Something to do on a snow day

Just In Case you don't like the narration of our snow day (below) here is something else to make it worth stopping by.

If you like Brownies and Rice Crispy Treats you'll love:

Chocolate Crunch Brownies

1. c. butter, softened
2 c. sugar
4 eggs
6 T. cocoa
1 c. flour
2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp salt

Combine in mixing bowl and spread in a greased 13 x 9 pan. Bake 350 for aobut 25 min.
Cool. Then spread
1 jar marsmellow cream over cooled brownies.
In a saucepan, melt
1 c. peanut butter
2 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips
Remove from heat and stir in
3 c. rice crispies
Spread over mashmellow layer.
Chill before cutting and store in refrigerator.

Snow Day

Early Wednesday morning the wind picked up and we couldn't sleep with the noise. By morning they were reporting at least 50 mph winds, closed schools, and then the snow started flying. Outside our street window it looked horrible. The snow blew like a wind tunnel down the street. I was excited about the snow day at first, BUT it didn't turn out to be much of a day off.

The Bishop informed me at 9 a.m. that we would be calling the entire ward to check on them. Power outages were reported all over the city along with freezing temps. I didn't get up from the spot I had been sitting in when the bishop called until about 1:30. Then the phone calls back started.

One call was from a Br. in the ward that needed his kids picked up from the hospital. The rest of the afternooon I endured off tune Karaoke, scattered art projects, and dress up, as a total of 6 little girls ran wild. I did calm them down for a while and we watched, "Ghandi". I love that about girls Vs. boys. They have the ability to chill and watch family movies for a while. I have never had any luck getting boys I tend to participate in chilling.

About 4 p.m. one of the dozen ward members I had invited over to our heated home actually came. Radisha, a Floridian, and new student this semester at Buff state. She is brand new here and was a little frightened about a power outage all alone. It wasn't long before our power started shutting off, though . It scared us twice for a half hour but luckily always came back on. About 7 p.m. I noticed that the heat was no longer coming on, though and we were down below 60. No problem for us. We always keep it about there, but with our guests I was setting it at a very generous 68.

I figured the pilot light had gone out. I had no idea what that meant but had heard lots of other people here mention pilot lights going out. Brent was home by now from school, but suffering with the flu in bed, his notes for a big test tommorow, scattered around him. I tried to rouse him, without luck. He kept saying, "I have no idea, I have no clue".

Finally when the girl's father came back from the hospital to pick them up I asked HIM to help me figure it out. We couldn't. So finally, desperate, I roused my man from his sick bed again saying "Please go to the basement and work on the heater." He got it going, of course. I knew he had an idea.

Radisha crashed on our couch. Brent got up at 3 a.m. feverish looking for more Ibuprofen. He found our guest coughing and shivering in a freezing living room. What is up with our heater? I had told Radisha to sleep in Savannah's bed upstairs and had all the blankets up there. I guess she got tired studying on the couch and never made it, falling asleep with one little blanket.

Once again Brent lit the pilot but by morning it was out again. He went down again at 6 and lit it one last time. He said he insulated it with rag to keep it warm so it wouldn't go out again???? That makes no sense to me but so far our heat has been working. (Still have my fingers crossed though)

Poor Brent had a horrible night for the second night in a row, got very minimal studying done, and is currently taking a test that he is sure to fail. He would rather take it sick and flunk I guess than make it up later. It is hard enough keeping up, and no one wants to get behind.

The DAMAGE: Minimal- I have seen a couple of neighbors trees that snapped in the wind, a couple strips of new siding on the house across the street blew off, and our back fence was flapping in the wind, half the day. This fence keeps the neighbors pit bull out of our yard, so I was very grateful to see it repaired before the day was over.

Overall we fared very well for our latest Buffalo storm. I made a new friend, Radisha, who is now Caroline's best friend. She is volunteering to stay here with them when we go to have the baby. She is wonderful and we had fun hanging out last night while Brent lay sick in bed.

I just didn't get the relaxing snow day I was looking forward to when I first turned on the morning news. Boo Hoo!

Winner of the Mustache Challenge

Can you believe no one else could last more than three weeks? What a bunch of sissies! -Brent


I like how Brent slipped in that it ONLY took him 3 weeks to grow this manly mustache. You can't believe how often in that time I find him

Checking Himself Out!

(And he posted this himself so you know he is quite proud of it.)

I am afraid we are stuck with this one for a while even though you're suppossed to shave when you are the last man standing. Whoever is complimenting this new look and contributing to the mustache ego, PLEASE STOP!

On Sunday night he was bragging to us how thick and bushy it has gotten in Just 3 Weeks! I reminded him he is closing in on 40 and he has been able to grow a mustache for over 20 years now!

But, I'm glad he's having so much fun. If mustache contests help the dental students survive the daily grind then I'll put up with it once in a while. I still think your handsome, btw, Brent.

Gotta include that because sometimes I feel just a little bad about giving Brent grief in a public forum. I want all readers to know that he is just as fabulous and loveable as your husband. This is just my way of declaring it.

And I guess we need to give the guy a break. Bald guys should be allowed more liberties with facial hair since they don't have many options up top.

