Pumpkin Carving and Halloween Parade

No clever title to this post.....just the facts!

These are the family pumpkins, we all did them together!

This is Mitchee from Camp Rock.....She is quite the rock star!

Mother Earth is a Recycle Bin, love that! She is my Green Girl!

Thankful this Thursday

I am thankful today.............

I am thankful for laughter, except when milk comes out of my nose. --Woody Allen


And what I am thankful for...........

The proof is in the paintbrush and the ladder and the drop cloth! I am finally "with painter" and getting happier by the minute!

You say it's your birthday???

Happy Birthday

Heather

in every language!

Love, Catherine

From my front porch

Two for Tuesday

Two images I came across today when I began to blog about something totally different(will have to wait for another day)

First I found the one of my girls. It is about 5 years ago on Campbell's birthday at our first home, I believe she was turning 3. The swing they sit on was a gift from my sister and they spent many hours swinging on it! I love the look on Campbell's face!

The other is just an image I saw on the Internet, I just love it. It speaks volumes of how we all should be all the time.

Enjoy.....have a Terrific Tuesday.

Not me Monday time again......here goes

I am not mad about my dad's cancer

I do not hate cancer of all kinds

I am not tired of hearing bad news about people who have cancer

I do not hate smoking

I am not bitter and angry today

Ok, maybe I am and therefore

I did not act grumpy to my girls and hubby this morning

I have not been a slacker about house cleaning

I am not totally frustrated about my house and it's condition and smells

I am not PMS'ing

I am not a grump-a-lump today! BLAH

Oh well, tomorrow is Tuesday, it will be brighter I am sure!

An Award!

Some may say it is silly, but when you blog like I do, it is fun to see that people read my blog, even people I do not know. One of them found me and gave me an award.



Thanks to Evolving Mommy for passing along the Kreativ Blogger Award!



So as a condition of receiving this award I need to share six things I love and then share this award with Six blogs I love. so here goes.....

I love my family! (husband, girls, etc)
I love chocolate! (eat it EVERY day)
I love Wednesdays.
I love thanksgiving.
I love cooking.
I love books.

Blogs I really like!!!! (love) are .......

Jennifer and her 3 Indians
Heather and This is the Day
Mommy's kitchen
In the Trenches with Becky

New Favorites.....
Heather's Sister
Get the Bean
Smitten Kitchen
A year of Crockpotting

Ok, that is more than 6 but I could not decide.

Thanks Catherine in Colorado!!!

Got the Bean

I GOT THE BEAN!!!

My order arrived today and oh boy was I happy. It is cold, rainy and a gloomy day all around and the bean came just in time, and so did the bags, tea bags.


I ordered Highlander Grog Coffee and boy does it smell delightful. Also got Ginger Peach tea and just know it will warm my toes!

So do not forget to get your bean today!

Now I will get a cup, snuggle with a book and RELAX! Happy Friday!

Cuban Beef Stew

I think this may win me a few brownie points with Texas Word Tangle!!

Seriously, this is a crowd pleaser....an all day, cool weather favorite....try it, you will love it! I can smell it cooking already!

The traditional dish uses a good amount of olive oil and meat with a lot of marbling. This version is lower in fat, but is true to the spirit of the recipe. Although it does take a fair amount of time, it is not difficult to make. Prep Time: approx. 10-15 Minutes. Cook Time: approx. 2 Hours .

Cuban Beef Stew
2 tablespoons olive oil

1 onion, chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 red bell pepper, chopped

1 1/2 pounds sirloin tips, cubed

2 bay leaves

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 cup dry sherry

1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1/4 cup pimento-stuffed green olives

1/4 cup raisins

2 tablespoons capers

4 potatoes, peeled and quartered

salt and pepper to taste

Directions: In a large saute pan, heat oil over medium heat. Cook onion and garlic in oil, stirring frequently, until transparent.

Stir in cubed meat, and cook until browned. Stir in red bell pepper, bay leaf, cumin, and oregano; cook for 2 to 3 minutes.

Stir in sherry, tomato sauce, vinegar, olives, raisins, and capers.

Pour in enough water to just cover meat.

Bring to boil, reduce heat to low, and cover.

Simmer until fork tender, about 1 1/2 hours. Add more water if the stew becomes too thick.

Stir potatoes into the stew. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook, covered, until potatoes are almost tender. Uncover, and cook until done.

Serve with crusty bread. Serves 6-8

Books are my favorite thing to kill time with

I love books, reading, glancing through, skimming, touching, smelling and burying myself in them. As a child...."not so much" as they say. My love of books began as an adult. I started reading at the suggestion of a friend and can't even remember who or when but a book or two were suggested and I tried it. And now, I love books. I read less that I wish I could but more that I used to.

