Wordless Wednesday

What I'm Reading *Twilight Series*

Book #4 Breaking Dawn

I'M DONE!!! and I loved it! I definitely want to see the movie to see how close it is to the book series. There is also a manuscript on Stephanie Meyer's website from Edward's perspective. I'm gonna read that next.
Thanks for letting me borrow the 1st and last book, Amy. I have the 2nd and 3rd books if anyone wants to borrow them.

Happy Reading!

Extra Time

I've taken almost 900 pictures over the past week, so please bear with me while I sort through them all. I will make a Christmas post as soon as I can.

Family/Christmas Pics 2008

I couldn't post these earlier because we were giving them as Christmas gifts for family...

From our family to yours...

Thoughtful Thursday

"It all starts and ends with family." - Unknown

YUM-O!!! *Fresh Apple Cake*

*Fresh Apple Cake*

2 cups sugar

3 eggs

1 cup liquid shortening

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp baking soda - disolved in 1/2 cup warm water

3 cups flour

2 cups apples - chopped

Combime ingredients in order given. Add to prepared bundt pan and bake at 350 for 1 hour or until knife inserted comes out clean.

(This recipe is courtesy of my Mom)

Abviously, as you can see, I made muffins instead of using a bundt pan. They didn't rise very well, but they sure were tasty.

I also added a streusel topping.

1/4 flour

1/4 brown sugar

1/4 butter, softened

Mix until crumbly and add to the top before baking.

YUM-O!!! *Banana Bread*

*Banana Bread*

1 cup walnuts or pecans, toasted and coarsley chopped (optional)

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup sugar

1 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled

3 large ripe bananas, mashed well

1 tsp vanilla

Garnish: 1 large banana, sliced (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 and place oven rack to middle position. Butter and flour (or spray with non-stick vegetable spray) the bottom and sides of a 9x5x3 inch loaf pan. Set aside.

Place nuts on a baking sheet and bake for about 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly toasted. Let cool and then chop coarsely.

In a large bowl combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nuts. Set aside.

In a medium bowl combine the mashed bananas, eggs, melted butter, and vanilla. With a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, lightly fold the wet ingredients (banana mixture) into the dry ingredients just until combined and the batter is thick and chunky. (The important thing is not to over mix the batter. You do not want it smooth. Over mixing the batter will yield tough, rubbery batter.) Scrape batter into prepared pan and place the slices of banana on top of the batter for garnish.

Bake until bread is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 55-60 minutes. Place on a wire rack to cool and then rmove the bread from the pan. Serve warm or at room temperature. This bread can be frozen.

(This recipe courtesy of Joy of Baking)

I added a streusel topping

1/4 cup flour

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 butter, softened

Mix together until crumbly and add to top of bread before baking.

Merry Christmas to Me

I am so excited, Santa delivered my gift a little early this year. WOO HOO!!!

Thank you, Santa!

Lesson Learned

Tuesday night I gave Cole a pink highlighter (I know, the highlighter was my 1st mistake) and a notebook to keep himself entertained while I made dinner. He sat down at his little table in the kitchen and seemed very content with his project. After about 1 minute, I heard him yelling at me from his room. I thought, "Oh crap, what is he doing in there?" This is what I found...

+

=

+

+

= a lesson learned

Thoughtful Thursday

"Keep smiling, it makes people wonder what you're up to." - Unknown

YUM-O!!! *Eskimo Joe's World Famous Chili*

*Eskimo Joe's World Famous Chili*

3 lbs ground beef

2 small cans chopped green chiles

1 can diced tomatoes with green chiles

1 can spicy chili beans

2 (8 oz) cans tomato sauce

3/4 cup chopped green bell peppers

3/4 cup chopped onion

4 Tbsp chili powder

1 tsp season salt

1 Tbsp cumin

2 tsps oregano

1 Tbsp black pepper

1/2 tsp red pepper

1 tsp salt

1 1/4 cups water

Brown meat in a skillet. Add remaining ingredients and simmer until vegetables are tender.

