Abby is going to Preschool

Abby is growing up so fast. When people say it is only a blink and then they are all grown up it is the truth. Sign ups for preschool are next week. Abby I hope will enjoy going to school and getting to play with other kids that are her age.

We have chosen a christian preschool that came highly recommended. ( I think that is why they do sign ups in February for September ) WoW!

We cannot wait to see how she grows this year - we will keep you updated with pictures and blogs and maybe some video blogging :)

Peace and Quiet - 2 months old already

okay so still adjusting I would say. I needed to go to the store today to get some things- well we made it through the store but then Nathan woke up and was hungry and needed to be changed. Well we got that taken care of then Abby started screaming. I needed to go to Sams to get formula, - I could see very plainly that this was not going to happen - at least not today. God knew very well what he was doing when he made man and woman to work together to create children. God also knew that it took both of them to raise that child. I really do not understand how single parents do it.?! Daddy was able to go to Sams and get the formula that mr. Nathan needed. Thank goodness, and we were able to take a car ride, a long one because as long as the car is moving the kids are happy. :) Nathan went to sleep and so did Abby. - That ment ROLL ON, we took a nice long car ride and we all enjoyed the umm peace and quiet, for a little while at least.
Nathan will be two months old this week, WOW- can you believe it! he is growing up so fast. David asked me today - Paula how long before nathan starts talking? His cousins are so excited to have someone new to play with.
Abby still loves being a big sister, she loves rocking the baby ( in the baby carrier ) sometimes a little to rough- but she still loves her brother. :) She got to go to IHOP today just her and mommy and daddy and cousin michael. We were celebrating michael's 18th birthday. She was so excited because she got to eat "cake cakes" for breakfast.
Mom and Dad are doing good, a little sleep deprivation but that is to be expected. Nathan is starting to sleep a little longer through the night, he will sleep from 1 till 5 or 6 now WOOHOO! I am becomming a fan of Jimmy Kimmel and World News Now. Jon loves playing with Nathan and hearing him coo.. He is smiling already-mostly does that for Jon and will roll over when we put him on his tummy. He loves his swing and being held and music.

2010 Goals

Well every year Jon and I do this - Make Goals for the upcomming year - our Resolution-

1. County Water



2. Gravel and Pave the driveway



3. Shrubs and trees in the front Yard



4. re-seed in the spring



5. Paint the interior of the house



6. Paint the exterior of the house



7. Get the tree debris gone

Whew.. That is a lot!! It will be a miracle if it all gets done. But we aim high, and hopefully it will all get done. We are really excited about 2010, God blessed us with a healthy handsome baby boy in 2009.

Abby had a terrific year in 2009, she has entered into toddler land and is learning about EVERYTHING. Sometimes I would like it if life would slow down just a little. Miss Abby is a beautiful little girl and we are so thankful for what we have been blessed with.

Christmas 2009

Whew.. What a Christmas...

Christmas Eve.. We got up early and decided to go down to the lake and suprise Gran Ma and Paw Paw. Jon had to work Christmas Eve - we did not think that we were going to make it to see Gran Ma and Paw Paw, but it worked out. Thank God it did - because that Lasagna sure was delicious! We enjoyed seeing everybody. The kids are so cute and all of them enjoy playing together.

Then we went to Mimi and Grandaddy's and had dinner, Chicken and Dressing and all the sides. Yummo. I think Abby had dessert for dinner.

Then Maw Maw and Paw Paws on Christmas Day, Whew what a spread Rib Roast and Turkey and all the trimmings - I think Abby ate a roll and some apples.

Eating with toddlers around the holidays explained: I think abby has had a steady diet of M&M's cookies, pie, cake rolls crakers cheese and anything else sweet for the past two weeks. I think if she could get away with it she would sit right down with the bag of sugar and eat it with a spoon. She thinks that Cupcakes are for breakfast lunch and dinner ( no we do not serve her that ) but she thinks if she asks for it and says, : "cupcakes - yeah okay " that she will get it.

We are trying to wean her off of the sugar - I think she is on a sugar rush, well me too :) I do have to keep up with her right and Nathan. We are slowly trying to get her to eat veggies again. But for right now she is totally revolting. Oh well Christmas is totally worth it.

Christmas was so much fun this year...

Christmas morning was a blast, Abby was fully aware that Santa was comming to leave presents under the tree and that she had to be "NICE"

Nathan's Stocking was just as big as he is :)

Abby got a princess vanity from santa that she LOVES!!!
She also got a tobogan hat and some sunglasses so that she can make a fashion statement of course.

Santa, brought some lincoln logs and Abby and Daddy like building houses and trains that go "Choo Choo"

Going to the Lake for a Spooky Halloween

I think Abby and I will carve our pumpkin at the lake on the porch while Jon does some Deer hunting Saturday morning.


We are going Trick or Treating at Gran Mas and Paw Paws. Maybe have some soup and corn bread - that would be Yummy! Abby is going to be a ballerina this year and I am going to be a pregnant witch - hehe.

On Sunday we are going to Madison for Miss Morgan's Baby shower for baby Isabella. How Fun!!! This weekend is jammed packed full of fun. We cannot wait to see everybody.

