Wordless Wednesday : 4-20-2011

Just Linking up with Angry Julie Monday

It's Time For You To Make The Donuts

Last weekend I thought I had completely lost my mind.

I made donuts.

Completely from scratch.

Dough rolling, donut cutter cutting, oil heating, slotted spoon dipping, powdered sugaring and frosting…….donuts.

Turns out, it wasn’t such a bad idea after all.

If you haven’t done this before, you really should.  It is something the kids are going to remember long after you are dead…..and I mean that in a good way.  They will smile and reminisce at your funeral…. “Remember that time Mom made us homemade donuts for breakfast one random Saturday morning?”

Preparing homemade donuts for your children will make your sons seek out fantastic women to marry, and turn your daughters into the most magnificent mommies.

It is just the simple, magical fact, as the kids lick powdered sugar off of their adorable lips and your husband winks lovingly as he bites into a warm blissful ring, that you created it……not Crispy Crème.

Wanna know how??  Put on a ruffled apron and spread a gingham table cloth on the table.  Here it is……

Homemade Donuts

 

INGREDIENTS

·        3 ½ cups all-purpose flower

·        1 Tbsp. baking powder

·        1 tsp. ground cinnamon

·        ¾ tsp. salt

·        1/3 cup milk

·        ½ cup butter, melted

·        4 eggs, beaten

·        2/3 cups sugar

·        Oil for deep-fat frying (I used a mix of peanut and vegetable)

·        Cinnamon, Sugar, Powdered Sugar, or Frosting for topping

1.     In a bowl combine, flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, & nutmeg.  In another bowl combine milk and melted butter.  In another large bowl combine eggs and sugar and beat with electric mixer until thick (about 5 minutes).  Add the milk mixture and then stir.  Add flour mixture and stir until smooth.  Cover dough and chill for 2 hours.   Dough will remain slightly sticky.

2.     Turn dough out onto lightly floured surface.  Roll to ½ inch thickness.  Cut dough with donut cutter.  (If you don’t have a cutter you could use two different sizes of circles….very small for the holes of course.  Make life easier for yourself and go buy a donut cutter.  They make cute cookie wreaths for Christmas too.)

3.     Heat oil to 325 to 375 F.  I put oil in a stockpot about 2 inches deep.  Heat donuts 2 or 3 at a time. Turn each donut about halfway through with a slotted spoon.  Remove from oil when brown, and drain on paper towels.  Repeat with remaining donuts and holes.

4.     You can shake the donuts in powdered sugar, cinnamon and sugar, or frost them.  I had green frosting from my daughter’s birthday cake leftover.  (Don’t judge me.  Yes I ate birthday cake the night before I made donuts.  It was grand.)  They aren't perfectly frosted.  Sorry.

Don’t forget the holes!!!!

I am not going to lie.  Making homemade donuts is a bit of work.  It is a big mess and makes your house smell like a giant Fry Daddy.  Trust me though.  Turn on your fan, open your windows and make the donuts.  It will change your life forever.

My Very First Vlog.....Completely Embarassing

It’s my first VLOG….or in case you didn’t know…..video blog. 

I am pretty sure all of the cool bloggers do it, but seriously?  I am MAKING myself do this so that when I die, my kids can say, “Hey….that was my beautiful mom….”, and “Isn’t she a riot?”

Funny thing is, I don’t feel like a riot…..I feel like a dork.  What is up with that piece of straight hair and my skeleton fingers waving around?  I am sure you will notice.  Oh yes, and I am a little blurry because it is cloudy and dark today in Japan.

Anyway, this post is linked up with Mama Dweeb.  She wants me to say the words pillow, exhausted, governor, entrepreneurial, calm, Milwaukee Wisconsin, bagel, ambulance, aqua, femoral, address, rural, and hypocrisy.  Then, when I am perfect at my speech and you are not, you are allowed to make fun of me to make yourself feel better.   To cap it all off….I have to answer seven questions…..and then you can tease me some more.

So here it is…..me in real life…..the Lynnie behind These Three Girlies….



Survivor....We Are Practically Famous

My husband is pretty excited today.  Our local cable service, here in Japan, decided to crawl out of the Dark Ages and offer digital cable.  For almost nine months, we haven’t been able to DVR anything and that’s a problem for my man.  It means things like Monday night football, aren’t aired until Tuesday morning when he is at work.  That….and he only had one remote to hold, instead of two.

But before I make him seem like too much a caveman, the first thing he recorded on the DVR was Survivor for me.  I felt so loved! Along with him filling my car with gas and killing spiders, remembering to DVR one of my favorite shows is considered FULL ON “romance”, here at my house.

