why did the tarantula cross the road?

are you aware that september is the annual tarantula migration time in oklahoma? yeah... well, me neither. but, it would explain the three tarantulas we've seen this evening.

daddy caught this one in a box in the front yard for the kiddos to see. cale screamed like a little girl who'd just found a tiny field mouse in her bedroom (that, by the way, is an entirely different story). then, he and daddy had the following conversation...

cale: "i don't like those!"

daddy: "why not?"

cale: "cause they move!!!"

the spider then scurried towards cale. which was funny... in an it-shouldn't-be-so-funny kind of way. really funny.

and apparently, tarantulas can climb trees. i know, seems obvious. however, it's a little different watching that big 'ol spider scamper up the trunk.

hello, creepy.

baked spaghetti

tonight's recipe... baked spaghetti!
it is time now for some honesty... baked spaghetti is not what i made for dinner this evening. no, tonight i made a sort-of breakfast quiche. sounds good, right? i know. so good, that i was gonna blog it. i took lots of pictures. i even made my own pie crust... believe it... i did. the pictures turned out fantastic. the quiche... well, not so much. really. it's been very upsetting for me. i like my cookin' to turn out the way i imagine it should, but occasionally it doesn't. like tonight. it wasn't horrible, but it wasn't great. so, it's back to square one with the quiche recipe... more to come when i've worked that one out.
ok, back to the baked spaghetti...

12 oz. spaghetti (use whatever type of pasta you've got on hand or prefer)
1 lb. hamburger
1 onion, chopped (whatever type you've got is just fine)
1 bell pepper, chopped
1 large can diced tomatoes (i usually use the italian style)
1 can mushrooms, diced
1 tsp. dried oregano
2 c. shredded cheese
1 can cream of mushroom
water
1/4 c. grated parmesan cheese
ok, here it goes...

brown the hamburger, drain any excess fat... yummy. add onions and bell peppers, saute until soft. add mushrooms and tomatoes. let it simmer for 10 minutes... or until you're ready to get busy.

cook your pasta, but make sure it's not mush. i usually start the water before i start browning the hamburger.
once the meat mixture has simmered and the pasta has been cooked, get ready... it's time for layering! in a 9x13 pan layer pasta, meat, part of the cheese, pasta meat, rest of the cheese. ok, stop. empty the cream of mushroom in a bowl. gradually add milk or water to thin the cream. don't add so much that it gets runny. you just want it to spread easily over the top and seep into the layers. oooohhhhh... it's making me hungry! so, whatcha waiting for? pour it on top. sprinkle parmesan over the cream.

viola! this is what it looks like before you bake it at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until it gets all bubbly and gooey.

oh, my heavens... yummy, yummy, YUMMY!!!
a lot of times when i make this recipe, i'll put it in 2 loaf pans and freeze one. get it all ready up to the baking point, then freeze it. just make sure you set it out in enough time that it has ample time to thaw... trust me. thawing in the oven takes way longer than you'd ever think!

enjoy the recipe... you'll thank me later.

mama's meatloaf

someone (who shall remain nameless... right, bri?) has been asking for several months for some of my recipes. and since i am sooooo on top of things, am just now getting around to it... 5 months later. now i've decided we'll be having a little recipe series which means that i'll be cooking... a lot.
tonight's recipe was mama's meatloaf. now, let me take this opportunity to say that i do not like meatloaf. never have... until now. not sure what's so different about this recipe than the rest that i've tried (and didn't like), but this one is good. and another thing... a little "side note" for you... in case i've not mentioned it before, i will make a recipe the way it's supposed to be once and then it's fair game to be jacked with. having said that, i'll give you my mom's recipe and then tell you what i do different. so, here it goes...

