What will you or your family be for Halloween?

I don't know that I have many readers, but for those who do read the blog, I'd love to know what everyone in your family is going to be for Halloween!! We have 4 dalmations and Cruella Deville over here! Pictures to post soon.

Tuesday's Tip!

My friend, CC, is so smart. She throws fabulous parties!! Have you ever thrown a party and had a guest not receive an invitation? C does a smart thing. She mails herself an invitation every time she has a party. This accomplishes several things:
-She knows how quickly her guests will receive their invitation
-She has the fun of receiving one in the mail
-She knows if hers never arrives, the same thing may happen to some of her guests! I just love this idea.

The Service Industry

Our economy is in real trouble. Stocks have plunged 45% in the last year. Home values have fallen dramatically. The price of oil and gas has skyrockted. Many people have defaulted on their mortgages, and major institutions have fallen. Thankfully most of the people I know can still afford to keep their homes, and have had to cut back very little compared to most of the world. At a time like this, it is especially important to remember those in the service industry. This is not the time to stiff your waiter or waitress by skipping the tip! This is a time to choose carefully when you eat out, but to TIP when you do go out. Wait staff is paid less than minimum wage, and I believe their wage was recently REDUCED! They rely on us as customers to help their hourly wage. So, if you do go out, be friendly and do tip!! The same goes for cab drivers, hair dressers, et cetera!

Also, I have written quite a few letters when the service industry is lacking. However, I try to counteract that by writing just as many POSITIVE letters when I have a good experience. If a clerk is extra helpful at your local department store, make a phone call, ask for the manager, or send a letter. You never know how much you may help someone!

The crafts continue...

As if it wasn't enough to decorate our basement in sparkles, sequins, and glitter, I came home to find the children painting pine cones with a very powerful-smelling paint! I just had to laugh. We're trying to get our house ready to go on the market, and every where I turn are MORE and MORE CRAFTS!! I almost threw away all of the pinecones and then I looked at them. They are sweetly painted with red, gold, and green glitter paint. One of the children blurted out that they are our Christmas present. Now, I have tearfully & carefully packed them in bags to be brought out in about 4 weeks to decorate our home. They are beautiful. How creative of three 7-year olds and a 5-year old!!! Later I went into my bedroom, and found one more painted pine cone on my side of the bed, laying on a paper towel painted with K's name. Now I won't be able to part with the paper towel either!

So, I did have a great idea for today of having everyone help pack & clean as a family activity. The best laid plans are often.... destroyed!!!

D & I were upstairs organizing our closets when the children asked for a broom. We should have known.... we walked downstairs to see and although the big 4 had been asked to NOT get out anything from the playroom closet, every piece of glitter, sequin, and paint was all over the floor!!! Let's just say it was not a shiny moment in my life of being a mother!! I had to ask the children to each go to their rooms... and stay there. Now D & I have an even BIGGER mess to attend to, on top of all that we need to do!!!

Something for Saturday!

Saturdays are a special day of the week. For most of us, it's a day you can let your children be your alarm clock instead of your trusty old Sony. Saturdays are fun because you can stay in your pajamas a little longer, actually read the paper while eating breakfast, and enjoy your family. It is also a day for home projects! When your children are 3 and under, one of you is going to spend the entire time chasing babies while the other can be a bit productive. However, as your children grow and become a little more independent, start to involve them in raking the yard, picking up sticks, spreading mulch, etc. Little ones can even help with laundry or emptying the dishwasher and they LOVE to do it.

Today we will try to balance packing some boxes and being together as a family. I imagine there will be tears and whining (probably from Mama Henley), but hopefully we'll make some happy memories too!! Try to spend at least 2 hours today as a family... visiting the pumpkin farm, cleaning rooms, watching football, going out to eat, et cetera. You'll be glad you did!

I received this tag from Preppy Petitt

Here are the rules:Pass it on to five other bloggers, and tell them to open the nearest book to page 56. Write out the fifth sentence on that page, and also the next two to five sentences...The CLOSEST BOOK, NOT YOUR FAVORITE, OR MOST INTELLECTUAL!!

