Welcome the newest memeber of the Divis Family - Brayden! He was born about 11:40 and weighed 8lbs 1 oz and was 20.6 inches long! My brother sent me this picture from his phone around midnight! I am thinking that he looks a little like my brother and lots like his sister, only with the dark hair! Everybody is doing fine! Congratulations!
Monday, January 12, 2009
Meet Brayden!
Welcome the newest memeber of the Divis Family - Brayden! He was born about 11:40 and weighed 8lbs 1 oz and was 20.6 inches long! My brother sent me this picture from his phone around midnight! I am thinking that he looks a little like my brother and lots like his sister, only with the dark hair! Everybody is doing fine! Congratulations!
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Another Cardinals Victory!
I think this one says it all! Nobody expected the Cards to pull off a victory last night! Lola knew it from the start and gave them the #1 before it even started!!!
Lola and daddy!
We finally got to meet baby Matix Bell last night! Lola was memorized by him and couldn't wait until he woke up and was out of his stroller! She loves babies! He is sooooo cute!
Brother and sister playing so good together with Lola's new cars! She needed her own, so that she would quit stealing Kyan's! Backfired on me though, because now he is stealing hers!
Our Cardinals FamilyLast night we celebrated another Cardinals win over at our friend (and neighbor) Brian's house! Good food and great football equals one heck of a good time! Thanks Brian for being the Host with the Most!
Kyan's New Bike
Although he has to get used to continuously moving his legs, Kyan LOVES his new bike! He picked it out all by himself! It was too dark to ride it outside when Chad put it together, so he got in some riding time up and down the hallway!
Sunday, January 4, 2009
Fudge just like Grandma used to make!
I do really love to cook and have inherited some great recipes from my Aunt Heidi - chocolate chip cookies, Aunt Jan - homemade spaghetti sauce and meatballs, the guys salsa recipe from Park 'N' Swap, and now Grandma's fudge!
One of the best things that I did with my grandma growing up was bake! She could make the meanest batch of fudge I have ever tasted! Many of my students and even Chad's dad made fudge for Christmas and it was all delicious, but, it just wasn't grandma's. Their fudge was mushy, while grandma's is hard and melts in your mouth!
Grandma kept a stack of 3x5 note cards in a box to the left of her sink where she stored all of her recipes. The funny thing about that is I do the same thing, only on random pieces of paper and I keep them in a cabinet with all the spices! Just thinking about it now, but that is one thing grandma and I have in common! Where grandma's note cards went after she passed, I do not know, but I was determined to make her fudge today!
I called my dad and asked him about it, who told me to call my aunt Marcia. She gave me some good advice and even told me that she has attempted it with no luck, which made me set out to make it even more today! My dad and Marcia both said that my grandma always said it was the recipe on the Hershey's Cocoa can. Of course they don't have that recipe on the can anymore, but, with help from the Internet I found it! It is funny, but I was feeling all of this crazy pressure to get it just right, especially since no one else could do it beside grandma so far! To my surprise, I did it! I thought that it would take me several tries before I could get it right, but first time was a charm!
Kyan was a good sport and got his hands dirty (and lots of measuring spoons/cups) to make her fudge! This is a recipe that hopefully I can teach my kids to make and one day my grandchildren! Then I will be the granny that everyone remembers!
This is definitely not for those healthy eaters, if you are one...LOOK AWAY!
A candy thermometer, something that I think you NEED if you make this! Thanks Marcia for the strong encouragement to get it! Just don't get the soft ball thing yet?!
Done and done! My dad doesn't believe me, but it really does taste like grandma's!
Want to make this fudge? Here is the recipe:
Old Fashioned Hard Fudge
3 cups sugar
2/3 cup cocoa
1/8 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups milk
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Line 8 or 9 inch square pan with foil; butter foil. In a large heavy saucepan stir together first three ingredients; stir in milk, with a wooden spoon*. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a full rolling boil. Boil without stirring, to 234 degrees F. on a candy thermometer (or until syrup, when dropped in very cold water forms a soft ball which flattens when removed from water.) Remove from heat. Add butter and vanilla. DO NOT STIR.
Cool at room temperature to 110 degrees F. (lukewarm). Beat with wooden spoon until fudge thickens and loses some of its gloss (this could be anywhere from 5 to 15 minutes. Quicikly spread into prepared pan; cool. You can store fudge in loosely wrapped wax/butter foil in the refrigerator.
