My new hobby ...

... which may be short-lived! I have often been awed by my aunt's ability to make a great cake. And, I always find myself staring at cakes wondering how on earth they do that. So, I decided to give it a go. I thought I'd start with cupcakes since I'd be able to practice MANY times without making MANY cakes. I don't really know my neighbors, so who would eat all those cakes?!

I learned a few things.

• First, if you actually check your baked goods at the right time (and if not finished, every couple minutes for real) they actually turn out without burning.
• Second, if you measure the ingredients correctly, your baked goods will taste like heaven. And, I'm talking, running the knife over the edge of the measuring cup to get it perfect and everything ... a "heaven" taste isn't easy, after all.
• Third, air-tight tupperware is fantastic for storing icing. However, unless it's a huge tupperware or a tiny bit of icing, don't try and re-whip the icing in the tupperware.

So, here's where I started. Yes, they're a bit misshapen. I don't know why. Please ignore it. Thanks.

And, voila. Quick and easy as those kitchens on tv.

Okay, not really. It was several hours, a two year old that decided he was FOR SURE not going to go to bed, a hubby who had to get up at the crack of snot and was exhausted and a woman who seriously didn't know what she was doing. But, I did it! Oh, why did I do it, you might ask? Because I'd promised to send my misshapen little practice treats with McH to work. And, The Mommy doesn't break promises ... most of the time.

And the colors? The last picture is the most accurate. McH was a doll and stopped at the store on his way home to pick up food coloring. The sweetheart got ... NEON. I'm still laughing.

Oh, and did I mention they taste like heaven?

Beer Chops

I thought I'd share with y'all my latest recipe. I rarely make pork chops, but in an effort to get our lives into a better routine, I thought I'd try something new. I'd also never used my crockpot before and let me tell ya, I love it!

So, here it is. Beer chops:

2 butterfly pork chops
1 onion, sliced into rings (for only 2 chops, I'd say a small onion would be plenty)
salt/pepper
garlic seasoning
2 tblsp BBQ sauce
can of cream of chicken soup
can/bottle of beer (preference)

I used two butterfly pork chops, but I think the amount of sauce would handle another pork chop. Cut the chops in half and season with salt/pepper, garlic powder (I used a garlic grill seasoning mix). Brown the pork chops and onions in olive oil. Put in the crockpot when browned.

Mix the cream of chicken soup and 1/2 can/bottle of beer in a bowl. Add more seasonings to taste and bbq sauce. Pour over chops and cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 2-3.

I checked mine at 6 hrs and they were falling apart. I also made the sauce into gravy with some corn starch and water.

Hope y'all enjoy it like we did! My in-laws said it made great leftover sandwiches!

Stompin'

Well, I'd like to keep this post to one topic, however when I downloaded our stompin' pictures I realized there were a few from AZ in there, so I'll add those in here first. Mumble really loves fruit, especially if he can do it himself! Here he is with Cissy eating an orange ... he likes it, ya think?!

All mine!

Here we are on our way to the Pheonix Airport. Mumble decided to try his hand at the camera!

Mumble missed the pool already! He's practicing how to hold his nose when he goes underwater!

Here's daddy and Mumble chillin' at the airport.

I think daddy was trying to sleep, but someone wasn't havin' it!

He's a zerbert master!

On to the Stompin'!!! This weekend the in-laws are here visiting and I forgot that I'd turned the sprinkler on very low for Mumble. Cut to hours, yes HOURS later and we had created, by accident, a mud pit! Here's Mumble looking for Nana to come back from their van.

Stompin' around in the mud pit.

Plop!

Mama, is there something on my face?

This is way super fun!

Ahh! More skin to get dirty! Now, how do we get more water up in herre?

Enjoy your muddy summer days!

The Mommy vs. The Frog

Maybe it was a toad, or I should say is a toad. And, I should also say that I am safely in the house and the frog/toad is still outside ... on the porch ... actually right outside the door.

So, here's the story. It begins with ants. Many ants. Ants everywhere. Most harmless, but few that are the mean-o kind. The fire ants. They've invaded my home, my yard. Attacked myself and my son. They are awful and I believe that I've developed a very serious fear of ants, red or otherwise.

Which lead me to spraying this lovely bug killer around the doors and floorboards.

Anyway, it brings us to the frog. Toad.

Aries spent time outside while I did the inside and then was in for a while when the outside was done. So, it was time for the pup to get outside. He dove out the door and I saw this poor frog ... toad, hop sadly across the porch to get away from the scary dog. I did my best to protect the sad little hopper while my doggy did his thing. I brought my furry friend in or started to and noticed the sad hopper coming toward the door rather than away from the door and where I was heading. Hmmm ... I stomped. I clapped. I grabbed a broom. I tapped it in front of the hopper. What did he ... it ... do? It attacked! No, I had to be wrong. So I tapped the broom in front of him again and he ATTACKED IT!

Seriously, I was going to call my father-in-law. Why? I don't know. I threw a bucket at it. Really. A bucket.

I think he's still out there.

Favorite Foto Friday

HA HA! I've done it! It's Friday and here's a Favorite Foto!!!!

In honor of my yard that needs some serious attention, here is a couple of Mumble playing in the mud. One of these Fridays I'll actually get some new pictures!

Autism

I have a big desire to be socially active and aware. At the same time, I'm barely able to keep up with dishes much less figure out what's going on in the world! But, I've found a petition for a cause that has come to mean a lot to me over the past year or so. There is a group of women that I've met during our adoption who were also adopting. One of them has a very sweet son who is Autism. I've decided that the best is to simply allow her words to speak.


From Tara:

Many of us mom's with kids on the spectrum feel that there is a link between the onset of symptoms and the enormous amounts of vaccines that our kids receive often at one appointment and when the conditions to vaccinate (not sick, not on meds, etc) are not favorable.

Right now, the government (lower case g because that's how I feel about them) has set the statute of limitations at 3 years from symptoms to file a law suit in what they call "vaccine court".

We missed the deadline and so have millions of other mom's and dad's. We missed it because we were told that we would never "win" and honestly we were too focused on getting our son the BEST therapy that we could during the critical early intervention years.

I beg you, I plead with you to PLEASE sign the petition to extend the statute of limitations. Whether you agree or not, we need more time because the science is JUST now coming out (The Hannah Polling case) and former CDC members (Bernadine Healy) are saying that there very well could be a link and we aren't just a bunch of kooky parents.

I appreciate you helping me fight the good fight!!!

Peace!

http://www.PetitionOnline.com/vaccjust/

Fancy Schmancy Pictures!

This last vacation to Arizona was the first time in quite a while that my whole immediate family was all together. Well, we were back at Christmas, but the days were flying by. Anyway, we got out and had our pictures done. They just came in today, so here are some of my favorites!

Our threesome.

The whole family: my dad, mom, brother, grandmother and us.Cissy and her monkey.

The threesome monkeying around.

Monkey chillin' on a box.

Two plus one equals family.

So beautiful.

Lovin' it up!

Mommy and Mumble playing.

A gorgeous, rambunctious boy!