thanksgiving 2011

This year we were able to spend Thanksgiving with  Brett's mom and husband and then with my family. Short visits with both families but so thankful we were able to see them both. The kids really enjoyed it since we did Christmas as well with both families  :)  I took lots of pictures but here are a few....

 I love Thaddaeus' expression...he was so excited...this dog sings and talks.....

 some grandkids that LOVE grammy's pancakes...in fact she made it both mornings we were there!

 the girls riding their new skooters...thanks grammy...they have really enjoyed riding those!

 even daddy had to ride on one :)

 Uncle Jerry (Sandra's brother) was able to join us and it was good to see him again

 the one picture we took of all of us the sun was so bright that I had to do black and white....next time will have to get a good one standing away from the sun :)

 Papa Jimmy and Grammy's dogs that the kids, espcially Cailyn LOVED!

Thanks Jimmy and Sandra for allowing us to come visit. We Love you both!

Most toddlers' favorite foods are either cookies, bananas, crackers, things like that. But my little toddler is no normal toddler because his favorite food literally is salsa. Not chips with salsa like the normal way to eat salsa would be but plain salsa. Now I do get mild salsa so its not too spicy but still that little guy will eat it by the handfuls like a normal toddler would grab for a handful of chips or cookies. We have tried to get him to eat it with chips but he will lick the salsa off then set it aside and literally spoon up the salsa with his fingers. Everytime we eat chips and salsa he wants the salsa only. The funny thing is he loves to pick out the green peppers and tomatoes(I get the chunky salsa) first. And one scoopful is not enough. I have had to put the salsa back in the refrig so he doesn't see it or he is whining for more. So far he hasn't been sick from it or had a diaper rash. Now when we go to mexican restaraunts we have a MAJOR problem because he sees of course the salsa they serve you at the beginning and unlike what he has at home that salsa is HOT. so we have a time trying to coax him to eat something else and at the same time try to dip our chips into the salsa without him knowing :)  It's too funny...one odd toddler but in a way I guess its healthy and it's way better then cookies :)

One of the favorite things our family enjoys doing is biking. There is a railtrail close to us where we go a lot. The trail is 26 miles long, though we have only gone 12 miles as a family. There are many places you can stop along the way to rest or have a picnic. This particular day we stopped and had lunch at one of the stops beside the marsh area. It was beautiful! And to top it off there were 2 bald eagles that day sitting on a tree and they were actually "calling" to one another. I had never heard an eagle but that day I did and it was so neat!  The kids really enjoyed watching them and it was hard to pull them away when time to get back on the trail.

 the eagles are sitting on the left side of the white tree....of all days I didnt' bring my other lense for my camera so I couldn't zoom in :(

 Thaddaeus thinks he can make his sandwich by himself :)

 One of the eagles soaring right above us...oh to have had my zoom lense....

We only saw one deer that day...some days we have seen wild turkeys or bucks

Last month we celebrated Nathanael's 8th birthday...wow already 8 yrs old...so hard to believe how fast these years go! but so thankful the Lord allowed us another year with him! He loves dinasours so this year that was the theme. The cake was not homemade...I cheated and I bought a premade cake and took off the decorations. Next I  crushed some graham crackers on top to look like dirt then I placed some small toy dinasour on top :) He loved it so I was happy :)  and looks like someone else liked it too....after the kids had left the table I found Thaddaeus on the bench finishing off someone's cake :)

One day a couple of weeks ago we met up with some friends after school and we met at a park but the kids, plus their mommies, ended up playing in the woods instead :) Elizabeth helped the kids build a tepee in the woods.....

 Girls under the tepee.....

 This is David the little boy I babysit and he wanted his picture taken...thought this pose was too cute!

 and of course my kids love posing for the camera :)  (that trait they did not get from their mommy or their granny....)

    Who is this little boy...one shoe on, onesie hanging out...his mommy needs to take better care of him :)

A couple of weeks ago we as a family drove thru some of the Skyline Drive. It was such a beautiful drive and the weather couldn't have been more perfect! We stopped and hiked one of the trails and of course I had to take pictures :)  
On then on the way home we ate dinner at our family's favorite place....Cracker Barrel....What a great day we had as a family!

madison's bike

Madison's "new wheels" :)  This was her birthday present this year. She was sooo excited, especially since it had more gears then her brother :) Now she is ready to ride!

pumpkin spice muffins with Cream Cheese Filling

Yesterday I was in the mood to bake something with pumpkin. I found this recipe off a blog of a friend of a friend. :) It wasn't a simple recipe but they turned out awesome and I know they were since they went fast...and they weren't eaten all my me...I have proof of the evidence of someone that left a trail :) So passing on the recipe for those that like pumpkin and cream cheese :)

Pumpkin Spice
Muffins with Cream Cheese Filling Yields: 20-24 muffins

Preheat oven to 350
grease muffin pans.

Muffinbatter:

1 Spice Cake
Mix 1tsp. Cinnamon

1/4 tsp. Allspice

1/4 tsp. Cloves

1/4 tsp. Ground Nutmeg

A few dashes of Ginger

2 tbsp. Vegetable Oil
2eggs

1tsp. Vanilla extract
1 15oz. can of pumpkin
puree (not pumpkin pie mix)

1. Combine cake mix and
spices.2. Combine all wet
ingredients.3. Combine wet and dry
and mix very well.

Cream Cheese Filling:
-8oz. Package of cream cheese, softened

A few dashes of
allspice

¼ tsp. Vanilla
extract

1 tbsp. Sugar

1. Stir cream cheese
until smooth and creamy.2. Add vanilla, sugar and
allspice. 3. Mix
well.

Streusel topping
(optional):

½ c. flour

½ c. brown sugar

1 tsp.Cinnamon

dash of Salt

¼ c walnuts

1 stick of cold butter

1. Cut butter into
chunks.2. Combine butter and dry
ingredients in food processor and pulse until well combined and crumbs are about
pea-sized or smaller.3. Place in refrigerator
until ready to use.Assembling the
muffins:*Try to do this as
quickly as possible...the faster the better! You don't want flat muffins.
=)1.
Place enough batter in each muffin cup to cover the bottom. Do this
carefully...it's easy to go overboard and not have enough to cover the
filling.2. Make a little well in
the center of the batter with the back of a teaspoon.3. Put a rounded teaspoon
of cream cheese filling in each well.4. Cover each glob of
filling with more muffin batter.5. Lightly smooth the
tops of the batter to cover the cream cheese. 6. Sprinkle streusel
topping evenly over all of the muffins. If you like them really “streuselly”,
use it all, if not, you'll have some for another recipe!

7. Bake at 350 for about
18-20 minutes. (When you check these, just check around the edge since the
middle will obviously be gooey!)8. Remove from pan to a
wire rack after about 2-3 minutes of cooling