What I Learned When I Was Tardy for Church, and My Recipe for Bunny Bait

Three reasons Why I was Late for Church Sunday:

1. I bought Carrington sweet seersucker pants at the Danville Kids Consignment sale last week in his usual size 8, and they fit beautifully around the waist, however, they were about three inches too long. I realized that when he tried them on about an hour before he had to be at church. 

2. About the time I realized the pants needed hemming, I remembered that I needed to prepare something for a post-church service covered dish luncheon.

Since I didn't have time to pull out my sewing machine, I ironed Carrington's hems in place and fastened them with hem tape. While I was working to ensure the boy's pants were presentable, Courtland and Mark mixed together a bag of pastel M&Ms, a bag of pretzels, popcorn, and drizzled with melted white candy chips to make "Bunny Bait," a favorite springtime snack mix in our home.  It's not exactly a green bean casserole, but it would have to do, plus the children (and husbands) love it! I sent Mark and the children to church without me while I finished mixing the Bunny Bait. I made a cute little sign with lavender cursive font that read, "Bunny Bait The Easter Bunny's Favorite Spring Snack Mix." (Recipe is posted at the bottom of this blog post.)

3. In a rush to get to church with the rest of my family, running out the door with a giant bowl of melted white chocolate chips and crushed pretzels, heart pounding, I was stopped by God's gift of hostas beginning to peep through the still cold ground. I looked around for a brief moment to realize the new green growth on my Lady Astor rose bushes. I was already running a few minutes behind, so I made myself stop to listen to God in this very moment, to give thanks, and to heed His advice that he was giving me in the here and now. No matter how rushed I am, I try to stop and give thanks for these gifts. These moments are reminders that if we must slow down so that we do not miss the beautiful gifts we are given - The spring days, the plants bursting through the soil, the sunshine and blue skies... My God, this day was gorgeous and I was so busy worrying about hems and popcorn that I nearly missed it! These moments also serve as a reminder to me that a little planning goes a long way. I need to do a better job of cutting out those things which do not matter to me, and planning ahead for those things that do.

I did make it to church in time to see Carrington sing in the youth choir - it was beautiful. Like tears in my eyes, proud mama moment beautiful. I had forgotten my little bunny bait sign, and since there was no explanation as to what this was,  people would just have to think I brought a big bowl of popcorn to the covered dish luncheon. Oh well. The children didn't mind. They ate the bunny bait and hunted eggs on the playground behind the church, then emptied their eggs, picked prizes from the prize table, filled up on sugar, then ran it off. It really was a glorious afternoon.

Since I had driven separately to church, when I left, I took the long way home. I drove through downtown and stopped to admire the blooming trees decorating the exterior of the historic Main Street buildings. Aren't they pretty? If I were still in a rush, I might have missed this. 

Life is full of stress. We can't always avoid it, but we can allow ourselves quiet little moments to appreciate those gifts and to find meaning and beauty in the mundane. My hope for my friends is that you will notice the little things, pause to give thanks, and allow yourself a moment to smell, or take pictures of, the flowers. 

Wishing you the very best,

Erin, Southern Virginia Mom

One bag of popcorn (Either buy a bag of plain popcorn or pop your own and try to sift out the kernels the best you can)

One big bag of pretzels broken into pieces

One bag of pastel M&M candies

One bag of white candy chips - Follow directions to melt in a bowl.

Mix the popcorn and pretzels together in a large bowl.

Melt the white chips according to package directions.

Drizzle the white melted candy onto the popcorn pretzel mixture. While still warm and gooey pour the M&Ms in and continue to stir. (I do this after the melted candy goes in, so that the M&Ms don't all sink to the bottom of the bowl.)

If you want, add colorful sprinkles. It adds a little bit of pretty.

Enjoy, but be sure to leave some for the Easter Bunny!

Be sure to like Southern Virginia Mom on Facebook for more ideas and info on what's happening in our region.