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Razzleberry Ice Cream

My mom has a massive garden. The highlight of her garden is the raspberry patch (at least to me). In one corner she has blackberry bushes. This is the first season they've done really well. So we have a big bucket of plump, fresh blackberries to use and enjoy.

I also have a lot of whipping cream from the half gallon I bought at Costco for the 80s party ice cream. So tonight I made razzleberry ice cream. It was really good. I tried to make this picture large like Ashley taught me so you can see how good it might taste.

Anyway, I just threw stuff in and it turned out great...I love when that happens.

I also love this ice cream maker my mother-in-law gave us when we were down there last weekend. It's the Gelato Jr. and we LOVE this little guy. It makes about a quart of ice cream. So kind of a small amount, but perfect for a small family. Also, it is all electrical so NO ice/ salt, no frozen ice cream buckets in your freezer. Spontaneously blend ice cream ingredients and dump it in, turn it on and in 30 minutes you have great dessert! We've been making a new batch about every other day. Sunday it was fresh apricot sorbet.

Anyway, here it is.

RAZZLEBERRY HOMEMADE ICE CREAM

4 - 6 strawberries, hulled

1/2 c. simple syrup**

1/2 tsp vanilla

1 c. fresh blackberries

1/4 c. raspberries

1/2 c. - 2/3 c. sugar to taste

1 c. whipping cream

small hand full of blackberries crushed to add

In blender combine all ingredients except crushed berries. Freeze according to manufacturer's instructions. Add crushed berries during last 10-15 minutes or so.

Simple Syrup: Bring equal parts water and sugar to boil to dissolve sugar. Cool. Store in air-tight container in refrigerator.

**This is for a one quart ice cream maker, multiply as needed for larger ice cream makers.

July 24th-- Pioneer Day

80s Party

Utah has a state holiday, Pioneer Day. This year, the Crapo family celebrated it 80s Style.We were listening to a lot of 80s music when we stayed in Logan watching our nieces and nephews. So I decided to plan a family 80s party. I had everything planned from the last 80s party I was in charge of, so it was really easy. I was really impressed with all of Rhett's family. They all dressed up. The party was totally rad. Our little family in front of 80s Jeopardy.

RJ is wearing his overalls with only one strap I hope you noticed. The wings in my hair on the sides of my head were much better earlier, and you can barely see my hot pink scrunchie holding my side-half-ponytail in place.

Our Tubular Party:

• 80s Fashion Show walking down the fluorescent lit hallway to the tune of "Ice Ice Baby" and other 80s hits off Natalie's 80s mixes she made for the last party
• Dinner
• 80s Jeopardy
• Slide show of everyone during the 80s
• Dessert: homemade ice cream with Pacman cake

I think my favorite part was the slide show. Most of the adults graduated high school in the mid to late 80s and there were some awesome outfits and hair dos. My favorite photo was a brother-in-law with a perm. Rhett and I were kids, so our photos weren't as funny.
Rhett.

He isn't into dressing up that much. But he is a champ in doing what I ask. He was a Nelson twin in his acid washed jean jacket and white wig. His expression needs little explanation.Who are the Nelson brothers you ask?

the Pac-man cake used fondant, if you are interested, it is easy and fun to use

I have emailed the 80s Jeopardy to a couple people. If you have an 80s party coming up and would like a forwarded copy: jessica.crapo@gmail.com If you don't have one coming up, plan one. They are radical.

Road Trip...unintentionally

Last Saturday, Lynette and I went to Salt Lake for our friend's baby shower.

We made her this: After, we saw this and LOVED it:

Then we drove to Tooele to our aunt's house. She gave us a car full of fabric which we were ecstatic about, you want to know more read HERE:
But after we loaded all our precious cargo, I made the poor decision to get home by driving south, thinking it would take about the same time, rather than going back to Salt Lake and using the interstate. As we were rambling on back roads, I saw a sign: Lehi 47 miles. What the crap? This was a lot farther than I thought. So it took twice as long to get home, but it was much more scenic and peaceful, but Lynette was late for work.

And we are excited about all the fabric we came home with...it made all my chaos worth it.

See that pile of drapes my mom is folding? The first project out of that is done, if you care.

Higland Blast: Seven Peaks

Every summer since we've been married, Rhett and I have taken all our nieces and nephews on his side of the family for a couple nights to St. George. This was the first summer out of the last half decade, we couldn't go to St. George. Due to Rhett's schedule we only had one week to have our trip with the kids. So this year, we had to substitute St. George for something I called "Highland Blast". It was only 2 nights, and only about half of the kids could make it. Kind of a bummer, but we still had fun. Day 1: Seven Peaks. Day 2: Camping. And we definitely had a blast.

