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Oh Kiki as I read your crazy story all I could think, between laughs, was this only would happen to you and of course it was Lou that it happened to. That Lou what a silly man!
How I have missed reading about your funny life in small town USA. You make me feel so boring :)
Life has been busy here getting ready for 2 weeks with Gma! I am so that person that packs a week in advance because I want to make sure I have everything and there aren't last minute loads of laundry to do. So yes, my kids have been wearing the same clothes for the last 2 days so I don't have to do laundry. See I am that mom! I did just say kids...a new addition to the blog is five. You think huh what a random, different nickname to have considering he is only baby #2. I know believe me, but the number 5 is THE number in the B family and our little man will carry it on as he is in all kinds of sports. So yes he will be called five.
All that to say, I am still trying to craft as much as possible in this crazy time of life. Sadly that is not as much as I would like. I have so many crafts partly done because I find time to do one here and there between napping kids, trying to stay awake at night, and when I don't feel guilty that maybe I should be cooking dinner or cleaning some room.
I did just accomplished making the cutest DIY ornament out of buttons! I found it on Pinterest. Rant: Have I told you how much I love Pinterest?! It is the best thing EVER! I have so many pins and way too little time to make them. But oh to dream about the day that that one pin may be completed! As mom would say, "I'm dreaming in color." I am happy to say I have made many pins and loved each and every one. Done. Okay back to the ornament. Kiki, so stinking simple and your monsters would love to help sort out the buttons to find the right ones. here is the blog that shows you how to make them. I honestly love how they turned out and hello, I spent .89cents on embroidery thread because I already had buttons. SCORE! However, my computer is being lame and I can't show you my picture. boo! Have I told you technology doesn't like me?
Check the blog out! I seriously think it is the best ornament. I made 2 for friends and they loved them! Alright I need to go to sleep considering five will be waking up in probably 2 hours...which means more pinning for me hehehe
Love you Kiki and can't wait to see you in 3 days!!!

~Tia

To: Tia

Hello my long lost sister!!!  I know it is totally my fault that there has been such a long period between letters.  I'd blame it on moving, new schools, new job, etc. but it's really just fairly routine for me, so I apologize!  It's not like I had a baby or anything.Forgive me sweet sister!  I promise I'll make up for it.

Last week I had one of those days. You know the kind when you look at yourself and wonder how in the world you have managed to raise sweet, loving, happy -go-lucky kids when it is obvious to everyone that it probably has nothing to do with you as a parent just good luck on your part. 
Ok you probably don't have those kinds of days becuase you are the type of parent we all aspire to be. But, I still have hope that once your little peanut is as old as mine you will begin to experience these types of days.  So here's how everything started. 

I woke up to my alarm.  It was Wed and I was glad that I had actually had a pretty good night of sleep until I pick up my phone to notice that it isn't my "wake up" alarm going off it is the "school" alarm going off (which means we should be walking out the door to get the kids to school on time). I FLY out of bed and immediatley go to get the boys up and moving.  Buffalo pops up right away and being the diligent, responsible one begins to get ready in a frenzy. Lou has not moved. I peer closer into the bed to really lay into him to GET MOVING when I finally realize there is no one in bed.  Hmmm... go to the bathroom, nope not in there. Check on the couch, again nothing.  I start calling his name over and over.  Nothing. I start to panic.  Okay I FREAKED out.  C had already pulled the covers up and was hiding under his pillow until I say "I LOST LOU".  I go outside... finally I walk back into the kids room and find C pulling the toy box from under the bunk bed and who is "asleep" curled up against the wall, Lou. He was completely hidden from the world. My heart was beating a mile a minute. I had convinced myself that A) someone had come into our home and taken my little Lou or B) Lou had been sleepwalking and was wondering around our little town.  It is crazy how you can get so dillusional in a mere matter of seconds. Really who is going to walk into a house full of kids and only take one (Imean they all sleep in 1 bedroom). 
Well after this near emergency we all got going and surprisingly made it out the door in fairly good time.  We got to school only 5 minutes after the tardy bell (after waking up an hour late!).  I re-hashed my story that morning to all my coworkers.  They all were laughing pretty hard! I'd like to think this is because these kinds of things never happen to me but I think it is more that I am a really good story teller for always having to tell these kinds of stories.
And then it happend again.
I got an Attendance Alert email from school (9:30am, a good 1 1/2 hours after school has started). I read it immediatley and it said:  "Lou has been marked absent from school.  Please call the school immediately to explain the abscense." WHAT?!!  I saw Buffalo and Lou walk into school together, how in the world could I lose him a second time!!! 
I called the secretary and hear, "oh sorry about that I forgot to switch him to tardy, but he is here and accouted for.  To which I reply "good". "I have already lost him once today and was worried I had done it again."  I think she thought I was kidding because she chuckled. 
I took another minute to breathe deeply and call C to say don't worry I just talked to the school it was a mix up.  WOW.  At the end of the day we (all the parents from Lou's class) got an email from Lou's teacher that said they had testing the next day and it was very important everyone got a good night of sleep because all of the kiddos were a little tired today. I did not reply however I did have a long talk to Lou about staying in his bed because when he hides it really scares mommy.

What a life I live!  Gotta love kids. They sure keep your life exciting.  Must be why C and I kept having them.  Our sweet little Quinnie told one of her friends the other day "don't worry I won't die".  YEAHI love the things they say too.  I can't make this stuff up. 

I got my nails done today, all sparkley for Christmas. Counting down the days until we are together!!!

Love,
Kiki

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Well let me just say that pudding sounds amazing! I am all into sweets these days and that seems healthy right I mean you eat it with fruit ;) I feel like this month has just been such a busy one with having things to do and Little One getting sick every other week it seems like. Last Saturday we found out she had an ear infection and bronchitis. Today she has hives! When I say hives, I mean hives. Not little dots all over but HUGE spots. Poor girl, she is in good spirits though and happy as can be which is great. Other than making sure I am giving her a breathing treatment when I am supposed to and medicine for her ear and now benadryl, life is good. I am about to start another rag quilt. This one is all plaids and mostly browns and reds. Very cabinish. It is for our Bible study leader and I hope she likes it, you would love it but some people may not be as into plaid so a little nervous. I already bought the fabric so nothing I can do now. Starting the cutting tonight! I have 2 weeks to get it done, I need to move fast! You know me and waiting until the last possible second for everything!
Last week I was on snack duty for Bible study and I have to say I made some pretty amazing cookies. I know, you are the recipe queen, but I just couldn't not post this. They are called Compost Cookies and you use sweet and salty treats to go inside. This time mine consisted of chocolate chips, broken thin mints, ruffles chips, and cheezits. Sounds so gross and weird but all together in a cookie it is amazing! You can use whatever you want. I have used goldfish and ritz crackers before and that was yumm-o. You can find the recipe here. I first saw this recipe on Regis and Kelly a few years back and it looked so weird I had to try it. Well now I just love it and it's so fun to try different combinations. The kids would love to help make this! Here are a few pictures I took during the baking process:

The sweet and salty treats

The batter with everything mixed in

The end result!

