Sledding Excurtion

It was a cold day in December when a snow storm came through the small town of St. Mary's. It had been years since there had been so much snow.... It was surely a time to take advantage and enjoy the beautiful white snow that had completly danced across our town! We went ... SLEDDING!

(Me & Cecilia, my sister in law)

We went down the big hill behind the in laws house. It was fun taking the four wheeler up to the top and then sledding down... actually I didn't care so much for it cause one, it was a LONG walk up the hill again... lol and the snow was coming down so hard that you couldn't keep your eyes open while going down the hill so you couldn't see where you were going so therefore... you would fall off your sled! However, it was fun overall and the snow was so pretty!

Dom & Christopher (my brother in law) un-tieing the sleds from the four wheeler

"O Christmas Tree, O..."

Last night Dom & I went on another "first" adventure - It's so much fun having "firsts"....(even though the numbers are slowly dwindling! :/ ) We got our first Christmas Tree together... Its still very bare but we are letting it rest and the branches fall. We are going to move it in front of our window. I will let you know what it looks like once it is all decorated and ready to be lit to celebrate the Birth of Our Lord!

"Things To Do Before I Turn 30"

It was about 5 years ago (so when I was about 20-21) when I was attending college in a small town in the middle (not literally) of Kansas. I was at my friend Kate's house with another friend Annie and I can't exactly remember what we were doing that day but I do remember that we made a list of things we all wanted to do before we turned 30. I am not sure if the other two have kept thier list or not but I have kept mine... I found it one other time (probably during a move or something) and then stumbled acr0ss it today. My list of things to do before I turned 30 was:

1. 
   
   Go to Europe (Ireland, Poland, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, Rome, etc)


2. 
   
   Write a childrens book & illustrate it


3. 
   
   Take swing and/or Irish dance lessons


4. 
   
   Make wine (by crushing grapes under my feet)


5. 
   
   Make a beaded lampshade


6. 
   
   Learn to play the piano


7. 
   
   Start a cork collection (make a corkboard after enough are collected)


8. 
   
   Wherever I live have a flower garden with a lot of roses


9. 
   
   Get a manicure


10. 
    
    Get a pedicure


11. 
    
    Sell one of my drawings/paintings


12. 
    
    Make a candle


13. 
    
    Milk a cow


14. 
    
    Go on the Price Is Right or SuperMarket Sweep


15. 
    
    Go to an opera


16. 
    
    See a tornado


17. 
    
    Lay in the middle of a field under a blanket of stars with good friends, a bottle of wine, cigarettes & poetry


18. 
    
    Ride a camel


19. 
    
    Jump on a moving train


20. 
    
    Get married

Ok, Well I have not completed them all and all of them I do not think I will do... Mainly because they would not be on my list if I were to make one today. Lets see...I have completed nine of them! Thats pretty good I would say as I have not had this to follow or mark off... Just things that in time were completed. Kind of neat to look back and think of the time when I had not thought I would do some of the things on the list. So far I have:

• Gone to Europe - Went traveling around Poland on my honeymoon, hence I ...


• 
  
  Got Married


• 
  
  I started a cork collection about 2 or 3 years ago


• 
  
  Have gotten a manicure & pedicure


• 
  
  I milked a cow at the Neiders farm


• 
  
  I have been to a couple of opera's - one was in NYC & we saw The Phamtom of the Opera


• 
  
  I have been wine drinking in a field with friends and cigs


• 
  
  Have made a candal

Of all the things left to do on the list (which I still have a good four years to do...) I don't think I really want to write and illustrate a childrens book anymore; it would be a neat thing to do but... I can't see myself doing that... The taking the swing or irish dance lessons... I can do a little of both in the amateur way and I like those ways just fine...so what need to take the lessons? The making the wine... very well may be done because the hubby found a wine maker kit - but one that I wouldnt have to crush any grapes beneath my feet which I would like so much better! I could very well see myself making the beaded lampshade, definitely seems feasible. The learning to play piano... well you never know, I have four years and besides I can read basic music so in a way I have learned to play over the years... just nothing too fancy thats all! Lets see... the whole flower garden and roses thing... I get fresh flowers from time to time but I don't live in a place to have a garden so until that day comes when I do.. that one won't be completed. This whole Price is Right or Supermarket Sweep - Well I don't want to be on the Price is Right anymore cause Drew Carey is the host and I don't particularly care for him that much and the whole show is just not the same so I have no desire to be a contestant... and the Supermarket Sweep doesnt exist anymore. As some of or well I would think all of you know I live in Kansas ... so chances of seeing a tornado could be possible - even though hubby has lived here all his life and never seen one! As for riding a camel or jumping on a moving train... I would say well the riding the camel I will haev to go to Egypt for and I don't think we plan on that in the next four years - and the moving on a jumping train was merely a fad at the time I wrote the list. I don't think that idea really intrests me at all today. Would it intrest you? Besides, I have become more "chicken" if you will in my later years of becoming more wiser and I would be too afraid of getting in trouble for doing it... mroe so than I would be afraid of getting hurt. lol Even though it should be the other way around.

