Is it Friday Yet?

So, I stayed up way too late last night waiting on a combination of things....Little Ann to empty the dishwasher so I could load it, the nice clothes to finish drying so I could get them out immediately, and Big Dan at a concert that lasted much too long for a school night. Anyway...I said all that to say...I was a little tired and cranky for my art students today and it didn't take long before my head was throbbing making it all together worse.

I can already tell this is going to be one of those weeks. I think Christmas is in the air at the High School..well, the thought of Christmas break anyway. Getting anybody to do anything but clown was next to impossible. I took my camera to try to help Big Dan get a few (required for English) Senior scrapbook pictures. See what I have to put up with?

Yes, these are Seniors, and yes, Big Dan is eating a sandwich....in Art class. What's mom gonna do..give him d-hall?

And I wish I could say they were just goofin' for pictures, but unfortunately this is really how they act on a daily basis. Maybe it's just because I'm "Big Dan's mom" and I'm just cool like that. Whatever it is...it stresses me. We'll hope my principal doesn't read my blog.

Tonight was our Girl Scout meeting and Christmas party. Look what the girls did...

Isn't this just adorable? I guess making a gingerbread house is one thing I don't think I have ever done before.

Like I said, I can feel another crazy week coming on. I am MAKING myself stay home tomorrow and get this house in order. I would absolutely DIE right now if I had company. I just want to be able to enjoy my Christmas decor without having to look at all this other clutter. You can't even get through for all the Christmas presents, boxes, wrapping paper, and paraphernalia lying around...despite the fact that Little Ann keeps reminding me that she doesn't have a gift wrapped under the tree yet..and everyone else at school does (sniff, sniff). I think she's trying to make me feel guilty. It's working. We've got church, more shopping, dress rehearsals, and more parties coming up the remainder of the week.

With December being the time everyone is preparing lots of finger food dishes (and because my pregnant friend, Chickadee is craving this), I thought I'd share the recipe on the blog. This is another one of my mom's recipes. Have I mentioned what a great cook she is?

Parmesan Chicken Wings

In a medium bowl, mix together:

1/2 c Parmesan Cheese

1 T Parsley flakes

1 t Paprika

1/2 T Oregano

1/2 t salt

1/2 t pepper

Moisten your wings and cover with dry mixture. You can shake them in a bag (like shake n bake) or just dip individually. Place on a foil lined baking pan and bake approx. 45 minutes.

These are soooo good and perfect sized for parties. I usually double my recipe for tastier wings or a bigger serving.

And last but not least, April gave me this sweet award and I just wanted to send her a big ol' Thank You!!! This is really special because this award is supposed to be bestowed upon bloggers who aim to find and be friends and it means a lot that she would pass it on to me. April's blog is always uplifting and meaningful and she is just the sweetest thing, so go visit her if you get a chance.

A List (or Two)

1. Look what I did yesterday!!!

And I didn't do it with that stick I'm holding, but I'm old and my jeans were tight so I was grasping at whatever I could find to hold me up when I squatted down. lol.

2. Several of you have expressed interest in my Miracle Whip cake recipe, so just in time for the holidays...here you go. Let me know if you try it and what you think!!!

In large mixing bowl:
1 cup Miracle Whip salad dressing
1 cup water
1 cup sugar (I use a tad over a cup)
1 t. vanilla

Sift together separately:
2 cups flour
4 T. cocoa
1/2 t. salt
2 t. soda
Add sifted ingredients a little at a time to other mixture. Beat until smooth. I bake in a bundt pan at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes depending on your oven.

After cake cools, I use this little recipe for the icing.
1/3 stick cream cheese
2 T. stick butter
1/2 t. vanilla
Cream till fluffy. Add powdered sugar until you get it to the consistency you want. adding a little milk gradually. (A teaspoon or so at a time). Ice. YUMMY!

3. Angie awarded me with this today...

Thank you Angie!! You are supposed to list 5 things you love so here is another list.

1. I love chocolate milk. I know I've told you this before I'm sure, but I just can't live without it. I try and try, but I CAN'T DO IT!

2. I love Chili's chips and salsa. It is cheap and I can eat it until I am sick!..and I think I will have that tonight since I'm headed out shortly to buy groceries.

3. I love my camera. I hardly ever leave home without it. I wanted to take a picture of it...but hmmm....I couldn't quite figure that one out!

4. I love my heater. It goes everywhere I go especially in the winter time. Pete likes the house cool. I like it warm (80 is just fine..REALLY). So, when Pete's home, Mr. Heater and I are always together!

5. I love this hand blender. My mom introduced me to this several years back. I have issues with chunky stuff like big tomatoes in my chili, soup or cheese dip, etc. This works great to blend it up a little. Works perfect for me!! (Hey, shouldn't that be on a 'Works for me Wednesday post?') ha.