 You seriously need to make these and let me know what you think. LOVE YOU SISTER!

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Hi Sista!  I'm having a CA day.  OH man.... we hit a hot streak.  40's and rain over the weekend to wake up to a sunshine filled day (with some crazy wind, thanks NE) high 75.  Oh yeah, it was AMAZING!!!!!  And tomorrow only gets warmer, I can't wait.  Now all I need is a pedicure and some new flips to make my spring transformation!
Things I love lately.... HULU Plus.  Say it with me.. Hallelujah.. it really is amazing.  I am starting to catch up on all my favorite shows.  Brand new babies!!!  Thanks G-man family!  I got my baby fix for almost a whole hour. They just brought home a little baby boy from the hospital yesterday and I got to just snuggle bug with the new bundle. Oh how I miss baby smell.  There is just nothing like it.  While C and G-man (that's been his nickname since C and he were best friends in kindergarten.. yep a LONG time, since we are all turning a the big 3-0 this year) played football with the munchkins outside I sat with his wife and new baby... and then paced with the baby while new mama got some much needed sleep.  Oh how I LOVE BABIES!!!!!!

Okay Okay. I know I am supposed to talk about what I'm cooking up lately, I just am so easily distracted.  I've got a good one for you.  What do kids like the most?  I'll tell you, chocolate.  So I got the best idea.  Make chocolate "fondue", use pudding instead of melted chocolate.  So I whipped up some chocolate pudding and an array of things to dip with.  Strawberries, pineapple, marshmallows and then I thought we need just one more thing, POUND cake.  So I dug through the cabinet and pulled out the 1970s cookbook.  Loaf cake, sounds interesting, few ingredients, perfect.  I got Quinnie Poo right on it (so there was flour flying everywhere, and when I wasn't looking someone was dipping her little tiny 3 yr old fingers into the butter-sugar mixture, when does that not happen).  Here's the recipe.  I have to say the more I bake the more I enjoy my concoctions much more than those ready made buy at your grocery store things.  You should try this recipe, its a keeper.

Little One would absolutely love "dipping" her dessert into pudding.  I couldn't fool the boys with the whole chocolate fondue thing.  Apparently they remember this really cool chocolate fountain thing that Grandma has.. well Buffalo said "umm this looks like pudding" yeah yeah, okay well at least it tasted good right.  Well they had 2nd helpings tonight again.  So it couldn't have been to bad, I thought it tasted delicious.  Totally hit the spot.  Yummo!

Well I'm sleepy and I'm trying to catch up on Revenge (oh how I love you Hulu).  Catch you later.. oh yeah tomorrow should be in the 80s.  YEAH!!!!  Love you mucho!

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Okay, I know I tell you sorry all the time for taking forever to post, but I am sorry. Everyday I think, I need to post and oh I'll just do it later, and then I fall asleep. BOO
Umm so that meal sounded amazing! I wish I could have been there to eat it! What are you doing for Buffalo's birthday? Are you having some fun hoedown hahaha Just kidding. When the opportunity arises I just have to take it ;)
Guess what, I finished the top of my quilt!! Seriously we have to make it when you come out it was beyond simple and since you didn't have to cut too much it went way faster than my other. I could make a ton more of this style, I just love it that much. I hope you do too! I still have to piece the back togeher and then get it quilted but woohoo!
Nothing else much has gone on this week. I need to clean though so I better get off. Love you!

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I LOVE LOVE LOVE the quilt.  OMG you're amazing!  I know you say it is easy but umm it certainly looks challenging.  I'll wait until July to tackle this when you can help me.

I won't you to know that I have successfully completed a "cleanse".  I didn't know if I could really survive on brown rice and fruit juice but I did it.  1 week down and I feel great, and I am MUCH lighter.  So YEAH.  So to celebrate a job well done my hubby made me dinner.  Your brother-in-law is one GOOD cook.  I think he's been having a craving for awhile and he did some researching and found a recipe that would be close to our favorite Italian restaurant.  There are things we had to give up moving to rural America and Johnny Carinos is one of those things.  Oh how I miss the happy hour specials, the birthday parties, the rustic Italian cuisine.  I came home tonight to one of our favorites.  Italian nachos, fruit and pistachio cesar salad, and sausage stuffed tortellini in an asiago cream sauce.  Topped off with a lovely Shiraz.  When C and I got married I never thought that I would be the one coming home to a homemade gourmet meal.  I always envisioned it the other way around (not that I'm complaining).  I have to say I am one lucky little girl.  Any man who can cook is a keeper in my book (remember that L.Lou Senior and R.Poo and GAC for that matter).

Okay you have to try this dinner it was absolutely delicious, Johnny Carino's.  So this plate doesn't look all that appetizing but it is just because well... I tried to load it up good the first time around so I wouldn't get in trouble for having seconds.. hehee.  Not only did C cook up a delicious meal he didn't stop there.  We finished the meal off with bananas foster and homemade sugar and cinnamon chips.  YUMMO.  Okay so I may have gained everything back that I had lost but holy cow it was tasty.  Guess I'll just be walking at lunch instead of eating.  A small price to pay in my book. Well I better go clean-up the kitchen.
 
Oh yeah did I mention we had a TORNADO watch yesterday.  Oh man I don't know if I am up to living in a place that gets tornadoes in February.  And snow is predicted on Friday.   Crazy weather.
Love you.  Keep up the good work on the quilt.  I can't wait to see the final product.

