Ladybugs' Spot

Resolved: 1200 Miles in 2012!

2012-01-02T20:30:00.003-07:00

Truth be told, running is not my favorite. I would rather hike, bike, blade, walk, dance, skip or play ANY sport ALL day long over running a few miles. So, why have I set the goal of 1200 miles in 2012?

That's a really good question. I keep asking myself the same thing. And I can only conclude that I might, in fact, be just a little bit crazy. But maybe not.....

Several years ago when my life was at an all time low and my stress level was sooooo high I thought my little heart might actually explode...... I jumped on my treadmill and started to walk. A LOT!!! Then faster and faster until I had to run to get my heart rate up up high enough to burn off some of that anxious load I was carrying, in every aspect of my life. So, it became a challenge. A little competitive game I played with myself to see each day if I could go faster, longer, steeper inclines, etc. Crazy to think about how many miles I logged during that time, but I'm pretty sure it kept me sane.

Well, I figured the next challenge was to try running outside, because all of my runner friends do races and it seems like fun, or so I think, and that stuff sort-of necessitates actually getting OFF the treadmill. K, running outside on actual pavement is a lot harder and let's just say it was a really good thing that I LOVE sunshine so much and it gave me time to work on my tan, have a few thoughts to myself and listen to some loud music, because otherwise, I never would have stuck with it. Except for that stupid challenge part......

Because it was hard and because I didn't really love it, that somehow only motivated me to keep going. Weird, I know. But it was those silly little challenges to run farther, faster, longer, etc. that kept sucking me in. And when I found myself going on longer runs and flying down hills and not hating it, but sorta enjoying it too, that was nice.

K, this is turning out to be a really long explanation for this goal, but I am getting to the point. I promise.

Towards the end of last year, I found myself in a bit of a slump after an injury. Needing something to motivate me to push myself a little harder, I asked a friend what his current running goal was. You can read more about his own challenge here, but the nutshell version is he was going to run 100 miles between Thanksgiving and New Year's Eve. Which he did. And something about that nutty goal of his stuck with me enough that I'm going to do 100 miles a month for a total of 1200 in 2012. Because, yes, I am just crazy enough and because it will push me, and that's a great thing for a goal to do! I also really like that it's something tangible, easy to keep track of and fit in around my schedule, whatever that may me, and it will keep me going all year. I'm sure I'll create all sorts of mini-challenges to go with that along the way, but I'm ready to run with it.....and it helps that my new running kicks are not the ugliest shoes in the world, since I have yet to figure out a way to do this in heels! ;-)

Project 365

2011-12-31T08:10:00.002-07:00

Looking for something great to do with your new year?

Enter Project 365......
A photo a day every day of the year!!!

I did this faithfully in 2010 and it was one of the funnest, most memorable things we've done and I'm sooo excited to be doing it again! Now, I'm spazzy about taking pictures to begin with, and take my camera pretty much everywhere, but the challenge of finding something each day to capture led us to document some really random things. Like water suddenly pouring down form our ceiling. My daughter's crushed face when her hermit crab died. Me trying to blow a bubble after an emergency root canal. You get the idea.

Along with all of the big moments and the usual things we take pictures of, we had all sorts of funny, random pictures thrown in and it made for a fantastic compilation of our year! We kept track of them on our computer and I posted them in an album on Facebook before compiling them all into a book. You can blog it, scrapbook it, make a dvd, whatever. Just have them available to look at and enjoy. My kids loved it as much as I did and often tried to look for things about their day worth photographing. Seriously great stuff!!!

I love the promise of a new year and am excited to see what story our pictures for 2012 will tell......

Happy New Year!!!

On the Night Before Christmas.....

2011-12-24T23:34:00.003-07:00

Christmas Eve is one of my favorite nights of the year!!! We spend it at home, usually wearing matching pajama pants I've sewn up for all of us (this year they were monkeys!) and enjoy a candle-lit dinner of ham and cheesy potatoes. Simple, but yummy. Love the way my centerpiece turned out this year! I wanted to do something different, so we cut some branches off our pine tree and stuck them in a wooden box with these giant candy canes I found at Costco. Also love our very eclectic and colorful set of Christmas dishes. Makes it easy to add a few new plates to mix and match when you don't have a full set.

While I'm making the final dinner preparations, Buddy the Elf comes to visit and leaves the kids a little present on the door step. Very exciting! We enjoy our dinner together and the kids exchange their gifts to each other. This year they bought them with their own money and it was sweet to see how thoughtful they were.

