A Recipe for Chocolate Lovers

OK I have to confess....  I love Chocolate. I have a stash of chocolate recipes that I figure I might as well share. So here goes with the first installment. I've made an image that you can download and print up so that it will make a sort of recipe card. Make sure you click "print to fit page" if you have that option on your printer. I also will provide a copy and paste version too, after the image.

Chocolate Brownie Trifle 

Utensils needed

13x9 pan
trifle or glass bowl
mixer

Ingredients

2 brownie mixes made according to directions on box
2 16 ounce containers of whipped topping or homemade whipped cream
2 boxes of chocolate mousse mix made according to package directions
6-8 bars of chocolate toffee bars, such as Skor or Heath bars
1 large chocolate bar for chocolate shavings

Recipe

Freeze the chocolate toffee bars and chocolate bar.
Bake two packages of brownie mixes according to package directions. Let cool.
While brownies are baking, mix two packages of the mousse mix according to package directions.

Let chill in refrigerator.

After brownies have cooled, scrape or crush the brownies until they are crumbly. Put a layer of brownies in the trifle or glass bowl. Next, put a layer of chocolate mousse on top, being sure to spread it evenly over the brownies. Spread the whipped topping on top of the mousse. Take the toffee bars out of the freezer and crush them. Sprinkle the crushed chocolate toffee bars on top of the whipped topping. Continue layering in this way until you finish with a layer of whipped topping. Take the chocolate bar from the freezer and use a vegetable peeler to peel some chocolate curls from the chocolate bar. Sprinkle the chocolate curls on top of the whipped topping.

If you have any toffee pieces left you can sprinkle those on top too.

Enjoy!

Poetry

I'm feeling like writing some poetry.

Retirement

When is one really IN the golden years?
Is it when the grandchildren are grown?
Or is it when life simply shifts gears?
A slower pace with a more peaceful tone.
Why can't this exist when one is young?
Could we not look back with less 
Must we stress on every ladder rung?

Arrived in LA tonight

We made it-- got in to LA tonight after a lovely train ride down the Oregon and California coast.

I will make a slide show with some of the shots we got on our train trip, but this post is about the period of time right after we got our luggage at the baggage claim.

At the LA train station tonite Joel had to go get the rental car at LAX, so I  heaped our stuff on a cart as Joel left for LAX.  I went out the front entrance to wait for him, (it was two hours before he was able to get back to the train station). When I got out there with my very large pile of stuff on the luggage cart, I found that a movie was being filmed at the entrance to the station.

I was really tired and sincerely hoping I could find a place to sit down in spite of all the commotion. So I was waiting to get through the crowds that were watching. The movie crew stopped filming when they saw me waiting, in order to help me through the set. With very red face, I tried to get out of there as fast as possible- but couldn't see very well because of the heap of luggage... & so I accidentally rolled my luggage cart right over the toes of what seemed to be a guide dog hiding under a bench. He was apparently being filmed as part of the movie. Fortunately he was not injured but I still wanted to find a hole to crawl into. Thought I'd share loll!

A quick post with a new slide show...

OK we are in Montana tonight... and the scenery has been awesome!

(To give you an idea-- Joel and I have taken over 1300 photos since we left Raleigh on Saturday!)  The slideshows will only take 100 photos so I had to create another one. This one has about 50 photos and should accomodate the ones that we will take tomorrow as well. Let me tell you-- North Dakota and Montana are AWESOME!!!


Here is the slide show...

ENJOY!!

Westward we go...

Saturday we started out from Raleigh NC (our son's storage unit was there) to take household goods to our son and his wife in Washington State. I am creating a slide show with all the pictures from our travels.

The pictures aren't the best-- most are taken as the truck is tootling down the interstate so there is blurring, especially in the foreground. But they serve as a record of the states we've been in. We missed the "Welcome" sign for both Indiana and South Dakota, so we've been through 9 states so far: North Carolina (start) Virginia, West Virginia, Kentucky, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, and South Dakota.

Here is the slide show of some of the things we have seen so far. It's bee n a lot of fun -- just Joel and I :-)!

Heading west again :-)

Saturday we started out from Raleigh NC (our son's storage unit was there) to take household goods to our son and his wife in Washington State. I am creating a slide show with all the pictures from our travels.

The pictures aren't the best-- most are taken as the truck is tootling down the interstate so there is blurring, especially in the foreground. But they serve as a record of the states we've been in. We missed the "Welcome" sign for both Indiana and South Dakota, so we've been through 9 states so far: North Carolina (start) Virginia, West Virginia, Kentucky, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, and South Dakota.

Here is the slide show of some of the things we have seen so far. It's bee n a lot of fun -- just Joel and I :-)!

Something from my email...

I received this in an email today- I thought it was appropriate for Father's Day,  (even though a day late!) beautiful and worth thinking about.

On Children
 Kahlil Gibran

Your children are not your children.
They are the sons and daughters of Life's longing for itself.
They come through you but not from you,
And though they are with you yet they belong not to you.