Well, that is my list and what I have and haven't done and what seems feasible to accomplish within the next fours years before I turn thirty. Hubby and I started a bucket list while we were dating and since have checked off and added more things to do... before we "kick the bucket"...if you will. Its nice to have. It keeps life intresting and keeps you looking forward to new adventures and having dreams... dreams, adventures and life to live together. Do any of you have a "bucket list" or "things to do before..."lists or have you ever had one or ever wanted to have one?

Banana Muffins

Yum!! I tried a new recipe for banana muffins yesterday. They turned out quiet yummilicious! Their form was adorable - and the consistency - texture inside was nice and soft and moist yet all together! I was pleased with the end result!

heheh I do have to tell you that the recipe said not to over stir the batter - like three times it said that so I was like ok...no overstirring the batter! So, don't you know I mixed the dry ingredients in with the wet mixture and was like ok... the recipe says it will be thick but ... I couldn't even get all the flour mixture folded in! I knew something was not right but was like hmmm... well I could either add a splash of milk or beat the mixture together... So, I continued to mix the batter together - thinking the whole time, this is way over mixing!

Suddenly, I had a revelation! I saw the carton of large eggs sitting on the counter... a full dozen - none missing. I had forgotten about the two large eggs! So, needless to say - I then had to get the eggs incorporated into the batter! So much for NOT over mixing. I thought they turned out jsut fine though. It wasn't like they were heavy like rocks - in fact they were on the light side but I am guessing the less mixing together allows for more air and thus would make them more fluffy?

Cold Day In Pink

I loved how I got the comment, "Is it because you're here that we got so much snow and cold weather?!" lol I had to laugh but really... I am excited we got snow here and excited that it's the most snow they have had in years! I have to also admit I was hoping, not even praying, for a lot of snow... Makes you realized how much God really DOES know what we want and need! It was funny cause I was so disappointed in hearing the same ole line, "We never get a lot of snow here and if we do it melts by the next day..." And then all of a sudden ... :) It's exciting. It makes me happy. Even if it is the most snow here I will see for another 6 years!

Speaking of snow and cold... Ok so there isn't any heat at my friends shop. lol yes, thats correct. No heat... yet of course. She just dresses warm and wears her coats or scarves most of the time. lol You must think she is crazy but I am convinced she will get heat soon...Anyway, I was down helping her for a little and well today...with the wind chill I believe the lady on the radio said it was minus twelve - Yes, -12 degrees! So, it's cold out... and therefore that makes it even colder for us in the little shop. We had snow/frost/ice on the INSIDE of the door today! Don't worry something is going to be done... But anyway... so today are fingers were so cold etc and my friend I work with said, "Hey don't they say that whiskey or something warms you up?" I was like yes... and she holds up a big bottle of Whiskey! So, she filled our coffee cups (that had coffee in them already) with the delicious, yet shimming shaking whiskey! It did help believe it or not..for a little that is... then it was just ok - its too cold in here. We managed to stay till the shop closed with new ideas for warmth tomorrow... We shall see how it goes! Until then... Buh Byes!

PS It was cool today cause I wanted to wear my "pink" (kinda a coral color) boots cause they are comfy and warm for the most part... so I had on my knee high, pink striped socks with the boots (they were a little visible) a knee length black comfy skirt and a pale pink sweater...and to top it off I added my pink scarf! I was like hmm how many more shades of pink can I wear today?! lol Just something I wanted to share!

Wondering Tidbits From My Brain

1. Wondering if the pizza dough I made a week ago is going to thaw in time to roll it out and make pizza for dinner. Was this a smart idea? I should've just made some fresh, but thats why I froze some so I woulnd't have to make it every time...
2. Thinking of all the delicious things I want to make like:

• cinnamon rolls or those ones I saw on Picky-Palate that were pumpkin rolls...mmmm!
• sugar cookies made from a recipe that makes them thick and chewy!
• my chrstmas skirt - well maybe its not delicious but it's something I want to make!
• rum balls - my mom used to make them and I found a recipe that seems to be what she used to make (I think anyway?!????)
• fudge - Dom and I are planning on making some...I just can't wait to actually make some and taste it! Hopefully it will turn out right!

