Christmas Vacation

****NEWS FLASH****

*******Breaking news!!!!!********

this just in! Cara, miss lover of all things chocolate has had a falling out with her former love. It seams she was trying to bake a 3 layer chocolate cake the other day. And from out of no where it starts bubbling and spilling all over the oven, down the sides, all over the racks, just a horrible mess. She immediately turned the oven off to prevent it from burning and making a smoky house. Sources say she was not in the best of moods after that. She has her brother and wife coming in to town and she is making Christmas dinner. For those of you who know her know that she is a planner and likes to have everything planed out and some tings made a head of time. Well not this time! I interviewed some of the children and they said they were running around the house screaming and trashing the place that they didn't know what was going on, they also tried to bug her a lot with wanting snacks and such. As for the husband? I think he was puttering around the garage working on his Jeep. He did mention later that Cara's bad mood carried over to the next day. I talked with her today and she seams to be in a better mood, she got the oven all cleaned out and the house all cleaned. She is not sure exactly what happened with the batter, she thinks of her self as a pretty good baker, "I guess I was trying to do to much, have everything perfect for Christmas". When asked what she learned from this experience? "Don't try bake when your kids are all over you, take your time and make sure you measure everything correctly". She told me later that she still loves chocolate, just not all over her oven!

This is Cara

Reporting on Cara

Oh what fun December is

Lets start out with the boy's eating ice cream for breakfast, when I asked Zander why he got it out and started eating it he said " Cause I wanted some". And I let them have some. After all it is milk and eggs. It was a very cold morning to! I would have preferred some hot chocolate over cold ice cream.

Just a picture of a beautiful stack of chocolate.

Pound cake, I toasted it one morning and put some Nutella on it, fabulous!

This is so cool! It is a crayon holder! I saved some cans and got some cording and bada bing you have a cool crayon holder!

I have a can opener that takes the whole lid off so there are no sharp edges. Then you hot glue the cans together and wrap the cording around, gluing every so often. The colors only stayed neat like this for 5 seconds while I took a picture. Madden is REALLY into coloring right now so this thing and a couple coloring books have been on the table like my center piece.

Went to a friends house to make some gingerbread houses, this was ours before it collapsed, it was so humid outside the roof just slid off and not to much later the walls fell in, and now it is in the trash can(sorry kids!) Thank goodness they don't read this blog!! But not to worry Uncle Simon and Aunt Tierra want to build another one with them when they come to visit.

My friend had her Father in-law dress like Santa for the kids, I was shocked that the boys were not scared! They usually scream and cry when I try to have there picture taken with Santa. But not Madden, my fearless one, he went right up to him and kept saying "hi! hi! hi!"
And then leave it to my son to shoot Santa!

Should have given him the candy after pictures!!!

Much more fun and craziness to come, my baby brother gets here next week for Christmas, can't wait, he hasn't been back to Tx since he left 11 years ago! He probably doesn't like that I'm calling hm my baby brother, but hey! I was 12 when he was born and took care of him, a LOT! Like he was my own. But now he is way bigger then me and married so I am excited to get to know him as an adult and not my little Honey Bunny that he used to be :)

Also getting back into the swing of things after Justin's nose surgery last week. He had a really bad deviated septum and a constant sinus infection that had been there for, the Dr. said like 15 years, so he went in and had his sinus's scraped out and his septum fixed. He says he can breathe through both sides of his nose now, used to only breathe out one side his whole life! I am so happy he will be sleeping better and should help with his constant headaches. Kinda put me behind on holiday stuff but I'm getting caught up, slowly! Need to sew up some things and bake bake bake!

Wish I had some cool pictures of my kids happily playing in snow, but no, we live where winter is dreary over cast sometimes warm sometimes cold, raining off and on, just ugly outside, everything looking dead blah! When we do get sunshine I shove the kids outside to go play!!