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Kiki, so the movie was not that good last week. I mean it was good but so depressing for most of it. Fun to get out and be with the girls though. Saturday I watched one of Little One's friends in the morning. We played at the park for 2 hours and then had donuts as a treat afterwards(that sounded really good to me). The rest of the day was spent cleaning out the garage and house. We are going to have a garage sale one of these days and are sorting out what we need and what we don't need. It will be nice have some more room when we get rid of old furniture. Anyways, Sunday was so fun. We went to church and then drove down towards Laguna with the Hs and went on a hike in the canyons. It was an adventure to say the least. The trail was not very stroller friendly, I mean we could barely fit our stroller let alone their double stroller! We finally had to turn around because it went straight up hill and it was so rocky. We stopped and had a picnic lunch and headed back to the car. It was a beautiful day and the views were awesome. I'll send you pictures :) Yesterday it rained nonstop! Today we again went on a walk with the cousins. I found this blog where the mom only writes about fun playgrounds and places to hike in the OC. We tried one of her recommendations and yeah not that great, but the kids still had fun.
NOW I am quilting while Little One sleeps. I am excited about this quilt. If you remember way back when I showed you a picture of my fabrics. Well, I finally started it and Kiki, it is so easy! Way easier than my first quilt. It is a pinwheel quilt. There are tons of patterns online, but this one is a "twister" style and it is from www.country-schoolhouse.com When you come in July we should make this one for you! I think you would love it. Here are some pictures of my progress so far :)

You use a layer cake and just sew them all together in rows

Then you add a border and use this nifty tool to cut the pinwheels

And here is the first finished row!

Isn't it so fun! I am adding another border when my rows are complete :)

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Those cookies look yummy! I will definitely make them, thanks!
So far this has been a fun week. Monday I took down all my Valentine's Day decor and started to get ready for St. Patty's Day :) I'll give more detail when I talk to you about my craft ;) Tuesday is always hang out with cousins day. Little One and I meet cousin H and baby C at the beach. J and I walked the boardwalk and then we let the kids play in the sand while we at Perry's Pizza. Kiki, you would LOVE it! It reminds me of Rocky Rococo's. I mean nothing can quite compare but it does the job. Today we had a play date at Chick-fil-a and we always meet at 10:15 since breakfast ends at 10:30. As soon as time is up for breakfast they come around and give you all the rest of the food for free since they can't sell it anymore. Fabulous! Guess what I am doing tomorrow...Girls' Night! We are meeting for cheesecake and the going to see The Vow. I am so excited! Fun week huh?
Okay, on to my craft. I have always wanted to make a scrap fabric wreath. I just think they are so cute. Well, I was looking online and saw one that was all green. I thought, perfect I don't have a St.Patty's wreath yet. Little One and I drove to JoAnn Fabrics and they have a bin of scrap fabric. I bought two rolls of all green fabrics. There were 8 colors and they were fat eighths. I just cut them into 2 1/4 in rectangles about 10 in long.We had been given a wreath for Christmas made of real pine and I had kept the metal ring that it was on just for something like this. I have seen that some people just take a wire hanger and bend it into a circle. That would work too. Then all I did was tie on my fabric in knots, added a ribbon, and done! I love it :)

At the beginning

Final look!

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Okay first let me start by saying, You are AMAZING.  I love the pillow!  I would have to agree with the consensus that it does look a lot like an owl.  But shoot if you call it a bird I'll say it's a bird.  What did you say Quinnie?  Oh you want Tia to make one for you.. I'll tell her (hint hint wink wink XOXO).

I am sorry it has taken so long for me to post.  My computer died and I can't resuscitate it.  With C constantly on his laptop doing school work it has been hard finding the right opportunity to "hijack" it to have a little "me time".  Oh shoot he just walked into the room.  Okay I'll be quick.  I made Sunday dinner for the in-laws and I have to say I did pretty good.  Steak (okay C did that), baked potato, cheesy broccoli, dinner rolls.  I pulled out all the stops. We finished the meal off with a batch of homemade cookies.  They were a HIT.  I caught my mother-in-law nibbling on them pre-dinner.. BUSTED!  She told me today that this recipe is a keeper and has requested a second batch.  I think you'll love them.  SUPER EASY PEASY!

Butterscotch Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies
1 c shortening
1 c brown sugar
1 c sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
2 c flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 c oatmeal
1/2 c chocolate chips
Mix shortening, brown sugar and white sugar, egg and vanilla with electric mixer until creamy.  Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well.  Shape into balls the size of walnuts.  Bake at 350° for 12 minutes.

I hope you enjoy!  It is cold and rainy here.  I am nervous to wake up tomorrow to an ice skating rink covering the "city".  Well I better go rescue Bumblekitten.  C is brushing her and she doesn't look happy, she's gotten awfully feisty now that she is a country loving outdoor kitten.

Miss you!  Give Little One a BIG kiss from Kiki.

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Okay that jar is awesome and I am going to make it! Little One will LOVE it! Mom and I were laughing as we were picturing Lou cracking up watching his. That boy is too cute. Okay so I don't know how you can handle that freezing weather! I know we did all growing up but living here for the last 6 years has really changed me... 60 degrees is COLD for me! Pathetic I know. Today the wind has been crazy, I mean nonstop all day and our patio is a mess with branches and other things.
Alright so my week has been pretty good. I decided that I need to have my menu planned for the week so that I am not running to the grocery store everyday trying to figure out dinner. I planned my menu Monday morning (alright should have been planned on the weekend) and Little One and I took the the stores. We bought all the ingredients for the week and I have to tell you it has been so nice knowing what is coming! I absolutely love the Pioneer Woman and I am making a Chipotle Steak Salad from her blog tonight. I'll let you know how it turns out :)

I finished the hat and decided to give it to a friend who watches Little One every time I sub as a thank you. So today my craft is a hand made stuffed animal. I thought, why buy one when I can potentially make one. I got online (etsy) and looked at all kinds of owl stuffed animals. When I found my inspiration all I did was sketch out the body and feet on paper and then traced it to fabric. I used buttons as the eyes and appliqued on the eyes and nose. I also added wings before I sewed the top and bottom together. I also added ribbon on top for "hair" before I sewed the front to back. I left two spaces on the bottom open to hand stitch the feet in and stuff it. I think it turned out pretty good :) Little One loves it. Okay I lied I wasnt really looking at owls, well some, but mostly birds because I wanted it to be a "chick." However, everyone says it looks like an owl so I do need to find a better pattern for a birdie HA!

