Thanksgiving review

We had a wonderful and very blessed Thanksgiving.  We enjoyed it with some family and lots of friends.  Here is a look at our day. . .

The little kids table.  Cheese :)

The bigger kids table :)

The adult table.

The best part of the meal--the pies!!!  And we had a lot of pies, yum!  Ben looks so trilled. . .:)

Traditional football game after dinner--weather is cold, but sunny.

These kids enjoyed the trampoline while the older ones enjoyed football.

We ended the evening with our traditional Thanksgiving stories and a movie--How to Train your Dragon 2.  It was a great day!  So much to be Thankful for!!!

What's up Wednesday--Thanksgiving preview

Here is just a sample of what we are making today to get ready for tomorrow. . .

Oreo Salad

Cookie Pie crusts

Coconut and banana cream pies

Creamy Confetti Corn with Bacon

Yum!  Enjoy your Thanksgiving!!!

2014 Blue Jeans Week 47

So much to be thankful for!!!  We had our first snow the beginning of the week.  That was fun!  Didn't last too long when it got in the 50's, but it was fun while it lasted.  Got our 1/2 a beef for the next year--what a blessing!  Piano recital and our grateful tree round out our week.  Take a look. . .

Our first snow of the year!

Keeping warm one evening and enjoying a game.  The kids like this Q-bitz game.  

Cross Country awards banquet was this week.   The coach and the girls on the team get their awards.

Picked up our 1/2 a beef we get from a local farmer this week.  So grateful we can get that and get our freezer filled for the next year!

The snow is obviously gone and it was pretty warm out today, so I urged Ben to get our Christmas lights up when it was warm versus next week when it is supposed to be cold and rainy.  This is not one of his favorite jobs, but he does a great job, and it always looks so nice when we turn them on after Thanksgiving!  Thanks sweetie!

Piano recital--Mr J 

Miss E

Miss O

Miss A

My boys doing their duets.  So proud of all of them!  They did awesome!!!!

We continue our tradition of our Tree of Thanks this year.  Will keep adding to it this week so we get it completely full.  So much to be grateful for!!!!!

Thanks for visiting!  Have a great week!  Happy Thanksgiving!

Friday thoughts

 My random Friday thoughts. . .

Another good quote from my girls which they put in their lockers.  A fine line to walk.  

Getting ready for Thanksgiving and getting Christmas stuff done.  Have 2 gifts I am making this year.  Need to get those done.  This year our extended families did away with our gifts to siblings/cousins etc.  We decided to instead donate the money we would have spent to a cause of our choice.  I think this is a great idea!  We adopt a child at Christmas, but this year because of that gift change with our families, we are able to adopt two.  Adopt a child Christmas shopping is on our list for this weekend along with basketball games, piano recital, taking pictures and getting the house cleaned.  Ha!  We will see what we actually get done!  Also need to make our Grateful tree.

This was last year's.  So much to be grateful for!  Looking forward to these next couple weeks!

Enjoy your weekend!  Have a great one!

What's up Wednesday--Turkey veggie tray and Thanksgiving prep

 Getting ready for Thanksgiving here.  We have hosted at my house for the last 8 years.  Thanksgiving dinner is more close friends than family.  My parents will be here plus my sister and her husband, but then just lots of close friends.  We look forward to it every year.  I am working on my menu and shopping list. Wanted to share what Miss A made last year.  She is doing it again this year.  It turned out so cute!   Her Turkey veggie tray. . . 

Just broccoli, peppers, carrots, celery, and then to make the turkey in the veggie dip she cut up the peppers for the feet, wings and beak.  The head is a water chestnut, or you could use a mushroom.  The eyes are mini chocolate chips.  It was a hit!

My 2014 Thanksgiving dinner menu. . .After we eat my friend Robyn and my Mom always share some Thanksgiving stories.  Then we always play football and then watch a movie.  It is a fun day!  Hope you all have a wonderful one!  Happy planning!

2014 Blue Jeans week 46

Had a good week.  It is getting super cold here and we got our first snowfall of the year!  Lots of fun!  Here is a look at our week. . .

