Hey, I tried.

Many of you who know me know that I don't do crafts. Well, I like to do crafts, alone, without the kids. I mean that I don't let the kids do crafts.
Well, I let them do crafts at school and at MOPS when other wonderfully patient teachers set up the materials and, most importantly, clean up afterwards.
I think crafts are important for children to do. It buds creativity and the kids love to do it.
I just have never been one to do crafts at our house. First, it's expensive. Those quiet, unassuming Popsicle sticks can run upwards of $3. $3? That's not much you say! Well, no, it's not. But when you add the felt, a package of googly eyes, craft glue, sequins, stickers, pom-poms, and a subscription to Family Fun Magazine, one craft project will cost you $97.50.
Secondly, it's messy! I wake up with cold sweats just thinking of the red glitter forever embedded in our carpet.
Well, my meds must be kicking in because today I decided to do a project! Ava made a very cute shaker last year, which Cameron decided to destroy this morning. After I made Ava silence her hysterics, I told her that we could make her a new one. And Cameron could make one to - a shaker of his very own to destroy.
So, off we trekked to The Wal-Marts to get 2 cans of frozen juice concentrate, Popsicle sticks, a bag-o-beans, and various foam stickers. After seeing that my only option in the Popsicle stick area was a box of 500 (um, no thank you) we bypassed those.
After we got home, I got the kids situated at the kitchen table with a snack while I messed with the juice cans and washed them out.
I undid the funny little plastic puller-thingy and attempted to pull off the metal lid, but to no avail. The crazy thing was stuck!
So I pulled and pried and FINALLY it let lose! My victory was sorely short lived as I realized that frozen pink lemonade concentrate has just splattered
all-over-my-kitchen. UGH!! The thick pink syrup was everywhere! At that very moment, I thought to myself: This is why I don't do crafts.
After cleaning up all the goo and getting the kids situated with all of the stickers and markers, the rest of the craft-making went off without a hitch.
I think that the kiddos enjoyed themselves and I was happy that they did. And I was happy that it kept them busy for (seriously) only 12(!!!) MINUTES!
ACK! All of that for only 12 minutes of craft-time?
That, is why I don't do crafts.

Ack! Are You Hedu?

Someone with the name of hedu left a comment in my basil blog, and I can't for the life of me figure out who it is!!!
They had some very creative ideas for my basil, too!
If you are hedu...let me know!
A MILLION thanks!

Oh, Just pump the stuff directly into my veins....

I AM ADDICTED.
Ever since I made those dreadfully yummy Smore cookie bars, I have been craving, on a daily basis might I add, for this stuff! It's a gift straight from God I tell ya. Yesterday, I wanted, well actually I HAD TO HAVE, this stuff so badly that I went to Kroger and took a 2 year old and a 4 year old into the store just for 1 thing! What am I crazy?!?
Anyway, when we got back into the car after a wonderfully calm and successful store run, I popped the lid off my creme, and scooped out a big glob just for me. Why? Because I can. I paid for it. I'm the mommy, that's why.
It was so good. And by the time the night was over, I had about 1/2 cup of this white wonderful confection under my belt.

Well, off to the gym to work off my shame.....

And, I shutter just to think that candy corn season is right around the corner! I'm going to try and hold out until at least October to indulge.

Need Basil?!

Can you believe this plant?! My basil plant has grown to an astonishing 3 feet tall! You can see I put a ruler down just to gauge it's height, and was surprised at how much the plant dwarfs the ruler! I have been trying to use it as much as possible, but unless I start putting basil in my cereal, ice cream, enchilladas, shampoo, and toothpaste, I will NEVER use it all up! Heck, I could use it as TP and still have extra!



You can see at the top of the plant that there are even more sprouts coming up! Each one of those sprouts has 20 or so leaves! I am going to check out on the web instructions on how to dry it, but until then, I need to get really creative in my uses for it!
Basil pancakes, anyone?

In a word.....YUM!

Hey! Are you just craving to get out your most comfortable sweatshirt? Are you just begging for summer to be over with so you can enjoy the fruits of fall? Want warm apple cider, pumpkin bread, or smores? Some people LOVE the fall, and are always excited when they feel that first nip in the air. So, in honor of those folks, I have a recipe for you! These bars are a-w-e-s-o-m-e!!!! I highly recommend you try them and imagine you at a campfire surrounded by hay and fleece, looking at the beautiful autumn moon.



S'more Cookie Bars

1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/3 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
2 super-sized (4.4 oz.) dark chocolate bars (e.g. Hershey’s)
1 1/2 cups marshmallow creme/fluff (not melted marshmallows); About 16 ounces

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease an 8-inch square baking pan.

In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light. Beat in egg and vanilla.
In a small bowl, whisk together flour, graham cracker crumbs, baking powder and salt. Add to butter mixture and mix at a low speed until combined. Divide dough in half and press half of dough into an even layer on the bottom of the prepared pan. Place chocolate bars over dough. Two 4.4 oz. Hershey’s bars should fit perfectly side by side, but break the chocolate (if necessary) to get it to fit in a single layer no more than 1/4 inch thick. Spread marshmallow fluff evenly over the chocolate layer.


Place remaining dough in a single layer on top of the fluff. This is most easily done by putting the second half of the dough in a gallon size freezer bag. Use your palms to flatten it out, and then use scissors to cut down both long sides of the bag, so it will open up book-style. Open it up carefully, and the dough will stick on one side of the bag. Then place the bag, dough side down, on the other three layers. From there peel the bag up ad spread the dough where it is uneven.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until lightly browned. Cool completely before cutting into bars

Makes 16 cookie bars.

Chi-Town, here I come!!

On Tuesday, I am off on a culinary tour and shopping extravaganza in lovey Chicago!!
My blessed mother has gifted me with the trip for my 30th (eek!!) birthday and I am going to make the most of my 2 days there. I have plotted our course, and we will hit the ground running starting with a stop at the local Starbucks for my Tall, non-fat, decaf extra pump vanilla latte and then we're off to brunch at Orange on Harrison. I am very eager to try their Fruishi!! www.orangebrunch.com
Then, after checking into our ultra hip Hotel Avenue, www.avenuehotelchicago.com, we will hit the Miracle Mile!!
Then off to Garretts Popcorn for a tasty treat, that I have only heard rave reviews about! www.garrettpopcorn.com
Then it's off to the theater where we will get a behind the scenes tour of the Broadway show Wicked! Hello?! Can you tell I'm pumped?!?!
After a short break to have a cocktail (or 7) I will FINALLY get to see the show. My friends Amanda and Katie have gushed over how great Wicked is!
www.wickedthemusical.com
On Wednesday morning, we will have a leisurely breakfast at the hotel and carb up for more serious shopping!
I found a neat little BBQ joint that I thought we could try for dinner named Smoque. www.smoquebbq.com
I will FOR SURE come back 90 pounds heavier from all of the yummy treats I plan on indulging in, but I have a feeling that every calorie will be worth it!
Wooo-Hooo!!!

I am grumpy when I should have patience, I yell when I should forgive, I run when I should have courage…I am not who I need to be, but thank God I am not where I used to be.