mama's meatloaf
1 lb. hamburger
1 bell pepper, chopped
1 bunch green onions, chopped
4 oz. fresh mushrooms
4 oz. saltine crackers, crushed/smushed/pulverized
2 eggs, beaten
1 pkg. beef onion soup

topping
1 1/2 c. ketchup
2 tbsp. mustard
2 tbsp. brown sugar

preheat oven, 375 degrees. mix all meatloaf ingredients in large bowl. mix ketchup, mustard, and brown sugar for topping in small bowl, set aside. grease 9x13 pan, form meat mixture into loaf. spread topping over meatloaf. bake covered for 30 min. uncover, bake 30 more min.

now we'll have my version...
1 lb. hamburger
however much of a green pepper i feel like chopping
whatever type of onion i have on hand, chopped
1 small can of mushrooms, drained
1/2 c. italian-style breadcrumbs
2 eggs, beaten
a couple of teaspoons of seasoning... sometimes i use garlic salt or steak seasoning

topping... (i taste and add, then add and taste, until i like it)
1 huge squirt of ketchup
1 much smaller squirt of mustard
a couple of spoonfuls of brown sugar

start with hamburger in bowl. chop green peppers and onions.

drink the beer.

just throw it all in and mix it up.

dump it in the pan and make it loaf-like.

bake it at 375 degrees for 30 minutes, covered. then take that cover off, add the topping and bake for at least 30 minutes more... or until you freak because you just remembered the timer went off a little bit ago, but you were in the middle of something and didn't stop to take the meatloaf out of the oven...

put that yumminess on a plate and get busy!

this recipe freezes well, and is easily doubled.

happy birthday, cale!

wow... how fast time flies when you're having fun. such is the case at our house. it's flown so fast that my favorite boy in the whole wide world

is now 4. that seems so big.
f... o... u... r.

in honor of the big day, let's take a little jog down memory lane...

anyone recognize that lip?
oh, he was so ca-yute!
still cute...

drum, baby, drum! that boy has rhythm and moves you've never seen!

we have an ongoing argument about that being my dog... he appears to be winning.

this continues to be an amazing journey. cale has the sweetest spirit, the heart of a giver, and he sure can keep a mean beat. he is fun, full of life, amazingly sensitive, brilliant, and quick-witted. he is all boy and loud... all the time. most of all, he is an infinate blessing.

i am so glad i am his mama. happy birthday, my sweet boy.

the best pancakes ever!

oh, i know, that's a pretty bold claim. the best (plain) pancakes ever. it's not hard to stand behind that claim when it's true. you might be thinking "whatever, a pancake is a pancake... is a pancake". i, however, beg to differ. there are just pancakes, and then there are pancakes. the kind that make your mouth water just thinking about them (which is exactly what is happening to me right now). the kind that are fluffy and full of pancake goodness. the kind that are good enough to eat without butter and syrup. but, then again, who would want to? oh, and they're from scratch. that's the best part. i can pronounce every ingredient in them, and they're all in my pantry (which is very convenient, might i add).

recipe:
1 1/4 c flour
1/4 c sugar
1/8 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
1 egg, beaten
1 c milk
2 tbsp oil
1 tsp vanilla or almond (if you're me)

mix all dry ingredients in large bowl. add wet ingredients. mix just until wet and dry ingredients are incorporated. now, stop and listen... leave the lumps. resist the temptation to mix it to a smooth consistency. be strong. walk away for at least 5 minutes... seriously. leave it alone. let the baking powder do it's job. once you've left it alone long enough, it's time to cook 'em. so, get busy. you've waited long enough. let them cook until air bubbles are visible, but not so long that the sides start to wrinkle. and, don't try to unload the dishwasher at the same time. that usually results in burnt pancakes... trust me. in case you're wondering, this recipe is very easily doubled and the pancakes freeze well (just toast to defrost).


if you're watching your calories, you probably shouldn't slather them in butter and syrup. if not, well... it's gonna be really yummy!

cale and the cow patties

a couple of days ago, cale and i wound up in a conversation about cow patties (somehow the convo always turns to poop). so, i kept telling him it was a discussion he really needed to have with poppy, cause poppy knows all about it and can give much better insight. really.

fast forward to this morning. we were in the car, on the way to our new preschool. it's a nice little drive, down some faux country roads, with some hay fields, and lots of cows.

