A Question

So you dear Mommies, is the answer to my issues

"This too shall pass"

or

"Welcome to Motherhood"?

I, of course, am referring to my children's total lack of sleep discipline. I really should have posted this a week ago, because, really, they are getting a smidge better. They are both asleep at this very moment, so it can't be all that bad, right??

I have to admit, I was reading a friends blog (she has a baby just a week younger than K) and felt the tinest tinge of jealousy when I read her babe is sleeping through the night! Especially since K thinks he still needs to eat 3-4 times at night. I asked how she did it, and pretty much said the baby did it herself. And this gal is so sweet, and helpful, and how can I be jealous??

Just a bit ago, I was reading another friends blog, and she blogged about this very thing! We are blessed to have friends with blogs, but often we find ourselves comparing everything, because we blog and know about everything everyone is doing! If we don't have the right attitude, we can find ourselves having negative thoughts as we catch up, and isn't that the opposite effect blogs are supposed to have?? So dear Mommies, I say we take this all with a grain of salt and love and learn from each other. There. Done ranting for the day.

Have I mentioned it is POURING outside?? Parts of our neighborhood are flooded!!

SNOW!!

The last few weeks we have had the best weather! If it has to be winter, I like California's version! This week Mother Nature decided we needed a turn at real winter, and filled Monday and Tuesday with tons of rain. Then this afternooon, it started snowing, and sticking!! YEAH!!!!! I am really hoping it keeps up enough for Mr.B to stay home tomorrow. A 4 day weekend would be heaven for this tired mommy.
Love to all!!

This picture is of Chris' car in our garage. The snow was in sheets, because it was starting to freeze. Right after we took pictures, it all fell to the ground! Glad for good timing!!

Sent to Word

This is just an experiment- My dear husband surprised me with a new laptop for Christmas this past year. I was thrilled, as mine was just about 5 years old, very slow, and ready to crash. Last summer, Chris' department received a link to purchase Office 2007 for $10! A HUGE deal!! We were going to order it, but never did. I think the thought of sitting, waiting for it to download, not knowing if my poor laptop could handle it, was just too much. Well, since we got this little beauty, I was ready! I just downloaded it today and it came with a ton of programs! AND, the best part? I can create blog posts from word, with pictures included and everything.!! How wonderful, huh!! Now I have no reason not to post. I won't go crazy, because, well, I still have two small-always-needing-SOMETHING children and I do have to occasionally cook and clean. Plus, absence makes the heart grow fonder, right?? So, I am going to send this baby off, and see what pops up! One more way cool thing- the laptop has a built in camera/video feature. This is a goofy picture of my, right now, as I type this blog, Rad, huh!!

!

ok, so the pic didnt work but the rest did!!! Cheers!!!

Candy

I LOVE CANDY!! This girl could live on candy alone. My favorite??

PEANUT BRITTLE!! Especially See's. The great part?? Chris likes it too, but not See's, so I get the whole box to myself! And, He always buys me some for my stocking at Christmas.

This past holiday season, we made lots of candy; peanut butter fudge, Oreo Fudge, English Toffee, but the very best thing we made was this heavenly candy you make in a crock pot! It turns out like a Pay Day candy bar. Divine. Kade is waking up. . . don't want to wake Zander. . .post recipe later!

Thank goodness you can edit posts! Ok, boys happy, here is the link. I didn't take pictures of it, but there is one on the site, I think. Actually, I will just post the recipe so you don't have to go too it.


--3 cups of sugar (Baker's sugar has finer granules and will dissolve well)
--1 cup light corn syrup
--4 cups of your favorite nuts (I only used peanuts, because at that time my almonds and pecans were spoken for for other recipes, but will try a mix next time!)
--4 Tbl butter
--2 tsp vanilla extract
--2 tsp baking soda

--parchment paper or Release foil

The Directions.

I used my 6 quart crock for this.

Drop the 4 tablespoons of butter into your crockpot. Add the sugar and the corn syrup on top of the butter. Pour in the vanilla.

Cover your crockpot and turn to high for one hour.

Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper or release foil.

After an hour, stir well to mix everything around. Add the baking soda. It will sizzle and make fun noises.
Your sugar mixture will be kind of milky-yellow and the sugar might still look granulated.

Cover again and cook on high for another 30 minutes. Check and stir. Cover and cook again for another 15-30 minutes, or until the sugar mixture is brown and looks the color of peanut brittle. Or a payday candy bar.**These are her directions, when I made it It was the 'right' color after the first 30 minute increment; I didn't want to cook it too much, although thinking about it, it would have probably been ok, its only a crock pot, not direct heat.)

Stir in your nuts.

Then, USING OVEN MITTS, carefully (CAREFULLY! seriously---use the oven mitts) pour half of the pot onto each cookie sheet and spread out with a spatula.
It will be lumpy.
that's because there are nuts.**We only used one cookie sheet, with sides, and it fit perfectly!

Let cool at room temperature for about an hour, then cut into pieces. we cut ours in 2 inch squares and wrapped each piece in waxed paper.

Prepare to be amazed. SERIOUSLY, so good. We planned on giving it out to friends, but, we ate it all. Well, my family had some. I will blame it on them!!

Happy New Year!

Hello! I hope you had great Christmas and New Year Celebrations. We did. A little chaotic, but doesn't that make it more fun? We decided to have both our sides of the family over on Christmas day, and knowing we did not have room for 15 people to have a nice sit down Christmas dinner, we opted to have breakfast instead. It was delish! Chris and I made a breakfast casserole, biscuits, and cinnamon rolls and other family members brought drinks (Chocolate milk, Apple juice, egg nog and oj), bacon and sausage, and gravy. It was just, so good. I do love breakfast! Here is the recipe for the breakfast casserole- Its really easy:

24 oz shredded hashbrowns
1/2 c butter, melted
1 c chopped ham
2 c shredded cheese (I probably used more)
8 eggs, beaten
2 c milk
1/2 tsp salt

*Press hashbrowns in bottom of a 9x13 pan. Pour butter over evenly, bake in a 350 oven for 20 minutes.
*Mix eggs, salt, and milk together.
*Sprinkle ham over potatos, followed by the cheese.
*Pour egg mixture over all.
*Bake for 30 minutes in a 350 oven. ENJOY!!

The next morning I went to the store and bought some tortillas (and really cheap after Christmas candy) and we made breakfast buritos with the casserole and left over bacon and sausage. HEAVEN!

So, try it! Feel free to add onions, bell peppers, or other spices to your liking! We liked this so much I may just make it for dinner one night. Yum!