Oh darn. I worked the night shift and came straight home. My box will go out either tonight or early tomorrow morning. I need some sleep.

I has going back through my goodie box & found 'Pretty in Pink'tulips,a baking pamplet,Avon wishbook. Sorry I forgot to list them earlier.Not sure but I think I found a coneflower seed head? Karen, did you send it,or did one of my kiddos drop it in when I wasn't looking?

Thanks for the concern of the rugrat all. She is still acting as if there is nothing wrong with her.Will be glad when she goes back to the doc to see what's going on.Hubby took this week as vacation so he didn't lose it come Jan. We built a log fort of sorts for them to play in it looks VERY rustic.LOL! We will add more logs today. I think I will plant climbing vines all around it so they can cover it up. The kids will enjoy it no matter what it looks like . Brett wants to add a garage for the power wheel. All boy that one!Whoever heard of a log cabin with a garage?
Becki, the truffles look great to me!
Later ...April/dirt

April, I have some coneflower seed heads drying out here, maybe one of my daycare kiddos decided to send a little surprise along. If it came in the box, it wasn't intentional, lol.

ok, if i got it right, here's my guys' AND their tickets!! LOL i still can't believe it!! LOL

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i hope the pics showed up without having to go to the page!!
april.... whoever heard of a house or cabin without a garage???? LOL come on.... LOL (besides mine) :'))
i'm so glad your little one is better, at least acting, LOL
now i will be so worried, they are going so far away, i said, call me when you get to ks city!! please!! he's like ok i know. i was really thinking call me after your done with every stop. LOL i know, just stupid and nurotic. i'm so glad he's no longer a truck driver, he did that about 2 yrs. when i was much younger!! no kids and nothing to worry about. they got one end of the porch done yesterday, apparently, its gonna be a guys only thing, so this may take a while. LOL

ok, at first, i was gonna email this to a few people, then i remembered i didn't have a few other peoples emails, so this link is so cool, and i don't know if i can put a link on here but its nice,
http://kidscrafts.suite101.com/article.cfm/apple_cinnamon_dough_recipe
it has some cool recipes, non edible of course but that don't mean they stink!! LOL they even have cinnamon dough ornaments. i'm kinda getting into this,
i need to go in and change who my host server is, i kinda screwed it up, so i can't send ya the file yet becki, i tried last night, i'm such a dunce at times, LOL errr, so i was like HONEY

Good Morning!
April, Glad to hear that the kiddo is feeling better and that you have reinforcements with hubby home! Yay! That sounds like a blast making the log fort! Totally cool. A while back this summer one of the girls here posted pictures of a daylily tour they were on at someone's home. In the center of one of the large daylily beds was a neat stick framed house. They had left it bare but I thought that would be an awesome thing for me to make and have my clematis grow up all of the poles! Definitely something I want to do here!

Medo, I got the link and checked out the cinnamon dough ornament recipe! It looks great but I thought that is a LOT of cinnamon to use! Wow! Congrats to your boys on the Garth Brooks Tickets! They look so excited!

I sent an email to some of you about the Avon Lady that has been emailing me. Do any of you know her? I don't know how she got my email address and I noticed that some of you are on her list. Let me know if she is a friend of yours please.

Diene, how have you been? It's been so quiet on your front! Are you ready for the holidays? Are you hosting Thanksgiving or going to visit family?

glitter-graphics.com

hey becki, i sent you that file on the seeds thingi, tell me if ya got it, and if ya need to add any rows, just go up to the top and insert as many as ya need. its way cool, at least for me!! LOL i had alota fun with it! well girls time has officially begun pretty soon!! woo hoo, we're gonna drive to burlingame and get a pizza, she likes the truck!! LOL hmmmm....:'))

omg she is my aunt. i will definately tell her to quit, or ask. i should say.i feel all the blood draining from my face. errr. sorry!!!!
talla is into her cartoons now. she said mommy, its my cartoon time! tabor isn't here. LOL i can't blame her! LOL
do ya want one of those things tracy? its nothing fancy but it helps me keep an eye on what i have, in seeds, and you can alter it in any way ya want, heck if ya have better ideas, let me know, i'm totally new at this stuff, so i'm totally generic!! LOL or anyone, LOL

Medo, Don't yell at her. I just wanted to make sure that it was from a friendly source! LOL! Let the blood go back in your cheeks sweetie! I would love one of those charts. I still haven't gone through all that I have and it would certainly help me! I am not a guru in the spread sheet department so this is probably just what I need. Thanks!!!

