How We Spend Easter With Family And Food

A holiday can be loud, crowded, and still feel like rest if you’re with the right people. We sit down for an Easter roundtable and talk about what the day really looks like for us, from staying local around Cleveland to making the trip back to West Virginia to see grandparents, siblings, and the full extended family. Between coaching schedules, school calendars, and work, we dig into the simple truth about Easter traditions: most plans are built around who you can realistically be with, not what looks best on paper.

From there, we get into the important stuff: Easter candy. Reese’s eggs, Cadbury creme eggs, flavored Tootsie Roll egg candies, Mally’s chocolates, buckeyes, and a strong opinion on Peeps all make an appearance. If you love Easter treats, you’ll feel seen, and if you don’t, you’ll still enjoy the debate because it’s really about nostalgia and the tiny rituals that turn a random Sunday into a memory.

We also talk spring weather in Ohio, the dream 65 to 70 degree Easter day, and whether going to an MLB game on Easter is worth the risk when the forecast can change in an hour. The conversation rounds out with Easter food, comfort sides, signature family desserts, and why sometimes the best holiday “activity” is sitting on the couch, watching a game or an old movie, and letting family time be the whole point.

Subscribe for more roundtables, share this with a friend who takes candy opinions seriously, and leave a review to help more listeners find the show. What’s your non-negotiable Easter tradition?

All music brought to you by former guest of the show Speedo

Subscribe for exclusive content: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1530455/support

Buzzsprout - Let's get your podcast launched!
Start for FREE

Tactical Brotherhood
The Tactical Brotherhood is a movement to support America.

Dubby Energy
FROM GAMERS TO GYM JUNKIES TO ENTREPRENEURS, OUR PRODUCT IS FOR ANYONE WHO WANTS TO BE BETTER.

Shankitgolf
Our goal here at Shankitgolf is for everyone to have a great time on and off the golf course

Sweet Hands Sports
Elevate your game with Sweet Hands Sports! Our sports gloves are designed for champions,

Buddy's Beard Care
Buddy's Beard Care provides premium men's grooming products at an affordable price.

Deemed Fit
Be a part of our movement to instill confidence motivation and a willingness to keep pushing forward

Webb Western
Webb Western is for those who roll up their sleeves and do what it takes to get the job done.

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 4:48

Oh, Alyssa Johnson. My bad. Never mind.

SPEAKER_02 4:54

Lovely way to start the show. Welcome everybody here to another episode of the Ride Home Brands Podcast. And happy Easter to everybody out there. We have our Easter round table here. I got a panel of guests. Uh, you just heard one of them there. I'm gonna let them introduce themselves. But guys, you know you cannot, and lady, you know you cannot get through an intro here without answering a fitty question when you come on these round tables. So I need you to tell everyone your name and the answer to these two questions. And it is if you could be either a red panda or a polar bear, which would you be? And have you ever had braces? And Alyssa, ladies first.

SPEAKER_00 5:33

Alyssa Johnson would choose red panda, and I've never had braces.

SPEAKER_02 5:38

Lucky.

SPEAKER_03 5:39

All right. Next, we're gonna go to Steven. Here we go. Steve, I gotta go polar bear. Gotta go polar bear. Love the jacket they're wearing. And never had braces, probably needle, but never had them.

SPEAKER_02 5:54

I gotcha. Oh, that's two for two. And we're gonna round everything out with Matt.

SPEAKER_01 5:58

Matt Alderm. I would be a polar bear because I don't even really know what a red panda looks like. And never had braces. God, three for three. I am the odd.

Easter Plans With Each Family

SPEAKER_02 6:18

Like if a panda and a raccoon had a baby, like they're like it's but it they're all red, and they have like this this striped tail. I mean, I would be a red panda mainly because it is one of my wife's favorite animals, and I just just because of that. And I have had braces, I've had every form of braces you could possibly think of. I had the worst underbite, like looking like Michael Phelps ever when I was young. And yeah, headgear, everything, retainers after like it's it was a thing for me. Yeah, I I had it all growing up. The teeth were jacked up, uh, to to start out the Bono legacy here. You got it together though. Yeah, absolutely. But we're not here to talk about teeth or animals, we're here to talk about the Easter holiday. One of my favorite times of the year, mainly because it means spring has arrived. We're getting into some warmer weather, but I just love Easter getting with family and friends and everything like that. So uh Alyssa, we'll start with you. And what are your plans this year for Easter?

SPEAKER_00 7:18

Yeah, so my uh husband's family is from Cleveland, so we are just staying local now that we've both officially moved to the Cleveland area, and we will be spending it with his mom and his three brothers, mom and dad, three brothers, his aunt and uncle, their three kids, and his grandma.

SPEAKER_02 7:37

Nice, Stephen. What about you?

SPEAKER_03 7:41

Well, I'm probably going to spend some time with my grandmother. My family is kind of all over the place. My mom's out in Maryland, so she's she's out there rested. So I usually go see her about two to three times a year. It's just not this part of the year, but my grandmother's right up the street, so I'm gonna go make sure she's cool. I'll probably spend time with my wife's family as well. And there are a lot of little kids on that side of the family, so some Easter egg hunts, I'm sure, in the future. Oh, absolutely.

