yay, me!

just returned from cornerstone christian academy's fall festival... with my trophies. yep, that's me. 2nd place for chili cook-off and 2nd place for cake bake-off! for those of you who know how much i love being in the kitchen, you'll know this is making my night!

they associated entries with the your child, so cale and lily were thrilled to be handed trophies! cale kept talking about how great "his" chili was!


pretty sure lily was excited just cause it was all sparkly. oh, and cause mrs. dougherty gave it to her!

pumpkin patch 2011

i love fall. i love fall for lots of reasons. lots of reasons like boots and jeans, big sweatshirts, bonfires, pumpkin bread, and thanksgiving. oh, and one more reason... the pumpkin patch.

you may or may not know that i am big on traditions. there are certain things i really enjoy making and making happen for the holidays. and for me, the pumpkin patch is the kick-off for the whole shebang.
this year, cale and lily had a field trip to our local pumpkin patch, so gracie and i
tagged along for all the fun.

we hunted for the perfect pumpkin.

and hunted... and hunted... and hunted.

then, there were pumpkin races.

it was so fun for them to be up against each other. even lily got in on some of the racing action!

ok, before we move on, let's discuss one of the trials of mommyhood. it rears its' ugly head every time our family is in the general vicinity of a camera. yep, you guessed it...
picture-taking time.
you know what i mean. when it's one of those "special" times when all you want is a good picture. just one. i'd settle for that. is it too much to ask that for 15 seconds, all participants actually participate? i think not, but i'm just the mom. i mean really, just a little cooperation would go a long way here. but no, just leave it to the little one...

so, then i try for just the kiddos by themselves and this is what i get...

leave it to her. that's kind of her m.o. these days. guess that'll make for an interesting christmas card.

oh, the ideas kids come up with when left to their own imaginations. some are good, some are not so good, and some are just plain fun. take this idea, for instance... kyle moved the trampoline so he could mow under it, but didn't move it back. it's new position? within jumping distance of the sandbox. who's idea? why gracie, of course! the idea was that if you run, bounce, and jump all at the right time, you get good air and will stick a landing that would make an olympic gymnast proud. not sure they got the whole landing thing down, but gracie, cale, and jordan got pretty good at the take off and flying... the run...
the bounce...
and the air!

the big 4-0!!!

what better way to bust back in to blogging after weeks out than (drum roll, please)...

kyle's birthday!

and it's not just any 'ol birthday... he's 40!!!! yep. that's right. you're thinking, "no!!!" but, yes. "no!" you say again. i know, hard to believe. i didn't mistakenly type forty instead of thirty. i meant 40. but, he's so good looking, and young at heart. yes, i totally agree. very distinguished these days. oh now, don't go feeling sorry for him. he used ALL of his alloted sympathy when he turned thirty. it was ridiculous, but whatever. so, no sympathy! from any of you! stop it!

ok, in all seriousness... i hope he knows on this big birthday what an amazing man, great husband, wonderful dad, fabulous son and brother, and fantastic friend he is. kyle is the kind of man who makes an impact on every person he meets. what a blessing he is to each one of us who have the joy of being part of his life.

happy birthday, honey!

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!)