Traditions in the making?

I have been REALLY into baking lately. Maybe my crafty, home-maker side has finally come back after a nearly 2 year sabbatical (it began with the moment I found out I was pregnant. I figure I was doing my own kind of “baking”) OR it is my way of vicariously enjoying delicious baked goods without actually consuming them. Either way… I enjoy it! Hopefully those who are the benefactors do also. I secretly have hoped, as a planned out treats for holidays, that they would become a tradition. Something that everyone asked for EVERY year!

With this being said, I thought that for Easter this year I would take upon myself the role of creating Bunnies, Easter Eggs, and Chicks Cake POPS! I had no clue what I was getting myself into, but I knew that the outcome WOULD NOT DISSAPOINT. Well… I dare say they did. My hours and hours of hard work, tedious details, precise measurements, and a few cuss words (in my head of course!) somehow did not present the masterful masterpiece I had anticipated.

I had planned to make 3 different flavors of cake. Mint chocolate for the bunnies, Yellow for the chickies, and lemon for the eggies. BUT, after seeing that 1 batter of cake= 40 cake pops.. I decided to only do 2 different flavors. So, lemon and yellow it was (I had already mixed up the batter for those.) I also thought that it would be GREAT if the pops were just a little bit bigger than suggested… so I made them bigger, let them set, then attempted to dip the over-sized pops in melting chocolate. I quickly learned that there is a reason the pops are only supposed to be quarter size balls. SO.. I deconstructed, re-rolled, and re-froze them.

As I waited for them to set up I got all of my decorating goodies ready to go! This is the step I was the most excited for! Well… after dipping for HOURS.. I was not quite as excited as I had once been to decorate. I found that with each chickie beak and bunny ear that I “glued” into place my spirits were lifting. I was completely ready and happy to begin the decorating of the eggs! I began applying the extra melted chocolate to the eggs and rolled them different colors of sugar. Nothing stuck. So, I tried again. NOTHING. I started to loose hope and panic that these were not going to be ready for Easter morning. I ran down the the nearest grocery store and bought some Karo Syrup, got one of my tiny, unused lip brushes and began painting the eggs with Karo syrup then dipping them in the colored sugars. Worked like a charm. Only problem is I was up until 2:30 doing this.

Now, you can imagine that after all of this that I was pretty excited to see how my little pops were accepted! The verdict was… NOT WELL. I found one of my half eaten chicks in the garbage. So, I think it is safe to say that next year I will NOT be making these, and this has NOT become an Easter tradition. I am sure I will come up with another crazy idea to try out next year though!

So…  with further ado.. THE cake Pops.

 

*Setting up in freezer

*Drying after the melting chocolate bath (Notice how the clock says 4:41…. This step was scheduled to be COMPLETED at 12:00.. Ughh)

*Finished product. I do have to say that I LOVE how the bunnies and chickies are playing hide-n-seek!

*Here is a better view of the detail work

*And this is what made it all worth it!

Sweet Home Alabama

If I would have seen this video before I left on my mission, I would never have believed it.  In a wonderful kind of way, it makes me feel at home.

I miss Alabama . . .

Man Things

Summer = Man Things.  Exciting, dirty, outdoor, use-your-hands, make you sweat and smell like dirt and oil Man Things.  The kind of things that make you feel worthwhile, capable, and filled slightly with adrenaline.  Allow me to make a list of just a few of my favorite summer Man Things:

1. Mowing the lawn
2. Building/assembling furniture
3. Sawing things (most anything)
4. Golf (I am still not good at this one, but will be one day)
5. Random fix-it projects around the house and yard
6. Dump runs

The ULTIMATE Man Things are those that allow you to do a combination of any of the above list.  Last week, I was able to do get in an outstanding combo.

My best friend, Andy (aka BEF), is in remodeling mode.  He and his wife bought Andy’s grandma’s house last year and are working hard to bring it into the 21st century.  A few weeks back, over an outing to the Taco cart near Sear’s in SLC, he made comment to me that he was going to get someone to switch out his old electrical outlets and replace them with new GFI outlets.  I could just feel the excitement of Man Things creep in.  “I’LL DO IT!” . . . and I did.  It was great and it revived my motivation that was in “It’s winter and I live in Provo and don’t do much” hibernation.

This motivation lead to the recent removal of THESE:

   Well not THESE exactly, but similar tin awnings that adorned Andy’s windows.  Hip in the 70’s, but (sorry Granny) not so hot no mo.

And the dismantling of THIS:

Our load was large and we were ready hit, none other than, THE DUMP!  Butter my butt and call me a biscuit, I was PUMPED!  I hadn’t been to the dump since last summer and I could just hear the seagulls flying overhead and smell the years of rotting garbage.  Then something terrible happened . . . A few of our local Hispanic friends (aka, el amigos) randomly pulled up and asked “Tin for free?”  Caught completely off guard, Andy said yes and within 4 minutes they had every last piece GONE!  My Man Things combo died . . . BUT not for long.  Andy’s parents were utilizing the joy that is Free Spring Cleaning Dump Week and needed some additional help disposing of old mattresses, a couch, gardening things, and a porch swing.  The next day, Andy and I answered their call!

