The Barefoot Shutterbug

2010-10-08T21:26:00.000-07:00

10 Pretty Piggies

2010-10-08T21:22:00.000-07:00

I was so blessed by my super talented friend Ellen today! She gave me an amazing pedicure. I got to enjoy her company and a couple hours of being TOTALLY pampered. Thanks LN, Love you!

2010-10-02T17:33:00.000-07:00

Melted Fabric Flowers

2010-10-02T16:50:00.000-07:00

Thats right! MELTED fabric flowers! This is just about the funnest craft ever! I saw this on another blog the day before our churches womens retreat and just HAD to try it out. I couldn't wait until I got home, so when my friend Ellen (Another super talented friend of mine) and I were running an errand that weekend, I stopped by a Joannes Fabric store and picked up some fabric to try it out. I then spent the afternoon melting fabric over a tiny candle in my room. I think I actually got high off the fumes...Anyway, here are the instructions, I will post a pic of the flowers for you to see the final product.You will need:
silk or synthetic fabric (I used lining)
a candle
scissors
long handled tweezers
various jars and lids for circle patterns
at least 6 circles of various sizes cut from fabric
After cutting circles of fabric, cut slits into the circles but not all the way to the center.Hold circle of fabric one at a time over flame from candle (Use the tweezers for the smaller circles) until edges begin to shrivel up and warp. After all the circles have been melted to your satisfaction, attach with a safety pin or a dot of hot glue to form a flower. Each one will turn out diffrently. You can then make a hair accesory or pin out of your flower. Send me of pic of the final project! I can't wait to see how they turn out!Have fun. And expect to have a burned finger or two. Oh, and I would highly (No pun intended) recomend a well ventilated area for this project.

Easy Pork BBQ Sandwiches

2010-10-02T16:31:00.000-07:00

You won't believe how easy and delicious this is to make!
5-lbs pork picnic roast
2 cloves garlic minced
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon onion powder
2 bottles of BBQ sauce

Place pork in Crockpot, pour enough water in to come 1/2 way up the side of the meat. (No need to brown) Sprinkle garlic and seasoning on top. Cook the heck out of it for about 5-6 hours. Remove any pieces of fat, shred and pour your fav BBQ sauce on top. Mix well. Serve on hamburger buns. Yummo! Enjoy!

PS this gets a 10 rating of the 1-10 scale of picky eaters, just so ya know.

Happy Fall "yall!

2010-10-02T16:10:00.000-07:00

I've missed you dear Blogger Family! We have been super busy. This summer we moved to a house about half the size of our other home in hopes of saving some money. My dear friend Dana suprised me and came out to help with the move. Can you believe that? All the way from Texas to California to help me move and lift my spirits. And did she ever! I am so blessed to have her in my life. I have also started to work at a Hotel nearby. I won't say the name but it starts with an "H" and rhymes with "Wilton." I work at the front desk and twice a week I do the night audit. Yes thats right, I work the "Grave-Yard/Hoot Owl." 11pm to 7am. Can you believe it? Let me tell you, I have seen some C-R-A-Z-Y stuff going on! I will share some stories with you soon. But for now I want to finish catching up with you. This place is finally starting to feel like home. I have my pictures up and my cozy antique quilts. My dishes are in the cupboard and a pumpkin scented candle is burning. It is coming along. One of my favorite quotes is by Oliver Wendell Holmes...it says, "Where we love is home. Home that our feet may leave, but not our hearts." I think that about sums it up. Home is where our heart is. This has been quite a ride for all of us, and quite a transition. But I know that God is working it all out for our good and His glory! I hope to hear from you soon, and promise to write again sooner than later. Till next time....Love Jodi

Salted Caramel Bars

2010-01-09T11:39:00.000-08:00

10 T butter melted
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg yolk
1 2/3 cups all purpoe flour
Caramel topping
Sea salt flakes
Oven at 350. Line a 9x9 inch pan with a strip of foil or parchment paper allowing edges to hang over.
In a bowl stir together butter, sugar and salt, whisk in egg yolk, then flour. Transfer to the pan and press evenly into the bottom. Prick dough with a fork. Refrigerate 10 minutes, then bake 30 minutes until light brown. Prepare topping and pour evenly over shortbread, cool in pan at least 2 hours. Lift bars from pan and cut into squares.
Caramel topping
In a small saucepan over medium heat combine 1/2 cup butter, 1/2 cup brown sugar, and 6 tablespoons light corn syrup, 1 teaspoon salt, 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar and 2 Tablespoons heavy cream. Cook until sugar is disolved. Bring to a boil. When mixture begins to bubble, stir constantly for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract. Pour on top of bars.Sprinkle with a little Sea salt.
Enjoy! Till next time, Jodi
This is out of this world yummy! Enjot