We always read the story of Christ's birth from the Bible. As we get to the part about the wise men, I present each child with a red, green and a gold gift. Myrrh was a cleaning agent and so the corresponding green gift represents something that is needful, which, means my kiddos usually get new underwear or socks. The red gift represents frankincense, which, like a fragrant oil, is something good for their spirit, or soul, and is usually art supplies, music or a good book. The gold gift is something that's just frivolous and fun, such as a little blingy jewelry, perfume, a treat or a fun toy. The kids get so excited about these little gifts, but it also leads to some great discussions about the meaning of Christmas.

When I was a child, my Dad always read us"Twas the Night Before Christmas" before bed, so we always finish our evening with a darling pop-up version he gave us several years ago. The kids leave a note and some cookies for Santa, along with carrots for each of the reindeer, and hopefully settle down for a good night's sleep.....

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

Elf Night

2011-12-22T22:21:00.052-07:00

K, this was one of those things I threw together one year thinking it would be funny, and never imagined it would become one of the kids' favorite traditions. But it did. And they look forward to this every year.....
We love all of our Christmas movies, but I'm pretty sure Elf is our favorite! So, on Elf night I cook up a big ol' pot of spaghetti, dish it up for the kids and let them top it with m&m's, colored marshmallows, pop tarts, chocolate sauce and, of course..... Syrup!!!

Yes, it's gross. And gets worse when they mix it up with their hands "Buddy style" and actually eat it!!!

..... and wash it down with their own mini-bottles of Coke!!! Followed by a belching contest, which, btw, I have never won. It's hilarious and lots of fun! Because "(we) just like smiling! Smiling's our favorite!"

Of course, they can't eat very much of this stuff before they feel a little sick, so I'm on stand-by to serve them a real spaghetti dinner complete with garlic bread and some of that green salady stuff.

Then we all watch the movie..... and snuggle!!!

MY favorite part! =)

Feeling Cheesy?

2011-12-21T07:30:00.004-07:00

My kids absolutely love all of the sweet treats and cute things our friends and neighbors drop by this time of year. It's like sugar heaven! Which is why we started this little tradition several years ago..... cheese balls and crackers. Feeling a little too sugared out one year and looking for something non-sweet to make for our friends, I found this recipe in the Lion House Christmas Recipe cookbook and we've been making them ever since.....

Festive Cheese Ball
2 8 oz. packages cream cheese (Tip: buy the Philadelphia stuff and not a generic. Much better result!)
2 cups finely grated sharp cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons finely chopped green onions (I like to add a little bit more to taste)
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon lemon pepper
1 cup finely chopped nuts (I use sliced almonds)
Chopped parsley

Soften cream cheese. Add remaining ingredients except nuts and parsley; mix until well blended. Dividing mixture in half, spoon into two small bowls lined with wax paper. Refrigerate for several hours. Lift out wax paper with cheese mixture from each bowl and mold cheese into ball, using wax paper to protect hands. Roll each ball in chopped nuts and parsley. Refrigerate. Remove about 15 minutes before serving and serve with a variety of crackers.

We make a lot of these every year, so I usually triple the recipe for each batch and use a giant muffin tin lined with wax paper to portion amounts and chill them in that overnight, or also take them out after filling and place in a glass pan until ready to shape. Once I've rolled them in the nuts and parsley, I wrap them in clear plastic before placing on plates and wrapping in cellophane, of course! =) Some years I've done them on platters with little cheese spreaders, and other times we use cute paper plates. I found some adorable plastic peppermint design plates on clearance at Michael's this year and can't wait to put them together! A seriously yummy recipe that's really easy to make.

.....and the winner is?

2011-12-17T09:42:00.000-07:00

Thanks so much to everyone that entered my Believe block giveaway.

I'm happy to announce that Heather Smith of Salt Lake City, UT was our random drawing winner!!! Thanks for sharing the love on Facebook, Heather! You're awesome and I really appreciate it. And Bonnie Meyerson was selected to receive a set of "JOY" blocks for sharing the love with her neighbors and friends at their annual Christmas brunch. I LOVE that idea and think the perfect time to deliver these will be just as Mike is dishing up..... ;-)

Thanks again. I've been super busy this season and am so grateful for the support of many wonderful friends. Watch for another giveaway coming after Christmas.....