Medo, may I have a try with your seed chart? I'm always writing and rewriting what I have! It is only in the upper 30's here today, brrrr. And so windy! It been windy for the last couple of days. I can't believe it's Thanksgiving next week end. Christmas will be here before we know it!!

HO HO HOLLLLLLLD on a minute! Let me enjoy my turkey first, Karen! LOL! I started my Christmas shopping over the last couple of days. So far just some clothes for one of the boys and a whole lot of price comparing from online stores and ebay! Making my lists and checking them twice!

OHHHH MEDOOOO may I have one of your charts too????

SHHH on the Christmas thing already! I am NOT ready for it yet!!!! lol I'll prolly get a bag of coal anyways lmao.

Well today it got to 90 here and tonight the "cold" front is coming through. Im not so worried about tonight but I am about tomorrow night, supposed to drop down to the 40's here and Imma gonna cover my seedlings with baggies so they stay nice and warm. Its supposed to stay in the 70's during the day until next week when it will prolly be back in the 80's.

Tracy I got 3 bales of hay (7 bucks each) for my pasta garden so this weekend guess what Im doing??? I am also cleaning my backyard and fox is building me a compost bin. I can't wait!!!! I also am going to redo my flower beds in the backyard, kinda like changing the furniture in the living room ya know?

Smiles,
Pixie

You go Miss Pixie! You are way ahead of me! LOL! I keep having to clean out the dang yard! I think I have done it three full weekends in a row. Each time is as big or has more leaves as the last yard clean up! Ahhhh! I feel like Charlie Brown and Lucy with the football! I would be Charlie Brown and the trees would be LUCY!
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Temps here were in the high 50's. Was very nice but I had too much cleaning to do inside getting ready for Thanksgiving. I have been cleaning off shelves, putting Halloween away and packing up old clothes from growing children! Not to mention vacuuming, dusting, scrubbing toilets and sweeping floors. Whew! I know how to party!

off to church but yes, and i love your thing kalena, myway.com totally cool!!! LOL

We were in the low 50s today with an incredibly brutal cold wind! Felt like winter today! I am SO not ready for it!!

Dave told me late last night that he had a project for me today. One of his 2 welders broke down yesterday, and as he had 3 guys coming in tonight to help, he needed it. So, I had to go first thing this morning and bring it to Des Moines to be fixed. The understanding was that it was going to get looked at right away so I was just supposed to hang around. But, he told me right away when I got there that it would take a while, so I should find something to do. Lily and I drove to Michaels and spent some time looking around there. I really didn't have any extra money to spend (though I spent a LITTLE anyway), but I got some good ideas, I think. I am trying to figure out packaging for my thing next weekend. I got some little truffle/bon bon paper cups, and some clear cellophane bags. I looked at all the extremely cool Martha Stewart stuff they had there - all kinds of food packaging things, but they were a lot more pricey than what I had in mind! My plan right now is to have some goodies there to sell, and hopefully take orders for goodies that people want closer to Christmas, or in the future sometime at least! But, what I need to package is the things I will have for sale there. What I saw there that I think will work for me is to put them in the cellophane bags, and then fold and staple them closed. Then, I have a ton (well not quite, but a LOT) of pretty scrapbooking paper, so I thought I would fold some of it on the top of the bag, and punch holes to put a ribbon bow through it. But, leave enough room for a small business label and the name of the item. I will try it out within the next day or so, and post a pic, so I can get some feedback. I also today at Walmart picked up a few basket bags, though I don't have a lot to put in baskets yet! And really no more money to spend before the show. I will make a few baskets, but I think right now, I will just focus on gift bags, with a couple different syrups and some pancake or waffle mix, a jam or two and some muffin or quick bread mix, some cocoa mix with truffles, and anything else I can think of! Gift bags will be much less expensive to do right now - plus you don't have to put as much in them. Hopefully by next year I will have an extensive product line and will be able to make big beautiful baskets!!