Some holiday letters for ya

Dear Giant Mud puddle on the side of the road,
Why do you tease me so? Every time I pass you, which has been at least twice a day, I just want to throw my truck in 4wheel drive and drive right through you! I want to come at you fast to, so the mud goes flying everywhere! Its even worse when I'm in Justin's big truck, I can see my self fishtailing all the way through, makes me giddy! But I just dream about it cause if I actually did I would make a mess of the side road and someone would probably see me and report me or something. Maybe I should drive by early in the morning when no one is out? No! I will have some self control! So Please dry up or so I will stop having all these bad thoughts.
Thank you,
From a Girl who Loves mudding

Dear Rude Shoppers,
Why do ya'll come out during the holiday season? Are you hiding all year and then decide to unleash your rudeness on everyone during the happiest time of the year? I mean come on, yelling at someone cause they didn't give you a coupon?? Grow up!! This is the time to love everyone and be thankful for everything we have. But I do have to say that it gave the rest of us in line something to talk about while we were waiting to be checked out, so thanks for that. We all thought you were crazy and got out of your way.
Best Regards
Other Shopper in the store

Dear Roshelle,
I thought I was over missing you so much, getting used the fact that you are not here, but I was Christmas shopping and saw some thing I thought you might like and found myself thinking of some other things to go with it and it would be the coolest gift, it was so you. But then I caught myself and remembered that you are not here. I now understand why people who have lost loved ones have a hard time during the holidays, I guess last year I was still in shock and didn't have a problem. But this year I am. I wanted to get you something special to show how much I care about you and let you know that your older sister really loves you. I know buying things for people isn't always the best way to show your affection, but at Christmas time you want to find the perfect gift for everyone to show them you care. So I almost bought you the perfect gift but didn't know if Fed Ex delivers to Heaven so didn't get it. I still think of you everyday and wonder how your doing. Can't wait to see you again.
Love your Guts!
Your loving Sister
Cara

Dear Christmas,
I love you so much! I love the tree, the lights, the movies and of course all the baked goodies! You are such a festive holiday, I get out all of my decorations(and I am getting quit a bit) and decorate my house in your honor, I don't do much for the other holidays so you should feel special about that. You are such a time for reflection as well as celebration. I usually reflect upon the last year and all its ups and downs and special moments with my family. And Celebrate that it is our Dear Saviors Birthday and for all that he did for us and continues to do for us. It is just a special time. Crazy sometimes but wonderful. Don't forget about traditions, you are all about traditions to, I love our old ones and doing new ones. So I just wanted to thank you for being one of my favorite holidays of the year and I look forward to celebrating you all year.
Love
A Huge Fan!

Dear HEB
Thanks for all the coupons yesterday, I saved $10! You usually don't have coupons for the things that I buy, but yesterday there was 4, yes 4 coupons for the things that I needed. So thanks! Thanks a bunch! You saved me some money!
Your faithful patron(and not because you are only 1 of the 2 grocery stores in this town)
Cara
P.S.
Sorry if my children were running up and down the isles and touching everything, they have been cooped up in the house and have not been able to run off ALL there energy.
P.P.S.
Also sorry that we sometimes open food without paying first, the baby gets real hungry and wants a snack. And I give it to him cause I want him to sit in the cart and be good, its so hard to Carry a 25 pound child around the grocery store. And I know we have spilled some of that food all over the floor, and I feel bad about that to. I know you have a lot of people coming in and out and I'm sure we are not the only ones who are crazy in your store. But I will work with my children on that.

Dear Apple Cinnamon Walnut Muffins,
I am coming to eat you!!! I will post the recipe soon so everyone else can enjoy your yummyness!!
Love a Hungry Cara

Dear Madden,
I am coming to change your dirty diaper, please don't run from me! You are the one who came up to me and said you went poop and wanted me to change you, so why do you run from me when I get the diaper?? You are just as cute as can be though so I cant get upset with you!
Love your Mama xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

Cranberry Orange Scones

These are just like the ones you can get at Starbucks for $3 each! I usually make the icing and put that on but today I just felt like putting a tab of pure cultured butter on it!

Cranberry Orange Scones
From Barefoot Contessa(I have all her books)
Ingredients
•4 cups plus 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
•1/4 cup sugar, plus additional for sprinkling
•2 tablespoons baking powder
•2 teaspoons kosher salt
•1 tablespoon grated orange zest
•3/4 pound cold unsalted butter, diced
•4 extra-large eggs, lightly beaten
•1 cup cold heavy cream
•1 cup dried cranberries
•1 egg beaten with 2 tablespoons water or milk, for egg wash
•1/2 cup confectioners' sugar, plus 2 tablespoons
•4 teaspoons freshly squeezed orange juice
Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix 4 cups of flour, 1/4 cup sugar, the baking powder, salt and orange zest. Add the cold butter and mix at the lowest speed until the butter is the size of peas. Combine the eggs and heavy cream and, with the mixer on low speed, slowly pour into the flour and butter mixture. Mix until just blended. The dough will look lumpy! Combine the dried cranberries and 1/4 cup of flour, add to the dough, and mix on low speed until blended.

