Stuck in the house

My Ella and I have been stuck in the house for a few days now. I don't think I ever realized how difficult it can be to entertain a toddler... I don't know if I like that term yet... without going outside! We've managed though with only a few tantrums and loss of patience. In no particular order, here is what we've been doing....

Current Read!

Well I finished Dracula and loved it and am now onto this interesting little find from halfpricebooks :)

Title: What Your Stuff Says About You: Snoop
Author: Sam Gosling
Genre: ??

 I keep coming back to this book.  I read a few chapters and then I set it down for a few months... not sure why.  It is interesting to me.  It kind of explains to you how you can learn about people just from looking at their areas of living/working... such as a bathroom or an office.  It's interesting to me because I like to snoop at peoples house.. beware :)  but also I want to see how my areas look to others.  It kind of reads like a textbook to me.. which may be why its taking me so long to finish it.  I tell you what I've read is good.  I do wish there were a few more examples of what hes talking about, but for the most part I get the picture.  So if you are looking for a different type of book to read, check it out!

Snoopology

Christmas is coming!

We are almost ready for Christmas! Need to wrap a few more presents and bake some cookies and brownies and we will be set! Oh and buy a few more gifts! Our decorating wasn't as much as I wanted but a little person kept taking everything down... notice how only the top half of our big tree is decorated :)

Ella Birthday Week

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Pies Pies Pies

For Thanksgiving this year I made 5 pies!  2 for my family and 3 for my husbands family.. and they pretty much turned out delicious!  I made 2 pecan, 2 pumpkin, and 1 sweet potato.  I did have to put the pumpkin in longer than I expected but still good! 

Pumpkin Pie

1 egg
1 Tbl flour
3/4 cups sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1.5 cups pumpkin puree
1.5 cups evaporated mil
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp nutmeg
2 Tbl light corn syrup
1 9in. pie crust (i bought the refridgerated kind)

Preheat oven to 450.  Add sugar gradually to pumpkin puree.  Beat well and stur in flour, sat, and spices.  Stir in corn syrup and beat well.  Stir in slightly beaten egg.  Slowly add evaporated milk, mix until well blended.  Pour batter into unbaked pie shell.  Bake at 450 for 15min then bake at 325 for 60min or until the knife comes out clean from the center of pie.

Pecan Pie

1 9in unbaked pie crust
3 eggs, beaten
1 cup dark corn syrup
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup melted butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup pecan halves

Preheat oven to 350.  Beat together eggs, corn syrup, sugar, butter, and vanilla.  Arrange pecans in bottom of unbaked pie crust and pour mixture over (the pecans will float up).  Bake 1 hour or until knife come out clean from center of pie.

Sweet Potato

1 lb sweet potato
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup milk
2 eggs
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 9in unbaked pie crust

Boil sweet potatoes in skin 40-50min.  Run cold water and remove skin.  Break sweet potatoes apart in bowl.  Add butter, mix with mixer.  Stir in sugar, milk, eggs, nutmeg, cinnamon, vanilla extract and beat on medium speed until smooth.  Fill pie crust.  Bake at  350 for 1 hours or until knife comes out clean from center of pie.

 Pumpkin pies baking!

2 pecan pies and 1 sweet potato pie cooling!

They were delicious and one day I will make my own crust!  Try them out!

les max brothers chico et harpo

This makes me smile. And I especially need it after a long night and morning with a sick babe.  Hopefully she'll be back to herself soon.  Until then.. daddy came home from work early so I could go to work for a bit.  Love that our schedules can work this out.

 Enjoy this!

New classic read

Well I've read a few books since my last. None seemed adequate for here though. I've just started Bram Stoker's Dracula. I must say I'm excited to see where a lot of vampire moves came from. I tend to navigate away from "scary" books but its a classic and therefore I can't turn it down!

Can you tell I tend to read in groups? All fantasy... All classics. ... What will be next!