Can We Stay In Colorado for One Whole Month, Please?

Jeez. I cannot believe how bad I am at this. As "Snap's" father says in Oscar, "You bum! Indcente!" By the way, I have no idea what that last bit means or if I even spelled it right. I hope I didn't just insult some Italian, somewhere... I hope they don't send gangsters to come get me. :)

Since you've missed so much, I will make this quick-like:
The Master Chief got married in Hawaii. Ribbajack had a Hunger Games themed, "Summer Kick-off" for his youth  group, and supposedly, had a lot of fun. I can't speak for Sgt. Pepper, but we are all praying for her. And second to last, is a little something called Totus Tuus. The Ribbajack and I go to it, it's a program that runs at all the catholic/christian churches in quite a few states. It's a lot of fun .There are two programs, one for the first through sixth graders, and one for the seventh grader's and up. I am in the latter of the two, and it's even better than I thought, but if any of the teachers see this they might think I was flattering them. I'll probably tell you more about Totus Tuus in another post, sometime in the next two months, so don't take too much interest in it until later. And finally, last, but not least, for my up-date I will put in that the brother above The Master Chief, who hasn't got a nick-name yet ;is getting married this Saturday. Also out of state.

That's pretty much it... It seems a lot more exciting when you live it, not write about it.
Next time I'll bring back something a little juicier, and give you a craft to do. Maybe. Ciao!

New Babies! Yay!

Hello people! Wow, I haven't blogged in a while, huh? But it's been a mite crazy around here since April 26th, because that was the day that Big Sissy's family got bigger! That day we welcomed Gin, and Tonic in to the ever growing family! I can't help it... I am so excited!
Okay, you're probably thinking, she's weird. Well, I am weird, I can't deny a fact. But you can't tell me that I am not allowed to be excited. We are actually going to Iowa to visit the Iowans on Friday. Yay! We get to go to the first set of twins "First Communion", and the newest set of twins "Baptism" all in the same day. What a weekend, huh? But it is so worth it. Okay, okay. We all may go crazy during the nine-and-a-half hour drive, but I am sure that we'll live. Besides, we will pack movies, a ton of books, and enough music to kill a small animal ( Oh, and we can't forget food.).

I'll let you know how that goes next week, but I think I ought to give you an up-date on what the rest of the universe has been up to. Okay, so on the 21st of April, the Godfather and Mamasita had a dinner called " The Supper-Club", where four couples get together and have dinner ( Obviously!). But Friday night one of the couples called and said they couldn't come. So most of Saturday Mamasita was making calls to almost everyone we know. The answer was either no, can't come, or they just weren't there. So we ended up one couple short, but it was a pleasant evening no less. Since The Ribbajack was in the basement doing school I went upstairs and talked with the grown-ups. I admit, it was a bit awkward, but it was better that watching Ribbajack do math.

School is winding down, and everyone is looking expectantly at their calenders, just waiting for summer to start in earnest. People are planning their summer vacations and thinking up crafts and projects to do. Maybe we should try doing stuff like that... Nah!

We missed Easter

Hello everyone! I know it's been more that a week since Easter, and you've probably eaten the left-overs from that roast pork, but it's such a big holiday that I should be allowed to blog about it.

You know that roast pork I mentioned earlier, yes that one. I know it's traditional to have pork, but we are saving that for the this Saturday. Since we are nontraditional we had a lovely dish that we found in the Costco Connection magazine called "Cowboy Meatloaf and Potato Casserole, " and I thought it would make a nice dish for this Sunday.  So if you are in the mood for a delicious, meaty, substantial meal follow this link:
http://www.costcoconnection.com/connection/201012#pg69

We made some adjustments to suit our lifestyle and dietary restrictions.  For example, we used fresh onion and potatoes in place of the frozen.  To be gluten-free, we made our own bread crumbs and we substituted dehydrated chopped chives for the French-fried onions.  If you have a need to be dairy-free, like some of my family, you can easily use almond, coconut or soy milk for the evaporated milk and alternative cheeses for the Mexican cheese blend.  The results were wonderful!  It sliced easily and I wouldn't hesitate to increase the ingredients by 50% and take a loaded 9x12 casserole pan to any pot-luck.

