Get Praise and Coffee in your email.

Your email address:


Powered by FeedBlitz

Friday, February 1, 2008

Friday Fluff and other random happenings

Ok...I'm at it again, but NO sidebar button!
If you missed the first installment of FF, go HERE


*** It has been cold and snowy here in Michigan for far too long now. I'm ready for a break.
This is what we do when we can't go outside to play:

We build forts in the house. That is Lauren, Daddy and if you look real close you see the dog in there too! In case you notice that she has no shirt on...the child is hotblooded and I have a full time job trying to clothe her. Sometimes I leave the room for just a moment and when I come back, she down to her unders. Occasionally I fight it, mostly we've all gotten used to it.

***However...she was just given a lifesize (her size) Barbie, and my boys do not at all appreciate seeing Barbie in nothing but a pony tail holder. I have had to convince her that Barbie is sick and needs her clothes on. So now we have to wipe Barbie's nose. The nose I can handle, if it gets any weirder, I'm done.

***Last time I did this, a few of you wondered about a comment I made about my son Matt. Matt is a character and always giving me ammunition for the blog but I try to be discreet with the kids. However, you have to hear about his latest antics.

He is in college and is studying genealogy in one of his classes. They are supposed to look up their family history and make a family tree etc. Well, that seemed too involved for Matt, so instead of calling his grandparents and getting all the information, he decided to make up his own family and NAMES!

Mind you...some of these precious people are still living and he is changing their names!



If he had done the slightest bit of research he would have found that his ancestry goes back to people like Helen Keller on his Father's side and the Kennedy's on my side (sorry, I can't be responsible for that!).

But no, he made up names and occupations just to finish his project with the least amount of sweat on his brow. I'm not excusing his behavior mind you, but he did catch me off guard when I mentioned his Great-Grandma and he said, "Oh Grandma Stevens?" which is not her name in the real world, only in his pretend, liar world.



*** Another "Matt-ism" is that he loves to do illusion and tricks. He especially like amazing his littlest sister with his slight of hand. She's always good for a good jaw-dropping when he makes her toys disappear. Then the music starts of course!

Lauren thinks she's figured this all out and she will take a nickel into her hand, put both hands behind her back and then ask you to choose. When you choose an arm, she will transfer the nickle to the other and show you her empty hand. She repeats this until she finally drops the said nickel behind her and shows you both her empty hands as she gasps with amazement at her ability to make things disappear. Of course we all gasp too.





*** So last week I finally threw out the Christmas tin with a handful of mixed up caramel, butter and cheese popcorn at the bottom, how about you? Did you hesitate thinking that maybe you could re-use that tin, or did you just pitch it like me because you already have 2 in your basement?



*** Everyone in this house, except my dear husband, loves ranch dressing. We have a local restaurant here that makes it best! I used to have a friend who worked there and would bring me home the packet to mix it up and make my own. The only problem was that it was a large packet and I wasn't good with fractions so I had to make it all, and as much as we love it, a five gallon bucket was more than we could handle (just kidding- don't send letters to help me with the fractions).


But seriously, I do plan meals according to what we can dip in ranch dressing. That waitress no longer works there, but I found an awesome recipe that I can make in smaller portions.



Here is my tried and true favorite:



1 cup buttermilk
1 cup Kraft mayo
1 Tbls Hidden Valley Ranch BUTTERMILK mix
1/2 tsp. coarse black pepper
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
Mix and eat with anything and everything!

21 comments:

Beth Cotell said...

I love Ranch dip too so I thought I would share my favorite recipe with you...

Mix 1 pack Hidden Valley Ranch mix with 1/2 cup of milk. Mix 1 cup of mayo with 1/2 cup of sour cream. Then mix it all together and let it chill. YUM! YUM! YUM!
I got this recipe from The Pioneer Woman Cooks. That's another great blog for you to check out sometime!

Isn't Antique Mommy just the greatest!?

Praise and Coffee said...

Thank you Beth, we can never have too many ranch recipes!!

Zaankali said...

Hey, I have a tent a lot loke yours in my living room from yesterday's snow day also. Go figure.
Smiles!

Knitting Mania said...

First time visiting your blog, I really enjoyed it!! I'll be back!

Blessings, "Knitting Mania"

concerned parent said...

Yes, the recipe I can never remember it; ladies this dressing is soooo gooood with kettle chips!

Matt, you nut! Don't teach your little cousin this one he would love to do that instead also.

Sing4joy said...

Friday Fluff is Fun! And what a treat that it came a day early and that tomorrow we have a drawing to look forward too. I may have to borrow the label 'pretend, liar world' because that is just too funny! Thanks for sharing your days with me! I'll be back tomorrow.

Monkey Giggles said...

Hi Sue,

I love hearing about your Friday Fluff! I think you should do a button.

We did the tent/fort thing too. It must be a northern cold thing we mom's do in order to break up the winter blah days.

Hugs,
Hope

Shari said...

Even as teenagers my kids love to build forts in the house. I'm convinced it so Mom will have to go through their obstacle course!!

I've never made Ranch Dressing - how long is it's shelf (fridge) life?

Susan said...

I enjoy these random posts. You cover a lot of territory. I'm celebrating my blogoversary. Please drop by and sign up for my little give away :o)
Susan

Praise and Coffee said...

Shari,
I'm not sure, it's never in the fridge that long around here. I would guess that as long as the buttermilk would be good- which brings another question...how do you ever know when buttermilk goes bad??? :)

Susan,
I'll head over!

A Stone Gatherer said...

We spent the day yesterday cozy by the fire reading and playing with polly pcckets! It was a great day!

Anonymous said...

Wow we do the tents with our grandkids now, what fun!! I love the dogs eyes glowing.I will try your recipe cause I also have ranch on EVERYTHING:) Thanks, have a great weekend:)

Natalie said...

I was just wondering why all of the Barbie's in my home are naked!

he made up his family's names??? that is too funny!

my kids give me lots of ammunition but i try not to tell too much especailly about my tween.

Denise said...

I enjoyed reading this.

Susannah said...

Thanks for the link to Inspired Spaces. I took a peek and she's got style!

BTW, you've been nominated for an award. When you get a chance, please stop by and grab it.

Blessings,

e-Mom @ Chrysalis

Nadine said...

I don't know what was funnier...the naked life size Barbie that freaks out the boys or Matt making up his family line. Those were great stories. Thank you for sharing it.

Amrita said...

What fun playing inside the house. we used to do that a lot while growing up...to escape the summer heat.

I visit Antique Mommy too.

Anonymous said...

I had to read the geneaology report outloud to my husband -- I could barely read it without laughing! You really should make copies and frame them for living relatives!

MaryLu said...

Matt making up his own ancestry is so funny!
I'm big into geneology too and we've been stumped sometimes by court houses that burned to the ground or some relative unwilling to share what they have for fear that they may have a skeleton or two. I must admit, we've never thought of just making someone up! I'll have to suggest that to my DH next time we run into a dead end.

Kelly said...

Building forts brings back such great memories--my kids love it, too.

Thanks for the recipe--looks great.

Denise C said...

YUM! We love ranch at our house too! I am anxious to try your recipe!

  ©Blog Design by Amy Bayliss.

Return to top