Happy Halloween

I know I say this every year but Halloween is really one of my favorite holidays. It's really sort of ironic since my Mom has always hated Halloween. I have grown up in the church and there are many mixed views on Halloween but since moving to Savannah, I LOVE HALLOWEEN.

Growing up I lived on a little dead end street with literally 16 houses. The neighborhood is surrounded by Highway on three sides and a very large cemetery on the other, that said, no one came down our street unless you lived there. Halloween was very minimal when I was growing up, we always made a haul though because everyone knew who would be trick or treating and made little goody bags for each child instead of rationing the candy and only giving one piece of candy to each child. Halloween in the North is miserable, I swear that it always rained or snowed and it was always SUPER COLD!! Blech!

Now, here in the South, it is just about always nice weather. This Halloween was our coldest in a while with lows in the 50's by the time trick or treaters were returning home. (YES, the 50's is COLD!!) Where we live now is a very big neighborhood with lots and lots of houses. We are on the edge of town where if you go much further there are no more neighborhoods, just land and houses. Because of this, the people that live out in the "country" drive up to our neighborhood, park and trick or treat. I bought 10 bags of candy and 224 glow bracelets. Once all was said and done, I had one piece of candy left over and had gone through around 216 glow bracelets!! Phew!! But it is so much fun!!

Jason takes the kids around the neighborhood while I sit at the end of our driveway with a table and chairs. My girlfriend comes over and helps me pass out candy, break open glow bracelets and we drink wine. For 2 hours we see kids from the area all dressed up and looking so cute. I get to harass the teenagers that try to get candy and aren't dressed up and I get to talk about the parents who bring their baby and act like the candy is for the baby (yeah right). Ha-ha!! :-) No, really, I am not that mean and I just have a good time!!

Here are some Halloween pictures in case you missed them on Facebook!! Happy Halloween...a couple days late.

I wish I had an answer...

I went grocery shopping yesterday, I went and I did not complain. Thanks to my trusty blog, I went with a good attitude!! :-)
I was over in the produce section when a lady stopped me and asked if she could ask me a question. I was thinking that I am no produce expert but sure, ask away. She was looking at caramel (pronounced CAR-MEL) apple wraps and asked if I had ever used them. I told her that it might be more work but that I have always used caramel candies, just unwrap, melt, and yummy caramel apples! I was ready to walk away when she started to talk about the cost of caramel and candy is so expensive...ok, I might be here for a while...
Come to find out, this lady is new to the Room Mom scene. She decided to sign up for her daughter's class of 15 and now she was literally freaking out!! She had sent a letter home for parents to please send $5 for the party that they would be having on Friday. Tuesday was the deadline to get all money turned in and as of yesterday, when I saw her at the grocery store, 3 kids had turned in money!! 3 kids?! She was planning pizza, caramel apples, dirt pudding, a little cake, goody bags, drinks, all this fun stuff and now she had $15!! Really people?! I felt sorry for her and told her that maybe she should talk to the teacher to help out, I honestly felt bad for her.
I guess she wasn't aware of the "the room Mom always spends a TON of money to make the parties happen"
But then it got me to thinking? Why does this happen?? How can we change it?? We're all parents...we all want our kids to have fun at school, don't we?....
I don't know, I don't have an answer, I wish I did...
Why does it seem that parental involvement on all levels, at the school, get harder and harder each year...
It really made me sad! :-(

How to be happy about Grocery shopping

Every week I have to make a grocery list and go grocery shopping. With 6 people in the house, the food runs out pretty quickly, along with laundry detergent, dog food, toilet paper, and all those needed necessities.

Early in my marriage I learned to make a list of what we are going to eat for the week and then shop off of that list. I will be honest, making a list for the week does two things.
1) I always know what we are eating for dinner
2) I only have to go to the grocery store once and get everything I need in one trip
This is super good because I hate going to the grocery store!!

Why do I hate going to the grocery store? Hmmm, it's because it's the same thing, week after week after week. Even if I am cooking new things, it's the same store, same people who work there, same crappy cart that doesn't cooperate and some crabby toddler that screams the whole time I'm in the store and makes me cranky!! I have been known to pull out my iPod while grocery shopping just keep me happy and to keep from having to hear that obnoxious child!! I know I sound bitter but, I have had 4 kids, I don't go to the store with kids anymore, I have served my time with babies and toddlers and kids while grocery shopping SO, when I go grocery shopping I don't want to hear your kid screaming...especially if you are that parent who is letting the child throw a fit and then giving him what he wants. Grrrr!

