Night Crawlers

I was watching Studio5 out of Salt Lake City the other day (studio5.ksl.com, they always have wonderful tips, tricks, crafts, recipes and ideas on their show).

They also preview ideas from blogs and this one I had to try. You can get the instructions here, http://www.theidearoom.net/2009/09/jell-o-blood-worms.html (again, I f I knew how to do the nifty 'you can read that HERE' I would do it, but I don't so...)

I can't think of anything (besides spiders) that would gross me out more. I am not afraid or scared of worms, but just thinking back to the garage Halloween party I went to as a kid *dream sequence* (there were different bowls with different items in each, you couldn't see anything, but you had to put your hand in or on something and feel it (grapes = eyeballs, cooked spaghetti = intestines, etc). If I had stuck my hand in a bowl of these, I think I would have run screaming.

A Crochet Party of Sorts

Last night me and a few girlfriends had a little crochet party. A couple had been taught by their mom or grandmother, but forgot. Others wanted to learn.

I can't tell you how much fun it was. Just us girls sitting there, talking, laughing & crocheting. It was extremely relaxing too.

Back story -

As a kid my mom or grandma's would try to teach me to crochet.

I remember sitting in my 5th grade Science class crocheting (I don't recall why I was doing it there, but I was).

But like most...I too forgot.

Then after having my first son, Hoss. I wanted to learn. When I found out that we (Hubs, Hoss and myself) would be moving to a colder climate, I really wanted to learn).

It was in a Joann's store. Ma was with me. She was coming along to show me what I needed to buy. While she and I were standing in the yarn isle, she opened a hook pack and grabbed the yarn and started showing me what I needed to do. How to make the first little loop. How to chain. How to add on, etc...(I don't know the technical terms).

That Christmas all my gifts to friends and family were crochet hats.

So, last night while chatting with the girls I started a hat for me. I had an idea as to what I wanted it to look like - the finished product isn't exact to that idea, but I like it nonetheless.

I dolled it up a little with a felt flower I made (from leftover fabric I had from slip-covering hubs truck seat).

Hmph

♥ s the clean look of fresh snow (even if its just a dusting).



I ♥ the way it sparkles in the moonlight (like thousands of lil diamonds).



I ♥ bundling up, layers are good.



*This is all true, but it's the opposite of how I am actually feeling at the moment.

Southern Favorite

As a child growing up, I always hated Pimento Cheese Sandwiches (and Down South, it is hard to avoid them - served at most bridal showers, baby showers, family gatherings along with chicken salad sandwiches).

I think my hatred with it was my moms recipe, I swear that she made hers with the store bought spread and mixed that with cottage cheese. She hated cottage cheese, but this was the only time I ever saw her eat it. (gross, right?)

So, when I moved to the PNW as an adult and finally met friends and then started having MNO's (Moms Night Out) - I found a love for the light orange spread. It was at one of these MNO's when a girlfriend of mine served Pimento Cheese Sandwiches (she was also a transplant to the PNW). She offered me a sandwich and I promptly refused, 'I hate the stuff', I proclaimed. But she wouldn't let that be...I gave in, tried it and WhatDoYaKnow? It was so good!

I tried making it once and it was awful! (I used Miracle Whip rather than Mayo, it was nasty. I waited for other MNO's to get my fix).

It's gotten better over the years...it had to. My friend moved, I had to figure it out.

This is my recipe, with most of my recipes - everything is to taste (that's helpful, right?).

1 small jar pimentos, I cut mine up a little more.



In a medium bowl, mix together: (here I am using my DBD {Death By Dishwasher} Amish Butter-print Pyrex bowl, turquoise and white, #403 2 1/2 QT)

Pimento
Shredded Sharp Cheese about a LB.
Fresh Ground Pepper
Mayo






It's the Southern way to trim the crust off your regular ol' white bread (this amount will take 1 loaf).



