Dahhhling I love you but give me Park Avenue...

Sour Cream Raisin Bars

2011-09-14T20:40:00.005-05:00

I made these tonight and love how tasty they are. Super moist, nice cinnamon flavor. That is a weird thing to hear me say, because I don't normally like cinnamon. I did in these!

Sour Cream Raisin Bars

2 cups raisins

1 1/2 cups sour cream

3 eggs 1 cup brown sugar

1 cup sugar

2 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch

1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 3/4 cups oats

1 3/4 cups flour

1 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup butter, softened

Combine first 6 ingredients in medium saucepan and cook and stir over low heat until well blended. In a large bowl combine remaining ingredients until crumbly (I used a pastry blender). Press half the crumbs in the bottom of a greased 9 by 13 pan. Pour raisin mixture over the top (spread raisins out evenly) Sprinkle the rest of the crumb mixture over the top. Bake in 350 degree oven for 30 minutes. Cool, cut, enjoy. Store in the fridge.

Catfishin' at the Riches Pond

2009-08-09T21:52:00.003-05:00

The Riches have a lot of kids. The kids spend a lot of time swimming in their well stocked pond. Obviously the catfish get fat nibbling toes. They are monsters! My kids like to swim in here also, after seeing this fish maybe I whould worry a little.

an evening at the "Joe"

2009-07-15T13:51:00.006-05:00

Am I too late to post about our 4th of July activities? No? Great. So here goes...

We have ended up with a tradition of going to a Charleston River Dog game around the 4th. The fireworks game. This year it was actually on July 3rd. For the past few years we have lamented that we can't seem to get off the beach and to the "Joe" until right when the game is going to start. This year we were there when they opened the gates. Ella went straight to guest services and asked to sign up for the Hula Hoop contest. Every year she wants to participate and we get there too late. Adrian even called the ballpark this year so we would know when the gates open.

She asked to sign up and they looked at her a little funny and said, "We don't have a Hula Hoop contest."

Epic Fail, as the teenagers say.

We were all bummed. So I asked what contest/competitions they were having.

"The only thing we have left open is the pie eating contest." she replied.

Pie eating contest? Now William is our pie maker and eater, but Rachel is our competitive pie eater, so I signed her up.

and here is the video of the results:

Harrison and Lucy looking thrilled

Always happy Ella

William

Grandpa and Harrison

Linda, Grif, and Lane

To the victor goes the spoils (in this case an apple pie from Harris Teeter)

I need a 12 Step program for fabric addiction

2009-07-11T09:51:00.000-05:00

So when I was perusing the new Fabric Depot ad and wishing that I lived in Portland so I could actually shop at Fabric Depot I spotted this fabric.

OH MY GOSH!!! I love it!!! It is designed by Karen Snyder for Timeless Treasures.

This is the cutest fabric ever. Now I am going to sit and look...

William and Lucy riding Seadoos

2009-07-09T21:43:00.008-05:00

Tubing in the Atlantic

2009-07-09T09:21:00.006-05:00

The four younger kids have spent the week at my parents house. They convinced my brother to take them out on the ocean yesterday to go tubing. Ella called me so very excited that they had gone. She said, "I asked Uncle Pat and he said yeas and then I asked Grandma and she said yeas and then I told Uncle Pat and Grandma to talk to each other so that it would really happen."

She has obviously learned how life works!! Ha ha

The result of her perseverance was a day on the ocean!

Molly

Harrison

Ella

Ella?

Ella!!

Captain Uncle Pat and some of the ocean booty they scored (with Rachel looking on.)

And after an exhausting and fun day of tubing they were rewarded with a pod of dolphins that spent (according to Ella) 45 minutes playing right next to the boat. They even had babies!!!

Thanks Captain Uncle Pat for an EXCELLENT ADVENTURE!!!

William drumming at dance

2009-06-14T21:37:00.003-05:00

This is dark since it was dark in the gym, but you can hear William, even if you cant see him. Adrian found that it helps if you stand up and look down at the monitor.
These others are after the dance when the lights were on.

Everyday Cake

2009-04-30T13:17:00.002-05:00

What is it that makes cake so special? Cookies, pies, brownies... they are all nice and I actually prefer them most of the time over cake.

But cake is, well, cake!

Weddings, birthdays, baby showers, they all are celebrated with cake.

CAKE=CELEBRATION

And what better to celebrate than Tuesday. Or Wednesday. Or even lowly Thursday!

I was reading Orangette and she had this Everyday Cake recipe. It is brilliant. It kind of had an eggy flavor. (3 eggs) We loved it.

And I had to make it because Adrian cracked an egg when he was removing them from the fridge to boil a few.

I had to make this cake. My husband left me no alternative.

He is a smart guy.

She made hers in a Springform but I opted for an Angel food pan. I also didn't have any white wheat ground and was too lazy to get the grinder out so I used Traditional (Hard Red) Wheat. Because of this I decreased the ratio. I used 1 1/2 cups of unbleached all purpose and just 1/2 cup of whole wheat.

It was divine.

I was good and only had one piece the day I made it. And then one piece the next day.

I'm tweeting.

2009-04-27T08:25:00.002-05:00

I guess.

Rechelle is my only follower so far. And some stranger. Why does a stranger care what I am saying on Twitter?

Of course Rechelle and I have never actually met each other. But we are BFF's.

Honest!!

So if you Twitter please go and find me so I can feel validated.

Click HERE

I thought that I would go to the quilt shop

2009-04-24T17:47:00.002-05:00

But it only took about 30 minutes for Adrian to have Lasik surgery today. We had to drive an hour to Cookeville (the closest city with a doctor that performs Lasik.) I dropped him off and went in to ask what the minimum amount of time he would be in the office.

One hour she replied.

The paperwork said to plan on being there two hours, but one was okay. I could go to Salvation Army and the quilt store.

Totally stoked!!

30 minutes later I have perused Salvation Army (all junk except a pair of tags on sandals for Adrian since he broke his a few weeks ago) and was pulling in at the quilt shop when my phone rings.

With Adrian's ring tone. {{SIGH}}

He's done.

At least tomorrow he has to go back for a post up check up.

Quilt Shop?
Cheddar's ?
Old Navy?
Hobby Lobby?

Probably not all of them, but I really am hoping they have some of the unicorn print that Heather Ross (I think) has out now.

Corn Chowder

2009-04-22T11:22:00.001-05:00

I made this last week to use up the leftover ham from Easter. I hadn't made it in years and had forgotten how good it is. And how satisfying it is to have dinner completely ready at 9 am. How nice it would be to have everyday be so calm.

Corn Chowder

3 cups cubed ham

2 onions, diced

5 potatoes, diced (and peeled if you like)

3 stalks celery, sliced

2 chicken bouillon cubes

1 can corn, with liquid

1 large can evaporated milk

salt and pepper to taste

This is so easy. Throw all the vegetables, ham, and bouillon cubes in the slow cooker. Cover with water. (I used 4 1/2 cups)Cook all day on low, or half a day on high. About 1/2 an hour before you want to eat pour the milk in. I did not add any salt but a couple of the kids added salt to their bowls. I think this would be good with carrots, too. I could have added our extra carrots!!

Carrot Muffins

2009-04-20T11:12:00.001-05:00

We had leftover cooked carrots from Easter dinner and no one was going to eat them. Rather than waste them

I decided that I would play around with them and make muffins.

They turned out scrumptious. SO good, in fact that I may start making carrots that m=no one want s to eat for dinner more often!

Carrot Muffins

1 cup mashed cooked carrots

2 Tablespoons softened butter

1 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

1 1/2 cup unbleached all purpose flour

3/4 cup whole wheat flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon nutmeg

cream the butter and sugar with a wooden spoon. Add the carrots and then the eggs. Mix well. Add the white flour and then combine the rest of the dry ingredients together. Then add them to the wet being careful to not over mix it. Bake in a 400 degree oven for about 12-15 minutes. Yield: 14 muffins

I think it would be good to add some raisins that had been soaked in boiling water for a few minutes, but my family does not agree and I do not need to eat 14 muffins by myself!

Slather with LOTS of butter.

2009-04-18T14:25:00.002-05:00

I just thought I would mention to you guys that there is a dead bird laying on my porch.

Why???

Easter wasn't just string eggs

2009-04-18T11:00:00.000-05:00

It was also real brown eggs that Adrian and Molly blew out for me. And some speckled plastic eggs from Michaels.

Yes, I went to Michaels. I have not been there in over 20 years. Crazy, huh? Have I mentioned that I live REALLY far away from stuff like that? But it is okay, I do not need to go to Michaels and buy stuff. I don't need to spend the money and I do not need more stuff.

I turned the flash on for these last two pictures. I have such a love hate relationship with my camera. Pictures without the flash are supposed to be better, but I hate when my house looks yellow and dingy. I am all about light. And windows. I would ever hang any drapes if my husband didn't insist.

He would like our entire house to be one giant basement. UGH!!!

Those little yarn nests were supposed to be yarn bowls. All of the kids made one for FHE one night. My 17 and 13 year old sons really appreciate all the crafting I rope them into doing. haha

But we did not have much success with the bowls. We needed way more glue and my yarn was synthetic, because that is what was in my closet. Cotton or worsted would have worked MUCH better or just a lot more glue. They are very fragile, not sturdy at all. So they became my Easter egg nests and I love them! The technique is basically the same as the string eggs. Just a larger balloon and glue instead of starch. A friend at the fabric store said she has made giant Easter eggs out of Punching balloons and yarn. She wrapped them tightly and then rolled them in sugar water.

Messy, but interesting. Maybe next year!

A Good Day

2009-04-17T17:20:00.003-05:00

I have had a great day. Not exactly sure what has made it great, but I feel compelled to let you all know about it. Really it was mundane, nothing that should be blog worthy, but here goes.

I cleaned out the linen closet in my bathroom. Now it has lots of open space since it had not been purged in a couple of years. I realized that I do not need to look at thrift stores for vintage sheets, i had some of my own and they are lovely. I would like to make grocery bags out of them.

I cooked a new recipe for lunch. Eggs Puffs. They had a slightly sweet, creamy richness to them. Remind me to post the recipe ;-)

I played Pandora all afternoon while I puttered around. I usually play Broadway tunes but today I picked Duran Duran. Wow. It was 80's heaven.( A place that I really needed to visit, I guess) Depeche Mode, New Order, Pet Shop Boys, it just went on and on. Fabulous.

I snagged several new blogs and am trying them out. You may or may not see me move sometime soon.

I gave Pebbles a bath. She is our last little Maltese and she seems to have moved inside to keep Bandit company. Not too much of a problem except that her favorite fragrance is poop. She rolls in it. YUCK. Bandit seems to dig it, though. haha

I sorted and ironed about 20 different bits of fabric I have pre-washed for several different projects that have stalled after fabric selection. I feel a total cleanup of the sewing corner of my bedroom coming on. That will let me get back to playing with fabric, which makes me so happy. And sometimes makes me cry.

Now the boys have left for an overnight Boy Scout activity and the girls and I are headed to Redbox to pick up Bedtime Stories and maybe some ice cream!