In the past I have always used fabric pieces for table coverings, with unfinished edges, as I don't have a sewing machine, and have never taken the time to go to my mom's to use hers. Anyway, I noticed Target had some really pretty tableclothes on sale this week, so my sis picked up a couple of those for me. I decided on a deep brown color, which reminded me of chocolate. Sad, huh? Anyway, I had her get a package of matching ivory napkins as well, for contrast to put under some things - all in all, I spent $21, but I don't think that's too bad to make an attractive table.

Okay, after spending nearly all day away, I need to get some things done around here! Don't know how you ladies that work full-time do it!

Becki

Okay, after thinking about that briefly, knowing it would look nice, but take a fair amount of time, I am now thinking more along the lines of just gathering the cellophane bags and tying a nice length of ribbon in a bow around it. That will be much less time consuming! I certainly have a nice selection of ribbon after a certain bunny sent me a box full!!

I found the fantastic recipe for candy-cane marshmallows on the Martha Stewart site! I think I will make some of those! They would be awesome to sell with a cocoa mix!

Oh - I forgot to ask this! I needed to get some dark baking chocolate - like a bunch! I could get the Special Dark baking bars 4 oz. for $1.88. But, then I saw the Special Dark big candy bars for 8 oz. for $1.25. Is there any difference??? They both have 45% cocao. And the exact same ingredients! So why would I pay more for half as much??? Unless they are different, and I don't realize it! Anyone know?

Becki

I need some special prayers from everyone once again.

A friend that I've known my entire life passed away last night. (her name is Melissa, too) She was just a year older than me, and we were absolutely inseperable during our gorwing up years. We are very close, I just can't imagine life without her.
It was a very sudden thing, she had hemophilia (sp), and was on her period..which is a closely monitored thing in her case. But she also got the stomach flu that's going around, and was violently sick. She vomited so hard, that some blood vessels in her throat burst...and that combined with her period was simply too much. They tried so hard to save her, but she didn't make it.
She has 5 kids, all the same ages as my own. They are all taking this very hard..I'm especially worried about her mom.

Um....just please keep her family in your prayers. And also me, if you would. I am having a very hard time dealing with this and have been a nervous wreck all day. I am scaring my kids, they don't understand what's wrong.
It's just doubly hard losing such a close friend, and also since we're the same age..and our lives are so combined....I don't know how to express what I"m feeling ,but I am sure ya'll understand.
I won't be on for the next few days, but I'd appreciate any prayers and positive thoughts you could send our way.

Hugs to everyone.

ok, i sent it off, i hope it works for ya'll, if it don't, let me know, and i'll try to fix it. LOL i did get it to finally send. LOL so i'm getting smarter at this!! WOO HOO!! hubby called me from the concert, it sounds so cool!! awww man!! i'm trying SOOOOOO hard not to be jelous!!! let me tell you!! ok repeat after me, medo, this is good for grant and tabor!! say this medo!! :')) LOL talla is into the tunes!! we are fixing to do the olive oil treatment we got just for tonight. she'll love it!! :'))
becki, did it come across?? and did it open for ya? i only have your lovell addy.

oh hnb i'm so sorry!! i will pray for your friends family and yours and you. i can certainly understand!! we just found out that grants co workers brother died in iraq, and another person we knew died. its wierd. but i'm sorry bunny. i will definately pray for i think its like easness on your heart! you know i'm not good with words. :'((

he keeps calling me from the concert, its sooo cool, but after like 15 sec or so we get cut off. but at least we get that. LOL i got to hear friends in low places (my fav) and the dance which was jimi's song, when he died alot of people called that one and angels among us in to the radio station. it was cool. and another song, but i didn't quit catch it! and we got the 3 disc set. i got to download it. i was gonna send it, but he reminded me that it would be illegal. man!!!! ruin ALL my fun!!!! LOL
our skin is NICE and SOFT!!! LOL i put a little bit of that new sensual imari in the olive oil to give it some smell, i didn't expect it too, but it did. LOL suprised me!! LOL

Bunny, so sorry for your loss. We will completely understand why you must take a few days away from MNF .We will miss you! Hugs & prayers for you.
April

Fishy your box is on its way confirmation number 03071790000467132569, hope you like my choices for you. hugs carol

Melissa, I am so sorry you lost your best friend. My prayers are with you, her children, and family. My best friend is also a Tracy. We joke around that we are like book ends. Totally opposite, but we are complete when together. We are a year apart too. Our kids are growing up together and are fast friends. I would be devastated to lose her. My heart is breaking for you. I can't even begin to think of how lost you feel. I am so sorry.

