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...