Real Snow!

(Mike wanted to call this post "Winter's Last Gasp!" I said NO)

We had what I would call "real snow" last night. It probably snowed about 2" in an hour which doesn't happen often in our area.

Indy got her first driving in the snow experience. I suggested she come home around 8 pm - which was met with the usual eye rolling and remarks that she needs to learn to drive in the snow in case she goes off to college where it will snow! So, as decided, we spoke again at 8 pm and Indy agreed to head home around 9 pm because it had been freezing rain and was just starting to snow, with temps dropping below 32. Apparently, her boyfriends family was appalled that we let Indy drive home. I gave her my best snow driving 101 over the phone, and she was relieved when I told her snow on top of ice was better than driving on ice. Once she got down the onramp to the freeway, we hung up after I told her to take her best guess at where the lane was and to keep her speed down. I waited by the window, not really nervous, but just wanting to know the second she made it home. Just about the time that I was starting to think she should be here, I remembered I forgot to tell Indy to power up the hill for momentum. I called her just in time. Her headlights appeared and the mom in me breathed a sigh of relief. Snow doesn't bother me, it's the ice I worry about.

Indy had fun relating her discovery that when your car is covered in snow, it is NOT a good idea to roll down the window to get it off because half of it lands on YOU! She had a wet seat for the drive home!

We had about 4" of snow when the cats went outside this morning. Here's a great shot of Pixie who was running around like a nut in the snow.

Bunko?? I don't think so....

Roughly 3 or 4 times a year a bunch of the guys from work get together for a tournament style, Texas Hold'em, Poker night. Last night it was held here at our house, which is conveniently 2 miles from the office. We had 15 players at 2 tables. One guy talks a lot a smack and for some reason has an excess of luck when it comes to poker, so one of the other players offered a $20 bounty for taking this guy out of the game. Gib was very interested and was watching me play, wishing he could join in the big boys game. Turns out that one of the players at my table had to leave, so he went "all in" expecting to lose, but ends up doubling his stack. Still he had to leave so we decided to let Gib take over his spot. Talk about excited! I was the first one out, so I got to watch Gib play. He did very well, thanks to the Hoyle computer card game he used to play all the time. Anyhow, Gib ends up taking out the guy that had a bounty on his head and pocketed $20. One of the guys immediately emailed everyone at the office from his blackberry announcing that Jon was taken out by a 12 yr old. It was great. As players fell out, the game was consolidated to a table of 10 and Gib was still in the mix. He was going strong, but ended up losing most of his chips on a hand that he held pocket Aces, but the other player pulled a hand of three fives on the river card. Gib ended up in 6th place out of 15. Chrissie said Gib better not end up in Gamblers Anonymous.

Toll House Pie

Here you go Kristin (and Chocolate Chip lovers everywhere)


1 cup butter (I used Crisco shortening)
2 eggs
1/2 c. flour
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. brown sugar
1 c. chocolate chips
1/2 c. pecans (optional)
1 9" deep dish pie shell, unbaked

Combine butter, eggs, flour and sugars; mix well with electric mixer. Fold in chocolate chips and pecans. Pour into piecrust and bake at 325 for 1 hr. Serve warm, topped with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream. (Or send to school in your kids' lunch box if they ate popcorn instead of this yummy pie!)

Bye Bye Birdie

Tonight is opening night for the high school musical of "Bye Bye Birdie"!!

Indy is playing Margie and is in the chorus, Taryn is also in the chorus. The girls said last night's dress rehearsal went great and they are ready. The play runs Thursday thru Sunday.

We're going to the Saturday performance. I like to let them have a performance or two before going, because when I was in ballet productions, I always felt a ton more nervous when I knew someone in the audience. If it was possible to sneak in and not let them know I was there, I'd do it!! I'm really looking forward to seeing my girls in a play again together. It's almost as fun as watching them play on the same soccer team! (The only thing that makes the soccer more fun is watching Indy take someone out who was too agressive with her sister!)

Side note: Another little "m" for me last night. Bummer. But still, it's alot better than a big ol' giant M.

