthday Party (1:02:18)
Scott's Bday Party (1:03:35)
#26 Scott Bday/Wendy Bday/GhostTowns
Wendy Bday (1:04:45)
Truck and Camper (1:05:41)
Water/Camp (1:05:57)
Waterfalls (1:07:37)
#27Chris and Margie's Birthdays1975
Hermitage Backyard (1:07:45)
Chris's Birthday Party
Halloween (1:09:47)
Margie's Bday (1:10:17)
#28 Christmas 1975/Easter 1976
Christmas (1:10:42)
Lorrie's Birthday (1:12)
Golf Clubs (1:12:35)
Piano (1:12:58)
Easter (1:13:23)
#29 Wendy Bday
Wendy's Birthday/Family Party (1:13:41)
Baby Shane (1:14:34)
Skateboarding/Biking in the Circle (1:15:30)
Shane's Blessing Day (1:15:52)
Grandma Norman's House w/Burgeners (1:16:43)
#30 Chris and Margie's Birthdays
Kids Outside (1:17:41)
Baby Shane (1:18:19)
Margie's Bday (1:19)
Swingset (1:19:25)
#31 Jen'sBday/Christmas 1976
Jen's 6th Bday (1:19:32)
Scott Changing Baby Shane (1:20:43)
Scott's Bday (1:21:47)
Santa (1:22:08)
Grandma Norman's House (1:22:31)
Red Dresses (1:24)
#32 Christmas 1976
Christmas Morning (1:24:14)
Big Henry/Toto
Gingerbread House (1:25:27)
Baby Shane and Big Henry
Red Dresses Again
#33 Christmas 1976
Cousins Over (1:27:39)
Flash of Bath (on original - removed for YouTube)
New Year's Baby Shane (1:28:02)
#34 Easter 1977
Basement/Chin Up Bar (1:28:07)
Grandparents Over (1:28:44)
Shane Walking (1:29:15)
Easter (1:29:58)
#35 Wendy Bday/Summer 1977
Wendy Bday (1:30:57)
Little Shane (1:31:31)
Shane's Bday
Summer Outside (1:33:32)
Lots of Neighbors, Tina the Dog
#36 Jenny Bday 1977
Jen's 7th Birthday (1:35:25)
Family Party - Grandparents and Cousins
#37 Scott's Bday 1977
Scott's Birthday (1:36:20)
#38 Christmas 1977
Christmas at Grandma Normans (1:38:44)
Westra Home (1:40:22)
Outside/ZimZam(1:41:58)
Cousins House (1:42:05)
#40 Christmas 1978 (oops, out of order)
Christmas Morning (1:42:14) seems to repeat here
Christmas Morning (1:44:26)
#39 Summer 1978, Shane'sBday
Jen/Wendy & Shane (1:45:08)
Bathtime (1:45:14)
Wendy and Jen - Baton Twirling (1:46:17)
Parade (1:47:10)
Birthday Cake (1:47:27) - Chris blows out the candles ...
Easter (1:47:47)
Shane's Bday(1:47:56)
(Lots of flowers/bouquet in background, Kellie's passing)
Easter was on April 12 in 2020. It was Covid Easter! This was still pretty early on, but the big family party was definitely off, as group gatherings were discouraged. Derek's crew came out and did a little Easter egg hunt (see the picture of Grandma with the eggs/basket). Scott's family, with Mitch and Kemery, and Taylee and Alyssa surprised the folks with a "Happy Easter" poster and a Calla Lilly plant. They visited in the yard. Turkey had been the Easter dinner for them, and for Shane's family. They also came out, bringing back the truck they'd borrowed, some left-overs and gluten-free Monster cookies. Again, they did the 6' apart visiting.
Wendy has more Easter pictures from her family on her blog (Easter 2020). The Blackham Bunch donned the bunny ears and recreated the ol'Westra tradition of boxes of cereal for Easter. This is the last year Callahan would be home, as he'd be getting married and moving into his own home in a couple months. Stalking Alicia's Instagram, photos of the Linden Westras decorating eggs were discovered.
Jen was busy blogging last year, so it's easy to look back at all the past years when we had big celebrations in the Westra backyard. Check out the EASTER label for 2019-1996 and even earlier!
