I started this recipe last night. First I made the caramels from scratch last night and then put the brownies together today. They are now out of the oven and cooling. 
Knock You Naked Brownies
1 pkg. german chocolate cake mix (I used devil's food as that's what I had on hand.)
1 C. chopped nuts (I omitted due to allergies.)
1/3 C + 1/2 C evaporated milk, separated
1/2 C melted butter
I batch of vanilla caramels (recipe to follow) or about 60 store bought
1 C semi-sweet chocolate chips
Combine dry cake mix, nuts, 1/3 C evaporated milk & melted butter. Press half of the batter into the bottom of a greased 11x9x2 in. glass baking dish. Bake in a preheated 350 oven for 8 minutes. In microwave or double boiler, melt caramels with remaining 1/2 C evaporated milk. When caramel mixture is well mixed, pour over the baked layer. Cover with chocolate chips. Chill for about an hour or until caramel is hard. Press the remaining batter on top of morsels. Return to the oven and bake for 28 minutes. (Or less if you want gooier brownies.) Let cool before cutting.
Vanilla Caramels
(These are so, so good and I'm probably going to put the recipe in with my Christmas candy making file.)
2 C. sugar
2 C half & half
1 3/4 C light corn syrup
1/2 C butter
pinch of salt
2 Tbls. vanilla extract or paste
Prepare an 8 in. square pan by lining it with foil and spraing it with non-stick spray. (I just used Reynold's no-stick foil & it worked fine.) Combine the sugar, half & half, corn syrup, butter & salt in a large saucepan. (Must be a large one as a medium one will barely hold mixture once it starts to boil and expands. Even a small stock pot wouldn't hurt.) Cook over medium heat , stirring constantly, until the sugar is dissovled and the mixture starts boiling. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally until the mixture reaches 244 degrees on a candy thermometer. (I don't have a candy thermometer, so I just cooked it to the soft ball stage and it worked fine.) Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla. Immediately pour into the prepared pan. (I was using a glass pan so I made sure to place a large metal spoon in the pan and poured the candy over that so the metal would absorb the heat and my pan would not shatter.) Allow to set at room temp. until completely firm. Chill for one hour and then cut with an oiled knife into small squares.
Today was a good day. We took it easy and just piddled around. I found spiral notebooks on sale for .05 cents each at Wal-Mart! My husband didn't know what to think at first when I came out of the store with a BOX full of notebooks. (He had told me to run in and get him a notepad.) I smiled and said, that's $1 worth of notebooks! I got 20 of them. He was pleased by that deal as well. Spiral notebooks seem to be something that we can never have enough of around here.
My daughter grated a bar of Ivory and I mixed it up into a new batch of laundry detergent. I reorganized my dining area and cleaned/decluttered the kitchen tonight. It's always nice to have that done. I went to the local dollar store and found some really nice storage containers. (Traci, they're very similar to yours just a different pattern I think. Thanks for the idea!) I"m going to work on decluttering the living room tomorrow.
That's about all for my world for today. Goodnight all~~
You know how when someone does something hateful to you, it's much easier to take than when it's done to someone you love? Well, that's how I'm feeling right now. Without going into details, my husband was dealt one very dirty hand of cards this morning. He has been trying to wade through some drama the past weeks without getting involved and just trying to keep his head above water and his integrity intact. And he did a very good job of that, if I do say so myself. Over the past two days there were some issues that he simply had no choice but to address. And he did so in a very professional manner. And was even told as much...and that he was in good standing and they knew exactly where the problems lie and that they did not lie with my husband.
And then after being told all that just yesterday afternoon, it seems the powers that be had decided by this morning to turn everything around to make my husband look bad. But that's not even the worst of it. One of the key players in this insidious little game was a man that for all intents and purposes, my husband considered one of his very best friends. Someone who has been a real buddy, for many years past.
So, like I said, if someone did something to me it would be so much easier to just ignore it. But like this, it leaves me upset and flustered and not a little bewildered. I will, however, get it all under control before my husband gets home as the last thing he needs right now is an emotional wife.
People...gah...
We starting our schooling back for the year today and it felt sooooo gooooood to get back into the groove!! The kids did great and we had a good time.
Right now the kids are both bedded down with a movie. One with Wallis and Gromit and one with Santa Clause 3, lol. I've got the laundry done and have gotten hubby's clothes ready for tomorrow. He needed a certain outfit prepared as he has an interview tomorrow evening. (Cross your fingers for us!) I'm not sure what supper will be tonight, but that's the next thing on my agenda to figure out and start on.