Mistletoe

2009-12-26T19:30:00.000-08:00

It is finally here! After being diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes last December, Georgia had to learn how to test and monitor her Blood Glucose levels and give herself shots of insulin. Then she had to learn how to Carbohydrate Count. All of this was leading up to getting the insulin pump which acts as her pancreas, delivering insulin in a steady dose throughout the day and night. Her doctor finally said she had learned all she needed to and approved the pump. She has now mastered the pump and all of its workings as well. She is quite an amazing girl,and has taken on so much responsibility since her diagnosis last year. We are very proud of her. She decided to give it a name, and since it is green (she got to pick from several colors) and it came to us in December, she named it Mistletoe. I admit it was difficult to accept that a machine would be attached to my child. But it really is helping. I am grateful for good insurance and amazing technology! Till the next post, Love, Jodi

2009-12-26T19:25:00.000-08:00

December

2009-12-26T18:47:00.000-08:00

Here are some pictures of what we have been up to this month. We made cookies with my Mom (it would not be Christmas without them!)and Georgia made a nativity scene with her American girl dolls, how cute is that? We always decorate a gingerbread house, but this year the beagle ate part of it. We left her on her own for 5 minutes and the next thing you know, the gingerbread house is missing it's roof! Things like this make for great memories though...Share your holiday memories with me, I would LOVE to hear about them! Till next time, Jodi

2009-12-26T18:05:00.000-08:00

Darlenes sweet desert cottage

2009-11-25T06:45:00.000-08:00

I have known Darlene for a couple of years now, however it was just this summer that I was able to get to know her and she has since become a very dear friend of mine. Around town she was rumored to be an incredible decorator, and I asked her if she would mind if I came over and took some pictures for my blog. She agreed and was gracious and welcoming. The rumors were true! Her home is all at once charming, darling and delightful. With walls the palest-fairy-wing-green and cranberry-red, and accents of both throughout. She effortlessly mixes antiques with new furnishings, and arranges cherished family heirlooms in a simple yet creative and fresh way. I was absolutly charmed by her beautiful home. Now I need to get her over here to work on my house....

2009-11-25T06:36:00.000-08:00

Is this THE most beautiful bed you have ever seen? I love the simplicity and height.

Darling!

The bright red mirror makes a gorgeous focal point in the master bathroom.

2009-11-25T06:27:00.000-08:00

The charming guest bedroom.

A sweet mix of vintage prints and antique photographs.

2009-11-24T21:18:00.000-08:00

What a beautiful contrast the fairy-wing-green and the cranberry-red walls make.

Shelves and even windows are made into displays.

Cozy, charming and delightful.

2009-11-24T21:12:00.000-08:00

I love how she groups like colors together.

Isn't this color beautiful?

What time is it? It's time to paint your walls red!

2009-11-24T20:19:00.000-08:00

I love the angle that the books are at. I plan on trying this myself.

The watch in the glass dome belonged to Darlenes husbands father, the crystal cracked so to protect it from dust, she placed it here.

This precious teddy belongs to Darlenes husband, it was his when he was a child.

2009-11-24T20:10:00.000-08:00

A great way to add some charm to a doorway.

Antique china plates with the same color scheme.

How suprising and sweet to see a picture of two lovers tucked between a pair of teapots.

I love to see cherished family pictures, they make the diffrence between a house and a home.

2009-11-24T19:34:00.000-08:00

Time worn and well loved, vintage sugar and creamer and silver spoons.

2009-11-24T19:18:00.000-08:00

Cups and spoons ready for a tea party.

This chair was found at a yard sale where the lady selling it explained that her father had had carved it. WHY would you sell this treasure?

2009-11-24T18:47:00.000-08:00

Oh how I love red checks! I am crazy about this chair! The red accents throughout the home are just right! Red can be overwhelming, but not here!

Darlene did some decorating work for a friend who had these chairs stored in her garage. When the friend wanted to repay her, she suggested giving these instead. She had them reupholstered in this darling fabric and when the friends husband saw how well they turned out, he actually wanted them back! Too late!

2009-11-24T18:35:00.000-08:00

A beloved photograph framed within a frame.

I love that she dosen't use things that necessarily match, but they all somehow come together...

Notice how the books are arranged with some facing forward and some facing back to show off the clasps?

From the letters artfully tucked behind the sugar pot , to the dried flowers nestled in the creamer, every object has a special meaning or sentimental value. I am encouraged to bring out my little treasures to display. What good are they hidden in an old trunk or locked away in a drawer?

Displaying books both horizontally and vertically is a better use of space as well as adding visual interest.

