A fun blog post on family nights...

along with a fantastic contest can be found over at Sunshine & Lemonade.... she has many recomendations for a fun filled family night and a giveaway to completely set you up for a few family nights.

This week's weekend winner prize pack includes: Blokus, The Sea of Trolls by Nancy Farmer, dvds of "The Goonies" and "The Princess Bride," and snacks. 

Around here we are learning a new game, which happened to be the family gift I purchased this year..                                                

Spending time with the family over a board game is so very much fun, I urge you to take the time to explore this with your own family, if you do not already.

Tagged my Melly over at Miscellany ....

4th folder, 4th picture....

Diana Love, writer and speaker extraordinnaire... from a writing conference I attended in June... amazing weekend. 

Also teaching a workshop was the charismatic and wonderful Sherrilyn Kenyon,there are not words enough to describe her energy, passion and intelligence. The back of the woman you see there is my pretty darn incredible herself writing partner.

Pioneer woman was right...

You NEED to make THIS cake.

I thought the batter was too thin... I poured it in the pan anyways. I thought the temperature was too low... and after a bit realized it was. I baked mine at 325. I thought the 'frosting' was way too thin... I poured it over the cake.

I waited a few minutes. I cute a slice. I marvelled at the beauty. I took my first bite.

O.M.G.

Grandma Iny’s Prune Cake

Cake
1 cup prunes
1 cup sugar
3 eggs
1 cup canola oil
1 ½ cups flour, sifted
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

Cover prunes with water. Bring to a boil and cook until soft and mashable, about eight minutes.
Remove from heat, drain water, and mash on a plate. Set aside.
Sift together dry ingredients.
Mix together oil, sugar, and eggs.
Combine wet and dry ingredients, add buttermilk, and stir gently until just combined.
Throw in the mashed pruned and stir gently to combine.
DO NOT OVERMIX.

Pour batter into buttered baking dish (9 x 13 or so) and bake for 35 to 40 minutes. DO NOT OVERBAKE OR INY WILL PADDLE YOUR BOTTOM.

While cake has five minutes remaining, make the icing:

Icing
1 cup sugar
½ cup buttermilk
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon white corn syrup
¼ cup butter
½ teaspoon vanilla

Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan over medium heat and bring to a slow boil. Boil without stirring for 5 to 7 minutes, or until icing starts to turn dark. Do NOT allow icing to reach soft ball stage; icing should be caramel in color, but not sticky like caramel. Icing should be easily pourable.

Remove cake from oven and pour on icing immediately.

Allow to rest on the counter. Serve warm.

NOTE: There is absolutely zero “prune effect” associated with this cake. The end.

After the holiday rush....

The calm. Ah blessed relaxation. No gifts needing to be finished, no long list of things to bake. Instead, new jammies to curl up in, new cookbooks to peruse, new scents to slather on ones body. Bliss.

I didn't manage to take any pictures on Christmas Eve, when all the family gathered here. Instead, I simply soaked up the happiness that is all of us together. I love how my family is growing as my kids get older. Becca's SO is family as surely as my own kids. He fits in so perfectly, friends with my older boys, a wonderful mentor and role model to my younger son, polite, funny, treats Becca beautifully. Lots of laughing, visiting, talking, eating ... and playing of Rockband 2.

Yesterday half of us went on a shopping spree to spend gift cards...I was surprised the stores were not as crazy as I expected. Happily so. I bought a PUR water filter, part of my oath to stop drinking soda. I figure that alone and I will lose 10 pounds and cut my caffeine headaches out. Our water is so disgusting. Several times a year we wind up with a boil water ordinance... the rest of the time it tastes like swamp water. I was amazed at how wonderful the water tasted with the filter. We opted for the stage 3 version, given that whole swamp water taste and all. Brilliant. I actually drank 3 glasses of water last night.

A few pictures of holiday baking ...

the nameless cookies... that aren't cookies at all... but ritz crackers sandwiched with pb and dipped in chocolate.


