My Sweet Aunt Bev

My Aunt Bev passed away this week. God mercifully ended her battle with ALS on Thursday. Although I know she is in heaven with no pain where she can walk and breathe without effort, which makes me so happy, I am still sad for my loss and the loss that my parents, aunts & uncles, cousins and her friends family are feeling. It is unfortunate that our own humanity just cannot allow us to simply be happy for those who make it to heaven before us.

My sisters and I had our last visit with Aunt Bev in the Spring. Although I would have liked more time, I am so glad to have had that visit.

I know Aunt Bev is in heaven because she was an amazing woman with a beautiful soul filled with unending faith. She faced so many challenges in her life, some that I didn't know about until I was an adult. She was widowed twice and raised two wonderful children who now have wonderful children. The amazing thing about her was that she faced good days and challenging ones with grace, even in her days with ALS.  She was very sweet but very tough. With a smile, she put up with alot of crap from her brothers who constantly teased her. Well, until they really got to her and she had to put them in her place. She opened her house to us and allowed us to turn her quiet dwelling into a crazy place when we visited as kids or as adults with our kids. She was thoughtful enough to buy kid friendly food and put out our kids' favorite cups. We teased her for being a bit over protective but it was only because she loved her family so much. She was an amazing mom, grandma, sister and aunt. I could go on and on, but I hope you at least have an idea of how wonderful she was and I why I can't help but feel sadness.

Aunt Bev, I will miss you. Our Florida visits will never be the same. I do however feel comfort knowing that there is another saint and angel that I can talk to for prayers and support.

I love you!

National Aquarium in Baltimore

The Baltimore Aquarium is a wonderful place to live near.  The only downfall is that it is a little on the pricey side. Fortunatley, during the slower months they offer a deal on Fridays after 5 p.m. for $8.

Last week, Jacob and I took advantage of that deal and enjoyed the evening in Baltimore.  To be honest, I have not been in years and it was different than I remember. But, it was still great! Jacob watches animal shows with Mike alot and he loves stingrays, sharks and dolphin. He just loved how close the tanks let him get and getting to really see the fish up close. He liked the turtles and snakes, too, but nothing beat the sharks.

I am so glad we went. Outings like this are just so fun to live again through the eyes of my sweet, crazy boy.

Jacob's Writing

We (Becky, Holly, Miss Bonnie and I) have been working on writing with Jacob for the last year or so. He still does not love writing lower case letters, but boy is his writing getting better. I am so proud of him, so I just had to share.

I did have to tell him how to spell America but he knew most of the letters. I only had to write him an "R" to copy.  He spelled "mom" all on his own!

Great job buddy!

Jacob's Wii

Jacob's Imagination never ceases to amaze me. We have had our Wii unplugged because I am not savvy enough to hook up the DVD player, the cable box and the Wii at the same time. AnyWho, we hooked up the Wii again recently, and Jacob has been having a great time. His favorite game is Wii sports, tennis particularly. He also likes Mario Kart. Although he struggles, he finds it very fun!




His imagination, however came when we bought a new game. We got "Madden" because Jacob is into football and says he played it at Maria's house. Not knowing if he could really play it, I got a used version from GameStop. Well for some reason it is not working right, so I have to take it back. In an effort to get to play football on the Wii, Jacob created his own Wii. He took two football figures and had them play football. Meanwhile, he asked me to hold our white cordless phone and pretend it was a Wii controller. He then moved his players around and around while telling to me, "push 'A', push 'A', push 'B', push 'B'." He would tell me what the buttons were making the players do. It was hysterical and so joyful to watch. This kid cracks me up!

Halloween

I have this cute little guy that love to dress up. This same little guy loves candy. Funny enough, this same little guy has asked me why we have to wait "a whole 'nother year for Halloween to come again." I have to say, I agree. I really enjoyed Halloween this year.

I often say that I am "over the hump" with Jacob. In fact, that should be a whole other entry. But for now, I will just tell you that I mean that he is so much more independent. That couldn't have been more obvious on Halloween. Jacob was such a big boy.

Before Halloween when we carved pumpkins, Jacob carved his own. I mean, I helped some, but he did the work for the first time. It was no longer him picking a design and my hand holding the knife.

