The Evidence Speaks for Itself!

It's a classic move made by many kids. When I was young I shared a room with my little sister. She was only two years younger, but when you're kids, it's so much younger! I found my jewelry box with her named carved across the lid. I was so mad when she tried to deny it. But the evidence spoke for itself. 

A few years ago my other son Bennett was learning to write and decided to carve his name into the side of our piano. Again, the evidence spoke for itself! 

Briggs got a hold of a blue marker the other day. He said he didn't do it. But I made him clean it up anyway, because....you guessed it, the evidence speaks for itself! ( I'm just happy it washed off)

Is it just me?

Is it just me? or do you have a child like this too?

So this year my youngest child was diagnosed with ADHD and Oppositional Defiant Disorder. I am totally still learning how he ticks and what to do about it. Some days I think I've figured him out just to be reminded by some new incident that no...I have no clue what I am doing. The thing is, he makes me laugh as much or more than he makes me cry! Our family refers to him as our Destroying Angel. At nearly 6, he is super smart and intelligent, active, imaginative and free spirited. He makes friends everywhere he goes and isn't afraid to talk to anyone. Over the years I have shared with friends and family some of the crazy things he has done and funny things he has said.

This year, we have had a few adventures. Many times I have been encouraged to write a book. I'm not a good writer and have no idea where to start. So I decided to include some of our adventures on my blog.

Recently, he is asking if we will change his name to "Shazam"! I may just call him that. What could it hurt?









                                                                                                                             
 I think it's better than Wreck it Ralph's "Fix it Felix". He was that guy a month ago and took a hammer to all the windows in our 2-story play house. Broke every last one. And all the tail lights on our utility trailer.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

 Isn't he adorable!?!

What are you feeding that kid?

When people see my oldest child, they first ask "What are you feeding that kid" and then they ask if he plays football. At 6' 2" and 280 lbs, and sporting a full beard, most people don't believe it when they find out he is only _____(insert age). He looks older than he is and one day I'm sure he will look his age. But for now, he carries his driver's license on dates to prove his age to worried parents of the girls he dates.

This year is his senior year in high school. Man, I can't believe it. I just graduated, how did this happen? I know everyone says that but seriously, wasn't it just last weekend that I was spending  Saturday nights at the Pie Pizzeria with my friends?

Tough looking boy, but he's really just a big teddy bear!

Picture taken last year right after he turned 16

Tanner is the big kid sandwiched in the middle on the white team seen here blocking so the QB can get through. He was playing Center.

Here's to a great year of growing up and getting older! I'm going to enjoy him in my home while I still can.

Mango Pie, People!

Please excuse my blurry photo!  I am not even a "good" photographer and I have a crappy camera, nevertheless...I attempt to show you the most fantastic tasting pie on the planet!  It's my first Mango Pie.  Oh so good! If you've never had it, you HAVE to make this!  Anyway, I had a few mangoes from my Bountiful Basket (which I love, by the way). They were getting very ripe and I didn't want to make fruit roll ups, which is what I usually do with mangoes. So I made a pie and I can't stop raving about it!  I think I ate three pieces.  Not all at once (ahem!) but over three days!  So here is my modified version of a Food Network recipe for Mango Pie (the best on the planet):

For Crust:

2 1/2 C. all purpose flour
3 Tbs. powdered sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. lemon zest (I added way more and it was awesome)
1 stick butter, chilled
1/2 C. shortening
1/3 to 1/2 C. ice water (no ice though, please)

Directions for Crust:
Prepare pie crust by mixing together flour, sugar, salt and lemon zest. Cut butter and shortening into small chunks and add to the dry ingredients.  Mix with a pastry blender until mixture holds together (pea size bits). Sprinkle ice water over mixture and cut in until it holds together in a ball. Gather it up, pressing together and divide into two even parts. Wrap in plastic and chill for 30 minutes.  (This step is essential because the dough is very soft and when chilled is much easier to work with!) After chilled, roll out each piece between two pieces of wax paper carefully placing one in bottom of  9-inch deep-dish pie pan.(just turn into pan and carefully remove wax paper) Place the other crust in fridge until ready to use.