-posted by Kashann, the next morning

Death of a prophet

President Hinkley our loving prophet died last night, Jan. 27th at the age 97. I heard this morning from a phone call from a friend. I remember the exact moment I found out about the death of each prophet during my lifetime, Spencer W. Kimball -mom woke us up one morning with the news. And then Ezra T. Benson and Howard W. Hunter passed away while I was attending Ricks College. Everytime with the news, I have felt a burning testimony that they truly were a prophet of God, and also great joy that we live in a day when wonderful men are called to speak for God on the earth. Every time he spoke I knew it was all true. This morning as I cry a little and remember this great spiritual giant, the spirit once again affirms to me that he truly was a prophet of God.

I loved Gordon B. Hinkley. He was optimistic, energetic and truly a great man in every way. I am so happy that he is now able to reunite with his beautiful wife. I hope I never forget the wonderful prophet's great legacy he has left to us and that I might daily strive to follow his counsel to "be a little better".

Ratchets

After the ice cream let down, I left Brent in charge, and took off for a visit downtown. On the way I picked up my 72 year old visiting teaching partner, Janice Snyder. She is a cayuga indian, blind, on dialysis, and just had a heart attack and surgery three weeks ago.

She was happy to join me in freezing weather for a night downtown visiting. And although she is blind she gives me constant directions at every turn. She had me going around a roundabout twice tonight before she would let me turn. With everything that she has to complain about you think She Would, but she is one of the most pleasant people I know and I love being around her. As far as we could figure out tonight - she has been a member of the Buffalo Ward longer than any other member now attending. She joined in 1942.

After we got to the house, of course, my lights wouldn't shut off- Gotta love those Automated Lights. I popped the hood and unhooked the battery cable without any problems and the lights shut off. After the visit though I tried to hook up again with no luck. I am such a dummy, And I've never been shown how to even use a ratchet. I kept turning the ratchet back and forth with no idea if I was actually loosening or tightening for at least 5 min AND It didn't help that it was pitch black under the hood. I started praying that a nice gentleman with a solid understanding of tools would come by.

My prayers were answered quickly in the form of young man strolling by with a jug of milk. He quickly flipped the switch on the ratchet for tightening and I had everything hooked up in a couple seconds after that. (This has happened several times before with this car, btw - a nice man just when I needed him)

I came home though mad about the inconviences of my car. Then I had to endure a long instructional session to help me understand ratchet basics. When Brent is teaching, you are not allowed to make a peep, ask questions, or utter objections. Just zip it and listen to the teacher. And then we had to play the ratchet game. He turns his back on me and starts clicking the ratchet back and forth several times to confuse me. Then he hands it over, and I have to be able to tell if it is in the loosening or tightening position. I think I got it now. But I wish he was a more patient teacher. He actually called me Kennon a couple times, so I know he was pretty frusterated at my lack of teachability.



First of all.....I have tried several times to teach ratchetology to Kashann with no luck. I know exactly why my eldest daughter is about as teachable as a 50 year old mutt. Kashann actually has a long history with ratchets. My mom still has laughs about the first time I told Kashann to tighten a bolt on the farm. She turned and turned a bolt with a wrench without it tightening (There was a rusted-on nut on the bolt turning just as fast). My mom finally told her she needed to put a socket on the nut, so Kashann pulled a socket out of the box (without a ratchet attached) and stuck it on the nut, held onto it for dear life and kept turning the bolt with the wrench. Of course the socket just slipped around in her fingers which Joan really got a hoot out of, and thus began Kashann's history with ratchets.


Brent

I scream, you scream, we all scream

When the kids came home from school I had just finished writing something to post on the blog. Savannah read over my shoulder and said, "Mom that's not very nice." I was in a mood about the large portion of gas donated to the ward already that day running the car around for public transportation. At that point, I left the post unpublished to chase after kids. When I came back the whole thing had been deleted. Savannah says it was on accident, and while at first I was frusterated, the frusteration quickly turned to relief that she had saved me from posting something like that.
And here I go again, so I guess I will just switch subjects.

Brent came home early again tonight. It must be the ice cream machine calling to him.

We were still at dinner. I had made a wonderful winter meal -Homemade Chili and Cinnamon Rolls. He enjoyed them but no sooner was he through, than I found him pouring through his ice cream recipe book. He finally settled on chocolate and wanted my expensive bakers chocolate.

For about 10 minutes he stood at the stove stirring his chocolate and milk. Later I found him with the kitchen window open. He explained that he had just lowered the pot outside to sit out on the BBQ to cool. Five minutes later I heard an agonized holler. When he opened the window to get his pot it was no longer on the BBQ but slipped off and was now in the snow! He ran out and came back with still an inch in the bottom. Then he poured it into the machine, and hollered out again because he hadn't noticed that the ice cream bowl wasn't even in the machine!

He was able to save some once more by tipping the machine over and dumping it back into his pot. But, Alas, when he turned around to grab the pot a second later, it was gone again.

This time his frusteration was aimed at Kennon. She was washing dishes and as quick as lightning had swooped up the pot and dumped the remaining future ice cream down the sink! Brent stormed off after yelling a bit more. Kennon's feelings were hurt and she was crying.

Camille ran after him, also bawling, because now she wouldn't be having a bowl of ice cream tonight,

"It's the worst day ever because of you!", she screamed.

Why couldn't we just be happy with Cinnamon Rolls?

