Mustache Monday 1.16.12

So, if you haven't figured; our family is different. Strange. If you will. Anyway, we like mustaches. They make us giggle. AND I needed a giggle today. How about you?

Hope we helped you make joyful noises. Have a wonderful MONDAY!! What's left of it.

Someone's Legacy Property... I have it for sale!!

I am so blessed to be able to list this new property in Salt Lake County. It is going to be a place that makes a lot of  memories. This is going to be someone's Legacy Property!! It gave me goose bumps just driving to it.

It is 1.13 acres of recreation property. Located up Parleys Canyon. You are 15 minutes from "the Best Snow on Earth" and 15 minutes away from downtown Salt Lake. If skiing and shopping is not your thing, there is plenty of acres to hike. OR you are just 30 minutes away from at least 3 different lakes.

 I have to say this is a posh little community with not just one but two private gates to enter. You will be recreating with the "best" of Utah. Doctor's, lawyers and some of the most influential business men. As well as some real "dirtbags" Really I saw them when I took a wrong turn in the Scout. I started four wheeling, got a little scared and they just appeared. Long hair, flannels and all. Well not really, they heard me coming up their drive and was like "say what!!" They were really nice as I backed my way down their drive. They even waved me good bye. I would take 'em as a neighbor.

The HOA fees are low, $65/ year. $100.00/ year after you build your dream cabin. Power is located just 50 feet off the road, and the water is already accessible to the property. You will have to install propane and a septic tank.

Take advantage of this Legacy property for you and your family, before it's gone.

Back to School Cookie Recipe

It's already Wednesday, half way  through the first week of  Back To School. Where did the time go? I mean seriously, I have a Jr Higher.

He Use To Look Like This

And Now He Looks Like This

We can't for get Punk #2. His first day at a new school!! I am not worried. He makes friends VERY easily. Check this kids shoes out.... he is a definite "I". Don't know what I am talking about? Stick around, I am sure at one point I will tell you my secret weapon... personality profiling.... yeah I am stealth like that :)

Incredible how time flies.

Well for the first time in about 5 years I had some down time on the first day of school. So, I thought I would be a good mom and make THE best Back To School Cookies known on the face of the planet.  Don't worry I will share this coveted recipe with you, only if you promise to share, because this recipe makes 70 cookies!!

I mixed a few recipes together and came out with these.

I started HERE and HERE. Then I mixed it up. Omitted a few things and added something that you NEVER would have guessed. It gave it a different flavor. 

The BEST Back To School Cookie:

Time: 1 1/2 hours Yeild: 70 cookies!! give or take (depends on if you are like me and you eat the cookie dough)

1 C butter softened

1 C shortening

1 1/2 C brown sugar

1 1/2 C white sugar

4 eggs (go ask your neighbor. because if you are like me, everyone has chickens in the neighborhood!! except of course for me and My Favorite Neighbor. but they do have a chicken coop they periodically sleep in)

2 t vanilla

1 t water

3 C flour

2 t baking soda

2 t salt

2 t baking powder

1/2 nutmeg

1/2 cinnamon

3 C oatmeal (not steel cut!! this will make your cookie crunchy)

2-3 packets of Maple Brown Sugar INSTANT oatmeal!!! ( i know right? THIS is the secret ingredient)

4 C milk chocolate chips

1. Cream together the butter, shortening, brown sugar and white sugar. Make sure it is creamed so well that it is so fluffy your gonna die. (Just because I have a Jr Higher doesn't mean I can't enjoy a kids movie every once in a while.)

2. Add your eggs one at a time until incorporated

3. Add your vanilla and water. Mix just until it is combined. (Don't over mix)

4. In a separate bowl combine all the dry ingredients together. Use a mixing spoon.

5. Add the dry to the creamed mixture. Stir until it is all mixed up. Add your chocolate chips. Stir.

6. Roll into 1 1/2 inch ball, or in my case I used my cookie scoop. Place on a sprayed or greased cookie sheet.

7. Bake at 350 for 8 minutes. Never over bake an oatmeal cookie,it will be crunchy!! When your cookies are lightly browned take them out and let them finish cooking on the pan for 3-5 minutes.