Well I'm off for now ~ Hugs!
I haven't been posting much because well, I just get bored of talking about myself, lol. But I know I have at least one friend who gets a bit verklempt if I don't post, so goes to keep the peace, lol.
We will be starting school back this week. I do not yet have my full curriculum purchased, but we should be able to make do with what we have for at least a few weeks.
Not this week, but the next my husband has off of work. I *think* (hope, pray, whatever else you can think of that would help) that we will be pulling up the living room carpet and fixing the floor. If this comes to be, I will take lots of pictures and quite possibly do a happy dance down the center of the road.
We think our current contract is coming to an end, so money will be tight. But, that's pretty much status quo for most folks I know. I'm in good company. 
I'm not entirely sure, but I'm thinking I may end up very soon on a cash only diet and debit cards will be a thing of my past. So much of our money gets used for husband's commute and everything else has to be taken into account. We are going to sit down tonight and have a discussion after the kids are abed. We shall see how well that turns out for me.
I've been having a very low energy day today. I physically feel like I *need* to sleep very hard and very deep and i just can't do it no matter how hard I try. I think it would do me a world of good if I could just get my body to go along with that thought. Maybe tonight it will happen.
Ok dearies, other than that not much going on here. Love and a happy week to all!!~~~~
I spent the better part of today working with my son on the placement test for our materials. Only to realize when done that he had done the placement for the grade he just finished instead of the grade he is to be entering. Honestly, we just can't get these placement tests right. But I'm thinking he's good to go because he scored at almost 100% across the board on all of it, so that must mean he has a good handle on the third grade work we finished last school year. (It's the Alpha Omega placement tests we've been working on.)
I worked some in our small garden this morning pulling weeds. They can come in and take over before I know it. I picked a few things and brought them in. I finally found someone who told me how to pickle the bananna peppers, so I'm happy about that. I will probably have to start doing some of that by week's end.
We may be out some tomorrow to spend the day with a childhood friend of mine. She has this week off and we usually have a hard time finding free time to spend together, so this week is a golden opportunity for us. Hopefully we'll be able to visit and have some fun.
Not too much else going on around here. Hubs has a three day work week this week due to the fourth. So, I'm not sure what he has planned for the weekend, if anything. I'm sure he'll let me know. Take care everyone~~~~
The "Women at Home University" was a wonderful, Christian based four year reading program for women covering all aspects of being a wife and a mother. It was free online. I had not been to the site for some time but was recently looking for it again, but all that is there now is a blank page. Women at Home University
This was a truly awesome resource, I hate to see that it is gone. If anyone has any info. about it being at another location, I'd love to know about it!
GAH.
I had my daughter work on an online placement test to make sure that purchasing the 7th grade curriculum would be appropriate. This test was 20 pages long. Twenty. Ten questions per page. We were on page 19. And then, cyberspace ate the whole darn thing!!! Not only that, but the site will not let us log back in to try and find it, do it over, nothing.
Gah. I'm seriously thinking that it would be just fine for me to go ahead and purchase the 7th grade set. Because at the end of each 10 question page, they gave you the grade for that page. On almost all of them she got 100%. There were a couple that had 90% and one with 70%. They said that in order to progress to the next grade level, you needed at least 70% overall. There was only one page out of the 19 she messed up on and got 50%. I know all that would average out to be above 70%.
I can't believe all that work got dumped though...
I've loved Tasha Tudor and her work for years. I first discovered her many years ago as a young wife and have been a loyal fan ever since. The way she lived her life was so idyllic, so down to earth, so real. She seemed like such a gentle soul. I hope she is at peace.
Here is the article.
I'm actually missing the routine of our school work days. I don't really know what to do with myself without it. This is the first time I've had this happen. Usually, I'm like - oh, how am I going to fit our school work in around everything else when summer is over. Now I'm more like - how many more days till we start back?? It's going to be soon.
But I do feel kind of guilty because our kids haven't gotten to do anything really all that fun this summer. They really wanted to go to the pool some, but because of one thing or another, I haven't taken them one time. They are not good swimmers, but can stay in the shallow end fine. The plan was for hubby to give them both some swimming lessons but that can only be done on weekends and all our weekends have been busy with other things. I really don't want for us to be at the end of this break and them not have done anything fun.
I don't know. We'll see what I can muster up. I think this weekend is not scheduled. Maybe I can see if hubby will take them to the pool.
