Can you hear me NOW?

Can you hear me now?

If any of you have been following Kayla’s facebook lately, you would have seen that she has been counting down to special “something” which FINALLY happened for her on Monday. She got her 1^st cell phone a little early for her 14^th birthday. She loves it! Now we usually get to view the top of Kayla’s head, rather than see the whites of her eyes. Marisa finally got a new one: her 1^st one had some technical difficulties, Tyler broke the 2^nd one on “accident”, and the 3^rd one was a “giant piece of crap! (quote by Marisa)” Bob was also due for a new one. They all got really cool touch screen ones.

(Its not cool having a mom always taking pics of you while you are texting)

Are the aliens trying to contact YOU?

We were in the kitchen last night making the yummy recipe below, when all of the sudden Marisa grabbed her ear and started flailing all over the kitchen and yelling , “Oh my gosh! The aliens are trying to contact me again!!” I think “what the heck??” She laughs hysterically. (She is one funny kid) She then explains: it’s when your ear plugs and then you have that ringing in your ear and it sounds like aliens are trying to contact you. Um…ok…weirdo…

(Our resident chef (kayla) at work)

Does anyone ever REALLY listen?

Tyler got to go to his 1st winter campout this weekend! He came home a stinky, smelly, wet, frozen gob of goo! He said he didn’t sleep because the cabin wasn’t “air tight” and he froze to death! To death, people! At dinner, he was telling us all about it. Do any of you remember on Seinfeld when Peterman would tell his stories? He would go on and on giving very descriptive details! Well, Tyler has mastered that art of storytelling. He went on and on about something to do with sledding. Our whole family was nodding along while eating and then he said his arm really hurts and pulled up his sleeve. He had a HUGE bruise and we were all like “what happened”?? And he said, “I just explained the whole thing!! Didn’t anyone listen to me??” Poor guy- we laughed so hard. We realized none of us were really listening so we had him tell us again. I guess when he was sledding, all his friends missed the barrel and Tyler’s arms got caught in it on the way down the hill. Poor kid! Of course, you all know how I feel about sledding. NOTHING good can ever come from that sport…

The long-awaited unveiling of the girls’ most awesome room:

We FINALLY finished Kayla and Alayna’s room. It took forever because my children are “crap collectors” and no, they don’t get that from me. Alayna collects everything known to man and hides it under the bed…everything from flashlights, Barbie heads, bouncy balls, old cell phones, erasers, rocks, gems…you name it, it’s under there. So, we made a box to put her “treasures” in. So, here is the final product except I didn’t get the curtains up yet.

(View from the doorway)

(View from the closet.  Notice “Catty’s” bed on the floor)

(View from the bookshelf)

Technical difficulties:

I can’t unveil Marisa’s room yet because we have run into some, um, “technical difficulties”. Hopefully we will get it done in the next few weeks for you to see. I should have done before and after pictures of each room so you could oooh and ahhh over my amazing organizing and rearranging skills. Maybe next time?

Scrumptious new recipe of chocolate goodness:

Warning: If you don’t have the quality of “chocolate self control”, then do NOT make these.

1 Cup butter or margarine, softened

2/3 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 2/3 cups flour

1/4 cup cocoa

54 Hershey's kisses (9-ounce package), unwrapped

Confectioners' sugar

In large mixer bowl cream butter, granulated sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy. Combine flour and cocoa; blend into creamed mixture. Chill dough 1 hour or until firm enough to handle. Heat oven to 375. Mold scant tablespoon of dough around each unwrapped KISS, covering KISS completely. Shape into balls; place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until almost set; cool slightly. Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely. Roll in confectioners' sugar.

Tried to get a picture of our 2 sickies yesterday with their “Rudolf-the-red-nose-noses” but Kayla wanted nothing to do with it :)