If you tell me about the same tire, person, car, joke, coffee and even store 30 times a day I will listen every time and even smile and acknowledge the story at least the first 28 times.
And if I read something to you and HAPPEN to read over the same thing two hours later, do NOT FREAKIN STOP ME to say "yeah you said that already"!

I am the type of person that will laugh at even the lamest jokes if it makes a person feel better. That's just how I am. I hate put downs! Even made up a rhyme to help teach my kids. I want my kids to be better people! But how do you teach the older influence? My question for parents- Would you like to send your spouse to bootcamp? Would you like to have someone knock them down a few notches....even though it might involve a few put downs?

* 1 (14 oz.) can Sweetened Condensed Milk

* 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa

* 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

* 6 1/2 cups hot water

* Mini marshmallows

*  COMBINE sweetened condensed milk, cocoa, vanilla and salt in large saucepan over medium heat; mix well.
*  STIR in water slowly; heat through, stirring occasionally (do not boil).
*  TOP with Marshmallows

Salty Rocky Road Fudge

6 oz good quality bittersweet chocolate, chopped (I used Guittard discs)
8 oz semi-sweet chocolate, chopped (I used Ghirardelli)
14oz (1 can) sweetened condensed milk
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon Kosher salt
2 cups miniature marshmallows
1.5 cups roasted salted almonds, whole

Special equipment: 1 9" square baking pan

Directions
Coat bottom and sides of baking pan with butter or cooking spray and line with a long sheet of parchment paper that overlaps the sides. Set aside.

In a medium sized saucepan, combine the two kinds of chocolate, the condensed milk, and the butter. Set over medium-low heat, and stir until the chocolate is melted. Add the extract and salt, and then fold in the marshmallows and almonds.

Pour the warm mixture into the prepared baking pan and spread evenly. I like to use my hands to press down into the pan until it is all pressed in and relatively even.

Cover with a sheet of parchment paper and let chill in the fridge for 2 hours.

Remove from fridge and lift parchment paper to remove from pan. Use a sharp knife to cut into desired-sized portions before serving. Can be stored in an air-tight container at (cool) room temperature for 7-10 days.

TAG: New Years Resolution

I remember my resolution from last year. Well, let me be truthful here, a webpage remembered my resolution last year. Mine was simple. Two Simple things.
Have more fun with my kids and reconnect with my husband.
I HAVE DONE BOTH! I can honestly say I have done both!
Did I make more money? No! Did I win the lottery? No! Did I lose weight? Hell No!

But I did randomly pack up my kids and take them to the park, show up early at school functions, attend EVERY girl scout meeting, baked cupcakes just for them to decorate, drenched them with a water gun and even fingerpainted the bathtub.

As for being able to outwardly love my husband, we have done more than just fingerpaint the bathtub.

Someone just the other day told me I looked tired and it honestly hurt my feelings. Getting up at 5am with Ris to snuggle on the couch, making two different kinds of pancakes and omelets, walking around our alotment, having lunch with hubby, wrestling the interchange free world, dinner reservations, cancelling dinner reservations, picking up pizza and camping out on living room floor sounds like a GREAT DAY in my world and I will take one hundred more. It just hurt my feelings that all she seen was 'tired' when all I was, was 'happy'. My New Years Resolution for this year is still undecided at this moment. Whatever I decide will be good. Not the same boring lottery, weight, money junk. I will never win the lottery, and I know that. It might help if I actually played the lottery.

* 1 oz. vodka
* 4 to 5 oz. apple cider (more or less for intensity)
* ground cinnamon
* powdered sugar
* 1 apple
* caramel apple dipping sauce
* ice

 


Slice or Cube Apple and coat with caramel sauce, set aside. Rim a mug or hot beverage glass with powdered sugar and set aside.
Fill a shaker with ice - Add Vodka, Apple Cider and a dash of Cinnamon. Shake until well blended and strain into microwave safe container (or saucepan if doing larger batch). Microwave until hot, but not boiling, about 30 to 60 seconds. Pour Apple Cider mixture into rimmed glass.
Garnish with another dash of Cinnamon and Caramel Coated Apple Slice.
Serve! Enjoy! YumO!

Kid Fun

The Things We Do For Travel

Merry Christmas! Merry Christmas!
Oh the joys of the Holiday that never go as planned.

Christmas Treaties

• Bite-size, waffle-shaped pretzels
• Hershey's Kiss or Hershey's Hug
• M&M's candy

 

1. Heat the oven to 170F. Set a number of bite-size, waffle-shaped pretzels (one for each treat) in a single layer on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper, then top each pretzel with an unwrapped Hershey's Kiss or Hershey's Hug.
2. Bake for 4 to 6 minutes (the white chocolate will melt more quickly), until the chocolates feel soft when touched with a wooden spoon. Remove the cookie sheet from the oven and quickly press an M&M's candy into the center of each Kiss.
3. Allow the treats to cool for a few minutes, then place them in the refrigerator to set, about 10 minutes.
4. Place handfuls of the candies in clear plastic bags and tie on colorful ribbons.

