Boys Never Grow Out of Playing With Cars

Wade and Brett bought some cheap remote control cars on Thanksgiving. They were trying to "juice" them up last night. I took a picture then they really got "serious" with their "fixing". (Notice the tongues). Dad took some birthday pictures last night with his camera but I don't know how to put them on here so I'll post them later.

Happy Birthday Brad!

Bradley Fred is 23 today! Happy Birthday! I will make your supper request. Even though it's "the same ole, same ole" stuff! I guess it is tried and true. Bar-B-Que Meatballs, Cheesy Potatoes and Ice Cream Cake.

The Twinners got Jobs!

Kaitlin and Gretchen started working last week! Yahoo!!!!! I can't wait until they get their first paycheck! No more handing them money for every little thing! I'm hopeing once they get trained in, maybe they'll start to schedule them on the same days. Wishful thinking, anyway. They each have only worked two days so far but their second day was far better than the first. Now they feel comfortable with it. It's never fun "starting" a new job.

It's Beginning to Look Like Christmas........

The Christmas spirit is starting to be felt around here. We got a nice little tree to fit in the corner and have most of the decorations up. The girls usually put Christmas music going. I myself, kind of like the peace and quiet. No noise, no music. Although sometimes I will put the CD's with no words playing softly. Maybe in a week or two I'll start the baking.

You NEED One of These!

Jennifer told Sara about this cool tool. Sara put one of these in my birthday package last summer. I wrapped some gifts today and I love, love, love this tool! I'm not sure what it is called. I think people mostly buy it to clip coupons but Jen was telling us how cool it was for cutting wrapping paper. Talk about slick! Once you start your cut it just zips across the paper. Much faster and smoother than scissor's! Next time your out, pick one up. You'll be glad you did when your doing all that Christmas wrapping. Thanks Jen for the great tip!!

Winter Has Arrived

We got some wet snow yesterday. The kids were thrilled. They came home from school (at least three of them anyway) and made some snowmen.

I had bought a "snowman kit" from a garage sale. Wooden buttons, eyes, nose, small buttons for the mouth and a "heart". Hopefully they'll remember to go retreive them when it starts to melt.

Jeanie made her own "small" snowman on the front porch.

School Pictures

Uncle Jeff took the kids school pictures this year. We ran over there one night about 7:00 and were done before 7:30. I just ordered them along with the Christmas card picture from Winkflash. Heidi had a coupon for cheap Christmas cards. (.23¢) The school pictures were really cheap. The 5x7's were only .29¢ and the wallets were .39¢ for a sheet of 4.

Tagged by Sue

10 years ago (actually this picture was 9 years ago. I missed one year of Christmas cards and it must have been in 1997) We had thirteen kids. (Jeanie was born in 1998.) Jennifer and Matt had graduated from high school. Jen was already living in Minnesota. Danny was our baby. He was almost two. Crawling but not walking. It was almost two years since we were told that our baby had Down Syndrome. When I look back to that time, it is not with sadness but with warm memories. We honestly never felt "devastated". We may have shed a few tears but more in confusion and bewilderment than in disappointment. We have been so blessed with Danny. He was born relatively healthy. He had a hole in his heart that closed on his own. He did have a lot of respritory infections his first winter and one real bad one that we almost thought we were going to lose him. He came home from that hospital stay (at about three months) on oxygen and was on oxygen 24 hours until he was about 8 months). He has since out grown his breathing problems and has been very healthy. He is the family entertainer. Our family get-togethers would be pretty boring without Dan. I wish I had a blog years ago (of course no one did then) as we have so many "Danny stories" I've forgotten.20 years ago Wade was the baby. We had been in our current house for six years. It was still a three bedroom ranch. We hadn't added the second story yet. I honestly can't remember too much about those years.
30 years ago Jen was our only baby. We were living on Kinsel Street. Fred was working downtown Detroit delivering the Detroit News. Grandpa and Grandma H had sold their house and moved to the U.P. Linda and Joe lived two doors down. We'd visit back and forth and sometimes we'd just wrap Jennifer in a blanket to make the trek.
I tag my sister Karen, Lynette and Linda. They don't have blogs but they can comment in the comment section.

