Nanaimo Bar Goodness

My grandpa Gregson was a Canadian baker. I think a big part of the Gregson's loving treats comes from this. One of the yummy goodies he made are called Nanaimo Bars. Mmmm. We ALL love them! While my dad served his mission in Sweden, my mom got the recipe and sent these little babies across the sea for him to enjoy. To the heart through the stomach, right? I guess so. I made some this weekend and thought you might want the recipe. They are very easy and so rich and indulgent. Enjoy!

Namaimo Bars

Crust:

1/2 c. butter

1/4 c. sugar

5 T. cocoa

2 c. crushed graham crackers

1 c. flaked coconut

1 beaten egg

Melt the first three ingredients, slowly add the egg - a little at a time, so to cook the egg without making scrambled eggs. Mix the wet ingredients with the dry and firmly pack into the bottom of a 9x13 pan. Refrigerate. (add a little extra butter if if seems a bit too dry)

Filling:

1/2 c. butter

3 T. milk

2 T. Birds Custard Powder

2 C. powdered sugar

Cream all ingredients, spread on crust and back into the fridge.

*You can get Birds Custard Powder at most grocery stores. I know Albertson's usually carries it, I most recently got it at Macey's here in Utah. It's in the baking isle, look around the jell-o and pudding area.

Topping:

1/4 c. semi sweet choc chips

1 T. butter

Melt and spread on cooled filling. (I like to double this. More chocolate is always better, right?)

Let these firm up in the fridge for an hour or so. I cut in pretty small pieces. The picture is from a birthday and these are BIG pieces. I've never met someone who doesn't love these.

Give 'em a try!

Babies of All Sorts

We took the kids to see a new baby girl on Friday. Grandma went with us, and the baby was SOOO cute.

She's five or six weeks old and is so full of life. She is curious about everything. I mean, everything! She loves climbing on big round balls, flapping her head against fabric bags, and investigating anything else she can get her hands on. She couldn't hold still for a minute.

Up.

Down.

Up.

What's over here?

What's that over there?

Hmm. Now what?...

And then she'd come to mama for 'boo-boo.' (the Tennis family term for breastfeeding, said in a baby snugglie voice) She just nuzzled right up. "gulp, gulp, gulp" *ahhhh* NEXT. Then the next side. "guzzle, guzzle, guzzle..."

Then - kerplunk -she laid right down and fell asleep. Right on the spot. Just like my babies. I'll bet she had milk dripping at the corners of her mouth, too. I love that.

"Mmm. Nice and full. I can hardly keep my eyes open. Time for a nap." *snoooor*

Really, she was the cutest thing ever. If you haven't guessed yet, this wasn't a human baby - it was the new baby elephant at the Holgo Zoo! Her name is Zuri, but I think I'm going to stick with Baby Ellie and I think she needs a pink bow. Don't you?

Photo courtesy of ksl.com

I think they should have sent out birth announcements to all zoo members. I know I'd love one. She was 36 inches long and weighed 251 pounds at birth. Just a tiny little thing. (haha) And her mama was pregnant 21 months, poor girl!

There are also three new baby tiger cubs at the zoo - waaaay too cute! A baby snow leopard that I think looks like a build-a-bear, and the sweetest baby giraffe. Our last visit, the beginning of August, the giraffe was brand new and about the height of Samuel. We saw her nurse then, too.

I love seeing mothers and their babies. It truly is what life is about.

Sunday Best?

It's official.

Seriously. I know it's bad, but true.

I think I'm going to have to start wearing make-up. *gasp*

I've wondered for many years now, "when am I going to have to start wearing make-up? Like HAVE to?" See, I don't like it. I don't wear it. And I think I look okay without it.

But sitting in Relief Society this last weekend, looking around, I noticed something. I noticed how nice the ladies in my ward look. Only a few are what I would consider over the top. Most wear just enough make-up, they wear a little jewlery, and look really nice. As I was noticing this, I thought, "I don't think I look this nice."

And then I took note of those who, like me, choose to not wear make-up or jewlery. And. The sad truth is. They looked pret-ty bad. I mean really. I thought, "well, at least I don't look like that."

