Home is where the heart is

I'm 31 years old and hot tears still sting my cheeks when I leave home.  Now that I have a large crew of my own, it's hard to make the long trip out to see Mom and Dad.  One of the biggest perks to going out there is that I get to see my two brother's and their families.  This Thanksgiving trip was well worth the expensive plane tickets and crying children.  I had so much fun and there is nothing like being around your family to make you feel thankful and loved.  It recharged my battery and I was thinking on our flight to Nashville, that it now feels like home to me as well.  It's where Adam and I have started a home and filled it with a large, spoiled dog and three beautiful children.  Family is so important and I'm grateful for mine.

 

The last evening we were there, Poppy commented, "look at all those boots!" in the mud room.  Of course, they were all jumbled up, but I lined them up from the smallest, Lindsey's, to the biggest, Poppy's.  What a shot.  :)



This lady right here (my grandmother) probably makes me the most emotional.  I love her so much and I'm so glad she makes the trip out to see the family and spend the holiday with us.  I'm so happy she's gotten to spend time with my babies.  I wish she were my neighbor and I could see her every day.

The kiddos stretching it out.  Don't judge Kyle for being super huge. 

The girls in the wagon

Cousin Dillon, helping the girls feed the goat

The gals having a snack

This is my oldest nephew, Dee.  I haven't seen him since Aubrie was a baby.  He was brave enough to bring his girlfriend, Jenny around.  She's a sweetheart.  They're a cute couple.

Aubrie took an interest in roping the dummy with her dad. 

And Emilie was more interested in riding the horses this time.

Folks, this CPA doesn't just audit, he can RIDE!

Dalton and Dillon getting ready to eat.  They borrowed a couple of bibs.  :)

Gram making Kyle smile with some patty cake. 

Poppy and Kyle.  His shirt says, "Grandpa's Little Buckaroo"

 Robbie, Mom, Dad, me, and Troy.

What a trip!  Lots of memories and laughs.  Thanks, mom and dad, for hosting ALL of us!

Back to the grind!
Love to all!

 

Pin It Now!

Amazing Grace

We made it!  We flew out of Nashville on Saturday morning and flew to El Paso.  5 hours and 5 minutes.  Then we loaded up into dad's truck and drove 1.5 hours to mom and dad's house.  All the kids did well.  Adam sat in a row with the girls and enjoyed watching movies on the iPad and Kyle rode on my lap and slept or smiled at strangers.  We only had one difficult moment when Emilie got tired and decided she wanted mommy and tried to climb over Adam to get to me across the isle.  Adam tried to restrain her and keep her from me which caused screaming and crying and so Adam and I switched places and he held Kyle and I calmed the girls down.  In Emilie's defense, she's two.  And she was hungry.

As we were driving to mom and dad's house, it started sprinkling and all our bags are in the back of dad's truck.  We had the camera in one bag, breast pump in another, chargers and medicine in another.  Adam thought we should pull over and pull out everything that couldn't get wet and put it up front.  I just wanted to keep going and live on a prayer.  He got his way and we pulled over and he kept asking me which bag what was in.  I got mad and had to get out and dig through bags with him which caused me to get dirty because of the truck and I HATE...absolutely HATE when people rummage through my stuff.  I pack neatly and know where stuff is, so I KNOW when someone has been in my bag, diaper bag, purse, because everything is jumbled up. 

Anyways, we were biting at each other, RUMMAGING through bags and we both got on the truck and were buckling up and getting ready to pull back on the highway when out of the blue, Aubrie started singing a song to the tune of Amazing Grace.  The words were like, "I'm going to Poppy's house and I like to play.  At Gram's house is so much fun!" but it was all to the tune Amazing Grace.  I sighed big and said, "Amazing Grace..." and we both smiled.  How neat it is that Aubrie was able to diffuse our little quarrel and pretty much the tenseness of the whole day by singing that song.  Kids are so precious!

 

We made it!  I've got my Texas A&M sweatshirt on and dad's boots and I'm ready to help feed the cows and horses!  (By the way, I'm still giddy over the Aggies beating Alabama.  What a game!  I was an Aggie fan since my brother went to school there and took me to a game.  The fans are electric and it was such a fun experience.  I then adopted Adam's team, the Fighting Irish...but you all know how giddy we are about them this year!)

Here's the goat mom and dad got for the girls to enjoy.  They call it Rojo (red is Spanish) but gave Aubrie a chance to name it and she chose "Hella".  So we naturally chose the last name of "Goodtime."

Aubrie and the calves

Dad's got these old coffee canisters that the girls carry the feed in.  The hay makes poor Emilie's nose run.

Mom and I went for a run yesterday.  Don't we look fierce?

Gigi, my Grandma, got here on Sunday.  She was pushing Kyle around in the stroller to get him to sleep.

Adam and the kids.  I love the mountains.  The number one thing I miss about Arizona!

