Archive for December, 2008

• Merry Christmas!

  Date: 2008.12.28 | Category: Christmas, family is everything | Response: 4

  I hope you all had a great Christmas! This is my favorite time of year and I just love spending time with my family, eating great food, observing fun traditions and spoiling my babies. Here are a few pictures of our holiday.

  

  Love you all! Have a great New Year!

• Ah-Ma-Zing Dessert

  Date: 2008.12.28 | Category: Christmas, family is everything, food | Response: 0

  We always have Christmas Eve dinner at my parent’s house – lamb chops and chutney and all the fixings. Yummy! And I made an amazing dessert – thanks to all of my twitter followers who voted on the winning recipe! It was fabulous… Here’s the recipe: (from Epicurious)

  Let me know if you try this out! It’s really easy and soooooo good. My nephew Gabriel said he wanted to bury his face in it he thought it was so good. Now THAT’S a good endorsement…

  
  Triple-Chocolate Pudding Pie with Cappuccino Whipped Cream

  Ingredients

  Crust:

  • 9 whole chocolate graham crackers
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • Pinch of salt
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

  Filling:

  • 1 1/4 cups sugar
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1/4 cup cornstarch
  • 3 1/2 cups half and half
  • 4 large egg yolks
  • 3 1/2 ounces bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, chopped
  • 3 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

  Topping:

  • 1 cup chilled whipping cream
  • 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons instant espresso powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

  • Chocolate-covered espresso beans
  

  Preparation

  For crust:
  Preheat oven to 350°F. Finely grind graham crackers, sugar, and salt in processor. Add butter and blend to moisten crumbs. Firmly press mixture into 9-inch-diameter glass pie dish. Bake until crust sets, about 8 minutes. Cool.

  For filling:
  Whisk sugar, cocoa, and cornstarch in heavy medium saucepan. Gradually whisk in 1 cup half and half. Whisk in remaining 2 1/2 cups half and half and yolks. Whisk over medium-high heat until mixture thickens and boils, whisking constantly, about 12 minutes. Remove from heat. Add both chocolates and butter; whisk until melted and smooth. Mix in vanilla. Transfer filling to crust. Press plastic wrap directly onto surface of filling and chill until filling sets, at least 6 hours. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Keep chilled.)

  For topping:
  Beat all ingredients in large bowl until peaks form. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Rewhisk to thicken before serving, if necessary.)

  Peel plastic off pie. Cut pie into wedges. Spoon dollop of cream atop each slice. Garnish with chocolate-covered espresso beans and serve.

• Merry Christmas for real

  Date: 2008.12.24 | Category: Christmas | Response: 1

  Abs,

  I love you too much to let this go until morning. I hope you enjoy the new blog and real theme. If you are reading this and missed the fake one, sorry.

  We’ll tweak more over the next few days.

  Merry Christmas,

  Your Big Brother (not the government… your real big brother)

• Merry Christmas

  Date: 2008.12.24 | Category: Christmas | Response: 5

  

  Merry Christmas Abbye. I hope you enjoy your new blog.

  Your loving brother,

  Bryan

  Why are you crying Abbye? You don’t like the design I picked out for you?

• Mushy Brains

  Date: 2008.12.17 | Category: Baby Weight, random thoughts | Response: 5

  OK – so I love love love being a mommy – but I have to admit that I feel like my brains may run out of my ears at any moment. It’s been feasting on Noggin, baby slobber and a steady of diet of cleaning product fumes – not much else I’m sad to say. I’ve started about five different books and haven’t had the time or energy to actually get anything out of any of them let along make any progress on finishing any of them. And let’s not even talk about what else on my body is mushy. Geesh…

• Rainy Days and Starbucks Christmas Blend

  Date: 2008.12.11 | Category: baby stuff, family is everything, random thoughts | Response: 9

  I can’t believe I’m posting this picture for all the world to see. (or maybe just the 10 or so of you that will actually stop by) No makeup and in my PJ’s…what am I thinking?

  Today is one of those days that I probably won’t get out of my PJ’s until I absolutely have to. Reagan has tap class this afternoon so I’ll have to make myself eventually I guess. But rainy days always have this effect on me – I just want to cuddle and watch a movie and drink coffee.

  Rylee has ceased to be a good napper – she used to take 2-3 good long naps everyday and now she fights me so much that I am lucky to get 20 minutes out of her. I won’t complain too much because she is still sleeping a good 10 hours straight at night so I’ll shut up about sleep issues.

  We have seriously cut back on our Christmas shopping this year. Don and I aren’t buying each other anything that won’t fit in our stockings and I have been pretty good at sticking to the budget for the kids. Even with the budget I have found some great things for Reagan that I’m so excited about. I’ll be sure to post pictures after he opens everything. I can’t wait – I’m such a holiday junkie.

  Bryan took some great pictures for us last Sunday. (it’s great to have a brother who will take free pics for his sister…love you, brother) Here are a few…

  

  Rylee’s awake again so let me run pat her butt for 20 minutes….

• Who Do You Miss?

  Date: 2008.12.02 | Category: family is everything, random thoughts | Response: 5

  I know all of us have people in our lives that we love dearly who are far away from us geographically. That sucks sometimes…

  I just wanted to let them know how much I love them and miss them -

  • Stephanie – my oldest and very dear friend. Who would have thought that 700 miles and 20 years later we would still be as close as we are? You make me so happy and I am grateful for your friendship. I am so glad that you are my babies’ “faffy” and my best friend…
  • Mindy – you have become like a sister to me and I am confident that God put us together so many years ago because He knew what you would have to go through. I am amazed by what He has done in you and in me as I have watched you deal with horrific circumstances. I love you more than you know…
  • Sarabess – I knew when we met at that youth camp year ago that there was purpose in it. You have become my sounding board and my confidant – what would I do without you? We have got to do something about only seeing each other every 5 years, though…
  • Kirstie – we are separated by so much more than miles. I will never understand why God took you from us so early in your life, but I know He is sovereign and I trust Him still. You are so dear to me – you were an amazing mom, wife, friend and daughter of the King and you are missed so much.
  • Pops and Mama Reba – I have learned so much from you. I learned from you that there is a proximity to the anointing and I am so grateful for having the opportunity to be close to you both. What I have gained from you is invaluable to me and I pray that God gives me the chance to continue to learn from you as I watch you follow after Him.

  There are more – so many more – but this is enough for today.

  Who do you miss?