First Snow 2009, Muffins, Craft Projects...and More

Hey All,

Oh yes the kids go back to school tomorrow! It would seem like after a long break at Christmas that they wouldn't need another one after only a week and half of school. It was extended an extra day because of our big snow we woke to this morning. But things are to be back to normal tomorrow. First of all we enjoyed watching the birds the other day. There were many of them in the trees and would come one or two at a time to get food and then fly off and another one or two would come to get some.

They were so cute to watch I could have watched them all day. I know they were getting ready for today's weather.

I woke at 5:45 and just turned the alarm off when the phone rang and it was the automated service through the school calling to say it was cancelled today. So I really didn't need to go look and went back to sleep. I was awaken a short time later to an excited little munchkin informing me that it had SNOWED. Oh how excited he was. But first let me tell you what went on last night before I get into todays happenings. All day it had been coming on about the snow and the kids were talking how they wanted it to snow so they wouldn't have to go to school. The little munchkin wanted it to snow because he just wanted to play in it. As he was getting ready for bed putting his PJ's on Jene` said you know if you want it to snow he need to wear your PJ's inside out. So he did.

It took a lot of convincing for him to wear his PJ's right tonight. I told him he can only do that when the weatherman says we might get snow.

Now are you ready to see our big snow? You will be shocked how much we got, I just know you will be. Here it comes..................

It barely covered. But oh it was cold! The kids took the dogs out and then Dale took Colin to walk in the woods. That's a the big thing lately to walk in the woods. It's only been in the past week that we have permitted Colin to go into the woods as long as he has either his dad or Dale with him.

Snow! Now let me tell you about the melt down we had today. After Colin was out there for some time this morning I made him come in to warm up and dry out his clothes. I told him after lunch he could go back out. Lunchtime came and he ate or I should say shoveled his food down and he was getting dressed to go back out within no time. He looked out back and just started crying............ the snow is gone! I mean real tears and a hard cry. I said there is still some out front so go play while you can. He went out and within a few minutes I heard him on the porch crying and trying to open the door. My first thought was oh no he feel and is hurt. I opened the door to find this tear streaked rosy red faced child that was crying so hard he couldn't speak. Finally after calming him and finding out that he wasn't hurt and that he was crying because there wasn't enough snow to make a snowball.... to make a snowman... to make a snowangel. I told him that he should be thankful for the snow we did get because it doesn't happen often so take advantage of what we did get. That didn't go over very well! Anyhow he finally calmed down took off all his outdoors gear and got on the computer for hte afternoon.

Yesterday I made up a double batch of muffins. The first half were French Puff Muffins and the second half I turned into Chocolate Chip Muffins.

French Puffs

3/4 cup milk

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 egg

2 cups all purpose flour or whole wheat flour

1/3 cup sugar

3 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup melted butter

1/2 cup sugar and 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Grease the bottoms only of 12 medium muffins cups or line with paper baking cups. Beat milk, oil, and egg. Stir in flour, sugar, baking powder and salt, all at once, just until flour is moistened (batter will be lumpy).

Bake until golden brown about 18 to 20 minutes. Immediately remove from pan and roll into melted butter and then roll into the sugar/cinnamon mixture. Makes 12

I made a double batch and with the second pan I put a couple handfuls of chocolate chips into the batter and mixed. So with little effort I had two different muffins.

Here is what was left of them this afternoon. Of course the chocolate chip are going faster than the others but you know they are chocolate chip.

Today I made English Muffins. I had never attempted this before but I will be making them again.

Englis Muffins

1 package regular or quick acting dry yeast

1 cup warm water

3 cups all purpose flour or whole wheat flour

1/4 cup shortening

2 tablespoons honey

1 teaspoon salt

cornmeal

Dissolve yeast in warm water in 2 1/2 quart bowl. Stir in flour, shortening, honey and salt until water is absorbed and dough cleans side of bowl. Turn dough onto floured surface. Knead lightly just until easy to handle, 5 to 10 times. Roll 1/4 inch thick, adding flour to surface, if necessary, to prevent sticking. Cut into 3 1/2 inch circles.

Sprinkle ungreased cookie sheet with cornmeal. Place circles about 1 inch apart on cookie sheet and sprinkle with cornmeal. Cover and let rise in warm place until light and airy about 1 hour. (Dough is ready if indentation remains when touched; dough does not double).

Heat ungreased electric griddle or skillet to 375 degrees. Cook circles until deep golden brown, about 7 minutes on each side; cool. To serve, split with fork; toast and spread with margarine or butter and marmalade if desired. 12 muffins

I ended up with 18 but I think I need to practice on what a 1/4 inch is. lol We had to try them at once and they were good. I made these with 2 cups all purpose and 1 cup whole wheat. Kids liked them so that's a good sign!

Jene` made chocolate chip cookies today. As I took this picture I heard.... you need to stop. Yeah Right!

Now onto crafting projects I've been working on that are going into the gift closet.

I've made 72 of these little magnets. I've done them up into sets of 6. I used scrapbook paper that I have had sitting around for years. This isn't a good picture.

I've gotten four of these magnet note holders done. So easy! Just using scrapbook paper for this also. I plan on making more of these.

Here is all kinds of fabric cut and ready to be sewn for rice pads. Some are sewn and going to put up until later in the year before I fill them. I made them in all sizes... tiny ones for tiny hands... medium ones for larger hands... a bit bigger ones to put on sore backs or to put feet upon.

The past couple days I have been blog surfing a bit here and there. I came across Quilted Simple and she has a 2008 Harvest Challenge on her sidebar and thought how neat! So I decided to add a 2009 Harvest Challenge amoung other challenges for the year to my sidebar. By the end of the year I will know how often I baked breads, hung things on the line, canned or froze, crafts I did and exercised. Oh yes that last one will be the big challenge!

One last thing to leave you with before heading to bed...

Here is my baby at the computer. He moved right before I snapped this he was looking at the monitor with his paw on it.

If you took the time to read all this please leave a comment so I can come visit your blog or if you don't have a blog I would still love to hear from you.

Take Care :)