Tracy

Carol, I pretty much love everything, so don't worry. Really it makes mr fishy's life much easier that way (he doesn't have to buy jewery, flowers or boxes of chocolates).

Bunny I am so sorry for your loss dear, sending good thoughts.

Becki, As far as I know the only differance in baking chocolate and a candy bar is that the candy bar should have sugar, and some baking chocolate does not. However since both are 45% I'd say it's packaging and not product differance.

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the second picture is one tenth of the audience, they said the concert was awesome!!!! tabor is asleep!!. he is sooo pooped! LOL poor guy! they went to cabella's, omb, and had a blast!! :'))

Melissa - I am so sorry to hear of the loss of your friend! I am certainly praying for you, and for her family. I hope you all can get through this okay!

Michele - the pics look great! They were talking about that concert on one of our radio stations yesterday - Trisha Yearwood was there too, right? Supposedly it was being simocast (sp?) on movie screens all over the place as some sort of a fan program?! I did get your email, but I don't have any sort of spreadsheet program on my computer, so I couldn't open it. Bummer. But thanks for trying!! I tried to email you back, but it bounced for some reason.

Thank you for the advice, Fishy. I figured they were the same thing, but thought a second opinion would be good! My hands are loving the spa treatment they got!! Thank you so much!!!

Hope everyone else is doing well! I am feeling totally overwhelmed right now, thinking of all I have to do for my show, and for Dave, and for the farm. To add to my work, we have to get chickens butchered this weeekend, and probably next! That means several hours of catching chickens to haul and bagging them after they've been taken care of. NOT what I want to be messing with now, but it's gotta be done - no one will process them much longer, as it's getting too cold, so it HAS to get done! I am just at the point where I need to take ONE THING AT A TIME. And whatever doesn't get made before the show is just going to be okay. I only have 2 hands! So, they will work diligently, but I need to remember that they have their limits!

Okay - off to make some Praline Syrup to package with my Apple Pie Preserves (which we found out makes an INCREDIBLE pancake syrup when warmed up - yummy!), the two of them will be packaged with a pancake or waffle mix (I haven't decided which yet.) Now, I need to get it started! Have a great day, everyone!

Hugs to all!
Becki

Becki, that is a great idea, bundling those all together like that. I vote for the pancake mix. The praline syrup sounds yummy. I am with bunny, I want to live next door to you to. I would love hanging out at your kitchen table. I do great packaging too. I could earn my keep and package while you cook away!

Michele, the guys look like they had an awesome time at the concert! That is one huge crowd! I bet Tabor was tuckered out!

Oh, girls - I SO wish we all lived next door! Wouldn't that be great!!!? We'd be like the desperate housewives - where we'd hang out all the time! But never stab eachother in the back, of course! In all honesty - you girls are the only friends I have. I have a neighbor, with whom I am freindly with, but I would in no way consider her a confidant or friend, really. And I had a not very close friend, who is the wife of one of Dave's friends, but Dave and him had a falling out, and we never see each other anymore (and she was never a close friend either, so it's not like it was a huge loss.) I have my sisters and my mom, but that's about it, sadly. No, I'm not feeling sorry for myself - I'm just feeling thankful that I have all you girls!!! : ) And wishing ya'll lived closer!!

I am hoping this syrup comes out as good as it sounds!!

Becki

I think we should all move to Hippiegene with Dirt and start a commune. LOL, cooking, baking, gardening, group meals, shared chores, ah... Life would be good! LOL!

oh i love that idea, and the hubbies all have the knowlede to build houses and such!! LOL so we'd have it made!! LOL my niece is pregnant, AGAIN, she has 3 already, but my worry is that she lost one and had a tubal pregnancy on theother. so i'm so worried for her. our skin is nice and soft today. LOL and the water just rolls off like ya know, rain guard.
becki, is there anything i can send to make it better? couldn' ya download it?
grant and them saw a church sign that said God answers knee mail. that is soooo cool.
my banana tree got two leafs already! yay!!
i'mso happy!!! my guys made it back safely and my son gave me major hugs and kisses.