Then he showed his big boy side again on Halloween night. He was no longer scared of the scary houses. He went up to each house with his cousins while I stayed back by the street. He said "trick-or-treat" rather than just giving blank stares. And, he even said thank you! At some houses he would tell me about the great treat he just received and at others he would just totally ignore me as he ran wildly to the next house. It was pure bliss to see him so happy and to get to relax at an event that I do not always find this enjoyable. I even enjoyed a beverage or two while we walked my sister's neighborhood.

All in all, this may have been one of my favorite Halloweens ever!

My Inconsistent Blogging

So I have come to the conclusion that my blog will just never be consistent. It just won't. My life has ups and downs and time that are just too hectic to blog. However, I still feel the need to blog sometimes. So I will.

Hope you will check in every once and a while to see if I have anything new!

You're on the Nobby List

Jacob has recently been telling Mike and I that we are on the "nobby list." He means the naughty list. While I should find this unacceptable because it usually comes when we are "mean," I just can't help by find it funny.

I will be sad when he speech becomes perfect and when his phrases are no longer so cute. For now, I will secretly smile every time I am placed on the "nobby list."

Pumpkin! Pancakes, that is.

I LOVE FALL! Here are a few of the reasons; football, beautiful colors, my anniversary, apple cider, boots, Halloween, cooler weather, light sweaters, my birthday, Thanksgiving, jeans, and PUMPKIN!  To me, pumpkin goes well with almost anything. Pumpkin pie, pumpkin muffins, pumpkin pancakes, pumpkin coffee, pumpkin bread. Okay, well it goes well with carbs, anyway. :-)

And. . . it tastes better in the fall.

I am not sure if it is because of the anticipation or because carb overload is better in cooler weather, or because hot pumpkin coffee is better and I like iced coffee in the summer. Whatever the reason is, pumpkin is yummy; especially in the fall.

In fact I just figured out what we are having for dinner. Pumpkin pancakes. I am not sure if I have bacon or sausage or anything to go with them but seriously, is there really a need for any addition? Can’t pumpkin pancakes stand alone? Yes. I think they can. And so mine will. Well, alone. . . with syrup. Yum! I want them, I need them, I love them. (Sorry, Edith Viorst reference. Wait, what? You don’t know who she is? She writes a wonderful book called Earrings! for children. To get the full experience of the book, you really need my sister, Maria to read it to you. But for now go buy it and read it to your daughter.  For a fee, I will see if Maria can join you one day. )

Anwyay, I am off to make my pumpkin pancakes. Here is the recipe.

And before you judge me, I am a “semi-homemade cook” when I can get away with it. So yes, I use Bisquick. Sue me!



So, this isn't my picture. I like recipe pictures so I added this one.
I couldn't add my own becasue I haven't made them yet, but you get the idea.
And, yes, my will be cute and shaped like pumkins. Well, no, they won't. But they will be yummy!

Syrup

(Regular syrup is great, too. This is just an extra treat)

Maple-Pecan Syrup

1 cup maple-flavored syrup

1 tablespoon butter or margarine

1/4 cup chopped pecans

Pancakes

2 1/3 cups Original Bisquick® mix

1/3 cup canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)

1 1/4 cups milk

1/4 cup vegetable oil

2 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

2 eggs

1.    In 1-quart saucepan, heat syrup and butter until butter is melted, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; stir in pecans.

2.    Heat griddle or skillet over medium heat or to 375°F. Grease griddle with vegetable oil if necessary. In medium bowl, stir all pancake ingredients until well blended. For each pancake, pour slightly less than 1/4 cup batter onto hot griddle.

3.    Cook until air bubbles pop. Turn; cook other sides until golden brown. Serve with syrup.



*Update: I forgot to add that this is a Betty Crocke Recipe. Also, I did make them. They were a denser pancake, but SO yummy!  

I am going on a Picnik

So I kind of like to pretend that I am a photographer.  I got a fun new camera last year and have a tough time putting it down sometimes. What I was missing was an easy way to edit my pictures.  I know that Photoshop is fun, but I was not willing to part with the money it costs right now so I was looking for something VERY easy and inexpensive until I have the time to really learn Photoshop well enough to make the money worth it. 

My solution? PICNIK!

I chose to pay the $20ish that it cost to get the better version and I love it. Here are a few before and after shots. It is so fun and so easy.  If you are someone who really knows nothing about photography, but likes to think you do and likes to play with pictures, Picnik is for you.  Even the free version is fun. Try it!

