Monday, February 15, 2010, by Sherra
Mini life update from the Humpfreeze house…
Flooded basement from all the rain.
PhilBillPaul has been sucking up gallons of water for over a week.
Rain turned to snow.
Blizzard in Atlanta. FOUR INCHES OF SNOW. (In case you didn’t hear.)
Okay, maybe it was more like two inches.
Scary Baby loved it! Poor southern snow-deprived child.
I want to move to Hawaii.
The Pumpkin has been sick for a week. We hope it’s not mono.
The darling twins and I have to discuss and review our favorite comedy TV show {The Bachelor} long distance now. They are settled and doing well in Arizona.
The Olympics are on and I have to watch all these winter sports I never watch except when the Olympics are on.
Thanks Karen for the heads up on my favorite Oompa Loompa who will be competing on Wednesday!
Straight from his website…
Louie will line up at the top of the superpipe among all of the snowboard Olympic athletes on Wednesday February 17th for the 2010 Winter Olympic Halfpipe finals. The event will be televised LIVE on NBC beginning at 8PM PST.
Obviously, I’m booked solid this week. Are you watching the Olympics? What’s your favorite event?
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Categories: Finding the Funny, Moments
Monday, February 8, 2010, by Sherra
Some people plan their blog posts.
Some people are organized.
Some people take pictures of the food before people start eating it.
Who are those “some people”?
Then I remind myself {again} that this is not a food blog. I’m slow like that.
We did change up our Annual Humpfreeze Superbowl Party tradition since the darling twins are in Arizona and The Grunter had to work.
Scary Baby carried on the sign making tradition.
She wanted her sisters to see that she managed without them.
We carried on the Knox Blox tradition.
She helped with the important toothpick pennants.
It was very nice for our Indiana friends to invite us over to cheer on the Indianapolis Colts for Superbowl last night.
Otherwise it would have been a tiny party of three at our house.
A few appetizers and some blue popcorn and pretzels drizzled in blue were transported over along with our Knox Blox.
Side note: The desserts were not half eaten when we arrived.
There was a ridiculous amount of delicious food which is mandatory for Superbowl parties, isn’t it?
And if the Colts had to lose, it was to a very well-deserving team. The New Orleans Saints really shined and that city is so worthy of the victory!
Good food, good friends, good game…it was a good weekend.
How was yours?
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Categories: Finding the Funny, Food, Friends, Tweens
Friday, February 5, 2010, by Sherra
The Grunter insists The Snuggie™ that Granny sent him is broken.
How is the multi-million dollar blanket defective, I asked him?
“Air passes through it and it doesn’t keep me warm.”
I’ve never wanted to wear a blanket so I wasn’t that attracted to their biggest marketing feature. (Remarkably similar to a poncho…which I also never wanted to wear…even though it seems to have made a fashion comeback.)
Admittedly, the cheetah print is very fashion-forward.
But seriously…what’s the point of a blanket that doesn’t keep you warm?
Anyone else have a broken Snuggie or did The Grunter get the only defective one?
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Categories: Finding the Funny, Moments
Wednesday, February 3, 2010, by Sherra
Play-Doh™ wasn’t on her Christmas list.
Fondant was.
Or as she says “Fon-daunt”
A few too many episodes of Cake Boss has got Scary Baby wanting to bake and more importantly, wanting to decorate baked goods.
Finally, this weekend I told her we could make cupcakes so she could use her Fondaunt.
Even though I knew it wouldn’t taste good. And she insisted it would.
We whipped up a batch of lemon cupcakes. High marks for adding lemon jello to your lemon cake mix to make it more lemon-y. I’m sure lemon-y is a word. Warm cupcakes got an A+
Next we discover we don’t have enough powdered sugar to make buttercream frosting. Yeah, that’s me – the mom who doesn’t embrace projects for this very reason. We’re always missing some key ingredient or craft item and the project takes double the time which does not equal double the fun.
After a run to the store, I will admit that I made the best buttercream frosting ever. Recipe was on Pioneer Woman {where else?} and is actually what Bakerella uses with some of her beautiful creations. I did add a little less than a teaspoon of lemon flavoring to the teaspoon of vanilla flavoring which made it light and lemon-y and extra delicious. Scary Baby and PhilBillPaul agreed.
Sorry, no pictures of the frosting.
She then took over and embraced the final details of her fondant project.
Not too bad for her first try.
But I did catch her hiding the fondant in her napkin to throw away.
Ahem…doesn’t taste so good…does it?
I recommend sticking with Play-Doh. Why ruin good food?
