Lovin My Home

FOREVER...

2012-01-24T19:27:00.000-08:00

Well it's been FOREVER since I posted on here...I have been baking/cooking but just haven't made anything that good perhaps! haha I was soooo sick for 2 weeks in December that we did all our yummy Christmas cookies after Christmas...we had New Years Sugar cookies! haha they were yummy...still a few favorites we plan to make!!

We had a wonderful Christmas and New Year! My brother moved to another state just before New Years...we were sad but he has a job transfer so we're happy if he is! but we miss he and my nephew so much!!'

We had a fun Gingerbread making party...here's Macy my sweet teenager displaying her "house"...the kids also acted out the Nativity story and it was so sweet and such a celebration of our Saviors birth...Mike and I always smile at the delight Christmas brings and the fun and love that overflows...we are so blessed!!!

Yummy recipe!!

2012-01-13T05:39:00.000-08:00

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/downeast-maine-pumpkin-bread/detail.aspx

Here is a really yummy recipe for pumpkin bread! I add Walnuts and raisins and I use half brown sugar and white since I like that taste!! AND I split it between two loaves not three like it says!

Pumpkin roll!

2011-10-29T11:54:00.000-07:00

Reposting this because it's sooo good this time of year and I"m craving it...think I'll make it this week and freeze one for having on hand for company or another craving!! haha

Pumpkin Roll

1/4 powdered sugar for rolling

3/4 C. flour

1/2 t. baking powder

1/2 t. baking soda

1/2 t. Cinnamon

1/2 t. cloves

1/4 t. salt

3 large eggs

1 C. sugar

2/3 C. Libby's 100% pure pumpkin (small sized can)

1 C. chopped nuts (opt'l)

For cake: Preheat oven to 375. Line cookie sheet (approx. 12 x 19") with waxed paper or parchment paper. Spray lightly with Pam.

Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves and salt in separate bowl and use a fork or whisk to stir it together.

Beat eggs and sugar in large mixing bowl until thick (I use kitchen aid). Beat in pumpkin. Stir in flour mixture slowly.

Spread evenly into prepared pan. Sprinkle with nuts.

Bake for 13-15 minutes, until cake springs back when touched. Recipe calls for sprinkling a clean towel with powdered sugar but I used a long sheet of waxed paper, a bit longer than your baking sheet with 1/4 C. powd. sugar.

Remove cake from oven and immediately loosen sides of cake and turn out onto sugared waxed paper (carefully). Peal off waxed paper that cake baked on. Starting with narrow end, roll cake and waxed paper together. Cool on wire rack.

Filling:

1 pkg. Cream cheese softened

1 C. powdered sugar

6 T. butter or margarine, softened

1 t. vanilla

Beat these ingredients together until creamy, adding vanilla last. Carefully unroll cake. Spread cream cheese mixture on the smooth side of cake (the nut side is the outside of the cake roll) all the way to the edges. Re roll cake and wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least one hr. Place cake roll on serving platter or plate and sprinkle with powdered sugar if desired and serve!

Make 10 servings and is DELICIOUS for a morning snack! haha

Summer's end....

2011-09-10T07:50:00.000-07:00

Well Summer is ending...and I haven't kept my blog up very well this Summer...I like to do it for my own memories but we've been having so much fun this Summer!! The biggest surprise for me was Mike giving me tickets to a Tony Bennett concert! My mom always said I was an old soul when it comes to music!! and I am...he's one of my favorite singers and it was an absolute treat to see him live!! It was just about an hour away at an old theatre that is so fantastic to look at...The Fox theatre....He was amazing and despite his age he can still crank out the hits, wow!! I loved every minute of it!! Cross that off my bucket list!! The best story that goes with this gig was right after I opened the tickets I was so excited so I texted my sweet friend Leanne and told her and she wrote back and said....THAT'S SO GREAT!! I'M SO HAPPY FOR YOU...who is Tony Bennett!!???? hahahaha love her!

Mike has been getting healthy this Summer...I'm so proud of him! he's lost almost 20 lbs. He did a 24 day challenge (see here for more info ) with a product we love and he started walking on the treadmill every other day and he does Jillian Michael's circuit training DVD every other day he doesn't walk. He began to run part of his walking time and at Family camp this Summer he ran the 5K they do there as well as a midnight run locally (which was actually at 9 p.m. but it was dark!) he did a great job and we were so proud.....at our family camp Grace ran/walked it and Jordan walked it to since he was on a running restriction! it was fun!

Family camp as always, was a blast! it's so spiritually refreshing to hear people who love and serve the Lord speak about that...teach how to do that better and singing in that great big tabernacle with the outdoors wafting in...incredible! my kids LOVE going to camp...the older ones get great spiritual challenges for their age groups and Grace has a ball learning about God's word from a couple that comes to camp each year and they have the most fun and crazy ways to teach the kids about God's love!! LOVE IT! Here's Jordan telling Grace was a great job she did in the race!! love this!! a snippet of "sibling love!" :)

Somehow...this sweet baby boy of mine grew up to be a Senior in high school! how this happened so fast I'll never know but...it did! He has enough credits in high school so he was fortunate enough to get FREE tuition to our local community college...we just had to pay for books! he is LOVING it there and I'm thankful since he will also attend there his first year out of high school! (whew we don't have to send him off to college just yet....) He worked hard all Summer for our cousin and his pool business, he liked working alot but he realized a "taste" of the working world takes up your free time! haha he's a hard worker and we're proud of him! He is running Cross Country this Fall thankfully, after a running injury over the Summer. He did Physical Therapy over the Summer and is back in the races now thankfully!

We had a friend take Jordan's Sr. pictures...he's such an outdoor kid that we wanted outdoor photos of him. We did some at the beach that were great and some at his high school. This was one I loved of him on the track...I can see that toddler face still, asking me if he can watch Toy Story again for the 3rd. time that week!! Oh how the time does go!! He loves the Lord, he strives to serve Jesus and we couldn't ask for better than that! He is has a strong will (see I knew when he had that at a young age and drove me crazy it would be a strength one day hahaha) and has strong ideas about what he wants to do in life as a young adult....

This I love....we haven't had a family photo in so long...I love this...it was part of the Sr. photo shoot...we're grateful for our sweet friend taking the photos and doing such a beautiful job!! We're back to school now and I'm SOOO tired! haha I fell asleep Thursday night at 8:40....I'll get back into the swing of things!

I clean two houses, one every two weeks, one every three weeks so that will start next week. I help set up at our Ladies Bible Study, help teach on Weds. night 1-5ht gr. at church and I love getting my own kids where they need to be...It's a tiresome job at times but I wouldn't trade it for anything!!! HAPPY FALL Y'ALL!! it's almost here!

The family goes to Washington!

2011-07-17T21:24:00.000-07:00

We just got back last week from a great trip to Washington D.C. Our kids have never been and Mike and I haven't been since we were first married! It was one of our greatest vacations! We saw SO much...yet there's still so much more we could have seen! We were surprised how large the White House was...and I was surprised how close to "downtown" it was...it was just up the block to a store that sold souvenirs of the White House..that was very strange to me...Somehow I thought it would be much more secluded and private! It is set far back from the street...yet somehow still so visable to the public! My girls both said they wondered if the President's girls secretly look out and watch people and wish they could go bike riding or to the park!

We had a fantastic tour of the Capital building...We set it up through our local office and had a wonderful tour by a college intern! We learned so much (I"ll admit..I wasn't looking real forward to this tour but Mike was and it was great!) We got lucky and at the end of the tour when we went back to the office our State Rep. walked in the door and we had a great photo opp!! I was in awe of the art work and the gorgeous pieces of art and fixtures and marble work and paintings and statues the Capital had! We sat in and listened to people approaching the "floor" in hopes that the President will hear about their proposals! We heard great history of previous Presidents, we saw where Presidents are laid out when they die for viewing...we walked underground tunnels to get to the Capital from across the street at the State Rep's offices...it was amazing and we would highly recommend this tour!

This is the one thing that made me so emotional...The wall that holds the names of fallen soldiers in Vietnam..My dad was in Vietnam and I stood there so thankful I wasn't reading his name on that wall! I discretely watched people with a map of sorts discover where, perhaps a loved ones name was and I watched a lady hold her hand on the wall and softly cry "oh daddy"..Did she every know her daddy? was her mother expecting her when he died? was she a toddler? did she remember him....and it still meant so much to her as an adult...I stood frozen ...thinking how unimaginable that would be......and then I was overwhelmed at the magnitude of names and the grief this must have caused......What a beautiful way to honor these men! I was struck at the silence and the quiet hush over this area of the park ...There were maybe 100 people walking but all you could hear was the soft spoken tour guide explaining the wall and how to find names and I smiled watching my own children being instinctively quiet and thought-filled.

and YES.........here I am Miss Julia Child myself!! haha This was at the Smithsonian of American History...Yes I realize many of you will find it quirky that the ONE photo I post is about...COOKING! haha There were amazing things to see there, some sad, some old, some new...There was an amazing display of the dresses all the first ladies wore for the inaugural ball...Accept for Mrs. Ford, since her husband was made Vice President when President Nixon left she "chose" her favorite gown to be on display..they were all gorgeous! Mrs. Obama's dress was stunning..all white with little crystals and her jewelery was amazing!! Even their shoes were displayed....Mrs. Lincolns waste on her gown was so small I couldn't imagine what she looked like!! That was a great display. There was a moving display during the Civil War times.....Many many many more....I loved the little "fun" ones...The Ruby Slippers from Wizard of Oz, Fonzie's leather jacket, Archie Bunker's Chair, Michael Jackson's hat....and of course: JULIA CHILD'S KITCHEN! I love the movie Julie and Julia so to see this kitchen was a treat!! She was ahead of her time on organizing and having gadgets!!

We also went to Arlington Cemetery.....We only made it half way because it was 99* out and 100% humidity and many hills to walk! But I was amazed again at the quietness and respect of those visiting! We saw where John F. Kennedy was buried and the eternal flame at the base of his burial place...When I saw all those little white gravestones I was so taken aback... I couldn't believe how many and how young the soldiers were when you read their dates of birth and passing! The grounds were stunning and tied in so well with the reverence that was just naturally there as you walked along the grave sights.....It's amazing to me that they took such care to honor these soldiers in such a beautiful and serene place!

It was a great vacation....one that kept us thinking and remembering almost daily since about some part of it! My kids learned so much and so did I!!

Summer lovin....

2011-06-23T17:07:00.000-07:00

School is out and we're lovin it already!! The weather has been very rainy this week though so we're missing being in the pool but we needed rain (maybe not this much at once! poor farmers!) We had piano recital a few weekends ago and as always I was a proud mama....Makes me so glad that Mike's mom gave us the love for piano music and all three of our kids play...Jordan has played since he was in First Grade and will be a Sr. next Fall....I love watching him at the piano..I think his playing is a stress reliever to him sometimes! The piece he played at the recital was HARD and he worked since last September on it...he did great! The girls did great as well!

Father's day it was gorgeous outside so we had a pizza party outdoors and some people went swimming!! Here's my hubby.... THEEE best daddy to our three kiddos I could ever ask for!! He had a nice day of being celebrated....Thankful for him and the great daddy that he is!!

I dropped this gal off to church camp for the week last Monday...I'll be picking her up tomorrow morning and knowing her she will talk a million miles an hour to fill me in on all the GREAT stuff she did all week! She was learning more about lovin Jesus too so I always love that!! This camp is a super fun time and you have to have completed 3rd. grade to go...this is Grace's 2nd. yr. to go and it was Macy's first year not being able to go (I think Grace was sorta glad about that!! haha) I miss her..things are quiet with just a 17 & 13 yr. old home!! Grace usually keeps us in stitches so I look forward to her stories!! AND I JUST KNOW she hasn't brushed her hair all week...she hates brushing it!! haha I keep my expectations low!

This guy is working lots of hours at the Pool shop testing people's pool water and lots of other stuff, and then after work he goes out with our cousin to install pool liners or do pool openings! We never see him before 10 p.m. and so it was great to spend all day Sunday with him for Father's day...He treated Mike to a movie that night and they had a great time!! He's growing up and we miss him but we know it's just the beginning of his Independence! He's a great kid and we're so proud of him! he works hard and we love him so much!!! And this girl below was soooo happy 7th grade ended!! she is a SUMMER LOVER mainly for the late nights and late mornings!! We enjoy staying up late watching The Waltons and she reads reads reads....she has already read 2 FULL Chapter books this week alone...We had a great shopping trip yesterday while Grace was gone and it was so fun watching her pick things out and primp and choose jewelry etc. She is such a sweetie and so into "clothes" and the like right now....Her hair is always "just so" and it reminds me so much of myself at her age and I often think of my parents and the rolling of the eyes at the crazy outfits I came up with! SO we are just enjoyin the Summer already....I LOVE LOVE LOVE the late nights especially, reading leisurely by the pool and grillin up a hot dog for lunch...ENJOY your Summer all!!!

Birthday and Summer temps!!

2011-06-09T06:55:00.000-07:00

Well....we've had a full and fun May and part of June!!! On May 11th. I had my Birthday and as asked for I got a super long Gold Finch feeder and 12 lbs. of seed!! The Goldfinches are so cute to watch...the seed is a tiny little black seed and the devour it! we are noticing as it gets hotter out that they don't come as often, perhaps because they are finding real food in nature one of my friends suggested! We always have fun at our family Birthday parties and laughter rings through out!!

It's also our Anniversary in May...this year 22 yrs. of wedded bliss!!! My standing "JOKE"....."It's been the best 10 yrs. of my life!" haha Really though, I am blessed beyond any life I could have imagined for myself!! and Mike surprised me with: TICKETS TO A TONY BENNETT CONCERT IN AUGUST!!! My mom always describes me as an old soul, since I love old music and Tony is at the top of the charts for me!!! He does not do concerts in the North very often and as a matter of fact he hasn't been in this area for a decade or more so I'm very very very excited....Macy and I already discuss what I'll wear...something black and with sequins she says since I'm in row 15 main floor!!! can't wait!!!

This precious boy turned 17 this May!! He continues to be the joy of my life!! my "boy" ...my only boy!! He got a real job this yr. at a Pool shop and he also helps open pools after store hours...He is a hard worker (he started working for my dad doing lawns years ago and that work ethic paid off!) We MISS him when he's gone working so often...he is busy with track conditioning and just teenage "stuff!" I suppose this is to prepare him for real life...when he doesn't live with his mama and daddy anymore....but I'll think about that another day and take the days I get!! We are able to sneak off to a local Cafe' sometimes and he LOVES it there so I can always talk him into it!! He's a delight to talk to one on one and he is so funny!!! He will be a Senior in the Fall.......my the time has flown and we are so proud of the turn out!!

This little dolly, Macy turned 13 last week! It's been her dream to have a surprise party all her life and so some of her friends had that idea...So we hosted it at our house and MAN OH MAN WAS SHE SURPRISED..I haven't download the photos from her reaction yet (of course we had to switch out memory cards during the party! ha) She had a blast that night with a few friends spending the night! We had a family party separately and she got so many cute things...A monogrammed bag we got her with the word: BABYSITTER on it! She will begin her babysitting career this Summer ...she is anxiously awaiting that first call for a sitter! haha We got her an IPOD and she's had it stuck to her ears since the minute she got it....We bought it from a friend whose daughter wanted to upgrade hers so it was loaded with tons of great music...she LOVES it!! She is a delight and I envy her sweet spirit!!! She also...got makeup on the morning of her Birthday...I was hesitant because...Macy isn't so fast on getting ready in the morning so I knew it would add to the "time" but she's been fine and looks very natural thankfully!

We're enjoying Summer temps and the pool and bike riding! We tried a bike trail about 15 miles from here and it was a hot hot day but fun.....there's a cool wood bridge to bike over (which I have to say...for Macy and I was kind of high and it was a little daunting to ride over the long bridge on a bike without feeling a bit whoozy but we did it...well Macy WALKED her bike! ha) We love being outside, grilling burgers, making s'mores on the grill, swimming of course and just hanging out!! School is soon out and we are READY to relax!!!! Hope you all enjoy a wonderful Summer!!!

CAKE!!

2011-05-25T07:05:00.000-07:00

Black Forest Cake (This was a recipe that Mike's Grandma made all the time and we love it! This is one of my go to cakes when I make one to take to someone for funeral, celebrations etc! It's so easy and yummy!

1 Box chocolate cake of your choice(OR a Cherry Chip or Strawberry cake)

3 Large eggs

1 Can Cherry Pie filling

Beat eggs, add to cake mix and then add can of cherry pie filling and stir. You can make this in a 9x13 but the layered cakes are so pretty! Divide batter into 2-8" cake pans ( A great trick I learned from the Queen of cooking Miss Paula Dean...use a ladle to do this so you can get even amounts in each pan and even cakes. Also spray your pans well and place a square of parchment paper in the bottom and spray that if you have it, if you don't spraying works!)

Bake 35-40 mins. until toothpick comes out clean. Cool a few mins. and invert.

Frost with 1 1/2 cans Chocolate icing (if you use 1/2 of a 2nd. can then you have it in the fridge next time you need another 1/2! ha I just don't think they put enough icing in those cans anymore especially for a layer cake!) and I like to doll up the top! You could sprinkle it with powdered sugar after the icing sets up, or sprinkle the soft icing with any kind of sprinkles, chocolate chips, nuts of any kind but this time I had some beautiful strawberries so I melted a few Tbs. of Chocolate chips and a bit of Crisco in the microwave and dipped those berries and set them on a plate with wax paper and popped them in the freezer! YUUUUMMM!

This baby boy is turning 17 today!! amazing how time has flown....We've spent this year watching him run Cross Country and Track, do alot in his leadership group at school, he loves his Youth group at church and enjoys discipling younger kids, he got his first "real" job including paycheck this Spring, we made a college visit and I think he's decided on that too....Crazy to be doing all this stuff with him when just yesterday we were watching Toy Story 3 and he was singing along with Buzz and Woody! boo hoo....He is a wonderful young man and we couldn't be more proud...I'm so sad he will leave home before we know it but I guess this is why we raised him, to go out into the world and do his thing...and he does a pretty great job!!

Busy with fun....

2011-05-14T13:48:00.000-07:00

Well I haven't blogged in a few weeks...I've been too busy having fun!!! We have enjoyed having Spring finally feeling and sounding like Spring around here! We've enjoyed tulips popping up, and the gold finches coming out, and ducks basking in the sun....
We've enjoyed tea parties!! A gal at our church throws a tea for two for mom's and their daughters 1st-5th. grade! So Grace and I went! I've gone in the past with Macy and with Macy and Grace together but this year Macy was a helper in the little ladies boutique....where the little ladies can get their nails done and make up and pick feather boas and fake jewels and fans to wear during the tea!! So much fun!

Here are the girls and I! It was a cold day so we were still wearing out sweaters! The host had three kinds of tea, finger sandwiches and many tasty mini dessert treats! She tells the story of how afternoon tea began.......way back in the day a "fine lady" decided that waiting between lunch and dinner was too long....they ate lunch and then did not eat their evening ten course meal until sometimes 7 or 8:00! So she asked her cook to make her tea and some small sandwiches and treats...soon the Queen began the same and it became tradition! A "high tea" is served with dessert after the evening meal! You don't want to confuse the two! It was a lovely afternoon for the girls and I and I won a door prize with a beautiful set of plates and place mats and TEAS of course! My favorite new tea was Cinnamon Plum! mmm

Mother's day...it was nice and sunny outside and here came my "baby" jumping into my arms and I savored every moment since she's 10 and won't fit in my arms like this much longer!!! What a blessed mom I am of three fabulous kiddos that are the light of my life!!

