Easter Saturday

Where was Melissa to dye eggs with my kids??!! I don't really enjoy this part of Easter and for the past 5 years or so I think Melissa and other members of the Howe family have been taking care of it for me. But I was a good mom and did it anyway. Junior is apparently now too old to take part in this. Saturday was very busy with 3 separate activities at the church at different times--the EQ, the Primary and the YW all had things going on. Hannah won a gold egg at the Primary activity. On the way home from the Primary activity I drove by some purple flowers/weeds? that I have been dying to take a picture of. I just think they look so pretty with the bright green next to them. There was no real good spot to pull off the road so I ended up kind of wonky on the side of the road in a little ditch and the 3 little kids stayed in the Suburban yelling about the car being tilted sideways while I ran across the road to get these pictures. I managed to right the car without getting stuck in the mud so all was good--and I think the pictures were worth it. So then we just had one activity left--the fundraiser for girls' camp here. I made caramel popcorn for it, recipe to follow, and I managed to win a bid on this basket that has that candle I was looking for--chocolate cupcake! Check out that frosting--they saw me coming.

And this is how we all felt after a long day full of sugar! Just kidding--I always manage to get a shot of her right when she's closing her eyes. She just loves to pose for me. Ok, here's the recipe and I am almost positive it is from Paula Deen although I don't do all the oven stuff she mentions--here's how I do it.

Put a bunch of popped corn in a very big ole' bowl. I use my huge metal IKEA bowl. I've used 3 bags of microwaved popcorn before and it's about the right amount. Officially it's supposed to be 8 qts. of popped corn. In a saucepan, over med. heat, melt 1 cup (that's 2 sticks) butter (NOT margarine), 2 cups packed brown sugar, 1/2 cup light corn syrup, and 1 tsp. salt until it is boiling. Boil and stir for 5 minutes. Remove from heat, add 1 tsp. baking soda to mixture in saucepan and stir quickly--it will start to foam up. Work quickly and VERY carefully (or you will burn yourself cause this stuff is stinking hot) and start to pour over popcorn while mixing popcorn around with a spoon that has a really long handle (or you will burn yourself-got it?). It is best to have 2 people for this process, a pourer and a stirrer. Once you have it coated pretty evenly, spread it out on wax paper and let it dry, then break it up and try to store some before everyone eats it.