Never Let it Fade Away!

Madison is in the 6Th grade Belton Middle School girls choir. On Tuesday, Madison preformed with the choir for the first time during their annual Fall Concert. We are so proud of Madison! She looked snazzy in her "choir uniform" and was all smiles on the way to the concert.

The middle schools cafeteria was packed with proud parents just like Jack and I who wanted to see their daughters shine!

This is Madison's 6th Grade Choir Girls group (well most of them anyway)....

There were three different choir groups so, each group only got to sing two songs. But, they all did such a great job and I was surprised at how well organized it was. Mrs. Martinez did a great job with the girls!

One of the songs preformed was "Catch a Falling Star" by Perry Como. What a fun and catchy song! For hours after the concert, Jack, Madi and I were all singing..."Catch a falling star and but it in your pocket, never let fade away...Catch a falling star and put it in your pocket, save it for a rainy day".

Good job Madison! We love you and are SO proud of you! YOU are a shining star! Never let it fade away!!!

it's all Madison's fault....

A few weeks ago Madison came home with "The Cookie Bible" which she checked out from her school library. You know, there is only one reason a child would check a book such as this out - to get YOU to make things out of it. She tried to play innocent and said that she got it for me to look at because she knows how much I love cookbooks. Nice try Madi!

Well, I got suckered in! This book is filled with tons of cookie and brownie recipes. Once I looked through it, I couldn't resist making a few. I am currently in the process of typing all the ones that look worth trying that I haven't already so that Madison can take the book back to the library.

I recently made the "Layers of Love Chocolate Brownies" and they were delicious! Jack actually picked these out and I'd say he made a great choice!

I'm going share the recipe here because I think it's worth sharing and because I'm sure there are a few chocolate lover's reading this! Just know that this time I tried it before I shared it - unlike the Espresso Martini! ;)

Layers of Love Chocolate Brownie ingredients

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

3/4 cup baking Cocoa

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, cut in pieces

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

3 large eggs, divided

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup chopped pecans

3/4 white chocolate morsels(chips)

1/2 cup caramel ice cream topping

3/4 semi-sweet chocolate morsels

Preheat oven to 35o F. Grease 8-inch-square baking pan.

Combine flour, cocoa and salt in small bowl. Beat butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar in large mixer bowl until creamy. Add 2 eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla extract; mix well. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Reserve 3/4 cup batter. Spread remaining batter into prepared baking pan Sprinkle pecans and White morsels over batter. Drizzle caramel topping over top. Beat remaining egg and reserved batter in same large bowl until light in color. Stir in semi-sweet morsels. Spread evenly over caramel topping. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until center is set. Cool completely (this is the hard part because everyone wants to eat them right away!) in pan on wire rack. Cut into squares and ENJOY!

I didn't get many pictures of the Brownies ~ just this one which was taken more then halfway through the preparing process.....

and this one, which is of a half eaten brownie......

Don't judge them by their Poopie, Smelly, Poisonous Covers

Recently, while out in the back yard, Olivia & I noticed a couple of strange looking creatures on our Mexican Lime Tree. At first, we honestly thought it was some sort of discharge...maybe from a bird?! But, as we looked closer, we could see the "discharge" moving! There were four of these freakish little monsters crawling around on our tree! They looked like a cross between a large gelatinous clump of bird poop and a miniature alien creature. Olivia right away got her camera and started snapping away, all the while wondering what they were. I however, didn't care! I had just discovered why the leaves on our tree looked like they had been chewed on and I wanted payment for it! Olivia went back inside, I assumed because they were really disgusting, and I went to work. These little suckers aren't taking out my tree! So, I grabbed the water-hose and pressure blasted those bloated-sacks of protoplasm straight to heck! (the children, remember the children when you write, Jack).

