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I happened across this website today for free letters from Santa Claus. There are 3 things I found about this site that set it apart from other places where you purchase or request letters from Santa. 1) You can request them for free online 2) They are postmarked from the small town of Santa Claus, Indiana and 3) the history of the Santa Museum

You can read about the Museum’s history here and from there just click on “Santa Letters” from the left side of the screen. You fill out a short questionnaire on your child and deliver your request directly to Santa Claus to handwrite a letter back! That easy! And FREE! I have paid good money in the past for people to deliver letters to and from Santa, this is great! Now, I haven’t done this before, but I did read on their website that Santa promises to respond to EVERY letter that is received prior to December 21st. If your child wants to write a real letter to Santa and you want to make sure it is delivered to the big guy directly rather than over the Internet, you can send it to:

Santa Claus
PO Box 1
Santa Claus, IN 47579

Last week, my grandma turned 90! I haven’t met a whole lot of 90 year olds in my life, but from what I see, she is amazingly healthy! She still lives on her own, in the same house my dad was born and raised in. It has a basement with rickety old wood stairs. She still keeps her canned foods down there and her washer and dryer. Amazing!

My grandma loves all of us so much, though she’s not always the easiest person to get along with. When I was little, I had a hard time staying there for visits, because I was an only child and stayed there alone. She was very prim and proper. Sit up straight, elbows off the table, brush your teeth with baking soda, etc. Not that I didn’t enjoy visiting with her, but it was a completely different environment from my own home! A little dose of that never hurt me, now that I look back on it. My grandma loves her great grandkids… she is much easier with them than she ever was with me. My oldest has Grandma eating out of the palm of her hand! My dad still checks in with my Grandma every day and visits her every weekend, sometimes more often. I hope that my kids take care me as well as he does for her, and I suppose a lesson to me on how I need to take care of my parents as they get older! Great Grandma still sends jars of pennies home with the kids, still pays the kids $5 per A on their report card. You would never see Grandma in anything but a dress, complete with “stockings” as she calls them. I think she even wears those to bed She has her hair done every Saturday at the same salon that I remember when I was little, same style too. Once in awhile she may change the style (and when I say once in a blue moon, that would be an understatement!), and we would be in shock. She prays before every meal, and that includes us all holding hands, even if we are dining in a nice restaurant. What other people think isn’t important to her, when it comes to praying before a meal. I admire that in her, because you certainly don’t see that very often. She is very honest, brutally so sometimes. I don’t think she intends to hurt people’s feelings but it happens, pretty often. Most of us are used to that. She has taught me alot about life in general. I wish she lived closer, so I could have learned more from her. I have a feeling she’ll be with us for years to come still. Happy Birthday Grandma!

Dad rented the Portland Sternwheeler Rose for her birthday gathering. We had a great 2 hour boat ride up the Willamette River. The rain stopped just for 2 hours that day. It literally started to rain as I was carrying the leftover food back up to my van. We were blessed!

Here are some pictures. I didn’t get any of me on my camera with Grandma, I hope that someone else did. I was busy taking tons of pictures of my own. Each picture can be clicked to enlarge.

Daddy and Bailey carrying supplies onto the boat.

Bailey and Austin (my nephew) with the captain!

Great Grandma and her great grandkids!

Grandma and Dad

Just one of Grandma by herself!

Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dork… they were writing codes I think? Goofy boys.

Ah and then there is goofy mom with Katy and Bailey

My mom with all of my kids

My mother-in-law with the kids

My sister and her “dating partner”…. not sure they are boyfriend/girlfriend yet, but they were last year. Confused yet? Me too.

Katy and Kenzie

Me and Katy

Bailey and Katy

The 3 oldest, aren’t they cute? Ashlyn, Tanner, and Katy

 

 

Grandma blowing out her candles! I wonder what 90 would have looked like

Hope you all had a great Halloween! We had fun! We expected (and were prepared) for rain. We were blessed with a dry evening and enjoyed trick or treating for 3 hours with not a single raindrop! My mother in law drove down to join us. My dad and his girlfriend and my nephew came along, and even my mom stopped in. The girls were thrilled because their good friends were able to go with us for a little while too. It was so warm, we didn’t even need jackets! The kids got so much candy! Tanner stayed home this year and ate passed out all of our candy to trick or treaters. When we got home the other 3 donated enough to fill a half of a freezer ziploc bag! Then they had fun trading what was left over. I discovered Bailey is candy CRAZY. McKenzie is very picky and only likes certain things. Tanner and Ashlyn like pretty much anything.

Today at lunch, I told Bailey she could pick out 3 pieces of candy from her bag. She took the bag to the table and when I walked over she had covered her whole lunch plate with candy. She had 14 pieces of candy on and around her plate, she thought she was going to eat. I don’t think so baby! She cracked me up Halloween morning by telling me (FIRST THING AFTER SHE WOKE UP) “Mommy it’s Halloween. I’m so excited, I can already taste it!”. She remembers it all too well! Such a goof ball!

