Happy New Year

As I lay here in bed, shaking off the previous evening's cobwebs...I feel compelled to reflect on the previous year.

Wanna hear it? Here is goes (remember that from In Living Color???)

I turned 40.
My son turned 18.
My other son turned 16.

All monumentus occasions, the latter reminding me that I'm 40.

I had an awesome 40th. Both in Lewiston and in Walla Walla. I love my friends and family!!!

My great niece Allyson was born!!!

John was in a car accident. Rear ended by someone going 60. He is still having treatment for that.

My husband got a new job.
I stayed at my old job.

We went to Walla Walla and Spokane. I thinks that's as far as we travelled.

Fisher travelled to Auburn, Yakima and Spokane for marching band.

I went to Vegas for work.

My dog had her tubes tied.

We grew big pumpkins.

A nail started sticking out of one of the steps to the attic.

John shaved his beloved goatee and sippy sappy.

Really, I only travelled once for work this year? That can't be right!

We found out that we're in that income bracket that makes you not eligible for college financial aid.

Brayden realized the importance of getting good grades...After he graduated.

Brayden moved to the basement.

Brayden starts at CC in a couple of weeks.

Fisher celebrated one year with his girlfriend. Pretty good for someone turning 16?

Fisher was nominated for all state marching band.

I discovered Salted Caramel Mocha Frappuccinos.

I gained 10 pounds.

Oh ya, I had 1/2 my thyroid removed and now have a killer scar.

And had a colonoscopy (preventative measures are key, people!!!)

John squeaked one of those in this year, too.

This has been a pretty fantastic year. The biggest downer has been that my husband is out of town for 2 weeks at a time, but in our usual Make lemonade out of lemons fashion, we take advantage of Skype and spend quality time talking every night. And time home is even that much more special.

To wrap it up...Happy New Year everyone!!! Don't sweat the small stuff. Or rather, don't sweat. That's gross.

Oh, and I don't do resolutions. No sense in setting yourself up for failure!

18 and life...you got it.

18 years.  18 years of marriage.  If I were to look back 18 years ago on the day we got married, I don't know that I could see this far in the future.

We were married in Reno.  My uncle Tom told us if we went and got married he would pay for everything.  He was taking his work staff anyway - so he invited us to join them.  He, my Aunt Pam, and a couple of his employees attended...Don (I think) is the voice in the background on my video asking what my name is :)  How special.

We already had a 10 month old son at home (yes, we are sooo conventional!)  We were just happy to be married - so we could conform ;)  

Brayden stayed with my parents for 5 days while we went away - they called it the Brayden, Banana's and Barney adventure!!!  We won money the morning of the wedding and just knew it was going to be good luck!

John left a message to Brayden at the end of our wedding video...

A few notes about the attire:

John is wearing his bartender work uniform.  I am wearing a dress I had in the closet.  Shockingly one with a jean vest.  The ring I am wearing is courtesy of my dear friend...long story.  The bouquet is from a friend's wedding (former friend).  

 

18 years of marriage.  We have grown so much.  Literally.  GROWN.  Ok, figuratively, too.  We love each other more and more everyday and feel so lucky to have found each other (thanks again, Tami!) Our marriage is not perfect - but it's perfect for us!!!  Happy Anniversary baby!!!!!

We had a wonderful reception a bit later - thanks to my mom.  

I think I ended up drinking straight from the champagne bottle...probably because I was wearing corduroy shorts with tights.

And 10 years later...

I think I ended up drinking straight from the champagne bottle...

And 8 years later...

I plan on drinking straight from the champagne bottle...

Soda Cracker Candy

I pinned this on Pinterest a couple of weeks ago (or days)...and have been meaning to make it.  It sounded sooooo easy!  And as I've said before, I'm all about easy!

First, I lined a cookie sheet with tin foil - shiny side down (that's what the recipe said).  Funny, after all of my baking experiences, I didn't know there were 2 different sides.  I then took Soda Crackers and lined the pan. (It's about a sleeve + 3 crackers).

Then in a pan on medium-low, I put 1 cup of butter (2 sticks) and 1 cup of brown sugar.  I stirred and stirred and stirred unto it came to a gentle boil.  I took out the spoon and for exactly 3 minutes, let it boil.  Like this: 

After 3 minutes, I poured the mixture onto the crackers.  I always use a wooden spoon when making stuff like this - I used the back of my wooden spoon to spread it around, and tapped the pan a couple of times to even it out.  Then put it in a 400F oven for 5 minutes.

After I took it out of the oven, I immediately poured a little over a cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips over the top.  I let it sit for 5 minutes -  

And sit...

And sit...notice the crackers got a little misaligned when they were in the oven.  The bubbling popped them up.  That made no difference.

After waiting 5 minutes, I spread the chocolate chips evenly.

I then put them on a cooling rack, and then put them in the freezer.  Chocolate always seems to hold better when I put it in the freezer.  I then took it out and broke it into pieces.  I honestly was not convinced it was going to taste very good - but boy was I wrong!!!  Here is the finished product! 