I am lovin' so many of your blogs, it's always hard to pick. It's a busy time of year, so I'm not going to obligate any of you. If you are on my "stalk list" (or not)....Consider yourself tagged!!

Birthday Cakes and a Recipe for Leigh Ann

When I was a little girl, my mom could do everything....(well, she still can actually), but I didn't even realize how much she did nor appreciate it then. She was a stay at home mom who spent most of her days sewing, cooking lunch for my dad, and cleaning the house. I can remember running up our long driveway as we got off the school bus, only to spot my busy mom in the upstairs window of our house, sewing the day away. Most of our after school conversations were held over the buzz of the machines, and the sound of the steam from her trusty iron.

One thing that seems to stand out in my mind is the time in my life my mom lead my "Brownie" troop. Several of my friends and I met in a little classroom in our old elementary building for our weekly meeting. Mother had an entire set of Wilton Cake decorating tips and an assortment of cute little Disney cake pans, so one day our troop came to my house for "cake decorating lessons". We have pictures and I wish I could've shared them, but they are at my mother's house tucked away in the "sticky" kind of album.

I attempted a cake or two as I got older, but never really got into it, until I had kids. When Big Dan turned 1, I got out the hippo pan and tried to show everybody what a good mother I was. Why look at me!! I made my baby's 1st birthday cake, but despite all compliments, I quickly decided ordering was much easier and faster.

It wasn't until I was grocery shopping one night just before Big Dan turned 5 that I decided to give it another try. I ran across a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle pan on the cake decorating aisle and knew I had to have it. Big Dan was a turtle fan and had already expressed interest in a Turtle party. It must've been fate. I bought the pan, got out the old faithful star tip and...here ya go...

I was so proud of myself, but.......not enough to tackle it again for quite a while.

The next years would be spent ordering Walmart cakes that included figures on top such as "Power Rangers", "Space Jam" and "Pokemon whatever they are". For the last several years, Big Dan has requested the easy route..his favorite...Oreos Ice Cream Cake, which, I'm sure will be his request in a couple of weeks as well.

Mr. star tip and I became friends again when I drug out the Winnie the Pooh pan for Little Ann's 1st birthday. But as the years quickly passed, I continued to take the easy way out and it wasn't until Little Ann's 9th birthday that I mustered up enough courage to try my hand at cake decorating again. My brother and sister-in-law had just opened up a party store and she was carrying the entire Wilton line. She volunteered to gather everything up for me and allowed me to come to her house and use her supplies. Little Ann was having a puppy party and I just had to make it up as I went along. This is what we came up with....

It was just the cutest thing ever. The cake was strawberry flavored so it was pink inside. I found some "Littlest Pet Shop" toys in her room for toppers and walla..it all came together. Haven't done it since, but I'm getting braver with each birthday!!

Leigh Ann is having a puppy party for her little Ella Grace and has requested this recipe for homemade puppy chow. We put this in little doggie bowls for the kids and they had to race on their hands and knees to their bowls and gobble the chow down (no hands). It was such a hoot!!

So.....this is for you Leigh Ann. Hope your party is great!!

Homemade Puppy Chow
2 cups chocolate chips
15 ounces of Rice Chex
1 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup butter
3 cups powdered sugar

Melt the chocolate chips, peanut butter and butter together in the microwave or stove top. Toss in the cereal. Place the powdered sugar in a large bowl or a baggie. Add the cereal mixture and toss. Spread out on a large pan to dry.

Looks gross....but taste great!!

Salsa, anyone?

First, you must know, I am far, far from Martha Stewart..the queen of all domestication. I can't give you tips on sheet folding, (hey, if you figure that bottom sheet trick out, please let me know!) or share exotic recipes. I'm the mom that looks for every opportunity to eat out. In all reality, my children have done very well fending for themselves..thank you hot pockets, pizza rolls and chicken chunks!! I do try though, to make it a point to cook when Pete is home. I guess it's not so much the cooking as it is the mental preparation that I don't like.

With all that said, you are probably surprised to find me sharing a recipe today. I don't know why I am..maybe because this stuff is just so good I thought you would like it too. I ran across this in the teacher's lounge at school one day. I was quite impressed. So, since I am preparing it myself today, getting ready for a Mexican themed Vacation Bible School "meeting of the minds" over at Chickadee's, here goes:

This is what you will need: (notice I buy practically all generic..I'm cheap that way)

1 large can (28 oz) diced tomatoes
1 can of Original Rotel
3 T Red Wine Vinegar
1 1/2 T Cilantro
2 tsp garlic salt
2 tsp onion powder
You can either put it all in a blender (be careful not to over blend) or do what I do, which is put it in a mixing bowl and mix with my smaller hand held blender.
So easy...So good.

Let me know if you try it..and what you think.