Sweet Recipes.

Don't blame me when you makes these 2 recipes and go back for seconds and thirds and then feel sick afterwards. I'm just the messenger. I will tell you that both are AMAZING warm with a scoop of vanilla ice-cream on top.

Salted Caramel Butter Bars:

For the Crust:
1 lb. salted butter room temp
1 cup sugar
1½ cups powdered sugar
2 Tbs vanilla OR – I used Princess Cake Emulsion..it added an almondy/citrus flavor. If you haven’t ever used emulsions before you need to give them a try. They’re AWESOME!
4 cups AP flour
For the Filling:
1 bag (14 oz.) caramel candies (about 50 individual caramels), unwrapped
1/3 cup milk or cream
½ teaspoon vanilla
1 T. coarse sea salt (optional)

To make the crust:
In a large bowl, combine the butter and sugars. Using mixer on medium speed, beat together until creamy. Add the vanilla and beat until combined. Sift the flour into the butter mixture and beat on low speed until a smooth soft dough forms.
Spray a 9×13 inch baking pan lightly with non-stick cooking spray. Press one-third of the dough evenly into the pan to form a bottom crust.
Preheat to 325F.
Bake until firm and the edges are a pale golden brown approx 20 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack and let cool about 15 minutes.

While the bottom crust is baking and the remaining dough is chilling in the refrigerator, make the caramel filling. Place the unwrapped caramels in a microwave-safe bowl. Add the cream. Microwave on high for 1 minute. Remove from the microwave and stir until smooth. If caramels are not completely melted, microwave on high for 30-second intervals, stirring after each interval, until smooth.
Pour the caramel filling over the crust. If you are going to salt the caramel sprinkle it on caramel layer now.

Remove the remaining chilled dough from the refrigerator and crumble it evenly over the caramel.

Return the pan to the oven and bake until the filling is bubbly and the crumbled shortbread topping is firm and lightly golden, about 25 – 30 minutes.
Let cool before cutting into squares. (We didn't and they were amazing!)

Hot Fudge Pudding Cake:


*Makes an 8X8-inch pan

1 cup sugar
½ cup cocoa powder
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup milk
4 tablespoons butter, melted
1 large egg yolk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
½ cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup boiling water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray an 8-inch square baking pan with cooking spray. Whisk ½ cup sugar with ¼ cup cocoa powder and set aside.

Whisk the flour, remaining ½ cup sugar, remaining ¼ cup cocoa, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Whisk milk, butter, egg yolk, and vanilla in medium bowl until smooth. Stir milk mixture into flour mixture until just combined. Fold in chocolate chips (the batter will be stiff).

Using a rubber spatula, scrape batter into prepared pan and spread into corners. Sprinkle reserved cocoa and sugar mixture evenly over the top. Gently pour boiling water over cocoa. Do not stir.

Bake until the top of the cake is cracked, sauce is bubbling and a toothpick inserted into cakey area comes out with moist crumbs attached, about 22-24 minutes. Cool on rack for at least 10 minutes. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.

{Click the links to see pictures: I am no food photographer. Better said, my kitchen has no natural light to allow me to be a food photographer}

Don't forget about the Halloween Banner Giveaway BELOW!

Halloween is around the corner.

If your kids are like my kids, you have been down the Halloween isles of Wal-Mart and Target at least a million times. And maybe you have a kid like Addysen who has changed her mind a million times about what she wants to be for Halloween. At first she wanted to be a butterfly, then Captain Hook, then Rapunzel, AND THEN Little Mermaid. She seems to be stuck on Little Mermaid now but I'm holding off on purchasing any supplies to make her costume until she is set in her ways. Because once I start buying supplies the decision has been made! Elodie decided last year that she wanted to be Strawberry Shortcake and she has stuck by that. I really wanted Addysen to be Apple Dumpling, Strawberry Shortcakes little sister, but she won't have it. Dang 3 year old will.

Over the weekend I put myself to work and made my Halloween banner for our mantle. I enjoyed listening to the Relief Society broadcast while I sewed. I have big plans for our mantle and halloween. I need to get cracking as October first is this weekend AND Hobby Lobby has a 40% off coupon on their website!!