Cute, Little Neighbor and Teacher Gift Ideas

2011-12-16T21:16:00.002-07:00

One of my very favorite parts of Christmas is putting together little gifts for friends, neighbors, teachers, etc. Love it!!! However, some years I have more time than others and sometimes I get an earlier start on it. We've done all sorts of things..... from big hand-stenciled signs, baskets filled with goodies, hand-made wood boxes filled with treats to bottles of sparkling cider wrapped up in cellophane to wish people a Happy New Year when we've missed Christmas entirely. A few years ago I made these little snowmen..... pretty sure this was a New Year's gift too, but all wrapped up in cellophane with some cute tags and I'm sure they were still well received. Things that can stay up after Christmas are always nice.

Last year, I was in a huge rush to put something together for all of my kids' teachers and found these darling boxes of hot cocoa at Target. Easy peasy, especially since everything looks better wrapped in cellophane! Mugs with a cocoa mix and a candy cane look great all wrapped up too. Found some really cute boxes of taffy at the grocery store this year. It doesn't need to be fancy. Or difficult. I love to make things when I can, but we also spend lots of time baking and putting together food gifts to run around (Yes. Recipes are coming!) and it makes for a really enjoyable time together.

This year I decided to make some simple wood blocks finished with scrapbook paper and vinyl lettering. When you're making a lot of them, they really come together pretty fast.

And the cellophane is magic!!! =) I know it's probably weird, but the sight of my piles of little gifts all ready to go always makes me happy. Almost as much as delivering them.....

Believe Block Giveaway

2011-12-13T11:25:00.001-07:00

Ready for a little contest? I am!

These "Believe" blocks have definitely been my most popular item this year and I want to give a set of them away for Christmas. Here's how you enter.....

1. Follow Ladybugs' Spot blog and leave a comment on this post.

2. Write about one of your favorite Christmas traditions for another entry! Best tradition also wins a little bonus prize.

3. Share the love!!! Blog it. Facebook it. Tweet it. And tell me how you've spread the joy....

So, there you have it. Three easy peasy ways to enter. But do it now because on Saturday morning, December 17th, one of my kids is going to randomly select a winner old school style so I can send these off before Santa arrives.....

Good Luck!!!

Decorating Makeovers: Something Pretty for Our Table and a Blingy Banister

2011-12-12T22:48:00.001-07:00

So, I've had this centerpiece for several years, and it shows. Lots! But not wanting to just throw it out and hoping I could breathe some new life into it..... I added some extra pieces of greenery, berries and pinecones I had on hand with a little twisting and some green floral wire. (Btw, a great way to come up with extra pieces of greenery is to cut apart a long garland. You can always buy a basic pine garland for very little money and I incorporate little bits of them everywhere.) Wanting to add a little sparkle and since ornaments are my new favorite thing to decorate with..... I hooked some into the garland with ornament hangers. Bought some new candles, and voila!!!

Something pretty for our table again.

My next challenge was our banister. K, this banister is in serious need of refinishing, so much so that I was tempted to hurry and crank that project out before decorating. But I didn't. Seems like a great January project, right? Anyway, I love white lights! And that's what I use everywhere. That is until my Dad decided to pass along some extra crazy blinking colorful lights that my kids absolutely fell in love with. And wanted me to put up somewhere. So, they landed on this banister and two years ago when they failed, I was even suckered into replacing them. For the children. =) Total proof of my love, cuz they're really not my favorite and when my daughter strung them over our wimpy garland this year, I knew I had to do something.....

So..... I bought another cheap garland and thickened it up a bit. Found some beautiful red ribbon at Hobby Lobby and a whole bunch of sparkly picks. I figured if this was going to be a colorful banister, it might as well be blingy too! But even after adding all of that, it still looked empty and blah.....

Until......

I added some ornaments!!! Seriously, they are magic. And now I actually really like our colorful blingy banister and my girls are completely delighted. Of course, the boy still keeps changing the light setting to the super fast blinky phase just to annoy me, but whatever!

I placed my little wood sign on a wreath hanger next to the banister and filled an old wooden box with some extra ornaments. I really love the contrast of my rustic style with their sparkle. Which is sooo fitting because the new Christmas book I bought this year is "You Are My Miracle" by MaryAnn Cusimano Love. The story is about a parent with their child commenting on how they compliment one another. "I am your old stories: You are my make-believe." And "I am your don't peek; you are my wide eyes." Just to mention two. It's a very sweet story, and yes, I did get a little teary over it at the book store. And maybe again when I read it to my kids the first time.

