Now isn't that pinteresting!

Well today I'm talking popcorn! I tried 2 recipes for popcorn that I had "pinned" from pinterest. The first recipe is: snickers popcorn




The second recipe is: Cinnamon roll popcorn
Now don't those just sound yummy!
However if your like me you would really want to know, how do these recipes really turn out!
Well the Snickers popcorn recipe can be found at: www.cookiesandcups.com
It was so good! My kids would fight you for it.
Side note: the "Snickers popcorn" recipe called for 30 mini snickers bars. I reduced this amount to half. It turned out yummy & I think 30 candy bars would have been to sweet as well as why add the additional calories if they are not needed.








The second recipe I tried was the "Cinnamon roll popcorn". This recipe was originally pinned via "chickabug.com". However the recipe can be found at "www.ourbestbites.com"




This Cinnamon roll popcorn recipe was good. However the recipe had the Carmel prepared in the microwave instead of on the stove, like the recipe above. I was excited to try this method! But at last, I found the texture of the Carmel not as smooth and shiny. But more dull and crumbly. The taste was delicious! The kids did not "love" this recipe but this recipe had pecans and generally my kids don't love pecans.




Side note: I really want to try this recipe again, however next time I will prepare the Carmel the old fashioned way on the stove. I believe that this recipe and the snickers popcorn recipe would make a decadent gift for someone especially around the holidays - if it can last that long around your family that is, to be packed up and gifted.
Both cooks from the blogs "cookiesandcups" and "ourbestbites" have made some amazing improvements to an already delicious Carmel popcorn snack. Please go check out their blogs if you have not already found these two blogs!
I will report back soon on other pins I have tried from Pinterest. Hope you have a good week!

Countdown to Summer

Well here in Oklahoma school is starting to wind down. In about 23 days the kiddo's will be home for summer. So what does that mean to me as a stay at home mom? Well it means I have a lot to do if I want to make special memories & be a fun mom while enjoying myself (aka that means while staying peaceful and not living in chaos)

So the first step, is to start cutting the clutter! Cleaning out the girls closets, and deep cleaning the house. Once school is out the girls won't want to hang out and let me deep clean.

Second step is to start planning the change the laundry room will undertake once schools out. (it's our point of entry to our home that we use most of the time) Backpacks will be packed away, beach bags will come out. I will need a basket to hold the beach towels after they are laundered each night.

Thirdly, start a summer reading list for the girls and me! More will follow on this subject.

Fourth, our family needs to make a summer bucket list that is custom & tailored to our family.

Fifth, I need to decide on what the summer "house rules" are going to be for the girls this summer.

Sixth, plan on what I want to emphasis or teach the girls this summer with the extra time. (last summer it was manners & etiquette). I think this summer is going to be nutrition and physical fitness.

Seventh, plan some fun entertainment with friends.

Eight, I also need to finish decorating and accessorizing my house for summer.

That about covers my list of things to plan and my list of stuff to blog about in the upcoming week.


-Amy

What we have in common

Ok, I was shocked this morning when I learned that Democratic strategist Hilary Rosen had said that the wife of the presumed Republican presidential candidate, Mitt Romney, was unqualified to speak about the kinds of economic issues facing women in America because she had never "worked a day in her life." I am shocked! That is like the democrats stating that anyone who does not own a car, can not have an opinion on the energy issues facing the American people. Huh? No, that makes no sense what so ever. Well neither did Hilary Rosen's comment make any sense discounting one women's opinion simple because of her choice of career.

Isn't it time that women stop attacking other women because of their choice in jobs. Don't we have more in common as women that unites us? I think so! As a women voter in this country I believe that we have a lot in common! What we have in common is what we care about, and what we are concerned about. Here is a list that I think we have in common:

We care if the price of gas hits $5.00 a gallon.

We care if the price of groceries rises.

We care about if the schools we send our children to are safe.

We care if the schools we are sending our children to are effective in teaching our children.

We care that U.S. students are falling behind other nations test scores.

We care and are concerned about the standards and quality of food that is available for us to buy.

We care about the price of health care.

We care about our aging parents and grandparents.

We care about how we are going to pay for the orthodontist.

We care about how ANY country handles nuclear material!

We care about the treatment and respect of our armed forces and the retired armed forces.

We care about the after effects if an uninsured motor vehicle operator hits our vehicle.

We care about drunk driving.

We care about our unsecured borders.

We care about the illegal immigrant situation here in the U.S.

We care about tax codes and how they impact us.

We care about sales and property taxes.

We care about our neighborhoods, and the safety of our families.

We care about cancer research.

We care that our justice system works for everyone.

We care if x-rays at the dentist are bad for you.

We care about skin damage by the sun

We care about paying for eye glasses or contacts.

We care that autism is excluded under health insurance provisions.

We care that America is struggling and losing their battle with weight.

We care if our children are being bullied at school.

And I think it is safe to say we care about these concerns, and worry about these things and many more, probably All before lunch!

Now we may All have different views or opinions on how to solve, or fix the above concerns. However, wouldn't it make better use of our time talking about how to solve or handle the above concerns instead of attacking each other personally? Maybe the first step towards getting respect is giving it to others.

Follow up to the Big Paint disaster of 2012

I know I posted a while ago about my big "Oh Noooo!" moment where I dropped a can of paint & it went EVERYWHERE!!! Several people wanted to see "after" pics. So drum roll please......... Here they are:




Not completely perfect but Way better than the outside of the paint can where it all sloshed, & spilt out from!
Amy