2009-11-24T18:11:00.000-08:00

Look at the tarnished silver teapots, they are even more beautiful like this!

Everything looks sweeter with a vintage ribbon tied in a bow...

Treasures are to be found in every nook and cranny. What a charming way to display a set of vintage keys.

A collection of antique umbrellas sits by the front door, while a doggy door keeper stands on guard.

A display both charming and useful sits in the entrance to greet you. Darlene is a master at mixing the new and the old, and the fresh and the vintage, very similar to her friendships. I was inspired by her beautiful home and darling displays throughout, and am sure you enjoyed the tour of her desert cottage as much as I did. A special thanks to my dear friend and decorator extrodinaire Darlene. Until the next post, love, Jodi

2009-11-22T18:19:00.000-08:00

Our beloved little Dottie, who could never, ever do anything mischievious, much less naughty...She is living up to the name of her breed, half Boston Terrier, half Rat Terrier, she is a Brat. But with a face like that, who can stay mad long enough to even scold her?

Dottie, Dottie, cute, but naughty!

2009-11-22T18:07:00.000-08:00

How strange...a feather on the stairs. Hmmm, I wonder where that came from?

Aha. Thanks to our sweet little Dottie dog, my feather duster met an early demise. Never name your dog something that rhymes with "Naughty."

2009-11-22T17:52:00.000-08:00

Meow!

Koi

This is part of a huge Koi pond. The children were running sticks across the top of the water and the fish would come to the surface thinking they were being fed. They were having a grand time! (The children not the Koi, I don't think the fish found this amusing at all!)

2009-11-22T17:45:00.000-08:00

Love this sign...

Carolers singing...lovely, just lovely!

How cute is this? Now I want to put vinyl quotes on all my windows, I wonder what Jeff would think?

This Christmas tree was about two stories high.

2009-11-22T17:30:00.000-08:00

This is a view of one of the many rows of shops.

Evil looking little dog enjoying the day out. Did you notice the clothes?

This fountain was such fun! All the children were mesmerized. One little girl burst out laughing every time the water flew into the air.

Iwould like one of each pair, size 8 thank you very much!

2009-11-22T17:24:00.000-08:00

Dogs everywhere!

Santa mail...

This pup was very curious about what I was doing in the restroom stall...A little privacy PLEASE!

Valet parking for the mall? Not where I live! Well we don't have Bentleys either.

We're not in the High Desert anymore Dorothy...

2009-11-22T16:45:00.000-08:00

Hubby and I just got back from a trip to Costa Mesa today. Talk about culture shock! Yesterday we drove to Fashion Island in Laguna. The difference between where we live and Laguna is very big. Everything is beautiful and luxurious and seemingly perfect! People bring their dogs shopping with them (where we live, you would be asked to leave), they are EVERYWHERE, in the stores, in the restaurants, on the sidewalks (even in the restroom!) The stores are amazing too, with gorgeous window displays and sales people who actually help you. While standing in the middle of the court yard a man in a suit approached us and asked if he could help us find something...They even had valet parking...VALET parking. I am sure that if you didn't already think I was a Hillbilly, you do by now, and maybe I am...OK, OK, I am. What occured to me though, is that both the wealthy and the average Americans both have prejudices against each other. The wealthy look down on the average because they are not buying expensive things, and the average people are looking down on the wealthy because they think they are foolish for paying such outrageous prices. We are all snobs. And let's not forget the in betweens who are not wealthy but who go into debt buying things they cannot afford so they can pretend to belong to a certain social class. Which is worse? I don't now. I suppose it is the group you don't belong to...hey, I'm just keepin' it real! Enjoy the pictures. Until the next post, Blessings, Jodi

What type one diabetes is NOT

2009-11-18T17:51:00.001-08:00

For the record, Type 1 Diabetes is NOT Type 2 diabetes. Although controlling your diet and exercising helps to keep your blood glucose levels regulated, having high blood sugar is not necessarily an indication that you are being careless with your health. You CAN have sugar, but in small and very controlled amounts and at certain times. You cannot just take a pill and make it all better. Type 1 means that your pancreas is not producing insulin, which is very diffrent from Type 2 which means that your pancreas needs to be stimulated and IS still working. So please don't be insensitive with people who have this disease, and please don't make stupid assumptions and comments. Instead, do some research, ask some questions, and LISTEN.

