Trying to lose weight by just cutting calories has not worked for me, so for the past month I had been doing something impossible; exercising every day. Finally, the pounds, or at least the ounces, started to slip away! Once again my favorite pair of navy blue pants were wearable, matching a now slimming aqua blue blouse that had been too tight around my bosomy area. What a joy it was to finally see the scale numbers go in the right direction and to be able to wear fashionable clothing! And then came Easter.

Hubby has a large and wonderful family who get together for major holidays. Everyone brings a dish (or two, or three) so there is a cornucopia of inviting colors and tastes. Each dish is enticing in its own right, and I have to try them all, (lest I insult the sister or brother-in-law who brought it, of course.) Honey ham, with baked pineapples on top like my mom used to do, was the staple of the food table, so it was placed in the center of my plate with a few extra stolen pineapples placed on top. The broccoli au gratin was extra delicious, with heavy cheese sauce, soft cooked broccoli and other secret ingredients that made it melt in my mouth. If there ever were a person who said they disliked broccoli, they still would have loved this manner of preparation. When the chef was “outed” (Dave’s Market Place) I had a glimmer of hope that I, too, could heat up this wonderful dish without ruining it. Because the Jell-O and fruit whip was served on the dinner table as opposed to the dessert table, it could only mean it was a healthy choice, and an abundant pile was plopped next to the broccoli. This sugar free Jell-O, which also included nutritious fruit and dairy, dissolved in my mouth like a strawberry cloud. The homemade macaroni and cheese, prepared as an enticing food for the children, was decadent with extra cheese. It was definitely not Kraft macaroni and cheese! Hubby, the cook in my family, brought a favorite of his; salad wedges with bacon, blue cheese dressing and feta cheese. Although this is a favorite food in our home, its incredible clashing ingredients still enticed me to put it on my plate. Lovingly prepared mother-in-law beets added a dash of deep purple color, and a familiar tang for my taste buds. Eating this fantastic meal with my incredible extended family made both my heart and my stomach happy. What a wonderful Easter day!

Driving home with my granddaughter in the car, she shoved her chubby toddler hand into the front seat bearing yellow Peeps. “No like!” she muttered in a crabby voice, insulted that someone would have given her such vile candy. Peeps had been my favorite Easter candy, and this day was no different. Popping the familiar marshmallow indulgence into my mouth reminded me of my youth, and once again I was smiling. That is, until the button on the front of my pants strained so hard it flew off onto the floor of the car. Once again, my pants were too tight. That was the peep that broke the camel’s back.