If I make this again, I might double the toffee part, but just as they are, they are delicious!

Recipe:

1 cup butter (no substitutes)

1 cup brown sugar

Enough soda crackers to line a cookie sheet

1 - 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Line a cookie sheet with tin foil, dull side up.

2. Place soda crackers on foil so they are touching.

3. Over medium-low heat, melt butter and brown sugar.  Stir constantly until it reaches a full, gentle boil.

4. Once it boils, remove spoon and let boil for exactly 3 minutes.

5. Pour sauce evenly over soda crackers.  Use back of spoon to spread if needed.

6. Bake for 5 minutes.

7. Remove from oven.  Sprinkle chocolate chips, on top.  Let rest for about 5 minutes until chocolate chips are melted.  Spread with the back o a spoon.

8. Let cool completely.

9. Break into pieces

Recipe by Little Dairy On the Prairie at http://www.littledairyontheprairie.com/soda-cracker-candy/

Observations

I'm going to start adding to this when I notice funny, ackward, not funny...pretty much just Observations...here are a few to start:

When Michael Bolton is singing on top of a car in the snow on that one commercial, he looks like that one DEA agent from the movie "The Heat".

The commercial that speaks about Soma Intimates (clothing) throws me every time. Aren't Somas a prescription medication? Didn't Corey Haim O.D. on them? Who was the genius behind that name choice?

Does anyone else get uncomfortable when the grinch speaks? In general? The most recent commercial with Mario Lopez advertising the show "Extra" makes me think that no amount of money could convince me to talk to the grinch. His voice is the voice I use when I'm making fun of people I don't like.

I'd be funnier if I could remember the names of people, places or things.

How to make PERFECT chocolate chip cookies!!!

Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 c. Butter Flavored Crisco

3/4 c. Sugar

3/4 c. Brown Sugar

1 tsp. Vanilla

2 eggs

2 1/4 c. Flour

1 tsp. Baking Soda

1 tsp. Salt

1 bag Chocolate Chips (I use Nestle)

This pretty much is the TollHouse recipe - with a little tweaking and tips and tricks, in order to make the perfect cookie every time!

Cream the Crisco, sugar, brown sugar and vanilla.  

If you don't know how to do that - take the back of a spoon and press down, again, again, and again until it is mixed together (just until combined, don't overmix).  Then add vanilla and stir.  Add eggs, stir.

In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt.  

Pour the dry mixture into the "wet" mixture little by little (you should dump around 3 times), stirring each time.  Yes, that's right STIRRING, each time.  No beaters allowed here!  I just use a regular spoon (the bigger one)...it's probably used for something like soup so we'll call it that...the soup spoon. Anywho!  After you don't see any dry mixture (and this will take some elbow grease, but will be soooo worth it), dump in the chocolate chips.  Make sure to ask your kids if they want a taste beforehand, though, hehe.  My kids like cookie dough without the chips. We haven't died from salmonella YET (I hope I didn't jinx myself)

Next, grab a spoon (I use a Pampered Chef scoop - the medium sized one) and put the cookies on your Pampered Chef baking stone.  If you choose another pan, I can't guarantee the perfection.  If you don't have one - seriously, get one.  You will NOT be dissapointed!  

Bake @ 375F for 12 minutes the first batch, then 11 1/2 minutes the following batches.  The nice thing about the baking stone is that you can accidentally forget about them and they don't burn.  Yes, they are a little crispier - but still totally edible!  ORRRR...don't forget about them!  

And voila!

Cupcake Idea

Because I've finally started using my blog - there will be things that have happened in the past that I will be posting on here now.  I was so at a loss at my son's graduation, trying to figure out what to do for a cake.  I didn't want to spend an exorbitant amount of money, that I know.  I looked through my house and on Pinterest to see if anything caught my eye - and realized that cupcakes were the way to go!  I found a cute idea where you use peanut butter chocolates and chocolate squares to look like a cap. Like this:

Then realized that I didn't have a cupcake tower...now what to do?  I remembered that I had a couple of cake stands..and voila!

I was really please with the outcome!  It's amazing how much money can be saved when you put your mind to it!!!!

Just wondering...

When you put gas in your car, do you envision having to stop it from rolling by holding onto the gas nozzle?

Have you ever mistaken a gas leak for the Texas Toast you forgot about in the oven?  

Have you ever gone through the car wash and thought your car was on fire because of the "steam" coming off the hood?  

Have you ever thought your house was on fire because the neighbor was using their woodstove?

Have you ever thought your house was on fire because someone had a burn pile two houses down?

Have you ever started your car in the morning to warm it up and thought that there was so much "smoke" coming out of the tailpipe that someone must have put an egg in it?  

Have you ever been in a drive-thru and had your window down and heard a terrible noise coming out of your car?  And then you paint a whole scenario of how how you are going to afford to fix it, only to find out it was the 1980 rx7 behind you?

NEW- Have you ever received something in the mail to the wrong people at your address and thought it was laced with something that could potentially kill you? When you are driving it to the mailbox to send it back...do you feel like you are smelling funny things and it is eating away at you?

Just wondering...