Snow Busted

Well yesterday we made a flying trip to the Big City to take the youngest for surgery.  It was pouring rain.  We got over an inch and a half at home.  Then the winds came up.   I thought we would never get out of the hospital and headed home.   After what seemed like forever we were ready to leave!  We "poured" the groggy surgery girl into the truck and headed back home in the pouring rain, wind and fast dropping temps.  Whew, we didn't drive into any sleet or ice.   We really dodged a snow bullet for sure this time.  Nothing but ice out there this morning.  Other areas around us are covered with snow and blizzard conditions.  Thank goodness the surgery went well and she did great with no bad side effects this time.  The wind is still howling this morning.  When I get brave enough I will chip out the frozen bird feeder so our feathered friends can at least get something in their tiny bellies.  I noticed a pair of sparrows sitting on the front porch of the hanging log cabin bird house out in the big tree.  They seem to be going in and out of the birdhouse.  How funny.  Smart little birds.  Well now all I have to do is get geared up to go to work around noon.  Thinking warm thoughts........

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

It was so warm today!  The true calm before the snowstorm.  They keep changing the forecast which means they don't know what will really happen.    First they said 12 inches, then they said 6-8 now they say 6 or under with wind.  I did wash some windows, another neighbor was going to finish some wood trim they started over a year ago.  Between the two, it should blow up something good.  Just to be on the cautious side we put all the patio furniture away along with the flower pots.  What ever happens, we will be ready.  I plan on listening to Christmas music and wrapping presents, so let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.  Nothing says Christmas like snow.  Blessings to everyone!

Card Class

It's that time of the month again.  Seems like it gets here before you know it.  No, not that time of the month, card class time of the month.  A group of us meet, make about 4 cards, share ideas and have some food to go along with the fellowship.  Of couse you have to order something from the stamping up catalog.  Here in lays the delemma,  what do you buy after 14 or 15 months?   I love card class, but not the ordering every time.  Yeah, yeah, I know the purpose is to sell Stamping Up stuff.  But really how much "stuff" do you need?  I love their items, but after a year or so  I have all the Stamping Up "stuff" I want.  The decision has been made to lay out for a while.  Yes, I can go back if I want without any comittment to be there every month.   That's how I like it.  No comittment to pay out, but the choice to go back if I want. 

Crafty neighbor Barb and I have been going to card class together for quite a while now.  When they were passing around the sign up sheet last for next year, we didn't write our names down.  Of course we were "discovered" before everyone left for the night.  I just let Barb do the talking.   She talked really well, I just nodded my head.  I have a good excuse, I need gas money to make trips to the big city to see the baby!  If it's a choice between "stuff" and a trip to see the baby, guess which one wins out?  Not the stuff!!  Crafty Neighbor Barb sent me this via email.  It's too good not to share.

Christmas Songs for Stampers

 (sing to the tune of Winter Wonderland)

 Brayers roll...are ya listening?
 On the card...ink is glistening.
 A beautiful sight...we're happy tonight,
 Stamping in a winter wonderland.
 
In the kitchen we can build a snowman.
Then add color to his carrot nose.
You'll say: Are you finished?
 I'll say: No ma'am,
 I need to add some glitter to the snow.
 
When we stamp...ain't it thrillin'?
 Even when...the powders spilling.
 We'll create and we'll play...the art stamper way,
 Stamping in a winter wonderland.

Driving Around

I braved the shopping throngs in the Big City yesterday.  I survived, they survived and actually found some Christmas gifts.  We took the baby, monitor and all to shop with us.  He is a little bit of a distraction though.   People see the wire coming out of the blanket attached to the monitor, look at his tiny cute self and then ask about him.  Of course he is cuter than heck sleeping peacefully or just looking around in awe at all the cool stuff we are looking at.  He will be a good shopper when he grows up.  I can already tell.  One poor old guy was forced ( I am sure of this) to shop with some women in Bath and Bodyworks.  He followed Sadee around looking at the monitor and wires.  Finally he asked about it.  He said he was "studying" it and just had to know what it was.  Whew, Sadee was releived he was "creeping" with a purpose.  Nice guy, just in a terrible man situation.  Shopping with women in a girly store. 
I was terribly hungry for a piece of pumpkin cake by the time I was done.  That and a cup of coffee would have been the perfect end to a nice day.  Here is the recipe if you are interested in a super moist, dense and flavorful cake.  It is so simple it's sinful.