25-50 degrees off

I baked PIES yesterday! Mike was so funny when he came home and saw an Apple Blueberry with Crumb Topping and a Toll House Pie on the counter. He looked so puzzled, then he went the route of did someone bring us??? And then he noticed the baking sheets and put 2 and 2 together and, almost insultingly, in disbelief exclaimed "You Baked?!" Ha ha - they are really good pies too.

The story behind the pies:
Part One: I tried to break my oven (while it's still under the 1 yr warranty that came with the house) by using the handy self-clean option (it always broke my other oven) - because the temp is off by about 25-50 degrees, which can seriously affect the timing and doneness of whatever you're baking. And it was cool and windy yesterday, so I could open windows while heating up and smelling up the entire house. We have a bottom oven plus my mom's in the event it did break. It still works, darn it, 25-50 degrees off too.

Part Two: For Thanksgiving, I thought I'd make a pie or two. Didn't happen, but I had purchased the ingredients. My friend Lara needed almond paste, and I just so happened to have it on my pantry shelf gathering dust. She only needed a couple tablespoons, so she returned the unused portion. After looking at it sitting so forlornly in my fridge the past couple weeks, and having one of those Visiting Teaching appts right smack dab in the middle of my day - which meant I couldn't go anywhere, I decided, what the heck, let's make pie! I'm sure my VT'ers thought I was a nut, excusing myself several times to check on the pie progress. As soon as they left, I threw together the Toll House pie since I had 2 pie crusts. I figured my kids would like it better than the fruit pie. Wow - who knew it only takes like 10 minutes to throw together a chocolate chip pie?!

As soon as that pie was out of the oven, in went the lasagna's I signed up to take to the Theater kids for their dinner last night. So my oven was on for like 6 hours! Still works, 25-50 degrees off.

Mariah was the only one who sampled the Toll House pie last night (Can you believe that!?! They had popcorn instead. What's wrong with these people?) - it's not like my pies are horrible either! So today they all have a slice of it in their lunch bags. It's a case of bringing the mountain to mohammed. I balanced it with pretzels, peanut butter, carrots and celery. Am I not the most wonderful mother and homemaker in Tennessee or what?!

Little m's

Yay! I have only two teeny tiny little m's and no big M's on my calendar since starting the new migraine meds. The big capital M's were major migraines. I take a pill every night, luckily it's a cheap generic, and I have a different med if I take for break-thru migraines. That $5 pill for little m's hurt more than the actual headache! But hey, it worked, I didn't lose two days of my life, so there you go. I'm happy, happy, happy to say that so far, no cravings and no weight gain...and, nobody's come close to dying, so it's all good!

Spring is here!

Spring is here; today and yesterday were no jacket days. Planting has begun. The earth moving work is complete. Still have irrigation to do, but that doesn't stop the planting. Many trees have been added. In the picture, Chrissie is planting the first of three Forsythias.





Indoor soccer is now finished. I got some pictures of Taryn during her last game. She played goalie the first game and assisted the other team with their scoreless effort! She likes to play goalie, but her size does not allow this in outdoor games. She takes advantage of the opportunity in the indoor arena. She played forward in the second game due to a jammed finger from the first and scored a goal. Her team finished second for the season. Indy's indoor team took first with an 11-1 record and 106 of a possible 120 points. I never remembered to bring the camera to her games. Spring outdoor season begins next Saturday. Indy and Taryn play on the same team in outdoor.





Bye, Bye, Birdie is in crunch time. Indy and Taryn were at practice from 10am to 5pm yesterday and will practice after school till 10pm Monday thru Wednesday. Opening night is Thursday. We will be attending the Saturday night performance.

Mariah has lost another tooth and has pocketed the monetary reward. She can't have but a few more left that need to go. She has been invited to three birthday parties in the span of one week. This is social heaven for her.

Gib has decided to tryout for track and field at the middle school. Tryouts are this upcoming week. He should do well. All of our kids have some speed. This was certainly inherited from Chrissie, because I never had it.