SPEAKER_02 8:11

Matt, what about you?

SPEAKER_01 8:13

Oh, it's pretty low-key this year. My wife's working, and I will be at home with the kids and both sets of grandparents, and well, that's it. That's it. That's all I got.

SPEAKER_02 8:28

That's it. Yeah, I am actually heading back home to West Virginia this year. It's our year up home in West Virginia with my family this year for the holidays. We kind of alternate years being near my wife's family and further away from mine. So it is the Bono's Easter this year, and I I'd love every minute of that. Getting to go back to West Virginia is always fun for me. Getting to see home and everything like that, and spend it with family. I mean, when when you're a Pizan like me, the family is always huge. So it's like when I say a little get together, that's like 20 of us. So, like, that's just the minimum to start out with uh just in my immediate family, but it can't go wrong with that.

SPEAKER_03 9:11

You gotta rent a home for something like that. Is that like a hall rental?

SPEAKER_02 9:15

No, no, my parents' house is where we we do everything.

SPEAKER_03 9:20

Oh man, that couch is just overrun.

SPEAKER_02 9:23

Oh, it is, yeah. But luckily, my parents have like a rec room in the basement. We kind of split the levels up a little bit so it's not as crazy all in once. And they have a a nice big back deck, typically. Now, if it's supposed to be nice, we will be out there just so we can get everybody in and be outside. And all that let the kids run off the energy out back with the with the Easter eggs hunt and hunts and that. And I'm just happy this year they're not asking me to play the Easter bunny again for my uh seven-year-old niece because yeah, a six foot five bunny without the ears walking to you will scare the hell out of every any kid. Like, that's just that's just a big bunny walking towards you and talking. It's it's not good for anybody.

SPEAKER_03 10:06

I I had to know if the ears came with it, but with no ears, man.

The Great Easter Candy Debate

SPEAKER_02 10:10

Dude, yeah, the ears the ears were like add like another three feet for the ears with this big head they had me have on it. Like they just know they're like, oh the the comedian in the family. We'll make him dress up as the Easter bunny and and jump around. It's always fun though. Uh do it for the kids. I I do love some Easter candy though. So I want to know, Matt, we'll start with you on this one. Do you have a favorite Easter specific candy?

SPEAKER_01 10:34

Well, I never used to, but I've got a new one. My wife picked up for the kids those Tootsie rolls that are flavored, they look like eggs, but yeah, they got that coating on the outside. Man, I love those things. I never had them until about a week ago, but man, that's it. That's it right now.

SPEAKER_02 10:53

Tooties are where it's at. I'm not gonna lie to you. Those are up there for me. Those those are good. I've had those for a while. I yeah, I I've been looking for them down here. I haven't some I haven't found any yet. Where I'm at. Alyssa, what about you?

SPEAKER_00 11:05

I'm just gonna stick stick with the Reese's eggs.

SPEAKER_02 11:09

Oh, that's that's a classic. Yeah, you can't take me to you from Reese's cup, so no, Reese's Reese's are the superior candy anyway.

SPEAKER_00 11:16

But you know one for every holiday, so it's perfect.

SPEAKER_02 11:19

Absolutely, Steve.

SPEAKER_03 11:21

What about you, my man? Oh man, uh we can go peanut MM, we can go specific caterbury, caramel fill or caramel caramel, depending on where you're from, filled egg, and anything but peeps, honestly. If it's chocolate, we can we can work with it. Malleys, Malleys. Let me just say that say that. For anybody who's who's known that Ohio, yeah, let's go to Malle's for it. That's where it's at. Yeah, I'm gonna stick with that. That's my final answer. Mally's yeah, yeah. Whatever they're serving.

SPEAKER_02 11:53

Cadbury eggs are where it's at for me. I'm I'm a sucker for those. My my wife hides them in the house in the house when she buys them because she knows I can't just stop at one. I will eat the whole bag if I know where they're at. I have a little bit of a sweet tooth. But I mean, obviously, I mean, I'll I'll eat a Reese's over anything, though. But yeah, those are all good choices. But I'm gonna have to stick with the classic and go with the Cadbury eggs on that one. So yeah, I mean, but can you really go wrong with any candy though?

SPEAKER_03 12:24

Like, I mean, I'm I'm not a big fruit candy guy, or I should say like a sweet candy guy, I'm more of a decadent candy guy. It's gotta be chocolate. Chocolate's gotta be in the mix, or maybe like a gummy, something gummy, not a gummy for the for the we're talking easier, not that, not that other part of April. But but yeah, like a gummy candy, y'all can get behind like a lifesaver or something like that. But the gummy one's super good. Yeah, I can't do like a sweet tart or Skittle snapping meat. I know listen, I'm sorry. Oh it's just like I'm gonna go.

