Super Great Dessert

I thought I would share the most popular dessert I've ever made with anyone who wants it.  I didn't make it up so I won't take credit but I have served it to just about everyone I know and it's always a huge hit.  It takes about 10 minutes to make and looks like a fancy bakery dessert.  Here goes -

unwrap 12 ice cream sandwiches and put them in a 9x13 pan
spread a layer of hot fudge sauce over the top like frosting
put another layer of ice cream sandwiches on top of that
spread another layer of fudge on top
spread Cool Whip on top like frosting when ready to serve
top with chocolate flakes or toffee bits or a cherry or whatever you want
you can also put a little swirl of fruit sauce or whatever is pretty underneath each serving

The layers of ice cream sandwich look like a fancy cake so it looks like a really fancy dessert but it is so easy and so yummy.  The total basic ingredients are - 1 box of 24 ice cream sandwiches, 1 jar of hot fudge sauce and one small tub of Cool Whip.  Doesn't get any easier than that!  Enjoy:)

Brandon

Yesterday was my firstborn's birthday.  I just have to tell you what a cool guy he is.  He was the most amazing baby and toddler.  He was sleeping through the night at 1 month.  He NEVER cried.  He cut teeth without crying.  He was so laid back and patient and sweet.  He was a very easy child to raise.  As an adult he is a blast!  His sense of humor is second to none and he makes EVERYONE laugh.  He is very smart and witty.  He is a schoolteacher and has children and young adults all over this city that he has taught and that still love him.  His former students come and hang out at his classroom for lunch.  He's one of those kind of teachers.  The ones that have an impact on your life for the rest of your life.  He teaches seminary, works in the temple and regularly makes my daughter wet her pants by making her laugh so hard.  He is a joy to have in our lives and I love him with all of my heart.  Happy Birthday, Brandon.  You will always be my #1 son.

Mourning

Van and I have been in mourning for a few days now.  Our favorite TV couple are no longer a couple because one of them died on Sunday night.  We have been depressed ever since.  Right at the height of the show's popularity, one of the main characters is no longer on it.  Van did some research and found out that he decided to pursue other projects so they had to kill him off.  He apparently didn't have any idea how popular he would become over on this side of the pond.  What project could be better than having half of America watch you and love you every week?  I can't wait to see his next "project".  Matthew Crawley, you will be sorely missed:(

32 years:)

37 years ago today I went on my first date with Pat Moore.  He was 16, I was 17.  On that date I told him that I was going to marry him someday and I wasn't kidding.  I knew it just as sure as I'm writing this.  32 years ago today I did just that.  During those 5 years between the day we dated and the day we married we went to high school together, separated while I went to BYU, were reunited when I came home from BYU because I missed him too much, were separated when he went to Germany for two years on a mission and were finally reunited for eternity.  I have loved this man wayyy longer than I haven't loved him.  He has been a part of my family nearly as long as I have.  They love him more than me and can't really remember a time when we weren't together.  My youngest brother was 2 when we started dating so he really doesn't know life without Pat.  We are still absolutely best friends.  We finish each other's sentences.  He makes me feel safe and loved.  He's still super handsome and super spiritual and I love him more than I ever dreamed possible.  Many years ago I wrote him this poem because it's exactly how I feel about him.

There's never been a time when I didn't feel you mine and know that by your side was where I'd be. 

Never through the years, through all the trials and fears, did I doubt that if I looked your smile I'd see. 

When two are joined as one, and through all time it's been done, you and I brought brand new meaning to the phrase.

Because sometime before "forever" we knew we'd be together and love each other past life's final days.

Patience, love and care, knowing you'd be there no matter what the trouble, thick or thin.

We've shared some precious things, all the fun that good life brings and we've proven that together we can win.

Although we've just begun and there's much more before we're done, hand in hand we'll make it through the haze.

Because sometime before "forever" we knew we'd be together and love each other past life's final days.

Happy Anniversary, Patrick Michael Moore.  You are my forever:)

Change it up!

Those who live in my house or come over often know that I like change.  I can't count how many times my husband and children have come home and said "Wasn't that couch over there this morning?" or "Wasn't my room a different color when I went to school?".  I am very much a creature of habit most of the time but that's what makes the little changes so fun.  It feels like I've done something really radical if I eat my breakfast AFTER my walk instead of before like I do every day.  I like being spontaneous amidst my predictablity.  I have family members and friends who get physically sick at the thought of any change at all.  I feel bad for them because life is one big change when you think about it.  We are changing every day whether we know it or not.  So if we embrace it and have fun with it then we won't be overwhelmed when bigger changes come our way.  Try doing something just a little bit different or out of order today.  I dare you:)

My Children

While standing in line at the post office the other day I read a card that seemed to come straight from my heart.  This is EXACTLY how I feel about my children.

