Crochet Brobee
I know I haven’t posted in forever and I’m sorry. The holidays have been so busy. My kids go back to school on Monday. Maybe I’ll have more time to post then. In the meantime, here’s a picture of the crocheted Brobee from Yo Gabba Gabba I made for my nephew.
Happy New Year!
Ginger Cookies
I’ve been making a lot of cookies lately in preparation for the holidays. When I make a batch of cookies, I bake half and freeze half of the dough for later. This way, when my kids have a party at school or church, I can just pull out the frozen dough and not have to deal with the mixing & measuring involved with making homemade cookies.
Yesterday, I was making Ginger Cookies from my Betty Crocker cookbook. I mentioned it on Twitter and I got several responses. I had a few requests for the recipe and I couldn’t find a link for it so I figured I would share it on my blog.
4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
4 t. ground ginger
2 t. baking soda
1 1/2 t. ground cinnamon
1 t. ground cloves
1/4 t. salt
1 1/2 cups shortening
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup molasses
3/4 cup sugar
In a medium bowl, stir together flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and salt; set aside. In a large mixing bowl, beat shortening with an electric mixer on low speed for 30 seconds. Add the 2 cups of sugar. Beat until combined, scraping the sides of the bowl occasionally. Beat in eggs and molasses until combined. Beat in as much of the flour mixture as you can with the mixer. Stir in any remaining flour mixture. *Note: I like to just dig in with my bare hands and get it all mixed up.
Shape dough into 1-inch balls; roll in the 3/4 cup of sugar. Place 1 1/2 inches apart on an ungreased baking sheet (I use parchment paper when baking cookies). Bake in a 350 degree oven for 8 to 9 minutes or until bottoms are lightly browned and tops are puffed (do not overbake). Cool on cookie sheet for one minute. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool.
To freeze, I shape the dough into 1-inch balls and place on a wax paper covered cookie sheet so that they aren’t touching. I set the cookie sheet in the freezer until the dough is frozen and then I place the frozen dough into Ziplock bags. I like to label the bags with the cookie name and baking instructions. To bake, I pull out the desired number of dough balls, roll them in sugar, and place on a cookie sheet to thaw a bit before baking.
Save yourself some trouble during the holidays and put some of these bad boys in your freezer now!
Wordless Wednesday: Entrepreneurship
One of the many frogs Smarty was trying to sell at a wedding reception last month. He’s quite the little entrepreneur!
Just So You Know…
I received a phone call from my mother today. She had read my blog. I hadn’t even told her about my blog, but she had found out about it nonetheless. I don’t mind. I wasn’t trying to be totally secretive, but I wasn’t broadcasting it to people I know in real life either.
At any rate, my mother is upset with me. She’s angry especially about yesterday’s post. She is upset that I was saying ugly things about my family. I didn’t see the big deal with yesterday’s post because I never meant for it be something ugly towards my family so I called up my best friend and asked her to read it and give me her feedback. She was able to give me a different point of view. Her review of yesterday’s post: “Ouch”.
So, I have spoken typed words that cannot be taken back. Those words have been hurtful to others and I never meant for them to be. Yesterday’s post was meant to be about myself and my often unwillingness to put forth enough effort to go home to visit. The message was supposed to be that I need to get over the fact that I think differently from some of my family members and love them the way they are and I need to go home more often. And I do love them. They are the same people I grew up with and I do love each and every one of them.
My mother was most hurt by the sentence “I don’t go home if I can help it.” I didn’t mean that I never want to go home again. I meant that I get so busy doing things in my church and with my family of five that it is hard for me to take the time to go home to see my extended family. My friend helped me to see how that sentence did not come across the way I meant it to be.
My mother was also upset that I mentioned “fist fights at Thanksgiving”. I feel like I should specify that it’s not like that stuff always happens - it was a one-time incident that someone got into a physical disagreement at a family gathering. However, my family has arguments and disagreements. Doesn’t everybody’s? While I thought that it was no big deal in mentioning it, my mother feels that it should have “stayed in the family”. She’s right, I suppose. No need to air any of my family’s “dirty laundry”, right? I’m sorry for having done so.
My mother also read through my previous posts and she was hurt by my post about my mother-in-law. I never meant for that post to be hurtful to my mother. I also did not mean for it to seem that my mother was/is a bad mother. I only meant to say that my mother-in-law is a wonderful lady and I am lucky to have a mother-in-law like her because a lot of people don’t have a good relationship with their mother-in-law. I never meant it to cast a negative light on my mother.
