HAPPY 2009

2:12 PM Posted In Edit This 4 Comments »

THE BIG GIFT - RILEY STYLE

7:49 AM Posted In Edit This 4 Comments »

It seems as though this year, the Girl Gourmet Cupcake Maker was a pretty popular item on little girls' Christmas lists. That is all Riley could talk about for weeks. Mar's little girl Maddy wanted one too. Mar and I got to talking about it after seeing the prices and reading the less than acceptable reviews, and we each came up with our very own solutions to the dilemma. It ended up being one of the most memorable, most creative, and most loved gift givings ever!!
I started with the apron. Speech class last year required a purchase of an apron I only used one time. Now it is guilded with Rileys' name, and a cute recipe for soda pop cupcakes on the front!


Then I took a regular ol' storage box, and filled it with the ingredients for baking real cupcakes using the real oven. Her very own muffin pan, measuring cups, stirring spoons, and of course the real and yummy cake mixes. No microwave cooking here!! Not even close to half the price of the toy set.


The thing I love the most about this is that not only does she get to do what she wanted (make cupcakes) she also learns to read instructions, follow a recipe, use caution, and learn measurements. She learns that love is the very best secret ingredient, and boy did she ever learn that sharing her creations is almost as fun as making them!


It is also a wonderful way for her and I to get some time together with just the two of us. Of course this means she is up at the crack of dawn, waiting to make breakfast for the family - but I will take it any way I can get it!!

And here is my cupcake princess with her fresh batch of chocolate muffins!! They were wonderful by the way - the worlds next pastry chef in the making I say!!

WHAT WILL YOU DO WITH THE NEW YEAR??

8:06 AM Posted In Edit This 2 Comments »

I have the night off on New Years Eve, so I thought I would try some things I never have before. Unfortunately I got a little ahead of myself and drank most of the Ballatore already. It was super yummy!! I also cracked open the Boone's - I never tried the strawberry daiquiri before - it was yummy too! I have never tasted red wine before, and a customer at the liquor store suggested I try the zinfandel - so I got some. It probably won't make it to New Years either. So far this wine tasting business has been pleasantly surprising. At least now I can tell my customers what I think tastes good! Heee!
For this new year of 2009, I pray that I see no engagement rings, grandchildren, failing report cards, or broken bones. I would like a nice, normal time of it really. I hope for diplomas, college applications, drivers licenses, and science experiments, along with continued employment for all. I wish for world peace, even lower gas prices, and a trip to Wal-Mart where I don't spend $100 on a bag of potatoes and a carrot. I beg for a good garden climate, where my vegetables grow aplenty enough to supply all of my friends and family, and that said family learns to like more than just tomatoes.
More than anything, I hope for a year of change. Maybe a move - a big one out of this place. Maybe a new job that can turn into a career instead of just a paycheck. Of course all of the standard resolutions still apply - lose weight, quit smoking, blah blah yadda boo. Can't hurt to hope right??

TORNADO WHAAAAAAAAAA??

6:26 AM Posted In Edit This 0 Comments »


Yesterday, the weather was so insanely beautiful out, that I thought I should be planting potatoes or something. Like 65 degrees beautiful. The kids were out there all day having a good ol' time!
Last night the weather people issued a tornado watch for half the state of Kansas, and this morning when I get up, a good percentage of it is still under the watch. TORNADO watch in DECEMBER??
The best part is that they are saying we should have at least 2 inches of snow on the ground by 3 o'clock this afternoon. Bizarre. At least PPHead will get to play with the new snow saucer Santa brought him for Christmas now!!

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!!

7:35 AM Posted In Edit This 4 Comments »

My grandparents had a tree pretty much just like this one when I was a kid. I remember watching in fascination as the magic disk went round and round, and the whole tree changed colors! I sure do miss the holidays with them...

This year I didn't send out even one Christmas card, didn't go overboard on the presents, and I did not let myself get stressed out by the madness. There will be no video games or ipods under the tree this year. We wrapped most of our gifts in recycled brown paper sacks from the grocery store, and tied them up with ribbons. It's actually very pretty and kinda reminds me of a holiday straight out of a "Little House On The Prairie" book! Of course the money situation has been very very tight, but I think in all reality this will be one of the most memorable Christmases ever. So much more thought has gone into gift giving, and actually slowing down to make presents has been a blast. The secrets are just flying around this house! LOL! I think the children might explode if they don't get to burst out with them soon! I can hardly wait to share with ya'll the gifts I cooked up for my kids this year. I am soooo excited that my brain is still creative enough to come up with such things. Of course some friends and family also helped in that process, but it has been so much fun!! I know this may sound very silly, but having less may actually be quite a blessing in so many ways. All of my children have learned the true meaning of Christmas this year in one way or another. I am so proud of all of them. Each one has made significant sacrifices for the other ones, and I believe they are happier because of it too.

