Too Much Toffee

8 pounds of sugar, over 120 Hershey bars and 40 cubes of butter leaves a kitchen slippery and slimey. Whew! I made 27 batches of toffee and I'm pooped, not to mention fatter from tasting all of the toffee batches. Welllll.....SOMEBODY had to. :) Let's make something clear....I'm not a good cook at all. So when Mr. Coffee mentioned he'd like to take some toffee to give to his co-workers for Christmas I was shocked. When he told me it was for 20 co-workers (and his boss) I was too tired to think about it. But when I did think about it, I decided to be flattered - because remember I'm not a good cook (AT ALL). If Mr. Coffee thought the toffee would be good enough to give out, then it must be good enough and I'll just be flattered by the fact he asked. So I wanted to give up, but I made batch after batch until I was sick from tasting it all. Here's the recipe if you'd like to try it at home (it really is good!) Frat House Mom's Toffee 2 sticks of butter (use the real stuff) 1 cup sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla 6-7 Hershey bars Slivered almonds (optional) Heat 2 sticks of butter and 1 cup sugar over medium high heat until it boils - stirring constantly. When it begins to boil, reduce the heat to medium and continue stirring for 9-11 minutes until it begins to turn light brown. Remove from heat and add 1 teaspoon vanilla. Immediately pour onto cookie sheet and cover with Hershey bars. After a minute or two, the Hershey bars will be soft enough to spread. Place cookie sheet into the refrigerator for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, take out and let continue to cool at room temperature for an hour or more. Cut up with the tip of a knife. Have a Happy New Year!

A CHRISTmas Gift

My husband did the best thing EVER last night. He did the dishes! That one act of kindness always speaks volumes to me - that gift of time and energy at the end of the day is so valuable. It reminds me to give of myself and time to others even when I don't think it's "in" me to do so. A couple years ago I read a book called "The Power of a Praying Wife" by Stormie Omartian. There were a number of points in her book that challenged me, but the one I remember the most is when she said we (I) need to love our husband's unconditionally just like Christ loves me. Wow! Honestly that's a tough one for me sometimes (usually). But it's Christ's unconditional love for me (that I DON'T deserve) that I value the most and need to give out in return. I haven't mastered the art of loving unconditionally yet. I have a verrrry long way to go. At this time of the year I am reminded that I have received the greatest Gift of all time. The gift of a baby Boy. A Baby who was born to die for the sins of the world. God's unconditional love for me sent His only Son to earth to live among sinners to die so that I can have eternal life. It's hard to wrap my brain around that. I am so thankful for that CHRISTmas gift. I wish all of you a wonderful CHRISTmas celebrating His birth.

Is it possible?

Is is possible for Mr. Coffee to lay around alllll day watching numerous bowl games? Yes, it is. And. yes. it's. killing. me. I'm trying really hard to keep my editorial comments to myself. But it's sooo hard. Honestly...when was the last time I layed around watching T.V. and someone made me dinner. That would be never. Thanks for letting me vent.

Let's Flush, shall we?

I had someone over the other day - a handy man. Too bad it wasn't Ty Pennington......whoops...I digress. Anywhoo...the handy man is looking over the repairs he had made in our downstairs bathroom and I see him take a glance over the commode area and suddenly I realize when he glanced again that someone hadn't flushed. After Mr. Handy Man leaves I go and check and sure enough...no flush. I was so embarrassed! It kills me. The Fraps "forget" to flush all the time. Usually they remember to put the seat down (which is wonderful UNTIL you lift it to do your thing and are repulsed by what's inside). The only thing that's worse is when they haven't flushed and there is not one piece of toilet paper in the toilet! Eeeeewwwww!!!!!

School System Part II

So I went to the school yesterday for our official SARB meeting with the SARB Board which consisted of two people....yup...that's right....two. And they tell me that my Mocha Frap has been absent 4 times. All of which were excused. They took approximately 7 minutes to share that info and then wasted 20 more minutes talking about what they would have to do IF the absences weren't excused and IF we weren't caring, concerned parents. OK, thanks for wasting my time and screwing up my morning. Really...couldn't they have just sent home a letter or maybe just called????? Unbelievable! What a freakin' waste of time! Oh and then they read off the comments from the form the teacher had to fill out. What a waste of time for the teacher - yes, their son has been absent 4 times - yes, their son is a straight A student - yes, the mother emails me and let's me know why he's absent and I send home homework with the other Mocha or Strawberry Frap. What an education system!

