Home By the Creekside

This year was a good one for us but I am ready for 2011. Here are some good highlights for 2010: 1. Son finished Kindergarten and started first grade. 2. Daughter started Kindergarten (can't wait until she's done with that) 3. Husband graduated from college. 4. Me I started my master's in ESL. 5. Visit to Arizona to see my parents, brother, sis in law, and awesome nephew. 6. Visit to Oregon to see my grandparents. 7. Numerous trips to Utah to visit in-laws. Met fiancee of brother in law. 8. Brother and his family visiting us for the 4th and mother later on. 9. Finally purchased a snow blower. 10. Having great friends. 11. Lost 14 pounds Not-so-good lowlights for 2010: 1. Kringle (our beloved pet) died in the summer. 2. Not having enough money to do what we want to do 3. Daughter diagnosed with PDD-NOS. Trying to figure out what to do.

So, I got this idea from the internet of course. Egg muffins! They were yummy and I will tweek them a bit and make them again until they are delicious. Spray the pan with Pam. Then line it with ham (I used ham deli meat). Then crack an egg in it and sprinkle some cheese. Yup, there is nothing to it. But it needs some hashbrowns or something more at the bottom. Bake at 350 for 20 to 25 minutes. I did 25 because I like my yolk well done. Then accompany this with some nice raisin cinnamon bread. Yes, the hair is cute..but again..crap! Heres a better shot of my hat masterpiece! I normally don't make my kids' presents but this was too cute!

After Santa's visit.... Husband checking out all the candy in his stocking and the dog eyeballing it too. She stole a bag of mm's later. I made hats for them too. They are opening them. Sorry for the dog's bum shot. I could not help but notice..Hee hee Monkey hat for the monkey..  Awesome presents from Grandma and Grandpa..Thank you the kids really like them.....See my awesome hats...the kids wore them all day long. This gift...DO NOT buy. It is crap. I bought the hair wig from the movie Tangled. It sheds so much hair all over and it tangles easy..It is a pain. She loves it though..See later for picture of her wearing it.   Easy bake oven..Did you know that you have to buy the freakin lightbulb. Ya, I didn't do that so we have to wait until Monday to find a 100 watt standard not soft light bulb. The aftermath...Sorry another dog bum shot. That is his dog not mine. Mine is behaving and sitting right next to me...All in all, the kids really liked everythi

After all that seriousness, it was time for some fun! For the kids' Christmas present...new jammies. Then we watched the Polar Express. After the movie, the kids prepared a cookie that we made earlier that day for Santa and milk. Son even wrote a note to Santa. It read To Santa, From My family. Santa Claus have a merry christmas even your elves. Santa wrote back that night and thanked him for the cookie and milk. Son was so excited that he wants to write him again next year and he now has all year to think of what to write to him.                                    

I had it all planned. I wanted a Christ-centered evening for the family. Dinner was to be Christ centered as well. Bread crowns (see below) I put bread (you can use wheat) in a muffin pan smooshed down and then baked for about 20 minutes at 250. They turned to toast. Then a chicken gravy was spooned on top of them. One thing, the gravy was very bland and no amount of salt could have done the trick. It lacked flavor. Oh, well! I ventured from our breakfast for dinner or soup with bread bowls on Christmas Eve. I will revert for next year. Then after dinner, we read about the birth of Jesus Christ. Then the kids drew a picture of something that they would want to give Jesus. I think it was too high for them but son drew an invitation to invite someone to a church activity and daughter drew a smile to give to Jesus. Then I put them in a gold colored box and put under the tree. I will continue to do that every year. After that we ate a cinnamon swirl bundt cake that I made earlier. We sang

I did not make my usual cookie treat plates. I was sort of bah humbug in that respect. I do not know if I will do it next year as well. Then there are soo many awesome people in this ward but I can't give to all. Plus I kind of liked the extra time with the kids instead of baking. Next year, I think I will make quick breads in advance and put them in the freezer. I did however make Raspberry Crumb Muffins. Then I remembered last year I made little loaves of bread with that mix from scratch. I think I might have recipe posted on here somewhere. The next thing I made for the family that my husband home teaches and one gal that I awesomely visit teach who has turned out to be such a good friend a yummy dessert. (huge run-on..hope it made sense) Behold...Meet the most Buttery Cinnabun Cake....It is very fattening but oh so yummy! Here is the recipe from the picky palate. It does make a 9 x 13 cake but I put them in a bread loaf pan.

I was worried about what to get my niece and nephews this weekend as we rarely see them and we don't really know them. My friend made hats like this for each of her students in her class and then sewed with her fancy sewing machine their names on each one. I don't have a fancy sewing machine for names. These hats were perfect for my neice and nephews and they are so easy to make. I am making my son one that is flaming orange with guitars. Daughter is getting a monkey one. A yard of fleece makes about three hats that are double lined. I have no idea how to explain to make these but if you want me to show you that is fine.

On Saturday, we travelled to Ogden for a Christmas dinner and gifts at husband's aunt's house. We normally don't travel in the winter after being caught in a crazy storm in Blackfoot when we first moved here. I vowed to never travel again during the winter. So here comes the weekend and of course storms. We braved ( I drove cuz I can't stand my husband's driving). The trip down was scary and there were 5 slip offs from Blackfoot to Pocatello. What was crazy was that it was not that bad so we drove easy and made it safely with two potty breaks for sister. We were trapped in a living room going crazy so we went outside for a snowball fight. I later went in because I was cold. Husband stayed out and got the nieces and nephews real good. Later that evening after a yummy turkey dinner, we opened presents. Sister got a pillow pet that she has been asking for like forever. I had even bought them for them for Christmas. I took them back last night. Brother got a nerf gun.

Someone here in our house turns 6 this month. We celebrate it with a birthday party before the holidays as her birthday is on New Year's Eve. I invited only girls that we know in her primary class and kindergarten class. She wanted it Hello Kitty. The first thing the girls did was decorate headbands that have a bow on it. You know kind of like Hello Kitty. I bought dollar store headbeads: hot glued a bow on. Girls decorated them with rhinestones, foamie stickers. They were gorgeous. Girls devoured strawberry cupcakes. They put their own sprinkles on. The girls made beaded necklaces and they created their names using shrinky dink paper. This is before I baked the paper. They shrink more than half. I think I might do this at school and have the students make ornaments. This was a girl's masterpiece. Cute! Husband was helping daughter with her necklace. Opening her presents. Her loot! She was so happy to get presents from her little friends. They had such a good time. W