To all of you, my friends, my family - I wish you and yours a very Merry Christmas. May it be full of magic and true happiness. Thank you all for the cards, the notes, the phone conversations, the big and little things you do to make my days just a little bit brighter in this busy world we live in. I value your friendship more than I could ever put into words. Here is to a wonderful year ahead of us!!

Happy Holidays Everyone!!

OH MY SNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOW!!

9:58 AM Posted In Edit This 5 Comments »

Ok, so I probably have absolutely NO room to complain.... but uh - I did NOT order this. It is not Christmas yet - there is no need for this kind of cold snowy gookity ack. I don't suppose it's much more than a few inches so far - but it's still snowing. I'm horrified to go to sleep at night for fear the pipes will freeze. Or that the space heaters will catch on fire. Plus the two little ones are sick and stuck at home - looking at the snow they can't go play in. It's too cold anyways. I don't even have an appropriate toque for this kind of thing. I know I always talk about how much I want to live in Canada, but this is Kansas - K for Kansas.....

HAPPY FIRST BIRHTDAY MASON!!!

4:51 PM Posted In Edit This 2 Comments »

OH MY!!! Can you believe that this little blogger baby is ONE YEAR OLD TODAY???
HAPPY BIRTHDAY SWEETIE PIE!!
I hope we get to see some birthday cake destruction pictures soon! Sassyfrass - Give him big smooches from me tooooo!

(I'm really sorry I let half the day pass before remembering all this - somedays I feel like I left all my luggage at the airport if ya know what I mean....)



Today is ALSO Maddy's birthday - and spank my hiney but I can't remember if she is 11 or 12!? I hope you had an awesome birthday party!! (Maddy is Mar's daughter.)
HAPPY BIRTHDAY MADOLYN!!

Love Aunt Becky

RANDOM RANDOMNESS

4:43 PM Posted In Edit This 5 Comments »
I found the best diet pill in the whole world - Divorce..... yeah I went there..... again..... it's been fun here.... can you tell?
I am not feeling very festive today. I had to venture out to the Walmart - and it was completely packed with insane angry people. There was an ambulance and a fire truck too. I just don't know what this world is coming to.
My shoe broke and now I need a new pair. It's getting ready to snow at any moment though, and it's only about 10 degrees outside so I don't want to leave the house at the moment. The truck is pretty warm though - so maybe. I loathe shopping.... especially when it's cold out.

I BELIEVE IN SANTA CLAUSE....

7:23 AM Posted In Edit This 3 Comments »

An acquaintance of mine was talking my face off not too long ago about the kids and Kris Kringle. She said that none of her four children were ever misled into believing such a thing, and that there was no way she would ever want them to think that a fat old man in a red suit was responsible for the presents stacked up under her Christmas Tree. Not even as itty bitty kids. Never. She said that she always wanted them to know that she worked her butt off to buy those presents, and by god they should appreciate it. I wonder if it ever made a difference to her 4 year old? No visits to sit on Santas lap, no wishes or dreaming, just cold hard reality straight away....
Now I know that everyone has the right to raise their own children as they see fit, but I feel kinda sorry for hers. The way I see it, kids deserve a little magic in their lives before they have to become grown-ups and see the world for what it really is. I remember the magic my parents made for me like it was yesterday. We were always so excited on Christmas Eve, it was almost too much to try and sleep! Just as we were all tucked into bed we would hear the soft jingling of bells outside, signaling us to close our eyes and dream of the morning. One year the reindeer even landed on our roof - an emergency sort of deal. Santa himself climbed right off the roof and came into the house that night - (We had no chimney) and we sat on his lap right there in our very own living room and told him of all our hopes and wishes. (And yeah - we pulled his beard - it stayed!) Being a little kid was just awesome back then.
I can't imagine not passing on what my parents gave to me to my own kids. Too soon the time will come when they are jaded by the world. I love Christmas, and I love the magic. Just let the kids be kids for goodness sake!!