(if you want you could make the delicious brown butter drizzle in Miss Paula Deen's recipe for an extra scrumptious treat. I omitted it this time)

Well, here's to a new school year. Now go share some cookies!! We did!

(BTW the playlist... yeah some of my favorite songs when I was in Jr. High.)

"Confidence is contagious; so is lack of confidence" -Vince Lombardi

Dirt Bag Road Trip through the Wild West

I loved this Bridge. Well worth the hike to get to it!!

I woke up this morning full of piss and vinegar as Granny would say. I started a blog post about short sales because that is what I fell asleep thinking about and woke up to. On my smart phone was at least six emails about short sales, the state of our economy, and a few from a client who has basically had enough. Who could blame them? It's mornings like this I have had enough too. So instead of dwelling on things I can not change I went to lunch with a very dear friend and bought some STUFF for another friend who will be joining us back in the States very soon!! Then I turned my phone back on. Low and behold... lots of emails, texts and messages about the state of my clients economy, how they are feed up with the nagging phone calls from their bank, etc.. What does this have to do with my dirt bag vacation? Nothing, other then today I wish I were there. I get tired to y'all!!

So this little post is taking me back to my pretend life. The life of a dirtbag. Just traveling, camping, hiking, swimming, eating.... no worries man!!

We started out in Yellowstone. We arrived at our camping destination Saturday morning 2:00 AM. It was cold, but it was fun!! Each morning L.O.V.E. would have to pack everything into the trunk of the Mercedes. He was unbelievable, he just has a brain that works like Tetris, he makes it all fit.

Then we headed into town to see the bear and wolf exhibit. Some friends of ours recommended it and it was spectacular. We got to watch them eat, and play. They are magnificent animals. 

Then the Punks wanted to go find them in the wild. Thankfully we never ran into any in the wild. But there were plenty of postings warning you to be BEAR AWARE!!

We dared to hike this trail. The Punks are showing you their "we are not afraid" body language.

Literally 30 seconds into the hike, we found this... Bear dung!!!!!

This is where the hike took us. Breath taking!!

Oh, my heart is already feeling happy!!!

Then it was off for more site seeing. We had to see ALL of the famous features. Ol' Faithful, The Falls, The Paint Pots, the BISON... If you have never been to Yellowstone, you are missing out. Don't fret though, I took plenty of pictures. I don't mind, you can live vicariously through me .

These Bison basically owned the road. They look so friendly... don't let them fool you!! In fact this is the funny little flyer they give you as you enter Yellowstone!!

Do you think this warning applies to the Punks?????

You can't forget the falls. We hiked up and then down and then up again! Whew! 

 

It was well worth the 600 sum odd stairs. The view was breath taking.

Off to the Canyons and such....

Two  days in Yellowstone, a life changing biscuit at Ernie's Bakery, and a most tasty camp dinner made by the L.O.V.E we were on our way to the Teton's.....

Notice in the bottom right hand corner there is a warning sign. There was a momma grizzly bear with three cubs frequenting the area. She never showed for us. Still we really enjoyed the view. Breath taking, no?

Momma moose!!!

We love the Teton's. One night there and we were off to Lava Hot Springs. Lets just say Lava was super Dirt Bag. That night we soaked in the healing hot springs.

(Source)

  We stayed in a seedy little motel and the next day tubed the "river". It was a blast until we went over the falls...

(This is not us!! Oh no, we were not quite as graceful. This was taken off of the Lava Hot Springs website)

  the little punk and I sustained leg injuries and a major scare. Well that was enough for these dirt bags and we headed home.

Thanks Sister In Law for watching the house and dog. I can't tell you how appreciated the home cooked, comfort food was. Wish I had a picture of that wonderful meal but it was gobbled up before I could get the camera out.

My heart is happy again.... memories.