In the blink of an eye...

January 29--Happy Birthday Jeanne!!

I bet you all just think our life is one big party around here! One birthday after another. Well, that's pretty true (The birthday part, not the party!)

Thanks for being a very easy, wonderful "oldest" child in the family Jeanne! I'm sure it hasn't always been easy, the eldest is the one that parents really get to learn parenting skills on! You were very patient with us.

Here's to "The next 30 years"!!

Happy Birthday Jessi!

It's hard to believe she's one! A year ago I was up in North Dakota, spending the night in a rocking chair, in a freezing cold very tiny hospital room! I didn't sleep much...but I did get to spend a good portion of the night cuddling and rocking my brand new granddaughter, so I guess it was a fair trade. Happy Birthday Jessi, we love you!

2 weeks from now she'll be in Kearney for the weekend, and we're going to have a party for both her and Trey who will turn one on Feb 17. I can hardly wait to see Jessi again, and see the babies together again too! Watch for party pictures!!

Happy Birthday Mom

Happy birthday today to my mom... Off in the Galapagos Islands!
How many countries have you celebrated a birthday in? Last year you were in Latvia, the year before that in Argentina!

"In My Daughters Eyes"

In reading blogs lately, I've been so impressed, and yes envious (in a nice way) of those who truly have the ability to write. The ability to make me see what they saw, feel the way they feel, make me laugh when they've wrote something that really hits me funny, make tears come to my eyes when it's something that I can really relate to, or just give me a "warm fuzzy" feeling because there's another mom out there that I can relate to! I have a couple nieces who have the wonderful ability to write.

I even have a couple daughters who, when they've wrote certain things make me feel some of the above.

So, the other day Meshayla handed me an essay she'd wrote for school. I, having very much enjoyed some of her other journaling, eagerly read it.
I laughed & laughed.

She said I could post it here...no shy bone in her, so here it is, and hope you get a good chuckle too. (She got an A...!)

"One of my worst experiences ever is being lost in Wal-Mart. I was about five years old, shopping with my mom in Wal-Mart. Being only five and very curious, I was easily distracted. Before I knew it, I was watching my feet traipse along the patten on the glimmering hard floor. As I looked up to be sure I wasn't going to crash into a shelf, I noticed that something was definitely not right. My mother had gone missing. Or rather, I was lost. Frantically, mind racing, I peered cautiously around each corner. As I stumbled down the aisles, I cringed at all the strangers who seemed to be peering hungrily at the poor, helpless, unoccupied, little girl. My head was screaming, and desperate thoughts were tumbling one on top of the other, invading my brain, cramming into every corner of my mind. I was panicking horrifically. Is all I could see was the imagined glints in the others shopper's eyes.To me, it seemed to be ages before I was finally with my mom again. I was relieved to find her, and I clung to her cart the rest of the time."

**DISCLAIMER NOTE: I honestly do not even remember this incident. She claims it really happened, and maybe it did, however if so, I'm pretty sure that even tho SHE "lost me", I didn't lose her. I acknowledge I'll probably get grief for this one, you all picturing me trying to keep track of 12 kids in Walmart! Believe me, that never happened. I rarely took/or take my kids shopping, let alone the 5 at home now!

January 22, 1977....

Roses in the snow! Since I can't take pictures inside, I had to set my roses outside for the picture. Burr! It's really cold here today, but the snow does make a nice contrast!

Sorry, the quality of these photos is not very good...but after all, they're nearly "vintage" :*)

20 years ago..."Remember when"

Happy Birthday to Ryan! (on the 15th) "Big sisters" Didn't have any problem waking up in the middle of the night for a new-born peek, but we waited till morning for the next two to get their first look. The scrapbook page is when he turned one. It's been a wild ride "little boy"! Wonder what the next 20 years will bring.

A cold and frosty morning

A couple days we woke up to a beautiful white world! We hadn't had more than a dusting of snow, but the frost was so heavy it really made things pretty. Since I can take some outside pictures with the camera I'm using, I took advantage of the unique beauty.

Are you hungry?

*On a side note here, Matt & Amanda have their site updated! There's new baby pictures to look at!

Since I can't add any new pictures right now--Waiting to be able to purchase a new camera, AND more of your suggestions.... hint hint!
I thought maybe I'd share two of my favorite recipes. Hope you'll enjoy them as much as we do.

Good ole' but not your ordinary Roast Beef!

3 T vegetable oil
1 boneless rump roast (3 lb)
3 cups hot water
4 t. beef bouillon granules
1 T dried oregano
1-2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 t salt
1/2 t pepper
In a dutch oven, heat the oil over med-high heat. Brown roast on all sides; drain. Combine the water, bouillon, oregano, garlic, salt & pepper; pour over roast. Cover and bake at 350* for 3 hrs. or until meat is tender. Remove roast to a warm serving platter, let stand 10 min. before slicing.

This will make awesome gravy!
I've made roast for my family all these years, but I just found this recipe, and made it for company. It got rave reviews, and many requests for the recipe. When I was making roast the other night, the kids said "make it the new way!"

And our dessert tonight--because I have a freezer full of peaches, and lots of cream cheese left from X-mas baking. (I was overzealous)
PEACHES & CREAM:
1-4 oz box of cook n serve vanilla pudding mix
1/2 c flour
1 t baking powder
3 T melted butter
1 egg
1/2 c milk
1 pkg cream cheese 8 oz
1 can cling peaches-- (I used my qt. bag of frozen peaches, thawed)
1/2 c sugar
Cinnamon-sugar

Combine dry pudding mix, flour and baking powder in one bowl. Mix together butter, milk and egg in another, then add to dry mixture. Mix well. Pour in the bottom of greased 8x8 pan. Drain peaches, reserving liquid. Spread peaches on top of batter. Mix together 1/3 cup of reserved liquid, sugar and cream cheese. Pour over peaches. Sprinkle cinnamon-sugar on top.
Bake at 350* for 45 min.

This is scarey!!

Or, on second thought, maybe it's an improvement? Probably depends on the day!
My oldest just called me to impart this interesting tidbit of information. She reminded me of Ryan's birthday next week, and that as of then that I will have 7 children in their 20's. WOW... I remember when I had 7, ten years and under! (Yes, my memory is still that good).
It will only last for 2 weeks tho, because my oldest will be 30 the end of Jan.
Scarey.

Just sittin' here...

Checking on my blog, I realized that I couldn't get to a couple of the other blogs off my links, Sorry about that, it's my fault... as usual around here! When I re-did my list, during the cut n pasting, it added too many letters back in. No, Matt & Amanda haven't got theirs up-dated yet... no baby girl pictures! and although I've seen a few, I don't suppose I should put them on MY blog first!! keep checking tho... come on M & A!

GUEST COMMENTS 2008

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January 3, 2008

Just had to write that title up there... hadn't had a chance to write this years date yet. And, today is a special day! Happy birthday to my brother in AZ!!! HE'S 40! HAPPY BIRTHDAY "little" brother! Also today we added another January birthday to our family tree. I have a new great niece. Jayden Ray. Congratulations Matt & Amanda!!
Today I went to Omaha with Luanne (my sis) to pick up her kids who were flying home from AZ. We got word in-route that the baby was officially on it's way, and It was a temping thought for Luanne to just catch a plane to Nevada while we were at the airport, and send her kids home with me! It's SO hard being a long distance Grammie!
She did resist, but is planning a trip very shortly!