And It Starts

Now that Thanksgiving is behind us it really starts getting crazy around here. Starting today our close family will have 7 birthdays to celebrate on top of everything else that goes on during the holiday season. I need to set a day this week to go Christmas shopping and just get it over with. In the past, I would have been stressing, a lot, but as I've grown older and wiser I know it will get done in time so why stress out.

Late afternoon Thursday, Brent, the kids, Darlene (Brent's mom) & I walked around the farm to take pictures of the kids for Christmas cards this year. I will have to make mini-albums for everyone because I'm going to have a hard time picking just one but I think I've got it narrowed down to 2, yay! Brent said he wanted to see some of them on the blog so here you go honey..........







This picture was taken in front of the old house on the farm and was one of my choices but Hannah's eyes are squinty. It's a really good picture of Colton.








The kids are standing on top of a levee looking for prairie dogs.



Does Hannah looked scared? She was worried about the cows that were behind her.



I love this picture of an old broomcorn shed. Back in the day, broomcorn was a hot commodity and I've heard many horror stories from Brent about getting up in the wee hours of the morning because he had to go work in the broomcorn fields.



You really can't tell from this picture but this is an old corn picker with a tree growing thru it.

It's Done

My 3 dishes I'm taking up North are finished, yay! So now I guess I'll have time to go on and put up the Christmas tree. I know, I know but we have a shorter time between Thanksgiving and Christmas this year so I'm doing it this year early. Not really early but not waiting until after Thanksgiving. Please forgive me. So since the tree is going up I'm getting the blog in fine Christmas form too!

P.S. The lights on Hannah's tree doesn't work, of course, so I'll have to get new lights before taking a picture and maybe I'll be able to find my cheap white boa while out and about with all of the other crazy people Friday.

Are You Getting Ready Yet?

I have been lazy for the past 2 days. Last week working all day then until 8:30 at night caught up with me on Sunday. I took a nap Sunday morning then fell asleep again in the afternoon sometime and when I woke up it was dark outside. I hate it when I do that but I guess I needed the rest.

Brent did well with his knee surgery. He is getting around pretty good right now. He goes back to the Dr. next Tuesday to get the stitches out.

So back to my title; are you getting ready for Thanksgiving yet? I'm making my cornbread tomorrow for my dressing. I'm making it to take up North to Brent's parents. I'm so ready to eat Thanksgiving food. I need to make sure my stretchy pants are clean :). Brent's mom and I will get up Friday morning and hit the stores. It's a tradition. The men stay home to watch the kids and the women go out shopping. Usually there is more women going but one SIL is working and my other SIL isn't coming up this year. We'll probably just end up at the casino :)

I really wanted to get my Christmas stuff up yesterday but having slept most of the day it just didn't get done. Hopefully tomorrow after the boys go home I can get started. I bought Hannah a pink tree for her room so we will definitely get that up tomorrow. Can't wait to see how it looks. Wish I could find a cheap white boa to use as garland. I need to check the dollar store.

I still have one album project to get done by Christmas and I'm also working on recipe cards I'm stamping for Hannah's teacher. It shouldn't take very long if I will just sit down and work on them.

OU kicked some Texas Tech ass on Saturday. Brent recorded the game & is watching it I think for the 4th time. Each time I walk in and tell him they won :). And what I hate about this time of year is we have football and basketball going on at the same time.

So did this post make any sense? I have brain fog so forgive me.

Thank You Honey

Just got a call from Brent saying he needed me to go get something out of his closet for him. I got in there and he told me where to look and it was a bag for me. Took a look see and it was this:




Sweeeeeeet! It's the camera lens I wanted. It is a very early birthday present. My birthday isn't until 12/26 so he knew I would want to use it throughout the holiday season plus birthdays plus for Colton's basketball games. Can't wait to use it. Thanks Brently!

It's A Turkey

My nephew Luke looked at this and said "it's a turkey' so I guess we did good. Mom and I made hundreds of these little suckers, well not hundreds, but it seemed that way. Hannah is handing them out to her classmates on Friday before Thanksgiving break.

Monday I started working in the concession stand again at the HS gym. I've worked their 2 nights and I'm already tired of telling little snot-nosed kids what they can buy for a dollar. I can tell you if you want to know, LOL!

