Thinking 'bout the beach

I came across this while going through vacation files.
I will never forget Peyton's first time at the beach. He wasn't crazy about the sand between his toes.
Advent begins tomorrow.
I will try to do something nice for someone each day.

Getting ready for the holidays

I'm seriously getting a jump on the holidays this year. I've gotten gifts for Peyton and Chloe, a super I'll-score-points gift for my mil, KNOW what I'm getting Glen (he's the hardest to buy for), AND I'm making a journal of the holidays this year. I'm getting everything ready in advance so all I'll have to do is journal and add a photo or two each day. Here's the junk I've gathered for it. I will NOT buy any more paper - I'm working with what I've got. This is for the online class that Shimelle is teaching. Bought this book for my nervous son-in-law, "Owner's Manual for Raising a Baby". It's not a joke. It's the real thing! Has diagrams that look like something you'd see on a road sign. Thought he'd just laugh it off and tuck it away, but I found him getting all caught up in it. He was surprised to read that diapers need changing more than once a day. LOL!
This is my sweeter-than-sugar niece, Katie. She came to help me with Thanksgiving dinner and got a few pointers in the kitchen. Love love love this kid!
I didn't camp out for any bargains at the stores today. I'll pay the extra and not have to worry about emptying my bladder while hoping to get 1 of 5 laptops for $50 in a crowd of 1500 people.
To those of you who did actually brave the chaos today, I hope it was a success.

love
p

It doesn't get any better than this.

Thanksgiving Day is by far my favorite holiday. I get to cook, decorate the house in my favorite fall colors, and best of all - my family is all (mostly) here, under one roof. I think that this is year #20 for Glen & I hosting this holiday. We've come a long way from that first year of shoving a 20 pound turkey in the microwave with the therometer probe (remember those things?) to finish cooking. My friend, Colleen, likes to remind me of that year when I was buying that big old frozen turkey the night before. After dinner the sink backed up and we had to wash all the dishes in the bathtub. But we still kept doing it and this year was about my favorite. I had prepared the time consuming dishes, like turkey and mashed potatoes, the night before so I could actually sit and visit with family instead of staying in the kitchen while everyone else had a good time. Also, my sweet niece, Katie, came the night before and helped me decorate the house which was mostly cleaned by my sister last Saturday. Mom stood at the counter in her back brace and made the pumpkin pies. Glen cleaned and dressed the turkey. He asked me why everyone assumed that this was his job. I told him that if it wasn't done by him that we'd be eating a Honey-Baked turkey. He finished his task. Linda is always in charge of the dinner rolls at the last minute. This year my sister was helping her and neither one of them could read the baking time on the back of the package. Then they had to try to set the timer. Another challenge. Finally they decided just to throw the things in the oven and pull them out when they were browned. Those two have brains, I tell ya'.
Chloe proudly wore her Indian shirt, headress, and necklace she made in school. She happily told anyone who would listen to her the half hour long story she had written in "Indian" on the front of it. She's a very clever little girl and OH SO SWEET!
Peyton would NOT take off his orange hunting hat that Grandpa Glen had given him.
And this is what I mean when I say................................
it doesn't get any better than this!
I am thankful for my family.
They are quite a bunch.
I love each and every one of them.
Happy Thanksgiving!

ps.....I simply detest Christmas decorations being put on display before Thanksgiving. I decided this year to put my Irish tree in the dining room so everyone who has given me the beautiful ornaments over the years could see it. Chloe & Peyton reminded me how strongly I feel about people who do this, so we decided that we will just call this the Celebration of Folk tree. It will now become a new Thanksgiving tradition for us to put this one up early.

