Happy Birthday Beth

Happy Birthday Crop Diva!!

Hope your day is the BESTEST!!

YOU deserve the royal treatment !!

have you seen me?

do you see the resemblance? We have our very own Santa Baby Boy here....and he is already in the movies.

And it is Koda's favorite holiday movie.... :-)

Hope everyone is enjoying their final preparations and shopping for the holiday....I was off today for my floating holiday....I was at Meijer before 7am getting groceries then I took all 3 boys out to shop for one another! Met the girls from work for lunch at Los Tres Amigos and then off to Target....now we are home hoping to get some R & R!

Feeling much better today.....for those of you unaware....I've been having gallbladder or pancreatic attacks...spent an evening in Express Care- now planning for some tests next week that will make some final decisions for me......is this a true sign we are getting OLD?

Hope everyone is healthy and enjoying our snowless holiday season.

where did it go?

I cannot keep up....time is just flying by! I am losing control....help me, Dear Santa- please!!
Work has been just plain CRAZY- our schedules have been NUTS! Appointments and more appointments...ugh. I am NOT done shopping- are we ever?
I have been busy making angels...will post one later...they are so simple yet just adorable.
Making cookies by the dozens....need to send a bunch to school Thursday with the boys so I bought the pre cut ones from Gordon's....thankfully they know the working moms just do not have enough daylight hours to do it all...lol
Mom, I did NOT get your box out in time....I am certain it will be late...sorry...extend your Christmas just another sya or two for us...lol

Great news- Dakoda was released from the ortho dr for his shoulder....not so great news...he has decided to just wait until next season to get involved as he missed so much and he is not completely healed.

So here it is 4 more shopping days and I am a NUT- and I need groceries too....have I lost my mind? please do not say the answer out loud. :-)

Hope everyone is prepared and enjoying the holiday season...miss you all.

Traditions

Do you have a favorite Christmas tradition? Have you carried on any traditions with your kids/ family that were from your childhood?

I have carried on a couple of them from my childhood...
1. santa mugs for cocoa on Christmas morning- as kids my Mom always made hot cocoa (not from the little pks either...the good stuff with Hershey's Cocoa.) and peanut butter toast for Christmas morning. I bought a set for each of my brothers so they too could share the memories with their families.
2. as a kid....if you woke before everyone else....you could get the item or items that Santa left for you IF they were unwrapped and your stocking. We have kept that rule and or tradition here too. However, as my mom will assure you...I am still the first one awake...and when I hear the first one wiggle I am up making coffee...and Steve is grumbling something about someday I will grow out of this....LOL doubt it sweetheart....I am 36 and still just as excited!

Now a new tradition we have started in our family....Santa leaves gift cards in our stockings for each of us from the local movie theatre . We go to the movies on Christmas afternoon. My family is all 2 hrs north or further ( my Mom is in CA!) and Steve's family is just too big and he chooses not to fight for air and a plate of food....so we go to the movies and have something fun and easy for dinner on Christmas.

Tell me about yours......

HOORAY

Our new computer is up and running....at last! It really was not our computer having troubles....just the fact that my old modem for dsl and my new computer with Windows XP were not compatible....who knew?
Here is the BEST part.....I bought Adobe Photoshop when I bought the pc! Cannot wait to start playing! Jill- can you tutor me??
**so the shopping weekend was GREAT! Michelle and I had a great time...made great dents in our lists - had a nice dinner with a few (uh huh) drinks. Lynchburg Lemonade? WOW! Kicked my tail quick....the highlight of the night .....when we returned to our hotel, parked the van....and as I was crawling out - I hit the PANIC button on my keys....LOL I had not ever done that and had no idea how to shut it off. OH MY we were laughing so hard! Poor people that were sleeping near where I parked.

Christmas this coming weekend with my family up north! Have been waiting all day to hear when my dad will have his surgery....debating on when I need to make the run for that too....they said they would call today to schedule and he never heard from them.....??? Nope, not at Foote or I would have been making calls...lol. He will be at Hackley and it should be in and out same day.