It's funny. Adrian was a Scoutmaster when we first got married for several years and I hated it. He was always gone when I needed him most. Bedtime with 4 kids under 4 years old was a trying time. Now I LOVE that he is Scoutmaster. Of course the difference is that he is with our boys and now it is all fun/no work being home alone with the girls. Like right now Lucy is making Oatmeal Scotchies to drop of for the boys. I had the idea earlier that it might be nice to make them something, and all I had to do was ask someone to do it.

I hope your day has been as enjoyable as mine.

This has been one of my favorite crafts

2009-04-16T10:39:00.000-05:00

Water balloons.

Embroidery floss.

Starch.

Let them dry overnight and viola! String eggs to hang on my stick holiday tree.

I am a little stumped as to what should be hung on here now. I am thinking about tiny, cheerful Quilt blocks.

Or maybe some little embroidered flowers? The next real "holiday" is either Memorial Day or Independence Day and I can use flags for both of those... Any ideas?

Alfred Hitchcock must have lived at our house once upon a time

2009-04-15T10:18:00.004-05:00

Actually, I am 100% sure that he never lived here, but he dreamed of my house.

Because of the BIRDS.

Big ones, small ones, pretty ones, creepy ones. They are every where. Sometimes they move through in a sun darkening mass.

They blot out the sun. And the noise is deafening.

oh, and the mess. yuck

When they are just being sort of normal they hang out in the trees. I can handle that. But this time of year is the worst.

Because they are twitterpated. Yes, twitterpated. Have you seen Bambi?? Of course you have, it came out in the 40's. Everyone has seen Bambi! And right now the birds are twitterpated and trying to build nests. Their favorite places?

Funny you should ask, because I have the answer.

My gutters and my chimney.

We have 6 inch gutters and they seem to think if they just slink down in them a bit it will be a dandy home.

WRONG. WRONG. WRONG.

They end up getting caught and sliding down and then we hear birds fighting for their lives in the gutter.

And sometimes we don't hear them and they lose the fight. Case in point: Last spring I heard a bird in the gutter. I got William to help me take off the bottom curvy piece so said bird could get out.

5 birds came out. 3 deader than a doornail. 1 with a broken neck. (died a few hours later) 1 flew away.

This happens all the time.

Now to the chimney. Of course the only way out of the chimney is to open the flue and somehow get the bird out of Adrian's office. Here is how it went on Saturday:

see him on the picture frame on the wall?

Yes, you are very handsome, but you belong outside. Now, you are not going to like the big red net right now, but you will thank us later.

hey, come down

gotcha!

yes, you look unhappy, but in a second you will be free

send us a postcard....

Good Friday

2009-04-10T19:55:00.004-05:00

Very Good Friday!! Click HERE for the recipe for this very yummy homemade syrup with which to slather your waffles. or French Toast. Or pancakes. So tasty.

******************************************

Last night we had an egg hunt.

In the dark.

Fun with flashlights.

While Adrian and I were outside hiding eggs the kids remembered some glow sticks they had. They festooned themselves in Neon.

Please don't tell me that glow sticks are bad for the environment.

Or about plastic eggs.

I use the same eggs year after year. Last year we must have lost some because we had WAY less in the box this year. So I bought another pack of 48, but it was still less than previous years.

Getting ready to go out. Notice the lack of Easter junk (i.e., no baskets...)

I told them to do a Brady bunch pose. Like when the Brady kids were at the mall riding down the escalator.

Singing Sunshine Day.

I could totally see it. But they couldn't. This is what I got:

And they wouldn't sing...

remember they are wearing glow sticks, so I figured a few pics without flash would look good.

But they totally stink, like most of my pictures. {*SIGH*}

Alright, now we are back inside after some egg finding. On to the prize table.

What? you put stuff IN your eggs? Oh no, that is way too hard. I just set stuff out on the prize table and they get to buy prizes with their eggs.

Think Chuckie Cheese.

Without the animotronic band playing pizza covers of 80's songs.

Not that that wouldn't totally rock. Cause I love Bon Jovi Chuckie style.

This stuff wouldn't fit into eggs anyway and is much better than candy.

Yes, that was candy you saw on the table, but not all candy. Harrison wanted socks to be on the prize table. Who can deny a 13 year old socks if he wants them? He also got this groovy basketball hoop that he quickly duct taped to his door. Do you like the little backboard he made? My personal favorite item that was on the prize table. Especially for bacon lovers:

Bacon Flavored Dental Floss. I know, disgusting. William LOVES bacon!!!

A is For Apron

2009-04-09T10:46:00.005-05:00

A while back I was perusing Lisagh's blog when she made the amazing announcement that she was giving away a copy of A is For Apron.

WHAT????!!!!!?????

I SO SO SO want to win, I thought to myself.

And then, I did. Yep, it was very cool.

when the package from Canada arrived I was giddy with excitement.

Oh, man! It is awesome. Look at what was in it!!!

Wrapped in very cute paper:I open it to discover not only A is For Apron, but fabric goodies!! Look how cute. A plaid that reminds me of the fabric that I made Lucy and Rachel's baby bedding out of and some FUN 50's prints. This is totally me. Really. Look how busy I am in that kitchen. Making yummy things for my family.

And look at my hot legs in those heels. It is hard to tell but they are purple.

Dinner looks good. Boy, that would be hard with just one oven. I am soo glad in my real kitchen I have two.

Oh yeah, here is my husband. He works from home, you know. I just finished cooking his lunch and bringing it to him: Later he will have some refreshments outside:

Is that too cute or what? I am so stumped as to what to make from them. But, I have already made an apron from A is For Apron:

This is for the High School band fundraiser. Lucy's class is supposed to bring something related to gardening to be put in a gift basket that they will auction off. It turned out so cute and that is Rachel modeling for me. (in her pajamas)

Thanks, Lisagh!!

Oh, and the pillows that you have been making are killing me. I want one sooo bad. Do you think my husband would notice if I added shams to our bed that had our names on them?

Okay, that would be so funny. Some flowers around his name in a pretty twirly font. LOL

Spring Break was last week

2009-03-27T19:50:00.002-05:00

We didn't do much of anything. But one day we went to the park and had a picnic. Well, we went to Sonic and McDonald's and brought the food to the park. It was warm and the sun was shining, so every other person in town had the same idea.

I had to run a few errands after we ate so the kids stayed at the park. They tried teh river but said it was COLD!

Ella must have thanked me a thousand times for taking them. She is one "full of gratitude" kid!

Fifteen candles (times two!!)

2009-03-26T07:41:00.004-05:00

Lucy and Rachel turned fifteen yesterday.

But of course the party started over the weekend. Friday night several out of town guests arrived. At about 11:00 we loaded into the car to go to the Twilight midnight release.

Saturday morning more friends arrived and the movie was watched.

And they sighed, and shrieked and swooned.

Edward...

Carlyle...

Jacob...

and those other Cullen guys. Okay, I didn't watch. I have seen it once. (on opening night) I am all Twilighted out just from that one viewing. I also have tried to read it. UGH. Sorry, I know I am the only woman on the planet not in love with creepy Edward. But he is CREEPY!

Anyway, they watched. {{Still in their jammies.}}

Then they started preening. And curling. And trying on different outfits. Oh, yeah! It was a Bi-Stake Dance!!! (For those not in the know that means that our stake invited another stake to the dance, so we had Twice the boys, umm, kids)
Alexander, William, Harrison, Bryce. (no, Harrison did not go to the dance, he will be 14 in Sept. and then he can start going)

Here are Duck, Lucy, Victoria, Dreah, Meleah, and Meredith.

This is Meleah, Rachel, and Meredith

Fast forward to Wednesday night. The REAL birthday.

Candles for Lucy

Candles for Rachel

cupcakes for everyone

LUCY

Rachel

St. Patrick's Day Blogging Carnival

2009-03-19T20:49:00.005-05:00

I wanted to have the most amazing post about St. Patrick's Day since I signed up for the St. Patrick's Day blogging carnival.

But I forgot to take lots of pictures.

Again.

Until about a year ago I didn't even have a camera. I am not a picture person. I am really trying to get better so that the people who live with me that are picture people will have a few pictures. But since I got a camera for Christmas in 2007 I don't think I have printed any pictures off.

I have just blogged.

*SIGH*

But back to our big day. My bubble really burst when I found out from Jan that the "authentic Irish celebrating" that we do here is utterly American.

Did you know that rivers in Ireland are not green? Okay, I am kidding. But the wearing green to not get pinched, the leprechaun tricks, and the corned beef... All American.

Hurumphh!!! It makes me grouchy. I put a lot of effort into that stuff. Oh well.

Our day begins with the most Irish of breakfasts:

Well, I do have a can of that in my pantry and it is soooo yummy. But this is really what we (the kids) ate:

Did you know they are "mAgiCallYdEliCioUs?"

We made a very green dessert. It is called Chocolate Lime Dessert and it is one of my favorites.

Chocolate Lime Dessert

1 cup crushed chocolate cookie wafers or chocolate graham crackers

1/3 cup melted butter

1 box (4 serving size) lime jello

1 cup hot water

3/4 cup cold water

1 cup sugar

1/4 cup lemon juice

1 large can evaporated milk

Combine crumbs and butter and push into 9 by 13 pan to make crust. Save about 1/3 cup to sprinkle on top. Set can of milk in freezer until icy around edges. (about the same amount of time it takes for jello to partially set)Combine jello and hot water. Stir 1 minute. Add lemon juice and sugar. Stir 1 minute. Add cold water. Put in fridge until partially set. Whisk jello until frothy. Then whip milk until stiff peaks form. fold milk into jello carefully. Pour over crust, sprinkle with extra crumbs and refrigerate. I always double the crust ingredients, but you don't have to.

And now the Soda Bread. at least THIS is Irish!! Lucy made this and it was soooo yummy!!

Soda Bread

2 Cups unbleached flour

2 Cups whole wheat flour

1/2 cup sugar

2 tsp. soda

1 tsp salt

4 Tablespoons cold butter

1 1/2 cup buttermilk

combine flours, sugar, soda, salt. Cut in Butter. Stir in buttermilk. Knead 1 minute. Shape into disk and cut x into the top. Bake 45 to 50 minutes.

Look, I even did some lucky 4 leaf clover sewing. Aren't these cute? I still have 11 more cut out that need sewn. Maybe by next St. Patrick's Day!

We also played the traditional Irish game:

Guess the number of green M&Ms and win the whole jar.

So, how many do you think are in here? It is a pint jar.

Do you give up?

406!! Adrian won, but of course he shared with everyone.

Speaking of everyone, here they are. Why do I have 12 people for dinner, again? This is why every meal is an ordeal and our food bill is so big.

But I wouldn't trade it for anything!

As you can see we have a red head here, he must be Irish. And one of these kids is named Shawn. That sounds Irish.

The Tongan kid... He is Definitely NOT Irish! ha ha He is just hungry. ALL. THE. TIME. He can pack it away better than anyone I have ever met. He is a joy to cook for. One time the kids challenged him to eat a whole plate of cookies. And he just stuffed them in one after another. Boom. Boom. Boom. He ate so many so fast. He finished the plate and then goes, What where those? They were good.