Warning: This could gross you out

Thank goodness hunting season is over. My mother-in-law can put her rosary away (well, she never can put it away because we need all the prayers we can get and thankfully she realizes that and keeps them going up for us. Bless her heart!)
Anyway......my sweet daughter-in-law and I decided to drive to "deer camp" aka "Ritz on the Range" to see our guys. On the way she received a call from Joey. "I got my first deer!" That is in FIRST. Ever. He has just taken up the sport this year and has jumped in full-speed (and quite nicely dressed) as he does with everything. Lucky for him and his dad, cousin Ron has several hundred acres where the deer and the antelope, along with their brood, play. Glen and Joey got an invite to join them. So Abby and I pull up just as the boys were bringing in Joey's prize.
Now, for those of you who know me well just know that I am not a fan of this sport at all. Deep down in my heart I didn't think any son of mine would be able to pull the trigger on Bambi. When we got out of the car they were dragging the poor little thing out of the back of the truck. I decided it was best to use an alternate entrance and therefore I don't have a photo to share of the "kill". I do believe that one of the younger boys may have gotten one for him, but I didn't want to see it, much less have it in my photo files. So I waited until the worst was over and got a couple of shots that I could handle. Here they are............

Rob, the gourmet, making sure that Joey doesn't do anything that will cause the meat to be any less than tender (not that I'll be able to let you know about that other than heresay)
Jordon, Clayton and Joey.....the boys were so excited for him. Aren't they a handsome bunch?
I took this from outside the building as Joey was cleaning up. Not a bad place to do the dirty work, huh?
He kept checking as he was washing his hands making sure he still had his wedding ring on.
So THIS is why Glen was asking me where to get canning jars. I was thinking he wanted to make his own apple butter.................
Just after all this excitement outside, we had some excitement inside the "Ritz". Our poor Abby had a virus all week and hadn't been feeling well. All of a sudden she fainted, sitting right at the kitchen island. Thank goodness I was next to her and was able to grab her before she hit the floor. Talk about being scared! She was. I was. Glen was. JoeyREALLYwas. She's such a little thing and looked so pale. As she was coming to and feeling better it hit me that I truly do love this girl my son had the wisdom to marry. I knew that I would be able to take care of her no matter what. That is the extent of my nursing abilities. I admire those in the profession, but I can only do it for my own. I had just told her that on the drive that evening when we were talking about me taking care of my mom. Abby, if that's your way of trying to figure out how I feel about you DON'T DO THAT AGAIN! Just know that I would take care of you.
That's all.

ps...as Joey and I were sitting on the bed with Abby he did tell me that he felt a little pang when he saw the deer drop. Whether he did or not, it was sweet of him to tell his mamma that.

History

This is my friend, Nancy.
My BFF.
She will kill me when she see's this photo of her. I promised (with crossed fingers behind my back) not to post any of these that I took while out showing her the benefits of natural lighting.
I think she looks so pretty!
We have been friends since kindergarten.
She's one of my "you can count your friends on 5 fingers" friends, like my dad always said.
She knows my history and I know hers. WE have a history.
I hope that Chloe will have a Nancy in her life.

Nesting day

Gather the ingredients................
Mix enough batter to make 76 cookies.........
Find a little taste tester............

Today I spent most of the morning reading Confessions of a Pioneer Woman that my friend, LAB, suggested I go take a look at. Be prepared to spend hours taking it all in and then you have to go see her other site, The Pioneer Woman Cooks. This lady is amazing! And not only can she write and cook, her PHOTOGRAPHY will blow you away.

Anyway, she inspired me to bake some goodies today for my dh to take to hunting camp with him. It will probably take his mind off the fact that all of his cousins are getting deer and all he's getting is a cramp in his ego. Poor guy. So here are my "Cowboy Chocolate Chip Cookies", start to finish, in photos.

POSITIVELY Happy!

We are going to have a new GRANDBABY!
Lindsay, Jeff and Peyton shared this photo with me tonight.
I swear I couldn't stop giggling.........SO HAPPY!
She handed me the camera I had given her and asked me how to fix the settings.
She told me to look at the picture Peyton had taken and to tell her what was wrong.
I turned on the camera and THIS IS WHAT I SAW! Little stinkers!
I almost dropped an $800 camera! But I wouldn't have cared one bit.....
that's how HAPPY and EXCITED I am!
We have a long wait, but that's okay. I can wait for this.
Just had to share!
Did I mention how HAPPY I am?

