Christmas Cartoons and Questions

(This is a post I wrote last year, but thought I'd bring it out again. Enjoy!)




If you've read my blog before, you might remember this post, poking fun at some Nick Jr. cartoons. I tend to over think things, and this is where my mind goes. I probably wouldn't think about such things, but after watching something a billion times, ones mind starts to wonder. (At least mine does anyway.)


So, ladies and gentleman, I present to you my holiday edition of Cartoons and Questions. ☺

First up, Frosty the Snowman.

I love Frosty, and have watched it every year since I was little. But even when I was little, a few things bothered me.

♫Do they know it's Christmastime at all?♫

1. Why are half the kids dressed for winter, and the other half dressed for summer?

"You'll be okay. Just shake it off."

2. Why didn't anyone help the police officer, who was clearly choking to death on his whistle? I'll just assume that someone on the street saved him.


3. I'm still not completely sure how the animals started the fire for Karen to keep warm.

4. And my biggest issue by far, is why the heck did Santa drop Karen off on top of her roof, and just leave her there?! We don't all enter homes via chimney, Santa!!

"Um, you're dreaming if you think I'm leaving you milk and cookies this year!!"

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer


1. Santa seems to be a jerk once again. This time to a baby reindeer. Classy, Santa. Real classy.

("Oh yummy!! Grey apples again!")

2. "Eat, Santa!" says Mrs. Claus. Maybe he would "eat" if the food and everything around it, weren't the color grey! Just a thought.

"My daddy never hugged me!"

3. What exactly was wrong with the dolly on the Island of Misfit Toys? I always thought it was because she didn't have a nose, but that still didn't seem quite right. So I did some research and discovered the writers meant for her problem to be more psychological, than physical. If you're a fan of Rankin and Bass, you should check this blog out!!

("You'll be fine! Just aim for that swimming pool down there!")

4. Remember the bird that couldn't fly, but could swim? Remember at the end, when the elves are dropping the toys off the sleigh via umbrella? Remember when the elf got to the bird and sent him down without an umbrella? Exactly.




Nestor, the Long Eared Christmas Donkey

"I'm sorry I killed your mom, Nestor."
"That's okay! You'll get yours..."

I have quite the soft spot for sweet little Nestor. But, why oh why would he choose to leave Mary and Joseph, and return to the man that kicked him and his mama out on their tooshies, resulting in his mama's death?


Maybe it's a lesson on forgiveness?



The Polar Express


I love almost everything about this movie. But did they really think Eugene, from the movie Grease, was the right voice to use for the nerdy boy?

There's simply nothing childlike about that voice!


A Charlie Brown Christmas

I don't care how much love you give it, that tree is not going to look any better than this.





That's all I've got for now!!


I really do love these Christmas specials. I watch each and every one, (and then some) every single year.

But it's fun to sit back and think, What were they thinking?!


So, what about you? Are there any holiday specials you can think of to add to this list?

It Happened!

What was I saying a few days ago? You know, about how Kendall Schmidt may never follow me, but I would never give up hope?

It Happened!!!


I've never shaken so badly in my life! To be sitting at the computer, and suddenly you get an email message that pops up and says, "Kendall Schmidt is now following you on Twitter!"

At first I thought it had to be a parody account. I mean, it was the only logical explanation. So, I logged into Twitter, and to this Rusher Mom's surprise, this is what I saw when I went to his profile:

Kendall Schmidt Follows ME?!!!!


And the tweet I believe got his attention, was the pic I sent him of a little tree frog that lives in our tomato plant, on our deck. His name is Kendall the Frog. (I know, I know.)

Here is the pic I sent him. Isn't he cute?

And it's funny, because the night before, I couldn't find him on the deck anywhere, and was a little worried about him. But sure enough, last night he was back and bringing me some much needed luck. (On our screen door, of all places.)

This picture was taken about an hour before Kendall followed me.

From this point on, he's my lucky frog. ♥

Being a 34 Year Old Fangirl

As I've mentioned in past posts, I'm a sucker for boy bands. I swear I'll be 80, and still gushing over the young whippersnapper's with the awesome voices, and equally awesome dance moves.

