Ginger Snap Cookies

I would love to say I make some of the world's tastiest Ginger Snap Cookies. (Ok - I've said that before.) But I can't take any of the credit. My mom has the best recipe in the world and definetly taught me this one! But, I haven't made them in ages and Cory requested them last Sunday. After I finished them up I was liike - wait a minute - why don't we make these all the time!?!?! I had forgotten how tasty they are (especially fresh from the oven!) I'm not sure if I've shared the recipe - but figured you might like it.

So here you go -

(Soft) Ginger Snap Cookies
3/4 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup molasses
2 cup flour
1 egg
2 tsp soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp ginger
1 tsp cloves
1 tsp cinnamon

Cream shortening and sugar. Add egg and molasses. Add sifted, dry ingredients. Roll in a ball about the size of a walnut and then roll in cinnamon sugar. Bake @ 375 degree for about 7-8 minutes.

The secret or key to these cookies is to not cook them for too long. You'll pull them out before they look done - but you'll want a few cracks along the top of the cookies.

YUM!

Some Pictures

I am not always great about getting pictures up here as I take them. I have hundreds (actually, probably thousands....) of pictures that don't make it on here because life creeps up and gets in the way. Anyway, here are a few from recent things.

Park with kids - A fun group playing at the park. Fun time with the kiddos. Hunter sure loves being a part of the group.

Gabe's preschool class took a fieldtrip last week to take a hike. We were getting ready to go out of town and so I didn't end up going with them, but from Gabe's report they had a great time. He's been having so much fun in his preschool class this year and just loves the friends, the activities, and his teacher.

Cory and I went to Vegas this past weekend for a conference (I'll post more about that later....) and it was great. We talked a bunch, felt inspired by speakers and other people's awesome experiences, ate lots of tasty food, saw the performer who was the lead musician in the group Styx (and he sounds exactly the same as the 70's - it was great!), and enjoyed each other. I got my picture taken with a former Boston Red Socks player (Foulke). We went to see The Lion King play and it was amazing. The music, the costumes - it was magical (thanks Cory!). We even hit the restaurant "Serendipity" that I have always wanted to visit in New York. Sadly, the service was HORRIBLE, and truthfully - the "frozen hot chocolate" taste like a watered down frosty....an icy, watered down frosty. We were disappointed. But at least we can say we tried it - right? We stayed at The Orleans hotel, and it was really a great deal. We were nervous to stay there because it was a great price - but the room was actually really big, good quality, and super clean. We were really happy with it and would recommend it to anyone. We appreciate those who helped watch our kids, we're grateful we got to spend some time with each other. It's always awesome to reconnect with a sweetie - right?

Anyway, I'm going to work on getting some more pictures up soon - but here you go with these couple of collages.

Layouts

Blog stuff

I had a couple of people email me or ask about my new blog background. I created it myself using a kit that will be coming soon (It's adorable - so stay tuned!). However, I kind of used another product to get the sizes right and stuff. Check out this line of "BLOGWEAR" at Elemental Scraps.

My last set that I had on my blog was from this set. I changed a couple of things, but for the most part I had used the set and her instructions that come with the set. I LOVE the instructions - they made the whole process so easy!!!

So this time I just kind of designed what I wanted to for the topper - but based on my past one, and used the size as a guide from the set. But truthfully - the blogwear sets make it SOOOOOO easy - I would highly recommend them!

Fred's Sweet & Sour Chicken

Many, many years ago Cory and I worked at a fun little place - Porter's - in Rexburg, Idaho. We have fond and not-so-fond memories of those years working and even living there (above the store). But I must say that aside from the valuable life lessons, business lessons, and accounting lessons I learned the single most important thing I learned was - the world's best Sweet & Sour recipe :). Fred was an employee of Porter's (and I'm sure he still is!) and he brought this amazing chicken to one of our Friday pot-luck lunches.

It's been a hit at our house and I figured I should probably spread the wealth. I know you'll all be jealous of my copy - because it's a photocopy off of a paper plate, but I am just going to type it out for you - so here you go:

FRED's Sweet & Sour Chicken

Approximately 3-4 chicken breasts
Flour
Johnny's Seasoning Salt (also my addition)
Several tbsp of butter/margerine - I'm sure you could use olive oil too....but the butter adds a great taste

1/2 cup chicken broth
1 tbsp soy sauce
4 tbsp ketchup
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup vinegar
garlic salt or fresh minced garlic (this is my own addition - and is optional)

1. Cut raw chicken into pieces.


2. In a bowl or bag toss chicken with flour and Johnny's Seasoning Salt to coat the chicken.


3. Cook chicken in butter. Brown the chicken.


4. Mix all of the other ingredients in a baking dish (I use an 8x8 Pyrex).


5. Add chicken and stir gently to coat.


6. Cook the chicken and sauce in oven @ 350 for 40 minutes.


7. Serve over rice.

(**Edited to add - tonight when we were eating Gabe said, "Mom - do you have the stuff to make this again tomorrow night? I really like it." That and the fact that he ate all of his just about made my whole day!)