1. (this stupid thing won't follow my format...so it is back to number one.. :( ) Wanting to get a good cook book and make all the recipes in it - like Julie did from Julie & Julia, which I saw last night - it inspired me. It was a good movie I think, I enjoyed it anyway.
2. Thinking of all the thank you notes I have to address now that I have my list of addresses again! Hmmm when am I going to get to that....
3. When am I going to get to do laundry again? The basket is getting full - that will be fun to lug in the snow!
4. Its pretty darn cold outside with the wind whipping around like it is! It took me a half hour to warm up and dig out my car this morning! Most snow Kansas (well St Marys) has gotten in years they say! Kinda cool as I was missing the snow in Syracuse... but I am good now. :)
5. Cant wait to get the rest of the wedding pictures developed and an album to put them in - that will be fun!
6. Wondering if I am going to finish the book(s) I was planning on reading during Advent!

I think thats all thats going through my brain at the moment...

Cold Day for Making Chili

Yesterday was so cold outside. The temperature was only about 20 degrees but it was a blustery day. The wind was so cold it made your bones shiver! It was the perfect day for a nice pot of homemade chili with cornbread!

I thawed some ground beef and browned it up in a pot and added some onions. Then I mixed in some oregano, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes. Then I cut up some yellow and green peppers and added a splash of soy sauce. I let it all cook together a bit then I added a can of stewed tomatoes and a can of diced tomatoes with green chilies.

I added a pinch of sugar for sweetness and then grated some chocolate into the pot. Yes, I said chocolate! I remember my grandfather (Poppy) always used to put a hershey's kiss in his chili. I like the very subtle falvor it adds. You wouldn't be able to take a bite of the finished chili and say you taste chocolate but the cocoa adds a nice flavor. I'm sure you could leave it out and it would taste just fine but I like to add it! I then added a handful of mushrooms and a can of black beans and then poured in a splash of tomato sauce. Then I cut up a handful of velveeta into cubes and added it. Once it melted into the chili I then mixed up some corn bread and got that into the oven. I let the chili simmer till the corn bread was done & then dinner was ready! We topped our bowls with a little extra shredded velveeta, which I thinks goes really well with chili, but any cheese would do.
It was rather delicious, if I may say so myself! It had a nice subtle spice kick to it... just enough to start to make your nose run but not enough to make it too spicy. I hate when things are so spicy hot that you can't even taste the flavor of what you're eating. It was the perfect meal for a Cold Day!

What Is Your Cleaning Product of Choice?

My favorite cleaning product of choice has always typically been Clorox All Purpose Spray, which I do still like to use but recently we bought Lysol, a 4 in 1 cleaner. I use it on the floors and for cleaning down the appliances etc in the kitchen. I absolutely love the day of the week when I mop the floors and do the full kitchen "wipe down" because it makes the kitchen just sparkle! I love it!

Frog Catching Days

I found this picture of my younger brother Christopher and I. This was back when I was about 10 or 11 and had a love for frogs! We had two small ponds in the backyard that were full of tadpoles in the spring and hopping with frogs the rest of the time. We had a statue of Pedro and his Donkey who would drink from the waterfall that poured out of the claw foot tub in the upper pond. Chris and I in the picture are sitting on the bridge part over where the upper pond spilled into the lower pond. This love of frogs I had has still carried with me even into my older years!

This picture was taken probably about three years ago...? Maybe two. This is my friend Joe who was a faithful frog catching buddy. This was at one of the many Pond Parties we had up at the Neiders back in the day...ah those were some fun times! The night this picture was taken I think we had a beer case that I had put about 15 frogs in ... we didnt keep them in there for long... it was really just to show everyone there what a good and quick frog catcher I was! :) he he Ok, I won't brag too much. Regardless of alllll the many frogs that were caught - there was THE bullfrog. The Bullfrog that was so big it fit into both my hands! (yes, I know I have smaller hands but it was still big!) We were so close so many times but we never did catch it ...completely that is. Let me tell you the story!

The night was dark - the grasshoppers were chirping and the folk around the fire were singing... we had nothing but a flash light and our bare hands. Joe and I had been scouting along the edge of the pond and as we made our way around - we knew we were getting closer. There! Just before the dock and fish feeder was a couple of bushes along the side of the pond. Joe was holding the light and as we carefully and quitely sat there and waited for the "Croak"... I saw a huge web and in that web was a spider...a very large one. I hate spiders... I am very afraid of spiders.... but wait! There was the bullfrog just on the other side of the web below the spider! What now?! Could I really pass up this opportunity of capturing the bull frog that we have sooo many times come out to hunt?! Could I let not only myself but Joe down as well? No! I could not! So, I took a deep breath - I kringed - I crept forward into the water and stelthfully got closer keeping my arms in pouncing position. I got closer and closer...(and closer to the spider too!) and then suddenly, it was time! SNATCH! He was in my hands! I took a quick leap forward to grab him and in jumping back I lost my grip on him and he slipped away... away into the dark waters. He was lost from us again. I of course, stomped (quickly) out of the water and started to make noises of gross-out-ment and started to shake all over (because I had to make sure I didn't have the spider on me ... or really just my body's way of being disgusted by being so close to the spider). It was such a moment of anxiousness and excitement and yet with such disappointment in the end. We never made it back to the pond to find him - it had been the last party of the summer. Perhaps someday I will be able to go back and catch him...or at least hear his croak and know that he is there. It would surely make me smile.