2009-11-16T15:20:00.000-08:00

Red Velvet Cupcakes

Red Velvet cup cakes

2009-11-16T13:10:00.000-08:00

Red Velvet cupcakes
2 1/2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
1/2 cups powdered cocoa
1 t baking soda
1/4 t sea salt
1 cup room temperature butter
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup milk
1 ENTIRE bottle of red food coloring (yes you read correctly)
2 t pure vanilla
Mix dry ingredients together and set aside. In a mixing bowl beat butter and sugar till light and fluffy, beat in eggs. Mix in sour cream, milk, food color and vanilla. Gradually stir in flour mixture till blended. Spoon into cupcake tins lined with paper liners, filling 2/3 full. Bake @350 for 20-25 minutes. Let cool completly, don't be impatient! Frost with cream cheese frosting.
Cream cheese frosting
1 package (8 ounce) room temperature cream cheese
4 t butter room temperature also
2 T sour cream
2 t vanilla
Beat all ingredients together until smooth, stir in 16 ounces of powdered sugar. Frost cupcakes.

2009-11-15T18:12:00.000-08:00

Jeff and I came across this beautiful cloud scape while we were in Sedona this summer. There were about 11 storms we passed through on the way home. But you know what I learned? There is always beauty, somewhere in the raging storms of life. You just have to be looking for it...

2009-11-15T15:47:00.000-08:00

My babies. Savvy 6, GG 4, and Dakota 10. This was Savvys first day of school 2001. How time flies! I remember dropping the older kids off at school and coming home and spending special time with GG, reading Bartholomew Bear stories. I am grateful that I have been able to have one on one time with each of my children. Sweet, sweet, memories!

Rattler

2009-11-13T17:13:00.000-08:00

This is a true story. I found a rubber snake at the Goodwill and brought it home thinking that the kids would get a kick out of it. They did, but very soon after lost all interest in it. Somehow it ended up under the couch where my dust bunnies breed like...well, bunnies. So while cleaning, I came across the dust covered rubber rattle snake, and for some reason I can't quite explain, decided I would put it on our front lawn. The next morning, having long since forgotten about it, we went outside to get into the van to go to church. My neighbor ran out to me and said,"I want you and the children to be very careful! There is a rattler on your front lawn and it's ready to strike! I already called 911, but stay away from it!" Can you imagine how difficult it was to explain that it was fake? AND that I had put it there? But the hardest thing was trying to pay attention to the pastor and stiffle my giggles during the sermon. Oh the messes I get myself into...

Chicken burritos

2009-11-12T17:50:00.000-08:00

Well, we finally did it...we ate our chicken for dinner tonight. If you have been following my posts, you know that last Saturday we butchered our three gargantuan-over grown-grotesquely-large-chickens. I have been so sickened at the very thought of eating them that I have been putting it off. After the masacre, I cooked and deboned the meat and froze it in 2 cup portions to use later. So tonight I bravely went where few american housewives have gone before...into the freezer for some home grown preservative free, free range chicken. And you know what? It was delishious. There was an awkward moment though, when our youngest innocently asked me, "Is this OUR chicken?" And of course I had to answer honestly. After I told her the truth, we all looked down at our plates for a moment, then picked up our forks continued eating. I did feel a little guilty, but not enough to keep me from finishing my meal... Here is the recipe I used, feel free to substitute the fresh chicken for whatever you get from your grocer though.

Chicken Burritos
1 box of mexican style rice cooked according to package directions
1 can pinto beans drained
2 cups cooked and shredded chicken
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Lawrys french fried onions
Tortillas
Mix the first 3 ingredients together, serve warm in tortillas with the cheese and onion as toppings. Very yummy!
Enjoy! -Jodi

2009-11-09T14:46:00.000-08:00

Oatmeal Muffins

Oatmeal Muffin Mix and recipe

2009-11-09T14:30:00.000-08:00

I love to keep this easy mix on hand to make Sunday morning muffins. A dear friend requested the recipe this morning, and I thought I would share it here. This would make a great gift too. I put some of this mix in a pretty jar in and tucked it in a basket filled with apples, mini pumpkins and a pumpkin scented candle for Jeff's sister Jackie as a hostess gift recently.

Oatmeal Muffin Mix

3 3/4 cups unbleached all purpose flour
3 cups old fashioned rolled oats
2 1/4 cups firmly packed dark brown sugar
2 Tablespoons baking powder
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl, mix well. Store in an airtight container up to 3 months, or in your freezer indefinatly.

