Mint Brownies

These are one of my many favorite desserts! They are pretty easy to make and taste so yummy!

Make a 9x13 pan of your favorite brownies. After the brownies have cool top with the following!

Mint Layer

8 Tablespoons of butter

4 cups of powder sugar

4 Tablespoons of water
1 teaspoon of peppermint flavoring
a few drops of green food coloring,
Mix until creamy and spread over cooled brownies!

Chocolate Glaze

6 Tablespoons of butter

1 cup of chocolate chips

In a small bowl but butter and chocolate chips in and place in the microwave for 1 minute, then stir until it is all melted. Pour on top of mint layer.

Chill and cut into desired pieces!

Enjoy!

Defrosty the Snowman

I thought this was so cute! I Found it at a cute little place called
Fun Snacks 4 Kids !
She even has a cute little poem to go with it!

I had a little snowman
with a little hat
but the sun came out and melted him
and now my snowman's flat!

You can go to Family Fun to find out how to make it!

Zucchini Brownies

Here is the Zucchini brownie recipe that some of you requested! I didn't get any really good pictures! This is a recipe I got from my Aunt Pam, she has some really great recipes! I have one suggestion, DO NOT tell your kids that they are eating healthy zucchini brownies! Even if they are liking them! If they are anything like my kids after telling them that there is zucchini in them they will not eat them any more! So I hope you have better luck! I will try and fool them again!

Zucchini Brownies

2 cups flour

1/4 cup cocoa

1 1/2 cup sugar

1 tsp. salt

1 1/2 tsp. soda

2 cups shredded zucchini

1/2 cup oil

2 tsp. vanilla

Mix together well. (It may seem a little dry at first, but keep mixing!) Spread into a 9x13 pan (lightly grease the bottom) Bake at 375 for 30 minutes. Sprinkle with powder sugar or frost the! Enjoy

Picture blocks

I found this adorable idea at The Idea Room, it would make a great gift idea for Christmas, Mothers Day or even a Birthday gift which is what I am doing! Here is another version in color.

I made mine a little different by putting all my 3 kids and a picture of grandma and grandpa with the kids on one block. I made this block for my Mom for her birthday and thought it would be cute for her to put on her desk at work!

You will first need to get a block. You can buy them at your local craft store or you can buy a 4x4 post at Home Depot or Lowe's. I am lucky enough to have a handy Husband to cut the wood for me! I had my Hubby cut it at 3 1/2 inches to make it a square block, you might be able to get the guys at Home Depot cut it for you!

Then you will want to sand any rough edges to make them smooth and then paint your block.

Next you will need 4 pictures about 3 inches square. I printed my photos on photo paper.
Paint Modge Podge onto the back of each picture and place one photo on each of the 4 sides of your block. Let Modge Podge dry. When dried paint Modge podge over all the sides of your block and let dry, you may want to do this 3 or 4 times!
Viola!

Toilet Paper Pumpkins

I love these little pumpkins made from a roll of toilet paper and some cute fall fabric!

First you will need a 22 inch square piece of fabric, and a roll of toilet paper.
I cut mine in a circle but you can leave it as a square.

Set the toilet paper in the middle of you fabric!

Next you will start tucking the edges of you fabric into the center of your toilet paper roll!

Tuck all the edges into the roll!

For the stem you will need about a 8 inch square of a brown paper bag, crumple up the bag as if you were going to throw it a way. Then you will uncrumple the paper and fold in have and roll it up and put it in the center of the toilet paper roll to create your steam!
Use a 6 inch piece of green pipe cleaner and curl it a round your finger and place along side your stem!

Now you have a cute little pumpkin!

My Brothers Wedding

A few weeks ago I was able to see my baby brother get sealed in the Los Angels Temple to his lovely Bride Kristen! I am so happy for the two of them!

The Los Angeles Temple

Bryan and Kristen Sealed for Time and Eternity

This is my Family! From left to right, My brother Jeffery, Me, My brother Bryan and his new wife Kristen, My Sister Amie, and My Mom and Dad!

Mini Pumpkin Muffins

These are so yummy! My kids just gobble them down! Hope you enjoy them too!

Preheat oven to 350. Grease or line muffin tins.

Combine in a small/medium bowl:

1 1/2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground clove
1/4 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp salt

in large bowl beat

2 eggs
stir in to eggs
1 cup pumpkin
1/2 cup melted butter

Blend well. Add dry ingredients, stirring until moistened. stir in:

1 cup chocolate chips (the mini's work best if making mini muffins).

Spoon into muffin cups. Bake 20-25 minutes for regular size or about 15-17 minutes for mini size.

Caramel

I received this recipe from a lady in my ward and I want to make it all the time it is so good! Hope you enjoy it too!

caramel:

1 cup sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup light corn syrup
1/4 cup butter (use the real stuff)
2/3 cup evaporated milk
1 tsp vanilla (real not the imitation stuff)

in medium sauce pan combine everything EXCEPT vanilla. cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until syrup forms a soft to medium soft ball in cold water or if using a candy thermometer around 230 degrees F. Add vanilla, stir. let cool till warm, enjoy with sliced apples, or just eat it by the spoonful!

Easy Homemade Microwaveable Popcorn!

I am so excited I just found out here how to make my own microwaveable popcorn! I tried it and it actually worked! Now I need to find some recipes to flavor it! Enjoy!

1. Put 1/4 cup popcorn in a brown paper bag. Fold top over a few times and tape it.
2. Place in microwave folded side up for 2 to 3 minutes or until there is 5 seconds between pops.
3. Eat plain or add flavors (such as salt, butter, sugar, etc.)

