Wordless Wednesday - Indoor Playground Fun

Hesses Madhouse People of the Year

Time Magazine revealed its person of the year today, so I thought it might be fun to announce mine as well.  Here are the rules.  A person of the year cannot live in the Madhouse and he/she cannot be a person I work with directly through church.   He/she has to be someone I've met face-to-face.

There have been so many that have influenced my life in 2011.  Here are a few:

My cousin C.J.

I hadn't met C.J. until this year.  I had seen pictures of her when she was a child and heard stories about her from my mom, but we'd never met until 2011.  She came from Idaho and helped organize the Stegner family reunion.  She came and lived under our roof for a few days and bonded with #6 almost immediately.  It was a JOY to meet her and spend time with her on two different occasions.  So happy to have her in my life now!

The Asanos

The Asanos lost everything during the tsunami in March.  They are the representatives for Mormon Helping Hands in Furukawa, Japan.  After losing all that they owned, they didn't sit around feeling sorry for themselves but immediately jumped in to serve those around them.

Stegner cousins

C.J. is in the photo as well, but these people came from far away just to meet up with family.  I was impressed with the bond that forged immediately when I met them.  LOVED being with them and hope this won't be the only reunion we have.

The Holz cousins--my mom's mom's side of the family.  These people had no clue who I was, I'm sure, but they made the effort to get together for dinner.  I descend from most of the Holz' great aunt, who had only one child, my mother.  These Holz's descend from my grandmother's brothers.  Funny how family just feels like...well...family from the moment you meet them.  Special thank you to Jeff for taking the time to play tour guide as well.  So great to get to spend time with him and all of the Holz's and Stegner's.  Love you all!

Sister-in-law Janelle

Oh my goodness!  Not enough can be said about this WONDERFUL woman!  I LOVE her!!!  She jumped in when I said I was going to Spokane.  She was the driver of the rental car--thank goodness (I can get lost in my own backyard).  She had a brand new calling as Relief Society president in her ward but left and came with me.  She was more than patient while we sat and chatted about family and was just sweet and kind the entire time.

Dear friend Tonya

I look at her photo, and I just want to cry.  Tonya was my salvation more than once during 2011.  It's been an intense year.  Tonya went back to school, yet she took the time for a friend.  On more than one occasion, the phone would ring and there would be Tonya on the other end of the phone asking if I wanted to have a spontaneous girls' night out.  Thank you, Tonya, for taking the time out of your busy life to prevent me going any further insane.  I LOVE spending time with you!  You are an angel!!!

Taffrin

How could I leave out Taffrin?  I have loved Tuesdays.  They have been an opportunity to look a little closer at that light at the end of the tunnel that has been school.  It has given me a glimpse of what life will be like--spending time with my children and doing things we like to do--not always sacrificing for the things their mom has to do.

Cub Master Steve

This man puts his ALL into his calling.  He goes above and beyond for the kids in our ward.  You'll notice the boy in the photo has a red mark on his face.  Steve makes scout rituals memorable.  I appreciate the friendship our family has with his.  Thank you for the example of service, Steve!

Tom

Tom should probably have been on my list a couple years ago, but I didn't have a list back then.  I was happy to run across this photo of 2011.  Here, #2 is getting his Life Scout award.  His next step is Eagle.  I include Tom here because I give Tom 95% of the credit for #2 getting to this point.  Tom, who wasn't much of a scouter in his youth, fully embraced that fact and makes it possible and easier for this younger generation to achieve more.  I appreciate those who make time and the effort to help my kids out.

Jayne

I was so impressed with Jayne!  She and Chuck with the museum were wonderful to meet and spend time with while we were up in Spokane.  I had been in touch with Chuck for months before we took the trip, but I hadn't had much contact with Jayne.  She was fabulous!  Her outgoing, warm personality made her a friend immediately.  She's doing a wonderful work for the Spokane Valley and preserving its history.

Julia

Julia is WONDERFUL!  Most of the photos you see on this blog--on the header and on the sidebars, were taken by Julia.  She also did #1's senior photos this year and made the special trip up here to Portland to take some photos of #7.  She's got some AMAZING talent.  I wish I had a photo of her taking pictures.  She's down laying on the ground, climbing on things....It's fun to watch.  She's always thinking and just views life in such an artistic way.

