The Phillips' Place

Wow.

2011-12-12T19:12:00.003-05:00

If there's one thing that bothers me in bloggyland, it's seeing a deserted blog. Like this one. Wow.

Buuut....I'm becoming acquainted with Pinterest (goodbye, free time!) and feel that if I can spend time browsing there, I can take a few moments to update here.

Not much going on in the way of DIY/craftiness lately, which saddens me. But lots and lots in the world of educating the girls. First and Second grade is a challenge! We are learning lots and overall enjoying a different pace with homeschooling this year. It has its days, but doesn't everything?

Gearing up for Christmas...just 13 days! Trying to find time for a few ornament projects with the girls, and cookie-baking of course. If Pinterest ever lets me go....

Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes

2011-09-21T09:51:00.003-04:00

Fall is coming! I'm breaking out my favorite pumpkin recipes, and trying some new ones too. This week's new recipe is for Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting. I found this recipe at Allrecipes and followed it without making changes. The only thing I wasn't crazy about was the frosting. I think if I make these again, I'll go with a buttercream frosting instead of the cream cheese. The cinnamon was definitely a good addition to the frosting though. Yum!

Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup white sugar
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 eggs, room temperature
3/4 cup milk
1 cup pumpkin puree

Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup butter, softened
3 cups confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Directions
1.Preheat an oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease 24 muffin cups, or line with paper muffin liners. Sift together the flour, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, clove, allspice, salt, baking powder, and baking soda; set aside.
2.Beat 1/2 cup of butter, the white sugar, and brown sugar with an electric mixer in a large bowl until light and fluffy. The mixture should be noticeably lighter in color. Add the room-temperature eggs one at a time, allowing each egg to blend into the butter mixture before adding the next. Stir in the milk and pumpkin puree after the last egg. Stir in the flour mixture, mixing until just incorporated. Pour the batter into the prepared muffin cups.
3.Bake in the preheated oven until golden and the tops spring back when lightly pressed, about 25 minutes. Cool in the pans for 5 minutes before removing to cool completely on a wire rack.
4.While the cupcakes are cooling, make the frosting by beating the cream cheese and 1/4 butter with an electric mixer in a bowl until smooth. Beat in the confectioners' sugar a little at a time until incorporated. Add the vanilla extract and 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon; beat until fluffy. Once the cupcakes are cool, frost with the cream cheese icing.

Slow-Cooked Barbeque

2011-09-13T11:51:00.003-04:00

This is one of my standby recipes. Easy to throw together in the morning and finish up in the afternoon. I started this before we left for church on Sunday morning, and was able to come home and have it ready for a late lunch that afternoon. The best part is that it makes a lot for a crowd!

So here is the recipe:

4-5 pounds of pork (you could use beef or chicken, but I always use pork)
1 cup broth
1 cup strongly brewed coffee
1/3 cup brown sugar
salt and pepper

Place meat in crockpot. Mix together broth, coffee and brown sugar, and pour over top of meat. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours, or high for 4-5.

Remove meat from slow cooker and shred (remove any bones at this point too, depending on which cut of meat you used).

Reserve 1 1/2 cups of liquid, and discard the rest. Place meat back in crockpot. To reserved liquid, add:

1/2 cup ketchup
1/4 cup Worchestershire sauce
garlic powder

Stir together well, and pour over meat. Stir meat and heat on low for 15-20 minutes. Serve warm with buns or bread. We like the standard bbq fare with this-- coleslaw, baked beans, potato salad, etc. If you have leftovers, this freezes well for an easy meal in the future.

Happiness...

2011-09-12T13:19:00.000-04:00

is seeing your younger sister getting ready to be a mom. Absolutely cannot wait to meet my little nephew!

Surprise, I'm Back!!

2011-09-09T18:37:00.006-04:00

I don't know if I even have any readers left at this point. I feel horrible, because I just logged on and found a list of comments needing to be moderated-- family and friends who have visited over the past months and I didn't even know it...because truthfully if the password wasn't the same as my gmail account, I probably wouldn't even remember it at this point.

Whew. Trying to make a comeback, people. We'll see if it sticks this time around. If not, see you in 2012 :). Just kidding. Maybe.

Something I love seeing on other people's blogs is a list of their favorite things. I have a list of things I have found to be wonderful over the summer and thought I would share them with you.

First of all, chalkboard paint. We had a blank wall in the dining room that was just right. I applied three good coats of paint and let it cure for a week. Then we covered the entire thing with chalk to "prime" it, wiped it and it was ready to go. It gets a lot of use!

Next on my list is Mrs. Meyers cleaning products. I think I am the last one to catch on to this great cleaner, but better late than never right? I buy the all-purpose cleaner, and use it for mopwater, washing walls, etc. I also bought empty spray bottles for $1 each, filled them with water and then a capful of the cleaner. Pennies a bottle-- can't beat it! The bonus here is the smell-- they make the place smell great!

Now for some food....for the kiddos, we are loving Clif Kids Bars and Twisted Fruit Ropes. Snacks you don't mind them asking for :).

And finally, the Lara Bar. Have you tried these? Divine! The chocolate chip brownie is phenomenal. I can't get over how good they are with only six ingredients! So yummy. Like candy but better for ya!

Alrighty, there you have it. My foray back into the blogging world. :) I'll try to be back soon!

Instant Heirlooms

2011-03-02T12:12:00.005-05:00

We have a joke in our family about "instant ancestors". You take an antique photograph of someone who is a complete John Doe (Victorian era works really well), pop it in a frame and hang it up. My Mom has several of these... I remember hearing her say things like "She could have been in our family... I think I really see a resemblance."

Well, I have taken it one step further. Instant heirlooms!

We don't have one of those close-knit families (haha. Pun totally intended) where all of the aunts and grandmoms make afghans for each other and babies. I still love the look of afghans though, and the hours of labor that has been poured into them. I found this one for $7 and couldn't pass it up. Really loving it!

Now I just need to come up with a great family story to go with it....

I tried. Really, I did.

2011-02-25T09:45:00.000-05:00

My Dad would call this two ships passing in the night. I was hoping to get a good picture of the girls as a Valentine's gift for CJ. This is only about a third of the pictures; needless to say, I didn't end up with that sweet shot I was hoping for! Sometimes you get the bear, and sometimes the bear gets you.

They started out not wanting to sit next to each other, and arguing about the bench.

Then they moved to seeing who could fit their entire upper body into their shirts. Perfect.

This was the best shot. Seriously.
Maybe not gift-worthy, but definitely giggle-worthy...even though it took me about a week to laugh about it. Maybe CJ will get a picture for his birthday...maybe.

You don't have to do it all.

2011-02-10T08:57:00.003-05:00

Last year I did this for Valentine's Day. I'm blogging today to say that while all that is great, it's ok (and dare I say, necessary sometimes?) to lower your standards.

There you have it. My confession. The girls will be spending about ten minutes on Saturday writing their friend's names on mini fruit by the foots. They're low in fat, "naturally" flavored AND gluten free to boot.

I'm letting things slide a bit; normally I would come up with something great to send to school, along with making sure the girls and CJ know they are special on Valentine's Day. The thing is, sometimes it makes me crazy trying to do it all. Priorities. CJ and my girls. If I manage to do above and beyond that, great. I'm just not going to sacrifice my sanity for it. Don't get me wrong-- I love, love, love being creative and crafty and doing extra fun things. It just that there are seasons...and some seasons bring less time for it than others. I'm learning to be ok with that, and just enjoy things as they come, to let go a little bit more. It's hard, but I'm doing it. One fruit by the foot at a time.

I Heart Craigslist

2011-01-05T18:08:00.002-05:00

Man, I love a good deal. And man, I love Craigslist! Thrift stores and consignment stores are great, but they are time-consuming. I love being able to sit down and search Craigslist for something specific. Like this beautiful new table and six chairs:

We are loving it. Best of all, it has a leaf that folds out of the middle to give us an extra 18" for really large gatherings. I'm pretty sure we could squeeze ten people around it without much trouble...which is bound to be a good thing with our large extended (and growing...wink, wink. Right, Hannah and Danielle? AHEM. Just sayin') families. Oh yes. I can just see the adorable cousins around it now :).

The cherry on top? Turning around and selling our old one the next day. Now THAT is efficient! It had been a great table, and endured me recovering its seat cushions (twice) and painting it, but it's always too small when we have guests. I'm sure it is having a great life at it's next home. Who knows-- maybe it will even get some fresh paint and seat covers!

Our December in pictures

2011-01-01T07:06:00.006-05:00

I didn't take as many pictures as I wanted this year, but considering how far behind I am with our photo albums, maybe that's a good thing! Here's a brief recap of Christmas.
She was going for "grumpy."
Barbie from Aunt Bonita and Uncle Shannon. Thrilled!
I love the crazed smile on her face and the huge eyes. Aunt Bonita and Uncle Shannon sent a telescope... it was the first thing she told everyone she met for a week.
Christmas Eve

Morgan received new underwear. Some of you (ahem. Rachel) know our issues. She was hilarious when she opened them "Why you give me these?" :)
This might have rivaled the telescope, believe it or not. I never dreamed I'd have to limit any of my children to one meal of ramen noodles a day!
Morgan and Aunt Esther
My happy snow shoveler digging us out of the snow.
Poor Mr. Snowman got covered in the real stuff.
Happy New Year! I haven't made any resolutions, and don't plan on it. I'm more of a "just do it" kind of girl anyways...no patience to wait for January 1! Maybe, just maybe, I'll manage to find a little more time for keeping the blog updated in 2011. Everything seemed to fall apart after we bought the house-- so many other places to devote energy towards! Also, this family of mine is just too great to ignore for a blog, so if they are around, I'm definitely not thinking about blogging! :)

December has been.....

