Crap and Cookies

 

Yesterday, we had a whole day with nothing planned.  No events, programs, auctions, practices, games...etc.  AND it was a Saturday!  I was looking forward to a family day that filled with Christmas cheer and had planned on making cookies for Santa and candy all afternoon.  I had just gotten ready and Landon was about to get in the shower when Lucas comes upstairs and says the sink is overflowing downstairs.  Landon flies downstairs to find a NIGHTMARE.  It wasn't the sink, it was the toilet.  It had overflowed everywhere and had covered the entire bathroom floor, out in the laundry area, down the vents, out the garage, and all down in the basement.  The best part...it was POOP!! 

Landon is hollering to get towels, and I am trying to find the plunger.  It just keeps spewing.  For those who don't know Landon, he is a MAJOR poop-phobe.  I know no one really just loves poop, but he really freaks out about it.  Yet, somehow, he manages to be the one to always step in dog poop, get pooped on by a bird, or sit in it.  (That really happened.  A kid pooped in a chair at his Papaw's and he would be the one to sit in it).

Anyway, Landon is barefoot in the bathroom with his pajamas on with poop water everywhere.  It was quite a sight.  He got the shop vac and started trying to clean up the water in the bathroom.  He starts it and then we realize that it is spewing water out the top of it.  I was near it and got sprayed in the face with poop water.  We ended up using a towel over it to be able to use the shop vac.  (We might want to invest in one that works properly for any future mishaps). 

Meanwhile, Landon is plunging the toilet, but it's not unclogging.  It still won't work.  As he is doing that, it just keeps spewing.  We go downstairs to start cleaning up that mess, and it is just horrible.  Water is all in the vents dripping down to a smelly, poopy puddled mess.  I was trying to use the shop vac while Landon was trying to fix the toilet and poop water drips down my neck.  I almost barfed.  He ended up taking a box cutter and cutting the vent to release all the water.  That almost made me gag too!  Just typing this makes me get a little nauseous. 

Finally, after trying several times to get the toliet to work, he couldn't and he called a plumber.  He was in Cookeville and wouldn't be able to come for at least an hour.  We clean up as much as we can and wait on the plumber.  In the meantime, Lucas has to go to the bathroom so he uses the upstairs bathroom (number 2 of course).  I didn't think that toilet would be messed up, so I flushed it.  Landon is hollering to get more towels...round 2.  This time it was worse. 

When we got as much cleaned up as we could that time, I was in the kitchen, sitting at the table with the boys and I look out the kitchen window and see Landon in his pajama pants, short sleeves in freezing weather, and a shovel.  I thought to myself, please Lord, let the plumber get here soon.

Landon is out there digging up the yard.  I have confidence in my husband's abilities to fix anything, but I'll admit I was a little concerned at this point.  He dug up the septic tank.  Not long after, the plumber did show up and they hooked up his truck and had to use a chain and pulled off the lid to the septic tank.  Sure enough, it was a nasty, clogged mess, but they fixed it! 

At this point, it was 2:00 in the afternoon.  My perfect family day was not going according to plan.  Landon called someone to come and clean the carpets, tile, and sanitize the vents.   I was so thankful that both the plumber, Donnie Mabe and Andrew Watson for coming to clean at short notice.  It was much appreciated!!  Lesson learned: teach your children to not use half a roll of toilet paper when they use the bathroom.

We eventually got to do our Christmas baking that evening after everything had been sanitized. 



Oreo Balls (AKA Reindeer Poop from our North Pole Party)

1 package of oreos

1 eight ounce pkg cream cheese

16 oz bakers semi-sweet backing chocolate

 

Crush oreos into fine crumbs and mix in cream cheese.  Roll into balls and dip into melted chocolate and place on wax paper.  Refrigerate until firm.

 

 

We had leftover melted chocolate so we made some pretzels too.

Slip....splat in the chocolate....

and meltdown.

 

 

Lucas is helping make some cinnamon candy.  I have tried to make this before but it didn't turn out.  Landon's family in Indiana make it and I LOVE it!!!  It worked this time!!

This is a rolling pin hand carved by my great-grandfather.

 

 

Cinnamon Candy (from Babs Moore)

2 cups sugar

3/4  cup evaporated milk (small can)

1/2 cup Karo syrup

1/4 tsp cream of tarter

2 tablespoons butter

cinnamon

 

Combine sugar, millk, and Karo syrup in a heavy saucepan and stir constantly on medium heat to hard ball stage (approximately 15-20 minutes or longer).  Add 2 tablespoons butter and beat with mixer until very thick and it starts to get hard.  Roll in logs and then roll into cinnamon and cut up.

**Notes from Babs: You really have better luck with a heavy saucepan.  I've never been able able to double the recipe.  I can't make it in rainy weather because it usually doesn't get hard. 

 

Peanut Butter Fudge
1/2 tsp vanilla
3 cups sugar
2/3 cup evaporated milk
1 1/2 sticks margarine
12 oz peanut butter chips
1 1/2 cups marshmallow cream

Bring sugar, butter, vanilla and milk to boil on medium heat.  Boil for 4-5 minutes.   Add chips and marshmallow cream stirring continuously.  Pour into greased pan and let it set up.

We also made sausage balls.  It doesn't really go with all our cookies, candy, and sweets but it reminds me of Christmas.

Sausage Balls
1 lb sausage
2 cups Bisquick
1/4 cup water
2 cups cheddar cheese

Mix together and form into balls.  Bake for 25 minutes at 350 degrees.

Don't worry, we didn't eat all of this.  We shared☺  We made several late night deliveries last night.

It turned out to be a wonderful, memorable day.