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I love it!  Little One is going to be one stylish little chick-chick.  I bought a pattern book with slouch hats and attempted to start one.. holy cow.. WAY hard.  So I sort-a kind-a gave up.  I might have to try yours it looks easier, I'll let you know how I do.  It has been very cold here, I'm talking 2 degrees, COLD.  And we have gotten snow which makes all my boys happy, C included.  Today I came home from work to find this happening in my backyard.  This is called sledding NE style.  Yep you are seeing that right, C is pulling 3 sleds with 3 boys behind him.  Seriously.  What happened to lugging a bigger-than-you-are sled all the way up a "mountain" and speeding down to be already tired and ready for hot cocoa.  Oh these country kids they have it so easy.
Well enough about these monsters. On to my craft.  I haven't exactly done much cooking recently so I don't have a fabulous recipe to share with you.  But I do have an awesome craft!  (GAC, if you're out there I'm thinking one of these in your classroom would be so cool, I would suggest this to mom but I'm not sure her rock garden would appreciate it quiet like little 5 yr olds.)

So I stumbled upon something that I thought there is just no way this will work... I was pleasantly surprised that it is MAGIC.  I found what is affectionately referred to as a "calm" jar.  It is so simple, a jar filled with glitter, you have the kids shake it up and then turn it over and watch the glitter fall to the bottom.  When all the glitter has settled to the bottom you are supposed to be relaxed and the "time-out" is over.  Well when C was working the kids and I got to work and made our own.  You have got to try this.   The recipe is super easy and was fun for the kids to do on their own.
Here's what you are going to need:
Canning Jar (I used a pint jar, if you have some extra naughty monsters I'd do the next size up)
Water
Glitter (fine)
Clear Glue
See super easy!  You have to experiment on the glue/water ratio. The more glue the longer it takes for the glitter to get to the bottom.  I filled my mason jar up to the top of the K (on my Kerr canning jar) with water.  And then filled the rest (almost up to the very top of the jar) with glue.  I then poured in a jar of fine glitter.  Lou being Lou mixed a few different colors.  His is pretty cool.  The rest of us just used one color.  This thing is AWESOME.  It is amazing how this little easy-peasy craft is so effective.  Well... it works on most but of course Lou gets the giggles and the wiggles right along with the glitter.  So while Buffalo and Quinnie are mesmerized by the glittering light Lou is bouncing off the walls.  Oh well, I'll take 2 out of 3.   Now that I think about it Little One would probably be just like Lou but it might calm you down some in those hairy times of the day.  So you should make yourself one and call it:

I even took one to work.  When I start to feel a little overwhelmed or bored, or just need a moment, I shake up my jar and I seriously sit there and just stare at the thing. It is so pretty! I know the things that please me.  I'm a geek.  But I have quite a following.  Every time someone comes over to my desk they pick up my jar too and give it a shake.  There's just something about it.  

Hope you enjoy!  I'm working on a really cool V-day present for C.  He won't appreciate it but I'll treasure it for ever.  This is the inspiration:  

Source: etsy.com via Katie on Pinterest

I'll be adding my own little twist, if C will cooperate.

Can't wait to see what crafty goodness you are working on now.  

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Hi there Kiki,

So everyday I think I need to post and then Little One is in bed and I forget. Sorry! Mr.I would love that skillet, I will have to make it. Oh and we got Lou's letter about his magazine drive. It was so cute to see his little hand writing! We are both going to get a magazine :) just remember our kids are going to be asking you too someday! Get ready haham
So I have just been doing normal stuff, nothing new here. Little One "calls" you all the time. It's pretty cute seeing her talking to Kiki. I went and bought some new knitting needles and decided to try my luck making a eyelets slouch hat. The pattern is pretty simple but its taking a while, so I have a picture where I am at. Not sure who it is for yet and Mr.I thinks that is too funny that I am just making it to make but what can I say, I love to knit :) Here is the website for the pattern. www.hipknitized/2009/12/eyelet-slouch-hat.html

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Got home from work today and instantly I asked C what was for dinner, to which he responded, "why you hungry".  Yes I'm hungry! It's hard work sitting at a desk all day I expect to be fed immediately upon returning home.  (He did have Quiznos waiting for me when I came home for lunch today and it was so good.. but you can't have a super yummy  lunch and not have an even better dinner you know.)  So then we started thinking about what to make (or I guess I did).  I suggested Chinese food, I have a craving so kill me.  I said that we have egg rolls and lo mien in the freezer so all we would need was the main dish, I figured that was reasonable. I begged and pleaded for him to run out and grab some Kung Pao chicken. Alas he refused me so we settled on breakfast for dinner.  He fried up some home-made breakfast taters, YUM, threw in a smoked sausage, YUMMO, then cracked an egg on top threw it under the broiler.. ta-da.... Breakfast Skillet!!!  YUMMIEST meal ever!  I of course had to bake something so Quinnie and I made apple cinnamon muffins for a side.  I sat down to a delicious meal with a redneck mimosa in hand... WAIT I need a picture. NO ONE START EATING.  So I ran to grab my phone (also known as my camera)...dead.  What.. dead... ugh!  I know I know fairly typical, I'll try to do better.  C keeps threatening that he is going to cancel my cell phone. 
 
I know you want a recipe so hear it is:

Breakfast Skillet
Potatoes, diced
Smoked Sausage, kielbasa, sliced
Red pepper, diced
4 eggs
ranch dressing mix
Vegetable oil

Add vegetable oil to the skillet (for you organic mommies out there you may substitute for something healthier like olive oil).  Throw in your diced potatoes.  Get a good fry on them (that means until they are brown).  Sprinkle your ranch dressing mix (till the potatoes are coated).  Once your potatoes are fried up to a nice golden brown, remove from skillet.  Add in sausage slices and pepper.  Fry till nice and crispy.  In a casserole dish add potatoes (bottom layer), on top add your sausage and peppers.  Crack your eggs on top of the meat.  Put under the broiler until the eggs are done (2-5 min).  You'll know they are done when they look like fried eggs.  C and I put some pico di gallo over the top of ours to give it just a bit more flavor.  YUMMO.

Mimosa
Miller High Life (my favorite!)
Sunny D
Mix your beer with the Sunny D... YUM.

The perfect compliment to a great breakfast. ENJOY!

LOVE LOVE LOVE the bow.  I can't wait to try it.