A New Writer

*Ahem* Hello everyone, from now on there is to be a new writer for this blog. Since Sgt. Pepper has officially resigned the blog over to the residents still at the ranch. And so it came to be, that Beena was to be the blogger from now on.

So here's the up-date. After the last post there was a whole bunch of excitement over Sgt. Pepper going to live with Big Sissy. And that's why she isn't blogging anymore. Then Lent started, and no more fun things happened.

How many of you have a diary? I just started one under the pretense that it would be good for me. I do have one question though, do you write in your diary like it's another person? A person in your head that only comes to life when you write? Think about it, maybe you need to pour yourself out to someone, but you don't know who to trust. My advise is try a diary, it really makes you feel better when you get your secrets out on paper, but don't stay up too late.

Long Time No Blog, eh?

Hello peoples.  I am a very bad blogger, neglecting you for two and a half months (yikes!).  We have been so busy here at Casa Paja, it's insane.  Good thing we specialize in that *evil grin*
So without further ado, flash update: COMMENCE!

The Godfather, Mamasita, and Beena got to enjoy a mid-winter vacation to Florida earlier in the month.  The Godfather won a company trip that included staying in a nice resort, going to Universal's Islands of Adventure, and eating a ton of free food.  In addition, they visited the grandparents, swam in the pool (not the ocean, it was too cold), and got to escape the 10-degrees-and-below weather that Ribbajack and I were blessed with.  We stayed home to finish Confirmation, so we didn't begrudge them any of it... well, not much of it, anyway.

Ribbajack has recently joined a local shooting club that does competitive air rifle shooting.  Ribbajack wowed the instructors at his first session and has been steadily improving, so much so that he will be in his first competition on Saturday!  I'll let you know how that goes.

Ribbajack and I have spent the last five months working closely with our church's Confirmation class of 2012, which came to a fine conclusion two weeks ago.  The whole experience was wonderful; we made some great friends, learned a lot with them, and had the honor of serving serving at their Confirmation Mass.  It was well worth all the time and energy, and we would happily do it again!

I'm in my last semester of high school, so I have been spending a lot of time on college prep.  Research, applications, essays, visits... the works.  When I'm not working on school related stuff, I'm knitting up a storm.  Big Sissy is expecting twins in May, and 2 of my brothers are getting married shortly after that, so I have a ton of stuff I need to make.  In case there's anybody reading this who I haven't told yet: I'm leaving Casa Paja next Thursday (March 1) to stay with Big Sissy as an extra pair of hands to help with all the squidjees (No, not squeegees).  I'm very excited!  Excited enough that I can almost get over how much I dislike packing, and the rest I will gladly offer up.

I do intend to update the blog from time to time, since life at the ranch will still be plenty interesting even without me in it.  Maybe I'll start a separate blog recounting my escapades... What do you think?

Since Lent started yesterday, would anyone like to share what they gave up or are doing extra as a penance? I'm giving up reading novels, Beena and Mamasita gave up chocolate, and I don't know what the menfolk gave up.  Ribbajack did try the age-old "I'm giving up school" ploy, but that has yet to work for him.  How about you?  What will this Lent mean for you?

The Origin of the Picayune

Did you know that this blog is not the first Prairie Picayune?  I wish I had some cool historical fact to throw at you, but in truth the name is a Casa Paja clan original that we use for our Christmas letter.  Our family has sent out a Christmas letter since long before I was born, but it's only been called The Prairie Picayune for the last 15 years.  The name changed when we moved out onto the "prairie" of eastern Colorado, so that part was easy, but what about "picayune"?  One of  the definitions for "picayune" (pronounced "pick-ah-yoon") is "something trivial", which is us acknowledging our own comparative unimportance to the miracle of Christmas, while still managing to be whimsical about it.

The writing of the Picayune is a long-standing tradition that has been passed down from sibling to sibling; eventually, even Beena will have her turn to be Editor in Chief.  Tradition, though, has nothing to do with punctuality since we seldom actually manage to get the Christmas letter out before Christmas; one year, it was almost Easter when we finally published it.  But the point is not whether we get it out on time, the point is that the Picayune helps us chronicle our lives and keep the people in our lives close.  Welcome to our family tradition!

