Melissa's Idea Garden

Last year I made a list of 100 things I would like to do before I die. I published it on December 31, 2008. In the last year I have accomplished some things. I would like to have accomplished more, but I hit a couple of biggies! And there are wonderful things we did this last year that weren't on my list.

Added awesomeness:

1. Going to the beach with someone who had never ever been before.
2. Going to Sea World for the first time.
3. Petting a koala bear.
4. Snorkeling the Great Barrier Reef.
5. Petting a kangaroo and a wombat.
6. Watching my daughter hold a python without fear.
7. Having my first born son turn into a teenager.
8. Watching my daughter start her first business.

1. Visit Hawaii


2. Visit the Pyramids


3. Visit Greece


4. Visit Australia - Completed September 2009


5. Visit Disney World


6. Visit The British Isles


7. Visit Germany


8. Visit Switzerland


9. Take a cruise to Alaska


10. Take a cruise on a paddleboat


11. Spend a romantic weekend at The Poconos with Daniel


12. Take some art classes


13. Learn how to play the piano


14. Exercise regularly


15. Visit the Statue of Liberty


16. Take a train trip across the country.


17. Learn how to quilt


18. Play with my grandchildren (when I have them)


19. Go on a camping trip


20. See a play on Broadway


21. Go on a safari


22. Learn how to snorkle - Completed September 2009


23. Play a marathon game of monopoly


24. Go skinny dipping


25. Meet a President of the United States


26. Ride in a gondola in Venice


27. See a total eclipse


28. Get a lottery ticket that wins more than $50


29. Visit Yellowstone


30. Spend a night in a museum


31. Volunteer at the library


32. Go to a Pow-Wow


33. Become a certified Paralegal


34. Go Deep Sea fishing


35. Participate in an archaeology dig


36. Go to space camp


37. Ride through the snow in a horse drawn sleigh


38. Hit a Jackpot in Vegas


39. See a ghost


40. Spend a weekend on a sail boat


41. Buy a stranger a meal at a restaurant


42. Spend a week on a houseboat


43. Walk on a beach by moonlight


44. Get a makeover and have a photoshoot


45. Have my portrait painted


46. Spend a week at a secluded beach


47. Find a hidden treasure


48. Drive a Lambroghini


49. Spend a winter weekend at a ski resort


50. Attend a grand ball


51. Visit the White House


52. Go to a drive-in theater with my kids


53. Act in a play


54. Visit the Aquarium in Atlanta


55. Live in a Victorian House


56. Take a ballroom dance class


57. Join a book discussion group


58. Serve at a soup kitchen - Completed April 2009


59. Learn how to Square Dance


60. Whale Watching


61. Get flowers for no reason


62. Eat a meal prepared by a world class chef


63. Build a snow fort with my kids


64. Ride on a motorcycle


65. Spend a week working in a planetarium


66. Have a white Christmas


67. Fly in a helicopter


68. Meet Johnny Depp


69. Sing a solo in front of an audience


70. Renew my wedding vows


71. Eat a dish that involves truffles (you know the really expensive truffles) - Completed September 2009


72. Purchase and restore a 1975 Monte Carlo


73. Purchase and restore a 1984 Monte Carlo SS


74. Learn to play handbells


75. See the Changing of the Guards in London


76. See the Northern Lights


77. Visit Antarctica


78. Visit islands in the Carribbean


79. Be Queen for a day - not with the decisions, but with the trappings


80. Make a really good snowman - Completed March 2, 2009 12 inches of snow storm


81. Fly in a private jet


82. Go to Oktoberfest in Germany


83. Go to a big New Year's Eve Party


84. Go to an adult Halloween party


85. Visit the White House


86. Live in a penthouse suite for a week


87. Ride first class on a trip overseas


88. Save someone's life


89. Sit on a jury


90. Visit Hershey, PA


91. Meet Stephen King


92. Go to a mystery dinner theater


93. Go to New Orleans for Mardi Gras


94. Visit a Presidential library


95. Go to a Christmas Eve Midnight Mass


96. Spend a night in a haunted house


97. Visit the Ozarks


98. Take a year travel trip across the U.S. in a RV


99. Have a surprise birthday party


100. Publish a book

Posted by Melissa Markham at 9:21 PM | Permalink

Yesterday was a Red Letter day for Katrina. But first let me back up a bit.

For years, my daughter has been hounding me with ideas for her own business. She wanted to build a lemonade stand here in the neighborhood (understand, we have only a few neighbors, not really enough to make that endeavor worthwhile.)

She gives concerts and sells us tickets to come see them. She offers to do extra chores for cash. She will make handmade items and then try to sell them to us. She has talked about setting up a website and selling stuff through it. The problem with her selling us stuff is that...well, we aren't repeat customers. We each buy one of her items, but then we don't want to buy anymore and then she is left with unsold stock.

Last spring we suggested she try a bubblegum machine. I owned 8 vending machines back in the mid 90s. I made some money off of them, but once I had children, the time and money spent seemed less worth it. Places went out of business and I was looking to make way more money than what I was making. But what I was making would be more than enough for a 9 year old girl.