mama: "cale, i sure wish we had some cows."

cale: "yeah, me too."

mama: "maybe someday."

cale: "why can't we have some now?"

mama: "well bud, we don't really have a place to keep any cows at our house."

cale: "uh-huh. we do."

mama: "really... where?"

cale: "i could keep one in my room!"

mama: "i don't think that's such a good idea..."

cale: "why not? it could sleep in there."

mama: "dude, do you remember that whole conversation we had about cow patties?"

cale: "no."

mama: "you know, cow poop... cow patties..."

cale: "oh. yeah. i can just take the cow out so it can pattie..."

mama: "i think you should call your poppy now."

hello, preschool!

today was a very big day at our house, and along with the excitement came a big change. cale and lily started a new preschool. they were both super excited. ok, honestly, lily was just excited because everyone else was excited about something. but we were, all of us.

cale is in the 4 year old program and lily in the 2 year old class.

he has his own desk with his name on it!

awww... aren't they cute!

mama's baby boy. ok, so he isn't really a baby anymore... he's in preschool!!!!!

now, i know you're looking for pictures of lily, but there really aren't any from this morning. her teacher was trying to distract her with toys and i didn't want to interrupt and cause her to have a meltdown (which she didn't have, by the way). she got a tad panicky when her teacher picked her up, but then they were off to discover the new toys. lily's teacher said she had a great first day... that makes her mama happy.

just a little note for those of you who had the pleasure of dealing with me thursday and friday (and you know who you are, but i wouldn't blame you if you denied it)... first, thank you. i mean it, really. thank you. thank you for just letting me cry. thank you for listening. thank you for your kind words. mostly, thank you for your prayers. second, i did it all last week, so there was only one tiny tear this morning. this was a huge change, most of all for me.
now i know this is good, really good... it's going to be lots of fun... and cale and lily are going to be great!

welcome, first grade!

ohhhh, the first day of school. but not just any first day... the first day of first grade. did you hear me? first grade. it's a grade. the first one. that means there are only eleven more... we have entered the first of 12. that's it. think about how fast the last 11 or 12 years have gone by. for me, they've flown. especially the last six...

they're the reason why. the best reason... ever.

we're gonna blink and it'll be lily starting first grade. let's think about that... when lily starts first grade, gracie will be in 5th grade.
good heavens. changed my mind... let's just not think about it.

on we go... let's recap the morning...

and... in we go!

this is mrs. vogel... she's gracie's new teacher. apparently she had to get on to some of the kids who were "not obeying", but "mom, it was not me... really!" good to know.
they sorted school supplies, colored, played games, had lunch, went to art class, had recess, but she didn't get to look at her school books "cause we were too busy"!

in case you're wondering, i didn't cry. well, at least not until i got in the car... and yesterday, a little.

what a big (little) girl she is. i am in awe of the person she is and is growing into. what an amazing blessing God has given me.

oh, cale...

i was sitting at the table, finishing dinner (which was a very thrown together chicken enchilada casserole that was mighty tasty, i might add), and listening to gracie and cale banter. ok, so i wasn't really listening... it was more like tuning them out.

anywho, i tuned back in just in time to hear cale say to gracie,

"well, if you had kept your mouth shut, we wouldn't be in this mess"!

what the h-e-doublehockeysticks, you ask? that's what i said, too.

good night

you know i love a good sunrise, but i also love a good sunset. it is such a great way to end the day, especially when it's a aunt b's birthday sunset. tonight it was accompanied by some sprinkles... some "funder" as lily says. check it out...

happy birthday, aunt b! we love you!!!

the last supper

tonight we had our last dinner with lulu, at least for a while.oh, fine. i know the title may be a tad bit dramatic. wait... me, dramatic? never!!!

in a few short days she will be off to college... off to be a big girl... off to learn new things... off to meet new friends... off to start a new and wonderful adventure.

but, for tonight, it was circus as usual.

sunrise

sunrise... my daily reminder that i am His... that His love is infinite and unconditional... and that no matter how dark the night is, joy comes in the morning.

what does the sunrise make you think of?