There are fun stickers, costumes and fonts, also. I just am more of an "effects" person.

The Magic of a Relaxing Pedicure

I went to get a pedicure with my mom today, but this was not just any pedicure. It may have been the best pedicure I have EVER had!

I recently got my hair cut by a new stylist and she was telling me about a "nail spa" that she really liked. When I asked what she liked so much and what was so different, her answer said it all, "Everything!" Boy was she right!

The Five Star Nail spa has amazing spa pedicures. They are not as cheap as regular pedicures, but they are not outrageous, either. They start at $40 and go up, but you certainly get your money's worth.

I had a 2 hour pedicure. My feet and legs were pampered, massaged, dipped in paraffin wax, rubbed with hot stones, covered in hot towels and covered with a mask and of course, my toe nails were cut, cuticles trimmed and painted like usual. During the whole thing, I was seated in one of the best massage chairs in a dark separated area unlike the typical salon. At the end as my nails dried, my arms, shoulders and neck were massaged with oil.  I have been to spas that offered pedicures and I have been to typical nail salons, but this was different than both.  And seriously, for $45, you can't beat the price.

I very rarely truly relax. No phone, no reading, no planning for the day. Just relaxation. Today, I did! The relaxation that I felt for those two hours is a magic that would be worth double the price.

Labor Day Weekend in Pictures

We had a fun-filled Labor Day Weekend. I thought it would be fun to share it in pictures.

On Friday night we went to the Blake Shelton concert at Fort Meade. It was an awesome show and we were very close. We could even touch the stage!

On Saturday we went to the Maryland State Fair with my mom and dad. We rode rides, playued games, watched pig races, rode "tractors", saw animals at teh petting zoo and got to see baby chicks hatch. What a day!

(Sorry the pics aren't great, but I only had my camera. )

On Sunday we baked cupcakes (see my earlier post for the flavors and recipes) for Miss Becky. In his typical style, Jakey wore his cowboy hat and was covered in batter!  

On Monday we went to the Sacred Heart Labor Day Picnic. I grew up spending my Labor Days at the picnic and it had been years since I went. It was nice to see Jakey have fun at a place that carries so many fond memories for me.

Where were you when the world stopped turning?

So as the 10th anniversary of 9/11 passes, I thought I would take the time to write my memories of that day as so many others have. I know I will never forget where I was or my feelings, but someday I may forget even more details than I already have and I want to prevent that as much as I can.

On September 4, 2001, I started my job at Fort Meade RCI. At the time I knew fairly little about the military or emergency services. I mean, I knew as much as anyone knows who learns about it at school and sees it on TV. We had some close family friends in the military, but I was not a military brat and did not have a close connection. As I started my job, each day I soaked in more and more about military families’ needs as the moved and tried to locate a new home.

Only a week into my new job, on September 11, 2001, I was on a tour with several other new employees. To be honest, I can’t tell you who was next to me in the van, or even who specifically was our tour guide. I can tell you that we got a phone call about the first tower being hit while still in the van. By the time we got back to the office take a break before the second half of the tour, the second tower had been hit and the word, “attack” was beginning to surface. Over the next couple hours the pentagon was hit, flight 93 went down, both towers fell and details began to surface. In that same timeframe, I frantically called friends and family. I knew most of them were not in harm’s way, I just wanted to hear their voices. I did however, have a few people that I really wanted to check on due to their proximity to the attacks. I wanted to talk to Jen who had recently moved to NYC and my friend Steph whose parents had careers that could put them in the pentagon or on a plane. As those of us who lived through it know, getting through to people on the phone was almost impossible and we were not yet avid texters so that was not an option. Thank God, I eventually found out that everyone I was immediately concerned about was okay. Then the true terror hit.

