Road Trip

  I am so excited I can hardly stand it!!!  We are leaving tomorrow morning for San Diego Ca.  Where we will finally get to see Gil, after 3 very long months.  We are going to make the trip in two days, because it takes 17 hours of driving time to get there.  Bet I don't sleep a wink tonight, didn't sleep very good last night because I wanted today to hurry up and be over with!  LOL I feel like a kid on Christmas Eve!!
  The drive will be a long one but we are looking forward to it anyway!  We have not taken this route before to Ca.  usually we go to the northern part instead of the southern part of Ca.
  Hopefully the weather will not be to terrible for driving, which is one reason we are going south first and then across the lower part of Arizona and Nevada.

Thanksgiving picture of Platoon 2147

  OMG!!!  I was so excited upon receiving a call from one of my son's friends father, when he told me that if I wanted to see my son to go to this website, click on this,this,ect.  Then he said if you can't pick him out call me back and I will tell you which row he is in.  LOL!  I had NO trouble picking him out, although I must say that he has certainly changed!
  I am so very proud of him!  This is the first time I have seen him in almost three months!  Granted it was just a video that showed the whole platoon, but that video was priceless to me!!  Even though he isn't with us this Thanksgiving I feel much better having a recent picture of him!
  He finished the crucible yesterday sometime.  I pray that he did great, but won't know until December 2 when we see him in the flesh for the first time in three very long months!  He is set to graduate on the 3rd of December.
I can't wait to see him in his uniform!!!  Also can't wait to give him a BIG FAT HUG!!! :)

Biscotti

  So just wondering if anyone has a few good biscotti recipes they would be willing to share?

Apple Cinnamon Pumpkin Muffins

  OMG!  These muffins are to die for!  You have to try them!

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups white sugar (I used 1 1/2 cups brown)
• 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 cup canned pumpkin puree (I used fresh)
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil (I used fresh maple syrup)
• 2 cups peeled, cored and chopped apple
•   (I omitted the Streusel topping)
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 4 teaspoons butter

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease 18 muffin cups or use paper liners.
2. In a large bowl, sift together 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 2 cups sugar, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda and salt. In a separate bowl, mix together eggs, pumpkin and oil. Add pumpkin mixture to flour mixture; stirring just to moisten. Fold in apples. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups.
3. In a small bowl, mix together 2 tablespoons flour, 1/4 cup sugar and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle topping evenly over muffin batter.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into a muffin comes out clean.
   
   My pictures didn't turn out so great, the lighting in my kitchen leaves something to be desired, but you get the idea!
   

Mini Blueberry Belgian Waffles

  This is what we had for dinner tonight!  Mini Blueberry Waffles with homemade peach butter, Yummy!  Do you ever have breakfast for dinner at your house?
  We do because we go to work at different times so can't have breakfast together during the week.  Also it is nice after a long day to make a quick and easy dinner!
  Waffle Recipe
4 eggs separated        2 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup milk                 1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)
2 cups flour               1 Tablespoon sugar
1/4 cup butter or margarine(melted)                           
1teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
Beat egg yolks and sugar in a bowl until light.  Add cooled melted butter, milk and vanilla extract.  Add flour, baking powder and salt, beat well.  In another bowl, beat egg whites until stiff, gently fold into the batter.  Bake in a Belgian Waffle maker, and serve.
  Note: This recipe didn't call for the Blueberry's, I just added them myself (1 cup)!

Fabric covered journals & Travel size pillowcases

  So today is my daughters Birthday!  Happy Birthday Sweetie!!  Here are a few pics of some of the things I made her for her Special Day! 
  The first one is three fabric journals, the second and third are travel size pillows.

Cell phone

  When my cell phone rang last night I checked the number because I didn't recognize it.  Usually I don't answer if I don't know the number, because it is usually a telemarketer.  For some reason I had the feeling that I should go ahead and answer the phone, which I did.
  The voice on the other end said "MOM", OMG!!!  It was my son who is still in boot camp for another 3 weeks!  I have been sooooo worried about him because we had not received a letter from him for about 6 weeks!!  Major BIG Sigh of relief!
  He is doing fine, has just been extremely busy and hadn't had time to write.  Needless to say that call made my whole month! : )

Crocheted Netbook case/bag

   Here is my latest project!  I made the red and blue one first and then made the purple/multicolored one.  Which is my favorite!  Both were made using 2 different skeins of yarn, so they have plenty of cushion for added protection!  Since I am far from being an expert at crocheting, I just used a simple single crochet stitch to make both of these. 
  They turned out pretty good for not following a pattern!  Although I probably should have taken the pictures on my white craft table, because the colors didn't show up as well as I would have liked.
  Thinking about making some of these to sell in my eBay store!

crocheted hair scrunchie

  Here is my latest project!  As soon as I have a few more of these made they will be listed in my eBay store!

Moving day in Denver, Colorado

  So its a little cloudy here this morning.  The temp is around 50 degrees.  It looks like its going to be a good day to move my daughter!  Yesterday we went and played around and went shopping, today we have to get to work.  Yes work, she lives on the second floor, and she is moving to another second floor apartment! 

Handcrafted Christmas Ornaments

  I have been making these ornaments for almost as long as my son is old!  They are very time consuming, but turn out so beautiful, they are worth every second it takes to make them!  In the past I sold them only at craft fairs, but now I sell them in my eBay store too.  It is hard to part with them but I know that I can't keep them all!
  So I settle for keeping my favorites, which decorate my own tree every year! :)  What do you think? All comments are appreciated!

Cappuccino Muffin recipe

  MMM the smell of Cappuccino muffins is wafting through the house.  Making it hard to wait for them to finish baking!  These muffins are great for breakfast or anytime! :)

Cappuccino Muffins
2 cups flour (I use whole wheat pastry)
3/4 cup sugar (I use brown instead of white)
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons instant coffee
1/2 cup melted butter
1 egg beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup chocolate chips (I used toffee)
In a mixing bowl combine all of the dry ingredients, in a separate bowl combine milk,and the instant coffee together until the coffee is dissolved. Add the butter,egg and vanilla; mix well. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in the chocolate chips.
  Fill muffin cups or papers 2/3 full.  Bake at 375 degrees for 17-20 minuets or until a toothpick comes out clean.  Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack to finish cooling.