Went through everyone's clothes to put away summer and get out winter.  Good bye t-shirts and shorts!

Got together with 2 of my bestest friends to make cute Christmas wreaths!  Sure love my friends!

A dear friend of ours had a baby this week, so we made them dinner and Miss E was so excited to hold the brand new baby!!

Miss O had to make a cell model for biology class.  She has been working on it all week.  Had to get a picture before it heads to school.  Don't ask me what anything represents.  Don't know :)  I haven't had biology is years and years and way too many years :)

Another basketball game for Miss E.  She is working so hard!  Sure proud of her!

Piano recitals are next week.  All the kids are playing solos, but Ben and Mr J have 2 duets.  It is fun to see  and hear them practice!

Ben and I got to enjoy a cold Saturday in the city together minus any kids getting our Christmas shopping done.  Sure love that guy!  We had fun and are almost done with Christmas shopping which is wonderful!  I like to get it done early and then just enjoy the holidays!

Have a great week!  Thanks for visiting!

Friday thoughts. . .

My random Friday thoughts. . .

Love, Love, Love Dr. Seuss!  We all have mountains to climb--every single one of us.   So get on your way!

My organized Christmas countdown started a few weeks ago.  Man, I love that thing.  Keeps me sane during the holidays.  I don't do everything, and I don't get all done before the end, but it sure helps keep me on track and way more on the ball that if I wasn't following it.  Highly recommend it--even if you are starting late, start.  It is very helpful!  I think I am going on 9 years doing it now.  Check it out here. www.organizedchristmas.com

Getting ready for our first snow of the season this year. . . how exciting, I think :)  It is nice when you can just stay home and enjoy it and not have to go anywhere.  Otherwise, it isn't so exciting.  But my kids are sure excited!!!  Bring on the hot chocolate, a roaring fire, a blanket and a good book!

Have a good weekend!

What's up Wednesday--soft molasses cookies

Tis the season to bake things that make your kitchen smell divine.  These fit the bill.  My amazing sister-in-law gave me this recipe years ago--like almost 17 years ago, and it is still a favorite.  Super easy and extra yummy!

Soft Molasses Cookies

3/4 cup oil

1 cup sugar

1 egg

1/4 cup molasses

Mix the above together until well mixed.  Then add

2 cups flour

2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1/2 tsp salt

2 tsp baking soda

Mix well.  Roll into small balls and roll in sugar.  Place on cookie sheet and slightly flatten with bottom of a cup.  Bake 350 for 6-8 minutes.  Enjoy the smell then enjoy the cookies with a big glass of cold milk!

2014 Blue Jeans Week 45

It was a bittersweet week.  The school bond campaign is over, and sadly we lost.  That has been hard.  Talked more about it in my last Friday post.  I find comfort in that fact I did absolutely everything I could do and am proud of my efforts and those serving with me.  It was a good experience just wish it ended differently.  Miss E started basketball games.  That is always fun.  Started my organized Christmas countdown which I enjoy.  I think this is my 9th year doing that Christmas countdown.  You can check it out here.  Here is a look at our week. . .

Miss O entertaining us Sunday evening playing her guitar.  Love it when she shares her talents.

Miss A made these cute cupcakes for a bake sale.  

Memories from the campaign--our yard signs

Tuesday--I voted!  

Found this note left for me one morning on a napkin at the kitchen table.  Made my day :)

Miss E had her first 2 basketball games this week.  Let the season begin!  She played great and was really fun to watch!

Basketball, basketball here we come for the next few months. . .

Thanks for visiting!  Have a great week!  Come back soon!