Not to forget the great daddy who shares in this fun adventure of raising these little ducklings with me! He goes all out to make it special for me all the time!! I love that our Forsythia bushes are in bloom!! a true sign warmth is coming!!

And MY BIRTHDAY.....I am getting to the point where I can remember how old I am turning now on each Birthday! After 40 perhaps you lose count...which is ok, why does it matter? ha My Birthday goes on and on...on the day of my Birthday it was our Weds. night church service so Mike and the kids grilled steak and made a yummy dinner...Then the day after we had a family party! Here I am with aunt Roz's famous lemon cake with homemade Lemon Butter cream icing! OH HONEY! my fav!! that's aunt Roz to the left!! mmm mmm We had a great time! I got an E Reader from my parents! a total surprise, and a long 4 ft. Gold finch feeder I've wanted badly from Mike and the kids with seeds and all! I asked for a real Kick Ball because I love to play kick ball and we play with a soccer ball which hurts my toes!! haha A few gifts of money I'll use to buy flowers to plant soon and gift card, an adorable apron from a good friend, books...lots of cutie little stuff!

I am a blessed lady and May is a month full of celebrating for me! Mother's day, my Birthday and my Anniversary which is next week...22 years of wedded bliss to my honey!!

I hope you're all having a fabulous Spring!!

Apricot chicken and noodles

2011-05-02T06:15:00.000-07:00

I am a huge fan of Apricot flavored foods so this chicken dish was so good over noodles!

4-5 boneless chicken breasts

Olive Oil

1 ts. garlic, minced

salt

pepper

1 18 oz Jar Apricot Jam/preserves

Serve over No Yolks or Whole Wheat Egg noodles

Heat 2 Tb. Olive oil in a large skillet (I use an Electric skillet so it fits all of it but if you don't have one that large cook the chicken in batches. Salt and Pepper chicken and saute' in Olive Oil (add more oil if you do this in batches) until browned and put lid on pan for 10 mins. on med/low heat. Remove chicken to a plate and add 1 ts. garlic to hot pan and stir about 1 minute. Add 1/2 C. hot water to pan and turn heat to low....After chicken has sat for at least 5 minutes cut into large chunks and add back to pan. Spoon 1/2 a jar of Apricot jam into pan and let simmer on low for 5 minutes until thick and bubbly. Serve over Noodles or Rice! This would be great with red peppers in it but I didn't have any one hand, you can saute' the red pepper after your remove the chicken for a few mins. and then add garlic and proceed as the recipe says.

HAPPY SPRING!

Easter....family and food!

2011-04-27T10:23:00.000-07:00

We had a wonderful Easter again this year! We colored eggs, and did baskets but most important we celebrated the TRUE meaning of Easter! Jesus dying and rising again!!! HE IS RISEN!!! My kids will never be too old to get Easter baskets and I still hide them and they still look! Here are the girls checking out what's in their basket! Jordan was slower on the go Easter morning...he isn't as enthusiastic about finding his basket as he gets older! ha

Jordan did help me make chocolate bird's nest cookies! I'll share the recipe below! they are such a yummy treat and so cute for Easter/Spring!

I should have not made them for Easter though...we had TOO much food and too much dessert to really enjoy them! haha We ended up with EIGHT Chocolate bunnies!! It makes me cringe that I know they are in this house....they call to me all day!! and sad to say I've downed one whole Crispy bunny since Sunday!!! oh well.....perhaps it's out of my system! (yeah right!)

We bought a Tie Dye egg coloring kit this year! it was fun and made really cool looking eggs! I always love to crack the eggs open for devilled eggs or egg salad and see the colors that leaked through the cracks making a cool pattern on that bright white egg! Jordan didn't join in the fun this year.....I can picture him in college in a few years WISHING to come home and color eggs with his sisters...so I can wait him out!

Easter Sunday I cooked for 13!! my mom and Mike's aunt helped bring food! as always it was all delicious and we had lots of fun! The sun was shining so it made a nice day for all of us! It's a blessing to all of us to have grandparents join. My Grandma has a tougher time getting out easily so we missed her this year but Mike's Grandpa was able to join us and he was in great spirits Easter Sunday! We were laughing at him getting into the Easter Candy! I suppose once a sweet tooth always a sweet tooth! He's thin so he can afford it! We played some games including "Headbands" it's alot of fun so he was a good sport and played along!!

We treasure our family times together and the laughter we all share rings in mind for days after!! Hope you all had a great Easter!!

Birds nest cookie:

1 bag Chinese crunchy noodles (these are the cracker type noodles, they are crispy and you usually put them over chow mien)

1 bag chocolate chips OR butterscotch chips

1 ts. Crisco

1/2 C. mini M & M's

Place waxed paper on to two baking sheets. Pour Mini M & M's into a bowl. Melt chips and Crisco in a glass dish in the microwave until melted. Stirring every 25 seconds until completely melted. Pour 3/4 bag noodles into a large bowl and pour chocolate over that and stir until coated. Spoon by Tbls. on to baking sheets to form nests and put 3-4 M & M's into center of nest. Chill in refrigerator or on the counter overnight!

Good words....

2011-04-18T12:13:00.000-07:00

from Jesus Calling(devotional) I am training you in steadiness. Too many things interrupt your awareness of Me. I know that you live in a world of sight and sound, but you must not be a slave to those stimuli. Awareness of Me can continue in all circumstances, no matter what happens. This is the steadiness I desire for you. Don't let unexpected events throw you off course. Rather, respond calmly and confidently, remembering that I am with you. As soon as something grabs your attention, talk with Me about it. Thus I share your joys and your problems; I help you cope with whatever is before you. This is how I live in you an work through you. This is the way of Peace. Psalm 112:7; Isaiah 41:10

Crispy Oatmeal Raisin cookies...

2011-04-16T09:54:00.000-07:00

These were SO good! I'll make them over and over I think....I love an oatmeal cookie that is crisp and stays that way the next day! (I love the Quaker recipe too for Vanishing Oatmeal cookies when I'm in the mood for a soft cookie too)

Crisp Oatmeal Cookies

1/2 C. shortening

1/2 C. butter (1 stick)

1 C. packed brown sugar

1 C. white sugar

2 eggs

1 ts. vanilla

2 C. flour

1 ts. baking powder

1 ts. baking soda

1 ts. salt

1 1/2 C. rolled oats

1 C. Raisins

Nuts Optional

1. Preheat oven to 350*. Grease cookies sheets.

2. In a large bowl, cream together shortening, butter and sugars. Mix in the egg and vanilla until well blended. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; stir into batter until well blended. Mix in the oats, and raisins until well distributed. Scoop with med. cookie scoop or

1 1/2" rounds and place on baking sheet 2" apart. Press dough with a fork to flatten cookie (this makes a bigger cookie!)

3. Bake for 12 mins. or until edges are browned.

Makes almost 4 1/2 dozen.

You could add chocolate chips, chocolate covered raisins, nuts, M & M's, coconut ......dried cherries...the combinations could be endless!! enjoy!

Spring break....

2011-04-12T12:00:00.000-07:00

We just had Spring break last week and it was one of the best we've ever had....We didn't go anywhere warm and it was plenty cold here during it! but the sun was out alot! The best part were the late nights and LATE mornings! Very restful! One of the days we went to the Henry Ford Museum. My kids and Mike have been on several field trips there but we haven't been in ages as a family...as a matter of fact I think I haven't been since I was a child. There's also a Village there but it won't open for another week or so! Check it out here if you are interested...we found that buying a family membership was the best route to take since it's good for a year!

The railroad was a cool exhibit and I LOVED this stage/train...I could just picture Ma and Pa Ingles riding on to visit Mary and Adam in Sleepy Eye!! can you imagine how bumpy and dusty it would have been.......however, it would have been so exciting for those mama's and daddies that yearned to visit their children and have a means of faster travel! I can't even fathom those big fat dresses they wore and the bustles....imagine that in summer! yikes!

The flying exhibit was very neat!! When you see some of those early planes you just can't imagine anyone would fly in them safely! Some with no enclosed pilot seats...I don't know how they didn't get sucked right out!! Amazing to see how far we've come with flight (and yet...I still do not like to fly! haha) We read an interesting tid bit that Amelia Earhart sold her piano to buy flying lessons as a young woman! pretty amazing....

We met our good friends Dan and Leanne and four of their kids there. That was the highlight for my girls!! haha and ME! Leanne and I had fun watching our little Cherubs walk around filling their minds with great history and interesting facts! I loved her commenting on Grace walking around with a notebook writing down facts...she said "Grace is every homeschooling mom's dream writing this stuff down!" haha Grace enjoyed that alot and there was a rubbing drawing you could make at each exhibit so she did them in her notebook!

Here we are about half way through...watching some of our kids cranking a power source that lit up the harder you cranked. Macy and Lydia were wore out from cranking! haha We were in the big engine section....amazing how some of those old machines ran on those gigantic engines!

I took a picture of a bus that was there but I can only add a limited amout of photos here. We sat on the bus that Rosa Parks sat on when she was taken off and arrested. I was so moved hearing her story.....The tour guide was explaining that actually she was seated in the black seating section but a white person came on and the bus driver asked her to move and she stood her ground. She was 42 years old.....I am 42 years old...could I be that couragious? I hope so....it made my heart ache as the guide told us how the black people had to pay their dime up front and go to the back door of the bus to get in and sometimes the bus driver would take their money and drive away when they got out to go to the back door.

During the time the guide was talking to us a high school aged group of kids got on the bus and there were many African American kids in the group and I just watched their faces as they listened to a recording about this time in history and I prayed they would have courage, that they would be seen as equals ......I said to my kids after that and after we saw some exhibits about slavery "it's awful to think God created people and somewhere along the way someone decided one group of people was less important than other"! how did that happen! I pray things are greatly changed today!!!

Here we are .....the two original Oscar Mayer Wieners!!! hahaha OK some facts about the Wiener Mobile ...it was created as the first commercial vehicle to premiere a product on the streets! It was in many parades through the years and you should have seen all the Oscar Mayer Wiener stuff you could buy in the gift shop! We did buy a Wiener whistle!! I tried to get Jordan a deck of cards but he declined!! haha

We hope to go back to the Village outside when it gets warmer outside. They have a working train and in the Spring months there are some weekends that the train is "dressed up" to look like Thomas the Train! I thought that would be a BLAST to see, however no one in my family said the same! ha

It was a fun time!

We had a great break, good food, dear friends came to visit from out of town and fun was had by all!!!!!!

Icing and cake and yummy stuff....

2011-03-29T13:17:00.000-07:00

Do you know about this wonderful product called Vanilla Bettercreme? It's pourable icing and you just whip it 3-5 minutes and it's the most luscious tasty light airy fluffy yummy icing you ever had! Have you ever gone to a wedding and the wedding cake is either that icky gritty greasy icing or that light fluffy whipped icing....Well....this is it! It actually gets stiff and you can pipe and decorate with it as well! It ranges in price of $4-$4.50 per container. It's a bit more costly at the cake supply stores or I buy it at our local bulk store GFS (Gorton Foods). It colors easily as well and you could use it for cream fillings in lots of things! chocolate is my personal favorite! We just had Grace's Birthday not long ago and used it.....it is similar to Chocolate MOUSSE!! yum Have you ever been to a fancy shin dig and they had little chocolate cups with Chocolate Mousse? yep that's what this tastes like.......You could use about half a container to frost a 9 x 13 cake and maybe 3/4 to do a layer cake so it's nice and thick! So.......if you haven't tried it give it a shot! it's tastyyyyyy!

Simple things......

2011-03-24T14:45:00.000-07:00

We love the simple things don't we.......That's why we love these old shows! We watch the Waltons EVERY night during the school week! We all love that show (well I can't tell you Jordan loves it as much as we do! ha but I do see him drawn in sometimes!) ha For the last three days Hallmark movie channel has featured the Sarah Plain and Tall movies! I LOVE those........I think we like the "family" feel it gives us.......We can count on Mama's and Daddies that have good morals and take their little ducklings to church services on "Sundie!" We love it when siblings call each other honey like John boy calls his baby sister Elizabeth and we'd like to think that could happen at our house too! ha

We love Ma rolling out some dough to make fresh baked bread or cutting biscuits....We love her feisty ways and how she sweetly apologizes to "Pa" for talking to him gruffly earlier in the day! Or the feeling it would be to let your children run and play all through town without worrying about their safety........We love General stores and all the smiles cracking open a bottle of soda brings and what a special treat penny candy was! No show made a Peppermint stick sound as scrumptious as Mr. Olsen's store did on Little House on the Prairie! Or when the Ingles girls find a homemade sugar cookie in their Christmas stocking on Christmas morning because sugar was such a special treat (not to mention their OWN tin cups!)

I'm so glad we own almost all seasons of Road to Avonlea and we love to see what mischief Felix King is going to get into or Felicity fussing about Spring cleaning with her mother! Every Christmas we buy another season and I can't tell you how many times we've watched them and wanted to slip into long white ruffled nighties and make popcorn over a roaring fire.......To find an orange a delectable treat or buy a pair of little white gloves for 5o cents in the General store!

I love to hear the laughter from my girls as they watch Lucy and Ethel try to stuff chocolate bon bons in their mouth or churn their own butter! Ricky telling Lucy she's got some "splainin to do!" and precious little Ricky playing his drums while Fred and Ethel tease about Ethel's healthy appetite although Fred isn't any skinny stick himself!
There's no swearing, there's no nasty commercials, no sass that isn't dealt with, no harsh words or mom's and dad's yelling over dirty laundry on their bedroom floors.......Tough times that make us feel blessed today that we have all we need........The simple life, a great place to escape, teaching great morals to our kids without even speaking, cozy as a family in front of a fire, or tucked into the covers on Mike and my bed with just a candle lit and the light of the tv. screen.....how we crave these little escapes......how we wish tv. was like this today.......but we enjoy the time together, the popcorn the laughter the bonding!! Ahh the Simple Life!

Sweet faith....

2011-03-19T08:20:00.000-07:00

This was from an email that someone forwarded to my dad and I thought it was so touching and so true.......

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Don't start reading this one until you've got more than a minute to just 'scan' over it. It deserves some time for reflection.
GOD LIVES UNDER THE BED
I envy Kevin. My brother, Kevin, thinks God lives under his bed. At least that's what I heard him say one night.
He was praying out loud in his dark bedroom, and I stopped to listen, 'Are you there, God?' he said. 'Where are you? Oh, I see. Under the bed...'
I giggled softly and tiptoed off to my own room. Kevin's unique perspectives are often a source of amusement. But that night something else lingered long after the humor. I realized for the first time the very different world Kevin lives in.
He was born 30 years ago, mentally disabled as a result of difficulties during labor. Apart from his size (he's 6-foot-2), there are few ways in which he is an adult.
He reasons and communicates with the capabilities of a 7-year-old, and he always will. He will probably always believe that God lives under his bed, that Santa Claus is the one who fills the space under our tree every Christmas and that airplanes stay up in the sky because angels carry them.
I remember wondering if Kevin realizes he is different. Is he ever dissatisfied with his monotonous life?
Up before dawn each day, off to work at a workshop for the disabled, home to walk our cocker spaniel, return to eat his favorite macaroni-and-cheese for dinner, and later to bed.
The only variation in the entire scheme is laundry, when he hovers excitedly over the washing machine like a mother with her newborn child.
He does not seem dissatisfied.
He lopes out to the bus every morning at 7:05, eager for a day of simple work.
He wrings his hands excitedly while the water boils on the stove before dinner, and he stays up late twice a week to gather our dirty laundry for his next day's laundry chores.
And Saturdays - oh, the bliss of Saturdays! That's the day my Dad takes Kevin to the airport to have a soft drink, watch the planes land, and speculate loudly on the destination of each passenger inside 'That one's goin' to Chi-car-go! ' Kevin shouts as he claps his hands.
His anticipation is so great he can hardly sleep on Friday nights.
And so goes his world of daily rituals and weekend field trips. He doesn't know what it means to be discontent.
His life is simple.
He will never know the entanglements of wealth of power, and he does not care what brand of clothing he wears or what kind of food he eats. His needs have always been met, and he never worries that one day they may not be.
His hands are diligent. Kevin is never so happy as when he is working. When he unloads the dishwasher or vacuums the carpet, his heart is completely in it.
He does not shrink from a job when it is begun, and he does not leave a job until it is finished. But when his tasks are done, Kevin knows how to relax.
He is not obsessed with his work or the work of others. His heart is pure.
He still believes everyone tells the truth, promises must be kept, and when you are wrong, you apologize instead of argue.
Free from pride and unconcerned with appearances, Kevin is not afraid to cry when he is hurt, angry or sorry. He is always transparent, always sincere. And he trusts God.
Not confined by intellectual reasoning, when he comes to Christ, he comes as a child. Kevin seems to know God - to really be friends with Him in a way that is difficult for an 'educated' person to grasp. God seems like his closest companion.
In my moments of doubt and frustrations with my Christianity, I envy the security Kevin has in his simple faith.
It is then that I am most willing to admit that he has some divine knowledge that rises above my mortal questions.
It is then I realize that perhaps he is not the one with the handicap. I am. My obligations, my fear, my pride, my circumstances - they all become disabilities when I do not trust them to God's care.
Who knows if Kevin comprehends things I can never learn? After all, he has spent his whole life in that kind of innocence, praying after dark and soaking up the goodness and love of God.
And one day, when the mysteries of heaven are opened, and we are all amazed at how close God really is to our hearts, I'll realize that God heard the simple prayers of a boy who believed that God lived under his bed.
Kevin won't be surprised at all!

Chicken Florentine...

2011-03-16T07:56:00.000-07:00

2 -10oz pkgs. frozen spinach, thawed and drained

6 chicken breast halves or bone in (about 4 lbs. roasted)

2 -10 3/4oz cans cream soup (low fat/sodium)

1/2 C. Mayo

1 C. Reduced Fat Sour Cream

1 C. Sharp Cheddar cheese

2 Tb. lemon Juice

1 ts. Curry powder(I substitute 1/2 ts. Chili powder)

Salt and pepper to taste

1/2 C. Chicken bouillon/broth (or milk)

1/2 C. Parmesan cheese

1/2 C. bread crumbs

2 Tb. butter

Roast your chicken on a cookie sheet with Salt and Pepper for 1 hr. at 350*. I use bone in chicken breasts with the skin on and they are so juicy, let sit for 20 mins. to cool and then shred into a big bowl, and you can put it in the fridge the day before all shredded and ready. (You could boil your chicken breasts on low for an hr. if you wanted to or use a pre-cooked chicken). Add in soup, mayo, sour cream, broth or milk, salt and pepper, lemon juice, Curry powder and stir with chicken. Add cheese and then spinach. Pour into 9 x 13 baking dish that you've sprayed. Mix bread crumbs and Parm. cheese and sprinkle over the top...dot with butter and bake at 350* for 30 mins. until bubbly!

