Amorris

Key Lime Pie

2017-03-29T14:16:00.002-07:00

14 ounces sweetened condensed milk (one can)
1 cup non-dairy whipped topping
1/2 cup key lime juice
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
2 tablespoons brown sugar
pinch of salt
1/4 cup melted butter

Key Lime Pie How To Video
Using a wire whisk, combine condensed milk and non-dairy whipped topping. Slowly add in the juice, mixing while you add it in. The juice will cause a chemical reaction to take place and the mixture will thicken. You want to whip it to a thick consistency but not over mix, because that will break the chemical reaction. Place the mixture in the fridge while you prep the crust.

For the crust, combine graham cracker crumbs, brown sugar, and pinch of salt. Pour in the melted butter until the mixture is nice and firm and pat it down into an ungreased glass pie dish. Bake in the oven at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 minutes. Let it cool for an hour.

Pour the Key Lime mixture into the Pie and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Hello...It's Me

2016-11-05T16:10:00.000-07:00

It's been three years! THREE years. So many good things have happened and sadly, there's been loss as well. I'll be updating my blog with progress reports on our near-the-lake-house renovation, our adventures and growing family, and life in general. Stay tuned.

2013-11-08T21:58:00.002-08:00

Blog, Interrupted.

- house move in progress -

Back soon

My Stress Free Sleepover Under The Stars

2013-07-12T20:28:00.000-07:00

I went to Girl's Camp (again!) but not as a director, I was a visitor. I stayed for the last night and camped under the stars on the grassy knoll. It was a slumber party reunion with the girls, leaders and the new camp directors. It was so FUN and the best part was that I was RELAXED and enjoyed every bit of it.

At sunrise on Saturday morning, I took this picture and thought about the events of last year's camp and how this "Sleepover under the Stars" tradition came to be. The story goes like this:

For the past three years (2010-2012) I was a camp director for these young women. It was a huge responsibility and it took an enormous amount of time for me and my assistant directors to plan. Our efforts paid off and we had a blast all three years although the real ~~anxiety~~ excitement happened during our last year as directors for Girl's Camp 2012.

During the week before camp, I was informed that bears were frequenting the area but were more pesky than they were problematic. We were camping at the edge of a national forest and it was wild berry season after all. As a director it was my responsibility to make sure the 40 staff members were aware of the situation, that all of the candy, food and hygiene items from each campsite were to be stored in bear box containers at one central location. It was not easy but we did it without unnecessary alarm and without frightening the girls. That, my friends, was no easy task!

From day one of camp we experienced some minor problems. The bears got into the trash enclosures and then started visiting the pavilion in the middle of the night trying to open the commercial refrigerators. I reported the problems to the offsite camp operator and the Department of Fish and Game sent a trapper and dogs to keep the bears away, not only because we are youth camp but also because we had special needs girls that had unpredictable behavior.


I took this photo in the middle of the night with a flash - I wondered if the bears found me would they eat my toes first?

The bears continued to come back to camp each night and on Thursday night one bear successfully broke open a locked commercial refrigerator eating the food and stealing a bag of insulin that was needed for several campers. As the summer heat escalated, the dogs were at risk of heat exhaustion and could only be used in emergency situations. A bear trap was brought in but those pesky bears knew how to evade it.

On Friday night the tracker noticed that one bear exhibited escalating behaviors and for the safety of everyone in camp, we slept on the grass knoll, gathered together as closely as possible with staff around the outside perimeter. We called it a "Sleepover under the Stars". The dogs were sent out that night and during the wee hours of Saturday morning the bear was trapped just 30 feet from our dining area. It was a night full of anxiety and I did not sleep. My assistants and the staff managed to keep the girls occupied and safe. It was such a fun night (for them - not me!) and they requested it become an annual tradition.

So this year I went back to Girls Camp 2013 as a visitor and I slept under the stars with a bunch of girls and it was awesomely STRESS FREE (for me). And there were no bears in sight. The end.