*also try peppermint flavored hershey kisses....red stripes make them look great

A small accomplishment for some -

Is a big accomplishment for me. I have been doing research and looking at hundreds of sites about cloth diapering, and I'm hooked. I have been sweeping the sites and auctions looking for cloth diapers to start building our stash. As of right now, we have been disposable diaper free for 16 days.

They are just too cute and too cool. Hubby doesnt really see the point, but since he hasn't done a load of laundry by himself since 2006, it will be ok. They are amazing! And yes the initial start up for cloth diapering is expensive, but it pays off in the long run. I have no idea why I didn't start this three kids ago.

Seriously?

I have not posted to this blog in so long that I am sure my fellow bloggers have done given up on me. I mean seriously? It's almost christmas!
Yeah that's right! Christmas!
Hannah has a Christmas program tomorrow at school that I am hoping to record and post since it will be her first time up on a stage, and anyone that knows that child, knows that this may not go over well.....and that may very well be an understatement.

But at least the tree is up, the stockings have been hung, the lights are sparkling ...... wait.....this is starting to sound like card. Any way, you get the point. There isn't really anything under the tree other than ceramic houses but we pretty well only have ourselves to blame for that one since we cant wait til Christmas to pass out and open gifts when good deeds are done.

** TURNING 1 **

My beautiful baby girl

Plus a really cool elmo cake

Equals a really cool looking hair gel, nice clothing dye and laughs that will last a lifetime!

Love you baby girl

8/9/11

Did I Forget

I SURE DID!  I completely forgot about my blog. I know. I know. But we have had BIG things changing around here. Dan and I finally got around to saying our sorries and moving on. He started his new job and is loving it. He deserves to have a good job where they actually value his opinion after being tortured for so many years at the "W" word. For my Tennessee people be sure to stop in and see him at DTC. I am still busy, if not busier working and doing my normal. Hannah started kindergarten last week and after a few meltdowns has decided that she likes the place (like she had a choice). Paisly is making sure that everybody still knows their place and doesn't mind telling everyone about her life, and I do mean everyone. And of course, my Trista, just celebrated her 1st birthday in style with red icing from head to little tiny toes.
We are better. Much better. Dan and I were just talking earlier about how we both just noticed this feeling creeping up. The feeling of something is missing. We are not the only ones that have had this feeling and I know it. Not sure what it is. I felt yesterday like I was missing something, like being late for an appointment, or forgetting a kid when they were all with me, but something is telling us that we need something more. We have upcoming meet and greets to attend and all the jazz. Maybe getting out of the house a little bit will help us to grow more and find that niche. We are planning a little birthday party celebration out of town for all three girls and that is keeping me busier than I had ever thought it would. And Dan is planning on going to an upcoming nascar race.
But now that I have caught everyone up in a short little ditty, I need to get back to printing off research and get ready to leave soon. To all my friends and family, lots of love

Ohio trip was great other than the fact that it rained at some point every day that we were there. I of course packed us clothes that were for spring......ohio is more winter like. My girls had a great time and enjoyed being able to see their favorite people.

You Could Be

Having A Day Like Paz's

The Lord Giveth.....

.....And The Lord Make You Packeth.
Getting ready for another trip up to Ohio and the girls and I are definately looking forward to it. Packing everything is becoming a greater challenge as my kids get bigger, so do their clothes. The below pile doesn't even include Ris's things. I have studied "packing tips" lists so severely that I have them memorized, and yet I still find myself just wishing to buy clothes when we get there.

Bruno Mars - The Lazy Song [Official Video]

AKA...theme song
we have inadvertently declared this as our family theme song. it is one of those songs that you find at the exact right time.

I'm Still Here

I promise. I have been sooooooo busy. So sorry to all my bloggers. I have been trying to get clothes and all that none-such sorted for my friends thrift store, not tooo mention sorting through Dan's things that he has stashed in my storage room. WWooooooow. Got tired just thinking about it. But spring is coming. Spring has been showing up in a warm manner, but still leaving it with those brisk nights. I have been having lots of fun lately. The 6th was my birthday as you know and I just so happened to go out to a place called cotton eyed joes and had my self a drink (couple drinks, ssshhhh) and had a blast. It is one of those places where you are going to see people line dancing at least one time during the night, but the people are southern and polite even after a couple rounds. Was watching the girls play outside yesterday and couldn't help but think about I grateful I am to myself for deciding to grow up and stick with the higher road. I wish I could just give the world a hug......i think thats out of a song.....but true. I am soooo blessed right now. And with me getting things ready for a short vacation to ohio, i am even more grateful. Thank you god for what i have. oh, and thanks ahead of time for what i have in store.

When Living in Fast Forward...

....Don't Forget Your Helmet.

Thanks to everyone that has been wishing us well and calling to see how I am doing. Dan has been really great the last couple days, including with bringing me IHOP. Things may not always work out the way we want them too, but when you actually have time to think about things rationally you can see how things are working out in their own way.

Why Not Stay Outside Longer........



And Build This

Just so you have an idea of it's size.
Suddenly our neighbors are paying alot of attention to our front yard.