My Friend Beany

A Photo Essay by Baby Chomp–age 2

Photos courtesy of Baby Chomp

Once upon a time there was a big, old, very sleepy kitty named Beany.  Everyone told me since I was really little that I should leave him alone because he doesn’t really like kids.

They said that if I got too close or bothered him at all, he’d for sure scratch me, and if I scared him he just might bite…hard.

They said, believe it because he’s scratched lots of kids that didn’t.

Oh, they believe now.

But I’m not scared because Beany the cat is my friend. I like to sit by him and pet him and rub his back and hold his hands. I like to say, “Heeeere kitty-kitty-kitty,” like Grammie does so he’ll come sit by me. Sometimes, when no one is looking, I even give him a kiss on top of the head–and he lets me.

Maybe he scratches everyone else in the whole world—but he doesn’t scratch me.

I think he knows that I love him…

so Mr. Beany loves me right back.

Beany and Baby Chomp 2010

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{ Hope of Spring }

“I have seen enough ups and downs throughout my life to know that winter will surely give way to the warmth and hope of a new spring.”

-President Dieter F. Uchtdorf

 

Happy Birthday Jillian!

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Saturday

This moment…

A single photo – no words – capturing a moment from our lives.

A simple, special, memorable moment.

A moment I want to pause, savor and keep close to my heart.

If you are inspired to do the same–leave us a link in the comments.

Happy weekend everyone.

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Better Than Cadbury Eggs

Cadbury Eggs

Tell the truth now–aren’t these adorable? I know what you’re thinking. You’re thinking, “Heyyy, if I make these lovelies, I can fool all my friends into believing that I bought them.”

Why you would want to do that, I’m not sure, but it doesn’t matter.

Pretty sure your friends will see right through the gag–because first of all these eggs won’t be wrapped in pretty colored foil and secondly, because they actually taste even BETTER than the ones you’re used to.

Hard to believe–eh? Well, I’m not kidding. These are just ooey and gooey enough to be marvelous, but firm enough to stay put while you’re eating them.

Big plus.

Better Than The Famous Chocolate Eggs

Ingredients:

1/4 cup butter

7 oz. marshmallow cream

1 tsp. vanilla

3 cups powdered sugar

yellow food coloring

12 oz chocolate chips

2 Tbsp. shortening

In a mixing bowl, blend the butter, marshmallow cream and vanilla until smooth. Slowly beat in the powdered sugar. Separate about 1/4 cup of the mixture into a small bowl. Add a few drops of the yellow color and mix well. In the first batch, I added a couple of drops of red. It turned out too orange…oh, well. You may need to chill the dough a bit to make it more firm and workable. If so, give it about 30 minutes.

Next–It helps to dip a spoon into the powdered sugar to coat it—

then when you scoop up a bit of the yellow dough–it won’t stick as much.

Shape them into small marble sized balls and set aside.

You can use a regular spoon–but if you’re lucky enough to have a small scoop–dust it with sugar and roll up little egg sized mounds of the plain white dough.

Wrap one piece of plain dough around each yellow ball and form into an egg shape.

Place on waxed paper-lined cookie sheet and freeze for about 15 minutes.

Melt chocolate chips and shortening in a double boiler. Stir until smooth and shiny. Dip eggs in chocolate until coated…

and set back on waxed paper.

If you can tap off a bit more excess chocolate than I did–yours will be prettier than mine.

Chill until set. I suppose you could wrap them in foil if you want…

or decorate them with icing or candy, but I’m a bit of a purist–so we left these cute things just like this.

Did I lie? Aren’t they adorable?

These might even fool that famous bunny.

Cluck-cluck.

:}

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Better Than The Famous Chocolate Eggs
 
Ingredients
  • ¼ cup butter
  • 7 oz. marshmallow cream
  • 1 tsp. vanilla
  • 3 cups powdered sugar
  • yellow food coloring
  • 12 oz chocolate chips
  • 2 Tbsp. shortening
Instructions
  1. In a mixing bowl, blend the butter, marshmallow cream and vanilla until smooth. Slowly beat in the powdered sugar.
  2. Separate about ¼ cup of the mixture into a small bowl.
  3. Add a few drops of the yellow color and mix well.
  4. You may need to chill the dough a bit to make it more firm and workable. If so, give it about 30 minutes.
  5. It helps to dip a spoon into the powdered sugar to coat it—then when you scoop up a bit of the yellow dough–it won’t stick as much.
  6. Shape them into small marble sized balls and set aside.
  7. You can use a regular spoon–but if you’re lucky enough to have a small scoop–dust it with sugar and roll up little egg sized mounds of the plain white dough.
  8. Wrap one piece of plain dough around each yellow ball and form into an egg shape. Place on waxed paper-lined cookie sheet and freeze for about 15 minutes.
  9. Melt chocolate chips and shortening in a double boiler.
  10. Stir until smooth and shiny.
  11. Dip eggs in chocolate until coated and set back on waxed paper.
  12. Chill until set.

Learning Styles and Approaches

A week and a half ago, our family got together to listen to General Conference–a two day, five session set of televised religious, faith promoting meetings that we look forward to every 6 months. This time, as we watched and listened, I got a kick out of the different ways each family member collected and absorbed the information. All of us in the same room–but everyone so unique and learning in their own way.

Some took notes on a pad of paper.

Some jotted down quotes and looked up scriptures on their Iphones.

Some collected good thoughts in their journals.

Some worked on their…ahem…72 hr. kits.

And some chose to…ummm…meditate…throughout…sort of.  :}

All my babies–nearly–and all their babies, bundled together in one room, makes it all work for me.

Well, that…and a ball of lilac yarn.

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