My new obsessions

First of all, I know I haven't written for awhile. I just haven't had the time. It seems like every day, I think of something I could come here and write, but life has been crazy and I fall onto the couch or my bed each night in a zombie-like state, barely even able to think a coherent thought, much less write one. I felt like such an idiot a couple of days ago...on Thursday morning, Justin asked me about something that he said we had talked about the night before, and I didn't remember it. Not one little nugget of the conversation. He rolled his eyes, looked at me like I was an alien, and said "Mmmmm-ooo-mmm!!! You were on the couch watching Survivor and I said (blah blah blah) and you said (blah blah blah). You don't remember that???" No I didn't remember that. I told him that if it's dark and he sees me on the couch, he can pretty much count on me not remembering something we talk about, because by the time I am on the couch, I am done.

Sooooo...all that to say that I have been tired. Too tired to write, and that rarely happens.

But, I have once again been 'nagged' to write here. Thankfully. So I am writing. This post is going to be about a couple of different random things.

I titled this my new obsessions and I will tell you why.

First of all, I have written here before about watching sunrises from my kitchen window. And wow, there have been some incredible ones lately. I have taken lots of pictures of them, and every time I do, I wonder if any of my neighbors see me on my deck with a camera pointed at what seems to be their house and wonder what the heck I am doing. But, I can't stop. Every day, I now find myself looking to see what the sunrise looks like rather than randomly glancing out the window and noticing it. Somedays, it's cloudy and I can't even see the sun, but on other days, I am privileged to witness this:









As I watched this sunrise last Thursday morning I wondered to myself what better way can there be to start a day than watching such beauty unfold from your kitchen window?

I am also becoming obsessed with sunsets. I watch sunrises from my kitchen window, and sunsets from my front porch. Yesterday evening, Rachel was outside with a few of her friends, and she had my cell phone. I went out on the porch to ask her to give it back to me, and as I walked out the front door, I stopped in my tracks. These pictures are not even close to how beautiful the sunset was, but here they are anyway:





Of course, I'd much rather be watching a sunset with my toes buried in some warm sand, but since this blog is about appreciating what I have...I am appreciating what I have.

Now, onto my second new obsession. Just as pretty, but better because it's edible!



Those are homemade marshmallows, and oh my...that's all I can really say...OH MY!

I've made them twice now. The first batch never even made it out of the pan, cut into cubes and rolled into powedered sugar because the kids and Tony kept digging them out of the pan and eating them with a fork. Of course I didn't do that...oh no, not me! But by the next day, they were gone. This week I made them again, and they were even better the second time. And I did manage cut them into chunks and coat them with sugar...and I also managed to have several cups of hot chocolate with 2 of these yummy confections floating on top.

Just in case you're not totally sick of reading about marshmallows, I will go on some more about them.

I think it's no secret that I love to cook and bake. I have my tried and true simple stuff, and also some not so simple stuff that I like to dig my hands into. Sometimes, I want to make something that makes a big mess and requires lots of chopping, etc. Sometimes, I have the urge to make something I've never made before, just to try it for fun. A few years ago, I made homemade chocolate cupcakes with homemade buttercream frosting. I'd made plenty of cakes from a box, and I'd made homemade frosting only once or twice, when I made my grandmother's carrot cake. Sometimes, while these "experiments" turn out great, I end up realizing that it was more trouble than it is worth. Like the chocolate cupcakes. They were good, but didn't taste a whole lot different than Duncan Hines.

However, sometimes, I hit upon something that the homemade version is so much better than the not homemade version, that I have a hard time using the not homemade version any more. For instance, homemade frosting. I don't think I've used canned frosting since that first time I made buttercream. Homemade frosting is so easy, and so much tastier than the canned stuff. I used to always make sure I had a good supply of frosting in my pantry, and now, I make sure I always have ingredients on hand for homemade.

I think homemade marshmallows may be one of those things that turn me into a homemade food snob. Not really, but really...they are that good. They aren't hard to make at all, just a bit time consuming and messy. Very messy. But worth the time and the mess. Thankfully, one batch makes a ton of marshmallows. I can't wait to try them out on 'smores. Maybe tonight I will make a fire and we'll try it out.

Onto the next random thing...my co worker Megan gave me a new winter coat! Well, not new, but gently used. I love it! I have always admired this coat of hers, and she brought it to work the other day, telling me that she was tired of it as she'd had it for several years, she bought a new coat and was going to donate it to Goodwill. But then she remembered how much I have always liked it, so she decided to give it me instead. Is this me or is this me???




And that fun, twisty scarf I wrote about a few weeks ago? I'm almost finished with it! I have only about half a skein of yarn left to go. I love how it turned out, and it looks so cute with that pink coat.

Gosh, between homemade marshmallows and a fun coat, I might actually be looking forward to winter!

(Did I really just say that???)

Finally, I've had some proud mom moments lately. Lauren tried out for the high school basketball team last week, and after some setbacks and disappointments, she made the freshman team rather than the JV team. She was hoping to make JV, and she is definately good enough to make JV, but she didn't for several reasons. It has been a bit hard for her because two girls that she has played with on other teams for years did make the JV team. I know it has to sting, but she is handling herself and the situation so well, truly making the best of it, and I am so proud of her.

Weeks ago, I said that everytime I posted here I was going to write out a list of all the things I am thankful for that day, and I haven't done that. So that's how I'm going to end today's post.

I am thankful that my husband is home after a looonnnnggg week of being out of town.

I am thankful that so far, we have had some beautiful weather that hasn't been too cold yet.

I am thankful for the awesome friends that my kids have whose parents treat them like family.

I am thankful that we are going to be able to spend Thanksgiving with Tony's family this year.

I am thankful that my work load has lightened a bit.

I am thankful that while the past months (heck, the past 2 years!) have been hard on our family, we are hanging in there and doing the best we can