Another family tradition

When my sister was turning one year old, my mom and dad bought this lamb cake mold. It was her first birthday cake. In the years that followed with each of their nieces, nephews, grandchildren, or just friends, every child they knew would get this lamb cake for their first birthday. It's what they did. I remember several times, driving in the old Ford with that cake on a platter on the floor of the backseat, taking it to someone for their birthday. "Be careful not to kick the cake," mom would say. One time my sister was in a hurry to get out of the car (potty break, no doubt) and she accidentally kicked the head off the cake! OH NO! I waited to see what would happen. She immediately began to cry (her way of NOT getting yelled at was to cry - usually worked). I guess that they had this back up plan all along. My mom pulled out a little container of frosting and "glued" the head back on right there in the driveway. I don't know if anyone but the four of us knew, but I was sure glad that she got it back together.

Here we are ........several years later.......and it's time for my sister's granddaughter's first birthday. Mom, recovering this past month from a terrible back surgery, still barely able to get from her bed to the kitchen table, instructed me last night in the art of making the lamb cake. Now remember, mom just moved in with us, all her belongings still mostly packed away. So like a good daughter, I scrounged around and came out of the "warehouse" with the cake mold. I pulled that cake out of the oven at 10:30 last night, followed her explicit instructions as to how it should be cooled. This morning, as soon as she got up she wanted to get that cake frosted for the baby's party we had this evening. I was watching her, ever so gently frosting the head, the ears, the nose, gently holding the back so it wouldn't tip over. I had to get my camera. The above shot is what I got and I love it. I am going to have her write a little story telling about all the babies this cake was made for. She told me that when they bought the mold it was expensive. $1.98. I think they got their money's worth out of it.
Here is the finished product......plus the mold. I had to make a special trip out for jelly beans for the eyes, mouth and to decorate around the coconut bed she sits it in. She informed me that the coconut should have been dyed green, but I ignored that part and she let it go.
She proudly presented the lamb's head (all the babies get the head) to sweet little Grace. She touched it gently with her fingers then DOVE IN face first! It was the funniest site! Her little feet were kicking a mile a minute the entire time she was buried in this cake!
Up for air......and yes, she did go back for more.
Finally got her cleaned up and took her outside to take her one year portrait in this dress that I had given her momma for HER first birthday. Isn't she a little doll!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY SWEET BABY GRACE!
We love you!

Liquid Life Saver

Week 2 of doing Weight Watchers online has become a little easier.
I didn't do too good last week nutritionally because I was using a good portion
of my allowed points with Halloween candy, needing to quiet that
chocolate monster that lives within.
Along comes my pal, Gayla with this hot little tip.......
Starbucks decaf, non-fat, no whip, mocha venti !!!!!
I savor it throughout the day and it is LEGAL!
Today's treat came in this pretty packaging which made it taste all the better!

Thanks, Gayla! Be seeing you on the beach this summer!

"Grandma, I want to be......"

"....an Irish fairy"
"....a Viking!"
And didn't they look adorable!
The entourage.....Heath, Amy, Grandma Sharon, Lindsay (bud lite), and Abby (bud lite).
Look at the booty! Another fun halloween, and 2 more costumes to add to the collection.

dot com

Usually I scrapbook what I've blogged......
today I am blogging what I scrapped last night.
These boys are old school.
E-mail and the internet piss them off.
Give them a little notebook and a pen or call them on their cell phone.
Anyway, I found a little sticker from my October Cocoa Daisy
kit that had @ blank.
The photo has Dan Jerry Glen @manly-men.com
LOL!

Birth week

Congratulations to Mary, Steve and big sis Hanna on their new arrival TODAY.

Emma was added to their family early this morning.

Will see about getting a photo to post from OOHMA (pardon the spelling, C).

Can't wait to see her.

Also welcome to our new little next door neighbor, Jack. He arrived on Monday.

Congrats to Dan, Nicole and brother Jessie.

Love that we are getting all these new little babies!

Abby's Escape

Nothing to do on a Saturday afternoon? Joe and Abby decided to go look at new cars.........
they didn't take too long.........poor Joey is acting like his grandpa used to do with the empty wallet. Guess I'll be feeding them dinner tonight..........
Abby said her dad always waves in pictures, so she did this pose for him.
Off they go in their new ESCAPE!
Have fun kids!