10/365

" Oh wow! What is this stuff?"

These pictures were from this past Saturday when we got about in "inch" of snow :) We took Thaddaeus out this time and it was his first time in the snow....he didn't really smile too much so dont' know if he liked the cold stuff. But the other kids sure did! Even though we only had about an inch it was good packing snow for snowballs so we all had a good snowball fight! Mommy got daddy a couple good times when he least expected it :)

8/365

This morning we woke up to about a foot of snow. It was so pretty looking out and seeing snow covering the trees and all. I only love winter when it snows :) Since today as Saturday and it is about the only morning we are all together to eat breakfast we normally have a big breakfast. This morning I made Belgium waffles. Chocolate chip, blueberry, and plain but with strawberry and cool whip on top :) That is how my mom used to make them and I LOVE it that way tho my kids think it is gross putting cool whip on waffles. But like I tell them they can't say anything negative until they have tried it :) so next time you have Belgium waffles, go ahead and put some strawberries and cool whip on it and then the syrup and I bet you will LOVE it like I do!

hot chocolate

This week I was really trying to stay away from coffee and hot chocolate which lately has been my downfall ;( but today it was a day that I needed a cup.....hey I think I can justify it since I had just come home from a trip to Target with 5 kids that were soooo in need of a nap! So can you understand my need for a cup of hot chocolate :) Good! Tho guess I will be riding my bike longer tonight but I can say it was well worth it :)
I wanted to share you the recipe for this hot cocoa...it isn't store bought :) I made a big batch of this for Christmas to give to some friends andthen for our family. it will be something I will keep in my cabinets since it is soooo good!
Candy Cane Hot Cocoa:
1 cup of powdered milk
1 cup of sugar
1 cup cocoa powder, special dark variety
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup choc chips miniature semi sweet ( I didn't have mini and they did just fine)
1/2 cup candy cane crushed
you can layer these layers in a glass quart jar to give away or just put it in a big container for the family to enjoy.
when you are ready to make a cup just put 3-4 tbl of mixture in cup of hot water and you can't forget to top it off with whipped cream! enjoy especially during "one of those days" :)

7/365

Last night I made blackberry cobbler with the kids. While we were eating Thaddaeus was sitting on daddy's lap and as you can see in the first picture he was wanting to try some like us :) so daddy gave him one bite and well he just didn't get one bite after that :) I think he liked mommy's cobbler :) I am passing on the recipe that I use. This was my mommy's and it is delicious! Definitely a favorite of the family!

2 cups blackberries

1/2 -1 cup of sugar (depends on how sweet the berries are)

2 tbl flour

dash of nutmeg or cinnamon

butter

1/4 cup of water

pie crust( I use store bought since I rarely make my own crust)

I mix the berries with the sugar, flour, nutmeg and then in pour the water. you may have to add more water if needed.you don't want too much but you don't want the cobbler too dry. Once you pour the berry mixture into a 9 *13 pan that is lined with the crust, you will slice some butter on top....not big slices just about 4 small slices then I like to add a top layer of crust. I bake it at 350 for about 20-30 min....just until the crust is light brown. Take out and enjoy with some vanilla icecream and a cold glass of milk! Or just come to my house I'll bake you some :)

tortilla soup

Ok this picture is not mine so giving credit where credit is due....Sarah Vaugh :) But I did make this soup but it was all gone before I remembered take a picture. This soup is soooo good! I didn't have corn but it was still good. Here is the recipe:
1/2 c of chopped onion
3 boneless chicken breast
1 garlic clove
1/4 tsp of ground cumin
1/4 tsp of chili powder
2 cans of chicken broth
1 can of diced tomatoes and diced chilies(if you don't like too spicy just do diced tomatoes)
1 can of black beans
1 cup of frozen corn
4 tsp of cilantro
3 tbl of lim juice
2 cups of mexican cheese
sour cream
bag of tortilla chips
Put chicken with the liquids and spices in crock pot and put on high for 4 hrs. then add the beans corn, and cilantro and let simmer for an hour. then pour over chips and add cheese and sour cream and enjoy! thanks sarah weller for passing this on and thanks sarah for the picture :)

