Easter Weekend

Hey everyone! 

What a fantastic weekend!  Just as I imagined it would be. 

Here is the overview….

Saturday morning, my dad, my sister and I had our monthly Father Daughter Breakfast.  Once a month, the 3 of us meet for breakfast on a Saturday morning.  It's a lovely time to spend with them and I love that we have these dates scheduled each month.

We met at a cute little cafe called Sophias.  I love this place.  It's super adorable and has an awesome menu.  

As soon as I saw the Baked Oatmeal, my decision was made. 

Honestly, this baked oatmeal wasn't anything special.  The portion was pathetic and it really didn't have much of a taste.  I was kind of surprised because usually baked oatmeal in a restaurant is quite decadent but this just didn't do it for me.  I think my expectations are set way too high after eating the best baked oatmeal on the planet at The Hershey Pantry. 

I ordered a side of fruit to go with the oatmeal. 

The waitress came out a few minutes later with some complimentary cinnamon rolls.  How sweet!  Free cinnamon rolls, yes please! :) 

Breakfast was great and afterwards, we said goodbye to my sister and my dad and I were off on our first Farmer's Market excursion of the year! 

Oh how sweet it is that this weekend marked the first of the season for the local farmer's markets.  We cherish this time.  My dad and I are quite into this little hobby.  He came prepared with an entire file that listed every single market in south central PA, what they carry, and how to get there.  You can all see how I am related to this man.  

We set off to Lancaster county and ended up at a place called Shady Maple.  Wow, Shady Maple is like a little piece of heaven on earth.  Not only does this place have an incredible selection of locally grown produce, there is also a huge grocery store with tons of organic and locally made items, and an Amish bakery with fresh homemade breads and baked goods. 

Oh and yes, weird little old statue women offer free samples of fresh hot apple fritters.  What more could you ask for?!?!

After hours of doing what we love most, I came home ready to dig in to some fresh produce. 

I put together a great snack plate and made a Green Monster smoothie for a nice refreshing lunch. 

The weather was literally perfect on Saturday afternoon that I couldn't pass up the opportunity to a little running.  I strapped on my knee brace and did an easy 2 miles around the neighborhood.  The knee felt good.  Not entirely back to normal, but I was able to run pain free. 

Later, we met Toly's family for dinner to celebrate his sister and her husband's birthdays.  Always love seeing them and we had a very nice night. 

This morning, I made us a light breakfast before church. 

1/2 Blueberry Bagel with Mighty Maple and Mashed Banana with Cinnamon and Fruit and Yogurt with Granola 

I made Toly an egg sammy on a blueberry bagel.

We went to church later in the morning.  Easter at my church is a HUGE deal.  We rent a gigantic white tent that covers the entire parking lot, there is tons of food, music, and people!  It's like a big party. 

Since my dad is one of our pastors, he is pretty much running the show for this event.  He always says that this is the busiest week of his life, but it's well worth it. 

My brother in law leads worship at our church and is one of the best singer's I know. 

He's the one in the middle in the green shirt

It was such an amazing service!  Afterwards, we went back to my parent's house and enjoyed some snacks before dinner. 

A little white later we all went to Houllihan's for an early dinner.  We started going out for Easter dinner because with my family's involvement with the church, it's just so much easier to go out to dinner rather than worry about making a big meal.  The point is that we are all together and we always have such a nice time.  Plus, restaurant's aren't usually crowded on Easter! 

I ordered the Tuscan Salad to start

Arugula, Basil, Tomatoes, White Beans, and Goat Cheese in a Balsamic reduction

And the Scallops for my meal….

Pan Seared Sea Scallops over lemon basil risotto with asparagus in a lemon balsamic olive oil reduction topped with arugula

Awesome!  The scallops were delicious.  Perfectly seasoned and so tender.  And the risotto was also amazing.  Lusciously creamy but not overly rich.  Loved this dish! 

Easter is always such a wonderful holiday in my family.  Growing up, it was one of my favorites…probably because of the abundance of candy and peanut butter eggs I was allowed to eat in one day, but now as I get older, I truly appreciate this day for it's real meaning.  I'm also so grateful to spend time with my family and feel so blessed for everything I have in my life. 

From my family to yours, wishing you all a blessed and wonderful Easter!