You are currently browsing the monthly archive for February, 2008.
Product review;
Dancing with the Stars Workout DVD
With all it’s “faults” I have to say that I have really enjoyed this DVD. Dancing is hard work. It’s fun. It strengthens more than just bones and it is a good tool to have.
With dancing with the Stars DVD you learn some of the more common dances like;
Cha Cha
Samba
Paso Doble
Jive
And you have the warm up and cool down.
There are three instructors. Maksim is my favorite. He teaches the Paso Doble and, co-teaches with the others on Jive, Samba, Warm up and cool down. He is clean. Very light on the humor but enough to get you through. And modest for a male dancer. I can see my dh doing this with me easily. Bull-fighting dancing. Oh yeah!
Ashley has a voice like Leslie Samsone and her workout dvd’s. It’s annoying but she is very good at what she does. She does try to get a bit s*xy but honestly imho just can’t seem to do it. Very clean, always wears a good dance suit that covers and workouts well.
Kym is my least favorite and I think all her’s I have fast-forward. While her accent is enjoyable her moves are way to much and I feel very unclean with her clothes and inappropriate moves in my humble opinion that a Christian should not do. If you like belly dancing, Kym is the girl for you. She does give a good workout but in teaching dance- not for me and dh will not be seeing her.
The DVD is about 1 hour long and gives great workout in the hips, stomache muscles, arms, thighs, and calfs. I have been a dancer in the folk realm and I have to say that this probably is more of a workout than any of the 2 hours that I did at the folk dance class. They start you out with a good dancer’s warm out so you aren’t jumping into a cardio workout and you slow down without a dramatic decrease. As any dancer knows a good workout before exercising is vital.
For those that would love a good workout and a good dancing lesson, I very much recommend this DVD. The music isn’t my style but its not as bad as some of the rhythm beats that most workouts give you.
So, this entry is about my partner in crime and sister, Braelyn. Remember? She is the excellent photographer (hence the title?) These are her latest, my youngest brother, Ethan. http://havigs.wordpress.com/2008/02/28/ethans-birthday-pictures-a-week-early-but-hey/#comment-48
Braelyn and I can be best friends or our worst enemy. But through all we go through we will still be reunited by the love of one child, Euphemia.
Braelyn does not hide the fact that she has a temper. I mean we all do but Braelyn doesn’t even try to hide it. That is why we love her best. She is real. Braelyn is an all down to earth type of gal. We can tease her and usually it will roll right off her back or it will come right back attcha.
Braelyn has a tendency to be followed where ever she goes. Only my family will really understand that and I hope laugh with me about it. Braelyn has a go-and-get-em kind of spirit. She has a wonderful laugh. She is THE best photographer. She can capture moments without a camera. She has a witty sense of humor. And she loves nutty butter. It’s one of the few foods that very well fit her.
Braelyn also writes on fan-fiction. From what I understand, she usually writes Gilmore Girl’s stories. And is a java junkie (but hates coffee). Now, I have no idea what a java junkie is but I think it has something to do with Loralie and Luke getting together.
Braelyn also works hard. Although she would prefer to sit and watch Jennifer Garner than do school, what normal teenager wouldn’t? She also works at a local warehouse packaging up boxes. *the same place where I change batteries in the cups*. She is a diligent worker and every employer and employee loves her.
My greatest memory of Braelyn would probably be the many times we would play “spy kids”. And actually she even started a movie called, Spy Kids” (no not the one with Alexa Vega) and I even got to see the opening credits. It was fascinating and very good. But anyway, we would creep everywhere, along the walls, down the alley, to our secret hideout. She would tell you this was all before I became so “grown-up”. Hee hee. Never really harmed our sisterhood.
Braelyn and I are very much opposites. Where I am more conservative (for example- limited to no computer playtime or video games) she is more for the fun of childhood. We both think we are right and refuse to be persuaded either way. As opposite as we are… we are so much alike.
We will often reminiscence over the “good old days” where we would go on walks with Daddy. Or go to the park. Where we would play Olympics with our roller skates. Where we lived a more “strict” lifestyle. Kind of funny to think about. Especially since we were “NEVER going to be like Mumsie and Daddy!”