i forgot to say, i know the feeling, i don't realy talk to anyone else, i definately don't tell anyone anything like i tell ya'll. that's for sure!! and ya'll put up with my rambling. LOL he's wearing his cowboy boots again! he looks so sexy in them! WOO HOO!!! and them tight jeans! LOL and the radiostation made a big card for Garth and tabor signed it, tabor hill. how cool is that?? i know, i'm just blabring when i should be vaccuming. LOL

Oh man! That would be great huh? There are alot of those out there too.You see alot of community gardens.All organic of course!I'd need seperate place to bathe & sleep,but I guess I could find an old bus to park on side of street,like everyone else does.Meals & chores being shared sounds great.
Just think Tracy,we could grow & make our own 'hemp' lip balm & beauty products.LOL!
I'm thinking of setting up a web store to try to sell the glycerine soaps & bath salts that I make. Well I use to make,just haven't in a loooong time.I still have all my molds,fragrances,colors,& ect..... Just hard getting started. Anyone ever use tripod for web hosting? I 'm trying to make a page so I can get it launched by Thanksgiving.Lots of stuff to do though,trying to figure out shipping,payments,oh and a name.LOL! Thinking of "April's Attic".I also want to sell other things than bath items. Gifts in a jar,some of my mom's quilts,gift baskets,oh just lots of things, my brain starts clicking & won't stop. Just gotta be brave and do it !
Later..April/dirt

that sounds sooo cool!! and i make my own laundry soap and softner, so we'd have it made!!hey, i'm sure there are some of us who could sew decently, LOL i can sort of. LOL my vaccum cleaner has bad breath, smells like cigarett, ugh!! he don't smoke in the house, not allowed wth all the asthma.so i don't know why the smell, but now iave to take it all apart, and clean it all out. errrr.. talk to ya all later. :'))

April - it is such a whirlwind in my mind when I think about those thing! I like April's Attic - it has a nice ring! I looked at tripod, but decided to go with yahoo web hosting. I did NOT want pop-ups - tripod might offer without, but I think their free sites have pop-ups. Not sure on that, but that's what I remember. Yahoo has been pretty good - right now I'm paying $11.99/month. It's not really worth it right now, but I think it will be soon. I hope so at least! As far as I can tell, I don't have a way to get actual orders from my website, but I will ask people to email with orders. I hope that makes sense! I hope it goes great for you! I am having a lot of fun! The commune would be GREAT!! Good idea, Tracy!

Melissa,
I'm so sorry! My heart really goes out to you! I lost a very close Friend a few years ago. We started teaching together (CCD 3rd grade), and both became Ministers. Both of us were shy and learned very quickly that we had to get over that fast! We also joined the PTA together- President/Secretary (another non-shy role) we had to speak in front of an entire gym of Parents every two weeks!
Laura became pregnant with her 5th child. Nothing stopped this Girl! Until she found a lump on her neck, immediately went to the Dr. He said it was nothing, due to her hormones (from being pregnant). For nine months they did nothing for the lump, Laura did give birth to a healthy baby boy. When they finally removed the lump they found out it was cancer, the cancer already spread to her lymph glands. She needed another operation to remove several lymph nodes. She went in a remission and continued teaching CCD. Then the cancer came back, this time in her lungs, liver. Laura went very quickly (with in weeks after that).

What helps is to remember all the good times you've had together! All the laughter! Laura always used to say "Don't sweat the small stuff" and I try to remember that saying each day! Especially when things are going haywire!

Deb

Deb, I know it has been a while, but I am sorry also to hear about your friend. I'm sure you still think of ther often.

I am taking a little break to eat lunch (other than the few times I have popped on here while something was heating.) So far I have made 6 half-pints and 1 quarter pint of Praline Pecan Syrup (then I ran out of dark corn syrup, so that's it for now.) I've also made the ganache filling for 2 different batches of truffles - and those are chilling now - a double batch of Creme de Menthe Truffles and a doulbe batch of Doubly Decadent Truffles (a dark chocolate filling with a milk chocolate cover). Each double batch should make around 100 truffles - so I'll be doing PLENTY of dipping later! I will try to keep the chocolate a little warmer this time, so it stays thinner and doesn't lump as much.

I haven't decided yet which of the other 20 (unless I add more yet) recipes I am planning to make will be next. I shouldn't add more, because I still have to figure out prices and finish packaging for everything - yeah, I think I'll draw the line at 18 more. Oh yeah, and made order forms, and get photos and prices of everything on my website (which maybe can wait until a day or two after the show - we'll see.)

