Monday, November 29, 2010

A real Snow Day

Saturday the kids and I somehow convinced Ben to take us up to the snow. I love taking day trips as a family. We have such good times, lots of talking and laughing and fun snacks. We left early, about 8, and made it up the snow where we went to our usual spot, a parking lot. We then played for a couple hours. Ben and Alicia worked on an igloo while Ethan and I just played in the snow. Really I just like to sit and take in the beauty of it all and throw an occasional snow ball. Especially since if I tried to walk in the snow I would fall through all the way to my bottom. It was deep. I had to crawl everywhere. Maybe some snowshoes are needed in my future. Because I woud use them so often here in the valley.
We then headed into Sisters for lunch. We were recommended Three Creeks Brewery by a local and it was so yummy. I think we could eat at this restaurant every day and be happy. Then we drove on home. It was a great day. the snow was fresh and perfect for playing in. It was deep and plentiful. It did not rain on us as it has in years past. It actually snowed lightly throughout the day. I hope we can get in another snow day before winter is over. It was a great family day.

Sadly before we left for the day I realized my camera's battery was dead. I charged it while we finished getting everything together but that was only 5 minutes. I got some pictures but my battery died before they finished the igloo. I am so sad as it actually turned out and looked really cool. In one of the pictures you can see the blocks around Alicia. That is the base of the igloo.

Alicia just loves me taking her picture!


Sunday, November 28, 2010

Found!!

I am so excited. This morning my boy was looking in the couches for a Nintendo DS game and found something I had misplaced a month ago! I had looked everywhere, I thought, and had given up. Thought I must have thrown them out with the garbage. I have been using the spare keys to the van but they do not have a house key and I am afraid of losing them and having no key. :) I have been feeling pretty bad about losing them and now am so happy.

Happy Sunday for me!

Monday, November 22, 2010

Acapulco, Mexico


The kids' school is selling raffle tickets again this year with winner being chosen at the auction in March. This year instead of 500 tickets they are only selling 300 and the winner will find themselves on their way to Mexico! With only 300 tickets being sold your chances of winning are really good, tickets are $20.00 each.

If you are interested in purchasing a ticket for a real chance at winning a Mexican vacation you can check out the resort here and then give me (or Alicia and Ethan) a call or email. The place looks amazing!

Winner will enjoy 7 nights in Acapulco and $1000 cash will also be awarded.

I think these would make great Christmas gifts or a great find in someones stocking!

P.S. We have a brochure about the resort you can add to the ticket to make the present better to look at. :)

Thursday, November 18, 2010

I want snow, I want snow, I want snow.

That's it.

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Garlic Jim's


My hubby spoiled me today. He got a text from Garlic Jim's that they had a buy one pizza get one free today. So he bought me two gluten free pizzas. I divided the slices up and froze them. When we have pizza night, most Fridays, I take my packets out of the freezer and reheat them on my pampered chef stoneware. It tastes almost as good as fresh. Well, at least close enough to cure that craving I have for pizza.

I love my hubby.

Monday, November 15, 2010

12 Days of Christmas


I have been trying to finish up my Christmas shopping and got to thinking about the 12 days of Christmas. People were talking about how they buy small things for their husbands starting December 13 and ending on Christmas. I thought this would be a nice way to show Ben some extra attention and decided to look up the origin of 12 days of Christmas. I may be the only one who really didn't know the meaning of this but I found that is actually a religious tradition. Also, I didn't know that it actually starts on Christmas and ends January 5, the day of Epiphany. The term epiphany means "to show" or "to make known" or even "to reveal." In Western churches, it remembers the coming of the wise men bringing gifts to visit the Christ child, who by so doing "reveal" Jesus to the world as Lord and King. Now I am unsure how or if I want to take part in this. Will be mulling this one over. Maybe I will just use my ideas for his stocking.

Sunday, November 14, 2010

background

I am going to have this background up for one week. I know not all of you want to see this every time you check my blog but I am very excited for the latest movie to come out this week. I am a Harry Potter fan, sue me.

Saturday, November 13, 2010

I have been working in Christmas presents the last few days. Even have a few wrapped and put up. Last year we did 3 presents, like baby Jesus. This year we are doing something you want, something you need, something you wear and something you read. It's been fun to think of something in each category. I told the fam this morning that they need to get me something in each category too. I am truly a comedian. Anyway, after the laughter faded away I said they could pick one category and I would fill in the other gifts. Again, I should be paid for the things I say.

A girl can dream.

This is what I want for Christmas.

That and pots.

And amazon money for my Kindle.