Pumpkin Cake
2 cups of sugar
3/4 cup oil
1/2 cup applesauce (use a flavored one if you want, it pumps up the flavor)
2 tsp. vanilla
2 cups of canned pumpkin
4 eggs
2 cups flour (can sneak in a little whole wheat here)
3 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
smidge of salt  (about 1/4 tsp.)
3 to 4 tsp. of Cinnamon (use less if you don't like the bolder flavor)
1-2 tsp. nutmeg (use one tsp. if you don't like it or leave it out)
1 tsp. ground ginger (this is optional we love it)
1 cup chopped walnuts plus more for garnish on frosting

Preheat oven to 350.  Grease and flour a 12 x 18 inch pan.
Combine sugar, oil, vanilla, applesauce, when combined add pumpkin and mix till combined.  Add eggs one at a time beating well after each one.  Add baking powder, salt, and soda and mix till combined.  Add flour stir just until combined, and then stir in nuts.  Pour into pan and bake about 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the center.  You can put this into 13x 9 pan or round pans too you just have to adjust the cooking times.   Frost with your favorite cream cheese frosting and top with more nuts. 

Some times we don't even frost this, it just gets eaten "plain".  Yep, guess I will have to whip one up now.  Just talking about makes me hungry.....

Burrrr....

Some days I wonder why I procrastinate so long about things.   It's a life long habit.  It never ends well.  If it's bills, then you get a late fee.  If it's housework then you spend more time cleaning.  If you don't get something put away before the temperature drops for the winter, you get cold and have to chop ice.   I had some goldfish to get out of horse tank for the winter and waited until the ice was thick, the good old Kansas wind was blowing and the sky's were grey with thick damp clouds.  Now of course getting them out when the sun was shining and the temps were in the mid 60's would have been too easy.  It takes about 2 minutes to net them out.  But noooo...I wait till I have to chop some ice off my fish pond, put the little heater in and then chop another hole to put the fish in when I bring them home.  Then I drive to Mom and Dads, and go fight the ice chunks in the horse tank. Netting the fish and avoiding scooping up ice chunks is really hard.  After getting the big one's out, I had to freeze my duff off looking for the one little one that I can't see because I need some sunshine to help me see the dumb thing. 

Those fish really grew this summer!  I wonder what was in the food they were eating?   They are big enough to eat.   Well, if you like carp and eating your fish friends.  Yuck.   I think I really need a hair cut too.  The wind kept whipping my hair into my eyes.   It was hard to see and frozen hands don't work too well to get it out of your face.  It amazes me how hands turn into clubs when they get cold.  Really cold.    It's hard to wrap your scarf around your head with club hands too.  I need to really think about this next year.  Frozen hands on a cold winter day or warm hands, and quick netting job assisted by sunshine so I can see all the fish.  Hummm...I wonder what I will pick?   At any rate, the hair gets chopped off tomorrow.  

Another Keeper

Here is a recipe that is a new "keeper" at our house.  Thank you Pinterest!  This is great one night and can be turned into a round 2 recipe by rolling it up in flour tortilla's and smothering it in a white Monterey Jack cheese and bake long enough to warm it up!  Add a salad ( with the Italian dressing recipe) and presto instant great dinner.  Here it is:

Crock Pot Cream Cheese Chicken Chili (that's a mouthful!)
2 chicken breasts, still frozen 1 can Rotel tomatoes 1 can corn kernels, do not drain 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed 1 pkg. Ranch dressing mix 1 T cumin 1 t chili powder 1 t onion powder 1 8-oz pkg. cream cheese.  Put the chicken in the crock pot. Top with the corn, drained and rinsed beans, ranch dressing, cumin, onion and chili powders, stir to combine then top with the cream cheese. Cook on low for 6-8 hours, stirring one or twice to blend in the cheese. Shred the chicken and serve over rice.

Now if you want to use fresh chicken, I use thighs and legs and put them in the crock pot, cook them on high for 4 hours and then shred the meat.  For perfectly shredded meat, I throw the meat in the mixer bowl of my kitchen aid mixer with the paddle attachment and turn it on long enough to shred the meat.  Presto!!  Perfectly shredded meat every time.  Enjoy.....

Copy Cat Italian Dressing

Hello, my name is Cheryl and I am a Pintrest addict.  Now that I confessed this, I must say I am trying a lot of the recipe's that I pin while lurking on that site.  Here is a keeper!  It's the Olive Garden wanna be recipe.  My grandson loves their salad, so I am going to surprise him next time he comes over.

