How NOT to build a bonfire

While I was at Sissy's for Thanksgiving, we I decided we needed a bonfire to roast marshmellows.

Background: Sissy and her boy, Honey-do, have been having "bonfires" in her grill the past few weekends. Once I heard about it, I wanted a burnt marshmellow of my own. I love making smores.. I mean, eating the pieces separately- burnt marshmellows crispy on the outside and gooey inside, melty chocolate pieces, and crispy graham crackers. But primarily the marshmellows.

So Honey-do and I went out into the woods Thursday afternoon and gather up wood to have our bonfire with. 

Friday, it rains all day. But it stopped just as it was getting dark. I'm not about to let a little thing like humidity get in the way of having my marshmellows. Honey-do picks up dry firewood from the store, and off we go.

We used fatwood and newsprint, and at first it looked really good.

Then it burnt down to nothing. So more fatwood and newsprint, and it flares up again. And burns down and is almost out.

So, now out of newspaper, I start tearing up cardboard boxes from the recycle. Honey-do gets the charcoal chimney to hopefully get things going better.

And it looks really promising. Until it burns to nothing.

So, not to be deterred, Mom gets the lighter. And we light my marshmellow on fire with the lighter.

It was crispy and yummy and gooey and I loved every minute of it.

Sissy says on facebook: How to tell a good boyfriend- he builds your sister a bonfire in the rain because she wants one.

Honey do is definitely a keeper!

Lessons learned: Buy Sissy and Honey-do a firepit for Christmas. Don't build a bonfire in the rain. Wet wood doesn't burn well.

Of course, the afternoon after I leave, they have a bonfire and have marshmellows. Without me. Murphy's Law.

Sissy's Couples Retreat Food Wrap-up

Sissy went on a couple's retreat with her church young adult group over Halloween weekend.

They spent two days bonding with the other young couples and eating and drinking on the beach. I'm a little jealous of the beach part.

She made Jalapeno Popper Dip and Sangria for her contribution to the potluck. In addition to reading my blog, Sissy reads Annie's Eats, and got the Jalapeno dip there.  I made it for bunco, and it's really good, but definitely not mild!

Jalapeno Popper Dip:

2 (8 oz.) packages cream cheese, softened


1 cup mayonnaise ( I used 1/2 mayo and 1/2 nonfat plain yogurt)

1 (4 oz.) can chopped green chiles, drained

1 (4 oz.) can diced jalapeño peppers, drained

½ cup shredded Mexican style cheese

½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1 cup Panko breadcrumbs

½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

Cooking spray



Let the cream cheese soften really well, or you'll mix "forever". Mix in the mayo, shredded cheeses, and peppers. Layer it into a greased casserole dish (8x8 or a round pie dish), and top with panko and parmesan.
Bake at 350 for 20 minutes or until bubbly. Serve with veggie sticks or crackers.

This is definitely not mild, but you can make it milder by cutting back on the peppers.

She also made easy-peasy Sangria.

Take lite tropical punch fruit juice, pour it in a pitcher. Add red wine. Garnish with jarred cherries and citrus slices. Drink heavily to quench the fire from the popper dip.

I'm thinking I need to convince her to make a large pitcher of Sangria for me to enjoy on her screened porch during Thanksgiving. Work has been super busy lately, and I'm looking forward to relaxing!

Julia's Living Room REVEAL

If you remember, I was helping re-do Julia's 10 year old living room. I blogged about it here.


It's finally finished, just in time for the holidays! A reminder to everyone, start your renovations mid summer or early fall to have things finished in plenty of time for the holidays. The last thing you want is to be scrambling to put your house back together with all the other things going on!

In additon to having pieces re-upholstered, we painted and enhanced the crown moulding by adding a picture rail.

This room already had a small crown when she bought the house several years ago. As she renovated the other rooms, Julia added a taller crown.

To make the living room stand out, we added  picture moulding 2" below the existing moulding, then  painted everything out white to tie it together.


We also changed out the lamps, and added a small desk for her laptop.

Here's the finished product again: