The Blue and The Whites

When Max took off for the Seattle Sounder's game on Thursday night he forgot to give me his football laundry.

So, on Friday morning he went and got it from the locker room. I rushed and got everything washed and returned to school by 10:30 a.m. The football gear was leaving at 10:30 for the ferry.

Thank goodness I rushed around and got his Whites white and his Blues bright!



I guess I better get my Spray and Wash out and loaded...

Oh, and if anyone has a pair of size 12 cleats that Max could borrow for a week, I would sure appreciate it. His were in tough shape and the bottom of one fell off last night. He left them in the trash in the Friday Harbor locker room...

Yes, we took the eight o'clock ferry home. Mama didn't raise no fool.

More Games

Max, Tyler and Eric went with Brian to the Seattle Sounders playoff game against Houston last night. They were part of the LOUD 36,000 fans in Seattle. Score 0-0. On to Houston!
Their seats were sweet, in a suite on the Red Zone. Red Bull Suite rocks! Hubby and I watched the game on espn.

A BIG thanks to Coach Terp for allowing Max to go to the "rodeo"...

Today we are taking the ferry to San Juan Island to watch the Lyncs football teams take on Friday Harbor. There is a high wind warning. I am so taking the seasick pills. Friday Harbor doesn't have covered bleachers. I can hardly believe that in the Pacific Northwest they wouldn't build a cover.

I am wearing so many clothes, taking my blanket, walking on the ferry and hoping for NO rain!

Would I be a bad Mom if I took the early ferry home and missed the second game?

Family Power

When we had our family reunion at Silver Lake this September we all got to know my cousin, Todd's daughter better. Jordan told us that she loved volleyball and played varsity for BEHS. We told her that we'd come to her game when she played LCHS.

Last night was the big game. Jordan had to be feelin' the love. Her Grandma Nelda, and the Greats, Uncle Rich, Aunt Doris, Uncle Ed, Aunt Twyla, Aunt Judy were there. Cousins Steve and Jewel and family, Jeff and Kathi, myself, and Max. Her Uncle Troy too. Friends of Grandma Nelda came too. Of course, her parents, Todd and Julia were there.

The fans were yelling, "Tiger Power" and "LC Power"...
I was thinking "Famiy Power" pretty much rocked!

On a side note, I had not watched a high school volleyball game since the late 70's. It's a fast paced fun game. Oh, and their shorts got much shorter. Yikes!

Cheater Soups

First off, a few disclaimers...
*If you need exact recipes to follow, stop reading and go find one.
*If you feel slighted because you don't have Dutch soup mix at your local grocer, stop reading. Sometimes I have to drive to the next town to the Asian Market, buck up.
*One recipe is from our church, the other I totally made up, all by myself, using common sense and throwing caution into the wind.

The key ingredient is the Dutch soup mix, Groentesoep.


Dutch Chicken and Rice Soup

One Groentesoep mix
One can cream of chicken soup
2 cups diced chicken breast (Cash and Carry is your friend)
1 cup rice
Water
I add carrots and sometimes celery. I just can't leave well enough alone.

Dutch Meatball Soup

One Groentesoep mix
One can of tomato soup
Three handfuls of shredded carrots
Three handfuls of frozen corn
One can of chopped tomatoes
Three stalks of diced celery
Meatballs from Costco
Broken angel hair pasta, which I add late in the day so it doesn't get too pastaey-is that a word?
Water
Since this is my made up recipe I throw in any veggies I have in the house. And you can too! Live a little, go crazy!


I throw everything into the crock pot and leave for the day. The chicken soup is creamy. Somedays I add the rice a bit later. So it doesn't get too ricey, is that a word?

I first saw shredded carrots at Haggens and used them for another recipe. They keep well and now I throw them in everything for that added vitamin boost that comes from carrots. I slice carrots too but on days when I am in hurry they are handy. We love them on salads too.

Nothing like Italian meatballs in your Dutch soup, hey, it works!

{Enjoy}

#83

Last evening my sister, that is a Snapsister, came to Max's jV football game and took some pics for me. Thanks Jodi. It got dark early as there were very evil BlAcK clouds that moved in over Nooksack. And at Nooksack, for some mysterious reason, only known to NO one, the games start a half hour later than anywhere else in the league. So, she didn't have a lot of light. But they are much better pics than I usually get on my point and shoot camera of Max on the sidelines. I can't capture the action.




LC won. Game lasted until 8:00 p.m. and it was bloody cold. So cold that all I could think about was what I should wear when I go to the double header on Friday night in Friday Harbor. Eddie Bauer silk long johns, for sure, hand warmers, gloves, layers and layers and blankets.
If you see a woman on the ferry that looks homeless, that will be me. Every piece of clothing I own and my bed is coming with me.
Anyway, good game last night, lots of family came to the game. My folks and Levi came for soup and rustic bread for a late supper. At dinner Max was roasted by all, everyone knows more about Max than Max himself.
He is one lucky kiddo!

Carvin' It Up

The pumpkin vignette may look like I visited a commercial pumpkin patch. Nope, just Holly's place. Holly grows a huge garden and has the pumpkin and gourd crop beautifully displayed in spots around their yard and gardens.

Max and I went to the Stockmans' carvin' party this afternoon. Brian and Holly are mid remodel, no carpet yet, so if the pumpkin seeds hit the floor, no biggie. They had a crowd, their daughter Ashley came home from SPU with roommates and of course, their son Tyler, Max's buddy. Perry and Linda and their kids, Max went to grade school with their Fraser and played football with him. We enjoyed chicken soup, rolls and pie for dessert.

Plenty of pumpkins. On the tables, on the front porch, on the back porch and on every fence post-pumpkins!
I happened to be at the table with a very large pumpkin, people looked at it, rolled it over and walked away. It's size was intimidating. Not Ashley. Nope, she saw right from the get go the plumber's butt potential in this pumpkin!
It is not easy putting pants on a pumpkin.

I suggested we call him Joe, like election "Joe the plumber".
{cracked me up}
Pun intended.


Some carve traditional pumpkins and some carved for hours.

Brian decided to carve a likeness of Max. Personally, I feel one Max is plenty. He had to sit very still and model-like.

It was uncanny how much Max and the pumpkin looked alike. Brian is a fast and artsy carver.

Perry, a pilot, carved an airplane. Max carved an iPhone. There were jack-o-lanterns, a crow, an owl, a spider web, team pumpkins, you name it, we carved it.


There may have even been a Stone House pumpkin.

Saturday Stuff

Last week was Homecoming at LCHS. LC has had Spirit Week before and now finally Homecoming. Max was the Sophomore prince. He wore things like pink boas, p.j.s, and Hubby's uniform to school this week. I think the kids had a lot of fun and my view is bring it on. LCHS will celebrate 100 years this year and I think someone finally decided, hey, why don't we let the kids have homecoming? Quite possibly there isn't anyone left who remembers why they didn't allow homecoming in the first place...
Bring it on and if the Alumni and Development Committees get involved it could be a promotional, fun time for all. I'm just sayin'.

Besides football this weekend I have been digging my way out of the laundry room and trying to clean this place a bit. I have a peach pie in the oven, with store bought crust. Friends tell me it's good and it better be... I may be slipping in the kitchen. I had to dump dinner on Monday night. First time that has ever happened to me, football game went long, and dinner was burnt. And now piecrust from the grocery store...

This morning I went to Emily's new place. I hadn't seen her in forever, well at least not at boot camp. She moved out of the ghetto recently and has a very nice condo with a pretty view. She made a baked French Toast. I need that recipe. Em is so much fun she makes me wish I could be in second grade and have her for a teacher.

The sun is out (better go for a walk), it's the weekend and we got a letter from Sam today. Life is good.

Tricky Wires and Pliers

My cousin Tricia makes pretty jewelry from sea glass that she finds beach combing with her boys. My boys and I did a lot of beach combing too. My guys found me many heart shaped rocks and lots of sea glass. I still have it all. Tricia invited me to her place to make jewelry out of some of my sea glass last night.
Truthfully, I did very little except layout a design(really just copying Tricia's designs) and drill the holes. Tricia did the tricky wires and pliers parts.


Tricia will have her sea glass jewels, including bracelets, at the Holiday Show at LHS on November 14th in Lynden.


I'm excited to wear the pendants we(and I use the 'we' very loosely) made, they turned out so pretty and will remind me of good times at the beach with my guys. So many great memories.

Speaking of good memories, I just love little boys fresh from their bath wearing their jammies. Kinda made me miss those days...

It is very difficult to get a picture of Clayton and MOMO because they don't stop moving.


Tricia needs a name for her jewelry business. Any ideas?

Just Another Day

I went into my office this morning and there were body parts coming out of my desk.