HOLIDAY MEMORIES

6:08 PM Posted In Edit This 6 Comments »

When I was a little girl, my mom spent countless hours in the kitchen during the month of December, baking Christmas cookies for all of our friends and family. When I became a "grown-up" (debatable) I swore to carry on the tradition with my own family, so that is what we have been doing today! Tomorrow night is the last night of my printmaking class, so I boxed up a set of goodies to take with me there. Then a cousin of mine that works with PPHead had previously put in his request for this years batch of goodies, so I am sending some off for him tonight. (He sent over some of what his wife bakes, and I feel really bad for him, so I put in a few extras this time...)
Of course the kids have been having a blast helping in the kitchen, tasting all the cookie dough, and listening to the Christmas music we have playing in the background. This is the stuff I hope they remember when they grow up. This - is what Christmas means to me! :)

BANK OF THE WEST BIG BOO BOO

5:05 PM Posted In Edit This 1 Comment »

This was me today after coming home from work and going through the mail. I got a letter from Bank Of The West saying that I had a bounced check. The check in question was only for 10 bucks, so immediately I flipped completely out of my mind. If that one bounced - then there must be 10 more that would have as well, because I had payed quite a few bills that day. As I digested the information on the little card with the bad numbers on it, I had a heart attack, a panic attack, a crying fit, the shingles, a brain tumor, and a case of Plantar Fasciitis, all in the same instant. Then I started looking at my own numbers going - no way this is possible....


I may not be the brightest math student on the planet, but in my checkbook, I always round to the nearest dollar upwards when I record what I have spent. That way I should never be short, and some day I might actually have something saved. There was NO WAY I could have been overdrawn. So I call the bank immediately thinking that someone has stolen my bank account - (I am so insanely paranoid like that) - and I beg the lady on the phone to help me understand what is going on. She was very kind, but her computer froze, so she put me on the line with another gal. Right away she said "Let me first apologize..." and it took me a second to understand what she was saying. Apparently the Bank Of The West had loaded some new software into their computer systems that wiped out the last deposits that had been made on around 5000 accounts!!!! It was completely an error on their part, and the gal on the phone assured me that they had returned everything to normal. I can not even begin to tell you what a relief that was. I just hope that there are no further problems due to the error. I do have to say I adore the ladies at the bank here. They are always so nice, right on the money, and I really feel bad that they must be getting a jillion phone calls a day from folks that are probably steaming mad. It's not their fault. I am still a little shaky from the whole thing, but I am just glad they got it repaired.
And that - was my drama for the day.....

FOR SALE: HAND PULLED PRINTS - COLLAGRAPHY

2:33 PM Posted In , Edit This 1 Comment »

"Escape"
Hand Pulled Collograph Print
AP by Rebecca Bridges
Sepia Ink on Cotton, Acid Free Paper
Approximate Image Size, 21x18
Hand Signed in Pencil

$200 + Shipping

If interested, email me at kshippychic@hotmail.com

Awesome Christmas Gift Idea!!

One of a kind piece!

TAXING COW FARTS??

6:47 AM Posted In Edit This 5 Comments »

The news I read today was so obscenely absurd, that I just HAD to share. Some Kansas regulator like folks have decided that it would possibly be a good idea to make cattle owners pay taxes on COW FARTS!! The price tag? Possibly up to $175 PER COW!!! OMG are they friggin serious?? The "They Committee" says that cattle produce gasses that cause global warming.....
And here I thought the price of hamburger was already getting to be outrageous - talk about ways to inflate the price of food!
COW FARTS PEOPLE?!!

THE WINTER SICK IS HERE AGAIN....

7:36 AM Posted In Edit This 6 Comments »

The yucky has officially arrived at my house. First it was Halie - now my little Bubby. I feel so bad that I can't do more for him when he is like this - full up of snot and congestion. I've got him all wrapped up in an electric blanket, snuggled in my bed, and I have sent the PPHead out for some medicine. Added to the list this time, is a Neti Pot. I saw them on Oprah a long time ago, and I have been wanting to try one, so today is the day. I hope it really works. Has anyone out there ever tried one?? What did you think? Bubby has a simple cold with no fever, and I am desperate for a little relief without having unecessary antibiodics shoved down his throat. If anyone has ever tried one of these - I would really appreciate some feedback!! I will let ya'll know what we thought of it too!

I ALREADY MISS THE FLOWERS

5:37 AM Posted In Edit This 2 Comments »

We got our first flurries of snow here on Saturday and Sunday. Eww. It's too cold for anything to grow outside, and I already miss that terribly. I also miss the blue sky and the white whipped cream clouds of summer. The leaves are all piled up out there, but it's too cold to go rake them up and jump in them - mainly because they are frozen. I just really despise the winter for the most part. Only 4 more months till' spring!! Woooooo!
January 2009
November 2008