Here are some pictures —- enjoy!

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

I get so excited over this darn show! I remember watching it when I was really little. I wasn’t a cartoon kid at all, but I had a special liking for Charlie Brown. So each year when this special is on, I get so excited for the kids to all sit down to watch it with me. David can’t run out of the room fast enough, so this is *my* thing with the kids! Some years it’s been hit or miss if the kids are interested in watching it. I remember one year, we all climbed into my bed and watched it, including my nephew Lane. This year, I really wasn’t expecting much. I told Tanner he didn’t have to watch it, but he said “what if I want to?”… so he grabbed his blanket, McKenzie grabbed hers, Ashlyn pulled up a chair and plopped Bailey on her lap and we all watched it together. Melts a momma’s heart I tell ya!

And, we all enjoyed pumpkin bars for dessert that I made last night. They were delicious!

Pumpkin Bars

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups white sugar
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup chopped walnuts (I omit these)
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 4 eggs
• 2 cups canned pumpkin
• 2 teaspoons baking soda

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease two 9×13
pans or one jelly roll/cookie sheet with sides.

Mix all ingredients in order above until well
blended. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Cool completely and frost with cream cheese
frosting (which I use 2 sticks butter, softened, 1 block cream cheese, softened,
2 cups sifted powder sugar, a tad of vanilla)

DELICIOUS - I am telling you!!

 

I have a lot of pictures to share of the kids carving pumpkins last night. They did such a great job. While I always find it hard watching my kids grow up so quickly, I can’t complain at how easy something like carving pumpkins is getting to be. So easy, in fact, that I provided very little help. I made pumpkin bars while the kids “did their thing”. They all had ideas on what they wanted to do, the gutted their pumpkins and they drew the faces. We had to modify Bailey’s just a bit, her ghost was pretty tiny, so we just made it bigger. Tanner’s turned out SO great, the pumpkin was the perfect shape for Jack Skellington’s head. Ashlyn decided to carve “LOVE JESUS” in hers, which I thought was sweet, and McKenzie had a regular pumpkin face but dropped hers outside and the nose fell out, so she says it’s a sailboat instead Dad lent a helping hand in carving for the two little ones and the two oldest did theirs all by themselves. They had the table cleaned up and the floor swept just as I was frosting my yummy pumpkin bars! I am very proud of them!

And onto the pictures!

I know… I know… it’s not even Halloween yet! But, can you believe Christmas is approaching us at what seems like a lightspeed pace! I can’t believe how fast 2008 has gone by. This time of the year is my happy place. I read somewhere once that it is possible for kids that enjoyed school to grow up and really love the Fall season (due to it being back to school time). I did enjoy school, so maybe that has some merit to it. I also hate hot weather, and I always welcome the Fall cooldown with open arms. I love the colors - it is the most beautiful time of the year in our area. And, believe it or not, I love *RAIN* and really look forward to any Fall storms that we get! I also love how festive this time of year is. You go from one holiday event to another. My sister and I grew up with excellent holidays, every single one of them. They were always a big deal and though my sister and I didn’t get along super great all of the time because we are 8 years a part (and she was a pest ;), this is the time of the year that our family was closest. In my opinion. I will always get warm fuzzy feelings about my childhood, thinking back to Fall and Winter.

So you may understand why I’m posting a Christmas Countdown in OCTOBER. Now, I’m not one that is out there shopping the Christmas aisles at Target in August. I sometimes take a peek, but even I have my limits there. I do however like to squeeze every little bit of holiday spirit I have and make it last as long as I can! Christmas isn’t just on the 25th of December for my family… my kids feel the Christmas spirit for two whole months! And while they love gifts just like any other kid, they also love the many fun things we do together as a family even more. If you ask McKenzie what her favorite thing about Christmas is, she will tell you “being with my family”. It really is!

So… with that said, Organized Christmas has started their Christmas Countdown and I thought I’d share a linky to their site! I take what I need and leave what I don’t. I have started my Christmas notebook and will start my planner this week. This year, my finances will force me to look at handmade items for gifts for people we don’t want to eliminate altogether from our giving list (teachers, extended family, etc.) and come up with ways to still give back to our community without having that much leftover to spend. I also do various projects and baking with the kids throughout the month of December and hope to still do so, but in a less expensive way.

One of my favorite shows is Jon & Kate Plus 8… and one episode they show Kate making something called “Monkey Munch”… which reminded me of this recipe I got off of a Chex box when I was a kid… it was for “Puppy Chow”. My sister remembers me making this quite a bit but yet I don’t think I’ve ever made it for my kids. I decided to make a batch tonight for the kids’ snack this week. It turned out so yummy!

