Life is My Adventure
Showing posts with label hobbies. Show all posts
Showing posts with label hobbies. Show all posts
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
A Better Recipe
I was able to remake the recipe and it turned out much better than the first batch. Amazing what happens when you follow ingredient amounts! However, I like a similar recipe much better and wanted to share it. I am tempted to use the other recipe's caramel mixture instead of the one listed below but I'll have to try that another day.
German Chocolate Squares
1 pkg (14 oz.) or 50 caramels
1/3 cup evaporated milk
1 pkg. German Chocolate cake mix
2/3 cup melted butter
1/3 cup evaporated milk
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
Combine caramels and 1/3 cup evaporated milk. Melt over heat until smooth and fully melted. Set aside. Combine cake mix, butter, 1/3 cup evaporated milk. Mix until dough is smooth. Press half of dough into a greased and floured baking 9X13 baking dish. Bake at 350 for 6-10 minutes. Sprinkle chocolate chips over baked crust. Spread caramel mixture over chocolate chips. Place remaining dough over the caramel mixture. Bake at 350 for 15-18 minutes. Cool, then refrigerate to set caramel layer. Enjoy!
German Chocolate Squares
1 pkg (14 oz.) or 50 caramels
1/3 cup evaporated milk
1 pkg. German Chocolate cake mix
2/3 cup melted butter
1/3 cup evaporated milk
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
Combine caramels and 1/3 cup evaporated milk. Melt over heat until smooth and fully melted. Set aside. Combine cake mix, butter, 1/3 cup evaporated milk. Mix until dough is smooth. Press half of dough into a greased and floured baking 9X13 baking dish. Bake at 350 for 6-10 minutes. Sprinkle chocolate chips over baked crust. Spread caramel mixture over chocolate chips. Place remaining dough over the caramel mixture. Bake at 350 for 15-18 minutes. Cool, then refrigerate to set caramel layer. Enjoy!
Monday, February 1, 2010
Not My Day, Week, or Month
I don't like to complain but honestly January was not a kind month to me. It was equivalent to Alexander and the Terrible Horrible No Good Very Bad Day except it was a month long. I was hoping February would be better. I was hoping to avoid Katherine Paterson's adage from Jacob Have I Loved:
February is just plain malicious. It knows your defenses are down...February hits you right in the stomach. And not with a lightning strike like a September hurricane, but punch after punch after punch. February is a mean bully.
What has happened you may ask? What could possible get Thamina riled up so much? Hmm...where to start. Could it be someone hitting my car? Could it be because I was pulled over even though I legitimately was speeding and still didn't get a ticket? Or maybe that I was careless and burned my fingers on a hot pan? Honestly what really set me off was my own fault but after the month I had I thought February was going to treat my kindly. Nope! Because for the first time in my life, I didn't read a recipe correctly and completely ruined the treats I was making for dessert night which will probably be my last dessert night because I have school conflicts that night. Now I'll have to settle for something ordinary and bland. I don't have time tomorrow to buy new ingredients and remake the brownies.
February you were supposed to be kind. You were supposed to make up for last month. You were supposed to have some mercy on my already worn out soul. Alas...you must be friends with January.
February is just plain malicious. It knows your defenses are down...February hits you right in the stomach. And not with a lightning strike like a September hurricane, but punch after punch after punch. February is a mean bully.
What has happened you may ask? What could possible get Thamina riled up so much? Hmm...where to start. Could it be someone hitting my car? Could it be because I was pulled over even though I legitimately was speeding and still didn't get a ticket? Or maybe that I was careless and burned my fingers on a hot pan? Honestly what really set me off was my own fault but after the month I had I thought February was going to treat my kindly. Nope! Because for the first time in my life, I didn't read a recipe correctly and completely ruined the treats I was making for dessert night which will probably be my last dessert night because I have school conflicts that night. Now I'll have to settle for something ordinary and bland. I don't have time tomorrow to buy new ingredients and remake the brownies.
February you were supposed to be kind. You were supposed to make up for last month. You were supposed to have some mercy on my already worn out soul. Alas...you must be friends with January.
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Note from Facebook
On facebook right now, people are tagging one another and listing 25 random things about them. Here are my 25 random things, facts, habits or thoughts.
