Giving Thanks... and Decking the Halls

What an awesome weekend we had. It was great food, good memories...some old traditions and some new. lots of add checking out, and the greatest shopping day of the year! So thats it for thanksgiving now on to Christmas and decking the halls...


Mom is an awesome cook and the feast was grand. She also had the kids write on leaves all the things we were each thankful for and we decorated the thanksgiving tree that somewhat resembled Charlie Brown's.

The next morning Dad, Jake and I hit the town for some serious shopping... we did well and missed the rush for the most part. Nothing like getting you into the Christmas gift giving spirit like the rush of some extreme crazy early morning shopping. It was a lightening start to the time of year when I get all crazy about making sure the true meaning of Christmas doesn't get lost. Sunday's are good for that. Today at church was so nice... to feel inspired by music and just being in the right place to remember the savior. I love being a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Christmas is one of my favorite times of the year!!!

So... here is a glimps of my christmas decor....

Look what I found>>>

YUCK! Winter approaches and no more walks outside. This is a necessary evil in my life. I hate it, but have got to do it~ See the dust... obviously it hasn't been used in a long time! However, I found out, it works like a charm. All this because of that stupid show........ BIGGEST LOSER. it gets me feeling really crapy... oh well, whatever motivates you right?

TURKEY BOWL

MASON'S IDEA OF GOOD FUN PROVED MORE SUCCESSFUL THAN LAST YEARS MINI-TURKEY BOWL. 11 BOYS (AND 2 BIG BOYS) PLAYED ...
UNTIL IT WAS COLD AND DARK. THE INVITATION PROMISED TREATS AND FUN..SO THATS WHAT WE GAVE THEM, WE FOUND FOOTBALL SHAPED BROWNIES AND FILLED THE COOLER WITH GATORADE.



MASON IS A GOOD FRIEND AND PARTY PLANNER!

Busy Little Beaver

So, I've been a busy little beaver these days. Doing what you ask? well... some of it is hush hush... Christmas is coming you know? but sufice it to say, projects like sewing, stitching, baking, card making etc.etc.... I will show you a few of the things another day. I've also been helping a friend of mine get ready for a craft fair. She makes hair bows that are so very cute. The craft fair was last weekend and she did very well. I helped her for about 4 days straight. Currently I am focusing on making a stitchery pillow for a friend, sewing the hush hush things, making these yummy treats for enrichment... chocolate profeterioles... with ice cream and 2 kinds of hot fudge... I'm on the enrichment commitee and find doing things like these very enjoyable. We are having dinner and treats and playing games tomorrow night. I think it will be very fun! So, here is the recipe for chocolate cream puffs if you are interested. They are the easiest thing in the world to make and hopefully will be tasty for the ladies.... hot fudge recipe to follow:

Chocolate profiteroles

1 cube butter

1 1/4 c. water

1/4 c. semi sweet chocolate chips

pinch of salt

1 tsp sugar

bring to a boil and add:

1 c. flour

3 Tbsp. cocoa powder

stir off the heat until combined. return to medium heat and stir until smooth and glossy.

transfer mixture to mixer and beat with paddle attachment 1 minute

Add:

5 eggs (one at a time until smooth)

put in pastry bag with no tip and form balls on ungreased cookie sheet

bake 425 for 15 minutes, decrease oven temp to 350 and cook 20 more minutes until firm and dry

HOT FUDGE

1 cube butter

1 cup chocolate chips

melt and add:

1 1/2 c. p. sugar

1 can evaporated milk

continue to cook until thick and bubbly...

*I like to mix milk and semi sweet.... and I tried it this time with white cholate chips...

Oh this blasted Bug...

This has been a rough couple of weeks... Nick and I have had a cold and flu bug... now poor Andrew has it. How cute are baby sneezes though? Lucky for me, even though he is sick, he's still a pretty happy little guy. And lucky for me the world has stopped spinning... yesterday I felt like I was on a merry go round all day. YUCK! Now Andy has cold and it doesn't sound good... how do you know when things turn to RSV? I'm so paranoid! Here's hoping the rest of the family will not get this "blasted bug!"

The Big Day!!!

If there is ever a time to feel patriotic, today is the day! I am happy to live in this country and grateful for those who have and still do risk their lives in order to bless our lives with peace and freedom. Voting is a privledge that I have taken for granted in the past but feel stronger about each time an election rolls around. This year I have felt a more serious obligation to vote for lots of reasons. One of those is purely due to the fact that I have 4 kids who deserve the rights and freedoms that I enjoy. I am only one voter... but realize that doing my duty to express my opinion is a drop in a bucket that can make a change for the better.

I'm proud to be an American!

(*and a borderline total cheeseball!!!!! ... )

Ever Tried an Aritchoke?

Artichokes were on sale at the grocery store the other day and I couldn't resist. Have you ever tried them fresh? And how were they named artichoke? And did you realize they had purple in the middle... not to mention the hairy "choke" in the center... Well, we have tried them several times... they are a pain in the hiney to prepare, but yummy to eat. And the name....???? the kids and I came up with several different stories... Mason: "A guy names Arti found one in the desert and figured out how to eat it... he choked!" And I am still digging in my pinkie finger to find the spine of one of the leaves that stabbed me. OUCH! It was worth it... layer after layer of yummy... right to the heart of ol' "Arti"

Steamed Artichokes
4 artichokes

water just to cover

2 Tbsp. olive oil

3 garlic cloves

1 tsp. whole pepper corns

1 lemon sliced

steam prepared artichokes with all remaining ingredients for 25 to 30 minutes.

How to prepare an artichoke....

cut of top third of artichoke, squeeze lemon juice of cut section. slice stem end leaving only a small amount below base of artichoke. peel away outside layer of tough green leaves. using scissors snip tops of a few base leaves. using a melon baller scoop out center of heart (purple leaves and the choke... as much as possible) squeeze with lemon and let rest in ice water until the remaining artichokes are prepared. swear, break melon baller, turn fingers purple from yanking away at the center and get stabbed with small prickly spines.... :) oh what fun~

dip them in lemon juice, melted butter and mayonnaise