My husband and I have pretty much watched every Survivor episode to date.  When the first season began, he was in Alabama for officer’s training and I was stuck at my parent’s house in Wyoming.  We were apart for weeks and weeks, but every Thursday night we would call each other, recap the night’s episode, and talk about when we would be together again.  In Mississippi we shared kangaroo lasagna and beers with friends along the gulf coast, during the Australian Outback season.  In South Dakota, it was all about Thailand, whiskey cokes, and steaks while listening to the neighbors argue on the baby monitor during commercials.  In Minnesota it was just freaking cold, and we longed to make pina coladas on the beaches of Pearl Island, instead of living in frozen hell.

Survivor went with us to Germany, Texas and now Japan.  Our kids have all grown up with Survivor nights, that now include buttery popcorn in the living room and foamy root beer floats.  We laugh and strategize together about what we would do if we were sent to Redemption Island.

So, you can imagine our excitement when, having only been in Japan for about two weeks, we found out that 10 past Survivor cast members were going to be at our Base Exchange signing autographs.

We knew these people. They had  traveled around the world with me and my family for ten plus years and twenty one episodes.  I tried to fix my hair, wear something cool, and clean my kids up.  It was time hang out with some of our Survivor favorites and soak up some of their fame.

We met these guy first…Russel and Bruce.  They were upbeat and funny.  I think Bruce wore that tie-die shirt on the show.  We were feeling a bit shy at first so we didn't go in for the hugs.

Then, I got to meet Big Tom, his hick accent, and Tina.  (Geez, I was grinning like an idiot.)

Tina was so nice and we talked and talked.  When she gave me a hug she said I smelled good. I am glad I didn't stink!

Then, we met James and his bicep was bigger than my daughter’s head and my husband got all funny because he thought he looked down my shirt when I leaned over for an autograph.

Cirie was there and looks and sounds, just like she did on TV.  She would be a great gal to hang out with on a deserted island.....or any place for that matter.

The coolest and prettiest person I met that day was Sandra.  She thanked me for being a military spouse and I thanked her right back.

Sandra also told me my kids were stinkin' cute.  I didn't need a Survivor All Star to tell me that, but it made me feel awesome anyway!


Finally, we met Johnny Fairplay.  The most evil villain on Survivor…..the one who told everyone his grandmother died and he won a car for it.  My girls were so excited.

My husband even overcame his desire to punch James in the face and smiled for a picture with Johnny.

So that was it….our family’s fifteen minute brush with fame. We will probably be the last ones watching Survivor.  When CBS eeks out one last season and it is really, really bad and no one else watches the five of us still will.....with a carpet picnic of pizza and soda, and my husband holding two or three remote controls.

This post was written for Mama Kat’s Writers Workshop about my 15 minutes of fame.

One time she commented on my blog and I felt famous for about 15 minutes also….because she is so cool.

What I Know For Sure

Eleven years ago yesterday, my second daughter was born.  Weighing nine pounds and having a head circumference in the 95^th percentile, saying she tore into this world is putting it mildly.

I’d like to say that this is just a really horrible newborn picture, but I think she really did look this bad.  It only took a few days for her to become much cuter, which was good…..because that’s when the crying started.

 She cried.

And cried.

Then, she cried some more.

Rumor has it, that God doesn't give you more than you can hande.  So really, after about the first four months she stopped crying.

It was my husband who wanted to name her after the Elvis Costello song “Allison”.  I thought it was okay, but I was leaning toward Jessica or Sara.  Of course when she was lying on my chest after that rip-roaring birth, I agreed with him.  Her middle name Eden, is also mine and my mother’s, and my Grandmother’s maiden name.

She has lived in five states and three different countries, has been in a coma and on a Life Flight, and she won’t take off her Converse tennis shoes and her green wool hat.  She only weighs 61 pounds but can swim the 50 meter Freestyle in thirty-eight seconds....which is only 14 seconds off of Michael Phelps' split....in case you didn't know.

For some reason, even though she is not my youngest daughter, she is my baby.  She is the daughter that is most like my husband and that is a good thing….usually.  She is best friends with her older sister and the coolest friend to her younger sister.

I could brag and brag about her all day long on this post, but you get the point.  Happy Birthday Allison Eden!  What I know for sure is, we love you!!!

Earthquake in Japan

March 11^th, 2011 the 5^th largest earthquake ever recorded hit our host country of Japan.  Aside from really freaking out my middle daughter, and shaking us all up for a bit our family, is fine.

We’ve been watching and reading for over a week now all the news and information that comes at us in all directions.  We were the first to see horrifying images of people being swept away with their homes by the tsunami, from the Japanese stations.  We get the sensationalistic news from America flashing across the screen in redish-orangish-silver glamour…….JAPAN’S NUCLEAR CRISIS! Finally, our Air Force base shifted immediately into high gear supporting rescue efforts.  Our normal routine is centered around night shifts and volunteer hours, while the base commander continually reassures us of our safety.

It is an understatement to say that people around here are stressed out.  Rumors are flying around base like wildfire.  Everything from, “We are going to run out of toilet paper.” To “be sure to have your kids shower off the radiation after they get home from school.”  I wonder why I have a headache every night before I go to bed?  Oh yeah…..that’s why.