Friday thoughts---defeat

So we didn't win.  After 10 weeks of very hard work, our school bond issue failed.  It was a very hard night, and past couple of days have been rough.  I find comfort in knowing I did absolutely everything I could.  I look back and wouldn't change anything.  My goal was to lead a hard working and positive campaign, and we did that.  I can face anyone in my community with my head held high because I have nothing to be ashamed of.  I never said or did anything that I regret or am ashamed of for this campaign.  Defeat is hard.  It just is.  But we get back up and move forward.  Tuesday night while I was waiting for election results Miss E had her first 7th grade middle school basketball game. They got killed--9 to 50.  I couldn't be there for it, and saw her after.  When I asked her how she did, she said, "Good!  Well, we played well, but we got killed 9 to 50."  I was impressed that she said "Good" as her first response.  She knew she did her best, and she was proud of that despite the outcome.  That was a good reminder for me a little later when the voting results came in.  We did good.  We did our best despite the fact the outcome was not what we wanted, we still did our best and that was all we could do.  I tell my kids that all the time, "Just do your best.  That is all you can do." So I need to remember that lesson also.

This campaign was way more than I bargained for.  I had absolutely no idea what I was getting myself into.  Politics are not my thing.  I was on the TV news, did radio commercials, and in the newspaper way more that I ever want to be.  I saw a very ugly side of some people that I didn't know was there, but then I met and worked with people that are absolutely amazing and will continue to bless my life.  The biggest blessing was meeting new friends and working with others that I didn't know as well, but now I definitely can call friends.  There are sad, scary, rude, thoughtless people in this world.  There just are, but there are also so many amazing people--people that care, that love, that work hard, that are dedicated. Those were the people I was blessed to meet and work with.

I am sure sometime in the future we will do this again, because we just have to.  Our kids need new schools.  So, until then I will appreciate the experience, learn from it, enjoy the great new people I now call friends and move forward with faith.  Our Heavenly Father is over all.  He has a plan.  I just need to trust Him and do my best.  Thanks for you love, prayers, and support!

What's up Wednesday--sugar cookies

This time of year is sugar cookie time at our house.  Valentine's Day is another sugar cookie time too.  This is my favorite sugar cookie recipe, and I have shared it before, but I love it.  These cookies freeze really well.  I currently have a big bag of them in my freezer.  They are great plain too.  My bag in the freezer is slowly getting smaller and smaller :) Enjoy!

Perfect Sugar Cookies (*makes 24-30 cookies depending upon your cookie cutter size)

1 cup butter, soft

2 cups sugar

2 eggs

4 1/2 cups flour

1/4 cup milk

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1 tsp vanilla

4 tsp baking powder

Preheat over to 375.  In a stand mixer cream the butter and sugar together.  Add egg and mix well.  Add all other ingredients and mix until forms a stiff dough ball.  Roll out on floured surface to 1/4 inch thick--these are best rolled thick!  Then place on ungreased cookie sheet and bake 5-6 minutes.  Do not over bake.  These are much better underdone than overdone.  Cool before frosting.

Best Buttercream Frosting

1/2 cup butter, soft

4 cups powdered sugar

1/4 cup milk

1 tsp vanilla

Beat butter until smooth.  Add 2 cups powdered sugar and mix--this will be dry and crumbly, then add milk and vanilla and beat until smooth and creamy.  Add in 1 cup of additional powdered sugar at a time beating really well after each cup until it is thick enough to frost. 

2014 Blue Jeans Week 44

Made it through this last week.  Tomorrow is the day--election day.  Will give you an update when I hear.  Thanks for your thoughts and prayers.  Keep them coming!!!  Here is a look at our week. . .

The kids dressed up for our family's Halloween party.

Miss E and Grandpa working on their pumpkin.

The kids' pumpkins.  They always do impressive stuff.  Flame is Miss E, next is Mr J's, then Miss O, and last Captain America by Miss A.

Shoes, shoes, lots of shoes at our house.

Making our traditional pumpkin sugar cookies

Middle school had a Halloween dance, so we had a pre-dance party with Miss E and her fun friends.  Super cute!

Last football game was this week--last band performance.  Miss A on the right is on the keyboard.  Miss O is behind her to the left with the gold mellophone--the horn with the biggest bell.  They were awesome!!!

Happy Halloween!  Just had 2 trick-or-treaters in our house this year--Miss E as a teenage mutant ninja turtle and Mr. J as a king.  They had fun and got tons of candy!

Thanks for visiting!  Come back soon!!!