Tis The Season

I am excited for Christmas this year, but that is nothing new, as I am excited for Christmas every year! I enjoy listening to Christmas music and going through my decorations to see what I have... it is a big project!  Once I have gone through everything, the decorating begins!!!

The real reason for the season is the birth of Jesus... I hope to fill my home with the Christmas spirit this year and focus on " the reason for the season".

"And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for him in the inn."   Luke 2:7

Birthday Girl

Our Granddaughter turned 7 today!   She is our first grandchild!  She is cute, funny, adorable, smart, and always full of spunk!  She likes to play outside, color, read, play dolls and ride bikes! She is a dare devil and will try most anything once!  She scares her grandma sometimes because she is such a dare devil!

Happy Birthday Kaelynn!!

Kaelynn with her cute strawberry red hair!  

With her Grandpa... 

Swinging in her backyard and laughing at how brave she is...

Pretty in Pigtails

Hugging her Care Bear

Pretty Girl in a new dress

Singing in the Rain.. Just singing in the rain... 

Growing up..

Look at me Grandma, I am funny!  

Beautiful Kaelynn with a pretty smile!

We love you Kaelynn!  

Veteran's Day

I am so thankful for those men and women serving our country.  Our son is in the Army and is deployed overseas currently.  We miss him but we are proud of his decision to serve our country.  

Stay Safe! 

Ben at Basic Training Graduation May 2009  They did a great march for the families.   

Austen and Ben at the graduation... Ben looks sharp in his dress clothes

Attention....I said Attention... 

We are also thinking of Grandpa at this time.  He was in WWll and flew planes over Germany.   (he is middle front row with his hat tipped to the side... very dashing)

GOD BLESS AMERICA! 

Halloween Candy Cookies

What to do with leftover Halloween candy? I found this recipe that lists a good idea for using up those candy bars, M&Ms and other candies you have laying around the house!

Left over Halloween Cookies!

Halloween Candy Cookies
Chop leftover Halloween candies and tuck these pieces into cookie dough instead of chocolate chips. Almost any candy will work-Butterfingers, Heath Bars, Milky Ways, Snickers, Kit Kats, M&Ms and even gum drops and jelly beans! Have fun

3 2/3 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 t. baking powder
1 1/4 t. baking soda
1/4 t. salt
1 cup butter (2 sticks)
1 1/4 cups firmly packed brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
2 t vanilla extract
2 cups chopped candy bits

1. preheat oven to 350
2. sift flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt into a bowl. Set aside
3. Beat Butter and sugars together with a mixer until very light, about 5 min. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add Vanilla Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture and mix just until combined. Stir in candy bits.
4. Drop dough by Tablespoons onto baking sheets. Bake 15-20 min. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes, transfer to wire rack to cool completely. Makes about 4 dozen cookies.

I made these today and they turned out great. It was a good way to use up the leftover candy. I read that the average Halloween candy treat bag your kids bring home is about 9,000 calories!
YUMMY!

I am now moving my mind-set to Thanksgiving! I have much to be thankful for.

Thanks for reading my blog.

Halloweenie 2010

Another Halloween has come and gone!  I love the excitement of Halloween, so around here we usually do a fun party with costumes.  Someone asked me when I started doing Halloween parties,  I can remember doing one before Bryan was born, when Ben was 6 years old.... that is about 24 years ago!  I haven't done a party every year, but the last few years we have had some good parties at the Excell Haunted Mansion!  This year was no exception!!!

Austen decided he wanted to be a red dragon for Halloween!  Tana  bought this cute costume for Dirk to be a little Dragon.  Austen thought it should be his costume, so he put on a size 18 months on his size 3 frame and paraded around the neighborhood!  (and I do mean the neighborhood, he walked up and down the street!)

Austen, you are one funny little dragon... for the real Halloween, he forgot about this costume and settled on a green dragon and a Knight in shinning armor!

On October 30th we celebrated Halloween by first  watching the Sheep Parade in downtown Cedar City!  Dirk took a nice nap and kept Grandma warm.

Austen as a green dragon checking things out before the Parade started

What is a Parade without a horse and buggy!  It was a nice cool Fall morning and a fun parade

Tana and Austen watching the parade and checking out the pictures Tana took

Dirk woke up for the end of the parade and wondered what was going on!!  He  is a cute little Dragon!

After the Parade, we went home and cut pumpkins into Jack-o-Lanterns!  David used a power saw, it worked out awesome.

Getting the pumpkins just right!

Grandma and Austen at the Trunk or Treat... now Austen is a Knight in Shinning Armour. 

Dirk at the Trunk or Treat...He was excited to get CANDY.

Brooks and Miranda at our Halloween Party.. Red and The Wolf!  Great Costumes.

Queen Mary.... what can I say?   If the shoe fits wear it! 

Jeff and Sarah as Astronauts and Eli as an Alien baby!  Their costumes were so Awesome...Good Job! 

Austen helping call the Bingo Game!

Doing the Cake Walk... Eli won the first cupcake!  Daddy is helping him walk on the numbers!  

Grandpa dressed as Farmer.. it is his secret wish to be a Farmer so on Halloween his dreams come true!

This year I added an Apothecary Cabinet to my decorations.  It was so fun to gather the bottles and make this!  It turned out cool or should I say..... SPOOKY!

A closeup of the human flesh and vampire fangs.... or maybe  you prefer the VAMPIRE BLOOD.. HA HA HA


Thanks everyone for a fun Halloween Party... See you next year

IF YOU DARE!!!!