Interesting conversation with Tyler

Ty and I were reading a book. It talked about how Mom's and Dad's love their children and will always protect them...it was really pretty sweet and so when I was done reading it I said to Tyler," Tyler, do you know that you are one of the most important people in my world. Do you know that I love you and will always take care of you?"

Tyler said, "Yes. I know dat...and if a bad guy comes you will give me a big sword and I will cut off hims arms and den hims legs and den hims eyeballs and den hims head. I will cut all dose things off ...like dats how I will take care of you. That's what you mean when you say you will take care of me?"

So there I sat - my mouth hanging open. Who is this kid. Where on Earth did he learn that. I think I may have missed that episode of "Handy Manny." "Uhh, yeah Ty, sure, I guess I can take of you like that. Yep. I am real good with a sword. Professional actually."

Almost 2 months! I can't believe it has been that long. How on Earth do I capture two months worth of life and memories in one measly blog post. As much as I would love to do "The Month of No Blog...Part One," "The Month of No Blog Part Two"...and continue filling you in on all the intimate details you are just dying to know about the Golding's and their captivating lives - well... I know that won't be happening. July 17 is my personal Independence Day. The day my tortuous summer of school ends - but until then this photo essay of the last months of our lives will have to do.

The Special Drawer

In our house the boys each have a drawer at the top of their side of the dresser that we most affectionately call the special drawer. It's their "off limits" place. I mostly started this for Ethan years ago when Tyler started getting into and destroying his things. I cleared out a drawer for each of them and told them this was their space. Anything outside of this space was free game but if it was in your "special" drawer then it was safe. And it has worked surprisingly well.

Years have passed and the clothes that were once the size of my hand have gotten bigger and bigger and bigger. Two drawers each just isn't cutting it. So...sadly I had to clean out the 'Special" drawers and re-locate them to a new place. Here is what I found in Ethan's drawer...

1. Paints - Every artist needs em
2. A Spanish dictionary....
3. A very nice paper bag puppet -
4. A big of mini wheats - for those late night snackies
5. Band aids - Got the giggles from this one
6. A yarn box from my grandma filled with every card she has sent him in his lifetime. Really pretty cute.
7. Dr. Seuss's Birthday Hat...Notice the rainbow colors. When I picked him up from school I could spot him across the parking lot...the only one not colored red and white.
8. A tie dyed Frisbee
9. LiteBright
10. My Favorite: His Planner. What five year old doesn't have a planner?

Want to know what I found inside the planner?

Translation: June 8th - "I can't do anything because it is my birthday." LOVE IT!

Notice what he has drawn on my birthday.

Addresses: Pictures of all his friends

My personal favorite - the man loves the rainbow.

Just in case he forgets..." June 8th is my birthday."

Sometimes I like to visualize the future. By sometimes, I mean, at 3:30 in the morning when I finally finish my homework, my head is aching and I know that I have to get up the next morning and start it all over again. I have a few favorites that I like to visit in my head...the daydream of choice lately has been the 5, count them 1,2,3,4,5 months of glorious freedom I will have from school starting August 15th. That's right from August 15th until I start (hopefully) my nursing program January 25th I will have NO school. What do I plan to do in those 5 months...well that my dear friends is the substance of my daydreams. That is what I think of every time I start to melt down...that is what I think of every time I begin to panic thinking of the 21 credits I will be taking this summer..."5 months," I tell myself, "5 glorious months."

So what do I plan to do with those 5 months...

1. Read Harry Potter again - Harry is my happy place. Reading Harry is like revisiting my childhood - well, except I read Harry as a large pregnant woman but that's beside the point. I will be doing some major Harry Potter reading!


2. Sleep


3. Bake Bake Bake - I have NO time for baking. Heck, I have no time for sleeping, showering, brushing my teeth. (JUST KIDDING! Just making sure you were still with me...) I love Baking, it's a major stress reliever for me and I plan on baking so so so much this fall.


4. Snooze


5. Mexico - Oh Yeah. Mexico!!


6. Hit the Sack


7. Watching TV. Something that has become a distant memory...I know that I sound a tad pathetic missing TV but it's my daydream - I can dream what I want to!