Homebody Traditions And Holiday Travel

SPEAKER_02 13:02

I love me some Skittles. I love me some Skittles. Oh man. So I mean, with now that everybody, you know, have you do you guys have any like traditional have you like traditionally done Easter at your house homes as like adults, or have you gone like out of town or anything like that? Steve, we'll start with you on this one. Or like would you rather stay at like have like different types of outings for Easter? Like, are you more traditional or like we going out too as well?

SPEAKER_03 13:29

I'm be honest, Easter where it falls, and the work that I do, you know, because I'm working with the schools and stuff, it's like it's tough to kind of get away, so it's usually at home. It fits kind of in that schedule, we get a little bit of a reprieve, but it's you know, it's here, it's it's at home. And would I love to travel on all holidays? Yes. But do I know? So we're at home for this one.

SPEAKER_02 13:54

I got you. Alyssa, what about you?

SPEAKER_00 13:56

Always home. We don't really go out to eat ever, whether it's my family or Brad's family. So lately we've been sticking to staying here closer to Cleveland since we've lived in West Virginia and all that with Brad's family, just because I'm originally from the Lehigh Valley, so that's a little bit harder to get back to in Pennsylvania. So it's been easier for us to just kind of pop over with our college schedules and and whatnot to do that.

SPEAKER_02 14:22

Aren't schedules fun to when it comes to holidays?

SPEAKER_00 14:27

Yeah, you don't you don't give all get off a lot of days, and with me being in my spring season, it's not really like easy for that. So you don't have as many days to travel.

SPEAKER_02 14:37

No, yeah, absolutely. Matt, what about you though? Are we are we homebody or are we we out and about?

SPEAKER_01 14:42

Homebody, always been a homebody. I mean, I don't know. I didn't know anything was even really open on Easter back when we were little, you know. But yeah, never never went anywhere, just kind of chilled at home and hoped that the weather was nice.

Going To Sports Games On Easter

SPEAKER_02 14:58

Yeah, with with Easter falling, like it's not like one of those holidays, like you know when it's gonna it's gonna fall. Like it could be in March, it could be in April, like you know, it you don't know where it's gonna be. So you can either have like super nice weather, like we're having right now here in Ohio, where it's like almost 90 degrees here today, near Columbus, and you know, it was the sun was out, or I mean, I I've had I remember snow on Easter sometimes, you know, growing up when it was falling in March and stuff like that, too. Oddly enough, I was born on Easter on March 26th, but back in 89. So yeah, I know I just I know I just said my age. I know I it I just aged myself with that, but I don't care. Yeah, so I mean it'd be tough to say, hey, we're gonna go here and do this, especially if it was an outside like event or something to do there, like because you can't plan on the weather, especially here in Ohio. I mean, you could have all four seasons in one day, so you it it's tough. Like, home for me is always I mean, I I do travel, you know, back and forth to West Virginia for some holidays now. I mean, with my family and being further away from them. So I I get a little bit of the travel going. I mean, it's it's just a two-hour trip, which isn't that terrible from where we're at, but it's still that travel and and being out, but it's still home in a sense. So I guess I get a little bit of the best of both worlds and getting to go home to to the parents' house and being there and getting to see that side of the family. But yeah, definitely home for me, if I could, would be would be where I would be at for that. Because I get kind of like you, man. I'm I'm a little bit of a homebody. I know being a comedian, it doesn't come off that well, but you know, I do travel a lot for work too as well. So it is nice when you can be home and get to stay home after being on the road for as much as I am with day job and comedy, too, as well. So but that being said, there are a lot of people that do have to travel, and that is professional sports athletes, you know, the MLB, the NHL, and the NBA all play games on Easter. Have you guys ever gone to a game on Easter? And would you even consider going if you have it? Matt, let's start with you.

SPEAKER_01 17:20

I would love to. In fact, this whole past week, I've been trying to get my kids to go either a since we're halfway between the pirates are at home on Easter, 1:30 start time. Indian or I'm sorry, Indians, the Guardians are at home on Easter, 140 start time. I'm saying, hey, we're about halfway between both. Come on, guys, let's just go up to the game, have hot dog two, watch some good baseball, and be home before mom gets home from work. But man, I'd love to. You know, I always dreamed when I was little though, of being at Augusta on Easter Sunday for the final round of the Masters, but I can't even do that anymore because the schedule's so messed up. But that's what I want. That's my dream. But I don't know. We'll see if that ever happens.

SPEAKER_02 18:05

Yeah. Can't go wrong with a Buckos game. I'm gonna say that now. You know, growing up where I did about 45 minutes away from from PC Park, I mean Three Rivers. I mean, the Pirates Stadium one I'll say the best park in all of Major League. You're not gonna change my mind on that one. That is the most beautiful ballpark you will ever get to get to see. And the Pirates, I mean, they haven't had a great start to the season this year, but they don't look bad. I mean, Skeens got beat up in the opener, but it that's that's to be expected. But yeah, I if it were me, Matt, I mean, speaking as a Pirates fan, uh, I would definitely go to the Buckle Game if you if you could there on that one. But Alyssa, I know you you travel a little bit for working with your job. I mean, what about you? Have you ever been to a sports game on Easter? And would you go?

