Is it me?

I realize that summer is a long way off as is the next school year but ever since mid February it feels like we are just around the corner from the end of this year and the beginning of next. Seriously folks, it is only March. I am feeling pretty good about my handle on my chaos today so I have time to post. The house is pretty clean, (left over from weekend guest and hosting bunco), the laundry is caught up, and the big projects I have are too big to start today before our weekend. Isn't that strange?

I believe I have completed this round of redecorating. You know how a project multiplies? I bought paint to redo the girls bath last spring and put new lights in the entry and hall. That highlighted the need to repaint the hall/stairways. Which in my house starts at the bedrooms and continues down two flights of steps through the front entry to the familyroom and down another set of steps to the basement. When I finished that I had enough paint to do the kitchen and dining room. Which left the living room the odd place out. I got more paint and Mom made new curtains for the living and dining room since they have to match. When I painted the kitchen it led to a new border and curtains. Then sheers for the entry and back door. Whew! The ever expanding project.

Now I look at our bedroom and think, it hasn't been painted since we moved in 8 years ago and maybe it's time. Jessa's room needs some touch up because she puts her feet on the wall by her bed so ......

See a new round of projects. First, I need to clean out the girls closets which will take some time because we are going to purge toys. Oh the weeping and wailing...I want Shan to help but that means doing it when the girls are around. I forgot to take before pictures of the house so after pics won't mean anything. But trust me it looks great, (in my humble opinion)


One of my new rules is to purge excess stuff. I've taken at least five loads to Goodwill of stuff from my house that I don't need anymore. It feels great to streamline and have stuff fit in the closets and cabinets. This is probably the first time that all my clothes fit in our room and aren't located in either the basement closet or one of the girls closets. I am setting a goal to keep it that way. Somewhere I read that whenever something new comes in something old of the same basic size/volume has to go out. I am not ready to commit to that totally but it is a good rule of thumb.

Maybe if I control the chaos I can keep myself organized, my house reasonably picked up and clean and feel more on top of my life.

It's a theory/plan I am hoping to prove this year.

We're Adding On

Mom got a new water heater this week, and we got a new box to join the first in the living room.













We cut a door in the new box and Voila!















The girls moved their rooms (at least it seemed like it) into the boxes, and are planning another sleepover in their new accomodations.















Such cheap fun.

WFMW-Hair bows

One of the things I like to do is use frou frouy hair bows for my kids. Since they both have hair...I mean a lot of hair...it is a challenge to get things to stay. Most cute hair things don't stay in very well. I like Gymboree's elastic bands with the curly ribbon. Elastic bands stay the best in their hair. Especially the very thick Je's hair. I have used the barrettes over plain rubber bands, but they come out sometimes. My problem is, that Gymboree hair things are expensive. Full price is $4-5 for one set. Given the number of color options that could be some serious money. I found plain white plastic barrettes on ebay, and began sewing ribbon bows on the barrettes, but since barrettes are less durable than rubber bands, they don't hold up as well. Last week, I was at Walmart and found some cute ribbon with softballs on it. Je has started softball this year, and since she is a little reluctant, I thought new hair bows might be nice. I bought some thick elastic bands, and some ribbon in her team color, lime green. It was at the Target $1 shop for scrapbooking. The set I bought had several designs, with lime green and other colors, in stripes and polka dots. I decided to try to make bows on elastic bands.

First I took one of our favorites for a pattern. Then, I laid out 10 strips of ribbon and cut them about 8 inches long. I laid the strips on top of each other, folded them over the elastic, and stitched right above the elastic band. I sprayed the ribbon with spray starch, then used a micro (1/2 inch) curling iron to curl the ribbon. It works best after the starch has dried.

And....


Voila....