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Okay I am sorry that it took me forever to write you back. I was just trying to figure out what my craft would be and when I finally figured it out I still had to make it. So I finished it today :)
Anyways, those poptarts look so yummy. I am definitely going to make them. Not sure if I have ever made pie crust before, maybe Buffalo had the right idea about buying it ;) You need to send me a picture of all the snow you got! I miss going outside and playing in the snow. I am sad that Little One can't do that. We have talked about heading to the mountains for a weekend of sledding. She would have such a blast! Hopefully there is snow in our "mountains" it has been so warm here lately.
Oh my gosh Little One and I took a walk around the neighborhood today and there was a birthday party going on and the kids were running all over the greenbelt. Okay so Little One says, "friends mommy!" so cute! When they went back inside she shrugs and says "friends?" She is so not my daughter, she is way too outgoing haha I think she takes after Kiki ;)
On to my craft. As you know Gigi is pregnant and she just found out she is having a girl! Well, I knew I wanted to make her a tutu but I wanted to make something else that I haven't done before. I love the bunny hat that I have been making, but at the same time it is getting old. Today I thought a bow would be so cute on the hat instead of ears! I googled free knit bow patterns and found one that is so simple! find pattern here

Isn't it so cute?! I just love it and I think the bow would be so cute on a clip or headband. I am going to make this bow until I am sick of it :) You need to make it for Quinnie!
Love to your family! muah

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Oh I LOVE the lamp!  I still picture that bedroom totally bare with nothing even on  the windows.  You're so good.  I can't wait to start my next Tia-inspired project (the quilt) if only this little town had some fabric stores.  I am anxious to go see our new nephew and hit up Joann Fabrics while I'm there!

Well on to my recipe for the day.  Buffalo had a sleepover on Friday night.  I was in the mood to be that really cool mom that makes everything by scratch and has a "gourmet" meal all the time.   I got up right away on Saturday and found a recipe that I had pinned awhile back and got working.    Home-made PopTarts.  The recipe sounded super easy, so I thought WHY not.  Well... Quinnie Poo helped me out and as you can imagine one thing led to another and it didn't turn out quite as well as I had planned but it was edible. (I thought rather tasty).

Source: bakememore.com via Katie on Pinterest

Everyone got to pick out their own jam.  The kids all settled on Strawberry Rhubarb.  I found a blackberry preserve -- DELISH!!Somehow I was only able to get 6 bite size pieces where I'm pretty sure the original recipe says it makes way more... I don't know how I always screw things up.  Most of the time my screw-ups are still pretty tasty fortunately.  Lou told me that it had a "pinch to much flour".. he is a crack-up.  Buffalo said that next time instead of trying to make my own pie crust I should just get the stuff at the store.  Thanks Mr.  I told mom the next time I am around I need a lesson in pie crust making.  I think Little One would LOVE these.  You'll have to make them for her.  Here is a picture of mine.  Yep they look delicious, huh!

I'm totally going to make these again.  I feel like such a better mother when I bake something myself instead of just grabbing something from pantry.  I mean shoot.. maybe I should buy only organic.  OH no that's going to far, who would really do that.  HEEHEE.  OH Tia I love you!  Kiss Mr.I, I mean Little One for me HEEHEE... Love you guys.  OH did I mention that we are expecting a BLIZZARD on Saturday here in NE.  Yeah what the... it was 65 degrees Monday and then a blizzard.  Life is tough out here in no-man's land.



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Kiki, I seriously can't get over hearing about your life in K-town. I just think how fun it would be to have turkeys running in the street, and bats in your house, and ice skating on a pond, and driving 2 minutes and you are out of town. HAHA okay I don't know if I could do that! I always thought country living would be fun but hmmm I just don't know anymore. Maybe if a big city were less than an hour away, yes then I could. ;) Okay but that bat oh my goodness. C sent me a picture of it trapped in the fireplace eww! I definitely would not have been able to sleep with that thing flying around; props to you!
I am so sorry I have not written sooner. I promise I have a good excuse. Okay well not great, BUT I finally got my Kindle Fire and for the first month you can enjoy the prime membership which means free videos instantly to it. (yeah haven't even read a book yet). I have been watching LOST! Miss S got me into the series but she didn't have the last two seasons so I have been dying to see what happens. Wouldn't you know that they are on my Kindle! So I apologize for not writing last night, I decided I had to watch LOST instead. I know so lame and I feel bad, but at the same time I am dying to go up and watch it right now HA!
Alright before you think I am the worst sister ever, here is my DIY project.  We were given a set of lamps when we got married and I was into my modern, black and white phase. Well that phase has come and gone and I am all about hmm don't know the exact word for it, I guess farmhouse with a twist. Anyways I redid one of the lamps and I love it! I can't wait to do the other one too.

before. Sorry this is in garage don't mind the mess.

After, in the guest room under the embroidery hoops.

I spray painted the base white. I still need one more coat because I ran out but you get the picture. To the shade I peeled off the inner plastic-y part because it had cracked from the move. So now it is just fabric, not as shaped as before. I then took scrap fabric I had leftover from my first quilt and hand sewed it over the black. I sewed the edge on the shade first then folded the fabric over the metal frame and sewed that on the inside. The sewing was a little tedious but well worth it I think. Hope you like it :)
Missing your family! LOVE YOU

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I LOVE your squares.  I want some :) hint hint wink wink.  I can't wait to see the finished project.  I need you to teach me how to quilt (I know I have said that before, but I love them!!!)

I have had a ho-hum kind of week, I've been a little blah.  But it is suppose to snow tomorrow and that always puts me in a good mood ( I know I'm weird).  And it helps that tomorrow is Friday!!!!!  Pineapple Upside Down Cake here I come.

Nothing all that exciting has happened this week either so that has added to my mood.  Oh wait there is one thing... A BAT is living in our fireplace in our bedroom.  Yeah I know!!!! By now you probably think I make up most of these stories but really who would make up a story about a BAT living in their bedroom.  Seriously! I came home for lunch the other day and Quinnie met me at the door to tell me there was  mouse.  She said it keeps scratching.   So the whole day we tried to see if we could find anything.. nothing.  And then I was sitting in my chair watching TV and I look over to see a big brown thing in the fireplace squirming around, and upside down from what it looked like.  C came down and covered up the fireplace so I wouldn't have to look at it.  Oh thanks C.. you couldn't just "take care of it" really... whatever.  So anyways I kept hearing scratching and I look over to see BAT WINGS! Huge wings with claws on the ends and FANGS... (okay slight exaggeration but they were really big teeth) UGH!!!!!!!!!  Lou thinks it is the coolest thing ever, Buffalo is convinced it is just a fruit bat and Quinnie poo thinks it is her best friend.  YUCK.  This house is cursed!  (okay again slight exaggeration but OMG.)  I of course did not sleep a wink for fear of the thing landing in my hair, all thanks to Mom and her own bat stories.  The next night C dosed me up with some night time sleepy stuff, I slept so well that the boys were a tad late to school and I was even more late getting to work.    I still can't believe it.  A bat!  I so did not know what I was signing myself up for when I took my dream job.  I know I know hindsight is 20/20.