People had fun asking me if I'd finally gotten myself out of the drawer. Very funny, people, funny, funny stuff.
I got things tidied up and looked to the right side of my desk where someone gave me a/the finger.

Just another day in Paradise, I mean the office, during the Halloween month.

You wouldn't believe what goes on at the museum on April Fool's Day.

Mom Job is Overrated

That's just dumb.
Every time someone says, "I don't like to complain."
Seriously, the next words out of that mouth are always a complaint. Every. single. time.

Heard it from Max this morning.
"I don't like to complain but I gotta be honest here." -Max
Uh oh.
"There are NO baked goods in this house and I don't like it." -Max
No. Don't do it.
"No, cookies from the freezer don't count." "I want fresh." -Max
Mmmmm
Too bad kiddo. Mama is on an Eat Less, Move More...

Then:
As Max pulls his smelly jersey out of the duffle bag...
"Who is the lucky one doing laundry today? MOM." -Max


I think Max should GO to school before he gets in serious trouble.

Ever Been Ghosted?

Such a nice surprise at the front door tonight. I was paying bills at the table when I heard a knock at the front door. When I answered the door I had been ghosted. A bucket of fun! It is more fun to pay bills with a jiggly light up pumpkin pen! Thank you to whoooever you may be...

Hubby worked this weekend, I had the museum open house on Friday evening. I spent a lot of the weekend scrapping, playing with paper, and finishing projects. I finished the paper bag album that we made at our family reunion at Silver Lake and worked on some Christmas gifts.

Max was recovering from the flu. He had returned to school but was still wheezing and coughing and feeling a bit puny. You know it's bad when Max loses 7 pounds in less than a week. If Max isn't eating there is something wrong.

Sam called this morning. He spent sometime in the sick bay with strep throat. When he told me I immediately visualized him laying in a hospital bed, sunlight streaming through a window and a pretty nurse with her hand on his forehead.

Apparently, that is not how it is in the U.S. Army. He was happy to get back to the barracks. Also, had the gas mask drill this week. I can't imagine that with strep throat. Inspite of being feeling sick he still, "really likes it." He has met some great guys and they have devotions every night. I am so thankful things are going well for Sam.

I am ready for everyone to feel better. Hope Hubby doesn't get it...

Groovy Flowers

Jodi, Paula, Becky and I started our day of scrap and snack with a field trip to Paper Zone and Stampadoodle in Bellingham. Fun, but so not the same without TOM. Then we went back to my place and got busy.
Paula and Becky brought show and tell pumpkins. They carved the night before and those pumpkins were cute.

I brought in guest designer, Julie. We were missing TOM so it was nice to see a TOM girl. I had seen these groovy flowers on Julie's blog and LoVeD them. She graciously led us in a tutorial. I have no pictures of Julie, we were sidetracked by the flowers and the snacks were just coming out of the oven.
Paula used a flower on a page. Cute stuff!

I made tags. So, if you invite me over for dinner I'll write a snappy little thanks and tie it to a bottle of wine as a hostess gift.

This tag has black velvet leaves and is so pretty that you may want to call me as soon as possible to invite me for dinner.

Paula brought make and takes for everyone and we all made several notebooks.

The flowers and tags were a little obsession with me and I never did actually scrap a single page. Maybe next time. Kathi stopped by to say hello and made some flowers too.

A Sisters' Scrap and Snack

My sisters and I are having a scrap and snack today. We have a field trip planned, projects to finish and snacks to munch. We plan to go into the evening. I made some artichoke dip and this Fall Mix.

Fall Snack Mix

1 box of peanut butter Ritz
1 bag of mini-pretzels, any shape
1 large can of peanuts (really you can use any nut variety)
1 bag of m&ms
1 bag of candy corn
1/2 c. light corn syrup
1/2 c. butter
2 T. vanilla extract
1 t. baking soda
1 c. sugar
In a very large, sprayed roasting pan, mix together the pretzels, crackers, and peanuts.


In a medium saucepan, mix together the sugar, butter and corn syrup. Over medium heat, bring to a boil, stirring constantly for 5 minutes.

Remove the mixture from the heat and add the baking soda and vanilla. Pour the hot mixture over the pretzel mix and stir to coat everything. It globs a bit.