Vic - Morgan's grandmother

Oh how I love this woman!  I have also been impressed by Morgan's mom, but I've never met her face-to-face, or she would  have definitely been on my list.  I have known Vic for more than twenty years.  During 2011, as they faced the ups and downs and ultimate passing of Morgan, Vic commented about how she never thought she'd ever be strong enough to handle something such as that.  I just want to assure you, Vic, that the rest of us knew you could.  You are a wonderful example of Christ-like love and service.  Thank you for the example you've set for so many of us!


So many others should be on this list, but I have limited the list to 12--one for each month of the year.

It has been a wonderful year!  A HUGE and special thank you to those who supported #1 and me and our trip to Japan--through donations, cookbook purchases, kind thoughts and words and especially prayers on our behalf.  Thank you to those of you who've helped get kids to and from school.  Thank you to those who've taught my children at school and church.  Thank you to those who've watched my kids so I could study or take a break.  Thank you to fellow bloggers who've shared your wisdom and experience and thus made my life just a bit easier.  Thank you MOST OF ALL to my family--fellow residents of the Madhouse-- for your patience and support as I've attempted to keep a grasp on just who I am supposed to be and have attempted to see some personal goals through to fruition this past year.  Thank you for loving me through it all.  I look forward to 2012 with you!

Tuesday: Tooties wiff Taffrin

Woke to find no eggs in the fridge this morning, but that was NOT going to stop me from keeping this tradition.

Today we made Jam Thumbprints. To be honest, the girls weren't overly thrilled with them. They're not as sugary or gooey as they like. They're a shortbread cookie, but I put some glaze on top. Here's the recipe:

JAM THUMBPRINT COOKIES

Preheat the oven to 350^.

In a mixing bowl, combine:
1 C. butter
2/3 C. sugar
Cream together and add:
1 tsp. vanilla
Mix together and gradually add:
2 C. flour
Mix until the dough forms a ball.

Ideally, at this point, you should refrigerate the dough so that it's easier to handle, but we didn't, and it was just fine.

Roll dough into 1" balls and push with your finger to make a well. Put a small dollop of jam into the well.

Bake for 14 minutes.

While they're baking, mix together:
1 C. powdered sugar
a bit of water (enough to make a glaze consistency)
1 tsp. vanilla

Once the cookies are out of the oven, drizzle with glaze.


We all sat down and enjoyed some hot chocolate with our cookies.

ENJOY!!!

Cookies wiff Kaffin: My FAVORITE Cookies

My kids informed me, and as I listen closer I can hear, that it's not "cookies wiff Kaffrin" but "tooties wiff Taffrin."

Today we're making my VERY favorite cookies in the world.  I don't make these very often--mostly because they have to sit in the fridge for four hours before you can bake them.

We're going to go ahead and make them anyway today.  I'm going to send dough home with Kaffrin with instructions on how to bake them.  This one isn't in the cookbook probably just because I don't make them very often.

We've donned our holiday aprons and the David Archuleta holiday station is playing on Pandora.  Hands are washed (with the ABC method).  We're ready to go.  Here's the recipe for you.....

Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

Ingredients:
1 C. cocoa (the unsweetened powder kind)
1/2 C. oil
2 C. sugar
4 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
2 C. flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 C. powdered sugar

Instructions:
Mix the first three ingredients together; add the eggs one at a time; throw in the vanilla.

Mix the flour, baking powder and salt together and throw them in and mix them into the first mixture.

Cover the bowl and put it in the fridge for four hours.

After the four hours is up, preheat the oven to 350^.  Grease the cookie sheets.  Roll the dough into 1" balls and roll them in the powdered sugar.

Bake for 10 minutes.


I hate to add this little detail, but it MUST be said.  These are AWESOME with a vanilla milkshake.

Cookies wiff Kaffrin

Here's the link to the giveaway.  Enter to win one of the Madhouse Cookbooks.

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In all the time I can remember, I don't think I've ever welcomed a Tuesday morning like this morning.

So happy to have a moment to slow down and make cookies with the girls. Only this morning, we're not doing cookies. I have a couple of bananas that are BEGGING to be made into something else, so we're making this recipe.

I've made myself a hot chocolate to sip away at (the hot chocolate from the dry pack cannery is TO DIE FOR, but make it with milk.  WOW!).

Went to the library last night and laid out the rest of the final project for personal finance.  Ends up it'll be more than 100 pages long when all is said and done. PHEW!  Can you see why I'm so happy for a moment to slow down?

