Thanksgiving 2011

What an amazing Thanksgiving!  I had the pleasure of hosting The Franks' clan of 10!  It was my first ever hosting a holiday, and I wish I had pictures to share of my beautiful table (I got to use my mom's china for the first time!)  And all the food, but I have not yet learned to balance hostessing, cooking, and photographing all at the same time.  I know some of my lovely sis-n-laws captured a few shots, so I know not all is lost!

Probably the best part of Thanksgiving, besides using fine china, is meeting my new sweet niece, Tricia! Oh! What-a-GEM!!  She is such a great addition to the Franks'! 

She is social, sweet, cuddly, girlie & imaginative! Such a priceless gift from our Great God!!

Here are some shots others so graciously got on my camera!  

My kids have other cousins, but none that are close in age or share their last name.  

Tricia is the first & is super special.  

Here are the two Franks' grandgirls sharing a moment together.  

Probably chatting about "pollos" & their dress-up shoes!

Here is a special moment between Christopher and Tricia doing a Franks' thing: POPCORN!! 

We love ourselves some popcorn, and tea & coffee! Those would be the three things we'd all take if stranded on a desserted island together, ha!!

Here is a fun time playing in the leaves with their Papa!

So many things to be thankful for!  

180 movie

Watch this! Its 33min & it is grrrrreat! =)

Operation Christmas Child

I would highly recommend looking into it for your children.  It is a great, easy way to teach your children about those less fortunate.  During the upcoming season when it all seems to be about more, we as a family decided to fill a box that will mean the world to a little boy & girl. First we watched this
video (& maybe I cried)

The video got Christopher way excited to go purchasing our gifts. We went to the happiest place on earth, no not here, but here.

We loaded up on goodies, books, jump rope, toy dinosaurs, note pads & crayons.  Also a wash cloth, toothpaste & toothbrush.

Love those faces!!  I hope this will be something my children look forward to doing for YEARS to come! What a great mission, and we are so happy to support.  Click here to get detailed instructions, and to find a drop off location near you!

Btw, each box cost 14$, plus 7$ donation to cover shipping the gift.  21 bucks for a great tradition, and to help someone else.  Not too bad with us :)

Now off to watch this movie.  I heard it is very encouraging & inspiring.  

The little things...

I am excited it is time to order our calendar for 2012!  Yes, I do need Jan already;  I am a planner by nature.  I'd like to say how utterly organized I am, or something profound like a new calendar marks a new year = new beginning.  But no - just like nostaglia of a new school year & excited for school supplies - I get excited for my new calendar!  

This calendar above is my fav!  I love dry-erase, and I have magnetic dry erase markers right next to my calendar.  We are color coded in this family =)  Red - bills (blah), Purple - Fam Fun (yay!), Blue (c & mc), Green - J's work & appt, orange- me!

Ahh the simple things! Gotta love 'em!!

Happy fourth birthday, Big Boy!

Dearest Christopher,

This week you turned four.  Really?  How?
It seems like yesterday you were like this:

But you grew very fast.  And had the BEST mullet in town.

You turned 1...

 then 2...

(I don't have 3, bc our computer with pics got stolen)

but trust he was equally as cute!

Now 4.

Christopher - you are my gift from God.  You are thoughtful, generous, smart, and kind.  You love your family & little sister, and you make my heart expand every time I get to watch you discover something new.  I am so proud of you, and so proud to be your mom.  Thanks for making our life so rich!

On your birthday we took you to the zoo!  We had the best time!

Love this family! 

Thanks to God for amazing, wonderful blessings!!  

Can't wait to expand by one more come end of April!! Woo HOO!!

Letting Kids BE KIDS!!!

 It has been raining a lot here.  We are/were getting a little stir crazy, and when we were already soaked from running from the pizza place to the car 

we were all giggling so hard - 

We thought why not play some more!

I pray these are the days they'll remember most.

Not when mom is so tired (8 weeks remember!) 

she just lays on the couch while we play,

 Wondering where Christopher's yellow umbrella is? I took it from him so I could snap some close ups. 

I can't get my Nikon wet!!

It only lasted a few minutes before the wind blew and they got a chill, and although their faces don't show it exactly, they had a superb time!!

Happy First Day of Fall!!

Lots going on around here.

Today I baked a Pumpkin Pie

Source: foodnetwork.com via Lisa on Pinterest

Kind of tradition in our household to back one on the first day of fall

Read this book in three nights.  It was good, but had to skip some of the PG-13/ Rated R parts.  Looking forward to the movie, bc I heart Reese Witherspoon.

