Kenzie's Design

This is going to be the front!! (Hopefully!)

And this is going to be the back!!

Graduation Announcement

This is an idea for Kenzie's graduation announcements.

Main Information Side:

Back Side:

Senior Pictures!!

Kenzie is a SENIOR!!! She's been a senior for a while but we finally got some of her senior pictures back and she is so incredibly gorgeous! If you don't believe me (like I'd lie!) just take a look. Paisley Studios in Blackfoot did an incredible job. I would definitely go back!!

Raspberry and Cream Pie

This actually tastes good when you remember to add the VANILLA!!


Printable Recipe

Crust:

1 unbaked Classic Crisco Single Crust (ctrl click for crust recipe)

Raspberry Layer:

¾ cup granulated sugar

¼ cup cornstarch

1/8 tsp. salt

1¾ cups water

1 pkg. (3 oz.) raspberry flavor gelatin

1 pkg. (12 oz.) frozen unsweetened raspberries

Cream Layer:

1 pkg. (3 oz.) cream cheese, softened

1/3 cup confectioners’ sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

1/8 tsp. salt

1 cup whipping cream, whipped

Sauce:

2 squares (1 oz. each) unsweetened baking chocolate

1 tbsp Butter flavor Crisco stick or 1 tbsp. Butter Flavor Crisco all-vegetable shortening

¾ cup confectioners’ sugar

1/8 tsp salt

About 2 tbsp hot milk

1. For crust, prepare and bake 9-inch single crust as directed. Cool crust completely (or we like to use graham cracker crust).

2. For raspberry layer, combine granulated sugar, cornstarch and 1/8 tsp. salt in medium saucepan. Gradually stir in water. Cook and stir on medium heat until mixture comes to a boil and is thickened and clear. Add gelatin. Stir until dissolved. Stir in raspberries. Refrigerate until slightly thickened.

3. For cream layer, combine cream cheese, 1/3 cup confectioners’ sugar, vanilla and 1/8 tsp. salt in medium bowl. Beat at medium speed with electric mixer until smooth. Beat in whipped cream. Spread half of cream mixture on bottome of colled baked pie crust. Top with half of raspberry mixture. Repeat layers. Refrigerate 1 hour.

4. For sauce, combine chocolate and 1 tbsp. shortening in small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at 50% (medium) for 1 minute. Stir. Repeat until melted and smooth. (Or, melt on range top in small saucepan on very low heat.) Stir in ¾ cup confectioners’ sugar and 1/8 tsp. salt until fine crumbs form. Stir in milk, a little at a time, until mixture is of desired consistency. Drizzle over raspberry layer and edge of crust. Refrigerate at least 1 to 2 hours before serving. Refrigerate leftovers.

Note: We used an extra-serving graham cracker crust instead of the baked crust.

Makes 1 (9-inch) pie

(8 servings)

DVD Transformation

We have tons of DVD's and not much space. Mom had been trying to decide who to condense down the movies. 

Should she do a binder like I did?

or should she do the boxes??

She chose the boxes and it has really cut down on space.

Movies where stacked on top of each other because of lack of space.

The permanent shelves are now filled with books that have been randomly placed throughout the house. All of the Christmas movie shelf is full of Christmas books that after she reads them she will pass them on.

Dad isn't super impressed with the boxes, he liked to stand in the hall and stare at them till he decided which one to watch.

Mom hasn't decided in the cover binder if she wants to do 

two covers per sheet

or four.

Candy Corn Cupcakes

For Halloween Mom made cupcakes for Dad to take to work. Really she wanted to try the recipe but she didn't want that many sitting around. It's really simple to make. Take white cake mix and divide it up.

We use Wilton Gel Food Coloring.

We used yellow and orange food coloring. The white one is just plain cake mix but we did the egg white version to cut down on color. Each color was a box of cake mix. We had to make at least 40 cupcakes, so we figured this would be the least amount of remixing.

Here is the white on top of the orange. Kenzie thought it looked like egg yolk running out of an egg.

Our cute cupcake holders!

The final product minus it's frosting and a candy corn centerpieces.

Europe

Sam is usually the one who keeps everyone up to date with what is happening with our family, but she has left off some news that I want to share. I am going on a trip with some friends from school this summer to Europe. We are going for 10 days and get to see London, Paris, Florence and Rome. The history nerd in me can't wait to get going. But I am going to have to wait, 214 days to be exact. What a perfect ending to a school year, we end school on Friday and leave on Tuesday. So much to do to get ready, I better get started.

 

Happy Birthday!!!

This week is a week of birthdays! Kenzie turned 18 on Sunday. She ended up not feeling very good Sunday so she was happy we got her Chinese food on Saturday. Jessi turns 27 on Thursday. When we visited her earlier this month we celebrated her birthday along with taking her all of her furniture purchases from this summer.

Happy Birthday Kenzie and Jessi!! We love you!!!!

New Pillow Case!

Our newest Halloween pillow case.

Thanks Granny!!

Finally!!!

I made a cute signature today!!! Had to show it off!

Homemade Oreo Cookies

A Cookie that actually looks like a Cookie!! Imagine That!! :O)

Cookie Bases

1 Chocolate Devils food cake mix

1/2 cup oil

2 eggs

Combine all three ingredients to form dough. If the dough is too sticky add up to 1/4 cup flour. Roll dough into 1 inch balls. (I use a cookie scoop to create uniform cookies). Place on a non-greased cookie sheet and bake for 7-8 minutes at 350 degrees. (Place in a sealed container in you want a soft and chewy cookie)

Cream Cheese Filling

4 cups powdered sugar

1 8 oz cream cheese

1/4 cup softened butter

Mix the cream cheese and softened butter together and then add powder sugar one cup at a time. Frost the bottom of each cookie and top with a second cookie. Store in the refrigerator in a sealed container.

Catch Up

Jessi and Kenzie are both in their last semester of this school year. This summer Jessi is planning some more trips. Kenzie is counting down the days till she is a senior. I'm working on my first semester of college; going great so far. Dad is as ornery as ever. Mom is just keeping busy keeping everyone in check.