1. One summer I went to EFY (Yes I went and had a great time!) and the program director talked about his dreams. One was to own hotels and another was to produce a Broadway musical. He inspired me! So, I made a list of all the things I wished/hoped/dreamed I could do in my life. Some are extreme and will probably never happen and others are more practical. To date, I have crossed off half of my list.
2. I love being outdoors. Though my dad thinks 4-wheelers are dangerous, I love riding one them. I like camping or maybe I should say I like being in the mountains around a campfire. Sleeping in a tent is never comfortable. Sunsets are absolutely amazing, especially when you watch it with someone. But most of all I love the night sky. I have fond memories of watching the stars with Nettie. One thing I miss about Arizona is the rising full moon. Amazing!
3. So I may love the outdoors but being in the mountains at night scares me to death. Yes, I am afraid of the dark. Once Nettie and I broke down on our way to the cabin. We were only half a mile away but I was petrified. Just when I had the courage to get out of the car and walk, Nettie said that she wasn’t afraid of the animals but random crazy people that could be lurking in the dark. That sealed the deal. We waited an hour for Suzy and Ray to come and hopped in their car.
4. I have a tendency to talk too much. At parent conferences, my mom was always told, “Good student but she talks too much.” I have also been told I am selfish because I am so busy talking and not taking enough time asking others about them. Because of this, I focus on listening to what others are saying and asking them questions about their lives. I know my love of talking can be a great weakness.
5. If you want to know what I’m thinking you have to ask. The best time to get any information you want is when I’m exhausted. Too many people have gotten way too much information when I have been tired. But if you want to know the inner workings of me, get me in a tired slap happy mood and you can find out anything you want.
6. I have an acute sense of direction. If I have been to a place before, I don’t need directions a second time. Often when I am with people who have no sense of direction, it takes every ounce of restraint not to tell them where to go.
7. Nettie and I drove to Las Vegas once just for food. Our first purpose was to buy cheesecakes from Cheesecake Factory for my mom’s birthday. While there we got food to go from my favorite place to eat and ate dinner at a restaurant only located in Vegas and Hawaii.
8. I love Peanut Butter M&Ms but will only buy them at Easter time. The regular ones are good but the Easter PB M&Ms are divine.
9. My favorite foods are bread, meat, and cheese in that order.
10. Growing up during the summer, I would walk around the neighborhood barefoot. I still prefer walking without shoes but weather and social decency usually dictates me wearing shoes.
11. I love walking places. Growing up in a small town it was easy to walk places. When I went to college my mom asked me not to walk by myself at night, knowing that was a favorite activity at home. I have been pretty good about that one. Not perfect, but pretty good.
12. I had my first pair of glasses at the age of 4. I wasn’t allowed (by my eye doctor) to get contacts until I was 16. So I was the nerdy girl who had the thick horrible glasses. I had LASIK surgery three years ago and it was money well spent.
13. I am a texture eater. I like apples but not cooked apples in pie. I like the flavor of onions but biting into them is not a pleasant experience. Some foods I just don’t like though I have made an effort to expand foods I’ll eat and have been adding about two foods a year.
14. I love waffles. Not pancakes. Waffles. You may think they are the same thing but the texture is a bit different. My mom’s waffles are the best! Mostly because she throws evil ingredients like cream into them. Oh, I also grew up on homemade syrup so I think the store bought stuff is very thick and rich.
15. I have ADD. Not really, but it feels like that at times. I am always fidgeting with something or just easily distracted. As Nettie would say, “Focus!”
16. I like quoting movies. Some of my favorites are from Mickey and the Beanstalk, Three Musketeers, any Disney movie, and yep! So many quotes, so little time.
17. I really like cooking but don’t like cooking for myself.
18. Our house was by an alfalfa field and we would get lots of stray kitties come and go. We had fun naming them: Beatrice, Othello, Kiefer, Grady, Spock, Moshka, Garmisch, Parten, Kirchen, Whitesis, Prince Charming, Otis, and others.
19. My dad taught me how to hold my breath under water. I learned to swim under water two lengths of my grandparent’s swimming pool. I can swim a full Olympic size pool length with a bit of practice.
20. I have never gotten a speeding or traffic ticket. Have been pulled over six or more times, once with a police escort, but I have never gotten a ticket.