Braelyn and I could pick the ugliest fights. Mumsie knows that we were clever enough never to do it in front of her. But occasionaly we slipped and man did we always regret it. It was fun (in a way) for us to get mad at each other. I mean, we could stew with an excuse and avoid each other but unfortunetly (or fortunetly) the next morning we were so happily playing together and forgot to be mad at each other. Use to burn our cookies that we couldn’t stay mad. Bet Mumsie was happy about that.
Braelyn was the only one in our family that had a broken bone. Her arm be exact. After 9 children so far only she has broken her bone. She also has asthma which can be very problematic if not treated quickly. She was the active one in the family and I think she still is. She rides her bike a few miles most mornings to work and likes to work out using the Leslie Samsone. While she is pretty well fit, if she misses a couple days exercise she complains that she is getting fat and lazy and gets her bottom in gear.
I have shared the deep secrets now about me and my sister. I pray she doesn’t start up a blog and start writting about me. My reputation will be ruined!
That would be my sister Morgann. Morgann is the girl everyone wants for a friend and she now has her new column via phone called, Dear Morgann. She “helps” (more like gives a good ear and a sweet voice) her friends in their trials and encourages them like no other person can.
That’s Morgann. It was taken just after her first neice was born (my daughter). By her expression and face you know what a trustworthy friend she is.
She was the first one in the family to go driving. Goverment’s even love her. When I was very pregnant she would bring soup, food and coffee over for me. Who could ask for a better sister? It was daily trips at times. I don’t think this is what she signed up for when she recieved her DL. But without complaint that I ever heard she rushed off to the nearest fast food place and grabbed whatever. I like to think it was me she was concerned about but I know all she wanted was that baby to get here happy and healthy. Ok, so maybe there WAS a bit of love for me there. But she wouldn’t tell you that.
Morgann is one of the fastest readers around and has a vast knowledge of things, books, places, authors, etc. She even writes her own fiction stories on fanfic.net. She find’s the neatest tv shows (some I would never watch as I am not a sci fi fan) but I have her to thank for the introductions to, “Bones”. Accompanied by Adrienne’s promting too. We often could find Morgann deep within the pages of a novel or nonfiction at almost anytime. A friend’s father use to tease her to death about her reading, but that never stopped her. She can finish a 800 page book (yep, Harry Potter) within the span of a night, and she has too.
Little children love Morgann to peices. She has always been good with children. I have always quite envied her and almost could dislike her (if she wasn’t so loveable) because she is so good. Children seem to mind Morgann without THE rod in sight. She is a favorite baby-sitter and will often be in demand at the same time.
Morgann is a hard-worker. I know, for those that know me, shock city. I do admit it. I never liked too cause I was usually the lazy one. But Morgann on her days to see to the cleaness of the livingroom and kitchen kept a pretty spotless house. We loved tuesdays, her day, at the our house. I often wanted to be like Morgann. Having the confidence and security of everything. Morgann does not care what people think of her. What you see is what you get. In all that she is caring, loving, a friend, a companion, a confident, a encourager, and most of all a follower of Christ.
In our lil Girl Scouts for Christians, Stepping Stones or something like that, we had to learn a verse, 1 Peter 2:21. Can you still say it Morgann?
“For you have been called for this purpose since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps.”
I would say that verse describes Morgann. She follows in His steps.
We liked Morgann’s baking. “No oatmeal, we want oatmeal cake!” OOOH chocolate Chip Muffins! OOH Blueberry muffins. And so on and so forth. She was the baker of the family. Whether it be cookies or something more nutricious for us. Morgann and I had a plan when we were youngin’s. I would do all her sewing for her and she could do all my cooking. It sounded like a reasonable, fair plan. How niave we were to think that it could be done.
