This is the Good Life: October 2014

Sunday, October 12, 2014

Memories and Yummies

Have you ever had one of those moments, where out of the blue, you have a lovely memory float through your head, and a happy feeling flutter through your chest? Growing up I didn't get to spend a lot nights at my Grandparents house, but I enjoyed the times I did. I loved the morning feel and smell of their house. I don't know how to describe it perfectly, but it was a mixture of their nice clean home, with everything in its place, and coffee brewing. (Good to the last drop) So, why did I have a scent of it float through my not always nice clean home, with not much in it's place, and rarely a coffee smell around? I'm not sure, but I did. I was just walking down the hall and had that feeling. A little flutter hit my chest and I was reminiscent of my grandparents house. I thought I even smelled "their" coffee. It brought up several memories. I am blessed to have 3 of my 4 Grandparents (ages 88 and above) still living on their own and although they live in other cities I appreciate their influence in my life. So, I just took a brief moment and said a prayer for them and let the good feeling stick around.

A couple of my grand memories show themselves this time of year. One of those is the one that I have experienced for the past 22 years. I remember when the weather changes and the leaves turn colors, the feelings I experienced when I found out we were having our first baby. Wow! It was so very exciting. I didn't even mind the morning sickness (not that I enjoyed it, but I didn't mind), knowing there was life in my womb living and growing, was so exciting. And something about this time of year brings back those feelings.

The other memory is candy corn. Yes, that lovely little candy that appears at the grocery stores this time of year. I remember my mom commenting when I was a child, on how much she liked candy corn. She taught us to eat it one color at a time, and the other day I watched her demonstrate it to my kiddos. It sure does make the candy last longer and you get to enjoy every sweet taste. I was very interested in the variety of candy corn I found at the grocery store the other day and had to try out a few. We got the regular, caramel, and pumpkin spice candy corn. Quite wonderful. Normally I make sugar cookies and we decorate them with the candy corn, but I had an idea this year to put a little twist on it.

While I was at an amazingly creative woman's house the other day, she served mini cupcakes with fudge filling. Her daughter explained how easy they are to make and I have tried them several times since. This time the kids and I had a great time making them up with a autumn twist. You can make many variation on this treat. It is easy, fun and the kids can help and make something very cute.

Choose any cake mix and fill mini cupcake pans 2/3 full. Bake according to package. When they come out of the oven, melt a package or chocolate, white, or butterscotch chips with a can of sweetened condensed milk on medium heat in a sauce pan. Press the middle of the cupcakes to form an indent (I found a plastic spoon works the best). Place a spoonful of fudge in the middle. Ice with the icing of your choice. We topped them with the different candy corn, then chill the cupcakes and eat. They are very yummy.

I was thinking of all the different varieties of cup cakes you could make. The kids were able to make them on their own and they had a great time. For these cupcakes we used yellow cake mix, Chocolate chips for the fudge filling, and butter cream icing. When I was at Jody's house she had white cake mix, white chocolate chips for the fudge, white icing with spring looking sprinkles, and lovely cupcake wrapper.

Well, hope you are all well and blessed. Thank you for allowing me to share some memories and a fun recipe. Have a wonderful day. God Bless, Alicia

Saturday, October 4, 2014

Goat, Goats, Neighbors

"Let not your Heart be troubled..." John 14:1

My last post might have been a little heavy so let's get on to the lighter things of life called daily trials. I was raised in the "country." We had over an acre growing up and our neighbors had different animals around us. Now I live in the "country" (sort of) on an acre and our neighbor have included horses and cows. New neighbors have moved in with their mini zoo. We thought it was so cute to have these goats in our back yard behind our house chowing down all the weeds. As the weeks went by we started noticing more and more animals back there. There are chickens, geese, llamas, horses, 4 different types of goats, a pig, to name a few. They looked so cute back there behind our wimpy little fence. The other day one of the goats got into my back yard. I was not happy, and a bit scared. I really don't have much experience with farm animals and wasn't sure how to get it back to it's happy little zoo. I went to the neighbors home, but they weren't home. Danika and I worked together and got it back to its home that is almost totally free from weeds now.

Well, apparently the zoo has grown low on food and the inhabitants have been setting their eyes on my yard. In the afternoon yesterday, I walked by my window and saw some goats in my yard, chowing down on my bushes, trees, grass, and garden. I quickly headed to their home and this time there was a vehicle there. I went to their home, quite concerned what was happening in my yard. The neighbors did not answer. I quickly went home, and Sierra, Danika and I worked hard on getting the 12 goats and an unhappy pig back into their yard. I wasn't sure how we were going to get them all back to their home. I grabbed a snow shovel and rake, and in one of my crazier moments I ran out side trying to clang them together. This did not even faze them and was a lot more difficult then I had thought in my head. So my next brilliant idea was to use the snow shovel to push them out one at a time and that didn't even budge them. Some of the goats have collars so I got up enough nerve to grab them by the collar and drag them over. It was a bit difficult to catch them and after about 20 minutes we had them all back, we thought. Then sure enough we found one on the side of the house eating out of my garden.

I don't think of myself as a mean neighbor but I had lost my happy place, my adrenaline was quite high (I might have a slight fear of farm animals not behind fences), and emotions were on edge. I called David who told me to relax it was a part of living in the country, but then I looked out my window and saw the neighbors car drive away. Someone was there all the time. I was thinking of lots of not so nice things to say to my neighbors. David had asked me to write a nice note and put it on their door, but at that moment my Christian attitude was needing adjustment. I had a torn up yard, some eaten plants and animal droppings across my yard. Not to mention I was quite frightened getting these cute zoo animals, some with horns back in their yard. I typed my letter and thankfully David got home before I had a chance to take the lovely note to my neighbors.

David got there in time to see three more goats break their way into our yard again. We caught them again, I am now feeling a little more confident in my animal control ability, and David reinforced the fence, rewrote my note, and headed over to the neighbors. They got home just before he got there, so he had a nice little chat and came home content. The neighbors are putting up a reinforcement wire fence, but I'm still a bit nervous by the arrangement. I guess it is good to step away from the situation before writing a note. My husbands neighborly attitude was so much better then mine, he was not happy with the mess, but he definitely handled the situation better than I would have. I am thankful for my husband's clear thinking and glad he was able to not be emotionally driven. Maybe I would have calmed by the time I talked to our neighbor, I hope so. I do feel it is important to remember that we are representative of Christ and just like when training our children we need to show Christ to all. Not that we are to be walked over, but be able to set our emotions aside and love our neighbors.

Well, here are some cute pictures of Latisha and Brent's house and a few of the neighbor's goats in our yard. Isabella is doing well. Thank you all for your concern. Hope you are all have a blessed day.
Alicia