Wednesday, December 31

here's to you...

and your family


this holiday season!




lots of love and laughter
Brande

Monday, December 29

HOw to make marshmellows...Marshmeddows recipe

These were really actually a simple process to make. And exciting. I got this magazine Corbyn's first winter, he was 6 months old. I wanted to do the snowflakes then... but somehow it never happened. I pulled out this cover early in the season and set my mind to do it this year. 5 years later.


oh Martha...



This is what my workspace looked like... (don't mind those really ripe banana's in the background... I made mini banana loaves with them...)
move over Martha....

So here's the recipe....

2 envelopes unflavored gelatin
1 1/2 cups sugar
2/3 cup light corn syrup
1/8 tsp salt
1 tsp pure vanilla extract

vegetable-oil cooking spray

1. coat a 12x17" rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray:line with parchment paper. Then spray parchment paper: set aside. Pour 1/3 cup cold water into the bowl of an electric mixer. Sprinkle with gelatin; let mixture soften, about 5 minutes.

2. Place sugar, corn syrup, salt and 1/3 cup water in a medium saucepan. Cover; bring to a boil.

Remove lid; cook, swirling pan occasionally, until 'soft-ball stage' about 5 minutes.

3.With mixer on low speed, whisk gelatin mixture, and slowly pour the syrup in a steady stream down the side of thw bowl ( to avoid splattering). Gradually raise speed to high; beat until mixture is thick, white and has almost tripled in volume, about 12 minutes Add vanilla, and beat 30 seconds to combine.

4. pour mixture onto prepared baking sheet; smooth with an offset spatula. Let stand at room temp, uncovered, until firm, at least 3 hours or overnight.

5. Coat a 1 or 2 inch snowflake-shaped cookie cutter with cooking spray to prevent it from sticking. Cut out as many individual marshmallows as possible; coat cutter with more spray as needed. can be stored in an airtight container at room temp for up to a week.

homemade marshmeddows....

So now Myla says marshmallows... but it sounds like... marshmeddows.... They lasted a long time it seems... every moment being asked for another marshmeddow... just two more marshmeddows.... please? But they were a hit and I think that I just might make them each year.

Sunday, December 14

a big HOLIDAY....

Yesterday was a big day for us, the annual Christmas party for the kids at Dad's work.


Dad's work... kids Christmas party...

Dad's work... kids Christmas party...

They had been decorating the cookies and Mario called her name... this is the way she would look up at us!!!!! She did this like 5x's in a row!!! We were laughing, which made her eyes twinkle even more. She really is a little angel!!! We just love her.

Dad's work... kids Christmas party...

And what can I say about the thoughtful little boy who can spell all his own? He melts my heart.

Dad's work... kids Christmas party...

He dressed himself... AND fixed his own hair. Do you see the little bit sticking up? He used my hair products... and he combs the front over to the side. He loves vest. And he loves projects. So this picture says alot about my son. I want to grab and kiss that little chin of his!!!

then we saw Sponge Bob.... and chased him...

Dad's work... kids Christmas party...

and we got him...
Dad's work... kids Christmas party...

Notice that my kids are not in the picture. Both kids are naturally shy (though I hate that word) and both of them do not care to be hugging and loving on large characters. I see the other kids who ran up to SpongeBob and almost knocked him down... mine chased him to get a better look, but thought that was just fine to get a wave.

Friday, December 12

Happy Holidays...

Enjoy this video. I literally JUST found her, LittleBrownPen on quarterofaninch... I love the world of crafty women. How inspiring. Enjoy.

Thursday, December 11

Randomness.... hmmmm....

Okay... here goes... thanks gonzomamaknits for including me. I've had fun trying to think of something that is interesting about myself. Whats funny is several things I started to list involved other people and I thought surely there are SIX things I could write about myself besides reading, hiking and crafting.

1. I met and fell in love with my husband when I was 18. I'm now 29. I feel very fortunate to have found him so very young. To watch him become the husband and dad that he is today is such a wonderful gift. I think it makes me love him more.

2. We named our son based on the fiction character Korbin Dallas from The FifthElement. We put the name in a drawer in the back of our minds and years later, the moment we found out we were expecting, there it was.
When I was pregnant with my daughter, hubby put Leeloo on the list. Sorry, but I had to draw the line somewhere.

3. My economics teacher my senior year of high school was also my mom's economics teacher her senior year, Mr. Weeks. He was the toughest teacher and he had such a reputation for just that, even then. I remember having 'Zero Days'. They were random, we never knew when, and he would call your name, you stand, he asks a question and you either got a '100' or you got a '0'. Did I mention that you could get called multiple times during that hour?

4. I like to watch Mixed Martial Arts. UFC and PRIDE. I first thought that it was barbaric and disgusting, and every now and then it still looks that way, but hubby, with his wrestling history, has finally convinced me of the technique behind the fight. Every Wednesday night we record the UFC House, and usually rotate houses with a friend on the nights the fights are on 'pay per view'. Its awesome... no, really. I'm actually learning things like, "Rear Naked Choke" or what an "Arm Bar"is ... (I have no way of knowing if that is in fact the spelling or the correct names, but its what is sounds like they are saying.)... I even have a favorite fighter, Anderson Silva. And George St.Pierre.

5. I was born on Six Six. June 6th that is. The year of 2006... I had this sales associate, I was buying a nursing bra, my little girl was only 12 days old, at Motherhood Maternity of all places, go on and on about how they would be too scared to even leave their home that day... and on and on they went. I thought it was cool in a weird way. Not in that way... just that my birthday... well you get it... it wasn't like 07-07-07... but I had my glory. My niece was born 03-03-06, which I think is neat. And while we are on numbers, this tops the cake, my son was born 6-22 and during that time I was the store manager for store #622. Weird.