My second banner is in need of a good home! Leave a comment and I will have Little Miss Undecided (AKA: Addysen) pick a winner on Wednesday! I will mail the banner on Thursday so you can enjoy it all October long!!




Happy Halloween Decorating!

********************************CLOSED!!!!********************************

Congratulations MELISSA! Addysen picked you!!! I'll just send the banner with Chris! Save me the shipping!

Thoughts...

Relief Society General Conference 2011:

*Know the difference between a good sacrifice and a bad sacrifice.*
"Am I committing my time and energy to things that matter most?"

*Be Happy Now.
"There is nothing wrong with righteous urning. We seek after good things.The problem comes when we put our happiness on hold waiting for our golden ticket to come. If we spend our days waiting for fabulous roses we could miss the beauty and wonder of the tiny forget me nots that are all around us. This is not to say we should abandon hope or change or temper our goals. Never stop striving for the best that is within you. Never stop for all the righteous desires of your heart. But don't close your eyes or hearts to the ordinary moments of each day that make up a rich well lived life. . The happiest people are not those who have found their golden ticket but are those who threat by daily threat weave their tapestries of gratitude and wander throughout their lives."

*In our diligent efforts to fulfill our duties we sometimes view the gospel as a task. As a block of time we have to fit into our daily schedules. The gospel is not an obligation but a pathway. Understand and Remember Why.*

*Mundane to majestic.

*I am not forgotten. No matter how dark your days may seem. No matter how insignificant you feel. No matter how overshadowed you think you may be. Heavenly Father has not forgotten me. Daughters of a kingdom. Closer to heaven than I suppose. Destine for more than I could possibly imagine. Cherish the gift of activity in the gospel. Cherish the gift of service. Strengthen my home and family. Be patient and compassionate with myself.*

Embrace The Camera

The girls are getting better at handling my little point and shoot. Now if this excitement could transfer over when I want them to smile for my camera we would be golden.

Scroll through your blog. When was the last time you posted a picture of yourself? I certainly don't do it often enough.

6 months.

Oldie but Goodie

We bought this toy back when Elodie was a baby. It's gone through all 3 girls and is a favorite. And if my home computer had a working keyboard (I accidentally ripped it out and now the keyboard doesn't work-meaning the chair was wrapped around the cord and when I pulled the chair out I pulled the chord out-no violence was involved-and we haven't replace it so I'm using Chris' laptop) I would pull up the pictures of Elodie and Addysen with this toy. I think it's one of those toys that won't get goodwill'd. I'll stick it in a box for the grandkids.

Silly Me.

For thinking I could get a picture of the girls in their matching dresses, AFTER church, WITHOUT Chris around to rally the troops.

I deserve this picture and love it all the same! Reality at it's best.



For the record. These were the girls Easter dresses this year. I managed to get a picture of the girls together at Evyn's blessing but this is the first time Evyn has worn her dress since it was a 3-6 month. Elodie also had her primary program today and rocked it. I am in love with that girl at how well she sang for me. Didn't miss a beat! And her talk was perfect.

Addysen's Preschool.

I REALLY wanted to put Addysen in preschool this year. But it didn't happen. I looked around for a preschool close enough to Elodie's school and our house but everything I found was more like a daycare or mother's day out program. Neither I really wanted. No one in our ward taught preschool out of their home and overall it was making me homesick. Shocker! Homesick because I knew that if we were still in Az. I would be doing a swap with Melissa like we had been doing all of last year. And homesick because I knew that there was so much more available for Addysen in Arizona. It's all the things I didn't think about before we moved.

The downside of living in a smaller area. Even the city classes are geared more towards children with working parents.

Next year she will for sure go into a regular preschool program because of kindergarten the following year. Yikes. But for this year I improvised.

Once I stopped feeling sorry for myself I decided to start doing preschool from home with just Addysen. Sure it wouldn't be as fun as her going to a class, but it was something. And she was definitely in need of something! We have done worksheets and activities at home last year but since Melissa and I were swapping and the girls were only 2 we called it good. Besides all the neighborhood kids and the park behind our house the girls were playing nonstop every single day. It definitely didn't feel as necessary.