Spread a little of the mix onto 1 side of the bread, top with the other piece and then cut into triangles.



Not for a calorie counter, fat hater or carb hater.

Chocolate Pumpkin Spice Cookies

Sounds good, huh?



1 Spice cake mix
1 small can of pumpkin (I didn't have a small can, so I just split a large)
chocolate chips

No oil, butter, eggs need be used - just those 3 ingredients. So simple!



Using my loved (DBD = Death By Dishwasher) avocado green, medium size, Pyrex bowl, #403 2 1/2 QT - that I bought from my girlfriends mother-in-law for $.10, this Summer.

I used a spoon to mix it all together (too thick for a whisk).



They were extremely moist. They felt wet even, but fully cooked and Oh. So. Yummy.
I took what was needed to Sprouts Halloween Party and then the rest to hubs at work (to keep me from eating them all myself).

Herbie is HOME!!!

3 years ago, Hoss's teacher gave us a beautiful black cat. He was so big, we would joke that he was a miniature panther.

Just about a month ago, he went missing. We posted on Craigslist, put signs up and asked neighbors/friends if they had seen him = nuthin'.

Today I took Sprout to school (the same school that Hoss attended) and as I am walking to the door, I see a beautiful black cat. I call out 'Herbie?' and he slowly - this is so him - SLOW! - (he sits in the road in front of the house and cars stop and wait for him to cross, it's pathetic). He gives me a lil 'Me-ow'.
I pick him up and am smiling from ear to ear.

To make a long story short, Herbie had been there for about a month and thankfully they fed him. He is home now. Hoss is going to be very excited when he gets home, just as Hubs was when I let Herbie in the house.

He isn't taking to BumbleBee to well at the moment, but he has been on his own for a month or so now...they need time.

I am not one of *those* people

...but I cant have him being cold all the dang time, either.

Using one of Sprout's old sweaters (18mth?) I trimmed it down to fit Jazz.
I cut the arms a good few inches and tapered them. (I turned the sweater for the design to fall on his back - so he is basically wearing it backwards).
I cut the sweater to fit halfway up his tummy (so, it doesn't get in the way of his 'business'). I also added a little extra piece (using the scraps) to add under the neck.

*I should have taken step-by-step pictures, but since I was winging it...

Happy Thoughts

Checking The Weather Channel, we see snow (yes, you read that right) for tonight threw Tuesday. I'm not ready for that.





Happy Thoughts. Happy WARM Thoughts.
Sun.
Pretty Yellow Sun.
Blue Skies.

Happy Thoughts. Happy WARM Thoughts.
Green Grass.
Blooming Flowers.
Pollen.

Happy Thoughts. Happy WARM Thoughts.
Beautiful Butterflies.
Bees.
Humming Birds.

Happy Thoughts. Happy WARM Thoughts.
Wonderful Warm Shining Sun.

Happy Thoughts. Happy WARM Thoughts.

Homemade BBQ Sauce

I've been into making my own BBQ sauce, it changes with the ingredients I have on hand. It's much better than the 'NotQuiteRight store bought sauce'.

Everything I put in it is to taste, but starts off with a good amount of ketchup (depending on how much you need).
Onion Powder
Garlic Powder (feel free to use fresh for both)
Salt & Pepper
Honey
Mustard (Reg or Brown Spicy)
Worcestershire Sauce
Lemon Juice
Apple Cider Vinegar
A little water (I let mine cook down a good bit, and by adding the water, I can walk away from it without fear of it burning).

Here I tossed in a few lil smokies = Yum!

Sunday Morning

This morning I woke (too dang early). With Hoss's help I made chocolate chip pancakes with homemade chocolate peanut butter maple syrup (that's a mouth full).



This is my 'new' Friendship red Cinderella bowl (I found it the other day and went back to rescue her yesterday along with a flamingo loaf). Also, you can see my dainty little 1 cup Pyrex measuring cup (got that a few months back).



