Round-Up!

We went to the Red Bluff Round-Up today - and all had a great time. It was an eventful day for the crowd. I'm going to try to stay awake to watch the 11:00 news - just want to be sure no one was seriously injured - I don't think they were but it was hard to tell. They had a bull jump a 6-8 foot fence into the stands. Scary! Two young kids were carried off and at least two adults were injured as well. The event came to a halt at that point as they waited for the ambulances to return. In my nearly 20 years of attending - I'm going to put it all out there and say - that's never happened before. It was the 87th year - so maybe it's happened before - I seem to recall an incident in the North arena one year - but I don't think it was this extreme. I was just commenting to Kevin on the drive up there that I'd sure like to get seats in the section in front of us (it's all bleacher style seating - but the front section has backs to there seats). I think I'll stay right where we are.

Today they had the Clydesdale Budweiser Wagon Show - those horses are truly amazing. No matter how many times I've seen them - it's just spectacular! They also had the One-Arm Bandit again. He is a pretty talented rider. And he brings in two huge Buffalo that are also a part of his act - which I forget they are even around anymore. And of course the show started from the air - my favorite part of the day. A skydiver brings in the American Flag - it's a very nice tribute. We happen to enjoy going on Sunday, the final day of the event. The theme for the day is "Are you Tough Enough to Wear Pink". It's also a fundraising day for Breast Cancer. I learned today that in the last five years (the National Rodeo Association?) they have given 4.6 million dollars to the Susan G. Komen fund. I think that is awesome! Someone in the stands today bought a pair of pink chaps for $22,000.00! All for a good cause..... Also a fun part of today's events are the Wild Ride and the Wild Horse Race. The Wild Ride - the riders dress up in crazy outfits on bareback broncos - what a hoot! With the Wild Horse Race they have 10 teams and they try to saddle up a wild horse and ride it around the track and the first team to succeed wins - usually the horse comes around without the riders. They had lots of winners today. And some that traveled great distances to see their efforts over in less than 8 seconds.....

Surprise

Just a regular cake mix
Ready for the oven
Yup - there done
Now the fun begins
Looks like stiff peaks to me
Be sure to put enough in the middle
Yummy!
This resembles my son's hair at times.....

My father-in-law celebrates his birthday on St. Patrick's day. And this year he happened to be in Puerto Rico. So I decided to surprise him on Wednesday evening with a cake sitting on his counter top when he got home...... He was definitely surprised and much appreciated! My husband's family started this tradition many, many years ago. I believe Kevin's grandmother use to make it for his dad when he was a little boy. I do remember Saralee telling me that Kent use to always say (I think only in the beginning) that it never tasted like the way his mom made it. I've had both Kevin & Kent tell me that mine doesn't taste like Saralee's. I'm okay with that - I'm using her exact recipe - and they never let a morsel go to waste...... It's been a few years since they've said that. But I have to tell you the way these men act over this cake - you instantly see 40 years shaved off their age. And the manipulation they use to get the most cake. They will fill your dinner plate with seconds and thirds if it means you won't have a slice of cake after dinner. It's really hilarious. My husband will break into song when he sees the cake - singing the Bill Cosby song "(Dad) Mom is great, give me some chocolate cake". I'm not quite as generous with my cake making - Kevin's parents when hosting the birthday child would make two cakes - one for the celebrant only and one for the guests! I'd rather make it and give it away. For me it's really only good on the first day. Yummy - Enjoy!

Seven Minute Frosting (I make 1.5 times) enough to frost 2 9-inch cakes

1 1/2 cups sugar (2 1/4)

1/3 cup cold water (1/2)

2 egg whites (3)

1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar (1/4 + 1/8)

1 teaspoon vanilla

1. In the top of a double boiler combine sugar, cold water, egg whites and cream of tartar. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed for 30 seconds.
2. Place over boiling water (upper pan should not touch water), Cook, beating constantly with the electric mixer on high speed about 7 minutes or till frosting forms stiff peaks. Remove from the heat; add vanilla. Beat 2 to 3 minutes more or till it reaches spreading consistency.

Dear.....

Dear Blog,

I'm so sorry to abandon you. I think about you everyday with hopes of catching up with you. But it just doesn't happen. I will try harder in the future. I really think April will be a good month for me. I sit down at my computer and spend so much time reading other blogs that I just lose track of time and before you know it - times up! Please forgive me.....

Fondly,

Sheesha

Put a Fork in me.....

This is how I'm feeling today.