Seasonal Blocks

We are making these cute blocks next week in Relief Society! I found them here and thought they were cute! These 7 wood blocks spell at least 16 different words (and you might be able to find more, I did, Be Mine) that cover every season and almost every holiday.

Here are all the words they can spell:

Harvest
Welcome
Friends
Faith
Family
Spooky
Winter
Freedom
Blessed
Snow
Home
Hope
Monster
Mother
Dream
Easter


ITEMS YOU NEED:

-4x4 post, cut into 4 inch squares.
-craft or spray paint
-vinyl letters

BLOCK 1- H, Y, E, D
BLOCK 2- A, C, R, S
BLOCK 3- R, P, E, T
BLOCK 4- V, N, L, O
BLOCK 5- E, O, M, D
BLOCK 6- S, M, K, I
BLOCK 7- T, F, B, W

DIRECTIONS:

-sand rough edges of blocks
-paint blocks
-distress edges if desired
-apply vinyl lettering

I am looking forward to making these next week, it will be a lot of fun!

Halloween!

We had a very nice Halloween. We had a ward Halloween party, a Fall Festival at school and then the traditional trick or treating on Halloween night.Needless to say we have a huge bucket of candy! Do you want some?

Beautiful Little Red Ridding Hood

Ben 10
He is a cartoon character from a cartoon called Ben 10.
"Pear" and Dad enjoy watching it together!

A cute little Frog!

I have the cutest kids!

Thanksgiving Jar

I found this cute idea and decided to start it during our Family Home Evening last night. I am very excited to give thanks for all that we have been blessed with!

DIRECTIONS:
1. Cut out each of the thankful countdown ideas (print out pages 1, 2, 3, 4 ). Fold them in half or roll them up and tie with a ribbon.Place all strips in a jar.
2. Every day draw out one strip and do what it says

I hope you have a Thankful Thanksgiving this year as each day you show gratitude for something in your life!

Pumpkin Jars!

I found these cute pumpkin jars! You can even make a ghost, Frankenstein and a monsters I think they are so cute, easy to make and the best part was that I already had all the stuff to make them, although I think the tissue paper I used was a bit to orange! You can go here to find out how to make them. You can even print up the faces to put on the jar, here, here or here! Hope you have fun making them!

Pumpkin Dump Cake

I normally don't like to make a post with out a picture, but this recipe is to good to not post, even with out a picture! When I get a picture I will post it!


29 ounces pumpkin puree
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1 12oz can of evaporated milk
1 package yellow cake mix
1 cup butter, melted
1 cup chopped pecans

Beat eggs slightly in large bowl. Stir in pumpkin, sugar, salt and spices. Slowly stir in milk. Pour into a grease 9 x 13-inch glass baking dish. Sprinkle dry cake mix over all. Drizzle with melted butter and sprinkle with pecans. Bake at 350º for 45 minutes to one hour or until browned on top. Serve at room temperature. Refrigerate remaining portions.

First Day of School!

This is what "Apple" and "Pear" looked like on the first day of school! It's hard to believe they have been in school for 9 weeks! Time sure does go by a lot faster when your older. They are both doing great in school. Report cards will be coming home in a few weeks so we will know for sure, but I am not for seeing any problems! I think I have two pretty smart kids!

"Plum's" Birthddaytake two!

I can't believe he is 1! The year went by so fast! "Plum"has such a happy personality, he makes me smile every day, and we feel so blessed to have him in our family! We had a great time celebrating "Plums" birthday with Grandma and Grandpa Wilson! "Plum" Had fun opening his gifts which he has been enjoying!

I made him a Teddy Bear cake, using "dingo dongs" for his paws, ears and nose! "Pear" thought it was pretty cool that his brother had the same cake he did for his 1st birthday!

As you can see "Plum" loved his cake!

"Plum's" Birthday take one!

Better late then never! So I am way behind on my blogging! Sometime life just gets busy!
So we had to celebrate "Plum's" Birthday twice! Grandma and Grandpa Miller moved to Utah! (Although we miss them, I think they are really enjoying Utah!) It jut worked out that we had to have two parties! We had some yummy cupcakes with the Miller side of the family! I think "Plum" enjoyed his cupcakes!

So You Think You Can Walk?

Just last week "Plum" decide he would take a shot at walking. He is doing a very good job at it and everyday he is getting a little bit better. I think he may be walking pretty good by his birthday which is at the end of the month, where did the time go? He is even trying to stand up by himself without using anything to pull up on. He will be chasing after his brother and sister in no time.

Happy 4th of July!

We had a very nice 4th of July. It is the first time we have actually spent a holiday with just our own little family and although we love to spend time with our family it was kind of nice to be by our selves. The kids decorate T-shirts, they had a lot of fun making them and I thought they turned out great. We were able to see fireworks from our back yard the kids thought that was pretty neat.






We got some glow in the dark sticks that you can wear as bracelets. I think this was the highlight of the night. The kids gave us our own "light show" as they call it, and your in luck we have recorded it for you to enjoy as well.




We hope you all had a wonderful 4th of July. We feel really blessed to be living in the USA. We are grateful for our freedom and are thankful for all the men and women who fight for our contry.

Planet Earth!

Watch Spectacular live views of our planet as seen from Dish Network's Satellite based camera 22,000 miles up! If you have Dish Network you can see these spectacular views on channel 212. I stumbled upon this channel this past week and find my self quite fascinated with it! It is fun to check it out at different times during the day. My kids have even found it interesting! While looking at our planet I was thinking of how amazing our world is and how amazing life is! I am so grateful to know Heavenly Fathers plan and what it means for my life. So go check out God beautiful creation!