I know about the controversy surrounding the Pearls and such, but have never read this book. I'm thinking perhaps it's one of those things where certain things can be gleaned from it and others are best left alone?
I'd like to hear what others who have read it think of the book.
I need to be making dental appointments for me and both kids this week. I need some pretty major work done and the kids need some things taken care of. I just really hate going to the dentist. My appologies to anyone here who is a dentist, is married to one or works for one. They just make me all squeemish and weak in the knees. I don't even really know why. I don't think I have a good reason. I've never had what could be called a horrible dental experience. The closest I can think of is when I was 12 and had to have two teeth removed because for some reason there is a genetic trait passed down through the females on my mom's side where we have more teeth than what is considered normal, lol. But even then, I don't remember any great amount of pain. Just some major annoyance once home with all the cotton and bleeding. So, I can't really justify my fear of dentists. But it is there, just the same.
My daughter has taken to having her permanent teeth sprout out rather quickly before the baby teeth even get loose. This, is a problem. Everybody in our family, on both sides and I'm assuming generations back, has had crooked teeth. Nobody has gotten braces. With the exception of my husband. But now at this point in his life his teeth have reverted back to their previous crooked positions - which was just all the more proof to me that braces were and are a grevious waste of money. As may momma always said, "You'll end up getting married anyway, crooked teeth and all." And she was right. I've even said that same phrase to my daughter.
But.
This whole permanent-teeth-are-in-before-the-baby-teeth-leave-the-nest thing that my daughter has going on is making me rethink my previous stance. I am now thinking that braces are in her future. Ug. The way we see it, we have two options.
1. Get her braces, let our dental insurance pay for what it will and we pay for the rest. Which will be alot.
~or~
2. Go over to the Indian Reservation in east Tennessee and take advantage of my husband's and children's ability to get free medical and dental coverage on the reservation because they are native.
I'm thinkin' #2.....
But that still leaves me. Big 'ol scaredy cat me. I have two teeth that I'm awful afraid are going to have to be all but dug out of my head. I'm not relishing that thought. And am even more inclined to continue my habit of forever putting it off. I *know* it's bad. I *know* I should just suck it up and do it already. But....well, we'll just see what happens.....
I was busy babysitting today & we had a fine time. The baby has now left with her mom. My husband is home for the weekend (yay!) and we have finished supper.
As I've said in the past couple of posts, our days are so very quiet and calm right now. Which is a very good thing, for obvious reasons (who doesn't like quiet and calm?) but at the same time it gives the mind some time to run unfettered. Think deep thoughts and figure things out. My life is so incredibly different right now than it ever has been in the past. And there is nary a part of my life that is untouched by these changes. Most of them good, some of them a bit heart breaking.
Let's see...where shall we start? I suppose we'll start with the not so good and work our way up to good from there, ok? (I feel a ramble coming on, so you best either sit back and get comfortable or head for other pastures...)
1. I suppose the first and most obvious is the fact that in a month and ten days we come upon the one year anniversary of my father's death. I do not mourn or grieve over the loss of my parents. And yet I cannot reconcile the way things ended. Intellectually, I know who they both were in the end was not really them...but the end has nevertheless overshadowed all the wonderful years before that.
2. #2 goes hand in hand with #1 in that my father's death and the surrounding weeks worked to nip in the bun any relationship I may have been able to salvage with the two "sisters" (who were, in reality foster children, never having been adopted) and I am still struck dumb by their lack of insight and empathy. I am the only biological child in this family, I had power of attorney and I am the one who was 24/7 caretaker. That was fine with them. But when time came for me to abide by the living will and let daddy go, I was rode hard and hung up wet, accused of "killing" my father. In the end by not only them, but every son in law in the family and even the husband of a friend. There were probably others as well, I don't know. I don't know what to do with that hurt. I don't know how to integrate it into my collection of experiences and move away from it. Please don't mistake what I am saying as a lack of forgiveness. I can forgive quite easliy. It's the slow burn of a pain inside you so strong to make you doubt who you thought you were that I'm talking about. Surely I am not what they said I was. I have to remind myself that I was in a desperate situation and did the right thing. But then...do I really believe that or is it just words? Do you know what it is like to stand by your parent's deathbed and have all the eyes on you in the room silently accusing you of the impending death? I do. The only people in all the world to stand beside me were my husband and Traci. Thank God for them. They are my life line.