MLK Holiday

From the living room I caught this remark from Camille to Caroline as they were waking up this morning.

"Be good today, Caroline, because it is Martin Luther King's birthday and
we have to make his dream come true."

Then I came in and asked her what the dream was.

"It's that every girl and boy will be kind and good and not use fists to fight-Use Words."

Amen. I hope we all listen to Camille, and I can survive the monday off.

And then before I could stop her she ran up to the other dark bedroom in the house and turned their lights on singing Happy Birthday. At this point, I heard a couple angry older sisters use words -But they weren't kind.

By the way, I think MLK was the only subject the kindergarteners studied last week, judging from all the info she came home with everyday.

Hard to make out, but I managed to get a picture of Brent and 7 other buddies piled up on two kiddie sleds. Made for quite the Manwich.

Camille hitting the slopes in Orchard Park. After one time accidentally getting turned around, she started going down backwards everytime to avoid the blowing snow in her face.

Don't Make Me Look Bad

Here's a little message to all you Dental Students out there who may have a need for a babysitter. Kennon's now on the black market list for babysitters (I don't think 10 yrs old is quite the legal age yet). She babysat last night for one of the first times but I was a little dismayed at the pay she received. When she left I told her to only take $10 for payment but when she returned home she was holding $23. I said, "Hey! Don't you listen to your dad?" She said she was too sleepy to see how much money the boss handed her. She left home about 5pm and returned around 11 so that was close to $5.00 an hour. I was thinking around 2-3 dollars would be fine....especially for broke dental students. And to top it off, they even made a stop at Duncan Donuts on the way home to pick up a dozen donuts and a hot chocolate for Kennon to eat when she got home.

I guess this is ok if someone really wants to show their appreciation but it kind of puts a wrinkle in the fabric of the economic system of the Casper household. I mean, how good is it going to sound when I offer a cool five bucks to babysit while mom and dad go to the movies? Is $.25 to file my toenails going to cut it after that $23 windfall? I think not! It's akin to a tourist going to a third-world country and giving a beggar a couple of dollars when the average person there only earns $2.50 laboring all day in the hot sun. Who's going to want to put in an honest day's work?

Now to remedy the situation I'm insisting Kennon babysits another night for free for the generous aforementioned couple and then limits her nightly income to $10-15 total depending on the time worked and the quality of job done. Maybe when she's 12 she can think about upping her rate but then she'll have Savannah to compete against. As for now....let's keep this babysitting inflation in check. Times is tight ya know! (posted by Brent if you didn't already know){pleast vote on top poll}

Sunday Reflections

Life in Buffalo vs. Basin City, WA.

In BC I never stood on a dark scary street at 7 a.m. Sunday mornings hoping I didn't get frostbite through my heels before the Bus showed up.

In BC I didn't leave for church in either long johns or a helmet.

In BC Brent didn't have to stoop to riding the "Pooch". (Here he is on his real man's bike last summer with his mom)

In BC I wouldn't be getting my pajamas on right now to head to the church for a Sunday evening Pajama Party.

In BC we had a wood stove and I wasn't wearing my parka around the house just to keep from going numb.

In BC I was the choir director, primary teacher, Emergency preparedness specialist, and Merit badge counselor all at the same time but never knew REAL Church calling stress.

In BC when I had a baby I was back at church the next Sunday, instead of planning on a extended winter hibernation, starting on or about March 8.

In BC, I was plain old Kashann, and the only Sister Casper in our ward was my mother in law.

In BC we didn't have to be quiet Sunday mornings, as a neighborly courtesy, but could scream and honk at the kids to get in the car NOW!

In BC, when we invited someone over for Sunday Dinner, they knew that meant right after church even if that actually was lunch time.

In BC, we had family races around the trailer on Sunday evenings instead of grouping together in one small bedroom huddled around our electric heater.

In BC, we didn't get Sunday visits, but Sunday honks as car loads headed past the little trailer to Grandma's big house on the hill.

In BC, we ate like Kings on our plantation and never had to eat soft Aldi apples because they were cheaper than the good ones at Wegmans.

In BC, grocery stores had free bags and shopping carts.

In BC, I didn't get flipped the bird every time I cut someone off.

Good Old Buick

Last night I attended BOOK CLUB ( Around the ward this group is referrred to by some in the ward as the "future rich wives club" as we are all dental student wives) which lasted until 12:30 a.m. at Sara Taylor's house. We ate, laughed, and did everything but talk about," These is my Words" much to the annoyance of our BC president, Kristen.

I have had a blast living in Buffalo and hanging out with all these women who really live for girls nights, endless baby showers, and book club. Somehow I have come along way from the farm, where if girls nights were being held, no one ever invited me to them. I thought girl's night was enrichment meeting.

I especially like these fellow student wives, because they are mostly 20 something, and hanging out with them makes me feel years younger, and somehow I forget that I was married when someone of them were in grade school. Last night one of the ladies mentioned that this week her husband and her were celebrating the anniversary of their first kiss. WHoo, Whoo!


I think I 've been seriously jipped on this holiday and didn't even know other couples observed it. So I think we will start celebrating it right away, because after 12 years I can't remember the exact date but know that it was the end of January at Rick's College. The location of the first kiss was apparently forgotten by my husband since he ommitted it from his "Defense of the Buick" rant earlier this week.