Independence Day!

2013-07-04T00:01:00.000-07:00

Let freedom ring!

Plans for today are much like every year

except this year is the HOTTEST July on record in Sacramento!!

Crazy temps close to 110 degrees

The weather will largely determine how much we actually do today:

----------

8am Pancake breakfast with friends

10am Parade
12pm - La Fiesta for lunch

1:30pm Movie - ~~The Lone Ranger~~ The minion movie - can't remember the name

4pm ~~BBQ with family~~ Games - too full to eat

9pm Fireworks extravaganza!!

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Happy Independence Day 2013

What I'm reading this week

2013-07-03T18:18:00.001-07:00

Friends recommended all three of the books I'm reading this week.

I'm enjoying each of them immensely which surprised me.

I'll rate and review them when I'm finished and so far, so good.

Really good.

A little Bee love

2013-07-02T20:38:00.001-07:00

I don't have a summer vegetable garden this year to play around in

mainly because I was too busy with end of the school year stuff with my kids.

You get it, right?

Kids = busy!

I do have a flower garden though and I love it.

It's thriving and growing wild and the bees are busy pollinating everything they can get to.

4th of July No Bake Watermelon Cake

2013-06-29T20:00:00.001-07:00

I will definitely be making the No Bake Watermelon Cake for 4th of July this year.

Check out Mandy's blog for the how to.

Twinkie Layer Cake

2013-06-26T17:39:00.000-07:00

My husband L♥VES Twinkies. L♥VES them. When I saw the Twinkie Layer Cake from Confessions of a Cookbook Queen on Pinterest today I KNEW I would be making it for him very soon. Holy cow.

Talk about twinkie overload.

Twinkie Layer Cake

Twinkie Layer Cake

Ingredients

Cake:
1 box yellow cake mix (I used Duncan Hines)
5.1 oz box instant vanilla pudding (the large box)
1 cup water
1 stick salted butter, melted and cooled slightly
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
Filling/Frosting:
1 stick salted butter, slightly softened
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 tsp vanilla
7 oz jar marshmallow creme
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350. Butter and flour 2 (8 inch) round cake pans and set aside.
In the bowl of your mixer, combine eggs and butter. Add water, pudding mix, and cake mix and beat on medium for about a minute, until batter is smooth and thick. Spread evenly in prepared pans and bake for about 20 -25 mins or until tops spring back when lightly touched, or a toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean.
Cool cakes for a few minutes in the pans, then turn out on to wire racks to finish cooling.
For frosting/filling: Beat butter and vanilla in your mixer until combined. Add marshmallow cream and beat until smooth. Slowly add powdered sugar until just combined. Add heavy cream, Increase speed to high, and beat for one minute, until light, smooth and fluffy. Spread on cake layers and serve.

Notes

Cake batter portion of recipe adapted from Allrecipes.com

June 2013 Book Recommendations

2013-06-24T13:37:00.001-07:00

This is my summer of reading. I L♥VE books and this month I'm devouring as many as I can get my hands on. This past week I've read the three shown above.

The Glass Castle - 4 stars

A courageous and true to life memoir of Jeannette Walls. I found the book both enlightening and disturbing and at times extremely painful to read. I knew a family like this years ago and I tried to help them but in my limited experience I realized that adults with mental illness and addiction problems that are not willing to help themselves, can't be helped, and unfortunately their children suffer immeasurably. It's a story of perseverance and unlikely love I highly recommend this book to everyone.