Seven Peaks

largest water park in Utah

I always had such great memories at Seven Peaks as a kid. So I thought they'd all love it. It was kind of funny. For example, I tole them we have to get our tubes and go clear to the deep end of the wave pool because it is so fun and the waves take you so high. We were waving it up for a while and they said: "Were the waves higher when you were a kid?" I was thinking the same thing. It was lame. I guess as a little girl they were much larger than as an adult.

But some things were the same thrill. Like all the tall rides. The Free Fall was just as scary to me, the wedgie just as huge. Cole (14) was the only one that would ride the tall rides with me. We sent Rhett off with all the other kids to the lilly pads or something and would sprint up to go again while the lines were still short. At one point as I was sprinting up the tower, I thought how ridiculous I must look. Once I got there, my silliness was reaffirmed as I waited with the rest of the teenage boys to ride. All the sudden I became aware of my varicose vein down the back of my leg from my pregnancy with RJ. All at once I realized I'M NOT A KID and this may look silly. I'm an old woman--a mom!. Gross! But I didn't care and continued to scrape the crap out of my back riding the "Sky Breaker".

My favorite was going on Tube Run because it is a tube half-pipe and it is easy to flip your tube over, dumping you and your friend out. The rest of the ride you spend scrambling back into the tube before you get to the bottom so the lifeguard won't know what you've been doing. I did this all the time growing up and it was always my favorite thing to do at Seven Peaks. I have to admit: the 16-year-old scrawny lifeguards at the bottom seem a lot less threatening as an adult. And Rhett started yelling at me when I almost got us BOTH flipped out despite him resisting the fun. I think I remember him yelling: "Jess! How old are you???" I never did have enough leverage or strength to dump Rhett out so he could experience the full Seven Peaks experience.

We were there, literally running from one ride to the next--all day. Open to close. 11am to 8pm. That night after we ate pizza and were all showered, the kids suggested going out to play night games. As lame and old as I didn't want to be, I told them "I am too tired."

Dippin Dots, a Seven Peaks must

Highland Blast: Camping

We went camping for Day 2. We decided on Salamander Flats up American Fork Canyon. Free camping. The kids went fishing with Rhett while Molly, John (her buddy) and I set up camp. They didn't catch anything, which was too bad. It rained all afternoon, so it was wet and muddy. We got a fire started and the menu was pretty simple: hot dogs, chips, and smores. But I forgot the ketchup/ mustard. I heard some complaints but they ate them dry. We roasted Starburst, and burned a lot of stuff.

Despite some bad weather and me forgetting a lot of important food items, we had fun. The next morning we all sat around eating breakfast and Rhett played his guitar as we made up songs, taking turns filling in words as Rhett played along. Some turned out really funny, my favorite was "Quilly...the porcupine that felt strong."

This is a marshmellow melted on my bum.

But the BEST part of this camping trip was....

I saw someone wearing my Chemistry sweatshirt in public!! Well sort of public, up the mountain. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a gray sleeve with "VARSITY" printed on it. what? What? WHAT? Oh ya, my lame sweatshirt lives on. I immediately began ignoring Molly's story she was telling and instead got this stalker shot of this person. The lightening bolt points to her.If you forgot or never knew the history behind the sweatshirt, read about it here.

(Rhett's eyes will roll at me indirectly telling this story AGAIN!)

PS. No that is not my Chemistry sweatshirt, I still have mine. This just meant that this person was in AP Chemistry at LPHS in 2003, or had a sibling, friend, or DI donor who was.

I got so excited about seeing this girl in it, maybe I should have a lookout and see if we can spot more. If you have one yourself, you should feel lucky. Very lucky. Maybe I should give something great to people who I see wearing one, or who post a photo of themselves wearing one on their blog or facebook....hmmm. Or maybe I need to get a life.

Horny Toad

While we were in Delta for the 4th, our nephew Cole was 4-wheeling in the "grease woods" behind Rhett's parents house and found this horny toad. It was so fat and huge.

4th of JULY...Delta style

I think I've mentioned how the 4th of July is especially great in Delta. I think maybe small towns embrace the holiday more than suburbs, but I only know Delta. Maybe someone could let us all know what the party is like in Price, UT or something.

PARADE. RJ loved the taffy.

RJ playing in the man made stream between the library and the city park after the parade.


Demolition Derby...way over crowded this year people!

I especially loved the fireworks this year. Rhett and I climbed on his dad's roof with the kids and we all snuggled up for the magic. Then watched the piro boys blow up a tower of shaving cream filled with black cats all over the basketball court.