Remembering.....

Cory was working in a different state from me and I had just moved into a new (dumpy) apartment in Spanish Fork. I was feeling sorry for myself because Cory wasn't around, and anxious about a new job I had just started. It would be my first day closing the store at Memory Lane as a manager by myself and I had only worked a time or two. I was laying in bed 1/2 asleep, and 1/2 awake when my alarm clock went off.

I seriously thought the sounds on the radio were a part of the dream I'd been having - the news reports were too scary to be real. As I began to sort out the reality of it I was just sick and started to panic that my "family" - especially Cory - wasn't there with me and was in a big city in California. I kind of got worked up because we didn't know how much more there would be, where else it would hit next. I wasn't worried directly about myslef - I was in little old Utah. But Cory was in Northern California and I didn't know if there would be more hits on the west coast - didn't know what to expect would happen in the coming hours, days....

I paced around my apartment without a cell phone (it was supposed to be delievered that afternoon and ended up being delayed so many weeks that I had to cancel it - because of all of the thing being held at airports and such.) and I felt so scared and isolated - terrified for everyone I loved. Never wanting more than at that moment to live back at home with my family, all gathered around together. I wanted my mom, I wanted my husband - and I remember feeling so sad that my sweet dog Daisy wasn't there with me to comfort me (she was living at Cory's parent's house at the time - we weren't supposed to have a dog at our apartment). I ached to hug her and have her lick the tears off my face, the tears that wouldn't stop falling no matter how hard I tried.

I started to panic about my brothers, or Cory - the men in my life that I worried might be called up to war. I didn't know how much bigger it would get, or if a mandatory draft would be put into effect. My mind started racing to all of the scariest of places. Cory made a comment about maybe joining the Guard in passing that first day, and I almost had a panic attack. I am grateful that he felt a pledge of patriotism to our country, but selfishly I must say I was glad it was just a comment in passing.....(not to take away anything from those who have served and are serving our country, my gratitude for that is so immense I can't even express it!)

I remember my mom telling me to calm down and things would be ok - but even as she tried to soothe my worries over the phone I could hear in her voice that she didn't know what "ok" would mean now. Things had changed and maybe the version of "ok" had changed for all of us. It certainly had been altered for those in the towers, on those planes, in those buildings.....

Working that night was surreal. I worked at a scrapbook supply store - it was a dream job for me at the time and seemed perfect. But the store was empty - like a ghost-town. People were still in the phase where they were glued to their televisions, waiting to be told that it wasn't real, or looking for answers that would make it feel like a dream instead of this new reality for America. The pull to keep watching the same footage was sickening in a way, it hurt our hearts, and rested like a pit in our stomaches. People weren't ready to do things like scrapbook, or spend money on frivilous things - it was like all of our typical activities had been put on hold in those instants. It was eerie. I remember listening to the radio, hearing the songs that had already been put together with news footage played over old patriotic favorites like, "Proud to be an American".

As I drove home from Orem to Spanish Fork I cried and cried and cried. Just the night before I had been complaining and feeling sorry for myself. I was frustrated that my husband was still working and that we weren't together (although that was basically my choice at the time...). I was hating the apartment we had rented sight-un-seen, and frustrated with several things in life and not knowing where to focus and what goals to have. But in that instant, thousands of miles from me things were put into a different perspective, into a different focus. Now the apartment situation wasn't so dire. The miles separating me and my husband seemed to have multiplied by millions, but even though I ached to have him away from me - I found so much peace in the fact that I knew exactly where he was. I knew he was safe, I knew that he would be returning to me and that I could hear his voice on the phone if I needed. How selfish I had been....how blessed I was to know where he was, and know he was healthy. Others didn't have that same peace and comfort.

I drove down the desereted freeway to our home and decided to stop for gas before going home - I remember wondering if gas prices would go up, if our oil supply would be cut off...I felt like getting prepared, buying enough gas at least to fill my car. It was a small thing, a tiny thing - but I felt compelled to stop at the gas station to fill up.

Looking back on all of it feels surreal. It's weird that I remember things like getting gas, but I really do remember wondering how it would all affect our lives from there out. There are still times now that I wonder that....what other changes are going to come in our lives that will stem from those events. Our life has changed, which is good. If we had gone on living the same way all of those who have died since would be in vain.

Days after 9/11 were amazing to me. Remember how we pulled together? Remember how people were kinder, people pulled together. We had a bond now, we had a changed life. We were all family. I loved seeing all of the flags lining streets, patriotic talks, a sense of community and loyalty to AMERICA. I felt a part of something. We united. No matter what side we'd been on before - we were all united during those coming weeks. Wow....we've changed since then - haven't we?