8. Nap


9. Art with the kiddos - Ethan and Tyler will get there mom back for some major fun.


10. Doze


11. Tea with the Queen of England - Herbal of course.


12. Shopping


13. Forty Winks


14. While visiting the Queen - hit up Paris and eat a croissant


15. Catch some ZZZZZ


16. Reading for fun. I know I already mentioned Harry but I think this daydream deserves double mention because it's one of my most frequent visitors. This is the thing I probably miss the most. I miss discovering new books and visiting my old faves.


17. Try out for American Idol...


18. Solve World Hunger


19. Blog!! We all know that if this blog was a child CPS would have it in foster care. This poor blog has been badly neglected. But this Fall...oh how things will change. I am getting the chills just thinking of it...Freedom, I can almost taste it


20. And I'll probably sleep a bit too!

A Question:

What does it mean to "Harvest A Brain"

and Why does Tyler tell me he is going to do it to me 100 times a day.

"Momma, I am GOING to Harvest You Brain!!"

Someone please explain.

Ethan and Tyler are two different kinds of guys...

Let me demonstrate.

So Tyler got wet this morning and was cold and whining, basically wanting me to solve his problem..."Momma I cold...Momma I need to be warm....Pwease make me warm...." you know basic kid stuff. Then Ethan who sometimes proves wise beyond his years says,

" You know Tyler, everyday when I wake up I feel very cold. So you know what I do? I go downstairs and sit in the sunshine. It always warms me right up..."

Seriously that is what he said. Well, I overheard this across the house and I got the giggles and couldn't be stopped... Is he 70? Is he wearing a sports coat and drinking Metamucil...what 5 year old says that?

Next thing you know he'll be telling Tyler how Cod Liver Oil helps keep you "regular" and reminding him to wear his socks..."You know pneumonia is caught through the feet...keep those socks on, young fella..."

It's Been A Long, Long Time...

Happy Birthday Tyler!!!
I can't believe that Tyler is 4...I know that everyone always says that..."Wow, your getting big, I can't believe it...I remember when you were born." I remember getting that so so so often from the old folks back in Illinois but this is different. I really don't believe it. I am waiting to wake up and find him the little chubby baby that he still is in my mind.

Dear Blog,
Please forgive me for neglecting you for so long. I have been up to my eyeballs in muscles and bones. Well that is to say, I have been immersed in my school. Don' t worry - I will always love you more. They want my undivided attention - my classes are a jealous lot- and nothing makes them angrier than my wandering eye. Even now, I am hiding to get this little note out. I can hear Exam 3 calling my name and she is getting close. No matter how hard I hide, they always find me. Believe me, I have thought of you so many times lately. I wanted to tell you about Valentines and Katie's Shower. I knew you would love the story of Ethan's artistic meltdown and Tyler has had so many shenanigans that I have just been dying to tell you. Well they have found me, they are angry - How dare I take time for myself when there is anatomy to be learned?I will leave you with a picture - a brief moment of escape from last night. We had so much fun enjoying our new fire pit, a whole 30 minutes of amazing freedom before blasted nutrition caught up with me.
Sincerly
Your Tired Friend
Andrea

What?

Strange times in Arizona. Is that Snow? Nope - the hailstorm today gave my boys the nearest they will ever get to snow in Casa Grande Arizona. They tried to have a snow ball fight but...well they said it hurt too much

Captured him...Perfectly.

Every time I step in Wal-Mart I regret it. EVERYTIME. And yet I keep going back. It's a sick drug, the drug of cheapness, and I don't know how to stop. Here are a few of my thoughts last time

"Are $.28 cans of tomatoes really worth risking my life?"

"I guess there really is an obesity epidemic."

"I am getting dumber by the minute..."

"I am pretty darn good looking."

"When I am president motorized grocery carts will be outlawed."

"Why? Why? Why?"

"Humans aren't all that they are cracked up to be..."

"What's that smell?"

"Seriously, where do these people come from."

This may sound harsh. You may think I am exaggerating. Well, clearly if you are thinking that you haven't been to Casa Grande's Wal-Mart. Mark my words...when I die and they do an autopsy...the cause of death will be Wal-Mart. That place is killing me slowly.