You may give them your love but not your thoughts,
For they have their own thoughts.
You may

house their bodies but not their souls,
For their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow,
which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams.
You may strive to be like them,
but seek not to make them like you.
For life goes not backward nor tarries with yesterday.

You are the bows from which your children
as living arrows are sent forth.
The archer sees the mark upon the path of the infinite,
and He bends you with His might
that His arrows may go swift and far.
Let your bending in the archer's hand be for gladness;
For even as He loves the arrow that flies,
so He loves also the bow that is stable.

Just a quick post...

I received this in an email today- I thought it was appropriate for Father's Day (even though a day late!). I thought it was beautiful and worth thinking about. Have a great week everybody!

On Children
 Kahlil Gibran

Your children are not your children.
They are the sons and daughters of Life's longing for itself.
They come through you but not from you,
And though they are with you yet they belong not to you.

You may give them your love but not your thoughts,
For they have their own thoughts.
You may house their bodies but not their souls,
For their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow,
which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams.
You may strive to be like them,
but seek not to make them like you.
For life goes not backward nor tarries with yesterday.

You are the bows from which your children
as living arrows are sent forth.
The archer sees the mark upon the path of the infinite,
and He bends you with His might
that His arrows may go swift and far.
Let your bending in the archer's hand be for gladness;
For even as He loves the arrow that flies,
so He loves also the bow that is stable.

 

A group project completed!

I am sorry I have been lazy and not posting lately. It's been a busy month.  Tonight I finished a group project that was designed to lift the spirits of a friend that has been diagnosed with cancer.

Friends from around the world sent squares or (images of squares that I printed on transfer paper and ironed onto fabric). I sewed them all together and then sewed that large block onto fleece. I then did the cut and tie fringe with that fleece and another for the back. It came out really nice -- tomorrow I will get it in the mail. I hope it gives our friend a boost! I will be sending a pillow next week as there was someone I did not get the email from until tonight. I felt very badly but she was very understanding about it.

Here are some pictures.

This is the blanket - it is about the size of a standard "throw".

The squares "up close".

Here is a link to the rest of the pictures if anyone would like to see.

Plans changed.. not going to the UK this summer but to Spokane WA!

We were planning on going to the UK this summer as our 40th Anniversary trip (It would have been a year late because Joel just started a job 9 months before the real event so he didn't have his full vacation yet last year). We were on track for our trip, making plans and an itinerary when our DS informed us that he didn't know how he was going to be able to get the stuff he'd stored in Raleigh six years ago when he and my DDIL moved back to California. So now we plan to go to Raleigh, load up a truck with their stuff, and drive it out to them. After that, we will go visit our other DS, DDIL and our DGDs before Joel flies home and I take the train home :-). And the trip to the UK will be something to look forward to for next summer!  I love when a plan works out lol.

Parenthood hilarity...

Parenthood certainly does have some very funny moments. I was just reflecting on this the other day so I thought I'd share it.

One time when our fourth was about 13, we were at an animal park near where we lived at the time. Joel and I were sitting on a park bench and our wonderful Thomas was standing behind Joel. Joel has (or had) very dark hair. He was about 45 at the time, and he said to Tom, "I know, you are counting the gray hairs." Tom quick as a wink said back to him "No, I'm not- I'm counting the BLACK ones" This same child risked life and limb when we were at the Grand Canyon two years later when he looked down into the canyon and then at his father and said "Dad, this was, like, a creek when you were little, right?"

Another thing I remembered that same day was how there is the times that words that you'd rather they hadn't heard are repeated at the WRONG times. Like the day that our third son Chris (who was that one that was  "just kidding" in the church's restroom in an earlier post).  We were visiting my parents, and my sweet little tiny British grandmother was also there to see us all. 3 year old Chris comes up with "My friend Mikey's father says "(insert long phrase with three distinct and clearly voiced bad words you wish your child had never heard)  I must have left my teeth there but I am SURE my poor grandmother did. I doubt she had ever heard those words before, but she sure heard them that day.  Oh the joys lol.

Always smiling: Good bye to a friend and fellow stitcher

Always smiling: Good bye to a friend and fellow stitcher
Yesterday a online group of friends I am in learned that a long time member and dear friend had passed away. At such times, I feel mostly numb and cannot put into words how I feel. Our group leader, Chris, has said it very well on her site- "Always Smiling". Goodbye Mo-- you will be greatly missed. We are so glad to have been blessed by knowing you though!

Moms as family squabble refs... NOT!

One of the issues that parents of older children have to deal with is that their children are a "finished project". This can be problematic if others think that you still should be able to influence -- and indeed, should want to influence, your adult child. Take our family. We have a lot of sons. And three great daughters in law. But it can be tricky territory when your adult child's spouse figures that they need to tell us all the shortcomings of said adult child. Not only do I not want to know what's going on in their personal relationship (for the short term), unless there is some thing I can do-- comfort, help in some concrete way, etc. But intervening between partners in a marriage is not only uncomfortable, it's down right dangerous for your relationship with either your child or your son or daughter in law. I am becoming adept at saying "I think that this is not any of my business", and, "You really need to work this out with your husband.". But it's sure not any  fun.