My brother, Robbie, can't make it until late Wednesday, maybe Thursday, so we convinced his wife Kasey to drive down yesterday with cousin Lindsey and we are so glad they did!! The girls were asking for Lindsey Lou every hour!

Bedtime story on Gram's bed.  Is it just me, or is Adam really into the story?

I wanted to make a new shower curtain for the kids' bathroom and last time mom was visiting in Nashville, she helped me plan it out and buy material and we did it while we were here.  I did the cutting, mom did the sewing, Gigi and Adam did the ruffling.  It was a lengthy project and I'm thankful for all my help!!

I hope everyone is traveling safely to their destinations.  I love Thanksgiving and spending time with family.  I'm anxiously waiting for a couple of friends to have their babies and counting all my blessings.  Hopefully I'll have time to post another entry before I go.  My brother Troy, his wife Tammy, and my two nephews Dillon and Dalton will be here tomorrow.  My nephew Dee and his girlfriend just got here and Robbie is hopefully coming soon.  Love to all! Pin It Now!

8th Annual Apple Pie Bake Off

Well folks!  It was that time again for the Annual Apple Pie Bake Off.  This is no joke.  There are a few of us that take this thing seriously and look forward to this get together all year.  Whoever is the host picks the rules.  For example, whether it is a pie or dessert or anything apple.  They also pick how to determine the winner.  This year it was bring an apple dessert and all the men judged the desserts.  They picked their top 3 favorites.  The first pick got 5 points, second pick got 3 points, and third pick got 1 point. 



All the wonderful desserts.  Erin brought cookies, Sunny made dumplings, and there were several pies. 



Third place was Ashleigh Anglemyer with her cute little apple desserts. 

Second place was yours truly with Dutch Caramel Apple Cheesecake

And first place was Beth Gillem with her hot apple pie.  It was a Pioneer Woman special recipe

Here's last year's winner, Josie Hackworth, dessert.

The contestants are lined up and ready to hear the winner.  We had two males enter in the contest this year!

Our winner!!

Beth Gillem is originally from Nashville.  She works with Dan and Jenny at St. Paul.  She is working on her grad school at Trevecca and we're so glad to have her in the group.  Good luck hosting this herd next year!  Take care of that coveted trophy! 

Dan is actually thinking about making a platform for the trophy and listing all the winners on it.  The trophy is my old basketball trophy.  Andrew burned the top off of it to make it look like a pie.  There is also talk about sewing a tiny apron for it to wear because the trophy has boobs and we don't want to discriminate against the male contestants! 

Andrew, Anna Sophia, Adam, and Dan holding Kyle.  Dan's going to be a dad any day now!!!

Thank you Josie and Jenny for hosting everyone this year.  As always, we had a blast and are looking forward to doing it again next year! 

Love to all! Pin It Now!

Meatballs and Cheese Bread

How is everyone?  I hope you are all doing well!   My sweet friend, Colleen just plugged my blog on her facebook and it was a reminder that I need to go hide in my room and get a post up!  I've got so much going on and so much to share!  I love when people tell me they've missed me and want me to post more.  Colleen tells me when she tries new recipes and I love that someone is trying them out.  Like I said at the beginning, I'm no professional, but hopefully I'll give you a few laughs and share a recipe you would might want to try yourself.  :)  By the way, Colleen is one of those friends I'll always share a bond with.  I worked with her at Vanderbilt Children's hospital at the Patient Representative Reception of the Acute Care Center.  I would imagine it being the same kind of bond that soldiers have when fighting in the trenches.  We saw some ugly days and dealt with some characters!

I hope that doesn't offend any soldiers.  NOTHING I do compares to the hard work and sacrifice you give our country and I appreciate that. 

So moving on...We carved a pumpkin.  It's the first time we have done it with the kids.  Last year we didn't carve one and I don't know why.  The year before that, we had just had Emilie and we didn't carve one then.  The girls had a blast doing it.  Aubrie reached in and grabbed the goop but Emilie didn't care for it. 

Loving our new jack-o-lantern!

When we went out to the front porch, I got this awesome shot of the full moon and the street lamp lighting up the gorgeous yellow leaves.  I also said a little prayer for all of my teacher friends because a full moon and Halloween is a recipe for a chaotic week at school!

I tried a new recipe last week and we absolutely loved it.  It made of think of beef stroganoff, but we think this is better because the meatballs are so moist and it is so tasty!  I highly recommend this recipe.  Kids always like noodles and the meat is so tasty.  It's a win win!  I paired it with some yummy cheesy bread that you'll find below this recipe. 

