Trick or Treat Smell my Feet

Ghosties and Goblins and Monsters galore. Speed Racer and Kitty we went to each door.

This year Kate decided not to trick or treat for the first time, so Spencer and Jordan had to take up the slack, and boy did they. Their little tubs were overflowing. Earlier in the day they wore their Halloween shirts, and put on costumes after dinner. Let me tell you, it is a wonderful thing to be able to threaten them with no trick or treating if they did not stop fighting, did not clean up toys, or eat dinner. About as good as the Santa threat.

Lee is now trying to get them to brush their teeth, put on jammies and get ready for bed. Poor sucker, good luck. I dont think they are going to sleep until next week.

Busy busy busy

It seems I never have time to post blog's anymore. I have several that need to be done, but you know. time time time, or the lack thereof.
Here is what will be blogged about eventually. Spencer's 6th birthday, and party. black olives, 1976, Halloween, parent teacher conference.
Keep checking back, eventually these will come to fruition.

Another one bites the dust....sort of

Spencer has had another loose tooth for a while now. It has been hurting and he cant wait for it to come out. He knows all about the tooth fairy coming from his last lost tooth, and knows not to expect a whole dollar this time, but he is still excited.

Well, it happened this afternoon. He was eating a snack, a roll to be exact after school and he said to me "Mom, I think my tooth just popped out, and I think I swallowed it!" Sure enough, I looked and there was a big ol' space where his tooth had just been. I informed him that the tooth fairy would not be picking up that tooth. :) We all got a good laugh out of it, and he got .50 to boot. You cant beat that.

Halloween Party on the 18th

Last Saturday night was the Fall/Halloween party at church, and even though I was too sick to go, my little goblins dressed up and had a great time. Look on.....

Spencer was Speed Racer, and had a ball running around as such. His friend Keegan that had moved away was there and they had so much fun together. Spencer won first prize for his costume in his age group, and received a pumpkin as a prize. He also won some cupcakes in the cakewalk. He came home full of stories and was so thrilled to have gone.

Kate dressed up as a nerd.....

but I don't think she can look like one no matter how hard she tries, she's just too pretty. She tied for 1st in her age group. Hey Kate, Where's your pocket protector?

Then there's Jordan, our little ballerina. She is just so gosh darn cute, and look at those eye lashes. She had a great time, and won some cupcakes in the cake walk. She was so excited, and came home rifling through her candy. Thanks to the YM & YW for all of their work, and making it a great time. The kids and Lee really enjoyed themselves, and cant wait for Halloween.

October 11, 1996-The start of Time & Eternity

Yesterday we celebrated our 12th anniversary. I cant believe 12 years have come and gone, it seems like just yesterday that we were driving on our way up to Chicago to get married.Wow, time flies. 1996 was much like it was Saturday, sunny and warm with the beautiful fall colors all around, yet some of the summer flowers still blooming. What can I say, fall is the best.

I have spent a lot of time the last couple of days thinking about the last twelve years and the joys and sorrows it has brought. Luckily, most of the memories are joyous. I am not going to put them all down, it would take to long, and most are just personal. Who wants to read about my day to day going on's, anyway, but I am going to list twelve things I love about my wonderful husband being twelve years and all.....get it?

1. He saw me for who I was back then,(and still now) not just the extra pounds I was carrying around. and loved me anyway.

2.He makes me laugh

3.He is kind and considerate, and always thinking of way to make me happy.

4.He gave me three beautiful children.

5.He is a great father, who loves his children dearly.

6. He respects me.

7.He is my best friend.

8. He has beautiful blue eyes.

9.He is a good provider.

10.He understands me, and is willing to tell me when I am wrong.

11.He is willing to stick up for me when I am right.

12.He makes life fun.

I could go on , but I will stop with the twelve. Maybe next year I will list more, like at least 13. Thanks babe, you have been the best husband I could have ever asked for. Here's to 12 more and beyond.

Christmas wins

My last poll question was, Which Holiday is your favorite? Expectedly, Christmas won, Yeah!!
Thanksgiving came in a close second, with Halloween coming in third. Thanks to all who voted.

Jack-O-Lantern Pancakes

Today is the tool man and my anniversary, so I woke up in a very good mood, told tool man I would make breakfast (He has always made big breakfast's on Saturdays) and got to work. SURPRISE!!! I made jack-o-lantern pancakes. I am used to making snowmen, turtles, trains, cats etc.. I learned that from my mother in law, but this was a whole new experience. A lot more work than I expected, but the happy little faces and big smiles were worth the effort, and I'm not just talking about the smiles on the pancakes.
The more I made the better they got, then I started doing different faces. You can see them on my griddle that was by the way a wedding present from my brother Craig. It is old, the legs were long ago broken off, but it keeps on cooking, but I guess it seems apropos that I should use that griddle today. Great gift Craig, we have used it a lot.
You can see Kate and tool man putting the blueberry syrup that I made with the blueberries we picked on theirs. I called them bloody pancakes, as it is almost Halloween. Big mistake, Spencer picked up on it and would not let it go. Ew gross, that had to be put to a stop fast. It was a lot of fun to make these for my little family. I'm glad I could make you guys happy. Thanks for the idea Gig.

