Sunday Reflections 8/19/2012

School starts this week. You know, the one where I am schooling the kids at home online. I'm scared to death and I have to admit that after a summer of all 5 children being home all the time I'm frazzled. I'm ready for the kids to be back in regular school and for Jake and me just to hang out. Usually at this time of year I'm feeling just like the moms depicted in these cartoons.

Of course, there are some mixed emotions in there too.  I don't know what I was thinking when I pulled them out for online home schooling.  Okay, I do know what I was thinking.  I just hope it's not as difficult as it looks like it's going to be : )  Who am I kidding?  If it's going to be done right, it's going to be challenging for me.  I'm hoping that move will come soon and I can get them right back to regular schooling....does that make me a bad mom?  For now, I have 10 boxes of school curriculum and books that I have yet to open that I have to open before tomorrow.  Ugh!

As for the business side of our life, the Durango thing completely went down in a ball of flames this week, never to recover.  We did everything we could.  However, we still may have something in the works.  It's looking good, but it will have to remain a mystery until it is done.  For now, continue to keep us in your prayers.  I will be glad when all this uncertainty is over.  It may be adding somewhat to how frazzled and overwhelmed I have felt this past summer. 

And, well, since this post doesn't have much for content and because it is cooling down here and I can bake again without making my home an oven, I'll leave you with 2 recipes.  One that's a family favorite of mine and another for my family members who have the first recipe but not the 2nd (at least I don't think I've given it out to them).  These are both yummy.  If you have the ingredients you should make one of them today.  If you don't, you should make one of them tomorrow when you can buy all the ingredients. 

Chocolate Chip Toffee Bars:

crust: 

2 and 1/3 cups of flour

2/3 cups brown sugar

3/4 cup butter

1 egg

1 and 1/2 cups chocolate chips

1 cup nuts (optional)

Mix butter, brown sugar, flour and egg.  Add chocolate chips and nuts.  Reserve 1 and 1/2 cup of mixture.  Press remaining mix into 9x13 pan.  Bake 19 minutes at 350.  

topping:

1 can sweetened condensed milk

1 and 3/4 cup toffee bits

1/2 - 1 cup chocolate chips

When crust is baked, pour sweetened condensed milk over crust.  Top with toffee bits.  Then sprinkle reserved crumb mix and 1/2 - 1 cup chocolate chips over the toffee bits.  Bake again for 25 - 30 mionoutes at 350.

Mint brownies:

brownie batter:

2 cubes butter

2 c sugar

6 eggs

3/4 c cocoa

1 t salt

2 c flour

Bake in jelly roll pan at 350 for 25 minutes.

frosting:

1 cube butter

1 t peppermint extract

2-3 cups powdered sugar

a few drops of green food coloring

spread over cooled brownies

chocolate layer:

1 pkg chocolate chips

1 cube butter

melt in microwave and spread over frosting.