Split seconds... we make ours with raspberry and apricot preserves... family favorite

Not loving...and loving....

When I woke this morning... it was to more snow....

So I grabbed the camera..and ran to the back window to shoot a picture of our sure-to-disappear picnic table....

And a few hours later..I did it again.....

And then it was too dark...but I did snap one out the front window. See how HUGE the bank in the median is?



So what am I loving in the midst of all this snow?

Hot Cocoa... made from this recipe... a favorite for years now after finding it on a Christmas email list...
Warm and Toasty Hot Chocolate Mix

about 20 cups mix (forty 1/2-cup servings)
Ingredients

* 1 25.6-ounce package non-fat dry milk powder
* 1 16-ounce jar powdered non-dairy creamer
* 1 15- or 16-ounce container presweetened cocoa powder
* 1 13-ounce jar instant malted milk powder
* 1 cup sifted powdered sugar

Directions
1. In extra-large bowl, combine all of the ingredients. Store tightly covered.
2. To use, combine equal parts mix and boiling water. Makes about 20 cups mix (forty 1/2-cup servings).

Listology. What can I say... I have a thing for lists. (Thing sounds so much better than saying I have an obsessive compulsion, doesn't it?) And because of that obsession... I love this too...

This paper snowflake. I think that is the project Adrianna and I will do tomorrow... not that we are snow deprived mind you. See above.

This guilty pleasure... kind of like... paper dolls for grown ups. (Or so I like to tell myself!)

And finally... the new blog that I stumbled upon... that had many of these goodies amongst their links. And so, so, many more.

For all you YA reading lovers.....

Lisa Schroeder, author of I HEART YOU, YOU HAUNT ME, is celebrating the release of her upcoming YA novel, FAR FROM YOU, and hosting a contest with LOTS of great prizes!

For three days leading up to the book’s release date of December 23rd, you can watch VLOGs and hear some excerpts read from the book. The VLOG schedule is as follows:

Sunday, December 21^st – Liv’s Book Reviews - http://livsbookreviews.blogspot.com/

Monday, December 22^nd – What Vanessa Reads - http://whatvanessareads.wordpress.com/

Tuesday, December 23^rd – Lisa Schroeder, author - http://lisa-schroeder.livejournal.com/ AND http://myspace.com/writerlisa

Help spread the word, and you might win a fabulous prize!

Copy and paste THIS entire blog entry into your blog between now and December 21st, then come back to Lisa’s blog at either Livejournal OR Myspace and leave a comment with the link to your blog and you will get TWO entries to win a number of prizes.

Wondering what you might win? Here is the list (there will be multiple winners):

~ An Advanced Review Copy of THE FOREST OF HANDS AND TEETH, by Carrie Ryan

~ An Advanced Review Copy of SOMETHING, MAYBE, by Elizabeth Scott

~ Young adult novel GIRL, HERO by Carrie Jones

~ Young adult novel, THE POSSIBILITIES OF SAINTHOOD by Donna Freitas

~ Young adult novel, UGLIES by Scott Westerfield

~ Pair of YA fairy tale retellings by Cameron Dokey (BELLE and BEFORE MIDNIGHT)

~ TWILIGHT movie soundtrack

~ $15.00 Barnes and Noble gift card along with some Harry & David’s chocolate moose munch

~ And of course, a signed copy of FAR FROM YOU

For more chances to win, watch one or all of the VLOGs and leave a comment on that vlogger’s page, and you get another entry. That means if you post the schedule on your blog AND comment on all three VLOGs, you can have FIVE entries for the contest!

A live drawing with winners announced will be done by Lisa Thursday morning, December 24^th, in a special holiday VLOG.

Miss A doing a bit of welcome home crafting for our neighbor who has been gone for a year. She was very excited to see him tonight.

Some wee felt folk in the making for a friends daughter. Miss A and I are working on them together. An Epiphany gift I am thinking.

The afghan I am crocheting for Chryssie for Christmas.
It won't be done by then.
She loves it anyways.
This yarn is made form recycled plastic bottles, pretty cool stuff
and amazingly soft for synthetic.

