Long Time

Wow!!!  I knew I was slacking on my blogging, but I did NOT realize how long it really has been.  I will try to do better...maybe make it a New Year's Resolution!  I was looking back at some of my latest posts and realized how much the boys have changed since I last posted.  They have grown so much!!  The Boy will be 4 in just a few weeks and The Baby is 15 1/2 months.  He is something else.  He is the little instigator.  Always looking for trouble, but adorable at doing it.
In July we are adding another addition to the family!!!  It was a bit of a surprise for us, but we are still very excited!!  It is going to be a busy summer...moving (who knows where yet), baby...whew!  That's exhausting enough!
The boys had a great Christmas.  The Boy received a big Lightning McQueen Bike from Santa and The Baby got an old school Fisher Price TV.  They both love them, The Boy especially.  He wants to ride his bike all day every day.  To bad it's either raining or cold here...always raining!
Well, I will try to get better at blogging again.  Life sure can get busy without even noticing.  It's hard to believe tomorrow will be 2012!!!  No plans here except a nice night in with my boys.  I am very much looking forward to that!

Top Ten Love for Pumpkins

10. Pulling out the insides :)
9. Toasting the seeds and eating them or...
8. Making a Fall mix from the seeds
7. Different types and styles of pumpkins
6. Vibrant Colors
5. Going to the Patch to pick one
4. Homemade Pie
3.Decoration
2. Jack-o-Lanterns
1. Pumpkin Spice Latte from Starbucks!!!

Beauty

Top Ten Halloween Costumes

10. Cat
9. Football Player
8. Firefighter
7. Bank Robber
6. Tigger
5. Zombie
4. Super Hero
3. Princess
2. Skeleton
1. Pilot

Happy Halloween!!!

Happy Halloween friends!!!!  To celebrate this year, The Boy is a pilot and The Baby is a skeleton.  We have already begun to celebrate this holiday.  This past week was a busy one.  We had our Fall Festival at Church where the kids came in their costumes and played games for candy, The Boy had his Halloween party at school where they trick-or-treated to other classrooms and then came back to have ice cream sundaes, made jack-o-lanterns, and played games.  He had a great time.  Today we are hanging out in our costumes and making some fall foods...my favorite, a pumpkin roll!!!  We are getting ready for a fun filled night of trick-or-treating around the neighborhood.  Have a fun and safe Halloween!!

Potato Hash with Spinach and Eggs

The other night I made one of my favorites, breakfast for dinner. You can't really go wrong with that.  Breakfast is the most important and delicious meals of the day.  As a birthday gift last year, my brother subscribed to Martha Stewart Everyday FOOD for me.  I love it!  So many great new recipes to try.  In the October issue, she had a Potato Hash with Spinach and Eggs.  My Hubby is in loves with anything that has potatoes and eggs!  So this was a winner before it ever began!!  YUM!!!

Potato Hash with Spinach and Eggs Recipe

3/4 pound small white potatoes, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
coarse salt
3 T unsalted butter
1 med yellow onion, diced small
1 large red bell pepper, seeded and diced small
1/2 t re-pepper flakes
1 package (10 oz) frozen spinach, thawed and excess liquid squeezed out   (I used fresh)
8 Eggs  (I used 4)
1 ounce grated Parmesan (1/4 c)
1T chopped fresh parsley

1. In a large skillet, bring potatoes to a boil in slated water over high.  Cook until potatoes are tender when pierced with a knife, about 6 min.  Drain.

2. In skillet, melt 2 T butter over medium.  Add onion and bell pepper and cook until softened, about 10 minutes.  Add potatoes and red-pepper flakes; season with salt.  Cook until potatoes are golden, 3 minutes. Add spinach and 1 T butter and cook, stirring, until butter is melted.  Make four wells in potato mixture.  Crack 2 eggs into each well and reduce heat to medium-low.  Cover and cook until white are set but yolks are still runny, about 6 minutes.  Sprinkle with Parmesan and parsley and serve immediately.