School System

I'm so annoyed by our school system some days. I'm OK with rules until they cramp my style. For instance....my Mocha Frap has missed many days of school that are all documented and excused by the various specialists he sees at the children's hospital. So the school sends us a letter that I need to appear before the SARB Board (Student Attendance Review Board) and discuss my child's truancy problems. Are you kidding me? Like I don't know where my own 9 year old has been and don't have all the doctor's co-pays to prove it. Well Ms. SARB Board Chair....if you know something the doctor's don't and can keep my child healthy so he can come to your school everyday, then let's have it. Honestly I know the Board exists for a reason, but they're cramping my style tomorrow morning at 10:30am. I've got things to do (since I couldn't get them done when the Mocha Frap was home with me or I was toting him around to a multitude of appointments). And besides....he's a straight A student...so show me where's the problem. What's that??? Oh you don't get any money for him from the state when he's not there? Oh, I'm sorry. Take some of that cookie dough fundraiser money we've doled out in the last few years and go buy something with it, why don't cha??

G Rated

Remember the cute guy in high school that smelled so good? And a whiff of that cologne nowadays brings all those memories back (my memories were all rated G back then). Well all of my G rated memories have been soured by the scent of my father-in-law. He wears all those colognes I loved and it's just ruined it for me. I can't even have my old G rated thoughts to enjoy - his mug keeps popping up! So sad really....

I need your advice

I'm having a problem deciding what to do. I'm not sure if I should pay the extra money to have a pedicure done by someone who I can easily understand or pay the big bucks and have someone scrub my nasty feet who speaks clearly. A couple weeks ago I tried out a new spa and they gave my horrible feet to the care of a young college guy who was difficult to understand. I was so embarrassed for him. I'm sure he didn't go into the business to work on some old lady's callouses. He actually worked up a sweat. I saw BEADS of sweat! He kept turning on the ceiling fan and the other workers would question him (in a language I don't speak) and I'm quite sure he told them, "I'm stinkin' hot people. Have you seen this ol' white lady's feet???" I really did feel bad for him (I left him a good tip - don't worry.) My other choice is to go see the cute Barbie girl that is so nice (otherwise I'd hate her) and spend an extra $40. At this more expensive spa I get to sit in a queen-throne-type chair that's covered in leopard print where they leave a chocolate for me (and fortunately I've never sat on it!), bring me water with lemon. There's New Age music playing and a water fall, the lights are dim so I don't know if she has beads of sweat on her forehead or not. So tell me....what would you do?

Family Game Night

Why is it that Family Game Night is excruciating at our house? Mr. Coffee doesn't frequently join us and initially that irritates the heck out of me, but somehow by the end of Family Game Night, I think he is the wisest man ever. The crazy bickering that occurs between the boys absolutely ruins the whole concept of family bonding and sharing. One evening, in the middle of the game, I said to Mr. Coffee (who did play with us on this particular occasion) ....."This whole family game thing sucks!!!" Yup, I said "sucks" in front of the boys - something I don't recommend doing because they will always repeat what I say in front of important people I want to impress, like the grandparents. So I'm going to boycott the Family Game Night for awhile......like until they move out!

I am the House Mother

I live with 3 boys, 1 man and 2 dogs (they're girls and probably the only ones in the house who understand me!). I always said God would give me 3 boys and think it was soooooo funny. "Hey God, it's not funny!" As a younger woman, I wanted to be surrounded by boys clamoring for my attention, but NONE of them were calling me "Mommy." I used to think burping sounds were appalling. Now I burp as loud as the rest of them, but I'm always sure to blame the dogs or the kids and "lecture" them on how inappropriate that kind of behavior is. They're on to me though. I am the House Mother.