The Ants Go Marching...

Warm weather has finally come to Ohio for good (I think). After a few teasing days, followed by Easter snow that killed all of my spring flowers, I think that it is becoming safe enough to put away the winter coats.

On the downside though, all of God's little creatures are waking up. Yellow Jackets are everywhere. Grubs are squishing along. I even had a spider swing down from the ceiling last night and land right in my lap. Generally, I don't mind buggy little things, but this time of year they make my skin crawl. They seem to be everywhere!

The worst of it is the ants. They have decided to move in. Completely ignoring the fact that we are trying to get someone to buy this house, and therefore would prefer that prospective buyers don't look down and see a corner full of their writhing little bodies. I hate the idea of any spray, but I'm becoming a little desperate. Anyone have a spare anteater they would lend me?

Anyone Have a Basement To Rent?

With the house up for sale again, I've been trying to get to some of those little (and big) jobs that you tend to ignore during the day to day. Cleaning out the freezer, organizing the cabinets, etc., etc.
But the biggest job by far is cataloging all of our media (books, DVDs, magazines, and such). I've found a wonderful, easy to use, FREE site called GuruLib and a little :CueCat Scanner to help me on my way. I love that I can organize books and movies on to different digital "shelves", so that I can say, keep track of Peanut's books with out having to wade through everything we own.

This job has brought me to several realizations though.

1. We have A LOT OF BOOKS!!! and movies.

2. There are so many more books and movies that I want to own, lol.

While doing manual searches for things we do have, I was reminded of lots of great books that we don't. My wish list has quintupled tonight alone! Maybe I should just finish with a blindfold on, lol.

Books...Again!

I've just finished reading two books that I found very inspiring. The first, "Unbroken" by Tracy Elliot, is the story of Mrs. Elliot's struggles through life and her ability to keep her faith in God, even when she wasn't a 'perfect' person. She delivers, in very candid detail, the emotions and inside workings of her faith while dealing with abuse, despair, suicide, and addiction. She also shares her joy in her family and her joy in doing God's work and will. Even if you are not a Christian, you will respond to her strong, unwavering faith in a God who loves us and provides for us, even in the worst of times.

The next was Bono's "On the Move", a print copy of the speech he gave at the 2006 National Prayer Breakfast, urging Americans, and the world at large, to take a stand and start changing policies and taking action to help the suffering people of Africa. The speech itself is moving and thought-provoking, and when coupled with the pictures taken by Bono himself on an earlier aid trip through Africa, you will find your mind stirring to think of things that you can do to aid relief. His call to action is strong and touching. A very emotional read!


As an aside, I know that this blog seems to be nothing but reviews of good books that I have read lately, and I apologize for that. I think I'm going to move my reviewing to a site of it's own (as that seems to be the only thing interesting enough to talk about in my mind lately, lol) and see if it doesn't jump start my posting here at Confessions. We'll see what happens. I promise to become better about more timely updates!

Randy Alcorn

I just had a chance to read two new books by Randy Alcorn and found them enjoyable. "Wait Until Then" is a lovely illustration filled book about a young boy with disabilities and his ailing Grandfather who both love baseball, and are not able to play. The Grandfather teaches the boy and his family about anticipating heaven and our new bodies and lives.

"Heaven for Kids" is a child-friendly version of his book "Heaven". It gives accessible answers and explanations for many of the questions that children (and adults) may have concerning what the bible has to say about heaven. Very easy to read and understand, he also uses many excerpts from C.S. Lewis' "Chronicles of Narnia" to illuminate his meaning.

All in all both were very enjoyable and very kid-centric. I would definitely recommend them, although, as with any book of faith, they are best enjoyed with someone who can help the child answer any questions that may arise while reading.

Snickerdoodles

Shishyboo from Australia wrote to ask what Snickerdoodles are and if they have something to do with the Snickers candy bar. Well, sadly no, Snickerdoodles have no chocolate, but are very delicious just the same. They are a cinnamon and sugar cookie created by the Dutch and German communities (like so many of our best desserts here in America, lol). The recipe is a very easy one and oftentimes is the first cookie that little bakers make on their own.

