Friday, November 21, 2014

Fly on the Wall, November 2014

Welcome to a Fly on the Wall group post. Today 15 bloggers are inviting you to catch a glimpse of what you’d see if you were a fly on the wall in our homes. Come on in and buzz around my house.

Fly on the Wall | graphic designed by and property of www.BakingInATornado.com | #MyGraphics



I had a busy day in the kitchen doing a lot of baking and spent most of the day  concentrating on what I was trying to accomplish.

I finished up, took a break and later when I went to make dinner, I couldn’t find the non-stick spray. I knew I had used it that afternoon.

I looked in the obvious places where things seem to frequently magically end up. You know, like the freezer and the trash compactor. Nope. Couldn’t find it.

The next morning I was going to clean my counters and reached under the sink to grab my antibacterial cleaner. Without really looking, I ended up spraying my counters with non-stick spray. Ah, that’s where it went.

Fly on the Wall, a multi-blogger writing challenge | developed and run by www.BakingInATornado.com | #MyGraphics

Last month I drove PurDude’s car out to him. He went off to college without it, Freshmen aren’t allowed to have them so he didn’t have a choice. But somehow he managed to be one of the Freshman winners of the ability to have (pay for) a parking spot (whatever was left over after the upperclassmen all got theirs).
Before taking the car to him, we had a recall taken care of and had 2 different places check it out for safety. The car needed a few parts.
When I went to pick it up at the mechanic’s, he handed me the rusted out coil that had to be replaced.


car coil paperweight | picture taken by and property of www.BakingInATornado.com

Explaining why I now have a $700 paperweight/paperclip on my desk. Can I repurpose or what?

Fly on the Wall, a multi-blogger writing challenge | developed and run by www.BakingInATornado.com | #MyGraphics


Before I even tell you this story, let me say that we have 4 bathrooms in this house, one on each of the bottom two levels and 2 on the top floor. All are regularly equipped with toilet paper.
OK, from the “never put your cell on speaker in public no matter how busy you are” files:
My cell rings while I’m in the grocery store and I make the supreme mistake of answering it, even knowing that it’s one of my kids.
College Boy: Mom, I was in the basement and there was no toilet paper down there so I ran up to the kitchen and grabbed some paper towels. They clogged up the toilet. I’m on my way to school, when you get home can you get the plunger and take care of that basement toilet?
{{at which point we mysteriously got disconnected}}

Fly on the Wall, a multi-blogger writing challenge | developed and run by www.BakingInATornado.com | #MyGraphics

A lifetime of teaching the boys to plan ahead and not wait until the last minute and it’s come to this:
6:00 am. The house is quiet. When from the door of my room I hear:
College Boy: Mom, can you do me a favor? My laptop isn’t connected to the house printer and I have a paper due today. I emailed it to you so can you just turn on your laptop, check your email for my paper and print it for me? If you can just staple it and put it on the desk in the kitchen I’ll grab it on my way out to school.
So . . . how am I doing at this Mom thing? Winning, right?


Fly on the Wall, a multi-blogger writing challenge | developed and run by www.BakingInATornado.com | #MyGraphics

Let me start by saying that I am the undisputed Queen of Organization, so this is not like me. Last month I desperately needed a haircut. I couldn’t get an appointment at a salon and was going away for a week the next day. I went into one of those fast-food type haircut places that have sprouted up on every street corner. I mean, how hard can it be, I needed about 6 inches chopped off, not like it’s nuclear science or anything.
It cost $15. Not a good sign.

So . . . uneven layers and had to re-cut the bangs myself. Yup, pay $15 for a haircut and what do you get? A $15 haircut. I would have been better off at a barber . . . or a butcher . . . or a nuclear scientist.


Butterfingers Popcorn | www.BakingInATornado.com | #recipe

Butterfingers Popcorn | www.BakingInATornado.com | #recipe

Butterfingers Popcorn

One day I was doing some work on my laptop when I noticed that I had two twitter notifications. This is what I saw:

Twitter followers | picture property of www.BakingInATornado.com




Not sure how they found me or what made them follow me. It must mean something, but I’m at a loss.

Fly on the Wall, a multi-blogger writing challenge | developed and run by www.BakingInATornado.com | #MyGraphics

Everyone walks around with a big avocado in their purse, right?