"Ladeeda"

"Ladeeda" is the title of a post written by a friend and fellow blogger. In this post she talks about taking deep breaths of the frosty cool air of autumn and gazing at the snow covered pines that decorate the mountains... ah! What beautiful words that so delicately paint pictures in my mind. I loved her response to a questionaire from work asking, "If you could live anywhere you wanted to, where would it be?" Her response: "I'd want to live on a vineyard in Italy in a quaint old house and have a view of some glorious mountains in the backround." Ahhh, doesn't that jsut sound like the perfect place? Can't you just imagine the golden glow of the sun setting betweens the mountains?

Cake Balls (or Baby Cakes as I call them)

I went to a friends last week for a Recipe Exchange Party (which I hope to host mine own before Christmas) and we were each suppose to bring a dessert or appetizer to share. As I thought about what to make I decided I wanted to make something easy but not the plain ole cupcake or brownies. I looked for quite sometime online for ideas and recipes and finally I stumbled upon these...Cake Balls. I like to call them Baby Cakes though. Its so simple and easy to make! Might I add they look pretty adorable too! :) If you want the recipe let me know-they got LOTS of compliments on taste and appearence! I got the recipe/idea from Bakerella (http://www.bakerella.com/category/pops-bites/cake-balls/) so feel free to see all the other neat things that are posted on this blog - You should also check out the "Cake Pops"... those are even cooler! :) Hope you enjoy!

Pretty White Lights

I was cleaning up some dishes on Wednesday evening, the day before Thanksgiving, and I happen to turn and glance out the window to find pretty white lights outlining the shops in town on the main street! I was simply estactic as I love christmas lights! This is a view from our window of the pretty white lights! We hung a strand of colored lights in our window to help add a little Christmas decor to the streets of St. Marys! :)

Fresh Cut

MMMMMMMmmmmm

Vibrantly colored fresh cut veggies that

are just waiting to be seared up into a

delicious shrimp fajita!

Tastes I LOVE This Time of Year

Homemade Cranberry Sauce

Sweet Potatoes

(roasted, baked, mashed, or made into a pie

or anyway they come!)

Homemade Stuffing

What are some of your favorite Thanksgiving side dishes? Is there one you can't live without? Or one that you have to have cause it reminds you of your younger years?

My aunt always used to make Ambrosia which I absolutely love as well but no one makes it like she used to. The ones I've had are made with puddings or all kinds of other things added to it. Her's was always the best and probably will be in my mind...unless I come up with a version I like better ;) But... chances are I won't!

The First Thanksgiving, a traditional feast and day of thanks passed down to us through the ages

"In 1621, the Plymouth colonists and Wampanoag Indians shared an autumn harvest feast which is acknowledged today as one of the first Thanksgiving celebrations in the colonies. This harvest meal has become a symbol of cooperation and interaction between English colonists and Native Americans. Although this feast is considered by many to the very first Thanksgiving celebration, it was actually in keeping with a long tradition of celebrating the harvest and giving thanks for a successful bounty of crops. Native American groups throughout the Americas, including the Pueblo, Cherokee, Creek and many others organized harvest festivals, ceremonial dances, and other celebrations of thanks for centuries before the arrival of Europeans in North America.

Historians have also recorded other ceremonies of thanks among European settlers in North America, including British colonists in Berkeley Plantation, Virginia. At this site near the Charles River in December of 1619, a group of British settlers led by Captain John Woodlief knelt in prayer and pledged "Thanksgiving" to God for their healthy arrival after a long voyage across the Atlantic. This event has been acknowledged by some scholars and writers as the official first Thanksgiving among European settlers on record. Whether at Plymouth, Berkeley Plantation, or throughout the Americas, celebrations of thanks have held great meaning and importance over time. The legacy of thanks, and particularly of the feast, have survived the centuries as people throughout the United States gather family, friends, and enormous amounts of food for their yearly Thanksgiving meal."

Thankful

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY DEAR SWEET FRIEND IN MEXICO! Hope you have the bestest of birthdays!!! Miss you!