It's who I am, and I'm comfortable with that.

But being an adult fan of boy bands, one may feel a bit of shame, or embarrassment. After all, the music is usually focused at the tween/teen girls of the world.

Luckily, one day I typed in Mom Rushers on Twitter, and from that point my boy band loving life had changed.

Grown women, just like me!! In love with boy bands!

And our boy band of choice?

BIG TIME RUSH!!

Remember my post from last year, after the concert? If not, here it is. ☺

Since I've met these girls, I've been having so much fun! We never run out of things to talk about, and we never feel stupid for our fangirling. I hope we can all get together someday, because it would truly be a blast!

Since I've found my girls on Twitter, a huge mission of mine was to get a tweet from Kendall Schmidt. I tried desperately for one on my birthday, but sadly I came up short. Which was fine, because it was fun trying, and the day turned out great.

But....on June 18, 2012

My Twitter dream, became a reality.


I had shared this video of Kendall's, asking everyone to watch what he and his brother Kevin, had made.



Then after the tweet, I logged off and went about my business.

And when I came back later, this is what I saw. ♥

Both Kendall and Kevin retweeted me!!

Now, if you're not a fangirl, this is probably a big heaping pile of yawn-fest news. But to me, it is simply amazing.

And it's true when they say these things happen when you least expect it. I wasn't trying to get a tweet like I usually do. I was just sharing this beautiful song with everyone.

And yes, my next goal is to get Kendall to follow me, and yes I know it may never happen, but it won't stop me from trying.

And it won't stop me from being young at heart.

Because like I always say: Age is just a state of mind. ♥

Vanity Smurf is Feeling Quite Smurfy Today.

If you know me, you'll know I'm a strong supporter of marriage equality. Some people close to me, are quite disgusted with my views on this and other things. But, I continue to love them, as they more than likely, continue to love me.

With that being said, I just had to shout through the rooftops how happy I am about our president speaking out as a supporter of gay marriage.

Was this more than likely done because it's an election year?

Probably.

But for him to be the first president in office to support it, is a huge step in the right direction.

And I'm quite joyful about it. ♥

Fun With Twitter

Today there was a top trend on twitter, where you replace a word in the title of a Disney movie, with the word Hobo.

And I don't know why, but I ended up having way too much fun with this one. First of all, I did this just for fun, and in my minds eye, I was picturing a hobo from the movies or cartoons. Making fun of homeless people is something I don't think I could do. It's sad that there are even people in this country who are homeless!

With that being said, here are some "Alternative" Disney titles for your viewing pleasure.☺

Beauty and the Hobo:   Instead of magically turning into a prince at the end, he simply takes a shower.


Hobo in Wonderland:   Basically, it's just a hobo in L.A., wondering why no one will eat a hamburger.


The Hobo of Notre Dame:  The hobo has found a new place to sleep, but has trouble doing so, because someone keeps ringing those darn bells!!


Hobo and the Tramp:   Two friends down on their luck, from different sides of the tracks.


Snow White and the Seven Hobos:  The feel-good comedy of the year!


Sleeping Hobo:  He pretends to be under a spell, just so he has somewhere to crash.


Hobo Hood:  He takes from the rich, to give to the poor. (Me thinks he's not a republican.)




That's it for now! If I think of some more, I'll add a part two. ☺

I have a YouTube Channel!

Last night I put together a short little video I made with my 2 year old. He had so much fun being recorded, and then watching himself on the computer, that I think I'll try to make more in the near future.

If anything, at least we'll have some fun memories. ♥

12 Years Of 2ge+ther

12 years ago, MTV introduced to the world not only their first movie, but the band 2gether. Like I've told you guys before, I love boy bands!!

But 2gether had something the other guys didn't.

Hilarity





Not that NSYNC didn't make me laugh. Trust me, they did! I still have my vhs tape called, NSYNC: 'N The Mix, and it was filled with the guys being goofy.

But 2gether was all about bringing the funny! If you don't know who they are, the best way to explain them is that they are a "mock" boy band. Fictional characters, yes. But they did their own singing and dancing. And they were awesome!