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Categories: Food, Tweens
Monday, February 1, 2010, by Sherra
Last week I said to PhilBillPaul,
“I hate it when they are home. I hate it when they leave.”
Their leaving last week caused a wee bit of stress.
Understatement of the year.
Stress that only parents can understand. And even then, some of you don’t know what I’m talking about. Maybe because your darlings haven’t left yet.
The darling twins are now gone for five months. I’m equating this departure to a semester abroad. Except they are in Arizona. So I guess it’s a semester out west. 
They will thrive and shine. They will be fine. Because we have prepared them for life in ways I’ve seen many of their peers are not prepared. For that, we are grateful.
We know they are equipped with life skills and life lessons. Even though they choose not to use those skills here at our house.
Roger Leroy sent me this text tonight just as I was about to write this…
“You not sharing any life lessons lately is bothering me.”
Funny kid.
I don’t like the blog pressure. Funny thing about the blog is that when I don’t write, people worry.
Sweet, kind people who wonder if something is wrong.
A few emails. A few phone messages.
As if my silence might indicated that my feet have been dangling dangerously close to the edge of The Black Hole.
Or that I may have set a personal record and taken xan*x three days in a row.
Side note: I’m not spelling the drug name out any more as it seems to attract spammers offering me all kinds of interesting pharmaceuticals.
I’m fine, fine, fine. I promise.
I’ve just been really busy doing some blog design work in between recovering from the holidays and spending quality time with the family.
I do miss them when they aren’t here. I really do.
Since this blog is really my online family photo album and my personal therapy, I’ll share this tiny glimpse of what I don’t and won’t miss…
Photos compliments of Scary Baby because I couldn’t bear to look again.
Oh yes, that is my precious little blue bug (that Wizzy is in the process of buying) and that is where a passenger is suppose to put their feet.
Why yes, that is chocolate milk and orange juice. And marinara sauce on the floor mat, I think. For the record, in an attempt to make me feel better, Wizzy did say it was OPT…Other People’s Trash.
Yes, as a matter of fact, I did cry. And scream. A lot.
Another proud week at the Humpfreeze.
Note to darling twins: I did refrain from posting pictures of your room (again). Or your laundry. Where Dad found a clean stack of clothes still folded in the bottom of one of your hampers tonight covered with dirty clothes you left here. Nice.
Just want to keep it real.
Where is that prescription bottle?
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Categories: Milestones, Rants, Teens
Wednesday, January 20, 2010, by Sherra
We’re in countdown mode here at the Humpfreeze house as the darling twins will be leaving next week for 5 months in Arizona. It’s time for their military job training for the Army National Guard.
I won’t bore you with the military’s second language consisting mostly of acronyms about AIT and what their MOS is and their last weekend of RSP.
What I will bore you with is how the darling twins along with their friend Jenna kicked some serious butt at their weekend drill in December. It was family day and I was home sick but PhilBillPaul and Scary Baby went. And luckily Jenna’s family brought their camera. Thank you Ed and Dar!
Nothing like a little friendly competition among soldiers. It’s important to know that the group consisted of about 100 males and less than 20 females.
A little tug-of-war.
Some physical training.
Combatives.
Plus a variety of other events and challenges. In the end, the girls shined!
A total of 5 trophies were given out and 3 were given to our girls…
3 point shoot out:
First Place ~ Lizzie
Drill & Ceremony:
First Place ~ Rachel
Pugil Stick:
First Place ~ Jenna
PLUS Jenna also received a medal for basketball. At the end of the day, she was the only one to receive two awards!
I’m not sure their recruiter really understood that he landed 3 golden female recruits and since I’m the mom of two of them, my opinion appears to be a little biased!
When I asked him if he was beaming with pride at his 3 lovely recruits kicking some butt …
Him: “They surprised everyone including me.”
Me: “I beg your pardon? You didn’t expect them to shine?”
Him: “I didn’t expect them to dominate”
No surprise for us.
The Army National Guard is lucky to have these three amazing female soldiers. We already knew that.
I’m pretty sure the trophies were a little cheesy and mostly for the families’ benefit. While we appreciate the gesture, we don’t need trophies to remind us of how incredibly proud we are of our daughters!
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Categories: Finding the Funny, Moments, Raves, Teens
Monday, January 18, 2010, by Sherra
I’m committed to taking some baby steps in an effort to seriously cut down on my sugar intake this year.
And caffeine.
I quit cold turkey 6 years ago and lived through it.
But the caffeine slowly crept back into my life a few years later.
I blame living in Atlanta for this vice. Because I do love, love, love Coke. As in the classic red can Coke straight up over lots of ice.