Snickerdoodles
(from Allrecipes)
2 3/4 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter, soft
1/2 cup shortening (non hydrogenated), soft
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp sugar
2 tsp cinnamon


Preheat oven to 400F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
In a large bowl, cream together butter and shortening, gradually adding the sugar until mixture is fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, followed by vanilla extract. Gradually mix in the flour at low speed until a dough is formed.
In a small bowl, combine sugar and cinnamon. Roll 1-inch balls of dough in the mixture and place on baking sheet. Cookies will spread, so leave about 2-inches between cookies.
Bake for 8-10 minutes, until set.
Remove to a wire cooling rack immediately.
Store in an airtight container when cool.
Makes about 4-dozen.

But...

I do have a couple favorite recipes involving Snickers Bars.

One that is rather involved but worth the work:

Snickers Pie

Crust:
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
4 teaspoons brown sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted

Fudge Layer:
1/2 cup unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces
4 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
1 ounce unsweetened chocolate, chopped
6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1 egg yolk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups (about 8 1/2 ounces) 1/2-inch pieces
of Snickers bars

Cream Cheese Layer:
10 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Topping:
2 ounces milk chocolate, chopped
3 tablespoons heavy cream

For the crust: Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9-inch deep-dish glass pie pan.

Combine crumbs and brown sugar in a mixing bowl. Add melted butter, stirring until well incorporated. Press mixture evenly onto the bottom and up the sides of prepared pan. Bake for 5 minutes, until crust is set. Transfer to a rack to cool.

Keep the oven temperature at 350 degrees F.

For the fudge layer: Combine butter, semisweet and unsweetened chocolates in the top of a double boiler; set over simmering water and stir until melted and smooth. Remove top insert and cool slightly.

Sift together flour, baking powder and salt into a mixing bowl.

Using an electric mixer, beat together sugar, egg and egg yolk in a large bowl for 1 minute, until slightly thickened. Add vanilla and cooled chocolate mixture and mix until well blended. Add dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Pour into crust.

Bake for about 15 minutes, until a skewer inserted into the center comes out with moist batter still attached. If crust browns too quickly, cover with foil.

Transfer pan to a rack and let cool for 10 minutes. Evenly arrange Snickers bars over the top.

For the cream cheese layer: Using an electric mixer, beat together cream cheese and sugar in a mixing bowl until smooth. Add egg and vanilla extract and beat until smooth. Carefully spread mixture over the Snickers bars. Bake for 15 minutes, or until cream cheese is set. Transfer to a rack to cool.

For the topping: Combine chocolate and cream in the top of a double boiler. Set over simmering water and stir until chocolate is just melted and smooth. Remove from heat. Dip a spoon into mixture and drizzle decoratively over the pie.

Refrigerate until well chilled. Serve cold. The pie may be prepared up to 3 days ahead. Cover loosely with foil and keep refrigerated.

Serves 12 to 16.


And one that is easy and a little bit different:

Snickers Salad recipe

6 Granny Smith apples (or any tart apple)
6 large Snickers bars
12 ounces Frozen Whipped Topping
Chocolate sprinkles

Chop the apples and Snickers bars into small bite-size pieces. Mix thoroughly into the whipped topping. Use the sprinkles for garnish over the top. For best flavor, refrigerate for several hours.


Needless to say, neither of these is low fat, but they are both oh-so-good!

The comic fangirl rears her ugly, nearsighted head

I'm going to interrupt the usual housewifely tone of this blog to geek out a little bit. I have always been a nerd. I did well in school, I dig comic books, I tend to salivate over good sci-fi/fantasy, I have very questionable fashion sense, etc. And throughout my marriage I have been slowly dragging my ultra-cool-guy husband over to the dark side, introducing him to the joys of graphic novels, Harry Potter fandom, and entertainment that doesn't involve cars, horses, or heavy metal. Now my husband is the one who tells me what happens on the TV shows that I miss and who drags me to every Marvel movie that is released. Which leads us to the actual topic of this post.

We went to see 'Ghost Rider' this weekend.


Squeeeeeeeee!