!


After the movie did so well, MTV decided to turn 2gether into a series, which ended far too soon, due to the sudden death of the youngest member, Michael Cuccione. Then, before we could even comprehend what had happened, 2gether was gone.

All hope seemed lost to us 2gether fans.

Until this year......2012gether.


MTV signed over the rights to the remaining members, and a reunion is in the process!

The journey will be long, but oh so worth it!

Listening to my boy bands, reminds me of a simpler time in my life. Before the hustle and bustle of family life took over. Listening to that wonderful pop music, helps me remember that I'm still me. Even on days that i'm lacking sleep, and too tired to get dressed, let alone put make-up on!

Young Amy is still in there.

And I hope she always is.♥

It's Free!!

There are a lot of people in need of prayers and hugs around me lately. Some people don't believe in prayer, but do believe in the power of positive thinking. I think the two go hand in hand.

So give someone you love, an unexpected hug today.

Because, who knows?

Maybe that was just what they were praying and hoping for.♥

Happy Friday everyone!

Valentine's Day: My, How You've Changed!

Valentine's Day. You either love it, or hate it with all your being.

In Elementary school, it was a greatly anticipated day, filled with goodies and games. I loved picking out my box of Valentines, and delivering each card to my classmates bag.

A bag (or sometimes milk jug) that each of us decorated to our liking, usually covered in pink and white hearts. I loved that day in school!♥

Then after all the cards were delivered, we would all sit at our desks and open them up. We were lucky back then for having Valentine's that came with envelopes. It added to the anticipation, and I quite liked it. The cards now only have stickers to close them shut. And I get the whole "Save the world" thing, but I'm sad my kids won't have that.

In around 5th and 6th grade, There was more of a thought process in filling out my valentine's. I had to be sure not to give one to a boy that said something like, "Be Mine, Valentine!" In fear of one of them thinking I liked them or something. Heaven forbid! ☺ I could never bring myself to hand too sweet of a valentine out, even to a boy I thought was cute. I was much too shy to do something like that back then.

Then you get into middle school and high school, and the love/hate relationship that most people have with Valentine's Day begins.

If you were lucky enough to have a boyfriend on Valentine's Day, you were on cloud 9. I was always completely jealous of the girls that got a carnation that day. (The schools around here would sell carnations to students, that were then delivered to the recipient.)


I didn't get my first steady boyfriend until 10th grade, and he never sent me one. And then my senior year, I was dating someone from another school, so once again, no carnation.

My junior year, a friend and I (she was also single) declared it "Black Wednesday" and decided to celebrate Valentine's Day in our own special way.

With black cookies.

Only, she couldn't get the food coloring to turn black, so they were a gross green. I guess that's Black Wednesday for ya!☺

My husband's always been good to me on this day. Even when I tell him not to, which is usually every year. This year, we decided to buy each other a movie that we each wanted. (Mine was Breaking Dawn, Part 1) And we also went out for an early dinner on Saturday. That's more than enough for me. But this morning, I wake up to a card and chocolates.



He loves me! He really loves me! (I had to throw some cheesiness in there, in memory of Black Wednesday.) I met his chocolates, and raised him a giant homemade sugar cookie, with buttercream frosting.☺ Both hands were winners.♥


Today when the girls came home from school, they proudly opened their Valentine bags and showed me what they had received. I hope they hold these memories in their hearts forever.

And Megan got an extra special surprise. A boy in her grade was waiting for her to walk by the library at the end of the day, then ran up to her and put a box of chocolates in her bag, and ran away! How cute is that?!

Happy Valentine's Day, everyone! (Or Black Tuesday, if you wish.)

2nd Grade: The Year That Will Always Stick

(I can't believe it's taken me this long to write another one of my "school flashback" posts! )


It was the 1986/1987 school year, and I was a 2nd grader at Leesburg Elementary.

Second grade was such a fun year. For the second year in a row, my best friend Tara was in my class. We had such fun together! We were never short on giggles and goofiness. I also made friends with two new students that year.

Lisa and Beth.