My life, my joys, my pleasures,
my hopes, my dreams, my treasures.
My greatest loves.
My very best work.
My most cherished of gifts to the world...
My children

I couldn't have said it better myself.

No More Teenage Boys

Today my baby boy turns 20!  I can't believe I don't have any more teenage boys.  I've had at least four at a time for so many years it seems impossible that I won't have any more, ever.  It's not as bad as I thought it would be though.  I really like my adult children and it's fun being friends with them.  Plus, this teenage boy was a little rougher than the rest so I'm kind of happy to see him get into his 20's:)  I guess I should rephrase that, he wasn't really rougher, it was just his situation that was a little rough.  Falling for your wife when you are 15 is a little tough on the parents.  I know, I did it to my parents.  But, all in all, Hunter has been a great teenager, just like his brothers before him.  He's been a great kid, period.  Even though he struggles a little in communicating, he writes the sweetest notes and is able to get down on paper everything he can't seem to say out loud.  He hates making us unhappy and always tries to obey and the best thing about him is his testimony of the gospel.  He loves his savior, Jesus Christ, and is showing Him by living a very obedient life and by serving Him for 2 years in Columbus, Ohio.  Hunter has always been a mama's boy and when he was younger I didn't appreciate that since he only wanted me, all the time, and would cry (a lot) when I tried to take care of my other 5 children.  Now, I am thrilled that he is a mama's boy and I feel closer to him than ever.  I got a call yesterday from a family in Ohio who wanted to tell me what a great kid I have.  This isn't the first call I've gotten of this nature.  They told me he is very enthusiastic about the work and very obedient and just an all around wonderful young man.  I must say I'm not surprised to hear this.  Thrilled, but not surprised.  Everyone who meets Hunter likes him, girls and boys for different reasons:).  Because he is so cute the girls are attracted right away but then they get to know him and they like him even more.  Boys seem to flock to him because he is a good friend and example and a genuinely nice guy.  I'm so proud of my sweet boy and I really hope that he is having a wonderful birthday across the country from me.  Goodbye teens, bring on the 20's!  Happy Birthday, Hunter!  I couldn't love you Moore than I do right now.

Goosebumps!

This article just gives me goosebumps.  First of all it makes me so proud to read of the many young men who have put their football lives on hold to serve missions for our church and second of all it sets my heart on fire to think that my son might play football in Lavell Edwards Stadium as a BYU Cougar!  I am so excited that they list him as a quarterback and that his school is BYU!  What if that really happens?  I would die a happy woman and probably in the stands during a game!  I look at this article every now and then and dream BIG for my boy.  I really hope his and my dreams come true.  Go Cougars!!

Good Luck Charms?

A fun thing happened tonight.  Earlier today the basketball coach at Mission Hills High texted me, because we are practically family after forging through 7 straight varsity basketball seasons together with two of my sons, and asked me if my family wanted to come to the very big game tonight.  It was against our cross town rivals, San Marcos, and it was for a share of the league championship.  We haven't been to a game since Hunter graduated so it was kind of weird that he would ask now.  He was offering to put us on the free pass list and Savannah had to sell tickets anyway so Pat and I went.  We have a weird situation with this rival because they don't have a gym right now so we had to play both of our games against them in our gym.  The first one was their home game and Savannah went.  We lost and it was horrible.  Especially since it was in our own gym.  They are the only team in our league that we have lost to.  So, tonight was our home game and if we won then we would share the league championship.  It felt kind of weird to be there when I didn't have a kid playing and didn't really care about the game, or so I thought.  When the music started playing and the varsity players ran out I immediately teared up remembering literally hundreds of games watching my 5 sons do that very same thing.  As the game progressed I realized how proud I was of our school.  The dance team was fabulous at halftime, our fans were very well behaved, our gym is beautiful and our coach is one of the classiest guys I've ever seen in high school sports.  I really thought I didn't care who won but as the time wound down I found myself on my feet with my heart pounding and my voice hoarse just like hundreds of times before.  It was very close but WE WON!!  Co-Avocado East League Champs!!  The place was so packed and the rivalry so intense that they wouldn't let anyone down on the floor after the game so we couldn't go down and hug our coach but as they hurried him off the floor he looked up into the stands right at us and I gave him a huge grin and a big thumbs up and he did the same back to me.  I don't know what made him invite us to this one game but maybe we turned out to be good luck charms for our beloved Grizzlies.  I hope so:)

