In the 80's!!!

Before I begin my very much fun post...You deserve to see this video:

Now.  I'm not much of a fan of the Eighties...they hair styles, clothing, everything, just seems really 'out there'. And even while I'm an outgoing (at times) person, I'm not THAT out going.

So. I was invited to an 80's themed party by a good friend of mine, Sarah. (sorry, she hasn't a blog, Tumblr or Pinterest I can link to). at first I was like, "oh, just get some Stone washed jeans, a colorful shirt, I'll be ready to go!" And I might have been able to skimp on that, had my Mother, dear Mama, not remembered so MUCH about that time period. Lovely.

See how I went? Oh, L-R: Joanna, Me, Sarah, Rachel, Bethany.

We went to Goodwill, bought as close to Stone washed as we could find pants, that shirt (which I LOVE), The Belt, and then, Mama teased my hair. Mama had a blast. Naturally, she didn't primp herself up AT ALL.  Each time Mama had me look at my hair and see if I liked it, I would do a dying moan noise. Honestly, I couldn't believe she was doing this to me.  I dearly hoped I wouldn't be the only one to be in dress.

Ok....so maybe I was the most 'out there' person attending...it was worth it as soon as Sarah saw my wild hair, and colorful outfit. "I LOVE IT!!!" said she. And, we all know, making a birthday girl (even if her brithday was a couple months ago, and her family just got around the the celabration) happy is the point of the day.

 Earrings and hair sprayed hair. Boy, we emptied nearly our whole Hair Spray bottle on my hair.

 If you dont look at ALL of my hair, it DOES look a little cute...

 Me, and Joanna. Best girl ever.

 Doesn't this look like a 80s year book picture?

 80s poof.

We did indeed have so much fun! We played a few games, but most of it was spent talking. And Sarah just gets more, and more awesome.

 After cake and Pizza, they turned on a bubble and fog machine. I officially want a fog machine now. It was so cool. Everything had the 80's (cigarette) haze to it!

 Another outfit thing, see my lovely belt? I really like the belt and shirt. They are SO comfy.

 A disco ball! Added a fun touch.

 They had various posters set up around the room, and this was one of them.

 Another one. My favorite one. If I could meet any President, dead or Alive, I'd pick Reagan. He is just incredible.

Reagan also happens to be Joanna's hero as well. She needed this picture.

It was fun, getting out and dressing weird. I'm not the type to stand out and be the center. I don't like dressing funky, or taking fun chances. Getting out of my comfort zone is good for me, however. 

Highlights:

Disco lights//Hair that doesn't move//Dr.Thunder//Red Velvet cupcakes//Phantom of the Opera songs//Giving Gifts//Super Amazing People//My favorite color blue//Pink Socks//Bubbles//Artificial Fog//Old Songs//Old Movies//Doing new things//Sarah//Joanna//Rachel//Bethany//Thank Goodness, Instagram//Star Trek Funny Stories//Riding in a Mustang//Domino's Pizza.

Expanding yourself, Nothing else like it.

And, hey! This was nonschooler homeschooling! I did History today...first hand.

Signed with a hairspray bottle,

Come to the dark side, We have Mexican Wedding Cookies.

Today, My sister, Shauna, dragged me into the kitchen to make cookies. Thankfully, we didn't have any milk, so we had to opt out of Chocolate chips (Let me explain, I like Chocolate chip cookies, but I highly dislike making them. Plus, they hurt my teeth, so I end up spending a while in the kitchen helping her mix the dough together, and not be able to eat any of them. That isn't a good deal for me). I don't like cooking period, but I kinda had the feeling Mama wouldn't like it if I didn't help Shauna...she normally isn't to happy if I put up a fuss about kitchen work. Anyway, Shauna decided to wanted to make Mexican Wedding Cookies, which are really good (and don't hurt my teeth). Well, at first, she wanted to make Reese balls..but I (THANKFULLY)noted we only had 2 of the ingredients..I was saved from really long kitchen work.

 Creaming the butter and the sugar.  It takes only 3/4 sugar, but 2 cups of butter.  For you fat haters out there (Which I'm not in league with..I'm da butter Queen), choose your greater evil.

 The first couple of cookies, delightfully dusted with powder sugar.

 The whole fanangle. 

 Mixing the onnomnom goodness up.  Wanna know somethun? I took all the pictures in this post on my iphone. Yep. Instagram is my new most favorite thing. Ever.

La creamed butter al la sugar. Or, better known as, creamed heaven.

So, I've probably made you all drooling, and ruining your computers...so to make up for it, How about the recipe?