He didn't even know what he was eating!! we have laughed and laughed about that!

This was after we had eaten the Corned Beef and cabbage and potatoes and carrots and onions and soda bread. I forgot to take a picture of dinner.

Sorry.

But I will tell you how I make a tasty Corned Beef.

Tasty Corned Beef

Put your Corned Beef Brisket in the crock pot. Then get about 5 cups Hot water and add about 1 Tablespoon Kosher salt, I tablespoon Peppercorns and 1 Tablespoon Pickling Spices. Mix it up and pour over beef. Cook on high about 4 or 5 hours. Then take the meat and put it on a warm plate, cover with foil and set in the oven. Pour the juice from the crock pot into a big pot on the stove, bring to a boil and add quartered potatoes and onions and carrots. Cook ten minutes and then add quarted cabbage. Cook until desired tenderness.

Tasty!

We also worked outside because it was in the 70's. Lucy even got the front porch power washed and the rest of the kids got the yard free of sticks and limbs. (no small task!! We have 12 acres, but only about 2 of it needs maintained like a yard)

And then the next morning enjoy the leftover soda bread toasted with blackberry jam!

And now I am going to go and check out everyone elses St. Patrick's Day Posts!!

book giveaway

2009-03-19T09:27:00.002-05:00

Anne is giving another book away this week.

ANd I want this one, so no one go and enter!!

Okay, you can enter, just let me read it if you win... Is that fair?

Just CLICK HERE to get the info.

It is time for some more Scout campout pictures

2009-03-14T16:28:00.001-05:00

This month they decided to camp in a cave. Why did they decide to do such a totally odd thing? I have no idea. I once camped in a cave when I was a Scout. It was in Wisconsin. There were several other Scout groups there. Boy and Girl Scouts.

I cannot imagine an outing like that now. They had us separated somehow, I can't remember how. It is crazy.

So the boys played in the mud. And crawled through tiny cracks in rocks.

TINY CRACKS!!!!

It is madness I tell you.

MADNESS!!!!

Here, let me show you.

First, Harrison. muddy. wet. tired. dirty.

Now, some cracks. Who was the first dodo brain to say, "Hey guys, lets see if we can fit through this tiny crack without dying!"

Here, William says follow me down here. It is muddy, slippery and dangerous. It will be great fun.

Time to cook dinner. How about a round of Spaghettios for everyone?

Excellent, some more scary skinny cracks...

Here is a confusing one.... hibernating bats with what on them? Frost? Condensation?

The morning after. Bryce, William,and Jaime.

I included this picture to show you the mouth of the cave while standing right inside. You can see the falls behind . If you saw the movie the Jungle Book these are the falls that the wolf den was in. Or behind. I don't really remember.

It was another successful, muddy, tiring, cam pout.

The Office Musical

2009-03-09T13:29:00.000-05:00

Fun Monday

2009-03-02T11:36:00.003-06:00

Well, I decided to join Fun Monday after several months off.

And then I forgot until just now!! Sorry. This week is hosted by:
Chocolate and Other Things
For this week's Fun Monday, tell me something fun
about your mother and/or her mother. What fun, weird, laughable memories do you have of your Mom or your Grandma?

I was thinking about the topic and thought of my Great Grandmother. I was named after my Great Grandmother, And while I didn't see her too often since she lived in California and I lived just about everywhere else, I do have a story of her that sticks with me.

My Great Grandmother was Southern. Born in West Tennessee and then they went to Texas. Her life was So different than mine, it is hard to imagine. Before my Great Grandfather died, my Great Grandmother had never written a check.

Really. Women didn't do those kinds of things. She never paid for anything. When she shopped she had the bills sent to her husband.

Can you imagine?

A totally different world than today.

roasted asparagus

2009-02-28T07:01:00.000-06:00

OH. MY. STINKIN' HECK!!!!!!!!!!

This was so tasty.

and so easy.

make it for lunch tomorrow. and dinner. and what the heck, breakfast.

really.

Okay, are you ready??

*Buy a bunch of asparagus.

*break off the ends.

*lay in jelly roll pan (cookie sheet with sides)

*pour some olive oil over it.

*sprinkle with Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper (you lika da pepper?!?)

*roast at 400 degrees for 8 minutes

*sprinkle with Parmesan and stick back in for 2 or 3 minutes, until cheese is melty.

Eat!

EAT!!

drag your meat and potatoes through the leftover oily salty cheesy goodness.

die and go to heaven.

any questions?

My husbands lunch

2009-02-27T12:57:00.000-06:00

The rest of you do this, don't you? I mean, it isn't weird to make artistically arranged salads for your husband for lunch, is it?

I was dreaming I was at Panera. Oh how I wanted one of those salads that they serve with the dried apples and walnuts.

YUM

St. Patrick's Day Blogging Carnival

2009-02-26T23:22:00.002-06:00

JanMary is hosting a blogging carnival. we will tell about how we do (or do not) celebrate St. Patrick's Day.

So put some corned beef in the crock pot and slice the soda bread.

Oh, and head over to JanMary's and check it out...

Artist Trading Cards

2009-02-26T04:28:00.000-06:00

This has really been fun. And stressful. *sigh* It is never easy, is it! Below you will see Molly's cards. We are mailing them tomorrow. Ahead of schedule. 2 days before the deadline.

I am pretty darn happy about it, I must say. The top two are fabric, ribbon, buttons and gems. The bottom three are part of a series about her stuffed cat named Mal. In one Mal is in Paris (Eiffel Tower behind her!) in one she is getting ready for bed and the other she is enjoying the summer. Here is Molly writing the pertinent info on the back. Be sure and save these originals for when she is a famous artist.

Here are two of Ella's cards. They are fabric, buttons and a metal heart thingy. Adrian kept telling her to save the bunny one for herself because it was so darn cute. She decided to send it off, but NOT to the boy in her swap group. EEEWWWWW!!!

We are working chronologically backwards since that is how Blogger likes to do it. hmmm...

Here are all of Ella's. This is awfully random, isn't it? The top middle is a Japanese House. But Ella likes to mix it up so she called it "Chinese House". I better stop her before she gets totally out of control on me, huh?

The bottom right is a water fall and is named something or another about rocks. It has lots of rocks on the sides. And finally on the bottom left is an ocean scene. With the sun shining. If you look closely you can see the people getting skin cancer.

Just kidding. That is just what I see when i look at pictures of the beach.

Well, totally random and disjointed ramblings here in this post.

Have I mentioned we have a drum set in the house. Yeah, it has been 24 hours since they have come home.

My kids are all walking around with ear plugs in. This is how are conversations go now,

"WHAT?"

Something like that....

oh, I have gotten some things ordered for a big bloggy giveaway. Stay tuned!!!

Seventeen

2009-02-25T12:48:00.001-06:00

Seventeen candles on a German Chocolate pie
Seventeen year old William ( Rachel thought I should mention that his hair is wet, not gross and greasy)

Eight year old Molly tickling seventeen year old William

William making a very bizarre face

Hungry teenagers and siblings ready to eat and head to Nashville. To eat more.

Please send earplugs. A.S.A.P.

2009-02-24T19:51:00.003-06:00

yes, William bought these today. yes, his room is still pink from when it was the little girls room. we are really bad at home improvement projects...

Ella the All-Star or the big blogging question: why do we love to see pictures of other peoples kids getting trophys?

2009-02-24T09:53:00.000-06:00

Ella was voted onto the all-star team again this year in basketball. Here she is with her friend Kara, who also made the all-star team. Here is Ella with the other girls from her team who made all-star.
THere were a lot of all-stars this year. 36 I think they said.

Even though she is hard to see in this picture, it so captures her personality. She is waving at us. Most of my kids never pay any attention to us when they are participating in sports or activities. They many times do not even know if we were there watching them. NOT Ella! She is always looking up in the stands to see if we are watching. Here is the proof I was watching, Ella. I have a picture!

Here she is with her coach and team members accepting a trophy for placing second in the season.

amazing peanut butter filled hearts. (yes, more Valentine's Day!!)

2009-02-22T09:38:00.000-06:00

This are easy peasy chocolate covered peanut butter hearts. I went a little crazy with the extra white chocolate. I added some burgandy food color which gave me this groovy purple.

I got the recipe from Sunday Baker.

breakfast

2009-02-21T09:24:00.000-06:00

will Valentine's Day ever end on this blog?

2009-02-20T09:28:00.002-06:00

No it will never end. I may not post much about Christmas, but I sure like Valentine's Day. This is early Saturday morning: Valentine's Day!!

They had donuts, strawberries, grapes and sparkling cider. We had to wake them up pretty early since we had basketball awards that morning also.

Love is in the air

2009-02-14T01:35:00.000-06:00

Front loader vs Top loader

2009-02-13T15:08:00.003-06:00

I need to buy a new washing machine. I am using the stack able unit that I have in the hall bathroom that the older kids use.

I do not want a new washing machine. I like my 15 year old Kenmore. It has seen me through 6 kids. Kids that wore cloth diapers. It has always worked. until last Saturday.

It just quit spinning.

And now I am sad. They make those fancy $1500 front loading washers look great. But then we read the reviews on Amazon and Epinions. It seems as though people have a really bad opinion of front loaders. They break constantly. They flash all sorts of cryptic codes. And Whirlpool seems to have the worlds worst customer service.

I also really hate to spend money. Will I really be able to tell the difference in a $1500 machine versus a $500 one? Because I would much rather spend $500. I do not need pretty colours or cool looking shapes.

I just need clean clothes

Sewn Paper Valentines

2009-02-13T13:41:00.005-06:00

Inspired by THESE cards at Purl Bee (those ones up there are from the Purl Bee site. Ours were a little more, ummm, basic? Maybe rustic!?!)

I took some fabric and sewn card stock cards to Molly's classroom on Thursday.
They chose the fabric. Then they traced the heart and cut and glued.

Viola! Valentine's for their sweethearts. And that is when the silliness ensued!! Second graders think it is REALLY funny to tell them to write a mushy love poem in their Valentine.

We all had lots of fun!

Sweets for my Sweeties

2009-02-13T13:26:00.004-06:00

We made these for Ella's class to snack on on Thursday. They were muy yummy. You can find the directions at NO FUSS FABULOUS. They are way easy, but I did have one problem. The directions suggest 5 minutes to soften at 400 degrees. My first batch hardened. The second batch I tried I was able to soften at 375 degrees in about 45 seconds. So watch them carefully!!

Today we sold a house

2009-02-10T18:15:00.003-06:00

It is not the house that we have listed on McMinnvillehouses.com but one we have had a contract on for a few weeks. The couple that bought it has been saving for many years to buy a house. They were very sweet and excited.

This is what they brought to us:

Adrian and I counted it out. Those are stacks of $10,000.

It felt all gangsta'!!

