I was talking with my 28-year old daughter the other day about her upcoming visit to Charleston, Easter weekend. She is so excited about coming, especially since she is bringing a friend with her. We were discussing the plans for the Easter Egg Hunt and party we are going to have, meals we are going to make together, places to go, things to do, and...EASTER BASKETS! I told her, "Oh, about that...Don't worry...I will make sure the Easter bunny is well prepared to fill baskets for them, as well as our other friends that will be staying with us for the weekend." "Mom! Are you serious?!? You are going to make her an Easter Basket? THAT is why my friends always say, 'Your mom is so EXTRA!'"
I remember after I graduated from high school (seems like a hundred years ago), and moved 5 states away to go to college (back when we had to WALK for 20 minutes to get to the library to use the card catalog to do the research for the papers that were to be typed on our typewriters and handed in for 50% of our grade), coming home and getting to be pampered, spoiled and "The Kid" for a few days. It was a real treat. And really, not only was it time to rest and recover from the daily grind of being a college student, (and later, as a stressed-out, exhausted working mother), it was the fact that I got to spend time with my family, plan, cook and share meals together, play cards with my mom, go to the theater with my parents, go shopping for things I normally didn't have the time, or money, to do, and just enjoy being someone's child. Mom always made sure to make people feel like they were the most important person she had ever met. She always laughed and said, "You know, you are my favorite child!" (We all knew we were all her "favorite child", as she said this to all five of us kids!)
It doesn't take much to make someone feel special. People want to feel like you are paying attention to what is important to them. They want to know you care. They want to know you are focused and paying attention to what they like and what they don't. They want to know you took the time to plan and prepare to be with them. It isn't hard. It just requires stepping outside of your own world and being present in theirs.
So here's something EXTRA we are going to do when my daughter and friends get here: Make these gorgeous eggs! You just take hard-boiled eggs and leaving the shells on, carefully crack the entire surface. Put the unpeeled eggs into separate glasses or Ziploc bags. Cover with water and 10 drops of food coloring, place in the refrigerator, and let them sit overnight. The next day, carefully discard the colored water, rinse and peel the eggs. Super easy, and SO impressive!
What can YOU do to be EXTRA? Stay tuned for more Easter ideas!
#janiepughsellshomes #Easter #Eastereggs #Extra #GOAT
