Sassy Babies

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Never

When I dreamed of becoming a teacher never in my wildest dreams did I ever think of what that would truly and honestly entail. My young naive mind was full of fabulous lesson plans and fun bulletin boards and hugs from sweet young students and not the reality of what it would truly be like.

When I began teaching, never did I realize how much things would change over those 16 years and how often and how fervently I would pray- for my students, for their families, and for my fellow teachers.

Never did I dream that it would be necessary for me to think through what would happen if an armed intruder were to break into my classroom and have to consider where the safest place to arrange my students was so that if someone were to shoot a gun from the doorway or the window they would be protected.

Never did I dream that I would have to sit a room full of 10 year-olds down and explain why we had to practice for an intruder drill and what they should do if someone with a gun showed up on our campus.

Never did I dream that I would have to think about what I would do if one of my students was out in the hallway when I locked the classroom door and what I would do if they came and banged on the door- even if I had been told not to open the door (for fear that an intruder had them at gunpoint and would enter the room when the door was unlocked).

Never did I dream that as my students brought up "What if?" question after "What if?" question- that I would have to do some pretty fancy talking to keep from saying the whole truth which is that no matter what we do and how prepared we are- if someone is crazy enough and persistent enough- they can and will get into our schools and hurt people which is why they need JESUS in their lives- because He is the ONLY one who can save any of us.

Never did I dream that I would open the newspaper to find a former 5th grade student's mug shot and a story with details about his arrest and that it would break my heart and make me question if I had done all I could to help him.

Never did I dream that I would have something stolen (my digital camera- off my desk- yesterday) from my classroom and face the awful and terrible decision of deciding if I should file charges on that 14 year old student or not.

Never did I dream that I would wonder if maybe I should have chosen a different profession.

Never did I think that being a teacher would be so scary.

Never did I think that I would sit awake at night, unable to sleep, due to worry over all of these things (note the time of this post).

Never did I dream that teaching would break my heart.

Never.

But I was wrong.

Oh so very, very, very wrong.

Cookies and Cream Peanut Butter Brownies

When I saw this recipe, I knew I had to make these brownies for my sweet husband who loves all three main ingredients........chocolate, Oreo cookies, and peanut butter. I altered the recipe a bit as it called for using regular Oreo cookies- but I substituted peanut butter Oreo cookies instead. Although I didn't taste them, they did smell yummy while they were baking and Tony said they were very rich and delicious!

1 box Brownie Mix (9x13 size)

8 oz package cream cheese, softened

1/3 cup sugar

2 T creamy peanut butter

10 peanut butter Oreo cookies, broken into pieces (I used the Kroger brand b/c they were cheaper)

2 cups semi sweet chocolate chips

3 T creamy peanut butter

3 T half and half (I was out of half and half and simply left this ingredient out and the ganache came out just fine)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare brownie mix according to package directions (or use your favorite homemade brownie recipe) and place into a 9 x 13 inch pan lined with foil that has been sprayed with Pam. In a medium bowl, mix together the cream cheese, sugar, and 2 T peanut butter until smooth. Stir in cookie pieces until combined. Using a spoon, spoon cookies and cream mixture evenly over brownie mix. Using a knife, gently swirl cookies and cream into brownies without scraping the bottom of the dish. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean from center. Cool completely. Place chocolate chips into a microwave safe bowl and microwave for about 1 minute. Stir in remaining peanut butter and stir chocolate chips until smooth. Place back in the microwave for 15-30 more seconds if not smooth. Stir in half and half until glossy smooth, then spread over cooled brownies. Cut into squares and serve.

TIP OF THE DAY: If you are not a peanut butter fan, you can simply use regular Oreo cookies and omit the peanut butter to make Cookies and Cream Brownies.

Edited to ADD: Here are just two comments from my sweet co-workers about these brownies: "These are the BEST brownies I have EVER eaten!", "Those brownies deserve a high 5 they are so good!". And a tip for anyone who lives here in CS and shops at Kroger- I found the PB Oreo's at Kroger on RP on a manager special for only $1.09!