(p.s. this is the part where you leave a comment... which i heart!)

a little anatomy lesson...

when cale opens his mouth, you never... ever... e-v-e-r... know what might come out. hence the following conversation...

mama: "bub... did you pee-pee in your pants?"

cale: "no."

mama: "really??? cause the front of your pants are wet."

cale: (with a straight face and blank stare) "what, mom?!?!"

mama: "did you pee-pee in your new shoes?"

cale: (still with the straight face) "no, mom! my junk isn't in my shoes!"

and that, folks, is why you should always expect the unexpected from cale... oh, and it's your anatomy lesson for the day.

... when eggs fly!

have you ever wondered what would happen if you put eggs on to hard-boil, and then forgot about them? yeah... me, neither. since you haven't, let me share so you don't feel the need to go experimenting...

apparently, when the water boils off, those eggs get a little sassy and jump right out of the pan. however, let me say, it's not as much fun as you think. it's stinky... messy to clean up... now my little pan is all burnt and stuff... really, don't bother trying.

minty fresh!!!

so we stop at mcalister's for tea, get back in the car, and the following conversation takes place...

gracie: "hey, guess what?"

cale: "what, grace?"

gracie: "i got four mints!"

cale: (loudly, which i know you cannot imagine) "hey!!!! no fair!!!!!"

gracie: "fine, cale. you can have one." (insert crackling mint paper sounds...)

mama: "gracie, i don't want him to have a mint." (as she is putting one in his mouth)

gracie: "why, mom?"

mama: "well, he almost choked on a mint in daddy's truck the other night."

gracie: (completely exasperated, mind you...) "great... cale, don't choke on that mint. cause if you do, we are gonna have to go to the emergency room, they'll have to cut your head off, take out the mint, and then sew your head back on."

cale: "that would not be good."

hello, stranger...

yeah, i know... it's been a while since i've blogged. i've been a little busy trying to earn the "mom of the year" award. take tonight, for instance...

cherryberry... for dinner... after church... at 8 p.m.

yep... i'm gonna win.

oh, happy day!

mornin' from the ranch...
where the chocolate milk is already on (and mama's coffee, too!), the mayo sandwiches are flowing (yes, you read it right... i asked cale 3 times if he was sure... whateva, boy.), the rain and thunder are much needed, and the sunrise was g-o-r-g-e-o-u-s!

have a happy day ~ anne

time to get pampered!

apparently, real men do get pedicures...

gracie's kindergarted graduation

(sniff, sniff)... well, it's official. gracie is a kindergarten grad! i'm not sure i can even make it through typing without crying. it's so hard to believe. how time flies!
it has been so unbelievable to watch gracie grow this year. she has made so many wonderful friends, her leadership qualities are bubbling over (catch that? it's the nice way to put it!), and she is reading so well! in light of just how well she's reading, watch what you text me. i see such my sweet little baby evolving into a fabulous little girl. what a blessing this journey is! ok, enough tears... i'll stop and just show you the pics.

at the beginning of graduation, each kindergartener was introduced.

then it was time to find mom, but only if you could get past all of the camera flashes!

oh, yes... there she is. 2011 kindergarten grad!

look, she seems older already!

mrs. bowers. i'm not sure i have the enough words to tell you how much we love her and what a blessing she has been to have as gracie's teacher this year.
a-m-a-z-i-n-g!

someday, cale... someday it will be your turn. for now, let's enjoy our today.

happy birthday, bug!

wow. how time flies. first you've got an unexpected positive test. the next thing you know...

bam. here she is... perfect. just what i needed and didn't know it. God did.

of course, He did. on the journey goes...

not only was she what i needed, but we all needed her. gracie has a little sister, cale gets to be a big brother, and daddy and i have another blessing.

a silly little look...

or a big 'ol grin. every day i look at her and am reminded that God's plan is so much better than mine.
happy 2nd birthday, my sweet girl.