It took hours to get off-post that day. Security was at its highest level and the mass of people leaving clogged every exit. When I finally got home, I just started at the TV. The initial reports that I had heard did not really, at least for me, portray the true terror that happened that day. For the rest of the day and over the several days that followed, I just stared at the TV. I lived at my parents at the time and was either on their coach glued or with a friend at her house glued, soaking in every detail. I cried, I prayed, I felt thankful for my loved ones but at the same time desperately awful for those who were so directly affected. I prayed in bulk for all affected and personally for some of the separate stories we saw on the TV. I remember driving around to try to give blood, but blood banks were overwhelmed. I felt scared for our country but at the same time so proud to be American. I remember feeling like I was in a secret club of 300 million people who I could share a knowing smile with like it was a secret handshake. To lighten the mood, Eli and I would joke about which channel to watch so that we could each watch our favorite journalists, but really, it didn’t matter. We just wanted to see the progress, get more details, follow the way forward and hope to see a heartwarming story about another person who fought the odds to make it out of the rubble alive.

Eventually, the post opened back up and I went back to work, but nothing would ever be the same, especially for emergency responders and military personnel and their families. We now are commonly familiar with terms like homeland security, war on terror, Al Qaeda, WMDs and IED. The world has changed.

I am now married to a former Military Police Officer and Current Federal Police officer and have worked on Fort Meade for 10 years. I do not know what it was like before that day, but I do know now, that Police officers have to be trained differently to be able to be so much more prepared for things like that day. I know that military members and their families are making a different commitment now than they may have been expecting to make 11 years ago. I know that I am proud to be an American more than ever and am so thankful for those who put themselves in harm’s way every day to prevent another attack on our soil. The horror of that day was real but so was the bravery, the pride and the selflessness that resulted from it.

My Semi-Homemade Cupcakes with Flavor Variations – Recipe at the Bottom

If you didn’t already know this, I love to cook. In fact if someone would clean up after me, I would cook all day.  You see, I hate cleaning almost as much as I love cooking.  I like organizing when I have the time, but I don’t like cleaning.  Wait. How did I get so off topic? Back to the topic . . . I also love baking.  Lately, I have been on the bandwagon of cupcakes.  My sister got some AMAZING cupcakes form Georgetown cupcakes a couple weeks ago and this weekend I tried my hand at creating a few of my own flavors.

I have a wonderful babysitter for Jakey 2 days a week when he is not at school and it was her birthday. Is there any better reason than a great person having a birthday to make cupcakes? I think not. So, on my way I went.

I have a semi-homemade recipe that I love to use for cupcakes.  It starts with a box of cake mix and adds in some rich (and maybe a little fattening) ingredients. I also have a very simple icing recipe with cream cheese, butter and confectionary sugar that stole from Georgetown Cupcakes.  I made a batch of vanilla and batch of chocolate cupcakes. Then a made a batch of cream cheese filing and one and a half batches of icing. With a few add-ins, yummy treats were just a few steps away. 

 

If you want to make your own, here are my basic recipes.
 

Cupcakes

· 1 Box Cake Mix (Your choice)

· 8 oz Sour Cream

· 1 small package Pudding Mix (Your Choice to match cake mix)

· 4 eggs (Yikes!)

· 8 oz milk (Whole is best. What? I never said these were low fat!)

· ½ Cup Vegetable Oil

1. Preheat Oven to 350

2. Mix all ingredients

3. Fill cupcake liners 2/3 full if you are not adding the filling

4. If you are adding filling, fill ½ way then top with a teaspoonful of the below filling followed by a little more cupcake batter. You should end with your liner being about 2/3 full.

5. Bake for 20-23 minutes
6. Allow to cool before frosting
 
 



 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Cream Cheese Filling

· 8 oz Softened Cream Cheese

· ½ Cup White Sugar

· 1 Egg

· 1 Cup of Chocolate Chips or any other add-in (optional)

Mix top three ingredients until creamy

Fold in add-ins (optional)

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Georgetown Cupcake Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting (I got this off the CBS the Talk Website)

· 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
· 4 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
· 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
· 6 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1. Combine cream cheese and butter
2. Slowly add in the sugar until ingredients are well incorporated.
3. Frost on cooled cupcakes. I prefer to use a large tip and decorators bag. If you wante dto use two flavors you could combine into one bag as I did with my Mint Chocolate Cupcakes.

 

Jacob decorated this "pancake" cupcake.

 

According to Becky and my sister’s kids, the winners were the pancake and the PB banana. Although I would adjust the maple frosting on the pancake, it was a little runny.

You can add whatever you want. Just start with a little and taste your batter. You can always add more. These recipes make a good amount of cupcakes, so I split it into thirds and added the mix-ins.

For a full batch of frosting here are some flavor ideas. You will have to adjust if you split the batch like I did.