21. I have a fetish for Broadway musicals. I’m not a connoisseur. I don’t even know what is currently playing, but usually love what I hear. Some favorite songs are “Lily’s Eyes” from Secret Garden, “Empty Chairs at Empty Tables” from Les Miserables, “Back to Before” from Ragtime, “In His Eyes” from Jekyll and Hyde, “When I Look at You” from Scarlet Pimpernel, and “Home” from Beauty and the Beast.
22. My favorite subject to study is the Civil War. My dream vacation is to start in Gettysburg and drive to different battle sites including Antietam, Manassas, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Wilderness, Richmond, and Appomattox. Then travel down through North Carolina, South Carolina and over to Georgia. Then hit Chattanooga, Chickamauga, Shiloh, and Vicksburg. I get really excited just thinking about it.
23. When I went to college my parents pleaded with me to go to class. My other two sisters were told to please make time to have fun. Apparently, my social side got the better of me in high school. Because of that promise, I won’t skip class. I feel really guilty if I skip because as an eighteen year old, I told my parents I would go to class.
24. My friend Anna once said I was the most hopeful romantic person she has ever met. Ambiance really does make a moment. One of my favorite commercials is an old Lifesaver commercial. A father and daughter are sitting on a cliff watching the sunset and eating Lifesavers. As the sun sets you hear him saying, “Going, going, and gone.” The little girl looks up at her dad and says, “Do it again Daddy.” Not a romantic moment but one completely filled with ambiance. Of course my other favorite commercial has them both. I won’t describe that one but I will say it is in Venice, has a guy, a girl, and produces a giddy romantic smile every time. :)
25. As you can tell, I remember little details. I can describe many moments in life with specifics. If you have told me a story about a time you wandered off from home and were found riding your bike down main street, I will remember it. I listen to what people tell me and watch what is happening around me. The world is a fascinating place.
1. One summer I went to EFY (Yes I went and had a great time!) and the program director talked about his dreams. One was to own hotels and another was to produce a Broadway musical. He inspired me! So, I made a list of all the things I wished/hoped/dreamed I could do in my life. Some are extreme and will probably never happen and others are more practical. To date, I have crossed off half of my list.
2. I love being outdoors. Though my dad thinks 4-wheelers are dangerous, I love riding one them. I like camping or maybe I should say I like being in the mountains around a campfire. Sleeping in a tent is never comfortable. Sunsets are absolutely amazing, especially when you watch it with someone. But most of all I love the night sky. I have fond memories of watching the stars with Nettie. One thing I miss about Arizona is the rising full moon. Amazing!
3. So I may love the outdoors but being in the mountains at night scares me to death. Yes, I am afraid of the dark. Once Nettie and I broke down on our way to the cabin. We were only half a mile away but I was petrified. Just when I had the courage to get out of the car and walk, Nettie said that she wasn’t afraid of the animals but random crazy people that could be lurking in the dark. That sealed the deal. We waited an hour for Suzy and Ray to come and hopped in their car.
4. I have a tendency to talk too much. At parent conferences, my mom was always told, “Good student but she talks too much.” I have also been told I am selfish because I am so busy talking and not taking enough time asking others about them. Because of this, I focus on listening to what others are saying and asking them questions about their lives. I know my love of talking can be a great weakness.
5. If you want to know what I’m thinking you have to ask. The best time to get any information you want is when I’m exhausted. Too many people have gotten way too much information when I have been tired. But if you want to know the inner workings of me, get me in a tired slap happy mood and you can find out anything you want.
6. I have an acute sense of direction. If I have been to a place before, I don’t need directions a second time. Often when I am with people who have no sense of direction, it takes every ounce of restraint not to tell them where to go.
7. Nettie and I drove to Las Vegas once just for food. Our first purpose was to buy cheesecakes from Cheesecake Factory for my mom’s birthday. While there we got food to go from my favorite place to eat and ate dinner at a restaurant only located in Vegas and Hawaii.
8. I love Peanut Butter M&Ms but will only buy them at Easter time. The regular ones are good but the Easter PB M&Ms are divine.
9. My favorite foods are bread, meat, and cheese in that order.
10. Growing up during the summer, I would walk around the neighborhood barefoot. I still prefer walking without shoes but weather and social decency usually dictates me wearing shoes.
11. I love walking places. Growing up in a small town it was easy to walk places. When I went to college my mom asked me not to walk by myself at night, knowing that was a favorite activity at home. I have been pretty good about that one. Not perfect, but pretty good.