Secret Daughter - 4.5 stars

! I chose this book for our July Book Club and I'm glad I did. I Loved this book! It is a deeply touching fictional story of two mothers, Somer - a San Francisco physician who is unable to have children, and Kavita - a poor mother from India who makes the heartbreaking choice to save her daughter by giving her away to the orphanage, and how their lives are tied together by their daughter, Asha. "Compulsively readable and deeply touching, Secret Daughter is a story of the unforeseen ways in which our choices and families affect our lives, and the indelible power of love in all its many forms"

Half Broke Horses - 3.5 stars

I recommend you read this book before you read The Glass Castle. Jeanette Walls wrote this "true novel" about her maternal grandmother Lily Casey Smith. It's an entertaining read and clearly Jeannette Walls inherited her best traits from her grandmother.

Farmer's Market Finds

2013-06-22T14:53:00.000-07:00

My local Farmer's Market has the best selection of fruits, vegetables and flowers. This morning I purchased two Black-eyed Susan plants for my garden, 3 pints of strawberries for jam, 5lbs of peaches for peach pie, 10 corn on the cob for tonight's BBQ, and a bunch of freshly picked dahlias for my table. I brought my huge Costco bag to carry everything in but the vendors still handed me my items in plastic bags. What's up with that?

Road Trip 2013 - BYU, PROVO, OC

2013-06-19T16:47:00.000-07:00

Every Summer has a Story ♥

My summer began with a 2 week road trip. A combined 1800 miles and 24 hours of driving resulted in an amazing time with my two youngest kids I captured a few highlights from our trip on my iphone.

Anthropologie L♥ve

2013-06-05T21:42:00.001-07:00

L♥ve these latte bowls from anthropologie. I need a set or two pronto!

A Mothers Reflection - flashback to 2007

2013-06-01T16:19:00.003-07:00

I look at this picture and I think about how much has changed in the past 6 years.

A new marriage for Jeff and I, a new home in Northern California, new schools, new friends, new church ward. A new start for us all.

I think about the challenges. The friends and family left behind in Southern California, missing our old home, the heartaches, disappointments, and challenges of starting over.

But then,my mind is flooded.

I think about the triumphs. The victories. The joys.

We have so much to be thankful for. Our new extended family, middle school and high school graduations, Scout rank advancements, young women personal progress achievements, my daughters' marriages, our new son-in-laws.

A new start for us all.

And my heart swells with gratitude!

It dawns on me that my babies are growing up!

And I realize that it's okay to feel happy...and a little sad too.

All at the same time.

Les Miserables with High Schoolers

2013-05-31T15:39:00.000-07:00

The 10th grade class at John Adams Academy read the unabridged version of Les Miserables by Victor Hugo this year. They performed theatrical readings, acted out the chapters and went as friends to see the movie when it was released in November.

This past week Jeff and I went as chaperones with the high schoolers to see the 25th Anniversary of Les Miserables at the Sacramento Community Theater. There were 60 in our group and I'm proud to say that not only did they do a great job representing their school, they made us (as parents) proud as well. They were well groomed, dressed modestly and acted appropriately during the entire production. What a pleasure for us!

Here's a little preview of the production we saw...

And here is where all of the action took place...

Tickets!!

While waiting for our car the actor who portrayed Jean Valjean came around the corner and was met enthusiastically by our group of Scholars - he signed programs and stood for photos - Awesome!

And then....the actor who portrayed Marius came jogging by and he also stopped for autographs and photos. The girls were over the top thrilled to see him in his running gear :)

The Chaperones. Woot!

This was a great way to wrap up the school year and a really fun way to spend time with high schoolers (especially our own!)

My Boy Scout

2013-05-29T18:29:00.000-07:00

Last night was our Scout Troop's Court of Honor. Alex made a lot of progress towards his Eagle Scout by earning the Scout rank of Life along with five Eagle required merit badges. YES! He has worked hard to earn those merit badges and is on his way to earning his Eagle Scout. I'm really proud of the progress he has made and especially proud that he was also awarded the On My Honor Award. The On My Honor Award is the Latter-day Saint religious award for Boy Scouts.

To earn the On My Honor Award, young men must (1) complete the requirements for the Duty to God certificate for deacons (or for another Duty to God certificate) and (2) achieve the Scout rank of Star in the United States, or equivalent Scouting award in other countries.