6/365

This morning I made smoothies as a morning snack. I was so tired I really craved coffee but since I am really trying to work on watching my calorie intake I decided to go healthy :) Smoothies is one way I can add anything in it and my kids love them! One of my favorite smoothies is a combination of apple juice, strawberries, bananas and then some spinach, yes fresh spinach! And believe me I dont' like spinach but in smoothies you can't even taste it and neither can the kids so I can sneak in some veggies and they don't even know :)

Doesn't that look good :) Its even colorful :)

Cailyn even thinks it good and she HATES veggies....what she doesn't know is that she is drinking some veggies...but hey she likes it so she doesn't need to know what's in it :)

5/365

Nathanael had a recipe for no bake cookies on his math paper today and he wanted to make it. The kids have helped me many times in the kitchen but they have never done it by themselves. Well today I allowed Nathanael to make these all by himself...tho I was close at hand to make sure he didn't get burned. He did so well with measuring out everything and stirring and all. He was sooo excited to have made his first cookies by himself! And mommy was happy since these cookies are one of her favorites :) So much for watching her calorie intake...guess I will be riding my bike double tomorrow!

4/365

Ok for you fans of oatmeal, this is a must! My mom used to make this a lot and since it is all natural it IS good for you :) This is how you make it:
Pour some raw old fashion oats in a bowl.

You can either use orange juice or apple juice. (I like apple juice) You are going to pour just enough juice to cover the oats. Then add honey and cinnamon and raisins. Let it set for a few min to allow the oats to soften. Then enjoy! This is a great healthy snack in the middle of the day when you are hungry and it is vey filling! So go ahead and try it and tell me what you think :)

3/365

This evening my husband requested some brownies for desert. I didn't have any "box" brownies so had to go to my "allrecipe" site and find one. The girls are always right there beside me helping me bake.....it may take longer to mix everything together and tho at times I wish I was doing it alone, I know one day I will miss my "little helpers" so I am cherishing my baking time with them now! and yes I allow my kids to lick the beaters...that is after mommy has had a couple of licks :) oh and if you notice, my oldest lost one of her top teeth last night....this is her third one....

2/365

A friend of mine is trying to get me to do a picture a day...well....this is day three and I am doing 3 today to catch up :) I will try my best Sarah to keep this up tho somedays I might be doing a couple to catch up just like I am doing today :)

So today I am posting a picture from Mt Vernon when he visited it last month with Grammy. We had such a good time. This picture is of the "gingerbread Mt Vernon". I would have loved to watch them decorate it....so talented!

1/365

My little baby is growing up too fast....he is 5 months old now! the other day I snapped this picture when he was on the floor playing with his toys...a rare moment since usually his time on the floor is limited due to his one sibling who likes to "jump" over him when he is on the floor :)

Just brought out 6 loaves of homemade sourdough bread from the oven...yum yum! Just wish I had some homemade strawberry jelly to go with it...guess I will be making that soon :) My mommy used to make this bread at least once a week sometimes 2 or 3 times and I was always close by when she brought it out of the oven...I was the taste tester for her :) My mom was known for her homemade bread and jelly. She was always making a double batch so that she could share with others. We rarely went to church without bringing a loaf of bread or some other homemade baking for someone at church. She really had the gift of hospitality!

Thaddeaus drinking bottle

My little baby is almost 5 months old! This infant stage is going WAY too fast for me! Could we slow it down some! Thaddeaus is taking a bottle now and he just started trying to hold it. But beware if he drops it he is screaming his head off! :)

playing in snow

Today we got about 1-2 inches of snow. It was our "first real" snow this year. It snowed last week but just a dusting so kids weren't able to play outside in it. but today the kids could not finish school fast enough so they could go outside to play in the snow. Even tho it was still in the low thirties mommy bundled them all up to go play, even if it was only for 20 minutes :) The snow was too soft to make snowman or even snowballs but they had fun making snow angels and then playing with their dumptrucks.