12. I had my first pair of glasses at the age of 4. I wasn’t allowed (by my eye doctor) to get contacts until I was 16. So I was the nerdy girl who had the thick horrible glasses. I had LASIK surgery three years ago and it was money well spent.
13. I am a texture eater. I like apples but not cooked apples in pie. I like the flavor of onions but biting into them is not a pleasant experience. Some foods I just don’t like though I have made an effort to expand foods I’ll eat and have been adding about two foods a year.
14. I love waffles. Not pancakes. Waffles. You may think they are the same thing but the texture is a bit different. My mom’s waffles are the best! Mostly because she throws evil ingredients like cream into them. Oh, I also grew up on homemade syrup so I think the store bought stuff is very thick and rich.
15. I have ADD. Not really, but it feels like that at times. I am always fidgeting with something or just easily distracted. As Nettie would say, “Focus!”
16. I like quoting movies. Some of my favorites are from Mickey and the Beanstalk, Three Musketeers, any Disney movie, and yep! So many quotes, so little time.
17. I really like cooking but don’t like cooking for myself.
18. Our house was by an alfalfa field and we would get lots of stray kitties come and go. We had fun naming them: Beatrice, Othello, Kiefer, Grady, Spock, Moshka, Garmisch, Parten, Kirchen, Whitesis, Prince Charming, Otis, and others.
19. My dad taught me how to hold my breath under water. I learned to swim under water two lengths of my grandparent’s swimming pool. I can swim a full Olympic size pool length with a bit of practice.
20. I have never gotten a speeding or traffic ticket. Have been pulled over six or more times, once with a police escort, but I have never gotten a ticket.
21. I have a fetish for Broadway musicals. I’m not a connoisseur. I don’t even know what is currently playing, but usually love what I hear. Some favorite songs are “Lily’s Eyes” from Secret Garden, “Empty Chairs at Empty Tables” from Les Miserables, “Back to Before” from Ragtime, “In His Eyes” from Jekyll and Hyde, “When I Look at You” from Scarlet Pimpernel, and “Home” from Beauty and the Beast.
22. My favorite subject to study is the Civil War. My dream vacation is to start in Gettysburg and drive to different battle sites including Antietam, Manassas, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Wilderness, Richmond, and Appomattox. Then travel down through North Carolina, South Carolina and over to Georgia. Then hit Chattanooga, Chickamauga, Shiloh, and Vicksburg. I get really excited just thinking about it.
23. When I went to college my parents pleaded with me to go to class. My other two sisters were told to please make time to have fun. Apparently, my social side got the better of me in high school. Because of that promise, I won’t skip class. I feel really guilty if I skip because as an eighteen year old, I told my parents I would go to class.
24. My friend Anna once said I was the most hopeful romantic person she has ever met. Ambiance really does make a moment. One of my favorite commercials is an old Lifesaver commercial. A father and daughter are sitting on a cliff watching the sunset and eating Lifesavers. As the sun sets you hear him saying, “Going, going, and gone.” The little girl looks up at her dad and says, “Do it again Daddy.” Not a romantic moment but one completely filled with ambiance. Of course my other favorite commercial has them both. I won’t describe that one but I will say it is in Venice, has a guy, a girl, and produces a giddy romantic smile every time. :)
25. As you can tell, I remember little details. I can describe many moments in life with specifics. If you have told me a story about a time you wandered off from home and were found riding your bike down main street, I will remember it. I listen to what people tell me and watch what is happening around me. The world is a fascinating place.
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Gratitude - Day 11
1. I am grateful my class was canceled yesterday. I needed it.
2. I am grateful for other interests. Since I had some free time yesterday, I started working on the 2009 family calendar. It was good to work on something not being graded and without a due date.
3. I am grateful for good friends who laugh with me when funny things happen, who cry with me when unfortunate things happen, who advise me when I need perspective, who chastise me when I am being stubborn, and who love me in spite of my faults and weaknesses. Thanks to all of you!
2. I am grateful for other interests. Since I had some free time yesterday, I started working on the 2009 family calendar. It was good to work on something not being graded and without a due date.
3. I am grateful for good friends who laugh with me when funny things happen, who cry with me when unfortunate things happen, who advise me when I need perspective, who chastise me when I am being stubborn, and who love me in spite of my faults and weaknesses. Thanks to all of you!
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