The Flavor Variations that I made were:

· Peanut Butter Cup (Chocolate cupcake with PB frosting)

· Mocha (Chocolate cupcake with coffee frosting)

· Chocolate/Vanilla (Chocolate cupcake with vanilla cream cheese frosting)

· Vanilla (Vanilla cupcake with vanilla cream cheese frosting)
· Pancake (Cinnamon cupcake with maple syrup frosting)
    For this, I just made a vanilla cupcakes and added cinimon to taste
· Peanut Butter/Banana (Banana Cupcake with PB icing)
    For this cupcake, I made a vanilla cupcake and added 1 ripe banana to a third of the vanilla mix.
     If you make a full batch, I would cut the milk in half as the bana will give moisture.

1. Chocolate Frosting - Add 1/2 cup of melted (and cooled) semi-sweet chocolate chips.
2. Lemon Frosting  - Add the juice and zest of 2 lemons.
3. Lime Frosting - Add the juice and zest of 3 limes.
4. Orange Frosting - Add the juice and zest of 1 orange.
5. Mocha Frosting - Add 1/4 cup of cold coffee.
6. Peanut Butter Frosting - Add 1/4 cup of creamy peanut butter.
7. Maple Frosting - Add 1/4 cup of maple syrup.
8. Cinnamon Frosting - Add 2 tsp of ground cinnamon.
9. Mint Frosting - Add 2 tsp of peppermint extract.
10. Toffee Frosting - Add 1/4 cup of crushed toffee candy bar

Sorry for the lack of pictures, I will take more next time I make them.

Also, does anyone know the difference between frosting and icing? I don't, so I just use both. At least that way I get it right some of the time.

“I eed you to go on a thafari with me and eat some thgabetti “

              Jacob used to tell me he was, “a little bit big and a little bit little.”  Little does he know, he will feel that way for a VERY long time.  I think I still felt a, “little bit little,” or at least not all the way big, until just a few years ago.  As proud as I am of that little/big guy when he learns something new, I absolutely love the things that remind me he still has a little “toddler” left in him.  Lately, it is his speech that I am hanging onto because I know that soon enough it will be gone.

                I love Jacob’s little kid voice and I love the way he talks. His voice is still a bit squeaky but he is starting to grow out of the lisp and is slowly correcting things word by word. In fact, when I correct him, he gets it right every time. Truth is though; I do not always correct him because I am savoring that little voice.  My favorite things that he says are: “I eed you” (I need you), “I’n going” (I’m going), “thgabetti” (Spaghetti), and anything with an “eth” (s).

                I know that he will always be MY little boy, but right now I am just savoring the time while he actually little.

Did you hear the one about Maryland having an earthquake and a hurricane in the same week?

It is pretty unlikely for Maryland to have a hurricane. It is even less likely for Maryland to have an earthquake. To say it would be extremely unlikely for Maryland to have both in one week could be considered an understatement. BUT, that is exactly what happened last week. Our story opened up on Wednesday with an earthquake followed by preparations for Hurricane Irene and ended with a tropical storm on Saturday night.  (Can I count the ridiculous amount of baking I did this weekend within my preparations?)

                Needless to say, it was a busy week for us.  Some of the preparation was for naught, as we were lucky enough to have power and avoid the many downed trees, but I don’t mind.  I am certainly a “better safe than sorry” person.    The funny thing is that Jacob loved it.  After the earthquake he asked Becky if she could, “do it again,” and when he woke up after the storm, he was slightly disappointed in our maintained electricity.   As a worrier myself, I hope he is always able to things in stride as well as he did over the past week.





Jakey loved finding branches



                I am thanking God for the safety of my loved ones through the past week and am praying for those who are not so lucky. At this point many are still without power and some are dealing with flooding, home damage and injury or even worse, loss of life.  We have been blessed.  

Hoping for a quieter week this week!

Kiss Me in the Corner

I don’t usually drop Jacob off at preschool; I am lucky enough that Holly does since she works there. However, our schedule got a bit thrown off today, so I took him.  Every once and a while he cries when I drop him off, but he didn’t show any sign of concern, so I didn’t expect any tears.  In fact, as I pulled up to the school, so did Holly, so I figured he would be just fine.