Okay... so this week no pictures.  Sorry.  By the time I was ready to take a picture of my totally awesome dip... someone, I won't name names, C, had eaten everything.  This is the easiest, yummiest dip ever.  C refused to try it when he saw everything I put in it but then once he realized Quin was eating it up he decided he would try a bite and well he ate it up too!  YUMMO.

Creamy Mexican Dip
1 C plain Fat Free yogurt, Greek (I didn't have Greek just regular yogurt and it tasted delicious)
1/2 C salsa, hot chipotle
3/4 C diced avocado
1/3 C chopped cilantro
1/4 C chopped red onion
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp salt
Garnish: 1/4 C diced avocado, 1 tbsp. cilantro, 1 tbsp. red onion
In medium bowl stir together yogurt and salsa until blended.  Stir in remaining ingredients (except garnish).  Cover and refrigerate.  Top with garnish when ready to serve.

I put this on tacos, just ate with chips, and tonight I had C's specialty, a burger, cheese, turkey bacon, fried egg and I used this dip instead of mustard and ketchup YUM!!!!



Enjoy!  Oh yeah I started reading a new series of books.  Totally a young adult series but I am entertained.  I am already into the second book and I just got it last week at Library night.  We missed Library night tonight because C didn't have to work and well he doesn't realize how fun the library can be.  We have an AWESOME library here in K-town, totally pumped!

Source: amazon.com via Katie on Pinterest

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That drink sounds A-mazing! I will definitely have to try it. I just love reading your posts and imaging you down stairs having your "party"!

Monday it rained here ALL day! Which was so fun, but at the same time not at all. I was watching a baby, so the 3 of us were going stir crazy by the end of the day. Little One wanted to hug her and hold her, and that baby was not about it. Anytime Little One came close the baby freaked out screaming. SERIOUSLY! Today was better, we went on a walk this morning with cousin H and they had a blast at the park. Sonic was on the way home from the park so we couldn't not stop! I just love sonic! Sadly I only brought some cash and didn't have enough for my strawberry limeade :( I'll have to go back soon! During her nap I finished my blocks for the Valentine quilt! Applique is so not easy. I think the ladies are going to take one look at my block and laugh haha. Let's just say they aren't the straightest lines you've ever seen. I'm excited to get all the different ones back and put my quilt together. Alright, I will call you tomorrow. I hope you and the monsters had fun watching your movie tonight!

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You are so creative.  I love the canvas idea, so cute.  I think I need to come out to your house to see everything you have done since the last time I was there.  I try to picture where everything is but I think C needs to send me out there to really get the full effect.

I had a really fun weekend.  Party at the house, party at Old Chicago's, football watching from the couch all day after an AMAZING sermon at church, all in all I think it was a great weekend. It started off with a bang on Friday afternoon when C and I went to a certain store and found a recipe taped to the shelf.  OH MAN!  AMAZING.  This in a mommy only recipe, just so you know.  Quinnie always asks "is this a yucky drink" to which we respond yes or no depending on it's contents.  This is definitely "yucky" by Quinnie's standards but SOOOOO GOOOOD.  I may or may not have single handily finished off the bottle (okay slight exaggeration but I had quite a few drinks).  C put the kids to bed fairly early and then he made me up a drink, we rented a movie (I don't recall ever watching it) and  had a GOOD night just the two of us.  These little drinks had me sleeping like a baby around 10 or so (I could have sworn it was pert near 2am but I have been told I was out like a light much sooner than that).  Oh now don't start lecturing me about being a responsible drinker...blah blah blah... remember that while everyone was having fun in their early twenties I kept having babies (I know Dad I have no one to blame but myself, well and C but I digress).  So now is my time for some fun and why not.... okay you know me, this excessive partying was truly 3 drinks I'm no party animal.  All in good fun, in the privacy and protection of my little basement room :).  Every once in awhile you have to let your hair down!  So the next time you have a bunco party (without the pastor's wives :)) or a Vampire Diary viewing party, or a martini party (Mom you listening) you have to take this little number.


Pineapple Upside-Down Cake cocktail
1 part Cake Vodka
1 part Pineapple Juice
1 Maraschino Cherry
YUMMO

I will totally be keeping this little gem stocked from now on.  Well I have to go tuck the monsters in bed.  They all had a long weekend and tomorrow might be a rough morning.  I am thinking a "shot" of Mountain Dew might be needed to get these guys up and moving for school.  Lou just informed C that "he didn't like school".  I find this hard to believe since he talks non-stop about how much fun he has.  But he did tell Mom the other night that he had 7 days without school.  Not sure what that is all about, we will probably have an altercation tomorrow morning before he remembers how fun it is to leap out of a moving vehicle and run into the safety of the school.  He has such a good imagination.  Right this very minute he came and asked me for help to which he turned around and I had to pull a pillow out from under his shirt.  "What it's for protection"... oh Lou I love you.   Give Little One my love and Mr.I.  Miss you!!!!!!

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 Kiki, I am so proud of you! That looks awesome and for a first time I am totally impressed. I can't wait to make  something at the same time :) We'll have to think about that...Oh and my fingers hurt all the time too! You are not alone. 
Little One's party was a big success. The doughnuts were the biggest hit! It was hilarious because the girls couldn't quite get that you didn't need that much dough on the skewer so the doughnuts were HUGE! Oh and I got so many compliments on my cakes in a jar.(patting myself on the back right now) ;) Yesterday was her actual birthday and we went to get an ice cream treat before lunch, I know horrible, but she did eat her lunch so phew. We had a special dinner of chipped beef (yumm-o) and then ice cream cake for dessert. She was definitely spoiled. The Disney Store has little figurines from all the movies and they have one with princesses so we got those for her and man was she so excited for her princesses! She did not want to go to bed and it was the first thing she said this morning.
Other than that life has just been going as normal, and nothing much. I did make a fun canvas for Little One's bathroom. All I did was paint the canvas and use a permanent marker (I have paint pens but could not find them of course)  to write the verse on it. Super simple and super easy. 