Traveling Tourists: Sunset at Mission Beach

SUNSET

Finally an evening with no clouds or haze to cover the sunset! Sunady night, which was our last night in San Diego, we were finally able to watch the sunset on the beach! I was estactic as I have always wanted to watch the sunset over the Pacific! We spent a little time goofy around in the sand and playing with the waves but we got to watch the sunset and it was SO beautiful... Pictures don't do it justice as it was amazing... as are many sunsets wherever we are but, this was a special one...

Traveling Tourists: In & Around San Diego

IN & AROUND

We spent four days in San Diego. We got there Thursday and left Monday morning. We rented a little condo on the Isthmus of Mission Bay - Mission Beach. The width was litterally two small blocks. We could go left and walk a little block to the beach or to the right and walk a little block to the bay. It was pretty cool. Down the street was the grocery store where we bought food for the time we would be there. It is called Raulph's and has an underground parking garage. This is because there is like absolutely no parking anywhere! There is an escalator that takes you in and out of the garage to the store. The carts have these little things next to the wheels that fit into the grooves on the vender belt of the escalator to keep it from running away or dragging you down. I made Dom take his time so I could hurry to the bottom to document it. The lady who we rented from co-owns a restaurant with her son called the Firehouse. She gave us a $25 dollar gift card to use. We decided we would use it to eat out once and from the looks of it... I was like um, we can go somewhere else...well this was my reaction because it looked like up scale and I was like uh, can I wear flip flops inside?! Needless to say they have a downstairs with a small bar and booths for a more quiet dinner or you have the "outside" which is upstairs on a huge deck with a canopy and lights and fire warmers. There was a second bar upstairs and lots of people who were just having a good time. Very laid back and great service - not to mention the absolutely mouth watering food! It was definitely worth it and we both were glad we decided to go there. The prices were reasonable too and they were having $3.00 a pop for all their beers. (if you click on the picture you will be able to see it much better)

Traveling Tourists: Maritime Museum & Bay Cruise

MARITIME MUSEUM

We spent the day at the Maritime Museum. We got our hand stamped with two tall ships and leisurely visited all the ships and submarines. We went aboard the Star of India, the Medina, the SS Surprise (was the ship used in the film "Master and Commander"), the Berkley and two submarines; one was an American Sub and the other was a Russian Sub. In the American sub we were able to walk around and through the whole thing. In the Russian sub we had to crawl through a few places - their subs are not as movable friendly as the American sub. We went aboard all the other ships at our leisure and saw the sleeping & captain quarters as well as the cargo area etc. We pretty much had free rein of the ships so that was nice.

After visiting some of the ships we bought a bonus ticket for $3.00 (yes, ONLY three dollars!) for a Bay Cruise upon a little boat that took us all around the bay with a full fledge history lesson for an hour! It was definitely worth the three dollars and the breath taking experience it gave. It was down right awesome. We got a completely different look at the city of Sand Diego and the port as well as view of Tijuana Mexico. Yes, I said Mexico! It was a little hazy so it wasn't a clear sight but was said the view on the other side of the big bridge was Mexico. We thought of going there just to say we went to Mexico but so many friends warned us not to so it seemed like a better idea to play it safe this time. Anyway, the Bay Cruise was by far the best part of the "museum" ticket which was only like $12.00. It was really nice that everything wasn't as expensive as I would have thought for California - so that was a plus for sure! We saw the Naval yard and one of the ships we saw had just come back from a six month deployment at Sea. We also "drove" right under the arm of the largest naval ship in the world.

There were also two humungus cruise ships at the port. I have never seen one in person before but they are by far the largest ships I have ever seen... I never even imagined them to be as large as they were. One was about to leave that night so we got to hear the horn blow and see all the passengers with their life jackets on going through a pre-sail safty lesson. It's amazing how some things can make you feel so small! (if you click on the picture you will be able to see it much better)

Traveling Tourists: Sea World in San Diego, California

SEA WORLD, SAN DIEGO

We got to spend the entire day at Sea World. We had to of walked about 5 miles that day with all the walking this way and that way we did. We got to pet the dolphins and starfish and see SHAMU the whale and see the polar bears and penguins and lots and lots of aquatic life. It was really fun to see it all. We even got to go on a water raft ride.. of course me and the 12 year old next to me got soaked in our seats... go figure! We also went on a ski lift-like device that carried us over a part of the bay from one side back. It was neat but I didn't like it at all... hence I am afraid of heights and it made squeaky sounds! (if you click on the picture you can see the little pics in it much better)

Merely a Monday

Today is Monday and let me tell you - I am in a mood today! After running a quick errand and Mass I came home with the intention to clean - aka Clean the sink of dishes, vacuumn the floor, put laundry from the weekend away, etc. Then the next plan was to tackle the pile of pants and shorts that need mending... yes, I have a pile... isn't that pathetic? Lol Well only three things but I have been putting them off and I really need to fix them. Anyway, I was not in a mood to clean or do anything productive today. So, I planned to listen to Christmas music (ONLY because its the first day of snow and it just made me in a Christmas time mood) and get in a good, cheerful, cleaning mindset so I could tackle my chores. So I dug out a cool bandana for my hair and some dangly's for my ears and an apron - just for looks. :) So, needless to say - I am almost done! Yay!

