List #4: My holiday cooking and baking list

Mike is our cook. I like to bake. We do a lot of it for fun in December, when he has a week or two off. I have been cleaning out the cabinets, drawers, and counters, trying to simplify and clean. Due to my RA, I just clean one appliance and one or two drawers a day. Even the first day on Monday, when I did the counters (moving unused things into long term storage, wiping everything down, and shining my pretty fridge) we were inspired to spend much more time in the kitchen.

This was 2 Christmases ago! Squeee!

Here are some of the things I hope to make in the next few weeks:

1. Maple Roasted Almonds Perhaps D and I can make these tomorrow if she has a snow day and then package them for her teachers Christmas baskets.
2. Sea-Salted Almond bark I think I will switch cashews for this, I'll roast them first and then sea salt them as well as sea salt the chocolate and perhaps put them in teachers baskets too.
3. Easiest Baked Mac and Cheese My Kids have eaten every kind of noodle in the world and Mike and I keep looking for homemade version we love that is quick to put together.
4. BUCKEYES Mike and I could eat these all. ALL of them!
5. Ginger Ice Cream This year I started trying flavored ice cream. I use to just have vanilla or cookies and cream, now I want every kind.
6. Cinna-nut Hot Chocolate I will have to try this with some chocolate what has a lower amount or no corn syrup. Corn syrup makes my joints ache. But, but, but, chocolate and peanut butter makes my stomach oh so happy.

List #3: Good excuses of where I have been, but also why I am back.

Good excuses of where I have been...

1. I'd rather be spending time with my kids, family, and friends. Best excuse ever.
   
2. I will always have ongoing health issues. This is how life is for me. No pity needed, it is just my reality. :)
   
3. It is quicker to stay connected through twitter and FaceBook. I originally used this blog to share with family near and far, but now FaceBook does that for me.

I always am more likely to read a post with a picture, so here is my Dad,
serving in the Navy during Vietnam. I originally posted this in honor of Veteran's day on FaceBook.

...but also why I am back.

1. I have been told this blog has been encouraging to others, so I'll keep it going. You can assume I'll be back in a few days or a few months unless I announce that I am done with blogging altogether.
   
2. Going back and rereading posts, I have been so thankful to have it as a way to remember the big and little moments of my life.
   
3. My sitereader system reminded me through email that 7-10 people still check this a day! So somebody is looking for me to write.
   

List #2: Things I don't like about this blog/blogging.

1. I have never liked my layout or banners. I use to think I needed to make my own, but now several years later there are enough free ones that it seems silly sometimes to work on one when I could sew or read to my girls instead. (I do like this layout I have right now!)
   
2. When I am physically sick this blog takes a back seat, which ultimately is fine, but I like the practice and benefits of blogging. (Creative outlet/online friendships/keeping up with family and friends)
3. It seems outdated to me to be on blogger, but it is free and comfy. And you all already know where it is.
4. Even with spell check, I often can make a mistake. This doesn't bother me that much, but I know there are some people that are very easily turned off by speelling errs and bad grammmer :)
5. One thing you always read from professional bloggers about blogging is not to complain or apologize about things you don't love about your blog or for not blogging in a while. I break this rule every now and then and don't even care, call me a bad blogger. This place is for me to share and create with you!
   
6. The wondering about what readers you have. Creepers? Other crafters? Other mamas? Friends? Family?

List #1: Things I learned as a theater kid that prepared me for my 30th birthday costume party.

1. A wig if not stored on a mannequin/head, should be stuffed with tissue paper, wrapped in hairnet, and kept in a gallon zip lock bag.
2. Not everyone likes to be the center of attention. Let them opt out of dressing up. Or let them wear regular clothes with dog tags and call themselves a GI Joe. (I love you Mike)
3. Eye liner always looks best the morning after a show. This is because you wear way too much on stage and then try to wash it all off and there is just a bit left the next morning and it almost looks natural and awesome.
4. Fabrics that need no hemming for quick costume fixes are netting/tulle, felt, t-shirt/jersey knit. (My apron is an XXL $5 t-shirt cut into the shape of an apron and decorated with Crayolas).

5. Socks can make or break the costume.



6. Junk food in excess will always make you stupid, annoying, and hyper. It will also make you feel lousy the next day. (See my above "Birthday Cake")


7. The friends you make in theater, just might be around 15 years later dressing as Care Bears or Sandi Patty for your birthday and being loyal best friends to you and your husband.

(My husband threw a "Sarah's favorite people from the 80s 30th birthday". In attendance we had Rainbow Brite, Strawberry Shortcake, Care Bears, GI Joe, and Sandi Patty to name a few. I was very blessed by the whole amazing nonsense!)

