House pictures!

The only rooms you won't see are the boys' rooms because they were still asleep when I took these pictures.



Living room - view 1 (that Spiderman poster will NOT be staying there no matter what Pookey thinks).







Living room - view 2







Living room - view 3







Living room and office view from my dining room. I don't like that you can see that speaker wire above the doors.







Dining room (with birthday party stuff on my table).







Part of my kitchen.







Bathroom (obviously). I love that tub.







My bedroom. *bow chicka bow bow*







I think the only thing I'm missing now besides the kids' rooms is my office. I'll work on that one, lol.

Things that scare me. Yes, I have a list.

As I'm sure you've read by now (or heard it directly from me), I am afraid of fireworks.

To that you can add the following:

• balloons. I don't like that they pop - it's a loud, sudden noise thing just like the fireworks. I'm a very skittish person. I also don't like that squeaky eeky noise they make when people's fingers touch them.

• cats. I had a really nasty run-in with a barn cat as a teenager. Pictures of cats are ok, but get me anywhere near one and forget it. I have a scar running the length of my right hand to remind me of that day.
  

• tractor-trailer trucks. They're much, much larger than I am. 'Nuff said.

• refrigerator biscuits. Again, it's the sudden noise thing. I'm not afraid of the biscuits themselves, because they are rather tasty - it's the unopened container that I don't like. If we have these with dinner I will hand Pookey the container and run like the wind. I will NOT be in the same room as him at that time.
  

I never said I was normal.

I think I cursed myself....

....trying to bake brownies in 90 degree heat.

I was sitting there mixing up my brownies when the phone rang. It was my friend Shel - who is coming to spend the day with me tomorrow! I got my brownies poured into the pan ... put into the oven. About 10 minutes goes by -- and THE POWER GOES OUT ON OUR BLOCK.

Kids are freaking out, dog's freaking out, Dave's sitting upstairs in the dark. None of us can remember where we put the flashlight. SO Dave gets the brilliant idea to light up the room with his lightsaber that I bought him for Christmas a couple years ago. It actually worked pretty well. Now all I had to do was to keep the kids from hitting each other (and me) with it.

The timer I had set for my brownies was set on the microwave - which went out when the power went out. I had no idea how long my brownies had been in at this point. About half an hour goes by (which is how long they were to cook for) and I get Dave to get the pan out of the oven with only the lightsaber for light. The brownies are still completely gooey in the center. Aparently, the oven we have is gas - but has an electric starter, or something like that - and it stopped working when the power went out.

That batch of brownies will go in the garbage and I'll make a second batch for the blogger picnic.

We ended up going for a ride in the air conditioned van because it was just too damned hot in this house. The power was on when we got home, thankfully!

OH! Before I forget, while the power was out, I took the dog outside so he could do his business. That's not the interesting part, I promise, LOL. We're standing there next to a tree across the street when some bonehead up a block sets off fireworks. I never expected it. I just about hit the ground. I went running full speed back across the street to the house with the dog flying behind me still attached to his leash and came bursting in the door. The three stooges are sitting there laughing at me because they had heard the fireworks and know my fear of them.

This entry has gone on long enough so I'm going to go up to the a/c in the bedroom and wind down.

my biggest picnic hit

S'mores brownies.

You can taste-test these on Tuesday if you're going to the picnic. Posting this also reminds me that I have to stop somewhere and buy graham crackers. I've probably made about two dozen batches of these since I first got the recipe a couple years back (yes, they're that requested) and this recipe got my 9-year old a blue ribbon at the Erie County 4-H Cook-Off this year (it's an easy recipe - he made them himself with my supervision). The kicker? I've never eaten one of them. I don't like chocolate. *hides*

You will need:

1 family-sized box brownie mix (whatever brand you prefer)
1 "sleeve" plain graham crackers
1 cup chocolate chips
2 cups miniature marshmallows


Preheat oven to 350F.

Prepare the brownie mix as directed on the package.

Spray bottom of a 9x13 pan with cooking spray. Line bottom of pan with graham crackers. Pour brownie mix over the top of the crackers; bake as directed on box (about 28 minutes).

When brownies are done, remove the pan from the oven, but don't turn the heat off.

Sprinkle marshmallows and chocolate chips on the top of the brownies. Return the pan to the oven for about 5 minutes to melt the chips a bit and brown the marshmallows.

Cool completely and cut into squares to serve.

mid-week ramblings

Slowly and surely, we're getting settled into the new house.

I almost have my office box-free. Pookey's setting up the living room electronics right now and we'll have a television downstairs again. Bedrooms and the bathroom were the first things to get done. I'm just trying to find places for all my kitchen appliances/gadgets and then the kitchen and dining room are done. We did finally find a washer and dryer that fit downstairs, so I'm really happy about that.

Pictures will follow as soon as everything's completely done, I'm sure.

Before class last night I ran some photos in to the store to be printed. I did ten to start with, so it will be SO nice to have artwork up on the walls. It's so bare here right now. I picked up the photos on my way home and was very pleased with the job them did on them.

I discovered today that I have lilies here!! They're in my back yard instead of the front, but I was so happy to find them there today!! There's also a house around the corner with nothing but lilies in their garden. I could spend hours over there with my camera (but I think they'd start to look at me funny spending all that time out in front of their house). Anyone want to help me with a garden of my own? I'm so clueless when it comes to flowers, lol.

Next weekend is the Connor's birthday. He'll be 8. We're having family over on Friday night (his actual birthday) and then going to the movies with his friends on Saturday afternoon. After that I'll need some recovery, I'm sure, LOL.

I think I'll wrap this up here for now. Anything else you want to know, feel free to ask!