Dear Spring, WHERE ARE YOU??

Dear Spring,

Where have you been? I have missed you so! I thought you were here already, as did my tulips. You were so convincing, that they started to come up but are now covered with snow.

Remember when you were visiting us last year? I know it was a short visit, but you have to admit that it was a fun one! Bike rides, spring flowers and you can't forget how much fun we had at our first picnic together! Why don't you want to visit me this year? Are you mad at me or something? Was is something I said? You know I love summer, but I love you too! Winter just wont leave no matter what I do! You don't have to be scared of winter. It may be a bully, but nobody really likes it. We just say we do to make it feel better so it won't beat us up. I was hoping you would be there when I woke up this morning, but you weren't. Winter said, "good morning" instead.

If you come for a visit, I promise to make it worth your while! I have all kinds of plans for us this year! How does walks with the dog and more bike rides sound? I even have plans for planting flowers as well as the garden. Would you like to come to my garden party? It just wouldn't be the same without you. Please tell me you will come! Oh Spring, I miss you! Hurry and visit us soon! My sweet husband doesn't want me to forget you, so he brought me some of your flowers to remind me what you look and smell like.

I hope to hear from you VERY soon! We will have so much fun!

Love,

Donna

Tape Measures and Puppy Dog Tails- That's What Little Boys Are Made Of

What will keep little boys entertained for HOURS even if they are visiting Aunt Donna who doesn't have tons of toys?

Tape Measures!

The discovery of the fascinating tape measure dates back to the early days of desperate need for cheap entertainment for three, tool lovin', crazy little boys. Thanks to Hobby Lobby and their 99 cent tape measures, hours of fun was had by all.

What do you do when the tape measures get lost and it's too cold outside to play in dirt?

Bring on the DOG!

Who doesn't want some love from this cute puppy?

Okay, so I am not about to open my mouth while kissing my dog, but apparently, it's all the rage with these guys! Good thing my little Lady doesn't mind all the chaos when these cute guys come to town! I really do miss them when they leave, but then I can always fill my time by erasing all of their "love marks" from the walls.

We have been on a kick lately to try new recipes. This is one I found in the Best of Taste of Home 2010 edition. I LOVE it! There are about 30 different recipes flagged in my copy waiting to be tried out in my kitchen! Bacon Cheese Burger Buns can be found on page 72 and according to my husband, it's a keeper at our house! One thing that I liked is that it made 24 large "pockets" perfect for freezing, picnics, road trips and lunches on the go. I know you are going to ask for the recipe, so here goes:

Bacon Cheeseburger Buns

2 packages of active dry yeast (about 4 tsp)

2/3 cup warm water (110 to 115 degrees)

2/3 cup warm milk (110 to 115 degrees)

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup shortening

2 eggs

2 tsp salt

4 1/2 to 5 cups flour

Filling:

1 lb sliced bacon, diced

2 lbs ground beef

1 small onion chopped

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1 lb processed cheese (Velveeta) cubed {I used 2 cups shredded Cheddar and it was okay.}

3 to 4 tsp melted butter

1. In a large brown, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add milk, sugar, shortening, eggs, salt and 3 1/2 cups of flour; beat until smooth. Stir in remaining flour to form a soft ball.

2. Turn onto a floured surface and kneed until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl. Cover and let rise in a warm pace until doubled; about an hour.

3. Meanwhile, cook the bacon. Remove from pan and drain. Brown the hamburger and diced onion. Drain. Back in the pan, mix the hamburger, bacon, and cheese till it melts.

4. Punch dough down. divide into 4 sections. Roll each section out into a 12 by 8 inch rectangle. Cut each into 6 squares. Place 1/4 cup of meat mixture into each square. Bring corners of dough together and pinch together to seal.

5 Place 2 inches apart on greased baking sheets. Bake at 400 degrees for 9-11 minutes. Brush with melted butter. Serve warm with ketchup or barbecue sauce.

Makes 24 pockets

PinewoodDerby

The elders quorum in our ward had a pinewood derby last week. Jonathan had fun designing a car and I thought it would be fun to make a cake in the shape of a track. Even though his car wasn't the fastest, he did win most creative! {His prize were 2 "Best of Bette Midler" tapes.}