Side note: I used to blame my caffeine addiction on my mother because she worked at Pepsi. Then I moved to Georgia where most establishments don’t take kindly if you use the “P” word.
No diet soda here because I really do believe artificial sweeteners are way worse for you than plain ‘ole sugar.
Just my opinion.
Wizzy knows this and says she’s going to give up soda too.
Then she brought this home this weekend…
I’m sorry – can you not read that banner?
Real sugar
Limited time only.
This stuff is like liquid carbonated crack.
Not that I have any idea about crack. But I do know this is good stuff.
She brought home a Mountain Dew too but I forgot to take a picture of its very cool retro label. Which I’ve heard is similar to a double dose of crack.
I think she’s going to give up soda in February.
Me too.
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Categories: Finding the Funny, Food
Monday, January 11, 2010, by Sherra
Seems many folk think that when you say you are taking your family tubing in January in the South that they think you are referring to tubing in a river in ice cold water – which, by the way, is often ice cold water in the summer.
News flash, in addition to sledding on cardboard boxes, garbage can lids and air mattresses, we are actually within driving distance of…
SNOW Tubing
Woo-hoo!
We planned a family day to drive to North Carolina to play in the snow. We wanted to do something fun with the kids before the darling twins are off again on their next adventure – this time to Arizona for 5 months for their Army National Guard job training.
This was no small feat because we had to find a day that none of them had to work and before The Grunter’s new classes started. Oh, and we still have that precious Scary Baby in elementary school. And we didn’t want to fight the weekend crowds because I hate crowds.
No problem, PhilBillPaul and Scary Baby were gracious enough to take a “day off” from their regularly scheduled life and we headed to Tube World on a day where Atlanta was preparing for a blizzard (2 inches of snow predicted)!
First though, about 10 hours were spent trying to locate Mr. Humpfreeze’s Lands’ End squall jacket. Never found.
Please do not ask how you lose a winter coat. My mom already did. It’s a very sensitive subject right now.
Next, two hours at Walmart buying 4 pairs of gloves because any winter items here are lost like socks in the dryer. And boots because my Lands’ End squall boots went missing too.
Fun! Fun! Fun!
The tubes go way faster than you might think.
Tube World is first class all the way with their moving carpet lift so you don’t have to WALK back up the hill!
I skipped a few rides up the moving carpet so I could snap some pictures as they came down.
My glasses were iced over so I took some pictures of other people’s kids. I’m not sure any of those pin dots are my family.
I think this is part of my family…
I think I know these people…
The $1.50 face mask was the best money spent for Scary Baby. Though she didn’t take kindly to the Tube World teen staff calling her “little man”.
Might be because she also had her brother’s old winter coat on. She did take the face mask off during one ride so they could see that she was a GIRL!
We drove home in semi-treacherous weather. Any snow is a blizzard to my kids. The roads were slick and turning to ice. Scary Baby got a snow day on Friday which was a bonus.
Here’s how much snow was on the deck when we arrived home.
A solid inch – look closely. Wizzy ran right out to eat some fresh snow.
Southern babies – it’s fun to see snow through their eyes. 
What did Atlanta folk do with all our snow here last week? To those of you who live in a cold winter state…do you take advantage of playing in the snow?
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Categories: Finding the Funny, Moments, Teens, Tweens
Friday, January 8, 2010, by Sherra
Food
It’s standard to say food was a highlight, right?
In addition to the pre-holiday baking frenzy, I dug deep and tapped into my inner Suzy Homemaker since we were all gathered together and cooked real meals. Scary but true. I took no pictures of food since you already know how great my photography skills are.
We had our traditional holiday food which include:
- Fondue on Christmas Eve
- Sausage & egg casserole
- Cheesy potatoes twice
- Cajun Chex Mix x 6 batches (3 batches were given away)
Recipes
But I also tried a couple of new recipes mixed with some old favorites. I’m listing some of the meals here for posterity and to remind the kids that in December 2009, I DID COOK.
Potato Soup and Cheesy Beer Bread
I loved both – the girls said the bread was not their favorite.
Mozzarella Stuffed Meatballs with Spaghetti
The girls all loved the meatballs – they were okay to me. The Grunter doesn’t eat ground beef or pasta.
Hot Colby Ham Sandwiches*
PhilBillPaul is not a sandwich guy so it was an exciting moment when I made these for dinner and he liked them and everyone else did too. These were such a hit that I made them for again for New Year’s Eve.
Homemade lasagna with extra cheese
Per the girls request – not a food for the boys. I had one small piece and the pan was gone the next day. No recipe, I just always make it up as I go.