A letter from dog to dog

Dear Belle,

You are a cute little dog but I think it's time we had a little chat. It's time for you to face reality. You are no longer a puppy. It's sad but we all get older and you my dear, are past using your age as an excuse to do things you know you are NOT allowed to do. That cute little cocked head and sweet face is simply NO longer enough to get you out of trouble. If you haven't noticed, that crazy red headed Momma lady has not been very happy with you lately. If you don't clean up your act pretty soon, I have a feeling you are going to find yourself living in the backyard. You may not remember much about last summer since you were so little- but let me tell you- it STINKS. Bad. In case you didn't know- we live in Texas where it gets about 2 million degrees outside and you will be so stinkin miserable you will want to die. It's hot 100% of the time. Horribly hot. Trust me when I say it's awful and you want to do anything you can to keep it from happening.

So, even though you irritate the heck out of me some of the time and I often wish you would go back where you came from, I thought maybe I could give you a few suggestions that I know will help that red headed Momma to like you a little better and maybe keep you inside where it's nice and cool.

So let's review a few rules:

1. Do NOT potty on the floor, potty OUTSIDE in the grass. She is so tired of using that big monster carpet cleaning machine that makes lots of noise (you know that one that you hate and bark at the entire time she is using it?). For some reason she uses it just about every weekend since you arrived and she is not happy about it. I hear her mumbling under her breath. The machine is so loud I can't hear everything she says but I have picked up the words HATE, POTTY, Belle, STINKIN, MY BACK, and GONNA LIVE OUTSIDE FOREVER so I'm thinking you might want to stop that. When they open that door and send us outside, it's not to play, it's to pee.

2. If there is an emergency and you have to potty inside, do NOT- I repeat do NOT potty on a bed. Anywhere but there. The last time you did and red headed Momma had to take the big poofy blanket off the bed and out to car, I heard her say something about taking the cost to dry clean it out of your hide. I don't know what that means, but I know it isn't good. At all.

3. Do NOT poop on the floor, poop outside. I repeat, do NOT poop on the floor. This makes red headed Momma really, really, really angry. It's even worse than peeing inside. When you do this her face turns really red and it's not very pretty. She mumbles and grumbles while cleaning it up. If the poop is mushy- you had better run and hide good (under the guest room bed is a good place). Pooping is to be done outside just like peeing.

4. If you DO accidentally poop, do NOT, I repeat do NOT run through it when we are playing chase in the house. We end up tracking poop all over the house and that is NOT a good thing. I don't know exactly what she said, but when it happened the other day, red headed Momma was sighing loudly and mumbling something about sending you to someplace called the pound. So, if you MUST poop inside, poop off to the side- not in the middle of the living room floor. K?

5. Stop chewing on shoes and the piano legs. We have bones to chew on. They are really yummy and we have a million. Leave the shoes and piano alone.

6. When you are in the laundry room during the day, do not scratch on the wall. All that flaky white stuff on the floor makes red headed Momma upset big time. She likes her house just so and you are throwing big monkey wrenches in that plan. Stop it.

7. Do NOT jump on the big table in the kitchen. Dogs aren't supposed to be on tables, don't you know that? I know there is food up there but if you jump on the table and try to steal it- you will get a spanking. Trust me, I know. All you have to do is go stand by the table on your hind legs and look really cute- and they will give you a snack. It works for me every time.

8. We are supposed to SLEEP all night long, not BARK at the new neighbors dogs all night long. That red headed lady and that big tall guy get really grumpy when you keep waking them up so STOP it. Bark during the day when everyone is gone and can't hear you. That's what I do.

Well, that's all for now. I really hope you'll think about following some of my suggestions. If you don't- don't worry, I'll come visit you a couple times a day where you will be melting in the backyard this summer.

Love,
Holly the Dog

P.S. Stop digging in the trash cans while everyone is home. Wait till they leave, then go through them. That's what I do and it works GREAT!