Fall Festival - Recipes

Spiderweb cookies-


Ingredients
Cookies: favorite brand of Sugar Cookie mix
icing:
3 cups confectioners' sugar
3 tablespoons light corn syrup
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
3 tablespoons plus 4 teaspoons milk
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
Directions
1. Cookies: Heat oven to 350°. Coat 2 baking sheets with nonstick cooking spray. In bowl, prepare cookie dough as directed on package

2. Drop Tablespoonful of dough onto prepared sheets, spacing 2 inches apart. Spread slightly with spatula. ( I prefer to roll into balls - the cookie dough will flaten as it heats up)
3. Bake 1 sheet at a time in 350° oven 13 to 15 minutes, until toothpick inserted in centers tests clean. Remove cookies to rack to cool.
4. Icing: Blend confectioners sugar, corn syrup, vanilla and 3 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons milk until smooth. Remove 1/3 cup icing to small bowl and stir in cocoa and remaining 2 teaspoons milk. Transfer chocolate icing to plastic bag; snip off corner.
5. Turn cookies flat-side up. Spread white icing over one cookie. Beginning in center, pipe a spiral of chocolate icing onto cookie. Starting in center of spiral, drag a knife through spiral for spiderweb pattern. Repeat with all cookies. Let stand until set.

http://www.parents.com/recipe/cookies/spiderweb-cookies/

** I have changed this recipe to make it easier to make**

Spooky Surprise Cupcakes

http://www.duncanhines.com/recipes/cupcakes/dh/spooky-surprise-cupcakes

1 (8 oz.) block cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup sugar
4 large eggs
1 pkg Duncan Hines® Moist Deluxe® Devil's Food Cake Mix
1 1/3 cups water
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 tub Duncan Hines® Creamy Home-Style Classic Chocolate Frosting
1 tub Duncan Hines® Creamy Home-Style Classic Vanilla Frosting
chocolate decorating decors
Blend together cream cheese, 1 egg, sugar, until smooth and creamy; set aside.
Preheat oven to 350° F. Place paper baking cups in muffin cups.
Prepare cake mix according to package directions. Fill each muffin cup 1/2 full of batter. Place a dollop of cream cheese mixture in center of each cupcake.
Bake for 23-26 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Allow to cool in pan 5 minutes then remove to cooling rack to cool completely before frosting and decorating.
To decorate cupcakes -- frost top of each cupcake with chocolate frosting. : set aside. Place vanilla frosting into plastic resealable bag. Cut a pinpoint hole in one corner of the bag. Starting in the center, pipe frosting in circles on top of cupcakes, making each circle larger than the previous. Drag a toothpick through the circles in an outward, spoke like motion to create a spider web.

**you do not have to do the creamcheese filling** if in a crunch - make cupcakes acording to box and To decorate cupcakes -- frost top of each cupcake with chocolate frosting. : set aside. Place vanilla frosting into plastic resealable bag. Cut a pinpoint hole in one corner of the bag. Starting in the center, pipe frosting in circles on top of cupcakes, making each circle larger than the previous. Drag a toothpick through the circles in an outward, spoke like motion to create a spider web. :) **

Pumpkin spice cake

http://www.duncanhines.com/recipes/cakes/dh/spice-pumpkin-cake

1 pkg Duncan Hines® Moist Deluxe® Spice Cake Mix - or any other flavor you desire
2 large eggs
1 cup water
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 cup chopped nuts
2 tubs Duncan Hines® Creamy Home-Style Classic Vanilla Frosting
green, red and yellow food coloring
1 flat bottom ice cream cone
Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour 10-inch Bundt pan.
Combine cake mix, eggs, water and pumpkin in large bowl. Beat at medium speed with electric mixer for 2 minutes. Stir in nuts. Pour into pan.
Bake 40 to 50 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 25 minutes. Invert onto serving plate. Cool completely.
Measure 1/4 cup frosting into small bowl. Tint with green food coloring. Place ice cream cone upside down on waxed paper. Frost with green frosting. Refrigerate.
Tint remaining frosting with red and yellow food coloring until frosting is desired orange color. Measure 3 tablespoons orange frosting in small bowl; add green food coloring to brown frosting.
Frost cake with orange frosting. Make eyes, mouth and nose with brown frosting as desired on pumpkin. Place green frosted ice cream cone in center hole of cake for stem.

Projects for a Rainy Day

Whew with all of this rainy fall weather - I needed some crafts to keep me busy... We headed to Joann's today and got the material for the stockings. I was so proud of miss Abby, I was in there for about an hour-and she did so good- her reward was candy corn.(which she can pronounce perfectly- I guess we work on those things that really matter :D ) The snowmen will be for Jon and me and the reindeer will be for Abby and Nate. I chose to do the cuff a color - so the cuff on the snowmen stockings will be red and the cuff on the reindeer stockings will be brown.




For Abby, I think that this little bag will come in very handy when she goes to church nursery and starts preschool next year. I do have to give props to Jessica, she gave me the idea- she is so crafty!! I do not do embroidery at all so,I went with the iron on letter. The ribbion will go below the letter and in the center there will be a bow.


Whew. Looks like I have my work cut out for me... but I like doing this kind of crafting. It just makes me feel like " oh yes I can " - I will post pictures when the projects are complete. :)