Christmas Is a Coming!

We picked up the tree yesterday. The lights got on and the kids put on ornaments but I may have to take them off to put on ribbon or a star chain. It looks pretty bare without garland of some sort. Will take a picture when it's done.
Christmas is a coming as I made my first batch of Toffee. (I'm finding it's pretty hard to take good pictures of food!)

Amanda, Heidi and I did get up yesterday and left the house a little after six. (The plan was to leave at six but when I went upstairs to see if the girls were ready, I found them still asleep!) I'm really glad we went. I did get quite a few things. I was surprised that the stores weren't busier than they were. It actually was pretty fun and feels good to get such a good start on my Christmas shopping.

Thanksgiving Day

It's time for bed after a fun Thanksgiving Day. I forgot to take a picture during the meal. Here's Matt relaxing with a full belly. Molly with her Molly smile.
Kaitlin with her Kaitlin smile.
Maggie with her new sweater I finished knitting today. She has been shivering since she got a haircut so I thought I'd better make her a wool sweater. It is washable wool. (The only washable wool I had so that is why it isn't a pretty girl color.)
Jeanie playing in our big snowfall.

Danny playing his guitar.
Wade on the computer.
Paul on his computer.
Dad on his computer.
Now it's off to bed as Amanda, Heidi and I plan on leaving at 6:00 AM for the sales. We'll probably miss all the good stuff as most start at 5:00. The price we'll pay for sleeping an hour longer!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING 2007

We woke up to snow this morning. (Okay, the yooper's are saying, "You call THAT snow?) It gives it a festive holiday feeling. Amanda and Paul arrived during the night. They are still sleeping. (At least Amanda is, Danny is in his room playing X-Box "real quietly" the same room Paul is in.) We expected them about 1:30 am but Heidi said they got in about 4:00! The must have hit bad weather. Amanda called when they were on the bridge at 9:30 and said so far the roads were okay but I think they hit bad weather in the usual spot around Grayling.The turkey's in the oven, the potatoes are peeled, the pies (banana cream, chocolate raspberry, pumpkin) are made except the apple pie that will go in the oven when the turkey comes out. The orange sherbet jello is chilling. Still need to mash the spuds, make the gravy, make the green bean casserole, corn and warm up the parker house rolls and heat the leftover stuffing. (No sweet potatoes or cranberries in this house.) Yumm.......it's smelling good in here! Now to go read those ad's to see if I REALLY want to get up at 5:00 am tomorrow.
Thought I'd send some pictures of the kids being......well themselves......For you kids that can't make it home. There will only be 11 of us at the table this year! Wish you could all be with us!
I think they were putting the camera on the end table and playing with the timer.
Jeanie.....being a rock star?......Who knows.....

Contest on Apronista.blogspot.com

I just entered a fun contest at apronista.blogspot.com. I saw a post about it on Judy's and Sue's blogs. Check it and the Farm Chicks site out. I'll let you all know when I win the package!

Riss Gets to Cook Venison!

Brad shot a deer last night. Now Larissa gets to learn how to cook venison.
Jen, do you want the horns for your table?! Brad was disappointed. He thought he was shooting a doe. As you can see it was a button-buck but it's not hard to see why the thought it was a doe.

Maggie Gets Little

Before After
Maggie got a haircut. I was thinking too bad I couldn't go get a haircut and come back "tiny". Maybe if I made an appointment with the groomer........

The kids are off now for over a week. I'm actually looking forward to it. Maybe, just maybe, did I say maybe? I can get a little work out of them on Monday and Tuesday. Amanda and Paul will be coming Wednesday night and then we can party for the rest of the week! It seems so crazy that it's really Thanksgiving next week!

Three Little Kids

Kirsten and Cale look like such big kids next to little Brady. We sure are going to miss having them and all the grandkids home for Christmas. Matt and Emily have been home the last two Christmas's. I was telling Dad last night that playing games aren't going to be quite the same without Matt MC-ing them. Matt just has a way of making the game playing just a little more fun! There will be no grandkids home for either Thanksgiving or Christmas. Kind of sad but that's the way it goes sometimes. They will all be with us in thoughts! (And hopefully in lots of pictures.)