The First Snow

My Philosophy: If it's going to be cold then surely there should be snow!

The first snow of the year! How exciting - Isn't it?! I love the snow and the first snow is always so exciting and thrilling because of its beauty that is magnificently simple. For a moment even the dirtiest of cities can seem peaceful and quite and yet so beautiful with its first coating of fresh snow. I love the snow - I am sitting here by my window and I am LOVING the view of the big fluffy flakes just racing from the sky to find their little spot on the earth to rest upon!

My car is to the left down there. My car is dark blue - as you can see its currently all white... white with snow!!! :)

Thank You's

Almost done writing all the thank you notes for all the wonderful gifts that we got for our wedding! I was so good after the shower - had those all done within a week! I had hoped I would be as good with these ones but... unfortunately I haven't been. Oh well. Proper etiquette says I have a year!

Decor of Winter Months

I was driving back from Mass today and saw that the men had just finished putting up one of the NOEL banners over Bertrand Street. This is my favorite time of year for decorations. I love the little white lights that are strung across the streets. They give such a cheerful sparkle to the town in the evenings. I certainly do hope they string lights across the streets here! I can't remember ever noticing if they do. I love how folks will spray their homes with winter decor - like candles with warm scents and greenery across their mantals, and have the sweet smells of cinnamon sticks to reach the nose of everyone who comes through their door. It leaves you wanting to take a bite right out of the air! Okay, well maybe not literally but you know sometimes you get candles that you take a sniff of you and you're like, "Man, that smells so good I could eat it!" Well, at least I have ...and I love the scents and sweets of this time of year that make our nose hairs giggle and our taste buds tickle! :)

Blueberry Muffin Pie

MMMmmm I made this yesturday and my is it yummy! I had a muffin mix but I don't have any muffin pans so I used a pie dish and decided I was craving sweet, so I mixed some oatmeal, a pinch of white sugar and some brown sugar together and sprinkled on top before I baked it. It turned out with a nice sweet and crisp topping with a soft fluffy muffin center. Not too shabby for a box mix (well it was in a bag but same concept).

Ever wonder what Santa does during the summer?

News Flash: Santa spotted at Mission Beach, San Diego California. Ever wonder what Santa does during the summer or how he spends his time outside of the North Pole?It is reported that Santa has lost a lot of weight and is working off all those cookies he eats in the winter months - He is getting ready for this season.

Mornings Rays of Sunshine

I love the mornings that are cool and crisp. I open the window in the living room and sit

beside it and just take a moment to soak up the morning rays of sunshine - *deep breath*

"Now I'm ready to start my day..."

For The Poor Souls in Purgatory

Out of the depths I have cried to Thee, O Lod: Lord, hear my voice.

Let Thy ears be attentive to the the voice of my supplication.

If Thou, O Lord, wilt mark iniquities: Lord, who shall stand it?

For with Thee there is mercifulforgiveness: and by reason of thy law, I have waited for Thee, O Lord.

My soul hath relied on His word: my soul hath hoped in the Lord.
From the morning watch even until night, let Israel hope in the Lord.

Because with the Lord there is mercy: and with Him plentiful redemption.

And he shall redeem Israel from all iniquities.

V. Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord.

R. And let perpetual light shine upon them.

V. May they rest in peace.

R. Amen.

V. O Lord hear my prayer.

R. And let my cry come unto thee.

Let us pray

O God, the creator and Redeemer of all the faithful, grant to the souls of Thy servants and handmaids the remission of all thier sins, that through our devout prayers, they may obtain the pardon which they have always desired. Thou who are God, living and reigning forever and ever. Amen.

(Our Father and Hail Mary for the intentions of the Holy Father)

If You Pass Go! Collect $200!