So on Monday and Friday mornings, after we take Elodie to school, we "busy around the house" (so something my mom would say and I find myself telling Addysen all the time) , and Evyn is down for her morning nap Addysen and I spend some time at the table "doing preschool" It breaks my heart just a little when she brings her backpack into the computer room and sits at the table.

We practice letter writing on the chalkboard, we do puzzles, coloring pages, and then some worksheets. I had no idea how excited she would be about these worksheets. How still she would sit at the table tracing each letter. So serious which is so not her personality! Preschool only last about 30 to 45 minutes. It would last longer if she were in a group setting with playtime and outside to break it all up. But it's perfect for her attention span. After preschool we have a snack and then move on with the rest of our day. In the afternoons when Elodie is doing her homework Addysen begs for another homework sheet of her own. She loves them!

On Tuesday and Thursday we do a playdate swap with another girl in our ward and her daughter ( I miss you Melissa!) and on Wednesdays we go to the library. Now that the weather is barely cooling down we are hoping to incorporate a once a week park day with some other moms in the area. Trying to get back in to my Az ways. Now I just need to find a Melissa, Jen, Audrey, Tiffany, Sarah.....

Now that we are in a routine of things it makes me feel less sad about Addysen not going to an actual class. She loves what she is doing now and I enjoy the quiet one on one time that we get.

I just love her 3 year old ways and so happy she is heading in to school mode. It's such an exciting and fun time!

Around.

Not sure where I have been the last few days. Doing the daily grind feels good in the sense that 1. nothing has broken. 2. we are healthy. and 3. everyone is safe.

Christopher's life revolves around work. Just the way he wanted it right hun? Before we moved I told him he couldn't complain about a single thing work related for the first year we were here. I think I started out by saying 6 months but now that it is clear we will be here longer than a year I'm stringing it out as long as possible. I'm the only complainer in the family. He has kept his word and has nothing but good things to say about work.

I tried to surprise him (my first mistake) and bought him a ticket to go home to Arizona the last weekend in September. Our best friends are purchasing a house. When we moved Mace was Chris' right hand man and helped Christopher from start to finish. He even took a day off of work to help us. Good man. We always felt like we wanted to repay Mace somehow but sending a gift card didn't seem like enough. So when I found out about their big move, and looked to see how cheap tickets were, AND realized I had some credit card points that needed to be used, I immediately got him a flight. I wanted to hold on to the surprise for a few more weeks but when you share a checking account with her husband and he knows every user name and password you own he is bound to find out. So yesterday he came home and asked if I had spent some money to some travel agency I spilt the beans. He was in shock at first, mostly because he can't stand being surprised, but later on he started asking questions about his trip and I think he is gearing up for it. Once the idea that he didn't have any say in the matter wears off he will be more excited! I'm excited for him!

I'm trying here. Still. A few days ago I sat in the car pool line waiting for Elodie and I watched a group of moms outside of the door to the school chatting and laughing to one another. Man that one got to me. I was that girl who chatted with the other moms at school. She is still there, I just need to find her. Secretly I people watch and wonder if that girl could be my friend.
I joined the PTA group and am the home room mom in Elodie's class. I hate not knowing all the kids in her class. Christopher had to remind me that this is only the 4th full week of school and there is a lot of time for all for all of that. It's pointless to point out that if we were in Arizona I wouldn't have to get to know the kids in Elodie's class...I already knew them! Once I get all my training done for volunteering in the classroom I hope more opportunities will come my way to venture out. I got called to be the chorister in Primary shortly after we moved to the ward and this weekend is the big primary presentation. GULP! I tell Elodie every Sunday that she has to sing loud to compensate for all the kids that just stare at me. Those kids can be a tough crowd at times!

Elodie is doing well in school. She is continuing to excel in reading. She has 2 teachers and she loves that she switches classrooms halfway through the day. She started piano lessons again but this time around we are her teachers. I practice with her every day and Chris does a one on one lesson one day a week. So far so good. Typical Elodie. Offspring of Alacey. If she is doing well she loves it. If she messes up she hates it. She gets it honestly so I try and be as patient as I can with her. No other outside activity as of now. She is still a tumbling fool and does front rolls all over the place. I'm hoping we can get her into dance or gymnastics after the first of the year.