Deb,

I am sorry you lost your friend Laura. I got really choked up last night thinking about what it would be like not being able to grab the phone and talk to my buddy whenever I needed her. I know that your loss had to be so hard for you.

I hate how quickly special people pass through our lives but I will make sure to make every moment count that I have with them. Every time I hear that song "Live like you are dying" I think that is the right idea. Life is too short to "sweat the small stuff".

Hugs,
Tracy

Melissa, prayers and big hugs, just remember we are all here for you. hugs to you too Deb. the closeness we enjoy thru the years, out weighs the loss when it comes. try to remember the fun times. and thank God for putting her in your life. big hugs carol

Okay, do ya'll ever say to yourself, "Just what do you think you are doin'?" I just tried to dip 100 mint truffles in Wilton candy melts, and it was incredibly frustrating!!!! I did finally get the hang of it, I think, but I did not enjoy it at all! Constant interruptions didn't help, and they just don't look quite right - I SO need to practice all this before trying to make things to sell! I have the other batch of truffles to do yet, but I think I am going to start fresh on those tomorrow - I think it will be okay to let the ganache stay in the fridge covered overnight. Then, I also made some Hazelnut Butter Balls, which was frustrating in and of itself, as it involved pressing a crumbly mixture into a ball - not easy. Then, I still need to DIP those as well!!! Nooooo! Anywhooo, after today, I don't think I'll make anything else that has to be dipped - this is it! (Until I get this feeling that maybe I can do it again.) Just kicking myself a bit, as I throw supper in the oven!

Okay, got that off my chest! Sometimes I just get myself in over my head! I'm ready to go to bed, quite frankly. But, that ain't gonna happen. So, I'll work on supper and go pick up Elizabeth pretty soon - maybe getting out of the kitchen for a while will help! :)

I hope everyone else is having a nice day. I am thinking of you, Melissa. My heart really goes out to you. Wish I could give you a big hug right now!

Becki

Actually I can sew (I limit it to what I have time for).

Becki, deep breaths it will turn out fine.

A commune sounds good right about now.

Most of my friends are guys (of the single, likes to show up at dinner time sort). Most of the women in my life are either employees, professors, or clients, so a certain level of distance is approporate.

ok becki, what does your pc have? tabor and i are working on something so i need to know. its for his grade and he LOVES this kinda thing, LOL

How is everyone doing tonight? I had the nicest surprise from Becki today! I got to try some of her Mocha Truffles and OH BABY are they good! The inside was this phenomenal creamy chocolate with the perfect hint of coffee, the outside was the white chocolate with the light dusting of coffee. Oh was it awesome! The flavors all complimented each other perfectly! Becki, You amaze me! I remember you saying that you thought the crystals made it a little bitter but I think it was very good! Perfect! I am rationing them! LOL! I will only let myself have one if I am on my very best behaviour and get a lot of work done!

I know what you are going through with the whole getting things to look perfect. I went through the same thing when I was baking pastries for a caterer a few years ago. It is going to come together with practice. The more you get the feel for the chocolate the better you will get at it! I promise. You certainly have nothing to fear in the taste department! Your truffles were amazing! When I was making creme brulee for the first time I was terrified of how the caramelized sugar would look after it was flamed! I tried it under the broiler, nope! That sucked! Took too long, reheated the custard, made soup out of it. Blech! Had to start from scratch all over again. Pulled out the blow torch and it worked great, I didn't like some of the scorch marks but since then I have seen some of the cooking shows with the professional chefs and their's looked the same as mine! LOL! Same deal with my cheesecakes. I do mine in the big sheets instead of the round springforms so I can have lots for a crowd with bite size portions. The cream cheese layer on top was always a problem getting it to smooth perfectly, finally I went to a restaurant supply store and bought a large offset spatulala and it was big enough to get that smooth finish all the way across the 15 x 17 pan.

The other day I read an interview with the pastry chef on food network that does the cake show (can't remember his name right now) he said that the one hard and fast rule is to not bake when in a bad mood or frustrated because your desserts will show it! I thought truer words were never spoken! That has been so true for me!

April, didn't you say that you had trained to be a pastry chef? Any helpful tricks of the trade that you remember for Becki? I have had similar issues with the chocolate coatings in the past and remember trying different things to get it to work better but not always consistent with the same results. I don't have a ton of experience in this area.

