SPRING

We took a trip this weekend to the southern part of the state.  It was a necessary trip - a trip where Dan was to preach at a small congregation.  We tried to make this a fun trip for the boys, but frankly, it wears me out to try to entertain them for 4 hours' drive each way when the only thing they have to look forward to is the fact that we have a hotel with a pool.  So, 30 minutes from home, Levi starts asking when we are going to the pool.  Ugh!  It was a long long journey full of McDonald's grease, lots and lots of farms, and two boys in the back seat whining to go swimming.  

However, there were some enjoyable moments.  I will share those wonderful moments with you.

I'm glad to be back - there's no place like home!
 

BASEBALL PLAYERS

Okay, if you know me at all, you know I'm not a big sports fan.  My friend, Sheila likes to quiz me to see if I know the difference between a baseball and a football.  It is not THAT bad, but I will admit, football is a game that I don't really understand.  I have sat in the stands at countless games, cheering for my boys, and all the while, I really had no clue what I was cheering!  It's not that I don't try - it's just that the game really makes no sense to me and I have to say that I really don't care if it makes sense.  When I see my boy out there, I cheer for him, all the while saying a prayer in my head that he will not be injured.  Those guys are just too rough.

However, I do enjoy a baseball game.  I never thought I would until I got to see a Pirate game at Three Rivers Stadium.  I was hooked.  Now, don't get me wrong, I don't understand all the rules, and all the ins and outs of the game, but I do enjoy it.  Add to that the fact that my boys have played baseball since they were 5 and we lived in the Little League zone of the country.  I've spent a lot of time at the field, for sure.

I just love to see my boys in their uniforms.  They are just so stinkin' cute.   I know they will be really embarrassed when they read this, but I'm their mother and my job is to embarrass them now and then.

Here are a few shots from last night's very very very cold game.   Tanner started out playing 1st base, then was moved to pitcher.  He did well - especially considering it was 38 (or less with wind chill) degrees and they were losing pretty badly.

He's just so stinkin' cute!
Go Tanner!!!

CROCKPOT STACKED ENCHILADAS

My friend, Kim made these for a potluck one time and our family loved the recipe, so I added it to my list of favorites.  It is easy and great for nights your children have a ball game at 5:00 p.m. and you come home at 7 p.m. starving!  The enchiladas are waiting in the crock pot for you, and if you did the clean up right away when you put them together, you won't be doing dishes at 9 p.m.

You can find the enchilada recipe here on Recipezaar.  I use venison hamburger, which is very lean and I always use the light cream cheese.  I usually cut down on the amount of cheddar I use, but if you used the fat free cheddar, you could use more for the same amount of calories.  I usually use canned enchilada sauce, but yesterday I discovered I was completely out!  So, I googled "homemade enchilada sauce" thinking it would be a less-than-perfect substitute for the store bought stuff.  Boy was I ever wrong!  I have found a new, easy homemade sauce that we all like 100 times better.  In fact, when Ty was woofing down the remainder of what was left in the crockpot, he said, "what did you do different - these are so much better than you've ever made" (I did not have the heart to correct his English from 'different' to 'differently' - hey, a compliment is a compliment!).

The sauce is from an Emeril Lagasse recipe and it could not be easier!
Heat 3 T. oil in a pan and add 1 T. flour.  Cook for about 1 minute.
Add 1/4 cup chili powder and mix around.
Then add:  2 cups chicken broth (whisking as you add), a can of tomato paste, 1 tsp. oregano, 1 tsp. cumin and salt to taste.
Bring to a boil and simmer 15 minutes.

BIRTHDAY MENU

Tanner's birthday was yesterday.  I love planning a menu for my boys on their birthday.  I try to make a little of everything they love (within reason).  Tanner loves shrimp, and we got a good deal on a bag of shrimp at Sam's last week.  I made shrimp alfredo.  It was good, but the left overs were even better today!

