A Tisket, A Tasket

We found this darling food hamper by our front door this morning.

(A hamper is a British word for a wicker basket.  Yes, I watched Downton last night.)

 

I had to go get some dog food and milk this morning.

What?  You did too?  Weird.

When I returned home I saw this cute basket sitting on the porch.

 

I asked Mitch to go out and see what it was.

Then I hear, "You have got to be kidding".

 

 

This is what we found. 

A nice breakfast and three handmade cards

from three young girls.

 

Card #1 - a girl that professes her undying love for Mitch.  With lots of flowers and hearts and young love fluff written all over the card.

Card #2 - a girl that says "hi" and that she is just helping girl #1 and hoped that he enjoyed the breakfast they made for him. (this is the only girl I really do know, and yes, I like her)

Card #3 - a girl that only says, "I poisoned your breakfast!"

 

I think I love girl #3.

 

 

They brought him a bowl of sausage & biscuits and gravy, two red velvet pancakes, two fried eggs, and three slices of bacon. 

They did a very nice job.  As a person that cooks a lot, I dug in to see how well they cook.

The eggs were perfectly done over-easy.

The bacon was cooked to perfection.  NO kidding. 

The pancakes and biscuits & gravy were as good as any I've ever seen.

I was impressed by these 12 year old's cooking skills.

 

The only problem? 

We didn't notice they had droopped it off for sometime, apparently.  It was only 13° F when we got up and when we found the hamper all of the food was frozen solid. 

Never fear.  Frozen food doesn't scare us.

 

What does scare me is that girls are already starting to bring Mitch food.

I know about girls that make boys food.

I used to be one of them.



Sunday Afternoon Snack Attack

My short story of sopaipillas.

 

 

They will turn your frown upside down, any day.

 

 

Last Thursday I made some roll dough.  I wanted to take some cinnamon rolls to a friend for Valentine's Day and have fresh rolls with our dinner.

Well, half way though preparing the dough I decided that I was sick.

Too sick to finish, even.

So, I got a pan of rolls ready to cook for dinner and put the rest of the dough in the fridge to finish the next day.

 

Well, I didn't really function the next day.  Or the next.

 

 

 

So on Sunday afternoon I went to get another glass of grape juice and there was that dough.  Still waiting for me to return.

 

In my book, three days is about all I give uncooked yeast dough.  I don't like the smell and taste after that.  Seems kind of fermented, or something.  Anyone else agree?

 

Anyway, I hate, hate, hate wasting food.

Rolls (in any form) didn't sound good at all.

 

BUT sopaipillas, or fry bread, sure did.

 

 

It made a very nice, quick Sunday afternoon snack.

(and very happy kids)

Layne is out of town so we sent him a picture via cell phone just to make him jealous.  He was.

 

 

Yes, after living away from Idaho & Utah for nearly 20 years I no longer call them scones, unless I am in Idaho or Utah. Why?  Because that is the only place they call fried yeast dough, scones. Otherwise you'll get a lot of questioning looks.  BUT if you say sopaipillas or fry bread they know exactly what you're talking about.  So there you have it.  Now you'll never look stupid if you aren't in Idaho or Utah. I've got your back.

XOXO XOXO

♥ I've never been one to decorate for Valentine's Day.♥

 

Valentine's Day is one of those 'sub-holidays' for me.

Thrown in there just cause we are sick of winter. 

 

But this year I had a special

Activity Day Girls Recognition Breakfast

at my house with my little ADGirls & their moms.

It was so much fun.

So, I wanted to make the house seem a little festive.

 

What?  You want to know our menu?

 

Cheesy Scrambled Eggs

Bacon

Cinnamon Cream Cheese Squares

Raspberry Cream Danish

Blueberry-Lemon Crepes

Buttered Toast

Orange Juice & Milk

 

The presentation looked so pretty and everything tasted so yummy.  (Why I didn't take even one picture of the whole occasion baffles me.)  A big thanks to Josie for helping me out there at the end when I didn't think I'd be able to pull it altogether before the guests arrived.

 

♥ I always get sidetracked when I start talking about parties and cooking. ♥

 

ANYWAY

 

I just couldn't wrap my head around the whole V-Day decorations.  I don't know why. 

Two of my very favorite colors are pink & red, and who doesn't like hearts?

Yet, I honestly don't own any V decor and I didn't have the desire to shop for any.

 Then it occurred to me that I love flowers and ribbon.
Just the level of commitment I was looking for.
Those two things can change the look in any room of the house, really cheap and really fast.

 

 

 

I love how it all turned out.  Just enough to make it special.

Happy Valentine's Day!!

 

 

 

One more thing I wanted to share:

A few months ago I found this awesome cutting board in a pile of clearance items at Target.

I love my USA cutting board.  The edge is painted in navy blue.  So cute.

So we found some heart stickers in the cupboard and put a ♥ on our two "home" states

Idaho & Ohio

and we also have sisters (and their families) that live in North Carolina and Arizona.

So we put hearts on their states too.

 

 

 

♥

 

 

Do you decorate for Valentine's Day?

Do you go all out, or just a little here and there?

Better late than never.

+

What is funnier than watching a bunch of eight year olds that haven't ever been roller-skating?

 

 

Maybe a few things, but this rates right up there.

