Quick No-Bake Treat Recipe

Hello! I'm not going to include a picture of these because, well, they don't look as good as they taste. They are a favorite around our house made only at Christmas time. The best part? They freeze REALLY well.

2 cups potato sticks
2 cups dry roasted peanuts
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 cups butterscotch chips

Cover 2 cookie sheets with parchment or wax paper. Microwave chocolate and butterscotch chips in a large bowl until melted, stirring every 30 seconds (with a spatula). Stir in the peanuts, then fold in the potato sticks. Drop by heaping teaspoonfuls onto the lined cookie sheets and cool in the fridge until set. Voila!

P.S. I started using my new camera this weekend and am in love. My goal this week is to post my old news + pics, load my new camera's software, then post my newest pics. Just you wait! (I pretend that you're really THAT interested. Please play along.)

Addie Lou

I haven't talked about our dog much in this blog, but she's definitely an integral part of our family. I'm thinking about her today because I kept her up last night. For whatever reason our house was very restless. Hammie got up a couple times to open his door/turn on his light and I always get up to re-close it because I'm afraid my alarm is going to wake him. Then Ree woke me another time yelling at her Daddy in her sleep. Not sure what he did in her dream, but she was certainly annoyed.

Addie always gets up when I do and walks with me to keep me company. Mostly because she's extremely nosey but I have to think part of it is because she just plain loves me. Last night (this morning) she retired to her crate after my 3rd trip out of the room and gave up. She'd had it. Then she gave me a couple very sweet, unexpected kisses on the hand when I was getting ready for work. I think she was sayin' sorry.

She can be a real pain sometimes, but she's my constant companion and I can't imagine life without her.

Things Overheard

My kids are pretty funny. We laugh a lot at our house. Here are some recent examples:

Hammie: Ree, I said sit down. We're gonna read a book.
Ree: [sitting down apprehensively, not really wanting to]
Hammie: Ree, criss-cross applesauce!

G: Hammie, you can't be in here right now, this show isn't appropriate for you to watch. (it was Family Man, which isn't appropriate for anyone, in my opinion)

Ree has been working on her "where's" in school so I've been trying to quiz her on her them at home. Where things/people are can be difficult concepts, you see.

Me: Where's Hammie?
Ree: He's downstairs.
Me: Where's Addie?
Ree: She's down there. (pointing to the dog on the floor)
Me: Where's Papa?
Ree: At his house.
Me: Where's the fish? (I thought this would really stump her)
Ree: They're over there swimmin' in the water. Cute!

Last but not least, this isn't an overheard convo, but cute none the less. I was setting out my nativity sets on Sunday and the following occurred:

Hammie: Who's that over there? (pointing to the angel in the corner of the creche')
Me: It's an angel watching over baby Jesus.
Hammie: Nuh, uh. No it's not.
Me: Yes it is. Who is it then?
Hammie: It's the tooth fairy! (said in an "I can't believe you didn't know that" tone)

Where've I Been?

I can't blame not posting on no computer. Ours is back home safe and sound. I've been spending every free minute working on finishing my nephew's Christmas stocking. Plus trying to work in 30 minutes of exercise.

I just bought a new camera that I'm dying to use. It's going to be GREAT and my blog pix will be much nicer.

In short......very soon I will be updating this blog with a barrage of old news, so patience will be a virtue. I mean, if you really want to learn about our weird little world. Ü

Feeling Way Better

I'm feeling so much better! Went to the doctor Tuesday and got some great antibiotics for my strep throat and sinus infection issues. I've never had strep before and hope to never again. I'm on the mend! Good news since I'm having a double birthday party for G and my sister-in-law Arlene next Sunday. I'll be back to my version of normal by then.

Our pc is still in the shop. It will be a week on Saturday, so as you can imagine people are getting REALLY grumpy around our place. No Ipod updating, game playing on Noggin, etc. There could be a mutiny any day.........Hammie asked for his contraband plastic sword last night. It's been "doing time" in the top of his closet for several months. Things are looking grim in that department.

In The "Shop"

It's all about perspective, this thing we call life. I was sick again this weekend. This time I had a cold. I had planned to go out with Bill Saturday night for a nice dinner and perhaps some Christmas shopping. Instead, he took the kids to Grandma and Grandpa's to play and I watched really trashy shows on Bravo and ate, well, tried to eat something from a fast food place that shall remain anonymous. I think I got through a few bites before I gave up. The peace and quiet was totally worth the crummy t.v. and food. I love my little kids, but they were bored and beginning to drive me completely insane. Thanks to my inlaws for the peace!

To make matters worse, our computer is in the shop. Which is a big part of the reason why Ree and Hammie were bored. Rainy weather, no pc, and a sick Mom = no fun.

Sunday we picked up the house, decorated for Thanksgiving (you know you're a dork when you realize you have a porcelain-ish pilgrim figurine that's dressed up like a turkey), then Billiam left quickly to "run some errands." Sneaky, sneaky. I can't complain too much since he bought the little kids' new shoes and picked up groceries at Walmart. I have to be in just the right frame of mind for such an endeavor and definitely wasn't yesterday. So, I just stayed home with my kleenex box.

I'm posting during lunch here at work, but will put up some pictures of stuff once our pc is back home. I'll probably have to bribe Ree with cookies to get a turn, though. Ü

Ack.

I've been getting a flu shot for the last 3 or so years. I usually get a sore arm for a couple days and that's it. Not this year! Yesterday I was beyond tired. I NEVER lay around on the couch and I'll be darned (and embarrassed) to say that yesterday I did a lot of that. By last night, after a nap, I was feeling better. This morning I thought I was good, but after my shower and make-up routine, back came the feeling of ackiness.

The real bummer is I'm missing lunch out and a play with my Mom and sister! I've really been looking forward to it, but the thought of leaving my coccoon isn't sounding so great.

Moral of this totally boring story is........this year's vaccine packed a real punch for me. But I'm still gonna make my kids get it. I think it's important.