around here

So it totally snowed and snowed yesterday. Made me a little grumpy. So to kind of cheer me up I started working on teacher Christmas gifts.
Sort of worked.
 Oh I have learned over the years to tolerate winter. Trust me. But with snow comes days filled of shoveling. And while I no longer am JUST shoveling like years past it's still a hard on you chore. And yes, because I'm totally lazy and keep the makeup on that I wore the night before I do in fact look like a cross between these two:

Mind you the hair is spot on. Well, a little shorter and larger...but you get the gist. 

Last year we bought a snowblower. We're true Iowans now. (Perhaps a few steps closer?) 

But lets be honest...that snowblower thing? Its more of a pain in my rear to maneuver than me just shoveling. Yet the husband insists its a faster solution especially since he's not here all day long to take care of the issue. 

But really that's not a bad thing. Seriously who really wants to see me in that state anyways? No one is home but the cat and the dog and while the cat mocks me with looks of "Are you going to stay looking that? You know you look like Alice Cooper right?" I normally just look at her and say "Shut up, don't judge me." But clearly she's judging. It's all good, I got back at her by putting a flowery looking collar on her. 

She hates it. And actually it's made her more judgy. now that I think about it.

And I tell her so.

And then I realize I'm talking to the cat. 

And then I tell myself "It's better than talking to yourself."

"Wait does that count as talking to myself?"

"Shoot! there I go again."

"STOP IT!"

And then I look at the cat and tell her "QUIT JUDGING ME."

She just comes back with "You gonna put a pair of normal pants on or are you going to call those sweatpants you wore to bed your outfit today?"

on going cycle of crazy.

And a cat that's going to make me go to therapy with her abuse.

 Tomorrow will be spent yelling kindly but forcefully telling the kids to clean up their rooms while mom makes her pies, mashed potatoes and whatever else I can get done the day before Thanksgiving.
And yes, thank you for remembering our fiasco last year with the dog and the apple pie. In fact every time we mention thanksgiving, apple pie, or even apples...its like clockwork, someone in the family starts with adding salt to the wound by bringing it up with "Hey remember that one time when Buck totally DESTROYED mom?! I mean destroyed the PIE mom made?"
Good times.
Now I feel like going and double fisting chocolate.

 Thanksgiving is in fact been my favorite holiday of the year.
All that gratitude and stuff...but really...
I really love pumpkin pie.
I think that's the only reason I love thanksgiving so much.
And that gratitude stuff and family togetherness as well.
But mainly its about the pumpkin pie.

 This is also the holiday season that these lovelies show up. I'm not the only one that looooooooves these clementines either.
My kids go into "Hunger Game" mode when these show up and I can't seem to keep them around for more than a nano second. Only reason why theres an actual picture of these here, is because I just bought them and the kids aren't home yet.
I've already had like 5 of them.
I guess it's better than us all fighting over and going through that many Big Macs this season. (see gratitude stuff)

fabric by Robert Kaufman pattern Lucky Stars

Also with Thanksgiving being so late this year...it's kind of thrown me in for a loop. It's cool though,
cause I may not have hardly any of my shopping done...but I've got the start of my lucky stars christmas pillows already done.
bam.

You ready? 

V and Co: how to make a pretty apple pie

welcome to part two of the apple pie saga. 

find part one here.

okay so now that you have all this apple pie filling in your pantry. lets make an actual apple pie out it shall we?
now if you are looking for a homemade pie crust...keep looking cause that's not what i'm doing here. all we're doing here is taking pre-made stuff and creating a very pretty lattice pie crust.
oh i've tried to make my own crust...and i don't have the touch yet. i'll keep trying and someday i'll get it right and then i'll rejoice.
but now is not that time. :)

okay what you need:
-one deep dish frozen pie crust
-one package of unrolled pie crust (you will only use one)
-one mason jar of apple pie filling
-pizza cutter
-1/4 cup of milk
-1/4 cup of sugar

-pour one mason jar full of apple pie into the crust.

-unroll one pie crust

-with the pizza cutter make strips from the pie crust

-notice that my pie crust was a little munched on one side, it's okay we will use it for the leafs so i placed it aside.
-you will need to leave just a little for the leaves.

-start by placing strips of the dough across the top of the pie...

- cut off the excess and add it to the extra you placed it aside.

-now to make the lattice part of the crust.
-you are going to interweave the strips of the dough the other way now

-continue to interweave the dough strips.
-press down the ends when you get all the lattice done.

-roll out the extra dough

-with a knife cut out leaf shapes, and draw lightly on the leaf (not going through all the way)

-pull back the extra dough from your cut out leaves.

-place the leaves on top of the lattice you just created

-get your milk and your sugar and if you have a pastry brush it will be helpful.

-brush some milk on top of the leaves and lattice.

-after you have brushed milk all over the top of the crust, sprinkle sugar on top of the crust.

PREPARE TO COOK:

-preheat your oven to 375 degrees
-while waiting for the oven to preheat get a square piece of foil paper and fold in 4.
-cut the foil to create a circle

-place the foil on top of your pie (this will save your edges from browning too much)
-cook for 30 minutes
-remove the tin foil
-continue to cook for 30 minutes or until you see the juice boil.

now you have a pretty pretty pie.

and it should taste really good.

we wouldn't know because:

while we weren't looking the dog decided to get on his hind legs and grab and drag the pretty pretty pie onto the floor and proceed to eat the WHOLE  *breathe vanessa breathe* whole pie.

it happened on thanksgiving morning of all days. so when i saw the pie tin empty on the floor. i screamed "NO WAY!no nononononoooooooo.!" the whole family came running and then they all stopped short and no one said a word because i wasn't saying anything anymore but i was flapping my arms up and down...not saying a word. the husband kindly and quietly suggested we just buy a pie.
i gave him "the stare" he quickly backed away.
and then we went to try to find a pie.
oh yeah did you know that EVERYONE and their DOG buy pies BEFORE thanksgving morning??
we even asked the lady at the bakery in walmart if they had any apple pies left.
she gave me the look as "moron, everyone bought pies yesterday."
k fine so we bought a frozen pie.
and you know what?
thanksgiving was fine.
but i can't wait to finally eat my apple pie. maybe this weekend. i mean i have 6 more quarts. :)