Can I just say that Nicholas Cage's eyebrows deserve their own credit at the end? I LOVED this movie! So well done. The shots and effects we're beautiful. The story was quick-paced and enjoyable. The characters well cast and developed. I couldn't have loved this movie more if I had written, directed, and produced it.

Admittedly, this isn't a book that I have more than a general knowledge of, so I'm not sure how well it stays true to the original story, but that hasn't effected my enjoyment of most other comic movies and definitely not this one. The story line is a bit scary for little ones, so no one under thirteen, but everyone else, go see it this weekend!

And now we return to posts about aprons and the funny things that kids say.

Snow

Finally, we received enough snow to sate even Peanut's desires for winter fun!

Housekeeping Meme

I was tapped by the lovely thicketdweller over at Today's Lessons for this fun housekeeping meme. Read and be appalled at my daily habits, lol.


Aprons - Y/N? If yes, what does your favorite look like?

Yes. I tend to collect aprons at the same rate as dust bunnies. I had my husband install a coat hook on the wall next to the fridge, just so there was somewhere to keep them close by. My favorite is a small purple half apron that my grandmother made when she was a new bride. It has a large burn down the front that has a great story to go with it and I smile every time I see it. My everyday apron is a voluminous yellow striped affair that I made with leftover fabric from my sister's baby shower tableclothes.

Baking - Favorite thing to bake: Pies and cookies. Especially Apple Crumble and Snickerdoodles.

Clothesline - Y/N? NO! And I have been begging for nine years now. My husband always has some excuse as to why we can't have one. I've even drawn up plans for a removable version that we could attach to our deck so that he wouldn't have to mow around it and we could put it away when we were not using it, but still no dice.

Donuts - Have you ever made them? Not since I was a girl. My husband is diabetic, and that sort of thing is just too much temptation. But when I was little, I used to help my dad make them. He has this great bread dough recipe that has been passed down through the men in our family. There are no measurements, only a handful of this or that, and he has adapted it for other uses such as doughnuts and sweet rolls.

Every day - One homemaking thing you do every day: Put away mountains of toys and books.

Freezer - Do you have a separate deep freeze? Yes, and it is indispensable. I would have several more if I had the room.

Garbage Disposal - Y/N? Yes, but I don't use it very often.

Handbook - Home Comforts, which has info on anything housekeeperly that you could ever need and my Betty Crocker Cookbook which reads like a textbook on basic cooking and has helped innumerable times.

Ironing - Love it or Hate it? I love ironing but there are so few things in our everyday wardrobe that need it. I do get excited when it's time to press napkins (sad,sad,sad)

Junk Drawer - Y/N? No, my husband has a thing about jumbled drawers, so our drawers are neatly organized and labeled with containers for every little screw, nail, and twist tie.

Kitchen - Color and decorating scheme? Light oak cabinets with darker floors and periwinkle walls. I had the color made to exactly match the shade of twilight sky that we stood under when my husband first told me that he loved me. (I know, sickly romantic) It's a color that makes me feel so happy! There are lots of bottles and pitchers and cobalt glass sitting around. I like my decor to also be functional.

Love - What is your favorite part of homemaking? I love organizing all of our household stuff and researching the best way to do something. I don't know why I don't do it more often.

Mop - Y/N? No, but I wish. With a three year old in the house, the old rag and knees is the only way to get all of the grime and miscellaneous food that gets scattered around.

Nylons - Maybe three time a year. I'm a long skirt and knee socks kinda gal.

Oven - Do you use the window or open the door to check?- I open the door due to the fact that there is a disgusting layer of burnt grime on the window that I inherited with the house and have never been able to remove.

Pizza - What do you put on yours?- We put on whatever happens to be in the fridge, but the favorite around here is the old mozzarella, pepperoni, bell peppers combo.

Quiet - Read, read, read and think.

Recipe card box - Y/N? Y What does it look like? I have three stacks of cookbooks on the kitchen shelves that I use most often, plus two large three ring binders of loose recipes and a small photo album to hold my hand-written recipe cards, AND two small index boxes of cards, one of which was a home-eco project in high school and I still use it to this day (thank you Ms. Stealle!). I also have half a shelf of what I call "fun, but not on a weekday" cookbooks in the livingroom.