Late last night I found this......

I have twelve minutes...twelve minutes to post and still keep my goal of posting everyday...

There's not a sweeter or sadder scene than a sick little boy...he held this position for about 10 hours.

Tyler at Olive Garden the other night. Why use a fork...hands work so much better! Another interesting thing that happened at Olive Garden that fortunately I DON"T have a picture of is Tyler announcing as a man walks buy, " Hey Mom, Look at that Guy. He's weird....Do you see him mom? He's sooowww weird!" I am grateful there isn't a picture of the look I gave him.

You thought I was going to flake out didn't ya? It's 10:05 folks - the day is not over...

So this one will be quick. Today after hours, too many hours, of shopping Tyler starts to lose it. He is very mad -boiling mad at me for forcing these torturous hours of shopping on him. He is begging to leave the store and I keep telling him, "One more minute...I just need to grab one more...Give me a second..." When finally he erupts with this...

" You! You! You! I call you a berry, berry, HAIR - WE - GUY!!!" The whole time he is pointing his little stubby finger at me. I couldn't stop laughing and that of course, made the situation much worse. I mean, when you come up with your very or berry worst insult and you get laughed at...how does that make you feel??

I actually had a fantastic picture I took of the man today but the camera is in the car and I am upstairs...and well that won't be happening tonight.
See you tomorrow.

What my public wants my public gets. Anoymous' comment reminded me to post an update. Believe me I have wanted to. I feel like my life is spinning and I am racing as hard as I can to keep up with it. I need to do better. I originally set the goal to blog once a day this year and well, clearly that hasn't happened. But I guess its never too late. OK I will try - starting today -one post a day... at least one sentence a day...one phrase a day...I will post at least one word a day. Nothing like lofty goals to get me moving!

So what has been going on here lately? Well the weather has been blissful. Seriously, picture Hawaii and you are pretty close to this last week. 70's and sunny.

(Well Sorta...minus the ocean and with a bit more brown...)

Ethan is back to school after winter break and he is doing spelling and book reports and fractions...I mean, I feel like by the time he is in 2nd grade I will no longer be able to hold a conversation with this little man. I think we started fractions in Alton in 11th grade.

(This picture just screams boy genius...seriously they don't call him photogenic for nothing!)

Speaking of school I am back for the first time in almost 6 years as a full time student. I am really excited and VERY nervous. I know its the right thing for me but my anatomy and physiology class will probably take a few years off my life. I have good genes...We live a long time in my family but this class could change all that. I don't belive my brain was made to think like this and I am pretty sure that taking 8 credits of anatomy and physiology in one semester wasn't one of my brightest choices!!

(Creepy, I know - but I think I may resemble this poor friend after this class is over!)

And Tyler is his usual self. He is such a sweet little guy and I am not ashamed to admit that most days he is my best friend. I spend almost every waking minute with him, he always has my back and I trust his opinion. The other day he told me my hair looked like well the exact quote was, " You hair look like lion hair or it could look like scarey witch hair...momma you choose. You wanta be a lion or a witch..." Ummm I think I will choose none of the above. But truthfully I looked in the mirror and he was right...the hair was a bit lion-esc. When he's out with Ethan and Hudson playing he runs back every few minutes to check on me, "momma you be OK? You not get scared?" This my dear friends is the reason you have sons. Seriously, that little guy makes my day.

I can't think of much else. I did try some new cupcake recipes last week and they were pretty fantastic. I will post the pictures now and I will try to get the recipe up soon. OK I am off to a night of studing phosolipid bilayers and prophase...see you tomorrow with my post...or word. Whatever I can muster!

Randomness of boys

This is one of MANY pictures I have on the computer with something inTyler's nose. Two questions 1. Why does he keep doing it? and 2. Why do I keep taking pictures? Hmmmm...

So yesterday while in the car Ethan asked me about percentages. He wanted to know what it meant when someone said 100% or 30%. So Andrea, I am not a math major, Golding tried to explain it to them...here is how it went down.