I found directions online for curling fabric ribbon permanently. Instead of pins, I used wooden springed clothes pins. I think they worked pretty well. I also melted the raw edge of the ribbons to prevent fraying. I held the grill lighter close to the ribbon, but not close enough to burn it. The down side is that you have to curl the ribbon before attaching it to the band. I didn't do that so I improvised with the curling iron. I tried the curling technique using dowel rods and the oven, and it worked very well. I made another set after this one with that ribbon. It was a little harder to get the lengths even, but the finished result was pretty good.
I only used six strips of ribbon after I curled them. I was afraid if I did more I would have trouble controlling the ribbon. Next time I will try ribbon all the same width and try more strips. I wanted to do it with what I had on hand. All in all, I am pretty happy with the results. I definitely will try this again, to match the girls outfits. I know it is anal but...I like things to match. It works for me!

Snow Shoveler

Shan spent almost 4 hours cleaning the driveway with a little help. She came in a couple times to warm up, have hot chocolate, eat lunch, dry off. Daddy worked steadily from 10-1:30 -1:45. The driveway looks great, and the kids helped. They enjoyed their snow day with Daddy.

Holiday Hangover

Christmas at our house lasts weeks, it seems. And this year was even longer since my brother in law's accident delayed their visit. They finally made it up from AK on New Year's Day so Christmas for us didn't end until Saturday when they went home. I finally got the tree down Sunday, when Shan could help. After Christmas, I bought a new artificial one at Sam's so the old one went to Goodwill. I would personally rather have a real tree every year. My husband doesn't like real trees, and since Christmas falls during wrestling season, the chances of getting a real tree are slim and slimmer. A few years ago, we went to get a tree and it was a bit later than usual, but not crazy late. For some reason, the only trees left at the lots were the $50 variety. That didn't fit into the budget so we were going to just use the little one I had in college. A friend from church had a full size one she didn't use and offered it to us. She didn't want it back so we've used it for several years. Last year, I talked Shan into a real one, but it wasn't easy. This year, I knew we would be gone over break so I didn't even try to get a real tree. My mom decided this year to get a pre-lit tree rather than a real one. Not sure why. I met her at Sam's last month and helped man-handle the heavy box into our van, then out again at her house. We put it up and it was gorgeous. It has 1500 lights. FIFTEEN HUNDRED. I was a little jealous when I looked at our sad tree. It is an older style, not pre-lit and not as tall or full. My sister, Mom, and I went to Sam's after Christmas to look at their trees. They didn't have any left in the aisle. They had a few back in the clearance section, but not the one she wanted. We were on our way out the door when my mom spotted one on a cart near customer service. We looked around for someone who claimed the cart. No one. We moved the cart towards the checkout and called our husbands to see who was going to get the tree. My sister's husband didn't want to haul the tree back to Texas so I used my birthday money, saved since October, to buy a tree. It will look fabulous next year. It is put away with all the other Christmas decorations and we are making our way to normal again. Maybe I can get caught up on laundry and cleaning this week.

Works for Me Wednesday Christmas

I have a few tried and true recipes that I can reliably turn out without fear. I inherited this recipe from my mom. I spent years hearing her talk about how easy it is. And she is right. I looks complicated and difficult, but if you follow the steps it is a snap.

We usually make this at Christmas but it is good at other times. It has a winter and a summer version.

Ice Cream Roll

3 eggs (1/2-2/3 cup)
1/3 cup water
1 cup flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup sugar
1tsp vanilla
1/4 cup cocoa
1/4 gallon peppermint ice cream

Beat eggs until thick and lemony (5-10 minutes) Beat in sugar then blend in water and vanilla. Gradually add dry ingredients, beat till smooth. Line a jelly roll pan (11x 15 inch) with wax paper, pour in cake. Bake at 375 for 12-15 minutes. Sprinkle kitchen towel with powdered sugar. When the cake comes out flip it over onto the towel, then peel off wax paper carefully, and sprinkle with powdered sugar. Roll cake up from one end. Let cake cool for at least an hour. Unroll, spread with peppermint icecream. Reroll and freeze. This a great thing to make ahead and have ready. Stores nicely in the freezer for a while. I wrap it in foil and then put in a ziplock if I want to save it for over a week. I usually get about eight slices per cake. To serve, it looks good to drizzle chocolate syrup on the plate and then put the cake on it garnishing it with whip cream. It looks nice with the chocolate cake swirl and pink peppermint ice cream


