My earliest memories of Easter at my house was chocolate...chocolate...and more chocolate. Not just packaged bunnies, but dad bringing home 50 pounds of chocolate in big slabs...Aunt Beaty and her kids coming over, getting the metal molds out...and making chocolate.... Not just any chocolate, but Merkins chocolate...pure amazing chocolate. We would be peak in from the living room and watch as dad would break apart those huge pieces of chocolate. They would place them in the double boilers and they would slowly melt them. Every once in a while we would catch dad's eye and he would give us a taste...It was amazing....We knew better then to ask mom...this was "business" for her. You did not interupt mom when she was working on chocolate...but dad (especially me with my big brown puppy dog eyes) would always sneak me some. The best part of making chocolate was the base piece that they melt for the bottom of the molds. They would place all of the molds on the melted chocolate...place them on the marble top in the back shed...and we would wait....we knew what was coming. One it was set my parents would carefully take off the molds out of the base and it would leave CHOCOLATE....that we were allowed to eat! It was the best tasting chocolate in the world. I liked it better then the molded chocolate. It was awesome.
As we grew up the chocolate making turned to chocolate buying....and as our kids grew up...we would occasionally make the few molds that we had, but we turned to buying chocolate to. I tried many chocolates, and I realized that I could not eat "cheap chocolate" . It just was not good. I turned to Niagra Chocolates. They were the closest to the chocolate we had growing up we could get. Every year I would order them for my kids...We had the dino in the egg for Brandon, the balerina slippers for Rachael, and the scotty dog for becca. As they got older we switched to the car and tools for brandon, the cell phone and scates for becca and the cd and kitten for Rachael. We usually got suckers, and of course the smiley face discs. Those were my favorite.
This year is different. None of my kids wanted alot of chocolate. I did not want chocolate in the house. So I made my selections very carefully this year. I got Brandon the car, Rebecca the scotty dog, and Rachael the cell phone...and of course the smiley face disks...I have not had chocolate since last summer. I was not tempted to have chocolate very often...Even as I placed the Easter stuff in the closet, I was not tempted.....until Dave started being the Easter bunny. He went to Walmart and purchased two bags of chocolate eggs...As I placed them in the basket, my mouth started to water. I was thinking of chocolate. Not those eggs, but the Niagra chocolate in the closet...the smiley face disks...in particular. I decided I would have one egg from the basket to curb my desire....it did not curb my desire...it made me want more. I resisted all week. Then yesturday I was home alone with nothing to do....I did good until I got a call from
Rachael saying him and dad are going to see a movie and would be home late....That was it! I was home alone and no one care...and I deserved something for me! Into the closet I went. Out came the smiley faces...I told myself I would just have one...only one.... As I put it into my mouth I was reminded of the awesome taste of Easter growing up. I closed my eyes and enjoyed it sooo much! Then I needed another...and another...until half the bag was gone....then I told myself if I left half a bag they would know I got into them. And if I ate more I would get sick of chocolate, and not need any more till next year....I ate and ate and ate...until the whole one pound bag was gone....I did not feel sick...I felt ashamed...but I was not sick of chocolate...
This ;morning I got on the scale...and what do you know...I gained a pound...a pound that I had worked so hard to keep off. A pound that I had to work for over 2 day of 2 hours of the gym to loose. Why???? I don't know...but I know I need to stop now. Tomorrow is Easter. My kids will have no smiley face disks in thier baskets. They will know...because I always buy them....next time I am tempted I need to call a friend, go for a walk, or go to the gym...there is more to life then chocolate....even if it takes you back to memories from when you were a little girl.