I am trying to leave this with my children also. They have more books than most children's library shelves will hold. We have 4-5 book shelves of just kids books, that is separate units of 4 shelves each, not just 4-5 individual shelves! They have picture books, board books, chapter books, comic books, holiday books, books on tape, books that were mine and Kipper's, books from garage sales, library fund raisers and half priced book stores. When the book order form comes home, we order. We almost always get the $1.00 book, not matter the title. For a $1.00, how can you go wrong.

And getting rid of books, that is hard for me. I have my book group books from the years past. I have talked with my friend Jan about that one.....we share the same dream. Someday our kids will look at the shelves of books from our book groups and will admire them, fight over who gets them and remember us when we are gone. Well, that is our big dream anyway. They will likely be a pain in their sides and a part of our estate sales!!!

Today, I came across yet another book source. Barefoot Books was at the bottom of an email I got from Angie, a Newcomer friend. This site has some really beautiful, cultural and artistic books. I can't wait to order and send as gifts.

So, now that it is cooling off, I can't wait to curl up in front of a fire with coffee or wine and read a good book. You should join me! As I tell my girls, "a book is a window to the world". Love to share titles of good ones, Anne sends some of the best.....you can send me some too! Go Ahead....Read on!

WORKING WEDNESDAY

This is a working Wednesday for me....as will my Wednesdays to come.

I am at this beautiful church. The Presbyterian Church of Wyoming, Ohio.

I am volunteering in the office to help with the bulletin for all the Sunday services and the memorial service that will be held this week as well.

I am so happy to be helping. It makes Wednesdays great HUMP days!

Getting the Bean

I have decided to blog about the bean today. You see, I stumbled across this site on another blog, can't remember where actually. It is called GET THE BEAN.

Since it is still October and Breast Cancer awareness month, it is even better than ever to GET THE BEAN. This site for coffee, teas and other yummy things, raises money for cancer.

(Given the fact that my dad recently was diagnosed with lung cancer, that is a personal thing now. Not to mention my husbands mom lost her battle to breast cancer in 2001.)

So consider GETTING THE BEAN yourself. Get coffee, teas or other items. Plan a fundraiser with THE BEAN. Tell all your friends about THE BEAN! Just don't MISS THE BEAN!

Not Me Monday

Time for another entry of the NOT ME MONDAY blues!!!!

I did not throw things at my cat all night the past few night as they were driving me crazy!

I did not neglect my kids and let them run wild this weekend so I could calmly clean indoors and out.

I did not call my youngest a quitter because she would not ride her bike with me. (Sorry pumpkin)

I did not neglect to do so many things on my list to do that I threw it away and will start another one today.

I am not awaiting the arrival of our painter and feel certain he will not show.

I am not getting tired of people asking if I am ok since my dad has cancer. (I think they are looking for a reaction)

I am not going to do much of nothing today except volunteer in the library and shelve books.

I am not looking totally forward to my "chick flix" tonight so I can get out of the house!!!

I am not going to cancel our YMCA membership since we have not used it in two months. (it will pay for my bike)

No, not me!

1st Blogiversary!

One year ago today I posted my first Blog entry....on my old blog address Texas to Tulsa.

This was a beginning for me....at many levels. If you read that entry you will be reminded it was to announce our move to Tulsa. The excitement we were feeling and the anxiety of our first move.

Well not even 6 months later, I posted another exciting blog....this one about Another Move to Another State....Hiho Ohio I called it.

Amazing what can happen in a year. Really Amazing.

Since my first post, so many things have happened in our lives. We have moved twice, bought two homes and sold two homes. He have packed and unpack twice. Lived in two states that start with an "O", only Oregon is left according to my children!

We have gone to three elementary schools, said goodbye to many friends in two state and made great friends in three states. We have traveled many miles across states and in places we thought we would never travel.

We have seen the seasons change, built snowmen, watched the flowers bloom, spent time waiting for tornado's to pass and IKE blow through and have enjoyed cool mornings and evening.

I have made great blog friends. Jennifer is the one who "turned me onto Blogging.....thanks I think! Then Heather is my first REAL LIFE blog friend and my first friend in Ohio. Then I met Becky through Heather and became friends with her too, now I am a blog friend of hers too!

I will list a few of my regular blog buddies......
Lula and To the Moon and Where are my Angels and Mommy's Kitchen and then there is Blissfully Domestic and of course I could not get through a blog day without my SITS gals.

The last year and blogging have gone hand and hand for me. I have kept in touch, vented, written silly and stupid things and filled myself with such joy by sitting at my computer and BLOGGING away!

So, Happy Blogiversary to me!

Communication

Today I got a local cell phone number!

Ohio number.