*It is very important not to use a wire whisk or anything like that. Also just stir gently, even though the cocoa will stay floating on top. It will mix in as the mixture heats up.
*Also, make sure you use a cast iron pan/skillet, something to do with the way that it keeps the fudge cooking, even off the heat!
ENJOY!
One of the best things that I did with my grandma growing up was bake! She could make the meanest batch of fudge I have ever tasted! Many of my students and even Chad's dad made fudge for Christmas and it was all delicious, but, it just wasn't grandma's. Their fudge was mushy, while grandma's is hard and melts in your mouth!
Grandma kept a stack of 3x5 note cards in a box to the left of her sink where she stored all of her recipes. The funny thing about that is I do the same thing, only on random pieces of paper and I keep them in a cabinet with all the spices! Just thinking about it now, but that is one thing grandma and I have in common! Where grandma's note cards went after she passed, I do not know, but I was determined to make her fudge today!
I called my dad and asked him about it, who told me to call my aunt Marcia. She gave me some good advice and even told me that she has attempted it with no luck, which made me set out to make it even more today! My dad and Marcia both said that my grandma always said it was the recipe on the Hershey's Cocoa can. Of course they don't have that recipe on the can anymore, but, with help from the Internet I found it! It is funny, but I was feeling all of this crazy pressure to get it just right, especially since no one else could do it beside grandma so far! To my surprise, I did it! I thought that it would take me several tries before I could get it right, but first time was a charm!
Kyan was a good sport and got his hands dirty (and lots of measuring spoons/cups) to make her fudge! This is a recipe that hopefully I can teach my kids to make and one day my grandchildren! Then I will be the granny that everyone remembers!
Kyan stirring, and stirring, and stirring - you can't leave this cast iron skillet for a second!
This is definitely not for those healthy eaters, if you are one...LOOK AWAY!
A candy thermometer, something that I think you NEED if you make this! Thanks Marcia for the strong encouragement to get it! Just don't get the soft ball thing yet?!
Done and done! My dad doesn't believe me, but it really does taste like grandma's!
Want to make this fudge? Here is the recipe:Old Fashioned Hard Fudge
3 cups sugar
2/3 cup cocoa
1/8 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups milk
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Line 8 or 9 inch square pan with foil; butter foil. In a large heavy saucepan stir together first three ingredients; stir in milk, with a wooden spoon*. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a full rolling boil. Boil without stirring, to 234 degrees F. on a candy thermometer (or until syrup, when dropped in very cold water forms a soft ball which flattens when removed from water.) Remove from heat. Add butter and vanilla. DO NOT STIR.
Cool at room temperature to 110 degrees F. (lukewarm). Beat with wooden spoon until fudge thickens and loses some of its gloss (this could be anywhere from 5 to 15 minutes. Quicikly spread into prepared pan; cool. You can store fudge in loosely wrapped wax/butter foil in the refrigerator.
*It is very important not to use a wire whisk or anything like that. Also just stir gently, even though the cocoa will stay floating on top. It will mix in as the mixture heats up.
*Also, make sure you use a cast iron pan/skillet, something to do with the way that it keeps the fudge cooking, even off the heat!
ENJOY!
Victory is in the Cards!
Wow! What an exciting game yesterday! We opted to buy playoff tickets this year and what a good way to spend a little money! The game was a blast! It was awesome to see the sea of white towels and to hear how loud the fans really could get! There were barely any Falcons jerseys visible. Cardinals won 30-24! In order to have an NFC Championship home game, we have to become Philly fans for the next two weeks!
Chad did remind me that he has another week of the beard - and is NOT shaving until the Cardinals lose! Oh boy! Although I will say in the picture above it does look very handsome on him, though I am NOT a fan of the beard, he can really pull it off!
Regretfully I took the "old" camera and didn't get as good of pictures as I would have liked! I did find out that you can take a professional camera in as long as the lens is 200mm or smaller! I also found out that bags have to be 12x12 to get in?! I don't know when that rule changed, but I found out the hard way and brought my new Vans bag because I wanted to be able to put jackets in it and other stuff to store! Oops! Thank goodness Brian's friend threw it in her purse for me! Otherwise that would have been a long walk back to the car!
Friday, January 2, 2009
Now it is over...
"'Don't be afraid,' I murmured. 'We belong together.' I was abruptly overwhelmed by the truth of my own words. This moment was so perfect, so right, there was no way to doubt it. His arms wrapped around me, holding me against him.... It felt like every nerve ending in my body was a live wire.