ME: Well let's say you have a hundred marbles then you...
Tyler: Why can't you put marbles in you nose
Ethan: I love marbles, can I have a marble track?
Tyler: Ma -Ma- Ma - Marbles get stuck in you nose? Momma we never put marbles in our nose, right?
Me: So a percent is...
Ethan: I think Santa has to work all year to make enough marbles for all the girls and boys.
Tyler: Sometimes I get beads stuck in my nose...
Me: So 30% means...
Ethan: I bet he has a magical marble machine that has sparkles and magic and star dust all mixing inside and they make the most beautiful marbles and ...
Me: And tithing is 10%...
Tyler: Forks in you nose is berry dangers
Ethan: And then the marbles shoot into the sky and they land with the girl or boy who has the most magical heart and the boy or girl has to bury the sparkly marbles in one day or...
Me: So if you save 20%...
Tyler: Peanuts in you nose is bad too, huh Momma? Peanuts in you nose is so bad!!

Every ounce of my body is aching.
I can't swallow.
The headache that was once a distnat dull pain now resembels a train that's caught fire and is slashing through my head.
I can't move my head from side to side.
I am cold.
I am hot.
I want to cry but I think it might make me hurt more.
I am tired.
I can't sleep.
I could be dead...I am too tired to go check and see
I think I am getting sick

Our Luck

Preston spent a large portion of his Saturday detailing the inside of the van. He literally cleaned every nook and cranny. We joked that every time he washed the outside it rained ( a rare thing in Arizona) and we wondered what would happen to the inside now that he scrubbed it...

Well, I will tell you what happened. Less than 48 hours later Tyler, who is almost 4, threw up for the first time in his entire life all over the inside. Seriously I couldn't stop laughing, poor guy was barfing and I was in hysterics. I think the van must be cursed - and we will have to buy a new car...I'm thinking this one would do just fine

Christmas was fantastic...we had a good time this year enjoying Preston's time off work and eating ourselves into a stupor. Here are a few of the events of our Christmas...
1.The Spaghetti Factory. A Golding Family Tradition to eat Spaghetti Factory every year during the Christmas Season.

Notice the cheese caked on Tyler's Face...yummmYeah, he's licking the parmesan cheese off the table...what can I say? He's an animal.

On a side note...Spaghetti Factory is having adult entrees for $2.35 and Kids meals for $1.99 on January 6th...just thought you might like to know.

2. Baking, Eating, Baking and Eating some more.

Santa's Dipped Oreos...I don't know for sure, I mean, I didn't get to talk to him BUT I think he LOVED them!

3. Preston as King Herod...what more can I say? Priceless!

This was his, "no more paparazzi" look

4. Having a sit down with Santa

You can see the panic in his eyes

This is the first year he's sat on Santa's lap without serious amounts of screaming!

Although I know it's not true...when I look at this one I think he and Tyler look like old friends-possiblly discussing the "good ol' days" in elf school.

5. Irony

This picture was taken on Christmas Eve....a Valentines display !!!

6. Presents...
Preston putting a toy together with real tools and Tyler helping with his new tool set.

Ethan's favorite present - Light Bright
Tyler's favorite present - Bud's Ark. We are still trying to convince him that it's "Noah's Ark" but he swears the bearded man's name is Bud...

7. 24

Rented on Netflix...they have taken over our evenings. Go Jack!!

8.The Coolest Aunt EVER!!!
Check out the gift my sister Lindsey bought the boys...she now goes down as the coolest aunt in the history of aunts!

A Karaoke Christmas

Grandma Nori bought us a Karaoke Machine this year and it has been so much fun. Fun for us...the neighbors may not agree. Seriously the best gift ever. We are in love
We're going to have a big Karaoke Party soon...if you live in Arizona you should come...if you don't get some plane tickets - the laughs will be worth it!!


Coming Soon: Ethan and Tyler Rock Out

It's A Girl.........

We adopted the sweetest four year old Lab today. It's nice to not be the only female in the house...about time!

Again with the thoughts...yikes two days in a row this is getting scary. There have been years that I look back on and think, "wow, I was pretty clueless that year." Not now... I have really felt like this has been a "stretching year" for me. I have learned so much these past twelve months...I felt like I was being pulled to become more of myself.
(I like pictures on blogs, they get my attention but as much as I tried I just couldn't put a picture of me all by myself...it was just too weird.)

