haphazard musings

A weekend behind...

I am a weekend behind in my posts...one would think that a 4 day weekend would inspire me to post on the blog...but I guess not.

Anyway, we went to Colorado a couple weekends ago to check out the CU/k-state game as well as hit up the Frasier Family reunion.

We do take a good picture!

So after a morning of family mingling...we spent the rest of the day at the big game.

I took about 1 million pictures of the mountains.  Seriously, I can't get enough.

This is our excitement at the beginning of the game!

The game was not my favorite example of K-State's might nor was it my favorite example of officiating...

Hence the angry faces.

We lost by 8 points.  It was very sad, obviously.

I did get to see my friend Ashley.

Yep, there she is.

On the upside, the mountains were lovely, it was a perfect football weather day, and we ended the evening with a perfect chili dinner.  Yum.

 

 

 

Confession.

I am a ding bat.

For real.

It was a little crazy before class yesterday.  I got home later than usual, I had to make dinner and gather all my belongings.

All while talking on the phone.

And you know what they say...a blonde can't walk and chew gum...
so obviously talking on the phone while doing other things is apparently not my strength.

So I grabbed all my things and got on the road.

By the time I got to the Outlet Mall on 135, I looked down and noticed that I was wearing my house shoes.

AKA slippers.

AAKA (also, also known as - it's kinda like PPS post, post script) Red fuzzy slippers.

So on a split decision, I decided to go on back home and grab some real shoes.  

A really good decision considering it was raining a little by the time I got to class - about 10 minutes late mind you. 

Then I got to explain to everyone why I was late... :)  Luckily, my professor thought it was funny.

But guess what!!! I got a chance to redeem myself!

I stuck my neck out this week to make up for being late and it paid off!!!

I ANSWERED A QUESTION RIGHT!!!!

I was the only one to supply the answer she was looking for.

It's pretty ironic though that I was the one to answer it.  Three or four people answered it, but they were working way, way too hard for the answer.  Really she wanted a simple, straight-forward answer, and luckily, I am just the person to supply that kind of answer.

 

 

So, my mom says...

that I only seem to post when I either have good pictures or have bad new or am down in the dumps.

SO, I am starting a new trend.

Today was a good day.

Yesterday was a GREAT day.

Meet Ashley.  She and I have a lot of photos that look like this...well so do Ryan and I for that matter, that's him in the back in case you don't recognize him without the beard and the hair long enough to be trimmed and made into a hat.

I just thought you should know.  

And just in case it isn't clear what me being excited looks like...this is it...

oh and say hello in the background to my most excellent friend, Steph! (and the weird guy who i don't know, but seems to be lost.)

Guest posting

Hey everyone.  I am a guest book reviewer over on The Macs today.  I read the book Friendship for Grown-Ups by Lisa Welch.  She's the gal that was Blaire on The Facts of Life.  It was decent.  But you should check out my post!  Jess's blog is pretty awesome.

Hope everyone has a happy Sunday!

 

The Mom Gene

So it's weird.

There really isn't a specific name for it, but we are going to go with the "mom gene." 

This is the gene that most women seem to have in them all the time.   The gene that makes me go into "mom mode."

We are in "Manhappenin" with our youth group kids at a conference called Oasis.

So we stayed in a hotel, and I am the "guardian" for six 14-year-old girls. 

I now know why mom didn't let me have sleep overs.  Adults don't sleep during sleep-overs either. 

Not because the girls didn't sleep, but because I was concerned they weren't sleeping.

Or that they were leaving the room.

Or texting boys without supervision.

Or hiding my belongings.

Or goodness knows what.

Kids are crazy.

It's is interesting that Mom mode is achievable even when you aren't a mom.  It just comes naturally.  I start picking up after people.  I start reminding teenagers to remember their manners.  I tell them that just because we are a large group "taking over" McDonalds, does not mean they have the right to yell and run. 

To quote myself, "Hey, you are not the only ones in here.  Pay attention.  Be polite."

Be polite, quit yelling, watch out, hurry up...all those things I have heard before.

