Our Count Down is ready to begin

As soon as I saw this idea in the recent copy of CK Media Presents Holiday Home cards, gifts and projects I thought it was killer. It's a $7 magnetic board from where else...Target. You just decorate it with all your card/scrapbooking supplies and attach magnets to anything you want to use for the dates. This will be good to use year after year. Here it is in this picture ready to start out new month tomorrow.

Here is a picture of what it will look like at the end of the month with all the pieces on it. This was so fun for both me and my kids. Madi just loves that it's her fingers for the 3rd(I punched out part of a photo from her 3rd birthday). For the 14th and 19th it's both my kids in their soccer uniforms from 3 years ago, those were the numbers on their jerseys. Ben came up with the idea of using coins for the dates of the 1st, 5th, 10th and 25th. Also on a few of them both kids wrote out a number. this was really a fun project for us. Madi has already claimed the odd numbers for the month and Ben is happy to do the even...phew that was easy!

Where's the gas?

Before Hurricane Ike made landfall they told us to fill up on gas. Everyone in Atlanta did except for me...starting our gas shortage and leaving me with 9 miles left in my tank. I did find gas after a few tries. I thought that was the end of it. I had never had that happen to me before...when you drive up to a gas station you expect there to be gas there. We are in our third week of this. They were thinking about cancelling the Georgia/Alabama game this past weekend but then didn't and there are lots of stories out there about all the people being stranded without gas. In a 3 mile radius of my house there has got to be at least 20 gas stations. On Saturday I only found one that had gas. This is CRAZY. It's all anyone is talking about. They say another week or two....good grief. The news tells us not to go top off, but man when you are down to a half of a tank and you see gas you feel as if you need to grab it while you can. The ATL is out of gas!!!!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ts4AkeQOIQY

Still a fun weekend...

Alabama 41 Georgia 30....ouch!

On Friday evening I had fun making these Harvest themed cards while watching the debate. On Saturday, I thought it would be fun to make a matching stitchery pillow while we all gathered in front of our TV, to watch our very anticipated blackout Georgia game. Man did we suffer through that one! At least I have this cute pillow to show for it.

I found this fun idea for Tiny Pies over on

scribbit today and had to try it! Aren't they cute.

I just prepared my apples like I would for and apple pie, put them in little dishes, topped with a crust and there you have it.

I did not have a pre-made crust on hand so I made one.

1/2 cup shortening

1 1/2 cups flour

1/2 tsp salt

water as needed

My mom always did this with the

leftover pie crust...roll it, cut it,

sprinkle it with cinnamon and sugar

then bake it.....mmm.

Apple Upside- Down Cake

Here is another family recipe. Of course I got it from my mom and she got it from my grandma. My mom made everything my grandma made and I make everything my mom made. It's so comforting eating something you have always enjoyed. Well tomorrow is the birthday of Johnny Appleseed, so I thought this was the perfect recipe to share. We all love this. When Ben turned 5 this was the kind of cake he chose for his birthday. For my kids teachers, I am going to copy this recipe down to give them tomorrow in honor of Johnny Appleseed.




Apple Upside Down Cake

First prepare the pan. Melt 1/3 cup butter in heavy 10" skillet. Sprinkle 1/2 cup brown sugar evenly over butter. Arrange apples in an attractive pattern on the butter sugar coating.


Cake Batter

2 eggs beat until thick and lemon colored (5min.)
gradually beat in 2/3 cup sugar
6 TBSP water
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup flour
1/3 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt

After mixing batter pour over the top of the fruit.
Bake for 45 minutes at 350 degrees.
When done baking, immediately turn upside down onto serving plate.
Do not remove pan for a few minutes to let brown sugar mixture to run over the cake.

Leftovers

I made these fun cones all out of leftovers! The paper is from last years Halloween cards, the bottle caps are from my 2004 Halloween cards and the ribbon is from last year too. I got this idea a year or two ago off the impressrubberstamps website. They would be fun to fill with some homemade Halloween candies for gifts is what I am thinking.

They could also be used as ornaments for a Halloween tree.