The thing is it was played out in none other than the nostalgic piece of machinery parked in my driveway at this moment. How is it that 12 years, 5 kids, Fires, and many adventures later, we are still driving around the '93 Buick that started the whole thing off ?

(It wasn't Brent's car back then. He actually was forced to borrow the car from his mom, since she didn't want him taking his supra over the mountain passes)

Happy Anniversary Honey!

I am looking forward to a hot date tonight in the old relic.

Make your own Yogurt

I don't know why I am posting this since I am pretty sure that none of my readers are going to try this. I keep bragging to all my friends, "I can make my own yogurt!" and everyone is like, "cool, I am not interested". Finally I just have to get it out of my system and blog it. Sorry to bore male readers, working mothers, and everyone else who could care less if the Casper's make yogurt.

Well, we have to get the ice cream machine paid for, SO . . . we make ice cream every night! Well at least so far. The first night, we made the skim milk stuff and although it was very icy everyone loved it. Then last night we tried 1% chocolat milk and it was a little better but still nothing like the frosty we were hoping for. One more batch again last time turned out fabulous.
Homemade Yogurt , Washington frozen blackberries, and Splenda delivered a tasty Frozen Yogurt.

We're were so happy to make it home from our WA trip last August with a large cooler of blackberries, still slightly cold, from our farm. That might be why Brent drove so fast and made it in two days. They are so yummy and really make us miss the farm life. Thanks to all our WA relatives for keeping the apples, cherries, peaches, and blackberries alive in our absence.

Last fall my sister Ciana, who is actually more frugal than I, stayed with us and taught me how to make my own homemade yogurt. My kids used to get in huge yogurt fights around here because it goes way faster than I am willing to replenish it and no one ever got enough. Too many mouths to feed on our student budget. I am really looking forward to more great frozen yogurt, a way healthier option than ice cream. Brent has it figured out, of course, how many batches of ice cream it needs to kick out before his purchase pays for itself.

Here's the easy Vanilla Yogurt Recipe:
If your family devours $3 of Yogurt a meal you might want to give it a try.

Ingredients:
2 % milk
powdered milk
1 small plain yogurt (the first time you buy a new one)
sugar
vanilla

Add 1/2 -2/3 c. pwd. milk to 2 quarts milk. Heat in saucepan stirring untl the candy thermometer reads 180 degrees.

Take off stove, and add about 2/3 c. sugar (or 1/3 c. per quart of milk) and vanilla to taste. (Pour out one small container of milk before adding sugar and vanilla to serve as your yogurt starter next time, but you still need to add the Yogurt to this small container -This is your STARTER) Cool milk to 110 degrees.

Seperate the rest of the milk into yogurt containers adding about 3 T. yogurt to each quart of milk and stirring to mix through.

Keep yogurt in a warm covered spot for several hours until set ( or yogurt consistency. I like it pretty firm). I put mine in a large cooler and keep putting in quarts of microwaved hot water, exchanging every hour or so.It usually takes about 4 hours.

Refrigerate.

Do not stir yogurt when serving, to keep it from becoming runny.

As long as you make yogurt often, you can continue to use this starter and and make new starter everytime, and you won't have to buy any more yogurt.

What Brent wanted for Christmas

Our Very Own Ice Cream Machine!

Brent has talked about buying one of these for years, and finally did it a couple days after Christmas. He says we are going to start saving tons of money now we can make our own ice cream. We eat a lot of ice cream around here so he may be right.

There was a note on the front door when I got home from shopping that there was a package behind the house. I told Camille about it when I saw the note and the next thing I knew she was banging on the sidedoor and had rolled it all the way from the back yard. After Brent got home he was pretty upset to see his delivery lying in the living room on it's side with a large THIS SIDE UP on the side. We tried it out immediately though and it still worked. Need some better ingredients though. Our first batch was skim milk and Nesqwik.

Did I mention Target?

I already got what I need so I thought I would share. There is a very large section of girls-ladies shoes as low as they are going to go. Prices are mostly in the $2-5 range. I just had to go again today. I only bought one pair for myself ($5 Heels) but had to scoop up several for all the girls in my house.

When I got home, I blindfolded the girls and brought them into my room one by one. That way I could try them on their feet,and have any easier time guessing on the right size for their next B-days or Christmas.

I have never done the blindfold thing before, although I've contemplated it. They thought it was super fun. My girls are really into shoes and are perfectly happy to look forward to that for a birthday.

Oh, and make sure you go through the shoe box before you hit the store, so you know what you need. It would be easy to get carried away, speaking from experience. While I was there, all the other mom's were filling their carts with shoes. I even heard one call her sister to pick up some for her kids.

So, get them while you can and don't ever pay full price again! That's my philosophy. Even if you are at Target.

'Tis the season

End of January is almost my favorite time of year for one reason
-Clearance Shopping. 'Tis the season of incredible deals.

Actually the first of Feb is even better but then I can only find XXS or 3X, so most of us have to start a bit earlier. Whenever I go shopping I don't have the luxury of searching the store for cutest outfits ever or my favorite styles. It's all about sweet deals with the RED STICKER. Usually I wait for the red sticker on top of the red sticker deals.

Then over the next couple weeks I, of course, keep an eye out for additional reductions so I can return the items and get the difference. I see this as a way to make money, but Brent is not buying it.

