Category Archives: special occassions

Kind of Sad

Last night was another great night of Halloween fun.  The girls made their costumes earlier in the week, the weather was perfect last night, and there were very few Trick or Treaters, so people were very generous to my girls.  Caitlyn and Sue weighed their loot–7 lbs and 6 lbs respectively.  Sue’s candy haul weighed more than she did at birth!!

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We had so few Trick or Treaters that I put our candy out on the porch and we all went together.

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Caitlyn was a jellyfish, Sue was the Ocean Blue, and Patrice was Rapunzel.  They put them together all by themselves.

No help from mama.

I remember not too long ago when they needed my help to walk up to the doors, knock, say Trick or Treat, and Thank You.  This year I was just a chaperone.

And it made me kind of sad.  It was the first year my babies didn’t need me.  Okay, not kind of sad.  I actually walked from house to house holding back the tears.  Hubby says it is because I have done a good job raising them to be creative, confident girls.

I say, “where did my babies go???”

My Pumpkin is Teal

We headed out to the pumpkin patch with an aunt and grandma a couple weeks ago.  I told the girls to make sure to get me a teal pumpkin.

They looked and looked and finally brought me a green one, declaring it as close to teal as they could find.  Grandma and I had a good laugh as I explained, pumpkins themselves, obviously, only come in orange once they are ripe and that mama would paint a nice pumpkin teal to put on our porch for Trick or Treaters.

We are blessed that none of our girls have food allergies and that my food issues are only sensitivities.  That is not the case for everyone  For whatever reasons, food allergies are becoming more and more common, and many times can be deadly, so a while back, the Teal Pumpkin campaign started.  Having a Teal Pumpkin at your house, on your porch, lets people know you have peanut/nut free items you are passing out for Trick or Treaters.

My girls have now become experts in finding the candy we can pass out with our Teal Pumpkin.  Patrice was looking at each bag last night at the store, “nope, nope, nope–oh this one is nut free mommy!!”

This is our second year with a Teal Pumpkin.  We have all nut/dairy free candy and a number of non-candy items to give out this year.

I want kids to have a safe, fun place the Trick or Treat.  I want moms and dads to have a safe place to bring their kids for Trick or Treating.

I can’t change the world for everyone, but I can, for at least one moment, let these kids be kids and the parents breathe easier.

 

Happy Birthday To Me

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This post could go so many directions…so I think I’ll just stick with

Thank you for all the love, support, encouragement and help you have given me to get me to my 40th Birthday!!!  It was such a joy to read each and every Birthday wish yesterday!  Thank you more than words can truly express.

 

The Pumpkins are Sat Around the Porch With Care In Hopes Candy Would Soon Be There

GFunkified
I am returning to a link up I have not done in a while, the phone photos.  I used to have to search for photos to use for these link ups, but since I got my iPhone, I’ll freely admit, I never use the point and shoot.  My phone does a better job.
Last night was pumpkin carving night.  This year, all of the girls were old enough to work on theirs.  Daddy was definitely there and helped, but each did some solo.
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I might have seen this pin on Pinterest so hubby, and girls, made it happen.
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The girls were heavily supervised even where you don’t see it.
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We had a lot of fun with pumpkin carving this year.  Though I forgot to read them the Pumpkin Carving Gospel.  We might have to do one more pumpkin tonight as part of our devotions.
How are your Halloween or Harvest time preparations coming?  Are you tackling it tonight or has it been done for a while?  I’d love to hear about it.

Sue’s Big Week

My middle baby had a milestone birthday last week.  She turned 5!

She has been looking forward to this day since her last birthday!  And she lived it up when it finally came.

We started on thanksgiving with family. She spent all day reminding us there was a birthday celebration for her. She got the Unicorn Dreamlite she has been, well, dreaming of.

Then we celebrated again on her actualy birthday with her grandparents and two of her aunts.

 

 

 

 

 

 

8 years

I mentioned in my therapy appointment yesterday that today marked 8 years since my dad died. The doctor asked what I was going to do to mark the anniversary. I have to admit, I wasn’t prepared to answer that question. Typically, I’m sad and then mad at my husband because he doesn’t read my mind and comfort me.

Some years I have driven to the grave, but that is impossible this year. The doctor then asked who I could talk to who would share similar memories, so later I will be calling my older sister. We started sharing memories yesterday via facebook and I am looking forward to hearing some of her thoughts on dad. I have more memories from growing up, but she has more of the last years of his life. He walked her down the aisle at her wedding and met all three of her kids. He died 4 months before I got married and never met any of my girls.

But one big way I am marking today? I found a cake recipe on pinterest that is similar to what I used to bake for him, complete with a frosting recipe identical to the one I used.

A Cake in Memory of my Daddy

Happy Anniversary in Heaven Daddy.  We miss you!

*The cake isn’t pretty, I almost didn’t post it, but hey Patrice left her mark on it and my daddy wouldn’t have cared he would have dug in.  I rarely make cakes,  but I think I am going to make this a tradition.

 

Enjoying daddy’s cake with my family

Tip Junkie handmade projects

Ready to Rumble

A few weeks ago I declared what I wanted for my birthday…and haven’t changed my tune, so yesterday, I unwrapped this…

to reveal…

Hubby got it set up right away and I started my morning today with some time punching and kicking it.

What is your favorite birthday present? What is one thing you would like to get that no one would expect you to want?

Cinco de Mayo My Way

We are having quesadillas/fajitas I found on and Key Lime Pie I found at my friend Pamela’s place.  She said it was good and she telleth the TRUTH!

Chunks of chicken seasoned with thyme flakes, salt, pepper, oregano, dill, cooked, removed from heat, sweet bell peppers sauted in same pan, chicken added back in, keep heating on low. Serve with tortillas, mexican style cheese, tomatoes and sour cream.

And we followed that up with Key lime pie.

I used a pre-made graham cracker crust, 1 block of cream cheese (at room temperature), 1/3 cup granulated sugar, key lime zest, lime juice from a medium sized lime, beat together with mixer, fold in tub of whipped topping, add food coloring to make green, pour into crust! Let chill at least four hours, (or 90 minutes if you can’t wait like us!)

Super Yum.

I woudld show you the whole pie, but it’s in my BELLY! And my hubby’s and my three daughters. Pam tells me it is even better if you let it chill. I shall report back tomorrow after breakfast at some point.

The CAKE–Pinned it and Did it!

Sue decided she wanted a unicorn cake for her birthday.  Last year, daddy did an impressive 3-D dinosaur.  He wanted to just buy a cake this year, but mama got it in her mind that we needed to do this unicorn cake…

Pinterest to the rescue.  I found several options.  We chose this one.

For My Sue–242

I am so thankful for my Sue.  Four years ago today we welcomed her to our family.

Some quotes from today:

“I think a birthday bouquet would be nice.”
“A special thank you to you mommy, because I know you got me this present.”
Favorite part of her fourth birthday “getting to eat in the living room.”

What a precious wonderful four years it has been. 

We love you!  Jesus loves you!

Happy Birthday!

For what are you thankful?  Come join the count.