Today started as a true Monday...just plain poopy doopy! Everyone has looking for a tail to chew on and my was close by and there is plenty of tail to go around....yet, none of it was truly anything they were angry at ME about....just letting their unhappiness flow over into my office. UGH. THEN I decided to check in with my TRUE friend (aka favorite lunch pal) Beth- as she can always make me laugh or smile...and to my surprise we were both sharing the poopy doopy Monday syndrome !! What better than to share the misery...misery loves company - or so my mom always said. Beth and I decided to run off to Target on our lunch and grab lunch on the go- we always have fun laughing and shopping! Thanks Beth for helping me turn my poopy doopy Monday into a more bearable afternoon!

Well the way over due post is being cut short because Steve just woke up crying with a sore throat.........g'night.

I am ready

for the weekend. This is the weekend when I get as much shopping done as I can in 30 hours! Michelle and I meet in Lansing..shop till we drop then have dinner and drinkage. :-)
I am so ready to go....and the snow will NOT stop me this weekend.

• Big Steve now has the crud that lil Steve had....it is rough! He is struggling ... choking down Theraflu and sleeping!!
• Koda went back for a re-check and Dr. Medlar said NO WRESTLING for 4 more weeks....he is not healing as quickly as they hoped....maybe because he is still a male and he doesn't always remember his restrictions?? Hoping he will stick with the team and at least go learn!!
• Lil Steve is doing much better- less crooping. Sleeping much better at night! Thinking about going to 5th grade camp- but a little hesitant. Hoping we can encourage him to go!
• Jakob enjoyed a pizza & pop lunch today with the science teacher because he got a high score on a test that was HARD - 2 from each grade level were rewarded. After the special lunch they were allowed to go to the computer lab and play games until the lunch hour was over. He was very excited.
• Me? finally received my long overdue raise that was promised to me 6 mos ago when I took the new job- which was a relief. Looking forward to a weekend shopping and sleeping in a Queen bed alone....ahhhhhhhh! After a little glass of wine or something- I should sleep GREAT!

Hope this finds everyone staying warm -

The boys have been doing the snow dance all evening hoping for all of the storm we were warned about- SNOW DAY! SNOW DAY!

Good night.

our new friend

Spongebob!!

We were discussing the need for some new decorations for the outside of the house...and the boys found him in the Walgreens ad in Sunday's paper! Could not resist!

He is perched on the porch right now but he is heading for the front yard- maybe? I kind of like him on the porch!

Have you started putting up your holiday decorations??

Below is the reindeer Jakob had to decorate with family over the weekend....he will go up in their hallway at school for the Holidays. Yes, we used Mom's scrapbook stash- but he was totally into it. he was searching through my scraps and punches!! The wreath around his neck is actaully my BIG maple leaf punch and small circle. :-) He came home with just a brown reindeer cut out...and we added all of the colors and decorations. He and I had lots of fun

I am home today with Lil Steve - went to walk in last night with him....he has pharyngitis. The dr said if he wasn't so old she would have diagnosed him with CROUP. He got a steroid shot and is doing breathing treatments every 4 hours!! He woke up sounding a little better but still fighting a yucky nose and fever! Mom- I think he has the same crud I used to have as a kid....and I tried Dimetapp for 3 days and it kept getting worse....it used to work for me! What did they call my constant yuck nose and cough, besides allergies? Rhinitis? something like that?
Well hope you all had a nice weekend....did you go shopping with the NUTS?

