OH what fun

WOW I am having so much fun. It has been a wonderful week of playing and just hanging out. Tomorrow Bryson has no choice but to make his appearance as Kassie is getting induced. The only way out of that is if he chooses to come today =) and that would be good to. Tristan, Loerya and Serenity are still adjusting to each other and sometimes a good old brawl breaks out but hey thats kids for ya.

Christmas decor is out and the music and scents are going strong. I am trying to talk Karissa into staying for Christmas but I know she cant but a Nana can always hope.

Thanksgiving Blessings

I feel truly blessed that I had so much family around for Thanksgiving. It was crazy, loud and WONDERFUL. Bryson chose to stay in his mommy's nice warm tummy for they day and let us just wonder a little longer. No matter what he will make his appearance by Tuesday December 1 so we will see if he will be like his sister and say, " forget that I am coming on my own terms" and will show before the 1st. we will see. We are all wondering who he will look like and what his personality will be like. Well soon we should have the answers.

They are here

YEAH they are here. My daughter and granddaughter arrived today at 2:00 pm. I am over the moon with happiness. My house is loud and rambunctious, kids are everywhere and having so much fun (so am I). I just thought I would get pics out there real quick and follow later with more. Have a great night.

AAHHHH the holidays

AHHHH the holidays. I love the holiday scents and the spirit that goes with it. I love cooking, baking and decorating so what better time than the holidays for me. No the tree isnt up yet only because they family made sense when they said we will have so many people here for Thanksgiving that to have all the decorations out would make it a bit too crouded. So well I have relented and Christmas decor will not be out till the 26th. BUMMER!!!
Well I guess that leaves cooking and baking. So on that note I have a fabulous pumpkin chocolate chip cookie recipe that you will love and it is sooooo easy to make.

1/2 cup vegetable shortening

1 cup brown sugar

1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup pumpkin

2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg

1 teaspoon ground cloves

choc chips as desired

I buy choc chips in bulk so I really do not measure them I just dum and go =)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. if you use metal pans grease them. I use cooking stones that are well seasoned so I do not grease them.
Combine shortening and sugar and cream them together. then add the egg and vanilla beat untill light and fluffy. beat in pumpkin. Stir together flour soda salt cinnamon nutmeg and cloves. Then add to pumpkin mixture then add the choc chips. drop by teaspoon full on cookie sheets. bake about 10 minutes or untill lighty brown around the edges. Cool on cookie rack.

This is the same recipe I use for applesauce cookies I just substitute applesauce for the pumpkin mixture.

Later I will post a wonderful soup recipe that Christina gave me. My family loves it and it is easy to make in the crock pot for a worry free dinner on those busy nights when you know your in trouble for a spare moment to cook dinner.

Tonight my husband and I watched a fantastic movie. If you are in the mood to laugh and want a moment to really let loose I recommend "The Ugly Truth". HOWEVER I do not recommend that you let young children watch it. It has highly suggestive humor that will have you rolling on the floor. There is no real nudity just again highly suggestive. I am not one that really goes overboard with laughter at a movie but occasionally a movie comes along that really gets to me and this is definitely one of them.

Tomorrow Karissa comes in from Washington with Serenity and I cannot wait to see them. Kassie still hasn't had Bryson yet and we are all anxiously awaiting his arrival. Thanksgiving and Mel's birthday is just around the corner (Thursday) and I just cannot believe time has passed so quickly. WOW.

Fun in the leaves

Well I had to wait to rake the leaves untill I had enough for the kids to play in. Well that was today and I am sure my neighbors are thankful. Oh well at least the kids had fun. With red little noses and frozen little fingers they had a blast. Oh to be a kid again. Well I guess we can live vicariously through the eyes of a child and play along with them. Yes I am a kid at heart yippeeeee.

Our honorable vets

Today is Veterans day and we should all take a moment to give thanks to their great sacrifice. Our military men and women give so much both past and present. Many people thank them daily and some often forget that freedom is never free. It is paid for in blood, tears and sweat from the many brave that have chosen to serve our country, (men women and children all) to make sure our ideas on freedom and the rights to choose how we live are protected. Many times our brave are seperated from their loved ones during the important parts of their lives yet they do so with pride.

For all this I am thankful.