2010-12-30T14:47:00.006-05:00

...busy. The girls' last day of school was earlier than planned due to a snowstorm, which meant Christmas vacation started earlier than I had planned, which meant all kinds of things got bumped around the schedule, from class parties and teacher gifts to playdates to delivering Christmas goodies to grocery shopping... I could go on, but "busy" will suffice.

...sick. Maddy started us out at the beginning of break with a tummy virus that has to be the most frustratingly slow-moving virus in the world. A week after she got it, CJ went down, and a few days after he fell to it, it was my turn. Just in time for Christmas! It translated into much less baking than I usually do, and feeling generally icky over Christmas Eve/Christmas Day.

...snowy. We headed up to my parent's on Christmas Day after having our Christmas morning, and a snowstorm hit not long after we left our town. We were snowed OUT of our home, and ended up staying an extra day at my parent's. When we came home, we were greeted by 14" inches of snow. Yeah. It was gross. I am not a snow-lover! I kept telling myself it could have been worse-- New Jersey had 20" in some places. We have built two snowmen and are just waiting for the thaw now.

...blessed. In spite of schedules, sickness and snowstorms, we have been so blessed. We are so thankful to be together as a family, especially when so many of our good friends have spent the holidays separated due to deployments. CJ's schedule has been less than holiday-ideal, but he has still been home each night. Even though being sick wasn't exactly what we had in mind for Christmas, we both agreed that any of our deployed friends would have traded their Christmases away from their families for a sick one with their families.

Here is our family pajama photo from Christmas Eve. We set a family record for being in pajamas earlier than any Christmas Eve before. It wasn't much past four in the afternoon!

The Best Rolled Sugar Cookies

2010-11-30T16:27:00.002-05:00

It's baking time! I was emailing this recipe to a friend today and thought I'd share it here as well. It is my go-to Christmas sugar cookie recipe. I like to sub almond extract for the vanilla sometimes. Enjoy!

1 1/2 cups butter, softened
2 cups white sugar
4 eggs, room temperature
1 t. vanilla
5 cups flour
2 t. baking powder
1 t salt

Cream butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Stire in flour, baking powder and salt. Cover and chill one hour or overnight.

Preheat oven to 400. Roll out dough on a floured surface 1/4-1/2" thick. Cut into shapes, and place one inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 6-8 minutes. Cool.

Morgan's K5 Thanksgiving

2010-11-19T14:03:00.002-05:00

Morgan's K5 class had their Thanksgiving program and feast today. Each year the K5 dresses up as Indians, and K4 dresses up as pilgrims. It's so cute! Morgan's class sang some adorable Thanksgiving songs (everything's cuter when it's five year olds) and then they feasted.

Morgan's teacher asked if I could make this turkey idea she'd seen. It came out so cute! What a great centerpiece! I think the idea originally came from the FamilyFun website.
One Thanksgiving down, one more to go!

Perspectives

2010-11-10T07:15:00.000-05:00

I used to think--

...that it would never be MY child throwing a fit in the grocery store. Surely it was something the parent was doing wrong {enter children}

...that I would never be THAT mom dropping her kids off at school while still wearing pajamas. Surely I would have myself more together than that {enter school days}

AND THE BIGGIE:

...that I would never, no never, be caught dead driving a minivan. How could one give up on ever looking hip again? {enter family road trips}

Yes, this is me officially breaking the news. I have entered the world of moms and minivans. My one request? That if I were going to give up my sporty VW Passat (miss you, Mavis! Yes, she had a name!), the van that took her place must be awesome. Terrific. Comfy. Roomy.
And oh she is. I'm rockin' the swagger wagon, people. I think I won't even mind being known as a minivan-driving mama. Besides, my friend informed me that all the cool moms drive Honda Odysseys. That's my story and I'm stickin' to it.

All joking aside, isn't it great how our perspective is changed by experience? I am so thankful God has blessed me with a family and children; they have broadened my views more than I ever thought possible. I realize how much each and every one of us is in need of God's grace and mercy every day, how none of us is above mistakes, and how thankful I am for my husband's and children's patience with me as I learn.

Halloween 2010

2010-11-04T08:04:00.000-04:00

Our Army Cheerleader and CowgirlThe girls had the best time trick or treating this year; we were invited to go to a friend's neighborhood where they hayride around to the houses. The kids alternated between mad dashes to the next house and catching rides on the wagon when they needed a breather. They were EXHAUSTED by the time we made it back to the car!

Here's the whole gang, pre-candy raiding:

The next morning was so funny... they woke up and started trading candy. Morgan likes chocolate, and Maddy likes fruity candy, so it works well. Maddy gave CJ and me a big bowlful of chocolate candy "because I'm not really a chocolate fan, Mom." :) Works for me!

DIY Shutter Shelf

2010-11-03T14:00:00.002-04:00

Needed: somewhere to hang our jackets
Had: an old shutter and some hooks bought on clearance awhile back
Finished product? A shelf for the entryway. All it took was a few L-brackets and D-rings, and it was done! Under $5 and about thirty minutes of my time.

First Field Trip

2010-10-29T06:17:00.002-04:00

Morgan had her first field trip yesterday... parents were allowed to come, and when I asked her earlier this week if she wanted me to come, she said "Um, I'll just go by myself, and tell you how much fun I had, k Mom?" Her story changed when she heard that most of the other kids' moms were coming too. "You can come, Mommy!" :)

She found her pumpkin! Waiting for someone to put her name on it.

My grown-up baby girl.
Goofing around in the car.
All those pumpkins yesterday made me think about cooking with pumpkin. It's been awhile. I should make The Scones. Or pancakes. Or pumpkin bread. Or pumpkin cookies. I saw a recipe for pumpkin pound cake yesterday that caught my eye too.... so many options!

Newsflash

2010-10-25T14:08:00.000-04:00

We receive this junk mailing quite frequently. It makes me laugh every time... who thought of this? I'm sure the look on CJ's face would be priceless if I told him I wanted to hire a cleaning service :).

Master Bedroom Pictures

2010-10-21T09:04:00.000-04:00

This post is mostly for my sister Della, who has pestered me relentlessly to a)get back to blogging and b)show her the master bedroom. So Dels, here you go. You'd better at least comment :).

This is the master bedroom the day we looked at the house for the first time:

Here it is mid-way. It stayed this way for eight months. Then I got a craving for some color on the walls. White is nice, but I needed a change!

During those eight months, I found these:

and transformed them into these:

Here is the room currently. I went with a rich blue... love the contrast with the white bedding and curtains.

I felt like the dark paint would work in here thanks to light linens and the fact that these windows pull in a lot of light. I haven't regretted the paint choice yet!
I used an old door for the headboard. Primer, paint and some D-rings (and a super awesome husband to help hang it!). I think it cost under $5!

Nevahmind

2010-10-19T06:42:00.003-04:00

I was working on a post detailing all the gory details of my decluttering process, and how good it has been to rid ourselves of excess junk. At the same time, the Nester has been running a blog series during October titled "31 Days to a Less Messy Nest." How punctual!

As if that wasn't timely enough, today's post was about the "why"... and she hit it dead on. So instead of reading whatever I was going to write, go read hers. It's awesome. It's perfect. It's concise and clear, which I can't say mine would have been :).

Picture of the Week

2010-10-15T14:20:00.003-04:00

Maybe I should just make my blogging goal one picture a week.

Nah. Too much commitment.

But I DO have a favorite picture this week. We went to the wedding of our nephew on CJ's side of the family last weekend. It was beautiful, sophisticated, went off without a hitch (or would that be WITH a hitch? haha), and was just wonderful.

I would like to point out that CJ has -never- danced with me at any event since our wedding. We have left parties in fights over it. Forreals, people. But let his little girl come up and ask him to dance... and this is what happens.

She clearly has him wrapped around her finger. The next time I want to go shopping at the outlets, she's going to ask for me :).

Fall Teacher Appreciation Gift

2010-10-06T14:26:00.003-04:00

I saw this great tag over at skiptomylou.org, and had to do this for the girls' teachers.
A few pretty mums (I chose ones that hadn't bloomed yet), some leftover dropcloth and finished off with some ribbon. Perfect!
The teachers loved 'em. Mission: Teacher Appreciation complete :).

West Point-- ten years later!

2010-10-04T12:37:00.007-04:00

We headed up to New York for CJ's reunion this past weekend. We were kid-free thanks to a good friend who picked the girls up from school on Friday, and kept them through Sunday. We had a great time reconnecting with some old friends and seeing how much West Point has/hasn't changed in the past ten years. The weather couldn't have been more beautiful after the week of rain we had. It was sunny and in the 60's- perfect! I didn't take nearly as many pictures as I could have :) but here are the best ones.

Life is Good!

2010-09-27T09:21:00.004-04:00

You know it's been forever since you blogged when you start to type in "blogger.com" on the toolbar and it doesn't autofill :).

It seems like the fuller and better life is, the less time I have to write about it! I really want to carve out some time for more regular blogging though. Things happen so quickly, and I forget them so easily! It really helps to have the blog as a reference for when things happened.

I'm going to try to blog about events over the past month, but in case I don't :), here's what's been going on...

- School is going really well for the girls. Maddy is pretty tired by Fridays, and would like more time on the playground and less time at her desk, but overall is adjusting to full-days of school. Morgan can't get enough of it and would probably go all day if she could :).

- We headed to the Outer Banks the week before Labor Day with our good friends Scott and Monica, their two children, and CJ's sister Bonita and her husband. We had to evacuate halfway through our week because of Hurricane Earl (bummer!!), but we made the most of the few days we had.

- We've been working here and there on the house. CJ added a closet downstairs (there aren't any except in the master bedroom) to house the vacuum cleaner and brooms. I'm working on getting it sanded and primed/painted now.

- I painted our bedroom. Like, really went for it. I love it. I hope you will too!

- I've been a Craigslist/Yard Sale fool in an effort to get rid of the stuff we seem to amass. It's beginning to pay off (pun totally intended)!

- We took the girls up to Northern Virginia for apple-picking and a visit with my family a few weekends ago. Fun!

In addition to all of those things, add in birthday parties for classmates at school, homework for Maddy, Community Group for CJ and me, CJ working very full days...life is full and GOOD! I'll leave you with a picture CJ took of the girls on our way to the beach. So sweet!

First Day of School

2010-08-16T17:26:00.005-04:00

It's that time! Today was the girls' first day of school-- Morgan's first EVER!

Here is the morning person:
and here is the nightowl (for real. She was up at 2:30 because she "couldn't sleep" Perfect timing for the night before school starts!)
All ready to go!

Morgan with Mrs. P. She was Maddy's teacher last year and we are so blessed to have her for Morgan this year. This woman is outstanding. We love her!
Maddy ready for first grade. She was dreading it a little, but when I picked her up, her one remark about the day was "That wasn't so hard after all."
Now I just have to field what is quickly becoming the most.annoying.question.ever "So what ARE you going to do with all of your time???"

Irony is...

2010-08-11T14:42:00.001-04:00

the dog choosing this book to destroy...

Family Bowling

2010-07-30T17:30:00.004-04:00

We took the girls bowling last weekend for the first time. They have played Wii bowling but never the real thing :). It was 105 degrees, so something indoors was perfect. Uncle Dave was in town for a visit so we dragged him along too.

They were thrilled with the flourescent shoes:
and after a little coaching from Dad, they got the hang of it.

Summertime Porch Curtains: On The Cheap!

2010-07-20T15:35:00.006-04:00

The front porch on this house is incredible. Even though the house sits right on the road, the screening makes you feel like you are set back and unnoticed by passerbys. When we first moved in, we put the wicker furniture from the florida room of the old house here. This is what it looked like then:

This is the view across the street. Beautiful, eh?

Anyways, back to the curtains. Always working within a budget, I wanted something to make it feel a bit summery and airy. White sheets should do the trick. I scoured the thrift stores and was able to score a dozen white sheets and not break $30! I bought curtain rings with clips, tacked in a few nails and voila! So easy! I tore one sheet into strips for ties.
The color on these next few photos is off... shade is a tricky beast!
We love to hang out here with the dog. It's always cooler here than any shady spot in the yard, and catches a great breeze most of the time.

The perfect place for a little girl to enjoy her puppy!

Linking with Kimba!

Uninvited Summer List Attendees

2010-07-19T15:56:00.002-04:00

It's a bummer to look down and see this:
Didn't catch it? Howabout now?
Or now?
:(. I think our insurance will cover it, but it's still sad to lose the original stone. At least it's one of the small ones! I guess ten years without losing one isn't that bad, right??

The Pool That Saved Summer

2010-07-15T07:27:00.003-04:00

I used to think pools like these were tacky (and maybe I still do)...until one saved my summer! What is it about water that makes kids do darn happy? Even when the girls were babies, if they were grumpy, I could give them a bath and they would stop fussing.

We are seven (eight?) weeks into our summer, and four weeks away from the start of the school year. The boredom is at a max (how are they possibly bored? I can't even get to my stack of summer reading books!). It has been truly hot here... temps reaching 100 for more days than I can count. When we found this on a great sale, I looked pleadingly at CJ. I may have begged just a little.

So. Worth. It. (See my garden in the background? One of my sisters said it's rambunctious. I can't think of a better word!)

I love this one of Maddy...missing tooth and goggles = adorable!
And guess what? I've managed to read a few chapters into a book for the first time this summer!

I made a necklace!

2010-07-13T10:50:00.004-04:00

The other women in my family (and I mean ALL other... mom, aunt, sisters, grandmother) have really gotten into beading over the last few years. I think I'm the only one who hasn't! We took a quick trip to Mom and Dad's this weekend, and Mom offered to let me try making something. She has a ton of different beads and stones all sorted by color, type, etc. I just went through and picked out what I liked and designed it. They helped me with the finer details of stringing and finishing the piece. Here is my first necklace!

They would probably go into detail about what type of stone, and wire, and glass were used. Here's what I know: it's pinky, and purple-y, and sparkly and silver-y, and I love it!

The Kitchen Windowsill

2010-07-12T09:16:00.003-04:00

The old milk bottles make the perfect vases for the zinnias blooming in the garden. So cheerful!

and these are covering my countertops. I picked nineteen one evening this weekend!
and since we're talking garden, more on these to come...

This wasn't on the summer list!

2010-07-08T15:38:00.002-04:00

Is Madison trying to grow up and break my heart all at once? First, losing teeth, then Kindergarten graduation, and now pestering to get her ears pierced until we cave. I can't take it anymore!
I even tried to dissuade her by showing her a You Tube video of ear piercing. No luck. She still wanted to get them pierced. She even ponied up the cash and paid for it herself! Now she's counting down the weeks until she can put in "pretty" earrings. "Can I borrow yours, Mom?"

Summer List Progress

2010-06-30T17:00:00.002-04:00

We're working our way through the summer list... last week we made homemade lemonade. Yum!

I LOVE Madison's face in this one. I don't even know what she was grumpy about but it's a classic. Also classic is Morgan putting on an extra cheerful face when she realizes Madison is sulking (those of you who received our Christmas picture this year know what I mean!). Ah, sisters :).

She did recover by the end though.

Man, it was SO good. I also received a tip to mix 2/3 of a glass of lemonade with 1/3 glass of iced tea. Oh, heaven! It rivals my iced coffee on a hot afternoon...

My First Haul

2010-06-23T16:23:00.001-04:00

Cuckes and green beans are the first things ripening in the garden. The zucchinis, tomatoes and peppers are right on their heels though!

I made a yummy cucumber dill salad on Father's Day, but at the rate these cucumbers are going, I might have to move on to pickles soon!!!

Apricot Preserves

2010-06-22T09:02:00.000-04:00

As if this old house and it's yard aren't already great enough, the apricot tree by the driveway decided to bless us with fruit last week. A LOT of it! Aren't they beautiful?
The tree, loaded with it's fruit.
CJ and I picked them all. I couldn't believe how many little apricots were on that one tree! Unbelievable. The best part was watching the monkey in CJ come out as he climbed through the tree picking. Now I know where Morgan's skills originate :).
Needless to say, the harvest was bountiful! We canned for two evenings (yes, WE! CJ is quite the preserve-maker!). The yield? Forty-three jars of super delicious apricot preserves. I thought I liked peach jam....it pales in comparison to apricot. The flavor of the apricots is so delicious! We've eaten them on toast, biscuits, english muffins, bagels, off the spoon (ok, maybe just I have eaten them off the spoon!). So yeah... stop by and pick up your own jar today. We have plenty!
Apricot Preserves

10 cups apricots and their juice, peeled and pitted
7 1/2 cups sugar

In a large stockpot, bring the fruit and sugar to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly. Reduce to a strong simmer, continuing to stir. Simmer for fifteen minutes, then test consistency. I kept a spoon in a jar of ice water for this. Place a few dribbles of fruit on the cold spoon, and when it is jam-like after cooling, you're ready to can it.

Ladle into prepared jars, and seal for canning. Water bath them for seven minutes. Cool overnight, label and gift/store!

Father's Day Project

2010-06-21T08:31:00.000-04:00

Because a Daddy can never have too many sweet pictures of his girls :).

Here's the finished product, horrible photo complete with flash reflection, but you get the idea!
This one might make it into a frame soon as well.
...and lest you feel lied to, it truly took about thirty tries to get these pictures. If I were to upload all of the ones that DIDN'T come out, I'd be here all day. This gift to CJ qualifies as a labor of love....we were all sweaty and grumpy by the time the shoot was over. Just keepin' it real!

Summer 2010

2010-06-19T13:38:00.002-04:00

I know this is no original idea, but it's the first year we've done it. Our summer wishlist. It's posted in the kitchen so we can pick something off of it when we need an idea, and keep track of the fun things we're doing. The girls are really into it, and I think it's making both of them work on their reading skills subliminally too! I like that it will be a summer keepsake to look back on later as well.

Long-Awaited and Well-Deserved!

