COME ALONG FOR A RIDE AND A GOODIE....

Come with me for a little ride my friends...

"HIGHWAY TO THE DANGER ZONE
GONNA TAKE YOU
RIGHT INTO THE DANGER ZONE"

(Kenny Loggins)

Yes my friends come with me, do not be afraid, I am a great
driver! Yes, I got my drivers license at Sears, it is ok...and
no, it is not fake, my buddies have assured me it is real. My
mom said I could drive but no texting and I'm ok with that...
"Highway to the danger zone"...let her rip!

(Don't look at the hands on the wheel, those are fake hands!)

Hey ma...I'm getting a little scared here...

Ah, don't worry Cougar, I'll take the wheel if he does anything crazy!
Ok Mom, but I don't think his beadie little eyes can see very well and
besides that, he drives too dang fast for me!

Oh who cares, I got my Mom to keep me warm... gonna get some zzzzz's.

We're off to the farmers place get some hay for the horses, hang on everybody!
The farmer sure has some rough looking dogs, one has a gimpy leg and the other
one has only one ear...I heard the farmer say that a coyote got it!

ER ER ER ER ERRRR!
Thats Welcome Home talk from our rooster.

The horses love it when we pull in with a load of hay, they get so excited!
As soon as we open the gate to where we store their hay, they head in there
faster than we can get out of the truck to get them out of there.

Oh num num num...wish we could eat in here all the time.

My Hunk-a-do getting things all lined up to unload this big bale of hay.
(And yes, that is my shadow in the bottom taking pictures of my honey,
thats my job you know.)

Hook the chain to the corral post and one, two, three, out it comes!
Landing in the perfect spot...is there anything we can't do honey?
Guess not...team work, we're good at that. I think raising our 8 kids
together taught us that. ( We had 2 of these big bales in the truck.)

Hi Mom...Am I rolling in the loose hay? Who me? No, not me,
I wouldn't do that! I'm just laying here out of the sun.

Ahhh, ok, you caught me! But Mom, you gotta try this, it is some
kind of wonderful! It scratches all my itches just perfect...ahhh.

And then I'm goin shake it all off so you can pet me...
wait a minute...I feel a shake comin on..watch out!!!

Mr. Red and Jeff are getting anxious for some of that new hay...
come on throw it right into the feeder..come on!

Thanks for coming along for the ride and the bale of hay ladies!
And now for a yummy recipe that I just know you will love!

"HOMEMADE TWIX BARS"

Make the base first;
1 cup flour
(cake flour if you like)
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter
Mix and then press into a
9x9 pan...bake at 325' for 20 min.

Filling;
In a pan, 1/2 cup butter
2 T. corn syrup
1/2 cup condensed milk
1/2 cup brown sugar
Bring to a boil, reduce heat and
stir for 5 min. Pour over hot base.
Chill 1 hour in fridge.

Now, melt in microwave, 1 min. at
a time a large (100g.) Cadbury milk
chocolate bar. Pour this over the filling.
Cool and let set up. Cut and enjoy!

Our daughter Lindsey on the right and her husband Michael with
their baby Sophia, along with their friend and realtor Larz Askeroth.

This is the day they signed the papers for their new home. Lindsey said they
felt so nervous but they look pretty calm and happy to me, and now they
are just loving the new home.

See that fake rock at the bottom of the picture, well...

The other day as my other daughter and family were visiting
Lindsey and was time to go, so they packed up the baby and loaded
things into the car...but where was their little boy Caleb?

They all looked all over and were starting to feel a bit panicky.
One of them lifted the rock...and there he was! All that time he's been
hiding in such a good hiding spot that no one was going to find him!
And they nearly didn't...Kids!



And before I go, I wanted to share this about us women...

I love that and it is so true. Thank goodness for good women everywhere!

No matter if we are of different faiths, we have so much in common too.
There are so many good women of every faith everywhere, doing a great
job of raising and loving their families and that is what it's all about.

Have a great rest of the week my friends, sending you my love and hugs!

ENJOY GIVING YOURSELF AWAY!

I have loved this little book for years! Have you heard of it?