3. Shortly after his death, a woman who I had considered my very best of friends...someone I have known for years and our children were the same age (even sharing a birth date) were best friends...one whom in my small circle was one who had been for years one I just knew I could lean on...turned around and stabbed me in the back with a knife so big, I don't even see how she managed to pick it up. It's doubly hard as not only have I lost this friend, but my children have both lost their friends as well.The understanding over it cannot be grasped.
4. Now, on to some good stuff. There is, afterall, very good stuff. At this point in my life I find myself in a marriage that is nothing short than a state of bliss. Oh, if you only knew. Without going into all the sorid details, I'll just say that for eleven and a half years I spent my days treading lightly and my nights even more so. Weekends were a thing to dread and try to survive, not to get excited over. But I stayed, always thinking that if somehow certain layers could just be peeled back and done away with, I would have my soulmate. I knew he was in there. I just knew it. And I was right. I don't even know what the magic spell was that turned things around almost three years ago now. From what I can tell, the Lord used one conversation that I had with my husband, a conversation that I do not even remember, to finally break through and make him see the light. The first good year, I didn't trust it. Always waiting for the other shoe to drop. By the second year I was feeling happy. And now, as I said, things are blissful. I have a calm, quite house. And that, my dears, is such a joy when you know the alternative.
I can say with assurance that I am happier now than I have ever been. Even with the random emotions that are the result of the past year. I am happy. And I'm not waiting for the other shoe to drop. Some days I catch myself grinning or laughing like chesire cat for no apparent reason. It just feels good to be happy. I am hopelessly head over heels in love with my husband, my kids are turning out to be really great little people and the Lord blessed me with a better sister than my real family ever did.
~~~~~~~~~~It's bliss....~~~~~~~~~~~
We've been having a bit of a break for summer and it's been nice. Just slow and easy days. I've been on a new household/housecleaning regime for the past couple of weeks and I have to say that things are much improved. I have some guys coming out this afternoon to take down a big dead tree in my backyard. Much better to take it down than let it come down on top of us of it's own free will.
My insomnia has recently reared it ugly head and in just about as determined fashion as it ever has. But I've been taking some otc sleep aids when needed and doing some other things to help combat it and it has helped. I just have to stay consistent with making sure I take what I need and take notice of how I'm feeling early in the evening so I know what to do.
My friend asked me last night if I would babysit again tomorrow. Which is fine. We had fun the last time and I literally have nothing to do tomorrow, so I'll keep her.
No big, huge, or exciting news around here right now. But that actually suits me just fine. Things really have just been calm and quiet and slow. I'm enjoying it.
Now, about that recipe. I've not tried it, I just found it as a matter of fact but it sounds too good to not share it. And it's perfect for summer. I think you'll agree.
Happy summer everybody!!
RASPBERRY DREAM CAKE
1 box (10 oz) frozen raspberries in syrup
1 box white cake mix
4 eggs 1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 pkg (4-serving size) instant vanilla pudding mix
2 cups powdered sugar,sifted
1/4 cup butter or margarine,softened
1/2 tsp almond extract
Preheat oven to 350º.
Grease and flour a 12-cup Bundt pan,10-inch tube pan or 2 9-inch
cake pans.
Defrost raspberries and drain, reserving syrup in a measuring cup.
Add water if necessary to make ½ cup.
Reserve 2 tablespoons of the raspberries for the frosting.
Put cake mix, eggs, oil, pudding mix, the 1/2 cup of raspberry syrup,
and remaining raspberries in a mixing bowl.
Beat on medium speed for 3 minutes.
Pour into pan(s)and bake 50 to 55 minutes for Bundt or tube pan, or 25
to 30 minutes for 9-inch layers; or until cake tester comes out clean.
Let stand 15 minutes before removing from pan.
Cool completely.
Meanwhile, cream butter with powdered sugar.
Beat in raspberries and almond extract.
Frost cooled cake. Makes 12 servings
My poor boy. He fell and nearly busted his head Tuesday. Then he fell flat on his back (and hard) yesterday and knocked every bit of air out of him. He is really sore today. Poor guy. I'm trying to make sure he just takes it easy.
Today is going to be just a normal housework kind of day. Tomorrow I'm actually going to be babysitting the little girl I used to keep full time. It's been a long time since I've had her and we've all missed her, so we're looking forward to it. So today I want to make sure that all our housework is caught up and things are nice for tomorrow.
