How not to get melted crayon wax out of a mini muffin pan...

There are times in life that you know you look like an idiot...this was one of them. 
      I was in the process of making a first run of the home-made cream puffs that I am taking to a Christmas party in a few weeks. Matt ran to Dollar General to get whipped cream, and I pulled out the mini muffin pan.  It was then that I remembered when I used it last...to melt crayon pieces to make new crayons.  Apparently, I did not clean it out...ugh.
     Here was the thought process...I will simply put it in the oven to heat it up while I clean the kitchen, and when it has melted, I will then wipe it out.  Sounds easy right??? What would be even easier? Putting it in at a high temp. to heat it up real fast!!!
      I was putting the dishes in the dishwasher, starting to smell melted crayon...
      When, out of my peripheral vision, I see something that is not right...a light, glowing in my oven...the light does not work in my oven...

                    "OH NO!!! THE OVEN IS ON FIRE!!!!"

       I pulled the oven door open to find 24 mini fires in my mini muffin pan...."What do I do??? What do I do???" I wasn't going to pull out the fire extinguisher for this! So I did the next best thing...
      I pulled out a hotpan holder and grabbed the pan.
    
                 "HOTROD! OPEN THE BACK DOOR!!!"

                                  "I can't mommy!!!"
                 (If you know of my back door, this is true....)

         What did I do with the flaming pan in my hand??? Why, I ran through the house to the front door, opened it, ran down the porch steps and threw it in the grass!  To my dismay, it landed slightly sideways and caught the grass on fire!

                                    "OH NO!!!!!!!!!!!" 

          If you were outside at the time, you would have then seen me, wildly hitting the pan and grass with my hotpan holder, with two children standing behind me watching their crazy mother!!

         To say that I have laughed hysterically over this, would be an understatement...just ask Matt. :)

Santa came to town!

This past Saturday, Santa Clause made a trip to our small town.  We all went to the square to see him!  A fun time was had by all, and I hope you enjoy the pics of some of our friends that joined us!

Can I have too many close ups of my girl??? NO!! :)

Our friends A and E

You never know what they are discussing.

This year we went with the wagon so that we would not have a repeat of last year.  What happened last year?  CLICK HERE to read! :)

Wait a minute!! Who invited this guy??? The kids were not impressed with him. :)

Really? I can do that?

I found something today...

 Something that I should not have stumbled upon... 

It is wrong that I stumbled upon it. 

 The possibilities of this find will blow your mind!!!!

OOOOHHH WHAT YOU CAN DO WITH THIS!!!!

Coffee mug cakes and brownies...

you read right.

You can make single serving cakes and brownies in a mug in the microwave.

Everyone just say it with me....wow.

I have one sitting here with me...it is not bad. I did over cook it. I will know better next time.

Oh, here is the link. :)

cake in a mug

You can thank me later.

My views from the lake

Here are some of the pics I took off the dock at our condo in Hot Springs.  It was worth the burning sore throat I came home with. :)

Why I have a line between my eyes...

Grocery shopping...

• daughter crying b/c mommy will not push the race car. (mommy has tried and literally can not push that cart!)
• hair pulling
• scratching sister's face...the cries that follow
• son touching everything possible, pop on the bottom. yes, in wal-mart.
• calculating in my head the price of canned tomatoes w/or w/o a coupon and if the store brand would still be cheaper
• not paying attention to my children while I am doing this and finally realizing that my daughter (in the front of  the basket) is looking down my shirt.
• daughter trying to lick the basket
• son constantly jerking on the basket...pop on the bottom each time. again.
• take the kids to the potty, wash hands.
• Little sister tries drinking from the faucet while I am distracted with big brother running his fingers all along each and every surface in the bathroom.
• shopping again, and daughter has to poop.
• back to the bathroom...daughter does not poop.
• back to shopping
• worn out by this time...we go to two stores...
• "Son, stop doing things that you think I can not see.  I can see you even when you think I can't."
• My budding gentleman opening all the car doors for me...from the inside of the car...and stepping on my open container of California rolls at the same time.
• Finally getting into the car, and catching my reflection....the line that has now formed between my eyes is so furrowed that I don't think I can salvage the damage done.

This is why mothers look worn out and frazzled...and I only have two.

What happens in Hot Springs, stays in Hot Springs...

Unless you take pics and post them on your blog...:)

As many of you know, one of my best friends (the one I have known the longest) turns 40 in a couple of weeks.  She wished to take a trip with her three closest friends and we made it happen!

It was a fantastic trip! We had so much fun in Hot Springs, AR.  It really is an awesome place.

We rented a condo on a lake and went back and forth around the area to the historic district and different sites.

(What happens when I get cut loose from reality for a few days...)

On Sunday we had a wonderful brunch at the famous Arlington Hotel.  They had everything from a chef making donuts, lunch items, fruits, cheeses, smoked salmon, caviar, to another chef making a to-order omelet with a slice of prime rib.  To say nothing of the ambiance of the early 1900's room.  It was beautiful!

My cohorts...Beth, Lisa C, and Lisa Mac. on the steps of the the Arlington.

I love to experience new things when I travel, and this time it was caviar!  To say that I caused a small amount of chaos on our table to get this picture, would be putting it mildly. :)

What was also fun? Pulling out the iPhones to do research on this type of caviar.  Apparently, red caviar comes from salmon.  It costs $200 a pd.  I ate a small bite, finding it to be very salty with a fishy after taste. (go figure, right?) I could have taken it or left it.

Thank you, Beth, for being my beautiful hand model. ;)

This was taken in the Fountain Room...aptly named.  This fountain was beautiful! So sorry you can't see the rest of it, but that is what happens we someone else is kindly using your camera.

This is just one side of the outdoor patio of the hotel. Can't you just imagine walking down it in the full dresses and umbrellas? Or elegantly swinging down in your flapper dress?

Can't wait to show my other pics!

Grapes!!! and more grapes!! and then more grapes...and more...

This past Friday, my order of Concord grapes came in. I ordered it from a local, mom and pop company that finds small orchards ,who practice organic farming as best as they can, and buy the whole lot. They send out emails and let you know what is coming and when it is available.

This is an awesome opportunity! When I picked up the boxes of grapes, I had never smelled such fragrance from grapes! Wow!  I guess I have never bought Concord grapes before.

I was so excited! I borrowed a grape steamer-juicer thing, from a friend and got busy the next day.

Do you realize how long it takes to pull 40pds of grapes from their stems?????????

I worked for two days, making juice and jelly. And truth be told, halfway through the process, I was quoting my bro-in-law, "you know, you can buy that at Wal-mart". I had to remind myself why I was doing this.

I am at home...I have the time, and opportunity, to give my children what I consider the best type of food. Not everyone can do this, I am privileged to be able to do this.

And then it came...Hotrod asked for his first taste of juice...he took a sip...and gave me the biggest smile he could manage.

"Thanks, Mom."

That is what I do it for.

(I did take a few minutes to take pics of the grapes. They were too beautiful not to!)