This was a Paula Dean recipe that I tweaked to be healthier, but if you want the full fat stuff go for it...and I halved the Cheddar cheese(if you use Sharp Cheddar it adds the flavor in without double cheese) and Mayo as well! It was DELICIOUS....I served it over mashed Yukon Gold potatoes and all 5 of us loved it....Grace does NOT like spinach but she ate it surprisingly...I did notice she pulled some of the spinach to the side but kept saying "I love this gravy!" haha It would be fabulous on noodles or rice too! You could certainly substitute brocolli for the spinach! that would be yummy too!

My Day....

2011-03-07T09:08:00.000-08:00

FOR TODAY
Outside my window...beautiful gorgeous sunshine and blue skies!! I pulled every blind wide opened to let in the sunshine! When I sit at the computer the sun beats through the window and feels so nice on my face!
I am thinking...about the movie Mike and I watched over the weekend. One Night With the King, the story of Esther from the bible. I was so struck with how brave she was to face a King and plead for her people's lives because she was obedient to God! There's a great line in the movie where she says basically it's because she has a strong faith in God that she is able to do something so difficult! I don't think I'll ever be in a place where I might lose my life by obeying God but it inspired me to know "for such a time as this I was placed in the life I'm in!"
I am thankful for...spring that is soon coming...I'm ready! I am loving the sunshine lately and it's been lighter in the morning and evenings!
From the learning rooms...Lots of piano practice, this is the time of year the kids pick their piano recital song and I"m so glad to say I LIKE ALL 3 SONGS they've chosen...which is good since I have to listen to them for the next 3 months!
From the kitchen...over the weekend homemade bread and Cinnamon rolls! yum
I am wearing...Black track pants, gray striped turtleneck and a white fleece sweatshirt!
I am creating...some organizing in the junk drawers, Tupperware cabinets, spice cupboards and STILL putting away holiday stuff! ha
I am going...to take Grace to the Orthodontist, then pick up Macy, then pick up Grace from chess club then Jordan from track practice THEN we're going out to McDonald's with Mike's Grandpa for supper...so no cooking yay!
I am reading...hmm forgot the title, ha A Cedar Cove series and Visionary Marriage by Rob Reinow
I am hoping...to go and lay down for a small snippet of a nap today!
I am hearing...the dog chasing after a stuffed piggy dog toy! and .....THE DRYER!
Around the house...cleaning up, always on Mondays especially...laundry piles up over the weekend, the fridge needs cleaned out and always clutter laying around!
One of my favorite things...Sunshine streaming through the window to brighten the day!!
A few plans for the rest of the week: Bible Study, prayer group, cleaning out Grace's closet, church and hopefully a DATE night out on the weekend! I have a Barnes and Noble gift card I would really like to use!
Here is picture for thought I am sharing...Soon we'll be looking up into trees full of leaves, hearing kids swimming in the pool, lawns being mowed, and feeling that sunshine on our faces OUTSIDE! go here to work out your own daybook!!

Cinnamon rolls...

2011-03-06T11:53:00.000-08:00

Cinnamon rolls:

1 recipe for Whole wheat bread dough (or 1 frozen whole wheat loaf)

1 stick of butter, softened

3/4 C. Brown sugar

2. ts. Cinnamon

1 C. chopped Walnuts (or Pecans)

3/4 C. Raisins

Roll dough into a rectangle and spread entire rectangle with softened butter, leaving 1/2 inch along one long edge. Sprinkle with brown sugar, Cinnamon, Nuts and Raisins. Roll long end into a jelly roll. Measure rolled up dough into 24" and cut into 12- 2 inch rolls. Place into 9 x 13 baking dish and let raise until double.

Bake at 400* for 15-17 mins. (Cover lightly with foil)

Icing:

1 Stick butter softened

1 8 oz. bar cream cheese

1 C. Powdered sugar

1 ts. Vanilla

Beat butter and cream together until creamy, add sugar and beat well and add vanilla. Spread over warm rolls and serve!

This is a copycat recipe from Cinnabun, minus the Whole Wheat dough! ENJOY! (At Christmas I often use Pecans and dried Cherries and sprinkle the top of icing with chopped Pecans too!)

Candy..."bars"....

2011-03-04T06:29:00.000-08:00

A few weekends ago we had a parenting seminar at our church called Visionary Parenting check it out if you have time! they have great marriage and family stuff on their sight as well! I was asked to do the decorating and snack time so it was alot of fun to prep and do the decorating!

I tried to think like a parent, leaving their kids with sitters or grandparents and heading out alone...that can be very exciting especially for parents of young kids who don't get to do that very often! So I thought, parents thinking about their kids....CANDY! I've seen alot of candy "bars" lately at weddings and such and there's a gal named Amy Atlas that does FANTASTIC candy bars for the stars, check out her site for fun!!

I found these darling candy dot strips that are giant dots...at Cracker Barrel of course! Cracker Barrel has THEEE best selection of old fashioned candies and unique candies. I also did little twig trees on each table with black and white cut out photos of......KIDS! it was fun.....I found little glass beads that look like candy to sprinkle on the tables. We can't burn candles at our church so I found little tealites that are battery operated. They were cute for evening! I found an aray of cute stuff at Hobby Lobby...I love Hobby Lobby! I got all the jars and labels and little doo dads there!!

Licorice whips just tasted better out of a gorgeous glass jar! haha and I loaded a big trifle bowl with triple coated malted milk balls, Good and Plenties are in the cute little colorful Chinese take out containers...gumdrops with old fashioned twist lollypops on them.....flavored candy sticks were fun too......At the last session of the seminar for that last snack time we put out little white mini lunch bags for parents to make goodie bags with all the leftover candy to take home as a favor treat for their kiddos! They had fun doing that!! I had fun with the whole thing, it was a great day and a fun time!

This is because Mike made me model so it wasn't just "table" in the photo he said! ha it was fun....the decorations were colorful and bright and fun!! I hope parents checked into their inner child that day!!

2011-03-02T08:42:00.000-08:00

Chicken Stir fry, healthy and fast and yummy! a 5 out of 5 at our house!!

2 Tb. Olive Oil
4-5 carrots peeled, and sliced thin
1 head Broc. cut into florets (or Cauliflower)
1 Red pepper, cleaned and sliced in strips
1 Orange pepper, cleaned and sliced into strips
1 ts. Garlic minced
1 onion, cut down the center and then into long strips
1 8 oz. container of sliced baby Portabella mushrooms
1 lb. Chicken tenders (or breasts) cut into large chunks
1 ts. salt
pepper to taste
1/4 ts. Chinese 5 spice (in the Oriental aisle at the grocery store)
2 Tb. Soy sauce
1/2 ts. dry ginger
1 can Pineapple tidbits with juice
1 Tb. cornstarch
1/4 C. duck sauce (we buy ours at our local Chinese restaurant, it's worth it or you can buy it in the stir or make your own)
1 Can sliced water chestnuts.

4-6 servings brown rice

Put rice on to cook. Heat Olive oil in skillet hot and add chicken. Turn chicken after browned on one side. Add garlic and onion and saute until slightly soft, add carrots, broc, and peppers and soy sauce. Saute 3-4 mins. until Broc. is soft, add mushrooms and water chestnuts, salt and all spices. Stir for 2-3 mins. Drain juice from Pineapple into measuring cup and add Corn Starch and stir until smooth. Reduce heat on stir fry and add Pineapple sauce, stir and turn off heat and pour 1/4 Cup duck sauce over and stir and stir in the Pineapple.

Service over rice with sliced green onions and honey roasted peanuts sprinkled on top!

Salmon, sweet potatas, and sprouts....

2011-02-26T20:22:00.000-08:00

Salmon is so good for a special treat at our house....Everyone likes it here...Grace makes me laugh ("tastes like chicken!) ha and I wouldn't like it often but on occasion it is quite good! Especially with our favorite sweet potato chips...and brussel sprouts happen to be a 4 out of 5 here...meaning Grace doesn't like them! haha Here's a great recipe for the Salmon and marinade and Sweet potato chips....Sweet potatoes are packed with Vit. C and I know Salmon on occasion is very healthy...especially for your eyesight!
5 Salmon fillets (Be SURE SURE SURE you only buy Wild Caught, if you are buying any fish that is farm raised it doesn't have the natural nutrients in it and we want to support our US fishermen!) I buy them in frozen packages when it's on sale but you could use fresh and cut it into fillets yourself...
Marinade recipe:
1 Tb. Soy sauce
1 Tb. minced fresh ginger (I used 1 ts. dried)
2-3 Scallions(green onions) minced
1 Tb. honey
2 ts. Rice vinegar (I used Balsamic because I didn't have Rice, or you could use Cider Vin.)
1/4 C. orange juice

Mix in a 9 x 13 shallow dish, place Salmon fillets in marinade and then turn with tongs so marinade covers both sides. Let sit 30 mins.

Heat 1 Tb. oil in large enough skillet for Salmon (I used a large Electric skillet) place Salmon flesh side down first if you're using skin on. Saute 5 mins. per side. Flip after 5 mins. and saute 5 more mins. Remove Salmon to a plate skin side up. Lower heat on pan and let sit while you peel skin off the cooked Salmon. Pour 2-3 Tbs. water into skillet and add remaining marinade, bring to a slow simmer. Add Salmon back to pan the side down that you removed the skin. Turn off heat and let sit at least 5 mins.

Sweet potato chips:
Place your baking rack on lowest rack in your oven. Preheat oven to 425*.
Slice 3 long Sweet potatoes into thin slices. Place in large bowl and pour 3 Tb. Veg. oil over the potato slices and toss with Rubber Spatula. Sprinkle lightly with Salt and Pepper. Place chips on two baking sheets as flat as you can get them without too much overlapping. Place baking sheets of potatoes on bottom rack and set timer for 15 mins. (this will create a lot of steam from you vented burner, don't worry it's just the water in the potato evaporating) Flip potatoes after 15 mins. and bake another 10 mins. Some of the thinnest chips will get quite dark, these are my FAVS!! Remove chips and serve!
Dipping sauce for sweet potato chips. One part Mayo to One part Ketchup. We use 2 Tb. to 2 Tb. and stir together while they bake! Delish..this sauce is delicious on Turkey burgers too!
Add some Brussel sprouts or your favorite veggies and voila...30 min. meal!! (sorta) Enjoy!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY GRACE!!

2011-02-22T13:00:00.000-08:00

THIS GIRL TURNED 10 YEARS OLD OVER THE WEEKEND!! She had a great weekend and we all did too!
When the girls in the house turn 10 they get to get their ears pierced so she was anxiously awaiting her day! she was pretty nervous too I'd say but was pleasantly surprised that it was a pretty easy ordeal and well worth it! After taking her own time to decide she chose small diamond studs (not real of course) to start out with! they look so cute! and go with everything (her words) ha it was fun...My mom always comes and treats to the earrings and then lunch! what a fun way to start out a Birthday weekend!!!

Ladybug Birthday cake....had to be a white cake inside (Cherry Chip) and Chocolate icing! she's not too fond of Vanilla icing for some odd reason! She was so giddy and so excited all afternoon! We gave her this outfit on her actual Birthday since it was her actual Birthday the day before her family party! She admired it in the store about a month ago so I went back and snapped it up! She likes anything with a Peace sign on it lately! and the bright yellow was something else on her...

It's always fun when the kids are young enough to thoroughly enjoy opening a present and you can see the excitement in their face when they open something! She LOVES horses and auntie Roz got her the movie Secretariat...she was GEEKED...and if you look closely you could see that I must have been pretty excited as well haha It was great movie by the way and I have to be honest I didn't know the story of the Secretariat!

Water bottle with her name on it! LOVED it...ha they are allowed water bottles on their desks at school and this was just the perfect size! plus no mistakes of another child mixing theirs up with hers with her name on it! Get a load of the GIANT headband flower...LOVE IT...I bought it after she admired it in Target and it makes that bright yellow outfit pop even more!! (Plus it helps that her big sis has a few headbands with flowers on them...not that large though)

We got her a new pink and white CD/boom box for her room...I almost got her an MP3 player but part of Grace's passion for life is MUSIC...she sings and sings and it amazes us in the van when we're driving down the road and she is singing along word FOR WORD...or she'll correct someone and say no no the word is this.......she is very musical and I just couldn't stand it if she was singing away with headphones on yet! haha Plus the updated Christian music for kids is so much fun to listen to!!

I LOVE this girl...she is truly the Sunshine of our lives..anyone in this house would say that about her! She exudes energy and delight for life from 6 a.m. until she falls into bed at 8:30! She sees the good in everything practically, she has a quit Wit about her and can make anyone crack up (even if they don't want to!) and she LOVES to Praise the Lord with her singing and music...she is a DIE HARD animal fan...and if it's quiet I can probably find her watching Pet Keeping with Marc Marone on tv! or she's got all my laundry baskets upsidedown throughout the living room with an animal or two inside for viewing! Everytime Macy's looking for one of her belts or scarves you can probably find it tied around the neck of one her stuffed animals for a leash! We love her fun spirit and it's been a delight from day ONE until now 10 yrs. old to spend life with her!

It's snow fun....brother and sister!

2011-02-15T07:13:00.000-08:00

We were still celebrating snow over the weekend...but it's warming up now..I could smell that smell reminding me of Spring the other day. My bird feeder was loaded and the sun was shining!! I like the snow, but I like the sunshine with it! What this meant for us is...perfect snowman making snow! Every year Grace says "We have a tradition of making a giant snowman!" and I guess she's right...we have done this for many yrs! I'll have to drag out photos of previous years snowmen!

It's a rare occasion Grace can talk Jordan into going out to play in the snow anymore now that he's older...but on this day she got him to go! She's been talking alot about when he leaves for college...must be on her mind as she sees us discussing college mail etc. She and Jordan had a ball (hahaha pun intended) and made a FANTASTIC snowman!! it was perfect rolling snow but heavy...Mike had to help them load the body pieces up...they went FOUR body pieces high this time!

Even Lucy got in on the fun...she LOVES to watch kids from the window and she whines and barks and they throw snow at the window because she winces when they do! silly dog! she's a hoot to watch when she's looking out the window! when some birds came along she was going nutso! I don't ever let her in this living room but she was whining so bad to look out! so I gave in!

Here they are commencing to roll....that bottom part is bigger than Grace! she was encouraging him to keep on rolling because the snow was so wet it was hard to roll it!! I could hear her inside "come on Jordan...get that baby rollin!"

Here was the end result...we have this cool Snowman kit with buttons for eyes and noses and coal and a scarf set and hat! They added this broom that I always question why we own it when I see it since it's such a sad and useless broom....guess not for this case!! It warmed up so much that late at night I saw the Snowman leaving and by morning.......HE WAS KAPLUNK ON THE GROUND!! but it was worth the fun of building it and watching it! All of our snow is melting away this week...getting warmer and warmer...I think that's the case in many areas!! Spring will be upon us before we know it!!

And this picture just makes me want to go "HMMM?" no doubt if Jordan is boxers or briefs....lol I'm told it's the style...I sympathize with my parents now...lol

True friends....

2011-02-10T06:27:00.000-08:00

So...my family was gone to church last night and Grace stayed home and fell asleep by 7:30 and I was in a hot bubble bath and I hear the dog barking....her alert that someone is home or here. Well it was just about the time we get home from church so I hear someone knocking on the backdoor...so I yelled out "Macy use the key I'm in the tub!" Well....the next thing I heard was the door to the sun porch closing...a minute later the phone rings (and I'm sure some one's locked out and calling me to let them in)...but no....it's my best buddy Leanne's hubby "I left you some medicine on the back of Mike's car...be well!"
THIS was the medicine!! he knows how to care for a sick woman believe me!! I'm thinking the two mixed might be pretty tasty?? an orange float?? would taste good for this sick girl!! THANK YOU DANNY......YOU KNOW YOU ARE THE BESTEST!!!

Valentines and sickies....

2011-02-09T15:57:00.000-08:00

It's hard to believe Valentines Day is in less than a week! Not that we make a real big deal but Mike does usually get each of the kids a Chocolate Heart full of candy and I make a nice dinner. We do have a few Valentine's Day decorations and it seems to me in the past I've taken down the snowmen to make way for Valentines stuff but this year we have SOOO much snow it seemed appropriate to keep the snowman stuff up! Nice to have a reason to decorate!

I was in Hobby Lobby the other day (I love that store) and found this adorable frame for $2.38 ...it wasn't in the Valentines Day section but the clearance but I thought it would be so cute to put out for Valentines Day....I'm waiting for some new pictures from Christmas and Winter to be developed so I'll put a cute Winter picture in there I think when they are done! and I'm burning some tea lites called North Pole I got at Yankee candle on the cheap after Christmas...they smell sooo good....sort of like baking Vanilla cookies! mmmm

This is a little twig tree I have, I bought some fake twigs at Hobby Lobby of course, added some beaded twigs and a set of tiny lights called Rice Lights. The ends are the size of rice for craft projects and I had snowflakes hanging off but changed them out for hearts and left up my lighted snowman...I think he's liking the hearts hanging nearby! That's a candle in front of the snowman I received as a gift for Christmas from a friend. It's a Home Interior candle called Peppermint White Chocolate and it smells DIVINE....ya know sometimes lighting a flavorful candle wards off the cravings for baked goods or candy.....and sometimes causes you to CRAVE IT! haha

We've all had our turn being sickies the last few weeks....all accept Jordan!! here's hoping! First Mike had terrible bronchitis and then Macy had a cold and ear infection, Grace is just getting over a terrible sinus cold and cough and I think I did alot of lovin and snuggling with her and she was kind enough to share the germs......I felt the sore throat coming on yesterday...and then a sinus headache and then I laid down and fell asleep at 4:30 p.m. and woke up at 7:00 p.m. on the couch....took me a minute to register that it was DARK outside....I walked out to the kitchen to find supper dishes done (Luckily I had put Veg. beef soup in the crock pot), lunches being made and the girls doing their homework and a bowl of soup waiting for me! wow.....

I woke up today feeling like a crumb....terrible stuffy nose and my head felt like it might explode! The sore throat has eased off alot but this headache is long lingering......and it is causing pressure to my ear.....but it's not as bad as it could be...seems a bit more mild than some have had it....I'm taking Vit. C, Vit. D. and I drink an energy Vitamin drink with B's in it so hopefully that's helping....and I've fallen in love with this new tea...Lipton Green tea Super fruit! I love it and so does my whole family...I've been making a pot of it instead of a mug lately so we get more use out of the tea bag! haha

So......not much happening here other that alot of tv., tissues, reading and hot baths!! Not all bad...but I did feel like a fish out of water today laying around all day.....I did get the house tidy this morning and the dishwasher going and some laundry started and then once I hit my bed I was there for the day...lucky for me Mike worked home today on the books for work so he brought me scrambled eggs in bed!! (smile)

Stay well my friends.......keep warm and enjoy the coziness of Winter!!! <3

Daybook..

2011-02-06T17:06:00.000-08:00

FOR TODAY

Outside my window...Snow, lots of snow! and it snowed a little more today too! I think it's pretty, especially sitting inside by a fire!

I am thinking...that I'm really tired and I think I'll go take a bath and crawl into bed with a book.

I am thankful for...being cozy with my family on a Sunday afternoon.

From the learning rooms...lots of Winter reading, Grace and I have been reading about Penguins lately.

From the kitchen...Nacho bar for Superbowl snacking. Mike is downstairs with friends watching the game and Macy and I are cozy by the fire watching a movie! ha The food is good though!

I am wearing...Track pants, a turtle neck and sweatshirt.

I am creating...some order I hope, this place is a mess! Monday morning will definitely be calling me to the laundry room and the dust cloth!