Fall

I couldn't choose one...so here are two! :)

Love This One

I have always loved this picture of my brother and The Boy when he was just 1 year old.

Spicy Pulled Pork

So, yesterday I went to the grocery store and debated for way to long over weather or not to make pulled pork this weekend...I know, silly.  Anyways, I went ahead and bought a pork shoulder.  For many reasons, it tastes great, we can eat on it a few days, makes great leftover pizza, did I mention it tastes great and I won't have to cook for a few days after!!  When I sat down to type this blog, I went to Pioneer Woman's website to get the link for the recipe and came across this one...Spicy Dr. Pepper Pulled Pork!!!  Can it get ANY better than that!!!  I don't think so.  So, this weekend I am going to try it out.  I am really looking forward to this one.  I think it will be a family favorite.  I mean, who doesn't love Dr. Pepper!!!  It must be the Oklahoman in me.  Hope you try it too!!  I'll let you know how it is.

Fulton Farms

Monday, we went to a local farm to find the Great Pumpkin!  This is one of The Boy's favorite things to do in the fall.  We go with my MOPS group every Columbus Day and have such a great time.  The area around the farm are so full of vibrant fall colors...it is beautiful!  Here are a few pictures of our pumpkin hunting...

Here we go!!

Looking for the perfect pumpkin...

Lots of choices...

"Let's go play!!"

Love it!

The Baby is 1!!!!!

On September 14, 1954, 57 years ago, my mother's parents welcomed their 3rd little girl.  She was beautiful!  My grandparents could not be happier to have her in their lives.  Unfortunately, she did not live but a few years.  When I found out we were expecting our second child and that it would be due in mid September, I was hoping that day would be the 14th.  How awesome would that be for our child to share the same birthday of someone so special to our family.  You can only imagine my mother when I woke her up to tell her we were headed to the hospital in the wee hours of 14 September.  She could hardly wait to call my grandma.  We were overjoyed that The Baby had decided to make his arrival on this special day.

Brand new!



One year ago today, The Hubby woke to go to work at 5:00 am and I was walking around our bedroom keeping track of my contractions.  I knew we still had some time, but being a nurse, he loaded me into the car, leaving The Boy at home with my mother, and we headed to the hospital to await the arrival of our newest little boy.  Around 1 in the afternoon, The Baby arrived at 8lbs 4oz!!!!  I was so excited because he had rolls!!  The Boy never once had a roll, still doesn't...I don't think he ever will.  We were now a family of four.  Shortly after, my mother and The Boy walked in to see The Baby.  He was as calm as could be...taking it all in.



Our first family photo

Our first day home



3 months





6 months



9 months



It is so hard to believe it has bee a year since he came into our little world.  What a year it has been for him, and us.  His constant battle with his severe eczema, the worse case of chicken pox ever along with small pox, agony over his teeth coming in, buying all these products to help his skin, being told he was allergic to water so we had to buy distilled water (which didn't do much), losing a member of the family, and more.  Yes it was a bumpy first year for our little guy, but it was also filled with so much joy and laughter, most of all, love!  This little man has brought so much more to our family.  He and The Boy have such a great time playing together.  I can hardly wait to watch them really play once he is a bit older.  I bet The Boy is ready for that as well :D

My 1 year old!!!

Flashback Friday

This was taken just about a year ago!!!

Top Ten Love of Fall

10. Sounds of marching bands and football games
9. It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown
8. Harvest
7. Warmer foods made...soups  :)
6. Jeans and a t-shirt or sweater (no need for a jacket yet!)
5. Pumpkins
4. Open windows ALL day and night
3. Smell of cool, crisp air
2. Colors all around
1. COLLEGE FOOTBALL!!!

Young's Dairy

Over the weekend, The Hubby and I took the boys to a local dairy farm.  This place makes the best Ice Cream and has lots of fun activities for kids...did I mention they have delicious Ice Cream?!  When we got there, we walked around for a bit letting The Boy decide what he wanted to do first.  Of course, the first thing he chose was to drive the tractor!