Muffins

3 cups muffin mix
1 cup milk
1/2 cup melted butter
1 egg slightly beaten
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup chopped walnuts if desired
Oven at 350, combine all ingredients except walnuts, stir gently just till moistened. Stir in walnuts, spoon into muffin tins. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar and a few rolled oats. Bake until a toothpick comes clean fron center of muffin and edges are golden brown. Enjoy! Love, Jodi

2009-11-08T18:15:00.000-08:00

Sweet Pumpkin Ellie

The hand that rocks the cradle

2009-11-08T18:04:00.000-08:00

Friday my neice Melissa who is visiting from Colorado, came out to visit us. She brought with her the most beautiful, sweet cheeked baby in the world, her daughter El'anoir who we call Ellie. Well I am sure you think I am prejudiced when I tell you how spectacular this baby is, but you are wrong. You really are, because she really is an amazing little girl. She has a facination with pumpkins, and would take the minis and put them in the rocking chair and rock them, it was the cutest thing. Also we have a musical Christmas card that would make her laugh every time she opened it. Oh, and when she was asleep in her Mama's arms, she would occasionally call out "Mommy." How precious is that? I remember the days when I was my childrens world, and all that mattered was being close to them was being close to me...Those were precious times, and I wouldn't trade a minute of them for all the riches in the world. Keep up the great work Melissa. I am so proud of you, and remember that what you are doing matters more than ANYTHING!

Sick of chickens

2009-11-08T17:55:00.001-08:00

After the massacre yesterday, you can probably guess how sick I am of chickens. Wouldn't you know that today I am seeing them every where. Do you remember the Tootsie Pop comercial? "Every where that I go, everything that I see, becomes a Tootsie Pop to me.." Well, everywhere that I go and everything that I see becomes a CHICKEN to me! I am totally serious! I have passed a Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant, seen the grocery store ads which had, (You guessed it! CHICKEN on sale!) watched at least 2 comercials which featured chicken dinners, AND while channel surfing, came across the movie "Chicken Little." Good grief! Enough with the chickens already!

2009-11-07T15:55:00.000-08:00

Here is my flock, the white ones are the Plymouths.

I love my butcher.

2009-11-07T14:53:00.000-08:00

Today with the help of a very knowledgeable young woman and her friend, we killed and cleaned 3 gargantuan chickens, 2 of whom are sitting in a pot in my kitchen at this very moment.(The other I gave to my Momma) I have a new found admiration and love for my butcher. Life would be very difficult, and might I add, VERY bloody without him. Thank God for the butcher! Hip hip hooray for the butcher! I think we should have a national "Butcher"day as a matter of fact. Are you wondering why I needed to slaughter 3 harmless innocent sweet little hens? OK, here's my story. I simply wanted to have a few laying hens. As you may have read in my previous post (RIP Paul), I purchased 4 darling fluffy tiny white chicks about 5 months ago in hopes of having in the very near future 4 darling fluffy normal sized laying hens. Well, as it turns out, these were White Plymouth Friars. Not to be confused with White Plymouth layers which is what I wanted. Looking back on the situation, I now realize that any animal named after a car is going to grow to be substaintialy big, but the feed store did not tell me what kind they were. I guess they thought I knew. That or they have a really SICK sense of humor. Well these little chicks did not stay little for long. They grew and they grew and they grew. As of today they were the size of a turkey. I kid you not. We actually weighed them and between the 3 they were 51 lbs. Yes you read that correctly, 51 lbs.! When I asked my friend Heidi who has a farm about these chickens, she immediatly knew that they were the kind raised for meat, and she says that by feeding them laying mash and kitchen scraps, I actually caused them to get this big. The grew so much that their legs could barely support their weight, and instead of walking, they waddled. One would even waddle over to the food and lay down to eat. Doing research on them, I found that they will at one point die of heart failure. Still, I did not want to kill them. I guess I am a little bit of a princess. So when my friend told me that her daughter Sammi was an expert on butchering, I called her up and she agreed to come over this morning and help me. She asked me if I had equipment, or if she should bring her own. My answer was,"Uh, equipment? You mean knives?" So, ever the professional, she brought her "Equipment", and completed the task, efficiently and completly. I am so blessed that she did. There is NO WAY that I could have done this by myself. Thank you Sammi. I learned alot this morning, more than I ever wanted to learn about butchering chickens. And I hope I never have to do it again. But if I do, I know I can. But then there is always Sammi, and I might just call her up again....I am keeping her number just in case!

2009-11-05T16:43:00.000-08:00

My sweet Georgia Peach, braces free!

2009-11-05T16:36:00.000-08:00

Georgia got her braces off today! Yippee! I figure it's been about 7 years total between the 3 of them. Doesn't she look beautiful? I never had to have them, but all my siblings did. (I come from a family of five children) I don't know how my parents managed it on a single military income, but they did. I am glad to have this chapter of our lives over with. I am sorry to say Dr. Faroosh, that I will not miss seeing you every month.

2009-11-04T18:51:00.000-08:00

Use it up!

