No David

Thanksgiving 2010

Each Thanksgiving gets better and better as we have more family moving down, or kids to take part of our Thanksgiving traditions.  (don't worry no more kids to take part...the 2 we have are just great, lol)  This year Gabe really wanted to make some chex mix.  I was thrilled to make it because growing up that was a tradition my grandma used to do each year.  She would literally fill an 18 gallon tote full of it.  Along with carmel corn too.  She would always have it on hand to use as a gift or set out for when company would stop by.  It's a great idea.  Who doesn't like chex mix & carmel corn?  Well, I'll be honest Gabe & I agreed that the only parts of the chex mix that we like were the pretzels & the chex.  So, that's how we made it.

We had so much fun!  After we made it all, cooked it for an hour...Gabe didn't like it.  :-(  Oh well, the rest of us did!

Thanksgiving Morning

We obviously kicked off the morning with the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade!  I can't wait until the day we bring our kids there.  All that crazy, chaos and excitement looks like so much fun!  One day! 

Breakfast Included

Toaster Strudle/Waffles (my kids are addicted)

Sausage Balls

Ham & Cheese Quiche

Lil' Smokies in an Apple Maple Glaze

Banana Bread

and lots of SNUGGLE time on the couch!

Mid-Day Snacks

Olive/Pickle Tray

Chex Mix

Beef Stick/Cheese & Crackers

Ham Rolls

 the olive monster....ahhhhhh!

 The family also played a little Candy Land and Uno Attack while I 

got things cookin' in the kitchen & Lily took her nap.

This is what our table looked like.  I printed out the leaves for the place cards that I found here.

We all dove into the Thanksgiving goodness!

 don't worry it's just Watermelon juice! :-)

 yummy!

I was proud of my gravy.  I usually get my MIL to make it that way if it comes out bad they can just blame her, ha!  This year I took on the challenge.  I was a little nervous I'm not gonna lie.  But I kept thinning, and whisking, and flouring, and whisking, and thinning, and fretting....until perfection!  I thought it was great & I heard no complaints when they were consuming it.  :-)

 The family's all ready....except my mom was working.  She came and ate later!

Gabe wanted to eat the drumstick like Poppie!  Fine with me!  I like the white meat better!  :-)  He ate just about all of it too!  

We ended our day with lots of laziness, dessert, more eating, deal hunting, and lots of quality time spent together.  We had a great Thanksgiving!  Hope you did too!

Our Super Cool Lunch

So I posted about this great lunch idea a few weeks ago!  We finally decided to give it a try over Thanksgiving break.  My kids LOVED it!  So much fun!  They thought they were so special!  

I served apples with carmel, nuggets with ranch, mac and cheese, and a hershey treasure!

 Gabe and Lily digging in!

So much fun!  Thanks Lunch 360!

Thanksgiving Feast

I haven't been very good at updating my blog this holiday...hopefully I will be a little better at Christmas posts.  :-)  (one can be hopeful)  Gabe had a feast at his school with the whole Kindergarten class.  Here are some pictures from it.  

The whole family came (except Poppie he was working)

 My sweet Gabe

 His creations!

 Lily digging in!

 Seriously, how proud can I be?  

 What we are all thankful for...we did this as homework!

 The tree they made

 Gabe & Addison

 Lily, Addison, Gabe & Isaiah 

Fun times!  Great memories!

Turkey Cookie Fun

I went on-line to scope out what kind of turkey cookies there were out there because lets be honest I have been waiting for the day that my kids go to school & I get to make fun stuff with them for each holiday there is!  I don't know who was more excited about the cookies, me or Gabe!  :-)  I stumbled across these ones!  I couldn't resist!  Just look how adorable they are!

So, I gathered all of my ingredients:

2 pkgs double stuffed oreos

Reese PB Cups

Whoppers

Candy Corn

White Icing

Food Coloring

Of course one cute helper!

 I colored some of my white icing orange with the food coloring.

 You put a little icing in-between the cookies & gently stick in candy corn

(I stuck mine in the fridge until they set up)

 Squeeze icing on bottom oreo & place feathers on top, add the pb cup (slice off a small part of it to make it have a flat surface)

 Add the whopper for the head, white icing for the eyes, and black for the eyeballs, orange for the feet!

 Ta-da!  They are done!

 So cute!

The kids loved them at Gabe's feast!

Thankful

As I stood at my sink tonight doing dishes for I think the 100th time today I thought about the things I was thankful for.  Of course I am thankful for the obvious things like my family, friends, and Jesus.


