Apple Pie Ring!

After all the dishes were cleaned up from Christmas dinner my mom went home, Matthew played Wii and I settled down for a short little nap. By 8:30pm it was time for Matthew to get to bed and my friend/coworker Tracey was coming over for dinner...aka left overs! She had to work 9am to 9pm and couldn't resist my grilled pork chops that she had on Thanksgiving! I guess she didn't get sick then and thought she'd try it again. Not to mention I bribbed her with an apple pie ring I found on a blog from http://www.reluctantentertainer.com/ I found this blog from Christine's blog, whom I met on yahoo 360. Anyway, on the reluctant entertainer blog I have gotten numerous recipie ideas, life lessons, inspirations and have just really enjoyed reading it. So, thank you for this apple pie ring that we had! I did only use one can of crossiants so it spilled out of the ring but oh how it was good! And...even though I was just "entertaining" for one...poor Tracey, after a 12 hour shift got stuck getting her picture taken.... I tried to plate it up nicely for her to have a nice Christmas dinner. And as Matthew's shirt says...I need more practice in the kitchen...lol!

Favorite Gift...Ever!

After the cookie incident and a few more fibs, I was about to cancel Christmas all together. But eventually Matthew saw the light and realized he should probably be on his good behavior. I finally heard come out of his mouth that he was acting disrespectful so I am either making progress or he was working me over to get to Christmas. Either way, I ended up getting the flu the weekend before Christmas. I managed to work the weekend with the chills (I'm sure my co workers appreciated me sneezing the blowing my nose the whole time) and then Monday I was in bed the whole day. Matthew was an angel and played and entertained himself very well and the house remained standing! Finally Christmas came and my threats of getting socks and underware did come true! (its tradition) He did get some clothes but also a Wii. He was SOOOOOO excited. I have to admit, it is pretty fun. I am loving bowling! Even Grandma played a little. Tonight I bowled a 187 and I am quite determined to beat that and my 3 strikes in a row that both Matthew and I attained tonight. For Christmas morning breakfast I made an egg casserole and cinnamon rolls and for dinner I grilled out pork chops. It was a little chilly but not too bad out. Grandma left with left overs so it must not have been too bad! lol

The Great Cookie Caper!

I am totally behind in my blogging so its time to play catch up! So, it started with a little school project about family traditions that led to bringing to school a snack that had something to do with what your family traditionally makes at Christmas time. Matthew always likes to help me bake cookies. If you know me...you know its been YEARS since I've made cookies from scratch. I think if I had anything besides a hand mixer I would go back to the old way. But ever since my friend/co worker, Susie, brought me cookies after having Matthew...and it turned out they were the already made kind that all you had to do was either slice and bake or tear off and bake....well, I've been spoiled ever since. Anywho, so our version of baking cookies is putting the cookie dough on my Pampered Chef stoneware (the secret to my never burnt cookies) and baking! So, we go to the store, pick out these tree cookies, bake them and Matthew is going to take them to school the next day to share them with his class for the Traditions Party. Keep in mind, it has snowed the day before and they have a snow day...giving us an extra day to do all of this. So, I get up the next day, take Matthew to school so these cookies don't get broken and wish Matthew a great day and party. :-) Matthew comes home with.....THE COOKIES! ah....WHAT??? After making a special trip to the store (in the snow no less) , baking the cookies, and driving him TO school....I get the back???? Matthew said there were extras and he got them back. Hmmmmm....something isn't making sense. So, I email the teacher and of course, get a different story. After much grilling the next day, Matthew finally cracks. He wanted a cookie and didn't want to share....so he brought them home. Oh dear....what child lies just a few days before Christmas??? Yep....Matthew. So, since the whole point of making the cookies was to give them away....we gave them to Grandma as part of her late birthday gift...since it is better to give than to recieve. At least that was part of the lesson I was trying to teach in the end here.

More Pics

A couple more pictures....my kitchen and Matthew's tree......which looks better in the dark! :-)

Decking the Halls

As soon as we finished lunch on Thanksgiving, Matthew was super anxious to start decorating for Christmas. So, it was time to put away the pumpkins and drag out the decorations from the garage. Finally we got it all up. There is the main tree in the family room, a small one in the basement, 3 little ones in my room, one in Matthew's room and several above the kitchen cabinets. I love to turn the lights out at night and just sit and watch tv by the light of the tree and greenery. Can you tell I love this time of year???

Love, Compassion and Grace

I hate cancer.....again!! It is with a sad heart that I write this morning. I have been following a blog for about 12+ weeks about a local woman named Stephanie Vest with a rare form of cancer. I asked for prayers for her a few weeks ago. Sadly last evening, she lost her battle and passed. Its times like this when I don't understand God's plan. She was a young mom of 3 beautiful YOUNG children that are now left without a mother to care for them. I don't understand that. I want to ask God WhY?? But her life and her witness through her blog was what thousands will remember. I do know that and I am one of them. I learned to not take life for granted. It is too short. I am blessed to have Matthew and I am going to be a better mom to him and love and hug and let him know daily how special he is as well as those around me that I love. Did I mention life is to short not to spend it with the ones you love the most? One of the local tv stations just did a story on Stephanie before the KU/MU game last weekend. http://www.myfoxkc.com/myfox/pages/Home/Detail?contentId=7965814&version=2&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=VSTY&pageId=1.1.1

So, be thankful this holiday season. By the way...it's not about the meal, its not called ThanksTAKING...its was called Thanksgiving for a reason. I'm just saying. I hope the soup was worth it.