It takes half of a half gallon box. So I usually make two cakes at a time. The square package works easiest, you can slice off thin slices to lay on the cake. I used about six slices of ice cream per cake. I usually only mix up one cake batter at a time, and bake one at a time. The most important step is beating the eggs. If you don't beat them enough, the cake is not spongy it is flat.

In the spring and summer, I leave out the cocoa and substitute cool whip or whipped cream and 2 cups sliced strawberries. It is fabulous.

If you can't find peppermint ice cream you can use mint chocolate chip. This is a great dessert for those heavy holiday meals, the mint is a nice taste and it isn't heavy. It also has the added bonus of looking fancy and difficult but it really isn't hard. If I can make it then anyone can do this. I promise.


Go check out Rocks in My Dryer for more works for me tips.

It Works, It Really Works!

I had a happy happy joy joy moment today. You remember the dryer saga. When we last left our heroine, she was calling an electrician to get the dryer back up and running, since the dryer repairman said it isn't the dryer. Wednesday morning, a friend who is handy with this stuff came to look at the problem to see if he could come up with it. He was also stumped. He thought it was the dryer. Since we'd eliminated that, I needed a professional. Our friend gave me a name. I left a message on the electrician's cell phone, expecting to get a call that evening when he was done working for the day. He called back in five minutes, ya'll. He was nearby and wanted to come right over. Are you kidding me? I don't really need to go to the grocery store right now, it can wait. He came, and within 15 minutes had the problem diagnosed and the dryer running. Hallelujah! He discovered some weaknesses in the wiring that, after twenty years of exposure, were compromised. He fixed my problem, found a couple of loose wires in the breaker box and fixed those as well. When we were finishing up, he noticed a broken piece in the plug in for the dryer, so decided to replace it. He had to order that part, since it isn't standard anymore, and it didn't come until today. So when he came out about noon today to put it on, I asked him to see if he could look into a mystery for me. When we moved into this house almost 7 years ago, we had a switch in the living room that didn't seem to do anything. We couldn't find what it was supposed to do. We thought it should work one of the outlets, so you could put a lamp on a switch, but none seemed connected. He predicted immediately what the problem was, and spent about 10 minutes looking for the culprit in an outlet. Of course it was the last one in the room, but he corrected the original electrician's mistake, and now, the switch works two outlets, as it was intended to. I want to go back to the original owners of the home (who teach with Shan, and had me in class in high school) and ask them why they didn't get the electrician to come back and fix it when they first moved in. They had the house built, and my electrician said that the switch is put in usually however the owner requests, and it isn't in the typical outlet so they probably picked it. hello! If I spent big bucks to build a house, and do it how I want, I sure am going to make sure that my money is spent to get it right. It took longer to find the right outlet than it did to fix it. The electrician had forgotten to break out a tab that separated the top outlet from the bottom and allowed the switch to control it. Took him all of a minute to get it apart and back together correctly. So happy happy joy joy! The switch works, and I know what it does! Yippee!

