Monday, December 27, 2010

The game that never ends

I haven't had a chance to go through Christmas pictures so I thought I would post a video of one of her Christmas toys. Maw maw sent this shape ball to Hg and she has really enjoyed it. This game can go on an on as you can see;)




Thursday, December 23, 2010

Walking, iPads, and Bob



Isn't it amazing how one day you can't walk and the next day you can!
It has finally clicked that she can walk without holding hands. Yipppeee!!!



This is way long, but I know my dad will get a kick out of this.


Her love for Bob has grown...if that was possible;)

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Christmas with my family

Last Saturday Josh, Gerry( his dad), and I traveled to Tulsa for a big family Christmas! I love my family and I'm so thankful mom hosted all of us! Her house was decorated perfectly and the food was outstanding. Yes, she is Martha the second;).

I didn't get many pictures, but here are a couple I got.

Hadley in her new chair from gram and papa..it's so cozy!


The girls helping HG read a story


Cute Cole!


Cole reading HG a story...he is so sweet to her!


The cousins got HG a stroller. She was having a blast pushing it around. Look at Chloe and Kate encouraging her;) They are great little helpers!





The only pic of most of the family and Josh is being silly. Little did he know that look would be really on his face after the ride home;)

I'm so thankful we got to go, but we will never make it a day trip again. 6 hrs in the car was not fun for a very tired HG. She is not a car sleeper so we got to hear her lungs for 99% of the trip. We ride in the car a lot with going to church an hour away so you would think she would be a pro at it, not so much. We keep reminding ourselves that it is just a phase and can only get better! Other than a tired, overwhelmed baby, we had a great time during her 30 min nap....lol! No, really, it was fun! I love my family so much and love it when we all get together. Thanks again mom for hosting! You make everything so special! Love you bunches!

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Tasty Tuesday

This soup is my number one go to soup! I don't like chopping veggies and this one has veggies, they are just from a can. If you can brown ground beef and open cans, you've got dinner in about 20 min.

Southwest Soup



All you need is:

2lbs Ground beef (browned)
1can cream style corn
1can rotel
1 90 sec bag of Spanish style rice
Largest bottle of V8 ( I think it's 64 oz)

Directions: After you brown the meat combine all ingredients together and simmer for 20-30 min.

I usually make cornbread to go with it. Jiffy in the box is the best one we've tried.

It makes a large pot, so it's great for company. Hope you enjoy it! Oh, it freezes well too.


Monday, December 20, 2010

Movie Monday

Hadley wasn't all that interested in the Christmas tree until we put presents under it. Now she goes and gets a couple of presents, scoots them around the floor, shakes them, and even uses them as a phone;)


Hope you have a great Christmas week. I'm lobbying to open presents from now until Christmas;). Wouldn't that be fun? I just might win!



Friday, December 17, 2010

Favorites

My big fancy post just got erased...grrr! Its late Friday night so here is a quick re-post...not as detailed, so forgive...only two this week, but really good ones..

Hot chocolate on a stick, really? I can not wait to try these.


The best cup ever...thanks to my awesome mom.


What's so awesome? Well, it's insulated, big, the straw can't be pulled out when the lid is on, it has a screw on lid, and its looks like a candy cane
(major bonus)! Oh, and Hadley likes it too..


Well, that's all I got tonight...I'm hitting the sack. We are heading to Tulsa tomorrow to celebrate Christmas with my family. I can't wait!!

Have a great weekend.

Be blessed!

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Tis the season!

Wow, it's already Wednesday! I have good reasons for not posting this week...I've been Christmas'ing'...you know, shopping, wrapping, partying! ;).

I don't have much to share today since I haven't taken many pictures, but I do have a few of our Christmas decorations around the house. Really, not that exciting, but it's what I got done, so I consider that good;)

Hadley got a little tree for her room...she really likes it!


Christmas tree and buffet...we left room on the floor to sit and open presents...oh yes, we are prepared.






A new tray that I got at Sandstone this year.


