Sugar Eggs and Cookies!

That's right people, it is the season for sugar eggs! I know some think that things like this are pointless and don't see the reasoning behind it. Those are the same people who I call 'scrooge' under my breath near Christmas time. I have always loved making a big deal out of holidays, and now that I have kids it makes it that much better.

I convinced my parents and siblings to join in on the fun. The day before we got together to decorate our little eggs, I decided to make them on my own. This wasn't a brilliant plan. I have never made them by myself and didn't have a "fail proof" recipe. It has been along time since I have been so overwhelmingly frustrated about making something in a LONG time. After trying three different recipes and making a huge mess, I finally found a good one . But by the time I did, I had already wasted a ton of time and sugar and decided to ditch making the bigger 12 inch by 8 inch egg and went with the smaller 6inch by 4 inch egg. This might not seem like a big deal, but all you have to do is ask my sister Rachel how much it effected her and her egg. Next year - we will have the big eggs.
We had jellybeans, chocolate eggs, chocolate bunnies ( which I made - yea I am proud), sprinkles, and tons of other sugary treats to put on the eggs. Dan and Jim decided to support the cause by watching and not making. Dan helped Jake a little with his egg, but Heather made the amazing licorice bow. My mom got extremely creative and crumbled up oreo cookies for boulders... such a realistic outdoor scene. You can see how being married to my Dad for so long has made her naturally try to make thinks more realistic instead of cutsie. I think Heather's looks like a Willie Wonka type egg, the kind you just want to eat. Just covered with jellybeans and licorice goodness. And last but not least Richie...My dear brother decided to look at decorating this egg as a challenge of speed and originality. He finished in a third of the time I did, calling his egg a bunny duplex. Bunnies on top and inside. Dan thought his looked awesome, the only thing he would've wanted to add is a bunny graveyard. I don't really understand, but the more bunnies you put on the egg the more you get to eat ( am going to go with this reasoning sense it is less morbid)

And here is a picture of my egg, I think it is adorable. Thanks for everyone who made eggs with us this year.
I also decided to try to make Easter Linzer cookies. They where a lot of fun to make! Jake thought they where so cool because of the animals in the cookies.Sadly It is the end of pheasant season. Dan and his Dad went for the last time today. Here are some pictures from the past few times they have gone. Here is Dan and Kate. Kate has really turned into quite the hunting dog. She just keeps getting better and better every time they take her. Dan is really pleased with her progression. ( And takes all the credit for training her so well!)Here my Father-in-law is doing an impression of a bird dog! I mean really, who needs Kate when he can do that? Dan shot a bird and it went down on some netting, so he had to go in after it. The only way he could reach it was on all fours! Very impressive for a 64 year old.