I love my kids sooo much and am so grateful for all of the sparkle, fun and joy they bring into my life. Even if it means colorful flashing lights sometimes! Next year, we're even planning to do a blingy TREE...... =)

Snooper. And some Elfing Fun.

2011-12-06T22:06:00.001-07:00

We have a magic, little elf that visits our home randomly during the month of December...... "Snooper." Little kids leave their shoes outside of their rooms at night, and if he happens to come and their room is clean, he will leave a little treat or small gift inside their shoes. He makes several stops each year, so there's always a reason to pick up your dirty clothes and make your bed! Amazing how motivated the kiddos are to keep things clean in the hopes of finding a little Sponge Bob or whatever else he may bring..... Magic!!! =)

My girls have had so much fun with this tradition the last few years, they even started their own version..... Each year, they select several random people they want to leave a little surprise for. Love to see their thoughtfulness and reasons behind their picks. Very sweet! They make cute, little tags from a mysterious elf and attach them to a simple gift or treat. Then they dress up in elf costumes, including these duct tape shoes, because any proper elf wears goofy shoes, right? My job is to run them around as they leave their gifts on the doorstep, ring and RUN!!! My giggly girls may not be the sneakiest elves around, but I love seeing them think about others and get excited for a little random act of kindness..... Good stuff!

Counting the days.....

2011-12-01T15:55:00.003-07:00

How many days 'til Christmas?

Isn't that what every kid wants to know right now? Well, at our home, we have several advent calendars we use to keep track of that very important detail.....

I made my first advent tree with a college friend several years ago. (K, maybe just a little bit more than several, but whatever!) We found these wood kits at a local craft store and had a great time painting them up. Funny how things become so sentimental, and even as styles and tastes change, you still love them for the memories they contain. That's how I feel about this little tree. My kiddos take turns filling it with ornaments and can hardly wait to reach the star on top.

Our quilted advent wallhanging is definitely a favorite. I spent *forever* making this thing when my girls were tiny, remember my oldest playing in the piles of fabric scraps as I worked and look forward to getting it out every year. An ornament goes on a button each day. Love it!!!

Of course, we also enjoy eating our chocolate calendars as we bide the time. Have a fun metal one sitting by our fireplace and this year my oldest even added an app to her ipod that lets us know the exact number of days, hours, minute and seconds until the most exciting day arrives. But I gotta say.... knowing those details sorta stresses me out because I always want more time to prepare and enjoy this season......

Which leads me to our favorite countdown..... this bin filled with children's Christmas story books!!! Pure magic. Each year, I wrap them up and tie on a cute, little numbered tag. (I found these at a craft store and used vinyl lettering for the numbers.) We begin on December 1st and read one book each night, finishing with our special favorites on Christmas Eve. The first book is always a new story, and after that it's just fun to see what comes next. It's a great way to anticipate Christmas, but more than that, I love the way it makes us sit down together at the end of our often hectic days, snuggle up by the tree and read..... Best part of the days leading up to Christmas! And I think it makes the time for anxious children go by just a little bit faster.....

What are your family favorites?

Decking our Halls!!!

2011-11-29T19:08:00.004-07:00

Lots of people think Thanksgiving should be enjoyed before even thinking about decorating for Christmas. I am not one of them!!! As soon as the Halloween stuff is packed away, I'm ready to get to work and my cute, wood Turkeys are usually packed away before their day even arrives. Perhaps having approximately twenty totes and a dozen or so trees to decorate affects this decision, because it does take a lot of time. Here's a little glimpse inside.....

Our living room is always the first to be done, likely because this process involves a fair amount of chaos and it's nice to have a place for people to actually sit. Or at least stand! ;-) Love the framed "Believe" sign I designed when I first started teaching classes and think it's the perfect compliment to our nativity scene and big star.

Three alpine trees fill the corner, all of them decorated with white lights and these darling red basket weave balls I'd love to find some more of! The largest tree features snowmen and snowflakes, the middle one is all angels and stars and the smallest is primarily santas and elves. What's so fun is over the years friends' have given me ornaments for each of these themed trees and every year as I decorate they make me smile. =)

We place our big family tree next to the fire place and spend a lot of time snuggled up here together reading, watching movies and just hanging out. This tree is decorated with plaid ribbon, mini rusty bells and some large rusty jingle bells, in addition to our special family ornaments. Each year, each child receives an ornament that represents something special to them from the year and we also add one of family significance. Combined with lots of cute homemade ones from the kids, this tree is really eclectic and fun to look at! This time, much to the boy's delight, we placed his electric train underneath and he thinks that's the greatest thing I've ever done! =) Love finding him just sitting by the tree, playing with his train.....