Avocado | picture taken by and property of www.BakingInATornado.com



While at Purdue, Hubs had to learn to use his new car’s GPS, we were giving our old one, which we’d gotten used to, to PurDude. I don’t know who pissed this system off but she is angry. With our old GPS, if you miss a turn it recalculates. This one gets mad at us. First we get the silent treatment, it won’t talk at all. Then finally it punishes us, taking us miles out of our way. We were in West Lafayette going to the school which is 2 miles away, also in West Lafayette. We missed a turn and the damn thing took us over the river and into Lafayette for like 4 miles, then had us take a right and another right and drive 4 miles back on a road running parallel to the one it just took us down.
Hubs says we need to name the system. I suggested “Bitch”.


Fly on the Wall, a multi-blogger writing challenge | developed and run by www.BakingInATornado.com | #MyGraphics

And the soda machine at the hotel wasn’t any better. At night I’d want a drink to take to the room with me, so we’d visit the soda machine. The first night I sent Hubs and told him to just get anything diet. He came back with a Mountain Dew and insisted it was the soda machine’s fault. Yuck.
The second night I went myself. Put money into the machine, the only diet was Pepsi so I pressed it. Out came a Mountain Dew Voltage. Never tried one but apparently that machine just gives you whatever it wants.
Text to son: Mountain Dew Voltage tastes like cough medicine.
 
Fly on the Wall, a multi-blogger writing challenge | developed and run by www.BakingInATornado.com | #MyGraphics

While visiting him, we took PurDude clothes shopping. He bought a bunch of new clothes including 2 ties. While he’s a pledge, he has to go to dinner at the Frat every Friday night and has to wear a tie.
Driving from the department store to a discount store my son put on one of his new ties. Later that night when we went to dinner, he had taken the tie off. So apparently you wear a tie to a discount store on a Sunday afternoon, but take it off for a Sunday dinner out.
So I guess I learned a little something about style while at college last month.


Now click on the links below for a peek into some other homes:



Baking In A Tornado signature | www.BakingInATornado.com | #MyGraphics



Butterfingers Popcorn
                                                                         ©www.BakingInATornado.com
 
Printable Recipe
 
Ingredients:
2 bags of microwave popcorn, popped (about 16 cups popped)
1 stick butter
1 1/2 cup brown sugar
2 TBSP baking cocoa
5 (1.9 oz) Butterfingers bars
1/2 tsp baking soda
 
Directions:
*Crush the butterfingers bars in a food processor. Measure 2/3 cup of the candy crumbs and set aside.
*Preheat oven to 250 degrees.  Grease 2 baking sheets. I use the disposable ones.
*Divide the popcorn amongst the baking sheets. Remove unpopped kernels. Put into oven to keep the popcorn warm while making the topping.
*In a heavy medium sized pan at medium heat melt the butter, add the brown sugar and cocoa. Stir and bring to a boil. Allow to boil for one minute.
*Remove from heat and stir in the baking soda. Last, quickly mix what’s left of the crushed candy.
*Take popcorn from oven and dollop the candy mixture over all the popcorn. Mix it as best you can on each baking sheet, spread the popcorn evenly over the sheet and return to oven. Bake for 15 minutes.
*Remove from oven and stir, moving the candy mixture from the bottom of the pans onto the top of the popcorn again.
*Return to oven, cook 15 minutes, stir, return to oven cook 15 minutes, stir etc. until you’ve done this 4 times and it’s been in the oven an hour total.
*Mix one last time, sprinkle with remaining 2/3 cup candy, cool on the counter.

37 comments:

  1. OMG...I still can't stop laughing at the bathroom and no more toilet paper one...I'd love to have seen your face getting that phone call.

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    Replies
    1. I'm afraid that's a look that's been on my face more times than I want to say.

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  2. HILARIOUS!!!!!!!!!
    I can't do GPS. I have tried but they don't like me. AT ALL!! I was trying to get to a hotel and it took my past the hotel on the interstate. It never said where to get off and actually get TO the hotel.
    Then I was trying to find a house that we were thinking about renting. I made all the turns it told me to but it still kept on recalculating.
    I gave up. Now I just use Map Quest. LOL

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    Replies
    1. We liked our old GPS. It was a bit strange at times but at least it wasn't mean!

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  3. I had no idea you were such a brave woman - a $15 HAIRCUT!!! That popcorn looks fabulous - great for a night playing cards! Thanks

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    Replies
    1. I had no idea I was such a brave woman either. After this experience I need to go back to being a wimp!