For Filling:
5 C (4 or 5 large) mangoes peeled and cut into bite size chunks or 1/2 in.slices
1/2 C. granulated sugar
1 Tbs. almond extract
1/2 - 1 tsp. cinnamon
2 Tbs. flour
1 tsp. lemon zest
2 tsp lemon juice
1 egg beaten added to 2 Tbs. water (egg wash for crust)
Whipped cream or ice cream, for garnish

Directions:
Mix together mango chunks, sugar, extract, spices, flour, zest and lemon juice and pour into crust. Mixture should be moist but not wet. Cover pie filling with second crust, crimping edges. Brush with egg and water wash. Cut vents in top and bake pie 45 to 50 minutes until crust is golden. (350 degrees)

Serve warm with Vanilla Bean ice cream or whipped cream.  Delish!

(just ignore my messy table in the background!)

The Harvest

I LOVE this time of year.  It's my absolute favorite. If I could have my wish it would be Fall for 6 months and the other seasons could divvy up the other half of the year.  I love bringing in the harvest from the garden and shopping farmer's markets and roadside stands. Everything fresh and delish!  I keep plenty busy canning and dehydrating, making jam and building my food storage. Lately, I've been making everything from scratch. (Bread, yogurt, laundry and dish soap...to name a few) I'll blog about some of that later.

This week, I've canned pears, froze homemade tomato sauce and dehydrated onions, garlic, celery, green beans, Italian plums...and it's only Friday!  But it's harvest time and there will be a huge pay-off when winter is here and we are warm and cozy enjoying the yummy comfort foods of Winter.
My family loves Soft Ginger Cookies.  For us they are the culinary symbol that Fall is here! I thought I'd share:

Soft Ginger Cookies

2 1/4 C. flour
2 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
1/4 tsp. salt
3/4 C. butter (margarine or shortening are fine too)
1 C. sugar
1 egg
1/4 C. molasses
2 Tbs. sugar

Combine dry ingredients and set aside. Beat butter until soft. Gradually add the 1 C. sugar, beating well. Add egg and molasses; beat will. Stir in dry ingredients.

Shape into 1 1/2 " balls. Roll in granulated sugar and place on ungreased baking sheet and 2 1/2 inches apart.  Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 12 minutes or until light brown and puffed. Let stand 2 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool. Makes about 2 dozen cookies.
This recipe double and triples without any problems. They taste even better the next day.  Enjoy your harvest!

I chopped it off!

I finally got the nerve to chop off my hair. (don't make fun of my weird facial expression...it's a 

do-it-yourself photo!) I think most people are emotionally attached to their hair, especially us 

girls. I am probably a teeny, tiny bit more concerned about my hair than the average person.  As 

a little girl I had long, thick beautiful hair and received a lot of attention over my hair. My Dad 

used to tease me about cutting it off. My sisters enjoyed wearing their hair in many hair lengths 

and styles but I was terrified to cut my hair.  Kind of a "Rupunzel syndrome", if you will!

 I'm over it now, and have had my hair short a few times over the years.  I usually go back to a 

longer length eventually. I guess that's my comfort zone. My husband really likes my hair long, 

and so maybe that is another reason I stay in the long hair zone.  But, the older I get...the less I 

care what other people think! So, I chopped it off.  And it feels really good.

 

Getting back in the saddle!

So, after a few months of neglecting my blog, I decided to get back in the saddle and attempt to keep it updated.  Trouble was...I couldn't remember anything about my blog, except the name.  I guess I can attribute it to old age!  But, I'm not that old.  So, I decided to blame it on busy-ness.  Anyway, I finally had a glimmer of memory and found my poor nearly empty blog.  Somehow it was linked to my son's email address and since I'm technologically challenged, it took me awhile to get things worked out.  And here we are! Here's to another try!