'Forever,' he agreed."
...so it all started when I became a literature teacher at Wigwam Creek - I watched kids go crazy for the book Twilight (and the rest of them of course). I put them on my shelf and as soon as it hit, someone would check it out again. Always thought that the kids were crazy for wanting to read about Vampires and Werewolves, so I just watched it get checked out the rest of the year without batting an eyelash at it. When school was over for summer break, I grabbed the book and thought, ok, I am going to give this a shot! I am so glad that I did! It was the start of a beautiful friendship between myself, the couch, and the series! No wonder everyone falls head over heals for these characters! I think that Stephenie Meyer does an amazing job hooking you into these believable characters. Don't try to lie to yourself either, you know after reading them you have secretly wanted to be them at one point or another in the books! I fell in love with Edward and despised Jacob and New Moon actually - but once I read Eclipse, I felt for Bella and was captivated by Jacob and his big heart! Breaking Dawn gets right into the action and I felt ended better than I could have imagined and really wasn't anything that I expected! Don't want to give anything away to those of you who are not finished reading the series or who were like me at the beginning and didn't see the use in reading this book. There is a sadness that I have now that it is over, what will I read next? I just can't bring myself to pick up another book yet, how weird. If you have not read these books - GO and GET THEM!
'Forever,' he agreed."
...so it all started when I became a literature teacher at Wigwam Creek - I watched kids go crazy for the book Twilight (and the rest of them of course). I put them on my shelf and as soon as it hit, someone would check it out again. Always thought that the kids were crazy for wanting to read about Vampires and Werewolves, so I just watched it get checked out the rest of the year without batting an eyelash at it. When school was over for summer break, I grabbed the book and thought, ok, I am going to give this a shot! I am so glad that I did! It was the start of a beautiful friendship between myself, the couch, and the series! No wonder everyone falls head over heals for these characters! I think that Stephenie Meyer does an amazing job hooking you into these believable characters. Don't try to lie to yourself either, you know after reading them you have secretly wanted to be them at one point or another in the books! I fell in love with Edward and despised Jacob and New Moon actually - but once I read Eclipse, I felt for Bella and was captivated by Jacob and his big heart! Breaking Dawn gets right into the action and I felt ended better than I could have imagined and really wasn't anything that I expected! Don't want to give anything away to those of you who are not finished reading the series or who were like me at the beginning and didn't see the use in reading this book. There is a sadness that I have now that it is over, what will I read next? I just can't bring myself to pick up another book yet, how weird. If you have not read these books - GO and GET THEM!
Home for the Holidays
Ok, this one is long overdue, but I am going to recap our Holidays for 2008! Here goes...
...Christmas Eve
*Same as ever, spent time last minute shopping with my mama, while the boys participated in the annual Divis family golf tournament. My Uncle Bill was so excited this year because my dad couldn't play! He was having some weird pain and couldn't lift or really twist anything, so that gave Bill's side a huge advantage! My unlce even chose Kyan to put for his team, my dad had to put for the team he would have normally played on! Kyan was the only person to make a birdie put the entire day!
*After golf, we enjoyed one of my Aunt Jan's famous italian meals, lasagna this year with my cousins and thier kids! This is the one time of year that most of us get together so it is nice to hang out with them. My cousin bob has two girls, Abby and Amy and both girls had fun with my kids! Kyan could play hours with Abby and Amy was finally able to hold Lola, once Lola was use to her!
...Christmas Eve
*Same as ever, spent time last minute shopping with my mama, while the boys participated in the annual Divis family golf tournament. My Uncle Bill was so excited this year because my dad couldn't play! He was having some weird pain and couldn't lift or really twist anything, so that gave Bill's side a huge advantage! My unlce even chose Kyan to put for his team, my dad had to put for the team he would have normally played on! Kyan was the only person to make a birdie put the entire day!
*After golf, we enjoyed one of my Aunt Jan's famous italian meals, lasagna this year with my cousins and thier kids! This is the one time of year that most of us get together so it is nice to hang out with them. My cousin bob has two girls, Abby and Amy and both girls had fun with my kids! Kyan could play hours with Abby and Amy was finally able to hold Lola, once Lola was use to her!
*Opened presents and headed home to open more presents with my parents, as it has always been our tradition to open Christmas Eve. Kyan's favorite present of the night had to have been the camera that he got from my parents, while Lola's was her new cell phone! 
Kyan was sipping some hot cocoa before we opened presents! Sporting some new jammies!
