how to make the yummiest stuff on earth:

okay folks... here's the secret family recipe for some deliciousness. i don't really have a name for the candy. some people call it sponge candy or angel candy or chocolate-covered honeycomb... i just think that its my most favorite stuff to make around the holidays : )

here's the ingredients:

1 cup sugar

1 cup dark corn syrup

1 TBSP vinegar
1TBSP baking soda

first ya combine the sugar, syrup, and vinegar. in a saucepan and cook it over med. heat, stirring, until the sugar is dissolved:

continue cooking, without stirring, until the mixture reaches 300 degrees Fahrenheit on a candy thermometer:it gets really bubbly and looks like soda bubbles:once it hits 300 degrees, remove it from the heat and gradually stir in the baking soda:mix it well and it starts to look like this: pour it out into a lightly buttered pan. dont spread it out... just let it be:let it cool. then take a hack at it and break it into pieces:looking good:
next step is to dip those pieces in some chocolate:

for sure my favorite part:

lay the pieces out on some wax paper and you're good to go. yummers!if ya wanna get really fancy shmancy you can melt up some white chocolate too and get funky!

enjoy! : )

betty crocker ain't got nuthin on me. HA!

random awesomeness

my daughter is an abstract artist... this painting actually has her name in it. but its not exactly in order.... hmm.

tiggerrrrrrr

these guys stare right at me whenever i'm on the computer... they kinda creep me out sometimes. clay set up the x mas village this year. he did an excellent job!
mom got the kids gingerbread cookies from a fundraiser that tri-valley haven was having. sometimes mom does some pretty cute stuff...she got juni and avery each one too : ) random arts and crafts... we tend to get a little more crafty this time of year.chloe's creative juices were definitely flowing... check out what she made:

ahhh! pets gone wild!!!

me and clay had a "gingerbread house making" date. it was the radness!

clay's masterpiece

...and mine

the nutcracker

miss chloe valentina and miss juniper sky were in the nutcracker on sunday. they were peppermints and pretty much the cutest things you ever did see : ) the show was awesome and the girls did a fantastic performance!

all dressed with make-up and hair done.


lemme just say one thing about chloe's hair... the dance nazis told me that i HAD to put chloe's up in a slicked back ponytail because they have this wierd complex about having all the dancers look the same. wierd. but yeah, chloe's got pretty short hair so i basically used up an entire bottle of gel trying to make her hair stay back. it was quite an ordeal! then i had to put fricking makeup on her . she was a trooper though...


chloe & juni

chloe is freeeeezing in this picture! it was a cold morning.

here they are:

grandma gave chloe some flowers after the show!celebrating a fabulous performance

: )

random events

we like to rake leaves in the dark
and climb trees

chloe had her first soccer party. man was she stoked to get her very first trophy! pizza party!!

cuddle time with uncle

happy 22nd birthday bro! chloe wrapped up one of her favorite dinosaurs and gave it to her uncle

love

my wonderful cake creation

yumm-o

rainy days are our fav

clay playing some football in the rain

good catch!