Eau d' Italian Restaurant

Today my house smells like wonderful tomato sauce. Yesterday morning I picked up a five gallon bucket of tomatoes (courtesy of my mother) and a bunch of onions. I went to the store to get green peppers since the ones in Mom's garden aren't doing well. I also picked up tomato paste to thicken the sauce. I made 7 quarts of tomato sauce for chili or spaghetti yesterday and 16 pints and one quart today. They are all in mason jars sealed with lids and ready to store on the shelf in the basement for meals all winter. YUM! I was pretty proud of myself yesterday at 2 pm when I had finished in half the time it took last time and with less than half the mess. Now the house smells productive and I can be joyful in another opportunity to fill my storehouse. Isn't God good that He provides fresh produce and knowledge to use the bounty of His creation? I learned to can from my mother who has long touted the benefits of His providence and encouraged us to fill our storehouses whenever possible against future crop vagarities. Last year we didn't get any tomatoes to make sauce. Fortunately, the year before I had made enough for two years. We will make as much as we can this year to keep us until the next tomato crop.

Sadness and Relief

For the last several months we have been taking care of a baby for a friend who was working for a few months before beginning stay and home motherdom. Today is our last day with baby J, his mother has worked out her two weeks notice and will now be a full time mama. I am happy for her, but in some ways we will miss the little guy. I won't miss the early arrival time, the screaming baby times, the inconvenience of the baby carrier etc. I always thought I would have at least four children. Right up until I spent a week in the hospital after Jo was born, a week I barely remember and was life-threatening enough to send my husband to the urologist to prevent future episodes of pre-eclampsia. We are and have considered adoption, and since we have done the baby thing twice, I am quite content to adopt older children. I would want to wait a little before we do that so my girls are a little older so we still are in the research and prayer stage. J is a pretty good baby, but he is a baby, so that means he doesn't communicate very well. I have to guess which of the many discomforts he is experiencing, hunger, diaper, boredom, tiredness, pain, etc. I won't miss that. I will miss the cuddling, and the way he stays put when I put him down. Although since he recently learned to roll over, moving is far away. His mother is quitting to stay home at just the right time. He is awake more so that will be fun for her. I am sad in some ways to loose J, and the small income from watching him, but mostly I will be glad to have my schedule back to normal and less difficult manuever about.

Works for Me Wednesday Cleaning Curtains

I am not a religious cleaner but when I do my bi-annual window cleaning, I do the curtains too. I take them off the rod and run them through the dryer for 10-15 minutes with a Bounce dryer sheet. I have used the housebrand in a pinch but the more expensive kind really works better. I rehang the curtains while they are still warm from the dryer. They are dust and wrinkle free. I have mostly valances and toppers but my mom has rental houses and has used it with drapes and sheers. The tumbling heat gets out the dust and wrinkles and the dryer sheet gets the odors. With some of her houses, renters have violated the no smoking no pets policies, and unless the smell is really bad the Bounce takes care of it. My home doesn't have those odors, but the dryer sheet smells good and freshens up dusty window dressings. It works for me.