My mother is a wonderful mother. Sure, we have our ups and downs but my mother has stood by me and forgiven me time and time again. She has been there with me through thick and thin, in good times and bad. She has helped me through emotional and financial trials and tribulations. She and my father have helped me in more ways than I can ever repay them. Sure, they’re my parents and that’s what parents are supposed to do, but I know a lot of parents who don’t and wouldn’t do the things my parents have done for me.
I just feel like I need to “clear the air” and make sure my readers know what I meant by the things that I’ve said here on this blog. I would never intentionally hurt someone else, much less in a public forum such as this. Although it wasn’t intentional, I did hurt someone else and I am publicly apologizing for my actions.
I am truly sorry.
Going Home Again
I received a call from my mother yesterday afternoon. She was calling to let me know my grandmother had been admitted to the hospital with pneumonia. They had already taken her to the Critical Care Unit due to her condition. I immediately burst into tears and announced to Hubby that I must go home to visit my grandmother.
Even though home is only an hour and a half away, I don’t go very often. I don’t see my grandmother or my parents as often as I should. I rarely ever see my seemingly zillions of aunts, uncles, and cousins. There are children in my family that I’ve never seen. I’ve never seen most of my cousins’ children and when I have seen them, it’s only been a time or two. My family has only seen my boys a handful of times in the past 6 years and most of them have never even laid eyes on Bean.
I don’t go home if I can help it. It’s complicated. My parents and my husband do not get along. When given the opportunity to move away from there six years ago, we jumped at it. So much has changed in my life since then. I’ve become a more devoted Christian. I love my Lord, my church, and my church family. That’s something my family just doesn’t understand. I’ve changed the way I parent and I’ve tried to make the right decisions for my children. Words like “shut up”, “stupid”, and “idiot” are considered bad words in my home. Many members of my family allow their children to curse and, on occasion, take the Lord’s name in vain. I don’t allow my children to eat lots of sweets or play video games non-stop or watch cable TV. Those are all things my family just does not understand. I teach my children that honesty is always the best policy. Many members of my family have committed some sort of fraud in order to receive a disability check each month. They have decided that I am “stuck up” and “snooty” and that Hubby and I think we are above them because we don’t live the same wreckless, careless lifestyle that they live.
To their defense, not all of my family is that way. Not all of them feel that way toward me and not all of them live a wreckless, careless lifestyle. And even though my family is filled with several rednecks and “crazies” who hold grudges and get in fist fights at Thanksgiving dinner (long story, don’t ask), I still love them. They are my family and that is enough for me. They still love me too.
I packed up my children and drove to the hospital yesterday evening. My parents were there and several of my aunts and uncles. My parents were happy to play with my kids in the waiting room and I was able to spend some time visiting with my grandmother. Thankfully, she was feeling much better. However, visiting hours were over half an hour after I got there and I had to leave the CCU.
Although my visit with my grandmother was short, I was glad I went. It set my mind at ease to see her. She was feeling much better by the time I got there. She had been given an IV for the dehydration and some antibiotics for the pneumonia and they had brought her some food. We chatted about my kids and I filled her in on all that they’re up to these days. Before I left, she told me she loved me and said to come see her soon. I told her I would. And I will.
Going home is never convenient or easy for me. But I know it’s something I have to do. I have to make that effort.
I’m Dreaming of a Frugal Christmas
Actually, I’m not the one dreaming of a frugal Christmas, Hubby is. See, I love giving gifts so much that I would put us in serious financial trouble if it weren’t for Hubby’s limits. Hubby doesn’t like saving all year long to spend our entire savings and add a little more to the credit card balance just to give lots and lots of really great gifts. So, we compromise and set a reasonable budget.
This year, Hubby has announced some major cuts to the Christmas budget. The past few months have been a bit financially difficult for us. We’ve made do but we’ve tacked a lot more debt onto our credit card. We’ve worked hard to get through this rough patch and we’re finally back on track so we don’t want to mess it all up by spending too much money at Christmas this year.
I’ve decided to be a sport and not fuss with Hubby about his budget cuts. As a matter of fact, I totally agree with him. Just don’t tell him I said so, okay? Anyway, to help out, I’ve started thinking of ways to lessen the impact of Christmas on our finances.
I recently took up crochet. I love it. I’ve decided to make several handmade gifts for family members. I did some searching and found several free crochet patterns online. I’ve also purchased a few patterns on Etsy. Some of the men on our list will be getting one of these beanies and a matching scarf. Some of the women will be getting a pair of these slippers. One of our nieces will be getting one of these hats and a small, inexpensive toy. Her sister will likely get one of these hats and an inexpensive toy. My nephew is a huge fan of Yo Gabba Gabba so he will be getting these. The cost of purchasing these patterns and the yarn is less than we would spend on gifts for each of these people. Hopefully everyone will appreciate their handmade gifts and the hours it’s taking me to make them.