OH. MY. GOODNESS!!! They brought it in those envelopes they give you your withdrawal at the bank in. 7 of them with $10,000 each. Adrian was so nervous carrying it that he had to cancel his appointments for the rest of the afternoon. He is such an nervous guy when he is dealing with these houses! I was thinking about how I wish I could be reading the new book I had in my purse and he was sweating through his shirt.

Here it is after he took it to the bank and put it through the money counting machine. They stack it in $2000 stacks.

Now if only I could convince him to use that a stack of money to book a cruise around the Mediterranean....

NOT A CHANCE!!!

rice pudding

2009-02-06T19:35:00.000-06:00

I have an unnatural obsession with pudding.

I need a twelve step program.

Until I find it I will sit in the corner growling at anyone that comes near me while I am eating pudding.

So you will not have to risk me biting your hand as you reach for a serving of rice pudding at my house, I will share the recipe.

RICE PUDDING

1 cup water
1/2 cup rice
4 Tablespoons of butter
4 Cups of milk
2 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Cook rice in water until it is almost all absorbed. Add the milk, cover and simmer VERY gently for 1 hour. Stir it every 10 minutes or so. Beat the eggs, sugar and vanilla until smooth. When you take the pan off the heat stir in the egg mixture until well incorporated. Cover with Saran Wrap to avoid that creepy skin on top and refrigerate at least 6 hours.

See, it will be ready for breakfast. And much less sugary than Captain Crunch. It is practically a health food!

He is an official blogger, sort of...

2009-02-05T08:36:00.003-06:00

I created a blog for my husband. He was kind of resistant at first. He had a different plan.

But it was harder. And not as pretty.

Now he loves it and is sending everyone to look at it. No, he doesn't reveal any funny stories about himself on it. Or give us any good housekeeping ideas. Or recipes.

It has pictures of the houses that he has for sale. I have only put one up right now because he has contracts on 2 others and renters in the other two. But rest assured. There will be more. He has a house buying obsession.

A lot of times I don't really even know what houses he has. And I like it that way. He doesn't know what I am buying at the grocery store on any given day and I do not know if he is headed to the courthouse to attend a foreclosure auction.

It is all about taking care of our own stuff and delegating to the other what they are good at.

If Adrian was in charge of grocery shopping we would have 743 pounds of red meat, some white bread and mayonnaise. Oh, and some Breyers ice cream.

If I was in charge of buying houses I would say they are all too icky and I am too cheap to spend the money and all of our retirement would be sitting in mutual funds.

So it is a good thing that we divide and conquer here at our house!

So, here is his site: http://www.mcminnvillehouses.blogspot.com/

Go and leave him a nice comment.

Or better yet, make an offer on the house!!!!

A joke for all my friends who have adopted

2009-02-04T17:30:00.003-06:00

"Adopted kids are such a pain; you have to teach them how to look like you."

Gilda Radner

today is a list day

2009-02-04T07:51:00.005-06:00

and not only do i have to make a list, i am making one for all of my faithful readers. all 8 of you.

FAITHFUL READER TO DO LIST:

1. SCROLL DOWN TO YESTERDAYS POST AND GIVE ME AN OPINION ON WHAT TO ORDER FROM ANTHROPOLOGIE.

there, easy, right? sorry for saying it so loudly, i just didn't want you to get off the computer later and think: oh darn, i forgot to give Cynthia my opinion.

you know, like when you get home from the grocery store and didn't get one of the things on your list. Even though you carefully marked each item of as you placed it in the buggy.

well, enough of me talking about nothing and you all shaking your heads wondering why in the heck you read this drivel.

Cynthia's to do list: (feel free to give me direction on these these tasks.)

1. strangle husband (he is teasing me right now. I tease on the Internet. score one for me!)
2. clean kids bathroom. they are supposed to do this. they are given instruction and tools. I swear they go in there, sneeze, and leave. it is gross.)
3. clean my bathtub. *WHINE* i haaaate doing this one *whine* so i guess i understand the kids, except they can't even clean a mirror or a sink.
4. bake more English Muffin bread
5. order pizza for church tonight
6. shower (yes, sometimes i need gentle reminders. I am cold and do not like to get wet.)
7.run ROOMBA twice
8. put away laundry laying on couch
9. send email to senators and congressman to please put their head on straight and get rid of this 1.6 billion SPENDING package. UGH! Don't even get me started. A recession IS the fix. You do not have to fix a recession. We are supposed to be a market driven economy.....
10. clean sewing table
11. make cookie dough

will i finish this all? plus all the other junk that i have to do even though it never makes it to the list?

Yes, I think that I can. I am going to race against myself and try to finish everything but the pizza ordering before I have to leave and pick up the kids at 2:30.

On your marks.....

Get set......

GO!

I've got issues

2009-02-03T12:28:00.003-06:00

help. please.

help me spend my Anthropologie gift card. I cannot "borrow" their pics, so you will have to click on the links and then come back and give me your opinions.

Choice A:
Matryoshka measuring cups

Choice B:
Artist's tote
but do I get it in orange or blue? be sure and look at the back view, because the fabric is different

4 quick points

2009-02-03T10:37:00.003-06:00

many exciting things to share but only a few moments to share them, so I may have to post twice today. First, the post below this one is my 350th!!!

as lucy would say: i know, right?

second, i signed up my two little girls for an amazing art swap

you can read all about it here

third, i made english muffin bread yesterday. it was delicious and both loaves are already gobbled up. i used it this morning to make bacon egg and cheese sandwiches for breakfast. you can find the recipe here at dlyn's blog.

fourth, i went on an adventure yesterday to a place that reminded me of narnia.

and i took pictures.... more to come!

no knead bread

2009-02-01T15:44:00.001-06:00

During one of our snow day vacations I tried out this recipe for no knead bread.

Wow, what a neat recipe. So easy and tasty. All the kids liked it. I used 1 cup King Arthur Whole Wheat Flour and the rest all purpose white flour.

I baked it in a Pampered Chef stoneware bowl with the round baker thingy as a lid.

The outside is really crunchy. I think I may try cooking it a few minutes less next time, but I don't know that it will make a big difference.

Adrian thinks I should have a loaf ready everyday when the kids get home from school.

Ummm, well, it's not that easy!

this is

2009-01-31T14:25:00.002-06:00

Meredith. She lives in another town. Sometimes when she is at our house she and Lucy and Rachel do strange girly things and then take pictures with my camera. I found these today when I finally downloaded the 589 pictures on my camera.Here is Meredith and Rachel. and Lucy. I guess she did not want glue/mayonnaise/lard on her face. ( I really have no idea what it was)

Lucy and Rachel are spending the weekend at Meredith's house this weekend. I hope they are having fun!

sadly, I am not a Twilight fan, but this is hysterical.....

2009-01-30T08:54:00.003-06:00

I am an awful blog friend. I really didn't mean to lift this off of your blog, Alice , and then not mention you.

Please don't let pregnancy hormones rage on me!!haha

white chile

2009-01-26T18:49:00.002-06:00

Here is another really funky colored Verizon uploaded picture. It is of white chili. I made it tonight for dinner. The last time I can remember making it was when Adrian used to work for Bridgestone and we used to go and eat lunch with him at the Union Hall. It was before Lucy and Rachel had started school, so 10 years ago. I wonder why I have waited so long to make it again. It is wonderful. Rosanne gave me the recipe. White Chile

in a Dutch oven, saute:

1 T oil
1 Cup onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, diced
2 tsp. cumin
1 1/2 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes

once the onion and garlic are soft add:

3 or 4 cans Great Northern beans
2 cans chicken broth

cook 10 minutes.

then add 2 cooked and shredded chicken breasts and 2 cups shredded Monterrey Jack cheese.

cook and stir until cheese is melted.

serve with sour cream, tortilla chips, and whatever else floats your boat!

fearless, furry knight

2009-01-23T08:18:00.005-06:00

I love having Bandit around.

Most of the time.

I would not have picked having a large black shedding dog in the house, but he picked us, and we are grateful to provide him with the comfortable home he deserves. He does have some faults, just like the rest of us.

He really likes to protect us from the evils that lurk outside at night. During the day he lays still on his bed or at Adrian's feet. But once we go to bed he is on the prowl. Watch dog extraordinaire. Our fearless knight in black furry armor. Problem is, we have not yet put a laundry room on. In the laundry room we plan on installing a doggy door so he can be in charge of his midnight prowls. So for now he goes into Lucy's room and wakes her when he want s out. And she is so nice she gets up and lets him out. She understands the importance of barking at nothing at 3 am.

Last night was a little different. Last night our hero found real dragons to wrangle with. He was able to slay the first dragon before we even got home from Nashville. He left it on the driveway.

Frightening, isn't it? He was carrying it around this morning making sure that I saw it. Good job Bandit. Save us from the dangerous opossum!

But the night got much worse after discovering the opossum. Sometime in the middle of the night Adrian and I were woken up.

By an odor.

Yeah, it has to be a pretty bad smell to wake you up. All night I kept waking up to this terrible smell.

At some point last night Bandit was saving us from a SKUNK.

And then came in to take a nap in my bedroom.

Thank you very much, Bandit.....

Want to see a picture of where Bandit is spending today. And maybe tonight, and possible tomorrow?

Good thing it is warm out or our fearless knight would be a freezing knight!

Oh, and guess how many Partylite candles I have burning today?

As many as I could find in the house!!!

woo hoo

2009-01-20T22:32:00.001-06:00

See us? I circled it. We are blue and snowy again!! woohoo. No school for 6 days straight.

girl weekend

2009-01-19T22:33:00.000-06:00

These girls have had so much fun this weekend. Good friends are GREAT to have!

So many curls, so much make-up. You can tell that I did not have a lot to do with this. I did things like ordered the pizza and bought Peanut Butter Captain Crunch for Sunday morning breakfast.

BCS Homecoming

2009-01-18T05:13:00.000-06:00

As you can see from the banner here: Rachel was a member of the Homecoming court today at her school. Here they have the gym all gussied up for the big event:

And here is Rachel and her escort Kaleb. His name was on the banner too.

Here is the whole court:

And here are Rachel and Kaleb up close. You are looking at two kids that both have a 4.0 GPA. They both plan on keeping a 4.0 there entire high school career. There can only be one Valedictorian. I believe you are looking at him or her right now! The competition between them may get fairly fierce. I think that he has no idea any competition even exists. That is one of the major differences between boys and girls!

Here are all 4 of the freshman court members: Rachel, Kaleb, Brody, And Kaci

Rachel and the girls

Pretty glamorous day!

sk8tr girls

2009-01-17T14:14:00.002-06:00

it scarred me

2009-01-16T20:59:00.003-06:00

I was scarred by an occurrence several years ago.

On election day. A cold and rainy November day.

I was sitting at the computer that used to be on the desk in our bedroom. That desk and a new computer are now in the living room we built a wall through so that my husband could have an office.

NOT in our bedroom.

But back to me. I was sitting there on the computer. This was before blogs. I know, hard to think what I did on the computer before blogs, but I was playing solitaire or reading the news or something.

MINDING MY OWN BUSINESS

When I had that faint glimmer of a tickle on my leg. The kind that makes you scratch really fast and wonder what made that funny feeling. But I didn't scratch. The feeling moved.