Covid continued, and there wasn't really any talk of resuming the annual Westra Easter gathering, which is not to say there wasn't some family get-together. The Jensen family welcomed Shane and Alicia's family for the Easter holiday, which took place on April 4 in 2021. It coincided with Conference weekend.
Here's a little picture peek at some of the fun they had ...
From a candy tasting, to coloring eggs, to overflowing Easter baskets ...
I'm assuming there will be pictures next year from Scott's family, as it will be little Lettie's first Easter in 2022. Surprisingly, Derek didn't seem to have any photos of their Easter celebration. The Blackham's pulled out the fluffy ears, filled up the Easter buckets, and made some yummy food for their celebration.
Sunday April 11, 1982: From Wendy's journal (almost 14).
Happy Easter!! I didn't get a new Easter dress, but I got new Easter shoes. I didn't have a hard time getting up this morning like I usually do! I got dressed and then we went in to look in our Easter baskets full of candy! We got a big chocolate marshmallow egg, M&M's, jelly beans and candy eggs hidden around the house. Shane is 5 and still believes in the Easter Bunny so we have to be careful what we say around him! Also, for Easter each year we get to choose any kind of cereal we want to get for Easter. I chose Peanut Butter Cap'n Crunch and Lucky Charms. Chris ate both his boxes of cereal in one day!
We went to church and learned more about the real meaning of Easter with Christ and His Resurrection. Today we gave our mutual teacher some candy and flowers. We had all pitched in money to do it. We saw a movie about Christ in Mutual. After church we went to Grandma Burgener's house for dinner and we had ham sandwiches and some decorated hard-boiled eggs and cookies and candy! It was delicious!
Little Lamar and small Sharon ... and they don't look happy (but they sure look cute!)
The first photo is little Lamar with his friend Jammy. The year was 1942. While the next two pictures of Dad/LaMar in a spiffy Sunday suit look similar, there was probably a year or two between them (the first one would be 1946, based on the group shot below). And while not necessarily an Easter picture, the photo with Dad/Lamar and a bunny seemed to fit here as well.
Here's a peek at family photos ...
It was interesting uncovering old photos, and finding so many Easter's included. Easter is often a day to dress up in Sunday best, so it is a good photo op, with or without eggs and a basket. Jen commented: As I make the annual slideshow, it's interesting to see that some of the families always take Easter pictures. Certain holidays carry more importance (and photo ops) than others. I think Easter must have been an important one to Grandma Lucille based on the number of photos taken over the years. I remember she always made Easter sugar cookies ... little eggs and chicks. She'd keep them in an ice cream bucket on top of the refrigerator and bring them out when we came over.
This one was in the album and labeled - Joe, Easter 1944
Westra Easter ... Easter Sunday was April 23 in 2000. There weren't any written records for reference ~ Jen's journal skipped 2000/2001 (ironic as she'd started scrapbooking and journaling is emphasized so much there) and Wendy's family was in St. George (Jared had just been born, March 8, so no info from her about the Westra party either). Email archive doesn't date back that far. Scanned photos, so no digital dating on photo files. Was this Saturday or Sunday? Unknown.
I wonder if Kellin caught any fish with his little plastic pole? Thank you Shane for rescuing Kemery before she fell into the pond (there would be children falling into the pond, on Easter even ... see Easter 2006 *Ü*)
Not sure why the Blackham boys aren't in the group picture ... little Callahan appears in a few of the photos. Maybe they had run late and missed the hunt and were just there for some socializing afterward.
Keaton was coming (end of August).
Ah, the classic plastic pink basket (Kaden used this year).
Those classics have been around since 1971!
There were four (another green one) and they were used every Easter (see Easter 1982 too).
Grateful to have found a COLOR version of this 1971 photograph!
Jen did a photo shoot with Callahan, as he looked so cute on the bridge. Originally she thought these photos were from Mother's Day, but seeing Callahan in the same outfit in a couple of the Easter group shots ... it must have been Easter.
I think 1996 is the start of the annual "Hunt in Grandma and Grandpa's backyard". At least I wasn't able to find any pictures further back. This was before digital ... so not as many photos, and not as many grandkids! Six grandkids at this time ... Conner (4), McKenna (3), Kadan (2), Alyssa (1), Landon had not yet turned one. It was also Janika's first Easter (see photos below). Kellen was coming ... arriving in October.