Dump the dough onto a well-floured surface and knead it into a ball. Flour your hands and a rolling pin and roll the dough 3/4-inch thick. You should see small bits of butter in the dough. Keep moving the dough on the floured board so it doesn't stick. Flour a 3-inch round plain or fluted cutter and cut circles of dough. Place the scones on a baking pan lined with parchment paper. Collect the scraps neatly, roll them out, and cut more circles.
I do two 9inch circles and then cut into triangles.
Brush the tops of the scones with egg wash, sprinkle with sugar, and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the tops are browned and the insides are fully baked. The scones will be firm to the touch. Allow the scones to cool for 15 minutes and then whisk together the confectioners' sugar and orange juice, and drizzle over the scones.

Long.busy.yummy.productive.weekend.

Good food. Good company.

Loud games and fun.
Goofy fun.
painting.building.staining.cleaning.organizing.hunting.family.cousins.movies.holiday decorating.
'Tis the Holiday Season!

It's begining to smell a lot like Thanksgiving

I don't know why I don't by fresh flowers more often, they are so refreshing to see in the house.

EASY PUMPKIN PIE

1 (9 inch) unbaked pastry shell
1 (16 oz.) can pumpkin
1 (14 oz.) can Eagle Brand sweetened condensed milk
2 eggs
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ginger
1/2 tsp. nutmeg

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Combine ingredients in large bowl, pour into shell, bake 15 minutes, reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees and continue baking 35-40 minutes until knife inserted in center comes out clean.

A little one for me to make sure it's okay!

Cranberry Butter

1/2 cup fresh cranberry sauce

1/2 cup softened butter

Mix together and chill. SO yummy on rolls, waffles, toast, you name it. I could eat this by the spoonful.


The crust I made from this book, which I highly recommend for a new way of considering how to feed your family.

Pie Crust

1 1/3 unbleached white flour

pinch of sea salt

pinch of sugar

1/2 cup butter, frozen

2 egg yolks

3 rounded tablespoons cold water

Put flour, salt and sugar in food processor, pulse a few times, cut better into cubes and add to the flour, pulse until you have pea size butter, add the water and egg yolk, pulse until it just comes together. Form a ball and flatten to make a disk, wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate for a couple hours. Makes one 9 inch pie shell with some left over to do some lattice work.

Cara's Cranberry Sauce

3 cups fresh cranberries

1 cup orange juice

1 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Mix everything together in a saucepan, heat until cranberries pop. Puree until smooth.

Up next tomorrow: apple pie, pecan pie and Grandmas rolls :)

The Baking Season Has Begun!

The best loaf of artisan bread, I think I ate half the loaf.

Everything needs good butter!

Cherry Strudel :)

Made the first batch of sugar cookies this season.

My little messy helpers are always by my side when baking!!

Many many more goodies to come!

Cheddar Corn Chowder

Cheddar Corn Chowder
from the Barefoot Contessa cook book

Ingredients
•8 ounces bacon, chopped
•1/4 cup good olive oil
•6 cups chopped yellow onions (4 large onions)
•4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
•1/2 cup flour
•2 teaspoons kosher salt
•1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
•1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
•12 cups chicken stock
•6 cups medium-diced white boiling potatoes, unpeeled (2 pounds)
•10 cups corn kernels, fresh (10 ears) or frozen (3 pounds)
•2 cups half-and-half
•8 ounces sharp white cheddar cheese, grated
Directions
In a large stockpot over medium-high heat, cook the bacon and olive oil until the bacon is crisp, about 5 minutes. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and reserve. Reduce the heat to medium, add the onions and butter to the fat, and cook for 10 minutes, until the onions are translucent.

