Happy 1st Birthday Alex

I haven't been on in awhile so I figured this is the perfect occasion to come back on.

This little cherub is my grandson Alex and today is his first birthday. I can't believe he's one already. Time sure does fly. This lil' guy makes dreary days better! The cake. Mmmmmm this sure is good

Awful tasty!

I'll just share a little with my feet

I Swear I didn't put my feet in the cake!

Man that was fun

and all is well with lil' man.

Happy Birthday sweetie I Love you!!

Ashley gets her ring

My soon to be Son in law surprised my daughter at work today be proposing during the lunch rush at her work. We already started planninng the wedding but he hadn't got her a ring yet.Sooooo today he called me to say he got the ring and was on his way to her job. Nope stop and get me first I have camera and will travel. One knee Ahhhhhhhhh! Wouldn't take the hood off Tyler is SUPER emotional.

The Ring. Yes, yes, yes. very loud

The Happy couple. Did I tell you I'm planning the wedding also. Bridesmaid's dresses almost everyone still have 2 . Tux Rentals still have 3 screaming midget mother 1 yep that's me!!

Thanksgiving Eve and Thanksgiving Day

In an earlier post I was telling everyone about the memories of my mom in the kitchen. This year I made us a pitcher of Strawberry Sangria's, got out the albums ( yes I still have a record player ) cranked the music up and we finished the last of the food for Thanksgiving. We laughed ourselves silly. My daughter Ashley came over with her ham, I showed her how to make an Apricot Brandy glaze, fixed her a drink and laughed and danced WOW what a good time. Thanksgiving Day -
All the family came over what a wonderful time. Ashley's ham turned out great she surprised me with a green bean casserole yummy.Extra guest arrived,ate, helped clean up. I got to bed around 11:30PM had to be at work at 4:30 AM ( Black Friday ) got home at 4:30 PM man was I tired. I'm just now catching up on my blog. I hope everyone had a holiday wonderful holiday. I did!!

Making Tim his pumpkin pie's

This year in our garden my husband Tim and I decided to try our hand at pumpkins. I promised him that if they grew i would make him pumpkin pies at Thanksgiving.And so the story begins the pumpkin vines took over our back yard. We got about 15 large pumpkins. The beginning of his pride and joy

You should really use pie pumpkins their about 8" round, with a sweeter taste, and not as stringy as Jack O Lantern pumpkins which is what we grew.

The first cut

the scooping

sectioned and bake for 1 hour

scoop out the baked pulp

Puree ( I used a blender instead of a food processor, the blender is now DEAD )I got 6 pies out of the white bowl, the rest I froze it'll last for a year.

Oh yeah I got LAZY, I used pre-made shells. it took 4 hours just to get from the cutting to the scooping.

The finished product. I let him eat one fresh from the oven he was a very happy boy!!!

Not Sure what to title this...

Growing up I remember my Mom running around like crazy, getting ready for the onslaught of family and friends coming for the holidays. Pies, cakes, cookies,breads, turkey's, ham my oh my. I remember standing on a stool next to mom crumbling toasted bread and corn bread for stuffing when I was a little and I have to smile she would put Mace,Gladys Knight and the Pips, and The Temptations on the record player and sing the whole time she was whipping up all the goodies. I am the youngest of 4 so while my brother and sisters where out hanging with their friends I was HAPPY for Mom and Me time. I thought of it as fun but all the while she was patiently teaching me how to cook. A hand full of this, a pinch of that, a pat of butter. Now that I am older and have taken over all the cooking for holidays, special occasions, grill outs I find my youngest daughter ( Karma 13 ) coming in the kitchen and hanging out with me. I try to measure by cups and teaspoons I still slip back into the habit of hand, pinch, and pat measuring. I was telling my mom that I want to make sure my girls have all of her recipes to take to their kitchens, so with her help I have begun writing them down. Mom and I still chuckle over the fact that she still gets all the praise for cooking. She should. Every year since my husband Tim and I have been together he's told me the same thing turn some of the cooking over to someone else, well he got his wish I turned over 2 items the Ham my oldest Ashley (23) will be making it, at our house of course ( she made need some help ) and the Deviled Eggs Mercedes (18) will be making them, that leaves Turkey, Potato salad, Baked Mac and Cheese, Stuffing,Mashed Sweet Potatos, Collard Greens, Candied Yams, Gravy, 8 Sweet Potato Pies( 2 for Tim before Thanksgiving ), 2 Apple, 4 Pumpkins ( made with pumpkins from our garden ) Corn Bread, Rolls, and 2 Chocolate Boston Cream Pies. This weekend is when the madness begins. Am I insane YESSSSSSSSSS, I'll complain the whole time, Tim will throw his hands in the air, Mom will sit in the chair and chuckle the whole time. But I LOVE IT !!! And Guess who gets to clean up as I NAP after dinner ? I'm not sure I'll be sleeping.