2010-06-15T19:06:00.003-04:00

I will spare you the gory details of why CJ's promotion is finally just now happening, mostly because I am still too annoyed with the Army's PA school to go into it. Suffice to say that no thanks to the specialist corps, CJ was FINALLY promoted to Major! We are so glad! We are still waiting on a board to see if they will award him the backpay (that would be an answer to prayer!), but for now are completely content with the promotion itself. Congratulations, sweetie!

I have been telling the girls to say corny things like "We're MAJORly proud of you, Daddy!" and "Hi there, Major Dad!" :) Comes with the territory :).

Le Jardin

2010-06-04T07:19:00.000-04:00

I've returned to my roots (har har har), and planted my first garden ever! After years spent weeding and tending the family garden growing up, my desire for fresh, homegrown produce has overcome my dislike of weeeding.

I started small, and planted about a 10x10 plot. Tomatoes, green beans and zucchini are the main stars of my little garden. The neighbor gave us some leftover watermelon plants and a cucumber plant, and I added some giant sunflowers, zinnias, cosmos and marigolds.
Red peppers are sprouting...
and the tomatoes are coming along. If all I had planted was tomatoes, I would be perfectly content. Just seeing these little green ones makes my mouth water. There is nothing better than a homegrown tomato! The locals say they are best with Duke's mayonnaise and white bread. :) Oh how I love a good tomato sandwich!!!!
The green beans have blossoms. It won't be long before there are little beans everywhere.
The cucumber and watermelons are trying to take over more than their fair share of space.
The zucchini plants came up a lot healthier than I thought! I don't think I allowed quite enough room for them. They are competing with the giant sunflowers on the right. If you live local, I think you can expect anonymous zucchini showing up on your porch... this just might be a bumper crop!
The marigolds are taking off, too! I'm still waiting on the zinnias and cosmos to bloom; I'm looking forward to having some fresh flowers for cutting and bringing indoors.
So there you have it, my first garden. Mommy, aren't you proud?? :)

Ten Years!!!!

2010-06-03T09:35:00.002-04:00

It's hard to believe it's been ten years today since we were married. My sister Della took some photos of us at my brother's wedding last weekend-- perfect timing! If I hadn't spilled coffee all over my laptop a few weeks ago, I would share a "back then" picture with you as well... still waiting to see if the harddrive is recoverable.

I love how these came out- super great job, Della. Thanks! :)

Happy Anniversary to US!!!!!!!!!!!

My Summertime Coffee

2010-05-07T09:56:00.003-04:00

With the warmer weather, I still love my coffee, but after that first hot cup in the morning, it's just too hot to keep drinking all day! Actually, lately I haven't even been having that first hot cup! I make a pot of coffee and wait for it to cool so I can have this instead:

Just coffee, ice, splenda and fat free creamer (it doesn't take much!). Swirl it around and add a straw... perfect! If you feel like going the extra mile, you can pull out the blender and add extra ice, and blend it all up. Add some caramel creamer and feel really indulgent :).

Peonies

2010-05-06T09:25:00.003-04:00

Peonies are one of my favorite flowers. I was so excited when I saw some poking up in the yard! They survived CJ accidentally weed-whacking them, Morgan running over them in their little jeep, and Madison repeating her a few days after that. Poor things! They bloomed this week, and they are GORGEOUS.
They were planted over seventy years ago- talk about heirloom flowers!
Susan (one of the sisters who grew up here) told me they were always a Mother's Day flower-- how right she was. Just in time for Mother's Day this weekend!

Somebody's Turning Three!

2010-05-05T21:01:00.003-04:00

Happy Third Birthday, Wink! Cinco de Mayo-- not a bad day for a party! :)

Beau Handsome

2010-05-05T14:03:00.003-04:00

That's his official name. :) We adopted Beau right before Christmas. We were told he was Doberman-Lab mixed. He seems to have tapped out around forty pounds though, so I'm wondering about the Lab part! He is however just the right size for the girls. Morgan especially. I find her laying on his tummy on the floor all the time, just resting. He is such a sweetie!

Farmhouse Kitchen: Before and After!

2010-05-04T20:38:00.009-04:00

***Warning: I'm pretty sure this is the longest, most picture-laden post I have written. Ever. You'd better stick with me till the end. Do you have any idea how long it took me to get all of these photos assembled and uploaded in order???***

Can you believe I am finally posting about the mostly completed kitchen? I can't! It has been an ongoing project since we bought the house at the beginning of October last year. There are still quite a few details, but the biggest projects are completed, to include (most) of the cabinetry thanks to CJ (he built it all from SCRATCH!!!!), appliances, beautiful quartz countertops, and painted walls. Things like trim around the kitchen/cabinetry will come along eventually.

A few before shots from when we looked at the house last summer.

A few during shots. I will admit that I was worried at this point. CJ wasn't.

The kitchen mid-way. Wallpaper has been removed, floors have been refinished (the one thing we called in the pros for). You wouldn't believe how excited I was to see it get to this point! This shot is looking into the kitchen from the dining room.
This is from the laundry room.
Pictures while cabinet doors/drawers are waiting to be built, and before countertops. I was cooking on plywood covered with dollar store contact paper, baby! If that won't make someone appreciate countertops, I don't know what will!

And what it looks like now. Note the paint! After painting it this color, I read that turqoise is the "color of the year" for 2010. Ahead of the power curve! CJ still has a few pieces of cabinetry to build (above/around the microwave, and a door for a corner cabinet).

Looking in from the dining room. This is what I can see from my computer, and it makes my heart let out a happy sigh every time. It's come so far!
All along the top of the cabinets on the wall are old milk bottles that I either found in the basement or the sisters gave to me. Most of them are from the local dairies! I love them... a great reminder of how much this house has seen things change over the years.
I am so glad I decided on keeping some of the cabinets open. I knew I wouldn't want them all open (who wants to see tupperware anyhow?), but I love the amount of space we left like this. It makes grabbing the everyday dishes quick, and guests don't have to search for glasses. There is enough room that I can still put some fun dishes up there as well.
I received a LOT of feedback on what to do with the cabinets. Paint. Stain. Paint. Stain. Stain. Stain. Stain. Why do people who work with wood hate the thought of paint? I went with my heart on this one and painted it all white. It took FOREVER. I used oil-based paint because I wanted something really durable that would clean well also. So far so good! Oil-based paint is really runny and a bit difficult to work with/clean up. Not to mention the fumes-- oh, the fumes. But I think it will be worth it over latex paint in the long run.
I forgot to mention the countertops... we had quartz installed and are loving it so far. It never needs to be sealed because it's a composite, is super scratch resistant, and is very low-maintenance all around. It has a really nice shine to it-- it is amazing what a difference having real countertops makes! I'm glad I had plywood for awhile to make me REALLY enjoy the real thing.

Whew! Did you hang in there till the end? I know this is a ton of pictures, but so much has changed that I didn't want to leave any out. Hope you enjoyed the tour! If you are in the area, stop by and I'll make you some cookies in my brand new old kitchen! :)

Gotcha

2010-04-29T09:55:00.002-04:00

I love catching the girls like this... there is quite a bit of rivalry between them (to put it mildly!). It is reassuring to see moments like these. Even if they were watching tv and didn't realize what they were doing :).

My Space

2010-04-28T10:26:00.000-04:00

An old window frame...
hung with some twine and photos...
can instantly brighten "my space." This is my corner of the dining room where I can check my email while dinner is in the oven, dump the mail, and keep up with the family calendar. It's also where I fix the girls' hair in the mornings, so making it interesting with some pictures makes them sit still just a little better.
Oh, and do you have an extra wine rack sitting around? Or extra magazines with no home? I saw this idea and put it to use right away- perfect! It makes my magazines so much more visible and accessible-- maybe I will actually get around to reading them now! Do the eyes bother you? They bothered me. I had to turn the magazine so they weren't staring at me from across the room. Creepy.

Lamp Revamp

2010-04-27T15:19:00.005-04:00

The weather is warming up, and I am feeling more motivated to work on some projects again. Something about winter makes me want to just guzzle, er, sip coffee and read books. It is a good feeling to be getting things done again-- and hey, maybe I'll even find the motivation to blog about them!

One recent project has been this neat old lamp that CJ's parents gave me. I love the egg-shaped base... I hadn't seen one like it before! It needed a little perking up first, so I got to work.

All ready for painting:

A fresh coat of paint, and a new shade. Ready for use! It found a new home in the entryway, but I'm still deciding if that is where it will stay. I love the way it turned out!

Little Green Thumbs

2010-04-23T06:46:00.000-04:00

Target has some great kid gardening supplies in their dollar bins right now... I picked up buckets, shovels and kid-sized gloves for the girls. (Sneak peak: you can see a bit of my countertops and kitchen walls in this picture! Both have actually been there for about a month, but I'm slow in posting... believe me, they are both great!)

They even had wildflower mix:
We spent a busy hour finding the perfect places in the yard to plant flower seeds. This was a week or two ago, and we can already see little plants poking through the soil. Hopefully it's not just weeds :).

Bring the green inside

2010-04-13T15:00:00.000-04:00

Our yard is full of so many things blooming and getting ready to bloom right now, thanks to the wonderful lady who lived here for so long. The flowers that are blooming right now though are the kind that don't last once you pick them; they are much better suited just blooming outdoors. So this weekend I clipped a few small branches from one of the shrubs-- I believe it is a Rose of Sharon, which will bloom later this summer. I love the effect of branches in a vase, and how much they brighten up the table.