SPEAKER_00 18:59

I have not, but I would definitely consider it depending on what it was. Like I love going to different events, especially sporting events. So if it was something that seemed to be of high interest to myself or obviously Brad, then I would probably consider it. But I don't really know that my my diehard teams are not typically playing on Easter, so it's not something that I like seek out, if that makes sense.

SPEAKER_03 19:22

But no, I gotcha. Steve, what about you? I'd love to go see a baseball game, but yeah, the weather is so iffy up this way. It's like, are they are the tickets comped? Because I'm there. You know what I mean? But if we were talking about actually buying a ticket, I might wait until so you know, softer weather. How about that? More enjoyable times. No, I guess catch me in Cleveland around June, mid-June, when I know it's not gonna snow or rain, like it's the last time rain will ever hit the earth. And I will, yes, I will go to any game you'll invite me to.

SPEAKER_02 20:02

Absolutely. Yeah, I mean, it I don't think there's anything better than spring baseball. Start of the season, if the weather was just nicer. I know we talked about this on the on the MLB preview show, and we had a pretty hefty debate about it as to if the season's too long and everything like that with the with the weather, especially up you know, in Cleveland and in Ohio and all these cold weather teams, you know, playing in the spring. It's just the stadiums are empty because nobody wants to go out and sit in that. But that's that's uh good. Go check that episode out everybody if you want to hear our thoughts on that. It was uh it was a pretty hefty debate on that one for sure.

SPEAKER_03 20:44

I have been to a season opener with nice weather, though, and it is absolutely gorgeous. Oh, yeah. I mean, you you can get, but it's just such a flip of a coin.

Ideal Easter Weather In Ohio

SPEAKER_02 20:52

That's yeah, that's what it is. Just a roll of the dice. You got to be a gambler to buy those tickets in advance that to go to the home opener. Speaking of the weather there, Steve, you know, what is your favorite Easter type of weather? I mean, you know, with it varying with where it can happen. I mean, obviously everyone's good at you know, sunny, but I mean, we're we looking like, do we have we seen it with snow, rain, cold, heat, you know, what tip throughout the year to year? Like, what is like some of your memories on some of the weather with Easter?

SPEAKER_03 21:23

You know what? Typically, rainy or cold, but there are all those shining moments that I reflect on where you can pull that barrel grill out and really have a great time. So now you're getting a different menu. I know we'll probably get there at some point, hopefully, but you'll get a different menu for what you're able to eat because the weather is agreeable. So now you're out there making some things you normally wouldn't get a chance to get your hands on until like late May, June. So yeah. Favorite weather, though, more most consistent weather has been cold and wet, but favorite weather is when we get those days, they're about 65 to 70, and it makes sense.

SPEAKER_02 21:59

Oh, you have no idea, man. I like for me, just like in general, uh as a person, I run hot as it is. So that 50 to 70 degrees for me, like that's my sweet spot. Like, like I if I can live somewhere that that's the temperature year-round, oh, sign me up on there because that's that's that's my chef's kiss of weather for me. You know, anywhere 50 to 70 degrees. Alyssa, what about you with weather? Where were you at?

SPEAKER_00 22:28

Yeah, I would probably echo that. A nice, like spring has sprung type weather with the 65 and the mid-60s, I think is perfect where you can actually go outside and enjoy the weather. And you know, you're maybe not quite in shorts and a t-shirt full-on, but like a nice little crew neck and shorts or something, you know, kind of in between. I feel like that's kind of a perfect 65.

SPEAKER_02 22:51

I I don't know about you. 65. I got my favorite deep V on and some shorts. That's that's my jam right there, 65.

SPEAKER_00 22:58

Well, Christmas breed, you know, like a little breed so it keeps it cool.

SPEAKER_02 23:02

That's what I'm looking for. I got you.

SPEAKER_00 23:06

I'm saying it's not too too hot as to where you feel like you're you're dying.

SPEAKER_02 23:10

It's not, I mean, don't get me wrong, I love summertime, but like when we get into those 90 degrees days, I'm melting because I'm always hot as it is. Like, but my wife, that's our that's our biggest argument, is our thermostat in the summer because like I'll set it to 62. Like, that's that's like it's I'm that hot. Like, she's she's come home from work on like days off, like she's seen me sitting on the couch, and I'm just like shirtless in the AC, sweating. She's like, Did you just like come in from outside? I was like, No, I've been here all day, just sweating for no reason in 62 degree AC. Like, that's where I'm at right now.

SPEAKER_00 23:45

Yeah, we lean cold.

SPEAKER_02 23:46

So I gotcha. Yeah, she does too. Yeah, I get it. So I I I live with that. We fight about it like all the time. That thermostat is always changing. But Matt, what about you? Ideal weather for Easter.