Oh and I am so making that recipe. THANKS

Love you so much Kiki!

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I'm BACK!!!  Sorry that I was MIA for a little bit, just had a rough go with things but I am back.  And boy have I been busy.  I just have to ask one thing Tia, how do you do it?  I knitted for the first time yesterday all day... I mean literally all day and today my little fingers were bruised and hurt so bad!  I guess I need to toughen up my hands before I try and tackle another one... or figure out what I am doing wrong so that I don't lose fingers in the process of being crafty.  I tell you what. OUCH.

For my first knitting project I decided to do a cowl like you.  Mom had sent me one in a little care package and I got so many compliments when I wore it out and about that I wanted another in my closet.  I have to say mine is a touch smaller than Mom's and it doesn't look quite as good but I did pretty darn good for my first go... what do you think.  See how it kinda rolls up... oh well.  No one will notice right? (wink wink)  I have a little of the yarn left over so I am thinking that maybe I could knit a matching one for little Quinnie Poo.

I also have to tell you that I am back on the Weight Watchers band wagon.  I have spoiled myself with daily desserts and well it has started to add up.  I found this awesome recipe in one of my books and it was delicious!  I have been able to keep snacking and not feel to guilty about it.  You've got to try it.  Take 1 box of angel food cake mix, and 1 can of light blueberry pie filling (we couldn't find blueberry out here in nowhere land so we used light cherry) mix the two ingredients together (don't add anything else).  Spread into an ungreased 9X13 pan and bake at 350 degrees for 30 min.  YUMMO.  and SO EASY PEASY.
Well that's been my life in a nutshell for the past week.  Not to exciting.  Tomorrow is library night any book suggestions?

LOVED Little One's party.  You are such a fun mommy.  I can't wait to try cake in a jar.  AMAZING.  Can't wait to hear what you have been up to this weekend.  Love you!

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the colored batter ready to cook

Little One added the sprinkles

Umm pebble where are you?? Well, since you have decided not to tell me how your life is going, I'll tell you how mine is. This week has been crazy! Mom left Sunday(tear, tear, downpour of tears), Monday I tutored, yesterday and today I subbed, and tomorrow is Little One's big 2nd birthday party! Let's just say my house will not be perfect for this party, but it sure will be fun(fingers crossed). I have had a lot of fun thinking of ideas for it. We are making our famous fondue doughnuts with all the fixings, a yummy fruit dip from my Deceptively Delicious cookbook, and veggies. Oh and milk with sprinkles on the cup ;) I can't wait to send you all the pictures.  I am most excited for the favors we are giving all her friends: Cake in a Jar!!! I decided no cake at the party because of all the sugar from the doughnuts. I do not need 8 crazy kids under 3 running around my tiny house on a sugar high(this is why I am not too worried that my house is not beyond clean). Why not send them home to eat the sugar ;) I found the recipe here and it is beyond simple. I took pictures to document the progress. 
I think Buffalo would have a blast making these! You should try it out. I even found one for a red velvet and nutella cake. Yumm-o. I need to go to bed because I still need to vacuum and prepare the fruit and all that stuff in the am before they come at 10! AUGH LOVE YOU KIKI!

Ready for friends to take them home

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You know Kiki I really can't love a pebble in my shoe. JUST KIDDING! You are a fabulous crafter and don't think otherwise. You are the one that helps me with all my ideas :)
Oh it has been so much fun having mom here and man have we made a lot of crafts! I made decorations for Little One's birthday party, baby shower gifts for our bro, a cute bow for cousin Cs baby, and tons of food (okay I know not a craft but it is an art). We have been to Target 3 times of course, I bought an awesome piece of art for the guest room at pier1, and crafts at JoAnn for Little One's party. It has been nonstop and I am exhausted but I wouldn't trade it for the world. We so wish you were here ;(
Tonight we had a football dinner.... home made potato skins, mom's famous wings, and the pretzel bites from your board on pinterest. I know, no vegetables, nothing healthy, but man was it all good! I am stuffed, just roll me on up to bed!
While mom and I sit on the couch because we can't move to go upstairs, I will leave you with a picture of the garland I made for Little One. I used a jelly roll of fabric and just tied the pieces onto yarn I already had. I seriously am in love with it!

Love you pebble ;)

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I LOVE the fabric.  Absolutely LOVE it.  I can't wait to see the finished project.  Have I mentioned that you are amazing.  I mean seriously, quilting, sewing skirts, knitting, and the list goes on and on.  I wish we lived closer just so you could rub off on me.  Alas, I guess you'll keep having to inspire me through your letters and pictures!  I do TRY to be as crafty as you, sometimes I sit in a corner and think of all the ways to be as crafty as you, but holy cow I just can't keep up.  Oh well I guess for now I'll just pay you to do my crafts (did I say pay umm... well... we'll have to talk about that, I'm sure we can work something out wink wink).
For the time being I'll stick to what I do best, cooking.  Tonight the kids asked for mac-n-cheese, they had a little friend over and I think they thought this was a safe option.  However this request came with a stipulation, "not yours mommy, Grandma's".   Buffalo even suggested that I call her to get the recipe.  OH man.  I called, got the recipe and was pleasantly surprised because it was easy peasy!  My kind of recipe!!!  I thought I had finally done it.  The perfect re-creation.  "Yours is more cheesy than Grandma's.  Hers is better." UGH I give up.  I apparently need to go back to Grandma cooking school.  So far I have failed miserably at all of her easy peasy recipes.  Gingersnap strips, mac-n-cheese, burgundy bubbler (did I mention I couldn't even get that right.. I couldn't find the right jug of wine) I am a complete mess.
I can hear you now trying to convince me that no your not a mess... but seriously, I'm a MESS.  Did I mention I went and got fitted for some, well let's say, under-garments.  OMG.  This might have been the most embarrassing thing I have ever done.  For two reasons that I will point out to you.  1. I may have packed on some winter weight (and you have to practically be buck-naked, oh and the stretch marks they were out in all the glory!  2. I didn't shave and well she kept having me raise my arms... UGH.  Yep I am a MESS, totally and completely.  OH yeah I just remembered the conversation I had with my husband at lunch today.  He said I was as squishy as Little One, "oh you know I love squeezing her, she's so cute, its a compliment".... oh yeah right, nice recovery love muffin.  I am sure glad the day is over so I can crawl under my flannel sheets and sleep till I forget all about the events of the day.  Tomorrow I will wake up in my new snazzy ($62 ouch) undergarments as a new woman!  I will finish those crafts I started (or not started that are sitting on the floor next to my sewing machine).  Clean up my room, just because.  And who knows maybe I will even shave my legs!  Whoa don't get carried away Kiki.  I probably won't do any of that it sounds exhausting.
I know your thinking come one your day couldn't be all that bad. You're right I did manage to do one thing well today (just ask Nena).  I made banana bread courtesy of the way overripe bananas that were sitting on the counter staring at me.  I just couldn't bare to throw them away. So I pulled on my big girl panties and decided I could make bread!  So I can't seem to do mac-n-cheese I can totally do banana bread.  I picked up the church cookbook and found my recipe.