Morgann=peacemaker. My next sister, that I will write about, is the one that I usually fought with. Morgann was the peacemaker. I bet she could write so many stories that I don’t even remember about the fights we had. None of us wanted to go to Mumsie because we knew we both were at fault but neither of us wanted Morgann to talk to us or even look at us cause we couldn’t hide our shame around her. Yep, Morgann has always been the peacemaker. Not just in our own family but to those near to her as well.
Morgann is another girl that I could spend a lot of time writting about. My favorite memory with her would probably be that of just knowing that I could go to her for a chat. Morgann was also my first paper route partner. The cool morning of that Sept. day is often fresh on my mind. It was a sunday. The first day of our routes. We rode our bikes on that perfect morning and started the routes. It was a bit difficult. Morgann always managed to finish her route before I did, no matter how fast I pedaled. And we stuck together.
Morgann just had her 18th birthday. In the eyes of the world, she is an adult. But in my own thoughts Morgann began to be an adult by the time she was 8. On the late Febuary evening. All cold as we were tucked warmly in our beds. Morgann got up, went to Mumsie and Daddy and said, “I need to be baptized…tonight!” And so she was. From then on to today, she has made mistakes, but she has always had the pure adult mind. Sometimes, she is just too good to be true. Happy will be the man that capture’s her heart and her thoughts. Rich indeed will he be.
Morgann’s list for a perfect husband;
He must be a Christian
Must have a good sense of Humor
Must love the movies I do
Must love my family and friends
Be willing to take me to the movies
and I can’t read any more of her list for the time has creased it away.
I love you sister. You are always in my heart. Mushy mushy!
Whew, after all the work I did yesterday my feet are begging for a rest and here I go off to typ a wee bit before I set myself to working again. I am thinking about doing a blog contest. I am just dying with curiosity about how many people really do read here. I shall not make an announcement anywhere. Let it be a surprise. I am not sure for a prize yet. I don’t know if any males read here and are too bashful to say anything. Should it be something I can make? That would be the easiest thing for me. Should it be a gift certificate for all those that can enjoy? hmmm decisions decisions. Blog contests are so much fun and I enjoy participating which means I should also give.
Anyway, after going into thoughtful land I return. For those that I chatted with yesterday, yes I did get the keifer done. I made it. It has to sit atleast 24 hours and my finger nails cannot take much more suspense. I used fresh goats milk. Yep, my FIL has goats. 3 or 4. 3 are pregnant so there must be 4 if he is still able to milk. Keifer took about 1 qt. of milk. If you like buttermilk you will probably like keifer. As the price of yogurt keeps going up I am trying to train my tastebuds to accept the new taste. I love buttermilk for cooking but not much of a drinker myself. *hick* Also, did you know that instead of buying keifer starters you can use already make keifer as a starter? I am sure i knew that somewhere but when you actually have to use knowledge you gain it begin to really sink in.
OK, so keifer was rotting…er I mean setting and then I had to make sure the laundry was done. While we do have a dryer we have found the conveinence of hanging out the laundry much more inviting. I hate the smell of dust on my clothes when being hung out to dry so I took the advantage of a fresh morning after the rain to hang out the white laundry. I have three lines. The back line I use for all the long stuff because the neighbors windows are right by my line and I don’t fancy them sticking their head out the window and trying to guess our underwear size. Middle line is for undergarments and the front line is our socks, baby clothes, rags, etc. Course I do use the dryer for my bath towels. Gotta have em fluffy and soft! Sheets too. Nice warm sheets. A dash to make sure that as soon as they dry they go right on the bed and get covered up and wait for us til the lights go out in the house. Ahhh… what a time to go to bed with fresh sheets.
So laundry is done. Now I have another row in the garden to do. Since we are in the desert the soil has to be worked on. So once you take the layer of mulch off with your big fork you have to dig up the soil and put the homemade compost soil in. Then you gotta work it in and get the tomatoe worms out. Preferably throw em as hard as you can against a rock and make sure they splat. Yeah I know. It aint fun work but I plan on keeping my tomatoes this year thank you very much. The whole process is about 45 minutes hard work. Then the soil is ready for seeds. This time it was radishes. In the ground we have 2 rows of lettuce, 1 row of tomatoes and now radishes. Today I hope to get sugar-snap-pea’s in before it gets too warm.