Stir in the flour, salt, pepper, and turmeric and cook for 3 minutes. Add the chicken stock and potatoes, bring to a boil, and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes, until the potatoes are tender. If using fresh corn, cut the kernels off the cob and blanch them for 3 minutes in boiling salted water. Drain. (If using frozen corn you can skip this step.) Add the corn to the soup, then add the half-and-half and cheddar. Cook for 5 more minutes, until the cheese is melted. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Serve hot with a garnish of bacon.
I halved the recipe, but if you want some to freeze for later make the full recipe, or if you have a small army to feed make the full recipe.

Banana Cake

I got this recipe from my friend Lisa, she made them like 6months ago and I have been thinking of them ever since! Thanks for the recipe, I hope you don't mind me sharing! They are so good!

BANANA CAKE BARS

½ cup butter, soft
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs 1cup sour cream 2 medium ripe bananas (abut 1 cup), mashed
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
Cream butter and sugar, beat in eggs, bananas and vanilla.
Combine flour, baking soda and salt, add to creamed mixture and mix well. Pour
into a greased jellyroll pan. I like it a bit thicker so I put it in a 9x13.

Bake 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until bars test done.

FROSTING FOR BARS
½ cup butter
8 ounces cream cheese -- softened
4 cups powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla

Cool before frosting. I couldn't wait until they were totally cooled so I made the icing a little thicker and put it on while it was still warm......so good warm mmm.....I think I will go get another piece.
For frosting, cream butter and cream cheese, add powder sugar and vanilla. Beat well.

More wedding pictures

My sister in law just got her pictures from the wedding so I had to post some more!

Oh! And I finally finished unpacking! Only took me a month this time, unlike the 6 months it took me last year when I went!

Yesterday

Me and the boys went to the zoo!!

And rode the train.
And saw cool animals.

And then we had lunch, went to the grocery store, came home, made ww bread, artisan bread dough and ice cream, went to get Annalyse from the bus stop, played outside until dinner, made dinner, watched a movie with the kids, waited for Justin to get home from work, Justin got home at 8pm, took a nice hot bath, baby got up, gave him some Motrin(think he is getting another tooth), put him back down, finished watching 18 kids and counting(that lady is crazy!), went and crashed in bed.

Today is my crazy day driving back and forth to town. I take Z to school, come home, try to fold the 50 million loads of laundry, go pick up Z from school, go to A's school and lead her DI group, go home, make dinner, wait for Justin, leave to go to YW, have a nice time with the girls, come home, say hi to Justin, crash in bed.

Tomorrow I will take Madden to his 18 month check up and get some shots, after that not sure what the rest of the day brings. I just know at the end of the day I will be crashing in bed only to be awaken at 5:30am, someone is still on old time, Madden!!!!

Don't throw away those cereal boxes!

I have a cool craft you can do with them!

You can make little notebooks! Just like those expensive moleskin ones at the store that cost $10 each! Just cut the back and front to whatever size you want, I had a small box so these are 9x6. Then cut your paper the same or a little smaller, fold in half and sew down the middle(by hand or with machine) I LOVE these things I could have a hundred and it not be enough! Great for the kids to doodle in at church or wherever. With my extra paper I made a little skinny note pad for jotting the million things I need to do or things I need to get from the store. And since we eat a lot of cereal I guess I will be making quite a few of these! I think I will have the kids decorate the outside of there's with stickers or paint or nice paper or whatever. The ideas or limitless! I love recycling don't you?

Busy Bees

Life is busy with 3 kids! If there is ever down time a savor every moment.

Annalyse had a big project that was about Charlotte's Web. There class read the book and then they were going to have a pig parade(something 3rd graders do in our elementary). They had to do a poster board, float or dress like there favorite seen in the book. She picked a float, Justin built most of it and she painted and glued the animals on. It came out super cute and I think she was proud. This girl is so creative and wants do everything, which is awesome, I just have the hang ups! I cant stand a mess so when she gets craft stuff out I cringe. I am trying to be better at it and not tell her no all the time, like with cooking, she wants to make stuff and I am always telling her no and I feel bad about that. I just cant watch her most of the time or I don't want a mess so I just do it. I must be better at that! I'm the one that needs to chill out about it! Poor thing, I feel like we push her to the side a lot cause we deal with the little ones first and she is so much older so we expect a lot from her. She is the best little girl in the world and I love her to pieces!