But, we had NO leftovers from our yummy dinner last night. I made the BBQ chicken pizza I found over on Amber's blog.

BBQ Chicken Pizza

2 cups shredded cooked chicken

1/2 cup BBQ sauce

12" baked pizza crust

1 small red onion, cut into 1/4" slices

1 small green pepper, sliced into rounds

8 oz. shredded mozzarella cheese

Combine chicken and BBQ sauce in a large bowl; spread over pizza crust. Arrange onion slices and pepper rings over chicken; sprinkle with cheese. Bake at 450 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until cheese melts.

ESPN's College Game Day is going to be at The University of Georgia in Athens on Saturday. Ben really wants to go. Steve told him if we were to go we should make a poster to take. Ben's wheels started turning. AJ Green is Georgia's new pride...remember we got his autograph at picture day. He is the one I had his High School picture for him to sign. Ben is something else!

Why I started blogging

For Talk To Me Tuesday this week, I thought I'd ask you the question, "Who or What was your inspiration to start blogging?" This is what was over at tipjunkie today.

Well I have only been blogging myself for a little over 2 months. There have been a few blogs on home decorating I would look at every now and then. But when my friend Amber started her blog last year, I was over there everyday. It was so fun to see all her crafts, cook up some of the recipes she shared and even got to share in her joys of Motherhood with her. It had been 9 years since we had been neighbors but through blogging it brought that fun relationship back to life.

I wake up everyday with the itch to either make a craft or card, decorate something new in my house, cook up a tasty dish and enjoy my family life to the fullest. I get lots of inspiration from other blogs and I enjoy sharing the fun creative things I do.

Blogging is a little more fun than a regular journal to me. It's fun to add the pictures so easily. And it's easily shared with those you love.

Saturday

I LOVE these pumpkin heads. While in Germany I did a lot of Internet shopping. One year I found these and wanted them so bad but they were pretty expensive so I thought I would wait until after Halloween to see if they went on sale...they didn't. Well the following Feb. Steve left for a long deployment to Afghanistan. I was sad...what makes a girl feel better? SHOPPING! So with Steve's first paycheck that had that hazardous duty pay in it I bought these guys from bayberrycove.com. It was remember February but when they came in the mail they hung out in my dinning room for a month I loved them so much. The neighbors kid knocked the taller one off so now I need to try to fix his cheek. See my Oct. 31 sign I made the other day. My mother-in-law suggested putting it in my foyer....thanks Teresa!

This week I got the cutest new chicken patterns to stitch. I quickly did this one for September and set her on my kitchen counter.

Steve made a big pot of blackeyed peas today so I made our favorite cornbread to go with them. It's soooo easy and makes a ton. Great for when you have company or like I did tonight...share with a neighbor.

Sweet Cornbread

1 yellow cake mix

1 box of jiffy cornbread mix

Make both boxes of mix according to their directions and combine.

Bake in 9X13 greased pan at 375 degrees for about 40 minutes...just watch and test with toothpick.

Friday Night Lights

Now that Steve is back and it's football season, he was thrilled to start back to work at his 2nd job....taping High School football games for scout.com. With our nice September weather, the kids and I couldn't pass up the chance last night to go work with our dad. Some things never change. Even before Steve and I were married. Even before we were an item. We were both stationed at Lackland AFB, Texas for 3 years. We were just friends. Even then we would pick a local High School to root for and go to their football games. While living in Germany we always rooted for our local DOD High School...H.H. Arnold at Wiesbaden, Germany. We had just as much fun going to those games...they were good for taking our real small kids to, they could run around and play....they were every Saturday morning. Crazy huh! Because they are Department Of Defense schools the United States Government would not pay $1,000's of dollars to install lights...so the only time to have games was on Saturday morning.

Running

It is so nice to have Steve home. Ben and Madi have been on Fall Break all week so it's been so nice having us all together. Today our weather is absolutely beautiful! Around noon I went over to the Salem lake to get a run in today. No headphones today.... so it was just me and the outdoors listening to the deafening sound of trees blowing around. I only ran 1.75 miles and it took me 20 minutes...I am not a fast runner. But it was very windy and there were hills. Then I just enjoyed myself with a walk afterwards. During all this I was thinking about my friend Susy. Tomorrow she is running with 10,000 others in the Air Force Marathon. Talk about some serious girl power! Here is her link marksusy.blogspot.com, you can go wish her good luck!