Easter was on April 7th, and the Westra gathering was on a Sunday. Trying to dig up memories. I found my (Jen's) journal, mentioning a turkey dinner at Mom's house, but no mention of Easter. The fact that it was both conference weekend, and Daylight Savings (shifted the clocks on Sunday) was noted.
Interesting to see the difference in the #WestraBackyard ...
When Landon was born, Jen quit working outside the home, and stayed busy sewing up a storm. She made these baby bunny ears for little Landon (Grayson had to give them a try too). These are just the first photos in the ears. Other fuzzy floppers would come in the future (lots of funny photos), but this hand-sewn set would wrap around many a grandkid head ... a compilation collage will need to be created. See if these ears can reach RED PIG status!
Wendy's family didn't appear in the four photos above - and Jen's Journal entry hadn't included much information. Upon request, Wendy looked up her memories (journal, photo album) from 1996.
April 7: Happy Easter!! Rick’s mom had Easter Baskets out
for us with goodies. Conference was excellent! We left for my mom and dad’s
during the second session while we listened to conference in the car on the
way. We enjoyed a nice dinner at my mom’s with all of the kids. Chris's family came and it was nice to see them since we don’t get to see them
too often. We all gathered around the TV to watch President Hinckley on 60
minutes. Overall it went well! Besides
President Hinckley they also interviewed the one who owns Marriot hotels and
also Steve Young the football player. We
visited with the family and then the little ones went on a little Easter egg
hunt out in my parent’s backyard.
Glad to have a little more info, and a couple more photos ... and to see the EARS in action already!
Easter 2015 ... EARS to you! Jen brought the eggs, and the ears (and who knows what silly sunglasses and mustaches have to do with Easter Bunny poses, but they make for fun photoshoots). There are a few April birthdays too, and Jen was craving cake ... so throw in a little birthday celebration along with Easter!
Easter was April 4th this year. The Westra celebration was Saturday, April 3rd. Wendy's family had come up earlier after a lot of excitement (Janika's mission call) ... the cousins had some extra time with Shane and Alicia's family, and extra Easter activities with Grandma and Grandpa. Dying eggs, and a New Haven Neighborhood Hunt, with REAL bunnies (both big costumed, and little live ones).
... then it was the group gathering in the Westra backyard for the annual Easter activities.
Lots of little toys, trinkets and candy in the eggs.
Big kids hide them, little ones find them.
Gather all the grandkids on the stairs for a group photo ...
And a picture of all the adults snapping away too!
... another picture tidbit from the time.
Recreating a Derek/UpsideDownBaby photo
Back in 2011 D&D had the cute picture taken with Ani.
Now to create a similar scene with baby Layla.
Random Memories//Did You Know?
Grayson jogged over halfway to get to the party. He left before the Blackham Bunch, sporting a new Fitbit Surge (he ended up not loving it, returned it). He made it about six of the 10 miles before Jen caught up in the car, and accepted a ride for the rest of the way. He'd planned ahead and brought a change of clothes, and took a quick shower.
Easter 2001 ... Easter Sunday was on April 15th. The Westra party was on a Sunday this year (Landon and Callahan are in their church clothes, and these pictures come after Easter morning in the negatives). Looks like we were missing both Chris and Wendy's families this year. Just Jen and Scott still provide a pretty good group of grandkids, even if it is only half of them. The classic plastic Westra buckets were used for the hunt. Eggs up high on the ledge. Looks like Scott really wants those eggs - he's hoisting Kemery up, up, up!
After the eggs, everyone dogpile on Uncle Derek! While you can ...
Uncle Derek would be leaving on his mission in July.
Shane and Alicia would be getting married in just a few weeks!
Easter 2013 ... it was early, in March this year. The Westra party was on Saturday, March 30. Jensen's couldn't make it up this year (see the Jensen blog for their Hunt and Easter), but a couple of the girls and Alicia's girls had an even earlier Easter at a Grandparent sleepover a couple weeks before. 2013 was the year Landon set up a drink bar and this classic photo of Margie/Grandma reading to all the grandkids is a classic one!