So, in honor of my 25 years - here are 25 things I have learned this year...

1. I absolutely LOVE broccoli
2. Little Boys are a Lot of Work (wait...I think I may have already known that one)
3. I want to be a nurse
4. Never leave three little boys alone with hundreds of paper plates
5. Never leave three little boys alone with hundreds of plastic cups
6. Never leave three little boys alone with 8 rolls of paper towels
7. Girl friends make me happy
8. Little Boys make me happy
9. Books make me happy (Again...I may have already known that...but I know it more now)
10. To Surrender
11. That I care too much what others think of me
12. I hate hospitals (unless there is Mud Pie involved)
    
13. That I am never alone...there is One constant in my life
14. To listen
15. Pay closer attention at the beach
    
16. I need to trust myself more
17. Garbage men can be reckless drivers
18. I don't hate dogs
19. Diet Coke and Alfredo Sauce are my weakness
20. ...about a little evil called a Chocolate Chimi
21. Some books don't make me happy( I'll let you guess what book I am speaking of)
22. My sister will always be my best friend
23. Mexico and massages totally change lives
24. I am a lot stronger than I thought
    
25. I have so much left to discover...
    

I feel like I haven't posted in a while, but the effort it will take to go track down the camera and download all the fun pics from this last week is well, a bit beyond my capabilities today so...unfortunately today you will have to settle for my words. Yikes - this could be scary. We are super busy with all the regular Christmas stuff and so I feel like the blog has been majorly neglected. If this blog was a child, CPS would have already intervened!

So I have been doing a lot of thinking lately... strange I know, but occasionally it does happen? I was laying in my boys bedroom the one night after they were asleep and I was reminded of the magic of a child's bedroom. Ask me what I ate for lunch three days ago and I wouldn't be able to tell you - but ask me to describe my bedroom at 10 and I could recreate it for you in absolute detail. Why is that? Why is childhood captured so vividly in our minds. I truthfully don't remember the address that I lived at a year ago when we moved to Arizona but I remember every address of every home I lived in as a child (and believe me there were a lot!) I remember my favorite purple jean shorts when I was eight, I remember the smell of my grandma's house, I remember how grandpa's voice echoed through the house when he woke me for school, I can
almost taste Darlene's rolls and Grandma's mashed potatoes. Sometimes those memories catch me off guard -yesterday while driving, the picture of my sister flushing an entire roll of toilet paper came flooding into my mind...
And what concerns me the most about this is that now I am RESPONSIBLE for two humans, two little boys that will grow up and remember every little snip it of their childhood. I am hopeful that the defining memory of their childhood will not be the time mom smashed her finger and lost control of her vocabulary. I hope they remember Sunday mornings, laying in front of the Christmas tree, wrestling with Dad, singing with Mom, laughing with each other - I have so many fond memories with them and I wish I could just package them up and give those boys a glimpse of what I have loved about being their mother...I mostly hope that somewhere in those little minds they have saved a memory of their mom loving them.

Wanna Know What Irritates Me?

I am sure most of you don't...but for the record I want to say that Word Verification is very irritating. They always have you typing in the most illogical set of letters, they are stretched and warped - nearly impossible to decipher. Every time I see one I think of an Elderly 87 year old and think, "Well there ain't NO way she'd be figuring this one out." Let's not kid ourselves I also think of a 25 year old with decent vision and know she's having a hard time figuring it out as well. Many times I go to leave a comment on some lovely blog post, see the word verification and exit right out...
So...someone enlighten me - what are they for and why do you have them on your blogs?

I haven't posted photos in a while so...here is a big post of all things Golding...if you make it through all these you are a champ!

The Advent Calendar.... we're getting there. Let's hope next year it will be complete.

Thank you Kelly! We love this shelf Ms. Kelly O gave us. We now have a place for our stockings!

The boys fried our Turkey...yummmmmm

Waiting for it to be done...

Grandma, Marcie, Ethan, Lucy and Tyler admiring their Gingerbread House.

Thanksgiving Bingo...