Started the syrup first (but had to show off my Friendship Pyrex). 2/3 cup maple syrup (I used sugar free, but feel free to use the REAL stuff). 1/4 cup homemade chocolate peanut butter and 1/4 cup homemade peanut butter.



It was THICK. What can do to thin it out? Hubs said it was more like icing. (Oops)



Bisquick pancakes with a few chocolate chips.




Hubs took 1 bite and said (with a mouthful of food) 'need milk', that's good right?

Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream

We have this awesome ice cream shop here in town, Farr's (actually it is a couple blocks from our house - walking distance!)

Anyway, hubs took the boys there yesterday (reward for the week). Hoss has been dead set on pumpkins lately and he wanted pumpkin pie ice cream if Farr's had it - guess what, they had it!

Today hubs brought me home a scoop and It. Was. Awesome! It probably would have been much better had I let it come to temp, but I couldn't restrain myself and wolfed it all up; bringing myself back into the present just before licking the cup dry.

It tastes just like chilled pumpkin pie, has all the flavors and scents of pumpkin pie spice, like I said AWESOME!

Farr's Ice Cream - $1 for 1 scoop or $2 for 2, cone or cup. Tax included.

It's Been 1 Hell of a Year

It all started 1 year and 2 weeks ago. What happened you ask? My great uncle passed away (heart attack). Then it all came home to me 2 weeks later (Oct 23, 09) I received a phone call from my brother (other calls and txt came before this final call) All he said was 'she's dead'. My brother isn't much for sugar coating anything.

1 Year ago today, around 4p I found out that my ma was found dead (stroke/heart attack).

A couple months later my little cousin went to the hospital (she was in here early 20s), she had been in and out of hospitals all her life. But this time, she didn't come home. She died unexpectedly around 7a the next day.

A couple weeks after this, my grandfather died (ma's dad). He was old and had several (double digit) strokes over the past couple years.

From this time on, me and my sister-in-law would notify each other if family, or friend, or someone the family knew had passed. I stopped counting after 12 (12+ in 1 year). Morbid, yes...but that's me.

Anyway, it's been 1 hell of a year.

Things have gotten better...they aren't great, but better.

All week I had been getting more and more depressed as the days went by (not looking forward to today). Yesterday was bad...I had been trying not to think about it and trying not to cry. Last night though the tears ran. I happened across an email from ma (I wasn't looking for it, I thought I was clicking my SPAM folder, but what opened was the DRAFT folder with an email from her). I was fine, until hubs asked how I was doing and I told him about the email (not about reading it, just happening across it).

The beer (I know, I know) the beer helped too.

Chewy, Yummy, Goodness

Trying my hand at chewy granola bars.

It seems pretty simple actually. I used the recipe from:
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/granola-bars-recipe/index.html
(if I knew how to do the - you can see that 'HERE' link thingy, I would use that, but I don't so you have to cut and paste...the ol'school way).



The hardest part was trying not to eat the ingredients while I waited for the nuts and coconut to toast.

I didn't use the exact ingredients that A.Brown used. I used sun flower seeds, pecans, peanuts, coconut and chocolate chips (of course, the chips melted as I mixed everything together...no worries). I also put everything on a cookie sheet (too big, should have used a smaller pan).



The syrup that you melted down, will not look like enough to bind everything, but it is.

I used my large, balloon chip bowl (Pyrex 444) to mix everything.



From licking the bowl and the spoon, I can tell you that it is very yummy!



I cut mine with a pizza cutter and since they are homemade they are not perfect. I got about 24 out of this one mix.



You could also just buy the mixed grains/chocolate if you want, but if you read the ingredients there are lots of 'extras' in it.

Herbie

I took Hoss to preschool several years ago and found this beauty hanging out. Hoss's teacher said we could have him because she was afraid of cats (I know, right!)

We had Herbie (the large black cat) for a few months and then I brought home BumbleBee (Hoss named both).