So, Katrina asked our hairdresser if she could put a bubblegum machine in her shop. Mandy gave her permission, but then the whole idea was put on hold. For those of you who are here with any regularity, you know we have been traveling a lot this year. We didn't want to be gone and abandon her machine for weeks on end. So we waited.

She didn't say anymore about it, but when I was thinking about what to get her for Christmas, I thought the bubblegum machine would be a perfect gift. It would get her started on her first real business adventure and it was a way better gift than the same amount of money spent on Littlest Pet Shop. I was thrilled with The Gumball Machine Factory. Their prices were good, their product (once it arrived) is well made and I was able to have them put a decal on the front of her bubblegum machine. She was so excited to get this gift. And for the few days it was in our house, she did a good business from visitors!

So, back to yesterday. We took the vending machine to Lakestyles and she watched with pride as Mandy was her first non-family customer. Here is a photo of Katrina and Mandy with the bubblegum machine in place.

Posted by Melissa Markham at 5:46 PM | Permalink

December has been a busy month. We had a Christmas Cookie Party, 4-H Christmas party, gatherings with family and friends, shopping, cooking, decorating, and playing in the awesome snow. Since pictures are better than words, here are some at my Flickr account for you to peruse at your leisure!

I have a brief video, but it was too big for our poor Hughes Net Connection to handle. I'll try to upload it next time I am somewhere with a better connection!

Posted by Melissa Markham at 5:01 PM | Permalink

As you may or may not know, Daniel's contract with State Farm ended the end of July. We had orginally anticipated that it would last until the end of December. We probably would have gone out this last week to pack up his stuff and bring it home today.

Well, here's what we missed out on by his contract ending early:

This is the building he was staying in. On the bottom floor. We are glad no one was hurt and we are glad that we weren't there for that.

Posted by Melissa Markham at 2:47 PM | Permalink

First of all, what is a holiday without cookies? I posted several cookie recipes on my blog in a previous entry for a Holiday Homeschool Open House post. I hope you will enjoy them.

One recipe that didn't make that list is my Grandma's Ginger Cookie recipe. These cookies are awesome and make tons so you will have enough for a cookie exchange, to share with a couple of friends, and to eat yourself! Honest! They take a while to mix up, but they are worth the effort. Below you will find the recipe (there will be some changes shown in parenthesis).

Grandma's Ginger Cookies

2 pint bottles of molasses (green label Brer Rabbit is best if you can find it)
1 pint country melted lard (Crisco works too)
1 pint buttermilk
2 eggs
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp ginger
2 tbsp soda
1 cup white sugar
5 pounds flour (you might not need all of this, but it will be close)

Cream sugar and eggs. Add salt, ginger, and soda, mixing well after each addition. Then add lard (shortening), molasses and buttermilk, beating after each. Then add flour a couple of cups at a time until you have a soft sticky dough, flour board. Do not get dough too stiff or cookies will be dry. Roll out dough and cut with juice glass or small cutter
(or you can used gingerbread cookie cutter).

Bake at 350 degrees. Check at 10-12 minutes.

For Thanksgiving this year, I wanted to go more the homemade route (not freezer biscuits for example), so I bought some yeast and wanted to make some homemade rolls. I went online to Bread World. I chose the Classic Dinner Rolls(rapid rise yeast) recipe. Those are some really good rolls!

The other thing I made for Christmas was this awesome Dark and Rich Chocolate-Cranberry Cake. This is one of the most involved desserts I have ever made, but I have to tell you, it was worth it and this is also one of the best desserts I have ever tasted! So go ahead and give it a try!

Lastly, Daniel and I are continuing to work on our website ideas that I mentioned a while back. I recently created the following website: Hamburger Casserole Recipes. With the economy the way it is and people having to tighten their belt, I thought it would be helpful to create a website devoted to ground beef recipes. Go check it out...maybe you will find what you want to have for dinner tonight!

Posted by Melissa Markham at 1:06 PM | Permalink

Wow...I can't believe I haven't been by here for about 6 weeks. First it was getting back being at home after having been gone for so long. And then there was the fact that after all the blogging while we were gone, I was pretty tired of blogging. Once we got resettled in from our trip, it was right back into life...school work, piano lessons, church, and 4-H... Daniel has been home since the end of July and that always keeps life busier too. And then there have been my commitments to 4-H and the youth group fundraising team. Just seems like there is always more than enough to do and never enough time to do it all in.

Add a newly found love of Farmville, Fishville, Cafe World and Country Life into the mix, plus reading, plus doing some work for Daniel, plus getting the house ready for Christmas and the family gatherings and there just hasn't been much time to turn around.

But, I thought I should stick my head up, write a few words and say Merry Christmas to anyone who might drop by!

And, just to make up for lost time, I am going to post some recipes you might enjoy! But that's the next post!

Posted by Melissa Markham at 12:59 PM | Permalink