But friends. I think I may be kidding myself. I think the time has come. If I don't want to be 'one of them' - I think a little more effort is going to have to come forward out of yours truly. But see, I hate how when I kiss my kids with lip stick on - it get's on them. Or when I rub my eyes, I have black eyes. Or how my kids pull at any necklace I wear, or Ruby wants to wear anything I put on. Really. It makes me crazy.

So now what?

I think it's time to buck up. I'm 35 and starting to look like the ward weird-o. So. I am hereby making a new effort. I may even try to get in the shower before 8:40, making it into church by 8:59. That may help, huh?

So, it's out there. I'm going to try to look nicer.

Any tips?

Letter Blocks

Remember the other day when I thought I'd never see my counter again? Well, this didn't help.

And remember WAY back in July when I spent a whole week cutting wooden blocks for an enrichment project?

And remember my good friend Amy who helped build the coup AND helped cut all those blocks?

Weeelll. She had wanted to make some of the blocks, bought the stuff, but has never gotten around to it. As a Thank You for all of her willingness to give, I finished them for her! (she's not crafty. she hate's crafts, but likes cute things in her house. so don't worry, I didn't spoil all her fun of making them herself)

So, BEFORE the pear incident of 2009, I was doing this for two days. I had to to share them because they are ALL too dang cute! My good friend Tiff cut all the vinyl. If you're interested in doing these yourself (or for an enrichment), let me know. She'll cut, send measurements, and mail them to you. You'll love them. I made some for myself - but not this many!

I know, I know.

I went a little overboard.

I LOVE ribbon and paper.

It's an illness.

But aren't they cute? I think so.

It's a tie between Halloween and Spring that I like best. Although the Winter line of paper might be my favorite. (it's a little hard to see in the photo) Choices, choices...

Cluckie Cluck Cluck

I realized I haven't posted a picture of "the girls" lately. So, since you're all dying to see them - TaDa! Here they are.

This is the coup the my friend Amy helped me make. Pretty nice, eh? That's Flora giving you a lovely pose. Say, "Cluck!"

Here they are all on their daily walk-about. I don't let them out for very many hours a day. They are POOP machines! But when they're out they love it!

AND...the most recent exciting event:

Welcome to womanhood ladies!

Hooray, they are finally laying eggs. Aren't you proud?

I am.

Sweet Fruit of the Pear Gods

Nice sippy mixed in with the canning and drying, huh? This tells you how things are going around here.

I wasn't sure I'd ever see my counter tops again!

Okay. SO really. Really? After that last post and all of the harvest and what not - would you believe that a very wonderful fruit ferry brought me 100 MORE pounds of pears? Whew!

Yes. It's been another week spent trying to preserve all the sweet goodness of hundreds of perfectly ripe, sweet and delicious fruit. I dried a bunch, canned 20 or so more quarts, and froze a bunch for smoothies later in the year.

I don't think I told you that after all the canning in the past few weeks - my stove died. Like won't turn on, died. (BEFORE all the pears arrived) This put me in a bit of a 'spot' - so to say. Luckily, I live in the land of home canners and preparedness people. My neighbor keeps her camp stove set up in her garage all fall, to keep her canning up as the harvest comes on. So, I used her stove, another neighbors stove AND borrowed a friend of a friends dehydrator. THANK HEAVENS for people willing to share! (BUT, as Sister Ard says, "Every time you let someone else use your things, is one less time you get to use them." Not very nice, but true to some extent. Hooray for people not taking her advice!)

I promise, at least for a week or two, this will be 'it' for fruit.

Only for a week or two?

That's right! Apples are almost on. Apple pie filling and apple sauce will soon be making their way to a jar near you. (or me - and if you're lucky, you'll get some too!)

Fall Harvest

-39 Quarts of Peaches

-2 Quarts of Pears I know, a little wimpy - they were just an experiment

-4 quarts homemade pasta sauce

-Lot's of frozen grapes

-Tons of frozen peppers

-Yummy green beans

What does all of this domesticity equal?