Fall cooking fest

Jenni over at nesttokeep is having a pot luck I guess you could say. I am looking forward to finding some new recipes for fall. So hop on over to her place and see what you can find.

Ohio State Buckeyes

We pay homage to an O.S.U. tradition.

Steve called today and he was about to get on a plane in Kuwait and should be home sometime tomorrow. So, I thought we would make him a sweet treat from his Buckeye bride. I also packaged some up and passed out to my neighbors...they loved them even though they are ALL Georgia Bulldogs.




Ohio State Buckeyes


1 lb. butter softened
2 lbs. creamy peanut butter
3 lbs. powdered sugar
3 c. dipping chocolate, melted

Cream together butter and peanut butter. Add powdered sugar and blend well. Shape mixture by hand into buckeye-sized balls. Place on cookie sheet and refrigerate for one hour. Melt dipping chocolate in top of double boiler. Using a toothpick, dip balls into chocolate 3/4 of the way up. Place on waxed paper and allow to cool. Makes about 200 buckeyes. Can be frozen and kept 2 to 3 weeks.

Now I am a buckeye lover and still halved the recipe. Enjoy



I need to find a place to put this date. I just printed it out and framed it.

Lentil Soup

This is a recipe I got from my mom and she got it from my dad's mom. What I like about it is it's easy, healthy, cheap and it's a recipe that's easy to have all the ingredients on hand. Even my kids like it...Madi can't get enough of it.




1 bag of lentils
1 pkg Jimmy Dean sausage; cooked
3 bay leaves
1 onion chopped
salt and pepper to taste



Mix all ingredients in a large pot with 10 cups of water. Heat to almost a boil and then simmer for 1 1/2 hours. We like to eat bread and butter with our soup.

Tonight I made a page for our scrapbook. I LOVE Halloween and 2005 was one of my favorites. My kids had so much fun and I loved every minute of it. We all enjoyed making this spooky gingerbread house you can see in these pictures. I will have to look for one this year.

They trashed it!

We stayed home ALL day. My kids had so much fun playing with the neighbors. OOH look what they did to Steve's room. The pics are almost the same except my silly girl. See she can be crazy here at home but at school she barely makes a peep. Example...The school called me Thursday, Madi had an accident and needed a new set of clothes. She is in first grade and hasn't had an accident since she was like 3. Well her teacher was giving her an oral exam and noticed sweet Madi twitching and dancing a little during this one on one quiz. Her teacher asked what was wrong. Madi then said she REALLY had to go to the bathroom so the teacher said run...the pee leaked out while she was running to the bathroom. Poor girl was so embarrassed but she needs to learn to speak up....these pics are proof she's got a little of me in her.

Patriot Day

We are so proud to be a military family. It can be rough at times but we wouldn't trade it for the world! Since 2003 Steve has been on two long deployments to Iraq and one long deployment to Afghanistan. With lots of 1 month trips to Kuwait in between. We miss him so much when he is gone but are so proud of what he is doing.

Here in this picture Steve just got home from his first deployment to Iraq. The kids were so small you can tell Ben wasn't sure what to think. Rhein Main AB, Germany 2003.

We picked up our dad at Ramstien AB, Germany after he completed his deployment in Afghanistan, Summer 2005

Ben and Madi made the cutest posters to welcome home their Dad from Iraq this past spring. Atlanta, Georgia 2008.

My little soldier boy

Well it all started in Kindergarten. Ben's teacher, Mrs. Davenport would call him her little soldier boy because he was so well behaved. He has always been that way...never a kid to take a toy away from another and never one to hit others...now others don't include his sister but he is a good kid. His 2nd grade teacher Mrs. Kruse from last year is now a 3rd grade teacher right across the hall from his new class. Mrs. Kruse came up to me in the hall with a smile on her face and a story. She always sees Ben in the hall and says hi to him but she said he looks staight forward and doesn't say a word...my little soldier boy.

