Growing up....

Took these before church this morning. Isn't she pretty? Growing up....and I don't like it!! :)

Merry Christmas!

Getting ready for Santa

He was here. The calm before the madness begins... He left footprints!!

What can I say???

Yes, that is a kitchen sink. One of my presents. I have already destroyed the white porcelain one that came with the house. I need stainless steel that I cannot damage too badly! I really did ask for that.

Well, it started out looking clean and pretty anyway.

The game chair was a birthday present. Playing a new game that was in the stocking.

A new doll house. Too many people living in the old house, it was too crowded.
Karaoke for the star...

Merry Christmas. Will post more later. Miss you all in WV!!!

Christmas Tour of Homes

***UPDATED 12/18/*** Scroll down to see what I got!!!!

Welcome to my home. Merry Christmas!

Not much for outside decorations this year since hubby will not be here to take them down. I did not want to do lights or our Jesus Birthday sign. Too much work for me to do alone. And we don't get much traffic back here anyway. But since the Jesus sign is the best decoration EVER I have to include a picture of it from last year. It is huge. Last year it was on the hill in front of our house, right next to the main road. No one could miss it as they drove by. It was great. Handmade by hubby. Wish you could have seen it in person!!
**UPDATE Hubby told me that I have to tell you that the sign is 24 feet long and each letter is 4 feet tall. The picture is from about 100 yards away.***

Well come on in.... Have a cookie. The kids had a lot of fun making these. Ever had pink Christmas cookies??

Here is our tree. Hmmm....the angel is crooked...

And our stockings hung from the mantle. It is the very first time we have ever had one! I love it.

And here are my cypress knee Santas and snowman from Louisana. I love them.

The dining room.... Not very Christmasy in there. Have most of my Santas on the hutch. I have several snowmen too. Never could decide which to collect. The snowmen are more scattered around the house.

Here is a closer view...

And my nativity set that Mom gave me. Baby Jesus looks like he needs a bath. Maybe someday I will get the Willow Tree nativity that I want SO bad!!!

****Well my update is that tomorrow is my anniversary and hubby gave me my gift early. Just LOOK at what it is!!!!! He is the BEST husband ever!!!!!

I have several nativity ornaments on the tree. This one is my favorite. My mother-in-law gave it to me.

And this is something else I love. My mom gave it to me. My dad's mom gave it to her. I guess it is pretty old. It should have a different top, a star I think but it is long gone....

Mom gave me these snowpeople too. She made them. They are getting pretty droopy but I love them. Hubby does not appreciate them as much as I do. I have had them since we got married and they are right on top of the entertainment center....

Well, thanks for looking around....

Go to BooMama's to see the rest of the homes in the tour! Merry Christmas!!!

**I should also say that hubby IS here for Christmas, he is leaving a few days AFTER--(and NOT to Iraq thank God!). I think I gave the impression that he is gone now, sorry about that.....

Christmas Card Photo Rejects

Trying to take pictures for the Christmas card drives me crazy. We had 3 "sessions" this year. I don't even know how many pictures I took. Over a hundred easy. Goofy smiles. Pouting because one is crowding the other. Acting too silly. Here are just some reasons why this drives me crazy...

I said SMILE not laugh your head off!!!---


Hold still!!!!!!! Stop laughing!!!!

I SAID HOLD STILL!!!!!!!!

STOP PUSHING!!!!

BOY COME BACK HERE!!!!

OK I like this one. But it is not what we used. You will just have to wait til you get your card. They are being mailed today!!!! Merry Christmas!

The Gingerbread Masterpiece

This year's masterpiece.... TA DA.....

Hamburger Potato Soup

I am posting this recipe because BooMama is having a soup exchange and I LOVE soup. I was only going to look and not particpate, but I don't see this recipe there and since it is SO good I thought I would share :). I got it from a message board somewhere from someone named Diane--that is all I remember. It is SO GOOD and easy!!!! We just had it a few days ago.

Hamburger Potato Soup

-1 pound hamburger
-1 large onion, diced
-5 large potatoes- chopped, diced, whatever (I use alot and don't count them!)
-2 carrots, chopped ( I use baby carrots, several)
-2 stalks celery, chopped (I use one or L would freak out)
-1 pkg lipton onion soup mix

In large pot, brown hamburger and onion; drain. Add potatoes, celery, carrots, and onion soup mix. Add just enough water to cover. Cover and simmer until veggies are tender.

Sauce: melt and mix until bubbly: 4 TBS butter, 4 TBS flour. Add 2 cups of milk and cook until thick. Pour sauce into meat and veggies. Add salt and pepper to taste. Simmer until well blended.

Seriously, I have given this recipe to everyone who has tasted it. They all love it. It is one of my favorites. Taco soup is another fave but there a LOTS of people who posted that one.

Enjoy!!

Go here to see more recipes!

I have gotten lazy...

It has been a while since I posted. Not much to post about I guess. Of course, as I was getting pictures for this post I realized I forgot all about Thanksgiving pictures. So...

That was alot of food for 5 people. It was GOOD though!! We are so fancy here too...LOL.

And here is K enjoying some pecan pie. Many many thanks to Big Mama for her wonderful recipe! YUM YUM YUM--it was the BEST!And this weekend we went to get our tree. It was the worst excuse for a tree farm I have ever seen. I was very disappointed. But we did go on a hayride.

The only thing they really had were pre-cut ones from NC. I could have gotten those 5 miles from home. I looked and looked at them but I was not happy with any of them. Let's just say L got "slightly irritated" with me and said let's just go get a fake one. Well OK, maybe that would be best. So we went to Home Depot, Lowe's, Wal-Mart, and Target. Who knew it was already too late to find a good fake tree? Every decent one was already sold out. L was ready to murder me. He suggested Sears.

Off to the mall. Found a good one. On sale, 100$ off regular price, tag says in stock. Go to checkout, guy goes to check the back. Tag lied, sold out, not getting any more trees. My husband is going to explode. Ask if we can buy the display. One manager says no, another says yes. But we have to wait an hour so they can take everything off and put it back in the box. OK, we haven't eaten dinner yet so off we go.

And so, TA DA.....we now (for the first time in what 12 years??) have a fake, PRELIT tree. And I love it. It looks real enough for me. It went up in seconds. Pre-lit is amazing!!!!! No watering. No needles on floor. No dying tree because I can't wait. I am happy. I can get a Christmas tree scented candle. L has finally forgiven me--mostly. We all like the tree. Now if the lights still work next year........

My crazy kids....

Last night before bed K was reading some books to herself. Here she is--

She is a cutie. BUT she is crazy. Just like her brother E. L says he did this too so they get it from him. She is always the first one ready for bed. She is such a good girl. Had her clothes all laid out and everything. Sorry but this is just spooky looking to me!!!

Ok. They are crazy. L is crazy. And yeah me too--yes I did rearrange the furniture AGAIN! And not just K's room--E's and the living room too. We are a family of nuts :)