-A REALLY big mess of my kitchen. I mean, whoa Nellie! My floor is a disaster, there are drips of every color from floor to ceiling. That was 100 pounds of peaches, I'll have you know. I guess not only the kitchen is a mess, but the whole house. Holy Cow! The things we do...

*this is mainly due to the many thanks of our wonderful neighbors. Those amazing people that can actually grow things - Unlike myself - and are willing to share with those less able, like me.

Super - preschool!

Ruby's preschool theme this year is Super Heroes of the Alphabet. (it's from a really great book, if you haven't read it, you should) So here she is on her first day of preschool, with her super-hero badge of herself.

Things she loves right now:

*pink
*clothes
*princesses
*dresses
*dress-ups
*jewelry
*shoes
*her stuffed dog, Rosebud, that she occasionally calls "sparkles"
*sucking her thumb
*bows in her hair
*any other girl she knows
*waiting for ballet to start
*Sister Warner, her primary teacher
*bossing everyone around
*her Grammy
*pretending to talk on the phone
*cheerios with sugar on them
*preschool
*snuggling with her mom and dad
*some days, her family
*and any other girl thing you can think of

Matters Into My Own Hands

Before the 'updating' of the Big Blue House, I lost my ipod. My 'ipod touch' that I really, really love! At first I thought I'd find it. Be patient, I told myself. But after several months, I was getting really mad. So I took matters into my own hands.

I decided to dung this place out. And I mean, really get to business.

So I went about this process like we were moving. (did I say I like to move? I think I like to throw things out - that's why I like to move) Anyway, I went through every square inch of this place.

I even found myself doing a little of this.

"This" is what my grandma does. When she would come to our house when I was growing up, by the end of day one, our kitchen counter was full of things looking much like the above photo. Only it was usually items from the fridge. Bottles stacked on bottles of ketchup, mustard, BBQ sauce and the like.

This is how serious I got. I am combining lotions and aloe vera gel. (who knew I even had more than one aloe vera gel?) Anywho - this is just to prove the seriousness of my business. And I do mean business.

I unloaded every drawer, took the bottoms off my couches, cleaned every nook and crannie of the car. You name it, I cleaned it!

NO IPOD!

Argggghhhh!!

There is, however, one place that is off limits to me. It's called, "Peter's Drawer." It's his drawer where everything goes. It is overflowing like you've never seen. And this, of course, is blamed on me. "Well, if you wouldn't put everything in there, it wouldn't be so full." Says The Scoutmaster. "Well, if you would clean it out, just once in a while, it wouldn't be so awful." Says, I.

I think you may underestimate how messy this thing is. Let me demonstrate. Underneath his drawer is a nice big pot and pan drawer. I regularly have to pull tid bits of mail and what not out of my pots, before I can use them. It seriously overflows into the drawers below. See? Messy!

But I am NOT allowed to touch it. No CLEANING!!! Fine. Good by me. But..."Is my ipod in your drawer?" "No. Of course not. Why would it be in there?" "Have you even looked?" I ask. "It's not in there." He says.

Months! And I mean MONTHS, go by. He's even having to help me take the house apart to find this thing! "Maybe it was stolen" says he...

Then one day. THEN ONE DAY!!! I think to myself, while Peter's not home, I haven't looked through his drawer. I bet it's in there.

Two digs deep, and there it is! And the titanic, every plane lost in the Bermuda Triangle, the eighth wonder of the world and every thing you've ever lost in your life - right there in The Scoutmasters Drawer! TA DA!!!!

Don't worry. I phoned immediately. "Guess what? I found my ipod!" "Where?!" He asked so excited for me. "IN YOUR DRAWER!!" I roar! "What? No way. I looked. One of the kids must have put it in there or something." *chagrin*

Yeah right!

"I think it's time to clean out your drawer, don't you?..." "Yeah, I think it might be."

But, just the other day, I saw him look for something and when he was done, it was like shoving the bowling ball back in the tornado of the hall closet. Carefully placing each piece of junk, shove just right, tuck here, push there.....close it! And run!

I think it's just about time to take matters into my own hands. How about you?