I am thankful that I can stand at my sink & get the front of my shirt wet every time I do the dishes...that I have milk cups that take 15 minutes to disassemble and clean even though often times I complain about it.  I am still glad I see them in my sink every day.  I am thankful that I can cook & clean for my family....even though I will have to do it all again in a half an hour (at least the clean part).  It makes my heart happy when I finish folding laundry and Lily looks up & says, Thank You mommy.  My heart is grateful that I have that laundry to fold.  I love that I can make special treats for the holidays.  Even if it is just a bag of mixed nuts for my husband to crack open and enjoy.  I am thankful for my mother-in-law and that we all get along & she loves Jesus.  I am so thankful that my parents live here and take the time to invest in my kids life on a daily basis.  Like stopping by just to bring ice cream...so what if it is right before bed.  I love it!  I am blessed beyond measure with Godly friends who take time out of their schedules daily to pray together for our husbands & families.  I am so thankful that I have the opportunity to witness Jesus meet the needs of those around me.  He is forever faithful & our great provider.  I am thankful for a ministry that I am able to be a part of & that God calls me worthy enough to lead.  I am so glad that my kids love being together as a family, doing family things...playing games, snuggling, watching movies.  I am so thankful that they love Jesus as much as they know how and sing praises to Him.  What joy it brings me...I cannot imagine the joy it brings to the Father.  I am thankful God allows me to be creative & that I am able to use the gifts & talents he has given me.  I am so thankful that Gabe is so thoughtful of others.  I am thankful that my husband works so hard for his family.  I am thankful that he loves his kids, spends time with them, and truly invests in their lives on a daily basis.  I am thankful that God loves me more than I will ever know!  I feel like a blessed woman.  God has truly blessed me with great things that I don't think I could ever sum up all the gratitude & thankfulness that overflows from my heart.  I hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving!  Many blessings!

Take Heart Blog Giveaway

Go on over to my friend Danielle's fabulous Blog, Take Heart for a chance to snag some of these fun giveaways!  Make sure you check her blog out even if you don't know her you will feel like you do.  Her blog is so full of passion and realness that you will get lost skimming through it!  She is so adorable, a wonderful momma & wife, and she loves Jesus with all her heart.  She has the best pictures & music!  I am often envious of her amazing talents God has blessed her with.   Be sure to check back each monday for she always has something new!  

Fall

Often times during the week life seems so full & so busy

 that I don't always get to take time out...

 to bring my kids for a walk, ride their bike, or go for a wagon ride.

So today we did just that!  We stopped by the park to play

We captured the beauty of fall all around us.  Yes, even in West Texas!

Gabe rode his bike 1.3 miles, seriously?  I was so proud of him.  I even snapped a few pictures of Lily in our front yard!

God is good!

360 Lunch Boxes

My friend Jen had "liked" this facebook page and as a mom of a child who hates school lunch it grabbed my attention.  I just knew it would have to be about kids and it was!  So, I checked them out.  She had this really fun idea on how to serve lunch to your kids at school and at home.  I think we will definitely be doing this one over Thanksgiving break!

She had a lot of cute, fun ideas on sending things in your kids lunch boxes!  I know I always need some fresh ideas so go check out her stuff here!

Look What I Found

I thought Lily was being awfully quiet this morning which we all know that is never a good thing.  The last time I checked on her (5 mins. prior) she was pulling books off Gabe's shelves & looking at them & I told her to get a few & get out of his room.  She always destroys it!  So I assumed she went into the living room with her books & where the TV was on.  So I did a couple things & went to go check on her thinking she was still in Gabe's room this whole time.  I went there to look & she wasn't there.  So I checked her room, not there.  She must be laying on the couch & I didn't see her, nope, wrong again!  I looked in Gabe's closet (where the toys are) and in her room again, not there.  I went to my room thinking she got into the lotion or bandaids again!  Oh no it was much worst!  This is what I found!

She had ripped my makeup bag apart!  She had bronzer beads crushed on the floor & into the knees of her jeans, broke my headband, pulled my make-up brushes apart, had earrings, on the floor, pulled out things from under the sink, had a gob of fiber gum (hair product) smeared across her head, and was in the midst of unscrewing mascara when I found her.  As she so cutely put her thumb in her mouth as I began to discipline her!  Oh boy!

It Happened to Me!!!