I also spruced up our mantle, taking our old, saggy garland and filling it in with some pine boughs, red berries, pine cones and mini ornaments.

Love the way it turned out!

I totally have a thing for lanterns!!! Love the symbolism of a light in darkness and just think they're cool. So, I have a LOT of them! Here, I've gathered several together on top of our entertainment center with some garland and other random stuff. This display is a little bit different each year, and I really like it this time. The "Believe" sign is five feet tall and rests on the side with another little tree.

Here's a close up of the big jingle bell up top . Adding in random ornaments is my new favorite way to incorporate a little color and bling, and they are all over my home.....

.....including filling some of my lanterns! I found this lantern at IKEA for only a few dollars, and Walmart always has great unbreakable ornaments that make a perfect filler. Gotta love a beautiful decoration for very little expense!

By the time I get to my kitchen, I'm usually left with a rather odd assortment of decorations I never know quite what to do with. I have great plans of making a quilted wallhanging to go above this shelf, but, alas, it didn't happen again this year! ;-) Whenever I'm trying to arrange a grouping, I start with a focal point. Here, it was the tree picture, and my wood Santa with the tree seemed to go well with it. Then I balance out colors, textures, etc. so there's a little variety and visual interest. For a shelf I usually end up not liking very much, I was pleased with the changes this year.

And, finally, my very favorite new thing.....

We remodeled our kitchen this year, something that was desperately needed, which I will post about after the holidays. I sooo LOVE my new black hood. And I didn't think I could possibly love it any more..... until I spruced it up for Christmas! It makes me soooo happy to walk in and see this every morning! Sheesh, I simply adore our home at Christmastime. Everything feels so warm and cozy. =)

And there you have it. A little mini tour of some of our favorites. Yes! We are spazzy about Christmas. Hopefully it gives you some new ideas. Or at least an understanding of why we get started so early!!!

What are some of your favorite displays and/or decorations?

Black Friday

2011-11-25T23:01:00.004-07:00

Every year for the last thirteen years I have awakened at some ridiculously early hour to go shopping. Until today. Today I slept in...... and it was nice. I'm not sure exactly what it was about this year that led to my decision. Maybe it was the overkill of emails and ads I received promoting everything imaginable. Kinda bugged me. And when I sat down to read the Thanksgiving paper and browse the ads, something I always look forward to, I was surprised to see I would really have to go out Thursday night if I wanted to get the great deals. Hmnpf! And maybe it was also me being focused on other things and just wanting to be home with my babes. I don't know. Regardless, I went to bed and actually got some rest.

We did venture out a little bit later in the day. Kids needed some clothes. Had a blast trying stuff on and picking out some little gifts for each other that they may or may not be able to wait to give. I even snagged myself some shoes and scored a fantastic deal on a new power drill! Cuz mama in new heels with a new power tool is always a good thing! =) We had a really great time together! And I guess that's what this whole Christmas season is for me..... time together.

I love shopping for those perfect presents and spend a lot of time trying to make sure my gifts are thoughtful and wrapped up all pretty. That part is sooooo much fun!!! And Christmas morning with little kids is one of the greatest things ever. But what I love even more are all of our traditions that lead up to it. Decorating. Elf night. Driving around to see the lights everywhere singing at the top of our lungs. Baking. Delivering goodies to friends. Advent calendars. Snuggling by the fire. Temple Square. Our annual carriage ride. Gingerbread houses. Playing Santa's elves and leaving random, anonymous gifts. Whobilations. Christmas Eve candlelit dinners in matching homemade pajama pants. Symbolic red, green and gold gifts. Christmas bedtime stories by the tree...... I love and enjoy it all!!!

And while I will definitely be on the look out for good deals and will certainly do my share of shopping this season, I don't feel I missed out by skipping the crowds and the craziness this year.

Gingersnap Cookie Pie

2011-11-23T21:18:00.003-07:00

The other thing I always make for Thanksgiving is pie. Since all the traditional favorites are usually covered, I like to try something new each year. Thus this creation.....

a gingersnap cookie crust with vanilla bean ice cream

topped with caramel sauce and chopped almonds.

Every bit as delicious as it sounds!!!