I am going...to get Grace tucked into bed, fall into a hot tub and relax!

I am reading...The other side of the Ocean by Karen Kings bury

I am hoping...to wake up Monday morning refreshed and ready for face the week, for some friends who have been sick to feel a-ok and for some new plans we have at home to work out and fall into place!

I am hearing...LOUD LOUD voices from the downstairs with cheers and jeers watching the Superbowl!

Around the house...Laundry, food, clutter, dust bunnies .........haha you get the picture!

One of my favorite things...Cozy weekends at home together by the fire, watching movies, playing games, and eating yummy warm winter foods!

A few plans for the rest of the week: Laundry (did you gather I'm behind on laundry? ha), Bible Study, prayer group, some errands, appt's and lots of family time I hope!

Here is picture for thought I am sharing...My sled team!

Take part in your own day book...go here to join in the fun!

It's Winter.......

2011-01-31T08:58:00.000-08:00

Well we're in the heart of Winter here......The snow has really fallen in the last few weeks here! We're expecting a few inches tonight AND......10-12" starting Tuesday night! Now...sometimes these weather men are wrong but if not we're in for it! I already emailed Mike and told him to bring home more milk! haha

If Grace can talk Macy into coming outside to play (somehow they reach this age when they don't want to go outside and play anymore, boo hoo) they HAVE A BLAST! here they are striking a Diva pose because I'm sure they are disgusted I am always calling them to the window to take their pictures! they are currently working on a really cool fort and they have worked almost daily scooping snow into a pile to turn around and dig it out to make a fort!
A funny story about a fort....when my brother and I were young, I was probably 11 and he was 5 we were out playing in the snow! My dad always had the driveway shoveled and we had alot of snow that year so there was a huge pile at the side of the driveway at the end so my brother and I made a HUGE fort...I'm talking maybe 6 feet high and the length of the pile was maybe 8 feet....so my brother and I were in that fort collecting snowballs ......snowballs.......to throw AT PASSING CARS!! (*gulp* ..yes this NOW makes me gulp since I'm a parent)......So we built up our supply and my dad was shoveling away in the driveway not far from us and my brother and I started our plan to pelt passing cars....
We got several good "thumps" as cars passed by......BUT....we got a pick up truck that we hit right in the passenger window......so we took cover in the fort because.....he stopped that truck and jammed it in reverse and rolled down that window....my brother and I were undercover....SO.....WHO was there shoveling away innocent as could be?? MY DAD! That truck driver yelled at him and accused HIM....now that is so funny to me but it wasn't then.....AS IF....my DAD would throw a snowball.......then the guy drove off and my brother and I sat frozen listening for my dad to call out or come to US.......nothing but the scraping of the shovel...and what was that noise? ...laughter?? YES my dad was laughing.....out we scurried to a big smile across my dad's face ......now my dad was not one to stand any shenanigan's when we were little but that smile is something we'll never forgot....He laughed and smiled and said "Now if you do that anymore....I won't be laughing anymore!" hahaha so funny....I can't imagine what I would do to my own kids today if they did such a thing.......although I think I KNOW I would NOT be smiling!

Here's my Jordan out using the snow blower....I honestly thought Mike was giddy the day he didn't have to cut the lawn or shovel snow anymore because Jordan was old enough!! haha We reward him well for these jobs...and now that Jordan drives well that even makes it better!

I have alot of people and friends that get after me on Face book for liking Winter so much and SNOW especially...not alot of my friends like snow for some odd reason....I think it's so pretty and it truly does make me HAPPY! Especially those stuck inside snow days when we've all been indoors together...I remember last year when church was cancelled on a Sunday morning and we had a blizzard....we made the best memories that day! we made 4 kinds of cookies, homemade hot cocoa and played Monopoly......it was so much fun!

On the RARE occasion that I go out into the snow myself it's always so exciting to Grace...I heard her tell someone last night "My mom doesn't like to go outside that much in Winter!" haha I am truly a snow lover from the windowpane! but last Thursday I was grumpy and I was trying to take a short nap and the girls were outside my bedroom patio door where I TOLD them to play so I could hear them (ha sorta defeats the nap idea) and I kept grouching at them out the window to not throw icicles and hit each other with snowballs in the face.....so I thought it was so silly to sit there barking orders so I got on my snow pants and snow clothes and went out to JOIN THEM....we weren't out long since it was cold but there is something about sitting in a pile of snow.....

I hope you are all enjoying the Winter.....the biggest reason I love Winter is that it's the only season all year that we're all home for dinner almost daily, no one goes out after dark, it's snugly and cozy to sit by a fire, we read alot together and play games......and it's just SLOWER, I cherish every moment because I know it will end quicker than I can imagine...time is going so fast......Spring will come and we'll be outside in the driveway with chalk, no one will want to come in after dinner to snuggle up and read and we won't spend as much time eating cookies and snuggling in our pj's........so enjoy the WINTER WHILE WE HAVE IT!!! <3

"Out of the south comes the storm, and out of the North the cold. From the breath of God ice is made, and the expanse of the water is frozen." Job 37:9-10

For the birds....

2011-01-24T12:56:00.000-08:00

We have a bird feeder outside our front window and we have finch food it in specifically. We got the idea from our neighbor since she always has the most adorable bright yellow finch's on her feeders. She told us to get Nijer(?) seed. It's little tiny black seeds but the key is the finch feeder, it has little tear drop shaped holes so the squirrels can't get at it! which they tried hard to do......Well this Winter we've seen them all over the feeder and we have learned somethings too. Finches change color in Winter from their bright yellow feathers to a brownish color. We have some cute little fat white fuzzy bellied birdies on their lately too.
Well we found these little tiny feet prints in the snow outside our back door yesterday! We were sorry that we didn't hear this little birdie knocking on the door or else we would have definately let him in!! but these are so sweet so we had to share!
Bird feeders are such a small thing but create so much fun and it's actually very relaxing to watch them at the feeder without a care in the world nibbling away at the food. It's just another reason God is so amazing in His creation. There's probably no great reason for Finches in this world but I'm pretty sure they are here to create JOY and FUN for the bird watchers!!

Soup recipe....

2011-01-22T08:46:00.000-08:00

A great healthy soup on a cold day!

Ingredients
Meatballs:
1/2 lb. ground beef, 1 lb. ground lean Turkey
1/4cups Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese
3 Tablespoons Fresh Parsley, Minced (or 2 Tb. dry)
1 whole Egg
2 cloves Garlic or 2 ts. chopped)
½ teaspoons Salt
½ teaspoons Black Pepper
¼ teaspoons Ground Oregano
2 teaspoons Lemon Juice
SOUP
3 Tablespoons Olive Oil to saute meatballs
7 cups Low Sodium Beef Stock(I used boullion cubes, 3 chicken and 5 beef for extra flavor)
2 cups Water
1 30 oz. can crushed tomatoes (or diced if you prefer) or sauce
½ teaspoons Salt
2 Tablespoons Tomato Paste
¾ cups Onion, Chopped
¾ cups Carrots, Chopped
¾ cups Celery, Chopped
1 cup Russet Potato, Chopped (do Not peel) *I didn't use potato
½ pounds Cabbage Chopped *I used fresh spinach leaves instead
Grated Parmesan Cheese To Serve
1 ts. garlic
2 ts. dried basil (or you could use fresh)
Preparation Instructions
To make meatballs, combine all meatball ingredients and mix well. Shape into small balls and chill for 30 minutes.

After chilling, heat olive oil over medium-low heat in a heavy pot. Briefly brown meatballs, then remove to a plate. To pot, add beef stock(or water and bouillon cubes and dissolve before moving on), water, salt, tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, garlic, and herbs. Bring to a boil, then simmer 30 minutes.

Add onion, carrots, celery, and potatoes. Simmer 15 more minutes. Add spinach and meatballs. Bring to a boil, then simmer 8 to 10 minutes. Taste for salt, I sometimes add seasoning salt as part of the salt.

Serve with plenty of freshly grated Parmesan cheese sprinkled over the top. I made this soup the night before and then rewarmed it and it was really good!

Daybook...

2011-01-17T15:49:00.001-08:00

My Daybook, you can go to Simple Woman's Daybook to make up your own Daybook!

FOR TODAY...
Outside my window....It's dark out now, we're expecting some snow and sleet...I still have twinkling lights in two little trees that I'll leave up for the remainder of Winter!

I am thinking.....about alot of stuff, I'm sorta melancholy today...thinking about alot of things that seem overwhelming for others around me, and praying alot and humbling myself ....

I am thankful for.....a warm home, and cars, and food whenever we need it, and a great family!

From the learning rooms.....reading fiction, starting Fudge-a-Mania tonight with Grace! so funny!

From the kitchen....Rosemary chicken, roasted potatoes and carrots.

I am wearing....Black track pants, pink turtleneck and a hoodie.

I am creating....a centerpiece for an upcoming registration table for a Parenting seminar our church is hosting in February!

I am going......to watch Grace and Mike play Wii and then sit by the fire and read and watch the Walton's!

I am reading...This Side of Heaven, by Karen Kingsbury...I wanted to start her books this Winter since so many friends recommended her for years!

I am hoping....to CHEER up and get out of this frumpy slump today! ha

I am hearing....the fire crackle, the Wii and the shower!

Around the house....Jordan is overwhelmed with a homework load tonight and upcoming exams to study for, Wii, showers, and "night time" stuff!

One of my favorite things.......SNOW DAYS! we've had a few recently and would love another!! haha and a nice heavy snow during the day when I can curl up with a book on the couch by the fire and watch the snow fall!

A few plans for the rest of the week...HAHA this makes me laugh because our week is very busy, bible study prep (I set up the snack table/coffee and do the opening game on occasion and that's tomorrow!), meetings for Mike, church activities, we NEED Toilet paper ha so I will have to do a Target run, getting things for the upcoming parenting seminar to decorate , track meets, and hopefully a longggg awaiting date night!! I think on our last date night we were Christmas shopping!! haha

A picture to share of my sweet friend Leanne...TODAY IS HER BIRTHDAY! she is a treasure, I can't tell you how many times that little sound of "bling" on my phone announcing a text from her, or how many times I text her during a yucky moment or a good one....She's that friend you always hope for, that you can cry with, laugh with, share private jokes with, complain about weight with, sigh over children who won't cooperate, share touching scripture with, prayers with and just a special someone to call friend!!! I love her so much!!!

Give Away....

2011-01-12T12:57:00.001-08:00

My bloggy friend Marcia is having a very cool give away at her blog here. Plus even if you don't win, her blog is really fun to read, she's a neato mama!! hope you win!

Lasagna...

2011-01-10T07:13:00.000-08:00

I have a new favorite tip for making Lasagna very easy! I was watching Ina Garten on Foodnetwork, ie Barefoot Contessa and she put this great tip for making Lasagna on her show one day. You put a whole box of Lasagna noodles in a 9 x13 pan. Turn on the tap water until it runs as hot as it gets, fill the pan of noodles with the hot water just enough to cover them and let sit for 20 minutes.(I will warn you NOT to soak more than the 20 mins. or they turn to MUSH! I learned the hard way, more is NOT better here ha) They are partially cooked, easy to handle, they don't stick and they cook up beautifully in your Lasagna! No more boiling and broken noodles! I do like the NO Boil noodles on the market but my dear Mike the true Italian doesn't like how "pasty" they taste in that!

My recipes for Lasagna very greatly, depending on if I feel like making a homemade pot of sauce or not and what I have on hand but this recipe has become the fastest of all recipes for me to put together!

1 box Lasagna noodles

1 Large Jar Prego

1 Jar Lite Alfredo sauce (I use this in place of Cottage cheese sometimes)

1/2 C. Parm. Cheese

8 oz bag Shredded Mozzarella

Drain noodles that have soaked. Coat bottom of a different 9x 13 pan with some of the Prego, place a layer of noodles and then layer noodles, sauce, cheeses (saving 1/3 of the Mozzarella cheese for the top) until finishing with a layer of sauce only and the remaining Mozzarella cheese. Bake at 375 for 55 mins. covered with foil. Remove foil and bake 5 more minutes or until cheese is bubbles and melted. Add a salad and some bread and voila! Another great tip for cutting your Lasagna, let it sit 10 minutes before cutting so the sauces thicken.

*SECRET: I put 2 Cups of shredded Zucchini I pulled out of the freezer and thawed in the center layer...NO one knew until they saw it but they were several bites in before they noticed! great way to sneak veggies in without a strong flavor!! I LOVE to layer in chopped Spinach as well, that is a great addition to this dish! enjoy! You know this tastes better the next day!!

Chicken and dumpling soup...sorta!

2011-01-07T08:31:00.000-08:00

I've tried several times to make chicken and dumplings but it's quite time consuming and I like fast when I'm making soup for dinner so I thought of an idea and it worked out great and tasted yummy...using cheese filled Tortellini as the "noodle" in chicken soup. It was a 5 out of 5 that liked it our house....It was very reminiscent of Won Ton soup at the Chinese restaurant as well! enjoy!

11 Cups water

10 Chicken bouillon cubes (you can certainly use broth)

2 Cups roasted chicken (I made a roast chicken the night before but you could use a store bought cooked whole chicken or 2-3 chicken breasts boiled and shredded/cut up)

1 bag frozen crinkle cut carrots

1 Can cream of chicken soup (I used the gravy from the roasted chicken I had made instead of the soup)

1 Tb. butter

Salt and pepper as desired

1 bag cheese filled Tortellini

4-5 green onions, washed and sliced even the dark green parts

Bring water to a boil, add bouillon cubes and lower to a simmer. Stir on occasion until dissolved. Add chicken, and carrots. Simmer for atleast 1/2 hr. Taste to see if you want salt added and pepper. Turn heat up and bring to a slow boil on med. heat, add Tortellini and butter and simmer 15 minutes....Add green onions and simmer 5 more minutes.

This served 5 with leftovers! Serve with your favorite bread or crackers! a very filling meal!

New Year.......

2011-01-05T07:14:00.000-08:00

It's a new year......I don't have any real big resolutions necessarily this year! Of course I always think I need to be "nicer" to those I love...but that tends to be a theme EVERY year! haha

For the last few years I've read this book over Winter as my devotion time at night.....A few years ago a friend inspired me to keep a devotion journal.....I am VERY visual, I always need to write out lists or write things out, see them on paper etc. so writing in a devo. journal has turned out to be a GREAT growing experience in my spiritual life over the last few years.

I use a Composition notebook (since we always have a great supply of them in the school supply box) and after I read a few pages of the book, sometimes a chapter depending on how tired I am, ha I try to write out a verse that was in that section of reading and how it applied/applies to me or how I would like it to apply to me! ha

I think being a positive mom has huge affects on your kids, your relationship with them.......and let's face it, it's alot easier to pick out the negatives for some dumb reason than pick out those positive things they do! So I wanted to share about this book! I've had it for years......and I remember the first time I struggled through reading it, my kids were very little, thinking Grace was even a baby and I KNOW that stage is a hard time for a tired mom of "littles" to work on being more positive....But I also know HE KNOWS the stages we're going through in life, He knows we're tired and He knows our hearts are longing to be a better "prayer" a "nicer" mom or wife.......So I hope you might look for this book and enjoy it......HAPPY NEW YEAR'S WEEK ALL! We've had a lovely snow with a few new inches ....everything looks so nice and clean (outside anyhow! ha)........

Daybook....

2011-01-03T09:23:00.000-08:00

FOR TODAY....
Outside my window....gray overcast sky....dry ground...no snow yet...all melted and dirty!

I am thinking....how surprised I am that I'm not more tired after being home with the kids for two weeks and sleeping in, back to reality today and it wasn't too bad!

I am thankful.....for a WONDERFUL Christmas with friends and my precious family, we had a ball!

From the learning rooms......back to school today!

From the kitchen........Roast chicken tonight!

I am wearing......track pants, red turtleneck and black hoodie.

I am creating........cleaning up, putting some Christmas stuff away, less clutter hopefully!

I am going........to get the chicken washed and ready, put away laundry, take Jordan to an eye
Dr. app't and hopefully fit in a trip to the library there somewhere!

I am reading......Sisterchicks go to Mexico

I am hoping.......for snow!

I am hearing........Bing Crosby...I'll keep my Christmas music out for a week or so yet!

Around the house.......less clutter, beginning to look a bit cleaner and organized!

One of my favorite things........reading in Winter, with the kids, myself.....especially if it's snowing and Grace still loves to read Winter/Snow books with me in Wintertime....

A few plans for the week......bible study, church Weds. night, taking down the remaining trees, groceries, laundry...the usual....back to the routine!

A picture to share........that special Christmas project I was keeping secret is done and given! It was scrapbooks for each child done up until present day.......they loved them and I loved watching them look through them. I hope to sit with each of them and look through them....hard to imagine only a year and a half left in Jordan's. Time is going fast and I wanted to catch some of the special moments!
You can go to the right of my blog roll to Simple Woman to make your own daybook! or read others! enjoy!
HAVE A BLESSED AND FULL OF LIFE NEW YEAR EVERYONE!

Grace...

2011-01-02T06:46:00.001-08:00

"Mom....can I have one of aunt Roz's "footprint" cookies......?"

"Do you mean...thumbprints?"

LOLOLOL

Christmas 2010....

2010-12-31T08:04:00.001-08:00

Another Merry Christmas at our house again this year! We have several celebrations so it's always fun to get together with family and eat and open gifts and celebrate! One of the highlights for our family is the Christmas Eve service. It's become a tradition for us since Grace was just a toddler. To end the service they dim the lights so only the Christmas trees on the platform are lit and everyone lights a little candle they hold and we sing Silent Night....We let Grace hold her own candle this year and she was so happy about that! After service we usually drive around and see the light displays while we wait for our PIZZA order to be done! haha Mike's brother and aunt come with us and we go home and have pizza and watch It's a Wonderful Life on tv. We love those traditions!

Here I am excited about a gift Mike's aunt got me.....a baseball cap with the TARGET store symbol on it...For one I'm a baseball cap lover....I have one on almost daily in summer and I LOVE TARGET!! Mike's aunt works at Target so only employees can order them....as you can see I was very surprised and excited...even though it's blurry!

Grace still keeps Christmas magical for us....Not that we all weren't excited but there's just something about the "youngest" child's excitement that is contagious to the rest of us! Here she is holding ANOTHER horse to add to her growing collection! She collects Breyer horse sets and this was the Breast Cancer awareness horse...Pink and "glass" or so she says it's glass but it's really "fine plastic" ha She's always happy to get horse sets and always smiley on Christmas morning!! she's excited about any gift....even clothes!

"Mom all I want this year is a camera, really you don't have to get me anything else I just want my own camera!" Well how could we turn down that request! So here she is smiley and happy about her own new camera. We got her a pink case for it and she's done very well taking photos. We go on to my parents after we open our gifts at home and she did great taking photos herself! And we did get her other gifts, not just a camera...but she sure was happy....I waited to let her open that after several gifts which kind of made it funnier!

And my boy....I couldn't help this year thinking about Christmas' that are coming soon, in just the next two years and wondering if we'll be anxiously awaiting him to come home from college for Christmas....where did the time go and why is it now going faster than I want it to.....We saved KINECT until almost the end for him to open and as you can see he was VERY excited and a bit overwhelmed he got it.......The greatest story about this gift is I decided I wanted to clean out all our old games and gaming "stuff" before we got more stuff for Christmas and so we gathered a big bag of old games we no longer used and turned them into Gamestop with the intention of putting the money towards Kinect and guess what? we ended up paying.....$23 for it!! Wow...pays to clean up! We have all enjoyed Kinect this week, it's alot of fun and very physical!