That's it;). Tomorrow's post will hopefully be a little more eventful...I'm taking HG to get her hair cut..we will see;)

Friday, December 10, 2010

Favorites

Although I have never tried any of these, they just look like they could be my new favorites;) I think homemade goodies are great gifts and fun to take to parties. These are definitely on my list to try this year.




Who can resist this little tasty treat? Such a fun finger food to take to a party. Peppermint chocolate chip cheesecake



How cute are these cookies? What a great teacher gift.




Graham cracker fudge;) Yes, my two favorites meet again. Graham crackers and chocolate are irresistible to me! Yum! Fudge


I guess a candy thermometer is going on my shopping list. These look addicting;).Pralines

Hope these give you some tasty ideas for the holidays. I'm getting my fat pants out after I finish this post;).

Be blessed and have a great weekend!

Wednesday, December 8, 2010

Christmas bear

This was last year's feelings towards Christmas bear...


This year, they have become best buddies. A lot can change in one year;)


All of the following pictures are blurry ( it's not just your eyes). She moves so fast its hard to get a good picture, but hopefully you can still see the love;)








She wanted him to wear her necklace;)


There, that's perfect! ;) A bear with bling!


Hadley also likes to point to his nose and eyes and then point to her nose and eyes. She can say nose and eyes very clearly, it's really darn cute!

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Tasty Tuesday




Whole wheat blueberry muffins

Don't let the whole wheat scare you, these are delicious! Hadley's favorite fruit these days is blueberries 'boo' as she calls them, so I thought I would make these as a treat. I got this recipe out of a cookbook from my grandma's church. She had given me the cookbook a long time ago and I use it from time to time. This recipe is from a couple in her church named Mike and Pam Paslay...we have never met, but thanks for sharing this tasty treat.

3/4 C flour
3/4 C whole wheat flour
1/2 C brown sugar, packed
1Tbs. Baking powder
1/2 tsp. Salt
1 1/2 C frozen blueberries partially thawed
1 egg, well beaten
1/2 C milk
1/2 C butter, melted ( be sure to let cool off so you don't scramble the egg)

Mix dry ingredients together in a large bowl. Add blueberries gently to coat. Beat together egg, milk, and melted butter and stir into dry mixture just until dry ingredients are moistened. Fill muffin tins and bake 15-25 min @ 400.

Enjoy!


Friday, December 3, 2010

Friday favorites

For the next few Fridays, I thought it might be fun to post Christmas favorites....

So, this week, here are some of my favorite 'make it yourself' gifts and decorations...

1). This first one is from the famous Ashley Ann. If you do not know her ( in blog land) you are missing out. She is a photographer, mom of four, and comes up with good and original projects. This is one of my favorite things she has made. To be so original and creative is inspiring.http://ashleyannphotography.com/blog/2009/11/21/diy-doily-canvas-bag/


2). Not only would these be easy and cute, they would also be a great way to give gift cards.


http://www.parents.com/holiday/christmas/crafts/handmade-gifts/?page=7

3). A photo wreath...yes please! Fun to tailor to your own decor.


http://www.parents.com/holiday/christmas/crafts/christmas-kid-crafts/?page=14

This has nothing to do with crafts, but it is my favorite quote this week..

"I have found in my own life that I've too often allowed Christmas to "sneak up on me." I've allowed the busyness of purchasing presents and planning travel and participating in Christmas pageants and parties to crowd out a quiet anticipation of the wonder of incarnation. Too many Christmas mornings I've realized that while my presents were wrapped, my heart was completely unprepared to truly take in the Gift."
- Nancy Guthrie

Can't we all relate? Decorating, finding the perfect gifts, baking, and putting it all in a pretty little package pretending we just whipped out the perfect Christmas with little effort. When are we going to get it through our busy little heads, Christmas is about Christ? Not about US! I don't think any of those things are bad, but they are IF they get you in a tizzy and stressed out. This year, I'm putting it all in perspective and getting my heart prepared to celebrate our King! It should be FUN getting ready for Jesus' birthday party!! I'm buying present, baking cookies, wrapping gifts, decorating,and entertaining. But, the minute I start to feel like it's all too much, I'm kicking myself in the booty to remember, that just as God gave us His Son, I'm giving to celebrate Him, not to impress! How's that for honest?;)


