Apple Pie Made Easy

One of Ryan's most favorite pies is Apple. I'm not a huge fan of it and always thought it would be too difficult to make so for many years I never tried. My mama always enjoys spoiling Ryan and makes him his very own apple pie at least once a year. Then my mom shared the recipe with me and I had no excuse but to make an applie pie as a good wife should. My favorite part about this pie is that it is so easy. The one thing that makes it is easy is that I use store bought crust vs homemade. I know some of you may think that is not the proper homemade pie etiquette, but I guarantee if you tried it you wouldn't know the difference. I have tried it both ways, as for many years my mama only made homemade crust, but I think the store bought crust is just as good and it takes half the time.

1 pkg of pie crust

Then.....

6-7 Gala apples (or the apples my neighbor picked and shared) peeled and sliced
1 1/2 Cups of sugar
1 Tbls of cinamon (give or take, I usually just add until I think it looks good)
2 Tbls flour or constarch
1 Tbls of fruit fresh (help keep the apples from turning brown)

Mix the above ingredients with sliced apples.  Pour mixture onto bottom pie crust (that you have already  placed in the pie pan).
Add 3 Tbls of margarine over sliced apples. Then add top crust and pinch sides together.
Make some slits on the top crust (or mark it with an M for Muhlig :) ).  Cover with tin foil and bake @ 375 for 1 hour, then uncover and bake for another 1/2 hour. It should be done at that point but check with a fork to make sure apples are not crunchy. Once removed from the oven, brush a bit of milk over the top and then sprinkle cinamon and sugar. Enjoy!

60 years on 8/22/10

My mom's 60th birthday was last Sunday. I think that is a reason to celebrate, however she was not on board. She was adamant she did not want a big party. She would have really much prefered that my dad take her on an Alaskan cruise (Yea, that didn't happen either). Since we knew it would be impossible to pull off a surprise party we just invited my mom's closest friends and we met at Bruffs for a late lunch last Sunday.

My mom's BFFs Brenda & Aunt Rosemary

Jacinda (Brenda's daughter), my sister, DeAnn, Cierra (Jacinda's youngest), and Kaitlyn (my niece). DeAnn & Jacinda were childhood best friends and now Kaitlyn and Cierra are friends.

Mom getting ready to blow out her candles.

Madelyn, my niece Aubrey, and Lakin (Devin's daughter)

Bryce (Devin's son), Jim & Brenda Kahle (Jacinda & Devin's parents and my parents BFFs). My parents and the Kahles all graduated from CGHS. My mom and Brenda have been best friends since before then.

Terry & DeAnn

Devin (Brenda's son), his wife Becky and my mom chatting. Devin is two years older than me and we were great buds growing up.

And this one is posted again because I couldn't get the dang thing to delete!

And Like That He was Gone. :(

A couple weeks ago we noticed a kitten living in the gutter across the street. I observed him/her for a few days and noticed there was no mama to be found and he/she was very, very thin. One evening Madelyn and I took post beside the gutter to see if we could get close to the kitty. I brought a bowl of milk to lure the kitty in and before long Madelyn was able to touch the kitten. This ritual went on for a few evenings and before long the kitten became "Jack" (we like to recycle names), and was living in the bushes beside our house and getting a daily dose of cat food. Although he would still venture over to the gutter because as we soon found out he had a sibling.

Madelyn looked forward to seeing Jack each morning and evening (as did I). We had warned Madelyn to not to get too attached because he would likely get hit by a car or eaten by our dogs. I tried to convince myself I wasn't getting attached either. One evening as I was returning from my run I noticed a lady sitting near the gutter petting "Jack." I tried to place my claim on "Jack" by telling her we were feedig him, and she soon went on her way. On Friday evening we did not see Jack when we got home, but I put food in his bowl anyway hoping he would return. This morning the food is still in the bowl and "Jack" and his sibling are nowhere to be found. I have a feeling that lady came back and took them home. I know "Jack" will likely have a better home with her and possibly won't have to fend for his life around cat killing dogs, but I have to admit I was getting just as attached as Madelyn if not more so.  I told Madelyn that "Jack" is gone and she stuck out her lip and pouted for a second and then went on about her merry little way, if only I could be that carefree. I should know better than to get attached to some animal. Living on a farm I learned quickly that what you love today may very likely be dinner tomorrow (don't worry we did not eat Jack).

Girl Scouts

With no encouragement from either Ryan or me, Madelyn decided to join Girls Scouts. Ryan signed her up yesterday and then told me he signed me up to volunteer at all the meetings. Thankfully the latter was a joke. Not funny to me, but Ryan thought it was hilarious.

I'm sure Ryan will be Madelyn's best customer when she is selling cookies. He will buy her out of the thin mints in no time.

Madelyn & Mama Day (rescheduled)

Pedicures

Lunch & Games at Madelyn's favorite place

Then it was off to Portrait Innovations for Madelyn's 7 year pics. That was a much longer process than we had hoped but the pics turned out darling.

We finished our evening at the Augusta city pool for Lincoln Elementary swim night.

