BREAKING NEWS!

I must now interrupt the timeline I was on to catch up with my blog to make a very important announcement ! Parker got
married Wednesday, May 18th! Oh yes, I know. Quite shocking news, huh. I myself admit that I was shocked to find out on Tuesday night at 11 pm. Not enough time to plan or to prepare myself for the stories to follow.
After we got back home from the boy's baseball game, he asked me if we can locate a wedding ring and ring box. Being the super resourceful mom and in my tired stupor I searched (at 11 pm) for the said items. I decided it was easier to go along with the whole wedding plan as opposed to fighting at this hour. After a quick search of my jewelry box and vanity I found the items that would satisfy my son and hopefully his bride to be.
I will share some of the details of the eventful day. A girl from Parker's class was the minister/wedding planner. The traditional wedding march was substituted with the Spongebob Squarepants theme song. This will be an event to remember for a lifetime. What will it be next? Stay tuned. I'm sure there will be many more stories to come!

New Year's Day

With every holiday, comes tradition. New Year's Day is no exception in our family. One must is black-eyed peas. I know weird, right! Not for me and my family. To those that marry into the family, maybe. Chris can't stand black-eyed peas but in order to have good luck for the year, one must ingest or digest at least just one. Chris eats his or should I say he takes it like a pill. One swallow, down the hatch it goes. I on the other hand, happen to enjoy them and really look forward to eating my mother's New Year's Day feast. Yummy, my mom always cooks us a wonderful meal for the day! Oh, by the way, thanks mom if your reading. Love ya!

Redi, Set, Go

One of the highlights of Madison's Christmas was the fabulous XpressRedi,Set,Go. Madison watches too much television. She found the info-mercial channel. In early fall she spotted the handy dandy cooking device that cooks everything under the sun from breakfast to dessert. She absolutely loves cooking she is just afraid of getting burned. She is petrified to take anything out of the oven. She tried cookies once and bumped her hand on the rack and that was the last time she tried it. In her opinion, the Redi, Set, Go was the solution. For weeks we ate what Madison cooked. We ate pizzas, quesadillas, cakes, muffins, you name it and she made it! We were really relieved that the new wore off and we were able to move on to the next phase.

Christmas Day 2010

Christmas morning is typically a really early morning. This year is the first time that the kids didn't wake us up before sunrise. Amazing! We actually slept til 8. Which in turn means that my kids are growing up! This makes me sad and a little nostalgic. I love Christmas mornings! The celebration of the Lord Jesus Christ. It is a time of love, family, and celebration.



This picture is from 2009 Christmas morning. We spent it with family at the Great Wolf Lodge. It was a fun Christmas just a little strange to be in the water, swimming after just driving through the biggest blizzard in years. The kids loved it!








The last two pictures are from 2007. See this is what happens when I blog. I spend more time looking at old pictures and get a little sidetracked and off the subject. Madison was in love with Troy that year, she was so happy to have the High School Musical movies. Parker is showing off his new pj's.
He wasn't so excited about clothes, kids never are. He would rather be opening toys. Ignore the wild hair in the background of the picture. That is the hair of some crazy lady that lives in our house! She doesn't do mornings, trust me I know her well!! Ok, ok. Enough with reminiscing. Move on already. On to the next post.

Christmas Eve

I have to state this first off in this post. I know that Christmas isn't about gifts. With that said, I will share the events of Christmas Eve.
By the time that Christmas Eve rolls around, the kids aren't the only ones around the house getting anxious. I am just a bad. I love surprises and opening gifts.
This year was full of surprises.
Starting with our surprise for my dad. He has been shopping for months for a new grill and we found the perfect one. We were all excited. I love to surprise others. But...... I love to be surprised myself too! I mean really, who doesn't love surprises. Throughout the year, I always list things and name off things that I would love to get at Christmas. I list them early that way when it gets close to Christmas I don't have a clue what I am getting. I might ask over and over, "What are you getting me for Christmas?", but I don't really want to know. I just love to increase the suspense. So....when it comes time for me to open my gifts, I can't wait! I got several things that I had really been wanting! I was so pumped! I got a potato ricer, Oprah's Favorite Shoes, Nike Free Run +, and a new pair of TOMS!!!

Christmas with Grandma Sheryl

Christmas with Grandma Sheryl and Lori is one of the kids favorite times. It always comes early and it kicks off the kids Christmas season. They are always so excited to open presents and this is their first opportunity.

In Sheryl's traveling she found the cutest hats and scarves that were handmade. Madison absolutely loved hers. I am not sure that she didn't go anywhere this year without the hat.

Boys of Fall

I know when some of you read the title of this post you are expecting to see football. Not on this one! This post is devoted to my "Boys of Fall." Chris and Parker love fall for one single reason, deer hunting. If we aren't tied up with some other activity you can be sure to find them in the woods at any given moment.

Thanksgiving

This year due to my lifelong dream of having a Griswold Family Christmas, we had Thanksgiving. All of my family came to my house. What an awesome day!! The menu was rather large, we ate entirly too much. Isn't that what everyone does on Thanksgiving? Oh and we all watched the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.
I had really planned on taking pictures on all of the delicious food. But..... in all my cooking and planning I forgot. I know...stink. I'll just share the menu and links to some of the recipes instead. You can see the pics there.
It was Pioneer Woman Menu for our Thanksgiving Feast. It was delicious.
Ham
Turkey
Dressing
Delicious,Creamy,Mashed Potatoes
Soul Sweet 'Taters
Parker House Rolls
Green Bean Casserole
Pecan Pie with Whiskey Maple Cream Sauce
I think I waited too long to post this because I can't remember the rest of our menu.

Bad Blogger

Ok.....so I am not PW, I can admit that. For those who don't follow many blogs, PW stands for the Pioneer Woman. She lives, eats, and schools blogs!!
I realize I have been absent for a while now. I know, I know, absent minded. I have plenty of excuses. Madison's birthday was my last post so let's just start with the list.
1. Christmas
2. New Year
3. New job
4. The Cold, Cold, might I add COLD weather
5. Soccer
6. Soccer, did I say that twice?
7. Spring Break
8. Wind
9. Lots of Wind
10. The Drought, or should I say Drougth? Not sure?
(just a little joke from work)(maybe it's just a joke with myself!)


The List could really go on and on but I will say that my day off tomorrow will be a day spent blogging and reminiscing.