Hugs and Kisses

Some days are just cookie baking days. This was one of them. This recipe has been around for as long as home-baked cookies have. I'm sure there are many different variations, but this is a favorite of mine. Sometimes and often called Peanut Butter Blossoms I prefer.....

Hugs and Kisses Peanut Butter Cookies

1/2 cup butter

3/4 cup creamy peanut butter

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1/3 cup brown sugar

1 egg

2 Tablespoons milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

Granulated sugar

1 bag Hershey Hugs and Kisses ( any Hershey kiss will do)

Cream butter, peanut butter and sugars together till creamy. Add milk, egg and vanilla and beat together. Add dry ingredients. Refrigerate for about 30 minutes or while oven is pre-heating to 375 degrees. I use a cookie scoop but you can just roll into balls and then roll in sugar.

Refrigerating makes the dough a bit firmer and easier to handle while rolling in sugar. Place on cookie sheet and DO NOT flatten. Bake for 10 minutes or until lightly golden around edges.

Place kiss on each cookie and then remove to cooling rack. Try to keep everyone away until they cool. The kiss will melt and then re-harden while cookie cools.

Blessings Sue

Junior Fair #1 And the winner is......

Here she is, back home, absolutely exhausted, and very happy after a LONG week at Junior Fair.

Boy have I learned alot. There are alot of really amazing people who give alot of their time and much energy to give our kids experiences they will never forget. This is a lifestyle. These kids work HARD. The parents that I met were just like us. Really into their kids and PROUD of their achievements and successes. The local businesses give and give and give. I am amazed at the amount of sponsorship involved and to mention the scholarship's made available. Truly a learning experience. Makes you feel proud you belong to the community of East County.

These are some of the judges. When you show an animal you learn all about that animal. So she had to cram to learn all about the other animals. Because she won Master showmanship with Louie she had to show one of each of the animals being represented. Steer, Dairy heifer, Boer Goat, Sheep, Pig And know about them as well. Having never done this she did REALLY WELL.

She was laughing later at some of the questions: How many teeth do a sheep have? She told the judge "Hold on, let me count" haha

She competed with these 5 kids and received 3rd place. Right smack dab in the middle. We are so happy. She really wanted the belt buckle but now she has something to look forward to.

Let me list a few more things I learned or was reminded of:

1. Steer, Its called a STEER. Not a boy cow, not a cow... In fact I never heard the word cow the entire time.

2. Farm animals are really LOUD and really STINKY. They are also very loving animals and deserve our respect and gratitude.

3. Yes, this is where our meat comes from and even though I prefer to buy my meat at the store and forget this particular part, it still exists. God bless the people who do this part and are kind to the animals during the process.

4. There is a reason for wearing boots. HOOFS HURT TOES !!!!!!! and they don't walk around on carpet...... Very dusty,dirty.

5. People who work with animals are good people. This I have always known, but it was very re-enforced. It is HARD and tedious and requires either and/or much devotion.

6. Poop is gross, flys are annoying.

7. Even though white and poop/mud/etc. do not mix, It sure makes for a sharp combination when it comes to a uniform while paired with a cool jacket, scarf or hat.

8. I am a spinner. I enjoy my part of this circle. I will always be a spinner. I like fiber. I would not enjoy the hands on part of the market animal thing. I like to know that I can work together with the animal to keep doing what I enjoy. and I definitely want to pass this skill on to others.

This is the piggy Allison showed, She was a dear piggy. She behaved herself in the ring while some of the other pigs were being very naughty. Snoozing........... Good times, thanks for listening. I hope you enjoyed this with me. Keep reading second part of post for more pictures.

Blessings Sue

Junior Fair #2

Pig....pink, LOUD, snorty, hmmmmmm thats it. Except I do enjoy a piece of bacon now and then... Admit it, so do you ....right........?

Boer Goat- Market, meat, cute, sweet, personality to spare.

Suffolk sheep- I used to JUST see FIBER, but now I see this is more a meat breed. I still see fiber mind you....... I don't eat sheep. Stubborn, loud, naughty.

Steer- Meat, New York steak BBQ'd to perfection, Ribs, Tri-tip, corn on the cob, big green salad, nice glass of wine, you know...... BIG, BIG, BIG, slow, beautiful eyes, very loud moo.

Dairy Heifer- MILK duh!!!!!! smaller than steer, sweet, beautiful eyes, moist nose, rough tongue.

Oh yes and daughter- Amazing gift from God, beautiful, smart, funny, she has definitely been given a gift for working with animals.... And one of my most cherished Blessings.

More later then,

Blessings, Sue

Proud Momma !!!!

There is nothing comparable to seeing your children succeed. All three of my girls are completely different. They each have their own passions and I am so blessed to be their mom.
Today was Allison's day to shine ...... and shine she did like the little star she is.
Eastern San Diego County Junior Fair showing was today. This is the first time she has ever had a large farm animal in Ag. class, and her first time showing in the ring. Jennifer helping to get ready. This is serious business. Each child shows their animal in different categories. Louie is a boar (market) goat. So he was shown for meat (market) in one competition.
He received a blue ribbon, FIRST PLACE. The judge did say he needed to plump up a bit in the rear end but yay he got 1st.

In the second competition -Showmanship -Allison won FIRST PLACE MASTER SHOWMAN.

She looked so good. A natural. You could really tell she worked with Louie. They were right in sync with each other. The judge even told her in the ring that it was obvious that she spent alot of time with her goat and that she new what she was doing.

He used her for an example to the other kids. It was a proud day!!!!!! But now its not over...Since she won Master Showmanship she has to compete tomorrow with the other kids who also won that title in their competitions... She has to show a Steer, Cow, Goat Sheep and a pig all of which she has never shown before (except of course Louie)

Ohhhhh how I love my girls!!!!!!!

And the best news of all is that until we can get her a horse of her own she will get to keep Louie.

That's right ..... He will continue to live on at the ranch and be a companion to Rosie the rescued burro. Now that's something to smile about. She loves him so. and he has been so good for her. He has listened to her heart when she could trust it to no one else. I'm very content with this latest decision.

So I'm off to wash and press all the WHITE clothes she has to re-wear tomorrow (who thought of white ??????????? seriously..... jeeezzz) And rest up so we can be at the rodeo grounds/fair grounds again tomorrow. We're packing lunch and drinks for that though..... We learned today.

Blessings, Sue

More pictures to enjoy........

This and the next post go together.

Must interject here.. I never saw African daisies this color before. They remind me of sherbet.

If you are one of my girls you will see my heart in this poem... If you are one of my friends you will see my "mothers" heart in this poem. If you are my friends that I haven't met yet I will tell you that I am an avid reader and believe strongly in teaching our children the value of literacy.

I found this in the paper today........

The Reading Mother

" You may have tangible wealth untold"

"Caskets of jewels and coffers of gold"

" Richer than I you can never be"

"I had a mother who read to me

by Strickland Gillilan

Blessings, Sue

Summers Past......

Susan and I spent a bit of time at the Summers Past Farms yesterday. It was a perfect day. We enjoyed the warm sunshine on our faces, the engaging conversations and the enchanted beauty of the gardens. Its definatly time to go now before the summer heat kicks in. I wanted to share these pictures..... ENJOY.....

Blessings, Sue