Moving right along.... da da da da da dum....

I spent six weeks in California (left November 10th to go by Amtrak- got there November 14th) helping my son, daughter in law and our grandchildren move to a new apartment. It was a lot of work, but fun too. What a nice apartment they are in now. The old one had drug dealers around, and other horrendous problems. This place is lovely with a courtyard for the kids to play in, and an upstairs and a downstairs-- very much like a townhouse. I helped by packing boxes,  (I have to admit I didn't carry too many) I helped clean up the old apartment before turning the keys over to the landlord, and then I unpacked boxes and helped by making curtains, pillows for their new barstools they eat on now, etc. I made each granddaughter pillows for their beds too and bulletin boards to match. They each painted signs with their names on too so their rooms would be "coordinated". My dil is going to send me a picture when it's all assembled as Christmas came in the middle of it. Then I went home (Dec 28th) and then my dil had to have major surgery that she is still recovering from (so the curtains aren't up yet).

Here are pictures of the girls with their pillows: The first one is Brianna and then Amber.

It was so much fun to make the stuff for them-- we walked almost every day to the "Michael's Arts and Crafts Store" which was about a 15 minute walk. Then Joel and our sons Chris and Rob came and we went down to be there for our son Tom's commissioning into the Air Force.

Rob had to go home but Chris was able to stay -- Joel, Chris, & I took the girls and went to Disneyland on December 23. What a magical day it was.

 

This is Chris, me, Brianna and Amber waiting to get on the Carousel, our first ride the day we went to Disneyland. 

We all stayed through Christmas and then Joel and Chris went home Dec. 27th and I went home Dec 28th. A good time was had by all.

One World One Heart

Hi, Everyone:

I'm participating in an annual event called "One World, One Heart" (OWOH) which promotes friendship across the borders. Bloggers from all around the world participate in this event. This is the second year I am participating. This year, I am giving away 2 pieces of my handmade jewelry as a part of this event. If you would like to be entered for the giveaway, please leave a comment under the this post.

Pet Peeves

OK, here I am going to vent a little on some of my worst pet peeves. This may not be my most popular post. I apologize. I've wanted to say these things for a long time. Here goes...

First and foremost, -- those individuals who pee on the toilet seat of the handicapped stall. Come on, now, people!  Does it not make sense that if any stall should be kept clean, it should be the handicapped stall? If you MUST pee on the seat, could you not at least clean it off properly so that if a handicapped person comes along who cannot do that for themselves, it will be clean? I so often want to put a sign: If you must pee on seats, wait till another stall is open before you do it!

The next pet peeve I feel compelled to ventilate about is sanctimonious emails. Who writes these things? I think, like people who must pee on toilet seats of the handicapped, there must be a special place in Heaven for those who feel they must tell you how wonderful they are. Like the "McDonald's story", for instance where the lady smells the body odor of two homeless men and goes and feeds them. - it's not that it's not a beautiful story. But aren't we called to not let the right hand know what the left hand is doing?  Or the one about the guy who bought shoes for the little boy to give his mother. It's nice to know that someone does these things. I just feel vaguely uncomfortable with the idea that Jane Doe is telling you that SHE is the wonderful person that did it. It's different if the story is told in third person. "I saw young Mike from across the street do something SO nice I have to tell you about it." However, these stories are inevitably told in the first person. For every email of this sort that I have received, I know so many more truly good people that do these sort of things on a daily basis. The problem is, that I know that they do it for the reason that they are called to minister to this person, to set things right for whatever time possible. But, they don't tell the tale -- they just DO it. I can't think that any of them would be wasting their time telling the world how great they are. They would do things such as the emails describe, but by the time the story is told, they have long been on to the next person in need. Or am I the only one that this bothers? Am I hard hearted that none of these stories bring the requisite tears to my eyes?

Which brings me to the next thing on my list. How many people out there believe all the pictures of funny signs, pet cuteness, etc that you get in your inbox? I hope I am not the only one that believes that most cameras just aren't so handy when Rover decides to snuggle the baby deer before he scares the crap out of poor Bambi and it runs off to Mommy Deer. (I know, Mommy Deer was no longer amongst the living in the Disney story, but this is a photo shopped Bambi anyway so it's OK to bring Mommy Deer into it.). I love my computer, and the Internet, for all the dear friends it has brought me. But some times, it occurs to me that the Internet has provided an avenue for a lot of bad things too -- such as many kinds of email deception, not to mention far worse things such as internet scams, pornography, and internet stalkers. Scary isn't it? Sorry, this was going to be my chance to vent on some pet peeves.

OK, I feel better now. Thanks for letting me ventilate. Have a great day now, ya hear??