Kaffrin brought #7 the CUTEST pair of gloves and socks this morning.  I'm not sure I'm going to be able to get #7 to take those gloves off to make bread this morning.  Kaffrin's grandmother put the trim around the socks and gloves and sells them at bazaars and things.  They're darling!  Complete with jingle bells on the gloves. So CUTE! 

Speaking of Kaffrin, I called my dad last night to help me with part of my project.  He told me the most amazing story--a miracle that happened in our family while my younger brother and I were on our missions.  As part of that story, he brought up a very familiar name.  I'd never heard him talk about this person before.  He shared a story about that man's dad too.

I clarified who he was talking about and sh#7ared with him that that man's granddaughter'd be coming over to play with #7 and make cookies today.

How cool is that?!  My dad was friends with not only Kaffrin's grandfather, but her gread grandfather too.  Transgenerational friendships!  Wonderful!!!  I had no idea.

Day 10- Songs I Listen to When I'm Happy, Sad, Bored, Hyped, Mad

I still LOVE my playlist.  The other day I added on a bunch of random songs from my childhood.  When I found that I had used up my song allowance, I took some of them back off--sad day.

I listen to my playlist frequently.  It goes on after the kids have left for school, and I'm working on cleaning the kitchen and plays intermittently throughout the day.  It cracks me up when the kids go over and turn it on.  A lot of it is just music I've loved over the years.  They complain about a few songs, but for the most part, they enjoy it.  YAY for fun, peppy '80s tunes.

So, I have to add that the songs they complain about are "too repetitive."  HaHaHa!!!  Does this crack anybody up but me?

The other place I turn for music is Pandora.  Right now I'm trying out the David Archuleta station, but my most listened to station is Josh Groban.  Man, I love that guy's voice.  I'm finding that they play a lot of Sarah McLachlan's music, and although she has a very cool last name, I find that I'm not all that fond of her music.  Every so often I'll listen to the Taylor Swift station.  When I study, I listen to the George Frideric Handel station.  On Sundays, I listen to the Mormon Tabernacle choir or Hilary Weeks station.  When I'm hanging out with my little ones and when we're making cookies with Kaffrin, we listen to the Sesame Street station.


Sounds pretty eclectic, doesn't it?

I don't change my listening style much with my moods.  I keep things fairly happy all the time.  When I'm sad, I play the piano--particularly "On Golden Pond," "Princess Leia's Theme," "Jessica's Theme."  After my mom passed away, I spent A LOT of time at the piano--"On Golden Pond" was a staple during those days; you can make it sound as sad as you are.  Very therapeutic.

I have found that music can change my mood pretty quickly, though.  "Into the Ocean" makes me sad.  There's a Duran Duran's "Save a Prayer" is another one.  I always have to sing with that one.  "When I'm 64" by the Beatles just plain makes me happy.  This morning when the playlist went on, Anna Nalick's "Breathe" came on and I sang it at the top of my lungs--just a lot of truth to that song.

So, there you go.  All that didn't really want to know about my music listening habits.  Hah!

Cookies Wif Kaffrin - Week 4

I'm guessing we'll continue to make cookies on Tuesdays as long as Kaffrin asks.  This week it was snickerdoodles.  We didn't get them all done by the time it was time to go home, so I sent part of the dough and some cinnamon and sugar home with Kaffrin.  It was fun to be able to write the page number of the cookbook on the bag the dough went home in and know that whatever Kaffrin's mom needed to know could be found there.

So, if you have the cookbook, you can find the recipe there--p. 62, recipe #4.  Enjoy!

Cookies wif Kaffrin

Yesterday was "Cookies wif Kaffrin" day at our house.  #7's buddy comes to play, and we always make cookies.  I have been sharing those recipes here and here, and I'd love to say that this week's were fab, but they were just eh.

I found the recipe on allrecipes.com, and someone in the reviews even went so far as to say they were the "best cookies" they'd "ever tasted."  Not much of a cookie eater, huh?

So, I'm sharing the link here with you.  Give 'em a try.  I will say one thing for them, I felt like I was being healthier by making pumpkin cookies.  They were a bit cakier than I like.  I followed the recommendation to add in some nutmeg too.

They weren't gross or nasty or anything like that.  They just didn't fit all of my requirements.  Let's see if your list of requirements fits mine:

• Gooey
• Sweet
• Soft
• Warm

Yup.  That's about it.  I'm really not a hard to please cookie eater--I'm not picky, right?  I just have my priorities set.