Merry Christmas ... and a typo

First, I would like to wish everyone who stops by a very Merry Christmas.

Second, I would like to point out the typo in my last entry that no one who read it pointed out, LOL. I feel like a complete idiot now and cracked myself up catching the mistake days later. I did fix the typo, but here's a screen capture to point it out!

I can now picture everyone standing over their roasters with their lower lips sticking out "pouting" over the corn puffs and I'm giggling like mad.

I don't really have anything else to say other than enjoy your holiday and stay safe!

Hull-less Caramel Corn

This recipe comes from my husband's grandmother's recipe collection that we got after she passed away. He had never made it for us until this morning. I'm hooked on it now!

2 sticks butter or margarine
2 cups brown sugar
1/2 cup dark corn syrup

Boil those three things for 5 minutes stirring constantly. Take off of stove and add the following:

1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Grease your largest roaster, be sure to get the sides too. Add two bags (7-odd ounce size, I'm not positive of the exact weight) of Corn Puffs. The recipe I have lists Troyer Farms as the brand, but I'm pretty sure that's just a local thing. I think the brand I actually bought was Shearer's. There may be a generic/store version of these too. Don't get the cheese ones, these are just buttered ones.

When the carmel mixture is done pour over corn puffs and mix well.

Cook at 225 F for 1 hour. Stir every 15 minutes until hour is up.

easiest peanut brittle recipe ever!

Recipe from my mother:

1 cup sugar
1/2 cup corn syrup
1 cup cocktail peanuts
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp butter

Stir together sugar and syrup

Microwave on high 3 min

Stir in peanuts.

Microwave on high 3 min

Stir in butter and vanilla -microwave on high 1 min

Stir in baking soda until foamy, pour quickly onto greased cookie sheet.

Break when cool and store in airtight container.

baking in the dark

So, I just spent three hours making peanut butter balls in the dark.

Why in the dark, you ask?

Because around 6:30pm, the power on our block went out, just as I was starting to roll the peanut butter balls!

Dave sat there and we got them all rolled out by flashlight, then he helped me light the stove and I stood there and dipped them all. How did I hold the flashlight and do this at the same time? I fashioned myself a lovely head lamp using my headband - I tucked the small flashlight under it and it worked perfectly! I'm very glad that none of you could see me like that though!

Here's the recipe and pictures to go with it!

1 box graham crackers, crushed
1 lb jar creamy peanut butter
2 1/2 to 3 cups powdered sugar
1 cup soft butter

Combine all ingredients. Can't get any easier than that!

12oz bag of your favorite chocolate chips
1/2 bar parafin wax

Melt chocolate chips and wax in double boiler. Roll peanut butter dough into bite sized balls. Dip in chocolate and set on waxed paper to harden.

Enjoy!

Well, it's up...

IMG_4364
Originally uploaded by purrfectly_kittenish

... and decorated. Lights by Dave, ornaments by the kids. Photo by me.

yoinked

Yoinked from ron who yoinked it from eden. I admit it, I'm a yoinker (but only when I can't come up with anything to write on my own).

Lets101 - Free Online Dating

I'd say that's fairly accurate aside from the fact that I cannot predict the future. I'm sorry to disappoint!

*****

On another note, we went to Perkins for dinner last night (kids eat free Wednesdays and Saturdays - gotta love that!). I was paying the bill when the Connor came up and asked me for a quarter. I had just gotten three of them back as part of my change so I handed him one. Well, I figured that Mason would want one too and to be fair (without looking to my right thinking he was standing there too) I said "I suppose you want one too?" Pookey (that's the hubby for those that don't know - there is a story behind the nickname) pipes up "Sure, I'll take it!" I guess Mason wasn't there after all, so Pookey took the quarter and walked away. This was very amusing to the cashier who was then laughing so hard she had tears in her eyes. She says "If it were only that easy to get rid of them all the time!" I'm glad we could make her night. To me it was just another episode of the 'S*** Family Theater.' We really never fail to amuse.

30 years ago today ....

.... I was brought into this world.

Today I do not turn 30.

I've decided though that I'm staying 29 forever, LOL.

Happy birthday to me!

Wasn't I cute? (I don't have my newborn picture so this one will have to do)

Milo's unofficial Halloween costume

Ready?



He's a "Jack in the box".

I crack myself up!

Uh oh - he does it too!

Mason, pictured here with the babies right after we found them, has inherited an unfortunate habit/trait of mine.

You see, I talk in my sleep. I don't always make much sense when I do - which is what he did last night.

