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 At that point, I left the post unpublished to chase after kids.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