SPEAKER_01 23:58

Well, yeah, I gotta go with the rest of the group. I mean, you know, 65 and slightly sunny, that's perfect. But you know, living in Ohio as long as I have, I've seen it all, like you said, four seasons in one day, cold, rain, whatever. Just I don't know. I I like the weather the way it was today, to be honest with you. If that could be Easter, perfect.

SPEAKER_03 24:20

Yeah, yeah, it was nice. It was shockingly nice, it's 78 degrees today.

Easter Dinner Staples And Comfort Food

SPEAKER_02 24:27

Yeah, uh 78 up there. It was here in central Ohio. We were at 89 degrees today, so it was a little warmer here today. So it got to 89 degrees here today. I started my day with a jacket on because it was a little chilly this morning and it was kind of rainy this morning, and then by about 10 o'clock, that sun peaked out, and it just started cranking the heat up by like 10 o'clock. That jacket was gone, and it was just the sun was out, and it was beautiful. But 89's a little warm for my liking. But if, like I said, you know, that that 70 degrees when I can stand by my grill and and grill and get a little bit of that coolness from the air and the heat from the from the grill, oh, that's my happy place. So, what where we're gonna talk about, Steve, you beat me to the punch here. Food, Easter. What are we all eating on Easter? And what are some of your favorite dishes that you guys left? Like and Steve, since you brought it up, I'll bring it. I'll I'll start with you.

SPEAKER_03 25:35

I'll say it's it's got a hint of Thanksgiving on it. Some of my crowd favorites that I know I won't be able to eat during the summer due to the heat. You're not making dressing, you're not making, you know, baked macaroni and cheese, you're not making these things. It's too hot to turn that oven on in the summer. So I mean, and I don't care if you got central, you know what I mean? Like centuera does not take away from the fact that that oven is giving off that heat and people eating and the plates are hot, everything's just hot. So, no, we do a lot of light meals in the summer, but this is that that last hurry up and get the the heavy plate going before we switch seasons. And now it's everything is off the grill, everything is vegetable, everything is this, everything is that. So I'm probably gonna ask my grandmother to do some some baked chicken, macaroni, some greens, probably cornbread, just those things that I really enjoy that are comfort foods to kind of wrap up the season. If she's able to do it, I'll cook for her because I know how to make these things too.

SPEAKER_01 26:41

Yeah, I got you, Matt. What about you? You know, one thing I like about Easter is you know, we cook. Or at least I cook pretty much every holiday and we host. And you know, some of them you know, we do the Feast of Seven Fishes and Christmas, and of course, you got your hamburgers and hot dogs and Labor Day and Fourth of July and all that stuff. So every year's different usually have ham, but this year I think we've got some pork loin we're gonna be making. And we tell the in-law the in-laws and the grandparents just hey, bring what you want. Sometimes it's lasagna, sometimes it's linguine salad, sometimes it's just a angel food cake, whatever. And you know, so that's about one thing I like about Easter. It's it's always different, but it's always good.

SPEAKER_02 27:26

Oh you're your paisa and their there, Matt. I mean, isn't isn't the food always good when it's Italian food? You just said all my favorite dishes right there. Exactly.

SPEAKER_01 27:37

Exactly.

SPEAKER_02 27:38

Alyssa, what about you?

SPEAKER_00 27:40

I'll keep it traditional with a good ham. I'm not as much like I feel like my families have done ham on Thanksgiving, which like I try to stick more turkey and keep a traditional there and ham more on Easter. But I do uh my husband's family makes these really, really good cheesy potatoes that I would request at every holiday, and they're amazing. So that trying to think if there's anything else. I do not like cornbread though. I think cornbread is so gross. So Steve and I know it's a good thing.

SPEAKER_03 28:10

No, it depends on who's making it. I don't think you're just throwing the stance up. I just can't get behind it.

SPEAKER_00 28:16

There's something about it. I'm not about it all, but I do like corn, and I do think they end up doing kind of like I want to say it's like a cinnamon corn or something, like they add a little something, something like that in it. And I like that, but not cornbread. I'll stick away from that.

SPEAKER_02 28:31

Gotcha. Yeah, we uh my my wife has to have ham on Easter, no matter what it is. We always have a ham no matter which side of the family we're on. There's always ham on Easter. But obviously, like Matt was saying, you know, it it's a Piesan household. We don't know what's going to be on the food, but there's gonna be a lot of it. The one thing that I look forward to every year, though, my grandmother makes the best Easter bread I have ever had in my life. The homemade Easter bread, it's got like this sweet taste to it. I don't know what she does to it, I don't know what the ingredient is, but she always makes a special loaf for me and my wife when we come home. So that's what it's like. Okay, we're going home this year, Easter bread time. I'm gonna be real fat. I'm gonna need to wear some stretchy pants because I'm gonna eat that whole loaf at Easter because it is that phenomenal. And Alyssa, you mentioned like cheesy potatoes. Are we talking like mashed cheesy potatoes, or what are we talking about here?

