It seems like the tough nights don't get any less tough when they hit. They do hit fewer and further between so maybe that is all I can ask for.

Got the vents cleaned today - Hooray! Something we've been putting off got done.

Broke the washing machine - Damn it! 6 steps back. Heard a loud popping noise.,.......... grrr I've always thought that machine had it out for me.

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepeset fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine as children do. It's not just some of us; it is in everyone. And as we let our own lights shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others. - Nelson Mandela

Snickerdoodles

This is the best of two different Snickerdoodle recipes that I have tried. The finished cookie is quite crunchy as opposed to the soft cookie that I have always eaten. It is from the "The Original Betty's Pies Favorite Recipes" cookbook that I got while we were in Duluth.

9 Tbsps butter
3/4 c. Sugar
1 egg
1/4 tsp salt
1 2/3c. Flour
3/4 tsp cream of tartar
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/3c. sugar
4 tsp ground cinnamon

Preheat Oven to 350 degrees

In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar.

Add the egg and mix well.

Sift the dry ingredients together and mix with the cream mixture. Roll dough in balls the size of a walnut. Mix sugar and cinnamon in a pie plate. Roll the balls in the cinnamon-sugar mixture.

Place on an ungreased cookie sheet, space 2 inches apart. Press down slightly with a glass to about 1/4 inch thick. Bake at 350 degrees until cookies are golden at the edges, about 15 min.

-Always use parchment paper when baking cookies, it makes things soooooo much easier and no sticking and if you happen to burn something.... you don't ruin your cookie sheet. :)

It has been so long ago that I left off, itt is almost like I don't know where to begin. The kids are great. They are both well behaved and happy, unless Bailey doesn't take her nap, which is a common occurance and a completly different story.

I lost my Dad in March. I miss him every single day. I alway thought that "life is so busy, there is always tommorrow" I've certainly learned my lesson and am trying to change myself to procrastinate less. I missed him when he was alive because we didn't see each other enough and now there is an ache that I can hardly stand sometimes. There is so much that I could say about this but none of it that I want to be public on the internet, so I will leave it at that small bit.

Rex, my Dads 18 year old dog came to live with us. He pees on the raspberry bushes, and I am still glad to have him here. :)

My poor little dog Ren died in April. He got really sick one night and had a seizure. He had had a history of them in the past. But this time he didn't seem to get any better. We took him to the vet and ran a bunch of tests. We ended up finding a large sphereical object in his abdomen he had apparently ingested and that he had heart diesese. The plan was to try and give him medicine for his heart diesese to make him breath easier and see if he would be able to go through a surgery to remove the mass in his stomach. The medicine didn't work. He never made any progress and I had to make a decision that I don't think I will ever be ok with making. But I suppose I made the right decision. The vet told me afterwards that I had. Deep down I know he never would have gotten better. But I still miss him.

I should be done with school this semester. Which is very exciting. I think I am ready to have one less thing to worry about. Maybe I will decided to tranfer and do more but I have a whole semester or work coming up to help with that decision. Including....... a math class...... if you know me well enough, there is enough said.

Pampered Chef is going well. I reached the $15,000 in career sales point. I got a sterling silver chefs hat necklace. And it is way cuter than it sounds.

Brighton refuses to leave the house plant alone and Bailey is crying because she wants more water. Which sums up half of the reason that I never get to sit on the computer long enough to put an update on my blog so.... Cheers.

There are times when a man should be content with what he has but never with what he is.
- William George Jordan

Invictus

by William Ernest Henley; 1849-1903

Out of the night that covers me,

Black as the Pit from pole to pole,

I thank whatever gods may be

For my unconquerable soul.

In the fell clutch of circumstance

I have not winced nor cried aloud.

Under the bludgeonings of chance

My head is bloody, but unbowed.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears

Looms but the horror of the shade,

And yet the menace of the years

Finds, and shall find me, unafraid.

It matters not how strait the gate,

How charged with punishments the scroll,

I am the master of my fate;

I am the captain of my soul.

Stuff to do...

So just becuase Ben says I won't.... I told him the next time we go to DL we are going fishing. I used to do it all the time growing up. But he thinks I am a different type of person now and won't. (But I am the type of person who likes to prove people wrong so I will). I do agree with him that in general I find fishing mind numbingly boring and would rather bring a book with than fish but...... Ice or other I will be fishing soon I guess :)

We also talked about going to a shooting range together as that might be kind of fun. But it makes me wonder about what other kinds of activities we can do. Hmmmm ideas anyone?

We went to DL for fishing tournament this past weekend. Ben didn't catch or win anything nor did anyone else in his party. We got to see a lot of Ben's family members which was nice because we don't see any of his Aunts,Uncles and cousins a lot. But we didn't get to spend as much time with my uncles as we should have. I wish I could always just see everyone. (Why can't I be in 2 places at once?)

And I got to see Sam! Which is always fun and it always seems way to long in between. But I will for sure see her again in March because I am having a little Paaaarty.... Which will be reallllllly fun too!

So thats my update......Any questions ;)