THUS, Dump Run!

You may not understand it, but I don’t care.  I love the dump.  I have loved the dump for years and love it even more each time I go.  I love the sounds and even the smell.  My name is Greg Larsen and I love the Dump.

Going to the dump with the right PERSON is as important as going with the right EQUIPMENT.  You see, if I went with just any other old stick-in-the-mud type personality, I wouldn’t have enjoyed Dump Shot Put like I did with Andy.  This TV made for an excellent target. . . . PS. I made the first bulls-eye.

There are also RULES to the dump.  Such as, DON’T throw away your Preach My Gospel manual!  It just ain’t right.

ALSO, don’t try to pull a fast one on the Dump workers when showing them your ID to get you in.  On run #3, we put Tracy to the test by showing her my CENTERVILLE license.  She gave us a stern “no”, but then we congratulated her on a successful ID check.  She didn’t laugh.

All-in-all, I think the Dump is swell and valiantly holds a Top Ten spot in my Favorite Things About Summer list.  Here’s to you Dump.

Vicarious Indulgences

Picture some of your greatest indulgences.  Picture a dense, moist chocolate cake with rich chocolate frosting.  Picture a hot and cheesy Chicago-style pizza with sausage and fresh tomato marinara.  Picture the best thing you have ever eaten, EVER, and picture yourself eating it right now.

Picture yourself walking into the mall and walking out with everything you even THINK you want.  Think of new furniture and that cool new electronic you really want.  Think of leaving tomorrow for your favorite vacation spot and spending two full weeks.

Think of your greatest indulgences . . . then INDULGE.  Over the past couple of months, Megs and I have been able to do this on a consistent basis.  We want it, we indulge it. . . vicariously. . .

Vicarious: \vī-ˈker-ē-əs, və-\ Experienced or realized through imaginative or sympathetic participation in the experience of another.

That’s right, we indulge vicariously.  Let me explain:

Over the past few months, Megs and I have really made an attempt to make healthy decisions.  This was kicked off by our annual observance of Lent in which we give up all things sugar, soda, and fast food.  This then lead to a fairly structured regiment of daily foods that obviously did not include most of life’s AMAZING and craveable comfort-style foods.  So, how have we coped? . . . Food Network.  Ina, Giada, Bobby, Paula, Guy, the Neeley’s, Throwdown, and DDD to name a few.  If you think hard enough, you can ALMOST taste it.

While awaiting “an income”, our observance of the budgets are bigger, hairy, and more ominous than before.  Though we’re kickin’ it frugal style, we still pine.  So being, my wife has come up with an affordable way to rectify this want: online shopping and the delete button.

Last week I walked in on Megs finishing up yet another “shopping spree” at BabyGap.com in which she racked up a bill of over $800.00.  At this same moment, Megs hit the “delete all” key on the screen, took a deep breath, and sighed, “There, I feel better.”  She did this same thing three days later. . .

Finally, we LOVE to travel . . . well at least we like to TALK about traveling.  Megs and I have a detailed itinerary for about 15 different and awesome vacations we would like to take one day.  Like, we have already sacrificed our large, future estate for the opportunity to travel the globe with our children.  So, how have we recently and vicariously filled this void?: 2am, a very sad 13 month old getting her molars in, two desperate parents, and strong desire to spend a week back East.

Just driving past the airport, watching all the people come and go, guessing on where they have been and where they are going just seems to do it for us.  Its almost like we are going somewhere . . . rather than just back home.  Airport=refreshing past time.

So, there you have it.  Take all of these things, sprinkle a daily dose of Jillian, and you have our life.  It may not be a glamorous life, but it’s our and, for now, it does just fine.     

Voodoo Momma Juju

Okay, I could waste everyone’s time by explaining why I have not blogged in a while, but that is officially LAME.  Long of the short . . . I’m back.

So, the other day I was playing with my adorable little lady . . . this is her.

We were in her room playing with her toys, dancing to the B-52s, and generally just enjoying ourselves . . . when I came across THIS

No no, look CLOSER . . .

Does this alarm you as much as it did ME? . . . Well it should have.  Why, you ask? . . . two points: Hogle Zoo and VOODOO!

Think about it, a couple months ago at the Hogle Zoo . . . the zebras . . . GONE.  Last week, the giraffe . . . DONE FOR.  And I think it is all Emmalee’s fault.  How?  VOODOO.  My little lady is mystically “shutting the door” on these poor animals.

Needless to say, if I were a tiger or frog at the Hogle, I’d be sniffin’ my food real good before my next meal.