As with many group gatherings ... it started with an email:
From Mom: We all need to know what to plan on............. Chris prefers 1 p.m., no one else has expressed an opinion----------1 or 2 p.m.? Scott and Amy have a nice buffet dinner to go to and a Jazz game, so they would probably prefer early. Chris and Kim said they would bring rolls and a dessert--cake with layer of cream cheese, strawberries and glaze (kind of right?) Though just one or the other would be fine, as long as we know. I've got turkey, ham, cheese, for the rolls, and will get tomatoes and lettuce, pickles, I have olives and some tortilla chips and sour cream and onion chips. We'll just keep it simple. Ice water for a drink. Jen, if we can count on you for most of the Easter eggs, you wouldn't have to bring anything else. Just watched the weather from last night's news (Sat. night). It said 62 deg. for Sat.'s party and just a slight chance of rain. So that sounds pretty good.
Another Westra Backyard Group Gathering ...
... time for the egg hunt!
... and opening the eggs to see what's inside.
The kids always seem to enjoy the stickers and toys as well as the candy.
... I don't think it was related to anything at the Easter party, but all five Blackham Boys got the barfies, the extended Blackham family too, and then Grandpa/Lamar did too. Not to be left out, Mom slipped on some water leaking from the fridge and hurt herself, and the ipad. Looking at other emails from right around this time, it seems like other sickness was going around too (strep and/or flu). At least everyone was healthy for the family party, although Wendy had blogged about Jenna being sick for some of their Easter festivities.
Easter was April 24th this year. The Westra family party was the day before, Saturday, April 23, 2011. Lots of pretty flowers all over the yard. Cooper had broken his arm just a few days before and was worried about the hunt, that he wouldn't be as capable with just one hand (and yes, it was his right-arm that he broke ... this was his second break in six months!) We told him that he could start with the "littles" group to give him a little extra head start before the other big kids came collecting.
Here's a quick clip of Ani and her first Easter egg hunt ...
Looks like Cooper did just fine finding and collecting eggs!
That broken arm didn't slow him down at all. Got a bucketful!
Scott doesn't seem to think it's fair that his egg is so little compared to Camden's big egg! While the Blackham Boys have used Easter "buckets" instead of baskets for years, looks like other families had buckets this year too.
Who knew stickers would be such a hit ... on heads! Funny faces!
You can check out the Jensen Easter 2011 in Wendy's family blog ...
Easter 2003. Working in retrospect, I have to wonder ... why didn't we take a group shot of the kids on the stairs this year? The homemade white bunny ears made a showing on Camden's head (at this point I think Jen had turned them over to Grandma to keep), but where are the fuzzy blue ears Jen introduced last year? Those barely made an appearance at the Blackham's Easter morning. The Blackham buckets got a repeat performance though, started last year and watch for them in every Easter to come. I do NOT see the classic pink, green and yellow Westra plastic baskets this year. Happily, the tradition of eggs up on the ledge high above the front door wasn't skipped. And happily, no kids or windows were hurt in the process of egg retrieval. Quite the basket(s) full of eggs to hide before the hunt! Do you think there were enough? Quite a few kids, even without the Jensen's up from St. George.
Amy was expecting Taylee. Jen was expecting Cooper. Derek was on his mission, as were Merrill and Lorrie. But we had Aunt Nelva, Uncle Arnold and Greg out for the Easter festivities this year. Grandma and Grandpa Norman were there too.
There was a Westra Party but was small this year!
Just compare it to the crowd from last year (Easter 2015).
(There's a cute picture of Derek's family in ears then too ... with one less little one.)
Not sure why we didn't get pictures of more people in the ears.
Here is Jen's journal entry about the day ...
Saturday morning I finished up some easter prep; filling eggs (I'd had the boys work on it yesterday, and we don't need that many this year so it was pretty easy) and made some chex mix. Hubs left early, jogging, and we picked him up on the way to my folks, which we did. He got about five miles in and said he felt pretty good. Only my oldest and youngest brother and their families were able to attend this year, my three other siblings didn't make it. Mom's Wii had gone out. I brought an extra power cord we had, and luckily that was the problem, so it was a fix. It was a nice afternoon, although a little chilly. Got to meet my new little niece for the first time too. The older kids hid the eggs and the two little girls found them. When they were done we had to send out the 10 and two 12-year olds to gather the rest (as there were too many for just the two little ones).
Shane's family was in California. Jensens didn't make it up from St. George, and Chris and kids were helping Cassandra with a move, which was nice of them! So a small gathering, even though Mom and Dad invited Uncle Merrill and Aunt Lori out, and Kemery brought her significant other.
Here's some additional Easter pictures from this year ...