2009-11-04T18:45:00.000-08:00

Use it up, Wear it out, Make it do, or Do without. Do you remember Grandma telling you this little poem? In this tough enomomy, what are some ways you are saving money and recycling?
Here is a practical and fun way, and you may already have what you need sitting on the kitchen counter, if not, use this idea next year. I look forward to hearing from you, please take a minute to leave me a comment.

2009-11-04T18:38:00.000-08:00

What do you do with your left over Jack o Lantern? Why puree it to cook with of course! It really isn't difficult, you can finish within an hour or two, and you are left with healthy, delicious FREE pumpkin! An added bonus is how cool your kids think it is to have Jack o Lantern pie, cookies, or bread. To make pumpkin puree: cut your jack o lantern into 2-3" pieces and cover with water. Bring to a boil.

2009-11-04T18:29:00.000-08:00

Cook till translucent.Turn off heat, let cool completly.

When cool to touch, remove skin.

Place in mixer and mix till smooth.

Measure out 2 cups and place in zip lock bags. Label because believe me, you will forget what this is in six months. Freeze. Simply thaw out to use for baking.

2009-11-04T18:22:00.000-08:00

2009-11-04T18:11:00.000-08:00

Jack o Lantern bread
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 can Libbys pumpkin puree or 2 cups jack o lantern puree
1/2 cup Splenda
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup evaporated milk
2 eggs
1/2 cup chopped pecans if desired
Oven at 350 degrees, combine flour, spices, baking powder and baking soda in a large bowl. Blend pumpkin, Splenda and brown sugar, milk and eggs in large mixing bowl. Add flour mixture, mix just till moistened. Pour into a greased bread pan and sprinkle with nuts. Bake 60 to 65 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean from center of loaf. Cool in pan 10 minutes, remove to wire rack to cool completely.

2009-11-04T17:59:00.000-08:00

Pumpy Umpy Umpkin Muffins
1 cup unbleached all purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
4 Tablespoons butter cut up
1 cup jack o lantern pumpkin puree or 1 cup canned pumpkin
1/2 cup evaporated milk
1 egg
1 Tablespoon vanilla

Sift flour sugar baking powder and spices, cut in butter. In separate bowl mix pumpkin, milk, eggs, and vanilla, pour into flour mixture, gently stirring till just combined. Fill muffin tins 1/2 full with mixture and sprinkle some cinnamon-sugar on top. Bake for 25 minutes.

2009-10-31T10:29:00.000-07:00

November already?

2009-10-31T08:48:00.000-07:00

Can you believe it's November already? The month we give thanks for our many blessings. I want to take a moment to share my thankful heart with you. I am grateful for so many things this year. My husband and children, my family and their health, and the love we share, our home, my husbands job, our friends, our community, a good church, our ministries, and a Loving God who gives to us freely and generously. What are you thankful for? Leave a comment and let me know, I would love to hear from you!

Giving Thanks?

2009-10-29T18:45:00.000-07:00

I just read the November 2009 issue of Country Living and must say that I am repulsed at the level of "Political Correctness" in the article on page 105 by Matt and Ted Lee. Let me quote,"Though the menu and guests may have changed over time, one element of our holiday remains the same: We begin by holding hands and savoring a moment of silence, remembering all we're thankful for..." EXCUSE ME? A "Moment of silence"? How about a moment to give thanks to the God who not only created us, but provided the abundance we are about to enjoy? How about thanking the God who blessed us with loved ones, and homes, and jobs to provide for our family? How about being "THANKFUL," on this day called THANKSGIVING?!!! Are we so afraid that we will offend someone by giving thanks, that we ourselves refuse to do so? GOOD GRIEF! O.K. Here is what I propose, if you do not wish to give thanks, then you should not celebrate Thanksgiving. It's NOT about the turkey, you Turkeys! As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord! Joshua 24:15 (Emphasis mine)

2009-10-15T20:13:00.000-07:00

2009-10-14T20:01:00.000-07:00

Jodi's Southern Biscuits

2009-10-14T19:47:00.000-07:00

4 cups of unbleached flour, 8 teaspoons baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 1/4 teaspoon Kosher or sea salt, 1 1/2 sticks butter (NO MARGARINE! YOU ARE NOT ALLOWED!!!)and 2 cups of buttermilk.

Sift the dry ingredients together.

They will look like this, nice and fluffy.

1 and 1/2 sticks of butter. (NOT UNSALTED BUTTER. Who uses that anyway? Whats the point of unsalted? It may as well be Vaseline if it doesn't have salt in it!)

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Use a pastry blender to cut in butter.

It should look like this when you are done.

See? A nice coarse mixture, no big lumps of butter.

Buttermilk or milk with a little vinegar or lemon juice added to sour it.

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Make a well in the center, and add buttermilk.

Use a wooden spoon to gently stir, just till combined.