Spring Break Is...

2010-04-12T13:12:00.000-04:00

A trip to the zoo
pictures with mermaids (mertigress?)
...and elephants
donuts with sprinkles

playing video games till noon. in pajamas.
eating popsicles in the sunshine

and catching ladybugs.
We had a great week during Maddy's spring break. CJ took some leave so we could do things as a family. We also made the first trip of the season to Busch Gardens, cleaned out the basement, and squeezed in some home repairs. The weather was GORGEOUS-- 80s and 90s all week, with only one rainy morning!

Now back to real life... :)

Happy Birthday, CJ!

2010-04-11T20:07:00.003-04:00

Another year down! :) Happy Birthday to a great husband and dad!

Birthday Thank You Letters

2010-04-02T09:03:00.002-04:00

The girls received a TON of gifts this year! In the past, I have written thank you notes, and let them draw a picture or write their name at the bottom. This year I felt that they were ready to start really working on their thank you skills.

I created a basic form:

Dear ___________________

Thank you very much for the __________________

you gave me. I really like it because

_____________________________.

Thank you for coming to my party. See you

soon!

Love,
_____________________

...and then the real work began.

They each have seven or eight thank yous to write. We have sat down after lunch each day this week and worked on them. I thought they were going to complain about it, but we have all actually had a lot of fun! The best part is when they have to say why they liked the gift. One of the sentences says "I really like it because ___________." Morgan received a sticker kit, and her blank said "it is sticky." It's like doing ad libs almost :).

Happy Birthday, Morgan!!!

2010-03-25T19:50:00.003-04:00

Morgan's birthday was yesterday, but by the end of the day I had no energy left to blog it! So here you go :). She had her cake on Saturday during the party, and then last night we celebrated with just the family. She asked for Brinner as her birthday dinner (breakfast for dinner-- Scrubs, anyone?), and wanted chocolate pudding for her birthday dessert. Seriously, could she have made it much easier?

This birthday girl chose a PINK butterfly cake. It HAD to be pink and chocolate! I loved how excited she was about it. I don't think she even cared about the presents.
The grin says it all!
My baby is five!
The shirt, which makes it official that she is five-- doncha know?
She wore her shirt all day today. We were out running errands, and she kept asking things like "Mom, everyone knows I'm five now, right?" and "But do they know that my birthday was yesterday?"

Happy Birthday, Morgan!

Happy Birthday, Madison!

2010-03-23T21:08:00.006-04:00

Today is Maddy's 6th birthday! The celebration started on Saturday with a joint party for both girls, since Morgan's is tomorrow. The weather was perfect, and the kids had a great time eating cake and hunting Easter eggs.

I'm too lazy to hunt up pictures of Maddy through the years, so I'll refer you to last year's post if you're interested :).

Here's the birthday girl with her cake of choice!

and her dinner of choice (the Pioneer Woman's Macaroni and Cheese, if you wanna know. Super yum!)

and here's our big six year old with this year's shirt, so everyone knows :).

We're gearing up for Morgan's birthday tomorrow, and then our week of celebrating will wrap up until next year.

Framed: A Wall Collage

2010-03-16T13:18:00.004-04:00

Remember last week when I showed you this?
I present.... the finished product! I have wanted to do a wall collage forever, and it finally came together!

The first step was collecting various frames from thrift stores. There isn't a frame on this wall that cost more than $2. Most of them were between 25 and 50 cents. Mine were all different colors and textures before I painted them. I'm pretty sure the most expensive part of the project was the spray paint! Which, by the way, if you haven't discovered Kilz primer in spray paint form, you need to. Right now. That stuff is incredible! I'm considering buying it in bulk. I printed the photos with our photo printer for even more savings. At least until we have to buy replacement cartridges :).

If you happen to have frames without glass, no worries. (Translation: if you get impatient trying to remove the glass from an old frame so you can paint it, and accidentally break the glass, it can be fixed!) Find a smaller frame to set in the middle of it.

For the record, I didn't break the glass on this one. It didn't come with any...

...but I did break the glass on this one. Grr. I like how it came out in the end though.
Some of my favorites. But then, they are all favorites. It was hard to choose which ones to put on the wall!

Oh, and I bet you're wondering how I figured out where I wanted to hang them. I just traced the frames onto paper, cut out the shapes, and then went to town taping paper shapes to the wall. I would tape up an arrangement, and then go do some laundry and come back to see if I still liked it. Then I would re-arrange the papers, go clean a bathroom, and come back. Then arrange again, feed the family some lunch, and ahhh... perfection! It saved me from drilling extra holes in the wall...this plaster is no joke!

Linking with Kimba for DIY Day.... why not?

And so begin our Tooth Fairy Days...

2010-03-15T14:03:00.002-04:00

First it was loose...
...and the next thing we knew, it was gone!
It looks like she's about to lose the second one on the bottom as well. The Tooth Fairy will be making another trip to our house in the very near future!

Treasure Hunting

2010-03-12T14:27:00.001-05:00

Does the sight of this make anybody else's heart beat a little faster?

Or am I alone? I know not everyone shares my love of old stuff... it's ok :).

This is some of the treasure I found when I went digging around in our basement/cellar a few weeks ago. To include the crate!

I can't wait to show you what I did with it all!

Window Memo Board

2010-03-10T21:02:00.000-05:00

In the past, I have used this window from my sister Della (man, it's a sister kind of week!) as decor around the house. This time, though, I decided to make it decorative and useful.

I ordered a custom vinyl cutout from an Etsy store. Top half calendar, bottom half notes. I don't know about you, but there is always something I need to write down when I'm in the kitchen.

Applying the vinyl was pretty simple; the hardest part was the fine little border around the notes section...I don't like to take my time, but this thing required slow precision. I really like how it came out in the end.
Ta-da! I dare my Mom to come back and scrawl on it again :).

Cotton Candy Earrings

2010-03-09T21:08:00.002-05:00

I have to brag on my sister Hannah for a moment. She made me these earrings after I ooed and aahed over hers last summer. Aren't they the greatest? They make me think of cotton candy.

Sometimes fun earrings can make an otherwise disappointing day just a little bit better...

When your dry-erase board is hijacked

2010-03-03T08:32:00.003-05:00

I expect goofy things written on the dry-erase board by my brother, or CJ, or friends. But my own mother? Apparently my Sam's muenster isn't good enough for her, stromboli is garbage bread, and I should be buying lobster-stuffed salmon rolls...

...can't leave the woman alone for a minute. :)

I say Trifle, you say Cake-in-a-Bowl

2010-03-02T19:52:00.002-05:00

This has to be the easiest dessert in the world! Everyone always devours it and is so impressed it's a little embarassing. Like, it seriously takes less than ten minutes to throw together once you have your ingredients. Wanna impress? Make this!

You need:

cake (vanilla, chocolate, lemon... I don't care. Or brownies if you want something really decadent)
whipped cream/cool whip/whichever you prefer
toffee chips, chocolate chips, nuts, candy bar... whatever
pudding mix (I use two large boxes, one vanilla and one chocolate)

Prepare your cake and let it cool. While cake is cooling, mix pudding as directed on package. Gently fold in whipped cream (about 3 cups). Refrigerate till cake cools.

Cut cake into bite-sized squares.

Get out your trifle bowl! Or anything really, preferably something clear so all of your "hard work" can show :).

Start with a cake layer on the bottom. Cover with a generous layer of pudding mixture. Top with more whipped cream and chips/nuts/etc. Repeat layers as many times as you want. My trifle bowl really only allows for two thick layers. Yours might fit more. Go for it.

Refrigerate for a few hours, then serve and savor the delight.

A few notes:

*I call this trifle. CJ calls it cake-in-a-bowl. He's fancy, ya know. I'm pretty sure the girls are going to grow up thinking it's called the latter, and have no earthly idea what a trifle is.

*Vary it up! I love using pound cake and fresh fruit in the summertime! Make it your own!

*Enjoy!

The Promise of Spring!

2010-02-27T18:50:00.000-05:00

I stepped outside this afternoon, and something caught my eye-- something that wasn't there yesterday. I almost let out a whoop when I realized there were crocuses blooming! I love these brave little flowers. Always the first ones up, they are just the reminder I need that spring is on the way. They brought a smile to my face! I can't help but also think about the woman who must have planted these bulbs years ago... and how thankful I am that she did.

Clutter, clutter everywhere

2010-02-26T12:27:00.002-05:00

This is what the dining room table looked like after I gathered together all of the loose items that were collecting around the kitchen/dining room. Ugh! I think it breeds like the laundry when I'm not looking! The worst part? This didn't even get my counters and hutch cleared!! Since CJ is still working on the drawers for the cabinets, all of the things I had stacked inside the cabinet bases had to come out (right ater I organized them, of course!). Now all of that stuff is sitting on any available surface, leering at me. Did you know casserole dishes and tupperware can leer? Yup.

And oh yeah... that cookie tin in the middle of the mess? Empty. I'll be carving out some extra time at the gym next week...

Dorothy Ballerina

2010-02-24T12:53:00.000-05:00

Morgan has her own fashion sense. Last week, this is what she wore to the Commissary. Note the red shoes-- they were part of her Halloween "Dorothy" costume. She is wearing those poor shoes into the ground. It's going to be sad when they completely fall apart!