I had almost completely eradicated these disgusting little foes, when Olivia returned to the yard. I was pretty proud of myself at that point. The Tree Saver, a hero, even. I was confused when Olivia's response was less than filled with pride and awe. She said, "What did you do?" I said, "I got rid of those things." Now agree, she proceeds to tell me that they might be the larvae of some really beautiful moth or butterfly and that she was trying to look it up to make sure. I tried to defend my heroic actions by explaining how these worms were eating our little lime tree! Worse, they were threatening the serenity and security of our property, our land, our FREEDOM! Olivia, muttered something (I can't repeat it here) and went back inside, shaking her head.

I spent the next twenty minutes fishing two (I couldn't find the others)soggy and fairly agitated little monsters out of the grass near our patio. I carefully replaced them onto the leaves of our precious little lime tree and stepped back, now shaking my head because I was being forced to join her in the destruction of all that was good and pure about our patio! Ahhh, all for the sake of a few pictures!

You can see for yourself why I would be reluctant to want these little turds covered in burnt hair anywhere near our yard.....

Turns out, these are in fact the larval form of the Giant Swallowtail Butterfly, one of the largest and most beautiful of all North American butterflies. I remembered seeing one fluttering around this same tree a few weeks earlier and wondering what it was doing since there were not any blooms on it at the time. Boy, nature never ceases to amaze me. These larvae are also known as "Orange Dogs" for their preferred host site being citrus trees of many kinds (Mexican Lime?). The adults are often seen flying through orange orchards. Just goes to show kids, you really can't always judge a book by it repulsive cover. As you can see, the larva have recovered from my assault and had gotten huge! If you got close, you could actually hear them crunching on the leaves.

you can see the head is out - and of course, it's eating my tree!

Just when I thought, man these things can't get any bigger...they're gone! I asked Olivia if she'd seem them recently and she said that she had just the evening before. We searched everywhere on the tree and they were gone. I guessed that either one of our idiot cats, the equally idiotic dog or a bird of some kind must've gotten them both. This would have been especially remarkable given the orange dog's varied defenses. First of all, they are really ugly but, we've established that. They are supposed to and do resemble bird droppings. Not the first item on the menu for most predators but, again our pets are another story entirely. The larvae also have an appendage called an osmetrium that they are able to unleash and wave about. This osmetrium secretes an extremely foul-smelling and mildly toxic odor that repels predators, as well. I haven't had the pleasure of actually sniffing these secretions (maybe next time) but, they are supposed to smell like rancid butter and be capable of clearing a room. If looking like bird crap and smelling like rotten butter don't make you want to take a bite, they are also suspected of being mildly poisonous, as well. That's right ladies, he's single! Anyway, all of this made it unlikely that anything other than one of our pets who seem to revel in eating one anothers excrement, vomiting and having explosive bowel movements as often as possible, would dine on these putrid little pals of ours. So, what gives? Olivia was heartbroken. Dreams of beautiful close-up pictures of these guys in their cocoons (actually butterflies have a chyrsalis) and them emerging as amazing butterflies, all dashed! Tragic and mysterious indeed.

Then, that very night, Olivia noticed some strange objects clinging to the back wall of our house. They looked like the empty shells of some bugs or, perhaps something that had been eaten by one of the spiders that hang out in that area. What were they...carapaces, carcasses? No! Chrysalises!!! The larvae were transforming. Somehow, they had crawled out of the tree, out of the pot, across the patio and up the wall to fix themselves in these positions. We wondered how long they would remain in this state. When would we need to be on hand to witness their emergence? Looks like spring as they normally overwinter in their chrysalis....

In their chrysalis'

So, now you know what the "pretty awesome thing happening in our back yard" is that Olivia referred to in her earlier post. Again, just amazing!

three days in the middle of October....

Since yesterday (Monday, October 11) was Columbus Day, Jack had the day off and Madi and I were out of school for the day! Nice. Thank goodness for three day weekends! We were able to get some much needed rest and we were able to get a major project that we had been putting off for months (cleaning/rearranging our kitchen cabinets) done. That was, of course, no fun but, the rest of our weekend was great. It was one of those weekends, the best kind of weekend, where we were able to spend time with both sides of the family.

Friday night Jack, Madi and I spent the evening with Momma Johnston since Johnny was out of town on business travel. We sent hours relaxing and watching one of Madi's favorite shows, America's Funniest Home Videos. And funny it was! We had a great night full of laughter. Thanks mom!