Remove from bowl and knead about 5 times.

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Roll out to 3/4" thickness.

Cut out with a 2 1/2" round cookie cutter. Sometimes I use hearts or other shapes to go with a holiday. Cut out as close as possible to the rest to keep the waste to a minimum. You can roll out the leftovers no more than once. Anything over that and they will be tough, and who wants a tough biscuit? I always let my little ones use the leftover dough to play with and make into shapes or dolly cakes, and then I cook them up separately for them to eat later. They always loved this!

Brush with melted butter. If you are looking for something healthy, go naw on your lawn. Try to use moderation and you'll be fine.

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Now that your biscuits are in the oven, put on a kettle of water for tea, and hurry up and clean up that mess! What's the point in waiting? When you are all done, your biscuits will be ready and you can sit down and enjoy them with a cup of steaming tea.

now doesn't that feel better?

Come to Mama little flour babies!

Can you just smell them?

2009-10-14T19:04:00.000-07:00

You MUST have plum jelly for your biscuits! This may be a problem for you because I get mine from my Mama. There is NOTHING better than fresh biscuits with Mamas jelly smothered on top!

mmm mmmm mmmmm! Butter on one side, jelly on the other. So good!

Yes M'am! I am a member of the clean plate club!

2009-10-10T16:47:00.000-07:00

Kris and Lacy were married at the Little Chapel of the west. The chapel does not allow outside photgraphers in to photograph the wedding, so Jeff and I waited outside until the ceremony was finished. From there we went to Caesars Palace to take pictures. We walked down the strip and took pictures along the way. Everywhere we walked people were congratulating the new couple and even cheering and applauding them! It was very sweet. My favorite pictures are in front of the Bellagio where the fountains were going off with classical music playing. Very beautiful and romantic. The mother of the bride is my dear friend Vicki. You will see her pictured with her twin brother Rick. She played a trick on me when she introduced him, saying, "This is Keith." So the whole time I kept saying, "Keith, come over here, Keith, I need you in this picture, Hi Keith how are you doing?"He finally let me in on Vickis joke. But not before I had called him Keith st least a dozen times....good one Vicki! The groom Kris, was so sweet with his new bride. Carefully leading her along the way, catching her everytime her high heels caused her to stumble. It was very endearing. They make a beautiful family. This is a picture of Kris with their dear baby Ryan. We had a great time photographing them. Ihope you enjoy the pictures! Till the next post...Jodi The Barefoot Shutterbug

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Vegas Baby!

2009-10-10T14:54:00.000-07:00

Jeff and I went to Vegas to photograph a friends-daughters wedding on Wednesday. We had a terrific time.Lots of work, but lots of fun. There is so much to see and do! I don't know how many of you have been there,I have only been a few times myself. It is mind blowing, everything is outrageously big and glamorous, and extravagant and extreme. We walked up and down the strip and saw the Coca Cola and, the M&M buildings, Hard Rock Cafe, Flamingo Casino, the Bellagio with its fountains, Caesars Palace,the MGM Grande that has tigers inside, and the Eiffel tower just to name a few things. We saw alot of other things too that I will not talk about. Lets just say that it lives up to its nickname "Sin City."I have to mention the buffets. Now I am actually ashamed to admit that I eat at a buffet...ever. It may as well be a feeding troth. But when you are in Vegas, you have to. Every kind of food you can imagine is there on the tables and 24 hours a day! You can even have dessert for breakfast! (Not that I would do such a thing...OK, OK, I confess to you that I did. Please don't tell my Mama!) And does everyone turn into a sloppy pig when they are staying in a hotel, or is it just me? I find myself throwing that towel on the floor instead of hanging it up to dry, and making my bed? Forget it! If housekeeping is going to offer me clean sheets and make my bed and leave fresh clean and folded towels for me, why would I bother? Oink Oink. Here are a few pictures I took while we were on the strip. I hope you enjoy them. Until the next post...