Colton played last night and they won. So they move onto the winner side of the bracket. Next game is Thursday. Not sure if he will suit up. There are some kids that didn't suit up last night and I'll figure they will Thursday. Colton doesn't start but he gets to go in. He got to play the entire 2nd half. His last year's coach wouldn't sub even if they had a good lead and by the end of the season I think Colton had a bad taste in his mouth for basketball. The coach is young and I think he thought he had something to prove. He will learn in time I guess.

Brent has surgery on Friday. I have a feeling it's going to be a long day. I already have my strawberry margarita mix chilling in the fridge :)

hannah ~ 7 months old

My mom has been going thru her pictures and she found this picture of hannah when she was 7 months old. I started crying when I saw it and I cried last night when I looked at it again. I was trying to hide the tears from Brent but he asked if I was crying which just made it worse, LOL! I have a few more of her and Colton, he would have been 5. He is turning 14 next month. Just 1 1/2 more years until a driver's permit. Oy!

Altered Comp Book

Hannah got invited to a skating birthday party for a girl that hasn't got one of my journals; WOO HOO! I gotta come up with something different when the invites make the round again, LOL!

The Easiest Appetizer You Will Ever Make

This is always a hit. I don't even have a name for this dish, sorry. So here is what you need.

8 oz cream cheese, soften
bottle of Pickapeppa Sauce (this is with the steak sauces at my grocery store; it has a picture of a parrot on it)
crackers (we use Townhouse or Ritz)

Place cream cheese on a plate. Pour Pickapeppa Sauce over to cover cream cheese. Now are your ready for the hard part? Throw some crackers in a bowl and start eating. It is that simple and it is mighty tastey too!

Sausage Dressing

This is the recipe I use to make dressing. Brent likes it because it has sausage in it. I always make my dressing the day before I'm baking it because I like for the bread to absorb all of the liquid & it isn't runny.

1 lb pork sausage (Brent's grandpa has made it with hot sausage)
2 onions, chopped
4 stalks celery, chopped
2 packages cornbread mix (I always get the cheap & it works just fine)
6 slices bread, toasted
2 tsp sage
1/4 tsp salt
4 C chicken broth
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 can cream of mushroom soup

Prepare cornbread and toast the night before. Brown sausage, onions & celery; drain. In a large bowl crumble your breads. Now throw in everything and mix well. Pour into your favorite baking dish. Bake at 350 degress for 45 minutes or until brown.

It's that easy. You cannot screw this recipe up, I promise :) Come back tomorrow for a easy easy easy appetizer. Seriously you will love me forever.

Checking In

I really did good in October posting on my blog almost daily; not sure what has happened in November :). Life hasn't slowed down any and will be getting crazier next week as basketball starts. I'm helping my dad in the concession stand at the high school gym so that will be going on until February or March; I'm not sure and I'm afraid to look. At least I'll be in the same gym as Colton for his games. I need to Christmas shop but not sure when I'll find the time. I hate going on the weekends this time of year because it is so crowded. I'll probably take off one evening during the week and just do it.

Brent is having surgery on his knee next Friday. He has met his deductible so he is going on and getting it done. He has a torn menicus. So Thanksgiving break I will have a house full with a crippled husband and 4 kids. Please think of me :)

Happy Dance

In my best Napoleon Dynamite impression "yesssssss!!!". I'm so happy. Barack Obama kicked ASS!!!

Lucky

Finally an actual LO, woohoo!



Journaling reads:

In Spring 2007 we finally moved into our dream house. Lots of sweat & tears built this house. It was worth it.

Go Vote

It's no secret who I'm voting for and I'm so glad this day is finally here. There is a couple of races here in Oklahoma I'm watching too. Should be interesting to watch and see how it unfolds.

Trick or Treat One Day Late

Finally got to trick or treat tonight. Hannah ended up going with a friend so this was the first time in 13 years that I haven't taken a kid trick or treating. It was kind of sad but I past out candy at my parent's house so that was fun. When my nephews got done they stayed and helped me hand out candy & they were lovin' it!



Hannah dressed up as a Bratz Cheerleader



She didn't like this picture; she thought she looked like a dork. I thought it was cute.



Luke went as Thomas the Train and Ben was a policeman along with a "bully" club. We had to watch out for the "bully" club because he was doing some serious whacking with it.

I tripled dogged dared my sister Shelly to put on Luke's costume and let me take a picture and she did.



This was the first Halloween Colton missed; he and Brent went to the Nebraska vs OU game. We are kicking some Nebraska butt too :) Boomer Sooner!!!!!