So remember those who have given their lives fighting freedome, remember the families who were broken and continue to break while they are separated by war. Remember the feelings of gratitude and allegiance to being American. Remember how we pulled together. I pray that we can do that again at some point, and that it doesn't take tragedy like the falling of the towers to do that for our country....

A few more....

Sorry - too tired to post links to kits. Any questions - please just ask.

Bella Gypsy kits for Monday

There are some cute kits by Bella Gypsy in the shop at Elemental Scraps this week - check them out! Here are a couple of layouts with the kits and some fun template kits out there too. Happy Scrapping!

30% off!

Guess what? Libby's whole store is on sale through Tuesday including her new kit "Blackbird"! Check it out:


This kit has a great grungy feel to it. My favorite part is the metal alphabets (there's 2!) - but there are a bunch of great elements to it. Check it out!

NEW kit from The Ettes

I have had so much fun this week with scrapbook stuff. Seriously - I could be busy from the time I wake up till I groggily hit the sheets at night if I used all the fun stuff that is out there. (Or even a fraction of it!)

Here is an adoreable new kit by The Ettes called "Autumn Splendor". At first I was thrown off a bit by the colors....just because I'm such a traditionalist...but I am now in LOVE with this combo!

Right now the kit is 20% off and if you buy it before September 12th you also get a free set of more papers! They are all awesome papers!!! So go and shop!

I had fun creating this clock from the kit. I just created it like a scrapbook page and then added a clock kit I had (an old one from Making Memories). It was so fun!

I also created a September computer desktop using the kit too - so I could look at my adoreable boys when my computer is on :)

Free Brag Book!

Some of the girls on the Bella Gypsy creative team have put together a cute brag book for upcoming "Grandparent's Day". Head over to the Bella Gypsy blog to download the book for FREE! Then just set your pictures right in and you're set!

Have a GREAT weekend!

"It's Just Not Fair!"

Ok - I dislike this phrase more than just about any phrase in the human language. From little kids saying it's not fair in relation to being told "no" to something simple to the political arguements that may rile people up and cause them to shout similar sentiments. It bugs me and seems like such an excuse. Really - there are very few situations that I feel like it warrants pulling the "fairness" card. We are all equal, and for the most part in life are treated as such (I know this is not always the case.....) If we feel that a situation is not "fair" we have the ability to change it - or try. As I mentioned in another post - it might take a lot of work - but it's possible.

That aside - there is a concept that I have a really hard time with. A situation that many, many struggle with that I do not understand - at all. Quite frankly it's a situation or trial that makes me want to scream and yell, "IT'S NOT FAIR!!!!!" There have been times in my life when I've struggled directly with this situation, and after having my situation changed by the birth of my 2 little boys I still struggle with my feelings about this.

INFERTILITY

Today after learning about a few different aquaintances, and even a story about a person I don't know at all - dealing with infertility or the pain of loosing unborn children - I have fallen apart. It was almost like I was transported back 5 years ago to the daily ache and tears. I have sobbed, cried and begged to understand WHY this has to affect so many wonderful, deserving, amazing people. Why do my friends cry themselves to sleep and ache to hold a sweet child? Why, when it is such a righteous and good desire are they given this trial to bear? Even though it isn't my personal ache right now I have ached for them. I've remembered the emptiness and physical and emotional pain it can cause. As I've been working this out in my mind it hurts to think about it.

Now this is where I have a few answers, and feel a *little* peace. I know that our Heavenly Father gives us each a set of trials that we individually need. He gives us situations and circumstances to overcome that will make us the very best people that we can be. He knows the end from the beginning, and He knows what trials will bring us back to Him. He knows. In this I have faith and I believe firmly in it. I know that we came to earth for the experience of a body, and to experience agency. We are here to make choices that are hopefully good decisions, that will hopefully prepare us for eternity. I understand in many ways why we have agency, and why this is essential to the Plan of Salvation. I believe in this.

BUT - I have a problem with something in relation to this. A concept that I not only do not understand, but one that makes me want to yell out "It's not FAIR!"

Why is it that we hear about people who don't want children, or who don't take care of themselves or their unborn children; people who drink, smoke, do drugs - all the meanwhile affecting their children who do not have the control, or even the opportunity to express agency or make choices. Why are there so many children abandoned, abused, and even sadly aborted? Why is it that while some are busy making choices and decisions that these spirits who haven't even taken a breath are having choices made for them? Choices that they didn't get to choose, but that may lead them to a lifetime of debilitating health problems, or a life filled with poverty or even abandonment and abuse.