Yesterday the state department announced that VOLUNTARY evacuations out of Japan are being arranged for people who on their own merit want to leave their host country. Our base commander has told us that there is no threat or danger at Yokota. This is just something offered to those that need/want it.  My husband and I have decided to keep our family in Japan for now.  There are no abnormal levels of radiation where we are and we are almost 200 miles away from the nuclear plants.  We trust fully in our base leadership that they will evacuate us immediately if the situation becomes too dangerous.

My hope is that everyone will not stop praying for the thousands of Japanese that have lost loved ones and homes.  Although I may have been known to say on this blog that I didn’t like moving to Japan, there is nothing like an unprecedented natural disaster that brings life into a clearer perspective. In the face of a frightening earthquake, a devastating tsunami, and an unpredictable nuclear situation, the entire country is calm and orderly.  There are no riots or looting.  There aren’t guns and mayhem in the shelters.  As far as I can see, Japan is a model example of how any country should act and respond to such overwhelming adversity. 

I guess what it all comes down to is that in 7 short months, I have started to fall in love with my new home in Japan.

I love the people.

I love learning about the fascinating culture.

I am not sure I will ever understand the language, but I am trying.

The food….ummmm…well, it is mostly good.  Hey….I am trying!!!

Please take a moment out of your day to lift a prayer to all the people in Japan.  If you are able, donate money.  Money is the best way to help the Japanese get exactly what they need.  If you donate “stuff”, the “stuff”, needs to be shipped, stored, sorted, delivered, etc…..just adding more work to the already monumental task of recovery.  Your local Red Cross is a great place to start and you can even donate online.

Finally, I don’t think I am actually physically able to have a blog post end on a serious a note.  I caught this little cartoon that explains the nuclear problem in a funny way.  While I don’t want to make light of the situation I think we can all use a little humor to de-stress.  Plus, you can show it to your kids!!!


American Red Cross Donation Information
http://www.redcross.org/

For a good source of up to date news….

NHK WORLD

For information on Yokota Air Force Base……

Yokota Air Base Homepage

Yokota Air Force Base Facebook Page

A Memorable Date

No one will probably believe this, but it is a true story.  I have taken time to “highlight” some of the red flags on my date.  In other words, reasons I should have ended the date immediately.

I met this frat guy in college and he asked me out on a date to the Nebraska State Fair.  (The frat guy thing in and of itself may have not been the problem, but he had an “I Phelta Thi” t-shirt on when he picked me up.)

We left my dorm and walked down the street to his fraternity.  He probably wanted to show me his stereo or something, I can’t really remember.  I met a few of his buddies and we went up to his room.  There, he introduced me to his pet tarantula Chlamydia, by setting the spider on my bare arm.  (Words cannot express the shear anger/horror/panic I experienced at that moment.)

After threatening to fling the giant spider against the wall, he removed it and we headed to the fair. 

First thing, we were hungry.  I bought a funnel cake because they are awesome and he bought a sautéed onion, mushroom, and sausage foot long.  (Yeah….and then he needed a piece of gum, and when I offered him some of mine, he declined.)

Next…..a few carnival games in which he didn’t win anything for me.  I forgave him for that until he pushed me up to the game where they GUESS YOUR WEIGHT.  Ha ha ha.  That’s was funny.  The carnie guessed my weight was 142 pounds and when I stepped on the scale in front of about 500 people, I only weighed 109.  (So, now I felt like I looked like a cow walking around the fair.  Why he didn’t just take me to the cattle judging barn right then and there, I will never know.)

At this point, I was really not very into this guy but he asked me if I would like to ride the Ferris wheel.  I told him I didn’t really want to because I had never ridden one before.  He promised that it would be fine and bought two tickets to what he thought would be, “a great view of Lincoln, Nebraska”. 

 So there we were, standing in line UNDER the Ferris wheel when suddenly, someone dumped what felt like a giant soda on top of my head.  I could feel my head getting wet and felt the liquid soaking the back of my t-shirt.   A guy in line behind us shouted,  “Holy #%$@! Someone just yacked all over that girl!”  It was at that moment I looked down and saw pink chunks on my arm.

I immediately started gagging.  I mean REALLY gagging.

And crying.

A girl grabbed me and led us to the cattle barn to rinse off with a hose.

About the only good thing that happened, was my date took off his t-shirt and let me wear it home.

So there we were…standing in front of my dorm room about to say goodbye with puke chunks in my hair, and he says, “Wow, so do I get a good night kiss?” and there was a big huge, white, puss filled, pimple in the corner of his mouth.  It was so big that I thought IT was the one asking for the kiss.

I just had to say…. “I am sorry.  I think this is a date that I will never forget, but I just can’t kiss you goodnight.”

We parted ways, but I did end up seeing him at a bar about six years later and he recognized me and said, “WOW! That was the WORST date ever!!!”

There you go Mama Kat…..that was my Memorable Date.