6. You never know what color my hair might be. As of right now I have a light brown... with a bit of peek a boo lights underneath. I tried to go for natural. The problem is I'm not sure what that is. Every since I turned 17, my first ever color, seen here, I have HAD to do something to it. I have learned that it is much easier to save your money and pay someone to do it for you.

There is a on going joke that the kids will be going through our family photos and be like... "Who are all these random ladies with dad?" I have had platinum blonde, kinda blonde, I've been a brunette, red head, black with blonde, black with red, boring brown, dark purplish, uuummm... did I mention one time I tried to get a perm and had to cut almost every bit of my hair off. I had a short pixie cut following that traumatic event. So no, there is nothing that could scare me with hair. Its just hair and it will grow back. Hopefully.

I enjoyed this meme very much. So, again tag you are it. Leave a comment and let me know if you have contributed... I can't wait to see... and learn.

Wednesday, December 10

my first....(and my second)

Myla seems to be on the mend. I, in all my 5 1/2 yrs of glory being a mom I have never ever gone through vomiting. Can you believe that? Corbyn has never, and Myla is now 2~ it being her first time and mine.
When if first happened... I didn't know what to do. I was running around in a circle basically. We were sitting at the computer googling 'dehydration in toddlers', because she had diarrhea for over 24hrs, when she kinda burped. Nothing. Then she did it again and all I could do was say ... " Oh God... Oh God" and before I knew it we were in the kitchen... she was spewing all over us and the floor because her mom was so scared by the amounts coming out her that she couldn't even remember to try to catch it at least a bowl. I was a freaked out mess. Which is wild because I am more calm with bleeding wounds from the head than I was with puking. I was about to rush her to the er with us covered in throw up!!!! Luckily Julie called at that moment of my panic. She calmed me down and told me to change my clothes before I left. I think that's when I snapped out of it.
I laugh at myself when I think about what a frazzled mess I was... as for the second time... even though it was as much as a surprise as the first time... I ran straight to the bathroom and she was able to go into the toilet. This did not make her feel better about the idea at all. She in between would say " I don't awnt to" and cried the whole time. I felt horrible for her.
I can not explain the amount of laundry that I have done in the past 3 days, but its been alot. I feel as if the washer and dryer are going constantly. (And yes... I have started using the dryer again. But come spring.... I promise to be line drying all over again.)

Other news would be that I got tagged for my first time officially... go on over to gonzomamaknits and see for your self. I am to list six random things about myself and tag six others. I will have to save this awesome post for later today... but I will be pondering my answers... and if you are reading this then you are tagged, especially if you are kidsideup, CrazyMOm, Girlwithagreencard, MommyKnows, okay see thats only four. SO tag your it. Beeeee looking for my return.

p.s. I saw Twilight again. Last Sunday my book club went... how could I not go with my girls to see it. I mean, we all read the series together for goodness sake. It was great to have already seen it and them not. I kept looking around at their faces during random parts... priceless. And seeing it for the second time... the baseball scene might have been my favorite. The song, the smiles... the part when Edward and Emmett collide and fall down laughing. Awesome... Smasome... When it goes to the cheap show I just might go again!!!! And soundtrack I have already started downloading. anyways......

Saturday, December 6

Silence of the mom....

I can not speak. Litterally. I open my mouth and try... but very little sound comes out. And the ones that do just sound awful. Whispering is the best. And do you know what I have found out???? Its nice. The kids whisper back at me. Maybe this is the secret. I just wish I didn't have to feel so bad. What am I saying? I feel a tons better than I did 3 days ago.

We got our tree up. No decorations yet. Thats tonight or tommorow's family project, including the lights outfront. I kinda want to put up lights on the back patio. We'll see.

I did get to see Twlight. Finally!!!! I very much enjoyed being taken back to the beginning of Edward and Bella. What a ride. I think they did what they could, and fudged when they had to... like the Cullens house. For those who love this couple... I looked long and hard for the perfect video... and by golly I think I got it. So, enjoy... if you haven't then maybe this will entice you.



Even hubby enjoyed it. He surprised me and took me to the movies... I had no clue. He pulled into the parking lot... and I'm like..."We're going to the movies?" and he just smiles. As we are walking up I have not one clue what we would be going to see... and then as we approach the ticket booth and I see the showings... I knew. Mario can be very sweet.

So it was awesome I thought. And not even so much then. But now. When my mind wonders back to the movie and I think that I just loved it. All the parts. Trying to fill hubby in on all the info with Victoria and the other books was fun. I was tripping all over myself with information.

Anyhoo... have a great weekend.

Tuesday, December 2

a little something I like...

okay... is there anyone else out there who watches Brothers and Sisters???




I have the whole season saved on my dvr. Tonight hubby went to a work thing and I am catching up on my show. I tell you I am only the second show of the season (I think it was recorded like 10/5... isnt that crazy. I have like 6 to watch. And I plan to. Tonight its me and Carolan catching up on my most favorite family ever. I want to be either the mom of this large family, who is played by one of my favorite people, Sally Fields... or I want to be Kitty. I think. She's a Republican, though. (just kidding... but being married to Rob Lowe must have its benefits ;) Anyways... this is one of the shows that I fell in love with instantly... its in its third season. You should really check it out. It touches all sorts of subjects from the war, politics, family issues, its very humorous and yet it can have very high emotions... and I highly recommend it.

write again when I am all done watching...

*** update... I watched 4 shows last night... with three more to go to catch up. The last show I watched was awesome. Nora, the mom, is trying to start a life for herself. She has raised all these kids and has done some enoromous projects with fundraising and sorts... but in reality has no resume. She's a stay at home mom. She goes off on this guy because of it, he seems to think she has no experience. Well, she let him have it. And as a stay at home mom, I loved it.