Exploding Projects

It all started with a new mirror. Then two new mirrors. Finally a complete redecoration of the bathroom and partial redecoration of the bedroom. I was tired of fighting a foggy, spotty mirror to put on eyeliner. I had Christmas money waiting for a good cause. Aha! I would order a new mirror for our bathroom. Something that should have been done six years ago when we moved in. When the man came to measure it and give me an estimate, I had him give me an estimate for the hall bath. It also was in bad shape, just not as critical as the master bath. With a new mirror expected I decided that before it went up, the old wallpaper in that bathroom should come down. It is at least 10 years old, and it was starting to peel near the shower. I could see the 20 year old layer underneath it. I dreaded that project. The wallpaper in this house was all put up over one very thin layer of paint so it doesn't come off well, even with the good remover, and it takes the top layer of sheet rock with it in places. It was a huge project to get it all off. They had pulled the tank to wallpaper both layers behind the toilet, so we had to pull the tank to get it off. One of the bolts was corroded so it took a long time to get it off. With all the paper finally off, all the holes patched and sanded; I was ready to paint. I had a gallon of taupe that I got on clearance last year for $5 on a mixed tint table at Home Depot. It turned out to be a little greener than taupe. It is more pewter. It is okay since the bathroom is very light, it has a big window. Shan really likes it so I will deal with it. After I painted the walls I didn't like the antique brass and porcelain handles on the vanity. They were too frou frou for the new streamlined look. I know to go to Lowe's would cost about $6 a handle, so I looked on ebay. I found some brushed nickel, which match the rest of the bathroom fixtures, for $1 a handle and a flat rate of $6 shipping for however many I want. I decided to get enough to do both bathrooms so for $1.50 a handle I have a much nicer looking vanity. My mom had a border print from clearance. It actually goes pretty well. It has a tan background and then hearts and stars in an American Flag theme. With the blue towels and floor mats it looks pretty good. I inherited barely used bath mats and toilet lid cover from my mother, who had to get new ones to go with her recent redecorated bath and bedroom. I only had to get one mat to go in front of the toilet to keep feet warm in the winter on the cold tile first thing in the morning. Mom had enough to do the bedroom as well, since the border in there had matched the top layer of paper in the bathroom. So I took off the (again two layers) of border and then we had to paint a small strip at the ceiling, since the new border isn't as wide as the old border. We had painted the bedroom when we moved in and it still works so we left it alone. We didn't have any of that paint left so we used the darker paint from the bathroom. It actually looks pretty good. This led to a new comforter and pillow shams for the bed. Those were 11 years old so it was time they were retired. My mom called from Macy's sale, she'd found a denim comforter clearance for half of half. I then had an additional 20% off so it made the $300 Tommy Hilfiger comforter $65. The next day I was back with my sister, and found red denim pillow shams for $20 each and I had a $10 off $30 purchase so it made them $15 each. When I described this progression to my mother and sister, they thought it sounded logical and rational, even normal. My husband keeps shaking his head wondering how a new mirror project exploded.

Original Mirror estimate on just the master bath: $142
Redecorating Tally:

Mirrors: $233
Paint: $5
Wallpaper: $50
Comforter: $65
Shams: $30
Bath mat: $ 9
Handles: $20

Total Redo: $412

Yes it is a differnce of $270 dollars but bear in mind I hadn't orginally planned on a new mirror for the hall, it was a bargain when the guy said he would only charge us the cost of the mirror since it would be a snap to install and they would be here anyway. The wallpaper was a deal also and since I changed one I need to do both. I had been saving Christmas and Birthday money for a while to use for some worthy project and this seemed like a great idea. I also had been looking at new comforters and quilts in the catalogues longingly, since I bought the one we were using for Shannon, before we were married. It was actually a comforter cover for the down comforter I gave him for Christmas 12 years ago. In the summer we have been using a quilt that we got for our first house about 8 years ago, so it was looking pretty sad. Basically it was time for a redo. Of course, since paint is a pretty cheap redo I will probably do more painting somewhere in my house this year. We will have to see where.

Works for Me Wednesday Pot Rescue

I have often thought of what I could post for WFMW over at Rocks in My Dryer but until this week had no inspiration. I realize I am late to the party this week but if I wait until next week I'll forget my favorite kitchen clean-up secret. When I was in college, I burned something on the bottom of a pot when I was cooking. I can't remember what it was. My roommate's mother was visiting that week and she suggested a solution to cleaning the pot. She told me to put a little water in the pot, just enough to cover the bottom completely. Then she said put baking soda in the water and turn on the stove. When the water had all boiled away, I had a white crusty stuff that scraped easily off the bottom of the pot and took the burned on stuff with it. Then I could clean the pot as usual. I don't know how much baking soda to use, I just dump. I have used this recently to get the macaroni noodles and peas I let boil dry. Sometimes the baking soda doesn't quite get all the edges of the pot, but it loosens it enough that a little swipe with steel wool and the black crud is all gone. It works for me and saves my pots.

The Co-Op

I mentioned in my cheap date post that one of the ways we cut down on expenses is to use the Babysitting Co-op. A couple of you asked for more info so I will explain the whole thing here. Then I will have an easy page to refer back to.