I have also been working to prepare and freeze cookie dough for the holidays. It never fails, my children will be invited to parties (or having them at school & church) and there will be cookie swaps going on and this way I don’t have to spend time preparing something during the already rushed holidays. Since I have been picking up a few ingredients at a time while doing my regular grocery shopping, I don’t have to rush out and spend a pile of money buying everything at the last minute. It’s also great to have the dough on hand for unexpected visitors during the holidays.
For the ladies in Hubby’s office, I always make a tray of special treats. I usually make several different kinds of candy and place them on a tray but buying all the ingredients can get expensive. This year, I’ve decided to make homemade cinnamon rolls in the shape of a wreath. Flour, yeast, sugar, and cinnamon are much cheaper than paraffin wax, several bags of chocolate chips, coconut, confectioner’s sugar, peanut butter….you get the point. I also bake homemade cinnamon rolls for my children’s bus driver and teachers. I like to prepare them the night before and pop them in the oven the next morning to warm them up and drizzle on the icing and deliver them while they’re still warm. Everyone appreciates a warm cinnamon roll and it’s a nice change from the usual “teacher gifts”.
We don’t spend a ton of money on our kids at Christmas. We never have. They always get really nice gifts and they usually get everything they want (within reason) but we still don’t spend a lot. I like to shop online. I can usually find better deals that way. Last year, I got my son a baseball bat that had been marked down from $130 to $50! Since my boys like baseball so much, we often shop the clearance section on MLB.com. Once the season is over, many clothing items (especially short-sleeve t-shirts) are marked way down. I can usually get them a really cool t-shirt for their favorite team for $10! Often times, you can get free shipping online but for me, it is worth the shipping cost to save gas and aggravation going to a ton of stores trying to find something.
I’m still brain-storming ideas for saving time and, most of all, money during the holidays. If you have any ideas for me, please pass them along. I need all the frugal-ness I can get!
Stepping Out In Faith
I did it! I finally talked to my pastor and told him about how God is calling me to lead the youth ministry at church. He was so pleased! Now we just have to find someone to lead my elementary children’s class.
I’m scared to death, but I am at peace with my decision. I know this is God’s will for me and I know He will lead me through it. I just have to allow Him to work through me.
I will keep you updated on the phenomenal things I know God is going to do through this youth group.
Giving Thanks
Can you believe that Thanksgiving is only three weeks away??? I certainly can’t! This year has flown by for me.
Unfortunately (or fortunately?), Thanksgiving is a holiday that is overlooked these days. Maybe it’s because we don’t give gifts or candy. I noticed this year that most of the stores had Halloween items on a few aisles and Christmas decorations on the remaining holiday aisles. When I was in WalMart on Halloween, they were busy taking down all of the Halloween stuff and putting out the rest of the Christmas merchandise. It breaks my heart that Christmas has become so commercialized. I am thankful, myself, that Thanksgiving isn’t commercialized. It can’t be — it is a holiday of the heart. I know that Christmas is too, but there are no gifts to be given for Thanksgiving, just a thankful heart. Now, Thanksgiving may not be as commercialized as Christmas, but most of the time it isn’t celebrated with true thanksgiving, either.
The Thanksgiving holiday isn’t about getting together with your family to eat turkey and dressing (although, I do love some turkey and dressing with my family), it’s about searching your heart and giving thanks for the many blessings that God bestows upon you, and even for the times of pain and suffering. The Bible says in 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 to “Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” God has a plan. Sometimes we can’t see it and we will not see the “big picture” until His return. But we have to know in our hearts that, as Christians, everything, every circumstance is of God’s doing. Yes, this even means the not-so-happy times in our lives, too. Romans 5:2-5 says “…And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out His love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, who He has given us.” Another thing to be thankful for this holiday season….
This Thanksgiving, I fervently pray that we will all stop for just a minute to think of all the people and things and circumstances in our lives that we have to be thankful for. I pray that we can all take a moment during the busy day of family get-togethers to stop, bow our heads, and offer thanks unto the Lord for all He has given us, good or bad.
Happy (early) Thanksgiving!
Today’s The Day!
Today is the day for you to get out and vote for the next president of this great country we live in! So, get yourself to the polls and get one of those nifty stickers and go get some free stuff!
Happy Halloween!
What are your little ones going to be for Halloween this year?
I hope everyone has a safe and happy Halloween!!
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