So another Christmas has come and gone and it's New Years Eve....we're having a big family party tonight and we'll eat and play games and watch specials on tv. and eat some more! It's always a blast and our house is filled with laughter all night.......Hoping all of you had a wonderful Christmas and have a HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Christmas Eve....

2010-12-23T21:19:00.001-08:00

(Some very old photos of my babies...Pondering the season, thinking of days gone by, old memories and new.......but most of all the TRUE reason for this Season! be sure your speakers are on to enjoy this gorgeous version of Oh Holy Night by David Phelps!!!!!)

13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, 14 "Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests."

15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about."
16So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph and the baby, who was lying in the manger.

17When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them.

19 But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.

20 The Shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

Luke 2:13-20

Frosty The Snowman Original

2010-12-18T19:24:00.000-08:00

I love Vintage Christmas stuff and I stumbled upon this adorable rendition of Frosty! love it!!!!

My Daybook.......

2010-12-14T12:40:00.000-08:00

Outside my window.......WHITE snow....and it's very very cold and windy! 15* cold and minus windchills! brrr

I am thinking......About going out tonight with friends to Olive Garden for dessert, mmm

I am thankful for......Two snowdays in row now, and the Cantata Sunday night was cancelled which left me in pj's that day as well! ha

From the learning rooms......We're doing a Jesse tree, most evenings that we're home, trying to remember the true reason for the season!

From the kitchen.....Holiday swirl snowball cookies, mmmm the start of Christmas baking!

I am wearing........Jeans, red turtleneck, and a white pull over fleece!

I am creating.......Still working at that special project!

I am going......to Kohl's and Target and then Olive Garden for dessert tonight!

I am reading......Cedar Cove Christmas, Debbie Macomber

I am hoping.....to get my Christmas project DONE tomorrow (and that there's school so I can haha) and all my wrapping done on Thursday and Friday!

I am hearing.......TOTAL QUIET minus the wind...all 3 kids are off to piano lessons. One with Mike and Jordan took Macy just now!

Around the house.......pretty tidy actually, kids were a big help over the snow days, as well as Mike! It feels so good when it's tidy, but it's not ever tidy very long! ha

A few plans for the week....besides what I listed, a church board Christmas party, kids are going on a Youth outing, Christmas party at my mom's and some MORE shopping is my guess! I'm 90% done though! whew....

A picture for sharing.......The BEST daddy EVAH who will brave the cold to give joy to a girl who wanted to go out and play in the snow on Sunday and no one would go with her!! She would play outside for hours if she could!! her eyelashes were frozen after she came in and we laughed about her red nose! Have a good week everyone and go here to make up your own Daybook!

Jesse tree....

2010-12-09T06:58:00.000-08:00

Last year I remember reading a friend's blog about making a Jesse Tree. So..this year I was thinking about some advent activities we could do with the kids that would celebrate the true reason for the season.....so the Jesse tree was the choice this year!

A Jesse tree marks the family tree or the bible characters that lead up to Jesus being born, starting with Adam and Eve and so on.......I have to say in just the week that we've been doing it I've learned little tidbits here and there. So on a daily basis there is a bible character, for instance on day one it was Adam. There's an ornament you color of Adam and a bible reading for that character and then you hang it on your tree. We made our tree out of colored paper but you can use any tree you'd like.

We chose a website that was geared for younger kids since Grace is the youngest....but there are some with more in depth readings that you could certainly use.

It was alot of fun creating our tree and we decided to hang it on the back of the kitchen door......it doesn't take much time, holds even the youngest child's attention. You could certainly create your own ornaments and make it a real project!

We have had a lot of very sad events in our church family over the last few weeks, the death of a friend's teen aged daughter and the loss of a newborn baby for another and others who have lost their parent recently.....so we decided to incorporate family prayer after we do this and pray specifically "for" others that might be hurting over the holidays this year!

The nice thing about this is I think even Jordan enjoys getting in touch with his inner "child" haha and it just draws our attention away from the "commercial" of life........We love everything that has to do with Christmas, all the tv. specials, and the movies and the baking and shopping but it's so important to pull your kids back to what we're "really" celebrating!!! and this is a fun way to do that!

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO YOU.....it's not too late to start your Jesse Tree...we didn't make ours until we would have been on day 6!

It's beginning to look alot like Christmas....and I LOVE it!

2010-12-04T16:22:00.000-08:00

It's beginning to look alot like Christmas around here and I LOVE IT! it's my time of year....I LOVE to decorate and I love getting people special gifts! We have five trees in the house..yes I realize for "some" people that might be excessive or make you shake your head....but I tell ya, there's JOY in every room! haha This tree above is in our downstairs living room where we hang out almost all evenings together....our fireplace is down there and I hope my kids all have that memory of curling up listening to a crackling fire and watching Christmas movies!

Today we had a program at church called Camp Christmas. It's a time where you can drop your child off at church from 9:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. They feed them lunch and they have blow ups to jump in and a couple from a nearby city comes to speak and put on a FUN FUN FUN program for the kids. Grace got to participate this year and Jordan and Macy were helpers. Mike and I had a great time taking our time shopping and had a great lunch out together. Since Jordan drives we didn't have to worry about getting back to get the girls so that was nice too! We are 90% done with our shopping I would say........wrapping? now that's another story!

This is our upstairs mantle, it's a bit dark but it's light blues and silver and white...this is the mantle we face when we're snuggled up on the couch reading Christmas stories or doing an advent activity. Last year during an advent activity we lit candles and sat in the dark with just the trees and mantle on and sang Silent Night...it made me so tearful and thankful for a family that spends time together!

This tree is across from the mantle above and next to the piano where I love to sit and listen to the kids practice their piano....Jordan is playing out of a Ronnie Freeman piano book right now and it's so beautiful to listen too.......

This is the girl's "pink" tree in their room.....They love to lay in bed at night with that on and they have the Charlie Brown Christmas soundtrack as their bedtime music...(don't be alarmed we do unplug it when they're asleep! ha) Jordan has a tree in his room as well.....but he couldn't plug it in for me to take a photo because his XBOX was plugged in at the time...ha Jordan isn't as enchanted to have a tree in his room as he used to be (*smile*) but I still made him clean his room well and put it up......I imagine before I know it, I'll be sending it with him to his college dorm when he visits for Thanksgiving (*gulp*) .......AND he'll remember all those years I made him put it up won't he?? hahaha

SO there ya go........a snippet of what's happening around here in the delights of night in our house! Maybe I'll do a post on all the SNOWMEN I've collected through the years, next!

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE.......I hope you're enjoying every minute of December and the great times it can bring!!

This little tree is called a pencil tree, and it stands......in our kitchen! "I know I know...."

My daybook........

2010-11-18T05:43:00.001-08:00

FOR TODAY....
Outside my window.....Gray skies, leafy yard......very calm breezes!

I am thinking....about getting alot done today since I have a free day home!

I am thankful for......being able to stay home everyday!

From the learning rooms.......Grace working VERY hard to learn lines to two Christmas musicals she is in soon!

From the kitchen......HAHAHA this makes me laugh because I've been sick yet still cooking pretty good stuff this week surprisingly! Hoping to make a triple batch of Oatmeal cookie dough today when Macy gets home, she's a great help in that area and needs very little supervision!

I am wearing....Jeans and a sweatshirt....no time to shower yet which is unusual ...Jordan realized at 6:30 a.m. that he had a 7:00 a.m. MEETING...so I was high tailin it this morning!

I am creating.....(it's a secret Christmas project for my kids and since they sometimes read my blog I can't say but I'm glad to have free time today to work on it! ha...stay tuned!....it's a project that I said yesterday to myself: WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO DO THIS NOW? hahaha)

I am going.......to clean for the next 45 mins, make a list of what I've purchased for Christmas so far, then work on the project and laundry while I'm at it! Mike's taking a half day to put in a new floor in his bathroom!

I am reading......SKIPPING CHRISTMAS, it's so funny...it's what the movie Christmas with the Kranks was made from...I love to read that and the Christmas Jar every year at this time!

I am hoping.......to accomplish ALOT today!

I am hearing........Chris Botti playing Christmas trumpet, so relaxing!

Around the house.......things coming together for the holidays!

One of my favorite things.......HOLIDAY "STUFF"!

A few plans for the rest of the week......Finish Thanksgiving grocery shopping tomorrow, do more Christmas shopping with Mike tomorrow night, spend lots of time with the kids in the evenings this weekend......and I MIGHT put up my Kitchen tree (OK don't wince!...I've been down and out sick for over two weeks now and I need some cheer in the house..these poor kids aren't seeing their "best" mommy! plus they love it! and it would be ONE DOWN! ha)

A picture to share.....Two Saturday's ago this is what we woke to, and Mike was out taking a picture of it at 6 a.m. when he took the dog out! Notice all the leaves underneath? haha

Have a super week all preparing for your Thanksgiving .....and remember to take time to actually BE THANKFUL!!
Go here to Simple Woman and do your own day book!!

Quick dinner.....

2010-11-15T05:45:00.000-08:00

I made these a few weeks ago and they were fast and yummy and a hit with all five of us!! Broccoli Cheese Calzones. I've made this recipe as one big Calzone but these were good as individual.

1 loaf Whole Wheat frozen bread dough, cut into 4 sections

1 Jar of your favorite Pizza sauce

1 bag Broccoli Florets

1 bag Shredded Mozzarella

Steam the bag of broccoli until it's almost done, it will cook a bit more in the oven

Roll individual sections of dough into a rectangle, in half of the dough place a few pieces of broccoli, 1/4 C. Sauce and 1/4 C. cheese. Pull dough over to meet edges of dough and roll the dough to pinch it together and then press the edges with a fork so there are no "escape holes." Shape into a half circle and continue with the remaining four pieces. Let rise on baking sheet for about 15 minutes. Bake at 400* for 15-20 mins. until golden brown (perhaps less time if your oven runs hotter)

Let sit a few minutes on baking sheet, warm remaining sauce for dipping and serve.

If you wish to freeze these, do all the steps minus the rising, just freeze on the baking sheet and then transfer frozen Calzones to a Ziploc bag. VERY important, when you pull these out for baking day, transfer them back to the baking sheet to thaw about an hr. and raise, if you just let the bag sit out to thaw you'll have a stuck together MESS! (I learned this the hard way! ha)

ENJOY!

This served 5 of us easily with 1/2 leftover!

Cruising through the holidays.......

2010-11-08T08:41:00.001-08:00

There a great website, Flylady, click here to head there! It's a website that helps you get your housework on track! I just started doing what's called "Holiday missions". She has a whole plan that gets your house ready for the holidays and it's broken down in manageable jobs. If you click on the link it leads you to a Big Christmas tree, just click on Holiday missions to get started.
Even if you weren't hosting anyone for the holidays it gets you motivated to get your house in order or atleast free of clutter!

I love the holidays, any of you who know me, know that, and I love to HOST HOST HOST......but I also like to have time to enjoy it too so being organized and motivated is a huge help!

If you have time you can go to the home page on Flylady and read about regular daily missions, I'm doing those as well and what she's done is break your house down into "Zones" and you concentrate on that Zone for the week so it's manageable and you're not cleaning all over the house like a madwoman! ha

These little missions don't just pertain to getting ready for Christmas it's for Thanksgiving as well and I've found them to help remind me of things I may have forgotten to do! You can also watch the daily Holiday missions on her tv. page each day, that's kind of fun too!

Hope you find some great motivation over there.......I just filled my sink with Mr. Clean and I"m planning to hit the high spots in the kitchen. Top of the fridge and ceiling fans.....I may even do some extras so then I can enjoy things like......JUMPIN IN THE LEAVES WITH GRACE! (don't forget to put on some "moving" musis...I've got ya going for the first 15 mins. on my blog here so turn up the speakers and get that sink full of soapy water!!!)

Nov. 6, 2010

2010-11-06T10:01:00.000-07:00

For Today.......

Outside my window.......Melting snow over fallen leaves, ha Gotta love Michigan!

I am thinking.......about the many things I'd like to get done in the house today!

I am thankful for.......feeling alot better today, I've been feeling pretty sick all week.

From the learning rooms.......hmmm not alot, need a library run too.

I am wearing........HAHAHAHA my pj's and bathrobe and it's 1:00, but it is the weekend!

I am creating.......a few lists for Thanksgiving company/dinner......and even some Christmas shopping.

I am going.......shopping with Macy later for church dress pants.

I am reading........a fluff Christmas book by Debbie Macomber and a Teen book.

I am hoping..........to get alot done today and have fun too!

I am hearing........Christmas music on the holiday channel on tv.

Around the house.........it's a mess actually......just needs some time!

One of my favorite things........November and upcoming holidays!

A few plans for the rest of the week.......It's going to be a busy week, 2 cleaning jobs, 1/2 days for both girls and I'm watching my friend's two kids 4 afternoons this week and going to both of my girls conferences.

A picture for sharing......We had a light snow today it was pretty, but we do need to get the leaves up before it snows regularly! ha

Running like a chicken.......

2010-11-03T15:03:00.000-07:00

I found myself under the weather today taking a day off (encouraged by my wonderful friend Leanne). Funny thing is even though I didn't feel so great, I got 6 loads of laundry done and folded ......(I was able to delegate the putting away to Macy bless her sweet heart!) I put Broccoli Cheese soup in the Crock Pot. I took the laptop, the bills, my purse, some ads and a pad of paper and a pen to my room.

I was able to pay all the weeks bills, make a rough list of things I want to have done before we have company for Thanksgiving and things before Winter sets in, got in on some great deals online for my kids for Christmas (check out Aeropostle's clearance online if your family likes that store, they have some great $5 t shirts and $15 hoodies), and got dinner on. I didn't get to look through the ads and make my grocery list but I've decided to stay home tonight from church and relax and do that! I might even clean out my purse, but I don't want to overdo it haha

To be honest, I know I'm an over achiever at heart.......meaning I like to be "doing" alot to keep things organized etc. but often my expectations haven't been meeting the "doing" and I've felt like I can't run one more errand, give one more kid a ride, fill out one more piece of paper or clean one more thing in this house! I think I heard myself say yesterday in a tearful voice "I'm drowning in my own schedule" so when I stumbled upon this great article on Crystal Paines blog Money Saving Mom (click on this link to read it). Basically she was encouraging us to not do IT ALL......To say no to some things that aren't in your season of life right now and let go of perfectionism........this was so good and I have to say when I went over my list of things I do that I could say no to or delegate it was hard at first to think of what could wait but I think I can manage to wait on some things until it's easier to manage. See the chick in this picture, doing what she loves to do......bake or cook or make something for somebody......missing that feeling!

I want to be able to give the best of myself to my family and I haven't found that to be easy lately......so I hope you enjoy this article! if you look around her blog she has alot of great time saving ideas and if you click on her most recent post she has a great guest post about managing time!

The holidays are coming so it's a good time to get stuff in order and be ready, it's my favorite time of year and I want to suck every bit of enjoyment out of it with my friends and family......there's a phrase Crystal wrote in her article "to have your house 45 minutes from company ready" WOW! that's a pretty good way to live I think......plus she spends 30 mins. in God's word and in prayer before her kids get up....the timing of this wouldn't work for me since my kids are up only 15 minutes after me at 6 a.m. but this is doable for me after Grace goes to school....I realize it's all about being INTENTIONAL!!

I want to enjoy the holidays and my family and not be barking orders and being grouchy (I'm not promising this will happen all the time haha) but I just want to stop the frazzled feeling! I try to find things that help me feel happy or make the job easier, for those that know me know that Christmas music puts me in myhappy place so you bet I turned some on today!

I heard a great speaker last night at a ceremony for Jordan and other students at his school and one thing I heard him say was "Be the best at all you do, try hard and don't quit, commit to doing the best job you can and don't overload yourself with QUANTITY so you can do QUALITY work.....Be the best at having a CALM ATTITUDE!" "KAPOW!!!" I knew he was a Pastor but it was a secular event but I knew what he was saying......stop stressin and doing too much and do well on what you need to do!!

ENJOY YOUR LIFE.........it's tough if you have anything extra to do, kids, school events, etc. but leave some room for a lazy "me" day you will find it so refreshing.........I realize this is all easy to say since I laid in bed all day but I plan to make myself a few little prompts around the house on note cards to remind myself this life isn't a race it's to be enjoyed. Our family has made a commitment as a family to "serve" others and we can't do a very good job with no time in our schedule.........The blog button for Proverbs 31 on the sidebar of my blog has great daily devotionals for women that I've found to be priceless in my life!

If you have any good links or ideas/books on this topic share them in the comments! we can all use help! haha HAPPY HOLIDAYS FRIENDS!

Welcome November....

2010-10-31T16:58:00.000-07:00

Well I made it through October.......it seems to be such a busy month with sports, school stuff and church stuff.......I'm always ready for November to roll around and it's true again this year! We joined Mike's Grandpa today at the place he lives for a Halloween lunch! it was nice...alot of residents were dressed up and they had a contest for best costume! Mike's Grandpa is new there so next year it will be our year for him to WIN IT! ha

Macy, Grace and my niece Alecia were dressed up tonight ready for some fun! A cowgirl, Angel and a clown!! so cute!

Here's the girls and I at lunch today, I wore a Red Riding hood cape! Had to get in the spirit of the day!

We passed out seven bags of candy tonight at home, and the girls probably brought that much home in their bags.......UGG I am such a mean mom when it comes to candy that we do 2 pcs. a day when they actually remember...after a few days they forget! Well this year will be even harder because Grace has an expander and she is getting four braces on her front teeth this Tuesday so her candy intake will be more limited!

So.......there's the weekend in a nutshell! it's done and over with and I'm ready to move into a more relaxed time of year. Well more relaxed than it was the last few months anyhow...Cross Country ended yesterday, Gymnastics ended too......so it's gotta be more relaxing now...it's just gotta!

The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh HD- Winnie the Pooh and the Blust...

2010-10-26T05:37:00.000-07:00

This the certainly the kind of day we're going to have here! The ONLY plus, it helps our stubborn Oak leaves to get falling so we can clean them up before bad weather sets in!!!

Fall treats....

2010-10-25T07:25:00.001-07:00

This is a sweet treat we will make the end of this week for Grace to take to school for her Halloween party at school! I can't tell you that Halloween is our favorite holiday, but I know it's exciting for kids and we try to do more "Fall/Harvest" things and focus on that! So when I came across this idea a few years ago it became a yearly tradition.......(The only thing to keep in mind when you're eating these like popcorn, haha, is you are eating an ENTIRE Hershey's Kiss so limit yourself!

Start with a box of Mini Nilla wafers and a bag of Hershey kisses(any flavor!). (These are not my photos, I googled them but they are perfect to show how they're made!)

Have your kids peal the wrappers off the kisses, pour them out on to a tray.

Spoon 3-4 Tb. Chocolate or caramel canned frosting into a piping bag with a writers tip OR into a Ziploc freezer bag(you could use a reg. Ziploc baggie but they aren't very strong and sometimes I've had them burst on me!) and snip just a TINY hole, I mean tiny like a toothpick width because it will expand as you pipe! If you don't want to bother with the piping you can just use a butter knife and put the icing on the cookie and skip the stem as you'll see!