Hazelnut Chocolate Chip Scones

Golly Beaver these are swell! Ever since I saw the recipe for these they were on my mind for at least a week before I could get to making them. Oh it was worth the wait, hazelnut and chocolate go together like peanut butter and jelly or bread and butter or well you get the picture! There just that good! Try them and you will see!


Hazelnut Chocolate Chip Scones
Pre-heat oven to 400ºF
• 2 cups flour
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 4 Tablespoons butter (chilled)
• 1/2 cup plain yogurt (I used buttermilk cause I didnt have yogurt)
• 1 egg
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1 cup chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup toasted chopped hazelnuts
In a bowl, mix the dry ingredients and add the butter in small chunks. Cut in the butter using your favorite method, I like a pastry cutter. Add the liquids and stir just a bit. Add the chocolate chips and the nuts and stir more. It will make a mess with little shape. Dump onto a cookie sheet and pat into 2 circles—these should be thick, about 1/2 high. Cut the circles into quarters and separate, making 8 scones. Brush with milk or an egg wash if you want to and fancy sugar if you are feeling extra special. Bake 17-19 minutes and then let them cool at least 10 minutes (this will be hard to do).

Pumpkin Spice Bread

Here it is guys! Sorry to keep you waiting! It's so worth it though, this one is so good! I'll put a picture with it as soon as I make it again, it went to fast!

Ingredients
3 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs, lightly beaten
1 (16 ounce) can solid pack pumpkin
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 cup water
Directions
1.In a large bowl, combine sugar, oil and eggs. Add pumpkin and mix well. Combine dry ingredients; add to the pumpkin mixture alternately with water. Pour into two greased 9-in. x 5-in. x 3-in. loaf pans. Bake at 350 degrees F for 60-65 minutes or until bread tests done. Cool in pans 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack; cool completely.

Bloging for the sake of blogging

Oh what to blog? What to blog? I feel like I should blog for the sake of journaling cause I don't keep one at the minute. Cant think of much to blog about. Today is gloomy cold and raining, makes me want to make soup and curl up and watch movies all day, but no, the mom part of me never gets turned off so that means I cant just zone out and do nothing. Madden is getting a gunky nose and couldn't breathe last night so I was up with him, so gloomy day with no sleep equals feeling like I want to be a bum! And when I am tired I am way more sentimental then normal, which isn't bad necessarily, I was just reading this sweet gals blog and it brings me to tears every time, she and her husband survived a bad plane crash and now is getting back on her feet and dealing with life. And the way she goes about it makes me realize just how blessed I am with my life and family, I think my life is perfect I wouldn't change it. She thought her life was perfect and then it all changed dramatically and she still thinks its perfect, cause all you need is the people you love the most close to you and life is amazing! Even through all the trials we go thorough in this life, and believe me I've had mine, it's not what we have but who we have in this life to get us through. Thats why God gave us familys! So feeling like this is not bad because it makes me step back and look at my life and see that is truly wonderful and I want to savor every moment of it because it changes so fast. And the only person I have to thank for giving me this wonderful life is our Lord, and I try to do it everyday!

Recipes

I have a bunch of recipes to post, I just need a bunch of time! I am so behind on everything! Vacation is fun but getting back in the groove and caught up is not! Hopefully soon!!!

Most of the time

She gets them in the nesting box.

But twice she has layed them in the pen! She lays some big ones for just starting out!

The big brown one is Reds, the hen in the pictures, her eggs are huge compared to the others.

I should have one more hen laying quite soon. So eggciting no to have to buy eggs!

I didn't get sad until I got home

I thought going up to Utah would be hard this time, knowing that my sister was not there. But I guess we were so busy I didn't have time to think about it, I did get a tad sad at the reception, I felt like someone was missing. It wasn't until I got home that I felt like I was missing something from the trip, like I forgot to go visit her her something, then feeling like a horribly person for not going to see my sister while up there. And Justin didn't help with the feelings when I got to baggage claim. He mentioned it was different this time to, I asked how it was different, he said when I first see you after you get home you come down the escalator looking like a model with your hair all new and different from your sister doing it. This time you just looked like a model that just woke up, thanks love! You had no idea how long I was traveling that day with an 18 month old! At least he still thinks I looked like model! So coming home was a tad harder then the last times. I think there will always be that little void in this life of her not being here.

Utah 09

Pumpkin Patch