Pookey and I were both awakened by Mason babbling at 2AM. It took me a second to realize what was going on. He appeared to be speaking backwards - he reminded me of the midget from Twin Peaks. I kind of remember telling Pookey that when were were both kind of half awake, but I could just be thinking that I said that. This isn't the first time that Mason has done this, but it's the first time that I found it funny enough to blog about.

The first time that Pookey experienced my sleep-talking was when we were dating. I had fallen asleep at his house and he was waking up to get ready for work when I rolled over to him and said, "YOU ARE NOT A COLANDER" and went back to sleep.

Most recently, I've started playing game shows in my sleep.

Yes, you read that correctly, game shows.

I woke Pookey up one night while I was playing Supermarket Sweep. He said I was reaching over him to his side of the bed looking for peanut butter. "Where's the peanut butter? I CAN'T FIND THE PEANUT BUTTER!!!"

Family Feud is another one that I'm good at in my sleep. "Name the top 5 phrases with the word 'love' in them." I had heard that on tv as I was falling asleep and as I dozed off and long after I had gone off to dreamland I was naming phrases.

There was another time that we were watching the Game Show Network as we were getting ready for bed (yes, that's a favorite here if you haven't caught on yet) and I was dozing off again. I remember this one a bit because I wasn't fully asleep. Pookey really likes this one - I think it cracks him up more than it does me. I asked him what the answer to the question was. He told me. Without missing a beat I asked, "What the heck was the question?"

I'm off to bed now myself, as I have to work in the morning and need my beauty sleep. ;-) What game show will I play tonight? I'm rooting for Jeopardy!

"I'm ignoring you"

"I'm ignoring you"
Originally uploaded by purrfectly_kittenish

Well, I'm not, but Milo is!

I'm sure this is a fine product

.... but the name totally sends me into a giggle fit!

The things kids say....

I don't really have anything to say about this other than, that's my boy!

The Connor, again

I have another story about the Connor! I know, two entries about him in one month, right? LOL

His teacher just adores him. She pulled me aside again today and told me about a paper he had to write.

His class just got done reading a story about kids going to camp, and the one kid in the story won an award for being a great friend. The paper they had to write was about what award they would win if they were given one.

The Connor's answer:

"I would win an award for being a great dancer."

I'll stop here for a second. I've seen the Connor dance. Now, I love my child, but he has been 'blessed' with my dancing skills - or lack thereof.

"If you saw me dance you would swear you were watching a music video."

At this point in her telling me about this, I swear she had tears in her eyes from laughing. She said that was the best answer to that question she's ever read since she started teaching.

It's really never a dull moment with the Connor!

best. dinner. EVER!

So, today, we splurged.



It was SO worth it.



Here are the pictures from our dinner:



swiss cheese fondue





coq au vin to cook our dinner in (I forgot to take a picture of our salads, which would have been in between the cheese and main course)





the meats (if you go to the Flickr page there are notes on the photo that explains what each one is)





my non-alcoholic yin and yang drink





and now, dessert....there are notes on the Flickr page just like the meats









There are a few more pictures from today that can be found on my Flickr page. Everything was excellent and our waiter was wonderful (his name was Nick - which was a bonus for me!).

The Connor.

Before I start this story I need to briefly explain that my 8-year old son refers to himself as "the Connor." I have no idea why, but we humor him.

The Connor's teacher pulled me aside yesterday when I was picking him up after school. The first thing that ran through my head was that he did something wrong. I was quickly assured that all is fine.

She told me that she had to tell me what he said in class that day. They were to go up to the board and guess a word by the shape of the letters. The Connor's word was a four letter word that started with "F".

Now, before I go any further - he did NOT say anything horribly bad that an 8-year old should not be saying. It's sad though that that's the first thing that ran though my head. He does NOT go around saying this word but I know that he's heard it (rarely, not all the time).

He walked up to the board, mulled over the word for a minute, turned around and very proudly said "FART!"

His teacher was so taken aback by his answer that she immediately burst out laughing. The class was laughing too - not AT him but because it was funny. I would have laughed too.

She told him that wasn't the particular word she had in mind up there but that the actual word was something that he'd use every day. Then she thought, 'He's a boy - he probably DOES use that word every day."

I never found out what the real word was but had needed that laugh yesterday. I'm still laughing about it today.

mmmm, dessert!

Normally, dessert is one part of the meal I skip because I'm not too keen on sweet things unless it involves peanut butter.



I do have one other dessert weakness though and that is key lime pie. After lunch today we decided to splurge and ordered dessert, too. I had a key lime pie "shooter" (hey, I didn't name it, I just ordered it).

Connor had the Chocolate Mousse "shooter".

...and Mason had the Strawberry Cheesecake "shooter".