They were both new to Leesburg, and I was instantly drawn to both of them. Lisa was so much fun, and fit into our goofy, giggly group, just swimmingly. And then Beth, who appeared shy in the beginning, (that didn't stick!LOL) had the prettiest skin and hair color I had ever seen! That entire year, I secretly wished my hair was long and dark like hers. I'm so thankful for Facebook helping to keep us in contact with each other.♥

And with the power of Facebook, Tara recently helped me remember something that I had forgotten about....

Popple Talk.

Yes, Popple Talk was a language that we made up that year, in honor of Popples. You remember Popples, right? Just in case, here's a commercial.



Popple talk was basically taking the first letter of every word, and making it a P.

Our teacher's name was Mrs. Knoop. (Do you see the humor now?lol)

And speaking of Mrs. Knoop, she was the epitome of what a teacher should be. She was kind, but tough when she needed to be. She had a way of making me feel like I was special, which is something I needed to feel after my first few years of school. Not to mention, I was still adjusting to becoming a big sister.

I remember she gave us empty tin cans, and had us decorate them with construction paper and other things. They were called our "I Can Cups"

Anytime one of us was heard speaking the words, "I can." we were given a poker chip to place in the can. But if we were caught saying, "I can't", a chip was taken away. After some time had passed, she would have an auction filled with small toys and such, that we could bid on with our earned chips.

She understood how important it was for children to simply believe in themselves. And I can honestly tell you that stuck with me.

I also remember her taking us outside around Halloween time, and letting us bob for apples. And in the spring, the "Easter Bunny" hid eggs for us around the playground. ☺

Second grade was also one of the last years, if not the last year, I believed in Santa. (Santa the actual person. If you read my blog on a regular basis, you know how I feel about Santa Claus.♥)


That year, Mrs. Knoop had each of us write a letter to Santa. I remember thanking him for the fox radio I received the year before. I still have that radio. It's simply a stuffed animal, with a radio on the bottom. You can see it in the picture below, up by my head.☺ I also remember asking him how his elves were and Mrs. Claus.

We were all so excited when we received a letter back from Santa! Santa actually read my letter, and wrote me back!  I still have that letter, and will treasure it always.


A few years ago, Mrs. Knoop told me that those letters were written by high school girls. But in my heart, it will always be from Santa Claus.♥



That year, Mrs. Knoop gave each of us a Christmas ornament. And every year since then, it hangs on my Christmas tree. A reminder of childhood, and a teacher who made a difference, in a shy little girl's life.

She will always be my favorite teacher. I've had many good ones, but none quite like Mrs. Knoop. The perfect blend of goofiness and love.♥

Suzy Q / Ding Dong Cake

Like all experiments, you have your winners, and your losers. The cake I made today was a winner when it comes to flavor, but sadly, when it comes to looks, it didn't quite live up to my expectations.

I started out wanting to make a Hostess inspired Ding Dong cake, but after trying it, it tasted more like a Suzy Q. The only part that made it kind of like a Ding Dong, is the chocolate ganache on the outside.

I began by baking a chocolate cake with Hershey's baking cocoa. (The recipe on the back of the container.)
I like using that recipe, because the cake is more firm and easier to handle than boxed.

While the cakes were cooling, I made the creme filling. Marshmallow creme frosting, to be exact.

Marshmallow Creme Frosting

One 7oz container of marshmallow Creme

One 16oz container of vanilla frosting

Place everything in a large bowl, and mix on high for 2 min.

(Top section)

The next thing I did was scoop out circles of cake, and filled them with the frosting, then put the missing cake pieces back on top.

(Bottom section)

After I had them both filled on the inside, I spread the remaining creme on top of the bottom half, then placed the other half on top.

And that my dears, is the step I should have skipped! As soon as I placed that last half on top, a huge crack appeared. Looking at the picture, it's probably because the top half is bigger. (Don't ask me why, because the pans were the exact same.)

But alas, I kept right on chugging, like the Little Engine that Could!

Next, I made the Ganache.

Chocolate Ganache

1 cup heavy cream

1 Tbs butter

12oz bag of semi sweet chocolate chips

Heat the cream and butter over medium heat, until boiling.