Such a fun guy:)

My dear husband loves to tell me how "fun" he is.  If you know him you know that he is a very low-key (nearly dead) guy.  However, lately he has become pretty "fun".  He is always doing silly things and saying funny things and has really lightened up in his advanced years.  This is his "fun" Valentine to me this year.  Pretty cute.  I think I'll keep him.  Oh, and Pat too:)

Hallelujah!!!

Our Disney Princess is going to live!! After several weeks in bed with excruciating morning sickness, our Breeeee is finally up and about and craving chocolate!  Oh happy day!  I have been praying for her and fasting for her and putting her name on the temple prayer rolls and I didn't really realize how scared I was that she could be sick the whole pregnancy until today when she told me she is better and I just burst into tears.  I am so relieved and happy for her that she can now enjoy this miracle of creating a baby! When you aren't sick it is really pretty fun being pregnant.  I'm so glad she finally gets to experience that.  God answers prayers.  Thank heavens:)

I Miss Her

It's getting worse.  My friend has been gone for 2 years now and you would think I would be starting to adjust and accept, but I'm not.  I find myself thinking of her every day.  We used to call each other our personal therapists.  I'm going through the toughest time of my life and I don't have my therapist to unload on.  My kids tell me to find a new therapist but I can't and I don't want to.  I have never had someone so evenly matched to me in all the important ways.  We saw eye to eye on so many things that mattered, like marriage, kids, religion, parents etc.  Neither one of us had super strong relationships with our mothers and sisters so we turned to each other.  I have an incredible husband but he doesn't really get my emotions and feelings because he is a guy and will never feel them.  Also, he only wants to fix things and there is no way to fix them.  I just need to tell them and I want to tell them to someone who knows and has felt them and understands and she's not here and I am crying, again.  This was supposed to be the time that we worked in the temple together and traveled together and enjoyed our grandchildren together.  Now I'm doing all these things by myself and it's not the same.  She was strong where I was weak and vice versa so we completed each other and drew strength from each other.  I could say anything to her and I knew she would understand.  I don't have anyone in my life who fills that role.  I'm lonely and I'm sad and I miss her.

Oh Happy Day!!

I just found out tonight that these two little darlings are going to have another sibling in October!  I'm soooo happy!  Tanner called and Ava told me that her mommy had another baby in her tummy.  So sweet.  Alana just left us on Monday to go back to Oakland.  That means I will have 3 grandchildren this year!  Yippee!!  My sweet Chloe in January, Kyle and Aubrie's baby in August and Tanner and Alana's baby in October.  Life doesn't get any better than that.  I love my famly so much!

What Goes Around, Comes Around

Tonight I fed the missionaries in our area some dinner.  Tonight someone in Columbus, Ohio fed my son dinner.  I love that my worldwide church takes care of each other.  I'm so thankful for the faithful saints in Columbus who are taking care of my son when I can't.  I'm more than happy to do the same for others who's sons are in my mission.  I'd like to belatedly thank all of the people in Munich, Germany, Houston, Texas, Cape Verde, Londrina and Fortaleza Brazil and Cuernavaca, Mexico who fed my husband and sons for two years.  And I'd like to thank, in advance, whoever in the whole wide world will feed my grandsons and granddaughters because I know that wherever there are Mormon missionaries there are faithful, wonderful saints who are willing to feed them.  Thank you all!!

Fun Visit

This last weekend we had an unusual occurence that I'm not sure will happen again anytime soon.  Flan and the girls came down without Tanner.  Nan had a school conference in Nashville and Flan didn't want to stay alone so she came down to see her family and mine.  It was really fun visiting with just her.  We got to know each other better and I found out that she's even more like me than I thought.  I already know a lot about her by just watching her daughters.  They are very sweet and well-mannered and when Ava gave the prayer for Family Night it was evident that she hears a lot of prayers in her home and that she feels very loved.  I love my son more than anything in the world but it was kind of nice to get his wife and kids all to myself just this once.  I wouldn't mind that happening again:)

Breeeee!!!