Breakfast Sandwiches on-the-go

2010-02-22T12:41:00.003-05:00

When I actually get around to making CJ some quick breakfasts, I usually make breakfast burritos. This time I made some sandwiches. There is a new bagel thin that works perfectly-- taste and texture of a bagel, but almost 1/3 of the calories. I fried up some eggs, and topped them with a slice of canadian bacon and cheese.
Wrap 'em up and package them for the freezer. They microwave in less than a minute-- breakfast on the go.

I see you looking at my counter tops. Envious aren't you? You know you want my plywood-topped-with-contact-paper counters. This is me making do until the money appears so we can order countertops. We could afford some Formica ones right now, but I don't want to settle... I want something nice, and it's worth the wait. At least, that's what I keep telling myself. Especially when I forget they are contact paper and I set something hot down on them.

The Trendy Owl

2010-02-19T14:45:00.003-05:00

So, there's this girl whose blog I read. I used to laugh at Rachel everytime she said that... now it comes out of my mouth at least once a day.

Anyhow, she just opened an Etsy shop called The Trendy Owl... great name, right? To celebrate, she is hosting a giveaway...go check it out! She does incredible things with beads, and flowers, and feathers. Beautiful! I especially love this one.

Just passin' the word...

The Library

2010-02-17T14:08:00.002-05:00

I have a confession. Morgan is about to turn five next month, and I have never taken her to a library. Unless you count the time when there was a snake expo going on at a library, in their resource room. But there were so many reptiles and kids I don't think it really counts.

I have been meaning to find the local library for about six months now. Last summer, our neighbor took her kids to the library before their beach vacation "to check out some reading material for the trip." Brilliant! Ok, so maybe I've been meaning to find one since last summer.

Today, I did it. We braved the cold weather (it's 30 and windy) and drove to the nearest library (we have about four to choose from). The librarian hooked us up with cards, and Morgan checked out two books. "One for me and one for Maddy" she said. We have two weeks and then we'll be going back! I was hoping to check out the newest Sue Grafton mystery novel, but they were out. Boo.

Just an observation: since when are libaries places for kids to play on computers??? They had a whole table full of them, equipped with headphones, in the children's area for preschoolers. Morgan is already asking if she can play computer instead of get a book next time. Maybe there was a reason I hadn't made it there yet?

Pumpkin Strikes Again!

2010-02-13T07:45:00.000-05:00

You probably thought my obsession with pumpkin had ended with Thanksgiving. Not so! I tried pumpkin pancakes last week... oh my deliciousness! Perfectly moist, just the right amount of sweet. Topped off with whipped cream (and maybe some cinnamon sugar)-- perfect! We had them for Brinner (if you watch Scrubs, you're familiar with the term).

I found the original recipe at Allrecipes, but changed it a little. Go forth and make pancakes!!!

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups milk
1 cup pumpkin puree
2 eggs
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla

Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, spices and salt in small bowl. Set aside. In large mixing bowl, beat eggs. Add milk, pumpkin, oil, vinegar, and vanilla. Add dry mixture to wet slowly. Stir until well-mixed. Pour batter on griddle in 1/4 cup amounts for pancakes.

Valentine's Day Classroom Treats

2010-02-11T09:31:00.003-05:00

This year is Maddy's first Valentine's Day in school. I don't think she really even knows what to expect, which makes it even more fun for me. Her school is actually doing the whole exchanging of Valentines on Friday, but we are going to be out of town... Maddy's teacher was kind enough to move the kindergarten exchange to today so Maddy wouldn't miss out!

So we got to work... gift tags first. (Maddy is in dressup!)
Lots of glitter and glue were involved. Morgan manned the glue, while Maddy handled the glitter.

We had glitter and glue all over the table, but the tags were so pretty and sparkly!

Next came the treat part. Rice Krispy treats cut into heart shapes, skewered on candy-making lollipop sticks. They got a good dipping in melted chocolate, a generous coating of sprinkles, and the attention of the girls for about half of them. After a few minutes they ran off "You can finish, Mommy!"
After they cooled, I wrapped them in plastic, attached the gift tags with somecurling ribbon, and arranged them in a basket. I kind of wanted to keep them just because the basket looked so festive. :)
Ta-da!

I can't remember where I saw the idea for these, but it certainly wasn't mine! If you know where, let me know!!!

Eggsellent

2010-02-10T07:39:00.000-05:00

I have issues. With order and neatness. They have greatly subsided since I became a mother, but little examples still creep into everyday life. Like the eggs in my fridge. When I use eggs, I always hope I need an even amount so I can make the carton even. (See above). I really try not to visit my quirks upon the family too much though. When I was growing up, I would scream if anyone dripped anything on my clean floors. I had the hardest time watching people wash their hands, and then turn aroud and walk across the kitchen, as they dripped, to dry them. Now it's ok :). I still make sure the toilet paper comes up and over the roll, and I don't roll the toothpaste tube. I have my standards, after all!

Do you have any OCD tendencies?

It just gets better and better!

2010-02-04T12:18:00.003-05:00

I know I've shared with you before how things can get a little lost in translation with the girls.

How we have Strawberry Shortcut...
and Snow Wife.
I thought as the girls grew older, they would outgrow these misunderstandings. Instead, it just gets better. Added to the lineup most recently is The Lizard of Oz (I love how even though they know there is a Wizard, and no Lizard, they still don't put it together!)
My personal favorite though remains Snort Little. Love it. I won't correct Morgan when she says it because it makes me laugh so much, and someday she'll learn to read and get it right.
I love how children can make us laugh without even trying, just being themselves. It would be so much fun to get inside their heads and see life from their perspective for a day. I know we were all there once as kids ourselves, but to know what I know now and to see how they think... that would be priceless!

Basket-Washing, Anyone?

2010-02-02T19:26:00.000-05:00

Well, it's almost spring... time for some spring cleaning! We'll start out slowly. What about that basket that's getting a little grungy? Did you know you can give it a bath?

Fill a sink with some warm, soapy water. Dip it up and down ten or twenty times (depending on the level of grunginess).
Remove it to a towel to drain. Gasp at how dirty the water is-- gross, right?
Let it dry for a few hours.
Put it to use!

**credit where credit is due. This tip was passed on to me by my mother**

Farmhouse Guest Room Before and After

2010-02-01T21:10:00.002-05:00

Welcome to the guest room before and after! With this room done, we are about 80% finished with the wallpaper scraping in the house. This room required complete scraping of the walls AND ceiling.

And now for my disclaimer: while I don't feel like it is finished decor-wise, it is finished as far as the real work is concerned. Making it pretty is the fun part, and I plan to take my time, not because I want to, but because the budget demands it. So please don't judge the decor. The main point of this is to show you guys some more of the house, since I've been stringing you along for awhile now.

This has been one of the cheapest projects yet. The main cost here was time and effort. That wallpaper is no joke!

The before:

Current view of the room from the hallway
The room, mid-wallpaper.
The room now. White walls because I wanted to keep it simple (and because I get bored too quickly to bother repainting all the time!)
The back wall mid-way
...and the back wall now. The bed needs a headboard still, and I would like to find another side table. Again, budget. Yes, I KNOW it looks a bit sparse right now.
The room has two windows that catch a lot of light most of the day. The sunrise comes through one, and sets out the other.

I used white sheets for curtains. Lots of material for a good price! I know the white might seem boring, but I like it. Clean and crisp.
The vanity was a gift from the sisters who grew up in this house. I am thinking about painting it, but I like it the color it is too. Eventually I'd like to find a mirror for it. Ah, the budget, the budget!
I just love all of the porcelain knobs around the house!
Another view from the doorway.

So there it is-- if I were to total the dollar amount spent, it would come in under $30. That includes fabric softener to remove the wallpaper, primer, paint and sheets for curtains. Eventually we will have to refinish all of the floors upstairs, but that is a project for more money.

Linking to Kimba's DIY Day and to Maryann's Power of Paint Party

Really?

2010-02-01T16:48:00.002-05:00

Sorry for the blurry picture, but this is what you get when you don't have time to grab your long-range lens and you're taking the picture through your dining room window. I just had to get a picture of this.

There were kids walking down the street all day yesterday, heading to the park where there is a good hill for sledding. And all of them had sleds. Except this guy.
Maybe a pool lounger actually does work better? Is this just funny to me? Do people use these to sled where you live? Maybe I've lived in the South for too long and don't know a good sled when I see one? I don't know, but I think I might have just sighted a Virginia Redneck! :)

Snow Crazies

2010-01-31T16:03:00.003-05:00

Some pictures from this weekend. We were hit with about seven inches on Saturday!
Wink and Morgan watching it come down.
Morgan braved the blizzard for about five minutes yesterday, but it wasn't much fun with the wind blowing it all into her face.
A good blizzard isn't complete without a pan of snow candy!

Today has been sunny and perfect for getting out into the white stuff. Thank goodness because the girls had a severe case of the snow crazies by this morning!
Nobody in the house was exempt from playing in the snow

Snow angels!

Hope everyone else who was caught in the winter storm was able to stay home and enjoy it!

Friday Nights are Basketball Nights

2010-01-27T13:38:00.000-05:00

Maddy has been playing basketball with Upwards this season. It is fun to watch her at the games. She either does this

or this
or this
It kills CJ to watch the kids running around with no sense of teamwork. I think it's hilarious. One little boy stopped during the last game to show off his moves and spin the ball on his finger! Good stuff.

