It all started with James

When Marisa lived with us she did lots of babysitting.  One special fellow was James.  His parents sang to him and he loved to sing.  When James was two and Marisa was putting him to bed one night ,he asked Marisa to sing Holy, Holy, Holy.  She asked James to sing it first.  He, in his two year sweet voice, burst into song.  Marisa cried.  I cried with her when she got home that night and shared the story.

Fast forward about 6 years.  John and Marisa sing to Mr Wonderful.  He knows the Doxology, Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star and he hums Brahms lullaby.  It is so precious to hear.  He didn't think his Bubbles was crazy when I was reading him a book and I saw a kookaburra and I burst into The Kookaburra Song.  We sang the two verses that I knew.  He was hooked.  We told Gpapa about it when he got home and Gpapa googled the song and found another verse with a video!  Mr Wonderful' s adoration of his Gpapa was increased even more.

As I just googled them I found still another one!  Here you go...

Kookabura Song Lyrics

Kookaburra sits in the old gum tree
Merry, merry king of the bush is he
Laugh, Kookaburra! Laugh, Kookaburra!
What a life you lead

Kookaburra sits in the old gum tree
Merry, merry, merry little bird is he
Sing, Kookaburra! Sing, Kookabura!
Sing your song for me.

Kookaburra sits in the old gum tree
Eating all the gum drops he can see
Stop, Kookaburra! Stop, Kookaburra!
Leave some there for me

Kookaburra sits in the old gum tree
Counting all the monkeys he can see
Stop, Kookaburra! Stop, Kookaburra!
That’s not a monkey that is me.

We take a few liberties with the last line and sing That's not a monkey that's Atticus!  Now when we say 'Let's sing the Kookaburra song', Mr Wonderful says Monkeys!!!!  

Here is Mr Wonderful watching the video with his Gpapa

Bacon/ Peanut Butter Cupcakes

A few months ago the Kitchen Ladies from my church decided to serve cupcakes for the Wednesday night meal.  It was decided that all of us would make cupcakes for dessert in our homes and bring them to the church on the specific Wednesday.  Now, for the most part in the kitchen I provide entertainment and make the sweet tea, these ladies want me to make cupcakes????  I felt sure they would call me and say "Ellen, can you please bring some lettuce or could you bring us all water?"  But they never did!  Oh, My.  I was stunned.  I cook or rather I help as they cook with some very good cooks.  They made wedding cake cupcakes, Italian cream cake cupcakes, strawberry cupcakes.

I knew I had to Go Big or Go Home.  I googled Wild Cupcakes and found Bacon/Peanut Butter.  I thought- This is what I want!!!

The crowd loved them!!!!


Don't judge as you read the recipe.  This is a dessert recipe and they are yum!

1 lb of bacon
1/2 c crunchy peanut butter
1/4 c bacon grease
1/4 butter
4 eggs
18.25 package Butter cake mix
2/3 c water

Fry bacon, save the grease, Preheat oven 350, line cupcake pans
Beat crunchy peanut butter, bacon grease and butter with mixer.  Add eggs one at a time- allowing each egg to blend before mixing the next.  Add cake mix alternately with the water.  Fold in 2/3 of chopped, cooked bacon.  Fill cupcake paper 2/3 full.  Bake 20/25 minutes.  Cool 10 in the pan before removing to the rack.  Frost when cool

Frosting-
2 C creamy peanut butter
2 8-oz cream cheese
5 C powered sugar
1/4 c cream
Beat cream cheese and peanut butter until creamy.  Add powdered sugar.  Use cream if needed.  Add rest of bacon as a garnish on top of cupcakes

They are wonderful!  Enjoy

War Eagle!

 A great article on Gus Malzahn 

Chilhuly glass

 A few weeks ago Carl had a business trip to Vancouver, BC and Kaitlin and I were able to tag along! It was cheaper to fly into Seattle and then drive up.  We were able to go to the Chihuly Garden and Glass Museum in Seattle before we drove up to Vancouver.  It was amazing.  This is all blown glass.  The museum has lots of benches so that one can sit down, relax and take in the beauty and the wonder and the creativity.

 The above is a ceiling.

 The day was beautiful to enjoy the glass that was outside in the garden too.

Chihuly has an exhibit at the Clinton Library until January 5th.  I highly recommend that you enjoy this beautiful art.