It's Sugar Cookie Season

Halloween seems to kick off the start of decorating sugar cookies that finally ends with Valentine's Day. Here is the recipe that I use for cut-out cookies. It is a tea cake type cookie that bakes up nice and soft. I love this recipe because the cookies do not lose their shape as they cook. I am also a stickler for not over baking them, but that is a personal preference

• For the icing I just melt 1 stick of butter or margarine (I use parkay) start adding powdered sugar to the butter and as it thickens I thin it out with a little milk. I mix this in my kitchen aide mixer. I also add a teaspoon of vanilla. You should be able to use a whole bag of powdered sugar just adding milk to get the right consistency. You want it to be spreadable, but not to thick. It should not slide over the sides when you spread it on (which is what happened to Jill and I today - LOL!) We spent the morning baking sugar cookies today and it was so nice to spend a few hours with her. It seems that we have less and less time to do things like that and her life is only going to get busier.

Things have been rather crazy here lately, so you'll have to forgive the lack of postings. I am hoping that things settle down soon. Ü

Halloween Cutie!

Fall Treat!

Just wanted to add that I use good apples for this recipe. I used 2 large Fugi apples (sweet juicy ones) and one Granny Smith. Plus, if you have the salsa maker thingy that has the thing you turn on the top that chops the veggies....that grates apples perfect - clear as mud?

Apple Muffin Extras and Pictures

Just a few little hints about these muffins. They are super easy, but if you are using muffins liners then make sure you let the muffin cool before you dip it into the warm butter and sugar topping. The liner will separate from the muffin if it is still warm.
Also, the original recipe called for half nutmeg and half cinnamon. I was always out of nutmeg and would just double the cinnamon. I decided last night to make the original recipe and sadly discovered that I now despise the flavor of nutmeg. So, I remade both batches using only cinnamon. (yes, you read that right....I made 4 batches of apple muffins!) My taste buds appreciated the extra effort.

My blog recipe reflects the change - feel free to try it with nutmeg if you wish!

Chesley is taking a batch to a gracious older gentleman that she is interviewing for a school history project and for me they had to be right or they weren't leaving the house.

Gadget Tip: I have always hated filling muffins tins for some silly reason. I hate for any batter to drip on the pan etc. I am probably just picky....but I discovered that when making the mini muffins that my small cookie scoop is the perfect size to fill the muffin cups and absolutely NO mess. I will never dread that job again. Have I ever mentioned to you all how much I LOVE my cookie scoop. It has become my token "welcome to the neighborhood gift" along with a small tub of chocolate chip cookie dough from Papa Murphy's Pizza.

Movie Review: The Secret Life of Bees

My sister and I played a little hooky from daily life and snuck off to the movies in the middle of the day. It was so much fun. We both couldn't wait to see The Secret Life of Bees because we both read the book and loved it. This film was one of the best adaptations I have ever seen. It stayed really true to the book. We both gave it 2 thumbs up. If you like lots of fast paced action - this movie is not for you. This is a drama with great characters and an interesting story - but not fast paced at all. I must also add that Dakota Fanning was excellent. I love the fact that she doesn't over act!

Grease!

Today the kids and I are going to see the Canyon High School Production of Grease. We have heard that it is fantastic and if the whole show is 1/2 as good as this clip, then it will be awesome. Our high school is known for its quality productions. The director for the high school productions also directed Chesley in TEXAS this summer. We'll let you know how it was after the show!

Little Random Tidbits

* Cutter scored his first soccer goal on Monday! It was cold and yucky and he played awesome.

* Cambry was recognized at school for Eagle Excellence and got to participate in the pep rally.

* Chesley is auditioning for All-Region choir on Saturday.

* Cambry scored her first soccer goal tonight - she went for a side shot and kicked it OVER the goalies head! Woo Hoo!

* We said good-bye to one faithful friend and one crappy friend this weekend. My washing machine has been on it's last leg for a long time. It was purchased in Roswell and served us well for 15 years. The dryer completely bit the big one this weekend and wouldn't even turn on. That little lint sucker only lasted about 6 years and deserves every bit of rust it has coming at the junkyard! Thanks to Sears and 12 months no interest...I only have to sub about 30 more times to pay for the new ones.

P.S. Thank You to the friends that provided my references for substituting - I am grateful Ü

Finally - Someday Has Arrived!

How many of you have that blanket answer to a question that comes up often...and you've been serving up that answer for so long that it becomes like the daily blue plate special - boring, typical, and so far in the future that you don't really have to THINK about it....you just have to say it.

For example:

Random person: "Are you ever going to return to teaching?"