I've been home with a sick child for 4 days now.......I'm done. I've had someone home with me pretty much since Feb. 11th - that's 3 weeks. Take your germs and go away! I don't want them.... The germs that is. I suppose it's the flu bug that has taken my children captive. We've had the high fever that has been knocking them down flat on there backs - followed by a lovely nasal thing. And poor Kyle, he now has pink eye. Yuck! And of course you mention the word Pink eye and my eyes start twitching. Now my hands are rough and dry - they've been scoured so many times. I'd really like to go back to my routine. A good night sleep would be just as lovely. It's not much to ask for. I miss the gym - I know it's missing me......I miss the peace of my quite home from 8 to 2:30......Maybe tomorrow......

You Know Your A Tater Tot When.....

Tater Tot Casserole

Here is something I made the other night. I had a meeting to go to and my parents were coming to watch the kids because Kevin was working at the Burlingame office on Thursday and Friday. It's super easy and has only 5 ingredients! I set the timer on the oven to have dinner done by 6:15 - so when they got back from Basketball practice it would be all ready. The table was set and dinner was in the oven - what more could you ask for.... As I left for my meeting I told my parents I would be dazzling them with my cooking expertise! I found the recipe here. Of course I cut the recipe in half as I really don't need two 9x13 pans of the stuff! With a side of veggies you are set to go! Dinner in a flash. Not sure how much dazzling I did, but they had time to eat dinner, clean up and then run off to ice cream before I got home at 7:10. It is a perfect solution for our busy lives between school, sports and homework!

TATER TOT CASSEROLE

1 lb ground turkey cooked, seasoned, drained

1 1/2 2lb bags tater tots

1 cans cream of mushroom

1 cans evaporated milk

1 cans cream of chicken

Brown meat & place in 9x13 dish. Cover with tater tots. Mix soup & milk together. Pour over top. Bake at 350 for 1 Hour. Enjoy!

There Goes Another One

Well this one certainly came and went without a hitch! The dark cloud I was under last year seems to have lifted. I had no weeks of depression like I did last year. And that's such a good thing! We were invited to go to Kevin's dads' for dinner on my birthday - but earlier in the day it changed to dinner out my choice and they brought a German Chocolate Cake from Upper Crust - nice treat! I believe it's the next best thing to homemade.....I didn't bring my camera to dinner, but I thought it was so lovely I just had to snap what was left when we got home! This song below is the first thing I thought of when I started this post - reflecting back over the last year - I'd have to say I've song these words many times. They seem very true for me or they must be sticking in my head! Or we have Hannah Montana on way too much! Bottom lines is: Life's What You Make It.

Don't let no small frustration

Ever bring you down

No no no no

Just take a situation

And turn it all around

With a new attitude everything can change

Make it how you want it to be

Stay mad, why do that?

Give yourself a break

Laugh about it and you'll see

Life's what you make it

So let's make it rock

Life's what you make it

So come on come on (everybody now)

Why be sad, broken hearted?

There's so much to do

Yeah yeah yeah yeah

Life is hard or

It's a party

The choice is up to you

With a new attitude everything can change

Make it how you want it to be

Stay sad, why do that?

Give yourself a break

I know you wanna party with me

Life's what you make it

So let's make it rock

Life's what you make it

So come on come on

Lets celebrate it

Join in everyone

You decide 'Cause life's...what you make it

Things are looking up

Any time you want

All you gotta do is realize that

It's under your control

So let the good times rock and roll

Ow!Da da da do it nowAaaaaaaaaaaaaahOW!

Alright

Yeah yeah yeah

Yeah yeah

Life's what you make it

So let's make it rock

Life's what you make it

So come on come on (everybody now)

Let's celebrate it

Join in everyone

You decide'Cause life's...what you make it

Life is what you make it

Happy Valentine's Day

You are my heart, my hope, my help,

The passion that is me,

The whole of which I am a part,

My peace, my ecstasy.

You are my future, present, past,

My ship, my sail, my ocean,

The wind that brings me home again,

The home for every motion.

You live within me, yet I am

Without you all alone.

With you I am full of light;

Without you I am stone.

Is this foolish? Yes, perhaps,

But also it is true.

I think of life as something I

Can spend with only you.

Ah, my love! Love longs for such

Sweet celebrants as this!

Love is a burden and a joy,

Slavery and bliss.

This day of love come love with me,

Come sing with me my song.

Come be my Valentine, and I

Will love you my life long, my love,

Will love you my life long.