We're back

We had a nice Thanksgiving dinner at my brother and sister in laws in Saugatuck. We started out at 815am - picked up my Gram and Michelle's Gram and brought them up for dinner too. it was a nice ride....
No deer yet for my family......closest we came was on the highway in the morning on our way to Saugatuck. We saw a deer try to cross the Highway 6 like the frog on Frogger and the last car he tried to cruise in front of clipped his hind end....sent him doing summersaults into the ditch..and omnce he stopped tumbling he jumped up and ran! He was counting his blessings on Thanksgiving day! YES, HE it was a BUCK! The men in my van were wishing they could get a shot! LOL
Just a few pics to share of our day!!

Relaxing a bit today...thinking about starting some re-arranging for the holidays....need room in my little place for the tree and such! Heading down to do laundry and to get groceries sometime today or tomorrow.

Have a great weekend.

YUM!

Happy Thanksgiving friends. Again this year I was asked to bring this very yummy treat! I thought I would share the recipe....be careful you cannot eat just one small piece BUT it is very rich!!

Pumpkin Crunch
1 package (box) yellow cake mix
1 tsp Cinnamon
1 can (15oz) solid pack pumpkin
½ tsp salt
1 can (12oz) evaporated milk
½ cup chopped pecans
3large eggs
1 cup butter
1 ½ cup sugar
whipped topping

Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease bottom of a 9x13 inch pan. Combine pumpkin, evaporated milk, eggs, sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl. Pour into a 9x13 pan. Sprinkle dry cake mix evenly over pumpkin mixture. Top with pecans. Drizzle melted butter over pecans. Bake at 350 F for 50-55 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool….serve chilled. Top with whipped topping when served.

have you

started your Christmas list and /or shopping? I have started all of my lists and picked up 2 gifts! OH MY- and I looked at my calendar today.......it is almost here already!
What is on your wish list this year? Are you a day after Thanksgiving shopper? Are you planning to fight for any of those 'this year's hottest toys'??

Well the weekend was a busy one...I cleaned the dr office after I finshed at Foote on Friday so I would not have to deal with that all weekend.
Then Sat morning I went shopping with Lil Steve in tote...it was also his Reward Sat, so it was a full afternoon!! I invested in a new pillow $$- love it! One of the Memory Foam pillows..JCPenneys had them 50% off....
I'm a :-) Happy girl.
Today I spent the afternoon baking and cooking! I made yummy Pumpkin Choc Chip Cookies.
They are a fluffy cake like cookie...loved by all 5 of us. Sound yummy....I'd be happy to share the recipe!

Update- Koda is feeling good...still not great but better!! Thank you to all of you that left your encouraging posts and sent emails. He is much more optimistic now and planning to tough it out! Therefore, once he gets back to the mat, Miss Beth and Cory- I will let you know what the schedule looks like and hopefully you can come watch one day!!
All else is well here- no deer yet! Koda is out and unable to hunt this year- so it is up to Steve Sr and so far he has only seen one doe. No doe permit for state land. The bummer for him....he has lost all of the contacts he used to have for private land hunting....except for deer camp in the Manistee Forest with my dad and brother. So he hunts state land in the Waterloo area! Maybe soon! I would love a freezer full of venison.
Off to finish my new Danielle Steele book that I started this morning when the house was quiet!

GOOD night!

try this again

UPDATE!
Blogger is not cooperating.....I typed a long post earlier and it kicked me off....UGH!

My injured wrestler....will be ok! He is on 'no contact and no upper body strenthening' for 2 weeks. He dislocated his shoulder (popped back in on it's own!) and is now suffering from a jammed A/C joint! (The joint where the shoulder and collar bone meet!) A 233 lb teammate and he were practicing and Koda was slammed into the floor = shoulder first! OOOPS! OUCH! We saw the Ortho Doc today, Dr. Medlar- he was a HOOT! Koda had fun even though he was in quite a bit of pain after we left! We go back in 2 weeks for a re-check and he will determine then if he can be relased for contact again...it may be longer ? His first meet is the 30th and that is when he goes back to see Dr. Medlar. This whole thing has him quite discouraged so we are trying to keep him upbeat and interested....he feels he will miss this much he may as well QUIT! DID he say that forbidden 4 letter word?