Me: "Maybe someday...or I'll probably substitute. Yeah, substitute - someday...way far away in the future....when my tiny baby boy starts Kindergarten....and I'm lonely...and have nothing to do.....someday!"

Well, someday has arrived. I'm still in shock about it a little! Not shocked that someday finally got here, but that my baby is 6 and I'm 38 and that today I accepted my first sub job and that I actually loved it. It reminded me that I chose teaching as a profession because I'm actually good at it. It was like riding a bicycle. Phrases like "Johnny, keep your hands to yourself" and "Mary, we don't lean back in our chairs" and "David, please take the lunch count to the cafeteria" etc etc etc. roll off my tongue with the greatest of ease. I'm definitely not Goldilocks in the classroom. The tiny little chairs, gallons of hand sanitizer, and dry erase markers feel just right!

I loved it so much that I took another job for tomorrow - Is is bad that I'm happy that it's only a half day job LOL! I mean I can ease into SOMEDAY right! Ü

Fun Weekend!

This might rank up there with one of my favorite weekends. In many ways it was ordinary and in other ways just a little "extra"ordinary. Aren't those the best kind? My mom drove all night (or early morning how ever you want to look at it) to be here Friday morning. We spent a few hours together and then she was able to go with me to pick the kids up from school. They got out early for a teacher work day. We soon got the call that my Dad was going to fly to Amarillo after his Elk hunting trip in Nebraska to see the kids play soccer on Saturday instead of flying home to Granbury. A great weekend was getting better.

Chance and Dad had a great time Friday smoking a brisket and just catching up while they played football with Cutter. Meanwhile Mom/Nana treated all of the girls to super stylin pedicures. We found the coolest place and had the best laughs. We finished up the night with some Chinese food....delish!

The games on Saturday both ended up being rained out. It was so stinking pitiful that two people made a special trip to see the games...canceled! Oh well - we didn't let the rain damper our spirits. We celebrated my Dad's birthday early with yummy brisket sandwiches and birthday cake. LuLu and Papa Check came over and spent the day with us and helped Chance cheer the Texas Longhorns to victory! It was just a simple weekend of fun - the best kind!

A Present for Chesley!

Follow this link to the last trailer for the twilight movie ] (Click on the word Follow)

Chesley read all 4 of these books in just a couple of weeks. She loved them so much that she is rereading them! I started reading them first based on my friend Amy's recommendation. We are all counting down the days until this movie starts.

You've been TAGGED!

For those of new to the blogging world - Tag is a common game that comes and goes. I know most of us may not have accumulated enough "friends" to send it to yet...and that's ok. It will still be fun to see your answers.

RULES:

1. Post the rules on your blog.

2. Write 6 random things about yourself.

3. Tag 0-6 people at the end of your post.

4. Pass on the tag.

Here are my 6 random facts

1. I have a weird thing for cold earlobes - when my kids were babies I loved to touch their cold ears to my thumbnails....omg! That really makes me sound Psycho. LOL

2. I can't fold laundry if it is not HOT. It can be a real pain if I keep forgetting it and then have to keep reheating.

3. I despise unloading the dishwasher (just ask the girls - it is pretty much their only consistent chore)

4. While still in high school, I once had to drive home only making LEFT turns. The power steering or something went out on my suburban and I drove in my neighborhood within blocks of my house for over 30 minutes until I got it just right and was able to make a left turn onto my street!

5. I like my house clean - but I HATE to clean so I am a serious straightener. I am always straightening and organizing and wiping things. Anything to avoid the real deep down cleaning job.

6. When I was baptized I didn't have my glasses on so after I rose up out of the water, my pastor nudged me towards the door and with water and wet hair dripping down my face I couldn't see and I waded right into the brick wall.

I am tagging the following people:

Chey-Anne

Jana (Home on the Range)

Jessica

Lacey

I am only tagging 4 so that others will have a few people to tag.

Thanks to my friend Wholarmor for passing this along. Please visit her blog if you get a chance.

http://wholarmor.livejournal.com/

Yearbook Yourself: I should have been born in the 60's

1960 1962
1964
1966
1968

Man - I could have rocked the 60's. The other years were not so good to me LOL. I think I can really see the resemblance to my mom in the picture from 1966!

1972
1976
1978 - soul sista!
1980

Recipe Tuesday: Crockpot Swiss Steak

Easy on the budget!

Ingredients:

round steak (I use 2 packages of thick sliced)

can of french onion soup (I actually prefer the cheaper Campbell's soup - not pictured)

can of tomato soup

Directions:

1. Cut your round steak into pretty large chunks and place in crock pot

2. whisk together the two cans of soup

3. pour over steak and stir to coat meat
4. cook in crock pot on medium or high for 5 hours or until done - this cooks pretty fast so if you need to be gone all day - I would cook on low.