Winter's arrival.....

Happy Thanksgiving

Just wanted you to know I was thinking about you, especially this day. May your day be filled with lots of love, happiness and the joy of family.
Know you are thought about with much affection.
S~

From under the overwhelmed...

Now that homeschooling is well underway and with the holidays approaching far quicker than I would like, it seemed a good time to return to blogging. Sometimes you just have to pull away from the wonders that is the online world, and focus on what is around you. And so I did.

Adrianna is quite thoroughly enjoying homeschooling and all the extra Mama time it gives her. Andrew has grown into an amazing young man. He is nearly (okay, maybe he already is) as tall as me. Chrysten has slowly been putting weight on, and has reached a wonderful 105. Do I think the struggles are over? Not by a long shot. But you know? We are making it. And will continue to make it. Even the older kids are doing great. Matt is staying with us for a bit to get his life together. Ryan has gone to Job Corps and likely heading to the Army after. Becca is having a great time with her first semester living on campus. So glad she took the extra step this year, she is absolutely loving it.

With the holidays approaching and money limited it was time to start perusing the net for some homemade gift ideas. I started at some of my favorite 'stomping grounds' such as Sew Mama Sew , Soule Mama, and as is usually the case, one blog leads to another and another and a fine rabbit hole it can be. I found myself at a new to me blog Vanilla Joy just in time for this That happens to include this Zen Mozaic mp3 player in pink. Exactly what Adrianna has asked for as her one store bought gift for Christmas. Fate? -grins- Could be! All fingers crossed, toes too, and there will be one very happy little girl.

Contest aside, this website truly is a treasure trove. Scroll through her anniversary giveaways and find recipes, craft ideas, holiday ideas including games for Halloween, organizational ideas and so much more. Be sure to stop over and bookmark it. I know you will go back again and again.

Take action against eating disorders....

Embrace Your Genes is more than a rallying cry, it is a fashion statement. We support healthy bodies of all shapes and sizes! And that’s the goal of embraceyourgenes.org, a public awareness campaign created by the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) and TrueJeans.com. We have joined together to encourage you to embrace your genes, be comfortable with who you are, and support the programs of NEDA by purchasing jeans that fit the TRUE you.
SAVE 20% ON DESIGNER JEANS THAT FIT THE TRUE YOU

TrueJeans.com, the online jeans store that matches shoppers to jeans that fit each person’s unique body, has partnered with the National Eating Disorders
Association (NEDA) as the exclusive jeans retail sponsor behind NEDA’s Embrace Your Genes campaign. True Jeans is supporting NEDA in this important work and working to promote healthy body images so that people of all shapes and sizes can embrace their genes and find jeans that fit their true body shape.
For every discount redeemed, True Jeans will donate an additional $20 to NEDA to join in efforts to prevent and cure eating disorders and promote a healthy body image. Visit truejeans.com and enter promo code: MYGENES at checkout. Min. order of $100. Offer expires July 31st, 2008

Please help support the fight against eating disorders. I don't have words to express the heartache you feel seeing your daughter on the scale at 16 and having the weight read 96 pounds. Or for the frustration trying to find care that isn't easily available.

RWA is coming up...

the big event in Romance novel writers. It's National Convention, where the big awards are given out.... and the trash talking has begun



Laughed myself silly over this, enjoy.

A beautiful blog I stumbled upon...

If you have younger girls, or a fondness for simpler times ala Anne of Green Gables or Laura Ingalls.... you MUST visit this blog. Seriously. I insist. Especially you Lily.
The Cottage at Frog Creek to use her own words about the creation of her blog

"I grew up with Anne of Green Gables and Laura Ingalls Wilder, with my grandmother’s snickerdoodles and my mom’s old Singer sewing machine. I believe there is more value in the old than the new, and often more wisdom in the old, slow way of life than in today’s drive-thru existence. The introduction of my 1949 Singer Sewing Book says “A person with a hobby is a person whose life is interesting. When the mind and the hands are occupied with the creation of something useful and attractive, there is no room for discontent, boredom, petty worries, fears and jealousies…” It is my hope that Tevis might inspire a few of today’s girls to put their hands to better use than pushing buttons on the remote control and the mobile phone"

Oh yeah, there are recipes and sewing tutorials there, if you need still more reason to visit.

pasta with caramelized onions and blue cheese

this was tonights dinner, so quick to make and omg so delicious.

