Thanksgiving

WOW!  What a day!  I got stuffed, like the turkey I am!   I think I filled my belly way to full!  I got to make green bean casserole and take it to Brian’s grandparent’s this year, which didn’t turn out half bad.  It was cold by the time we got to eat it, but you know, I should have put it back in the oven.  Gracie even tried a bite of a little green bean, and not of a big green bean, because according to her, those make her really crazy! 

After lunch we went to my mom’s house, and had dessert.  My Aunt Teresa and my mom were doing crafts, and apparently we didn’t get the supply list.  But we got to help and have a good laugh, and no one wanted the snowball after it was finished. 

I am so very thankful for all of my family and friends and that I got to spend the day with most of them yesterday.  Those of you that I didn’t see, you were truly missed and I love you!  

Now, onto Christmas, the busiest month of the whole year.  We have parties, parades, I am on call for a week, Brian works every other Saturday,  wrapping presents, shopping time with my husband, and best of all CHRISTMAS!!  I am so excited I can hardly stand it.  I have always loved Christmas, it is become more about family than anything, and watching Gracie open her presents.  I love see the look on her face after each present is opened. 

The only thing I despise, and I am sure each and every one of you will agree, is getting those little toys out of the packages.  You have to have a PhD in Nuclear Radiation, and Engineering to get those little suckers out of those boxes.  I mean wire cutters, scissors, blow torches, hammers, drills, I have seen it all.  Is the toy really worth that much??  I say, yes, yes it is!!  NOW, go buy it!  Love y’all!

We are family!

I know you love to watch Gracie dance just as much as I do, so here you go!

Well, It’s not a Secret…

The cat is out of the bag, my mom had cancer.  Yep, I said it.  Lung Cancer to be exact.  You noticed I said “HAD”  That is right, today is a day of celebration.  She went to the doctor today, and got an “All-clear” report.  She will only have to do a cat scan once a year from now on.  She found out in August, that she had a mass on her right lung, two months later, a doctor at Integris was taking out a lobe in her right lung and that was that, Cancer was gone!  How awesome is that?  Prayers have certainly been answered!!  She is doing wonderful, getting around so great, and bossing Ron around since she is home, Ha!  She will be off for a few more weeks, but otherwise, doing just wonderful!!

My family is doing great, Gracie is growing like a weed!  She is getting so smart and saying new things every day.  I took her to get her flu shot today, and she said after her shot:  That is it, no more shots for the year!  She also told a little boy at daycare that he was being an annoyance.  Where they come up with this stuff, who knows! 

Christmas is right around the corner, and I haven’t even begun to think about Christmas shopping.  Brian and I are celebrating our anniversary this weekend, and I plan on hitting it hard this weekend!  He loves to shop with me, because I am one of those shoppers that gets in and out, I know what I am going for!  Plus, I hit all the sales racks!  Or, at least, I think he likes to shop with me, maybe he just likes spending time with me :)

Gracie is turning 4!

Well, it is finally here.  Tomorrow is her big day!  I can’t believe it has already been 4 years since little Gracie Lou was born.  Remember she looked like a little monkey head when she was born??  Well, she has grown up so much and has such a little attitude, but I love that little stinker!

 

Chicken Quesadillas

I know you have waited on me to blog for almost a month, and you get a stinkin’ recipe.  Well this recipe is sooo good!

1 can (10 3/4 ounces) Campbell's® Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup (Regular or 98% Fat Free)

1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese (about 4 ounces)

1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and finely chopped (optional)

1 can (12.5 ounces) Swanson® Premium White Chunk Chicken Breast in Water, drained

10 flour tortillas (8-inch), warmed

Pace® Chunky Salsa

Sour cream

1. Heat the oven to 400°F.
2. Stir the soup, 1/2 cup cheese, jalapeño pepper, if desired, and chicken in a medium bowl.
3. Place the tortillas onto 2 baking sheets.  Spread 1/4 cup chicken mixture on half of each tortilla to within 1/2 inch of the edge.  Brush the edges of the tortillas with water.  Fold the tortillas over the filling and press to seal.
4. Bake for 5 minutes or until the filling is hot.  Sprinkle with the remaining cheese.  Serve with the salsa and sour cream.
Makes: 5 servings.