The past couple days it has been windy around here and Lily left eye has been a little gunky from her allergies.  We gave her a little allergy medicine and it seems to help.  I promised Gabe this week that I would do lunch with him at school one day and I have put it off each and every day so today being Friday was going to be the day!  Well, Lily woke up not feeling the best.  She had a low grade fever (from her allergies I think) so I gave her better medicine...Zyrtec and some Motrin to help with her fever.

The mornings have gotten colder here and today was only like 36 degrees out...freezing!  Poor Gabe only has 2 pairs of pants for school and so he would wear one & I would wash one and this has been working because he would wear shorts too so if I didn't get the other pair washed it was no big deal he would wear shorts!  Well, he has had to wear pants every day this week so the task of doing laundry every day was a must so he could have those pants to wear!  I told Bill I was going to go to Target today and get more pants because this was ridiculous, ha!  So, I gave Lily a bath, who already didn't feel the best, and took her out to Target to get Gabe more pants for school.  We did our shopping & were getting ready to leave & I remembered I had to grab one more thing.  Well, I went to turn down the aisle and an older lady was taking the whole aisle up & you could just tell it would be awhile before you would make it to the other end.  So, I turned the cart and my worst nightmare came true!  Lily fell out of the back of the cart!  She rarely sits in the way back but she wasn't feel very well so I agreed to it.  We were almost done so by this time I have asked her over and over again to sit down and have finally given up.  There she was laying on her back on the floor crying so I scooped her up & held her tightly.   As everyone gawked in shock I just kept telling her it was okay and how sorry I was and the audience finally dissipated.  I made my way back to get my TP...I didn't care about the deals or the bargain I just grabbed my 1000 sheets and got out of the store!  She just rested her sweet little head on my chest as we checked out like she was just defeated.  I felt so terrible.

We made it to McDonalds and grabbed Gabe his lunch of choice and we went to school & ate with him.  As soon as we got to the car she fell asleep!  Bless her little heart!

Shutterfly

My sister-in-law shared a link on her blog about a promotion that Shutterfly is running.  You should check out their site and take a look at all their great Christmas cards!  We always order picture cards at the holidays.  With two kids, a husband, and a new business handmade cards are no longer an option!  Photo cards are the best way to go.  Now if I can just get that photo shoot booked! (have only been trying to get pictures done since July, ha!)  

I love bright colors, and I love monogramming....these are some of my favorite ones!

I really like the black too for something a little different!

This has totally motivated me to get those pictures done so I can get my photo cards ordered!

They also have photo calendars which I think these ones are super cute!  They showcase 1-4 photos, have a built in easel, and are printed on high quality cardstock.  

What grandparent wouldn't love this as a gift this year?  Don't forget they not only do holiday cards and calendars but you can get custom baby shower invitations, announcements, and party invitations...etc.  If you want a picture or personalization on it check them out first!  Plus they have great, affordable prices!

Menu Planning

I have been back and forth with menu planning.  I do it for a season okay more like a week or two...and  then I quit.  I often find myself struggling with what to cook for dinner.  I hate not knowing what I am fixing, go to the grocery store without a list...or worst you have that mental list always running, and ideas for dinner but you forget half of the ingredients at the store and have to make several trips out during the week.  Something so fun as cooking becomes begrudging and going to the store once again becomes such a chore.

These past 2 weeks I have decided to do a menu for 2 weeks at a time and then I only have to get groceries 2x's a month.  I am almost at the end of my second week and it has been AMAZING!  I even did Gabe's lunches for school and it has made my mornings so much quicker & smoother!  We do swing by the store for milk and creamer of course :-)  We MUST have our coffee-mate!

Here is our menu for the past 2 weeks!  I am looking forward to planning for the next 2 weeks!  Do you have any fun menu planning tips?

Week 1
Crockpot Chicken, Scalloped Potatoes, Green Beans
Taco Fiesta Chicken Lasagna
Grilled Halibut, rice, squash/zucchini
Left Over Night
Steak, Potatoes, Broccoli
Taco Night
Grilled Cheese & Tomato Soup

Week 2
Chicken & Dumplings
Breakfast for dinner
Chicken & Black Bean Casserole
Beef Stew
Pepperoni Bread with Marinara
Chili
Left Over Night

Blog Button

So I just made this button for my other blog which is for my business...(you can feel free to grab & add it to your blog!) and this tutorial my sister in law sent me was GREAT!  So click the link & make one for yourself!

Make a button for your blog!