 

Yes, no judging. 

Justin had his 8th birthday party today...3 1/2 months after his birthday.

 

Hey, we've been busy!

 

Justin, going down again.  Mitch trying to give pointers.

 

Careful buddy.

 

Getting ready for cake & ice cream.

 

This was funny. 

Until the kids started coming to the house, he didn't realize he'd be getting gifts today. 

 He got so excited. 

 

He had so much fun.  We don't usually have 'friend birthday parties', but they do get one when they turn eight.  So this was a treat.  All the little boys that came had a lot of fun and were such good sports to try something new.  We were there for two hours and it was amazing how much improvement they made in such a short amount time.

 

We never think to go roller-skating. 

Maybe we'll try to remember to go a few more times this year.

Do any of you go roller-skating?

 

It was a fun day.

 

 

 

This is just a random picture of the sunset the other night.  I was making dinner and looked out the window and loved what I saw. 

Thought I'd share.

 



Mind games

Right now I'm:

 

*Singing at the top of my lungs with Whitney Houston.  Pandora is rocken out the best music this morning!

 

*Thinking about a note I have thought to write and mail since Monday.

 

*Wondering how my Grandma is feeling this morning after her surgery.

 

*Listening for the dryer to stop so I can reboot the machines.  Will the laundry ever end? Scratch that.  I'm glad that we live a good life.  I guess I'd rather say, Will I ever catch up?

*Looking at the return air vent in the office and wondering why I never take the one minute it would take to vacuum the dust (and 'ahem' cobwebs) off of it.  ......  there, done.  Guess I just needed to say it out loud.  Ü

 

*Checking this weeks menu and see what needs to go on the grocery list.

 

*Back to thinking about the laundry.

 

*Getting plans ready for music in Primary.

 

*Wondering, did I get my scriptures read this morning?  I don't remember doing it.  Come on guys, I don't even remember what I packed Layne for lunch, for heavens sake!!  I'd better fit that in. 

 

*Deciding if I want to run errands now when it is 13°F or wait till this afternoon when it is 15°F.  (Lets be honest. That really reads,  I'm not running any errands today.)

 

*Going to empty the dishwasher and clean up the kitchen because life is just better when the kitchen is cleaned up. 

 

Have a great day.  

 

(source)

Wouldn't it be the coolest if Layne saw this on my blog and wanted to make it to store our food from the garden this fall?  Ya, I think it would be cool too.  Ü



Keeping it Real

(source?  If you know please let me know)

 

You know how a new year is. 

You want to change a few thing.

You want to set a goal or two.

 

I see other bloggers choosing a word for the year to inspire them.

That didn't really work for me. 

Mainly because I didn't choose a word, but I really don't think it would have made much difference.

 

What I found to be a better way to go at the new year was to be honest with myself.

 

Q- When did I become so lazy?

A - When all my children went to school.

Q - Why?

A - Sad story really.  I had a lot of plans for when that day came.  Awesome plans.  There was quilting, shopping all by myself, temple going, etc. in the plans.  Then I was shocked to find myself pretty much depressed and lonely.  I really don't like to say the "I didn't know myself any more after the kids grew up" because that isn't how I feel, but I did loose my sense of routine and a realization that I may have a mild form of ADD.  Self-diagnosed, of course. 

 

My solution?  Get better routines.  Any routines.  Something I could focus on.

So here it is, January 22, 2013 and here are a few things that have preoccupied my time these past couple of weeks:

Homemade marshmallows. 

Josie gave me an electric kettle for Christmas.  Something I've wanted for a long time.  It is so nice to use when cooking and even more fun for hot cider and hot chocolate in a flash.

 

Just good food in general, although this fried rice was yum.

 

 

Caramel Puff Corn

aka: crack corn

(you can't stay our of this stuff)

 

 

Putting pretty butterflies on my fingernails.

I've never worried about my fingernails.

Never. Ever.

So this one is proof that I'm looking for ANYTHING to get out of what I ought to be doing.

 

 

Actually, I am a really busy person.

My calendar is always pretty full.  Seems like I'm always running here or there.

But, I've lost any sense of routine and I feel like I am always just barely pulling it off.

 

I think if I was able to pull together a routine that I stuck with, it would make a difference in all the other areas in my life that I'm not really thrilled about.

 

Tell me about your routines.  Do you have specific days that you do things?

Monday, laundry? Tuesday, bathrooms?

Exercise first thing?  Scripture study early or later in the day?

 

What works for you?  I'd love to know.

 

I've got to pull it together cause these guys are growing up fast and I might miss it.

 

 

 

 

You may want need this recipe.

 

Caramel Corn Puffs

 

2 sticks of butter

2 cups brown sugar

1/2 cup corn syrup (light)

1/2 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp baking soda

2 packages butter flavored corn puffs (the popcorn in bags without kernels)

 

Boil butter, brown sugar, & syrup together for five minutes.  Take off heat and stir in vanilla and soda.  (watch out, it will bubble up)  Put both bags of corn puffs in large bowl and pour caramel over the top, stirring till well coated.  Spread on large cookie sheet (or two if needed) and bake at 250°F for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes.  Let cool.  Sometimes we leave it in the big Tupperware bowl.  Sometimes it ends up in baggies.  It never lasts very long around here.  Ü