Another thing I have noticed.  "Hurry up,"  takes on a whole new meaning.  My parents said hurry up all. the. time.

Now I know why.  Teeagers have one speed - mosey.  They don't walk quickly, they don't run. 

They do move in large groups.  They do watch tv all in one room.  They do take years to get any where or do anything.

In closing, the "mom gene" is intense.  It kicks in quickly.  It makes me want to have 5 kids.

 

My Favorite Bread - by request

I've had a couple requests lately for this bread recipe.  So I thought I would repost it!  Enjoy!

Comes from this book.  I would recommend the book.  I use it frequently!

It is called Pumpkin Steusel Bread on page 43.

I made it last night.  Our whole house smelled like Thanksgiving or Christmas.  I love that smell.  Cinnamon, Nutmeg and pumpkin all cooking.  Yum.  Its the way to go.

So, I thought I would share this with you so you can make it for your families.

You start with.

Plus baking soda and salt.  oops.

The big tip is to buy canned pumpkin, NOT pumpkin pie filling.  Apparently there is a big difference.  But I have never purchased pumpkin pie filling.  Mostly because pumpkin pie gives me the heebie-geebies. 

So anyway  Here are the steps.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Prepare the topping, combine sugar, chilled butter and cinnamon to make a steusel.

I usually throw in like a teaspoon or so of flour just so it doesn't get too creamy...also as you cut the butter into small pieces for easier combination, try not to cut your thumb off.  Because, I had to pause here and have Ryan bring me a band-aid.

Because I don't have a pastry cutter/masher thing.  I used the end of a whisk to make it this way.  It was totally easier then using the 2 knives like it said.

Prepare the bread.

Mix the flour, sugar, raisins (optional) baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg all together in your big bowl.

Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients.  I don't know why you do this, but the directions say, so I do it every time...I wonder what would happen if I didn't.

Then in a separate kind of big bowl, mix the wet stuff (pumpkin, yogurt, honey, vegatable oil, vanilla and eggs).

Add that stuff to the dry ingredients.

Mix only until its moist.  Which I assume means don't over mix it.

Ryan hates the word moist.  He can't even handle it.  He gets all sqeemish, kind of like I get when I look at pumpkin pie - or peanut brittle.  Maybe its orange foods...

Your bread "dough" should be pretty darn think.

Pour into a greased 9x5 loaf pan.  ( just use cooking spray.)

As you can see I made a double batch.  I always make a double batch with this bread.  Why?

Well, the recipe calls for 1 cup of pumpkin.  A can is 15 ounces...so its just about right for two loaves.  What in the world would you do with and extra 7 ounces of pumpkin sitting around...so I just make two.  Its the perfect excuse to make something for someone else and surprise them!

Sprinkle with the topping you made earlier.

Bake for 1 hour (mine took only 51 minutes this time) or until toothpick comes out clean.

Cool in pan, then cool compeletly on rack.

Eat up!!!

Topping
1/4 cup chopped pecans (i didn't have any)
2 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons chilled butter or margarine, cut into small pieces.
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon (i use way more than that - I L-O-V-E cinnamon.)

Bread
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup raisins (if you want)
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. each ground cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves
1 cup canned pumpkin
1/2 cup plain, low-fat yogurt
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 large eggs

A Fall Party

Fall!  

Obviously my favorite season.  I have only posted about 15 million pictures of fall trees.

So our Sunday school class hosts a party every year to celebrate it.

Well, really we are celebrating the chance to eat chili and drink hot apple cider while roasting hot dogs and marshmallows.  Really, it seems that every time we (Sunday School) get together, it's really about the food.  We have some serious foodies.

Anyway...

Ryan loves doing manly things.  So he took over wood chopping.

I love that Cade in the background looks very uncertain about Ryan weilding an ax.

And since I try to keep things real around here, I also feel a little nervous at times when Ryan is swinging an ax.  It's just that I worry about things like missing toes.

After wood chopping he did other manly things.

Thankfully, Andy always keeps his clubs in the trunk.

Again the lighting was awesome.  The way it glows through the trees is ahh-some.

Meet Ava.  She is telling me not to mess with her chalk drawing.  