Enjoy!

Well, have you missed me?`

Things have been a little busy around here lately!  It seems like we have been going non-stop for the last few weeks.  We had Baby Cole’s Birthday party,which was fun!  Then, we had vacation bible school at Aunt Amie’s church, which Gracie loved!   She really liked the teachers!  Then, this past weekend, Gracie and I ventured out on our own to Ft.Worth, and went to Cindy’s wedding.  We had a great time!  The wedding was awesome, Cindy and James truly put on a great party for their family and friends.    Gracie and I stayed in a hotel by our self, and Gracie was in heaven.  She got to eat in bed, and lay all over me at night!  Of course, I didn’t get any sleep, but it was worth the trip! 

Does anyone else feel like this year is in fast forward, I mean Gracie’s birthday is right around the corner, then Halloween, then Christmas, O lord.  Do ya’ll remember the blizzard, it just seems like we were crawling out of it like a month ago.  And that stinkin’ ice storm, wow, no electricity for two weeks!  How can I forget that? 

Well, as some of you may already know, my brother and his family are moving to Mangum.  They have already placed their house in Duncan on the market, and will close on their new house in September.  I cannot wait to see it, I hear it is beautiful!  All I have to say, I better get my new webcam working on my pc, so Gracie can Skype with Addy, along with Bailey and Savana down in Texas!

Gracie is having a little bit of difficulty dealing with the fact that everyone is moving, and her best friend is going to school and she is not.  It is a great opportunity for Gracie to meet new friends and I know first chance she gets, she will, but right now, she doesn’t understand that.  I know kids are very flexible at this age, and adjust to change easily, I just think it will take time!  We have our daily talks about it, and we somehow adopted our secret handshake, that seems to make her feel better!  And of course, this morning, I promised her sonic for dinner :)  I am such a sucker!

Ranch Style Coleslaw with Bacon

I like coleslaw, when it is not out of the big bucket from Walmart, when someone actually takes the time to make it.  I like my sister’s version of coleslaw, it has lemon pepper in it.  Brian likes the real deal mayo type, the one that is really creamy.  He wouldn’t like the one below because he doesn’t like ranch, but maybe if I used Creamy Italian and who could go wrong with bacon, HA!

1 pkg. (16 oz.) coleslaw blend
4 slices  OSCAR MAYER Bacon, cooked, crumbled
1/2 cup KRAFT Ranch Dressing

Make It

COMBINE ingredients.

Kraft Kitchens Tips

Asian-Style Coleslaw
Prepare as directed, using KRAFT Asian Toasted Sesame Dressing and substituting 1/4 cup chopped PLANTERS COCKTAIL Peanuts for the bacon.
CATALINA Coleslaw
Prepare as directed, using KRAFT CATALINA Dressing and substituting 1 small chopped apple for the bacon.
Italian-Style Coleslaw
Prepare as directed, using KRAFT Tuscan House Italian Dressing and Marinade and substituting 1 small red pepper, cut into short thin strips, for the bacon.

All in a days work!

Have you ever had a day where you thought God was looking down on you and snickering the whole time while he watches the world unfold?  Well, I have had a week like that already.  Our dog threw up on the couch and pillows, Gracie painted herself with red paint, along with the carpet, and then she decided that she would play with the gum that was in her mouth and she smeared it all over her leg, hands and chin.  Yes, I know, at least it wasn’t her hair.  We were in the car at the time of that incident, so I made her ride home with her hands in the air, not touching anything.  Good thing, I could laugh about all of this later, because I thought, man I should have taken a picture of that paint, AND that gum, but I didn’t.  Both times, I was so worried about her getting it on other things, I had to get it cleaned up right then.  It is only Wednesday, and I can’t wait to see what else is in store for the rest of the week!