Pour the mixture over the chips and let stand for 5 min.

Stir until smooth.

The last thing I did was take my pastry brush, and brushed on the ganache.

I suppose if you are anticipating a broken heart this Valentine's Day, then this is just the cake for you! ☺

(Side view)

So, what did I learn today?

That the next time I decide to make one of these cakes, I'm going to keep both sides separate. Yep. One for us, and another for some lucky, close in proximity relative.lol ☺

(At least it tasted good!)

White Bean and Chicken Chili

It really seems that this blog is turning into a food blog, doesn't it? I think the winter weather just puts me in the mood to cook and bake. (Mostly bake☺)


So no, my little blog is not transitioning to a food blog, but it's safe to say I will be having more food-type posts. But only if I find something worth sharing with all of you.

Which brings me to tonight.

For years I've been talking about wanting to make white bean chili, but when it comes to cooking new things, I usually wimp out and say, "Maybe next week..."

I'm sick of putting things off! I've made up my mind that this year, I'll add more items to our family menu, because lets face it, eating the same 5 or 6 dishes over and over again, can really get to a person!

Can you believe that until today, I had never, and I mean never cooked with fresh garlic? The thought of it actually scared me! "How does one even cut garlic?" "What the heck is a garlic clove, and how in the world do I mince it?!" "PS....what does mincing mean?"


Thank goodness for YouTube and the wonderful German chef who showed me what to do!

Can you tell I'm more of a baker? lol


So, after searching the internet and finding several recipes, I discovered that most white bean chili recipes had the same main ingredients.

This is my version.

White Bean and Chicken Chili

1 whole chicken, 2 or 3 pounds

1 lb Dried Northern Beans 

7 Cups Chicken Broth

1 Cup of chopped onion

4 Cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp Cumin

1/8 tsp Oregano

1 tsp Paprika

1 tbs Chili Powder

1/4 tsp Pepper

1 tsp Salt

2 tbs Chopped Jalapeno

1 Cup Cilantro leaves, chopped (you can skip this step if you're not a fan.)

Boil your chicken until it's falling off the bone, usually an hour and a half, to two hours, making sure to turn it halfway through.

While that's boiling, cook your beans as the package suggests.

When the chicken is done, drain the broth through a strainer into a separate pot, and place the chicken on a cutting board or pan. Pour the broth back into the pot you boiled the chicken in. Let the chicken cool for a bit before pealing off the meat. I like to use my hands to do this, that way I can feel any small bones that may have found their way in otherwise.

When your beans are done, add them to the broth, along with the chicken.

Next, add your dry ingredients.

In a separate pan, saute the onion, garlic, and peppers in some olive oil or vegetable oil. When everything is tender, add the cilantro and continue cooking for another minute or two.

Add the mixture to the chili pot, and let simmer for as long as you'd like. Mine cooked for a few hours.

Make sure you taste it as you go, making sure there's enough chili powder for your taste. I couldn't add too much spice, for the kid's sake.

I topped ours off with a dollop of sour cream, which made it extra yummy.☺

I have one of the pickiest eater's in the world living in my house, and even she liked it! In fact, she ate every bite! 

This chili was a big hit, and everyone in the house gave it 2 thumbs up.

Yay, for trying new things!☺

Easy-Peasy Cinnamon Rolls

I was craving cinnamon rolls today, and figured since I already had frozen bread dough in the freezer, why not give it a whirl?

Best decision I made all day!!

If I would have known they were this easy to make, I would have done it a long time ago!

One loaf of frozen bread dough is enough to fill two 9 inch round pans.

What you'll need.

1 loaf of dough

2tbs Butter, melted

2/3 Cup Packed brown sugar

Cinnamon (I didn't measure. I just used what looked good.)

1/2 Cup of whipping cream

2/3 cup powdered sugar

1 to 1 1/2 tbs milk

1/8 tsp vanilla


Knead your bread a little before starting, to get the air bubbles out.

Roll your dough out, until it's about 20 inches long, and 5 or 6 inches wide.

Brush the melted butter on top of your rolled out dough.

Sprinkle on the brown sugar, rubbing it into the melted butter.