Jake and Steve both had conferences this week....GREAT REPORTS from the teachers and the report cards were great too! Both teachers said the boys were quiet.....I was afraid I was in the WRONG room? MY kids? hmm, I am happy to hear they are that well behaved there!!

I better hurry and post so I can finish my cards!

Good night

is it over again already?

What a weekend...and so quickly it is over...
Quick note to a few of you...tougher for me to find time to post right now...I am working at Foote still and cleaning after work for a pediatrician's office 3 nights a week. Nice for Christmas cash! I am going to try to type up some posts at work if I have free time then it will be just a matter of copying and pasting at home....thanks Beth for the idea! !
Hooray- I heard from my mom....she has landed in CA. This is her cold weather parking spot (for now) and the weather is in the 80s! (can you box it up for me? just a little?) She sounded pleased with the park and is already making plans to join in a water exercise class...get out there and make friends! ( I think we have changed roles....I recall the same chant from her!! when I moved!! LOL)
Sat- Spent the afternoon at Grandma's visiting with her and my dad. The boys had a riot...Gram lives in an assisted living community....and right outside of her apartment is the 'game room'. They have a 3 in 1 table....the boys love to shoot pool as the adults visit....well this time Gram got out there and shot pool with Jake against Steve and Koda. No, I did not bring my camera BUT I did run in and grab hers so I could have the picture!! It was priceless!
Sun- cleaned this morning at the dr office, then came home and baked cookies and made chicken n dumplins! Homemade....and they were yummy! Koda got a replacement hunting licence (his wallet was stolen from his locker during wrestling practice and his license was in it, along with every other thing important to him! and $25.00) and he and Steve went out to scout out a spot on state land for opening day....Steve loves to hunt opening day on state land in Waterloo? and it usually proves to be a good choice...let's hope! I would love to see Dakoda have an opportunity to get a deer his first year!! Good luck boys! After opening day they will hunt an Amish farm outside of Vandercook Lake and possible go up to the McKessy Deer Camp on a weekend which is in the Rothbury area....Manistee Forest.
JHS Wrestling starts tomorrow full force!! Practice every night, and we will soon be doing the all day meets and conferences! I am still amazed that my homophobic, germ-a-phobic son is wrestling but I am anxious and excited that he has found a passion for something...a sport!

Take care, stay warm.....and my big question of the day.....what is on your Christmas list and do you have a hard to find item from someone you will be searching for?
Thanks to Santa Grandpa I think I have mine under control! :-)

Happy Birthhday Mom

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Happy Birthday Mom!!

We hope you are enjoying your western adventures while we are suffering through Michigan's crazy weather! Yes, you escaped just in time - we have had 60s and 30s within hours of one another.

(for those of you who do not know....my Mom furthest on the left the cutest one! is now retired and she and her hubby are now snowbirds come November...and they return to MI in April.

Hope you are enjoying warmer temps and having a great time! Happy Birthday Mom, Grandma- We Love YOU!

XXOOXXOO

Happy Halloween!

Here are this year's creations...they did great again. Pumpkin carving is a huge highlight of each year here...all 4 boys enjoy and anxiously await the time!

L to R Ooogie Boogie - Steve II, Pumpkin King - Steve Sr, Jolly Roger - Koda, Tiki Man- Jakob!

do you see what I see?

The new and improved Steven...he can see !! He was having trouble seeing the overhead boards and having headaches after school. The new glasses are for school and when he feels they are needed. He said tonight "WOW, Mom things look a lot different now!" Scary, huh?

Dakoda is back off from school...the pneumonia is getting worse. He is out until NEXT MONDAY! I was called this morning from J- High to respond to him having troubles breathing.....which is a scary call to a Mom when you hear your son gasping trying to talk.....a combination of asthma and pneumonia.