Addysen lives in a bubble just the way I like it. She says things like "You are so busted!" and "Whatcha doing?" She loves all the Glee music and we have a dance party pretty much every night so she can shake her bum. She loves Evyn and runs ahead of me to help the baby. She is completely diaper free at night. TMI? Maybe but man are we happy about that one! She loves to do homework while Elodie is doing hers which consist of tracing. She will trace letters forever! She is at such a fun age and we just love her spunk!

Evyn is getting better with a spoon and has made the connection between bowl and meal time. She sees the bowl coming and she gets so excited. She gets more of the oatmeal in her mouth than on her clothes and slowly I am seeing a change in her sleep schedule. As of the last few days she is only waking up around 5am for a quick feeding and then back to bed until 7:30am when we have to get ready to take Elodie to school. A nice change for me for sure!

All in all we are good. The daily grind is good.

Happy Accident

In the last 2 weeks I have made 3 new desserts. And all 3 had 2 things in common. Peanut Butter and Chocolate. I didn't hear anyone complain. My only suggestion is if and when you make these desserts you have plans to give at least half of it away. I strategically made these when 1. we were feeding the missionaries and 2. when I brought dinner to a family in our ward who had just brought a new baby home.

First up: Peanut Butter Oreo Ice Cream Pie.

Holy Moly. This puppy was delish!! And simple. And delish. Who knew that when condensed milk freezes it taste just like ice-cream.

1 box Oreo Cookies
6 tbsp melted butter
2 cups cold heavy cream
1 (14 oz) Sweetened Condensed Milk
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 bottle Smucker’s Chocolate Fudge Microwave Topping
Finely crush about 25 Oreos in a food processor. Mix with melted butter and spread in the bottom of a 9″ round pan for the crust. Freeze for about 10 mins. Meanwhile, lightly crush the remaining Oreos into large pieces. Whisk sweetened condensed milk, peanut butter, and vanilla in large bowl and set aside. Whip the heavy cream to stiff peaks, then fold the whipped cream into the sweetened condensed milk mixture. Pour half of the peanut butter ice cream mixture on top of the frozen Oreo crust. Heat Chocolate Fudge according to the directions on the bottle, and pour half of the bottle in a layer over the ice cream. Add the remaining ice cream, hot fudge, and top with the Oreo cookie pieces. Freeze for at least 6-8 hours before serving. Serve with a scoop of whipped cream!


#2: Puffy Peanut Butter Cookies with Chocolate Chips

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoons baking soda

8 tablespoons of salted butter, melted and cooled

6 tablespoons of creamy peanut butter, melted and cooled

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup sugar

1 egg + 1 egg yolk, at room temperature

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Add butter and peanut butter to a microwave safe bowl, and heat in 30 second increments until melted. Let cool completely.

Mix the flour and baking soda in a bowl and set aside. In another bowl, mix the cooled butter/peanut butter and sugars until they are combined. Add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla and stir until mixed. Gradually add flour and mix until a dough forms – it will look crumbly at first, but it will come together. I even used my hands to bring it all together. If necessary, add 1-2 teaspoons of milk, but I did not need this. Fold in chocolate chips.

Shape the dough into a ball the size of a golfball. Place on a baking sheet two inches apart and bake for 10-12 minutes or until the edges are slightly brown. The centers should be soft and puffy. Do not over bake. Let cool completely then dig in!

And #3: Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Bars
1 cup butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon course sea salt
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 cup peanut butter chips

directions:
Preheat oven to 325.

Cream butter, peanut butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt and mix until just combined.

Fold in peanut butter chips. Spread dough in a 9 x 13 baking dish sprayed with non-stick spray. Other sizes will work as well - they will just determine the thickness and cooking length of the bars.

Bake at 325 for 25-30 minutes. If bars are not done (due to using a different sized dish), bake for 5-6 minute increments. Let cool completely before slicing.

Happy Peanut Butter and Chocolate Day to you! Your Welcome!

Dear Texas,

Don't think that just because it was 68 degrees this morning when I took Elodie to school I'm going to automatically start liking you. My heart only has room to complain and swoon over one state's temperature and it's not you. You'll have to do better than that for sure!

Sincerely,
Trying to find a reason to like Texas for reasons other than my husband's job.