Now, these cookies are sensational on their own and definitely a favorite. So try the Gingersnaps......

2 cups sugar

1 1/2 cups butter

2 eggs

1/2 cup molasses

4 cups flour

1/2 tsp. salt

4 tsp. baking soda

2 tsp. cinnamon

2 tsp. ground cloves

2 tsp. ginger

Cream butter and sugar. Add remaining ingredients. Rolls balls of dough in sugar. Place on cookie sheets and bake at 350 degrees for 9-10 minutes.

.....And to make the pie simply press some cookie dough into a greased round cake or pie pan and bake. Let cool, then fill pan with softened ice cream. Freeze. Top with caramel and almonds.

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Easy Peasy Homemade Rolls

2011-11-21T23:41:00.004-07:00

Gotta love it when you're in charge of the rolls for Thanksgiving dinner! For some reason, this became my assigned contribution years ago, and now it's something everyone looks forward to and asks for every year. Yes. They're that good. And very simple to make, even if you're a newbie!

Ingredients:
1/2 cup warm water
2 packets yeast ( I swear by the generic stuff!)
1 tsp. sugar

2 cups warm water
1/2 cup melted butter
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp. salt
2 beaten eggs
6 cups flour

Instructions:

In a small bowl, add 1/2 cup warm water. (I turn my faucet as hot as it will go, but my temperature maxes out at the safety level for little kids. Whatever that is. Water should feel hot, but not burn.) Open yeast packets and shake on top of water, but do not stir. Shake 1 tsp. sugar on top of yeast, again not stirring. Let sit until proofed. (about 10-15 minutes until mixture looks something like this.....

While you're waiting for the yeast to get all bubbly..... in a large bowl combine 2 cups warm water, melted butter, 1/2 cup sugar, salt and the beaten eggs. Add the yeast mixture as soon as it's done and stir.
Then add four cups of flour and mix. I do all of this with a fork, and it works really well! So, don't let lack of a mixer be an excuse not to make these. ;-) Let the dough mixture stand for 30 minutes and it will look something like this.....

Add two more cups of flour and mix well. Refrigerate overnight. Flour your hands and roll small balls of dough out like a snake. Kids LOVE to help with this part! Then I tie the dough in a knot. Literally. Tucking one end into the middle on top and one end on the bottom like this.....

Place rolls onto a baking stone, or cookie sheets work too. Brush tops with melted butter and allow to rise for approximately two hours. (Rolls should double in size.) Bake at 375 degrees for 10- 15 minutes or until tops are golden brown. Brush hot rolls with a little bit more butter.

Seriously, melt in your mouth delicious! But be careful. If you make them once, you may end up making them all the time!!!

Thankful

2011-11-18T11:02:00.001-07:00

I try to always focus on the positive. Probably a defense strategy I've developed over the years out of necessity in order to survive! ;-) I'm also pretty big on expressing it. I like people to know how much they mean to me and I like my kids to understand that in spite of the difficulties life sometimes brings, there is always much to be grateful for.....

So, we made up a bunch of these wood signs for a few friends and family, added a nice little sentiment, wrapped them in cellophane, (of course!) and tied it all up with some pretty ribbon. Delivering little random gifts is sooo much fun!!!

It also gave me the opportunity to think about what I'm most thankful for this year..... Like my kids. Laughter and good times that fill our home. The way we listen to loud music and dance around all silly. Sometimes even throwing in an occasional conga line around our kitchen island as we bake. Amazing friends that always lift me up and make me smile. Hobbies. Lots and lots of hobbies and things I really love doing. Even running. And some new running shoes that actually aren't the ugliest things ever made, although I'll still only wear them when absolutely necessary. My warm heater in my wood shop/garage that keeps me from freezing as I work on cold days. Diet Dr. Pepper, that I really should stop drinking, but we all know that's not happening! Reliable transportation. My cozy, comfortable home. Funny stories. Pictures..... sitting down at the end of a long day and looking at all of the pictures I take, which is kind-of a ridiculous amount, but whatever. It makes me happy to see my life filled with memories of the people I love and cherish. Good times. =)

Thankful.

Pumpkin Pie Cake

2011-11-15T23:36:00.001-07:00

So, I always get to this time of year and crave pumpkin. Especially pumpkin pie cake! Seriously, this dessert is evil!!! But oh sooo worth it every once in a while.....

