Dilemma!

See this?  THIS, is my dinning table!  THIS, is moments before dinner is served!  How did it come to this mess?  This is homework from FIVE children.  We even cleaned some of it up before we took the picture!!   THIS, makes dinner time a complete nightmare!!  Where and what do I do with all this stuff, while we pause for dinner, since it is not finished??  I have had quite enough of this!  I know, school is over in one month!  Something should have been done MONTHS ago!!  How did I go these past eight months with this chaos?

My solution?

I have an otherwise useless, small front room that is too small for anyone who wants to come and visit.  It, right now, is just being used as the music room.  It has a piano, two violins, two guitars, one clarinet, one trombone, and a handful of penny whistles and recorders in it… I know!  Frightening!!  So, I am toying with an idea!  Could my front room be turned into an organized homework station/music room for my kids?  Could this space be utilized into a working, organized station?

OR…… better yet…….

….. This might work out the best!  Could I convince my husband to make a half wall, such as in this photo, with a counter overhang between my family room and my dining room?  The homework could be on this counter… I could even use it for my sewing space, which I am always looking for!  This idea would allow me to keep all the musical instruments in the front room, since they really need to be able to stay in there for their practicing anyway!

Stay tuned!!  Something is in the works!  Please feel free to share any of your ideas with me!  Hopefully we’ll have a reveal here in the next few months or so!

Sock Bun Curlers

Alright!  I do not EVER, nor have I EVER proclaimed to be a hair officinato…. I’m not going there!  My hair has been my Achilles Heal all my life.  It minds just about as well as some of my kids do!  My poor daughters!  However, we lucked out the other day!  Ali has fine middle length hair.  It holds a curl as well as the Sierra holds a snowflake!  One big sock bun is simply too big for her hair.  The sides won’t stay in it all night long.  I had Ali wash her hair and we put some product in it, and then blow dried it nearly all dry.  Just barely damp.  I sectioned her hair into five small pony tails and secured each one with a very small rubber band–not too tightly.  I took about five of my little toddler’s socks (no matches found), clipped the toes off and made sock buns out of each one of them.  I then put each pony tail into the middle of a sock bun (shaped like a doughnut) and started rolling it up.  I pinned each one in place with a bobby pin,  and had her sleep on them all night long.  Sunday morning came, we undid the sock buns, and look how it turned out!  Wow!  A simple, easy hairdo!

Tasty Breadsticks!

My husband Ed, is not one to throw too many compliments around when it comes to cooking.  He saves those for just a few dishes that he really likes!  HOWEVER, in the words of my husband, and my soon to be 10-yr old, “These are the absolute BEST breadsticks we’ve EVER had!”

I’ve decided it’s the seasoning…. I guess!  Anyways, we’ve made them successfully the last umpteenth times, so they must be down to a science!

Super easy, and don’t skimp on the seasoning…. it really is what will make this breadstick taste great.

Breadstick Dough:

Mix together the following and let it sit until bubbly:

1  1/2 C warm water

1 TB Yeast

1 TB sugar

While your yeast is “proofing,” mix the following dry ingredients together:

3 C flour (May need more)

1/2 tsp salt

2 TB sugar

Add your yeast mixture and stir until no dough is left remaining on the side of the bowl.  Let it rise until double in size.

Roll the dough out and cut with a pizza cutter into small strips.

Melt a cube of butter and dump it in a jelly-roll pan.  Cover the bottom of the pan with melted butter.  Dip each piece of dough into the butter and cover both sides.  Place them on your cookie sheet.

Here’s the seasoning trick:

Sprinkle with SEASON SALT, A generous serving of Garlic POWDER, Parsley Flakes, and Parmesan cheese.  Let them rise a little bit more and bake them at 350 for about 17 minutes.  Enjoy them….. every single one!!!!