Do-overs

What's this? Photos? Yep.

Remember many moons ago when I decided to do some updating around the house? Like, so many months ago, I can hardly count? Well, most of these things have been done since the beginning of summer - but I haven't posted any of them. (remember? camera troubles...) So, here is a little taste of some of the things done around the Big Blue House this last summer.

I made four window cornices (I have NO idea how to spell that). They are made from wood frames I made, covered with batting and fabric. Hung on L-hooks. They were beastly. Everything I have made or done, were from things I had already. I bought nothing new. Let's not forget though - I practically own my own fabric store. *cringe*

This table used to belong to my parents. When they owned it, my mom asked me to paint it for her. It has been tucked away in a corner of my house for three years now, and after selling our kitchen table of 13 years, we decided to use this as our main meeting point in the house.

Here is the wall that you once saw the beginnings of. The picture in the middle is copy of a magazine cover from the early 1900's. It's called "farewell to summer" and the original copy has hung in Peter's parents house for more than 40 years. I've always loved it, and I had copies made this summer when we were home. I made new pillows and curtains for this room, as well.

I know every Mormon house has a wall similar to this. So here's ours.

And this is the kitchen wall. I took most of the photos myself, except for the pieces of artwork purchased at Pike Place Market. It's a little tribute to fresh flowers, produce and the Pacific Northwest.

So, there you are. I did a little work in our bedroom. Made new curtains for the boys. And a few little other things here and there. Over all I am pretty happy with it. Somethings I have to not look at, because they didn't turn out just right and they bug me. Ever happen to you?

This is the longest we've ever lived anywhere, and I think I like to move. So if you can't move, then I guess liven things up. Right?

Flippin' Freekin' Sweet!

The other night, after Family Home Evening, we drove to the Provo Temple and walked around.

We love to do this. Well, I do. The kids think it's a park that they're shushed a lot at. No - they actually all really like it. We did have to grab Baby as he nearly fell (thrust himself) into the fountains several times.

While there, we found a beautiful, yellow, dead bird. We all wanted to bring it home for the freezer. (if you don't know this about us, I'll tell later) BUT, it was pretty big. And Peter decided, "If you have to die, I always say the best place is the Temple."

So we left her there.

Much to the chagrin of Ruby, who woke up crying in the night, asking about the 'girl-bird.' I convinced her it was an 'old-lady-grandma' bird and she was ready to die. After more questions about where the mama was and was the daddy at work, I reminded her of a play date today and she smiled back to sleep.

We've been several times for an evening stroll around the temple grounds. This time though, we had a funny experience that we laughed at for a while. While sitting on a bench, enjoying these amazing 'air pollution from the fires' sunsets, a girl jumped out of a car, sticker with her name on her, and asked if we were married. "Yep." (I sure as heck hope so, lady. With all these kids at the temple - I'd hate to just be dating this guy.) "I'm on a scavenger hunt and need a picture of a couple holding hands walking in front of the temple."

Done.

Who are we to stop the cyntrifical forces of FHE groups?

A few minutes later, now at the other end of the temple yard, another car pulls up and another girl with a name tag hops out. (who wants to be in an FHE group where you have to wear a name tag? That's why Central Washington, while small, is the greatest place to go to school!) Anyway, she starts walking toward us and Peter grabs my hand and yells - "Just take the picture." I think it caught her off guard. Then she says, "Oh. Uh, okay. Thanks!" Jumps back in her car and speeds off.

We're going to be famous! (hahaha)

It brought back so many funny Family Home Evenings of being single. Tag, the orange and the neck game, sardines at the Wilson's farm, skits, musical chairs with the boys being the chairs, firesides at Lion's Rock...oh, I loved those times. Anyway, I was reminded of one of my favorite little diddy's on You Tube. It's from the BYU Film Contest a few years ago. Even if you didn't go to BYU (WHICH I DIDN'T AND AM PROUD OF IT!!!) - It's hilarious. If you had any kind of Mormon Single life, you'll laugh your head off at this.

So enjoy.

(you may have to watch it a couple of times to catch all of the funny lines)