SWIFTLY

UP

MY

LEG

Oh my stinking heck, what is climbing up my leg???!!!!????!!!!

I jumped up and gave a kick that rivalled a Michael Jackson move. And out of my wide legged pants an object flew.

an object?

A MOUSE.

A mouse in my pants!!!

STOP LAUGHING. YES I KNOW I AM YELLING.

It was horrible. It flew out, slammed into the wall and went running willy nilly to behind the desk.

And disappeared. Of course.

So I did what any reasonable person would would do. I jumped up and down screaming for a few minutes. And then I went and got all of the mouse poison that we had and opened EVERY packet and dumped it behind the desk.

And screamed some more and then and went and picked Molly up from preschool and went and voted.

Did I mention I had a migraine also? Well I did.

That night I told my story to my husband. He was very sympathetic. Really, it was so horrifying and he was great, no jokes were made at all.

But it caused me some issues later that night. I had nightmares. every time Adrian's foot would touch me I would start screaming and flailing and jumping out of the bed. He would have to grab me and convince me that there was NO mouse in the bed.

I was a basket case.

Back then my highboy dresser was right next to my side of the bed. When we got up the next morning I opened the top drawer to get out some, erm, undergarments and all over everything in that drawer there was MOUSE POOP!!!

The rotten mouse had climbed up the back of the dresser. Right next to my head.

Repeat the screaming freak out of the day before. Add a trip to the store for more poison that I then dumped all behind the dresser and bed.

I poisoned the snot out of that little booger! And never saw him again.

But it took awhile for the midnight panic attacks to subside. And then this Christmas when we were at the cabins all of the sudden a mouse came running around from in the fire place. I was up standing on the couch faster than anyone has ever seen me move.

Kids made fun of me but my gallant husband defended me. He said no one could judge since they had never had a mouse run up their leg.

Yea!

girl stuff

2009-01-16T09:36:00.000-06:00

We have 4 extra girls tonight. Add my own 4 and it makes for some very girly moments! They are working on trying to decide how Rachel should wear her hair tomorrow for Homecoming.

But it has turned into a fashion show.

A very glamorous fashion show. Here they are getting ready.

Vulture Shopping

2009-01-13T20:19:00.004-06:00

I don't think that if the economy is really doing poorly that it should cause a sharp spike in the amount that I shop. Yet it has.

I don't like to shop. Yet, I have been shopping a bunch lately. And tonight I bought 15 pairs of socks at Claire's.

I have never even bought socks at Claire's. Probably because they are normally $12 for 3 pairs. I think that is highway robbery. They are just chinsy cheapo little ankle socks!

But since this whole failing economy thing has happened stores have started to go out of business.

And I am a Vulture.

I like to kick places when they are down. I seek out the dying and gut them. Well, at least I like to buy their super discounted products. I will NEVER buy something at regular price. I usually skip it even on sale. But tonight I hit it pretty darn cheap and decided my 4 girls needed a little sock love. Here are the 9 pairs that I bought for Ella and Molly.

Yes, this is another phone picture. I love it!

They had marked them down from $12 (outrageous) for a 3 pack to $6 (still would not even think twice about them at that price) But then, since Claire's is going out of business, they were 50% off of the lowest price.

$3.

I can handle that. I am pretty sure that even at $3 Claire's is still making a profit on them.

Really, this is not much of a surprise

2009-01-11T18:49:00.000-06:00

As a 1930s wife, I am
Very Superior

Take the test!

oddly enough

2009-01-10T05:45:00.000-06:00

this is the thought that kept flitting through my migraine ravaged brain today:

a well fitted bra is the foundation of modern civilization

repeat 5 times

wonder at what the heck I am talking about

go back to your lives

free books?

2009-01-09T22:13:00.003-06:00

Anne over at Not Entirely British is running weekly contests!

I agree, very generous of her!

So go check it out. This week the book is:

Cameron Taylor's Does Your Bag Have Holes? 24 Truths That Lead to Financial and Spiritual Freedom.

April, this may be right up your alley. Not that I am trying to say I have been up your alley. Oh, wait something is going terrribly wrong with this post!

Just go and check out this giveaway!

My little girls were laughing hysterically

2009-01-09T21:50:00.002-06:00

So I thought that I would share this so your kids could laugh hysterically also. Toddlers really do think differently than the rest of us!

2009 GOALS

2009-01-09T05:37:00.000-06:00

Okay. I did it. I made GOALS for 2009. Waaaaaaaay easier than resolutions.

Adrian had the whole family sit down on Monday night and we set personal goals. And we kept most of them personal.

We are a bunch of wimps.

I have decided to tell you some of my goals. Some of my goals nod at the fact that I am a huge failure in many areas. I know we all think that, but broadcasting it all over the Internet is not something I am willing to do.

I am a delicate flower and don't want to be living in shame and embarrassment the rest of my life because you all know my deep dark dorkyness.

We were each given an index card and told to set a goal in three different areas:
Spiritual
Physical
Financial

Can you tell who was in charge? My three areas would have been:
Reading
sewing
napping

But he was in charge, so we humored him. I kept begging him to please just tell me my financial goal. Since really, he is the one that loves financial goals. and checking the bank accounts everyday. and having a binder for budgets. and one for expenses. and 764 bank accounts that are each neatly labeled as to what they are designed to hold money for.

acct#2351 Christmas
acct# 9836 pet supplies
acct#7046 shoelaces
acct#6219 roof repairs to garage we have not built yet

Okay, you get the idea. and yes, I exaggerate. Slightly.

I love you honey, really. He keeps everything shipshape and I kind of come through like a hurricane. So I came up with a financial goal that he will really like.

Here they are:

Spiritual- *Read scriptures everyday

Physical- *Join 3 swaps
*join 3 Book Challenges
*make my bed everyday. (oops, I will be right back.

Alright, I am back)

Financial- remember to put money back in my account when I buy something that cost a lot of money and then need to reimburse myself. And do it right away, not two weeks later so that I don't forget that I have no money and then incur, umm, shall we say, overage charges. whoops. In other words, I will no longer be the hurricane that blows the financial plan ship out of the water. Pretty generous, if I do say so myself.

And there are a few others, but I am not revealing them because my final goal:

Be more mysterious!

chicken salad picture for chrys

2009-01-08T12:23:00.000-06:00

I have a new favorite toy. My phone. I can take a picture with my phone. Then send it to my email. Then right click, save as, and POOF.

I am done. In another ten seconds I can have a picture in a post. I did that all while eating a bowl of chicken salad. The yummiest ever chicken salad. Now I understand that the quality is a little sub par but let me remind your.

No camera cord needed. No waiting. INSTANT GRATIFICATION. I am all over instant gratification. SO, Chrys, you have your wish. Pictures of food to go with recipes. Even if the picture does not look so great. You never have asked for quality food styling or photography.

I know, you may after seeing that train wreck of a picture!

Anyway, here is the recipe.

Rachel's Chicken Salad

*I didn't measure anything, the only constant when I make this are the cans of things*

about 3 cups cooked pasta
about 3 scallions, sliced
an apple or two, cut up
a can of crushed pineapple, drained
a can of chicken (mine are 12 ounces, Costco brand)
a lot of grapes, cut in half
2 or so stalks of celery, chopped
equal parts of mayo and coleslaw dressing

mix in bowl. eat out of bowl. eat more out of bowl. chill. eat more because it is even yummier when chilled. complain of stomach ache.

oh, and make this when you have a ham in the oven cause by golly, you need a ham and a giant bowl of chicken salad, doncha know?

I received a picture from my dad's Blackberry today

2009-01-07T21:17:00.004-06:00

This was the caption he wrote:

Connie after an arduous spa morning. She's a real trooper.

Yep, that is my mom. They are in Bermuda this week. My "retired" dad had some business there.

Just thought everyone freezing their buns off would like to see this.

My husband wisked me off on a date last night

2009-01-07T10:40:00.000-06:00

We went to the local High School basketball game. girls and boys.

The team from a town larger than ours ate our girls and then spit them out. It was brutal. But we got to see some of our friends kids. And some of our kids friends.

whew, say that fast five times. Really I spent a lot of the time spying on some of my kids friends sitting with there boyfriends/girlfriends. Hmmm.

Me no likey!

But I doubt I will ever likey. That is really a story for a different day. So Adrian watched the game. I watched the kids, including my own Lucy who was working the concession stand.

Yes, Lucy, I could see you every time someone opened the door. Which was a lot because we live in Sun Drop Country! I know because the radio and billboard ads tell me. Now I have never actually had a Sun Drop that I can remember, but I do know where I live!

After the girls game ended the boys took the court. To the sound of loud confusing noise. er, music?

And then they started to do some kind of High School Musical dance routine. I was waiting for the singing when I realized that was just their warm-up routine.

Their coach must really like musicals. I'm just saying....

With 47.5 seconds left the referee fellow blew his whistle and called a time out. The coaches both walked out and started to talk to him. A player had fallen right before the official blew his whistle, but he was okay.

They kept pointing at the floor and then looking at the ceiling. Then someone carried a towel out. And they yakked a bit more. Then they carried a Trash Can out.

Obstacles! That would make the game so much more interesting! Is that TSSAA approved?

And then they said it was halftime and then they cancelled the game. Have I mentioned we have had a lot of rain? The roof was leaking .

DRIP. DRIP. DRIP. Onto the court. See the trashcan down there? I thought they should just play, but what do I know?

There was also a lot of this during the game.

I really DO NOT know what to think about all the texting that goes on around me. I was even texting Lucy in the concession stand. I wanted gum and was entirely too lazy to go down and buy it.

Turns out they did not even have any gum for me to buy.

But later a very nice, tall, large footed boy brought me a bag of popcorn. Excellent service at that concession stand, I must say!

Hey, I just learned that texting is not a word according to spell check. go figure

The Sears Cafeteria

2009-01-06T10:37:00.008-06:00

Once upon a time I was a kid. And when I was a kid we did all of our shopping at Sears. Sears was a magical place. It had EVERYTHING you could ever want. We had something special to use at Sears. An employee discount card. It was actually the store credit card, but it was blue. I have no idea what color the regular ones were. My mom used to just flash that card and get her, hmm, 20% off I think it was.

My dad worked for Sears. First in California. Then they sent him to NYC and then to Chicago. 25 years or so he worked for them. Those last few years in the mighty Sears Tower.

Sears used to be a bigwig. Remember? This may be my goodbye post to Sears. I think you may have seen your last Christmas shopping season.

So Sad!

But back to my Sears memories. When you went to Sears they used to have a candy counter. With these giant malted milk balls. The best malted milk balls in the whole world. Nothing like those crappy Whoppers my husband likes. These ones tasted like... well... they tasted like really great malted milk balls. And Fruit Sripe Gum. It had a Zebra on the package. They also had some chocolate flavoured gum. Crazy!

and then there was the Sears cafeteria. Right. in. the. store.

Wal-mart thinks it has some great idea sticking McDonald's in their stores. And a bank and a haircut place. LOSER! Sears had all that and MORE. You could order your whole stinking house from the Sears catalog!

