ninja spotted in my yard

Costumes are 90% off at Wal Mart.
My son bought this costume with his birthday money for only $1.90 - original price was $19.00 - what a bargain!

Cure for a scalded tongue!

Ok, have you ever taken a sip of a hot drink...be it coffee, tea or hot chocolate...and scalded your tongue?!

YOWZA!

Not only does it hurt really bad...but it is so entirely annoying! It ruins your sense of taste and just feels uncomfortable for days!

Well, I've got a cure....a proven cure. I have tried this myself on more than one occassion over the past 10 years and it's worked every time.

Here's the magic healing agent: white sugar!



yes that's right, just plain old white granulated sugar. As soon as you scald your tongue...run to the sugar bowl, get a big ole' spoonful of sugar and put it on your tongue right where it was scalded. Don't be shy! Use a lot! Close your mouth and hold it right there on your tongue for as long as you can stand it. Don't worry, it only tastes gross for the first few seconds and then you get used to it.

You will begin to feel the sugar melting on your tongue. When you can't take it any longer...just spit the sugar out into the sink. You will be surprised to already feel the healing after the first dose. Repeat this method and make sure you get the sugar on the parts of your tongue that still feel scalded. I do this method anywhere from 2 to 3 times. You'll want to rinse your mouth of all that sugar after each dose...trust me...you'll want to!!

I know this sounds really gross, and you're right, it is! But...do you want to deal with a scalded tongue for the next 3 days or do you want to be cured of it within the next 5 minutes. It's not like you're eating the sugar! You do get to spit it out.



Now, let me tell you that after doing this crazy, but tried and true home remedy, you will still have a slight scalded feeling, just a little bit. However, you will be able to continue drinking your hot chocolate without any pain....you will be able to eat your meals without pain from the heat and you will be able to taste your food. If I had to gauge the feeling of scaldedness after the sugar treatment on a scale of 1 to 10, 10 being the worst feeling...I would have to give it a 2, maybe even as low as a 1...and that, to me, is worth it! I know this sounds crazy, but the next time this happens to you....give it a try! You'll feel really stupid, but you'll be glad you tried it!

Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal Bars

My father in law brought us a large sack of apples from a local orchard. I was excited to think of everything I would make with them. The first thing I made was Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal Bars. I found the recipe in my "go to" book: a paperback Better Homes and Gardens Cook Book. I have used this book so many times it has completely split into 3 sections and pages are starting to flutter to the kitchen floor!

I chose this recipe for it's simplicity and I'm glad I did. I loved it, my kids loved it, my hubby loved it and my BFF Becky loved it. I think I ate about half of the pan! If you've got just 2 apples, some old fashioned oats and some basic baking supplies on hand...you'll be all set!

Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal Bars

1 C flour
1 C quick cooking rolled oats
2/3 C packed brown sugar
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 C. butter or margarine
2 medium tart cooking apples: peeled, cored and chopped
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
dash ground cloves

Combine flour, oats, brown sugar, and baking soda. Using pastry blender or 2 knives, cut in butter or margarine till the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Reserve 1/2 C. of the crumb mixture. With your fingers, press remaining crumb mixture into bottom of ungreased 8 x 8 or a 9 x 9 square baking pan. In small saucepan, combine apples, 2Tbsp. water, lemon juice, cinnamon and cloves. Bring apple mixture to boiling. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 10 minutes till apples are tender. Next spread softened apples and pan juices over pressed oat mixture in the baking pan. Sprinkle with reserved crumb mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes. Cool on wire rack. Cut into bars. Makes approx. 25 bars.

Enjoy!

Crafting the Mayflower

I found a great Thanksgiving craft on a blog that I follow called katydid and kid It's these charming little Mayflower boats made from a paper grocery bag. Here's our version of her paper Mayflower boats.

(my son's friend on left............my son on the right)

When I saw this craft, I instantly fell in love. I knew right away I was going to have my kids make them for our Thanksgiving decorations.



These boats were easy to make and so adorable!



Even if you don't have any youngsters at home, this would still be fun to make by yourself. I couldn't resist making one myself! I love paper projects because they are economical and usually made from recycled materials....there's just something so earthy and raw about it. I'll be putting these on display along with my other Thanksgiving decor. Just click here, katydid and kid.  to get to her blog for this wonderful craft tutorial.

November, a poem by John Updike

The stripped and shapely Maple grieves
The loss of her departed leaves.

The ground is hard
As hard as stone.
The year is old
The birds are flown.

And yet the world,
Nevertheless,
Displays a certain
Loveliness.



The beauty of the bone.
Tall God must see our souls this way, and nod.



Give thanks, we do, each in his place
Around the table during Grace.