Twelve

It's hard to believe that 12 years ago today
I was experiencing my first day as a mother.
My first day with my daughter.

My first time.
To see her adorable face.
To hear her tiny cry.
To touch her little hands and feet.
To hold her.
To kiss her.
To snuggle my nose against hers.

We did not know if we were having a boy or a girl.
But I REALLY wanted a girl.
REALLY, REALLY wanted a girl.

She made us wait 8 days past her due date.

She was worth the wait.She's never been girly.
And, even though she still prefers
hoodies, tees and "sports" pants or shorts,
she's a beauty.Now I've been a mother for many days.
I don't know if I'm any better now than I was then.
I still have so much to learn.
But one thing I'm sure of:
I REALLY love this girl.
REALLY, REALLY love her.Happy birthday, Brookie!
My prayer for you,
as the days and years inevitably pass,
is that you remain even more beautiful on the inside
than you are on the outside.

From Our House to Yours

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Marshmallow Snowmen

I have another new nephew.
That makes two in four weeks.
Meet Brody Zane.His big brother Tyson is all of 21 months old.
Jobie and I thought we would give their mommy a little break.
So we stole Tyson for a bit the other day.We took him with us to storytime.Then fed him lunch.And made a little craft.The hats look a bit like witch's hats.
But by the time Ezzie got home from school,
I had been to Dillon's and purchased some Rolos.
And some pretzels too.
I get all my good ideas after the fact.
Well, Rolos and pretzels aren't amazing ideas really.
I'm sure most of you would have thought of them much earlier.
Jobe and Tyson didn't miss them.
But Ezzie was glad I had them.
He even asked for pretzels before I pulled them out.Marshmallow snowman.
Good enough to eat.
Poor thing didn't make it to supper.

17th

Because we didn't have enough to do in December,
we chose an exchange student who had a birthday this month.
Today was the day.I was worried that she would be disappointed.
Disappointed by the day.
Disappointed with her presents.
I should know by now.
This girl just soaks everything up.
Loves every new experience.We took her out to a local Chinese restaurant.
Her fortune cookie read:
You will have a great birthday party.
I kid you not.
She was thrilled!

She loves iCarly.
Saw this remote at Wally World.
When we were shopping for her little sister.
She was so excited by it.
So I knew I had to get it for her.She picked her dessert.
Brownies with cream cheese and cherries.Happy birthday, Lara!
We loved celebrating with you!

Jobie Bear

Whhew!
Jobe and I have been busy.
Shopping with Grandma.
Shopping with Aunt Jess.
Shopping with Grandpa.
Shopping with just the two of us.
Busy, busy, busy.

But at least he's looking cute while we're shopping.

We are having so much fun.
I'll show you what else we've been up to soon.

Good Stuff

Another cookie recipe.
I'm beginning to think I'm the queen of cookies.
I make them A LOT.

These make me feel good.
They are a little healthier.
Fresh cranberries.
Fresh squeezed orange juice.
Orange zest.
Walnuts.

Orange-Frosted Cranberry Cookies

Cookies
1 c sugar
1/2 c packed brown sugar
1 c butter or margarine, softened
1 tsp grated orange peel
2 T orange juice
1 egg
2 1/2 c flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 c coarsely chopped frest cranberries
1/2 c chopped nuts

Orange Frosting
1 1/2 c powdered sugar
1/2 tsp grated orange peel
2 to 3 T orange juice

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Spray cookie sheet with cooking spray.

In large bowl, beat sugars, butter, orange peel, orange juice and egg with mixer on medium speed, or mix with spoon. Stir in flour, baking soda and salt. Stir in cranberries and nuts. Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls about 2 inches apart on cookie sheet.

Bake 12 to 14 minutes or until edges and bottoms of cookies are light golden brown. Cool completely on baking rack, about 30 minutes.

In small bowl. stir all frosting ingredients until smooth and spreadable. Frost cookies.

Makes about 4 dozen.I used walnuts.
Cuz walnuts and cranberries just go together in my mind.
And I had to laugh at "packed brown sugar."
Is there any other way to measure it?
I smash that brown sugar in the measuring cup everytime.
The more brown sugar the better.

Speaking of sugar.
Here's a little extra sweetness.Jobie loves his new cousin.
And it looks like his new cousin loves him too.

Birthday Party

Ryan's mom turned 65 Friday.
We had a surprise party for her Saturday.
She thought Dad was taking her out for supper.
Instead they ended up at our house.
She walked in saying:
I don't know what's going on here.
So cute!

It began with just family.
And Chinese food from Dillons.
It's not PF Changs.
But it's cheap.
And local.
And fast.
And pretty good.

We got three family meals.
$19.99 each.
Comes with tons of food.
One family meal feeds my family of 7.
With lunch leftovers for me.
Perfect.