So, today my job is to get the house in order, fold and put away laundry, make sure we have a edible dinner, and get to work on my new neice and godchild’s quilt. It will be a simple flannel patchwork but it will be used with love. I also made a white crisp bonnet for the christening. How I wish we could be there. But from California to Indiana takes money and time. We don’t have either. While we could make the time easily, we couldn’t make the money. It’s so saddening that in the space of 1 year I have missed both my godchildren’s baptism. sniff Sniff.
So, here is the entry for today. Don’t forget to leave a comment! 
God be with you.
I don’t know if you have ever seen a large family going grocery shopping. For those of you that don’t understand or those of you that can totally relate here is what shopping looks like for a family of 11. Mom in the front pushing the cart grabbing this and and that while the 2 year old in the front are pointing out the abc’s on a package product. The mom of course left her shopping list at home…well, that is, if she remembered to write on in the first place, so everything is a mental checklist. Toilet paper, check. razors, check. Feminine necessities in three different brands or sizes, check. Paper, check. 100 pens, check. 100 back up pens, check. Yes, dear that’s a “y”. and so on and so on. Ok, so you have Mom in the lead with the 2 year old (and we DID behave (most of the time) in the store!!! Mumsie made sure of that. Her secret, take em many times and expect them to behave in the store as they would at home. ) and then you a troop line. Age’s didnt matter. Uusally from youngest to oldest but it didn’t always matter. Now quite often you were stopped in the store, not only by the sheer number of children but actually all of us girls generally wore….dresses. So after the usual, “are they ALL yours?” or “are you a private school?” we usually got, “Are you catholic? Mormon?” Usually because we wore a dress. Nope. Then because they didn’t look shabby Mumsie was asked, “Did you make all their clothes?” To which we all replied with an estatic, “yes!” as politley as excited children could of course.
Yep, that’s right. Mumsie sewed 7 girls dresses as most of their daily wear. By the time most of us hit 15-16 we could find more decent ladies skirt’s in the store. They are now in fashion I suppose but it wasn’t always that way. We are not too fond of the gownless evening straps (as my Daddy calls them) that they have too. Nope we had the prairie dresses. And do you know what? We lived through all the comments too! Yep, our pride was not crucshed and to this day I still live mostly in skirts.
So, now you know more about us as a family than Mumsie in general. But she is the heart of the family. What she does for us all makes us who we are. So, we are dressing-wearing-bible-reading-girls-that-still-have-a-good-amount-of-Christian-pride. But we do wear pants.
Mumsie makes Hungarian Coffee cake every special occasion. Whether Thanksgiving (the most commonly know for her coffee cakes), Christmas, or Easter. I’m thinking about begging on for my birthday over a cheesecake. They are so delicious and she is quite famous around town for them. No, really! My neighbors have recieved some of hers. The men at Daddy’s work eagerly await the season that he brings one, and of course there is their neighborhood that recieves one. Each coffee cake is lovingly made. I mean, who can honestly say that they put hours of hot, hard work over a cake that will be eaten up in 30 minutes or less. I know there are some still out there that don’t do the box cake (yes, we do, do box cakes!) but I am bragging about MY mumsie here. I doubt very many can compete with her hot hungarian coffee cake. Just writting that out makes my mouth DAROOL!
Mumsie has a unique way of comforting or being there for people. She doesn’t call you and say, lets go chat over a cup of coffee but she may IM you and say, “hey there is this movie playing Friday, wanna go?” Usually that interprets, Lets go get some laughs! I guess the main reason is she don’t do coffee. Give her a CAN (yes CAN skip the bottle) of Coke. But I think it would sound silly to say, “hey wanna exchange peices of mind over a Coke?” that kind of sounds almost illegal! But many people have found comfort in her listening ear and just a sorry smile. If you need a good kick in the butler, by all means she will give you one…. after the hug has been applied. Oh, and by “hug” I mean chocolate. You never hug Mumsie if you love her. And we lived through that too!