McKinley celebrated her 2nd birthday. 

 Where did the time go??

My baby is not longer a baby anymore, which is why....

We need another!

Due May 3rd =D

Lazy girl

Hi there,

Yes, it has been awhile.  I hope you don't take this the wrong, but I have not missed you much, blogger.  Sometimes I get overwhelmed with the idea that I haven't posted anything in awhile.  Sometimes it is just.one.more.thing on my to-do list.  Please don't hate me, we will be friends again soon!

=)
Nicole

Well this post isn't fantiastic on my end, but IS about to get much better. Mostly because I didn't really create it! I am reposting from my sis-n-law.  She wrote a sweet post of the introduction of my in-law family meeting the latest addition to the Franks' clan, her daughter - our new niece/grand-daughter, Tricia!!

See the post here, bc it is quite precious!! The only problem was Franks' South was missing!!! =( Can't wait to see my kids in the mix with their new, outrageous, cousin!!

I love you, Tricia! You are a gem and loved by many.  Many that I am very jealus of right at this moment ;)

Sorry for such a negetive post, guys! Promise to be more positive on the next one!!

Are you ready for some football...

...FOOD???

Come July I am so ready for NFL games I can hardly stand it (Go Skins)!

***Side Bar: I am not sure how we will get football this fall.  We do not have cable and only get fuzz on our TV. We have been known to watch Monday Night Football on ESPN.com, which has cartoon'd graph of the football field on the computer.  We would refresh every few moments to see and watch the X's & O's move up and down the 'field.' Better yet is when ESPN highlights a 30 second clip of a   a play that had occured moments before!  Yes, we are that desperate about our football. ***

 OK, where were we??  Ah yes, back to football food and ready for football.  My sweet friend gave me a bag full of her jalapenos from her garden.  We started discussing what she likes to do make with them.  I mentioned guacamole, and she said a cream cheese filled jalapeno.

Ah yes, my mind drifted: an autumn breeze, chill in the air, and Joe Buck's lovely football voice playing the background. My mind immediately remembered my dear sis-n-law's recipe of jalapeno poppers!  I knew what I was going home to make. Thank-you Katie, for your simple and delicious food.

Let me also preface this with Katie does not give measurements, all by taste your greatest sense while cooking. I just threw it all together, and tasted as I went.  I usually like my salt, but I knew the bacon would be salty so I help back a little there.  I would strongly suggest the same!

OK enough talking here are the ingredients:
Fresh Jalapenos
Cream Cheese (approx 1/2 cup)
lemon juice
1 large clove of garlic, pressed
salt and pepper
Bacon, uncooked

Instructions:

Keep stem of jalapeno on, and cut the in half length wise. Take a small spoon, and carve out the inside seeds and membranes (that's where the REAL hot stuff, so if you like it hot could use some seeds in cream cheese mixture).

In a small bowl mix together, cream cheese, lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper.  Taste and adjust accordingly.

Spoon mixture into each half jalapeno, and wrap 1/2 a slice of bacon around stuffed jalapeno.

A cookie sheet with a lip is STRONGLY suggested!  Otherwise the fat from the bacon will run over and get all over your oven!

Cook on 350 until bacon is nice and crispy, and it make a cackle sound.  If you take them out too early they bacon will be soft rubbery and jalapenos still crunchy.  You want that switched - bacon crispy & jalapenos soft! Mine took about 35 min and they were PERFECT!

You should also know per Katie, these freeze nicely.  I only cooked half of mine and put the rest in a freeze zip lock ready for September & football!!

With my favorite summer time beer it was a PERFECT FRIDAY NIGHT TREAT!!

 OH YES, All my senses were being prepped for football season to come!!

These photos are RAW and unedited!  Wow, what a lazy blogger I am!  No excuse other than I just wanted to get this post up.  I will do better next time!

Pfac

These precious faces tell it all!

We had the pleasure of checking out Pfac - Peninsula Fine Arts Center. And it was a hit! Children 5 & under are free - bonus! And my ticket can be used for one week.  The children's 'hands on' are open Tuesday & Thursday all day. I see many trips here in the future.  I should probably just become a member? After C saw these pic's he kept saying in my ear, "mmmoooommmm, I want to go paint!!"

The creating was ENDLESS

Shhhhh, genius' at work

messy hands = good times for Mc