Family Home Evening — Language

I came across a story this morning that I think is just wonderful!  I want to share this story with you.  I wanted to share it with my little kids for Family Night tomorrow evening, but we are feeding the missionaries and finishing derby cars…. I don’t think it will happen tomorrow!  So…. I read it to them today after church!   I think it sends the message loud and clear about standing up for what you think is right in the face of danger…. literally!  There are many different situations this could be applied to.  It reminds me of the the following message from President Monson.  Dare to stand alone!

The story is about a young man who is about to enter the army with a promise to his mother that he would never pick up the bad language associated with many of those who are in the army.  When put to the test, this is how his story went:

Click on the story here….

Are we brave enough to stand alone?  Are we brave enough to stay true to our values and promises?  Are we brave enough to put our trust in the Lord?

Family Home Evening — Choices

Well, we just read Alma 60 this morning…. I wonder what the government today would think of if someone as great as Moroni sent them a letter telling them that he was going to “cleanse the inner vessel” first, and that those who sit in idleness while surrounded by those who die was unacceptable, and that if there was any spark of freedom among them that he would come and stir up insurrections until those who have desires to usurp power and authority shall become extinct, and that he did not seek for power but to put it down, and that he did not fear them, only his God, AND that if they didn’t respond quickly, he was going to come to them “speedily” and wipe them off the map (so to say) …. Hmmmm…. I LOVE it!  I think we need a few more Moroni’s in this world…..

Well, Anyways…. don’t get me going on politics, it makes me far too upset lately.  So, to get my mind off from it for the time being,  I am going to share with you another Family Home Evening activity we did!  It was kind of fun!  Young kids will really like this one!

We had a special visitor come to FHE a while back.  Her name was Chieftess Running Mouth — My children would agree far too quickly that her mouth runs much too much!  We sat around a pretend fire… or if you have a fire pit and warm weather, do it there (Outside around a real fire pit would be a blast) … OR, if you just happen to be from New Mexico and have a South Western decorated room, than that works as well!  (Just kidding…. those are NOT required at all, but only add to the ambiance!)

Chieftess Running Mouth came all dressed up in full Indian garb (thank goodness for Halloween costumes) and shared the following story with our children (Be sure to get a picture of a mean old bad-tempered wolf and one that is more peaceful looking if you can):

An old Cherokee is teaching his grandson the following story:  “A fight is going on inside me,” (s)he said to the boy.

“It is a terrible fight and it is between two wolves. One is evil – he is anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.”

You might need to help your little ones with the meaning of some of these words as you’re talking!

He continued, “The other is good – he is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith.

The same fight is going on inside you – and inside every other person, too.”

The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather, “Which wolf will win?”

The old Cherokee simply replied, “The one you feed.”

We must be ever mindful of the choices we make today and remember…. which wolf will we feed today!  And as quickly as Chieftess Running Mouth came, she left!  Good luck today and make it a good one!

Monkey Bread!

OK..  I am writing this one down before I forget it!  I usually don’t experiment too much.  I never have good results.  I usually stick to other people’s proven recipes; then, if it doesn’t work, I can blame it on the recipe…. ahem!

However, I don’t know what came over me last night… Oh!  I remember!  I hadn’t eaten anything since breakfast and I was STARVED!  Enter in “experiment!”  And, luckily for you, it turned out FANTABULOUS!

The night before I had made a double batch of bread sticks.  I thought that I would cook half up and then put the rest in the refrigerator for Saturday.  Well, we were cleaning all day and I forgot I had it in the refrigerator.  At 6 p.m. everyone was begging me for food…. not good!  We usually eat much earlier on a Saturday.  Eating that late interferes with getting everyone ready for church and all the heavy house cleaning that goes on.  I really wasn’t in the mood for bread sticks, either.  So, I took the dough out and divided it into small dough balls.  I sprayed a muffin tin with cooking spray.  I took each ball and dipped it into some hot cocoa mix that I had on hand.  I put three cocoa covered balls into each muffin whole.  I took about a half a cube of butter and melted it, then I just kept adding brown sugar to the butter until I got a thick, gooey consistency, then I poured that over the bread.  I baked them at 350 for about 18 minutes or so, and they were GREAT!

