Awww!

I am so itching to be in China! Not to adopt again, just to visit. We hope to take the girls back when they are older, maybe ages 8 and 10 or something like that. I hope we can afford it. Anyway I have been thinking about our 2 trips to China and have been browsing through pictures this morning from our trip to adopt Allison. I just came across this one of her the evening of Gotcha Day. So cute! She's changed so much!

NFL Draft! and recipes

Yes, Jennifer, you read that right! LOL I guess you don't know me very well - I am a football NUT. I love, love, love the NFL and everything associated with it. Of course my #1 love is the Green Bay Packers! I bleed green and gold. Anyway....

My sister and I have had a "Draft Day Party" every year (except last year, my mom was in the hospital that weekend) for about the past 5-6 years of so. BTG (before the girls) we literally sat on the couch ALL DAY watching the draft. It's a bit more difficult now that the girls are running around, not quite as relaxing, but still fun! We still managed to sit on the couch without moving for quite a few hours. We were quite bummed when it ended early. We were prepared to go until 10:00.

We each pick players out of one of the Top 150 prospect lists we find on the internet and have fun seeing whose player gets picked each round. (Yes, we're weird but we LOVE it!) We had sandwiches for lunch and pizza for supper. We also eat very unhealthy, sugary snacks. :-) I made Oatmeal Caramel Bars (yes that is THREE sticks of butter):

Oatmeal Caramel Bars
2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
2 cups oatmeal
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 cups butter, softened to room temp
1 tsp vanilla
1 pkg. caramels
1 small can evaporated milk
1 cup chocolate chips

Melt caramels with the entire can of evaporated milk. Set aside. Mix the first six ingredients, like a pie crust. Then add vanilla. Put 1/2 the mixture in a floured 9 x 13 cake pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Sprinkle with the chocolate chips. Top with the caramel mixture. Sprinkle the remaining ingredients on top. Bake for for 20 to 25 minutes longer, at 350 degrees.

Yum, yum!!! I know this is not the healthiest, lowest fat dessert! But I only make it once a year for Draft Day so give me a break. :-)

As if that's not enough sugar, here's what my sister brought:

French Lace Cookies
1 cup flour
1/2 cup corn syrup
1/2 cup Crisco
2/3 cup brown sugar
2 caps vanilla

Boil ingredients except flour and vanilla to golden brown. Add flour then vanilla. Drop gloops on cookie sheet, bake at 325 degrees for about 15 minutes. (I'm not really sure exactly how long they take, you have to watch them.)

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My sister and I talked about actually going to the draft in New York, maybe when the girls are teenagers. I'll let you know if and when we go so you can watch for us crazy Packer fans. LOL

They have 9 new players from the draft:

WR Jordy Nelson
QB Brian Brohm
CB Patrick Lee
TE Jermichael Finley
DE Jeremy Thompson
OG Josh Sitton
OT Breno Giacomini
QB Matt Flynn
WR Brett Swain (lose one Brett, get another!)

Go Pack Go!

Four Things....

I never do these things, although I always want to. Again, can never seem to find the time or even when I have the time, I rarely feel like writing. But for some reason I decided to do this meme that I found at my friend Jane's blog, Much Ado About Books.

Four jobs I've had:
1) Waitress
2) Secretary
3) Secretary again
4) Checker at Kohl's

(Those are the ONLY 4 jobs I've ever had.)

Four movies I've watched more than once:
1) Sound of Music
2) Father of the Bride
3) Mrs. Doubtfire
4) Overboard

(I'm NOT a big movie watcher at all! You'll notice the 4 movies I listed are all older. I haven't seen a new movie in quite a few years. I'm not sure why, it's not that I don't like movies. I guess I like other things better. I keep saying I'm going to start watching movies but I never do.)

Four places I've lived:
1) Wisconsin
2) Wisconsin
3) Wisconsin
4) Wisconsin

(In fact, I've only lived in 6 different houses (2 before I got married, and 4 with my husband. They've all been within a 10 mile radius or so.)

Four TV Shows I watch:
1) American Idol
2) The Office
3) Amazing Race (LOVE that show, wish it was on more)
4) House Hunters

(Those are my four favorite shows.)

Four places I've been:
1) Beijing, China
2) Guangzhou, China
3) Kunming, China
4) North Carolina

(I haven't been to any other countries except China, and I haven't even been to that many places in the U.S.)

Four people who email me regularly:
1) Tamara
2) Dawn
3) Mary Jo
4) Sue

Four of my favorite foods:
1) Mashed potatoes
2) Cheddar Cheese flavor Quaker Quakes
3) Chocolate (milk chocolate only, can't stand dark or semi-sweet)
4) Pizza

Four places I would like to visit:
1) China (I want to go back again so bad! Not to adopt, just to visit)
2) Australia
3) Scotland
4) Hawaii

Four things I'm looking forward to in the coming year:
1) Summer! (this was a long hard winter)
2) Graduating my son from high school (this was our 11th year of homeschooling – I'm ready for a break! Although, I will be starting Lindsey in Kindergarten this year)
3) Lifest in Oshkosh, in July
4) The NFL Draft!!!! This weekend! Having a party with my sister. WOO HOO!!!!

Four friends I'm tagging (if you haven't done this already):
If you are reading this consider yourself tagged!

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After posting on my other 2 blogs (Books and Hooks and N.E.W. Knitter) about possibly ending all my blogs, and receiving some very nice comments (also the comments posted here), I decided not to do it. I'm not going to end any of my blogs. I may not post very much, but I will post when I can. So please stick around! I have also decided to try to comment on other blogs more often. I want to know that people are reading mine, that I'm not just talking to myself, so I want to make sure others know I am reading their blogs too.

So I guess you will all have to endure seeing more pictures of my beautiful girls. ~smile~

Haircut Number...4?

I think it's #4.

Before....



After....

But mom....

....I don't WANT to stop painting!!!!!!!!!

"It's okay Allison. We can paint again tomorrow."

She obviously doesn't quite know what painting is all about yet!

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I am going to be taking a hiatus soon - maybe temporarily but maybe permanently. I haven't decided yet. Life is so busy and I am always trying to cut down my computer time. As soon as I get a chance to type up a goodbye post, I will do that. Might be awhile before that happens though! I just can't seem to get myself to sit down and write anything anymore. Thanks to everyone who has commented on my blog the last few months. I haven't gotten back to everyone and I'm sorry about that. I plan to one of these days! Happy Spring! We are finally in the 50's, yea!