b-day boy

So today was Tom's big 42nd birthday! No parade or anything. The dog ran away if that means anything. He eventually came home. Anyway, here's the big cake.......chocolate on chocolate of course make a wish.......

After Thanksgiving activities

So did you all go shopping today? No way was I going out at 4 in the morning to shop. Tom and the kids did do the annual trip to Able Hardware this morning around 6am for the free coffee and donuts! I am being totally serious, he goes every year!
As for me, last night I boiled up the turkey carcass and had enough broth to put up 4 quarts and make turkey rice and vegetable soup this afternoon......yum. I have been on this soup kick lately. About a week ago I made beef barley soup. It's in the freezer. And chili, which I canned. Great for lunches and those cold nights when you really don't want to cook. Make a couple of grilled cheese and have some soup! Perfect.

Happy Thanksgiving

So here's thanksgiving dinner before............And here's after...........Everyone enjoyed a nice meal....(I think) Snickers even got some dark meat, and a bone.HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!!!!!

Family fun

Thanksgiving came early for my side of the family. Although we didn't make turkey we did have some good food and fellowship as Tom would say. All the guys lined up on the sofa to watch the Penn State game.......

We played bingo and everyone got a prize , then it was on to other board games........Tom's helping out Billy, he's not trying to win......
More football........

Looks like Tom is palying again........this time he's getting down to DJ's level and playing with the Thomas trains.......

Almost time to go. Lisa and Madisyn put on big smiles......

Thanksgiving quote

He who thanks but with the lips
Thanks but in part;
The full, the true Thanksgiving
Comes from the heart~J.A. Shedd

A little thanksgiving humor..........

those fall days

We don't have any trees in our yard yet every year we have a ton of leaves to clean up! Our neighbor has a big maple tree so he graciously "donates" his leaves to our yard. Anyway, with the time change it gets dark so early now, but Tom decided to rake leaves anyway. And the kids........they decided to uh "help"

cookies

So I got another recipe for cookies that I tried. Simple really, just sugar cookies but the dough is dyed and put together to look like candy corn........cute huh?

boys

Thought that I would add one of Cody's (and mine) favorite comic strips. This is so true if you have boys!

Yesterday was Cody's 14th birthday! I don't have pictures of cake and stuff because we were at Len's for cake but we went out to dinner yesterday evening and then he went and picked out the gift that he's been dying to get........A BMX bike with pegs. I'll post pictures when I take some.

pray

II Chronicles 7:14 "If my people, which are called by my name shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land".

Hope that you all prayerfully went to the polls today..........God bless America

speed racer

Sunday night was the AWANA Grand Prix at church. Jordan and Tom built his car. It is only allowed to weigh 5 oz. When we got there it only weighed 4 so here's Jordan adding more weight to his car before he checked it in.....

Then they took it in to registration where once the cars were on the table they could not be altered in any way...

His is the black one in the middle. Then it was time to race. You'll see Jordan putting his car on the yellow track. He's number 8

He was in 4 races and won one. So he got to go on to a semi final race. But in the end he lost, but had a great time trying. Now the car is a great toy to shoot around the house and scare the dog with!

knock out

PUT EM UP!!!!!!!!!!Watch out for this tough guy..........look at those six pack abs! How'd you get that shiner (wasn't Cody honest)Here's Jordan with his treasure for the night. Cody was in charge of handing out candy (all six pieces of it since that's all the trick or treaters we got) He stood by the window all night with great anticipation waiting for the knock on the door. It was pretty funny. Hope everyone had a great halloween. Time to decorate for thanksgiving!

treats

Okay bring on the trick or treaters.......Jordan and I made this cool halloween bowl out of yarn and fabric stiffner. We are ready for the little gobblins.

Happy Halloween

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!!!!

Some of our spooky pumpkins......

tomorrow's the big trick or treat........ time to just sit back and wait for the sugar rush!

snow in october?

Well, it was inevitable...........it snowed today As you can see it wasn't inches and inches but it was snow all the same.

Just enough for Snickers to roll in! I don't even have the kids' snow stuff out yet....

our ever changing world

Let me begin by apoligizing to my faithful blog viewers. I know that it has been awhile since I have posted here. Our world is changing here so rapidly that I haven't had the chance to figure everything out yet. Let's see......We got a new computer. I have not figured out all the bells and whistles yet but slow and steady I am sure that I will. I am still working out the kinks of getting pictures into my computer from my camera. Bear with me. Email has been a challenge also but I think that I am getting the hang of it.
Other goings on in our house, Cody is in public school now. He is in 8th grade at the junior high. (Next year high school! UGH) So far it has been going well. We have all had some adjusting to do. Getting the bus, lunch money, homework, ect. I have had to go school clothes shopping! Cody even attended his first school dance on friday. It was a halloween dance. (Help me, I am not ready for this) Jordan is still being homeschooled and really benefitting from the one on one lessons. He goes to a homeschool gym class on wednesdays with a bunch of other kids so that is good for him. He went to a hallwoeen party last night at his friend Dylan's house. We have one more fall ball baseball game (thank goodness because we are freezing at them). Before you know it Thanksgiving will be here.

kitchen duty

I got this recipe in an email and decided to try it. Southern tea cakes..... Okay so they aren't cakes, they're pumpkins but they are yummy just the same.

Autumn Hayride

Jordan went on a hayride last week with his AWANA group from church.

They rode for awhile and then it stopped and they got to get out and pick a pumpkin to bring home...

Here he is with his "prize possession!

No they didn't eat them afterwards, but they did get some yummy ice cream..... mint chocolate chip!