Every mother is unique and special. Yep, we are all special and unique. Yes, that is suppose to be oxymoronic (yes, I spelled it that way on purpose.) But I can honestly say, I have never met a mother like mine. I wouldn’t trade her for anyone. She taught us the way of the Lord by FIRST living it out herself or by daily trial and error. No one is perfect, she never pretended to be. But she was our Mother and through that relationship developed a deaper level that no one can measure up too. I can talk to her about almost anything. But she is still and formost my mother.
OK, mom, I have to give you one…CYBER HUG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
My sisters are painting their new room (a converted garage), black, red and white. They have done so much for us since Euphemia was born that I wanted to do something extra special for them. This is what I came up with;
I think it will look very nice in there and I do think they will love em. They are made from cotton fabrics. The red has a water droplet design to them. Even the backs (which I didn’t take a picture of) has a cool design.
I can picture now my mother getting up extremely early just to read what I am gonna post about her. Ok, not really. My mom is so great that when she reads it, she does but other than that, it’s just stuff she already knows. Grin.
So, how do I write about her? Have you ever seen the good A&E version of Pride and Prejudice? My mumsie reminds me of the Aunt Gardner. Witty but sensible. She loves to laugh. They show you a glimpse of her aunt in Lizzy and its kind of how my Mumsie is. Everyone loves her. She is honest, fun, engaging, full of wisdom, a loving mother, a gals best-friend, smart, has a great sense of humor, and so much more that I could fill a dictionary. Sorry, she’s taken. She is also forgetful. Sorry mom, but all us elderly girls think so. 
come on, I have to make you not so perfect somehow, its the best I could come up with!
My earliest memory of my mom….hmmm…. I don’t know. I remember her reading Elsie Dinsmore to us. I remember her coming out to help us when Kaylene got stuck in the tree. I remember her disclipine to me when I stole an egg in order to put it in the tree so it could hatch, after she told me no several times. I remember the time she would work so hard to take us for a walk. My mumsie doesnt handle sun so well but she pushed onward. I remember her singing. I love hearing her sing. She has a lovely voice, despite her unfailing comments otherwise, it has excellent volume too. I hear I am too expect a rendition of “Matchmaker Matchmaker” soon?
My mumsie taught me almost everything I know. How to sew, how to cook (or atleast throw a few things together and have a tasty dinner), she taught me home to be a homekeeper, how to honor my husband and father, how to get along with my sisters, and so so so much more. I know lot’s of girls are proud of their mothers but for me, I would want no other Mumsie. She knows me so well. She knows what I am thinking (even if I haven’t quite figured it out yet) and what I am trying to say when I struggle with words. I have been accused of letting my mumsie speak for me and I need to stand up to what I believe. The truth is, she writes what I have been trying to say in less sentences and more sense! Even if she doesn’t agree with me.
My mother writes very many heart-stabbing blog entries. You can find her here . She has many more other blogs too. Be sure to take a few minutes and check them out. I promise you won’t be sorry. Among her other writtings are various fiction stories. She has written about a woman that inherits her sister’s 8 children. A sci-fi (that I know nothing about) A boy that kidnaps Santa, Alexa (my favorite) about a writer who gets trapped in living her unwritten story, just to name a few.
Besides being a stay at home mom, writer, seamstress, teacher (for we all were homeschooled) she also takes the time to encourage other ladies online and help them in their delima’s. She has a full time job. We do not have any sports games to attend as we would have rather digged great huge mud holes in the back yard. But she still made us brownies.
I wish I could write so much more. This may end up being a two part post.
This is my daddy,
He is a very loving man. He can dance with us, he even sings old Roger Miller Songs. Of course if we ask him too, or even in the middle of dancing he will “break his ankle”. I remember the many times he would take us out for walks. My greatest memory of my daddy is the time he stood up for me. I was slighted and my “feelers” (as my mother calls em) were very much hurt. My daddy came and said there was nothing that could change the fact that he was my daddy and he loved me very much. I do remember the many times that I was taken into the bathroom too for “correction”. It wasn’t the correcting that I remember (except the fact that I prefered mom’s correction cause she just got it over with quickly as could be) but the fact that he would pray and ask God to forgive me for sining and to teach him how to be a better father.