It's a cheerful book full of great ideas that will bring you and

those around you happiness, and help to make your world a

happier place to live in.

He teaches us to always obey those warm hearted impulses

when they come into our hearts. And tells us that if what we

have to give may be just warmth of heart, that is enough. If

we think of our heart rather than our purse as the reservoir

of our giving, we shall find it full all the time!

He teaches that it takes bigness of spirit to praise the great

and the successful, instead of envying them. And he quotes

George Matthew Adams who said; "He who praises another

enriches himself far more than he does the one praised. To

praise is an investment in happiness...The poorest human

being has something to give that the richest could not buy."

He says that more than anything else, the world needs the
healing influence of a great surge of simple thoughtfulness
and kindheartedness. Such a surge is beyond the power of
the world's rulers. It must start with US, as individuals.
One thing is for certain: When we set out to give ourselves
away, fully and freely. our hearts make direct connection
with that great central source of light and power, God, the
giver of all good things.
~~~~

I hope you can get your hands on this little book and take it
into your heart, it has changed my heart and it fits hand in
hand with the scriptures that teach us the same thing.


I am making candy today...the easiest candy there is!

MICROWAVE FUDGE

Stir together:

1 (lb.) box of powdered sugar
1/2 cup of baking cocoa
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 cup of milk
1 T. vanilla

Stir together in a 1 quart dish,
Top with 1/2 cup butter.

Microwave 2 min. Stir til smooth
Blend in 1 cup chopped nuts
Pour onto wax paper lined 8x8 pan
chill

Delicious and it could not be easier!

MICROWAVE CARAMELS

In a micro-safe bowl combine:

1 cup butter
2 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
1 (14oz.) can sweetened condensed milk

Cover loosely with parchment or wax paper.
Microwave for 4 to 5 min. or until butter starts
to melt. Now, whisk to combine. Microwave for
4 to 5 min. more. Whisk well. Now do it again for
4-5 min. then whisk again.

Now add the Vanilla.
Also at this point you can add:
nuts, I added 1 c. sliced cashews.

Our caramel into a pan that has been buttered.
Chill for 1 1/2 hours or til just firm. Use a buttered
knife to cut into 1 " squares.

You can wrap each piece in waxed paper squares
or place in candy cups to give or serve. Store at
room temp. for up to 2 weeks. Makes about
50-60 pieces. SO GOOD!

Caramels are definitely my favorite candy!

These are fleece scarves all wrapped up to be given for Christmas.

I have been making these scarves...9 of them...for all my

daughters and DIL's for Christmas. They were so easy!

Just cut two 4" pieces of fleece from a 64" wide
piece of material, sew them together at one end.
Then sew a regular stitch, right up the middle of that
long strip, pushing the fleece forward. It will sew gathered,
if you want more gather, sew up the strip again, doing the
same thing. It gets twisty as you do this. So easy and so cute!

I got this great idea from a friend who is so very creative!

From the blog..Just Another Hang Up...She is such an

inspiration to me.

Last post I told about this bundt cake that I make every year

for all my neighbors..20 of them...And several of you wanted