I would love to make some Hemp lip balm with you! LOL! I am growing my hair out so I can look more like a hippie at the commune! Communal Kitchen and dining room with separate living quarters is perfect for me! Oh, and a giant great room off the dining room and kitchen for lots of comfort, crafts and gabbing! I would love to learn how to make some of those essential oils. Bath and Body Works makes this awesome Vanilla Oil that I would love to be able to make myself. I have the vanilla, just need to know what to do to make the essential oils! LOL!

does that mean in the commune sometimes other people would watch other peoples kids? LOL
becki, your stuff sounds absolutely awesome! never in a million years could i ev think about doing that!! my thing is i so want to try to do that bear claw. its my favorite thing to eat as a treat. but i know i'd mess it up.
grant is gonna buy us a pizza since he knows we wanted one so bad last night, and we didn't get one, he is soooo sweet, i'm thinking he's gonna really mess up soon!! hmmm. must be that casino. or that mastiff dog. he knows i want a male only. no dang females i can be the only stubborn top b in this place, LOL
on another note, i think i tend to protect myself so i don't get hurt feelings when people go. like in ya'll's cases. i'm so praying for ya'll.
it'sso cold here today. i'm not ready for mr. winter.
did ya ever get the feelin from someone that they only wanted to "know" you in the one setting that you are used to being in? not in a friendly one, or as in "not in my house, but in yours?" i kinda got that feeling today, of course i may be WAY off. buti just did. it was wierd. i've always knda felt that way cuz we're lower class then them, so ya know. and of course i'm a jeans and tshirt to church or slickies from dollar general and tshirt, to church. i don't dress up, but no one else really does, but alot more thatn me. LOL ok i blabbed enuff. just let me know becki and we'll get onto it. LOL :'>> cant wait till spring!! :'>>

Okay, Michele - I was wrong. I DO have excel! I just figured it out! Wow - that is really cool, Michele! I will work on that when I get a chance.

Thank you for reminding me to breathe, Fishy! It has just been one of those days! While I was trying to make things, I had someone call and cancel an order for 2 feeders. Now what I sell, and my husband builds is a $1400 item (realize that most of that goes into materials, utilities, rent and labor), so we lost a $2800 order, which we already gotten the steel for. So, not just a little thing. Anyway, I of course called Dave right away, and he called me back several times, and then more people called for information, plus other phone calls - and it just was crazy. It's not devastating of course, as we will almost certainly get an order that will replace it, but any sale lost is very frustrating! We have talked of getting deposits, and already do for orders of 4 or more feeders, but now we are probably going to get deposits on every feeder, I guess. Anyway, things have calmed down a bit. I think I will try dipping my hazelnut things now - there are only 45 of those, I think, so that won't be as bad as 100! Ahh - I think I have my sanity back, partially at least!

Oh, and when I have a free moment - I got my DAVID AUSTIN BOOK OF ROSES today!!!! Yippeee!! I am going to do some droolin'!!!! Plus a Harry & David catalog - I want to look through that to get some ideas - I can't believe what they get for some of their stuff! Okay, enough! Must Go Back To Work!!!!

Becki

that is really cool becki!! i'm glad that you do have it. hmmm,now i'll have to figure something for that chump to do!! LOL he's trying to do handstands now. LOL
you'll make up for it becki, he seems to give ya just enuff and take away just enuff. LOL

Michele - if I am understanding correctly, I think I totally have felt that many times. Not necessarily with people I thought were my friends, just with people in general. The place I feel that most is with Elizabeth's classmates moms. There are so many of them that are the skinniest, always have their hair perfect, their makeup is always on, and their clothes of course are prefect! Perfect every time you see them! And it is MOST of the mom's in her class. And you drop her off for a birthday party, they are nice as can be, but see them in the grocer store, and they don't even see you. I am totally a person that VERY rarely wears makeup anymore - just for special occasions. And I almost never dress up. We don't go to church anymore, so that's not something I have to worry about dressing for - only for special occasions do I dress up. Usually jeans and a tee shirt or sweater. Plus, I am considerably overweight. I know that it is very much a feeling of inferiority on my part, and total insecurity, but they don't do much to make me feel any different! Anyway, I think I have one up on them - at least I'm real! Nothin' fake here, and I don't worry about who sees me without my makeup! Now, I was probably way off on what you were talking about, and if I was, I apologize - but when you said that, that is totally what I thought of!