Cake Truffles

How fun are these? They are a fabulous truffle-ish candy that is relatively easy to make and is almost sure to be a hit. You can alter them to any flavor and adjust the colors for any party or event! I made these last night for a baby shower tomorrow afternoon. The colors of the shower are pink and green so I used strawberry cake and white almond bark. Madison taste tested them for me and declared them YUMMY! She's hoping they won't be a hit at the shower so that I can bring some home for her!

1 box any flavor cake mix (cooked as directed on box for 13 X 9 cake)

1 (16 ounce) can cream cheese frosting

1 package almond bark (regular or white chocolate)

Bake cake according to directions on box. Cool completely (I put mine in the freezer to speed this step up) and crumble cake into large bowl. Mix thoroughly with 1 can cream cheese frosting. You can use a spoon to mix it up but I've found it's easier to just use my hands- but be prepared because it is VERY messy. Use a small cookie scoop and roll into quarter size balls and lay on wax paper covered cookie sheets. Chill for several hours or freeze for about 30 minutes. Melt chocolate in microwave per directions on package. Roll balls in chocolate and lay on wax paper until firm. I drop it in the chocolate and then use a fork to get rid of the extra chocolate. When using white chocolate almond bark it might be necessary to double dip the balls or decorate with sprinkles to cover up any imperfections.

Six Months

Six months.

180 Days.

4,320 Hours.

259,200 Minutes.

Seems like a lot of time, doesn't it? But if you only had 6 months to live, 6 months would seem like no time at all, wouldn't it?

I was recently asked to watch the pilot of a TV show and then answer some questions regarding it. I was excited when the CD arrived in the mail and quickly opened it and sat down to watch the show. I was not however, prepared for what I saw. The show is called "Six Months" and it chronicles the life of two terminally ill people who are facing the last six months of their lives.

This is truly a reality show like no other. It gives an intimate look at what people facing the end of their lives go through. It shows the steps people take to make sure that those in their life are reminded how much they are loved once they are gone. As I sat and watched the story of two brave people- Eric who has a wife and precious three year old daughter, and Janice who has a loving husband and two young adult sons-my heart just broke for them. I cried as I watched them try to accept that their time on earth was coming to an end and that they would be leaving those they loved behind. Tears rolled down my face as I watched them try to find ways to leave tangible reminders for their loved ones.

Watching their stories took me immediately back to those last few months of my mothers life and reminded me of how she did the very same thing.

During those last few months, we cheered her on to keep fighting the cancer- constantly telling her that we knew she would be well soon. During that time my sister tried to encourage my mother to take care of things like making out a will and taking care of business decisions. My mother resisted, saying that she would do those things when she felt better. Sadly, that time never came.

After her death my sister was looking through all of my mothers papers. She did not find a will but what she did find was truly priceless. Although my mother had not had a will drawn up, she took the time to make sure that one of the most important people in her life,my daughter Madison, would always know how much her Nana loved her.

In her things we found a book. On the front of the book was a note from my mother that said simply For Madison. The title of the book was Nana, Will you Write Me from Heaven?

Looking back, I think that the only thing that kept my mother alive those past few months,was a desire to spend more time with Madison. who was her only grandchild.

During those last few months of my mothers life, she was rarely alone- as she was violently ill from chemo and couldn't even drive. How she found time to purchase this book or where it came from, we will probably never know. But what it showed me is that we will find a way to do those things that are truly important to us. So somehow my mother found a way to show Madison that she loved her more than anything by leaving something behind for her.

The book is a precious story about a grandmother and her granddaughter having a talk about the fact that one day the grandmother will die. The little girl in the story asks if her grandmother will write to her from heaven and the grandmother explains that she will- through the birds chirping in the trees, the sunrise in the morning, and the starts twinkling at night.

The story is precious but the words written by my mother are the true treasure in the book. The day that we found the book, I picked it up and tried to read the note written to Madison on the first page. I couldn't see the words due to my tears.

I've only read it a few times in the past almost six years, because it is still so hard. As I took the book out a few minutes ago and turned to the first page, I realized that my tears stain that page. I've never been able to read it without crying- including today.