Anyway, I have decided I need to post my reasons to be happy about grocery shopping, to help me see how blessed I am and not to complain!! So, here goes...

1) I have a grocery store that I can drive to and don't have to walk to a market like some people in other countries
2) All my food is in one place and I don't have to pick it, kill it, or package it. I find what I want, throw it into my cart and away I go
3) I have money to buy groceries which means I am blessed
4) I need new groceries every week because I have 4 healthy children and a healthy husband who stay strong and healthy with the food I buy them
5) I have 4 kids in school and don't have to bring anyone with me to the grocery store, this really is nice...although taking one kid with me is sort of fun and I enjoy the company. :-)

Ok, 5 reasons, I think that is good right? Very good!! Now on Monday I can look back on this and remind myself why I am happy about grocery shopping because I know I won't want to go do it...

Let's get out of May

So, it is now October and I haven't posted since May. A good friend of mine, told me she has been stalking my blog and has been stuck in May...I'm sorry friend!!
Summer was soooo good. We stayed busy and it went by waaaay too fast. Now we got our first 9 week report cards and the weather is starting to get cold. The only good thing about the weather getting colder is the fire Jason gets to put into the fireplace. I would rather sweat and run errands than freeze and run errands, I REALLY HATE THE COLD!!! But, this is not to complain about the cold, I have too much to be happy about....do you know what it is?! I'll give you a clue, it has to do with one specific person being home for good and he looks like this...

Summer Devotional

Summer's on Its Way
by Barbara Rainey

One hand full of rest is better than two fists full of labor and striving after wind.
Ecclesiastes 4:6

Before summer started, Dennis used to say to me, "Sweetheart, what do you want us to accomplish by the time we finish August and move into the school year?" He knew I was the one who had my finger closest to the pulse of our family's needs and schedules and would probably have the biggest hand in implementing the answer to his question.

Truly, the pressure to create the right kind of summertime environment in your home falls largely on Mom. Summer should be a time of rest, but it's also up to us to keep things moving in a way that integrates rest with a measure of purpose.

For me, it meant letting our kids have lots of time to play--building forts in the yard (or in the living room if it was raining), going on hikes, going swimming--anything that didn't involve wasting a perfectly good day in front of the television. It also meant having some enforced quiet time, when I would read to them or send them to their rooms to spend time alone. I wanted to discipline their hearts to enjoy solitude and to help truly recharge after the fast pace of the school year.

If you're a mom who puts a lot of emphasis on structure, I'd encourage you to tone your plans back about 50 percent as summer approaches. Take the time to let some air blow into your schedule, and resist the urge to be constantly checking your list for accomplishment.

If you're more of a free spirit who basically lets both hands off the reins, try to put a little thought into summer on the front end. Set a few goals for the type of activities you'd like to pursue, the relationships you'd like to deepen, the trips you'd like to take.

Make this a summer you'll never forget.

Discuss
Talk about and decide what you want to accomplish by the end of August.

Pray
Ask the Lord to establish your plans and help you see them through . . . with lots of fun to spare.

What do I want to accomplish this summer? I don't know...thinking and praying about it this week! What about you?!

13 days and counting

Ahhh, only 2 more Mondays left of the school year! Yippee!! I am so ready for summer...so are my kids! Yesterday was Mother's Day and I had such a good day! I am blessed beyond measure to be called Mom by my four amazing kids!! :-)

Stephanie got on Shutterfly and made me an AWESOME photo book. She scanned in old pictures and everything. I so wish I could share it with everyone I know because I like it that much. I have looked through it at least 6 times already and talking about it makes me want to go look at it again! Just know, if you come visit me, you have to look at "the book"!

Jason took the kids and bought me a panini press! I have wanted one for so long and am so excited to have one! Now I have to plan something for dinner this week and start stocking up on panini recipes! Can't wait to start cooking with this new tool!

We went to church Saturday night which made Sunday so relaxing! I got to sleep in and then the kids made me breakfast in bed with Eggs Benedict! I LOVE that tradition, it is soooo yummy! Then J and I ran to get some propane, I got a shower, helped Stephie make my cupcakes and just relaxed! As an afternoon appetizer we had some bruschetta, which I LOVE! Then Jason made some teriyaki steaks on the grill and some potatoes along with some cucumber salad. It was all SO PERFECT!! And my cupcakes were SUPER YUMMY!! Definitely need to print the recipe and get it into my recipe book!