Off to catch up a couple loads of wash and get ready to watch the Tigers! Who's your Tiger?

it's been a good weekend

It was a LOOOONNNGGG week ! However, the weekend that followed it seems to be making up the dreadful days that got us here!!
Our week....work was NUTS! Just a quick inside peek....there are 3 steps to the intake dept I work in- I am step 1- step 3 is a young mom to be SOON that is more than ready to be done being pregnant and goes home or to L& D a lot. Been there so I do not judge her....but it means a lot of her work from step 3 comes back to 1 after 2 to finish! HELP! In the home health field we are swamped by mid-week as the hospital and all dr offices want their patients out of the hospital and home with care for the weekend....HELP. Sorry to bore you- but this 'splains' my STRESS! LOL Then there is my very sick family....we have all been fighting the fall cold - well we all beat it except for poor Dakoda. He was out of school W, Th and F. They gave him antibiotics on Wed for ear infection, sinus infection and so on....but on Fr he was still coughing BAD and running temps. I called and asked for xrays....sounded too deep for my comfort....well Dr. Mom you are right....PNEUMONIA in his lower rt lung! New antibiotics, steroids and a tired boy that is bored and ready to pick a fight with anyone...LOL. We feared on Fr that they may keep him but he was hydrated enough and old enough to follow instructions they felt he could go home....hello he is a MALE? LOL Truly he is feeling better and hopefully returning to school tomorrow.

My weekend...
It started after spending 3+ hrs in Express Care for xrays...learning Dakoda would not be admitted was the first shine of a bright weekend....got home Jake showed me 2 A tests ( been a rough start this year) which I had made a deal with him....bring me home 2 A's and you will get to have a Special Saturday with Mom or Dad!! Yeah Friday night!!
Good Sat!! Woke up Sat with Dakoda feeling a little better , Big Steve went to get his new meds filled and brought me back a rose and card for Sweetest Day! Jake and I took off for his day which included groceries!! He and I went to lunch - his choice, he rented a video game!
While we were gone Big Steve made cookies and changed the linen on beds AND caught up my laundry....NOW THAT'S a HAPPY SWEETEST DAY! Unfortunately, the one downer to my SAT - the Tigers LOST game 1. C'mon boys this is a MUST. Oh did I mention that everyone else was in bed at 9p, last night and I watched the game alone and cleaned up my scrap area and sorted out some STUFF! ahhhh
Now- my Sunday- woke up at 610am- cleaned the bathroom top to bottom, did a load of whites (the only one he refuses to touch and I appreciate!!), made coffee and got to BLOG! I feel like a QUEEN- and here is my greatest pleasure of the morning- Beth look what I found.....OK Blogger will not let me show you.....
PUMPKIN SPICE creamer....ahh heaven.....here it is 805 and I am zooming with a cup of coffee with my fav creamer!! YUM Now- is the paper boy finally out of bed? The boys are....and they want breakfast! Off to make cinnamon apple pancakes and bacon w/ OJ!
Have a great Sunday....
Any thoughts to our clothing yet for the crop? Can we go for Worst Dressed? Just no desire to wear a formal...lol C'mon creative ladies...

What's new?

Where have I been? No bloggin? I really have the desire to blog and keep up...just seems like I run out of time or energy or lately BOTH before Blogger makes it to the top of my to-do list!

My crew has been busy fighting......off a stinkin fall cold! I believe the weather changes sent us all into allergy/sinus overload which then turned to a chest cold. Hoping I am on the last days of hacking here soon!!

Koda is keeping me busy with wrestling practice and just plain being a teen. Homecoming game is Friday for J High and the dance is Saturday! Pics to come.
Jake is now playing the trombone in the band...which he would like to soon exchange for a bass guitar! This boy has big dreams of being in a band with his old buds!!
Steven is having fun just being busy and has just made a big life change.....we ordered his new glasses. The first in our family of 5 to get glasses. He is a little uneasy about the idea....and I reminded him that Bradley had to get them about a year ago too...and after talking to Beth today, they have the same vision issues.?? I will post soon when we get the glasses!!

