Simple Country Living

Middle daughter is debating job? school? both????

Our middle daughter is debating over a job offer and college or just straight college.   For all our girls we offer them a full ride to college , books , all cost, a car, gas, medical & car insurance , spending money , we do it all like we do now.  The only difference is they have to live at home while they go to school, or board at a far school.  They car work part time where dad and I agree they can for mad money, but they are just to focus on school.   Well, Shayna has a great job offer starting off at $10 -$12 an hour with insurance, 401k, retirement and more.  She will still live at home and we will support her still, minus medical insurance ( she has to be in school for 12 units for ours to cover her) and she can go to college at night.

Shayna wants to open a cafe.  So she would be going to school for that and her art as well as her veterinary.  So now she has a choice to make this job where she could just keep advancing year after year and school or just straight school and open her cafe and sell her art there.  The veterinary is just because she is good at it and loves it(she already has college classes in this from high school) , and well it is good to fall back on if she ever needed to.

We tell her what ever she decides is fine, we will support her 100%.

We are praying over this to see what God has to say.

P.s. the joke on dad went good I will tell you all about Mr. Grump Gills (the fish's name)and dad later , also about his wife they are trying to talk us into buying!!!  Some times I wonder if they are Moses, every needs a mate!     LOL.  Help me!!!

God Bless all, mj

Organized Mom Super Set!!!

I just got an email from my friend, Cindy Rushton.  She has just introduced a wonderful new set for those who want (or need) real help getting organized for the new school year. The best part is that this week she is offering two bonuses when you purchase her Organized Mom Super Set:

1. Her entire Organization 911 Seminar Set
2. Her NEW Virtual Seminar Set, Let's Get Organized for the New School Year.

To celebrate, Cindy just sent me permission to give you a sampler of one of her free gifts just for you. I am so excited to give it to you! Here is the link:

Scheduling ABC’s Audio Workshop with Cindy Rushton

Let Cindy take you by the hand and show you secrets to
developing a schedule that works for you and your family!

Download by Mp3
http://tinyurl.com/2cpsb9

Knock You Naked Brownies

I started this recipe last night.  First I made the caramels from scratch last night and then put the brownies together today.  They are now out of the oven and cooling. 

Knock You Naked Brownies  

1 pkg. german chocolate cake mix (I used devil's food as that's what I had on hand.)

1 C. chopped nuts (I omitted due to allergies.)

1/3 C + 1/2 C evaporated milk, separated

1/2 C melted butter

I batch of vanilla caramels (recipe to follow) or about 60 store bought

1 C semi-sweet chocolate chips

Combine dry cake mix, nuts, 1/3 C evaporated milk & melted butter.  Press half of the batter into the bottom of a greased 11x9x2 in. glass baking dish.  Bake in a preheated 350 oven for 8 minutes.  In microwave or double boiler, melt caramels with remaining 1/2 C evaporated milk.  When caramel mixture is well mixed, pour over the baked layer.  Cover with chocolate chips.  Chill for about an hour or until caramel is hard.  Press the remaining batter on top of morsels.  Return to the oven and bake for 28 minutes.  (Or less if you want gooier brownies.)  Let cool before cutting.

Vanilla Caramels

(These are so, so good and I'm probably going to put the recipe in with my Christmas candy making file.)

2 C. sugar

2 C half & half

1 3/4 C light corn syrup

1/2 C butter

pinch of salt

2 Tbls. vanilla extract or paste

Prepare an 8 in. square pan by lining it with foil and spraing it with non-stick spray.  (I just used Reynold's no-stick foil & it worked fine.)  Combine the sugar, half & half, corn syrup, butter & salt in a large saucepan.  (Must be a large one as a medium one will barely hold mixture once it starts to boil and expands.  Even a small stock pot wouldn't hurt.)  Cook over medium heat , stirring constantly, until the sugar is dissovled and the mixture starts boiling.  Continue cooking, stirring occasionally until the mixture reaches 244 degrees on a candy thermometer.  (I don't have a candy thermometer, so I just cooked it to the soft ball stage and it worked fine.)  Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla.  Immediately pour into the prepared pan.  (I was using a glass pan so I made sure to place a large metal spoon in the pan and poured the candy over that so the metal would absorb the heat and my pan would not shatter.)  Allow to set at room temp. until completely firm.  Chill for one hour and then cut with an oiled knife into small squares.