Oh yeah, and if anyone wants to get me a belated birthday gift, throw pillows would be nice :)

On a cute note, Gracie was so tired the other night, she passed out in like 5 minutes, and when Brian went in there to check on her, this is what he found.

Fancy Nancy Party

Gracie went to her Fancy Nancy Party at the Library yesterday.  She had a blast!  They had so much fun, making tiaras, and getting jewelry.  They even gave them little snacks.  Addy and Haylee were there with her, and even Brian showed up at the end to surprise her. 

It’s On!

I get this song stuck in my head every time it is on, and Gracie jumps up and starts dancing, well finally I caught her on video!

Post it Note Tuesday

Gracie Dancing

Gracie is getting so much more vocal these days, and loves to dance!  The other night, she told Brian, Peace Out Hoagie!  Here is a video I got of her dancing the other night, while we were waiting on the fireworks.

What would you do to save a dog?

Are you a pet lover?  What would you do to save a dog?  Would you spend your savings on your dog?  A dog that has only been in your family for 6 months?  A dog that your daughter has grown to love?  A dog that has slowly become part of your family?  Well, we had to yesterday?  Let’s just say we spent a lot of money on Princess Pinkalicious yesterday!  She had to have an emergency hysterectomy.  Now she is a baron old woman.  Darn Dog!  If it isn’t one thing, it is another!  She had an infection in her uterus, that could have killed her, and so we spared her life.  This dog better not die for at least the next 10 years or else!!  She needs to pay off her debt…

Skillet Garlic Chicken

I am always looking for FAST recipes, especially during the summer.  I don’t want to spend my evening in the kitchen, plus, I have about 45 minutes until Brian gets home from work, and WHEN (yes, when) I cook dinner, I want it to be ready when he gets home.  I cook more in the winter than in the summer, because I would rather be outside playing than inside cooking.  We make a lot of sandwiches in the summer.  Anyway, I found this recipe and it says it takes 20 minutes to cook, so it is right up my alley, and it looks delish, can’t wait to try it:

Skillet Garlic Chicken
from Campbell's Kitchen
Prep Time: 5 min.
Cook Time: 20 min.

1/4 teaspoon ground sage

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme leaves, crushed

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves  (about 1 pound)

Vegetable cooking spray

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 can (10 3/4 ounces) Campbell's® Healthy Request® Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup

1/2 cup water

Parslied Rice

1. Stir the sage and thyme in a small bowl. Season the chicken with the sage mixture.
2. Spray a 12-inch nonstick skillet with the cooking spray and heat over medium heat for 1 minute. Add the chicken and cook for 15 minutes or until the chicken is well browned on both sides and cooked through. Remove the chicken from the skillet and keep warm.
3. Add the garlic to the skillet and cook and stir until lightly browned. Stir in the soup and water and cook until the mixture is hot and bubbling. Serve the sauce over the chicken with the Parslied Rice.
4. Parslied Rice: Toss 4 cups hot cooked long-grain white rice with 1 teaspoon chopped fresh parsley.
Makes: 4 servings.

Sliced onions and mushrooms make great additions to this sauce. Sauté them with the garlic until the mushrooms are soft and onions are caramelized, then proceed with the recipe.

News on Terry

First and Foremost, Brian’s stepdad Terry, is in Minnesota, like I said yesterday, he had surgery and things were looking up, that was yesterday.  Around 2:30 or so, Karmen was supposed to head to the airport and they noticed that Terry stomach had swollen, so the doctors did a scan on him and found that a staple from his previous surgery had come loose and poked a hole in his bile duct and bile had leaked out.  Not good.  So they rushed in into surgery to repair it.  As of this morning, he was in ICU, on a ventilator.  He had a 102 fever, and a blood pressure of 87 over 34.  Actually, his fever had come down, and his blood pressure had risen from what is was in the middle of the night, so he was already getting better.  The doctors are confident that he can fight off this infection, but it will be a long, hard fight.  Please keep him in your prayers, as he needs strength and a miracle right now, as does his whole family.  Karen and Karmen are sleep deprived and worn out.  They have been through the wringer and have been trying to be strong through this whole thing, but it is very trying on them both. 