Hi girls, don't have time to catch up on posts but hope everyones ok. Busy busy here, but wanted to let Karen know her box was shipped today via UPS. I'll post the dc soon, but it has shipped, hope you like!

Sassy

actually 100% of what i was talking about!!! i'm the same way, i buy makeup but don't waer it, except avons glazewear once in a while. LOL only i am alot overweight. i'm ok with it, and i don't really care who see's me without makeup or my hair or clothes a mess! LOL i'm a stay at home mom. LOL (and so proud of it!! LOL) but its so funny how we have a stigma, some moms won't really talk to us or kinda have that nose stuck up in the air thing going on, cuz athey work, i'm like thinking your just so rude!! but that's ok. i've got other things to do besides worry about what they think. they made a big deal on the radio cuz tabor called in and asked them to play a song for his daddy and he got to go to the concert, it was so cute, but the lady thinks tabor is soooo polite and his parents are doing a great job!! LOL

Hi girls!

Medo, thanks for sending me your seed chart. I don't have excel, so I tried to open it with something else, and it didn't quite work, but it gave me some ideas and I think I can do something similar with my Wordperfect.

Melissa, my thoughts and prayers go out to you and your friend's family. It is so very sad.

Becki, all of your goodies sound so YUMMY!! Tracy, you lucky duck!! mmmm mocha truffles! At the grocery store, they have a display of asst. truffles right by the check out, and I always think of Becki's goodies when I see them.

Sassy, Yay!! I'll be lookin for your package! :) I'm sure I'll love everything!!

i thought about going onto tabors word perfect, and having him do something like that and having it go to my mail. cuz on my vista no matter what i do, it'll open with my other stuff. erer. it's cool, except if i wanta do something like this. LOL

Hey Michele and Becki,

I am going to tell you a BIG secret about all of those uppity moms. They all feel exactly as you do. I do, everyone does. Stay at home mom's feel like working mom's look down on them for not working and being super human, working mom's think that stay at home mom's look down at them for not spending quality time with their kids and let babysitters/daycare raise their kids. Stay at home dad's feel that ALL the mom's think they can't hold a job and that is why they're staying home.

Most of those ladies that you see all dressed up are dressing up to either A) Make themselves feel good or B) Trying not to look tired and stressed out if they run into one of the other moms C) Combination of the above.

I stay at home now because I always wanted to. Besides that I hated what I saw of how the kids acted up in daycare. I didn't stay home when I had my oldest because I was single, I needed to support the two of us, and help my parents out financially. After the daycare experiences, I worked extra hard to find someone that was retired that needed extra money and babysat Ted at my house. After we got married and had our second baby it was agreed that I could finally stay home.

I have a healthy respect for all types of folks. I think the snobbier, uptight, uppity folks generally are more worried about what other people think of them and then some pick apart other people to make themselves feel better. I feel fairly sorry for them because they are unhappy with themselves and don't know how to be happy. Nothing anyone can do about that.

I am one of those who puts on make up to hit the grocery store about 60% of the time. Only because I want to. If I don't have it on it is not a huge deal to me. I never wear sweatpants because I don't know if I am adding inches to my waist because the elastic doesn't let me know! LOL! I wear t-shirts that are plain and cut for a girl, not mens boxy kinds. It makes me feel good when I look good. Little extra spring in the step.

I have taken major steps in my life over the last 2 years to weed out the people who were not a positive influence. I had whittled my friends down to 1. Seriously, there is only one person that I know, love and trust (besides my immediate family) to be positive, tell me to knock it off when I need it, tell me it's ok when I am sad, tell me to shut up when I get negative, and laugh with me or be happy for me when something great happens. She is never jealous, as I am never jealous of her. I love her to pieces and wouldn't give her up for the world. Oh, and she wears her nightgown most of the days, tucks them into her sweatpants to hit the store, never does her hair except to throw it up into a clip BUT ALWAYS has her eyeliner and mascara on! LOL! I wouldn't change her for the world, to me she is just perfect.

I am really blessed after all that whittling away to meet all of you girls. I think each and every one of you possess all of the traits that I admire and wish to have. I am glad to know all of you. You girls are the greatest. It is so nice to now have more than 1.