1 29 oz. can pumpkin
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. ginger
3 eggs

1 12 oz. can evaporated milk

1 box yellow cake mix

1 cup chopped pecans

3/4 cup melted butter

Mix pumpkin, milk, eggs, sugar and spices. Pour into greased 9 x 13 pan. Sprinkle dry cake mix over the top, breaking up any clumps. Top with nuts. Drizzle with butter. Bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees. Cool. Refrigerate. Seriously, this tastes divine when it's really cold! Serve with whipped cream.

YUM!!!

Funny little story..... I made this for some friends recently and forgot to add the sugar. Trying to do too many things at once = not so yummy. Had no idea until two days later when I woke up thinking I had left out that crucial ingredient. Of course, they were very polite when I asked if it had tasted funny. I'm sure it was gaggy!!! Sooo embarrassing and totally worth making another one just to redeem myself! Don't leave anything out! And Enjoy.....

Christmas Projects

2010-11-11T07:17:00.000-07:00

Finally..... I have finished my new Christmas project designs!!! I had sooooo much fun creating these, and couldn't resist listening to my favorite Christmas playlist in the process. This is absolutely one of my very favorite times and seeing all of this stuff makes me so excited to haul all of my decorations down from the attic.

Here are a few close-ups.....

Just a few more days and I will start decorating..... Can't wait!!!

Sunday Sweets

2010-11-09T18:55:00.000-07:00

Every Sunday we make dessert. My kids take turns each week picking out a recipe, figuring out what ingredients we will need and then we make it all together after dinner. Thus Sunday Sweets. We've made this carmel corn recipe two weeks in a row now. Yes. It's that good.

Carmel Corn
1/2 cup popcorn kernels - popped
1/2 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp vanilla

Melt butter in saucepan over medium heat. Stir in brown sugar, corn syrup and salt. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. When mixture begins to boil, stop stirring and let boil for 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in baking soda and vanilla. Pour over popcorn and mix well. Spread in jelly roll pan. Place in 250 degree oven for one hour, stirring every 15 minutes. Cool.

Cowgirl Boots

2009-11-09T10:10:00.000-07:00

I took this picture for some posters I made recently, and it makes me happy every time I see it. These boots were originally purchased for my oldest daughter years ago when she wanted to be Jessie for Halloween. She LOVED her boots and wore them everywhere. Little sis was thrilled to inherit them and wore them just as much. I'm rather sentimental about the things my kids really love. So are they. These tangible objects are linked to so many wonderful memories and sometimes that makes it hard to let things go. If my kids had their way, we would never get rid of anything, no matter how old or worn out it may be. I'm thinking it would be fun to photograph more of these random things and compile a book for each of them and then frame some of our favorites. But I'm keeping the boots.

Mommy Love

2009-11-06T21:47:00.009-07:00

Took advantage of some spectacular fall weather today and went to the zoo. We loved seeing all of the baby animals, particularly this monkey cuddling her little baby. It was sooooo sweet and tender.

I love that my daughter said, "That's just what mommies do."

And the baby elephant? Adorable beyond words.
Exactly how I feel about my own babes.

Pumpkin Seeds

2009-11-02T21:30:00.002-07:00

When you carve a lot of pumpkins, you inevitably end up with a LOT of pumpkin seeds. We toasted them three different ways this year.....

* Traditional..... drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with sea salt.

* Pumpkin Pie..... drizzled with butter and sprinkled with cinnamon, ginger and a hint of nutmeg.

* Italian..... drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with Italian seasoning, parmesan cheese and a little garlic salt.

Thoroughly rinse seeds and spread out in shallow pan. Add desired seasonings and bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes, stirring once. The Italian seeds were our favorite.

Halloween Night

2009-10-31T22:24:00.018-06:00

We look forward to Halloween night every year, and our family dinner is one of our favorite traditions. I serve up homemade soups, bone breadsticks and our special black Halloween punch.....

Black Halloween Punch
2 vinyl gloves
1 pkg. unsweetened grape Kool-Aid
1 pkg. unsweetened orange Kool-Aid
2 cups white sugar
3 quarts cold water
1 liter ginger ale
1 liter Coke

Fill the gloves 3/4 full with cold water. Tie the end in a knot. Lay one flat on a small pan. Arrange the other palm down over a shelf ledge or other container so the fingers hang down the side. Freeze overnight. These are very fragile, so I always make two sets..... just in case.

Combine the drink mixes, sugar and water in a large punch bowl. Stir until completely dissolved. Stir in ginger ale and Coke. Briefly run the hands under cool water and cut away the gloves. Add to the punch.

