HAPPY EASTER 2017!

Happy Easter!

He is risen indeed!

I'm so thankful for this day. I believe in the Cross on Mount Calvary, and I believe in Christ Jesus who has saved me from my sin, and took my place so I have the hope of Eternal Life.

Me and Robert on Easter Sunday 2017.

Myself in the outfit I bought for our 35th wedding anniversary on April 3rd.

Daffodils in Victoria BC, where we spent our 35th anniversary.

Me in the Victoria butterfly gardens, which I enjoyed thoroughly! Robert below.
If you stand still, the butterflies land on you.

Eating our fancy dinner at the James Bay Inn Hotel, where we stayed. It was built in 1911 and it was fantastic, in the historic area of James Bay in Victoria BC.

Clover Point in Victoria; we had a lovely weekend away.

I'm so thankful for my dear hubby, who has stood by me all these years.

On March 31 my Dad was rushed to Burnaby Hospital with a serious infection. It had entered his blood, and after tests and an MRI the Doctor finally found a blocked 3" in circumference kidney stone. After an operation, my Dad, Jack Williams was finally released home on Good Friday, after spending 2 weeks in hospital.

We are so thankful and relieved, as he is 87. He did very well, and knew all the nurses by name. He was a great trooper!

By Loretta Houben

Easter from 1961 - 1963

Aren't I cute? Of course I don't remember this first Easter at all! I would have been nearly 10 months old as Easter fell on April 2nd that year.

My Mom said I had a bad cold. I love the beautiful chenille bedspread on my parent's bed. I inherited it.

I created this header for my Facebook page this year.

Tee hee...

I just love this picture. My Mom, Susie, is expecting Leona.

She is so happy and I'm so sad. Probably I wanted to eat that chocolate rabbit!

Easter was on April 22nd this year.

And here my wish is granted.

Of all the rooms in this little house at 3496 Euclid Avenue, I remember the kitchen the best. And I remember what it felt like to sit in this high chair! The little table and chair set belonged to my Mom in the 1930's. Her father, Adolph Brutke, painted them blue and white, so my Mom never re-painted them. Guess who inherited them?

April 14th, 1963: our last Easter in this little house on Euclid.

And a little sister, Leona, has come to join me.

She is 11 months old. Isn't she adorable? I love this picture.

Ready for church in our spring coats and Easter bonnets.

My little wooden doll cradle is off to the side.

A more sedate picture.

Ah...the favourite part of the day for me!

That's one big rabbit!

I love the photos my Mom took of these happy times when I was so young. I don't remember them at all, but I love to look at these scenes and see what we were like. The little house is long gone along with all that Easter candy, but as long as the pictures are saved I can get a glimpse of what life in the early 1960's was like, at least in the Williams household!

I tweaked all the photos using the Picmonkey Picture program; I used the black and white option to spruce up each image, and I used the Wrinkle Remover and Clone options to remove dust and speck dots. It's worth it!

By Loretta Williams Houben

Remembering Easter 2003

Easter Egg Collection 2003

(once upon a time when my kitchen was white with green stenciling...)

Matthew reading his Bible.

Our get together on Good Friday, April 18th, also Paul's 12th birthday.

My Easter table. Mom made the cute cake.

About to enjoy dessert.

Paul's 12th birthday.

Matthew and his Easter basket.

Matthew and Loretta in their Easter finery.

Colin and Paul Partington and Matthew; Joel Mallette standing.

The young men put together Easter plates for the seniors in church.

Celebrating Easter and Paul's birthday at White Spot.

By Loretta Houben

Easter Memories from years past....2001 and 2002

Easter 2001; at the Braun's lovely home in Surrey, BC.

Here is Marie with her pretty decorated table. I always enjoyed going here for Easter dinner.

For a few years, she would have Easter at her home, and I would have Thanksgiving dinner.

A variety of delicious salads and meat.
Robert, me, Mom, Dad, Robert B and Marie.

Matthew and Loretta in their Easter finery, 2001.

Easter 2002:

My parents, Susie and Jack Williams;
Matthew, Colin Partington, and Robert having a traditional Easter dinner at our house. I think this must have been on Good Friday.