Alex liked the idea of having his Eagle required badges (edged in white) sewn down the middle of his sash. So that's what I did.

At the Court of Honor, Alex got a little excited after his awards and did a dance in front of everyone. That son of mine! He cracks me up with his humor. As I'm typing this I noticed that he changed out his kerchief tie with a shotgun case. Guns are his passion.

All of his extra camp badges and awards are sewn on to the back of his sash. It's a pretty cool to see all that he has done in the past 4 years right there on his sash.

T

Of course I have to show off my Cub Scout and Boy Scout pins that Alex earned along with his rank advancements - I call it my Mom Pin Brag Necklace - It's a special moment when your scout gives you a pin to reflect your hard work along with theirs ♥

Our small troop. They are small in numbers but giants in Scouting.

And just for fun...how about a flashback 5 years ago to age 11 and Alex's first Scout camp out

- awe! So cute. Time is just flying by.

Oh Yes he did!

2013-05-17T19:02:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday to my adventure loving husband!

I can't believe I got you this gift

but I knew you would LOVE to be 13,900 feet above the ground jumping out of an airplane on your 56th birthday

Happy Mother's Day

2013-05-12T21:13:00.000-07:00

Teacher Appreciation - Thanks a Bundt'ch

2013-05-09T15:39:00.003-07:00

It's Teacher Appreciation Week at my favorite school and I had the opportunity to make 50 bundtlets for our teachers to enjoy. Oh my gosh, I love these! I've made them before for the ladies at my church on Mother's Day and seriously, it doesn't take that long to make them.

I scoured Pinterest for a printable and thanks to the girls over at eighteen25 I found exactly what I wanted to use (see end of post for link)

I decided to use my favorite Lemon and Chocolate cake recipes to make the bundlets - 25 of each. I used a citrus glaze for the Lemon bundlets...

and chocolate ganache...

along with a sugar glaze for the chocolate bundtlets.

Here they are packaged up and ready for delivery to our fabulous teachers. Another mom from school printed the tags so it was less time consuming for me to assemble and package together.

Happy Teacher Appreciation Week!

My inspiration:

Thanks a Bundt'ch printable

Wedding Bliss

2013-04-29T20:52:00.000-07:00

Alyssa and Ryan's Wedding Video

Alyssa and Ryan's Wedding

2013-04-29T15:51:00.000-07:00

The wedding was beautiful and stunning. I'm one tired momma, so this is all you get for now.

More to follow :)

Alyssa and Ryan

For Time and All Eternity

Mani's and Pedi's for the Bride to Be!

2013-04-25T17:03:00.000-07:00

Of course I had to get in on the action also. I love a good spa pedicure and especially when my toes are painted OPI's Cajun Shrimp. My fav.

DIY Wedding Pennants

2013-04-24T15:33:00.000-07:00

Alyssa and Ryan's Wedding is in 3 days - 3 days!

Have you seen these pennant banners for weddings? They are adorable but it seems like I've been working on making these pennant flags 4-EVER!!

It really doesn't take that much time to make them but because they are made out of tissue paper and are so light, it just doesn't seem like we have that many to decorate with. So I keep making more and more.

I found the instructions on Pinterest - Go to the link below for a great tutorial

Wedding Banner: How to

Wedding Shower for The Bride to Be

2013-04-20T17:17:00.000-07:00

Chocolate Ganache

2013-04-20T11:24:00.001-07:00

Chocolate Ganache
Enough to cover 3 tier 8" or 9" cake

2 cups semi sweet chocolate pieces
1-1/2 cups heavy cream

Bring cream to a simmer over med-hi heat. Place chocolate in a glass bowl. Remove cream from heat and pour over chocolate pieces. Stir until chocolate is fully melted. Let sit for 10-15 minutes until chocolate has cooled. Pour over cake and refrigerate until ready to eat.