Pipe a pea sized dollop of icing onto the flat edge of the cookie and press a Hershey's kiss onto the cookie. Keep going until you've used up all your Kisses. Then pipe just a dot of icing on top of the cookie and pull up as you pipe to create a little "stem" look!

EASY PEASY and oh so yummy!! you might want to do a few bags of Kisses, I'm telling you they will go fast!!

Do these the night before so they have time to set up and dry well, this helps them stay together! Put these on top of a Chocolate cake to decorate it, so cute!

Enjoy your week all.........it's a gorgeous day here today! unseasonably warm for this time of year! We have one layer of leaves raked but there are many MORE MORE MORE layers to come......our yard is full of Oak trees that seem to be stubborn in giving up their leaves until after Turkey day! Happy Fall Y'all!!!

Mexican casserole

2010-10-20T11:40:00.000-07:00

This dish is a favorite and really fast and healthy!

1 lb. Ground beef (I used lean ground Turkey)

1 envelope dry Taco seasoning

1 Jar Black Bean and Corn salsa

1 Can Pinto beans, drained and rinsed

8 oz. Shredded Mexican style shredded cheese

2 boxes Jiffy cornbread mix (+ingreds. to make Cornbread)

2 T. butter, melted

Fry ground beef and drain if necessary. While ground beef cooks, mix up 2 boxes of cornbread mix with ingred's it calls for on the box. Add taco seasoning and water the envelope calls for to drained beef and cook for 5 mins. Add in jar of salsa and can of Pinto beans and stir together. Pour this mixture into 9 x 13 sprayed baking dish. Set aside 1/4 Cup cheese for topping hot casserole. Sprinkle remaining cheese over meat mixture. Top this with corn bread mix and 2 T. melted butter. Bake at 400* for 20 mins. Top with remaining cheese and put back into the oven just a minute or two until cheese melts! Serve with sour cream, diced tomatoes, green onions, black olives or Chips and salsa! It's even better leftover!

My Daybook.....

2010-10-11T12:41:00.000-07:00

FOR TODAY....

Outside my window.......Leaves changing into pretty colors and swirling swirling to the ground.....Jordan mowing the lawn for the last time this season most likely!

I am thinking........about getting cozy with Grace on the couch with some library books

I am thankful for........After listening to yesterday's sermon at church that God, our groom is preparing us for the "wedding" celebration and I want everyone I know to be ready and waiting for His arrival!

I am wearing.....Black mesh shorts and black t shirt, tenners and socks....I actually worked out earlier!

I am creating......Some sense of organization around here, it's really been an overwhelming mess lately since I've been changing out Fall/Winter clothes for Summer! blah I dislike that job!

I am going......to enjoy this free night with the family! Minus Jordan going to Cross Country practice for just an hour.

I am reading.....Christmas Angels by Debbie Macomber (I was in need of some fluff reading, since I've been reading about Teens/Tweens lately! ha)

I am hoping......that's it's a lighter week and relaxing for us as a family together!

I am hearing......Good music on our Christian station! Macy playing piano! good mix lol

Around the house.......sort of clean, sort of organized but more to go.....enough done for today though!

One of my Favorite things.......at this moment in time, Fall, the crunching leaves, changing colors, unexpected warm days, the FOOD to name a few things......

A picture for sharing, me and my guy at the Train park in town!

Go HERE to create your own daybook and link up!

Upgrades....

2010-10-07T18:06:00.000-07:00

So when we moved in we had this bathroom with this pink tile and blue tile floor.....well it was very costly to redo it and at the time we wanted to spend money on more prominent parts of the house. Well......it's still there and now even more costly, and I don't really mind it since it's small I can work with it.....but it needed an update! So here is the before and after.....

My friend Leanne emailed me last week because she knew I was shopping for a new shower curtain and asked me if I got one that makes me smile.....and that was a good question because it DOES!

I got these cute cute scroll candle holders at Walmart...they sort of look like an old fashioned bicycle don't they? they were so inexpensive.....I think they were $15 for both!

The shower curtain is from Target.....my friend Susie helped me decide! I showed it to her online and she thought it would get us looking more modern and she was right.....Because when you look in that bathroom those bright POLKA DOTS ARE THE FIRST THING YOU SEE.....ha So an inexpensive upgrade....yeah the pink tile is still there and the blue floor but it is cool in summer and nice and bright in the mornings! HAHAHAHA

Fall decorating...ahhh

2010-09-27T07:34:00.001-07:00

I am definitely a true to the season sorta gal....You'll hear me say during every season how much I love it! I guess it's the change in scenery, clothes, foods etc. Nothing like curling up with a good book and Fall makes it alot easier to snuggle down into the covers and enjoy a good read!!

And the food......Fall foods? I love Fall foods, I'm sure you do too! I love a good burger on the grill but there's nothing like that first hot pot of soup, or a mug of hot cider, a fresh apple pie out of the oven or a bubbly hot casserole pulled from the oven and leaving the oven door a bit ajar to let the heat into the room.......mmm

This room I have to say is my favorite to cozy into a chair or on the couch and peruse some magazines while I listen to someone practice piano! I love decorating this mantel with sparkling lights all year round.......and the nice thing about decorating for Fall is I leave it up until Thanksgiving day ends...and you KNOW what comes to this mantel after that...but that's a whole new post for then! ha

Apples Apples Apples.....I love all things apples, I love having a basket full of them, even fake ones like the ones under this globe, apple PIE, apple CIDER......apple cake, donuts, fritter, .......endless!

I hope you're all settling into Fall, soon the leaves will be raining down their orange and golden rains......I have to laugh at Grace when we go for a walk and she rides her bike, she likes to ride over the fallen crunchy leaves to hear it crunch......"I got that from you Mom!" I'm glad my kids love the changing seasons and I'm so glad they take notice of the changing seasons indoors too...I think they enjoy the decorations too.....Sometimes it makes me think about wanting to make a mental note to see if any of them do this when they have their own homes someday (gulp)....I can hear them now "We ARE NEVER buying any Charlie Brown CD's and take it easy on the decorating!" haha

Getting ready for supper....

2010-09-27T07:19:00.000-07:00

Ok so I got this great idea from a new cooking show Rachel Ray has about making 5 meals on the weekend for the week's meals ahead.......

So Sunday afternoon I got busy with cooking and am very pleased with the results! Yesterday for lunch we had Butternut squash and I always make Butternut soup with the leftovers...You can go here to find the recipe in my archives! We all love this soup, and by chance I had 1/2 a pint of HEAVY cream leftover from a dessert I made this week and Half and Half so I used that instead of milk and OH BABY! creamy goodness....can't wait until lunch today!!

I also put on a pot of sauce to simmer......I just brown up Ground chuck, and Ground turkey, onion and garlic, add the largest jar of Prego, a small can of Tomato paste, 3 cans of water from that can, salt and pepper, a can of mushrooms, fresh basil (when I have it, or dried is fine), 2 T. sugar, and let that simmer away! Mike ate a bowl of it for a snack with a piece of bread! he would eat Spaghetti everyday he has said! ha

I also made a batch of Sloppy Joes, the only difference in the recipe you can click on here in my archives is I used half ground turkey and half ground chuck. I often use just ground turkey but I wanted to stretch the cost too! Be sure to click here to make the best fries EVAH to go with it!

I'm so glad to have these things ready to reheat......last week dinnertime was chaos, between after school activities, sports and church I was so unprepared for meals in the timing to prep and cook times......so hopefully this will make dinner easier! I love to connect with the kids at dinner and talk so if I'm prepared with easy and filling meals ahead I think it will go well...until Sports end for us in Mid November anyhow......

Tonight is Spaghetti, can't wait to smell that sauce fill the room with it's yummy savory good smell! You can just add a salad/veggie or hot crunchy bread to any of these and you're good to go!

HAPPY FALL Y'ALL!

Happy Monday......

2010-09-20T10:25:00.000-07:00

HAPPY MONDAY.....decided I'm going to dust the house throughout and put up my Fall decorations! It's time....and it's a gorgeous day! enjoy!

Give away.......

2010-09-18T19:38:00.000-07:00

Go here to Danielle's blog and check out an awesome give away on 30 day cooking.....she's already tried it and it seems soooo great!

Stuffed Meaty Pizza

2010-09-16T12:27:00.001-07:00

This is a great weekend go to recipe for me in Fall/Winter, I always double it and freeze two halves for future use!

1 loaf Italian bread

1 1/2 lbs. ground beef, (I use ground turkey, 99%)

1 ts. minced garlic

1 onion, finely chopped

1/3 C. finely chopped carrots, peeled (this makes the recipe)

1 Tb. Worcestershire sauce

1/2 ts. Allspice

1 jar Prego (or any sauce you like)

1 1/2 C. Mozzarella cheese

2 T. fresh basil, opt'l

Preheat oven to 450*. Split bread length wise and hollow out most of the bread leaving a shell. (Toast the hollowed out pieces and grind them into bread crumbs or just eat them! ha) Lightly crisp the bread loaves on a baking sheet for a few mins. watching carefully.

In a large pan cook beef, onion and carrots until the meat is done and vegetables are tender. Drain any excess grease. Add Worcestershire sauce, allspice and Spaghetti sauce and simmer 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer meat mixture to hollowed out bread loaves, sprinkle with cheese. Bake until cheese is just melted and bubbly. Pull out of oven and top right away with snipped basil (you can use dry). Enjoy.....these freeze great so double or triple it!

To prepare from frozen, defrost and bake at 375* for 15 mins. or until heated through and cheese is bubbly! Enjoy!

I can see clearly now........

2010-09-16T12:21:00.001-07:00

I got reading glasses......did I tell you that? I went with Grace this summer to get eye check ups.....and I knew she would be getting new glasses since she's worn them all along but I didn't know I would be getting READING glasses!

He put reading lenses up to my eyes and I gasped, out loud and the Dr. sort of snickered and said "it sneaks up on you doesn't it?" WELL YEAH!

But I have to say as much as I love to read....it's probably a good thing that I have them! I just cannot get used to seeing the bottom rim of the glasses and find myself pulling them down on my nose like a granny......now I know why people do that! ha So.....I guess it's not so bad...I made it to age 42 with perfect eyesight......guess some things gotta give and if it's gonna give then let it be my reading eyes! ha Read on my friends......

My day so far.....

2010-09-16T12:04:00.000-07:00

Outside my window....gray skies, wet grass from a hard rain, and blustery wind through the wet trees.

I am thinking.....that I wished I felt better, I have a cold that came on from allergies I think....Gotta love Oak tree season and falling acorns!

I am thankful for.....a friends mom who passed away today loved Jesus with all her heart and now is completely healed and in heaven! it's bittersweet.

From the learning rooms.....back to school routine is slowly but surely falling into place...can't say I am liking that 6 a.m. alarm but it does make Friday date night and Saturday morning sleep ins more appreciated! ha

From the kitchen.....Peach and Rosemary glazed turkey breast, sweet potatoes and carrots! I love Fall cooking!

I am wearing .....a black t shirt and my favorite black track pants and slippers!

I am creating.....hmmm not much as of now I guess!

I am going.....to the library to get a recommended read and hopefully to veg on the couch a bit!

I am reading.....see above! ha

I am hoping......to feel GREAT tomorrow, have a good date night, that a friend of ours that had a heart attack pulls through a-ok, and that the weekend is good!

I am hearing......Jordan practice the theme from "The Office" on piano.....it actually is very pretty but I don't like that show! haha

Around the house.....getting things tidy, hoping to decorate for Fall next week....thinking about putting Fall touches around and getting some cider and crunchy Cinnamon donuts soon in this place!

One of my favorite things.....music I have to say lately, it's such a mood setter, changer isn't it?

A few plans for the rest of the week.......Get groceries tomorrow, try a new Caramel apple cake recipe (don't think I can go too wrong there), B Day shop for my dad, celebrate his B Day Sunday, hosting youth group at our house, jean shopping for Jordan, hair cut for Jordan.......busy "mom" stuff I guess!
You can go here to make up your own daybook!

Picture for sharing........my Favorite fall snack....but it HAS to be Brachs! Enjoy the Fall my friends! <3

Give away...I hope I win!!

2010-09-11T19:20:00.000-07:00

Danielle is having another awesome giveway here, click here to check it out!! Even if you don't win there are alot of cool ideas on this lunchbox site for some good lunch ideas for kids! I think the containers are so cool and I might buy them if I don't win......but I hope I do!!

Fall, Zhucchini, and back to school....

2010-09-09T13:57:00.001-07:00

Well we're back to school....and so far it's not going so well! I'm so tired, and I don't like getting up at 6:00 a.m. and I miss watching tv. or reading at midnight and getting up at 9:00 and I just don't understand why these kids can't just get themselves up and get a ride from someone else! haha OK I'm teasing about "some" of this.....I do enjoy taking them to school and connecting with them in the morning (sort of)...everyone is sort of quiet in the mornings and now Macy goes to school an hour and a half earlier than last year so I've enjoyed her bubbly spirit at the breakfast table....Jordan is there too but he's a bit like me.....he coasts slowly into mornings......Grace gets up 45 minutes after the rest of us and I'll tell you about Grace.......Grace comes racing full speed into mornings.....she's got a song in her heart at the crack of dawn!! and it's now 5:00 p.m. and I'm preparing dinner and she is STILL full of energy.....I tell ya, she keeps me going! ha
All three kids are in different schools this year, Jordan is a Jr. in High School, Macy is in 7th. grade and Grace is in 4th grade. Fortunately Jordan and Macy go about 10 minutes apart to school so the driving time works out for me and Grace goes about 45 minutes after them! So we're all going to be fine!!

My friend Jacki called one day and asked if I could use some Zucchini.....so I said SURE no one has blessed us with any this season......I said I'll take all you have! hahaha WHICH LED TO......11 BIG OLE BABIES!! It was a job but we got 18 bags of shredded Zucchini in 2 Cup portions, since most bread recipes take 2 Cups and 11 bags of cubed...for soup and stir fry! I'm not a big fan of it plain, but I do LOVE bread and I have a great recipe for Zucchini cake.....I'm sure I'll come back soon to blog about that cake because I'm craving it, and I like it in Vegetable soup! I don't mind it grilled with some Lemon Pepper on occasion either!

I was grating it on a box grater and Mike said "why aren't you using your food processor? DUH!!! "I don't know!" so he hauled it out and do you know WHAT?? he and Macy did them all.......I only washed the outsides and got out of dodge and came back to the kitchen looking disastrous but all the Zucchini was neatly packed and in the freezer!! pretty nice......wonder what else I could trick him into doing......hmmm we are apple picking in a few weeks! ha

Zucchini is a love hate deal isn't it.....either you love em or you don't! I love em hidden in yummy breads, muffins, and cake! My friend Jacki brought me some CHOCOLATE Zucchini muffins......oh man was it just enough chocolate flavor to wake this sleepy gal up in the morning!! ha

We're back to teaching on Wednesday nights at church, 1-5th grade! we love those kids and love teaching! Grace is taking a Gymnastics Rec. class once a week for 2 hours, Jordan is running Cross Country daily after school with a meet 2x a week or so, all three kids are taking piano lessons......and now you know why I'M TIRED! ha We always allow one extra curricular thing to do per kid, per season and so far that's taking up alot of nights......but when end November hits all is quiet again, no one is running after school for practice and we settle in for a long Winter's nap....(speaking of naps...I think I might have to take one once in a while during the week.....can you tell I'm very weak when it comes to sleep? haha).......So we're back in the routine.....back to a schedule of sorts, driving 5, 6 and 7x a day sometimes.........but it's what I love....my family!! I hope you are all ready for Fall and sinking lower into the covers, refreshing your book pile and making some yummy gooey appley, cinnamony things!!

Operation Christmas Child is coming soon......

2010-09-02T19:29:00.000-07:00

Operation Christmas Child is coming soon.......I hope you will click on this link and watch or read the incredible story about a gal who was the recipient of a shoe box when she was SIX years old and she now shares her testimony on what it mean to her life.....it was amazing! I read her story to my kids and I could barely choke out the story as I read it.......my kids really love doing the shoe boxes and I'm so glad to be part of it!!

Also if you go here......you can get some great ideas on how to pack a box and what to pack! I read a great idea about hosting a Shoebox party at your house and invite guests to bring items to put in boxes, and then you can spend time together filling and wrapping the boxes.......you could have things out to write letters to put in the shoe boxes for the kids that attend the party.....also Veggie Tales was a sponsor last year with this DVD! So they suggest maybe showing this DVD for a fun part of the party and serve snacks and then discuss how the DVD and it's content ties in with being part of the Shoebox giving!

Cookies....make everything better!

2010-09-01T17:50:00.000-07:00

Last week Macy and I got in the kitchen and made six dozen each of Chocolate Chip cookies and Peanut Butter. We love homemade cookies at our house so we thought it would be a good start to the school year to have some on hand! Usually I make cookies every Monday, but there are some Monday's that I just don't feel like it...... so now I'll have them to pull out of the freezer as needed! (or wanted!)
I have a Pampered chef medium scoop that I used to scoop the Chocolate Chip cookies. Scoop them on to a baking sheet lined with waxed paper and freeze for a few hours or overnight. With the Peanut butter I roll them into 1 inch dough balls ( you can eye a 1" dough ball by the size of a walnut) and freeze the same way.
Mark a Ziploc bag with the kind of cookies they are, the temperature and time they take to bake and that way you aren't having to look up the recipe when it comes time to bake them.
You can pull out as many cookies as you'd like and thaw them on a plate in the fridge for a few hrs. OR if you're really craving a cookie and a cup of tea at 1:00 in the afternoon.......defrost a few dough balls and VOILA.....
I really like course sugar for the Peanut Butter cookie tops, just thaw the Peanut Butter cookie dough balls for about 1/2 hr. dip the top in the course sugar and make your criss crosses with a fork. Of course you can use regular sugar but I love the crunch of the course sugar, and it comes in many colors too for fun! I usually buy mine at a cake supply store but you can get them in the grocery store in the spice aisle or the sugar aisle.
I just made a few dozen for a work bee at Jordan's school and I had Gold sugar and blue sprinkles because his school colors are.....BLUE AND GOLD! You can also sprinkle them with Chocolate sprinkles instead of sugar, just make your criss crosses first and sprinkle on the Chocolate sprinkles OR Mini Chocolate chips are good too!
I clean house for a good friend and I love to pop 1/2 a dozen cookies in the oven before I go and then leave her a plate of homemade cookies for after school when she's home from teaching.......
You'll love having the cookie dough on hand for a sick friend, a sad friend (haha), or yourself......Nothing like smelling cookies bake while you're eating dinner and enjoying a hot gooey chocolately cookie after dinner.......You can do the same with sugar cookie dough and then flatten them out with the bottom of a glass and add sugar or sprinkles.......Ginger snaps......practically anything.........
Of course we baked up a few while we were scooping for the frozen ones and I will admit I LOVE Chocolate Chip cookie dough.......I can't tell you how many belly aches I've had from eating too much dough.....but it's SO WORTH IT!
Enjoy the end of your summer!!! <3

Spicing things up a bit.....