As I expected, he went in and played and did not seem concerned when I prepared to go. What happened next, however, was NOT expected.  I asked him for my typical hug and kiss when I went to leave. He looked over at me from the far corner of the room, the corner that you can’t see if you’re a kid entering from the hallway, and says, “come kiss me over here.”  He didn’t follow it up with, “so  no one sees,” but he didn’t have to. I could see it on his face.

Really? Really!

I though this didn’t happen for at least a few more years. In fact I always ask him if he will still cuddle me when he is big and he says yes. I guess I never asked if he will do it in public. I know it is normal. Even as I write this I am a proud at his show of independence. But still, my boy grew up a little today.  As proud as I may have been, I failed at hiding my surprise and unacceptably hurt feelings.  In fact after I talked a minute with my sister and headed out the door, I asked him for a mash (to bump fists, if you call it something else) and he gave me a mash, then he came over to give me a hug . . . in the middle of the classroom.  Thankfully, he didn’t get too big today.

Man, I love that kid!

How many kids do you have?

The above is a question that is often asked of parents and for the most part it is innocent.  Other parents are often just trying to find common ground with number of children or with the next questions of gender and age.  I have found, however, that the answer to the, “how many” question can often lead to judgmental looks and inquiring questions if you have a large family (let’s call that more than 4 children) or a small family (only 1 child).

I happen to be on the small end of the spectrum with “just one” child, while my sisters are inching toward the opposite end with 3 or more children a piece.  By January they will each have at least 4.  It is not odd that one of my parents’ 4 daughters are pregnant and often we are pregnant 2 at a time. I also am part of  church and community where large families are pretty much a common place.   

This gets me to my point of the “how many question.”

I notice that when people come across a large family, you can see the questions on their face. Silently they are asking, “Did you want this many?” “Do you know how to prevent this?” “Are you Catholic?” “Are you done?” Instead they something that they perceive to be witty like, “Oh, working on a football/basketball/soccer team, huh?”  Really? Really? That is all you could come up with? I am sure those parents have not heard that before!

To the opposite, I have also noticed that when I tell people that I have one child they ask, sometimes out loud and sometimes in expression, “Oh, just one?” They also may follow with a line of questioning about if I plan to have more; along with a lecture about how a big space creates two “only children.” 

I think people are becoming more sensitive to the fact that couples with no children may have consciously made that choice or it may have been the hand they were dealt.  People seem to SLOWLY get better at not pushing as it might be a very sensitive topic for a couple, especially one that has been hoping for a baby for years.   However, there is also an assumption that just because you have one, you could and should have at least one more.  People don’t realize that that one may have been a miracle and a sibling has been prayed for since that miracle came along. There are also other things that may stop a couple from having siblings for their precious children.  Personal situations are often unknown. 

I guess my point is that we should realize that just as families have made personal choices about schooling, where to live and other life choices, they have also made a choice about the number of children they have, probably for a good reason. And, if they haven’t had the opportunity to make that choice, don’t push them.  Children are an amazing gift that come with a lot of responsibility. Who better knows the right size family for any one couple other than that couple.  You? I doubt it.

Also, before you go assuming that I can’t have another child or that I sulk every night about not having another, I will tell you, neither of those things are true.   I do have some personal things going on that are delaying another child, but we do plan to have more.   Also, no sulking at my house.  At least not about that.  I have a beautiful, wonderful, smart, healthy, happy child who is my world. For that I am grateful. Sure, I hope to have another child one day, but not because I feel like something is missing.  I hope to have another child because my sisters are my best friends and I would love to have that for my little guy.  And, no. I am not too worried about the space causing a lack of friendship. My husband’s best friend is his little brother who is 7 years younger, no siblings in-between.  And lastly, if it doesn’t happen,  that’s what friends are cousins are for, right?



Even as a baby Jacob (in the green) appreciated his cousins.
Too bad some of them hate pictures. Poor things!

*Note, this was originally posted August, 2011.   I now have a beautiful daughter in additional to my son.   When my children play, even at 9months and 7 years-old, I can already see a bond that I know will grow stronger with time.  Surprisingly, I still get asked, "don't you want more?" :) 

J Bar W Ranch, DJ Colson and Good Old-Fashioned Fun

     For the two of you who read my blog, you may have seen my post about going to the rodeo at the J Bar W ranch last summer. The ranch is in Union Town, MD and the small town feeling is just wonderful. If I didn’t have such a wonderful story for this year’s rodeo, I could go on and on but for now, I will have to tell you to go to the last post. Eventually, I will get to into more detail because it was a great night.