the recipe so here it is! It makes a lovely neighbor gift, I do 3

at a time in my oven...they are SO GOOD. Have fun making it!

HEAVEN'S CHOCOLATE CAKE

1 chocolate cake mix
4 eggs
1/2 cup oil
1/4 cup of baking cocoa
1 cup water
1 small pkg. instant
chocolate pudding.

Mix all of this together,
for 4 minutes. Pour into
a well greased and floured
Bundt pan. (I just use Pam
spray to grease pan)
Bake for 45 minutes in a
350' oven. Take out and
cool for 15 minutes in bundt
pan, then tip out onto a nice
plate if giving as a gift or serving.
Cool for 30- 45 minutes

GLAZE
(Glaze when the cake is still
slightly warm.)
1 cup powdered sugar
2 T. soft butter
1 to 1 1/2 T. Milk,
(or lemon or orange if you
prefer a flavored glaze)
Mix together and pour over cake.

You can also decorate cake
with seasonal sprinkles, nuts, or
crushed candy canes etc.
Sometimes I fill the center hole of
the bundt cake with candy etc. before
I wrap them up. I get the cellophane wrap
at Walmart.

Have fun my friends! This might be my last post until after Christmas,
So I just wanted to again, send each of you all my love and THANK YOU
for your friendship and sweet kindness given to me this past year. It has
meant so much to me! Love you all...MERRY CHRISTMAS! :D

CAMELS...CANDY... and...CHRISTMAS CARROT PUDDING

I saw this most darling Christmas book the other day.

The illustrations just made me laugh out loud. It is a

Ideals children's book, written and illustrated by a lady

named Carol Heyer.


It is the story of a most spoiled camel and his long, cold
journey to Bethlehem. The story reminds all of us of the
importance of Christmas and the true meaning of gift-giving.

He thinks he should be named Most Beauteous

and Exalted King of All...instead they call him....

" HUMPHREY "
But even worse than that, he has lost his dearest possession,
his glorious blanket and he suffers terribly with the cold!

And on top of all that he has to carry heavy chests on his back!

But when he looks into the baby Jesus' eyes, he is

overwhelmed by love. He pulls his new treasured

blanket from off his back and lays it as a gift, ever

so carefully upon the tiny child.

He smiles, and his

nose and whiskers tingle with joy. He is happy to

his toes, and even without his new blanket, he feels warm.

He then says, " BELOVED, MOST BEAUTEOUS and EXALTED KING

OF ALL should be his name. Instead, they call him JESUS THE CHRIST."


~Treat time~

CHOCOLATE ALMOND CLUSTERS

8 oz. semisweet chocolate, chopped
1 1/2 cups roasted, salted almonds

On a large cookie sheet, arrange 48 paper or foil
mini-muffin or candy cups in a single layer.
Or, line the cookie sheet with waxed paper.

In a large microwave safe bowl, microwave half
of chocolate on high 30 seconds. Stir and repeat
until chocolate just melts. (About 1 min. 20 sec.)
Cool 3 minutes (for a shiny finish).

Stir in almonds until evenly coated. With a
measuring teaspoon, drop 1 spoonful of the
mixture into a muffin cup, fill all cups like this.

Refrigerate at least 20 minutes or until set.
These clusters can be refrigerated in an air
tight container up to 1 month but I am betting
they won't last that long, they are so delicious!

CHRISTMAS CARROT PUDDING

Mix and sift these dry ingredients together;
2 1/2 cups flour
1 1/4 cups white sugar
2 1/2 tsps. baking soda
2 1/2 tsps. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. cloves
1 tsp. salt
2 1/2 tsps. cinnamon