2010-08-27T21:15:00.000-07:00

I buy most of my spices in bulk since they are far cheaper that way and you can buy more for your money this way too.......So I went in search of a spice rack that I could use for my spices and found they are VERY costly......So I tried to get creative and look for little jars, I thought of going to the restaurant supply store for salt shakers but then realized I needed them sealed so I went into the section in the grocery store where they sell small plastic containers and VOILA......canning supplies hit me first and there were these darling little tiny (I want to say 2 oz) jars with lids for a whopping $3.79 for a dozen.....and they came with the little darling labels to boot.......Later in the week I even came accrossed a coupon for $1 off so I would've used it if I had it and it would've been even cheaper.....I like how you can open the jar and dip your measuring spoon right into the jar easily.......I plan to buy another set since I am a collector of unique candy sprinkles for cupcakes, cookies or dessert toppers and I thought how sweet all the different colored sprinkles and candies will look as the holidays approach (some of you may not care if "cuteness" is in the picture...but I do...it's the little things right? haha) So......just a thought for you to save some $$! This is a great time of year to find these jars since it's canning season...are you canning? we're canning about a dozen jars of apple sauce this Fall and a few jars of spiced apples......mmmm I love apple anything!!!

My day.....

2010-08-23T10:06:00.000-07:00

For today...

Outside my window.....a bit blustery, Fall feeling temperatures, I like it..the windows are wide opened!

I am thinking......about what to make for this week's menu

I am thankful for......A God who is always so faithful to me, even when I forgot all the wonderful things he's done for me, for great friends who have listened to me bemoan the "teenage" years lately and for a great hubby who is on my team thankfully! haha

From the learning rooms........heading to the library today, for a long visit, Grace always wants to play on the computers there and complains I NEVER let her! ha

From the kitchen....double batches of Chocolate chip cookie dough and Peanut butter cookie dough. Made 6 dozen for a work bee at Jordan's school today, a dozen to eat and froze several dozen dough balls for future use!

I am wearing.....JEANS and a t shirt, some days don't you just love to snuggle into your favorite pair of soft jeans? the zipper broke on my favorite pair but if you don't tuck your t shirt in who's gonna know? ha and a gray t shirt

I am reading.....a fiction series about a Quaker Pastor by Phillip Gully, they are enchanting and fluffy! and Got Teens

I am hoping......to have a nice relaxing afternoon of nail salon and the library trip

I am hearing......the wind swishing through the trees and feeling the breezes blow in, love it!

Around the house.......pretty "tidy" yes, clean? NO!

One of my favorite things.........Apple stuff, apple pie, applesauce, apple muffins etc. When fall is approaching I'm thinking hot apple something........

A few plans for the rest of the week......Dinner and a movie with just Grace, Mike and the older kids going to an amusement park, letting Mike's aunt host a Pampered Chef party at my house, enjoying the last bits of summer fun, I do LOVE summer and swimming and sunning and playing outside, we'll play long into Fall outdoors, I also love having my kids to myself the entire day! boo hoo when school starts.....but they are ready and excited! You can go here to make up your own Daybook of fun!

Back after a long break........

2010-08-19T20:56:00.000-07:00

Well we're finally settled in at home for a while anyhow! we've had a fun summer for sure!

Mike had a church meeting this week and I usually send the snack so I always like to make something that sounds good to me too so I can snitch some myself so.....this week it was No bake cookies and Vegetable pizza! two of my favs. So here are the recipes, I love this recipe for No Bakes from my friend Vicky...I tweaked it a bit and I used dark cocoa which I love, I get it at a great Mennonite bulk food store, but you don't have to use it! and I think JIF is the ONLY peanut butter to use......haha Before you begin be sure to lay a long piece of waxed paper out on your counter to spoon the cookies out on to, it sets up fast so have this step ready, about 24" of paper should do nicely!

No Bakes:

2 C. sugar

3 Tb. dark cocoa

1/2 C. milk

1/4 C. butter

Melt butter, add milk, sugar and cocoa and boil this mixture hard for one minute, stirring. REMOVE from heat.

*Add:

1 ts. Vanilla

pinch salt

3/4 C. peanut butter

3 C. oatmeal

Drop onto waxed paper by Tbs. This recipe makes about 3 dozen cookies! delish!

Vegetable pizza:

1 roll canned Croissants

1-8oz block of cream cheese

1/3 C. Ranch dressing

1/4 ts. Seasoning salt

pepper

1-2 C. shredded Cheddar cheese (I love to shred my own for this, it makes nice long shreds that way and spreads nicely!)

2 broccoli crowns (two florets) washed and chopped fine, like pea sized (if you have a veggie chopper it works great!)

2 carrots, peeled and chopped the same

1/2 Red. pepper, cleaned and chopped the same

Open canned croissant and spread into a cookie sheet, you can use a small roller if you have it, that helps or your fingers (a 9 x 13 gives you a bit of a higher crust if you like) Bake according to can.

Meanwhile, mix cream cheese, Ranch dressing, seasoning salt, and a few dashes of pepper by hand or in a food processor.

After crust cools spread evenly with cream cheese mixture, sprinkle veggies on one and a time and TOP with cheese. Serve that day, since I find it gets very soggy if you make it too far ahead and it is done for the next day as far as the crust being crispy! p.s. You can use ANY veggies you like, I like to add black or green olives, green onions, other peppers.....your imagination is yours!

ENJOY the rest of summer.....Macy and I have a school shopping trip yet, we hope to go to the zoo in a few weeks, a few more picnics and many more pool days!

Good reading.......

2010-08-15T21:22:00.000-07:00

http://proverbs31devotions.blogspot.com/2010/08/damaged-goods.html

This was such a great read that I had to share the link for you to read it......don't we all feel like this at some point! and forget about what's "delightful" in our lives?

Give Away!

2010-08-10T20:45:00.000-07:00

Danielle is having a COOL coupon organizer give away....hurry over, it ends tonight!! I want to win it!!! She has some other cool give aways......you might win! so check out her sight.......her button is on my sidebar for quick navigation to her page!!!

Back from camp....on to more summer fun!

2010-08-10T19:39:00.000-07:00

Well we're back from a week at church camp......Church camp is trailers, mobile homes, tents, pop ups......any type of camping you can think of! It doesn't have a pool or pond, no biking or camp fires.......but it just draws you somehow each and every year! My kids love meeting friends they haven't seen for a year or having alot of time to spend with good church friends that camp too.....

There's an awesome play ground......this is my little red headed nephew Jacob who is a dear sweet soul.....how he loves to run all over camp and if we didn't force feed him I think he would skip meals all together at camp! haha We live in an old mobile home which is nice and spacious until bedtime when we try to fit 7 of us and sometimes 9 of us in there...then it seems a bit snug but we manage! My friend Leanne squeezes her 6 ducklings, a husband and herself into a far smaller trailer! haha she reminded me not to complain about our mobile! haha

There are services every morning at 10 a.m. with that one being a bible study style and seminars at 2:30 (which I only attended one day ha I read or napped the other days) and evening services at 6:45......every year it's such a time to refresh spiritually......yet it's exhausting too.....lots to wrap our minds around and pack in during those 10 days.....The last day I said to someone "I'm refreshed in spirit yet weary in body!" ha

The kids services are amazing, wild, fun, and right in touch with each age....all 3 of my kids had many times they felt God speaking to their hearts.....which is music to a parent's ear! Especially for Jordan and Macy's age....I love that they are refreshed in spirit too before they go back to school and get into a routine!

This is just the view of one street at camp......it's amazing how many campers can pack in.....evening service can have over 2000 people in it and this year there were 1000 that were 18 years old and UNDER! amazing......what a great thought that 1000 kids in the next generations to come are learning how to live with purpose and learning more and more about God!

Jordan had a ball hanging daily with friends......playing cards, one night a friend had a guitar and they sang praise songs on his friend's patio, they giggle and laugh and screech and have a ball.....I love hearing them tell each other what touched them at camp when they are on each others facebook pages.....it's all so worth the dust, rain, HOT HOT weather, stains that never come out, cooking every meal in an electric skillet, listening to 1000 kids run and scream(smile), pouty faces because they have to come home for a meal, cramped quarters, 2 minutes of hot water in the shower, power outages, and no McDonalds close by........ to learn more about God's word and learn practical things to get us through the day to day, to live it out in front of others to draw them to Him and to reach another generation.........and I'm not even the camping type! hahaha

We love summer for some many reasons......

2010-07-26T20:50:00.001-07:00

We're having the best summer! There are so many things fun about this summer......and some not so fun! Mike's Grandpa has has some tough times with his health this Spring and Summer and due to a fall, he had to spend time in a rehab center, some time in the hospital with some infections and back to the rehab center. The hopes were and ARE that he will be able to move into Senior apartments not far from our house.......but for now he moved to his son's and daughter in law's house .
Aunt Joann is a go getter and if anyone can get Grandpa on his feet and in good health again it's her! (smile) She's already lined up Dr's and rehab for him and we really all hope he will get back to some better quality of life soon! Joann is a superb gardener so I can already picture Grandpa out in a chair enjoying the yard! She's a good cook and I already heard he requested LIVER AND ONIONS...I think she said she made it for him today! (BLAK...shh don't tell her I said that!)
This photo was a cook out we had just last week a few days before Grandpa headed to his son's to stay. We had alot of great food, alot of fun, some tears but alot of laughs! Mike's brother and wife drove up to stay for a few days with their boys and that was nice for Grandpa and all of us!

Here's Grace hamming it up behind aunt Jill and Grandma Sharon (My mom).....as if they didn't know she was soooo cheesy! haha

The pool is a constant source of daily entertainment for us.....that pool has paid for itself over and over by now! I remember when Mike wanted to get a pool when we moved here 9 years and ago and I said no way, not until Grace was 5 and I could trust her a bit more and she had lessons. So poor Mike waited a long time and now we just love it!

It's been a great summer for the pool, nice hot temps......

If you can picture it, here's Jordan and the girls yelling to me "LOOK MOM!" and I glance up to catch someone doing a cannon ball or see a snorkel sticking out of the water......I'm usually in my favorite lounge chair, table aside of it with a cold water bottle, my favorite book on my lap and in my glory! Sunshine beaming down.....I'm what the kids call "a dipper!" ha I like to dip and sometimes float....wow I sound like an ice cream shop! I NEVER get my hair wet(I used to have alot of ear infections so putting my head under chlorinated water somehow makes me uneasy!) and the kids just love to try to beg me to do that......one day I plan to just go under and go for it right in front of them and shock them all.....haha

We laugh and laugh because Mike rarely is OUT of the pool but when he is it doesn't take long to find him in a chair head back, mouth open, soft snoring and sound asleep.......I do my best to keep the kids from bothering him or trying to "drip" on him.......I usually can for a while anyhow! Mike LOVES to be under water and in the pool......so of course he's deemed the "fun pool parent" ......but hey I can live with that!! haha

We're finding as Jordan gets older, he's working often or busy with his "social life" so when he does join in the pool fun the girls enjoy it.......he and Mike can get pretty wild in there and if the girls can pick a partner to get on their backs and ride around they do it! I'm savoring this summer especially with Jordan because I already imagine next summer he will have more hours that he will work, he is saving for a car that we said he could buy after his Jr. Year which is next summer......makes my throat tight thinking about it.........so FIDDLE DEE DEE as Scarlett would say I'll think about that tomorrow! For today IT'S SUMMER!!!

And more......

2010-07-17T17:48:00.001-07:00

This was one of my favorite houses....and to think, someone LIVES there in summer! wow....

Grace, living the dream....she and Mike took a carriage ride around part of the Island!

What can I say?

Butterfly house......Macy was freaking out but I was able to snap the picture! ha

Gorgeous church.......and the skyline above it made it more spectacular!

More vacation pictures....

2010-07-17T17:36:00.000-07:00

A statue in front of the Fort on Mackinaw Island! they all saluted him!

Another gorgeous gingerbread house on the Island, I still can't get over how quaint they were...wonder how that would go over here in town if I painted our house in pastels with white pickets?

Gorgeous view from the top of an arch ....the water is so clear! someone wrote in stones a love message to someone! haha so cute...imagine asking someone to marry you like this?

View of the bridge from Mackinaw City. Gorgeous! the water is crystal clear!

A Bed and Breakfast in the city.....AHH the gorgeous-ness of it all.....I told the kids I was going to take a picture and say this is where we stayed! haha I wanted to go on the porch and my kids were begging me "MOM NO DON'T!" HAHA I should've!

Vacation.......

2010-07-13T07:38:00.001-07:00

We just got back from vacation to Mackinaw city and Mackinaw Island! We had a great time.....Mackinaw Island is so quaint and the views are breath taking.......It's amazing to me all the gorgeous areas that are tucked away on that Island.....I wish I could fit more pictures.... I think I will have to post another set of pictures to show! Isn't it amazing too, how God creates such beautiful pictures in nature for us to look at and enjoy......Sometimes we would just stand there staring and saying "Wow!"

This is a picture we took on the Island with a view of the Mackinaw bridge in the back ground......the water is just pure sparkling blue.....you can see right to the bottom in the shallow areas it's so clear! Amazing that the people on this Island have this view on a regular basis......there was a beach here and the kids were enjoying sticking their feet in it after walking around the Island so much.....it was a hot day so this area was refreshing!

I HAD to have my picture taken in front of the Mackinaw Island library. We love going to the library at home so I was thrilled to see this there. I could just imagine living on that Island and riding my bike down the hill and checking out a book and sitting at the beach reading! How lucky the people are that do that! Every building and house are painted the most gorgeous colors, and the gardens are impeccable.......flowers do make all the difference in the world....and the sidewalks in this area are boardwalks so it adds to the charm.

The Island does not have any cars on it, the only modes of transportation are horse and carriage or riding bikes. We rented bikes for a few hours and rode around the scenic areas and later in the day Mike and Grace took a carriage ride way up into the high parts of the Island. Grace is such a horse lover that she was in her glory to take a ride with her daddy! Macy and Jordan opted out and so they walked with me through the shops and along the beach! it was so lovely! There were times Grace was naming the horses and she'd say "OH look there's an American painted horse!" haha so she was in her glory every time a horse and carriage passed.......She did have a few pouting moments when she saw people riding horseback through the Island and she said "OH I choose to do that, that's all I want to do!" Unfortunately that was not an option this trip...and since I'm very allergic to horses I wouldn't be able to do that anyhow.......She finally perked up and said "When I'm an adult I'm doing that!" haha and I'm SURE she will!

This was a gorgeous rock ark at the top of a trail above the water......you can see through it down to the water. See how you can see right into the water....it was just gorgeous and again it's amazing to me this has stood in this formation for years and years without falling! Gorgeous view! It was a LONGGGG narrow hike up a hill to get to this and we were breathing deep by the time we got there.....it was worth every step!

And last but certainly NOT least......The Grand hotel......it's the most gorgeous hotel on this Island. They hold Governors meetings on this Island and it was the setting for the movie Somewhere In Time (a great old movie) years ago with Christopher Reeves and Jane Seymour. The porch seems to go on for a mile and if you look closely on the picture you can see underneath the awnings it's painted light blue and the tour guide said that was to trick the birds into thinking it's sky so they will not try to make nests in there! Pretty clever! If you weren't staying at the Grand you had to pay $10 just to walk onto the porch or into the flower gardens.....so we passed since the view just standing in front of it was breathtaking enough and there were stunning flower gardens in front of it as well. Again I need to do another post with more photos......so stay tuned.........

This post doesn't nearly describe the beauty of the Island......if you've been there things will be familiar to you.......if not I hope you can go someday!! Our kids have never been so it was fun to see it through their eyes.......Macy and I just were in AWE of the gingerbread homes and the gardens.......See I just have to post more pictures of the homes alone! haha Hope you're enjoying your summer.......this was a nice part of ours!

Summer.......

2010-07-05T19:47:00.000-07:00

We're loving the summer at our house for certain!! Starting with summer foods....you have to love pulling out the grill or tasting the fruits and veggies of the season!! Mmm raspberries and blueberries in my cereal in the morning, and salads with fresh veggies on top and one of my favorite summer sandwiches!
Cut a loaf of Whole Wheat baguette in half and then cut those in half as well, spread lightly with butter and toast under the broiler just until slightly browned on top. Slice fresh tomatoes and layer on top of toasted bread, place cut up pieces of fresh basil over the tomato and sprinkle with salt and pepper, sprinkle with shredded Mozzarella cheese and return to broiler just until cheese is melted. Add a slice of fresh Avocado on top! MMM delish!! you can add a light drizzle of Italian dressing, Olive Oil or put mild banana peppers on top! (Macy and I have this weekly I think, she won't try the Avocado on hers though! ha)

We are thoroughly enjoying our pool......it's been so so SOOO hot this week especially! I love to lay out on the lounge chair and read and take a dip in between chapters! The kids love the pool and spend hours in there. This is a rare moment of no one splashing me, or saying "WATCH THIS!" or swimming underneath me.......haha I don't stay in long usually so they are right back at their games and diving!

And can I tell you about the Smores?? oh my the smores......I've had WAYYYY too many.....many many evenings out at the grill toasting up Marshmallows and squeezing their melty yummy goodness between graham crackers layered with CHOCOLATE SQUARES! OH MY..... and I know I've had too many because Sunday morning I was buttoning my pants.....well that's another story.....I've backed off for now and hiked up the exercising! I'm going to do a whole post on different ways to make a Smore to die for!! I found these Marshmallows that crack me up every time I see them.......so stay tuned!!

Our house is the party house in the summer which I love.......we have alot of Birthdays and we always host since we have "kid stuff" here for the cousins to enjoy and the pool is a fun way to have fun together! Yesterday we celebrated my nephew Jacob's 13th Birthday and July 4th all at once.......we had a blast and it was a HOT HOT HOT day and everyone enjoyed the pool!!

I hope you're all having a good summer so far.....Mike's on vacation this week so we're enjoying being lazy with him.....In the mornings we make special breakfast and the kids love it when he plays in the pool with them.......and of course we're late nighters so it's just all good!

Enjoy your summer everyone!!! I know I am!!

Getting cleaned up....

2010-06-28T17:31:00.001-07:00

The girls were at church camp all last week so I had plans to get some things re-organized and cleaned up.......started with this door. You can see the large bulletin board, it had a big poster of the times tables on it for Grace so I decided to take that off and actually have it to use for things more productive. (When I took the poster down I wasn't sure where to hang it so I got thinking that Grace sleeps in a bottom bunk so I put it between the slats of the top bunk so when she lays in bed she's staring straight at it and she needs to work on them for 4th grade anyhow....she was thrilled to see it and I've heard her repeating some! YAY!). ....ANYHOW....I also took down a nasty old stained up dry erase board and got a new one that has a corked edge so you can pin stuff to the edge...... ....see the cool cork edge......and the magnets are the DAYS OF THE WEEK love that....Target $4.99 for the magnets...they are rubber and so cool....the bulletin bd. was $12.99...not bad for a whole new clean slate so to speak...... Also to the right of the door you can see a silver mesh mounted letter holder for mail or file folders etc. I am always stuffing the calendar full of mail or reminders so I got that instead and I love it! also Target!! In total it was about a $35 project and well worth it!!

Also I replace a nasty old looking marked up chore chart (somehow there were always smudge marks on certain jobs and someone would say "I couldn't read it so I didn't know what to do!" ha really.....what's that old phrase "was I born yesterday??" ha) So when I was getting the new marker board I came across this actual Chore Chart at Target for $7.99....I was going to get individual small boards for each kid but I got this and used the days of the week for each chore instead of how they instruct you to use it........Of all the things I cleaned and sorted and re-did this was the kids favorite........NOT!