Great blog spot I found

Something I do every day to amuse myself is check all the blogs I am following, and as I was reading the pioneer womans latest epic, I found a blog spot in her comment section. It is a lady that gives something away every day! "Wow" thought I, maybe I could actually win something in my lifetime. It is a really cool blogspot, and it can lead you to her personal blog which is really cute, and who knows, maybe you can win something too. Here it is if you are interested....
agiveawayaday.blogspot.com
Good luck, just dont steal away the prize I want :)

Shiver me timbers, I've a pirate in the house

This afternoon I have been hearing pirate talk around the house. Has Johnny Depp or Orlando Bloom come to my home you ask? Sadly no. It isn't even National talk like a pirate day, that was September 19th. Instead it was Spencer, saying things like "Shiver me timbers", "Arrgh matey" and "Walk the plank". That one was to his sister, much to her dismay. He even let me know that "pirates look mean." And even though one of the pictures is a little fuzzy, I thought they were cute.
Spencer and his class are studying the alphabet and today was the letter "P". So Mr. King had them color bandanna's, eye patches, and parrots and they all became pirates and went around the classroom talking like one. When Spencer came home he wanted to dress like a pirate, but unfortunately his Dad does not believe in boys owning blousey white shirts with big fluffy sleeves let alone wearing them. so alas it was into his Halloween shirt that he changed. Maybe if we can't find a good Speed Racer costume for Halloween he can go as a Pirate..........?

Fall comfort food on a cool evening

Today is a perfect example of just why I love the fall best. The last few days it has warmed up again, yet the evenings and nights are cool, I can have the windows open, pile on the blankets, and snuggle in. Oh I love it!!! But today, oh today it has been raining, and with it came a cool front which makes me crave the comfort food of my youth. Every Thanksgiving we have chicken and noodles with mashed potatoes, so I thing that is something I associate with cool days and happiness. I know people in the west who say ew "starch on starch", but oh my gosh that starch is the best tasting starch in the world! So with the cool weather comes a yearning for that wonderful starchy comfort.

I love a good long rain shower like we have had today, it is just so darn relaxing to be inside and listen to the steady drum of the raindrops on the windows and know that I am inside, warm and happy. Add the cool weather and that brings me to the other comfort food I am craving, chocolate brownies warm from the oven with a big glass of cold milk. Either that or a nice cup of hot chocolate. Open the windows let the cool night air in and relax with some hot chocolaty goodness. Again, being able to be cold, but wrap up in a blanket is the best. I just cant describe how great this weather makes me feel. So if you will excuse me, I am going to go and put on my big flannel Jammie's and take those brownies out of the oven. Ah, this is the life.

The big dance

The big fall dance was Saturday night at Kate's high school, it's called the Evola dance. What the heck does that mean anyway? The tool man and I call it the Ebola dance :) Kate has been preparing for this dance for a long time, going to the mall and other stores to find just the right dress which in this case means one that is not slutty and cut clear down to her belly button and up to her waist like most of the other girls, and it also has to pass the Dad test. Anyway back on subject here, finding just the right dress, shoes, fingernail polish etc.... I don't think I have ever seen her so excited, she was running around the house making everything sure everything was just right, into the tanning bed for one last session......Oops, that is where she had her first problem. The button on the tanning bed has been sticking, and instead of being in there for the 20 minutes that is normal, she was in there for 45. Luckily she is pretty tan, but alas, she came out looking something like a lobster. Into the shower to cool down, off to the hair dresser to get her locks just right then into the dress.

Kate's date Greg was running late, so her friend Brook came and picked her up and off to the restaurant where the guys were waiting. Just when I thought they would not be back for the promised pictures, in they came!!! Aren't they a cute couple. Isn't she just beautiful. She makes a mother proud. Proud that she would pick a decent dress, a decent guy, and still be home my the midnight deadline.

Of course her daddy still does not like that dress. She's just too gosh darn pretty in it, and had to many compliments from the guys. Ha ha ha, payback for him being a teenage boy himself. I love it.

Blueberry Pie---Love on a plate

My kids love to watch this show called Word World. In it everything is made up of letters, literally. If you want a boot you get the letters and squish them together and walla, you have a boot, house, animals whatever. The other day, someone on the show made a pie, my husband loved it, it actually said p i e, he thought it was so cool that I should do it. So ..OK! I did, tonight I made the tool man the best blueberry pie around and made it to say P I E. The kids of course thought it is so cool, even Kate my 17 yr old. My tool man loved it. Enjoy the pictures, and if you want to make it yourself here is the recipe.



CRUST--
2 1/2 C. Flour
1 heaping C. Crisco
1/2 C. ice cold water w/
1/2 t. vinegar in it

Cut shortening into flour, then gently mix in water. Roll out yadda yadda yadda.

Blueberry Pie Filling

4 C. fresh or frozen blueberries
3/4 to 1 C. sugar
3 T. flour
1/2 t. grated lemon peel
dash salt
1/2 t each cinnamon and nutmeg
2-3 t lemon juice
1 T. butter

the recipe says to combine then put into pie shell. but personally I can never get this to work, the blueberries seem to still be runny at the end. So......what I do is combine all but the butter in a pan, cook it until thick, add the butter, let it cool then put it into the shell and bake at 400 for 35-40 minutes. It comes out perfect every time. Add a scoop of ice cream, and you got yourself love on a plate. Enjoy

Blue Birds, a feast for the eyes

I was opening the blinds in the kids playroom this morning and got a wonderful surprise. I blue bird flew over to our nectarine tree. Then I noticed that there were lots of blue birds in our back yard. Now to some that may be a "big deal" kind of moment, but to me it was wonderful. I have only seen one other blue bird in my entire life, and that was over in Nauvoo, IL just across the river from IA, and I think that was about 10-12 years ago. We have lots of blue jays here and I am used to them, but the blue bird is a much calmer, nicer bird than the jay and it was quite a treat. Maybe they were migrating, I don't know but I just can't get over the rich blue hue and the rust chest on these things. It really showed when they were in flight. Thank you God for the inspiring sight.