The problem this year is -My girl's don't need anything! I stocked them all up last January, and we are like the magnets for hand me downs from the neighborhood and cousins. But there is always the shopping excuse of upcoming birthdays and Christmas.
On January 1st, I resumed my budget - the Envelope System -( after several months last fall of laziness and plenty of money in the accountitus -due to our student loan check. ) But a couple weeks ago I put away the debit card and am back on a strictly cash system.

After 12 years, we actually still have the same $75 clothing allowance for our family per month that we allotted when there was just two of us! We just haven't gotten any richer so neither has the budget. Major shopping months like these I rob from the grocery or misc. budget to make it through all the clearance shopping.

I wish I had a Clearance Only Envelope that was good and fat enough to encompass plenty of good deal shopping so I never had to walk away from a sweet deal.

Here's the breakdown on our Envelope System
Grocery -$300
Misc -$100
Piano Lessons -$60
Gifts- $50
Entertainment -$75 (for dinners out, dates, or family outings)
Personal spending for Brent and I -$30 each
Kids allowance $25 -$10 for K and S, $ 4 for Camille, $1 for Caroline
New Baby- -$75 (diapers, etc)

If you notice this doesn't include gas or household bills, but I don't see them needing the tight control that these others do. I mean I already keep the heat between 60-62% so not many other ways to cut costs there. Brent rides the bus/bike/moped instead of spend gas money on the car and I try to majorly limit my trips around the city. What else is there? Cable? Yeah, right!

Happy Shopping!

Boring

Does everyone understand that the reason this site constantly has a picture lag is because I am using an ancient laptop to post? I think the thing is going to give out on me soon. The fan never shuts off and often sounds like a car trying to get started. My camera won't upload on it. If you don't believe me, please come by and show me how. That's how Brent got involved in the blog in the first place, I NEEDED him, or at least his mac.

We didn't cancel

We aren't telling the kids, but you actually only have 24 hours to cancel a flight. So we are all going to WA including the brand new baby. As long as their trip is still in "jeopardy" though, we can hold it over them and keep them in line for the next three months.
To save some $$ we opted for the red eye on the way home, which will be interesting.

New Topic

How about Pregnancy then? Another favorite manly topic.
Just a quick update.

7 weeks left

Now weighing just over 160 (Brent keeps marveling at how dangerously close I am coming to his weight. Thanks, hun.)

Very bad Heartburn! -First time I have ever had this so I am blaming it on boys.

Carrying a very wild little guy judging from my sore right rib


Dead set on having a natural birth since the last birth did me in on epidurals. Brent agrees that me toughing it out is a way better option than him being Mr. Mom for 2 weeks while I recover from a spinal headache.

Can't decide on a boy name. I would rather name a girl and have so many ones left to use (help us out on our poll or leave a comment here, please. Additional ideas are encouraged, but please don't tell me you hate one that I've listed because you might wish you wouldn't have later when we name him that)

Have only visited the Dr. 4 times so far! That must be close to a record for the 21st century.

Never got the pregnancy glow. Been waiting for it for 5 pregnancies. Unless the glow refers to acne.

Finishing up the special BLUE baby quilt today.

Brent has 7 weeks to finish the nursery. Still got to knock out the false wall behind the new wall he built. If that makes any sense.

Now I have to find a flattering picture to show off the false glow on this 162 lb frame.

Recipes???

Is this what the family blog has come to? The last time I checked this was a family blog but somehow Kashann has taken over with her domestic duties. I figured since I'm the one to post the pictures and figure a good portion of this blog thing out, I should have a little say as to what goes on it but looks like that's not the case. I'll bet everyone can hardly wait for the next exciting index card to drop on here from Kashann's 3X5 recipe box. -Brent

Living across the county is tough

Does anyone else have a hard time making decisions? I am terrible. My latest agony is whether or not to fly all five (since it will be after March) of my kids and I home for a my sister's April wedding. I am going either way, but the kids ? ? ?

Alainna decided to be married right in the middle of Brent's spring finals, so not only can he not come along, but he also can't watch the kids. During finals I never see the man. But how do I ask my busy NY friends to watch my kids night and day when the father is still in town?

Well, we actually already made the decision and bought the tickets this afternoon. But no big deal. We bought 5 different tickets yesterday afternoon and canceled them all last night. So now I have another 12 hours or so to cancel the latest tickets. . . . . .

The kids were really putting on the pressure because they missed Candice's December wedding and I went without them. They are extremely close to their two youngest aunts Candice and Alainna and they hate missing flower girl opportunities.

I can't believe how fast and big my little family has grown. It really makes it hard when you want to drop by for an extended visit. We decided on two weeks, because it's the girls spring break the first week, and the second week is the wedding. Plus doesn't it make it worth the money to fly if you stay for a very long time? But the flip side is that it becomes very unworth the money because you are so tired of vacation by the time you come back that you wish you wouldn't have gone. Not to mention your WA relatives who can't wait to put you all back on the plane to get some order back in their own houses.

I don't think there would be any dilemna if my parents still lived in a humble doublewide rather than a new Bed and Breakfast Mansion. Sure the trailer was a little cramped, but at least they didn't have the bedrooms booked up at $250 a night.
Check it out at :

http://cameoheightsmansion.com/intro.aspx

And then my mother in law is living in her own small mansion in WA, but her nerves could probably handle a couple days max.