Bone Breadsticks
1 tube refrigerated breadstick dough
Butter
Course salt

Unroll breadstick dough and separate into rectangular pieces. Use the full length, or cut in half to make smaller bones. Cut a 1 inch slit in the center of each end. Roll or shape the flaps to look like the ends of bones. Stretch out as needed. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Brush on a small amount of melted butter and sprinkle with a little course salt. Bake at 350 degrees for 12-14 minutes, or until golden brown.

I like to make at least two different soups every year, and keep them warm all night in case any of our visitors need to come in and warm up for a bit. This year I made Vegetable Beef and Chicken Enchilada.....

Vegetable Beef Soup
1 pound beef top round steak, cut into 1 inch chunks
1 large onion, chopped
3 carrots, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 slices turkey bacon, cooked and crumbled
3 14 oz. cans reduced sodium beef broth
1 14 oz. can diced tomatoes (fire roasted, if you can find them)
1/2 cup long-grain rice
3 cups small broccoli florets
1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper

Spray a large pan with non-stick spray and cook beef over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until browned on all sides. About 10 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and set aside. Add the onion, carrots, garlic, and bacon. Reduce heat to medium, cook, stirring frequently until the vegetables are softened. About 10 minutes.

Add enough water to the broth to make 6 cups. Place in a large stock pot with beef and vegetables. Add tomatoes and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 30 minutes. Stir in the rice and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Add the broccoli and pepper; return to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, until broccoli is tender, about 6 minutes.

* I like to triple this recipe when I make it and freeze the leftovers. It's not much more work, it re-heats really well and make for an easy dinner another time.

Chicken Enchilada Soup
2 10 oz. cans green enchilada sauce
2 10 oz. cans red enchilada sauce
2 10 oz. cans cream of chicken soup
2 15 oz. cans tomato sauce or pureed tomatoes
1 14 oz. can white beans
1 14 oz. can black beans
1 cup sour cream
3/4 cup dried onion
1 cup Mexican shredded cheese
2 tsp. garlic powder
2 tsp. cumin
4 grilled (or cooked) chicken breasts, diced.

Mix all ingredients in a crock pot and slow cook all day. Garnish with a little sour cream and cheese.

Once dinner is done, we get all dressed up in our costumes, light our jack-o-lanterns, add dry ice to our giant cauldron, turn on the fog machine, and crank some spooky tunes. Did I mention we LOVE Halloween?

No So Itsy Bitsy Spiders

2009-10-30T08:40:00.002-06:00

Another thing I love is little gifts. The more random and unexpected the better. For Halloween, I made a bunch of these spiders and wrapped them up in cellophane bags..... because everything looks better wrapped in cellophane, right? Added some cute ribbon and tags and gave them to teachers and friends. They are a perfect decorating filler and we had so much fun handing them out.

Hope everyone has a very Happy Halloween!!!

Party Mom

2009-10-29T19:04:00.008-06:00

I volunteer to be the room mom every year, taking full advantage of the years my kids really want me to be there. One of my very FAVORITE things to do is parties. These are some of our activities from this year.....

{ Mummy Wrap }
Divide the kids into two teams. Designate a mummy and a wrapper for each team, then race to see who can cover their mummy first.

{ Spooky Charades }
Before the party, blow up white balloons and insert a slip of paper in each one with words like spider, witch, zombie, Frankenstein, ghost, etc. Anything Halloween related that the kids can act out will work. Draw ghost faces on the balloons. At the party, each child takes a turn selecting a "ghost," popping it, reading their piece of paper and then trying to get the other kids to guess who/what they are.

{ Spider Craft }
Wrap four black pipe cleaners around a pencil and bend them to look like spider legs. Use tacky glue to add some googley eyes.

{ Witches Brew }

When our rotations are finished, we turn off the lights and the kids gather around in front of my ginormous cauldron, filled with dry ice and root beer in a smaller pot inside. I tell them that I've spent the whole years gathering bugs, rats, spiders, etc. just to make my special brew for them.

One at a time, I add fake spiders, rats, bats, a few eyeballs, and anything else creepy and gross I have and stir them in. Then I pull out my special ingredient..... a test tube filled with green water that I tell them is squished bugs guts I've been collecting. I take a sip, let out a loud scream, fall to the ground and after a few "convulsions" I jump up and tell them it's perfect!!!

I love that every year a few kids are reluctant to drink it.