Next year I'll make sure to check the school schedule before I plan Madelyn& Mama day so it doesn't have to be rescheduled.

Wordless Wednesday

First Day of School (that almost wasn't)

For several weeks now Madelyn and I had a mama and Madelyn day planned for Tuesday, August 17. I had scheduled pedicures, 7 year pics and lunch at Chuck E. Cheese. Both of us were looking forward to our day together. And then I got the phone call from Ryan on Monday afternoon telling me that Madelyn started school on Tuesday not Wednesday!! I'm not sure what we were thinking but we had both thought school started on Wednesday. Wouldn't that be something if a school administrator's daughter missed her first day of school because we thought school started another day. We rescheduled our Mama and Madelyn day and her first day of second grade went off without a hitch. Well except for the fact that her daddy missed our usual pics before school because he was at his school before 7:00am in the morning, and it was pouring rain so we didn't get the usual outdoor pics by the Lincoln Elementary School sign.

Madelyn reported that she had a GREAT first day in 2nd Grade!! She was so pleased that her pin was at the top of the board because she and one other child had the best behavior of the class for the day.

(This will be Madelyn's last first day of school in this school, as the new school being built should be ready to move into by the start of next year. )

And just because I love this outfit I had to take a picture of her on her second day of school.

This was supposed to be Wordless Wednesday

Mug Shot Monday

Soccer in the Heat

Last night was the first soccer practice of the season. At 6:00pm when practice began it was still sweltering hot, but thankfully kids are pretty much resiliant to the heat.



Madelyn moved up to arena soccer since she is a 2nd grader this year. I've heard arena soccer is more fun to watch than typical soccer. I'm sure hoping it is. :)

Fourteen Years

From this precious babe....


To this beautiful young lady.


Where has time gone?

It is hard to believe my very first niece is fourteen today. I remember the day she was born like it was yesterday. I was working at Bluestem Farm & Ranch in Emporia, KS. I was alphabetizing billing statements in the office when I got a call from my brother-in-law that I was an aunt for the very first time. I was in disbelief at first but soon realized he wasn't joking. Of course I started crying tears of joy. I was so excited to be an aunt! I was a basket case at work from then on, so much so, that they let me leave early so I could meet my new niece. I drove to JcPenneys to purchase a baby girl outfit and was soon on my way to the Morris County Hospital to meet her. It was love at first sight.

Happy Birthday to my most favorite fourteen year old niece, Kaitlyn Elizabeth!
We love you!

PS - Kaitlyn, even though you tower over me at 5'7" I can still whoop your hiney! :)

My Silly Must Haves

I'm not talking about the most important things in my life such as God, my family and my friends, I'm talking about the trivial things that I think I cannot live without.

In no particular order:
Chapstick - Carmex or herpecin (because I think it prevents cold sores)
Sunglasses - particularly in the summer because I hate squinting
Fan - I have to have the noise of a fan going while I'm sleeping
Ice - I do not like cold drinks without ice (well, beer is the exception)
Moroccan Oil - my hair is never the same without it
Flat Iron - my curly, frizzy hair looks much better straight
Running Shoes - can't run without them
Clorox clean-up - I love the smell, and it is my fav cleaner
Tweezers - I would have a full beard without them
finger nail file - I don't like long nails so I'm forever filing my nails short
Chocolate syrup - My fridge always has at least one bottle
Milk - I love choc milk on the weekend mornings
My happy pill - trust me, you don't want to be around me when I don't have it
cetaphil face wash - I use it every morning and every evening
Crest toothpaste - no other will do
A large mug of ice water by my bed at night - can't sleep unless it is there
My huge ghetto comb that I've had since High School

Just to name a few. :)

Princesses

See, our tomboy can be a girly girl! :)




Madelyn is spending the rest of this week in Council Grove enjoying time with her grandparents, cousins, aunts and uncles. Today Madelyn and Aubrey have been playing dress-up and will be heading to the Emporia water park this afternoon.

HOT!!!

Lucky us the temps are supposed to be a record high today!!

99 Baby Quail in a Brooder, 99 Baby Quail....

Take one out blow it up in the air, 98 baby quail in a brooder. Sing with me! :)

Well actually there were 105 baby quail in a brooder, but one died which leaves us with 104. But, I thought there were 100 to begin with and as I was singing that tune Ryan informed me there were 105. That kind of put a damper on the title and my tune but I decided to go with it anyway.

Ryan's annual quail farming has begun again. He picked up 105 week old baby chics last week, 25 of them are in a brooder in our back yard (yes we are the Clampits in town!!), and the rest are in a surrogator on the lease. So far, so good with the chics, except for one unforutunate one. The way I look at it, it is better to die young than grow up and get blown up by a shot gun. Take your pick, either way you're dead. Just saying.

Regardlesss of their fate, I still call them cute and want to name each of them.


This is the surrogator where most of the chics reside. It has automatic food and water and heat set up so the quail do not get used to human contact.




These two cannot wait for the day when the quail are released and they can hunt, and hunt, and hunt.



And this one cannot resist not having her picture taken every time I have the camera out.