Monday Memory- Easter traditions

 These are throwback pics from 2005- Emma's first Easter.  So much of personal histories surround traditions.  I love traditions!  They mark the passage of time.   

I Love Easter!  Partly because our first two sons were born in April , in fact Stockton came home on Easter Sunday from the hospital- a very sweet memory.

Our Easter Traditions are as follows:

Easter Egg Dyeing
As a kid, I loved coloring Easter Eggs with my grandpa Weaver.  As an Art Professor at BYU, he went all out on his egg dyeing.  Most often times his eggs were decorated in a  complete landscape  in brilliant colors!  

Today we do the traditional Easter egg dyeing kits, but couple it with our Swiss heritage. Every Easter we head to Santa Clara to gather some Santa Clara Red root for Egg dyeing.  First, we boil the root in a big pot and then wrap each egg in a variety of greens, onion peels, dandelions, sage brush- what ever works.  The egg is then boiled in the pot with the Santa Clara Red Root.  The eggs are one of a kind and the memory made- priceless!

Easter Picnic-  Weaver Easter picnics are somewhat memorable because the location was often most unconventional.  With four hungry big brothers and a father who loved food.  The picnic was mainly "don't enjoy the view or the experience" but just "hurry up and eat."  Weavers are ultra practical.  Nonetheless the memories are treasures.  Some of my father's favorite stops for picnics were Rest Areas, yep Rest Areas.  We still joke about it today.  We did have a few non rest area picnics including Silver Reef, Zion National Park, and the "pasture."

On the other hand, the Rigby picnics are grand affairs.  Mom Rigby goes all out, picnic decor, games, prizes, amazing food- amazing fun and there is always a fire for gathering around.

 Easter Egg Hunt
No matter the age of our "Fab Five,"  They absolutely love the "Hunt."  Tradition dictates that no matter where we head for Easter that plastic eggs accompany us.  We have hunted for Eggs in Zion's Back Country, the cow pie fields of the "Hole in the Rock Road," and in the shadows of Arches and Canyonlands National Parks.  Each Hunt begins with a picture of the "hunters"  with their baskets upside down on their heads.

                                              Let the hunt begin

                       Emma's first Easter 2005                    

                                                               Easter Morning

                                          Easter Hike near the Browse Exit

                                                  Let's go Fly a kite

                           This made for a fun picnic,  afterwards all the grandkids flew the the most
amazing kites.  Madsen was 2 1/2.  When he was done flying the kite,  he simply let go of the string... the kite drifted away.  We all laughed in disbelief- grandpa chased after the kite!

Easter Campout
This is our most favorite tradition of all-  Come spring break, we cancel all of our obligations and head out on an adventure.  There is plenty of hiking, roasting of marshmallows and making of memories!  Can't wait to reveal our 2014 destination and adventure to you next week!

Happy Easter- now go make some memories and then of course- write them down!