Nutter Butter Ghosts

These are the only thing about Halloween that I look forward to. I used to make them with my mom.

1 Pkg Nutter Butter cookies
2 12 oz pkgs white or vanilla chocolate (one package of cookies uses about 1 1/2 bags, so if you're doubling the recipe, you really only need three)
Couple tbsps shortening
1 pkg mini chocolate chips (Hardly any of these are used, so if you're multiplying the recipe, 1 pkg will be plenty)

Line a cookie sheet with parchment or wax paper. Melt the white chocolate chips with shortening until smooth. With a fork, dip the nutter butter cookies into white chocolate, completely covering the cookie. Tap to get air bubbles out. Set on prepared cookie sheet and arrange the mini chocolate chips into a "face". Refrigerate until coating is hard, about 15 minutes.

Kielbasa Chowder

4-6 potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 onion chopped
2 stalks celery, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 14 oz can beef broth
1 14 oz can chicken broth
1 cup milk
1 pound kielbasa sausage, sliced into the 1/2 inch pieces
1 can condensed cream of chicken soup
1 can corn, drained
pepper

In a large pot over medium heat, combine potatoes, onion, celery, beef broth, chicken broth, and milk. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, brown kielbasa sausage in a skillet. Stir in sausage, condensed soup, and corn and continue to simmer until heated through and slightly thickened. Season with pepper to taste. Serve hot.

Justin and I think this would be really good in a soup bowl with a little grated cheddar cheese over the top.

Clothing Explosion

Before I got kid locks on the dressers, Liam used to pull all the clothes out of his and Alana's drawers. While I was trying to clean up one time, Liam decided to play with Alana:

Peek-a-boo!

Wait-what just happened?

Cardboard swordfight

I had some cardboard tubes left from wrapping Christmas presents for my nieces. Liam predictably grabbed one. Justin decided that fair is fair and got one for Alana. (Ignore the wreck on the floor, with kids there is inevitably clutter)

Alana was more interested in eating the tube.

The many (funny) faces of Alana

Another "My kids look alike" post

Alana in strange places

Alana was having problems with toys getting away from her, so I figured I'd just solve the problem.

She was having problems with sitting because she'd keep falling forwards or backwards. This was my solution.

Taking a spin in the laundry basket. I did this with Liam too.

Finger foods

Well, I wasn't intending to start Alana on finger foods yet. However, last night I handed some garlic butter club crackers to Liam last night who had a tantrum and threw them on the floor. After putting Liam in time out, I came back to find Alana delicately picking up crackers and gumming them. I expected her to hate them because they taste REALLY garlicky, but she loved them:

I couldn't take the crackers away from this face.

Those damn Twilight books have crossed a line*

So we all know what the cover of the Twilight books look like, right? Red and white flowers that have absolutely nothing to do with the stories, right? Here's a collage done by some person with way too much time on their hands:

Well today I saw this:

Harper Teen** has started to molest the beloved classics with the same type of cover art! Again, has NOTHING to do with the story! Okay, you might be able to say Romeo and Juliet with the "rose by any other name" quote is applicable, but that's a huge stretch. I blame the public school system.***

*Yes, I realize that this is not Twilight's fault. They're just an easy target and I like to blame stuff on them.

**Yes, I realize that Twilight is not even published by Harper Teen. So sue me.

***Yes, I realize that the public school system is not entirely responsible. There's also Deseret Book to blame.

I'm in trouble....

What? I'm just crawlin'!

Counting with Liam

I started off.

"One."

"Two!"

"Three."

"Two!"

"Four, five."

"Six!"

"Seven."

"Eight!"

"Nine."

"Two!"

As you can see, the number two is the number of the day. And week. And year.

New blog

I was reading a link from my sister in law's blog today called Clothed Much. It's a blog about clothes that this woman likes and wears. So I got inspired to start a new blog that I'll post on occasionally called The Knocked Off Closet. Mostly it'll be about the clothes that I've designed and sewn, but I'll probably talk about some of the finds I buy.