So I am looking for some quick advice, and if not then some generous offers from friends and family in WA to host a family of 6 on the weeks of April 16-30.

So much for a funny book. Today has just not been a funny day. I have been tired, worried, and over stressed by children and decisions.

BTW, we have snow on the ground again! :) I love it. I will really miss the weather when we leave Buffalo. It's crazy, because that is what I dreaded the most before coming here.

So, Brent's back on the city bus. The PUCH needs some more UPS deliveries anyway. I honestly can't imagine what it would be like to own vehicles that don't need constant tinkering.

AM I GETTING A LITTLE CARRIED AWAY WITH the BLOGGING? TWO IN ONE DAY! That ought to get rid of my fans.

This is MY blog

Brent gets on, here and there, but basically this is Kashann's blog.

As a new blogger, I'm still trying to decide which direction my blog is going to take.
????

One time I heard about a family having a funny book. This book was a record of anything that happened that would be great to tease someone about later. What a great idea, I thought. So I started the funny book for each kid individually in their baby journal/scrapbook.

But for sometime now Brent and I have been concerned about our own funny book. We keep forgetting all those funny things that we want to preserve for our personal history.
So I decided that first and foremost my blog needs to double as a family journal (to be printed later of course in a book.)

And you won't find a lot of inspiration on this site, ie. great decorating ideas, political discourses, or qoutes of the day -All the things that I love about many of the other blogs I visit, but I personally couldn't carry that off very well, since I am not much of a expert in any of those areas.

I would like to include recipes, however, since cooking is one of the homemaking roles I really embrace.

My family won't eat anything that comes in the form of a 9 x 13 -all in one dish. I try to disguise the names of the dishes -__________ delight, __________ dinner, ___________ divine etc. - anything to avoid using the word CASSEROLE! But it never works, I always get upturned noses. (Soups are the exception. They do very well with those.) But NO CASSEROLES, not even enchiladas!

This is way more work for the cook and dishwasher, when you can't just put those all in one dinners on the table. Instead you have three or four side dishes to prepare, wash, and store after meals.

So, today I am posting one of our family's favorite side dish recipes. I want to remember those good ol' standby's that we served consistently because everyone liked them. Here is our family's favorite rice dish that Kennon always requests for her birthday dinner. This was my best attempt to put it in recipe form since I never use one for it.

Rice Pilaf
Serves 6

1 handful angel hair, broken up in pieces
melted butter, up to 1/2 cube
diced onions, optional

Saute in pan, stirring constantly until noodles are browned.
In Rice Cooker or same saucepan combine:

1 1/2 c. rice
3 3/4 c. water
3 tsps chicken base (from Costco) or 3 chicken bouillion cubes
browned noodles and onions
additional salt to taste

Bring to boil, then simmer with lid on for 20 min.

Serve as a side dish with chicken, pork or fish.

Let me know if you like it. It's super easy and obviously yummy or I wouldn't be telling you about it.

In Defense of the Buick!

First of all....Kashann -Come up with some new material. All the comments about me and this lovely piece of sentimental machinery on this blog are getting rather stale. Maybe if she remembered that this was one of the last gifts my good father gave me (It was actually my only payment for me managing his orchard for a year) she would have a little more respect. Kashann can only think of the bad with this car while I cherish some rather fond memories.

Like the time she ran it completely out of coolant and continued driving it another 5 miles when a radiator hose broke. Funny how a flashing, beeping, bright red, shut engine off light can be thought of as merely a suggestion. A new hose and a little water and it was good as new...(except for the minor shimmy at stop lights and the knocking noise when cold which both started on that dreadful day).
Then there was the time Kashann ran it completely out of transmission oil going up a hill when a line came off--TWICE. The first wasn't so bad cause she pulled over when it wouldn't go over 5 mph. After fixing the line(sort of) and adding several quarts of oil the car ran like a top.

But the problem was the caked-on oil that covered the engine from this mishap caught fire a few weeks later when a spark plug wire shorted out. Luckily a couple of men working on farm machinery close by ran over and threw dirt on it. The car would've burnt to the ground then and there.

The second loss of transmission oil, up the very same hill, didn't turn out quite so well. This time Kashann was determined to reach the top no matter how slow the going was. That was the last time the car went over 35mph for quite a while.

The Puch would have given it a run for its money on a couple of trips we took to church in it.

That was when we thought the Multi-Purpose Scouting vehicle (what my priests used to call it) was gone for good. But noooooo. There were plenty more trips to farmers markets and camp outs pulling trailers loaded with apples and cooking stoves left in her. All it took was an ad by the local junior college looking for guinea pigs in their automatic transmission course. I was first to knock on their door and a few months later with a junk yard transmission installed for free she was back in action.

Now here she is in New York of all places.....possibly only a few hundred feet from her birthplace (GM Engine Plant nextdoor to us) with only one minor mouse hole in her seat but with a working heater. She's made several trips across the country since CBC did their thing, with just a few components replaced along the way.(They all came from the junk yard too-luckily there's one only about a mile from us here)

She's just about to turn over 265,000 miles. . . And so with tears welling up in my eyes I ask, why would anyone want to replace a nostalgic piece of our lives and junk this wonderful automobile? -Brent

How we get from here to there

We retired the puch for the winter or so we thought, but now in January the roads are clear, and we have some crazy warm weather. So Brent rides again. Anything to stay off the city bus I guess. Last year he rode the bus faithfully all winter. But after riding in style all spring, summer, and fall on his 1970's moped he has declared the bus HOT, STINKY, and in other words quite beneath him.