With all of that said, Josh and I want to really play up Jesus' birthday in a BIG way with Hadley, so we are not doing Santa 'gasp'. I know all of you moms are thinking that that is what's fun about having kids at Christmas. Josh and I both believed in Santa when we were little, but we decided that it can be just as much fun celebrating Jesus and His birthday. No, I don't think Santa is bad, and of course I don't judge others who do Santa, we are just choosing not to for our family. Out of the ordinary, I know, but if you really stop and think, Christ is the beginning of Christmas and to have to celebrate Santa and/or Jesus is just not a option we want to give Hadley.

Wow, sooo, if you are still with me...go craft, bake and shop!! Enjoy giving to others and celebrating baby Jesus!

If you have any great ideas for making gifts or decorations please share, if anyone is actually reading this;).

Be Blessed!


Celebrate




Bonny's birthday was a couple of weeks ago so we had a party on the weekend she came up. For her birthday last year we started a new tradition by going to Joplin to Sandstone Gardens' candlelight shopping. It is a Christmas open house that is so much fun! It just happens to fall near her birthday every year...sweet!

This was last year ( Hadley joined us)





And this year ( Hadley was already in her pj's) She stayed home with daddy;)


We had such a fun time!!! Happy Birthday Glam!!



And because I missed tasty Tuesday,I thought I would share the birthday cake I made. This is the second year I have made it, but I got distracted this year with HG so my frostings were not nearly this pretty, but it was still tasty;)


Prep: 25 min., Bake: 30 min. Adding hot water to the batter helps to create an exceptionally moist and tender cake.

Yield: Makes 16 servings
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate morsels
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 (16-oz.) package light brown sugar
3 large eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 (8-oz.) container sour cream
1 cup hot water
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Peppermint Frosting
Chocolate Ganache
Preparation
1. Melt chocolate morsels in a microwave-safe bowl at HIGH for 30-second intervals until melted (about 1 1/2 minutes). Stir until smooth.

2. Beat softened butter and brown sugar at medium speed with an electric mixer about 5 minutes or until well blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition. Add melted chocolate, beating just until blended.

3. Sift together flour, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add to chocolate mixture alternately with sour cream, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low speed just until blended after each addition. Gradually add 1 cup hot water in a slow, steady stream, beating at low speed just until blended. Stir in vanilla. Spoon batter evenly into 2 greased and floured 10-inch round cake pans.

4. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes; remove from pans, and let cool completely on wire racks. Spread Peppermint Frosting evenly between cake layers. Spread Chocolate Ganache evenly on top and sides of cake.

Peppermint Frosting

Yield: Makes about 3 cups
Ingredients
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 (16-oz.) package powdered sugar
1/3 cup milk
1/4 teaspoon peppermint oil
Preparation
1. Beat butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy; gradually add powdered sugar alternately with milk, beginning and ending with powdered sugar. Beat at low speed just until blended after each addition. Stir in peppermint oil.


Chocolate Ganache

Prep: 10 min., Stand: 20 min.
Yield: Makes about 2 cups
Ingredients
1 (12-oz.) package semisweet chocolate morsels
1/2 cup whipping cream
3 tablespoons butter
Preparation
1. Microwave semisweet chocolate morsels and whipping cream in a 2-qt. microwave-safe bowl at MEDIUM (50% power) 2 1/2 to 3 minutes or until chocolate begins to melt. Whisk until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth. Whisk in butter, and let stand 20 minutes.

2. Beat at medium speed with an electric mixer 3 to 4 minutes or until soft peaks form.

Southern Living, DECEMBER 2006
Southern Living, DECEMBER 2006