Style of house - What is the style of your house? Eensy-weensy 1950's cookie-cutter Ranch.

Tablecloths and napkins - Y/N? Yes, which my husband fought me on at first ("Can't we just use paper?") but I notice that now he can not eat without a napkin, even when he's eating in front of the television.

Under the kitchen sink - Organized or toxic wasteland? The front row of things that I use on a daily basis is beautiful, but behind that, scary.

Vacuum - Not much, most of our floors are wood.

Wash - How many loads of laundry do you do per week? 4 0r 5

X's - Do you keep a list of things to do that you cross off?Always! Lists make me feel like I am accomplishing things.

Yard - Y/N? Who does what? My husband does the mowing and the heavy work, I do the planting, weeding, and planning.

Zzz's - What is your last homemaking task before going to bed? Making sure that the timer on the dishwasher is set and choosing what to thaw out for the next day's meal.

"The Yummy Mummy"

This past week I had a chance to review a new (to the US) book, being published by Hyperion this month; "The Yummy Mummy" by Polly Williams.

I have to say that I was very pleasantly surprised. Most reader moms could tell you that "Mommy" fiction is all the rage right now; 1."Oh motherhood is so hard", 2."I'll try harder and apply myself to being better/prettier/thinner", 3."It worked and now my life is perfect!" is the usual rough format. And that is exactly what I expected going into this book. What I didn't expect was the true clear voice that Ms. Williams brings to her main character, Amy, and therefore motherhood itself.

Amy is a new mom of an adorable little daughter, Evie, but at six-months, she is fighting a major case of the baby blues, dissatisfied with herself, her looks, and her life in general. She also fears that Joe, Evie's father, is having an affair. So, when she meets Alice, a mom who seems to have it all together, she is inspired to make herself over, in Alice's and the other 'yummy mummy's' images.

She soon realizes though, that 'yummy mummy' life is not all it seems to be and not the answer that she thought it was. Life seems more complicated and problem filled, not less. And we, as readers, join her on her journey through the ins and outs of finding yourself after becoming a mother.

What struck me most about this book is the trueness and familiarity of Amy's thoughts and feelings. I found myself constantly saying "that sounds like me!" Amy's struggles could be the struggles of any new mom. And though most American moms would be thrilled at the idea of a year's worth maternity leave and a maternity stipend, the cultural differences are not off-putting or overly obvious. Amy is an 'any-mom'.

Some of my favorite bits:

"I change Evie into a fresh nappy, ready for her sleep. Her skin is soft and feels damp. Her eyes are locked into mine, following me around the room. Sometimes this dependancy makes me dizzy with love. Other times, like today, it brings on a strange, cloying claustriphobia. I have to push down the clawing desire to break free, to run, to dance, into the pit of my stomach. And there it stays, a silent creature spitting up disorienting vapors, tastes of freedom."
***********

On lying awake long after man and child have fallen asleep:

"I pretended I was asleep when he came to bed. Four hours later I'm still here, fiercely awake, thoughts rattling in my head: Mum, haven't phoned; Grandma, haven't written; Evie needs a teether. Why is it that I have a brain like a cocaine-fueled city boy yet I supposedly don't even "work"?"
**********

"Does motherhood really require a complete sublimation of self, or just the bits that are public?"
*********


In "The Yummy Mummy" you will find almost all kinds of middle-to-upper class mother represented. Whether it be in the yummy mummies, the local playgroup mums, Amy's own mother or in Amy herself. I guarantee you will find something that strikes a cord of your own 'mother's heart' in this book.


Polly Williams. com

Hyperion Books

De-Lurking Week

Well, here it is, De-Lurking Week. I know that I am no one to complain about people being silent, but I'd love to hear from you guys! Leave a comment about yourself and a URL or email so that I can get back to you and thank you for de-lurking.

Yea!!

We are getting some snow!

It's very light and not sticking much, but it's snow just the same!

I'm sitting here on my beautiful new log bed (a wonderfully extravagant Christmas gift from my in-laws ), watching the flakes drift past the window, and feeling like I'm at a mountain lodge enjoying a vacation.

I love Winter!