This year we decided to stay in town for Easter, so we signed up for brunch with my good friend Krueger. Pre-Penny days, the Sagebrush Cantina's Easter Brunch was an annual Krueger tradition, as well as, the after brunch hike in the Calabasas Mountains. To my surprise, Krueger, who is notoriously late in all things in life, sent out an invite for this year's brunch a few weeks early. Color me surprised, I took note and decided that this would be the year that we would return to the annual Easter Brunch with friends. Other people must have taken note because she found herself with a party of 11 and when she went to make a reservation for those 11 people she was told they were full. So in true Krueger style we were going to have to wait for a table so our noon roll call would be pushed. The old me would have been mad but the new me just let it go as it was another Krueger-ism that is never going to change. We arrived a little late assuming it would be a while before we got a table but again, to my surprise, we were seated five minutes after arriving which I thanked the dear lord for since I have one antsy little toddler who doesn't know what the word "wait" means. We had a great time at brunch. 11 people showed up this year which is more people than have attended the past few years. Everyone who attended this year knows each other, as we have all meet at Krueger events over the years, so it was good group of people. Krueger, handed out the biggest bags of candy I have ever seen and somehow our family got two gigantic bags?! I can honestly say I have never ever seen so much candy! It was more than the huge candy haul from Disneyland's trick or treating party. As a diabetic I almost fainted at the site of so much sugar. Penny's eyes of course, got gigantic at the thought she could consume it all. I quickly let her pick two pieces and hide the bag under the table. I was hesitant to eat brunch with a second invitations to dinner with our Italian friends only a few hours later so I planned to eat good but planning and actually being at a buffet are two different things. Ultimately, hubby and I ate too much and we were so uncomfortable we passed out at home until it was time to leave for dinner. We had a lovely 30 minute catnap before rubbing our bellies and wondering "why?"
Why did we agree to eat two big meals on Easter? Reluctantly we got in the car and headed to our friends house. Where despite our fullness we had fun. Verona had hidden some eggs with money in them in her yard and along with my stash, we all had fun watching Penny skip around the yard collecting eggs in her little brown basket. She easily filled her basket up and then we all sat down and watched her open her loot. Her comments were cracking the adults up. My girl really is an entertainer and knows how to work a crowd at the age of 3. In addition to candy, money, small trinkets and big bag of books that was a result of a note the Easter Bunny left in one of the eggs, Penny received a big pink bunny from Mary and a hug chocolate egg from See's from Verona. She is surely, one lucky little girl! We went to dinner with our stomachs still full. Verona had cooked a big Italian dinner so my eyes looked at the lasagna, egg plant, salad, lamb, broccoli, rolls with fear. Not because it wasn't tasty but because my poor stomach was already stretched to new limits! The thing about eating is once you get started its easy to keep going despite being full. So I ate some more and more and thenI really had to stop or face buttons bursting off my pants. This was the first Easter or ever that I had lamb with mint jelly. Mint jelly always sounded so gross to me but now that I am facing the ripe age of 40 I must be more open to new things that my young self wouldn't have allowed in the past. So I smeared that mint jelly on the tiniest piece of meat I could find and amazingly, I found it to be delicious! Verona said lamb was Dave's favorite but hubby was quick to jump in that Dave's real favorite was mint jelly because who can taste the meat when lamb jelly is on it?! After dinner I chatted with Verona's mom, Mary, who is 93 years old though you could never tell as she is the most active and young looking 93 year old I have ever seen! Verona wisely put off dessert until later in the evening. Everyone had a great time hanging out and seeing how Penny would entertain us next. We jumped in our car later that evening with our bellies full and our hearts full of happiness. Penny left with a TON of candy. It was a good Easter spent with dear friends.
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