SPEAKER_00 29:29

Like no, they're like little cubes. Okay, I was like little cubes and like yeah, they're crispy on top a little bit, but when you're like actually breaking, you know, breaking into it, it's not quite crispy everywhere.

Desserts That Always Show Up

SPEAKER_02 29:42

My wife has like a cheesy potato thing that she makes. She calls them death potatoes because it's either like shredded hash brown or the cubed hash browns. There's a layer of cream of chicken, but sour cream, cheese, and then she tops them with crushed lace potato chips, and then more cheese on top of that. Like it's a heart attack in a plate, is what it is, and it is it is the best potatoes. Like when she says she's making her cheese and potatoes, like I perk up. Like, okay, are you making two? Because I'm gonna eat a whole pan myself, you know that, like, because they're they're that good. So she tries to make those for every holiday that we have just because everybody loves them, and it's it's always a hit wherever we're we go. But getting into like some desserts and everything like that, are there any special desserts that you guys do for for Easter? Do we have anything special for that? And Matt, what about you? Let's start with you.

SPEAKER_01 30:40

No, no special desserts. I do have to give a shout out to the pesca bread, though. I forgot about that that you said earlier. Yeah, I forgot I forgot about that. That's that's gonna be it, that's always a mainstay. And honestly, not no, you never know what dessert we're gonna have, but actually, I eat the pesca bread just like dessert, so that's a dessert to me. So yeah, I don't I don't know. I'll let you I'll let you know next week because I don't know what we're gonna have.

SPEAKER_02 31:05

No worries, Alyssa. What about you?

SPEAKER_00 31:08

Yeah, I feel like typically it's kind of some of the candy Mally's chocolates, those are such a good one. I kind of was forgetting about those. The buckeyes are unmatched, honestly. I feel like we always have those at his family's house, and they probably some candy that we always get too. So that would probably be my dessert besides maybe some ice cream.

SPEAKER_02 31:29

I gotcha. Steve, what about you?

SPEAKER_03 31:31

It doesn't work without yellow cake and chocolate frosting, man. Yellow cake with chocolate icing is the one. Again, shout out to my grandmother. Mima does the best yellow cake with chocolate frosting.

SPEAKER_02 31:44

I got you. We we always have a peanut butter pie. That's always a good one. My parents like, I don't know if like they wanted to be chefs or bakers because they come up with some of the craziest desserts that I don't even know what they're called, but they are always delicious. But mom normally does like a dirt pudding with or crushed up Oreos and that, and she'll put little gummy worms in it for spring and everything like that. Everybody's starting to get their gardens ready and everything like that. So that's kind of just a fun one that we do every year.

SPEAKER_03 32:16

Um cups of that. That is the best.

How To Actually Slow Down

SPEAKER_02 32:20

Got you, my man. Absolutely. But yeah, like it's just there's so many to name, and like you said, Alyssa, like I'm always like stealing the nephews and nieces' candy like out of their baskets, like when they're not paying attention. Like, like if they know if they have Cadbury eggs or any Reese's, like they gotta get those and hide those from Uncle Mike because Uncle Mike's going for that, like I got a beeline for those for sure. Yeah, like there's I I'm just such a such a dessert guy. I I love all desserts. I haven't met one that I haven't liked yet, so we'll see if that ever happens. So with that, you know, let's get into and shift gears a little bit. Um Steve, we'll start with you. Do you have any Easter favorite things to see or places you'd like recommend to go for the listeners that to visit that you've done like kind of around the Easter holiday?

SPEAKER_03 33:18

If I'm being honest, no, I spend time with family. If I could recommend anything, it would be this is you know, again, one of those times where you spend time with family. Now I can recommend watches. I used to watch a lot of like old movies. The Ten Commandments was always a vibe, you know what I mean? Samson and Delali used to come on. So if you got like AMC or classic Turner movies or anything like that, you might catch some of these. Uh, they used to be big broadcasts when I was growing up, but I just haven't gotten away from them because I think they're just they're great stories, number one, and they're and they're really entertaining to watch, but they also got some great messages. At the end of the day, that that story about love and and and family is is still that thing that connects us as humans. So yeah. That that's what I would recommend. Don't go anywhere, just sit up under somebody you absolutely enjoy and you know, and spend time with them. Gotcha. Alyssa, what about you?

SPEAKER_00 34:13

Yeah, I can't tell you that I've really been on any trips around this time of year. That's probably because with coaching, we are in season, so it's not really doable unless it's a recruiting trip, which isn't quite the same. But I would kind of echo what Steven said. I think, you know, you gotta just spend some time. You gotta need, you gotta relax and enjoy it because I think sometimes you don't always, especially if you're not living close to your family, which I don't. So if I'm making that trip back home, then I want to spend time with, you know, my parents, my brother, his wife, their kids, and really soak soak that in and watch some good TV shows or movies or whatever, whatever sporting events are on. So it's kind of how I like to spend it.

