Thursday, December 24, 2009

Mini-Me's Letter to Santa

Dear Santa -

Sorry if you don't like the card.

Thank you for everything! Hope you like the croissant.*

I watched you on the tracker online!

Did you fly in the day and is rudolph's nose a radar?

Did you visit my dad?**

xoxoxo
Love,
Maddie

PS - Sorry about the cookies. I'll let you have truffles to!!***


*In true Mommy fashion, we are fresh out of cookies. Luckily I had chocolate croissants on hand.

**We happened to luck out and check out the tracker while Santa was in Afghanistan. Which is where her dad is. I cannot tell you the delight that brought.

**Uncle Dennis gave her a box of chocolates for Christmas. So she is sharing with Santa.

Merry Christmas, friends. I am a lucky lady because of people like you. MWAH.

Wednesday, December 23, 2009

One would think that with all of this time I have on my hands that I would be blogging like a mo'fo.

Yeah, well, fuggedaboudit. This whole jobless thing has really caused my brain to go a bit haywire. Normally, I suffer from a bit (cough cough) of the blues during the winter season, but this year has been rather nasty. Sunday I just put myself back to bed and just tried to keep my mouth shut.

Tuesday I had an interview, which went really well. I liked the company's vision and their plan for growth. I even got to use big people words like "cost trends" and "market analysis."

(gag)

Either way, the company has people take this wacky hour long test. Personality, leadership styles, manageability (har har), verbal reasoning and mathematical reasoning. When was the last time any of you thought about the following:

frog:dinosaur :: whale :
a. dog
b. fish
c. bird
d. snake

or

-11(0.825 + 30)(576%/26%))

better still

1 1/3 x 4/5

The recruiter informs me that this test is not a make or break for employment, but I did have to laugh when I was asked to answer yes or no to the following:

I have NEVER blown up at anyone. (Or did they use "gone off"?)

o.O

Oh, and I have been busy with fluff too.

Here is a coronet hat for one of my favorite little ladies, Ms. EJ, Mini-Me's BFF. I used Aysen from Aracuania for it and I have a lot of love for how it does with cables. It looks similar to malabrigo in the skein, but it's a bit denser than malabrigo making it a true aran weight yarn.



And here is about 2 oz of "Barrow Owl" from Enchanted Knoll's Happy Hooves Batt Club. I spun this up as a fingering weight single and navajo plied it into what you see today.


I am almost finished with the remaining 4 ounces and will ply them after the holiday. I am truly tickled with how it's turned out. Particularly the sparkles.

I sure do hope everyone has a wonderful holiday. Know that I will be thinking of you and wishing you much joy, good health and contentment.

After all, if you can learn to be content, everything else is cake.

Thursday, December 10, 2009

Come on.. Just Try Them Once.

I swear you will be hooked. Be careful with the filling - it's addictive.


Nana's Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

(Be sure to use pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling)

2 ¼ cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

¼ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon cinnamon (I add a bit more)

½ teaspoon nutmeg

½ teaspoon ground cloves (I add a bit more)

8 tablespoons of soft butter (1 stick---I use unsalted for baking)

1 ¼ cups sugar

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

½ cup sour cream

1 can of pumpkin

¾ cup coarsely chopped walnuts—optional



Drum roll please...


FOR THE FILLING

6 tablespoons soft butter

4 ounces cream cheese at room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla (I use a little bit more)

2 cups confectioners’ sugar


FOR THE COOKIES

Position 2 racks in the middle and upper third of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line the bottoms of 3 baking sheets with parchment paper.


COMBINE the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices in a medium bowl.


PUT the butter and sugar in the large bowl of an electric mixer and beat on medium speed for 1 minute until smooth. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat for 30 seconds.


DECREASE the speed to low and mix in the sour cream and pumpkin just until combined. Add the flour mixture and blend just until it is incorporated. Stir in the walnuts at this time if you are using nuts.


DROP 28 rounded tablespoons (I use the smallest Pampered Chef scoop) of batter 3 inches apart onto the parchment paper. The batter is thick enough to hold its mound on the sheets.


BAKE the cookies for about 12 minutes, or until the tops are firm to the touch and a toothpick inserted in the center of the cookies comes out clean. Cool the cookies for 5 minutes on the baking sheets. Use a wide metal spatula to loosen them from the paper, then cool them thoroughly on the sheets.


FILLING: Put the butter, cream cheese and vanilla in a bowl and beat on medium-low speed for about 1 minute, until the mixture is smooth and thoroughly combined. Decrease the speed to low and add the confectioners’ sugar in 2 additions. Beat until it is incorporated and the frosting is smooth.


SPREAD a slightly rounded tablespoon of cream cheese filling over the flat bottoms of the cooled cookies and add the tops. ENJOY!

Why we left the remaining ones at someone's house after Thanksgiving Dinner I will never know. These are so fabulous, and the pumpkin isn't over powering at all. I think I'll be dreaming about these tonight..

P.S.
Remember that you are strong and nothing is going to stand in your way. You have overcome a lot in life to be here today. Never let anyone take that away from you.

Never.

Wednesday, December 9, 2009

Oh hai!

I didn't forget that I had a blog. Seriously. Life's just been a big jumble of junk lately, and whatever blog mojo I had ran for the hills in search of some sanity.

(I'm lucky the mojo puts up with me at all!)

I did a bit of traveling lately. Mini-Me and I made the trip up to NH for the holiday, and ended up staying a few extra days. Well, a whole week actually, but who is counting. I needed a break from life. It was kind of like signing "lalala I can't hear you" for two weeks. Now I'm back to face the crap and to take charge of what's left.

So far, I've gone through files, thrown papers out. I went through my storage closet, threw out two boxes of crap, and I have one left to bring down to the dumpster. I think I might tackle the kitchen and throw out crap I'll never use tomorrow. Oh, and I set up the Christmas tree.

I think I'm having some sort of out of body experience. I think my mother tainted my food with organizing skills and the desire to have a neat and orderly house. I'm confused by my actions, but I think I'm going to roll with it. Why fight a good thing, right?

Speaking of good things, look at my little man. He's got some sorta awesome going on.

So does the Fiber Studio in Henniker, New Hampshire. Talk about awesome!

I may have scored a stellar deal there on some 3900 yards of lace weight merino. Times may be tough, but stellar is stellar, right?

Pumpkin whoopie pies are all kinds of awesome, too. More on that tomorrow.

P.S. - I send all the strength I can muster to all of you who are going through a personal struggle right now. I applaud you for all of the baby steps that you take each day. I know it's hard for you to do, but I know that you can do it.

And so do you. =)