I am thankful that my husband was one of the brave men that served our country for 20 years. He missed many milestones in our life but he never faltered. He was their during Desert Storm, Desert Sheild. He was their during the tragedy of the USS Cole, We sat at the tv looking at the devistation of 911 knowing that he would be called to deploy, and he was. He was gone two differnt times for 6 months. We missed many holidays, birthdays, and aniversaries. Although it was difficult we both knew it was important. I prayed while he was gone and was so very thankful when he returned unharmed. I felt for the families that were not so lucky and still do.

I look at our new generation and think, " wow they are such young men and women". I know they are young but I also know they are proud to serve. I know that they are not the boys and girls we sometimes see them as but grown adults that have made a choice to follow our beloved vets and become part of that elite group.

I take a moment daily to reflect my life with my husband and all he has sacrificed for us and I wonder how I was so lucky to find him. I am taking today to thank him not just for myself but for everyone. Not just him but all our military past, present and future.

May GOD bless you and protect you always.

Thanks for the little things

Like me, most people forget to give thanks for the little things. Like rather than those peaceful moments that most parents dream about well I think we need to be thankful for the noise. When a child is laughing when he throws the ball for the dog or screaming to the top of her lungs because she see's papa coming home from work. These things we tend to forget to be thankful for in our day to day, but without those noises the quiet would be just too loud. When a child see's the absolute delight in tossing blocks because they make such wonderful noise bouncing off the walls so what if it drives you to distraction just think about the joy they are having and how they are building those muscles to be such great ball players.

Joy comes in many forms we just need to take a moment and realize that this to is just another moment in time that will be quickly over and never to be again. Each day is a new begining to another day that we are being blessed with.

I give thanks to GOD that I am able to enjoy these little things and I ask HIM daily to grant me with the patience, understanding and insight to take it as it comes with a smile.

A month of thanks

Well it is November... The month of thanksgiving. I know we need to give our thanks everyday of the year but like most things we put it off till we are reminded (many times) to do so.

So (again) I will try to give my thanks daily.

FIRST and foremost is my wonderful husband. Who else in this world would put up with me for 20 years with SOOOOOOO little (if any)complaint. He is kind and generous, he is steadfast and strong. He is my other half my soulmate.

SECOND is my children. All five of them. Each bring me happiness, tears and stress. They are each individuals who bring me happiness just being themselves, I cry tears because of them just because I am their mother and I am allowed to worry, and be frustrated with them which allows the stress.

THIRD is my grandchildren. I truly believe I was meant to be a nana. They are a blessing and I love them so much. I have 2 living with me and one in Washington that I do not get to see anywhere near enough. They are all truly a joy.

FOURTH I am so thankful for my family. My mother, mother-in-law brothers and sisters, brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law. They know me so well and still love me with all my quirks.

FIFTH is my friends. I am very choosy who I call "friends" but those that I do are the most wonderful people. There is Shelia. I have known her for 30 years, we have shared so much in school, having children and grandchildren. Through good times and bad she has always been there. Then there is LuLu, wow what a wonderful delightful woman. I have known her for 15 years and everyday has been a joy. She is my fellow "Navy Wife". Who else is there to cry with, laugh with and just hang with when the husbands are away. Mine is now retired but hers has 15 months to go. Hang in there girl its worth it. Then there is Christina. Although I have only known her for 3 years she is a wonderful person. We have had tears and laughter over kids and husbands. We worked together and passed recipes to each other. I miss seeing her everyday but at least we can still chat and we always have recipes and the computer.

I am so thankful that my daughter will be here in 2 weeks from Washington. I will have all my children and grandchildren here for Thanksgiving (which is also Mels birthday). Can we say pictures. Oh yeah. Thanksgiving dinner will be held at my house this year and I will have over 30 people here. Again can we say pictures =). I will have the whole family here and I cannot wait. We are hoping that Bryson will make his appearance before Thanksgiving so he can be here for the dinner. But if he chooses to stay in the oven (Kassie's tummy) and cook a little longer hopefully he chooses to show before December. December babies just seem to get shorted either on their b-day or Christmas.

Speaking of Christmas I am so excited about it this year that I am trying to get Mel to put out the tree and decorations sometime this week. Yippeee, I am sure he will, he is so indulgent.