Myself included. Our first digital camera didn't have the pause button.

Our Easter table. I loved the "chocolate" rabbits which I bought from Bowrings.
Bowrings is now gone from Metrotown and I miss it so much.

Matthew finding his Easter basket in the pantry.
He loved hunting for it.

Matthew and Loretta in their Easter finery.

I've always loved Easter the best of all seasons in the year.

By Loretta Houben

Happy Easter! He is risen!

Today is the best day in all the year!

For Christians it's the highlight of our faith.

Without Easter and the hope of the resurrection we would all be in darkness without any light.

But hallelujah Christ overcame the power of hell and the grave, and all who believe on Him and accept his full salvation by faith will be saved.

It's a marvelous and wonderful plan.

I love Easter and the hope it brings to us!

Two of my girls dressed in their Easter finery.

I made the dress on the right, completely by hand except for attaching the bottom to the bodice.

I hope you all had a wonderful and happy Easter day!

Memory Monday...Easter in the 1970's

Easter 1973

Marlene, me, Marie, Leona

This was the last year I wore an Easter hat.

I loved hats and still do, but it wasn't the fashion anymore for an older teen to wear a hat.

I loved my dress, though; it was a polyester fabric, with a satin lining.

It was very comfortable. Leona had a matching pink one.

We didn't get a new dress each year, though. Sometimes we wore our Christmas dresses for Easter.

My Mom usually bought them at Simpson Sears bargain centre in Burnaby for under $10 each!

Easter 1974.

I know I already posted this photo, but I thought I'd line up the 1970 photos so you can see how we all changed over the years.

Easter 1975

Leona and I in the back, Marlene and Marie in the front.

I loved my dress. Someone at my Dad's work had a daughter older than I; her name was Karen. She passed on boxes of lovely stuff to us. I had to wait a few years until I grew into this dress, and although slightly out of style for the 70's I didn't care; it was a gorgeous soft cotton/rayon dress with a crispy lining, and machine embroidery all over the bodice. I've always loved fabric and clothes!

Easter 1976.

Leona and I in the back, Marie and Marlene in the front.

Maxi dresses were all the rage so we're all wearing one!

They were so comfortable. Mine came from a thrift store.

I added lavendar ribbon trim to the sleeves and the waist.

Leona is wearing her Christmas dress from 1975.

The golden couch has moved in front of the orange drapes.

Easter Cards...

Here's a selection of Easter cards I made for this year.

I have fun creating them, but I wish I had a friend who enjoyed making them with me!

Sometimes I feel very lonely...

Here's a closeup of one of my favourites.

I used a vintage image which I find online for free; I printed it out on my colour printer which is my favourite appliance in the house (next to the washer/dryer) and glued it onto a piece of lavendar cardstock, which I had trimmed using a pair of my fancy scissors.

I put pop-ups underneath and stuck it onto a piece of glittery scrapbook paper, which I'd glued down to a ready made card. I buy the cards and envelopes at Michael's when they're on sale. Then I don't have to cut cardstock in half and fold it. Tee hee...

I love making cards, and I miss my monthly Stamp-in-Up classes I used to attend.

Memory Monday...Easter 1974

Easter 1974. Marie (age 3) finding her basket. She was very excited!

We loved this tradition. I had the same basket for a long time, as long as I lived at home, and yes, I still have it! I loved the smell of all the chocolates combined in the straw. It was a heavenly aroma!

Dad with his family of girls, underneath the blooming cherry tree.

Leona refused to take off her winter coat. I'm wearing the green smocked dress, with Marlene in front of me, and Marie in my Dad's arms. I think my Dad was quite proud of his family of young women.

I just love this picture of Marie and my Dad!

Here we are in our Easter finery, holding our full baskets. I think my Mom had fun putting them together the night before, and hiding them all over the house. They wound up in the most interesting places.

Easter dresses

Here are my darling little Bleuette dolls, Yvette Marie and Zoe, dressed for Easter.

I finished Yvette Marie's dress today. I always seem to be doing things at the last minute!

I believe I do too many things at one time.