My sisters-in-law and I made desserts.
And six more people "showed up".

Everytime someone else walked in the house,
she would say: Oh, what a surprise!
It was so much fun.

I remembered to take pictures.
After Lara (who was out of town) called and said:
Don't forget to take pictures.

Cousins.
Tyson is about 20 months old now.
He weighs two pounds less than Jobe.
Jobe is 40 months.
My tiny baby.My mom and my sis-in-law.
(Not my mom's daughter-in-law though.
She's married to Ryan's older brother.)
And my new little nephew.
19 days old.Adorable.My little boys wrestling on our new couch.
We finally found one.
I love it.
No fabric.
It's blended leather.
No stains.
I can just wipe off snot smears.
Plus the whole family can sit on it together.The birthday girl opening a few gifts.Happy birthday, Mom!
Thanks for giving us a reason to celebrate.
We love you!

I'm So Crafty

Gorgeous weather here today.
One last chance to clean up leaves.
But I was, of course, smart enough
to wait until the kids got home.
There were a lot of them.
Leaves, that is.
Well, kids too.

I still had potted plants.
And pumpkins.
On the front porch and patio.
The plants were pretty sad looking.
The pumpkins looked great.
But they didn't really fit in
with the wreath on the front door
and the Christmas lights on the roofline.
So I tossed the pumpkins in the garden.
Pulled the dead plants.
Then wondered what I could do with the pots.
They are heavy when they're full of potting soil.
I didn't want to haul them all to the shed.
So I came up with something else.I walked around our yard.
Clipped evergreens.
And some red berry things.Then just stuck them in the potting soil.
Along with some pinecones.Maybe it's nothing that impressive.
But for this uncrafty, uncreative girl
it was kinda' fun.
And free.
Yippee!
Plus, I didn't have to move the pots.
Yippee yippee!

The Break

Well, Thanksgiving was not what I had hoped it to be.
I wanted a nice day (or two) for Lara.
Her first (and possibly only) Thanksgiving.
I was planning to take lots of pictures.
Make memories.
Good memories.

Things started out great.
Got up.
Enjoyed coffee with my hubby.
Watched the Macy's parade with the kiddos.
Facebooked and texted little messages to my extended family.
I was feeling good.
And blessed.

When Lara got up we said:
Happy Thanksgiving!
She looked at us like we were crazy.
She had never heard that phrase before.

Then, mid-morning.
I got sick.
Fine one minute.
Sick feeling the next.

An hour or so later.
Off went Ryan and the kids to his family's.
While I stayed home on the couch.
Calling my mommy.
(Who I had talked to on the phone earlier.
While I was feeling fine.)
Saying: I'm calling so you will feel sorry for me.

I'm pitiful.
I know.
But she came through.
Felt sorry for me.
Told my dad.
Who then felt sorry for me too.

By late Thursday night I was at least done
making frequent trips to the restroom.
Then more fun began.
12:00a.m. Ezzie.
2:30a.m. Ezzie.
3:30a.m. Ezzie.
4:30a.m. Jakie.
Good times.

Ryan and I were planning on Black Friday shopping.
A first for us.
That didn't happen.
We were disappointed.

But we were able to decorate Friday.
And Brookie managed to take a few pictures.

Ryan's mom bought this ornament for us.
It's still my favorite.
This year will be our 17th Christmas!Ezzie.My adorable girl.Looks just like her.She captured things beautifully.

I woke up Thursday morning.
Thinking about all my blessings.
Humming this:

Count your blessings.
Name them one by one.
Count your blessings,
see what God has done.
Count your blessings.
Name them one by one.
Count your many blessings,
see what God has done.

Thanking God for each of my many, many blessings.
Those blessings didn't change.
Even though I got sick.
But maybe that was one of God's blessings, afterall.
On one of the highest calorie consumption days of the year,
I had zero.
Surely I saved a pound or two.
A blessing indeed.

Pure Sweetness

I don't want him to grow up.
I ask him all the time to stop growing.

He told me today:
Mommy, I don't want to grow up,
but I have to.

He's right.
He has to.
So I'll just have to cherish every moment.

Every.
Single.
Moment.

'Tis the Season

For circling.
"EE" for Ezra."JE" for Jobe.And more importantly...
pointing.

Ok, let's start with this.Ummm.
Hang on a sec.
Gotta enjoy my sucker a moment.And then I'd like this.Wow!
That sucker is really good.
Another moment, please.Hmmm.
Let's see...Maybe this.Oh, forget it.
Just get me one of everything.And still more pointing...

I want that.Hello?
Mom.
Are you looking?That right there.He wants everything.
Would be happy with anything.
Well, as long as it's not a doll, anyway.
A pink Easybake Oven?
Oh, yeah.
That's circled.
But the dolls?
They are crossed out.
A big no-no.