Puppy Chow (aka Monkey Munch)
Serves 10-14

Ingredients

• 9 cups Chex cereal (any kind)
• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 1-2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Directions

1. Measure cereal in large bowl and set aside.
2. Microwave or melt the chocolate chips on the
   stovetop over medium low heat (I prefer stovetop). Stir.
3. Add peanut butter. Stir until smooth.
4. Add butter. Stir until smooth.
5. Add vanilla. Stir.
6. Pour mixture over cereal, stirring until
   coated.
7. Pour mixture into large Ziploc bag and add
   powdered sugar. Shake until well coated. (I find that 1 gallon size ziploc bag
   is just enough room to mix 1 batch of this recipe).
8. Spread on waxed paper to cool.
9. Store in Ziploc bags or large sealed bowl.
   

   

   Oct

   24

   Potato Chowder

   Filed Under my kitchen, recipes | Leave a Comment 

   This recipe deserves it’s very own post because it’s so darn good! I found this years ago on a message board I used to frequent called MyCoupons. I don’t go there anymore, but I had taken away many wonderful recipes from the Let’s Get Cooking forum! I’m sorry I don’t know the origin of this recipe, other than I’ve been making it for a good 6 years and consider it our own now.

   

   Potato Chowder
   Serves 8

   Ingredients

   • 8 cups diced peeled potatoes
   • 1/3 cup chopped onion
     
   • 3 14 1/2-ounce cans chicken broth
   • 1 10 3/4-ounce can condensed cream of chicken soup — undiluted
   • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
   • 8 ounces cream cheese — cubed and softened
   • 12 bacon slices — cooked and crumbled, optional

   Directions

   In a slow cooker, combine the first five ingredients. Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours or until potatoes are tender. Add cream cheese; stir until blended, I use my potato masher to combine it to my desired consistency. Garnish with bacon and chives if desired.

   This makes just enough for my family of 7, but if I want leftovers, I usually will have to double the batch, which just BARELY fits in my crockpot

   

   Oct

   22

   My Sweet Bailey…

   Filed Under Bailey, Uncategorized, babble | Leave a Comment 

   Do you ever just see something and find it adorable? Like you want to freeze that moment and take a “mental” picture beause you don’t want to forget it? I was watching Bailey put her shoes on this morning and had one of those weird “mommy moments”… where I’d likely be considered goofy if I told anyone something like putting shoes on would melt my heart. Kids grow up so dang fast. I have forgotten little facial expressions they’d make, cute things they said, moments that pass… and you just forget! So I took a picture… of my sweet Bailey… putting her shoes on. Share in my mommy moment with me, won’t you?

   

   This next one is of my nephew Lane and Bailey. They are always so bashful when it comes to taking pictures, but yet they play so cute together and aren’t shy at all. They are sweet. And yes… Lane really IS 18 months YOUNGER than Bailey!!

   

   Plain Grandma gave Bailey this giant stuffed Zoe. She loves her. We have to set an extra place at the table for Zoe, make sure she has crayons when they are coloring, and cover her with blankets at night so she doesn’t get cold. Goofy girl!

   

   

   Jun

   29

   Bailey’s Dance Recital

   Filed Under Uncategorized | Leave a Comment 

   Animal Crackers In My Soup!

   Today was Bailey’s dance recital. The girls were all so cute, we had the J— the duck, R— the bear, and Bailey the mouse. It was so hot today, 101 degrees and humid… the girls looked so cute, but they were tired and hot before they even got their turn on stage. It took them a few seconds to get into (Bailey did anyway)… This day makes that 1 hour every Friday, worth it. Here are a few pictures. I didn’t put the girls’ full names in because I didn’t ask their parents

   

   

   

   

   

   Jun

   27

   Congratulations Houston Family!

   Filed Under Uncategorized, friends | Leave a Comment 

   Our friends Rick and Michele brought home their second baby girl from China last weekend. We just wanted to give you guys a shout out of congratulations! Rick and Michele - you guys are truly amazing for doing something so wonderful for your babies! They are blessed to have you, as you are blessed to have them. Simone, you are going to be the bestest big sister ever, I just know it! Sophie Wei - you are beautiful and you have no idea just yet how many people love you and welcome you home. Your family is beautiful!

   

   This is my favorite picture (taken from their blog). Sophie (left) and Simone (right) look like they shared an instant bond. They look so happy and so healthy and just perfect!!

   

   Here is a link to a segment on CNN, Rick and Michele shared their journey to get Sophie from China with a CNN reporter. It is very touching (CHECK IT OUT) CNN Breaking News Stories

   The Houstons Blog

   Their Journey To Sophie
   (amazing pictures and journalling about their experiences)

   

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