I have Country Style Pork Ribs thawing on the counter. I was going to try find a new recipe but decided to do the one I usually do. It's one of the many recipes I got from Pam P. I just find some comfort whenever I make one of Pam's recipes. I think of her often but feel a special closeness whenever I make something I received from her.

B-B-Q Country Style Ribs

3 pounds country style ribs
1 cup ketchup
1/4 cup worchestire sauce
1/4 cup vinegar
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons salt

Bake ribs 30 minutes at 350°. Drain grease. Pour half of sauce on ribs. Bake uncovered 1 hour. Turn over. Pour on rest of sauce. Cover. Bake for 45 minutes.

Walking to the Bus Stop

I've been enjoying my morning walk with Jeanie to the bus stop. We started taking the dog. As soon as we mention "walk" she goes nuts. I'm loving this beautiful fall weather. I'll take every day we get!

Cheesy Chicken Chowder

We will be having Cheesy Chicken Chowder for supper tonight. It is Jeanie's belated "birthday request". As always, this recipe is from one of the Taste of Home's Cookbook's. As one of their Food Editor's I am suppose to be sending them recipes but almost ALL of my cooking comes from their cookbooks so I can hardly send them a recipe they already have published!

CHEESY CHICKEN CHOWDER

3 cups chicken broth
2 cups diced peeled potatoes
1 cup diced carrots
1 cup diced celery
1/2 cup diced onion
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1/3 cup flour
2 cups milk
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese
2 cups diced cooked chicken

In 4-qt saucepan, bring chicken broth to a boil. Reduce heat; add potatoes, carrots, celery, onion, salt and pepper. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Meanwhile, melt butter in medium saucepan; add flour and mix well. Gradually stir in milk; cook over low heat until slightly thickened. Stir in cheese and cook until melted; add to broth along with chicken. Cook and stir over low heat until heated through. 6-8 servings

Butter Keeper and A Soup Recipe

This is my new favorite gadget. The Butter Keeper. My sister Maria was going nuts about these a year ago. She bought them up for all of her friends. We don't eat THAT much butter so I didn't think I needed one. You put up to 1 stick of softened butter in the cup and then add some cold water in the crock. It is suppose to keep fresh for 30 days without going rancid. You need to change the water every three days. (I only put 1/2 stick in at a time and I add cold water every morning when I use it.) I tell you, I smile every morning when I put that "smidge" of softened butter on my nisu. No more "shaving" off bits of a rock hard stick from the fridge! A belated "thank you" to Maria. They are the cheapest ($7.99) at Vg's grocery store.

Now the recipe. This recipe is from Taste of Home's 2008 book. I made this soup Saturday night and it was a huge hit. It is a bit of a "thin" soup so may be best as an appetizer or served with a sandwich. I just toasted some left-over hamburger buns which I had buttered and sprinkled with garlic salt. (I didn't have the tarragon or parsley. And I didn't dare put the whole 1/2 teaspoon of pepper sauce. I put a little less than that and it had plenty of "bite" for us.)

eta: just noticed I put 1/2 instead of 1/4 cup for the vegetables. Although you probably could add more if you wanted.

ZIPPY CHICKEN MUSHROOM SOUP

½ pound fresh mushrooms, chopped
1/4 cup each chopped onion, celery and carrot
¼ cup butter, cubed
½ cup flour
5-1/2 cups chicken broth
1 teaspoon pepper
½ teaspoon white pepper
¼ teaspoon dried thyme
Pinch dried tarragon
½ teaspoon hot pepper sauce
3 cups half-and-half cream
2-1/2 cups cubed cooked chicken
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
1-1/2 teaspoons lemon juice
½ teaspoon salt

In a Dutch oven, sauté the mushrooms, onion, celery and carrot in butter until tender. Stir in the flour until blended. Add the chicken broth and seasonings; mix well. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes.

Stir in the half-and-half cream chicken, parsley, lemon juice and salt; heat through (do not boil). Yield: 11 servings (2-3/4 quarts).

The Baby is Nine!

It's hard to believe Jeanie is nine years old! She had a few of her cousins over after church to help eat her Ice Cream Cake. She is the only one that came home from church today. Brad and Larissa came by to help celebrate.