When he first acquired the puch last spring he could only get it up to 17 mph, but after many hours tinkering, and numerous UPS packages it now tops off around 30 (It's actually over 40). He even started wearing a helmet . It is pretty hillarious to see him start off the puch in the morning, pedaling the first block or so, often past our kids (and their friends) at the bus stop. He usually gets a lot of stares and several laughs. I am sure that Kennon doesn't appreciate it.

Speaking of Kennon her family consistently humiliates her. A couple days ago I picked the girls up at their grade school, parking in the circular drive, directly beneath Kennon's 4th grade classroom. Last year she used to say to me, "Hey, Mom I saw you park and come in," like it was a good thing.

Now she said, "Mom, can you PLEASE not park in front anymore. Everyone sees you get out of your car!"

"Yeah, and So?"

"Well mom, Our Car! It's embarrassing. Park around the side and come in!"

Now this sentiment brought me back to recall the times when my own mother would pull up to the curb after junior high softball practice with everyone (including the baseball boys) milling about and I would not even want to claim her. She could have driven our brand new suburban but No! most of the time it was the UGLY chrysler cordoba (or is it cordova?) that Dad only bought because he said it was "so classy!"

Now that was embarrassing. But what is so embarrassing about a '93 Buick Park Avenue? I mean, except for a few minor irritations, like the the fact that I have to unplug the battery under the hood to shut off the lights, didn't have a heater all last buffalo winter, has a mousehole in the back seat, and have to keep it under 10 miles per hour the first couple miles, the car runs awesome. But according to our oldest child, it needs to be in the junk yard.

Kennon is going to get her wish soon though. Thanks to the new baby. Although I do still have my scheming husband desperately trying to come up with a legal plan to fit all 7 of us in the Buick. The latest -According to NY law adults don't have to wear a seatbelt if they sit in the Back Seat. So anytime we go on a family outing, I can ride in the back seated on the floor, with a homemade harness, of course (exhibited in the Casper Family WA trip 2007 in an earlier post) to keep me secure, and we are good to go.

This is so much fun (making fun of my great husband Brent)! I hope all of you know how near and dear he is to my heart. Maybe I haven't done it enough on here so you don't know what I am talking about. The thing is he can really be quite valuable when it comes to blogging or preparing a talk. Brent just doesn't think like most people. You see, I figured it out- He is just so much smarter than the rest of us and so some of his plans seem quite unique and even somewhat crazy by the general public, (ie. the double decker buick.)

Last fall I spoke in Stake Conference, and was all pumped looking forward to it with the humorous talk I had written. The night before, our stake president gave a speech about marraige and said we should never disparrage our spouse in public! Whoa! Well, there went all my good jokes.

But don't worry. He is my Sunday School teacher and gets me back Frequently. But keep in mind everything we say is told with great love and admiration. :)

By the way, Brent will be on here soon, because his computer has all the pictures I need for this post. DARN! So he will read . . . and probably tell you how I got it all wrong. Whatever!

Just a little something I picked up on the way to church this morning!

We may be the 2nd poorest city in the nation but apparently our streets are paved with $ cash$. (Brent found a $100 bill last spring, and now I also had my own lucky day)
Here's the story:
Once upon a time Brent and Kashann moved to the city. They lived a happy comfortable life until the sad day came that Kashann was called as the Relief Society President of Buffalo.

Now every other Sunday morning she was compelled (by her wicked husband) to set off on her bicycle, tucking her skirt up behind her, to travel the 6 miles downtown to her early sunday meetings. Now Kashann was slow to grumble at first but after several months of pregnancy she was happy to see the snow cover the roads so she could easily justify paying $1.50 bus fare to go downtown.

The morning of Jan 6 started off like any other Sunday. Kashann left her home at precisely 7 a.m and walked the 2 blocks to catch the bus. Forty five minutes later she jumped off at the city mission-that was her stop. She would've been across the street and safely into the church in 5 minutes, were it not for a pink sign written on the sidewalk below her that caught her attention . It read, "Trust Jesus". Right on top was lying a a $1 dollar bill, which she quickly picked up and stuffed in her pocket. Three steps later, more religious graphiti and again another $dollar bill$.

This story is getting a little long, so I will get to the happily ever after part. The first two one dollar bills were just the beginning. By the time Kashann made it to church she had found 30 single one dollar bills spread over half the block, in the mud, bushes and on the street. The only thing that made her abandon her search was a single dark man pulling over, rolling down his window and calling to this mistress in distress. She ran off at this point but brought the whole family back after church where we found 7 more $1 dollars$. (Kennon stayed in the car fuming humiliated that her family was scrounging in the bushes)

$37 dollars ! Not bad for a sunday morning. The End.

Brent is seen here trying out his new Christmas present at the "Rainbow Rink." (Brent swears its called that because of a couple of fellows that were skating with the grade school kids at 4pm) Kennon, Savannah and him got rollerblades from Santa. He keeps trying to convince me to put his on and go get some exercize. I think he has a hard time remembering that I am 7 months pregnant. I tried ice skating last week, but only was on the ice for a second before deciding it was a bad idea.