We saw 4 rainbows in one day...this is the only picture we captured...Ethan was in heaven!

Todd helping Preston unload our Sissoo tree.

Ben and Preston planting my lemon tree...Ben is seriously one of the coolest friends ever!! He drove an hour to help Preston plant our trees. Seriously.

Here are a few of the yard..I love the grass. We still have a lot to do but it's so much better than a the dirt!The boys and I at the Electric Light Parade.

What is Kiki looking at?

I love this picture...A true Dad - holding both the boys up to see the lights!!

I love CG. By CG I mean Casa Grande. Casa Grande is a wonderful place brimming with wonderful people. Casa Grande translated into English means Big House...correct me if I am wrong but don't we sometimes call prisons "The Big House"
...make of it what you will.

I had a doctors appointment yesterday. I called weeks ago to get the appointment and the soonest they could get me in was one month later...luckily I just needed immunizations and a physical for school...if I would have been sick, well, I may not be here to write this post. The doctors office is named "Sun Life Medical" WOW, that's some sneaky advertising right there. What do you picture when you think "Sun Life." I picture large white rooms filled with sunlight. I envision a kind nurse gently caring for the sick and nursing them back to health. I see smiling faces, I see disinfectant, I see furniture not crawling with every virus since 1966. I think a better, more accurate name for the"Sun Life" office would have been
" Dark Death"
"Cesspool of disease and rudeness"
"Incompetence - R - Us"
"Want to waste some time....Com on In."
The list could go on well, forever. After 2 1/2 hours and an intense amount of insanity, I left there with only half of my immunizations and at least 2, probably more like 3 appointments awaiting me in the future.
This is what I do know for sure;
We will all probably come down with some real nasty illness in the next few days.
You better believe I will bring a can of Lysol next time I step in there.
Apparently medical school isn't as hard to get into as we all thought...
This tetanus shot in my arm could possibly be actual tetanus...my arm no longer is functioning...next up lockjaw!

Imaginary....What?

Some kids have imaginary friends, some have imaginary pets but Tyler, well, he has an imaginary "sweetie."

The other day at the store he pulls off a seriously expensive bottle of "Fiji" water and puts it in the cart. Reflexively I put it back on the shelf without saying a word( just like blinking or taking a breath, two boys have forced me to develop the new reflex of removing all their little treats from the cart.) "Momma, I need that!" "Ummm nope, you don't "NEED" a five dollar bottle of water." "Momma, it's fow my sweetie." "Your who?" "My Sweetie, needs dis..."

This scene was repeated over and over, he would pick up something luxurious, and by luxurious I mean the name brand cheese crackers or Sara Lee bread and tell me that his sweetie needed it. Yikes...girlfriends have already started demanding things!

Treats...Day 9 & 10

Super Busy Weekend...we went to the nursery this morning and bought trees and shrubs for the back yard. Halleujah! I love it already! I'll post pics tomorrow.

So anyway, I didn't post a recipe yesterday so today I'll post a good one. This is one of my favorite banana bread recipes and the streusel at the end is what makes it REALLY good!

BANANA BREAD

1 1/4	cups sugar
1/2	cup butter or margarine, softened
2	eggs
1 1/2	cups mashed very ripe bananas (3 to 4 medium)
1/2	cup buttermilk
1	teaspoon vanilla
2 1/2	cups all-purpose flour
1	teaspoon baking soda
1	teaspoon salt
1	cup chopped nuts, if desired

1.	Move oven rack to low position so that tops of pans will be in center of oven. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease bottoms only of 2 loaf pans, 8 1/2x4 1/2x2 1/2 inches, or 1 loaf pan, 9x5x3 inches.
2.	Mix sugar and butter in large bowl. Stir in eggs until well blended. Add bananas, buttermilk and vanilla. Beat until smooth. Stir in flour, baking soda and salt just until moistened. Stir in nuts. Pour into pans.
3.	Bake 8-inch loaves about 1 hour, 9-inch loaf about 1 1/4 hours, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes. Loosen sides of loaves from pans; remove from pans and place top side up on wire rack. Cool completely, about 2 hours, before slicing. Wrap tightly and store at room temperature up to 4 days, or refrigerate up to 10 days.