I made him deviled eggs too.  Of course, that was easy with the Easter holiday and 2 dozen hard boiled colored eggs in my fridge.  Tanner used to think that deviled eggs were called "doubled eggs" and he always ate double helpings.  What can I say, my kids are weird.

I also made him a jalapeno dip.  Tanner LOVES jalapenos.  The recipe for this is:

1 - 8 oz. package of cream cheese
1/2 cup mayo
1/2 cup Parmesan chees
3 oz. canned drained green chilis
3 oz. chopped, drained jalapenos


Mix all together and bake at 350 for 15 minutes.  Serve with tortilla chips.  Yummy!

And of course, I made my boy a cake.  I regret now that I used so much gray, but I was being lazy and did not want to color more icing.  I think he liked it anyway.  It somewhat resembles his Mustang- or resembles as much as icing and my limited talents would allow.

MY BABY IS 16

Today is my son, Tanner's 16th birthday.  I cannot believe 16 years have gone by so quickly.  Images of Tanner through the years flash in my mind like a slide show.  It is no secret how much I love my boys and how proud I am of all of them.  But today is Tanner's day, so I will dedicate this post to him.

Here he is at 9 weeks old - in a baseball outfit.  Such a sweet baby! Tanner has always loved baseball.  We are so proud that he will be starting on the varsity team this year as 1st baseman and pitcher.  It is so bittersweet for me because I know his dad would be so filled with pride for the young man that Tanner has become.

Tomorrow Tanner and I will travel to Steven's Point for his driver's test.  If all goes well, he will be a licensed driver by 11 a.m.


Oh how I love this son of mine.

Now please excuse me while I go have a good cry and thank God for giving me this child to raise.

A SPRING TRIFLE

I found this recipe at Recipezaar before Easter when I was searching for a dessert that used peanut butter cups.  Like always, I fiddled with the recipe to "lighten" it up so as not to feel quite so guilty for eating it.  Here is my version:

Mix 1 chocolate cake mix with
1 can diet Dr. Pepper and bake in a 9x13 pan for 20-25 minutes.  (Yes, that's it - no eggs, no water - just the pop and cake mix).

Mix 2 boxes of fat free, sugar free vanilla instant pudding
with 3 cups fat free milk until smooth.  Beat in 3/4 cup of peanut butter. Fold in 1 cup FF cool whip.

Crumble the chocolate cake on the bottom of a glass bowl or pan (I used a deep 9x13 pan).  Spread the pudding mixture on top.

Sprinkle 3/4 cup chocolate chips on top.

Spread a layer of FF cool whip on top of that. . . 

Then cut up Reese's P-nut butter cups and sprinkle on top of the cool whip mixture.

This can be made and refrigerated the day before.  

I was feeling so good about this dessert because I had a lot of compliments at potluck today.  Then I got home and my husband asked who "made that one dessert" in a tone that I knew was not complimentary.  When I told him I did, he made a face and said I did not have to make that anymore.  Honestly, this is a very good dessert for anyone who is not an Anderson by birth.  It's a good thing I love him.

SOAP MAKING

I was teaching my Bible class about being a servant.  We studied John 13 where Jesus washes the disciples feet.  I took a pan and put water in it and even washed the children's feet as part of our lesson.  They got a real kick out of that.  We finished the lesson by making some soap.  

I searched on line for ways to make soap that did not involve anything hot.   I found a site that said how easy it was - using Ivory Flakes.  Well, I searched and searched, but Ivory Flakes are no longer sold - at least not in Wisconsin.  So, I found another site that said to buy Ivory soap bars and shred them up.  This I could do!

T

Then, we added just a bit of water and mixed and "squished" the shreds around, we added some food coloring and pressed it into a mold, which was a small disposable Rubbermaid container.   Through trial and error, I found that it took a few days to fully set up, and even then, small pieces break off and stick to the sides of the sink when you're using your new soap.  Not ideal by any means, but the kids enjoyed it, and even though it was a messy project, they all had really clean hands when we were done!