$10 Thrifty Score, Revisited

2010-01-25T10:36:00.006-05:00

Remember this old dresser? While redoing the guest room (you'll see it next week!) I thought it was time to paint the dresser as well. I loved it blue, but really wanted to bring more white into the room, trying to keep it as bright as possible.

Then I happened upon this mirror at a thrift store for $6.98. It weighs about thirty pounds, but all it needed was a good cleaning and some new hangars on the back. Perfect. I love how they came together!

Linked to Kimba's DIY Day Maryann's Power of Paint party!

Fruit Salsa Recipe

2010-01-23T12:05:00.004-05:00

Time for some fresh fruit among all of the comforting soups!

fresh strawberries
kiwis
1 can peaches
1 apple
lime juice
2 tsp. sugar
1 bag cinnamon pita/tortilla chips

Chop fruit and mix together. Sprinkle with sugar. Add lime juice. Cover and refrigerate at least an hour. Serve with cinnamon chips.

Easy Fleece Scarves

2010-01-16T10:33:00.004-05:00

The girls have been wearing my scarves when we go out, which was all fine, until last night at Taco Bell when Maddy got nacho cheese on one. Time for them to have their own! I had just bought some fleece to make them some, so the nacho cheese's timing was quite perfect.

These are so easy-- I think the hardest part is cutting all the little fringes. Seriously, you can do these in less than ten minutes.

I bought a yard of fabric, and cut it into five-inch strips lengthwise. Then I layered two strips together, and sewed them down the middle.
Next, I cut tabs down both sides
The result? A smiling daughter! She immediately decided to walk the dog as an excuse to wear her scarf :).

Linking up with Kimba for her DIY Day!

In the bleak midwinter

2010-01-12T12:12:00.005-05:00

First of all, thank you so much to everyone for your nice comments about the bathroom renovation-- you all were great and it was really encouraging to hear from you! Just the fuel I need to keep on keepin' on!And my title speaks truth; I do mean bleak! It has been in the teens when we wake up in the morning, the ice in the birdbath never melts, and my car makes noises of protest when I try to start it. Brr! I don't even want to think about the amount of oil we are using each day just to keep the house at a cozy 65. At least the sun is shining and the sky is blue, so it looks pretty...through the windows.My sister Hannah came to visit last week and brought me some beautiful flowers-- the first flowers in the new house! They added so much brightness to our dining room. I love sitting and drinking my coffee next to them in the morning.Even though the cold weather makes me feel a little housebound, I am making progress each day on things around the house. I read a tip last week that seems pretty small, but actually makes a big difference: if it's something that takes less than two minutes to do, go ahead and do it now. Like hanging up a jacket, changing the batteries in something, cleaning a toilet... little things that really add up by the end of the day. I feel like it's helped me control the daily stuff a little better so when I focus on bigger projects, the rest of the house isn't falling apart :).

Oh! I received my Mom Agenda organizer in the mail yesterday. It's taking all I have to not sit down like a dork and spend hours filling out our calendar for the next year. I will post a review here once I've had some quality planning time :).

I have a crockpot full of Cheesy Potato and Corn Chowder simmering right now, making the house smell nice and homey. Perfect way to warm up this wintery day!

Mom with an Agenda

2010-01-06T16:26:00.003-05:00

CJ thought Mother's Day in January was a good idea (he's such a sweetie!)... so I ordered the Mom Agenda organizer today. I will be sure to let you know was I think of it once it arrives!

And you know I'm a bargain hunter, so of course I didn't actually order it from Mom Agenda's website. I found it quite a bit cheaper over at Jenni Bick Bookbinding.... you know, in case you want one too :).

I'm in organization mode here... going through boxes, taking things to Goodwill, trying to decide what things are worth storing and what should just go. I feel caught in the middle; since we just moved in, I haven't really found a place for everything we used at the other house, compounded by the fact that a lot of the house still needs work. So it's all just sitting around and it's getting on my last nerve. At the same time, I know it would be wasteful to send everything to Goodwill. Grrr. I need an organizing specialist to come help me make the most of my space!

I am looking at the organizing journal as my feeble start to getting our life in the new house running smoothly once again!

Farmhouse Bathroom: Before and After

2010-01-05T06:27:00.002-05:00

Finally! I have been promising you pictures of some of our work on the house for a long time now. I am a perfectionist and don't like posting things in their halfway state :). As promised, here are pictures of our main bathroom renovation. There are pictures from before, during and after. It was so much work (remember how I said everything costs more and takes longer?), but we are really happy with the end results. Enjoy and tell me what you think (ahem...give me a pat on the back! This has been hard!)
This is what the bathroom looked like the day we looked at the house for the first time.
This is partway through renovating. There wasn't an inch of this room that we didn't redo!
Aaaah! Welcome to our bathroom!
The tub before
...during
...and after.
The same shot of the bathroom before because I didn't have a picture of just the corner with the toilet.
Toilet side of the room during
And the toilet area now.
A few more photos of the room. It feels so good to have one room almost done. There are still a few details like switchplates and towel rods, but I'm happy for now!

I love this window. We had to replace the glass after a wind storm blew it in one afternoon (what's $68 at this point?). This side of the house gets great light most of the day, which really brightens up the bathroom.

I have to elaborate on the new vanity for a moment. When we took out the old sink, I started looking for something different that the standard sink cabinet-- too boring and dull for this great house! I had originally been looking for an old desk or something along those lines, but everything I found ended up being too big. My mom has had this country server since I was little, and it was an antique when she acquired it. I couldn't believe it when she offered it to me!! It took me about half a second to say yes please!

It turned out just beautifully. My brother Seb (!) actually came up with the idea of the raised sink bowl. We used a kitchen faucet because of the rise of the bowl. I love how everything came together so perfectly, and that we have a completely unique vanity, which is also a family heirloom.

Thanks for hanging in there for the tour of the bathroom. I'll post more sections of the house as the renovations progress!

I'm linking up with Kimba for her DIY Day.

...and with Maryann at Domestically Speaking for her Power of Paint Party.

I'm a Summertime Mom

2010-01-04T12:26:00.002-05:00

Before Maddy started school, I couldn't have answered this question I read in a magazine awhile ago: "Are you a School Bus Mom or a Summertime Mom?"

After the two-week break for Christmas, I am convinced I am a Summertime Mom. Even though it isn't summer weather outside, it was like summer in that we didn't have to go through the daily drill of get up, make your bed, get dressed, brush your teeth, eat your breakfast, get in the car. So, so nice. I love the summer days of taking it slow, heading to the beach for a picnic lunch, and then home again to catch naps. I can't believe some moms look forward to the daily school grind. Insane.

Getting up this morning was hard. I did not want to face Morning Maddy, and she didn't want to face me. But we did it. Got up, dressed, and out the door...she even managed to get a few bites of cereal into her tummy. I swear I didn't prompt her to say "I miss summertime!" That's my girl!

So we are back in it. Maddy went to school, and Morgan and I went grocery shopping. It is so cold outside right now-- it was only 20 this morning! I am such a Texafied wimp when it comes to winter. Another reason I'm a Summertime Mom! :)

Check back tomorrow-- I'm planning to post some house photos!

Be still, my organizing little heart!

2010-01-01T08:48:00.005-05:00

Organization makes me swoon. I know that I'm creative and could probably come up with an organizer of my own, but I also know that I am in l.o.v.e. with this from Mom Agenda. Why do I always find things to add to my wish list after Christmas?

Isn't it pretty? Mom Agenda has several that I like; I think this one is my favorite because it is refillable. It would be so nice to have a real planner to use, rather than my magnetic dry-erase calendar and whatever pad of paper I can find to scribble notes on (which inevitably gets buried or lost). I am such a list-maker and planner... I could have it all in one place!

Maybe Mother's Day should be moved to January :). (Hint, hint... I KNOW CJ reads this!)

How to Install an Outlet

2009-12-29T07:55:00.000-05:00

Some of you might think installing an outlet is a difficult thing. I found a method that is foolproof and works every time.

Put it on your list. Lists are important. 'Cause we all like crossing things off when we're done.

Give your man a kiss.

And next thing you know, voila. An outlet appears!

Pretty simple, eh?

I'm linking up with Kimba for her DIY Day. She did say she's pretty flexible about what qualifies as a DIY project... I hope she was serious :).

The night before Christmas

2009-12-24T21:57:00.001-05:00

Uncle Shannon and Aunt Bonita sent some princess gifts for Christmas. One of the items was a sleep mask. I couldn't believe it when we snuck upstairs to check on the girls tonight and found them like this. So cute!

Peanut Butter Fudge

2009-12-20T18:21:00.002-05:00

This is the fudge recipe I use every Christmas. It's easy, and makes a lot so you have plenty to eat AND share :).

Peanut Butter Fudge

4 cups white sugar
1 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup butter
1 (12 oz) can evaporated milk
1 (7 oz) jar marshmallow creme
1 (16 oz) jar peanut butter
1 t. vanilla

Grease a 13x9. I told you this makes a lot!

In a medium saucepa over medium heat, combine sugar, brown sugar, butter and milk. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, and boil for seven minutes. Remove from heat; stir in marshmallow creme until blended. Add peanut butter and vanilla; stir till smooth. Spread in prepared pan. Cool and cut into squares.