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  4. At least your counter tops wont get sticky. ;)
    I can't use GPS, it hates me and after a little bit, it hate it back.
    What a stroke of luck to get a parking spot... and a good reason for a great road trip visit.
    I hope you have a fantastic Thanksgiving with your sweet family all together. <3

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    Replies
    1. Thank you so much, Meg. Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family too!

      Delete
  5. Bet those counters were shiny! Here's to better haircuts in the future (My mom always said there was only two weeks between a bad haircut and a good one - maybe two weeks and a snip here and there?). Thank PurDude for the lesson in planning and the wardrobe tips! And I think my GPs could teach yours a thing or two. Maybe a slap to get her attention?

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    Replies
    1. Shiny counters but for some reason everything keeps sliding off of them!

      Delete
  6. Genius! Non-stick counters. I'm gonna try that!
    Um...do you seriously expect me to remember any of that fun stuff when you post a recipe for Butterfingers Popcorn??? It was great, it was funny and well written, and...BUTTERFINGERS POPCORN! <3 <3 <3

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  7. Oh no!! I'm not sure if I'd be able to not hit one of my kids upside the head with the TP! lol

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  8. That looks like the best popcorn ever. And paper towels huh? The gift that keeps on giving.

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  9. Funny how the kids go off to college but you're still running errands, printing papers and fixing toilets. LOL the joys of motherhood.

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  10. OMG the plunger story----HILARIOUS!!! My kids do this to me all the time. Just today, my daughter didn't want to use her bathroom because her brother clogged the toilet..and left it. So she uses MY bathroom and….you guessed it..CLOGGED THE TOILET. Our plunger gets more action than I do. TMI. Hey, that popcorn looks amazing! You know I love anything made with Butterfingers :)

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    Replies
    1. What is WITH these kids. I'd like to say that when they have their own homes I'd repay the favor, but I'd NEVER do that to someone!

      Delete
  11. I look forward to this every month! My 17 year old woke me up at 6am this week, because he needed help tying a bow tie. I still don't know why he wanted to wear a bow tie to school, or why he thought I would be any help? The popcorn looks DELICIOUS! Since popcorn is a food group at my house, I'll have to give this a try.

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  12. I was just reading your Mountain Dew voltage story to My favorite child Christian. When I said you wrote, "Apparently that soda machine just gives you what you want." He said, "No mom, that machine gave her what she needed." He's a MD freak.
    I remember a time when my grandma almost put "Future" floor wax into a hot pan thinking it was Crisco oil. She still talks about that.
    I love that you can print out a paper, fix a (very) clogged toilet and still serve Butterfinger popcorn. Smiles all around :)

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    Replies
    1. LOL, My kids love Mountain Dew too. Must be I'm too old to appreciate it. But I sure can make some sweet treats, good to know I have redeeming qualities.

      Delete
  13. I'm glad I'm not the only one to misplace things…
    D*** GPS lured my into a dead-end street the other day and told me to make a left. Bitch!
    How hard can it be to stock vending machines properly? On our last trip I went down to the lobby in my PJs with the wrong soda in my hand and asked the receptionist to get me a Coke Zero instead. She didn't have access to sodas but she gave me two bottles of water. How do you spell caffeine withdrawal?
    Did you get the kitchen paper out?

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  14. Multiple things....
    So you're saying you have smooooooooth counters??

    I adore your boys. They're awesome. Like their Mama.

    Four bathrooms?? I'm not the type to get jealous, but I'm definitely jealous.

    Is baking cocoa different than Hershey's??

    Your popcorn made me drool a bit. Just a bit.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I adore my boys too. Although we could arrange for them to come and visit you for a while.
      They make cocoa for baking, it's in the baking aisle and doesn't have sugar added.

      Delete
  15. Also... I bought some citrus Mountain Dew, thinking it was Code Red.... I nearly died. Nasty.

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  16. I've seen those $15 haircuts you poor soul! I got so desperate a couple of weeks ago I went to my husband's barber which is a girl and got the best haircut of my life...go figure! Well my son has been here what 4 days...cabinets are EMPTY AND I NEED A VALIUM! He is more like College Boy than Purdue. Purdue is more like my daughter even though that doesn't sound right. Responsible, easy to please, washes her hands after she pees!

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    Replies
    1. I'm stocking up two refrigerators to have the whole family (and friends) here. Want to bet how long it all lasts?

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    2. Oh my! I am not even cooking this year. Well I cooked for my family yesterday but I am just a guest this year which I am REALLY looking forward to! I get paybacks at Christmas though! I can't even imagine the food that your house goes through!

      Delete

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