Bake in a 250 degree oven for 30 minutes, stirring every 15. Pour contents onto wax paper immediately upon removal from oven. Let it cool for just a few minutes, and then start breaking apart the pieces that are stuck together. Some pieces stay stuck together and that is fine.
Let it cool completely. Put into a container, like a lotsa bowl, and add in the m&ms and candy corn (when the mix is cooled). Mix together with your hands. Keep in an airtight container.

Weiner! Weiner! Chicken dinner! Yep, I won again! I commented here, not even knowing it was a contest, on a post involving one of my past students, Becca and her sis, Kris. Love those girls and their esty shop.

Windy and Wet

I think it is safe to say that the windy, rainy, Pacific Northwest Fall weather has arrived. It makes the wood stove a treasure, Hubby {he waxed our floors yesterday too-No! you can't have him. He is all mine.} lit it last night for the first time. No other heat source is as cozy as wood heat, none. This weather makes the homemade soups and bread taste even better. The sound of the wind and rain make me think it is time to put on the flannel sheets. Cozy Up!

Cozy, warm and wonderful unless you're getting up at 5:30 a.m. to go to boot camp. I went and I used my new weights. I am now using ten pound weights.
{insert applause}
In May 2008 when we started I had three pound weights, then graduated to fives and then eights, where I stayed for a long time.

Every time I went to Target I tried out the tens. And then put them back on the shelf barely and got outta that aisle. A really good weight test is to hold a weight in each hand at your sides and then lift up without bending your elbows, straight out the side and then try a rep of 12 or so.

The Target security team must have thought 'stop using our store as a gym, buy them and get a life'. Now I have them, used them this morning and may not be posting for a bit as I won't be able to lift my arms to the computer tomorrow.

Oh, and where were Melinda, Emily and Colleen this morning? Apparently, in their cozy beds!

Enjoy the Fall weather.

Weekend Visit

I did some baking on Saturday. My BIL John was in town and he likes a treat when he visits. He came to watch Max play football Friday night. JV and Varsity teams won their games, Max had a good night with some good hits and a few good sacks. Go #83!

I had seen this recipe on another blog and thought they were cute and pumpkin grabs my attention this time of year.

Pumpkin Blossom Cookies
I had pretty cookies but just couldn't take a good picture this weekend to save my life.

I found this recipe here.
Ingredients:
I used the small pampered chef scoop and I made over 60 cookies.
4 T. butter, softened
3/4 C vegetable oil
1/2 C. white sugar
1/2 C. brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/4 C. pumpkin puree
3 1/2 C. all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 (11 oz) bag Hershey's Candy Corn Kisses, *I found them at Target.
extra white sugar for rolling the cookies

Preheat oven to to 350 F.
Unwrap the candy kisses, place in a bowl and put in the freezer (because these candies are mostly oil and sugar, if not frozen then they melt into a puddle super fast when placed on a hot cookie).
FROZEN*NO JOKE. They melt faster than the chocolate kisses.
Cream together the butter, oil, and sugars then stir in the egg, vanilla, and pumpkin.
Add the flour, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Mix until completely combined then place in the freezer for about 10 minutes to firm up the dough.
Using your hands or the small scoop, quickly roll into balls and roll each cookie in a small bowl of sugar (if the dough starts to get too warm, place in the freezer for 5 minutes). I did freeze the dough occasionally.

Place sugar-rolled dough balls on a cookie sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes. As soon as they are out of the oven, press a Candy Corn Kiss into the center of each cookie, move to a cooling rack, and place in the freezer for several minutes.
If the kisses are too warm and the cookies are not on a cooling rack they will melt and look pretty messy.
Again! FROZEN*NO JOKE. They melt faster than the chocolate kisses.
I tried to skip the freezer steps and I just don't want you to make that same mistake. Don't say I've never done anything for you...
Max got a new exhaust system for his car and it got installed on Saturday afternoon. It went amazingly well and quickly, Hubby and Max were bragging just a bit. Uncle John thought they should at least have the sense to thank the muffler gods. But no they took all credit. That should bite'em in the butt later.

Saturday night was a cozy Fall dinner with friends. Hubby grilled a flank steak and a turkey breast and I filled in with a fresh green garden salad, potato casserole, homemade bread and sauteed onions and mushrooms for the steak. Cookies for dessert.

We continue to hear from Sam. He calls when he can but the best part for me are the letters he writes. He is a good writer and tells a pretty good story.
Danny is moving West. That makes this mama sooo happy.
We had a great weekend.
Now it is Monday with a busy week ahead and Max has the flu. He is miserable, like so many others. Sure hope Uncle John doesn't get it...