5. serve over rice or noodles

6. you could also add some carrots to this if you want to add a veggie.

7. It is pretty rich - so I would not salt until serving and base amount on taste.

Inspiration

56 years

Today there is reason to celebrate - two very important people in my life and the in the lives of those I love are celebrating 56 years of marriage. They have shared with us a love story that has endured many beautiful moments as well as times of incredible heartache. We take from them the knowledge that true love endures all things.

One afternoon I was visiting them at their house and they were recalling a few stories while sitting on the porch. Nanny was retelling something funny and Papa got so tickled at the memory that he was just about in tears. They looked at each other and smiled - smiles that seemed to whisper to the other... "we share the best memories." What more could you ask for!

Go Eagles!

The girls are finally out the door and at the game. Cambry was smiling from ear to ear and so proud of her mum. Chesley was meeting several friends and happy to be going sans any parental supervision. Of course, the game is full of people who know us, so it isn't like she could get away with anything. You remember what it was like to finally be THAT age where you just got dropped of at the gate. It is a new horizon for our family. We might as well embrace it because next year she is going to high school!!!!!!

Hope everyone has a great weekend Ü

Random Friday

Canyon Homecoming is this weekend. It is huge in this little small town of ours and it trickles all the way down into the lower grades. Cambry was asked to go to the game with a friend and his family and he got her a MUM. So, we returned the favor and bought him a garter. I have to admit that it is really cute!

Chesley made necklace pendants for the office staff at her school. She has really enjoyed being an office aide this year.

Cutter has to get up in front of the class today and recite the Itsy Bitsy Spider. Cambry helped him make a giant Spider to use as a prop and we painted a spider, sun, and rain drops on his face. I didn't get pictures because we were running late...and parents can't attend (boo hoo).

I am going to have lunch with Texas Amy today. We became friends while our kids performed together this summer in Texas. Now, when I say anything about Amy to my family...they ask the question "Amy from Texas". LOL - so, she is just officially Texas Amy.

Last, I have to make another trip to the public library. Cutter and I have been reading three books every single night since the second week of school. We have hardly missed a night and last week, we didn't miss any. Do the math, that is 21 books that we read in a week! I should have started with only 1 or 2 Ha Ha!

Favorite Thing Thursday: Wordle

http://wordle.net/

This is the coolest thing since DVR! You just type in a random list of words that you create. I listed everything that I could come up with that described "ME". The good, the bad, and the ugly! LOL Then you press on the create button and like MAGIC - you have a cool piece of art.

Tips:

1. Once you type in the words (do not put commas between the words) copy and save your text. My wordle messed up and I had to type the whole list of words again....do it you'll be glad you did.

2. to type words that have spaces that you want to stay together such as Dr. Pepper or bargain hunter type ~ that little symbol in between them so they will look like this Dr.~Pepper and bargain~hunter. (mine is on the key right before the number 1 key)

3. play around with it - you can change the font, colors, layout, etc

4. to get my name to appear BIGGER - I typed my name 4 times

(Jerilynn Jerilynn Jerilynn Jerilynn)

5. it is fun to press the random key over and over - just to see what you get!

6. you can not save it from the screen (unless you use the print screen button..but mine doesn't work) - I had to print it and then scan it to show you.

READ the FAQ - it helped me with several questions I had.

This would be a cool gift for your kids to make for friends - it prints out close to a 8X10 size.

Let's get this Party Started!

I thought that I would post a little Fall/Halloween craft to get the month of October started with a bang. We don't really make a huge big deal out of Halloween, but we do decorate a little with Fall/Pumpkin decor and we do make a few rounds of the neighborhood for some free cavities. This is a nice craft because you can involve your kids...once the holes are drilled. I made these last year, so I don't remember which size to use - just make sure you experiment on the bottom of your pumpkin. You want the hole to be tight enough to hold the sucker in. You don't want sagging suckers to take away from your "craft goddess" reputation!

You will need a fake craft pumpkin, a drill, (you might be able to use an ice pick and a hammer),and a sack of Dum Dums.

1. drill the random holes

2. stick the suckers in!

3. DONE.

A little funny side note: I walked by the pumpkin a couple a days ago and there were several suckers stuck in holes with wrappers off of them, just on a whim I decided to touch one. Yeppers, they were sticky. Apparently, Cutter thought he could take the suckers out for a "flavor test drive" and return them if they were not his taste!