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Paul

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RIP Paul

2009-10-04T10:48:00.001-07:00

I purchased about 4 months ago, what I thought was 7 baby chicks. As it turns out, I was wrong. What I actually purchased was 6 baby chicks and 1 baby rooster. Normaly on a farm this would not be a problem. But I don't live on a farm. I live in the city. I have no use for a rooster and all that cock-a doodle-dooing that goes along with him. I do not want more babys chicks, I just want to have fresh eggs for my family. So what do you do with an unwanted rooster? Well, your choices are few. You can either use him for cock fighting ,(NEVER!!!) give him away, (I tried to give him to my friend Tamala for her birthday, but she had never heard of a Birthday-Rooster before and graciously declined) or eat him. Well the last option would not be too bad except that the kids had started calling him Paul, and if we were going to eat him, we would also have to KILL him. Now if I had to, I mean REALLY had to (Like we were starving )I would, but as it stands, I am a wimp. I did alot of research on google and although there are many ways to kill poultry, none of them seemed appealing to me or to Paul. My friend Heidi said she would be happy to ,"Take care of him" for me. She has a farm and is used to this sort of a thing. However, it turns out that I have a neighbor who has no problem killing chickens. He grew up on a farm and is not squimish at all. When I offered Paul to him, he happily agreed to take him off my hands. He showed up an hour later with a burlap sack. We put Paul in it and off he went. Later that day, we saw my neighbor and asked how the rooster was doing. His answer was,"He's in my freezer." RIP Paul.

breakfast of champions

2009-10-04T10:45:00.000-07:00

mmmm

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Ode to doughuts

2009-10-04T10:17:00.001-07:00

Something bad recently happened to me. I have never cared about doughnuts, I could care less whether or not I had one. Everyone else would ooh and aaah when a box a doughnuts was opened but me? Take it or leave it. Until.......about six months ago. The day started out like any other. I was at the grocery store buying milk and what not. As I walked by the doughnut stand I decided to buy one for each family member, as our Type 1 diabetic was in school already (diabetes and doughnuts don't go well together if you didn't already know) and we don't have them with her. And I thought to my self, "Self, why don't you get one for you as well?" So I did. Here's what happened, as I bit into that fluffy-sugar-glazed-deep-fried-dough, something inside me changed. I actually ENJOYED it! Maybe enjoyed is the wrong word, maybe I should say I rapturously enjoyed it. Not only did Ienjoy it, but I wanted another one, not only did I want another one, but if I was alone with that box of donughts I might have even had a third one. I can't say what took place, but now I am a doughnut junkie. I avoid them at all costs, because one just isn't enough. I even had a doughnut dream the other night. It involved me and a chocolate crueller and a glaze....It's a sad sad thing to see. So if you ever come over for a cuppa, DON"T bring that pink box with you. Keep me away from Winchelles, Dunkin' and Krispie Kreme. I don't want to see them, smell them or even think of them. Don't even say the "D" word within my ear shot. Pray for me Sistahs! Until I am delived from this affliction...

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2009-10-04T09:35:00.000-07:00

It's been a busy couple of weeks since I last posted. I had a great time at the womens retreat with my church. We were pampered heart and soul with the wise Margaret Ashmore speaking and Sherrie Youngward leading us in worship. I was richly blessed by the fellowship and surroundings. I think all mommies should be able to do this. It is so important for us as givers, to be able to be still and recieve every once in a while, free from the daily responsibilities. Not that we aren't grateful for them, but it sure is nice to be taken care of for a little while. What does your daily schedule look like? Are you an at home Mommy, or do you juggle work and home? Are you a sophisticated career woman like my friend Dana, or a farm girl like my friend Heidi?I'd love to hear about you. Leave me a comment and I'll do my best to get back to you.

2009-09-22T18:36:00.000-07:00

I have a group of friends that get together often for celebrations and such. This past Thursday, we celebrated Tamalas birthday. We had a pot luck which is easy on the pocket book, and easy on the host which was me this time. Nothing fancy, just good friends, and good food. What could be better? I kept the decorating simple as well because we were leaving out of town the next day and didn't have much time. I used fall colors and instead of flower vases used some old shortening tins. It turned out lovely. We had a terrific time. Actually the party was still going strong when I left to pick up my daughter from school. I hollered over my shoulder as I left, " Don't forget to lock up!"When I got back everyone was gone and the house was tidied up. What a great bunch of friends I have!

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From left, Cathy , my mom Kathleen, Joli, Yadira, Jodie, Birthday girl Tamala, her best buddy Vicki, and Little Joshua.

sweet friends!

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Joshua, my friend Jodies little boy recently turned three. Isn't he a cutie patootie?

Joshua

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my dear friend Tamala the Birthday girl!

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Can you see our sweet kitty Pansy hiding in the picture?

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These are so delicious. Remove the meat from a rotisserie chicken and place in a mixing bowl, add 1 brick of room temp. cream cheese, 3/4 cup chopped green onions 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese, and 3/4 cup of your favorite salsa. Mix it all up, spread about 1 Tbs. evenly over a tortilla and roll it up. Continue until the mixture is gone.Cut all in half and serve.

chicken roll ups

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This tea is yummy AND sugar free! Make one pitcher of Lipton cold brew and add 1/4 cup of Toranni sugar free raspberry syrup. Stiir and enjoy over ice. If you're feeling fancy, you can add a few raspberries in the glass.

easy raspberry iced tea

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