Sprinkle on the cinnamon, as much as you'd like.

Roll the dough up jelly-roll style, and slice it up. (I got around 14 or 15 slices out of it, each around 1 1/2 inches thick.

Place the rolls in 2 round pans, and let rise for 40 min.

Before placing them in the oven, drizzle the rolls with whipping cream. (You could also use half and half for this.)

Bake in a 350 degree oven for 25-30 min. (I baked mine for 26 min, and they came out perfect!☺)

For the icing, just mix your 2/3 cup of powdered sugar, with 1 to 1 1/2 tbs milk, and then add the 1/8 tsp vanilla.

Drizzle the icing over the rolls while they're still warm, and there ya have it!

This recipe was inspired by one I found on Allrecipes.com, and here's the link to that.

They're a huge hit, and my oldest said that I'll never have to buy them in the store ever again! ☺

Rainbow Cake Part Two: The Next Level

After my youngest daughter saw her sister's birthday cake in August, she decided right then and there, that she too wanted a rainbow cake for her birthday.

So here we are, five months later, and my sweet rainbow loving girl finally got her cake.♥

Holly absolutely loves all things rainbow! (I was the same way when I was little. I even had a pair of rainbow jeans in 6th grade!;-)


This time, I made the inside of the cake the same as Megan's, only instead of chocolate frosting in the middle, I used strawberry. Because if there's anything Holly likes more than rainbows, it's the color pink.☺

The directions to the cake are right here.

And since Holly loves rainbows, I decided to kick things up a bit, and give her rainbow frosting.

I got the idea from Pinterest. Isn't it cool?! The directions can be found right here. There are pictures too! I used Betty Crocker Gel Food Color.

The frosting I used was homemade buttercream frosting. I had never made it before, but I can assure you that after tasting it, I'll never go back to store bought again!

Here's how I made it:

2 Sticks of unsalted butter

4 cups of powdered sugar

1/4 tsp salt

1tbs Vanilla

4tbs milk

Beat softened butter until creamy. (I just used my hand mixer)

Add 3 cups of powdered sugar, and mix until it has a cornmeal consistency.

Add 2tbs of milk, and continue mixing.

Next, add the remaining sugar and mix, followed by the other 2 tbs of milk.

Add your 1/4 tsp of salt, and 1tbs of vanilla and mix.

If it's too runny, add a little more powdered sugar, and if it's too thick, add more milk.

The frosting ended up being the perfect consistency for what I needed. I did have to make two batches though, because this wasn't enough to frost the entire cake. Next time I'll just double it.

(I almost forgot to take a pic of the inside! At least I got this one, right?lol)

Before you pipe the frosting onto your cake, you'll want to place the bag in the freezer for a few minutes. If the frosting is too warm, it gets runny and makes it hard to decorate the sides. Maybe there's another trick for that, but I'm kind of new at this.☺

The cake was a big hit, and the only mishap, was that the frosting on the side of the cake, stuck to the cake safe and came off when I lifted the lid. It probably happened because I had it in the fridge all night, and didn't let it sit out long enough before taking the lid off.

Oh well! Lessons learned I guess!☺

Let me know if you try something like this! I would love to see what you came up with! ☺

Even with the sides messed up, it was still a pretty cake.☺

Winter Senses

Winter Senses

By Amy Meck

The crunching of boots, in the cold packed snow.

The moon shining down, making sparkles below.

The smell of chimney smoke, on a cold winter's night.

Cuddling up with your loved one in the fireplace light.

The laughter of children as they play in the snow.

Being warm in your home as the cold wind blows.

Snowbirds chirping, searching for food.

The winter does wonders for this girl's mood.

A Winter Poem

A Winter Poem

By Amy Meck

In the winter, the world feels new.

The snow like a sparkly blanket, that has never been used.

A magical blanket, that warms me on the inside.

But like a perfectly made bed, I can't help falling into it, leaving my imprint.

Afterward, I look around and miss the bed that was neatly made.

I search for another bed to fall into, because although it's pretty and perfect, beds are meant to be slept in.

And blankets fold for a reason.