On Saturday, we welcomed a new addition to the Johnston family.....

His name is Sampson, Sammy for short, and he is Mom and Dad Johnston's new 7 week old toy poodle. Cute, huh? He has a great temperament and seems to already enjoy his new home. Madison just couldn't put him down and already loves him so!

Sunday evening, thanks to our Nephew, Jason, was the most fun we (mostly, I) have had in a long time! Jack, Madison, Jason, my sister Gennie, and I went to the "Lost Get Found" concert by my favorite Christian Music Artist, Britt Nichole. It was such an uplifting concert and Britt Nichole was so powerful, in voice and in presence! We had a fantastic time and we are so thankful to Jason for being such a thoughtful young man! He found out about the concert through his Orthodontist's office, who was selling tickets. He knew she was my favorite so, he got us all tickets to go! What a sweetheart!

Here's a few pictures...none of the pictures of the stage action came out good but, you get the idea....

~yeah, like I said, these are not so good!

~Jason and Madi after the concert The opening act for Britt Nichole was a Christian Band called, Mikeschair and let me just say - Wow! They were THE perfect band to get the night started! Monday, our extra day, was spent at my moms house. Jack showed Jason a few football moves.....

~I don't know what this is but, I'm sure it's important for Jason to know.

~I'm guessing....blocking moves??

~Jason getting aggressive! See that Bella is very interested in what's going on....

~she decides to get in on the fun...

~ Bella's gonna take the tackle bag OUT!

~ Bella thinkin' - ha, showed them boy's how its done!

~Madi's using the tackle bag thingy as a dancing partner. Jack was in THE ZONE so he wasn't laughing...Jason was though! :D Mom fixed a truly delicious Southern~Home~Cooked~Meal!! Thanks mom! After dinner, Jack, Madi, Jason and I played a game of football. The boys were on one team (Madi and I had code names for them - Jack was "rose" and Jason was "flower" -- this was Madi's idea of course) and Madi and I were on the other team. I'll be honest though, it hurts. The boys won 6-0! No pictures were taken of this event, mostly because I, (the picture taker) was actually playing IN the game, not watching the game. It was so much fun! Can't wait till the rematch!

While at moms and while Jack and Jason "practiced" their football moves, I walked the land some and took pictures. Here's a few I would like to share...

~Hope you have a great week!

EspressO Martini...I need a do-over!

Last night I tried out the Espresso Martini that I posted a recipe for here a few days ago.

In that post, I mentioned how much I love coffee but, I failed to mention that I don't really drink alcohol and up until last night, I had never even had a Martini!

I started having a class of wine here and there about a year/year and a half ago and I can only really drink the sweeter white wines. I haven't graduated to being a red wine drinker yet, even tho' I know it's better for me then white.

So, with that said, the best way I can describe this Espresso Martini, for me, is STRONG!

When I saw this martini recipe originally, I think all I thought about was - here's a nice "sophisticated" drink that I can put in a pretty martini glass and take amazing pictures of! AND it has my favorite thing in it, Espresso!! Nice!

Though it did taste like coffee, the vodka was overpowering. I think I'll try it again and tweak it somewhat in order to make it taste more like coffee and less like rubbing alcohol.

We had a good time making them tho' and everyone tried a glass....well, Madison got a "Virgin Martini" of course. Jack and Camille really enjoyed theirs. Maybe they were just being nice tho'...hmmm.

I "attempted" to take a picture of the Martini - and I say "attempted" because out of the seventeen pictures I took, none of them turned out. So, another reason to try this drink again is to get a better picture!

I cheated and doctored the picture below in a photo program of mine. It's still not a good picture but, I had to have a picture to go a long with this story. I promise the next one will be better!

This is mine

And this one was taken by a professional! Boy do I have a lot to learn!

Anyhow, I think for those of you who can drink more then the sweet white wines and who also enjoy coffee, this is a great drink for you. As for me, I'll try it again if for nothing else but a better picture! I need a do-over on this one all together.