After a long time of tractor driving, we made our way to the animals.  That is The Hubby's favorite part.  He LOVES to feed the goats.  I think it's a little gross, but oh well.  I gave them some money to get food and they took off.  I was surprised The Boy let the goats eat out of his hand.  I was sure he would be afraid.  He would take one piece out and hold it up for the goat to eat.  Eventually, he gave them his whole handful.

After feeding the goats and going through the barn, he was afraid of the cows of all things...he helps my uncles feed when we go to Oklahoma, The Boy finally wanted to ride the kiddy "train."  The whole time we were there he would walk around and look at it, watching kids get on and off...wanting to ride but not really sure about it.  When he said the word go, we took off and ran with it before he changed his mind.  He had such a great time. 

The Baby sat by and watched all that was happening...

When we finished with the kiddy "train,"  we headed over to the Corn Maze.  That was interesting.  The corn was enormous and and ground was rough, as you can imagine...

NOT stroller friendly!

"The corn was as high as an elephants eye....and it looks like it's climbing clear up to the sky!"

Even though it ended up being a little warm going through the maze it was fun. 

As I mentioned early, the yummy Ice Cream, we headed back to the store to get some deliciousness.  When we walked in we stopped...the line was all over the store!!!  Needless to say we turned around and headed out with our heads down.  We were ALL looking forward to the nice cold Ice Cream after accomplishing the maze.  But, it was a fun outing!!  

FIrst Day of School

The Boy has started Pre-School!!!  I'm still not sure how I feel about this.  I am excited for him but still sad that he isn't around making noises and talking my ear off.  Since we got his physical at the start of the month, all he could talk about for the next two weeks was school.  He wore a backpack filled with Lincoln Logs around the house for days "ready for school."  I took him shoe shopping one day last week that ended very badly.  He could not make up his mind  between Cars or Toy Story shoes.  We went home empty handed and he was VERY unhappy.  This morning I surprised him with Cars shoes and he was thrilled..."Wow mommy!!!  Those are so cool!!"  That almost makes up for the fit he threw in Kohl's! 

This morning, I took him to school for the very first time.  Once we arrived he kept asking if he could go into his room yet.  He was ready to play and learn. When the doors opened up, he put his backpack where it needed to go, gave me a kiss and said, "Bye Mommy!  See you later!  Time for me to go to school!!"  I remained in shock for awhile while he just waltzed into his classroom and started playing with one of  his friends and the teachers aide.  He has always been more ready for things than I have.  I stayed for a little bit and watched him play and talked to some of our friends to see how their child did.  At one point, The Boy looked at me with a huge grin and waved. 

In front of his school

Heading on in

Once I was in the car, of course, I called my Mother and started to sniffle.  I relayed the events to her and still was in shock how The Boy was so eager to get in and get started.  I came home and held The Baby, who was home with daddy, and missed my boys.  For the first time, it is very quiet while I write this entry.  Windows are open so there is the background noise of nature and a few cars, but no crying baby and no little boy complaining because the baby took his toy or the sound of cars crashing into one another or off the table.  Somehow, I think he is going to be just fine. 

Ready to learn!

Top Ten Kitchen Items

10. Wooden Spoon
9. Cookbook Holder
8. Immersion Blender
7. Blender (milkshakes!!!)
6. Food Processor
5. Martha Stewart Knives
4. Martha Stewart Soup pot
3. Cast Iron Skillet
2. Coffee Pot!!!!
1. Kitchen Aide Stand Mixer

The David's

The Baby is Cruising!!!

Not long ago, my Baby started to cruise. First along the couch and soon with his shopping cart. He can't go too fast, yet, but he will be off before we know it and then soon with no cart at all. Just under two months and he will be 1!!!! What has happened to the time. Isn't The Boy supposed to be 10 months old!!! I love my boys! :)

Day of Golf with the Family

While at home, we were all able to go out and enjoy some time together. One beautiful, hot, Sunday afternoon, we all went golfing. They boys all golfed...mother, The Baby, and myself road along for the ride.

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