1 pound chunky pasta (we used barilla mezze penne)
1 tbsp olive oil
6 cups chopped onions (we sliced into thin rings)
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground pepper
1/2 cup cooking sherry
1/2 cup vegetable stock or water.
4 ounces crumbled blue cheese (we used 7)
bring a large pot of water to a boil, add the pasta and cool el dente.
Meanwhile, in a large skillet, add the oil and cook the onions until soft and golden. Add in the cooking sherry, salt, pepper and vegetable stock. Stir with a wooden spoon to get all the yummy bits off the bottom of the pan. Drain pasta and put into large bowl, pour the onion mixture over the top and toss to mix, then add the crumbled blue cheese and toss until melty and coating the pasta (it will not completley melt) add hot cooking water from the pasta if needed to thin it out.
Serve.
I'd have had a picture but it was devoured.

Home!

It was an amazing weekend and I am exhausted. Sherrilyn Kenyon and Dianna Love are both incredible women and I am blessed to have had the opportunity to meet them. Will update the post tomorrow with all the details of the weekend. =)

Playing in photoshop...

My beautiful daughter Chryssie,she was sitting by the lilacs and took this picture of herself. It's one of my favorites. I did a very simple, but lovely, trick with this.
Open the picture in ps, right click the layer and select duplicate layer, gausian blur (15) the duplicate layer, then in the layers tab, where it usually says "normal" click the drop down menu and pick overlay, thats it. It gives a wonderful softened, brightened, ethereal quality to the picture.

Too hot to do anything but....

read -smiles- I am currently reading



I am on a Highlander kick still for the most part. I am really enjoying Melissa Mayhue and her fresh take on the whole Highlander/Time Travel/Fae thing. The sex scenes are not as explicit as Karen Moning's.

I'm melting....

Man has it been hot here. Last Saturday was the town Bike Rodeo so me and the kids walked over. It was the first day of our current 'heat wave' but the kids had a lot of fun. There were games, a cookout and a 10 bike giveaway. I was really hoping Andrew or Adrianna would win a bike, but it wasn't to be. They had a lot of fun though, and if I can figure out how, I will post pictures.

Adrianna with the 'Alternate' Dairy Princess

Andrew getting his face painted, he kept letting other kids go until this girl was done so he could have her do his face -grins-

Adrianna getting her face painted, a butterfly.
I have been getting ready for the CR-RWA Conference
so very excited it is in just a couple days now! I think the first chapter is nearly ready, with a bit of editing. I am meeting up with my writing partner, so I am doubly excited!

Recently Read...

I have been on quite a reading streak the last month. It all began with not one, but two friends, who were absolutely shocked I had not ever read a book by Karen Marie Moning. After reading a review of a couple, I went to my libraries website and ordered as many as I could lay my hands on.
Beyond the Highland Mist (The Highlander Series, Book 1)Kiss of the Highlander (The Highlander Series, Book 4)The Immortal Highlander (The Highlander Series, Book 6) and every other one of her Highlander's I could lay my fingers on. I love the mix of time travel and fae. The books have me longing for my own Highlander. I also read the first of her new books Darkfever (Fever Series, Book 1) and while I will likely read the rest of them, I was a bit disappointed that there really was no conclusion with the end of book one.
Another recent read, and very happy find, is a young adult book by Melissa Marr... Wicked Lovely Incredible writing. This woman knows how to world build. I was completely pulled in from the first page. These are not your pretty fairies of girl scout days. Fair warning. But if you like things a bit darker, this book will keep you spellbound to the last page, and leave you hungry for more.