After browning meat, you could also put this in a crockpot on LOW for about 8 hours.

Wordless Wednesday

Christmas Card 2008

Christmas Card 2007

New Jammies

What I'm Reading *Twilight Series*

Book #3 Eclipse

Three down, one to go. I can't believe I'm so wrapped up in "vampire love."

Happy Reading!

STRIKE A POSE!!!

Sam Bradford won the Heisman! Woo Hoo! Now we have to break the Heisman curse. Oh, and someone tell Billy Simms to SHUT UP already. I love the Boomer Soonner chant as much as any other OU fan, but he is making us look stupid.

BOOMER SOONER!!!

Arm Chair QB *Take 3*

Arm Chair QB *Take 2*

Tag, I'm it!

I've been tagged by Katie(Tallboy's sister) at The Seat House, so here goes...

8 things I did today...

1. packed Cole's bag...he is staying the weekend with Nana and Papa in Marlow

2. addressed Christmas cards and took them to the Post Office

3. talked to Nanny Mary Lee about a recipe

4. went to Best Buy to research camera's for my Christmas gift

5. got gas for $1.55 gallon (it was $1.39 yesterday, what happend overnight - not that I'm complaining about $1.55 gallon gas)

6. finished Eclipse (book #3 in Twilight Series)

7. finished some Christmas projects

8. went to Barnes & Noble with Faron

8 of my favorite restaurants...

1. Red Lobster

2. Giuseppe's (Marlow)

3. Olive Garden

4. Dos Gabochos

5. Kang's

6. Sonic (I think I could live on Vanilla Dr Pepper)

7. Outback

8. A & E's (Chickasha)

8 shows I watch...

1. Grey's Anatomy

2. Brother's & Sister's

3. Private Practice

4. Lost

5. NCIS

6. Jon & Kate plus 8

7. Lipstick Jungle

8. Ellen

8 Things I wish for...

1. another baby when the time is right, or two

2. when I start applying...a good teaching job

3. having some land for Faron to hunt on sometime in our lifetime

4. Cole to be happy, healthy and considerate of others

5. to talk to both my Papa's just one more time

6. Cole to have cousins on my side of the family

7. live a little closer to both our families

8. world peace :-)

8 things I look forward to...

1. seeing Smokey, Kristy, Jackson and Brady at Christmas

2. the Natty Bandit Christmas Party Saturday night

3. weekends

4. spending time with Cole

5. spending time with Faron

6. seeing Tallboy and Julie at New Year's

7. seeing what kind of man Cole grows into

8. my Christmas present (a new camera) to get here

I tag Julie at Jacobsen Jambalaya, Amy at Lillian & Lucas:Lovin Life, Suzanne at Happy Chaos, Christy at A House Full of Boys, Jessica at Det, Jess, and the rest, Megan at Hayden Hutcherson, and Mandy at Ajax Farms.

Tag, You're it!!!

Arm Chair QB *Take 1*

A Busy Weekend *Updated*

We had a very busy weekend...it started with a graduation on Friday night, next came a parade on Saturday morning, pictures with Santa, lunch a Mommy's favorite place, and it ended with a great football game Saturday night.

After several long years of school, Mandi is officially a PA (Physicians Assistant). Good job, girl. We are so proud of you.

Saturday morning brought on the Christmas Parade in Marlow.

It only took Cole watching the other kids for about 2 minutes before he figured out he was supposed to pick up the candy that was being thrown by the floats.

The race was on....

Kiss, Kiss

Lunch at Giuseppe's (Mommy's favorite)

Believe it or not, but Cole really likes salad...

...and bread...

...and spaghetti.

The Santa pic didn't work out so well. Cole only liked Santa Claus from a far. I will post the pic as soon as it comes in.

I will post pictures from the football watch party at Nana and Papa's house a little later.

********************UPDATED********************

Pizza and football, what more can you ask for?

Watching the game with Papa

Stay tuned for the Arm Chair Quarterback videos...

Thoughtful Thursday

"Life is not measured by the breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away." - Unknown

Wordless Wednesday