Sarah

This beautiful little girl is my 9 year old niece Sarah. Last Saturday ( Nov. 7th ) she had a very serious ATV accident. She went to stay all night with her friend on Friday, Saturday early afternoon the mom of the child took both Sarah and her daughter over to her mom's house. This woman ( I see red every time I think about it ) let her 7 year old daughter and my 9 year old niece ride an adult size ATV WITHOUT any protective gear or ADULT SUPERVISION while she sat on her butt visiting her mother. Of course being 9 and 7 this is way to cool. The girls had a wreck Sarah was thrown from the ATV which hit a wall and flipped onto the 7 year old Thank God the 7 year old did not get hurt worse than she did. ( She had a concussion ) When Sarah got thrown she landed in a nurses back yard. The nurse had her splinted and lying still by the time the life squad got their ,the mother of the child did not know they had been in an accident until she heard sirens and went to be nosy.Sarah on the other hand broke her leg in 3 places one of which is her growth plate, 3 bones in her foot they thought her hip was broke ( we found out later it was just bruised real bad ) fractures through out the leg, a five inch gash down her knee. After a 5 1/2 hour surgery 5 screws in her leg to hold the bones together she is finally in good spirits. The doctor will not know if her growth will be effected for another year since they had to take out a piece of her growth plate. She is now recuperating at her grandparents house with her mom. She goes on Thursday to get a hard cast at the moment they have it splinted. She'll need additional surgeries on her leg.

She was trying to be brave when I went to see her.

This cast goes up to the hip. Being as active as she is, it's hard for her to sit still.

The Hospital has pressed charges against the lady for child endangerment.

If Season's had a flavor, what would it be ?

I was relaxing after work the other day, talking to the kids and finding out how there day went when we got on the subject of seasons. I think I commented on how beautiful the trees looked outside. My 13 year old Karma said she loved fall it tasted like apples I said ummm okay, she replied no mom really if seasons had a flavor fall would taste like an apple it's crisp. My 7 year old Robert said he liked summer it tasted like the water in Grandma's swimming pool, so I said well honey if you didn't drink half the pool water I'm sure summer would taste different, his response was no I think your wrong mom of course I had to tell him MOMS ARE ALWAYS RIGHT ( I can't believe I said that ) the smile on my mom's face was blinding. My 4 year old niece Sierra was over and not to be left out she said When the white stuff falls ohhh winter you mean she replied that's what I said Aunt Lissa so I asked her what flavor she thought she said hot chocolate cause Uncle Tim always makes us hot chocolate.So I asked what about spring it has to taste like something. My husband had walked in at that moment and he said FRIED CHICKEN of course ( I'm surprised he didn't say coffee ) okay honey where did that come from his reply I'm hungry and that's what I would like for dinner....
So for everyone who didn't know

Spring taste like - Fried Chicken
Summer- Pool water
Fall - Crisp apples
Winter - Hot chocolate
straight from the mouths of babes and 1 insane man.

What do you think the season's taste like?