But I digress.
The cafeteria had the most amazing, mouthwatering food. Better than any 5 star restaurant. Just ask my mom, I'm sure her memories are the same as mine! There was one thing that I always wanted to order. It was there behind that glass calling my name:

Chocolate Pudding Parfaits. Oh Heaven in a fancy glass. With a cherry on top. Neither of these pictures is exactly right, but you get the idea.

This trip down memory lane brings me to this point:

I need to NOT buy these. Really. One is a serving. Just one... I have Never been good at math!

After reading Lisa's List

2009-01-05T01:06:00.000-06:00

I decided that I, too, could make a New Year's Resolutions List. Why did her list inspire me? Because last year her resolution was to be more mysterious.

Yeah, I know. That totally rocks.

So, I thought, I can handle resolutions of that caliber. Do I want to be more mysterious? How about more unique? Perhaps more grouchy?

Oh baby, now there is a resolution. Sign me up! I will feel SOOO accomplished.

But then I read April's list. I love April. She is my opposite in so many ways and it endears me to her. She wants land, animals, gardens, canning, all that stuff. I want away from all that stuff.

Maybe we could swap? Oh no, she has most of that stuff, it would just be trading farm for farm.

Anyhoo, I want to make a reasonable list. I want to read my scriptures more. And be more patient. I want to get off my duff more.

Ugh. I think this was a bad idea. I just thought of two bazillion things that I could write down. I will NEVER do them. What is the point. How can I pick just a few?

I want to be more mysterious. Easy Peasy. Cause no one will ever know if I really achieve that.

The things that I really want to do are selfish and I don't need to do them more.

I don't need to sew more. I don't need to read more. I don't need to nap more. I don't need to cook more desserts. Instead of cooking dinner.

Yes, I have done that. More than once. I am a terrible person, I know. But I have lovely cakes and fruit crisps waiting to dull my shame!

So tell me what to do.

Ladd and Ree Drummond

2009-01-04T13:31:00.001-06:00

Boy oh boy, are people interested in these two people. Every day I get hits here from people searching for them. I have done a post on them but recently was given a very interesting link from Working Ranch magazine.

I cannot give credit to the reader who left me the link because they did not leave their name.

So, Thank You Anonymous! Here is a link to the article

Oh, I feel like I should add the caveat that I do not know Pioneer Woman, I just used to read her blog. Back when it was just a plain old blog. I haven't been there in a very long time. I only go back to visit to grab a recipe now and then.

Grilled Cheese

2009-01-03T18:36:00.002-06:00

Today my girls had several friends over. Maybe you remember that I mentioned that they spent the night. Even more came over this morning. Harrison had a friend here also. Adrian took everyone over to the church to play tennis volleyball. They got home around 2:00.

They were starving.

I was busy studying the paint job on the living room ceiling.

The girls decided to make grilled cheese sandwiches.

Here comes the interesting part. Did you know that there are as many different ways to make a grilled cheese sandwich as there are teenage girls in a room? Well, there are!

Some people put butter in the pan and then do not butter the outside of the bread.

Some put butter in the inside of the sandwich.

Some put mayo inside.

Some use cheddar. Some use American. Some use cream cheese.

Some put milk in the pan. milk?

It was interesting. How do you make grilled cheese?

Esme the magnificent!!!!

2009-01-02T20:19:00.001-06:00

Esme is the most magnificent kitty on this green earth!!

Want to know why?

Because she killed a mouse in the basement today!!!

Yup, she is a definite keeper!

Here is where I would put a the picture I just took of her, but still no camera cord!

where is the camera cord?

2009-01-02T20:03:00.002-06:00

I know you would like to see some pictures rather than listen to my mindless drivelling.

We had Christmas. Nut I didn't take pictures of that.

We had Molly's baptism. I took a couple of pictures of her and William, since she asked him to baptize her. And a picture of her and Adrian since he confirmed her.

Then we had our big party later that night to celebrate Molly's birthday and New Years Eve.

I forgot to take pictures of that, but I do have an easy recipe to share.

Today I took Lucy and Rachel and some of there friends to the mall in the large city. 2 hour drive.

one way

And then we picked up some smaller friends and we are having a rip roaring girly sleepover.

I just took pictures of the girls eating. of the girls dipping food into the chocolate fountain.

of the Chinese food that Adrian cooked us.

But no cord.

I thought the cord was here, but when I tried to make everything work my children laughed at me.

How was I to know that the Nintendo DS cord doesn't work with the camera?

Apron yumminess

2008-12-30T22:02:00.003-06:00

I have done it again. A new amazing swap organized by Lucy and Shawnee!

Apron yumminess indeed!

If you hurry and sign up by midnight tonight you will be entered into a drawing for some adorable gift tags.

Hurry. or as we would say in Hong Kong fidiaaaaaaahhhhhhh.

I have no idea how to spell that last word. Phonetically it is fie-dee but in Cantonese they often add aaahhhh to the end of words.

So there is your added Chinese bonus. I bet you didn't even stop by for that. Next time I will have to teach you your address and then you will be able to tell the taxi drive to where to get you and to do it FAST.

Happy New Years!!

Oh, and yesterday was Molly's Birthday and tonight she is getting baptised. Yes, my baby is 8! We are having a rip roaring party after her baptism, so hopefully I will remember to take pictures and share them with you tomorrow.

Twice

2008-12-29T10:57:00.002-06:00

You really need to hear what happened yesterday. But first a will have to give you a little history of what we have been up to.

On the 26th we loaded up to go to Fall Creek Falls and stay in cabins with my in-laws and celebrate Christmas. It is only about 30 miles to Fall Creek Falls, but takes about an hour to get there because we have to climb a mountain and then spend time driving through the park.

We arrived and had a great time. Between Adrian and his sister Gretchen we have 10 kids ages 7 to 16. They had a blast.

Molly received a very special present from her cousins. A male Beta Fish.

Molly loves him and named him Lewis. Or maybe Louis. I haven't asked her (0:

So on the 28th we headed back down the mountain to come home and officially close out Christmas 2008.

We had moved Lewis/Louis out of his bowl and back into his plastic container with lid that he came home from the pet store to transport him home. The container looks like one of those that you might buy pimento cheese in at the deli. except that it has a hole in the top so your little fishy doesn't die. Molly was holding him on her lap.

We had been cruising along for about 30 minutes. The kids were watching the second half of Prince Caspian, as they had watched the first half on the way there.

And then:

BARF!!!

Molly threw up all over everything.

Including poor Lewis/Louis.

He is still alive, but really glad to be back in his bowl. With clean water.

The really freaky part of the story is that about a year ago we went up the mountain to Spencer to watch William play basketball and on the way home Molly threw up. At the very same spot. We have some friends that live along there and we pulled into their driveway both times to clean her up.

This is onefamily tradition that I hope we do NOT continue in the future!

Happy Birthday to Me

2008-12-28T22:19:00.004-06:00

Happy Birthday to Me

Happy Birthday Dear Cynthia

Happy Birthday to Me

37 years old today

Also.. head over to wish this blogger congratulations. She was smart enough to give birth to a baby today. In honor of me, no doubt!!

Welcome Joshua. (Unless they decided on a different name)

Facebook Quandary

2008-12-20T14:48:00.003-06:00

is that how you spell quandary? Anyway, I decided to type in the names of long lost friends in Facebook today. Some people I had not seen since I was 7.

30 years ago. wow

I found many of them. Or I found their brother or sister.

So I sent out some messages. And received many responses. It was neat. and overwhelming. and scary. and unsettling.

People make choices. Sometimes they are surprising. or shocking. or disappointing. or inspiring.

My friends are now Doctors. and Professors. they are grey headed. or bald. have grown beards. changed religions and ideologies.

Teenage crushes are now holding their babies in pictures.

I am not sure if sometimes memories are better than reality.

Ho Ho Huh?

2008-12-18T22:04:00.003-06:00

It is 10:00 PM and I am waiting for my pan of corn syrup and sugar to reach 238 degrees so I can make homemade marshmallows for tomorrow mornings parties.

Let the Holiday madness begin!!

Update~~~

It is now 10:29 and the beautiful fluffy white goodness is in a jellyroll pan hardening up.

If it is easy to cut in the morning this is definitely a keeper recipe. It was SO easy.

If you make them let me tell you what worried me,. and then you will be able to do it stress free.

When you pour the boiling, 238 degree sugar/corn syrup mixture into the mixer bowl you end up with a watery grey stuff. It is totally gross looking. I was afraid I had scalded it. I mean, marshmallows are a perfect white....

They turned perfect white about 9 minutes into the beating time. Once it quit sloshing around and I could turn the mixer up nice and high.

Oh, and yeas, it tastes heavenly. I can't wait to sample the finished product tomorrow. Ella and Molly will be taking them to school to float in their hot chocolate while they have a quick Polar Express party. Tomorrow is one of those silly 2 hour days, so they will really only be there an hour and then...

woo hoo 3 weeks of Christmas holidays!!

Adrian's Explanations and the REAL explanation

2008-12-14T18:05:00.002-06:00

My husband had two ideas of what happened to cause the wild rumpus. (name the book!) He told us these the next day because he promptly went back to bed once he saw that no children were injured.

Explanation 1:

When he first heard Molly start talking about blood (everywhere, as she put it) and Ella had gone into the bathroom he thought Ella was bleeding. He decided that the cat must have decided to play with Ella's hair while she was asleep and shredded her face.

Umm, what is she Cujo kitty? I can hardly picture her shredding Ella face. And even if she did, why was she running and spitting and hissing and the dog chasing her if she was simply playing with Ella's hair? Nope, interesting theory, but untrue. No children were harmed. At least not that night....

Explanation 2:

When he found out that Ella was okay and that Esme was just actually leaving bloody footprints he decided that Esme had cut her foot.

On some broken glass.

In her litter box.

While she was doing her business.

So she started growling and hissing and jumping around while still in the middle of going. So that explains the poop and pee on the floor and the blood. And then the dog just got excited because Esme was freaking out.

Sorry, but how did the broken glass get in the litter box???

Nice try Adrian but wrong again.

So he did not know what had happened. And none of you have figured out yet, either. Kittens are a good guess, but Esme is only about3-4 months old herself, so we still have a little time before she can have kittens.

I told Adrian that I was going to tell you all his theories and then tomorrow night tell you what actually happened, but he said that was mean, so I will tell you.

We have some barn cats. And we have French Doors in the basement. Every once in a while those doors blow open. And in comes a visitor. This night the door to the basement stairs was also slightly ajar, which is not so uncommon because Rachel has a bedroom down there.

Now Bandit loves little kitten Esme, but he also LOVES to chase the barn cats.

See what happened? Barn cat creeps upstairs. Bandit sees/smells/hears barn cat. chase ensues. Barn cat has crap scared out of him.

LITERALLY.

Barn cat escapes back downstairs before any of us can get ourselves out of bed to see what is up.

That is why sleepy Esme was rubbing up against Bandit instead of all puffed up and mad. She slept through the whole thing.

Do you think that cat will venture into the house again?