Cocktail Meatballs
Is there anyone left on earth who hasn’t made these – the easiest, weirdest ingredients you dump in the crockpot and they actually taste good?!
Mini Turkey Cranberry Cheese Crescent Somethings
I made these up to use the frozen leftover turkey breast from Thanksgiving. The Grunter even ate one. You can’t go wrong with crescent roll dough.
Buffalo Chicken Wing Dip
They were scrapping the pan for more and PhilBillPaul has requested it for Superbowl. I used ranch dressing and mozzarella because we don’t do bleu cheese! I used less than 1/3 C of the hot sauce and it was fine for us. We don’t like anything super hot.
Warning: Website with recipe has automatic music – a personal pet peeve
*Here is the recipe for the sandwiches that are definitely being added to our family menu and the Superbowl party…I used Sara Lee Soft Dinner Rolls ~ 12 in a pack and they made perfect small sandwiches.
Hot Colby Ham Sandwiches
1/2 C butter, melted
2 T prepared mustard
1 T dried minced onions
1 T poppy seeds
2 to 3 t sugar
15 dinner rolls (about 3-inch diameter) sliced
15 slices colby cheese
15 thin slices deli ham (about 1 pound)
2 C (8 oz) shredded mozzarella cheese
In a small bowl, combine the butter, mustard, onion, poppy seeds and sugar. Place roll bottoms, cut side up, in an ungreased 15 x 10 x 1 baking pan. Top each with colby cheese, ham and mozzarella cheese. Drizzle with half of the butter mixture.
Replace roll tops. Drizzle with remaining butter mixture. Bake, uncovered at 350º for 10-15 minutes or until cheese is melted. Yield: 15 servings.
Recipe from Quick Cooking, May/June 2004
I’m now going into hibernation for the rest of winter because I think I cooked more in one month than I did the whole year and I’m tired.
Are you fully recovered from the holidays? List of resolutions for 2010?
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Categories: Food, Moments
Wednesday, January 6, 2010, by Sherra
The Grunter was the proud recipient of Scary Baby’s re-gifting prank. She ran out of money bought candy and didn’t get him a gift. On Christmas Eve she ran to her room and quickly wrapped something to give him.
We all knew it was a re-gift. She loves to give. I was thinking maybe a stuffed animal or some art supplies.
Instead, she gave him…
A two piece bathing suit.
Just what he always wanted. She thought this was the hysterical high point of Christmas morning.
It might have been but you shouldn’t try to punk your brother like that. He’s likely to get you back.
He quietly went into the bathroom and came out donning the two piece swimsuit.
Yes, it was odd that it fit.
But he is a skinny white boy just like his father.
You will have to use your imagination as to what this sight for sore eyes looked like.
Because I only emailed the pictures to immediate family.
I wish I had an audiotape of the uproar at my sister’s house when they gathered round my niece’s computer to see pictures of our pumpkin.
I bet Scary Baby will remember to get him a new present next year!
In other Grunter holiday news…
He bought the family a new game. And insisted we all play it on Christmas Eve. Everyone has played it several times and it is no small miracle to have a game that the adults, semi-adults and the 10 year old can play together.
Plus we added another game to our cabinet because my sister and mother said it was a “fun for all ages” game they all played on Christmas afternoon.
We had plenty of extra people in and out visiting and most all who came had to play. Really, you probably shouldn’t come to our house if you don’t like to play games with super loud, competitive people.
Then to end 2009 with a bang, we had another family and about 10 of the kids friends over for an impromptu New Year’s Eve party. Scary Baby and I braved the crowds at Walmart and Target to gather food and blowers while PhilBillPaul cleaned up the house.
A little Euchre, more Quelf and Apples to Apples plus the kids set up Rock Band and some other video games in the basement.
Other Miscellaneous Highlights…
Read two books, watched a ton of football and saw two movies. The movies were swamped with the new releases so we didn’t break our record from last year. We both enjoyed “Up in the Air” and “It’s Complicated”. I give them both Bs.
The girls also went ice skating and roller skating (twice).
Roger Leroy squeezed in a 7 hour defensive driving class on December 30th compliments of her speeding ticket up at college.
All of this and the kids all worked 25+ hours each at their jobs.
Impressive time management skills. Actually, youthful energy is probably more accurate.
How did you spend the holidays? Glad they’re over or wished they lasted longer? Are you back in a normal routine?
Does NO ONE have any hog jowl recipes???
Check back on Friday for our Humpfreeze Holiday FOOD highlights…
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Categories: Finding the Funny, Moments, Teens, Tweens
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