Can You Cook?

    My grandmas can!  Today's post is short and sweet, literally.  I was blessed with amazing grandmas who are great cooks.  Here's a recipe of my Grandma J's:

Chocolate Covered Coconut Balls



1/2 can sweeten condensed milk

1 bag of coconut

2 cups of powdered sugar

2 sticks of melted butter

12 squares of chocolate flavored almond bark

Mix the first four ingredients and shape into balls.  Refrigerate coconut balls overnight.

The next day place chocolate squares in a double broiler and melt over medium heat. 

I used Fred Meyer candy coating this time and did not like it.  It seemed to be rather glumpy (is that even a word).  I recommend sticking to Almond Bark.   Anyways, after the chocolate is melted dip coconut balls.  I like to place the coconut ball on a fork so I can gently tap off the excess chocolate.  

Place dipped candy of wax paper and let cool. This recipe makes about 5 dozen coconut balls.

I care about the presentation of food, and am planning to take this particular batch of candy to a party at work, so I ran to Michael's and picked up some mini cupcake liners and a Paula Dean holiday plate.  The mini cupcake liners cost $1.99 for a 100, and the holiday plate was on sale for $2.49- gotta love Micheal's! 

This recipe is a piece of cake.  It takes a bit of time to dip the coconut balls in chocolate, but taste makes it worth the effort!

Blessings!

Ummm...Honey, I bought a BOAT while you were at work

      Today has been a very interesting day.  I'm minding my own business, plugging away at work, when I received a call from my handsome husband.  After a few seconds of chitchat his voice lows a notch, "Soooo, I bought a boat today." 

Here's the conversation that ensued:

Me:  Silence.

Sandy:  "Ummm, you should check it out on Craig's list, it was a great deal!"

Me:  Silence.

Sandy:  "Are you mad?"  "I haven't seen the boat, I bought it sight unseen, but it was only a $1095.00."

Me:  "Oh"  (brilliant response, I know).

After this titillating conversation, and for even reading my blog, you deserve pictures of this monstrosity.

Right now you're thinking, "Shannon, that was a fantastic deal!"  Keep scrolling, folks, keep scrolling.

Cheerful kid isn't he.  That's because he is envisioning this:

Unfortunately, I'm a bit more realistic .

Does this thing even float?

     At this point in the photo shoot, I casually mention we might want to drop it off at the dump.  Strange, I got no response from Sandy. 
      The problem is I am a boat snob, yes it is true.  When I envision boats I think of this:

      Isn't she a beauty, and she was ours for five short, yet expensive years.  She has more storage than my walk-in closet, and I miss her. She seated fourteen people- fourteen!  A long term relationship was not meant to be, we sold her and opened our own business.
    

Christmas Decor

      I love everything about Christmas.  I love celebrating the birth of Christ.  I love decorating my house, planning parties, making Christmas candy, my annual baking day with my sister, decorating gingerbread houses etc, etc, etc... You get the point- I love Christmas!  I'll stop rambling and show you a few pictures from our house this season.

    I am a traditionalist at heart, so I decorate for Christmas primarily with red tones and occasional splashes of gold.  However, we let our kids choose a new ornament every year so our tree is chalk full of random ornaments.  I help balance the randomness with a large collection of red bulbs, poinsettias and mittens. 



   Our tree is a fake, yes, purchased at Costco.  Usually I buy a pine scented candle or a pine scented wallflower from Bath and Body Works, but let's face it the smell is not the same as the fresh scent of pine.  This year I decided to add fresh pine branches to my mantel and chandelier over my dining room table- the smell is fantastic and the pine needle mess is minimal.

     Note, the trees on the sides of the table, Costco clearance finds for $19.97 a piece.  A few years ago I really wanted to add these trees to my Christmas decor collection but they were a bit pricey.  Then I found out a little secret about Costco, on the evening of December 23rd  Costco marks down their Christmas items ridiculously low.  I believed I saved $40.00 per tree!

    Christmas wouldn't be complete without one little girl sneaking into the treats!

Boys and Batteries

Seriously, do I need to say more?

      If you look closely, or look at all, you may notice bite marks on these AAA batteries.  Bite marks on a battery?  Yes, ladies and gents, bites marks.  From a dog?  From a mouse?  Nope, from a genuine 11 year old boy.

This innocent young chap.

   Last night we were merrily conducting home group (bible study) at our house.  The night had progressed beautifully-   good discussion,  homemade chocolate cake, quiet well behaved kids, yada, yada, yada.  At this point I decided to run downstairs.

   I get downstairs and Christian asks me to look at his tongue.  Strange request, I know, but being the diligent mom I am I took a gander.

   This is the conversation that followed:

Me: " Dude, what happened?"

C:  "Ummm.....(insert sheepish look)  I was licking a battery."

Me:  "What?!"

C:  "Well, if you lick batteries you feel a little zing on your tongue, but after a while it starts to hurt."

Me:  "Why would you ever lick a battery?"

C:  "I don't know...I like the zing."

     At this point I head back upstairs.  Ponder the situation.  Discover almost every person in my home group has licked a 9 volt battery.  (Weird fact- I know.)  Decide I must view these licked batteries.  Discover batteries are chewed on not just licked.  Have a nice conversation with the poison control lady.  Discover that you will not die if you lick or chew on batteries, however, your tongue will ache for days until the alkaline burn heals. 

   

This is my life, folks, this is my life. This is the boy that keeps me in prayer- daily.

First Time Blogger

   I finally got a blog- woo hoo!  If I told you I thought blogs were a useless waste of time...ummm...I changed my mind.  I seriously think Sandy is shaking in his boots at the thought of me blogging about our family....poor guy. 
   Well if I am going to blog it is only fair that you get to meet my cast of characters:

The light guy, Sandy, and his bride, Shannon.

Sandy and Christian our son.

Me and my girlies- Noelle and Grace.

  I am blessed with these, and they keep my life full of wild crazy fun.  Join us on our crazy adventure with God!