Kyan was sipping some hot cocoa before we opened presents! Sporting some new jammies!
...Early Christmas morning
*Santa had left presents for Kyan, Chad, and Lola! Guess mommy wasn't that good this year? Ha! A sewing machine is in my future, but Santa wants me to pick out the one that I want! (I am taking suggestions if anyone has any! Need it to do the basics, but would want it to have some baby blanket making abilities too!)
Kyan got a new game for the wii - Star Wars Lightsaber Duel and a Lightsaber that attaches to the wii! It ends up making the controller to heavy for him to use, so he goes without it now, Lola got a new teether for all 6 of her teeth trying to make their appearance at the same time (YIKES!), and Chad got some money for his Lola tattoo! To see the look on Kyan's face was priceless Christmas morning! He went to the couch like any other morning and was still sleepy, but then looked to his right, looked at me, then looked again realizing just what was sitting next to him! It was so cute!
...Late Christmas morning
*This year was like any other that Chad and I and our kids have celebrated this year, we hosted Christmas! I had spent the past few days cooking up homeade Spagettii and Meatballs (my aunt Jan's recipe that she so kindly taught me several years ago). Italian two days in a row, I know, but the menu was different at least! There is a lot of work that goes into this meal as well, and I only make it maybe twice a year, then we just stick to Prego! Sad but true! We started off with Chad's dads side of the family, who unfortunately couldn't stick around for dinner. We still had a blast and the kids and us recieved many great presents!
...New Year's Eve
*We spent it at home playing the Wii as a family, Rayman Raving Rabbids TV Party! That is my favorite game ever to play on that thing, but I don't get to play it much as Lola always needs something, this year, she joined in on our party!
...New Year's day
*Spent a lazy day at home in jammies! Watched a few episodes of Heros Season 2 and finished reading the Twilight Series (one I will post about later - as it deserves its own), and HGTV!
Hope that everyone has a fabulous 2009! Happy New Year!
*Santa had left presents for Kyan, Chad, and Lola! Guess mommy wasn't that good this year? Ha! A sewing machine is in my future, but Santa wants me to pick out the one that I want! (I am taking suggestions if anyone has any! Need it to do the basics, but would want it to have some baby blanket making abilities too!)
Kyan got a new game for the wii - Star Wars Lightsaber Duel and a Lightsaber that attaches to the wii! It ends up making the controller to heavy for him to use, so he goes without it now, Lola got a new teether for all 6 of her teeth trying to make their appearance at the same time (YIKES!), and Chad got some money for his Lola tattoo! To see the look on Kyan's face was priceless Christmas morning! He went to the couch like any other morning and was still sleepy, but then looked to his right, looked at me, then looked again realizing just what was sitting next to him! It was so cute!
...Late Christmas morning*This year was like any other that Chad and I and our kids have celebrated this year, we hosted Christmas! I had spent the past few days cooking up homeade Spagettii and Meatballs (my aunt Jan's recipe that she so kindly taught me several years ago). Italian two days in a row, I know, but the menu was different at least! There is a lot of work that goes into this meal as well, and I only make it maybe twice a year, then we just stick to Prego! Sad but true! We started off with Chad's dads side of the family, who unfortunately couldn't stick around for dinner. We still had a blast and the kids and us recieved many great presents!
*Then onto lunch around 2. Chad's moms side of the family came over after their phone call with my sister-in-law, Kristen! She is serving her mission in Paraguay and is allowed to call twice a year, Christmas being one of them. Because we were hosting, we had to miss the call, but sent our love her way! Despite burning the bread, not once, but twice (you would have thought that I would have learned my lesson) the meal was great! Before we ate, we broke our Christmas Crackers (an English thing and my mother-in-law is English), and wore our crowns! Something we have done every year! Kyan's cracked me up! Then it was round three of presents! Where, again, everyone recieved such nice things!
Lola's face says it all! We were pooped by the end of the day!
Lola's face says it all! We were pooped by the end of the day!...New Year's Eve
*We spent it at home playing the Wii as a family, Rayman Raving Rabbids TV Party! That is my favorite game ever to play on that thing, but I don't get to play it much as Lola always needs something, this year, she joined in on our party!
...New Year's day
*Spent a lazy day at home in jammies! Watched a few episodes of Heros Season 2 and finished reading the Twilight Series (one I will post about later - as it deserves its own), and HGTV!
Hope that everyone has a fabulous 2009! Happy New Year!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)