Actually, I think I just caught her a little off-guard.  She's usually quite photogenic. : )

But she recovered nicely when you gave her a hot dog on a stick.

 

Then let her chow down.  She may or may not have had three dogs.

Meet Sophia.  She was adorable.  She roasted her own dog as well, but she seems to have a little trouble keeping the dog on the bun.

Seriously, look at that face.  A-dor-a-ble.

We sang some great worship songs and some old school jams around the fire while we ate s'mores and

played cool tricks in the fire.

All in all a perfect night.


 

 

 

 

Mismatched thoughts ...

from a few weeks of pictures.

We've had a crazy few weeks and these are some of my favorites shots.

Stay tuned tomorrow for some serious cuteness from the Fall Party - complete with hot dogs and s'mores!

I love fall, and this tree was gorgeous, sadly we were cruising along down the road, so its a little blurry, but you can still see the awesome colors.

Weddings are fun, but we have had our fair share over the last couple years.  But this one was so much fun.  It was at a beautiful venue in Parkville, Missouri. The skies were outrageous!

I'm pretty sure the Hawthorne House should call me and ask to use this photo fro their brochures.

The evening light was ridiculous.  It was just glowing through the trees.

We also had a mini AHS class of 2002 reunion.

I loved this photo of the groom and his mom.

I also got a neat picture of downtown KC.

I love the birds on the line. :) It kind of reminds me of that Pixar short film, The Birds.

 

Then because I love my pooch.  Here is his latest portrait.

Seriously, he is so pathetic.

In honor of Election week...a poll...and other random thoughts.

(Scroll down for the poll - please answer in the comments.)

1. For the first time since last April or something, my car said...

2.  I feel like a giant.  I am not that tall.

According to my driver's license I am 5 feet 6 inches.  I wore heels today.

I am now probably 5 feet 8 inches or so.  They aren't very tall heels.

I was heads above everyone else at the meetings I attended today.  

Seriously heads.

3.  I got some seriously great birthday gifts.  I feel like I should share one of them.

 source

Totally in love with this little camera!  Best part - it fits in my purse!!!

2nd best part - We still haven't come across the old one!

Ryan and I currently have a bet going on when the old lost friend will turn up.

4.  Well there were lots of other good presents.  I just don't have pictures of them.

So if you gave me one - THANKS!!!
 

5.  Apparently my hair looks pretty gross most days.  

People are always telling me how nice my hair is when I curl it.  I am thinking that means that most days it looks poopy and straight.

What do you think?

So I have been parting my hair on the same side since I was...3?  (I'll have to ask mom to be sure.)  But I have no idea why in these pictures it is opposite.  Super weird.  I took the one on the right with Photobooth on my mac.  Maybe that's part of it.  Weird.  Ryan says I look puffy in the second one...hmm...oh well...such is life.

6.  This headband is killing me.  

7.  But said headband is fantastic!  So beauty is painful today.

8.  I think we might need a new washer.  The one we have continues to leak very small amounts of water out the bottom.

I hate buying things like appliances...it seems like such a waste.  Wouldn't it be better to just send everything to the dry cleaners?

9.  I have this empty wall.  I need something to put on it.

Do you like my "new" buffet?  There is the corner of my rug.  Isn't Ikea awesome!?

LOVE IT / HATE IT - vol. 2

Irony - I love it.

Here are a few perfect examples. 

1.  Voting in churches.

Please note this is not a commentary on voting or or politics or anything.  I just think its funny.

ironic.

2.  And I quote, "Man, look at those birds, they're huge."  Then the speaker gets pooped on.

ironic.

3.  Signs in the game reserve that said beware of animals - right beside the benches.

Ironic.

4.  Ryan prays - "Help this food to nourish us and keep us healthy..."

In case it's unclear yes that is a bacon cheeseburger and fries from our favorite restaurant. :)

Ironic.

5.  Waiting for the right moment to say something "smart" in class, finding it, and then learning it was neither the perfect moment or something smart.

Well I don't know if it is technically ironic, but it is funny anyway.

Irony.  You gotta LOVE IT.