When we moved in December to Tulsa, I kept the San Antonio number so I would be able to be better connected to family and friends. What I have come to find out is that those who you wish to remain in contact with, will call you no matter your number.

Local or Long Distance.

Cell or Home.

Day or Night.

THEY WILL CALL PLAIN AND SIMPLE.

And you know what, I will call them. I can call from home or my cell, local or long distance, day or night too!

What this ultimately means for me personally is ........ I LIVE IN OHIO.

I am not moving again. My family is here with me. I am happy here and this is my home. A local number is what I need. For me, school, friends, family and anything else.

So call me anytime, here, in Ohio, my home.

Thoughtful Thursday

Thought for the Day:

Life is not what it's supposed to be. It's what it is.
The way you cope with it is what makes the difference.

Tagged By Becky

Alright, I was tagged and I am playing along!! I will try to play along!

This is a photo taken by my brother in law about 5 years ago.
I was at my dad's house at a baby shower for my cousin Heather from Chicago. For some silly reason, my kids found this wig and they were passing it around and so I had my turn! Nice Hair! Say Cheese! Or should that be Cheesy!! Ok Becky, I did it!! I think I should stick to Wordless Wednesday!!!!!

Tag you are it.......Jennifer Kristan Becky Dancin Queen and Angel Friend!!
Your Turn..... Send to 5 of your Blog Buddies too.....RULES
Go to your Sixth Picture Folder then pick your Sixth Picture. (In my case...since our computer folders share stuff for work, I improvised and did my actual albums at home...6th album...6th picture)* Pray that you remember the details.

Blogathon....SITS

Well, I am new at the SITS gal thing....but feel a part of the gang already. I was excited when I read my first SITS comment.....they are watching me!



SITS is giving away some great prizes during their first ever Blogathon, a word that Webster will have to add to their list now. Lots of BLOG words I guess should be added. For me, it is Going Deep. That is when I get into one blog, then click another, then another, then another.......you get the picture. Well, I get so "deep" that I have so many tabs at the top of my screen I can't see them all. So I close them all and start over! Well anyway.....

I am adding this post so I can now qualify for a prize....how about you???

Check out SITS buy clicking on the word SITS wherever you see it in this post! Or on the link to the right side of my blog. SITS is a great blog, with a ton of information, links and juicy stuff I can't wait to see. SITS picks a favorite blog daily and several of my friends have won....my day will come I just know it!! (hint hint)

So, BLOG AWAY MY FRIENDS and visit SITS as often as you wish!

Meet some of my favorites....For Food ideas, love Mommy's Kitchen and there is my first blogger and one of my BFF's Jennifer!! Next was Heather, Lula, Pickles, To the Moon,
Becky, and some new friends....Chaos and Crockpot!

P.S. Everyone loves a contest....well check out this BEAUTIFUL BLOG I just stumbled on.....they are having a contest too!

Felt Up....Go Ahead and Feel Those Boobies!

No, not the nasty way...but the life saving way.

Thanks Jen for the reminder!

This is National Self Breast Exam Week so remember to feel those boobies!

It may save your life!

Not Me Monday

Another NOT ME MONDAY.....

I did not just open the door for the pest control guy in my PJ's!

I did not get mad because the flowers on my porch are wilted after being out of town.

I am not grumpy and need coffee.

I am not late for bible study because I am blogging!

Gotta Go, but.....

I do have this....funny, timing is great! Thanks MJ!!

Come Back to Texas. Click and enjoy!!!

Wordless Wednesday

Serenity

This is my Daddy

John!!!! Capt!!!! Daddy!!!!

On Thursday last week he was diagnosed with Lung Cancer and I am very sad. I will fly home to visit him this weekend. In the mean time, I wanted to share these photos. I love him very much.

Not me Monday

Here goes.......

I am not blogging to avoid housework and laundry.

I was not avoiding people on the phone last night because I could not talk about my dad yet.

I did not have a pedicure and manicure with my dear friend and love EVERY MINUTE of it!!!!

I did not have a childlike moment and buy a pink and white bike with a bell and basket!!!! (photos coming)

I did not have a completely relaxing four days where nothing got done around the house.

I did not get angry at my girls for once again bossing each other around and "parenting" for me!

I am not still in my pj's sitting looking at blog after blog after blog!

P.S. added at 8:00pm......I did not eat a Heath bar at Kroger in the checkout line and did not have a milky way just now!

My cat did not just go to the bathroom on the carpet....she may die!

Happy NOT ME MONDAY!

More to come....

Seriously, waiting on photos.....patience!

Posting...

I am sitting here with my great friend Jeanne and I am showing her how to post a blog entry. Come back tomorrow and see what we have really been up to!!!!!