SPEAKER_01 34:56

I gotcha. Matt, what about you? Yeah, I mean, it's kind of the same thing, but maybe a couple different reasons, you know. You know, it's it's kind of an event for you know, the church. You got Thursday, you got Friday, and you bear it down for Saturday, you got Sunday, and then that that's exhausting in its own right. And then you throw in a couple of kids with their various activities, and you know, it it's good just to get those few hours on Easter, just to, like you said, sit down, relax, and just hang out with family. So it's good, it's pretty crazy, like just like Alyssa, it's pretty crazy all the way up until Easter Sunday, and then Monday it seems like you're right back to it again.

Ranking Spring Against Other Seasons

SPEAKER_02 35:38

Exactly. Yeah, this is one of the few times of the year, comedy-wise, that I always take off is for Easter because I'm typically traveling back home for the holidays if I can to be with my family and that. So I typically try to take this time of the year around Easter and give myself a little bit of a break from the from the road grind and that. And plus, I know I'm gonna be traveling if I do go home for that too as well. But yeah, spending time with family. My parents uh like every year when it's our year to go up there, like they ask me, like, well, what do you want to do? You're you're the one coming up to us. What do you want to do for Easter? I said, I want to plop my ass on your comfy couch, have grandma and grandpa uh just love on me because they haven't seen me in so long, and sit there, eat some good food, watch some some sport, some sporting events that are on, the buckos that are going to be playing. So we're gonna be watching them and just hanging out and enjoying time and finally unwinding for a little bit for the craziness of the schedules that I'm about to have with the summer and fall. Day job and comedy schedule kind of collide at that it's the busiest for both places at the same time, so it's it's a little bit of a of a grind for me when we get there. So this is my relaxation period, and I wouldn't have it any other way. Because it as Matt, I'm sure you know, when when when Italians get together, there's nothing but hugs and kisses all the time. Like I even had to warn my full-blooded Irish wife when we the first time she met my family, because the she's she's loving. I don't want that, I don't want this to come off wrong, but she's not like a huggy-kissy kind of kind of person. And um first time she came over for a holiday with my entire family. I said, I'm gonna warn you right now before we walk into that house. Like, everybody's going to hug you, everybody's going to kiss you. I know you don't like it, just take it on the chin and move on because this is what this is the family you're getting involved with. And we're a very loving bunch and we love everybody, so yeah. So that's that's me, and I can't wait for it. I my wife's like, you're just way too excited to to go home. I was like, Yeah, grandma's gonna be there, and grandma makes Easter bread, and grandma has the best hugs, so shut up. But that all being said, Matt, we're we're gonna get into this and wind down the show here. But where does spring rank on the four seasons for you with fall, winter, and summer? Like, where are we at on spring?

SPEAKER_01 38:13

I would rank it second behind fall. Obviously, football coach falls for football. That's gotta be the number one. I hate the cold, so that eliminates winter, and I just like spring because you know what? School's almost out and a lot of hope. Hope spring's eternal. That's why it's called spring, I guess. Yeah. Number two. I gotcha, Alyssa.

SPEAKER_02 38:41

What about you?

SPEAKER_00 38:42

I'd probably place it third. I would definitely fall is definitely my favorite season. It's my favorite holiday. Well, like Thanksgiving favorite holiday in the fall. So I'd probably say third. I just feel like I'm probably just maybe it's sock related too and sports related, but obviously our seasons in the fall as well, and then summer a lot of time playing. And that's I think kind of the only time I'm able to get a little bit more free time to myself and not actually be in some sort of season, but I don't like like I'm not like anti-winter, anti-spring or anything like that. A nice spring day is a beautiful day, so I won't really complain too much.

SPEAKER_02 39:22

So we got fall, summer, spring for you.

SPEAKER_00 39:24

Is that yeah, probably, and then winter, I guess. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 39:28

Okay. Steve, what about you? So I'll tell you what I love. I love fall, and I also love the summer as well. Love the fall. It's the B-day month and football season, absolutely. So you just conditioned to love the fall if you ever play ball at all. So, but B-day season is in the fall, so I'm turned up. Summer is just great because I'm outside, right? I get I get a chance to see some folks I haven't seen in a while. People are moving around. There's a lot of things to do, especially if you're in the Midwest. The winter is great up until like three months in, then you get tired of it. But the spring is so muddy, and I know what it's gonna bear. It's gonna give me all the trees and everything that I'm enjoying in the summer. So I I appreciate it for what it is, but it's just nasty. Seeing like chip bags rained on, and just all the stuff that couldn't get cleaned up during the winter. It's just it's just not pretty until you see flowers, and then I'm in love with it. So I I love the spring as much as I love the winter. They're both for renewal, they're really great renewal seasons. I would say it's a split. I'm gonna just go and make those two in one long season.

