The Bad and The Good

We certainly enjoy Halloween. Aside from Christmas, I think it's our all-time favorite holiday. The Scorpio in me loves the windy, dark weather and staying cozy indoors for a while... the mommy in me loves to see the girls all dressed up in costumes, enjoying trick-or-treats galore and Halloween festivities of different types.

On the downside, it's going on November and we still do not have our house money from the sale to the City. It's looking less & less like we'll have it before Christmas....

However, we shall have it when we are intended to, and not a moment sooner. The falling home prices are a good thing for us, though I do feel sorry for folks who've foreclosed, and there are many of them.

One week until the election - Barack the Vote!

Yum!

Double KISSES Chocolate Cupcakes
Ingredients:

* About 60 HERSHEY'S KISSES Brand Milk Chocolates
* 3/4 cup (1-1/2 sticks) butter or margarine, softened
* 1-2/3 cups sugar
* 3 eggs
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 2 cups all-purpose flour
* 2/3 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa
* 1-1/4 teaspoons baking soda
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
* 1-1/3 cups water

Directions:
1. Remove wrappers from chocolate pieces; set aside. Heat oven to 350°F. Line muffin cups (2-1/2 inches in diameter) with paper bake cups.

2. Combine butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla in large bowl. Beat on high speed of mixer 3 minutes. Stir together flour, cocoa, baking soda, salt and baking powder; add alternately with water to butter mixture, beating just until blended. Fill prepared muffin cups about 1/2 full with batter. Place chocolate piece in center of each.

3. Bake 20 minutes or until top springs back when touched lightly in center. Remove from cups to wire rack. Cool completely. Frost as desired. Place another chocolate piece on top of each cupcake. About 2-1/2 dozen cupcakes.

Really Deep Thoughts... What's so amazing about them?

Aha! My very first of what promises to be many Tori Amos references on here. Above is the photograph of me, with her, in Cleveland November 2007. It was truly great to meet her!!!!!
My favorite musician and artist of them all. I was listening to her this morning while I cleaned the kitchen and prepared strukla, which is a Slovenian dumpling-type dish we enjoy in our family. I work odd hours, mostly on the weekends, but that allows more 'free' time during the week.

Danielle and Victoria left for school this morning well-rested and chipper! They have recently acquired new bedding which we cannot afford but desperately needed, and they sleep so soundly now. Danielle has the covers over her head and is burrowed in like a field mouse when I check on them, but Victoria, ever since she was a newborn, has a habit of kicking the covers onto the floor.

If you're reading this, you either know me almost completely or not at all. I'm wary of boring those I know to explain myself to those who don't. But I must at least provide some clues, lest you think I am a boring housewife or something. SO! here are some facts & adjectives just randomly pulled from my brain:

I was arrested once.... I guess I'm liberal enough at this point to be considered radical.... I'm a Recovering Christian (yes, more Tori lyrics) who is still a Christian; make sense of that.... I love to read.... I love love .... I love my kids... I'm very political.... reactionary.... thirsty.... energetic and tired all at once... hungry..... joyous.... unafraid. My parents are my big-time heroes. My husband is my big-time love, but I've had others and still hold them in my heart. I get angry instead of crying.

And that's it for today, as I still have much more to do in the real world!

Introduction

A few words about me and my family.

My husband, Dan, and I live in Painesville, Ohio. We have 2 beautiful and clever little girls, currently 7 & 8. Dan is a drywall installer and I am a part-time cashier and about to go back to school for Secondary Education (English) at John Carroll University in University Heights.

I shall tell our story more as time goes on.

These two pictures of the girls are from last month. Victoria is the dark-haired, Danielle the blond. They are the very best of friends.