Last month we drove thru the Shenandoah Valley. It wasn't the "peak" time but it was still gorgeous! We enjoyed getting out and walking thru the woods. Of course we had to take pictures along the way :)

Wildlife Refuge Sanctuary

This past Sunday afternoon we took a drive thru a Wildlife Refuge Sactuary. This was the first time we had been there and both Brett and I wish we had done this before because it was so beautiful and reminded us both of Cades Cove in TN. Didn't have the mountains like TN but the drive took you thru the country side and some wooden areas. Very quiet and peaceful drive. Didn't see any animals but we sure enjoyed the drive! Definitely will be going back!

Slow Cooker Pizza

I tried a new recipe tonight for dinner and it was yummy! sorry no picture this time....
Slow Cooker Pizza
1 1/2 lb Italian Sausage browned
16 oz cooked pasta(don't cook it all the way, it will continue cooking in the crock pot)
1 can tomato soup
2 jars pizza sauce ( I didn't have 2 jars so used one can pizza and half jar of spaghetti sauce)
1 pkg pepperoni

You add one layer of pasta then layer of meat then sauce then do those layers again. I added pepperoni at very end so it wouldn't be too greasy. Put slow cooker on low for few hours...really just to warm everything and for cheese to melt.

Visit with Grandpa Lay and Aunt Ashley and Ty

visit with papa and grammy jackson

trip to TN

We were able to take our first trip with Thaddaeus in September to see my daddy and then Brett's mom. My sister Ashley drove up on Friday and spent the weekend with us. We went to Cades Cove on Saturday and had a great time riding in the back of grandpa's truck. Even tho we didn't see any bears it was a beautiful day and we enjoyed just being out and being together. Then on Sunday we drove up to see Grammy and Papa Jackson and spent a night with them. Thaddaeus did great on his first long trip.

Grammy's first visit to see Thaddaeus

Grammy drove up to the day I came home from the hospital with Thaddaeus and she was able to stay all week. The kids enjoyed having Grammy here and spoiling them :)

Thaddaeus Lee

It has been over 2 years since I have blogged. So much has happened in those two years. My mommy went home to be with the Lord in February of 2009. One of the main reason I first got into blogging was for her and dad to see updates on the children and what was going on in our lives since we didn't see each other as much as we would have liked. Since her passing I really hadn't been too eager to get back into blogging. Now I am going to try my best to blog here and there so my daddy can see his grandbabies, since now we have 5 children :) Our fifth arrived in July of this year. Thaddaeus Lee was born weighing in at 8lbs on July 25 at 8:00am. I'll post pictures in the next post of his delivery.

Banana Bread

After dinner I made some banana bread to pass along to a friend in the hospital. I made extra for the family. As you can see once the children got into one loaf there was only one piece left....glad I put the other loafs aside so they couldn't get into them!

I made chicken enchilladas tonight for supper and they were soo yummy I'd thought I would share the recipe.

Creamy Chicken Enchilladas:
1 pkg cream cheese
2 Tbl water
2 tsp onion powder
2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
5 cups cooked chicken

Sauce:
2 cans condensed chicken soup
2 cups sour cream
1 cup milk
2 cups cheddar cheese
green onions opitional

Conbine the cream cheese, water, onion powder, cumin, salt, and pepper until smooth. stir in chicken. then place 1/4 cup down center of tortilla. Roll up and place in greased 13 by 9 pan. In bowl mix sauce ingred and then spread of tortillas. bake uncovered at 350 for 20 min then take out and spread cheese and bake another 5 min or until cheese is melted. Enjoy!

I made 6 tortillas tonight and only used half of the sauce so I froze the other half for next time. so you might want to half the sauce unless you make more tortillas.