Easter Traditions

My aunt Sidney shared this on her blog one Easter and I will never forget it. My Grandma Betty died before I was born. She had 11 children and from what I have been told, a beautiful voice. I love hearing stories about her life. I also love knowing that I am carrying on an Easter tradition that she started--and I love knowing WHY she chose to do it.

Easter in the Ellsworth and Betty Ray Family

By Sidney Madsen

"Easter was always a big occasion in the Ellsworth and Betty Ray family. My mother would shop on a meager budget for material to make all of our Easter dresses. She would sew furiously, late into the night and early into the morning for days to get them all finished. The 11 Ray children were always very well turned out come Easter morning. How well I remember carefully laying out my new outfit. A ruffly dress out of dotted Swiss or some bright pink or purple spring color, shiny patten leather shoes, the kind that squeaked and got black scuff marks so easy, brand new white socks with lace trim and lots of times even gloves ,bonnet and a matching purse. After my Saturday night bath I'd sit for an eternity while my long thick hair was done up in "spoolies" or pink sponge rollers by an older sister. On more than one occasion my 5 older sisters dresses even matched mine, making it all the more exciting. I wonder being teenagers , if they thought that matching thing was so neat. There would be a special program at church with beautiful music from the choir. My Mother with her beautiful soprano voice would have a solo. She would be so moved that in the middle there would often times be a little catch in her voice. But always she would regain her composure and finish strong and powerful. For singing was truly her best medium for bearing her testimony and one couldn't help but feel it's power.

After church there would be the traditional egg hunt and a picnic with dozens of Ray cousin . My life was full of wonderful traditions but interesting enough I really never understood their significance until years latter when I my self was a young mother trying to repeat them. Like my Mother I loved planning out the Easter attire for the family. I loved fixing up my little girls with their beautiful bouncing curls. I made it a challenge to see just how many sponge rollers I could fit on their little heads. Oh how my back ached after I was done. And also like my Mother, I sang with the choir for the Easter program. Well one year after a frantic Easter morning rushing to get my girls ready I came rushing into church looking frazzled to be sure. Some male member of the choir made some comment about not understanding all the fuss women go to over Easter. I had a unique situation because I moved back into the ward that I had grown up in. Many of those people in the choir had sung with my Mother before she died. One of those men,Guy Gardner who sang for years with my Mother said" well I'll never forget what Betty Ray said years ago when some one asked that very same question. Almost indignant she stood up and said " I dress my children up in brand new outfits because I want them to experience a kind of clean new feeling. The same wonderful feeling the atonement gives us when we repent.I want them to know what it might feel like to stand spotless and unashamed before their Heavenly Father".

Easter in the Kyle and Emily Widdison family:)

One tradition that we started when we began our family was having our Easter basket and egg hunts on Saturday, the day before Easter. I love that we do this! I just have to worry about getting ready for church, making dinner, and trying really hard to help my kids understand Why we celebrate Easter. This Easter Kyle and I started a new tradition that I hope we do every year. We wrote each one of our children a letter, expressing our love for them and reminding them of the love our Heavenly Father and Savior Jesus Christ have for them. We actually hand wrote these letters and wrote them in their journals so they wouldn't get lost. This Easter morning we set out their new clothes (None of them sewn by me!) with a chocolate bunny and plan on sharing their letters with them tonight. I hope they enjoy them as much as I enjoyed writing them! Whenever I think about how much Heavenly Father loves my children, I feel my love for them grow even stronger.

I love you kiddos!

Happy Easter Everyone!

(This really was the best we could do. We had 2 minutes to take a few pictures. Isaac and Luke obviously thought it was too bright and Oliver was busy feeling his 2nd tooth that just popped in today! Just wait until you see the other Easter pictures--hilarious I tell you!)

(see my hand?)

Peace out!!