Witch's table...

Here is another picture of some of my Halloween decorations.

When I was little, I was a witch every year for Halloween. Here I am stirring my brew when I was 4. My mom always made my costume and hat. Do you see that hand carved pumpkin?

Yesterday after Madi's soccer game they played out in the front yard. They asked me to get out my batons and show them some tricks. Here they are thinking they are so cool.

Whew...

It's been a whole week now that I have been working on rolling ribbon. I am sick of it! But love that it is done...almost. It was my friend Amber who came to my rescue and showed the best way to store ribbon. Here is her link ...http://mcillecespot.blogspot.com/2008/08/ribbon-storage.html For my bigger ribbons and lace and other things that wouldn't fit well on the little bobbin things I rolled around wood sheets and placed them in a basket.

Last night I needed a break from rolling ribbon and my kids were being really good, so I made a few cards. At a flea market in Germany I picked up some music books for 1€ . I think music paper is so pretty.

Black tree

My 4 ft. black tree is my favorite Halloween decoration. I still have our name on the fireplace but think I will put 'spooky' up there. There are lots of expensive black trees out there....but this one was only $12 from 4christmasdisplay.com. I would like to find a cute vintage witch hat to top it with but haven't found one yet.

I have some cute Old World ornaments.

My Grandpa

It all started with my Grandpa. He was the Drum major of The Ohio State University in 1946. After that he continued to be the head of the Ohio State Alumni Band my whole life. So growing up we got to go to all kinds of band gigs, march in parades with him, go to Ohio State games and see him lead the Script Ohio during the alumni day football game. It was so easy to love the whole atmosphere of the games and marching band stuff. When I was 3 or 4 my Grandpa started me in baton lessons. I LOVED it! I am the oldest of 4 kids and my parents made us each play an instrument...it didn't matter which one, we got to pick. The clarinet was my choice. When I started Jr. High I got started in the marching band and never missed a football game during all of Jr. High or High school...so that's were my love of football games got started. My dream came true my first year of High School. I tried out for majorette and made it! This all made my High School years so much fun. Of course the music I used for my tryouts was Hang on Sloopy, a favorite of mine that the OSU band has always played. I found this youtube video of that song and last years OSU drum major twirling...wait until you see this!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ubFfJ8uEzi4

I just have the coolest Grandpa! He is 81 and still going! Ben and Madi already have the love of sports and music and the whole shebang. When we drive to school in the morning we listen to Ohio State marching music on CD. They may look like little Georgia Bulldogs on the outside but their hearts beat to the rhythm of Ohio State. :)

I just love watching the Script Ohio!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TcVkl_0HaYo

My Grandma (my dad's mom) got to go to The Ohio State game this past Saturday. She also attended Ohio State at the same time my Grandpa was there. She use to go to the football games and would see him lead. When my dad started going out with my mom my Grandma said she was so excited that my mom's dad was Beverley Moseley, the OSU Drum major she so loved watching, so many years before.

PARTY!

2 out of 3 of the beloved cousins came for a party weekend. Hunter didn't come, he went fishing with his other Grandpa. The kids had so much fun. Alicia (my sister-in-law) and I enjoyed each others company and the break....the kids played and left us alone. We had fun looking at magazines, stitching and making plans for crafts in the future. The whole time we had all the hurricane coverage on. Steve called from Kuwait while she was here. He isn't getting much time for information on the outside world from where he is at, so I had to update him on all the political and weather info. For a guy who measures wind and rain for a living he is really missing out on all these hurricanes. I am going to bed so early tonight...last night we stayed up until 0430 in the morning...to much fun.

When it got a little stormy outside they came in to play hide and seek...there is Madi counting.

They set up the BIG Dora tent in Madi's room to sleep in. FUN!

Such cute kids!

We had some yummy food too. Pizza and Greek salad for dinner, and brownie sundaes with homemade brownies and homemade hot fudge for dessert. I couldn't wait, I started putting out my fall stuff yesterday. Since Alicia was here I wanted her opinion and help with it too.