The youngest memory I have of Daddy is actually a correction one. I must have been 2 or 3 years old when I snuck into the kitchen one early morning so I could get a bit of frosting. Chocolate. I think Daddy must have been waiting for me cause the moment I opened the fridge door and grabbed the frosting Daddy appeared out of nowhere asking, “what are you doing?” Daddy usually did that, asked us what we were doing. I like to think that he really wanted us to think about what we were doing to understand why it was wrong and so forth. Of course no girl is going to say,
I am sneaking and stealing some frosting that your forbid me to have”. I don’t know what I said, I do know Daddy corrected me and sent me back into my bed.
Many often Mumsie has told me of the times when I was a baby and Daddy would come over just to play with me. She teases how the only reason Daddy married her was so that he could have more time with me. I don’t see how anyone could have a more loving father than I had. I know hubby will be a loving father to Emma, but our Heavenly Father gives each one of us the perfect father for us in one way or another. Are we going to live for Him?
My Dad is a computer scientist. He makes the planes on the naval base (here in the middle of the desert) talk to one another. He has a very important job. His job and hard work provides many luxuries for us. He cries over, “Its a wonderful life” and can laugh at the bunnies imitation of it. He sets up the christmas lights ever year and picks out the best fullest tree.
I don’t know what his favorite hymn is but we quite often sang, “Count your many blessings” when it was his turn to pick after reading to us from a bible study guide.
Daddy makes an excellent bestafar (cause he is best by far!). It’s the norweign word for Grandpa. He loves babies so much and Emma is his favorite grandbaby! Quite often if you are a child and you past my dad, his hand will shoot out, grab your wrist and it is called the “grip of death”. In order to escape the grip of death you must say, Mr. H- is brilliant and handsome and humble too”. Amazingly the grip of death lets go. Now, all the children know how to avoid even getting caught. As soon as they past him they will say (as they keep walking); mr. h is brilliant and handsome too. All said in a monotone. Of course Daddy will only acted shock and says, “why thank you!”
Children are either terrified (at first) of Daddy or they love him. All terrified children come to love Daddy. I see why God chose him to have 9 children and raise them as arrows.
There is so much I could say about Daddy, but that simple word says it all. Daddy.
I love you!
My friend Chas is having a blog contest, so stop on over and read her wonderful entries and leave a comment.
I will be starting a series on my family members. Stay tuned!
I really don’t need a particular day to remind my hubby how much I love him but just like Sunday is a day to sit, rest and reflect on God, I shall use this day to write about all the attributes about my darling that I so love.
My hubby is a Christian. How meaningless some might say, but it is the best thing in the world. Being a Christian for him means to follow Christ. My hubby knows he is saved by Christ and therefore willingly becomes HIS slave. Don’t shrink back on that word. A slave in indebted to his lord, just as we are by His blood. A slave is protected and cared for by his lord, just as we are. True there are some horror stories about slaves and masters but isn’t it wonderful taht we have a perfect Master?
Since he is a Christian all these other qualities about him come into view. He provides for the family. I do not have to worry about where food will come from or if we will have a the house a month longer for I trust hubby in the knowledge that he will not let us starve or be without shelter. He is doing his loving duty to us (mother and child). He works so hard and barely ever complains. It is usually I that complain about him having to work so hard. But he smile’s and calmly says, “I do what I must do. I love you.” Can you say, “bless his heart and oh be still heart o mine!” Neither of us love the job he has. It’s very hard work and we have to pay a chiropracter monthly because of it.
My husband takes care of our child. He loves her. He does not shun her at all. He changes her messy diapers and even will get on the rug and giggle with her. If I am busy in the kitchen around her bed time he will walk the floors with her singing hymns to quiet her down. THey are both exhausted but he does not think of himself but putting this tired lil girl to sleep. It’s enough to make your stomache full of butterflies when you see it.