Italian Dressing

• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon dried Italian spices
• 1 teaspoon salt
• black pepper
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
• 3 tablespoons water
• 2 envelopes Good Seasonings Italian Dressing, prepared

1. Combine all ingredients in a blender on high until combined, about 30 seconds.
2. Pour into small bowl and cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
3. Stir before serving.
4. **Don’t forget, add your 2 prepared recipes of Italian Dressing from the envelopes (I used Good Seasonings Brand) to this. Yes,yes, it makes a ton of dressing. Put it in the fridge, you’ll drink it later.

I have some other recipes to pass on that are "keepers" too!  I can only cook, eat, give away and post so fast.  I am trying to cut down on eating so I have to give what I get done tasting away.  Ok, family and friends get ready.......

What's up with that?

Why is it that I feel "overdressed" when I go to our local WM store?  Am I THAT old?  Does putting on a pair of jeans, clean shirt, and makeup qualify me as an Old Fogie?   I still have kids in college, I can't be that old!   Does putting on a  bra, coat (if it's below 32 degrees) real sox and shoes take so much effort that it just can't be done anymore?  I hope this does not offend people, but I really can't understand this.   Is there a clothing rule that I don't know about now?  When did pajamas, greasy hair, dirty slippers and optional clean shirt come into fashion?  Why do you take your infants out in freezing weather without a coat, blanket or SHOES?  Don't their cherry red COLD tiny feet ring any alarm bells in your mommy head?   Am I the only one going crazy looking at people in dirty clothes with no excuse other than they didn't want to "clean up" to go to the store?   I know some of these people and they CAN afford to dress in clean clothes.  Ok, guess I am done ranting now.  I think the man with the food splattered sweat pants and dirty smelly slippers tipped me over the edge today. 

I am a somewhat tolerant person. Really I am, but give me a break.  I can only bite my tongue so long. 

Playing with blocks

Crafty neighbor Barb and I have been at it again.  This time we have been playing with wooden blocks.  We decided that we could make those little painted blocks that say Christmas "things" on them.  Last week I bought the wood, brought it home and cut it into different lengths.  (Thanks Dad for the help) There was a craft show on Saturday so we checked out items to see what was selling and for how much.  There were some wooden blocks but we didn't like them, the price was right but they looked too "distressed" for me.   Sunday we got together to start our blocks.  We decided to paint ours and put paper on one side of them and then put the vinyl letters.  Hummm...how to put the paper on?  Glue it or spray glue it?  Ok, spray glue it is! The only down side to that is you can't spray it in the house.  Out to the garage we go.   It was all going well until the nozzel clogged up on the spray can.  Rats!!  I took a pencil to unclog the little hole.  What I didn't pay attention to was the fact that my finger was stuck fast to the nozzle.   I pushed down on the nozzle to see if it was unclogged and ...nothing.  I stuck that little pencil in the hole one more time, looking very carefully to see that I put it exactly in the right spot.  Pfffsssssttttttt.......right in my EYE!  I could not get my finger off the nozzle to stop it, fingers don't work too well when they are stuck.  Barb being the good friend burst out laughing and forgot ( I am sure she forgot) to ask me if I was OK!  Lock tight in the eye does not feel too good.  All I could think of is how would I explain this in the emergency room?  Heck, I would look like a pirate.  One eye stuck shut, no patch needed.  I suppose I could have just stick come Christmas paper over my eye to look festive.

I believe I might have said "shit" before I started laughing hysterically.   This was so obsurd.  There we stood hysterically laughing, I had to cross my legs to keep from peeing my pants,  the tears from laughing so hard were running down my face in the 20 some degree garage.  M glasses and face were spritzed with glue.   We could not speak, and my sides ached from gasping for air.   When we could stop laughing long enough, Barb looked on the can and read me the part that said to only clean the nozzle with turpentine.  DO NOT POKE IT.  Ok, note to self...next time don't look at the nozzle and stick stuff in the little hole.  We did manage to get the paper on the blocks and quit for the day.

 We finished the blocks today

I think they came out pretty well.  The peace blocks have ribbon around the edges of the blocks.   They will be for sale at Frog Hollow if you are interested.  I always seem to learn something when I am doing crafts.  This time it's to be more careful with spray glue.  I think next time Barb is in charge of the spray glue.  I can stick those papers on the wood.....right Barb?