Evyn Kate 5 months

Almost half way there...moving right along!

Weird Feeling

When I started this blog back in 2006 there have been a few traditional post kept. Birthdays. Anniversaries. And the Big Dirty. If you have read my blog for a while you know what The Big Dirty is. And if your a close friend you've been around enough to see the packing, planning, and time spent getting us out to the mountains for The Big Dirty. We have spent every birthday since Elodie was born out at The Big Dirty. Packing cupcakes and pinatas so we can celebrate while camping.

The first year I went to The Big Dirty Chris and I were engaged. Back in 2001. We have gone every year since with the exception of Elodie's birth in 2004.

So it was really weird as the weekend approached and we weren't busy making menus, shopping list, and remembering all the things we need to go camping. It's a weird feeling to know that all of Chris' family are out at The Big Dirty without us. That the tradition lives on without us. I hate it. I hate it for my girls who look forward to it and soak in every cousin and piece of dirt they can.
There is no doubt that it's hard work to get out there. And while Christopher would say he was slightly happy to not be spending his weekend out in the woods because of how much work it is, I'm already making plans for a big road trip next year! Because it's too much a part of our family to let a few hundred miles come between us! Until next year Big Dirty.

Big Dirty 2006

BIg Dirty 2007

Big Dirty 2008

Big Dirty 2009

Big Dirty 2010

First Bites

So, my 5 month old baby is still waking up a ton during the night. Elodie and Addysen were both sleeping through the night by 5 weeks. So you can see how this could make me stomp my feet just a little.

Our schedule goes like this. Evyn has her last nap from 4pm to around 6:30pm. No complaints there as I can do homework and piano with Elodie, fix dinner, make lunches for the next day, and get the girls in the bath all before Chris gets home. If Evyn naps long enough we can even have dinner as a family before she wakes up. Once she is up I feed her, bathe her, and then she is up with me and Chris until 10pm. Sometimes it's a little earlier just depends on her mood. I feed her again around 9:30pm then she is off to bed. We go to bed at 11pm and within a hour Evyn is gripping again. Ugh. She eats as if she hasn't eaten all day and then goes straight back to sleep. Then she is up again around 3am. Eats again likes it her last meal and back to sleep she goes. AND THEN, she is up AGAIN around 6:30am wanting to eat. That feeding I don't mind because shortly after she eats I have to get Elodie up anyway. Then I don't have to worry about Evyn until we get back from dropping Elodie off at school. BUT, I'd really like to cut out the midnight and 3am feeding altogether. For obvious reasons. It's really starting to wear on me and recently I got a stuffy head and congestion. Not sure if it's related to the sporadic sleeping or Elodie starting school. Could be a combination of both.

So, after talking to her pediatrician (you'd think this was my first go at this baby thing) I decided shoving in a few rice cereal feedings in between nursing would hopefully help us out a little. She hasn't really shown any signs of wanting to eat from a spoon but 5 months is a good age to introduce it anyway.

Yesterday was our first day and while it didn't help last night, I'm hoping within the next week we will see an improvement in EK's sleep schedule.

There are a few things I am sure of:
-it's probably not great that she is still in our room. She is a very light sleeper and turning a light on or shuffling around the crib will cause her to stir.
-By the time 9:30pm rolls around she is so exhausted that she doesn't want to nurse fully. She will thrash around and cry the whole time I am trying to feed her but the minute I lay her down she is out. It's annoying because if she would just relax and enjoy that last feeding she get more milk and then end up sleeping longer. It's just not working for us. But if I feed her around 8pm would she still wake up at midnight?
-I would attempt the cry it out method since she is 5 months (out of the 4th trimester stage) and I know without a doubt should be able to go longer than 3 hours between feedings but back to the fact that she is still in our room makes the cry it out method pretty much impossible. I would move her to the empty bedroom by the girls room (which is just a tv room for the girls right now) but it's upstairs and I don't like the idea of her being that far away just yet. Then what if she wakes up the older girls....

All in all the 1st time oatmeal feeding went well. She gave me a lot of "what the heck are you doing to me" looks and arched her back and let her head hang back in resistance but for the first time we managed. It's only uphill from here right?