Monday, August 06, 2007

Emotional Monday ~
Grab a cup of coffee and enjoy - it's quite a long post today!

Whew, I just put my boys on the bus and sat down and had a good cry. I cannot believe the summer holiday is over and they are starting another year of school.
We had a wonderful weekend, busy but fun. Look at this beautiful sky ~ I took these on Friday and the clouds and sun behind the trees was just breathtaking ~ the pictures really don't do it justice. It was the kind of beauty that makes you stop and pray! The appreciation for light and beautiful things like the trees, flowers, and soft whispy clouds.



EDIT: so I was just looking at this photo when I was going through my pictures on my computer and it almost jumped off the picture~ Do you see the creature/cat/lion/straffordshire dog? in the upper left of the picture? Click on it to make it bigger and tell me what you think it looks like!




















Yesterday was our last TAX FREE day so I decided that I needed to purchase a new printer. My friend Terry's mom told me about this new printer she got that could print slides, negatives, etc. and that the prints were beautiful. We'll, I broke my all-in-one printer and this one seemed like the perfect printer for me. My hubby went to Staples yesterday after lunch and got the printer. He took it out of the box, put it on the livingroom floor (see ink on carpet below), and was fuming mad. We thought the printer was a floor model or something, no ink included, no instruction booklet, no stryofoam on one side of the printer like it would be if packaged NEW. Well, he got back in the car drove there, told the story (I told him to include the nice new ink stain I have on my carpet and he did) and they opened the box to find out that the printer in the box wasn't the printer model we thought we were purchasing. We didn't even notice that the printer DH took out of the box wasn't the same as the picture on the box - we were so frustrated when we felt we had gotten a floor model. The store soon discovered that someone returned a printer in a box of a new printer they had purchased. HOW could someone live with themselves for doing something so dishonest? The printer that was in the box was at least $150.00 less in price then the one we purchased. My husband asked if they check the boxes when the item is returned and the manager told him no, if it's taped like this one was then it looks like it was never opened. I'm sure their policy changed as of yesterday.


Any tips/clue how to get ink out of carpet?












Anyway, we got another box and this one was the printer we wanted. It's an HP C7180. It is awesome. Prints beautifully!
It will also print from slides and negatives which I am really excited about.


















Remember a couple of days ago I mentioned there was a frog in my backyard?


Well, he decided to show up again last night when I took the puppies outside - scared me to death!


I had to run inside and get my camera so I could take picture of it without the dogs noticing it ~ didn't want pictures of that meeting. He blended in so much that I almost stepped on him-yuk!

Here are the puppies - growing bigger and longer ever day. Sweet as can be!





















One of my boys favorite things are the homemade crescent rolls that I make. I have to admit that I got the recipe from my MIL.





I hope you'll make these ~ they are absolutely yummy and I've included a couple of variations that I do with the dough!
We had a nice dinner last night and they were so surprised and pleased that I made them! They ate them for breakfast this morning as well.



















They have to rise for 4 (yes, four) hours! They make the house smell absolutely yummy!





My middle son gets really angry when I make them and give them away. I know some of you have witnessed this! He is really funny and will ask, are all of these for us are you giving them to your friends? hehehe.























CRESCENT ROLLS
1 cup water
2/3 cup shortening
(place in microwave for about 3 mins. - stir until melted - set aside until cooled)



DO THIS FIRST!
Dissolve 1 pkg. yeast (or 3tsp from jar) in 1 cup very warm water. Let sit to dissolve and then stir.
Add to mixture of water and shortening.
Add:
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 tsp. salt
3/4 cup sugar

Add:
6 cups of flour, 2 cups at a time
mix with heavy duty spoon or your hands until completely mixed together.
Divide into four pieces. Roll each into a circle about 1/4 inch thick
cut each circle into 12 wedges. Roll up, beginning at wide edge.
Place on greased baking sheets. Cover with dish towel
Rise 4 hours (Yes, 4 hours!)
Bake for 10 minutes at 400 degrees.

Okay, the original recipe calls for adding the yeast to cold water. Also, refrigerating overnight but I'm too impatient for that so I've motified it so that I can make the immediately. If you make them with adding the yeast to cold water and refrigerating them overnight you can actually leave the dough in the fridge for up to a week.

My variations:
1. Roll out dough and spread with butter, brown sugar and cinnamon. Roll up like a jelly roll (long tube like) and slice. Place into a greased pan and let rise for 4 hours. These make the best cinnamon rolls! Top with cream cheese frosting. YUM! 400 degrees til golden brown.
2. Roll out dough and spread Nutella (hazlenut chocolate spread) and sliced bananas. Roll up jelly roll style and slice. Let rise for 4 hours and cook. 400 degrees til golden brown.
3. If I make too much dough (I usually do a double batch every time I make them) I put the extra dough in a loaf pan and bake again on 400 til golden brown. You want the loaf pan to be just over half way full of dough. It is yummy sliced up and served with butter and honey!YUM!

Here are some of the projects that I finished this weekend.
The card is the thing that popped into my head the other day when driving home. I painted it and then printed it on the front of a card - will change the city and send these as my Christmas cards this year as well as put them in the shop I was telling you about a couple of days ago. What cha think?




We are painting orchids in one of our classes this month so I decided to paint some Moth Orchids.




















Well, we're expecting 100 degrees today with a heat index of 110. YIKES! Thankfully I'm staying inside all day ~ painting and playing with the puppies. Have a wonderful MONDAY!