Today is my newest daughter-in-law's birthday.  Aubrie or Breeeee, as she calls me and Van and we call her, is 25 years old.  She is confined to her bed with intense morning sickness that is, for her, all day and night sickness.  She never leaves her room except to go to the hospital to get more fluids put into her.  So, obviously she will miss her birthday tribute at family night tonight.  I decided to give her a tribute here on this blog.  My son, Kyle, waited a very long time for his fairy tale princess.  Thankfully, that's exactly what he got.  Bree is Belle, Rapunzel, Snow White and all the others rolled into one.  She is a physically beautiful girl.  She has long, thick, lush, wavy, gorgeous (do you sense a bit of envy?) dark hair.  She has a very expressive and physically beautiful face.  She has a rockin' body (Landon actually calls her "Body" because he can't say Aubrie) so the nickname fits her perfectly.  But, best of all, she has an amazingly sweet spirit.  She is one of the kindest people I have ever met.  She is nice to everyone.  All of my friends have fallen in love with her the minute they met her.  She can talk to anyone.  She always makes you feel like she is totally interested in what you have to say.  She doesn't say mean things about anyone.  She flits around like Tinkerbell and is always smiling and laughing.  She can sing, play the piano, draw and probably has many other talents that I haven't had time to find out yet.  She loves my son with all of her heart and if she had no other good qualities then that would be enough for me.  She is a returned missionary who has a strong testimony of my church and I know she will raise her children in righteousness.  She is probably too sick to read this blog but if she does - I LOVE YOU, BREE, AND I AM SO GLAD YOU ARE IN OUR FAMILY.  HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!

P.S.

I forgot to mention that on Downton Abbey the cook's name is Mrs. Patmore:)  How funny is that that she has my husband's whole name?  I giggle inside every time they say her name.

Talents

On my walk today I was listening to the exceptionally talented "Glee" kids sing songs and blend their voices in a million different harmonies and I started thinking about talents and where we get them and why we have some and not others.  Why do some people hear harmonies very young and others not ever?  You can learn how to read music and sing harmonies but some people just hear them in their heads.  You can also learn how to read music and play an instrument but some people can just play the instrument without knowing how to read music. Some of  the talents I have been born with are being able to hear harmonies and to be able to site read most anything on the piano.  I can also move fairly well when music is playing.  A couple of my kids can hear some harmonies and the rest don't really have that talent.  Some of them can move really well to music and others have no desire to even try.  Logan can draw really well and that's not something Pat or I have been blessed with.  I don't know if it was coincidence or not that all four Schroeder girls could hear harmonies when both of their parents are accomplished singers.  Not all of our kids get our talents.  They come with their very own and I don't know where they get them except for maybe from our heavenly parents.  I know that everyone is blessed with some kind of talent.  We just have to discover what they are and build on them.  I've very thankful for my talents because they have brought me a lot of joy throughout my life.  I'm also very thankful for other people's talents, especially those darn "Glee" kids.  How are so many kids so talented when they are so young?  Amazing.

Downton Fever

Alright.  I confess.  I have Downton Fever and I have passed it on to Beer and Van.  Downton Abbey is our new favorite show.  I have always had a deep love for anything old English and Victorian.  That kind of life fascinates me.  I could never live in so formal or rigid of an atmosphere but it is sooo fun to watch.  That house!  Those clothes!  Those accents!  The characters!  Love, love love!  I can't imagine measuring every piece of silverware or glassware to make sure it's the exact distance apart or dressing for every meal. In my house it's quite common to eat in our sweats standing up with paper plates or in front of the T.V. with no plates at all.  So I love watching a world that is so romantic and different from mine.  I also love how clean this series is.  It's so refreshing to not hear swearing or see lots of flesh or graphic anything.  They are all so refined yet so interesting.  Van and I have weighed in with our favorites.  Of course Van goes around the house chanting "Mary and Matthew!" every time I turn around.  I love them too but I also love Anna and John Bates, Grandma Violet and Sir Robert.  I want to shoot Thomas and can't figure out his sidekick.  Van and I were heartbroken when Sir Robert almost messed up big time but can't hate him because he is such a good man all around.  Mary is a spitfire but also a very sweet girl.  It fascinates me to watch the difference between the people born to high position and the people born to service.  I can't really fathom that way of life since there is nothing like that on my side of the pond.  I'm so grateful there isn't.  I love that we are all equal over here.  If you want to get lost in a very opulent, interesting and riveting world, tune in to Downton Abbey on PBS's Masterpiece Classics.