I don't understand it. I don't have answers, I don't see the equality in it. I wish I had an answer to give to my friends, my loved ones who long for those sweet children to enter their hearts and homes....I wish I could know what to say - or even better yet - I wish I knew what I could do to fix it. But I guess as with much in life we pray, we ask for patience in our understanding, and we try our hardest to trust in the Lord.....

In the meantime if you hear me mutter "It's just not fair", I'll try to keep it under my breath and not scream it from the rooftops......

New Scrapping Stuff

Here are some new layouts. It's time for the "Color Play" items at Elemental Scraps. It's a really pretty blue/purple/tan color combo this month - so check out the new products by all of the great Elemental Scraps designers. There are products from ChrissyW and Bella Gypsy here. (They will be posted in the Elemental Scraps store by Monday morning).

The last layout is using a new alphabet by Libby at Sweet Shoppe. She released a neat pack of black papers as well this week, which can also be bought in a combo with the alphabet. Oh - and the soccer kit is a previous release, but I'm sure you'll be seeing a few more layouts from me using it :)

SCENTSY PARTY (and discounts!)

I guess I had some bad links on my post earlier. Sorry about that.....It should be working now. Any questions, feel free to leave a comment here with your email address and I'll get back with you. THANKS!

So I'm not a party person. I have never thrown a Pampered Chef party, or a Creative Memories crop. It's just not me....However, I am in LOVE with Scentsy products. And they are going to be discontinuing some of their scents at the end of this month. So I have decided to do an online Scentsy party. This way if there are scents that you love and you want to stock-up before they are no longer available you can. Also - everything is 10% off till the end of the month so it's a great time to start shopping for Christmas gifts!

So click HERE to enter the site and put together an order. Click on "Place an Order". Then you will click on my party - Joanna Ellis (where it says "select") to place your order. Then follow these instructions:

click on the items you are interested in

then add to cart, etc until you have all that you want

when you are done, click on view cart

then check out

insert your info

click done

scroll down to payments

click on credit card payment

enter info

saveand you are done

I will be closing the party on the 30th at midnight - so be sure to get your orders in before then.

THANKS!
Joanna

DISCONTINUED ITEMS

WARMERS:

Bombay Pressed Penny

Brownstone Patina

Classic Chocolate
Punched Tin

Dragonfly
Raised Dot Black

Jakarta
Raised Dot Mocha

Luminous
Raised Turquoise

Retro Chic
Shabby Chic

SMALL PLUG IN’s:

Dandy-Black, Brown, & White

Weave-Black, Brown, & White

FRAGRANCES:

Blueberry Cheesecake
Cashmere
Eucalyptus
Exotic Vanilla

Falling Leaves

Fresh Cut Cantelope

Grapefruit Blossom
Grapefruit Pomegranate

Havana Cabana
Hearth & Home

Herb Garden
Irish Cream

Juicy Peach
Leather (Bars & Bricks)

Lemon
Lavander
Lots of Lavander

Luxe Vanilla
Meadow Pear

Mediterranean Spa
Mulberry Bush

Mysterious
Nutmeg & Orange Zest

Pomegranate Orange
Red Delicious

Sandalwood & Cranberries
Sangria

Sheer Saffron
Silk

Spiced Orange Harvest
Spruceberry

Strawberry Sweetie
Sweet Indulgance

Sugar
Sweet Tea Mongolia

Torracco Mint
Tea Blossom

Toasted Apple Butter
Tuscan Garden

Verbena Berry
Wasabi Ginger

Watermelon Patch

(***edited to add: For those of you who are interested in ordering but don't live here locally there will be a 10% shipping charge added to your order (10% of your subtotal - before tax). If you live around here I'll bring your orders by when everything gets delivered.)

Monday new releases

Kit - Housewarming: http://www.elementalscraps.com/shoppe/product.php?productid=22605&cat=0&page=1

Template - Kind of a Big Deal:

http://www.elementalscraps.com/shoppe/product.php?productid=22612&cat=0&page=1

Kit - Let Me Be Myself: http://www.elementalscraps.com/shoppe/product.php?productid=22607&cat=0&page=1

Template - Autumn Awaits (I changed it some): http://www.elementalscraps.com/shoppe/product.php?productid=22589&cat=0&page=1

Sneak Peek from Libby Weifenbach

Coming Saturday morning to The Sweet Shoppe.

On a side note - my parent's celebrated their 32nd wedding anniversary this week, and Cory's parents celebrate their anniversary later this week (I think 34th....?) It's so great to have 2 sets of parents being great examples of happy marriages. We love you guys!

NEW RELEASES from The Ettes!

My friends "The Ettes" took off some time to enjoy their family this summer, but they've come back with a BANG! These 3 new adoreable kits are called "mini" - but they are anything but. They are stuffed full of gorgeous designs and awesome elements (as has come to be expected from these awesome gals). Check out their sale too - the new stuff is very reasonably priced!