Here are my cute babies at a favorite local fun restaurant. What you can't see, is that I am holding them both and hollering because I am about to drop them.

Any who.

While reading blogs I stumbled on this one, where the author is writing 52 lists. One a week. Here are the ones written so far. Love it.

I was thinking of some goal or theme to keep me motivated in blogging and I turn 30 tomorrow. So mulling this around I thought I'd make a goal to write 30 lists between my 30th and 31st birthday. I am great at setting goals. I am a planner. I make charts and lists. What I am not great at is reaching the high and lofty creative goals I set for myself. Here is to seeing how far I come!

The Girl's Room

I told my friend, Wren I would post. I know she lovingly judges me when I go for a while without posting.

I have always thought to myself that as long as my health allows I want to make a baby quilt for my girls, and then a twin size quilt that they help pick out fabric for when they are older say 3, 4, or 5. Well this 3rd birthday my little pink loving fashoinista, Dorothy Jean is approaching . She has many milestones on the horizon such as 100% potty training (slowly getting there), preschool this fall, and a big girl bed.

OK so long story, well long (that is how Mike describes my story telling)...

My girls have a blue, red, and green nursery. The original rental bedroom that Dorothy inherited was periwinkle and lime green and apple red was my choice for gender neutral theme. I am now trying to figure out how to phase out some of the blues and add a lot of pink, which is easier now, because they have a neutral off white wall in our house.

So we are making a pink quilt with lots of bits of green, white, and red in it. I found a pattern I love and of course it is stupid hard and very meticulous. I started this process with 2 months until her birthday and tomorrow marks the 1 month until her birthday. We'll see. I made a practice quilt for dear friends to see if I could pull it off. Again, I say, "We'll see".

Practice and baby gift for dear friends

Goals already completed

• Make a practice quilt to make sure I can pull this off (I made a baby quilt for my friends 3rd baby girl, being a 3rd child myself I thought she needed something of her own).
• Get rid of several boxes of stuff we never used for the girls.
• Organize their closet (so much stuff-took me a whole day. Remind me not to let it get so bad ever again).
• Rearrange room. Get Maggie away from all items that she can destroy or harm herself with.
  

Goals for their room

• Get art back up on their walls that Maggie can't rip down when in her crib or on her changing table.
• Make Dorothy's birthday quilt.
• Make a banner or bunting to add more pink to the room
• Make the height chart that I have had in my mind for 3+ years now and fill in the girls heights over the last 3 years

Mobile Upload

Our family goes to the mall on family days sometimes. We have exhausted the Disney Store of all things Mickey and Minnie. We usually end our monthly trip to California Pizza Kitchen. D could not stop hugging Mike. She was cracking us up.
Our favorite server, Ashley Choneginhiemer wasn't working because it's her birthday or something. Happy birthday Ashley!

Did I ever talk about chocolate chip cookies on here? If so then I'll do it again, because my friend Wren has been on a similar search as mine and I was thinking about posting... so her post kicked me in the pants.

I learned cookie making from my Grandma Huff. She made them basic, consistent and always had a piece of bread in the cookie jar to keep the cookies from drying out.

I started searching for the ultimate recipe when I got an email from my husband 2 summers ago with a link to the New York Times that said "Make me these, thanks". He normally is not demanding so I was surprised, intrigued and soon after, baking a batch. They were GOOD, but they required 2 kinds of flour and specialty chocolate. I like simple baking. I took away some good tips though.

Lots of other recipes were tried. Lots. They were all good, because they all had butter, sugar and chocolate chips in them.

Another recipe I found this spring was this one from Recipe Girl. She browns the butter and uses Alton Brown's chewy recipe. The dough was amazing and tasted a lot like caramel because it was very similar to making caramel (melting butter and adding sugar) , but I made these the night of Mike's birthday dinner and lost track of them and they burned a little. I will have to try them again.

Because I prefer art to science, it is no surprise what I came up with after trying a lot of recipes over two years. I have never found an ultimate recipe, but I have found some ultimate techniques. So here is my collection of Chocolate Chip Cookie techniques.

Key tips from New York Times

• Use the best chocolate you can afford (but I say if you can only get the store brand still go for it).
• Make your dough 1 to 2 days ahead, and keep it in the fridge.
  
• Sprinkle each cookie with sea salt just before you bake it. THIS IS MY FAVORITE TIP!
  

Key tips from Recipe Girl

• If you have time, brown your butter before you cream it with the sugars.
  

Key tip from my sister-in law, Michelle

• Take them out just before they are totally done. They will continue cooking as they cool. If you wait to take them out until they are done, then they will be too crispy.

Key tips from Grandma Huff

• Use Nestle Toll House recipe
• Make each cookie the same size so they are all evenly (I use a scoop like this)
• Put a piece of bread with the cookies to keep them from drying out.