We have been playing Monopoly since... Monday, I believe. Today is Thursday. It takes up our kitchen table so we eat dinner at the coffee table in the living room on the nights the game is still on. :) It's kind of amusing actually. It's been so much fun playing but it does take us a few days to finish, usually. I think I am winning... Dom has way more money than I do - or at least he has a big stack of the golden 500 dollar bills. There shouldn't be too much more of the game left because we both just made a deal and traded properties so that we could purchase houses and eventually put hotels on our spaces. I traded him Park Place to go with his Boardwalk for my Pacific Place to go with my other two greens. He took the deal but later realized he shouldn't have given me the one he did cause I have three houses on it now and he lands on it almost everytime around - AND he only has two properties with houses on them where as now I have three that he could land on. Anyway, thought I would share. :) We have LIFE too but have only played that once. I picked that up at a thrift store and its the older version that is what I grew up playing. However, if you have played the slightly newer version and are used to it... this one seems kinda confusing. I actually like the newer one better. I also picked up Balderdash which is such a fun game to play. We haven't played it yet but, if you've played before you know, it's definitely not a two person game. We need to have a game night soon and play it. If you haven't played it before you are missing out on hours of fun and laughter! Another fun one we have that we have played a lot is Battleship. I have never played it at all until I got married...I remember my brother had it and played it a lot but I never played it. I thought it was wierd and boring...little did I know - it's great fun! I also learned how to play a new card game (I think I played it once before) called Skip Bo. It's my new favorite card game! My mother-in-law taught me how to play it last week while I was waiting for my laundry to be done (we don't have a washer or dryer here in the apartment). It is so much fun! She kicked my butt of course but a lot of the game is purely luck - however, there is a good portion where you do need to have a strategy or at least a good strategy would be helpful.

Okay, enough game talk for me. What are some of your favorite games? Have you played any recently?

My Homemade Apple Pie

This is "my" apple pie. I say "my" because I con-cockted the the ingredients for the filling. I used a Martha Stewart pie crust recipe, with a few twists of my own, and mmmm it is so, so delicious. (if I may say so myself!) Here is the before baking and after baking picture. :) Yes Genevieve, I made it completely from scratch (except I didn't grow and pick the apples)!

I had a bag of apples I had to use for something so I did some reading up on making pie crust and different techniques as well as the "do's & don't" all morning to find good, logical sounding advice on making the perfect pie crust. Of course I didn't use them all but took some from here and there and I think it turned out to be a really, really, good pie crust.

Some of the Tips I Got:

• Key note it to let your dough chill before you roll it out and put it in your pie dish (I chilled mine for four hours). This allows the glutens to rest which will result in a more tender crust.
• After the dough is in your pie dish, let chill an additional 15 minutes - Apparently, this reduces shrinkage in your dough while baking. (mine didn't shrink so... I think it works)
• Start with a higher temperature of 400 degrees for the first half and then turn down to 350 degrees in the second half.
• Brushing the top crust with egg whites creates a nice shining top with a nice crisp. I sprinkled sugar over top of it as well.
• Chill your pie after it bakes - yes, don't just dive into the warm, delicious pie and let all your juices run free! By letting your pie sit for at least a half hour it allows your juices to thicken up a bit and makes it so they don't go running all over the dish and your plate. It definitely worked for me and I let it sit no longer than half hour.
• ENJOY!

OUTSIDE THE PAGES: II

“The Mother” by: Cardinal Jozsef Mindszenty

I have always heard this book was “the best book ever” and “this is one you should definitely read.” I had a copy at one point that I found off ebay but never read it because at the time I figured, I was single and not dating so why read it now? So, a friend of mine got married and I decided to give her the book because I knew it had great things said about it and wanted to share it with her. Now, I am married and God willing, one day will be a mother.

After browsing through the bookstore here I came across the book, “The Mother “ (among many others I was carrying in my arms…). After looking through and seriously contemplating each book I had in the pile I had collected, I decided on this one. I got it about a month or so ago and began to read it. I have not gotten far yet but already it is an amazing and inspiring book.

“The most important person on earth is a mother. She cannot claim the honor of having built Notre Dame Cathedral. She needs not. She has built something more magnificent than any cathedral- a dwelling for an immortal soul, the tiny perfection of her baby’s body… The angels have not been blessed with such a grace. They cannot share in God’s creative miracle to bring new saints to Heaven. Only a human mother can. Mothers are closer to God the Creator than any other creature; God joins forces with mothers in performing this act of creation… What on God’s good earth is more glorious than this: to be a mother?” (from the jacket of the book)

Can You Believe This is in Kansas?

These are the Mounument Rocks also known as "Chalk Pyramids" right here in Kansas! Can you believe it? I still can't!
They are located in Western Kansas... Of course you have to drive through the Flat Lands (which I haven't done yet) in order to get there but look how beautiful the sceanery is there! I am so excited to see them one of these days... It is a few hours from where we are though but it would definietly make a nice little weekend or day trip. Just wanted to share - I thought they were beautiful!

Books, Books, & More Books!