2 cups REAL butter (take that, plastic, AKA margarine, lovers)

3/4 c. Sugar

4 Tablespoons Vanilla

4 c. Flour

2 c. Finally chopped Pecans (this is optional, I prefer them with it, but since most of my family detest nuts, we skipped them this time)

Powdered Sugar

Cream Butter  and sugar.

Add remaining ingredients in order listed; mixing well.

Put in refrigerator for 2 hours (we also skipped this...cookies on a timeline, here!) 

Roll into balls (makes approx 42) and bake at 350 for 10 minutes. Cool 5 minutes and then gently roll in powdered sugar.

Enjoy!

So..that was pretty much the gist of my day. That and school, learning how to make my Sims characters throw up (I've GOT to show that to you, Joanna!!), singing "Party Spock is in the house tonight, everybody have a logical time" due to THIS, and...general laying around, playing Sims, Dragonvale and reading.  Pretty boring day, all in all.

Signing off, 

Spock Rock on,

A matter of Tea.

I  think I'm going British on myself!
Used to be, I was a total Southern Gal, Sweet iced tea, preferably Peach.
Now? Oh, dear, I do believe I'm changing!

For dinner tonight I 1) Put NO ICE in my tea. Hot, My dear, warm and soothing!  And, 2) thought it much to sweet.

Oh bother me, Am I going British on myself?  Not that I'd much mind that, (Dear self, could you please make me have an accent now? Sincerely, yourself.),

Amazing, isn't it? The way Tea is held up.  In Old Southern rings, we drank Tea or lemonade, and in the British circles, Well, they drank Tea. and Tea. And more Tea.  They practically LIVED on Tea.  Not a bad idea, actually.  How would you like a daily Tea Time with crumpets? I'd rather enjoy it, I think.

"You can never get a cup of tea large enough or a book long enough to suit me"  (C.S Lewis)

"Tea pot is on, the cups are waiting, Favorite chairs anticipating, No matter what I have to do, My friend there's always time for you" (Unknown)

Tea is such a warming, soothing, loving, drink.  It can have medicinal qualities, and calming tones. 

Indeed, you cannot find a cup of Tea big enough to suit me!

So, I leave you, While I enjoy an imaginary cup of Tea. Earl Gray. Hot.

What I did today

I spent a good part of my day in the kitchen today.  And, if you know me AT ALL, you will know that staying in the kitchen isn't really my dream job. However, for the most part, I behaved like a good girl.  For the most part.  I mean, who doesn't freak out and loose their heads when a pot is bubbling over, smoke is dense as smoke, the smoke detector isn't helping calm your nerves, and your little sisters are asking if you caught the house on fire? All the while, you're thinking, "My Dad is going to kill me" (I'm a firefighter's daughter....Smoke and fire don't mix well with Daddy, and honestly, me neither...Do they, Joanna? Inside joke, sorry.)

So, but you get the point, that for a wee bit, there was some fiasco, but, not for most of it.  Finished project?

 Sweet southern Mayhaw Jelly!

 Made my me truly.  That sounds neat..'Me Truly'....Me truly...Sorry...going forward.

 10 jars, thats 4 gallons worth of mayhaws.  And tomorrow, guess what! I have 2 more gallons to do.  I'm simply loving this! 

 WHY DO YOU DO THIS TO ME BLOGGER!! WHY do my pictures keep going sideways? Ugh.  Hopefully you don't break your neck craning to see the picture the right way.

 Again. Sideways.

 Let us, sign the sideways song to the theme of 'Sesame Street'!

 One is clear, the other has berry/fruit pieces in it.   This is the second time I've made Mayhaw jelly, and I don't know whether they are fruit or berries...Somefin's wrong with me.  Or, I just don't care. Which is the likely cause.

"WHY" you are probably wondering, "Is the jar upside down?"  Elementary My Dear Watson (I really do use that phrase as often as possible) You have to let the jars seal that way.  Ya know how store bought jars are sealed with the 'if seal is broken, do not eat because a terrorist might have poisoned this jar of normally fine food'? Well, even though I know there are no terrorists in our home, the seal helps can the food! Otherwise, it would just be a jar of rotting jelly in our pantry. 

No, really, it would rot.  Mold, mildew..probably a roach or two...you get the point.

So, upside down she goes to seal, then once it is sealed, I tip'er right side up!

So, there is my well spent day.  Maybe not happily spent, but we can't always be happy, can we?  And, since Shiloh is clingy to Mama right now, I HAD to do it before our Mayhaws went bad.  And, if you didn't know, You just can't buy Mayhaws at Walmart, and they certainly don't have cheap prices attached to them.  So, there ya have it.  Those 10 jars will probably get us a month or two.  Then....we will have to...It'll be winter, so we'll have to buy that nasty Grape jelly. Bleck. 