Three years ago I was in a Bible study with just two other ladies. The facilitator,T, was to become a good friend. Our daughters became friends in the preschoolers group while we were studying together upstairs. That friendship led to a playday. That led to an invitation for our family to join the babysitting co-op that T had started.

There are several families, the number fluctuates, but I think 6-10 is a great number. Each family gets 10 hours of tickets per child when they join. These tickets are good for babysitting for ANY reason. You have a need, you call someone in the co-op, and schedule the time. You drop the children off, then when you are done, pick them up and pay one ticket, per hour, per child to the watcher. You then get more tickets by watching other kids in the group. We have used the co-op for work, for dentist or doctor's appointments, dates, errands, or even a house-cleaning day. Once, I used the co-op so I could paint a bedroom. It has been such a blessing to our family. I don't take advantage of my mom, who lives just down the street and has her own committments and life. I don't feel guilty for calling a friend to watch the girls because I know I am paying for the time. I don't break the bank for these errands, or dates or whatever because I am paying with my own time at a future or previous date. If I have a last minute need, I don't feel bad about calling someone. I also don't get trapped at home, or have to drag the girls with me to the dentist. Shan and I can even do nicer dates because we save the money that a babysitter would cost. T got the idea from a similar group she was a part of in Minnesota, and so we have a set of guidelines for the system that help avoid misunderstandings and abuse. Basically, whenever I need someone to watch the girls, I have five people to call. If one can't do it, usually someone else can, and no one feels obligated to say yes all the time. We have meetings about once a month so we can get any dates we need covered, if we know of them in advance. This gives us all a chance to build relationships between the families, and for our children to get to know each other, and the homes they will spend time in.

Our co-op is mostly families that live relatively close together, and we are all Christians, but whatever group works for you is the best way to do this. Get a few friends with kids and put togther a system. If you would like to look at our guidelines, let me know and I can get you a copy.

Homemaking for Me

Aprons - Y/N?

Never. How would I know what I did if it isn’t on my jeans?

Baking - Favorite thing to bake:

My Mom’s buttermilk fluff rolls

Clothesline - Y/N?

Definitely. Nothing is better than putting your clean body, freshly shaved legs into a clean bed of line dried-linens. The smell is fabulous!

Donuts - Have you ever made them?

Absolutely. They are a snow day tradition at home. It takes all day for the dough to raise twice and they are a cholesterol buster but taste wonderful.

Every day - One homemaking thing you do every day:

Make the bed. I hate to get into a bed that isn’t made.

Freezer - Do you have a separate deep freeze?

Yes, we get beef from my cattle raising father-in-law, so it is a necessity. I also believe in filling up my storehouse, when God provides a big harvest, (or a great sale) and then you have it for the lean times.

Garbage Disposal - Y/N?

Sure

Handbook - What is your favorite homemaking resource?

My mom is a great resource for advice, tips. I also read the Everyday Cheapskate for her wonderful ideas.

Ironing - Love it or hate it?

I love to iron since it is a household task I can do while watching TV. I love laundry in general.

Junk drawer - Y/N? Where is it?

I have two, one in the kitchen and one in the family room.

Kitchen: Design & Decorating?
It is roomy and well stocked. It is a homey place and very lived in.

Love: What is your favorite part of homemaking?

I love staying home and taking care of my family. I love to bake and cook. My cleaning skills leave a little to be desired.

Mop - Y/N?

No, I use a hardwood floor cleaner on a special cleaning pad.

Nylons - Wash by hand or in the washing machine?

I wash almost everything in the washing machine. I rarely wear nylons so they go in too.

Oven - Do you use the window, or open the door to check?

I open the door, I don’t trust the window view.

Pizza - What do you put on yours?

My favorite is pork sausage and mushroom and black olives. My family doesn’t like the olives so they are a rare treat.

Quiet - What do you do during the day when you get a quiet moment?