Are Easter Bunny Photos Worth It

SPEAKER_02 40:44

He he went way deeper into that than I thought it was too much. I would point for ringies. Yeah, you get a lot of bonus points for that answer because I was not expecting that. For me, I mean, I'm kind of with you, Matt. Fall, spring, summer, winter is definitely four for me. Just I I don't the older I get, the more I hate the snow. So that's that's where I'm at. I used to love it as a kid. Now, like, yeah, just the older I get, the more I'm like, can we just stop snowing? Like, I just don't, I just don't want to shovel it. I don't want to, I don't want to deal with it. It it makes everything slick. I I yeah, I just don't like it, but yeah, like fall and spring for me. I'm a big football fan for sure. Played it all all through growing up, all through high school and everything like that. So, you know, uh the fall time was always in season time. Love, loved it. But yeah, that it's just more the weather for me. It's it's right in my sweet spot with fall and spring, that 50 to 70 degrees, like I was saying. So that that's where that would be my my four ranking there. Yeah, fall, spring, summer, and then winter to round it out there. But Steve, let's go to you with this one. And these last two are uh you guys are already gonna know they're they're a thousand percent. Trady came up with these when we were doing the outline for this show here. And are pictures with the Easter bunny overrated or underrated?

SPEAKER_03 42:09

What age are we talking? For a little kid?

SPEAKER_02 42:12

He didn't even he he didn't specify, it's just a general are they?

SPEAKER_03 42:16

I'm gonna say this they're rated according, they're they're rated appropriately for for kids. So I'm gonna challenge Fetty on this one. Rated appropriately for kids. If you're an adult, you shouldn't chill out. But if you are a kid, go take a picture with the bunny. Every kid needs that refrigerator picture of them freaking out because the Eastern bunny is in their face. If I don't see it, and I it's it's some it's some love behind that. You gotta scare them at least once with this giant bunny. At least once. I think so. I think it's perfect to see little kids kind of like at the mall as I'm walking through and I'm laughing. Yeah, I think I think it's great. I guess Alyssa, what about you?

SPEAKER_00 43:00

Uh yeah, I mean, you have to, yeah, I agree. You have to get one of those pictures. My brother's oldest daughter, she has this picture that, like, when you said that, that's the first thing I went to where it's just hilarious. Now, she's not probably finding it funny, but we all found it funny because she's just pure, like red face crying hysterical, and the bunny's just there with his fake, you know, smile on. So I definitely think it's worth it. Now, I would say the only time maybe it's acceptable for somebody that's adult an adult to do it is maybe if it's like one of those, like kind of how people do those Walmart remake pictures now. Like maybe you're adding a little twist to it. So I feel like if you're taking that spin, like that could be a good angle where maybe I would say it's okay if an adult does it, but you go and be dressing penny, that's fire.

SPEAKER_02 43:46

Yeah, that's fire. I I'm with you on that. It wasn't with Easter, but it was for Christmas. This was like four or five years ago. My parents had a Santa come over to the house on Christmas Eve, and they made me and my two sisters sit in the exact same positions that we did when we were younger and take a picture with Santa. It was funny because I the doctors never thought I was gonna be as tall as I am. So my sisters were always taller than me. So I always had to be the one hunched over and sitting on the ground, so it looked like it was how it was supposed to be. And like the picture now when I was in my 30s sitting crisscrossed applesauce on the uh on the floor, and my knees are in my chest because I'm trying to get into the same position I was when I was like four or five, and I just couldn't do it. We were all just laughing hysterically, and I'm all hunched over trying to trying to do it. It was a funny picture, so I I get that with the nostalgia doing that. That would be the only time I would say that's acceptable for an adult to do that.

SPEAKER_01 44:56

Matt, what about you? Well, it's hard to follow all you guys on that one. So I'll just say I will say overrated when there are people dressed up underrated if it's an actual real life bunny. That's what I'm gonna go with.

One Word Easter And Goodbye

SPEAKER_02 45:12

Okay, that's a that's a different spin on it. That's a different spin on it for sure. Wind it out near the episode. Uh, we're gonna have to make this one pretty quick for you guys, but Matt, one word to describe Easter is family. Okay, Alyssa.

SPEAKER_00 45:32

Oh no, he cook it. I'm I'm copying family. I'm sorry, I don't have anything else.

SPEAKER_03 45:37

Gotcha. Steve. I'm going candy.

SPEAKER_00 45:43

See, I feel like I was gonna say that or you can't say candy after family, I felt so it's family for sure, but it's also candy. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 45:53

Yeah, it's just everybody took both of mine that I was just saying, I didn't think anybody was saying candy. Steve, great job on that one. But yeah, that those would be the two for me. And I will I will have to say, we'll just go love for for mine, because it's it's you know, family candy, and I love both of those. So um we'll we'll go with that for for mine for there. And with all that being said, that is going to do it for this week's episode of the Ride Home Rands Podcast. Happy Easter to everybody out there again. I hope y'all enjoy it with your friends and family. And I want to thank all of my guests here, Alyssa, Steve, and Matt, for coming on and joining us and getting the talk everything Easter here. It's a lot of fun to sit and talk with y'all. And as always, if you enjoyed the show, be a friend. Tell a friend. If you didn't, tell them anyways. They might like it just because you didn't. That's gonna do it for me, and I will see y'all next week.