Adventures In Trying

This is the idea I’m going with for the little girl’s party I’m making these for. I added a little green leaf tucked under the flower after taking the picture, and it looks much cuter. More “finished”.

Keep in mind that I did this VERY quickly, and I know they need more work. I just wanted to play with the fondant a little and see what kind of design I wanted to go with.

The good news is that I sent a picture to the aunt (the one who “hired” me to make the cupcakes) and she loves them! Also she showed the picture to a coworker who now wants me to do 4dz just like this for her little girl’s party later in the month. This may be a realistic business opportunity after all!

Oh, it’s so old and I’m sure most of you have been shown or pointed to it at some time over the last two years, but it ’s so hilarious that I have to share it with those few poor souls who haven’t.

Great Olan Mills photos

The photos are great, but it’s the captions that make it.

This weekend I finished a chapstick. This is huge because I buy one practically every time I go to the store, and yet have no idea where most of them are.

I also finished a lip gloss. Again…HUGE!

Then I realized I still have the same sunglasses I bought well over a year ago. This is ASTOUNDING.

I haven’t dropped my phone since I’ve had this new one, which has been almost six months.

AND, I haven’t dropped my camera since I’ve had it, and I got it for Christmas 2007.

All of this to say….I think I’m growing up!

Watch me start sending out thank you and birthday cards….whoa. That’s just too big to think about.

I wanted to make a super easy dinner for tonight. I bought some chicken drumsticks for a particular purpose that I never got to, but needed to use before they went bad, so I figured I’d turn to an old favorite and just put them in the crock pot, pour a bottle of BBQ sauce over them and be done with it.

Then I realized I didn’t have barbecue sauce.  So I started to make it…

Then I realized I didn’t have tomato sauce, so I had to make that.

Then I realized I didn’t have ketchup, so I had to make that!

Now my kitchen is a mess and I’m an hour behind.  So much for quick and easy!

Sadie doesn’t mind that I woke up at 2:30 this morning…

Main: Veggie mini sushi bites, kamaboko (steamed fish cake), ham rolls,  mandarin orange, soy bottle.

Side: Plums, pineapple and mandarin orange (she really likes mandarin oranges), edamame, cherry tomatoes. Kosher salt in the little bear container for the soybeans.

I wish I had the energy to make a lunch like this for myself.  Instead I’m having a bowl of canned soup. And a nap.

This is one of my favorite things about buying Asian foods.

The translations.

Click on picture to see it bigger, and find what I’m talking about.

So great!

Clara is a 91 year old woman who lived through the Great Depression, and now has a Youtube series where she cooks recipes and shares her memories from that time.

What better time to learn about how to make cheap, filling meals?

I just found her today, and already I am in love with her! I want her to be my grammie, since mine are all gone now.

Check her out!

Great Depression Cooking with Clara

Sadie: “I heard Slow Melts (type of Popsicle) melt slower because they might have animal fat in them.”

Dexter: “They probably have polyunsaturated fats.”

Two Sundays ago, after church, I took the kids to the mall to get them new shoes. While we were there these two teenaged girls were causing a huge scene. Screaming–I’m talking blood curdling horror movie audition screams–running around the top level at top speed, at one point almost knocking me to the ground. Meaning, I felt the wind as she ran by, and if I’d have taken half a step to the side the moment before, I’d have been toast.

After this happened, we stopped and stared at them until they were out of sight. When I looked at the kids, they had saucer eyes and their mouths were hanging open.

Sadie said “Wow. Mama, when I’m a teenager I promise I’ll NEVER act like that.” Then God stepped in and turned it into a valuable teaching lesson.

We stopped and sat on a nearby bench and talked. I said, “You guys have to understand something. Between all we do

at our church, in school, and in our community, we know a LOT of people. There are many people who know your mama and papa, but who you don’t know. This is important because no matter where you are, no matter what time it is, there is most likely going to be someone who can see what you are doing. People will always be watching your behavior, and if they know us, it will always get back to me or papa. Do you understand?”

They both did. Then I said, “In fact, I’d bet you that right now there are at least two people in this mall right now that we know. We may not see them while we’re here, but I guarantee they’re here.”

They nodded again, we made huggsies, then were on our way.

Not three minutes later–no exaggeration–we ran into two of their friends from church who were there with their grandma. We said hi, and as they walked away I reminded them of what we had just talked about, and what just happened.

The looks on their faces were priceless.

They got it.

Dinner’s in the oven, Tomby’s at a meeting and the kids are playing down the street, so it’s quiet here! I might actually, finally get to all the pictures that need to be resized..