Add;
1 1/4 cups brown sugar
2 1/2 cups grated carrots
2 1/2 cups grated potatoes
2 1/2 cups grated apples
2 1/2 cups seedless raisins,
(plumped)
1 1/3 cups chopped dates
1 1/3 cups chopped nuts
1 3/4 cups melted butter

Pour into empty, greased, cans (15 to 20 oz.)
(Fill cans 2/3 full). Cover top of cans with tin foil
held on with a elastic. Set cans on a rack, in a large
kettle with water coming up about 1/2 half way
and steam in a 350' oven for about 2 hours.

Serve warm with whipped cream or I like this
sauce.

"Quick Lemon Sauce"

1 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
dash of salt

Mix powdered sugar,
lemon juice, and salt.
Stir until sugar is all
dissolved. Add a little
water if necessary to make
sauce of thin consistency.

-OR-

"Lemon Sauce"

In a large sauce pan, stir all of this;
1/2 cup white sugar
1 Tablespoon cornstarch
1/8 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. nutmeg

Pour in;
1 cup boiling water,
simmer over low heat
until thick, stirring a bit.

Remove from heat, stir in;
1 Tablespoon butter
1 tsp. grated lemon zest
the juice from 1 lemon.

Serve over Christmas pudding.

One bite of Christmas Carrot Pudding and I am totally
taken back to my childhood Christmas'. Oh my, those
wonderful flavors say to my heart...grandma's house...
mama's house... and I can smell all those same smells again.

The flavors stay in my mouth for a good long time, it's so Heavenly!
You have got to make this, it's not that hard and you will love it, I promise!

" LOVE, LIFE, AND JOY IN THE HOME "....

" LOVE IN THE HOME"

If I lived in a house of spotless beauty
with everything in it's place~
but not have love, I am a
housekeeper...not a homemaker.

If I have time for waxing, polishing
and decorative achievements
but have not love, my children
learn cleanliness...not Godliness.

Love leaves the dust, in search
of a child's laugh.
Love smiles at tiny fingerprints on
the newly cleaned window pane.

Love wipes away the tears before
it wipes up the spilled milk.
Love picks up the child before it
picks up the toys.

Love is present through the trials.
Love reproves, teaches and
is responsive.

Love crawls with the baby,
walks with the toddler,
runs with the child,
then stands aside to let the
youth walk into adulthood.

Love is the key that opens
salvation's message to a childs heart.

Before I became a mother I took glory
in my house of perfection.
Now I glory in God's perfection
of my child he lent to me.

As a mother, there is much I must
teach my child, but the greatest of
all...is LOVE.
(unknown and added to by me)

(I have the above picture in my home...it's my favorite)



NOW...LETS HAVE SOME FUN...

" KOOL-AID PLAY DOUGH"


Mix together:

2 cups flour
1 cup (non-iodine) Salt
4 tsps. Cream of Tarter

Add and stir til dissolved:

2 T. Veggie Oil
2 Cups of Boiling Water
2 Small unsweetened Kool-Aid pkts.
(red and green works best)

Combine dry ingds. with wet...
knead til cool....PLAY!
(store in covered containers, stays soft)

" HOMEMADE STRETCHY GOOEY GAK"

Pour into a plastic container
and stir...

1 cup of Elmers Glue
Food coloring, your choice
(optional, it can stain)

Add 1 cup liquid starch
a little at a time, stirring with a
spoon or kneading as it thickens.

Keep going til it holds together
like putty. If too sticky, add more starch
in small amounts until mass is
smooth and rubbery!

Now...go have a gooey Gakky fun time!
~~~~~~~~~~

