Here We Go Again

The Girl didn't seem too worried about being asked to homecoming this year.  Maybe she learned that lesson when she wasn't asked last year.  But for whatever her reasoning, she seems lukewarm about it.  Until Saturday night.

Saturday night The Boy had about 6 football friends over to play ("Mom, we don't 'PLAY', we hang out!"), or I mean, HANG OUT in the hot tub and then play/hangout some football game on the XBox.  About the time I started thinking, "Aren't these boys going home?" there was a very assured knock on the door.  The boys weren't bothered by the knocking--all their buddies were already in the house, so it wasn't for them.  So The Girl answered it.

There was a delicious berry peach pie with a simple note...inviting her to homecoming. (PS--I am not sure what happened that the invite photo is turned sideways...it was right as I imported it...but you get the idea.)

Devan is one of her Trek "brothers" and they have known each other all their school years.  They went to elementary together.  He is a delightful boy and super fun.  The Girl made the comment that she was glad it was someone not from "their group" because it takes some pressure off.

That made me wonder what kind of pressure "their group" was exerting, but let's not think of that.

So then she had to answer him..and it can't be just a simple phone call to say "Yes".  So she decided to make him a pie.

Her favorite kind of pie is a Key Lime, thanks to a deliciously good one Uncle Joey makes regularly.  So The Girl spent the morning backing key lime pie--and ended up with 2 pies and a dozen tarts.  Apparently I had the 'wrong' kind f prepared graham cracker crust.

After her last day of work yesterday (the pool closes for the season after Labor Day), she and good pal Megan delivered her answer. 

Guess it is a good thing we found a few dresses when we did.  But those photos will have to wait a few weeks.  The Homecoming Dance is Sept 22nd.

Like a Box of Chocolates....

Remember Forrest Gump telling us "life was like a box of chocolates"?  Well, life is also like a surprise bakery.  You still never know what you are going to get.

I got to spend two days visiting Grisl' Camps this week, and another day just being completely lazy, and relaxed with the three ladies I work with in our YW presidency.  During our lazy day (reports on the Girls' Camps will come, but later) we wandered across this lovely window display at a little bakery in a littler town.  Yes, the Abominable Snowman.  Cute, right?

Of course, we had to visit the bakery.  We discovered that the baker/owner/manger did it all there.  (Told you it was small.)  She told us the previous window display was the Incredible Hulk, and while she liked that display too, this one made her smile.

I completely get it.

This discovery makes me want to go out to tiny town and explore their local establishments a little more.  It didn't hurt that the cupcake of the day was a chocolate peanut butter confection that tasted as good as it looked.  You never know what you're going to get.

Epic. Fail.

I love to bake, but have a hard time with yeasty things.  I do great with cookies, bars, and even cakes--though I don't spend the time and energy to frost them beautifully, they do taste good.  Dinner rolls and bread have given me fits.  I have been taught the "bread dough for dummies" recipes that include soy lecithin from friends who just simply swear by it.  But while I can bake bread that way, at least enough to keep my family alive, it doesn't look or taste or feel quite right.  And dinner rolls are an extra pan of trouble.

These little beauties raised slightly then baked rock solid.  After baking they will had a kitchen sponge texture and tasted, well, off.  I will pursue this, as I 'm determined to get it right before I die.  But it sure is frustrating when I can do it just like my dear friends show me in their kitchens when I get back to mine and I just fail.

The funny thing is, I did learn a yummy yeast cinnamon roll recipe, and I love that one.  But it doesn't translate well into regular rolls for me and even worse bread.  I guess I am only one-half  "Holly Homemaker".  I guess this dilemma leaves me something to shoot for, at least. Right?  Oh well. 

I'd feel better about the trying and failing if we had a dog I could feed the mistakes to.  If he could even bit these little rock-rolls.

Baking Elves

This is what I looked like all day. We were busy little baking elves...The girl helped me as the boys were on the slopes. More details later, but this is not the time of year to ask TOO many questions!

3rd Day of Christmas...3 Kinds of Treats

Saturday I got left home alone while The Girl was working at the Space Center and The Boy went with GG to go snowboarding. I had the morning to myself! It was trying to snow all day, so I turned on the Christmas music and began to bake.

I made three kinds of baked treats Saturday: banana bread, butterscotch chocolate chip cookies, and Nanaimo (Canadian) Squares. It was a nice day to wear an apron and try not to lick my fingers.

When The Girl got home, she and her friend tried making cinnamon ornaments. I tried doing it from memory rather than checking my sister-in-law's recipe. Oooops. The girls just rolled with it (literally and figuratively) and seemed to have a good time. There are three pans of ornaments drying--and smelling lovely--in the kitchen.

The house smelled so good, it was worth the 5 or 6 sets of dishes I washed by hand since the dishwasher was already full and the child in charge of that didn't empty it yet! But that is another issue, isn't it.