I just loved my day, loved spending time with family and loved being able to relax! Now it is Monday, I have to go grocery shopping and plan for the next week! I think next year my gift needs to be a day where someone else does the grocery shopping! Ugh! I hate grocery shopping each week, but it is a necessary evil!

Hope you all had a GREAT Mother's Day too!



















































Here is my Bellini Cupcake Recipe

Cake Ingredients:

3 large egg whites, room temperature
1 cup champagne
1 ½ cups cake flour
¾ cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature

Cake Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 F.
In small bowl, mix egg whites and champagne. Set aside.
In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together cake flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
Mix butter into dry ingredients until it resembles moist crumbs.
Mix wet ingredients into dry ingredients until fully combined.
Divide evenly between twelve cupcake liners. Bake for 20 minutes or until cupcakes bounce back when lightly touched.

Filling and Frosting Ingredients:
15 oz can sliced peaches
½ cup + 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
3 cups powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon salt
White sanding sugar for topping

Filling and Frosting Directions:
Melt two tablespoons of butter in a medium-sized skillet on medium heat.
Drain and discard liquid from peach can.
Use a towel to pat dry the peach slices, removing excess moisture.
Place the peaches in a single layer in the hot skillet. Cook for about three minutes or until the bottom side is browned. Then flip.

Repeat until all sides of the peaches are browned.
Remove peaches from skillet and cool.
Use a food processor or immersion blender to puree the peaches.
Use a small paring knife or cupcake corer to remove a piece of cake from the center of each cooled cupcake. (You will not need the pieces that you remove, so feel free to eat them!) Fill each hole with peach puree. (setting aside 1/4cup of puree for frosting)

In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter on high speed for five minutes.
Slowly mix in the powdered sugar and beat for another five minutes.
Mix in vanilla extract, salt, and ¼ cup of peach puree and beat for two minutes.
Pipe frosting into cupcakes and sprinkle with sanding sugar

18 school days until summer....

We are just coming off of Spring Break here and boy was it a good one! Jason took a week off of work and we just spent time being together.

Monday we went Bowling















Tuesday we had a pool day at home















Wednesday we spent in Savannah going to the mall, waiting to get an alignment which never happened and going out for lunch at the mall food court! Yummm Ethan had a friend spend the night so it was just a good relaxing day. One quick picture while waiting and reading at Barnes and Noble! :-)



















Thursday...I can't remember what we did on Thursday. Hmmmm...I must work on my memory as I get older!! I think we had more friends over, more time in the pool and...oh yeah. J taught Ethan how to rotate tires and do an oil change. I love this about my hubby, taking the time to teach our son how to do these things. I could never teach him how to change the oil or rotate tires!! I love watching my E become a man and learn how to take care of things!! So, even though this wasn't an eventful day, it was some great time spent together as a family!!

Friday we went to the beach and ate lunch at CheeBurger, Cheeburger. Ethan ate a whole 1/2lb burger for lunch...next time he wants to try and eat a full 1lb burger and get his picture put up on their wall!















Saturday we cleaned up the house, made pancakes for breakfast, and went to church. Then after church we went back up to Hilton Head and spent the night at a friends condo!!















Sunday we spent at the beach again and at the condo pool! Jason had to head back to work and the kids and I finished off the evening at Wild Wing and then home to unpack, do laundry, and get cleaned up and ready for the school week!!















What a perfect week! It was SO NICE! J and I even got out for a date one night, just the two of us. I always get so much peace when him and I go out, it feeds my soul! I love that he knows this and always makes time for me so we can do stuff like that!!

But now it is Monday, the 6am alarm came all too early and no one wanted to get moving!! Ugh! Alas, all the kids are at school and I must resume my roll as Mom and go grocery shopping, clean the house, chauffeur kids, and this afternoon do homework, make dinner, and get kids in bed!

BUT, summertime is only 18 short school days away. I think we can make it!! Spring break was our intro into all things summer! The beach, the bowling, the sun, the pool, grilling all our dinner food, family time together!! I LOVE IT ALL!!

So, I the Mom, am on the countdown. I can't wait for school to be out and summer to be here!! I love spending time with my family, I love the warmth outside and the sun on my body!! This is the stuff that feeds my soul!! I am so blessed!!