This looks really pretty when wrapped in plastic wrap/wax paper and tied with some Christmas ribbons!

Oh Morgan.

2009-12-19T12:07:00.002-05:00

It took the girls a long time to figure out how to tell a joke that was funny. For the longest time, they have been telling us jokes like

"Knock-knock"

"Who's there?"

"Banana squash!!"

Morgan heard a joke the other day, and has been telling it all week.

"Why do chickens lay on their eggs?"

"Because they don't have chairs!"

It caught me off-guard the first time she told it-- and then I couldn't stop laughing. The best part is how she laughs like it's the first time she's heard it every time she tells it.

Blogging? What's that?

2009-12-14T19:02:00.000-05:00

...because I have apparently forgotten! This moving at Christmas business has got to stop! We were going through the exact same thing (well, minus the major renovating!) at this time last year. My family was wonderful in helping us out with all of the moving; Mom even took the girls for a few days at Thanksgiving so we could get things done faster. This has been the most intense move we've gone through, since we were trying to get as much work done on the new house before we moved everything into it. We didn't get as much done as we were hoping, but the essentials are covered: major appliances, shower and toilet. I told CJ today "everything takes longer and costs more than we expect."

I admit, my first priority has been getting the Christmas decor up... it's my favorite season, and I'm not going to let a move throw me off!

We decorated the tree...

and hung our stockings.
Set up the nativity
and put out my snowman. He has been with us since our first Christmas at Fort Rucker nine years ago. He was a Sam's Club special, and I couldn't pass him up. Isn't he great?
A few more snowmen...
This is my favorite quirky snowman. My brother bought him for me a few Christmases ago. Some people think he's strange. I love him.

I addressed Christmas cards today, and wrapped gifts, so aside from baking cookies, my Christmas obligations are just about fulfilled.

I know I keep promising pictures of the house...hang in there! They're coming, slowly but surely. Besides, you guys are much too busy with Christmas to have time for house photos. You need something to look forward to in January! :)

Moving. Nine times in nine years...

2009-11-20T05:21:00.003-05:00

This is our hallway
and our living room
....in our rental, of course. The Move is happening this week and next, simultaneous with the final push at the new house to get our bathroom and kitchen ready to use. Whew! Posting will be at a minimum between now and the end of the month...so much to do!

Pumpkin Cookie Recipe

2009-11-16T13:31:00.002-05:00

Tired of my pumpkin posts yet? I can't get enough of it! I made these pumpkin cookies last week during the Nor'easter...ooooh what perfect weather to stay inside and drink coffee and eat cookies!

I promise this will be my last pumpkin recipe...for this week at least :)

Pumpkin Cookies (when I was typing this, I accidentally typed "Pumpking" first...which is so appropriate. Pumpkin is king in my kitchen lately!)

2 1/2 cups flour
1 t baking powder
1 t baking soda
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 t nutmeg
1/2 t cloves
1/2 t ginger
1/2 t salt
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup shortening
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 egg
1 t vanilla

Preheat oven to 350. Combine flour, baking poweder, baking soda, spices and salt. Set aside.

Cream together butter, shortening and sugar. Add pumpkin, egg and vanilla. Beat until creamy. Mix in dry ingredients slowly.

Drop on cookie sheets by tablespoonfuls; flatten slightly.

Bake for 10 minutes until lightly browned. Cool on rack.

If desired, drizzle with the following glaze:

1 cup confectioner's sugar
3 T milk
1 T melted butter
1 t vanilla

Thrifty Amusement

2009-11-12T08:31:00.002-05:00

I just found this picture from May... I had forgotten about it, but it made me laugh! Thrift-shopping with me is never boring!

Perfect Fall Pumpkin Bread Recipe

2009-11-11T14:45:00.005-05:00

Just because I don't have any pictures of the house, don't think there isn't progress being made! The floors have become our nemesis over the last week, and we were gone last weekend which didn't help any!

So in lieu of a house update, here's another fall recipe for you. This is my absolute favorite pumpkin bread recipe. It's really more like cake.

Perfect Fall Pumpkin Bread

1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin
4 eggs
1 cup oil (I use half oil, half applesauce)
2/3 cup water
3 cups sugar
3 1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour a large bundt pan, or three loaf pans.

In a large bowl, mix together pumpkin, eggs, oil, water, and sugar until well-blended. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt and spices. Stir the dry ingredients into the pumpkin mixture until just blended. Pour into prepared pan(s).

Bake for about 50 mintues. Bread is done when toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Recipe for a Happy Morning

2009-11-06T08:31:00.002-05:00

1. Gain an hour due to Daylight Savings Time (i.e. Mommy feels like she got an extra hour of sleep and is STILL getting up early!)

2. Make your Kindergartener (who inherited Mommy's Iamnotamorningpersondonteventrytomakeconversationbeforeeight gene) a hot breakfast.

3. Put a face on it!

(I think CJ was in shock that I was up, cheerful, AND making breakfast at 6:30)

White Chocolate Pumpkin Scones

2009-11-04T06:59:00.001-05:00

I am absolutely, positively, without a doubt, certain that I posted these a year or so ago, but cannot find it for the life of me. And since it's that wonderful time of the year, I feel obligated to share my favorite scone recipe of all time. My friend Kelly shared this recipe with me, and I am so glad she did! Go! Make these now! You'll be thanking Kelly too!

White Chocolate Pumpkin Scones

Mix together in medium bowl:
2 Cups Flour
1/3 Cup Brown Sugar
1/2 t. Ginger
1/2 t. Cinnamon
1 t. Baking Powder
1/4 t. Baking Soda
1/4 t. Salt

Blend in with pastry cutter:
1/2 Cup unsalted Butter

Stir in:
1/2 Cup White Chocolate Chunks (or chips)

In separate bowl, blend:
1/3 Cup Buttermilk
1/2 Cup Pumpkin
1 t. Vanilla

Add pumpkin mixture to dry ingredients. Stir gently until ingredients are just mixed. Place dough on lightly floured counter and form into two 6" circles, patting out gently. Cut each circle into 6 wedges. Place wedges on lightly greased cookie sheet.

Before baking, brush tops of scones with: 1 beaten egg 1 T heavy cream

Bake at 400 for 22-25 min. Cool on cookie rack. Wonderful with coffee!

To Done. To Did. To Have Did.

2009-11-03T07:02:00.000-05:00

TOTALLY kidding with my title... I do realize none of the above is correct... but it made me laugh to say them outloud. Try it.

The house is coming along. We have until the end of November to get as much work done on it as possible before we will be actually living in it, and I'm trying to take deep breaths! Having to pack, move and clean the rental house doesn't add to the stress at all, not one bit. Catching my sarcasm? :)

But really, despite any setbacks we have had (I mean, the house is 100 years old, after all), we are making progress. Mom told me that I needed to make a list of everything we've accomplished so far, not everything that still needs to be done. And she's right; I'm a getitdonenownoitcannotwaituntillater kind of girl, but this is one project that I need to accept won't be finished in a month. And I'm ok with that. Not really.

So here's my list, as of today:

Re-wired electrical stuff. (Yes, that is technical speak)
Gutted kitchen
Built a half bath
Added a pantry in the kitchen
Stripped wallpaper from eight rooms
Patched/replaced plaster walls in nine rooms
Sanded and primed six rooms
Painted the walls in four rooms (two coats each)
Removed carpets/linoleum in six rooms
Scraped and painted front porch ceiling

Ugh. This is so hard! I really want to be writing a to-do list. I kept getting derailed while I was typing this by thoughts of all the things we need to do...this isn't as easy as I thought it would be!

I think that's all we've done. I might be forgetting little here-and-there things, but that hits the major jobs. I'll try and get some more pictures up this week... I know it's been awhile and lots has changed! Exciting times!

Cheesy Crockpot Potato and Corn Chowder

2009-11-02T08:11:00.003-05:00

The weather here is cool, grey, and a little bit drizzly. I actually really love it! Part of me thinks I might actually be able to hack Seattle weather :). It's the perfect weather to make this cheesy potato chowder. Yes, it has velveeta in it, but it really is yummy! I found the orginal recipe on Allrecipes.com, and adapted it for the crockpot-- the perfect meal to come home to after a busy day! I tried to take a picture of it the last time I made it, but it just didn't come out, and you probably wouldn't make it if you say the picture... but trust me, it's great!

Cheesy Crockpot Potato and Corn Chowder

Ingredients:
2 T butter
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped onion
3 cups broth
3 cups peeled and cubed potatos
1 (15 ounce) can whole kernel corn (drained)
1 (4 ounce) can diced green chiles
1 (2.5 ounce) package country-style gravy mix
2 cups milk
1 cup Velveeta, cubed

Directions:
Saute celery and onion in butter till lightly browned and tender. Add to crockpot with broth and potatos. Cook 4-5 hours on low. Add corn, chiles, milk, gravy mix and cheese. Stir well. Cook on high for one more hour. Enjoy with biscuits!

It's a shiner.

2009-10-27T13:20:00.002-04:00

Our new house has some really great features. Like solid wooden doors. Morgan found out just how solid they were over the weekend. She came around a corner and collided with the edge of the door leading upstairs. Instant purple bump just beside her eye...poor thing! This is what it looked like by the next day. Owies!