Perhaps at this point, especially since it’s valentines, you are wondering what else he does good. Let’s leave that to our privacy and and just think about your own hubby. :D We have a daughter don’t we?
The list could be endless about him. I love him. Each day the love is renewed by a simple kiss or hug for our morning. In the two years we have been married I could count on one hand the times he has forgotten to call me at lunch. I could count on all my hands and toes the times i have not been home to recieve those calls.
So, my dear, I love you. That is just the plain and simple truth. I have never recieved 1 dozen red roses, or a humungous box of chocolates, but I know that you know I would not like them as much as the simple pansy you bring, or the sprig of rosemary, or even a primrose plant that we both know will die within a week. I do not regret one day of being married to you. You have your flaws, I have mine. We are both forgiven. I am not the perfect wife but you are sure close to being a perfect husband, minus your flaws of course.
Happy Valentine’s day my love. Here is our many recited poems for you;
How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
I love thee to the depth and breadth and height
My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight
For the ends of Being and ideal Grace.
I love thee to the level of everyday’s
Most quiet need, by sun and candle-light.
I love thee freely, as men strive for Right;
I love thee purely, as they turn from Praise.
I love thee with a passion put to use
In my old griefs, and with my childhood’s faith.
I love thee with a love I seemed to lose
With my lost saints, — I love thee with the breath,
Smiles, tears, of all my life! — and, if God choose,
I shall but love thee better after death.
~Elizabeth Browning, How do I love thee?
So, I was determind to someday make the best fudge available. I love fudge but I dislike so many. I prefer chocolate as any well worthy (ahem) woman should. But I dislike the powder sugar taste. BLLLEEEECH! So, in trying to come up with a coffee shop fudge without coffee I ended up with this.
Coffee Shop Fudge- a many time requested recipe still in the making; Copyrighted by Challice Neipp. Free distributions of such recipe allowed. Sale rights need to email me.
8oz Cream Cheese, softened
2 TBSP butter softened
2 Cups milk chocolate chips, melted
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 TBSP Dannon All Natural yogurt
1 tsp cinnamon.
nuts optional.
Butter 9″ square baking pan. Melt chocolate chips. See *.
Beat cream cheese, butter, melted chips, and vanilla until smooth.
At low speed, beat in yogurt, cinnamon and nuts (if your nuts and think it needs them).
Press evenly in the bottom of prepared pan. Cover and chill atleast 2 hours, preferbly over night. Cut as desired.
*Perhaps you are like us in the fact that you do not own a microwave. How acient! Heat your oven or woodstove til the temperate is about 250-300 and slowly melt the chips in a oven safe bowl. It takes about 15 minutes but its oh so much better than the microwave! Just think, you can go beyond the normal soccer brownie mom! Or, basic mom!
Please note; this fudge will be more chewy/soft than your average fudge because of the yogurt. You can subsitute yogurt for just basic fresh brewed coffee. Enjoy!
Highly HIGHLY recommend reading this blog;
http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Raisingarrows/432782/?#c852326
Do you remember the first knitted dishcloth I did? See here . Well, I have a very happy husband. My marriage wasn’t saved over a dishcloth (we would kind of have to be in a troubled marriage in the first place) but the counter’s were saved from a stinky sponge that hubby uses for a quick wipe down. My dishcloth was used instead! Can you say, Hubby loves this dishcloth! If the example(s) weren’t enough he is constantly telling me how much he loves them as well. Woo hoo! Happy Hubby, happy Wife!
So here is a distant cousin of that dishcloth,
My hand is there to show the size of the cloth. I say “distant” because it will soon be finding a new home. I did a different stitch with this one because it was a solid color. I thought the design would give it a wee bit of oomph.
While I was doing the dishes I had all these idea’s for writting in my blog and now that I have sat at the computer I can’t think of them all. Only 180 word count right now. 
so sad. How short a memory I have. Dori anyone?
Neice liked em so much! I don’t have a picture of her opening them cause I was 4 hours away at home but I personally got a call about them. The purple one is her favorite.