Skillet Meatballs in Creamy Herb Sauce

from Gonna Want Seconds Blog

• 1 pound 85 percent lean ground beef
• 1 (5.2-ounce) package Boursin cheese with garlic and herbs, crumbled
• Salt and pepper
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 onion, chopped fine
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 3 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 8 ounces egg noodles
• 1/4 cup white wine
• 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh chives

Instructions

1. Combine beef, 5 tablespoons Boursin cheese, ¾ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper in medium bowl and knead gently until combined. Form mixture into 1-inch meatballs. Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Cook meatballs until well browned all over, about 5 minutes. Transfer meatballs to plate and pour off all but 1 tablespoon fat from pan.
2. Cook onion in reserved fat until browned, 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in flour and cook until golden, about 1 minute. Add broth, noodles, and wine and bring to boil. Cover and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook, stirring often, until pasta begins to soften, about 5 minutes. Add meatballs and simmer, covered, until meatballs are cooked through and noodles are al dente, about 4 minutes. Off heat, stir in remaining Boursin cheese and chives. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Cheesy Stuffed Bread

1/2 cup olive oil

1 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1 1/4 teaspoon minced garlic

slices of mozzarella

loaf of bread (I used a french loaf, but I'd like to try it on sourdough!)

Take your loaf of bread and slice it all the way to the bottom, but not all the way through.  Mix the olive oil, oregano, pepper, red pepper, and garlic together and brush it on top and in between all the slices.  You can buy already sliced mozzarella or the ball of cheese and cut it up.  Stuff one slice between each slit.  Stick it in a hot oven until completely melted.  Enjoy!!

Last weekend we raked leaves and bagged them.  That is one thing we absolutely LOVE about our house.  We only have one tree to worry about the leaves.  At our old house, raking leaves was a dreadful chore that took multiple weekends. 

Kyle's first swing ride in the backyard

Raking leaves was a team event.  We BELIEVE in child labor. :)

Emilie was actually REALLY helpful.  She got right in there and scooped leaves into the bag.  Aubrie was not helpful at all.  She was too worried about what shoes to wear and was going in and out of the house changing shoes.  Drama. 

After sweeping the sidewalk and drive, we had a parade.  Of course.

I think I mentioned in my previous blog that Kyle had an earache and couldn't get his shots last time we were in the doctor's office.  So when we went in for Emilie's 2 year check-up, all three kids were getting shots.  Aubrie just needed a flu shot, Emilie needed a flu shot and immunizations, and Kyle needed immunizations.  So I packed my bag with juice boxes, twizzlers, and Tylenol.  The kids never get juice boxes and Aubrie will do ANYTHING for one. 

I told the nurse to go ahead and do Aubrie's first, but I knew my little drama queen would scream so I asked to do it in another room.  She and I went in the other room and I gave her the juice box.  Well, she knew something was up.  Good ol' mom doesn't just pass out juice boxes.  The nurse came in with her needle and Aubrie immediately lost it.  We had to restrain her and she got her shot.  The poor girl came up lame.  She had to drag that leg behind her when she left the room to return to her siblings.  But she sucked down that juice box!

Emilie was next.  They laid her down and I didn't give her a juice box yet.  I just leaned over her tummy and talked to her and held her arms while the nurse gave her two shots.  She winced and said, "Aaaaa!"  and that was it.  No tears.  She didn't come up lame.  She got a juice box.

Finally it was Kyle's turn.  My little crocodile does not take a pacifier and that hurts the cause.  He had to get five shots and he cried, held his breath for what seemed like eternity, and then cried out one more time and was fine.  He does this pouty lip quiver that melts your heart.  So the child that got one little shot reacted the worst.  All in all, it wasn't a bad experience.  We survived and met up with family to eat and have an ice cream cone.

Let's see, what's next?  Happy Halloween!  I had a blast checking in on my facebook and seeing everyone's costumes!  My favorite might have to be the Mitchell twin girls.  One was an elf and the other was a reindeer.  They were so creative and cute.  My girls are really into princesses.  Aubrie chose to be Ariel and Emilie chose Snow White.  Kyle was the color orange.  :)

Kyle didn't care too much about the trick or treating.  Adam ended up holding him the whole time.  Aubrie and Emilie had a blast.  When people would let the girls pick out their own candy, Emilie would grab handfuls and I would have to race over to the door and take scoops of candy out of her bucket and put it back.  Aubrie tried to chat everybody up and fished for compliments on how pretty she looked.  Emilie would just talk loud.  I asked the doctor if she was maybe hard of hearing or was she just really enthusiastic.  He said it was normal.  The girl was loud.  THANK YOU!  I'M SNOW WHITE!  TRICKER CHEAT!!!!

Tia joined us for the festivities.

We had a blast and it seems like time is just flying right now. I can't believe I'm leaving for Texas in a week for Thanksgiving!  It might be one of those years that the Christmas decorations don't get out in time and I'm scrambling the whole holiday season.  As Mrs. Griswald said, "It's the holidays, we're all miserable."  Great movie.  

Love to all! 

Pin It Now!