We are trying to find a bigger house....which has been absorbing more of my extra time too. Ugh, I am so ready to find one....NOW!

Fall always seems to make my life busier....homework, hunting and fall/winter sports....and the fact we all like to snuggle in to watch tv together more in the evenings....mean computer time for me...is RARE! ( and the fact that Koda is always on here checking out his email, the MySpace accts of everyone he knows...and whatever else)

I am so ready for a break and our Crazy Croppin Chics weekend.....hey did anyone come up with ideas for the 'dress up'?

Have a great night all

TAG

Eight Things About Me:

1. I love FALL! Everything about Fall! (EXCEPT the fact it usually brings on a cold!!) I love the colors, the fun decorating, fall foods, baking, the Farmer's Market...I love Fall!! and PUMPKIN SPICE CAPPUCINO!

2. I love to read....Janet Evanovich is my favorite author but I enjoy many others as well.

3. Green is my favorite color.

4. I am the baby in my family and the only girl....YEP lovin it still after all these years!! My brothers both still act as if I could never do anything wrong! he he They are 7 and 9yrs older...which means by the time I was old enough to be out acting like a wild child they were living in TX!! Spoiled Rotten to say the least!!

5. My newest fav website is www.menus4moms.com they have awesome printable menus recipes AND grocery lists to go along with them. I truly saved some $$ and time last week by using my new method of planning ahead and cooking ahead. Check it out! If you sign up for their emails...the next weeks menu shows up in your inbox early the week before....we'll see how long it lasts?? CHECK IT OUT.

6. I am an optimist! I always see my glass as half FULL! and I am married to a man that has a hole in his glass....it always seems to be half empty....which actually makes for a full cup?....or a good 'DISCUSSION' ! LOL Pessimistic people can really irk me, if ever I had to pinpoint one specific trait about people that heats me up....that is it....Pessimism. How can life be so darn bad?? But I married him anyway...lol Guess I was optimistic that he would change or I could change him?? LOL How about you??

7. I danced for 13 years - Tap, Ballet, Jazz and Gymnastics. I did Ballet and Gymnastics when I was from 3yr-9yr, added Tap in at age 4, then switched Ballet to Toe Ballet at 10 and added Jazz. My final recital was in the spring of 1986 I danced a Jazz solo, Tap and Ballet.

8. I am a licensed cosmetologist! Did you know? YEP! Since 1991.

There ya go......what did you learn? anything new? LOL Cannot tag any of you....as my blog doe not get around much...LOL

YUMMY and EASY

I made this over the weekend and was telling beth how yummy and easy it was....and by the way....it is all gone already!! I was going to make her a copy of the recipe...she thought a blog post would be great that way you could have it too ladies....let me know if you all try it
APPLE NUT SNACK CAKE

1 2/3 cups sugar 2 cups sifted flour
3 eggs 1 t. soda
1 cup oil 1 t. salt
1 t. vanilla 1 t. cinnamon
2 cups chopped apples 1 cup chopped nuts
(your choice of apples and nuts)

Mix sugar and eggs well. Add oil and vanilla; beat till creamy. Sift dry ingredients together then add to batter and mix well. Fold in apples and nuts. Pour into greased/ floured cake pan. Bake @ 375 for 45-50 minutes. Sprinkle with powdered sugar while still warm! SO yummy and SO Simple!!

What happens up north.....

The girls weekend away- this pic was taken on our balcony where we enjoyed cocktails after a very long hard day of shopping and touring the island!! :-) WOW- I think I look more like my mom as I grow closer to the 4-0!! Can you see the resemblance?

This is the back of the shirts we found and decided were a MUST HAVE after our WILD weekend away! (we even ran into Joe Morelli- are you a Janet Evanovich fan?) The shirts summed up the weekend well for us.......pssst, I'll tell my girls the stories later :-)