P.S.  Happy Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe!  O Mary conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee!

How-To's Day: A St. Nick's Day Treat

Hello peoples!  Yes, I have been a very bad blogger, but Christmas is coming and I have much crafting and baking to do.  Speaking of which, did you know that today is the Feast of St. Nicholas?  St. Nick's Day is a mid-Advent celebration with a very simple tradition: the night before, all the kids in the house put a slipper or sock outside their bedroom door, and in the morning "St. Nicholas" will leave them some kind of treat in it.  It's a lot of fun, particularly for the little kids!

Now I realize that it's a little late to start this tradition this year, but it's never too late to bake treats!  What we have for you today is a cookie recipe that was sent to us in an email so many years ago, I don't even know who it came from.  These are not St. Nick's day cookies, necessarily, but they are delicious and they have a story all their own.  So without further ado:
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Sweet Revenge
I had just finished a salad at Neiman-Marcus Cafe in Dallas and decided to have a small dessert.  Because both of us are such cookie lovers, we decided to try the "Neiman-Marcus Cookie".  It was so excellent that I asked if they would give me the recipe and the waitress said with a small frown, "I'm afraid not."  Well I said, "Would you let me buy the recipe?"  With a cute smile, she said, "Yes."  I asked how much, and she responded, "Only two fifty!"  "It's a great deal!" I said with approval, "just add it to my tab."  Thirty days later, I received my VISA statement from Neiman-Marcus and it was $285.  I looked again and I remembered I had only spent $9.95 for the two salads and about $20 for a scarf.  As I glanced at the bottom of the statement, it said, "Cookie Recipe - $250"  That's outrageous!  I called Neiman's Accounting Department and told them the waitress said it was "two fifty", which clearly does not mean "two hundred and fifty dollars by any possible interpretation of the phrase.  Neiman-Marcus refused to budge.  They would not refund my money, because, according to them, "What the waitress told you is not our problem.  You have already seen the recipe - we absolutely will not refund your money."  I explained to her the criminal statutes which governed fraud in Texas, I threatened to refer them to the Better Business Bureau and the State's Attorney General for engaging in fraud.  I was basically told, "Do what you want, we don't give a darn, and we're not refunding your money."  I waited, thinking of how I could get even, or even try and get any of my money back.  So I just said, "Okay, you folks got my $250, and I'm now going to have $250 worth of fun."  I told her that I was going to see to it that every cookie lover in the world with an email account has a $250 cookie recipe from Neiman-Marcus... for free.  She replied, "I wish you wouldn't do this."  I said, "Well, you should have thought of that before you ripped me off," and slammed down the phone on her.
So here it is!  Please, please, please pass it on to everyone you can possibly think of.  I paid $250 for this... I don't want Neiman-Marcus to ever make another penny off this recipe...


Neiman-Marcus Cookies:
(Recipe may be halved)


Ingredients:
2 cups butter
4 cups flour
2 tsp. baking soda
2 cups sugar
5 cups blended oatmeal
24 oz. chocolate chips
2 cups brown sugar
1 tsp. salt
18 oz. chocolate bar, grated
4 eggs
2 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. vanilla extract
3 cups chopped nuts (your choice)


Directions:
Measure oatmeal and blend in a blender to a fine powder.  Cream the butter and both sugars.  Add eggs and vanilla; mix together with flour, oatmeal, salt, baking powder, and soda.  Add chocolate chips, grated chocolate, and nuts.  roll into balls and place two inches apart on a cookie sheet.  Bake for 10 minutes at 375 degrees.  Let the cookies rest on the cookie sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a cooling rack, otherwise they will fall apart.


Makes approximately 120 cookies.
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The original author is unknown, but I salute this person wholeheartedly.  Just a quick note: if you have gluten allergies to deal with, these cookies are easily adapted.  Simply swap the wheat flour 1 for 1 with Bob's Red Mill All Purpose Gluten Free Baking Mix, or something equivalent.  Nobody will be able to tell the difference!

Happy Feast of St. Nicholas!