Goodness now that I sit here I can think of many things I want. :)

And the thing I have wanted for years but know I may be 90 before I can afford:

Sunday, November 7, 2010

for love of my sister

Occasionally I am creative. But not very often. I mean if you need someone to come do some graffiti on your school or church I may be able to do that. This is not true of my mom and sister though. They are artists. Not sure why I missed out on this gene and instead got the kidney stone gene but that is another story. Anyway, my sister just opened up a store at etsy. She has just a couple items out right now but I want you to go check her out, bookmark her, send her link to everyone you love, Oh and buy from her. :) Think stocking stuffers.


Want to know what this? Go check it out.
godizlife's store

Saturday, November 6, 2010

fall

I love the fall. I love the colors on the trees. The sounds the leaves make. I love the weather-blue skies and cooler days. I love back to school routines. And I love that it seems to usher in THE Holidays. I am so ready for them. Good food, lots of family and friends, buying presents, Christmas music, Christmas programs. It is all so much fun.

So you can imagine what an avid reader does on a fall day that seems to be ushering THE Holidays in. Yep, searching Amazon for some good Christmas books. I like to collect a good 10 and then read them over the next 2 months. Does anyone have any suggestions? I know a few of you also like Christmas books so hopefully we can all help each other.

Friday, November 5, 2010

love my kids

This week has been no picnic for my kids. A mom who does nothing, absolutely nothing, but lie on a couch is not fun. But they have behaved and they have stepped up. Of course my mother in law has helped some with that. They have loved spending extra time at her house. Right now they are making a fort in the living room and having a grand time. It is so nice to have kids that are old enough and responsible enough to get their own lunch, find things to do by themselves, bring me things. I am so proud of my kiddos.

Thursday, November 4, 2010

elbow grease

Our dishwasher is broken. A few days ago I heard sounds so I opened it up and there was a fire. I quickly closed the door and steam came out of every crack. I tried to turn it off but that wasn't working. Every time we opened the door the water would whip around the room. It would have been quite humorous if it wasn't very annoying. Ben was able to have the circuit turned off and then shut it off. It smelled so bad and even now terrible burnt smells can be found wafting through the kitchen. I don't want to buy a new one because they are so expensive, so until I find a great sale we will be hand washing. Do you guys know if there is a time of year when appliances are a good price? Until then my kids might be learning what it was like for most of us as children to wash dishes after dinner every night.

Wednesday, November 3, 2010

still waiting

Last week we painted over the kids' rubber ducky yellow bathroom, including a yellow ceiling. It is a boring, calm beige now. I am so thankful we (we said loosely as Ben painted it) did that as I have spent more time in their bathroom over the last two days and I am pretty sure that the yellow would not have been a fun color to be sick in.

I know some of you have heard that passing kidney stones is similar to child birth. Here is another thing. I am so sick that not very much sounds good but I have a strange craving for mashed potatoes and gravy. Weird I know.

Tuesday, November 2, 2010

Kidney Stones (4 of them)

I had a visit to the ER this morning. I don't really want to post about the whole thing now but need to get a post in for today. So please pray that I pass these kidney stones with minimal pain, as it has been very painful so far.

Monday, November 1, 2010

Big Ginger Cookies

I have tried a few years, and accomplished last year, to blog every day in the month of November. I will give it the ol' college try again this November. I will start you all off with a recipe I needed to email a friend and decided it was worth sharing with ya'll. It is a great Holiday cookie and most men love this recipe.

Martha's
(as in Stewart
not Wilson)
Big Ginger Cookies


Ingredients

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
1 cup (2 sticks) plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup packed light-brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
6 tablespoons unsulfured molasses
1 large egg
1/2 cup sanding or granulated sugar

Directions
1.Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper (I like parchment paper with these so don't cut this step out), and set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, allspice, and white pepper; set aside.
2.In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine butter with light-brown and granulated sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in molasses and egg; mix well. Add the reserved dry ingredients, and beat until just combined. Form dough into a ball, and cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate until firm, at least 2 hours or overnight.
3.Remove dough from refrigerator. Using an ice-cream scoop, shape dough into 2-inch-diameter balls. Pour sanding sugar into a large bowl, and roll balls in sanding sugar, coating well. Place cookies on prepared baking sheets, spaced 4 inches apart; flatten each into a 3-inch-diameter disk.
4.Transfer to oven, and bake until brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from oven, and transfer to a wire rack to cool. Store in an airtight container up to 2 days.

I will say that I like these cookies soft. I usually add potato bread to the container I store these in as they help keep them soft and sometimes make them even softer.

And the above picture is not one I took. The cookies do look JUST like these but I don't take pictures of the foods I make. I found one online and "borrowed" it.