Reading the words my mother wrote I can almost hear her saying them aloud. I can only imagine how difficult they were to write.

It says:

Dearest Madison,

I wish that I had the words to tell you of the joy and happiness you brought into my life. I never knew true joy until you were born. Being able to see the world through your beautiful eyes has been my greatest blessing. You have enriched my life beyond belief. As long as you remember me, in your heart, I will always be with you. You won't be able to see me but I will be watching you from Heaven. I will be part of all you do and all you are. Don't be sad- just remember the fun we had and the love we shared. That will always remain. You will always be "Nana's darling".

I love you,

Nana

My sweet mother, like those two people in the TV pilot I watched, spent her last six months not thinking of herself and her pain,but thinking of something to do to remind those around her how much they were loved.

I only pray that when my time on earth is through, that I will be as selfless and loving.

For more stories about some fabulous mothers, please go visit my sweet friend Dory who is posting stories about mothers all month long.

Happy Mother's Day

Welcome to my new and improved blog! What do you think of it's makeover? I think Michele did an amazing job and I absolutely love it! I'm still working on tweaking my new look, adding new sections, and cleaning up this little blog (way too many recipe categories) but will hopefully be done by tomorrow. Please come back then to read a post about my sweet mother.

Test post.

Change is Good!

You may have noticed a new name but you are still in the right place! Soon my little blog will have a cute new look to go along with the sweet new name. I've decided to branch out and write in addition to just posting recipes. Come back soon to see the complete makeover!

Marshmallow Cream Frosting

This is a wonderful change from traditional frosting! It is fabulous on any kind of cupcake or cake.


1 1/3 cups margarine, softened
2 cups marshmallow cream (7 ounce container)
1 T vanilla
1 t almond extract
1 ½ t milk
2 2/3 cups powdered sugar

Blend margarine and marshmallow creme together till smooth. Add vanilla, almond extract, and milk and mix well. Blend in powdered sugar and beat till smooth and creamy. If thinner frosting is desired, simply add more milk.

One Bowl Vanilla Cupcakes

This is a great recipe to use when you want to make cupcakes and don't have a box mix. It's easy and yummy!

2 cups flour
1 ½ cups sugar
2 ½ t baking powder
1 t salt
½ shortening
¾ cup half and half or milk
1 T vanilla
2 large eggs

Set oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, mix together the flour with sugar, baking powder and salt until combined. Add in the shortening, cream or milk, vanilla and eggs and beat on medium speed of an electric mixer scraping the bowl constantly until just blended. The batter will be thick, if desired you may add in a few more tablespoons cream or milk. Pour (or use your large cookie scoop) into paper-lined regular size muffin tins filling under just three-quarters full. Bake for 20-22 minutes or until the cupcakes test done. Do not overbake as they will be dry. Immediately remove from pans. Cool completely before frosting.

Lemonade Cupcakes with Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting

When you don't have time (or the energy) to make a cake or cupcakes from scratch, this is a great box mix recipe that is yummy and easy!

Cake:
1 (6 ounce) can frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed
1 box white cake mix
1 (8 ounce) carton sour cream
3 ounces cream cheese, softened
3 eggs

Frosting:
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 T butter, softened
1 ½ t fresh lemon juice
½ grated lemon rind
1 cup sifted powdered sugar

Cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Remove 2 tablespoons lemonade concentrate from can and discard or reserve for other use. Combine remaining lemonade concentrate, cake mix, sour cream, cream cheese and eggs in large bowl. Beat with mixer until well blended. Spoon batter into paper-lined muffin tins, filling 3/4 full. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes or until cooked through. Cool completely before frosting with Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting.

Frosting: In a large bowl, cream together all ingredients until thick, smooth, and spreadable; use immediately. Store frosted goods covered in the refrigerator; bring to room temperature before serving.

TIP OF THE DAY: To make really yellow cupcakes, add a few drops of yellow food coloring. A great variation is to use pink or raspberry lemonade instead of regular lemonade.