HOWEVER!  DON’T STOP THERE!!!

Had I had the ingredients and the patience to finish these little bad boys, I would have gone a little bit further!  The flavors would have been fantastic!  When you roll the dough into little balls, place a few chocolate chips into each ball, then roll it up and dip it in the dry hot cocoa mix (similar to chicken pillows–only chocolate pillows!)  I would have sprinkled a few nuts on them as well had I had any.  Then when they are all done baking and still nice and warm, I would have DRIZZLED cream cheese frosting on them!   But, we’ll save that for another time.  My diet thanks me for not doing all that!

After they finished baking and we had enjoyed a couple of them, I let them finish cooling completely before I placed them in a plastic sack and put them in the refrigerator.  I warmed one up this morning and it was perfect for a Sunday morning quick breakfast!

Breadstick Dough Recipe:

3 cups of flour (more if needed)

1/2 tsp salt

2 T sugar

In a seperate bowl add and mix the following:

1 1/2 C warm water

1 T yeast

1 T sugar

When your yeast mixture is all bubbly, add it to the flour mixture and mix well until no flour is left on the side of the mixing bowl.  Allow it to rise for about a half an hour.

This batch will make only one dozen, so, if there is only one or two of you, then you’re good; however, if your family is the size of mine, you might want to double or even triple it.

UPDATE:  I added the chocolate chips and icing and it was F-A-NOM-I-N A L!!!!

Delicious, Moist Carrot Cake!

One of the great things about a September birthday is that there is plenty of fresh garden veggies around, including carrots!  My favorite birthday cake is a Carrot Cake!  However, since it is not September, and I had a huge craving for carrot cake, I had to break down and go buy a big bag of carrots to get my carrot cake fix!  It was totally worth it!  I LOVE this recipe.  I use the cake recipe from my mother-in-law, THEN, I use the glaze and icing recipe that I got from the Food Nanny.  Talk about pure delight!

I made some last night, then went to choir practice.  The entire time while I was playing the piano, I couldn’t wait to get home so that I could have one more piece!  When I got home, I walked into the kitchen and do you know what I saw????  An empty dish!  I could not believe what I saw!  Oh well, I guess my family was helping me to not blow my diet….. dad burn it!  Now, all I want to do is make another one for family night!  Too bad I’m short on carrots!  Oh well, that would have just meant a whole lot more exercising today and it is cleaning day, so that would not have been an option!

For the cake:

Mix the following:

2 C sugar

1/2 C oil

4 eggs

Then mix in the following:

2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

2 tsp cinnamon

3 C shredded carrots (about 5 or 6 good sized carrots)

2 C flour (You might want to add a little bit more — my two cups didn’t seem to be quite enough — maybe about a 1/2 C more or so)

1 C nuts (optional — but completely worth it!)

Grease and flour a 9×13 baking dish.  Pour the prepared  batter into the dish and bake at 350 degrees for about 35 – 40 minutes.  It’s done when a knife inserted into the cake comes out clean.

While the cake is cooking, mix the following together and bring to a small boil:

1/2 C sugar

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/4 C butter milk or milk

1/4 C (1/2 a stick) of butter

1/2 T corn syrup

1 tsp vanilla

When the cake is done baking, gently “stab” you cake in several places with a knife or a toothpick.  Drizzle the entire pan of glaze over your cake.  Let it get down into all those little holes you just made.  Let it set for a short little while to cool, then spread your cream cheese icing over the top.  Garnish with more nuts, if desired.

1/4 C (1/2 a stick) butter

4 oz cream cheese

1 tsp vanilla

1 C powdered Sugar

1 tsp orange juice

1 tsp orange zest — If you don’t have orange zest or orange juice, you could simply omit it and just use a little bit of milk instead, if your icing is too thick — but the orange flavoring is out of this world!