I have had an empty bookcase in the livingroom for the past three months - well it had a few random things on it and a couple of photos but that was it. In our spare room I had boxes of books. Those boxes eventually made it to the living room and sat there for a few days... then I pulled them out and tried to sort them, hence they sat on the floor in piles for a few more days. Well, finally Friday came and I decided I had to give them a home. I managed to motivate myself enough to finish sorting all the books and find them a space on the bookcase and pack some of the extra ones away. Deo Gratias! Slowly but surely it is becoming more "home-ish" in our little apartment. Here's the before and after :)

Little Things: Julia A. Fletcher

Little drops of water,
Little grains of sand,
Make the mighty ocean
And the plesant land.
Thus the little minutes,
Humble though they be,
Make the mighty ages
Of eternity.

BRRRrrrrrr!

It's cold enough to bring out the comfy - warm slipper boots!

Fresh Paint

I went to Topeka the other day with Kim and got a pretty new toe polish! It's a beautiful, rich, red-ish color that definintely stands out on my toes. I was so excited to get it - sounds silly huh? Well, I have been wanting to get a red for a good couple of weeks now. I was stuck with a pinkish - orange color that just did not to the trick. Isn't it a nice color? Now my toes feel pretty! :)

Pork Soup

Have you ever heard of soup made from a pork bone? I have not. Dom and I made homemade sausage on Saturday, which is really delicious, and I decided to keep the bone to make soup on Monday. I was very excited to try something new. I googled some recipes - or at least tried - and found some wierd asian recipes with exotic roots and herbs and they all said how gross the pork bone smelled when cooking.... hmmm well I decided I was still going to try it and just made my own! I will admit, when the pork bone was boiling at first it didn't smell the best but wasn't horrible either. However, once I had a broth and started the seasoning process ... it tasted absolutely tasteless and just blah... I was like, "man, how am I going to fix this!?" So, with patience and perseverence, I conquered the pork bone! :) It took a lot of seasoning and time to simmer but in the end it turned out delicious and the broth was definitely a nice change from your chicken or beef. It was very light and almost refreshing. I made it simple with potatoes and carrots and green peppers, onions and some seasonings. It was definitely a neat thing to tackle and I'm glad I wanted to be adventurous and try to make something completely unknown to me and in the end have a good outcome.

A Terrific Tuesday

Yesterday morning I went to a friends for coffee and good company. I had such a fun time and can't wait to do it again! Anyway, I made cinnamon rolls and brought some to share with the girls - ahem, here you go Ginny! I finally made some and thought of you the entire time! However, these were not homemade from "scratch"... I had a mix but I did have to add all but the dry ingredients together and had to let it rise and roll the dough and make my own cinnamon sugar mixture and icing, etc... so it sort of felt like I was making them from scratch. They were very yummy! Can you guess what is warmed up and tastes delicious with my coffee this morning??? :)

A Good Find

I have eaten and made many oatmeal - raisin cookies and the other day I found a recipe that definintely is staying in my recipe box! They are so yummy... very chewy and on the thicker side - all considering... most recipes bake out flat - I had thought they may turn out a little thicker but I like the thickness they are now. However, I have been planning to make them again soon and will experiment to make them a little thicker. MMMMmmmm they are so, so delicious!

~

1/2 cup butter softened (I didn't use it all as butter, I added some shortening to it)

2/3 cup light brown sugar
1 egg

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

3/4 cup flour (I added a handful extra once it was all mixed because I thought it needed it)

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 1/2 cup oatmeal

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (I add a little shake extra just because :) )

1/4 teaspoon salt (i usually just add a dash from the shaker)

3/4 cup raisins (or you can add more or less to your liking)

1/2 walnuts (I didn't use any this time but they are optional)

~

Preheat overn to 350. Cream butter, sugar, egg and vanilla in a bowl until smooth. In a separate bowl (or one big measuring cup like I do) mix together flour, soda, cinnamon and salt. Stir into the butter mixture (I always start to add my raisins and oatmeal at this point because I think they mix so much better into the mixture than waiting until its all thick and mixed - it just makes for it being well incorporated into your batter, thats all.) Stir in rasins and oats. You can bake your cookies now, if you are impatient, or let your dough chill before you bake them. It seems that by chilling the dough the cookies will be thicker and not bake out flat. I just put my bowl in the freezer for like 15 minutes then took them out to make into dough balls. Bake at 350 for 10 - 12 minutes... you want to bake them only until the edges just get a little brown and the tops will look slightly under cooked... but they aren't, so no worries. :) Also, this is only a half recipe so it makes about 2 dozen or so which has been good for Dom and I because I have just enough to put in his lunches. I do think I will double the recipe and make more next time because then I will have enough to snack on! Hope you enjoy them as much as I did.