On the home front, Craig and Brian can’t understand what is happening and they both want to be up there.  Craig actually left this morning to go up there.  Terry elected to have this surgery, he was tired of feeling sick all the time and being in pain.  He wanted all this to be over, and the doctors were confident that they could fix him.  He prayed about it, and this is where the Lord led him.   The Lord will take care of him now.

Second, Brian’s Great Uncle Armond, fell off of the ladder and is in ICU in California.  He is getting better daily, but he could use some prayers too! 

Also, Ron is having an MRI tomorrow to find out what is going on with his shoulder.  I hope it is nothing serious and can be fixed with a few simple massages.  Wouldn’t that be nice!

Well, I have been shuffling Gracie from one place to the other, and I think when Karmen comes back we might change a few things, i.e. nap time.  I kind of like it when Gracie goes to bed at 8, she is asleep at 8:15.  She has played so hard these past two weeks, and I thank each of you that has helped me out, I really appreciate it!!

I have not forgotten about you…

There is a lot going on right now, I am very busy at work, and I haven’t had a chance to even sit down and think about what all has happened in the last few days.  I promise I will update you all tomorrow. 

However, I do want to say a quick note, Terry had his surgery and is healing fine.  He has had a few setbacks, but that is to be expected.

Deep Dish Taco Squares

 

This recipe looked really good, and fast, think I will have to try this one.

Try this ground beef recipe made with Old El Paso® chopped green chiles from Betty Crocker.

Prep Time: 25 min
Total Time: 55 min
Makes: 6 servings

 

1/2 lb lean (at least 80%) ground beef

1/4 cup chopped onion (1 small)

2 tablespoons Old El Paso® taco seasoning mix (from 1-oz package)

1 cup Original Bisquick® mix

1/4 cup cold water

1/2 cup sour cream

1/3 cup mayonnaise or salad dressing

1/2 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese (2 oz)

1 medium tomato, chopped (3/4 cup)

1 can (4.5 oz) Old El Paso® chopped green chiles

1. Heat oven to 375°F. Spray 8-inch square (2-quart) glass baking dish with cooking spray. In 8-inch skillet, cook beef and onion over medium-high heat 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thoroughly cooked; drain. Stir in taco seasoning mix until blended.

2. In medium bowl, stir Bisquick mix and water until soft dough forms. Using fingers dipped in Bisquick mix, pat dough in bottom and 1/2 inch up sides of baking dish.

3. In same bowl, mix sour cream, mayonnaise and cheese until blended. Layer beef mixture, tomato and chiles over dough; spoon sour cream mixture over top.

4. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until edges of dough are light golden brown.

Jeans for Sale!

Have you ever shopped at Crazy 8?  It is like Old Navy is to Gap, but this is compared to Gymboree.  Well, they have there jeans on sale for $6.99.  That is a great price for jeans especially for fall, and as the kids get older, they are going to get harder on the jeans.  So go to Crazy 8 and start shopping.

Garage sale

Garage sale went great, sold lots of great stuff, and got sunburned, of course.  I am so glad that it is over though.  We made a little over a $1000 and we had a lady who ran a mission come to pick up everything that we didn't want to keep.  I kept 4 bins of clothes of which I am donating to a children's closet.  Keeping nothing, this year!

 

Anyway, it went great, and thank you to everyone who helped out!

Coupon Inserts

There will be 3, TRES, TROIS count them THREE coupon inserts this weekend in the paper, baby!!  Go by yourself two of them, you deserve it!