" TAFFY "

Three cups of Sugar
Half a cup of Vinegar
Half a cup of Water
Juice of one Lemon

Boil without stirring til
is brittle (place a drop into cold water)
Pour onto a buttered dish to cool.

When cool enough to hold in buttered hands,
Pull til white and light, then cut into small
pieces with scissors and place in a covered
jar. It's important to keep this candy dry.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

" TAFFY PULL "

I can still smell the vinegar
cooking with sugar and water,
boiling to a "hard ball"
oiling platters.
pouring all the thick liquid
onto them, and cooling
it in the snow!

Oh, we could hardly wait
to rub our fingers with butter
how the memory lingers!
Then take the warm sweet
confection and pull and laugh
and sing a song, and pull some more
til the creamy candy stretched
a yard long!

Then we'd snip it into bite-size
chunks that melted
on the tongue-
Such Fun!
~~~


"HAPPY MOTHERS DAY" ....this Sunday!

To each of you my sweet friends...I say;
Go have fun with your children
and those sweet grand children...
that's what it's all about isn't it?

Motherhood is the dearest thing to my heart,
it is so vitally important to us... and to them.

"THE MOST IMPORTANT WORK YOU WILL EVER DO
WILL BE WITHIN THE WALLS OF YOUR OWN HOME."
(Harold B. Lee)

GOD BLESS MOTHERS...EVERYONE!

(I'll be gone for a couple of days and will catch up
commenting on your blogs when I get back....Shelia, you're
in charge of these ladies, make sure they behave! LOL)

BOOKS, GOODIES and A STORY...for you!

I have a bunch of Christmas books...these are some of our favorites, The Christmas Dress for Ellen is a true story and written about my 2nd cousin's family. I love to have them sitting out in a big Christmas basket for all to read.
I love it when a grand child brings me a book and says; "Grandma, will you read this to me?" These have been read over and over to our children through the years.

I have been busy this week making candy and goodies for our family to eat at Christmas time..."O Henry Bars..."Bliss Bars"(thank you Kasey at Lola B's)..."White Chocolate Crunch"..."Cashew Caramels"...and "English Toffee"

Here is the recipe for the Caramels...it is the easiest and the best recipe I have ever used...I hope you'll enjoy it!

MICROWAVE CARAMELS

Butter a 9x9" pan, set aside
In a large microwave-safe bowl combine;
1 Cup Butter
2 1/2 Cups Packed Brown Sugar
1 Cup Light-colored Corn Syrup
1 (14oz.) Can Sweetened Condensed Milk
Cover loosely with waxed paper. Microwave on 100% power for 4 minutes...or until Butter starts to melt. Whisk to combine mixture. Microwave again 4 min. more. Whisk well. Microwave an additional 4 min. Whisk gently.
Add...1 TSP. Vanilla...add 1 Cup of broken Cashews...mix together. Pour Caramel Mixture into the prepared pan.
Chill for 1 hour or til just firm. Use buttered knife to cut into 1" squares. Wrap in plastic wrap or wax paper...store at room temp. for 2 weeks. (Makes 81 pieces)

Another favorite at our house....English Toffee

It was just a few days until Christmas in San Francisco, and the shopping downtown was starting to get to us. Crowds of people were waiting impatiently for slow moving buses and streetcars on those little cement islands in the middle of the street. Most of us were loaded down packages and it looked like many of us were beginning to wonder if all those countless friends and relatives actually deserved so many gifts in the first place. This was not the Christmas spirit I'd been raised with! I found myself shoved up the steps of a jammed streetcar, the idea of standing packed in like sardines the whole way home was almost more than I could take. I stood in an exhausted daze, as people gradually got off, it took me while to notice that there was room to breathe again. Then I saw something out of the corner of my eye.
A small boy...he couldn't have been more than 5 or 6...tugged on a woman's sleeve and asked, "would you like a seat?" He quietly lead her to the nearest free seat he could find, and then he set out to find another tired person. As soon as each rare new seat became available, he would quickly move through the crowd in search of another burdened woman who desperately needed to rest her feet. When I felt his tug on my sleeve, I was absolutely dazzled by the beauty in this little boys eyes. He took my hand, saying; "Come with me," and I think I'll remember that smile as long as I live. As I happily placed my heavy load of packages on the floor, the little Emissary of Love immediately turned to help his next subject.
The people on the streetcar, as usual, had been studiously avoiding each other's eyes, but now they began to exchange shy glances and smiles. A businessman offered a section of a newspaper to the stranger next to him...three people stooped to return a gift that had tumbled to the floor...and now people were speaking to one another. The little boy had tangibly changed something...we all relaxed into a subtle feeling of warmth and actually enjoyed the trip through the final stops along the route.
I didn't notice when the child got off, I looked up at one point and he was gone. When I reached my stop I practically floated off that streetcar, wishing the driver a Happy Holiday, noticing the sparkling Christmas lights on my street in a fresh, new way, or maybe I was seeing them in an old way, with the same wonder I felt when I was 5 or 6. I thought. "So that's what they mean by...AND A LITTLE CHILD SHALL LEAD THEM."
~~~~~

May I add these words....I think it says it the way I want to say it...

Christmas is a glorious time, simple in origin and deep in meaning.It is rich in memories, charitable in spirit, and beautiful in tradition and custom. It has an attraction to which our hearts are readily drawn.
At this season of the year, we remember that our Heavenly Father gave us His Son, Jesus Christ. We also remember that His precious Son gave us His life, the Atonement, and the victory over the grave.
Therefore, let us give to our Lord and Savior the gift of gratitude by living His teachings and following in His footsteps. During His mortal ministry, He "went about doing good" (Acts 10:38). As we do likewise, the Christmas spirit will fill our hearts.
Thomas S Monson
Henry B. Eyring
Dieter F. Uchtdorf

"Sending all of you all of my love....Have a warm and wonderful Christmas"

This will most likely be my last post til after Christmas...wishing all of my dear friends a a very Merry Christmas!