For 3 fun years we enjoyed Herbie. It's been a month now that he has been missing.

Did he catch a ride with the neighbors daughter without her knowing and now he can't find his way home (it happened before and she brought him back).

He is a loving kitty. Friendly. Has stripes and a white undercoat. Has a knot on the top of his head and I miss every bit of him. He is also rather large (tall).

We miss you Herbie and hope that you come home soon.

Oh Bloody 'ell

We had a couple Halloween parties to go to this past Saturday night.

I fully intended on going as 'can't decide' (clown outfit, witch hat, funky wig, fairy wings and vampire makeup)...I still have a couple days where I can go as that, and I might still.

Anyway, Saturday I changed my mind and was going to go as my default - a witch. Hubs saw the costume (a witch gown that ma made back in the 90s), said it was Gothic. He said I should go as a vampire (something I had never been).

I even went and got me fangs (Vampire fangs, fangtastics)- they were a waste of money. The denture adhesive didn't work well and the teeth broke (I exchanged them for another pair and those too broke).

Anyway, putting on my heavy makeup (I felt so pretty, I don't usually wear a lot of makeup).

The purpose of this blog:

If I was going as a vampire I was going to do it right and have blood staining my mouth.

I didn't want to use blood red makeup, I wanted it to run and look as if I had just fed. I used KoolAid to make the blood. About 1/4 tsp KoolAid powder and a couple drops water. I used a toothpick to have it run from my mouth - I thought it was cool looking (hubs thought the blood was a little much - really?!?).

What I learned --- KoolAid stings when on the skin (makes you wonder what it does to your insides if it stings the skin), tastes good though and the real lesson...it stains! 2 days later and I still have blood stains around my mouth.

Homemade Baby Wipes

2 TBSP Baby Oil
2 TBSP Baby Soap
2 Cups Filtered Water

Paper towels, take the roll and cut it in half, pull out the core. Put in a plastic container (I am using a wipes container, that I bought a while back).

I am undecided on if I love them or not.

Oh My Goodness, Oh My Goodness

Liquid Reese's



The remaining 2 cups of nuts from yesterday.

Plus, a Tablespoon honey.



I'm a dark chocolate type of girl.



Black gold. Mmm.

It isn't Nutella. It isn't as sweet as Nutella, but still good.

*other recipes say 1TBSP peanut oil (this thins out the PB, other wise it is thick),
Put in airtight container, put in fridge. Will keep for 2 months.

Homemade Peanut Butter

4LBs shelled, roasted and salted peanuts (you could also roast and salt them yourself, after you take the time to shell'em).







After about 3 minutes, it starts to get a somewhat smooth look.



Just like that - Peanut Butter!

Savings too! This cost me $5 for the peanuts (and I still have about 2 cups waiting to be used), store bought is about $7.

I have all these recipes running threw my head on what I can do with this other than a PB & J.

The hardest and most time consuming part was cleaning the processor.

Does it still count as a watermelon...

...when it's only 4" round?



Yeah, it's the size of an orange.

I had left it in the garden in hopes that it would get bigger and nuthin'.



The boys liked it. Hubs, not so much...he isn't a watermelon fan, never has been (and he calls himself a Southerner - laughs).








It was ok. A little sweet, but not overwhelming. Definitely wouldn't have to salt it like grandma taught me.

Sweats = Costume

I love to use regular ol' sweats and transform them into a costume, it helps that they are cheap.



I free handed all this with fabric paint (minus the heart that is made out of felt, check another post, Sept '10).



No, it isn't perfect and Yes, that is bothering me (I'm a perfectionist when it comes to creativity).




I took strips of white felt to cover the front part of the ribs (kind of a 3D look).



Hoss wanted to be bloody (I guess it's his age...7 yrs). I added waaay more blood than I thought I would (was completely against blood and gore).



I LOVE how the shirt came out!
Unfortunately, he wont be able to wear it to school, but around town will be ok.