where do i begin?

I want the June Cleaver life.

You know, slow paced, kids playing baseball in the

streets, apple pie in the oven,

hubby on the couch reading the paper & smoking a pipe-

oh wait, minus the stinky pipe!

I have envisions of a lifestyle

(that I definitely need to throw in the garbage bin,

because they aren't in my near future)

that are a bit slower paced then the multi lane freeway

we are on right now!

Don't get me wrong, I love my life!

I feel blessed beyond reason everyday!

I would just like have the time to get my

daily "to do list" accomplished-

all of it, in the same day!

Ok, all of that aside here's our latest:

Dinner out for T's 12th birthday.

The kids always get to choose where they want to go,

and it's always a blast!

Love this tradition!

Little Miss M participated in a week long dance camp

hosted by our high school drill team.

They danced at half time of a football game.

Super cute!

After the game a late night treat at Denny's

was much needed.

5 adults & 11 kids makes for lots of entertainment!

Lots of football for B.

His team is undefeated!

Love watching him play!

M went on her first kindergarten field trips.

One to the fire station & another to our local

community garden.

We, and you know by we-I mean me,

picked out a new dining room table.

We've been rocking the last one for about 9 years.

It had seen better days, and I was desperately wanting

something bigger.

Well, I found it!

2 leaves and 10 chairs!

Yea!

My little chickens are out of school for UEA,

so we went to a pumpkin patch.

Burring T in the corn.

The kids loved digging & playing in this corn!

They had fun picking their own pumpkins!

I told them they could have any pumpkin they wanted,

 as long as they could pick it up.

I think they found the biggest ones in the patch!

Petting zoo with the cutest baby goats!





It was hilarious to watch the kids bounce on this

giant bouncer!

They were being thrown all over the place!

Giant slide into a corn pit.

We attempted the corn maze, but after covering the same ground

 more them once we decided to

cut our losses and get the kids a cold drink.

After the pumpkin patch, lunch and a quick trip to Target

we went to see 'Hotel Transylvania'.

Fun, holiday movie for the kids!

Love this time of year & fun memories with these

silly, crazy, happy kid-o's!

 

 



12

My oldest little chicken,

my little bubby,

my #1

is twelve today!

We celebrated with birthday pancakes this morning.

We decorated his door, &

Nana & Papa put out a cute sign.

It's been kind of a drawn out birthday:

Party with friends at the Rockies game in September,
a boys trip to buy his first gun a few weeks ago,
family celebration last Sunday,

and we will take him out to dinner tomorrow,

because tonight he has his first mutual activity!
It's even a Stake YM/YW BBQ!
He will be ordained the Sunday after conference.
I'm a little weepy just thinking about it!

 He requested these yummy brownies for his class treat today.
Of course they are one of my most labor intensive desserts!
Not to mention I dirty a million utensils when I make them,
oh well, totally worth it for my birthday boy!
I have to give credit to my buddy Jen for this recipe.
In fact that's what we call them: Jen's Brownies.
(cream cheese, marshmallow, double chocolate brownie is too long)

These are the ingredients (but I will break it down by layer also):

8 oz. cream cheese

1 1/2 C. sugar

1 1/8 C. flour

1 C. softened butter

3 eggs

2 1/2 t. vanilla

2 squares unsweetened baking chocolate

(you can sub 3 T. cocoa powder + 1 T. shortening for each of the squares)

1 t. baking powder

1 C. mini chocolate chips

1 C. jumbo chocolate chips

2 C. mini marshmallows

1/4 C. milk

3 C. powdered sugar

Blend ingredients for cream cheese layer, and set aside.

For the brownie layer, in a large sauce pan melt chocolate & butter,

remove from the heat,

and add flour, sugar, baking powder, eggs & vanilla.

Add the jumbo chocolate chips

(or regular if you can't find jumbo).

Spread in a greased 9x13 pan,

spread the cream cheese layer on top of that.

Sprinkle in the mini chocolate chips.

Bake at 350 degrees for 28 minutes.

When it's done, top with the mini marshmallows

and bake an additional few minutes.

Marshmallows should puff, but not brown.

While the brownie is cooking I start on the frosting

 so I can drizzle it on as soon as I take it out of the oven.

In a sauce pan melt the butter, cream cheese & chocolate.

Add the milk, mix & remove from heat.

Add powdered sugar and vanilla.

Brownie Layer:

1 square bakers chocolate

1/2 C. butter

1 C. Sugar

1 C. Flour

1 t. baking powder

2 eggs

1 t. vanilla

Cream Cheese layer:

(I get this mixing while I work on the brownie layer)

6 oz. cream cheese

1/2 C. sugar

2 T. flour

1/4 C. butter

1 egg

1/2 t. vanilla

 

Frosting:

1/4 C. butter

1 square bakers chocolate

2 oz. cream cheese

1/4 C. milk

3 C. powdered sugar

1 t. vanilla

I hope I didn't complicate this recipe too much

with my wordy ramblings!



Enjoy!