Our Christmas Morning 2007

We love just having a holiday all to ourselves. I didn't personally open any presents except for one's from the kids, but hardly noticed. The best present of all was coming home from WA the night before to a spotlessly clean house. Thank you, Thank you, Brent.

Christmas Piano Recital
Savannah and Kennon waiting their turn to perform at a piano recital at Majeroni's. Kennon is a student of Krystal King.
Savannah studies with Britta Bennion
(seen in the background with her husband Jason).
After 3 years of fighting me, Kennon recently admitted she now loves piano and is playing constantly. Savannah begs me to let her quit and put her in a "different sport". Sorry, Not gonna happen.

Missing Washington

Here's the card we sent back to friends and family in WA so they would know what a "blue christmas" we would have without them. Easiest christmas picture to take ever! No need to get everyone smiling at once. Just catch them doing what they do best.

It took a day and a half to get a genuine "blue" picture of each of them after coming up with the idea. For Camille and Caroline all it took was announcing it was bedtime. Savannah had her finger slammed in the door and Kennon tripped and fell landing with her back smashed on a tree ornament. From experience I can tell you -Kids get MAD when they run to momma for sympathy and she whips out her camera. Finally when we got the final shot, I apologized and explained why the camera kept coming out.
"It's OK kids, we aren't mean parents, it's just for the Christmas Card!"

Like that helps. Camille asked me to please send a princess picture of her next year.

Getting high

I think that must be what caused us both to simultaneously sit down at our laptops and start blogging-(After a couple months) ! Brent just glued on our counter top and it is really strong in here. Yesterday he cut the countertops and it was so stinky from the grinder that I had to shut myself away in the upstairs bedroom most the day.
Anway I am sitting at the computer and decided that I finally felt like checking on my blog. I sent the address out with our christmas card this year, with plans to keep it up, but then have had no interest in it. So I checked and some of you have been dropping by. Ooops! , but thanks so much. What a great way to keep in touch.
So our christmas vacation is still going on. We have spent almost the entire two weeks(I flew to my sister Candice's wedding just before Christmas in WA) holed up in our 1,100 square foot home here in freezing buffalo. Lots of lazy time, but Brent has also been quite the handy man here and there. He built a baby room -that was my christmas eve suprise that I found upon my return to our home. Not only had he taken 2 finals in my absence, took care of our four kids, but also built the nursery.

I had no idea. You probably have no idea where another bedroom magically can materialize out of 1,100 square feet. (My walk in closet was expanded and my room got shrunk.)

I am so happy to have a nursery! I had already overzealously repainted Kennon and Savannah's room from pink to blue and planned on making them share with their baby brother. It's ok though because one of my favorite activities is painting. I can be 6 months pregnant, decide to paint a fully furnished room, move it all, paint, move it all back by the time the kids and Dad get home. This is the only way to do it -MYSELF, because if I tell anyone they will try to talk me out of it. I am actually the brilliance behind the closet extension but Brent had said no way- he was totally through knocking down and building walls. I guess he really does love me.

Other christmas presents included a DISHWASHER!, DISPOSAL! and new countertops -(the glue making us high right now- I do have a window open and sure hope that is enough for my little guy). Welcome to the 21st Century Kashann! After enjoying it for 2 days I have determined to never go with out again.
So as I mentioned we are simulateously blogging here. I think I will post and see what he has come up with.

We made it through the holidays! And it wasn't easy with Kashann leaving two days before finals ended and not returning till Christmas eve. Taking care of four little women is not my idea of a Christmas BREAK. I even babysat an extra girl on Sunday. You should have seen me fixing the crew lunch......a waffle iron in the dining room, eggs on the stove, and water boiling for hot chocolate. The idea was to cook the eggs and then make the waffles while we sat at the table. I kind of kept getting ahead of myself by waffling up the iron and throwing the eggs on at the same time. By the time I ran to turn one or take it off, the other had burned. I charred the first three batches of waffles as well as both batches of eggs. Then when I turned the stove on to heat the water I lit the wrong burner. Unfortunately the foam egg carton was sitting there and ignited instantly, sending flaming eggs rolling everywhere.

Needless to say I was very happy to have the woman of the house return to her kingdom. I now feel like I've been in this house more in the last two weeks than the previous 4 months combined. Many projects were started but with only two days left of vacation I have yet to finish a single one. I started an upstairs remodel to make way for the baby which included building a wall and door, taking about 4 feet off of our bedroom, and knocking out a false wall to give us a 7X10 foot closet/nursery. I'll make sure I sound-proof well. That along with a good set of earplugs will guarantee a good night sleep for me at least.

Guess who never has to do dishes again. That's right....I made a deal with the ladies that if I got the dishwasher installed, my name would permanently be removed from dish duty. It turned out to be a bigger job than anticipated though since my plan changed from making a portable dishwasher to just ripping out a few drawers to moving the sink cause it wouldn't fit to finally replacing the counter tops cause they weren't wide enough. I even went the extra mile and put in a disposal. Don't let Kashann complain about not getting any presents cause it would have been much easier and cheaper to just go to Macy's. -Brent