15 comments:

Terry Richey said...

I am trying to decide whether or not to thank you for posting the cresent roll recipe. You know how much Don loves them! Unfortunately, I simply don't have the time this month for homemade bread recipes. Still working long and hard on the house. The living room and dining room are starting to take shape. Posh and Becks are looking great, but I think you are right...they are not minatures. Have fun painting today and tell the boys I said "Happy First Day of School!"

Anonymous said...

Hi Sandy! INK IN THE CARPET!!! Try Spot Shots, comes in a blue can w/ orange lid. When we moved(well, acutually before we moved)into our new house in GA-- the kids ran across the yard and got that lovely GA red clay on the carpet, and the Spot Shot took it out. So MAYBE it will do the ink. Good luck.
I remember the rolls from Eng. YUMO!
We have until Sept for school to start, but sports have started and I am ready for school to start.
Take Care-- Lynette PS I am doing your Prov. challenge!! Great idea

Miss*Laurence said...

Lots happens in a day! I can't believe the story of the printer! They should be able to trace them though, here we have to sign the receipt they keep and it has your address & tel number on it!
I think you all deserved the croissant after that! Hope you're keeping up with your resolutions as well. Looking forward to seeing you at ArtsyMama's party on Wednesday.

Alice J said...

Sandy,
That is soooo funny about the frog! LOL My husband thought I was loosing my mind! Laughing and nothing on tv or radio and nothing going on in the house at all!
I guess I'm a Georgia Girl and don't get sqimish at bugs, spiders or roaches. But get out of my way if it's a snake!
Guess Posh and Becks was headed back to the porch too.
I copied your recipe for the crescent rools. Maybe I will try some after this weather cools down. I love soup and bread in the winter months. Thanks for sharing the recipe with us.
God knew I needed a friend like you to keep me laughing.
Love Ya,
AliceJ

Linda said...

Wow, busy day with lots to say. I have to say I must not be with it because I can't see anything. Just like I can't see anything on your bathroom floor:) The frog, YUK!! you know how much I am scared of them. The dogs are adorable and I can't believe the printer story. I am sorry about the stain. You have done a remarkable job keeping that carpet clean I know it is really bothering you. I hope the spot shots that Lynette recommended will work. Hope tomorrow is better and tell the boys I love them and hope their 1st day of school went well.
Love ya

Debra from Bungalow said...

Wow! Lots of things going on. It is sad when the babies get on the bus, they grow too fast.

Ink on the carpet & the wrong printer...that's enough to pit you over the edge.

I could eat those rolls right now!

Try to have a good day !

Anonymous said...

thank you sweet lady....got your message about the "award"....you are so kind!!!
big hugs to you!!!!!!
XOXOXO
PS YUM...on the cresent rolls!!!!

Julie said...

Wow..that painting is really elegant with the black background. I loved your post today and have a strange craving for bread!..snicker snicker!!

Julie said...

...btw - if you don't mind..could you e-mail me or post on my blog how much that printer was. All of my childhood photos are on slides.

Thanks!

Sandi McBride said...

Summer is just getting underway here in up state SC and we are melting...school starts August 20th, we have our Granddaughter with us this week and it's too hot to do anything! Grandpa will take her fishing tomorrow, he promised! I love your frog...I am a frog lover of long standing, real and otherwise, lol...you keep enjoying those kids, they grow up so fast...am planning on making that recipe you supplied later on in the week, seem like they'd go with my Swedish Meatballs!
Sandi (McBride)

Kim said...

It's so hard when our babies grow up. I don't have babies any longer but I sure do remember those days when I came home and cried just like you. All I can say is, it does get better, but I know that doesn't help you right now. I absolutely LOVE your 2007 Geeorgia Christmas card. You are so-o-o creative! Okay, that's just not right about the printer! As far as the carpet stain, try amonia then rinse well with water if the Spot Shot doesn't work. If you have a wet dry vac that will get the majority of moisture out. Sending you a great big hug! Kim

Justabeachkat said...

Those rolls are calling my name. It makes it hard for me to remember what else I was going to say. LOL

Oh, sorry about the ink on the carpet. I would be livid!

Puppies are adorable. Frog..yuk!

Hugs!
Kat

Maggie Lamarre said...

Thanks for sharing the recipe.
Removing ink on the carpet use krudketter it's teh best.

Maggie

Kari (GrannySkywalker) said...

Oh Sandy, honey, that crying when you put the kids on the bus may have been the menopause working on you. (See, I blame menopause for EVERYTHING - I'm just trying to demonstrate for you that you can too!)lol.
As to the ink in the carpet - have you ever tried "Goof Off"? It smells awful (like paint thinner only stronger) but it's actually taken bright red paint stains out of a cream color carpet for me. But you should do a color fast test somewhere hidden before you do it. Good luck! (And I agree - how can people live with themselves after they do something like that? And what have they taught their kids - if they have any - when they see them being dishonest like that? It's a shame!).

Anonymous said...

Fantastic OxyPower in the cobalt blue spray bottle!!! I got ink out of my wool carpet...permanent ink. My then 1 yr old took a blue permanent ink marker and colored the wood furniture, the wool carpet, and the wall. It works like a GEM!!! I can't believe how this stuff works on everything. Not all grocery stores carry it but its out there. God Bless!! Heidi Wojtowicz

http://www.fantastik.com/carpet-stain-remover/