Before lunch (I'm doing things bass-ackwards here) we walked around the beginnings of a indoor "flea market" type thing that just opened here. Lots of arts and crafts spots and just some general tables as well. I could spend hours looking at the arts and crafts things. I only bought one thing though.

You would not believe the scent of that candle. It is exactly like a loaf of hot, fresh, Italian bread. I want to eat it (but I won't)!!



I absolutely love the candles from that place and was thrilled that they had a booth there. Now I don't have to drive way out of my way to get candles!!



I think that's about it for today. Enjoy your evening!

just call me the crazy guinea pig lady!

I guess that's kind of like the crazy cat lady, but not with cats, since they terrify me.

We have taken in a 6th guinea pig, because our own 5 just weren't enough.

I got a call the other night asking if we wanted another one, because the owners had just gotten a puppy who was terrorizing her.

Meet Flower (we don't know what her original name was, but have named her after the skunk in Bambi because of her coloring).



The full view of the picture is much better, really, but I can't figure out how to make my blog any wider on here.

She seems to get along with the other girls, so that's a good thing!

I am one happy Kitten!

I'm still bouncing!

I just got the call and I got the extra hours and a bit of a promotion at work this year!!!

I'll be working 9 - 2 (approximately 2) this year instead of 10:30 - 2.

We're losing someone - who I will miss dearly - but I get her job! LOL

I go in Friday for a bit and then school and work start on Monday!

*wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee*

Where do I work? I won't give the specifics here but I am a lunch lady at one of the elementary schools here. Yes, it's not the most glamorous job - but I really do love it now that I found a school I'm happy at (I started as a sub being shuffled from school to school but last year I got placed at a school permanently).



That's the kitchen where I work. It's not terribly exciting - but it's work!

You put your right paw in, you put your right paw out...

Last night I caught the Connor trying to teach the dog how to do the Hokey Pokey.

His attempt was not successful.

Milo must be like me and can't learn to dance to save his life.

*****

Also yesterday, I grabbed one potato chip out of the bag that Dave had (yes, I really can eat just one) and this is the one I got, seriously.



The potato chip loves me!

Aww!

That's all from me for tonight ... I'm off to tuck myself into bed earlier than I did last night (I'm still paying for that now).

Sweet dreams!

Who are the people in your neighborhood?

Now that I have that Sesame Street song stuck in my head, I'll write this entry.

For the most part, since we moved to the new house, I like the neighborhood we're in. I've finally found my way around here.

*time out*

That reminds me - if anyone wants/needs a walking buddy and is around 9th/10th and Cascade-ish - I'm out every night with the dog!

*time in*

I'm thankful that we found great neighbors to the left of us. They're a charming older couple who always take the time to chat when we run into each other outside.

To the right of us though, is a different story. When we first moved in the kids were excited (and I was a bit, too) that there were kids in the neighborhood their age.

I was out walking the dog Sunday morning when the younger of the two neighbor boys was out playing in front of his house (his parents' were nowhere to be found - and I'm not surprised). I heard him yell to another kid something rather unsavory - and have heard him yell it quite a few times since then. These kids are always outside with no supervision and I often find them playing IN the street.

Now. My kids are nowhere near perfect, but I've tried very hard to raise them to be tolerant and accepting of others. You will not find my children yelling anything like this child yelled.

My kids will no longer be playing with those boys. I hate to do it - but I really don't want my kids to pick up those nasty habits.

This was just a vent, I suppose. I'm off to make lunch!

A little bit of excitement...

Look at me!

Seriously!

I'm famous!!

Well, not quite - but I'm still excited!




I was chosen as one of Pogo.com's 'winners' in their Mini Look-a-Like contest!

You can find the other pictures [HERE].

It's silly, I know - but I'm still excited!

new recipe

Soft ginger cookies.

*photo by me

2 1/4 cups flour
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup butter, at room temperature
1 cup white sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup molasses
1/4 cup sugar

1. Combine flour, ginger, soda, cinnamon, cloves and salt. Set aside.

2. Beat butter 30 seconds, until soft.

3. Add sugar and beat until fluffy.

4. Add egg and molasses and beat well.

5. Add 1/2 the flour mixture and stir in, then stir in the rest of the flour mixture.

6. The dough should be at a consistency that you can roll it with your hands into balls. I often have to add quite a bit more flour.

7. Roll into 1 inch balls, then roll the balls in sugar.

8. Place cookies 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 8-11 minutes. Do not brown! The cookies should be almost underbaked in the middle.

9. Let, cool 2 minutes and transfer to a cooling rack. Store in cookie tins.

Milo

He looks a little guilty and a little sad, but really, he wanted me to put the camera down and pet him (which I promptly did after I took this picture).

computer went kablooey

My pc went kablooey last night. I'm on the laptop right now.