It was delicious!  I am excited to eat it again for breakfast.  So here it goes:

Banana Bread
1/2 C Oleo (aka margarine thanks mom for explaining that one to me)
1 C sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tbsp. milk
1/2 tsp. baking powder
2 C flour
3 bananas
1/2 C nuts (optional I didn't add any so that Buffalo could take it to school.. girl in class w/ peanut allergy ugh)
Cream oleo.  Add sugar, mix well.  Blend into the sugar mixture 2 eggs, one at a time.  Dissolve baking soda into milk; add to sugar mixture.  Mix baking powder into flour; add to sugar mixture.  Beat bananas.  Add to sugar mixture.  Add nuts; mix.  Put in a greased bread pan.  Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.

So yummy!  Okay... well here's to a good night of sleep.  Hopefully tomorrow will be better for me (it is Friday so that is definitely a plus!).

Love you!!! Enjoy your time with mom.  Hugs and Kisses to all!!!!!

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Okay if you are a loser because after 7 years you stayed in on New Years then I am a total loser! We never do anything HA! This year we did have a wedding that we went to, so I guess I was a crazy one and actually went out and stayed up passed 1! Call me Mrs.Wild! I would have loved to be at your party. Mom was reminiscing how it was great when we would watch the ball drop on the East coast and think it was really 12 and go to sleep at 8 hahaha what a trickster she is.
I love having Christmas decorations up but man was I happy to take them all done this year. I was getting a little claustrophobic with so much stuff everywhere! So now that my house is nice and tidy with all my projects hung thanks to MR.I, what is there to do.... Start on my next quilt! I actually am going to have 2 quilts going on at once. Crazy I know. Mr.I got me the best present ever, a gift card to the fabric store by us, woohoo! I used it today to finish getting the fabric for the guest bedroom quilt and I am in a Valentine block exchange with my quilting buddy. What is that you ask, well there are 15 of us and we have to make 15 blocks that incorporate some kind of heart design. Then we exchange them and now have 15 different blocks to put together to make a Valentine's quilt. So fun right?! I am excited for you to see both finished quilts :) Here are the fabrics for the guest bedroom, use your imagination it will be a pinwheel quilt!

Love you sister!

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So, little sis have you ever thought to yourself,  "I wonder what losers do on New Year's".  Well I'll tell you.  They sneak booze while celebrating the New Year with their young children.  They then wonder why the heck they didn't change the clocks so that they could crawl into bed with the New York crowd (you know watch the ball drop "live" eastern time so you can crawl into bed at 10).  Yeah that was me this year.  The first time ever that C and I didn't go out on the town (K-town that is) with our good friends, it was terrible.  I tried to make a party out of it but C was working, the P's couldn't make it do to a post hunting accident... and the cool people were in the "big city".  What a bust of a year, I almost cried at the thought of ringing in the New Year with my kiddos that probably wouldn't make it past their normal bed time, but I pulled it together and decided to plan a party anyways.  As I was planning my "menu" Buff says, "Mom why are you making all this food if no one is coming".  Seriously... even my 7 year old knows I am a loser.  Bummer.  I re-grouped and totally made a killer menu.  Pizza bites, home-made veggie dip, easy peasy sugar cookies, and malted hot cocoa.  I may be a loser but I am a pretty good hostess when no one is around :).  C did end up getting off prior to midnight and came home, put on his "lounge wear" and created Lego creations with Buff and Lou.  We have totally become L*O*S*E*R*S... okay not losers but you know boring parents.  I didn't even kiss C until 1am when he basically had to tuck me into bed from pure exhaustion.  I can't believe I stayed awake that long.  Buff and Lou were wide awake still at that point, it is a little embarrassing to have your 7 and 5 year olds tucking you into bed.  WHEN DID I GET SO OLD.

Well although my New Year's didn't quite go as planned I did stumble upon a delicious hot cocoa recipe.  If your in the mood for a milk shake but are to cold to even consider getting one this is the recipe for you.  I guess in your case, if you are just wishing your were in the "frozen tundra" this might help you get in the mood.

Malted Hot Cocoa with Toasted Marshmallows
1 serving hot chocolate
3 marshmallows
3 tbsp. malted milk powder

Heat broiler.  Place marshmallows on baking sheet.  Broil till golden brown.  Prepare hot cocoa according to package directions.  Mix in malt powder.  Top w/ toasted marshmallows.  (makes 1 serving) ENJOY.




 The kids LOVED this hot "milkshake", we will definitely be having this again.

I loved the "adult version".  I added 2 shots (give me a break it was New Year's) of Irish Cream Liqueur.  YUMMO!!!!!!   Note to self.. .next time don't use identical mugs.  Although the kids didn't get confused I thought I was chugging Corinne's leftovers when I got a nice little surprise.  It certainly warmed me up from the inside...  I'll be sure to clearly distinguish my cup from theirs next time.  But nonetheless this was a delicious "signature drink" for our New Year's party.

I hope you rang in the New Year's with a bang!  I will tell you that we did make it to church this morning, a little late, but we made it.  As we drove home from church Lou says, "whelp, guess we missed worship"... he's so funny.  I told him next week we'll be sure to get there on time so he can worship.  I love that he loves church.
LOVE the pictures.  Tell Mr.I that I need him to come hang some things for me.  My hubby doesn't ever seem to help me out with that sort of thing. :) Just kidding C, you're the best!  Well before I put my foot in my mouth anymore I better go to bed.  Love you sister!  Give my favorite almost 2 year old a kiss from her Kiki.