So now, onto my story. Holly and I spent the evening with our kids watching them watch the rodeo. Their faces were priceless; especially our little cowboys, Jacob and Wyatt. As the rodeo came to an end our boys wanted to meet the bull riders. It was so cute. They walked up to them with the amazement of anyone meeting their favorite sports star. My nephew Wyatt noticed another fan getting her hat signed and immediately grabbed his straw hat and set off on his quest to get as many signatures as possible of his rodeo heroes. Jacob desperately wanted to follow suit, but his black felt hat didn’t really bode well for signatures. What was a boy to do?

As my sister dug through her purse to find her handy-dandy notebook, one of the bull riders did the sweetest thing. He dug through his bag and pulled out one of his old gloves that he said he had retired about 2 weeks ago. As DJ Colson signed that glove and handed it to my son, I hope he realized what an amazing moment he created. When Jacob gets truly excited about something he does not always jump up and down. Sometimes he just stares in awe. That is what happened at that moment. After getting more signatures, I thought Jacob would, for sure, want to call his daddy and tell him about his amazing new treasure. But no, he said it was a surprise and he would have to wait to see it.

Our evening's hero is above in the white vest and the treasured glove is below.

Thank you, DJ Colson, and the rest of the cowboys, cowgirls, bull riders, bull fighters, announcers and team at the J Bar W that once again, made my son’s night!

Sweet Summer!

As summer is nearing its end, I have so many stories I could tell about Jacob’s first fishing trip, my cousins visiting, trips to the farm, etc. However, sometimes all you need is pictures to weave a story. You know, a picture does say a thousand words. So, here is the story of our summer so far!

Movies!

This has been a summer of more movies than ever for us.  Jacob has been able to sit through a movie for a while, but in the last year he has really started to get into the plot.  This summer we saw The Smurfs, Cars 2 and Winnie the Pooh.  Jacob even saw Smurfs and Cars a second time with Ms. Becky.   I am not one that thinks kids should be plopped in front of a TV for hours every day while eating a bunch of junk (well, maybe it is okay some days!), but there is something magical about seeing a movie in the theatre with popcorn in one hand and candy in the other. I love sharing that magic with my little buddy!

Art is the ability to convey that we are not alone. When I sit down next to you in a movie theater, we get to share each other's point of view. We become part of a collective soul. That's the magic in the movies.

~ M. Night Shyamalan

The Pioneer Woman

Have you ever met someone that changed your life almost in an instant? Maybe your spouse or a great friend?  Well, I won’t say this is exactly the same; but it just might come close. ;)

I have a few old friends that I have connected with on face book that have status updates that I really look forward to.  Some are funny or sassy, some have great quotes, and some are just so filled with the joy of life that you can’t help but to be inspired.  For me, Jen P., is the latter.  Much to my happiness, she also has a blog full of cute family stories, her love of God and wonderfully yummy recipes.  I often drool over her pictures and one day I just couldn’t take it any longer. I HAD to make the monkey bread she had made; recipe courtesy of the Pioneer Woman, Ree Drummond.   For those of you who have made monkey bread, you know that it is not hard, but boy, is it good. For those of you who have not, I suggest you do.

If the monkey bread was not enough, I searched through the Pioneer Woman website and found a plethora of yummy recipes. I mean, down-home, butter-filled, lick-your-lips, yummy!  This woman can cook and to top it off she is a suburban girl married to a country boy. For some reason, I can relate to that. 

These recipes were so good and Ree’s writing is so engaging that I have cooked more lately than I have in a long time. I even reorganized my cabinets to make some of my previously less-used pans and dishes available.  Perhaps the best part is that I often find Jacob at my side, ready to help. Considering the richness of some of these recipes, I don’t cook them every day, but she has some healthier recipes too.  Besides, sometimes you have to treat yourself.

Thank you Ree Drummand for reminding me how much I love to cook and for making it a family affair. I cannot wait for the Food Network show.

Vegetables are a must on a diet.  I suggest carrot cake, zucchini bread, and pumpkin pie. 

~Jim Davis

Might not be good for you, but it sure is gonna be good!

~Paula Dean