We really need to remind Rachel to check the deadbolt on that door before she goes to bed...
She will end up with a possum in her bed. Or a skunk. Ugh, could you imagine? I guess we are lucky it was just a cat!

AAHHH life in the country!

3:45 AM

2008-12-13T20:16:00.002-06:00

A few nights ago I was happily sleeping. I love to sleep. We got a new mattress this summer and it is heavenly. I could lay there all day. I f my husband was like a normal husband and left the house in the morning to catch the train to go to an office and work for some mega company, I might stay in it all day.

That would so rock.

Instead he stays home and works from the living room. By his own choice he gets up before the sun and goes and starts working. No one makes him. How self motivated is that?

I think he has a mental illness. Really. Who does that?

SO back to my happy sleeping. I was cozy, under 3 big blankets and the cutest blue sheets with brown flowers on them when there arose such a clatter that I had to spring from my bed to see what was the matter. teehee

Now, let me back this up, I never wake up. NEVER. Molly will get up at 4:00 in the morning and take a shower. the bathroom door is 3 inches form my open bedroom door. I never even know she was up until I find her asleep on the couch with wet hair at 5:50 when I get up.

But this clatter was loud enough to wake the dead. The dead and asleep in her comfy happy bed Cynthia.

It was a cat. Spitting. Meowing. Having a total, dare I say, hissy fit. This was accompanied by a dog. Barking, growling, running into furniture, walls. CHAOS.

I make it into the living room and Ella is already out there, standing next to the basement door crying. I try to figure out what is wrong. I assume that the kitten, Esme, has tormented the dog, Bandit, and he has finally decided to put her in her place. But while I was trying to comfort Ella, Esme walked sleepily out of Ella and Molly's room and rubbed up against Bandit.

Were these the animals that were tearing into each other 30 seconds earlier?

Then Molly starts freaking out. "Esme is bleeding!!!" I scoop Esme up and tell Rachel to go and get a towel. (Notice how many people have shown up by now, I told you it was loud.)

Upon further inspection, Esme is not bleeding, she has simply walked through a small pool of blood in the doorway of the girls room. Then we notice cat pee in a long line. And poop. Bits of cat poop in about a ten foot long trail.??????????????

What has happened? Molly figured it out right away.

Any guesses? I will tell the rest of the weird story tomorrow and tell you the two strange theories Adrian had.

Have I learned a new blog trick?

2008-12-12T21:19:00.003-06:00

http://www.box.net/shared/483f1kcd59

I wanted to add this as an audio clip that you just clicked and it played. Like a YouTube video.

I have failed. You click it and then have to click again. It isn't hard, just not perfect! I like perfect.

But it is a recording of the Free Beer and Hot Wings guys reading Adrian's story and making fun of him.

My husband is not shy

2008-12-12T10:55:00.004-06:00

and it does not bother him to have people laugh at him. Case in point:

Did you all enjoy his story of setting up a Christmas Tree?

He decided to send that story to the Free Beer and Hot Wings Show. It is a syndicated morning radio show out of Grand Rapids Michigan that plays on a local Nashville station that my husband listens too sometimes. (warning, they use questionable language, he has to turn them off a lot)

So this morning they read the story, verbatim.

And then dogged my husband. Hardcore

It was enough to make any wife proud.

I tried to upload the audio but I cannot figure out how. When I figure it out I will put it up here.

Homecoming Freak Out

2008-12-11T23:07:00.004-06:00

we have a wee bit of a Homecoming Drama at our house.

The school picks the dress the girls wear.

You guessed it. Plunging neckline and bare shoulders. SO NOT MODEST. (well, maybe it is appropriate for a party at HUGH HEFNER'S house!) Rachel is looking for nude colored leotards to wear under it. She is going to try to get them to consider going to a different website (like BeautifullyModest.com) but right now it is just making me worry and her feel frantic.

I think that it is moments like this that she needs to stand up and let people see who she is and what she believes.

AARRGHHHH, this is hard!

My husbands contribution to Xmas blogging

2008-12-11T17:46:00.000-06:00

Adrian is starting to blog. Kind of. He wrote this story out and sent it in an email to the kids, but I wanted to share it with everyone. He said it was okay. Feel free to laugh out loud at him!

I was listening to the radio this morning about the host's Christmas tree experience and it reminded me of a one of my stupid experiences from a few years ago.

I bought a live Christmas tree, brought it home and cut the bottom of the tree off, as you do. I drug it in across the floor to the corner where it was to stand. I did not think to cover the floor with plastic and thus had pine needles all over the carpet. For some reason, I decided to vacuum the needles up before standing the tree. With floor kind of cleaned, I began to stand the tree up when I realized that the tree was too tall. Cutting the top was not much of an option, but I could cut a bit more off the bottom, and that should work. I was not looking forward to the mess of needles again on the carpet and decided it would be less messy to cut the tree inside and just clean up the small amount of sawdust.

Here is where the stupidity starts. Most people would have used a hand saw of some sort, not me, I go out to the porch, retrieve my chainsaw, and bring it in the house. I must have flooded it when I cranked it because it started billowing blue smoke everywhere. The house is quickly filling with smoke, my eyes were burning, but at this point I am committed. It should only take a minute. I was almost finished when I realized that the chain is slinging oil and oily sawdust everywhere, ceilings, walls, carpet, everywhere. When I finished, the house was so full of smoke, we had to pack up the little kids (4 kids and the oldest was 3), open all the windows and doors and leave. 3 hours later, the smoke was gone but the smell and mess did not leave completely for days.

This is representative of most of our decorating experiences....

No list today!

2008-12-11T08:35:00.007-06:00

Yesterday I finished numbers 1,2,3,4,5, and part of 6.

Today I have to go to work, so as it is 8:35 I really need to start getting my tail in gear. But just so you know today I have already cleaned the top oven, folded a load of laundry, emptied and filled the dishwasher. And of course made breakfast, packed lunches drove kids to school, yada, yada,yada.

I am feeling sooo inspired by Lisa's idea of chocolate chip cookies. NOT. sorry Lisa, thanks for commenting. p.s. you need a blog!!!

But April had this idea and my family real likes those Andes mint thingies, so maybe I will try them this year.

Well, get your tail in gear and do it!

2008-12-10T08:20:00.004-06:00

Yesterday I was the picture of motivation. I would have given Snow White a run for her money in the housekeeping department even without the animals help. Because you know what?

ANIMALS DO NOT HELP WITH HOUSEKEEPING!

I'm sorry to burst your bubble. They shed, and get into trash cans and lay on the back of the couch and sleep.

Like that stinkin' kitten needs a nap more than me! If she would quit spending her mornings playing "I want to eat all the bare toes that walk anywhere in this house" she wouldn't be so tired. I'm just saying....

So I need to tackle the list, but I am no good with leftovers so I decided a new list would be more motivating.

1. shower. I forgot to put that one on yesterdays list.
2. vacuum up the ten million needles on the ground. AGAIN.
3. empty dishwasher and fill it back up.
4. go to Walmart and buy Goodnights. And more Christmas lights. and TP, milk, OJ,
5. FINISH all laundry
6. buy gifts for out of town nieces/nephews
7. decide what cookies to make
8. buy fabric for Grandma's present. This should be easy. She likes taupe. and taupe. and camel. and antelope. and dark camel. and sand. Those are all colors. I very much doubt she likes those animals.
9. make appt. at orthodontist. See Rachel, I will remember to do that someday soon!

Hey, that is pretty manageable. Here is where you guys have to help me. What kind of cookies should I make? Now do not be shy, leave a comment and tell me your favorite kind!

Homecoming Queen?/I really accomplished a lot today

2008-12-09T21:08:00.004-06:00

The list has been whittled down significantly. I completed:

1. mail package that I was supposed to mail like a week ago.

2. vacuum ceiling fans

3. go to nice vets office and buy flea medicine for Esme. Those of you in northern and western climates probably think I am kidding.I wish I was kidding.
Fleas. 12 months solid.

4. Decorate our house like a Christmas wonderland. Let me make a comment here. I totally outdid myself this year. My family room looks like a Christmas wonderland. Things are swagged and hung and setting and just so decorated. I never thought I had it in me.

5. iron all 743 of Adrian's shirts (it is times like these that I LOVE Netflix. Miss Marple and I will iron tomorrow.) I included this as complete because I ironed enough shirts that he has one to wear tomorrow. And the next day. I know 2 isn't very impressive but man it kills my neck to iron. I may do another couple before I go to bed. Maybe

6. wash two complete sets of Molly's linens from her bed. Including comforters. including mattress pads. Can anyone guess the problem? I washed about 6 loads and have one in right now. I only have one blanket left and maybe one load of clothes but they are random colors so I will have to wait until tomorrow to make full loads.

15. clean and cook. I washed and put away 3 loads of dishes today. but truth be known I did not cook anything. Adrian cooked his own lunch and we ate dinner out.