I hadn't backed up any of my photos lately (I don't care about the ones of me - I can take more of those) because we've been moving and honestly, the computer has been the last thing on my mind. I feel so stupid right now.

I just want the ones I need printed off my hard drive and then I can throw the stupid thing out the window. I NEED THOSE PHOTOS.

Just ranting, I guess, unless you can help -then I'll love you forever!

Friday's Feast

From fridaysfeast.com

Appetizer
Describe a toy you remember from your childhood.
I'll do better than describe it! I'll show you, too! I've probably had this since the day I was born and he's in MUCH better shape than my Huggy Bear. Meet "Oggie Doggie". He used to play a lullaby, but I wound him up too tight one night. Now he only plays the music if you turn the music knob yourself.

Soup
On a scale of 1 to 10 (with 10 being highest) how observant are you?
Definitely a 10, unless I'm seriously lacking sleep. Nobody wants to play Scene It? with me anymore because I remember everything about movies I watch.

Salad
Where would you rather be at this very moment?
Honestly - Connecticut.

Main Course
When was the last time you learned something new?
Having kids - I learn something new every day.

Dessert
Fill in the blank: I have ____________ but I haven’t ____________.
I have _traveled_ but I haven’t _been further west than Chicago_.

Sure, just give me another reason ....

.... to be addicted to CUTE!



That puppy (an almost 8-week old Pomeranian) is seriously giving my sister's dog a run for his money on the title of Cutest Dog EVER.



Yes, he IS just as soft as he looks and I snorgled him for the longest time (dog allergies be damned!).

Things that go bump in the night....

....or quite possibly during the day when we're not home.

Odd things have been happening around here. Little things that I probably wouldn't have noticed if they hadn't been shown to me.

The first odd thing was that Dave found a cigarette butt on the stairs in the attic. Neither of us smoke or have ever smoked. None of our family members that have been over smoked in our house. That was not there when we moved in or we would have noticed it while moving boxes up there.

I didn't notice it, but Dave pointed it out to me tonight that there is a small cigarette burn next to my desk in my office.

On a very, very odd note, our bathroom nightlight is missing. Now I had my battery charger plugged in to it (it's one of those Glade things with the extra outlet on it) on Friday. It was there Friday night when I took my batteries out of it - I don't remember unplugging it, but the cord was laid neatly on the counter in there tonight. Neither of the kids took it and it is nowhere to be found in the house.

I'm a little freaked out by this - especially the cigarette stuff.

The day NOT to go to the zoo.

Make note of this people, do NOT go to the zoo on Senior Citizens' Day. It took us longer to find a parking place than it took us to drive up to the zoo. We wouldn't have gone today but my grandparents invited the boys and I didn't want to stay home alone, so I tagged along. Once we got in the zoo though, it wasn't too bad. A little slow going, but not too bad. I was able to go off on my own a little because the boys were with my grandparents, so I spent a little time in the greenhouse.









After that I stopped by to visit the FUZZY CHICKEN!! Not everyone will remember the FUZZY CHICKEN, but those who do, love the FUZZY CHICKEN! (he/she is the white one)



Then I got scared by a donkey, but we won't go there and I don't have a picture of it. I spent a tremendous amount of time watching the polar bear, who was doing Elvis impersonations today (lots of lip curling/sneering).





I seriously could have spent all day watching him. He was smart and stayed in the water the entire time. The lions were sleeping, as they always seem to be. If you click on this picture to go to the larger version, you will notice that the male lion is sleeping with his tongue hanging out.



I'm going to skip over to the giraffe, who also was sticking his tongue out today.



Even the evil monkeys that I hate (yes, hate) were sticking their tongues out today. (you have to click on the larger version to see it though)



I had to visit the lorikeets. They're another stop where I could spend all day. That is my grandfather in the picture (he's the one without the feathers).



My favorite part of the day though, were the baby ducks that were walking by the food court! Mason wanted to try to pet them, lol.







That was my day at the zoo. If you want to see the other pictures from today (and other visits to our zoo from last year), you can view my Zoo set on my Flickr page found [HERE].

I'm addicted to cute things!

I have my Milo. Then we got guinea pigs (and then whoops - accidental babies). Then, this furry little guy caught my attention.

No, I'm not talking about my husband.

I'm talking about my hamster, Youssarian (I picked up the name from the Animal Planet show Meerkat Manor).



That picture was taken the day I got him. He does look rather surprised.

He is not the easiest thing to take a picture of, being a wiggly little hamster and all.



I call that one "Please get that camera out of my face?". The Connor says he looks like he's praying.

My most favorite of him though is a recent one (and I had this one printed to put up on my wall, because I think it's just that cute).