I've started using a new walking workout video. I got it through Netflix. I really like it. It's different than most of the videos I've used in the past. I *have* to do things that are low impact. With my back and foot problems I have to be careful. Also, although I do not have any trouble with my knees, I want to keep it that way so I don't need to do too much bouncing around. The reason this video is so good is that for someone like me who is not in shape and who needs to exercise without harming joints, etc. - the way this lady goes through and presents this workout - it's 50 minutes long and I can do the whole 50 no problem. You do work up a sweat and you can tell you are exercising, but you in no way feel like you are compromising the safety of you joints, bones, etc. It's a great video.
Well, I better get off of here. Lots to do today!
You mommies know what I'm talking about. Your child's noise is constantly the background of your day and so much of it can be tuned out as playing, etc. But then you hear that certain cry and you just know. You know you better get there quick because they are really in pain.
I heard that just a little while ago. My son was outside and I had just sent my daughter out there to tell him he needed to come in and help with something. I was putting away dry dishes and then I heard him. I went to the back porch and there he was, flat on his back and I could tell by the way he landed he had hit his head. There was a glass bowl out there that dd had put out there a day or two ago to feed the cat. The bowl was under his head and broke into several pieces. I expected to see alot of blood, but Praise the Lord there wasn't any. It's been raining and the porch was slick and he slipped and fell backwards, his head hitting the bowl and then the porch. I got him up and looked it over and it was forming a knot, but no broken skin. I simply do no understand how he could have taken that fall and not bust his head wide open.
I brought him in and had him change and then put a cold compress on his head for a bit. That didn't last long as the spot was just too tender for him to bear it. It's really knocked the wind out of his sails. He's snoozing a bit on the couch now. Which I'm not even sure if I should be letting him do that as I wouldn't be surprised if he has a concusion. Aren't you supposed to keep them awake for a while when that happens?
But, he didn't bust his head and we aren't at the ER getting stitches right now. Thank you Lord!
Well, this certainly can't be good:
I heard that perhaps later in the summer (maybe some time in July?) they may have them again.
Well, perhaps this means some (sh)people are waking up? But at the same time seeing that shortage/backlog is a bit disconcerting.
Just keep plugging away. We need to be the ant and not the grasshopper.
We love banana peppers and I've got lots of them planted. Both sweet and hot. But try as I might, I cannot find anyone who can tell me how to process them. We like the flavor that is had in the regular store bought ones. Are they pickeled? Just picking off the vine and eating raw does not float our boat. What do I do to get that sweet/tart flavor that we are used to?
I have searched and asked on what is normally my tried and true places when it comes to canning, but everyone just looks at me like I've grown an extra head and shrugs and says they don't know. Does anybody know how to process them? Pickle them? Anything!....
I hope I can make sense out of what it is I want to say. I hope I can convey my thoughts without muddying the waters. And heaven knows, I'm not wanting to offend a soul. I don't think I will, but then you never know. Before I go any further, if you follow the old testament as opposed to the new, you are probably not going to agree with me. Fair warning.
For many people that I know - from reading things online all the way to people I know personally in real life - I have often witnessed a struggle with trying to make Sundays into a day of rest. When the reality of it is that for alot of us - when you are attending up to two services that day - it's anything but restful. I have heard people say that they feel like they've had no weekend, no rest. And if God intended it as a day of rest, then what's wrong here?
Well, what if our understanding of it is a bit skewed? Under the old law the people were commanded to keep the Sabbath as a day of rest. But under the new law, weren't we commanded to gather with the saints and worship? Not rest and have a weekend for heaven's sake.
Our lives are very different than they were in Old testament times and quite frankly, we've got it easy. Some how I don't think that moaning and groaning that Sundays are soooo hard and we just don't feeeeeel like we've had a weekend at all is going to cut it. Perhaps we should just stop whining and do what it is we are supposed to do?? And I'm not being all high and mighty here as I'm preaching to myself just as much as anyone else.
It's just that once I got it in my head - and accepted the fact - that if Sundays are in some ways stressful, then so be it - it has in some ways actually taken stress off of me. One should not fuss, complain or blame the actual commanded act of worship for Sunday stress.
I mean, what is it that is just so horribly hard? Getting clothes ready, children ready and coordinated to leave, getting meal prep done? (And I daresay that some of the people making this particular complaint are not the ones in the household who even have to deal with these issues.) Really. None of these things are worth the amount of complaining I've heard about them. They're just not.
If we can get through all the other days of our lives with kids, meals, and clothing taken care of - trying to act like Sundays are any different is just not going to fly.