Now I just need to finish numbers 7 thru 14 tomorrow.

~~~And now for some really exciting news~~~

Rachel has been voted onto the Homecoming Court at school. She and the other freshman girl have to have matching dresses. They go pick them Monday.

Pretty cool, huh!!

The same thing every year

2008-12-08T21:58:00.003-06:00

Really, it is. Even though the tree has new lights this year. (Yes, we put it up tonight. All it has is lights so far. Or is that all it has are lights so far? hmm) A million things to do and so I am going to make all of you make me do the junk that needs done.

Are you ready for tomorrows list? Me either. Or is it me neither?

1. mail package that I was supposed to mail like a week ago.
2. vacuum ceiling fans
3. go to nice vets office and buy flea medicine for Esme. Those of you in northern and western climates probably think I am kidding.

I wish I was kidding. Fleas. 12 months solid.

4. decorate house and turn it into a total Christmas wonderland for my kids.
or maybe hang one wreath. We will have to see about this one.
5. iron all 743 of Adrian's shirts (it is times like these that I LOVE Netflix. Miss Marple and I will iron tomorrow.)
6. wash two complete sets of Molly's linens from her bed. Including comforters. including mattress pads. Can anyone guess the problem?
7. bake 15 different kinds of cookies.
8. choose fabric and sew my mothers Christmas present.
9. sew the special secret thing I am making for Ella and Molly. I would tell you, but they read this blog without fail, so I am not gonna ruin the surprise.
10. take pictures of and post about the apron I got from my Sassy Apron swap partner. It is blue and brown and I love it!
11. take a nap.
12. delouse chickens. oops, wait a minute, that is something that would be on Martha Stewart's to do list. NOT on mine. Mine might say, run over chickens.
13. figure out what to get my niece and two of my nephews. And then send it to them. Along with a selection of the 15 different cookies I baked earlier in the day.
14. finish remodelling the basement
15. clean and cook
16. wrap presents

well, that is just what I can think of tonight. I will add to it tomorrow.

So what are the odds I will finish it all tomorrow?

Edit~~ It is 6:55 am. I have packed lunches. Made breakfast. Fussed at William for not getting up. Been informed that I have a third set of linens to wash. And I forgot to mention the electric blanket, too. Oh, and Rachel called and said that she forgot her music book, so I will have to drop that off before school ends so William can drop her at piano.

Gladys, I have let you down by not finishing before 6:00 am, I know, but I am plugging along. I will update in a few hours.

Could someone please tell me how to do a strike through? How else will I know what I have finished on my to do list?

way cool professor

2008-12-07T13:05:00.000-06:00

Homework and Missionary Work Come Together on Student Blogs

Ashley Evanson 12/02/2008 02:59 PM MST

Blogging is more than just posting family pictures, dishing on your favorite things, or a soapbox for you to stand on and spill your heart out. In the eyes of one BYU professor, blogging is how he and students share the gospel worldwide.

For his religion class this semester, Richard Holzapfel changed his usual scripture log assignment to an online blogging assignment where students write their thoughts and feelings on gospel subjects.

“I read Elder Ballard’s call for members of the Church to engage in the online dialogue about the Church this past summer [Ensign, July 2008],” Holzapfel said. He soon thereafter heard a returned missionary expressing disappointment in no longer being able to continue his mission work. “It hit me. We can continue doing missionary work in Provo and at BYU because ‘The world is our campus,’ and the world is alive online.”

In Elder Ballard’s Ensign talk, he wrote, “The emergence of new media is facilitating a worldwide conversation on almost every subject, including religion, and nearly everyone can participate.”
Holzapfel asked his religion classes to create a blog for the sole purpose of Gospel discussion. “I asked them to be ‘real,’” he said.

He explained the impact he and students can have by comparing the situation to cars. People aren’t always convinced by a car commercial, but if their friend has a new car and likes it, they might be more willing to buy one because of the non-authoritative recommendation. “The Church Web site is important,” he said. “However, people will more likely listen to real, flesh and blood members than the official Web site.”

Ryan Howard from State College, Pa., is one of professor Holzapfel’s students. He told BYU’s newspaper the Daily Universe that he was hesitant about the assignment at first.
“After we discussed it a little in class, I realized that blogging can actually be a pretty effective way to get ideas and opinions out there, and in the context of this assignment, increase the amount of pro-Mormon material on the Web,” he said.

Holzapfel said he and students have already seen positive results, engaging in conversations about the gospel with people all over the world.

To read Holzapfel’s blog, go to rsc.byu.edu/blog. For a full list of his students’ blogs, e-mail ashleyk@ldsliving.com with the word “blog” in the subject line.
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Topher tells a funny

2008-12-06T13:00:00.000-06:00

So I was out blogging around (oh hush, you know you do it too) and came across this.

And I really wanted the rest of you to read it. And laugh.

Advent Conspiracy

2008-12-04T11:47:00.000-06:00

This is from April.

I love it. Go and visit her and see how great she is.

Other Peoples Christmas Decorations

2008-12-04T09:00:00.000-06:00

Here is my third installment of other peoples Christmas junk:

This is my favorite so far. I think I will be making one of these. Someday. Like 2013. Maybe.

Head over to Green Jello and look at her fab Advent wall hangy thingy

Dinner

2008-12-03T11:35:00.003-06:00

This is from today's Serious Eats Newsletter. I am in LOVE. I want to eat this 3 meals a day for the next week. Really.

Can you believe this kind of lusciousness greets me in my Inbox? I am one lucky girl...

Bubble and Squeak
- serves 4 -
Adapted from April Bloomfield of The Spotted Pig.
Ingredients
1 pound green or Savoy cabbage, thinly sliced/shredded

1 medium onion, thinly sliced

6 tablespoons butter
1 to 1 1/2 pounds leftover mashed potatoes, or 1 pound potatoes, boiled and mashed
Salt and pepper, to taste
Procedure
1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. In large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat and add the onions with a good pinch of salt. Cook, stirring, until soft, then add the cabbage. Cook for an additional 15 minutes until the cabbage is tender.
2. In a large bowl, combine the mashed potatoes with the cabbage mixture, stirring thoroughly to combine. Adjust the seasoning, then mold into 4 patties.
3. Heat the remaining butter in the same skillet and fry the patties until brown. Transfer to an oven-proof dish and heat through in the oven as the patties come off the skillet. Multiple skillets can be used to expedite things.
4. When all the patties are in the oven, fry 4 eggs in butter. Serve with freshly cracked black pepper.

Witty Wednesday/Christmas Stuff

2008-12-03T07:17:00.001-06:00

Sent to me by my SIL Jennifer:

LOST IN THE DARNDEST PLACES:

An elderly Floridian called 911 on her cell phone to report that her car has been broken into.

She is hysterical as she explains her situation to the dispatcher: 'They've stolen the stereo, the steering wheel, the brake pedal and even the accelerator!' she cried.

The dispatcher said, 'Stay calm. An officer is on the way.'

A few minutes later, the officer radios in. 'Disregard.' He says. 'She got in the back-seat by mistake.'

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On a completely different note, here is part 2 of

Pictures of Other peoples Christmas Decorations

(Is that what I even called it last time?)

Jan Mary is posting pictures of her decorations. One post for each day of December. She is a digital scrap booker, so if you are needed some digital scrap booking help, just pop on over.

To her blog. You could go to her house, but she lives in Ireland. Yes, she is a leprechaun.

Just kidding. I hope that isn't an ugly thing to say in Ireland. When I lived in Hong Kong people there used to think I came from a family of gangsters because I had lived in Chicago. I was never offended, just mildly amused. So please Jan Mary, just be mildly amused at my lame attempt at humor.

Okay, now that I have offended everyone of Irish descent. HOLD ON. I am of Irish descent.

Just go and look at her Christmas pics!!

my favorite price: FREE

2008-12-02T08:40:00.002-06:00

Another for my LDS friends. And really they have lots of stuff any Christian family would want....

FREE SHIPPING today only at Deseret Book (December 2)

The only catch is that you have to spend $50. But I always spend $50, so it is not much of a catch for me. ha ha

enter the code Free50 and you are set!

Now hurry and finish your Christmas shopping with out leaving your house. That is the way I do it and I know you all want to be just like me.

No autographs, please

2008-12-01T12:24:00.003-06:00

Oh my gosh oh my gosh oh my gosh!!!!!!!

I noticed that someone had linked to me from a page I had never heard of.

My blog is mentioned on MormonTimes.com

I am a freaking Mormon celebrity.

okay, she doesn't actually mention me personally but she has a link to my post about the apostle song. I can't even remember where I found that now.

Oh my gosh. Have I mentioned that yet?

SO I can't even think straight now. But I wanted to let you all know that in my perfect organization I have my advent countdown box thingy ready and filled up until Christmas. First year ever! Usually I am scrounging 10 minutes before it is time for one of the kids to open it.

And it is snowing. Can you believe it? It is 37 degrees out though, so it is just muddy on the ground.

So I feel the need to be really witty and useful so these new visitors will like me.

That is really lame to even think!

What I really need to do are get the pictures from William's Eagle Court of Honor on here. And figure out what to get my mother for Christmas. And what to get Lucy for Christmas.

Help, please.

Pictures of other peoples decorations

2008-12-01T07:45:00.001-06:00

As you all start posting pictures of your Christmas trees and decorations I have decided to live vicariously through you.

Because I am not a decorator. I would even be unable to play one on TV. I just can't seem to motivate. But I can bake. See, I do have Christmas skills, but they are consumable skills. Anyway, I am starting a new , ummm, thingy here at Dahhhling I love You.

PICTURES OF OTHER PEOPLES DECORATIONS

Great idea, right? Cause I won't have pictures of my own decorations. We will have to put up a tree because my parents are coming. Sooo, I need to be sure and have that up by December 23, in the afternoon.

You will be happy to know that I purchased some new lights for the tree because we discovered at Halloween that ALL of ours were dead. If that seems like a weird thing to discover at Halloween, let me explain. I went to Trunk or Treat at Church. AND I decorated my area.

I know, good job Cynthia. I wanted to use our lights to light up the 3 carved Pumpkins that we had. I cut holes in the back and stuffed the lights in since we have a no candle rule in the church building.

Our tree lights were all dead, as I said, so I used the dangly outside lights that we haven't hung up in ten years. They worked fine.

So, without further ado here is a link to my friend Lisagh at Grograin Garage. I can give you a commentary on what you will see at Lisagh's:

Preppy pink and green stuff.
monogrammed stuff
these banana shoe things that she really likes (they go between your toes and seam to cost more that $30, so I am out)
Canada
key fobs
naughty kitties
an AWOL sock monkey

I LOVE her blog. I always have fun reading it. I think it is the blogs of people with totally different lives than the ones we live that are the funnest to read, don't you guys think so too? Is that are really ridiculous run-on?

She has a problem that worries me, too. curious kitties.

Will I have an installment of "How Esme destroyed the Christmas Tree?"

Man I hope not. Adrian has been threatening her with a trim of her whiskers whenever she is naughty. He is just trying to tease the girls and me.

I think.

Oh, here is the LINK

First Presidency Song. It's a catchy little diddy

2008-11-30T17:53:00.003-06:00

For those of you interested in learning more about the First Presidency:

If you have not planned FHE yet, this should take care of it for you!!

Selfish Thankful Lists

2008-11-27T15:40:00.003-06:00

I had a special FHE last night and assigned the kids to come up with a list of things they were thankful for. I told them that I know they are all good kids and that they would obviously put things like, Heavenly Father, the Plan of Salvation, the Scriptures, etc, etc, on their list. I told them to skip those and make a selfish list. A list that spoke about their personality.

Adrian and I were also supposed to do this. We didn't get our list done. Adrian picked up his place card and pretended to read off of it. I got so tickled that I could not stop laughing.

C.O.U.L.D. N.O.T. S.T.O.P.!!!!!!

It was pitiful. Then the kids started to ask him why this or that wasn't on his list and he would say stuff like," well that is number 6, do you want me to skip ahead? " This got me so tickled that my cheeks actually started to hurt. Laughing injuries!

So I made the kids give me their lists so I could print them. Molly lost hers while sitting at the table.

Yeah, don't ask....

William

Phone
Car
Bacon
Microsoft
Vacation days from school

Lucy

Band
computer
friends
chocolate milk
indoor plumbing
blankets
heating & air conditioning
chocolate milk(she didn't realize she had put this on the list twice!)
money

Rachel

Shopping
(money)
(malls)
the color pink
turtles
books
EFY (Especially for Youth)
John Bytheway
computers
memory foam mattress pad
sleepovers
(friends)
clothes

Harrison

toilet paper
my shower
my DVD player and DVDs
Movie editing websites
books
church and God
IPODs
Swords

Ella

Bandit
music and songs
books
pastel colours
crafts
McDonald's
electric blankets
Family Home Evening
sports
Mrs. Lambert
Esme (our cat, not the vampire)

maybe I will find Molly's later.

oh, the weather outside is mild :o(

2008-11-27T13:32:00.002-06:00

It is 60 degrees out today! I have the windows open.

I am ready to look out the window and see this. We have had so many winters without snow. I miss living in the great white north!

In case you are curious we have cooked, eaten and cleaned up Thanksgiving.

Oh, and we are NOT putting up our Christmas tree any time soon!!!