So there you go Wren.

Oh, and I have the perfect snickerdoodle recipe. It is one I have made since I was 9. I'll post sometime soon. Not now. The recipe is in the kitchen, and if I go in the kitchen after all this talk I won't come out until I am covered in flour and have eaten about 2 cups of raw cookie dough.

LOST and a collection of links

I love LOST. People know this and many have asked what I thought of the finale that first aired a week ago tonight. This may seem like a late time to do this, but my husband was out the country and just got caught up. I had collected all of these links for him as they popped up on FaceBook and through my own searching and thought you all might like them in one place.

I think the important to remember with this finale is like all great great art, film, and literature, you can read all this stuff below and much more that is out there and still come up with your own interpretation.

Aloha to LOST special by Jimmy Kimmel: This is the link to the meat of that show. You should watch the alternate endings which are worth while for a laugh and also if you watch the interview with Matthew Fox, you will see Jimmy Kimmel's theory of what everything meant and it was a big play in my own interpretation of the story (though, I don't agree that it was all Jack's test).

Here is what the producers said to Diane Sawyer before the finale aired of what they hoped for fans to feel it also discusses Jacks neck bleeding throughout the season.

A lot of people were not only confused by the finale, but many thought that the credits that showed the wreckage had a huge amount of meaning, meaning that the whole show was not real and that as soon as flight 815 crashed they all died. That didn't occur to me, because of what Christian Shepard had said. I thought those shots were just nostalgic look back at how the show started . A blogger and the author of LOST companion guides named Nikki Staford from Canada wrote about how they didn't have those credits and discusses that showing the wreckage probably doesn't mean a thing. Then soon after ABC made an announcement that they added those last images to transition into the 11pm news.


Here is a video that sums up all the questions left unanswered. It actually drove me crazy because of his yelling.

Here is a link to read about the 12-14 minute epilogue that will come out in the DVD set (In August). It is suggested that it has all already been filmed and there will be a look at what life was like on the island when Hurley was in charge and Ben was #2.

Other links of interest:

• Really liked this one myself-Film School Rejects: Definitive Guide to What Just Happened

• 119 things LOST did and didn't answer

• A huge collection of all the Entertainment Weekly's articles and theories Totally LOST.

• Lostpedia~ The LOST Encyclopedia

• Dark UFO~ A huge fan site if all of the above has not satisfied you yet.

• If you like Pod casts there are many you can google. Here is the official one.

There is so much more. Leave a comment for your favorite links that I may have missed.

Even though I was on a blog sabbatical an average 3 people a day check to see if I am back writing yet. Well then this post must seem like the jackpot!

Also how are there so many comments that I never moderated. I guess those got sent to my spam. Sorry so many of you have commented since Christmas. I'll fix that asap.

I was thinking about my dream sewing room. A sun porch where I can get a tan while I sew, but also turn on the air conditioner or heater as needed. It is surrounded on three sides by hydrangea bushes in pink and white. It needs to fully outfitted with a Formica table for having friends over to craft at and other retro furniture in bright colors. Art covers the walls. Art is by Mickie and Michael Winters, my sister in law Melinda Spear Huff, and so many more artists I know and love. A little table for the girls to craft on...when I let them in this space. And also an espresso machine for lattes.

And a cat. My old cat, Sally (RIP).

Across the hall, of course is the office lined with vintage guitars and theology books where my man sits in a leather chair reading or playing guitar and Ginger dog sleeps on a bed I sewed for her.

Some of my favorite pictures of last year part 1...

I am so thankful for this past year. Here are some of my favorite memories. Lots and lots of pictures!

Dorothy's first moment with Maggie Sue!

Our first family picture.


Mike and his girls.

My family. In small, medium, and large.

Brooks, Jamie, and Mike in DC for the Sovereign Grace Worship God 09 conference.


Mike at Sojourn's CD release party.

...Again Mike at Sojourn's CD release party.


Our friends Lachlan and Ellory Sue with Dorothy at the Ems house.

4th of July with the Degraides and Montgomerys


This sums up my day sometimes.

I am so crafty I make people and quilts.



Grandpa and Grandma Huff with their grandkids and celebrating their 40 years of marriage.

I love this sweet girl.

Maggie Sue Courage

Halloween with the Lewis and Butlers.

Avery and Dorothy.

An outtake from our family portraits with my MamaDear, Mickie Winters. Yes those are pajama pants, with Mary Janes, with no socks.


These pictures were taken by me, Mike, Chuke Heeke, Michael and Mickie Winters, Chip Lewis...and if I forgot to credit someone, let me know.

I'll (try) to blog December pictures soon!