How was your Sunday spent, my dear followers?

Vulcan Salute, and Fairfallens to you all, Ashley.


P.S,
In case anybody wants it, here is our Mayhaw Jelly recipe:

MAYHAW JELLY 

 4 c. juice
1 box pectin
5 c. sugar

TO PREPARE JUICE: Sort and wash fully ripe Mayhaw. Crush fruit, add water, cover, and bring to a boil on high heat. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Extract juice.

TO MAKE JELLY: Measure juice into a kettle. Bring to a boil, add pectin and stir well. Bring back to a full rolling boil that cannot be stirred down. Add sugar, continue stirring, and heat again to a full rolling boil. Boil hard for 1 minute.

Remove from heat; skim off foam quickly. Pour jelly immediately into hot sterile canning jars to 1/4 inch from top. Seal and process 5 minutes in a boiling water bath. Makes 6 (1/2 pint) jars

Random

sometimes, i just feel to lazy to use the shift button.

sometimes, the lowercase i actually looks neat, in a post, anyway.

all i feel like doing today, is snuggling up with a Redwall book, and reading my heart out. 

It's skipper and The Mask!

And, I want a baby otter now!  Look at those c.u.t.e lil faces!  I claim the black one!

I want to go to Outer Space now, and meet a Vulcan, how much is passage on a Galaxy class StarShip?  I think I'd prefer to go Federation; me and the Ferengi might not get along like peas and carrots.

Speakin' of which, how did the term, 'peas and carrots' come about?  The way I like my peas, and the way I like my carrots, WOULD NOT go together perfectly. Bleh.

You know where I also want to go?  Scotland.  How much would passage THERE cost? I'm quite sure it would be cheaper then a 'quick' flight to Vulcan.

Isn't that piano beautiful?

I'm gonna learn to play the flute.  In about 2 months.  Maybe.  I'm excited, but afraid too.  I don't pick up as quick with music as with my other studies.  So, I'll be crossing my fingers, and praying! Hard.

I found this picture of Pinterest today, and it is my 'pic of the day'.  Love how sweet, and true it is.  Worth remembering!

Sometimes, do you feel like you want to do something, but just can't figure out what?  I hate it when that happens.  Cuz, most likely, I'll end up laying around, doing absolutely nuthin'.  I suppose this would be called, 'bored'.  Ugh.  I just want to do SOMETHING.  Maybe, these times would be a good time to clean up my sewing desk before my Mom kills me.  Or, to finish my sewing project.  Or, to deep clean my room.  Or, to do some other thing I hate doing. 

And, update on Ethan W.  I think they will be coming home this week!  This family has gone through SO much.  And their little boy is, as you can see, super cute!  Despite all the cords that Borgize him. Poor fella.  Keep them in your prayers, PLEASE.  This has been such a long haul for them, and I'm sure home is sounding really good right now!

I'm done being random.  I need to go to bed probably as well.  Oh, and don't forget my giveaway (link on top of page) and, I will need some guestposters soon!!!  First 6 7 to email me gets the job!

A.

Friday's favorite things

Ok, so I know that I just did a post. But that was a giveaway post.  And this here is a real post.  Anyone out there see the difference?

Sherlock Holmes.  I love'im.  I love his outfits, his smarts, and his actor Basil Rathbone!

I love Cupcakes.  Stop it Ashley. cupcakes...cupcakes...cupcakes....STOP IT!! YOU ARE MAKING ME WANT THEM!!  And  I am NOT going to go bake some.  I eat and look, no cook.

Baby kisses.  Baby faces.  Baby coos.  Baby brothers.  Baby smell.  Baby giggles.  Baby laughs.  Baby feet.  Baby Smiles. Baby clothes.  Baby Sisters.  Baby words.  Baby food.  Oh, wait, how did that last one get there?  Can you perhaps tell I'm getting excited about the new sibling that is coming sometime in July or August?

Cake.  ooooh.....STOP IT!

And cookies.  Why do I have to be such a sugar bum?  I can't eat a lot of it, due to diabities running in our family, and I'm to lazy to cook anything like that. ^.  I can't stand cooking period.  But I like Deserts better then real food.

Old Musty book that smell of ages.  Pages that crinkle when opened. and have swirly font.

This song.

Up. I actually came close to tears when Ellie dies, and when they loose their baby.  I'm an emotional baby. 

Thats it for now...I'm going to go listen to Loch Lomond, if you please.