I found black sparkly stickers and made all new tags for the containers of crayons, markers etc. I had to get creative with some words since you only had so many letters to work with....haha you can click on the photo to enlarge it if you really want to see! I put the letters on colored card stock and then taped them on with packaging tape so it went over the entire card and letters! It took FOREVER to do this job but I did it in front of tv. so it wasn't too bad! Amazing how simply relabeling enticed the kids to use things they haven't touched in ages!!! go figure!

BUT before you are to impressed (I'm just assuming you are...hey I was impressed with myself...I enjoyed some peace and quiet and read alot and swam while they were away but I WAS very productive everyday.........so before you're too impressed don't be......I am now weeding through this pile of doll clothes........looks like a movie's worth of sorting here........so I'll be back with results another day perhaps.........Are you doing "Spring cleaning" in Summer.....My friend Leanne is going at her laundry room.....it's amazing check this out here to see what's she's doing.....apparently this pile of hers has grown and I told her to re post a new photo...I think people will be so impressed but she said no way! haha She's doing an awesome job, I told her if that's all she does ALL SUMMER that's an accomplishment in itself....6 kids and 2 parents worth of clothes to sort........IYIYI Be sure if you go to Leanne's blog to refresh the page and read her lovely post about her son Patrick's baptism yesterday....I missed it because we were stuck in a storm at my cousin's open house so I'm glad she posted!! Proud of that young man!

My day so far........

2010-06-19T07:17:00.000-07:00

FOR TODAY Outside my window...Sunshine and lots of it!! so happy about that!

I am thinking...about getting some morning cleaning done so I can thoroughly enjoy the day with my kidlets outside by the pool!

I am thankful for...my hubby who is the BEST daddy ever and we're so happy to celebrate him tomorrow and for my dad who is the greatest!

From the learning rooms...LOTS of reading over the summer!

From the kitchen...2 fried eggs, 1 pc. of buttered toast and one piece with 3 berry jam, sliced bananas with fresh raspberries on them! MMM was it yummy!

I am wearing...shorts and one of Mike's t shirts I wore to bed

I am creating...a cleaner house hopefully!

I am going...to get vacuuming and putting away laundry, not my favorite job!

I am reading...catching up on the MANY magazines I have that I've ignored

I am hoping...my day's work goes fast and we have the best day EVAH!!

I am hearing...DVD of I Love Lucy!

Around the house...Getting ready to host Father's day lunch tomorrow and Mike finishing putting a new roof on our Sun porch

One of my favorite things...SUMMER VACATION WITH MY FAMILY!

A few plans for the rest of the week: So excited to go see Toy Story 3 late afternoon with Mike's aunt, Father's day lunch tomorrow with family and lots of sun/pool/and chalk drawing!!! Our dog is having surgery on Weds. to have a LARGE bladder stone removed and we're so blessed that my cleaning job covers the cost exactly and besides the cost of NOT having a sick dog....Priceless, I've had it with her sickness and messes! ha

Here is picture for thought I am sharing.....HAPPY FATHER'S DAY TO THE GREAT FATHER'S IN MY LIFE!! I'M SO BLESSED!

http://thesimplewomansdaybook.blogspot.com/ Go and make your own Daybook fun here!

Strictly for your entertainment.....

2010-06-16T08:02:00.000-07:00

Ok so this is strictly for your entertainment, because it was NOT funny to me at the time......however whenever I relay the story, my friends think it's hysterical!

So......I am in Kohl's, a local department store a few weeks ago trying on clothes and trying to find a DRESS.....I do not really like dresses so much but this was a casual dress that was almost like a Camp shirt style dress that buttons up the front like a blouse with a belt on it. It was cute and simple and could be dressed up or down so I think, hmmm I'll give it a shot......So I'm in the fitting room and I'm thinking why take my jeans off all the way......I'll just drop them down to my feet and try the dress on......so I do that.

I pulled the dress up over my legs and proceed to push both arms into the 3/4 length sleeves....well I tend to have bigger arms in the sleeve area (despite all those triceps work outs..... still jiggly!)......so I get the sleeves part way up and I'm thinking "hmm they feel kind of snug......" but there are buttons at the sleeves so I think, I'll just unbutton them. So I pull it all the way on and button it and it's TOOOO tight in the sleeves.....So I reach for the button on the sleeve and they are DECORATIVE! So I decide I can't get this dress even though I liked it the sleeves can't be altered.......so I unbutton it and guess what? I cannot budge the sleeves off because as I'm pulling my arms it's moving up and getting tighter.

Now this goes on for at least 10 minutes, I'm not kidding here......and because I have both arms caught I cannot get a hand up to slip my finger in and pull it down and the more I'm trying to reach the back of the dress and pull it down my arms pull it tighter.

So I stand there.....looking at myself with my jeans at my ankles and the dress is flung wide because now it's unbutton all the way to my belly and it's so tight so my bra is right out there and I'm realizing I'm going to HAVE TO CALL SOMEONE IN TO HELP ME........and I look myself over again, a red hot clammy feeling comes over me in a panic.....realizing whoever comes in is going to have to practically rip the sleeves down, my bra is right out there, and the jeans.....yep around my ankles belt and all.......so I pray really quick and just do this wriggling dancy stretching ready to rip the dress and pay for it anyhow stretch and VOILA one arm comes loose........so I finally wriggle out of it, it didn't rip and I had to sit down and breath a minute.

As I said this was not funny at the time at all, I'm telling you I had those red marks for DAYS people....when I showed Mike he couldn't believe it! But it's another thing to justify Mike comparing me to Lucy Ricardo!

(p.s. Yes this is me with craft lights in my hair...I bought them for a mini Christmas tree and the girls put them in my hair and said "mom you like everything that's sparkly now your hair can be too!" haha)

Onion rings!

2010-06-15T05:50:00.001-07:00

We love onion rings, just not the fat they pile on! So in searching for a great baked recipe I found one to try and this was a really good recipe and really satisfied that fast food flavor!

3 med./large onions, sliced and broken into rings

2 eggs beaten

1 C. bread crumbs

1/2 ts. salt

1/4 ts. pepper

1/4 ts. paprika

Slice onions and break into rings, soak onions in cold water for 30 mins. (or more if you need to be gone), drain and dry well.

Beat eggs and place into bowl for dipping. Place bread crumbs, salt, pepper and paprika into shallow dish (I use a pie plate). Dip onions into egg mixture and then into bread crumb mixture. Place on sprayed baking sheets. Lightly spray tops of dipped onion rings on baking sheet and bake 20 mins. in 400* oven.

Serve these up with a juicy burger off the grill and a yummy salad or some sauteed mushrooms! mmm great summer meal!

Macy's Birthday!

2010-06-08T10:51:00.000-07:00

Yesterday June 7th was Macy's 12th. Birthday! Where has the time gone? She is such a delight......I remember being so "upset" she was moving on to 6th. Grade and now it's nearly over...... She mainly asked for money when family asked what she wanted for her Birthday and she got plenty of it......she's starting to enjoy "shopping" and fashion a bit more this year.....I don't think I can allow the girl to have another pair of flip flops and with saying that I bought her TWO pair for her Birthday......guess I can't complain then! ha

She's always so smiley and gracious when she gets a gift......that makes it fun to give to her!! she had big smiles when CASH fell out of a card!! and everyone would laugh!!

Jordan and Grace were very thought-filled and clever with their gifts. Grace bought a wallet at Aeropostle for Macy but she made a card to go with it and printed up a coupon she created for making Macy's bed for a WEEK! and Jordan got her favorite gum and a card with a coupon in it to take her to Arby's for lunch on him....her favorite fast food! so I thought that was kind of nice!!
We had a lot of fun at her party, she chose a Hawaiian theme and we left some of it up since she's having a friend Birthday/pool party this Saturday!! Another great day for another great kid!!!
(p.s. the song is for Macy...haha she digs it ya know?)

Weekend Daybook.......

2010-06-05T18:09:00.000-07:00

For today: A bit of rain, some sunshine and summer is coming in with a green and gorgous floral bang! 9 more days of school.......yay!!

I am thinking...about what a hard week Mike has had with his Grandpa in and out of the hospital and helping make decisions as to where it's best for him to be staying right now...aging isn't so easy!

I am thankful for...feeling better, I was sick in bed for a few days with a sinus infection and cold....went to the Dr. finally and am feeling on the mend!

From the learning rooms...the girls are scrambling to read to put in their last points for accelerated reader at school!

From the kitchen...Roast with sweet red gravy, potatoes, corn and berry chocolate shortcakes!

I am wearing...PJ pants, and a snoopy t shirt

I am creating...some Birthday party ideas for Macy's upcoming 12th Birthday party next weekend!

I am going...to soak in a hot bubble bath and read!

I am reading...Susanna's Garden, by Debbie Macomber

I am hoping...to feel 100% energy back tomorrow, and get back into my exercise routine and home routine!

I am hearing...The Muppet Show, DVDs I got for Christmas, what a good old show that is, Grace is laughing and laughing! music to my ears!

Around the house...It's in pretty good shape since I've been home so much this week and everyone pitched in and I was able to clean alot yesterday!

One of my favorite things...My new Miles Davis CD I ordered off Amazon ....used of course! Miles is one of Cliff Huxtables fav's ya know? ha such sweet listening....my mama says "this music puts me to sleep!" haha but I say pop it in at dinner with 5 of us at the table....ahh Then she said "now that I could handle!" ha

A few plans for the rest of the week: Sunday we're actually home and resting.....imagine that! Monday we're having all of our family over for MACY'S 12TH BIRTHDAY! She's so excited about her Birthday this yr. We do parties on their 5, 8, 10, 12 and 13th. Birthday's that way I wasn't having to throw a party every year three times a yr. so this is HER YEAR! and it's a pool party next Sat!! fun times!! She is growing up so lovely!

Here is picture for thought I am sharing. My mama also said I don't get enough pictures of the "Night in Shining Armor" on my blog......so here goes......in his favorite pose...being silly!

Give aways......

2010-05-31T18:26:00.001-07:00

Danielle is having an awesome giveaway AGAIN.......you could win a really cute pair of shoes from her blog! hurry over to her site......go to her button on the side of my blog Finally Finding Me!! plus she has some really cute give aways coming up this week too!

Happy 16th Birthday to Jordan......

2010-05-25T09:23:00.000-07:00

Well today's the big day, we head up to the Secretary of State's office so Jordan can get his driver's license today! He is 16 today! yikes.......Time flies when you're having fun? Where has the time gone? It's almost a blur to me yet I have so many great memories......

When I was 37 weeks pregnant with Jordan I had an appointment about an hour from home to try turning him from outside the belly because he was breech.....well that very unpleasant appointment put me into labor and I begged to be driven back home to deliver there......they allowed it and our insurance covered that ride since I had to go by ambulance. I remember being so scared knowing I was facing a C Section yet very peaceful and I was singing "There's a Sweet Sweet Spirit in this Place" and I'm sure the attendant could hear! Late late that night he was born and crying out for mama.......Mike was just a GEEK because he was so spaz, and nervous.....There's video of him talking to our parents just before Jordan was born and he is just a NUT....it makes me laugh especially the way our parents are looking at him.......Like smirking slightly.......He was a proud daddy and a bit woozy too during the surgery.....I did NOT enjoy having that surgery but the result was well worth it!

We stayed in the hospital a few days since it was a C Section and the day we were to go home I felt horrible......I had been on Morphine for pain and it made me very ill and I just wanted to get in the van and go straight home......it was a 25 minute drive or so and we are getting wheeled out and there's Mike standing by a BIT OLE WHITE LIMO........Now I know some of you are going "Awe.....how sweet" Well I just groaned and it was as bad as I thought........this little baby is next to us screaming his little head off, both sets of parents are ahead of us in their cars, the driver is talking to Mike on and on and asking if we need to stop to do something for the baby and I'm bugging my eyes out at Mike and he says "No getting home would be best!" haha we pull up and it takes me 15 mins. to walk 4 steps because of my own pain, Jordan is screaming, my mom is rifling through the diaper bag for the tiny little bottles, it's 90 degrees outside and we have no A/C at the house we're going to.........and I did NOT appreciate the Limo drive at all.....Poor Mike, but I didn't let on until years later......now it's so funny to remind him about that miserable ride! ha

Anyhow.......the bond I developed with Jordan was amazing.....he was the delight of my life and Mikes and his grandparents and all of our friends. We were the first in our group of friends, many single that had a child so we had many friends over that did baby duty...even diapers! ha

Today I thought about a time when Jordan was about 4 and Toy Story was his THING let me tell you...he walked about with his Woody Doll and Buzz everywhere.....we have him on video standing at a wall with a cowboy hat on singing "You've Got a Friend in Me........" unreal to me now and I could weep thinking about that......he had a speech problem then too and couldn't say his "s or z" properly it came out "eth" and "thee" love it!

Over the years he's gotten kicked out of Sunday School for hitting too much, read the most books in 3rd. grade, was President of National Honor society, accepted the Student leader of the year award, led a friend to Christ, and is a wonderful Godly young man full of character and integrity......His daddy has been a great model of treating people better than yourself!

Jordan I love you, and adore you, I already miss you because I know before I know it you're heading out into life to do great things.......Always walk with God and Do Hard Things!! I love you, I'm proud of you, I like you so much, and am proud you're such a great human being!!!

21 years ago......

2010-05-19T12:30:00.000-07:00

21Years ago today I married my precious wonderful sweet Mike.....We got married at 5:00 on a Friday night and the weather was just like today....gorgeous and sunny! We had 18 people in our wedding party.....and we had a blast! We had a wonderful wedding, better than I could have dreamed! Gone With the Wind was the style around that time and boy did we have that style! ha I wanted my dress to rival Cinderella's and I think I was close......you could not have gotten another ruffle on it! ha and the train oh the luscious long train......I loved it!
Our wedding colors were pink and light plum.....the guys wore dusty rose jackets and the best man wore a darker plum jacket...(the guys were not thrilled at these lovely colors, I don't know why! ha)
We had alot of fun.......Mike surprised me with a Horse and Carriage awaiting us to drive us about half a mile to our reception place! I just stood there staring at that carriage and laughed hysterically for five full minutes.......it was such a surprise and everyone had as much fun seeing my reaction as Mike arranging it! So Cinderella indeed......

The funniest part about our honeymoon (which then was NOT funny) was arriving in the Poconos for a lovely honeymoon package we purchased......Well we drove up to it and it was run down, and they gave us the key and on the way to the room (you drove around to it) the pools were empty and green.....the lawns long and the room.......IYIYI BUGS........That's all I can say......so Mike directed me to call my dad and see if he could arrange for us to head on to Florida the next day to Orlando and he was heading to the desk to CHECK US OUT! So......I call home and as soon as my dad answered I started SOBBING and could barely squeak out a word....so imagine my dad's reaction.....He doesn't know what's up and he is constantly saying "Where's Mike? Where's Mike?" (I'm not sure what he thought) ha so long story short.....we got a refund, spent the night in town and drove a million hours it seemed to Florida and had the time of our LIVES......Disney was so much fun!

Every year has gotten sweeter and sweeter (thankfully haha) and I can truly say Mike is my best bud.....We laugh and laugh, we've cried, we're raising these ungrateful kids together...that merits dinner out in itself, and he is truly a man of God......he lives to do anything for anyone.....His heart is on his sleeve for the taking and I'm one LUCKY and blessed chick!! Here's to 50 more years with that wonderful man .....(well maybe not 50....but who knows we could live to a ripe old age! ha)

Women's Daybook....

2010-05-13T08:03:00.000-07:00

FOR TODAY
Outside my window...It's raining and blowing so I'm embracing it and lighting candles, I made a pot of green peach tea and put my hanging flowers out in the rain!

I am thinking...about a reception I'm helping with this Sunday and trying not to worry that I won't do a good job decorating or having ENOUGH food!

I am thankful for...a husband who really loves his wife and comes home everyday and "lives" it!

From the learning rooms...reading reading reading!

From the kitchen...Grilled fish, baked potatoes and squash!

I am wearing...Black track pants, gray and pink long sleeved t shirt, black vest.

I am creating...PHOTO ALBUMS....blah, not my favorite job but I'm getting at it TODAY! we take alot of pictures in Spring since we have alot of Birthday's in Spring so more will be coming in!

I am going...to maybe make a fire and put in a movie and get at the photo albums!

I am reading...Loving Your Teen (*smile*)

I am hoping...that it's a GORGEOUS sunny day tomorrow night for a friend's wedding!!

I am hearing...rain falling against the windows!

Around the house...LAUNDRY LAUNDRY AND MORE LAUNDRY clean in baskets calling to........MY CHILDREN! ha

One of my favorite things...the weekends with Mike and the kids!

A few plans for the rest of the week: Doing some BIG shopping for the food for the reception Sunday night I'm helping with (thankfully Mike's working home so he's helping unload it!), going to our dear friend's wedding Friday night, celebrating my b day (again ha) with Mike's aunt, and laying around alot reading I hope!

Here is picture for thought I am sharing...Heading to watch Singing In the Rain while I sort photos.......what a great day for it since it's raining and will be most of the day!!! I LOVE old movies.....they give me that warm fuzzy feeling, they are wholesome and usually funny! Have a GREAT weekend all my good friends!! (I hope you had your speakers on to enjoy this song from Gene Kelly.......a little trivia: did you know Gene Kelly had a 104* temp while doing this famous rain song?)

Go over here and work out your own fun daybook....it's always surprising to me how good my days really are after I write it out! ha

What a weekend!

2010-05-11T13:06:00.000-07:00

What a great Mother's Day and Birthday weekend I had! Today is actually my Birthday but we always celebrate with extended family the Sunday before or after so it was Mother's Day this yr. for celebrating!

Friday night Mike had surprised me with tickets to Disney's Beauty and the Beast at our local theatre and it was AWESOME I just loved it.....the girls loved it too and Grace leaned over to me during the show and said "tell dad thanks for the tickets....I love this show!" Awe.....My friend was the wardrobe and her kids were in it as well......

We decided to celebrate Mother's Day breakfast on Saturday because Sunday's tend to be a bit hectic getting ready for church. They brought me a delicious fruit salad and orange juice to start and then this delicious Spinach Quiche and hot Peach tea! Grace joined me in bed for a while and we enjoyed snugglin!! We spent the rest of the day relaxing, I even took a bubble bath and read a book for a long time.......it was great!

Saturday night my best buddies took me out to dinner to the cutest place called the Atrium.....it was SO charming! I wish I had a picture of the inside of it...there was a Christmas tree up all decorated in pinks and crystal ornaments and just charming stuff all over the PLACE!! I had THEEEE best Peach/Berry Crumb pie EVAH!!! oh man.......was it divine I wish I had a piece RIGHT NOW! ha
Mother's day was full of sunshine and flowers and hugs and kisses.....I loved the entire day!!! The kids did so many things to make it special. Macy did some decorating that was something out of Martha Stewarts kitchen.....it was gorgeous! she did all white decorations and sprinkled colored buttons down the table and clipped a great big bouquet of Lilacs off our bushes! It was lovely......Jordan made Bruschetta and Grace was busy coloring Mother's day pictures.......Mike grilled my favorite burgers and Macy made a delectable Chocolate Trifle! mmmm goodness!

I got so many GREAT things for my Birthday: Hanging flowers, gift cards to the flower market (oooh lala), cashola, g. cards, a new lounge chair, awesome canisters......and more! I was one blessed gal.....I'm so thankful for another great year and SO VERY VERY BLESSED!