I work on my Bible Study, read a book, take a bath, check email.

Recipe card box - Y/N?

Yes for the tried a true. I have cook books and sheets of recipes I am looking for a chance to try.

Style of home -

Split level house with four bedrooms and three bathrooms. I love the living room because it is big and opens to the dining room so nice for entertaining. I wish the family room was bigger and not just off the garage, so it would be warmer in the winter.

Tablecloths and napkins - Y/N?
I use tablecloths for special occasions but I have nice placemats and matching napkins on the dinning room table all the time. I took the cloth napkins off the kitchen table when I had kids.

Under the kitchen sink - Organized or toxic wasteland?

Pretty organized, the cleaners, trash bags and grocery store sacks are pretty neat.

Vacuum - How many times per week?

The kitchen floor gets it almost daily but the rest of the house just about weekly.

Wash - How many loads of laundry do you do a week?

5-8

X's - Do you keep a daily list of things to do and cross them off?

I want to, but it doesn’t happen

Yard - Who does what?

I do the flowers, and decorations, but my husband mows and trims.

Zzz's - What is your last homemaking task for the day before going to bed?

Check on lights and kids.

What does homemaking look like for you? This was a lot of fun to think through!

Old Made New

Last year, Shan rescued an old toy box from a garage sale for $1. It was one the woman's father had made for her and her brother twenty plus years ago. Now, I don't think I would sell something like that. I would get rid of a lot of clutter before I got rid of something my father made me. That is me though. My dad died almost 10 years ago, so I might be a little attached.


We we brought it home, I wondered why. It was ugly. They had a plywood box that had been decorated with spray painted effects and very dated artwork. It was also filthy, and part of the wood had been split off.


Shan filled in the low spots and sanded it down. He gave it two coats of bright white paint. It is clean and pretty. I bought stencils and three sets of paint. This week I painted butterflies and flowers on the lid, in pastel colors. I painted bright butterflies on the front and jewel toned flowers and butterflies on the ends. Yesterday, I trimmed the edges in a deep purple color that I had left from the chair rail in the family room. Today, I finished my project by making name stencils using my ellison die press machine, and painted the girls names on the front back. So now, something dirty and looking ready for the trash, is pretty, functional. Shan wanted to make something the girls could use for a long time. Maybe it will become one of those things they want to keep even after their toys have long since passed from usefulness.

Making Bread

Most Mondays growing up I would come home from school to a clean house, clean bed, a stack of clean clothes to put away and fresh hot rolls. Mom would make rolls to have with dinner for the week. My dad would always sneak a hot one and put butter on it. Mom always said what an easy recipe it is and it is about the only one I ever use.

Quick Butter Fluff Rolls

1/4 cup water
1tbls yeast
1 cup warm buttermilk
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 eggs
1/4 cup butter/margerine
4-5 cups flour

soak yeast in water
combine buttermilk, sugar, soda, eggs and shortening
add water yeast
mix
add 2 cups flour and beat for 2 minutes
stir in remaining flour and knead till smooth and not sticky

Let rise in warm place till double (best spots: diswasher just after its done running and still steamy warm, oven with light on or microwave, on top of stove if you have a micowave or hood vent with a light)

Roll dough out and spread with melted margerine or butter
Cut into 2" x 4" rectangles then cut diagonally to make two triangles from each rectangle. roll up crescents and place on baking sheet to let rise.
Let them rise again until they look puffy, sharp edges softened
Bake at 350 degrees for about 12 minutes or golden brown.

I use the same recipe for cinamon rolls too, After I butter the dough I sprinkle it with cinamon and roll it up then slice it into 1 " rolls and place them in the to raise then bake. I put 1/2 cup brown sugar mixed with 2tbsp butter and 2 tbsp corn syrup in the bottom of the pan with the rolls on top of the carmel mixture. When I flip the pan over onto foil after baking then the rolls have a nice carmely topping and it is easy.