STREUSEL
1/2 c. Sugar
1/2 tsp Cinnamon
3/4 cup Flour
1/3 cup butter

Blend all ingredients together and sprinkle on top of unbaked loaves before putting in oven.

If I don't make the struesel I sprinkle the top with cinnamon sugar before I bake them. They come out with a yummy crunchy crust on top.

Treats...Day Eight

Here is a picture from the magazine I discovered this in.

So here's another cheesecake for you...and it's a good one. I would hate to call it my favorite because that would be like picking my favorite child. I wouldn't want the cheesecakes to get their feelings hurt... But I'll whisper it, hopefully they won't hear, "This Cheesecake is my favorite!" It's good, oh so so so good!

Chocolate Layered Cheesecake

Ingredients:

• 1-1/2 cups cream-filled chocolate sandwich cookie crumbs
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• FILLING:
• 1 tablespoon boiling water
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 4 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
• 1-1/2 cups sugar
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 4 eggs, lightly beaten
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips, melted and cooled
• GLAZE:
• 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 3 tablespoons butter

Directions:

Combine cookie crumbs and butter; press onto the bottom of a greased 9-in. springform pan. In a small bowl, combine water and cinnamon; set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, sugar and flour until smooth. Add eggs; beat on low speed just until combined. Stir in vanilla. Divide batter in half. Stir melted chocolate into one portion; pour over crust. Stir water/cinnamon mixture into the remaining batter; spoon over chocolate layer.
Place pan on a double thickness of heavy-duty foil (about 16 in. square). Securely wrap foil around pan. Place in a large baking pan; add 1 in. of hot water to larger pan.
Bake at 325° for 45-50 minutes or until center is just set and top appears dull. Remove springform pan from water bath. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Carefully run a knife around edge of pan to loosen; cool 1 hour longer. Refrigerate overnight.
In a microwave-safe bowl, melt chocolate chips and butter; stir until smooth. Spread over cheesecake. Remove sides of pan. Garnish with coffee beans if desired. Refrigerate leftovers. Yield: 16 servings

And here is my picture...obviously I'm no food photographer...a bit scary!

Treats...Day Seven

I think I will dedicate the next few days to Cheesecakes. They are so so so good and I make them so rarely that when I finally do make one every 4 or 5 months I appreciate them all the more. Lynsey requested this one...and the thing I love about these little Cheesecake Bites - they look so good and are so easy to create. They are perfect for parties or just to keep them in your freezer and pull one out when you need it....like if your kids were to rip the filling out of your couch, you might "need" one then. Or if for some reason you found paper towels soaked in chocolate milk thrown all over your walls, ceiling, furniture and floor...you probably would want to pull one out right about then...

Chocolate Covered Cheesecake Bites
Ingredients:

* 1 cup graham cracker crumbs
* 1/4 cup finely chopped pecans
* 1/4 cup butter, melted
* FILLING:
* 2 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
* 1/2 cup sugar
* 1/4 cup sour cream
* 2 eggs, lightly beaten
* 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
* COATING:
* 24 squares (1 ounce each) semisweet chocolate
* 3 tablespoons shortening

Directions:
Line a 9-in. square baking pan with foil and grease the foil. In a small bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, pecans and butter. Press into prepared pan; set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, sugar and sour cream until smooth. Add eggs; beat on low speed just until combined. Stir in vanilla. Pour over crust.
Bake at 325° for 35-40 minutes or until center is almost set. Cool on a wire rack. Refrigerate until chilled. Freeze overnight.
In a microwave-safe bowl, melt chocolate and shortening, stirring occasionally until smooth. Cool slightly. Using foil, lift cheesecake out of pan. Gently peel off foil; cut into 49 squares. Remove a few pieces at a time for dipping; keep remaining squares refrigerated until ready to dip.
Using a toothpick, completely dip squares, one at a time, in melted chocolate. Place on waxed paper-lined baking sheets; spoon about 1 teaspoon chocolate over each. (Reheat chocolate if needed to finish dipping.) Let stand for 20 minutes or until set. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator or freezer. Yield: 49 servings.