From "A Mother's Heart" by Jean Fleming:

""She didn't always drop what she was doing to play. Children must also learn how to wait patiently. Mother is a person too. Children need to know that our strength and endurance are not limitless. Mothers do not exist solely for their children's benefit. They need and deserve time for themselves."

WOW! I am so glad that I did this. I would not have known that treasure lurked on p. 56 of my book!!

Oh... I almost forgot! I tag:
Mommy Talk and More
The Homespun Heart
Monograms and Manicures
Monogram Chick

Marie-Therese Gown GIVEAWAY !!!!!!!

Marie-Therese Gown GIVEAWAY !!!!!!!

You can win this amazing dress! I am trying to win!!!

blogging questions

Fellow bloggers, how can I see who views my blog & checks my profile? Also, is there a way to search for blogs with similar interests?

Children in the street

When you have young children, a natural fear is that they will run into the street and be hit by a car.  It is a natural fear because it happens far too often.  We have neighbors who are older, and I can't tell you how many times I have watched a 10 to 13-year old boy run into the street to chase a ball.  It is terrifying.

Therefore, it's important to teach your children at a young age that the street is dangerous. Today my childhood friend, J, and I discussed this subject.  I told her that we have a line we use at the end of our driveway & the children are not supposed to go past it.  They do reasonably well with this boundary.  For our youngest, who is now 22 months, we have to repeatedly tell her "no" & shout when she gets near the street.  J had an even better idea. Just brilliant!!  She said that she used an apple to show her 3 young children (all under 5) the dangers of the street.  She took the apple and threw it down into the street to show how it would smash and how cars would continue to hurt it.  Another idea is to use your pumpkin to illustrate this to your children.  It makes quite an impact when children have a visual! I am going to try it!

Brilliance from a friend!

We just found out a week ago that we are MOVING. Not to another house in our fair city, but several states away. With 5 children. Sometime near Christmas. Enough said. To say that I am a bit overwhelmed, is like saying fried dough is good, instead of saying it is the best thing you've ever put in your mouth!  I am a bit overwhelmed with the idea of preparing our house, putting it on the market, et cetera while keeping 10 hands from undoing everything I do along the way.

I am a planner by nature. If I could plan my whole life, I would!  I believe this is why the Lord let D take so long to commit in college, and why He had all of our pregnancies be surprises.  The triplets were a surprise & a miracle, and then we had 2 more surprises. So, this latest promotion has almost happened many times over the last year.  It finally happened.  Now it's time to prepare our house to put it on the market, look at houses in our new state, and plan our move. The only problem is that we don't know the date for any of these things, and that is tough for me.  I can only figure out that we will move sometime around Christmas, perhaps as early as Thanksgiving, but probably we'll have movers arrive on the 27th of December... if I have anything to do with the timing, and I don't. 

All of this is to explain that we are going to have to decorate differently this year. At first I thought we wouldn't have a tree, but that would break the children's hearts. Then, I decided we'd have a tree with lights only. When talking to my friend, A, she had the most brilliant idea! She told me to buy some pretty ribbon, and as Christmas cards arrive, we'll decorate our tree! We can't pull out ornaments with an impending move, so this is perfect! I found chocolate brown ribbon with big pink polka dots at Costco today, and I am all ready to decorate our tree!

Thankfully I have been shopping year-round (we've had a Wii in our closet since July), so I  am just about finished with Christmas shopping! Thank you, A, for the AWESOME idea!! If they had had the 4 foot fake tree in stock, I would have already bought the tree too! I think we'll go fake this year with a move in our future! One less thing that needs water!!!

addendum

I was just taking out the trash & thought that a good idea is to cook any meat the night before the sanitation department comes to pick up your trash.  It will cause less odor in your trash cans!  So, maybe the day or 2 before trash pick-up could be your "cook all of the meat for the week" day!

Tuesday's Tip!

To save yourself time when making dinner, buy a large pack of skinless, boneless chicken breasts from a place like Costco.  This pack should have at least 10-12 chicken breasts. Wash the chicken breasts & cut off any white parts (yuck!). Then, fill a pot with water, the chicken, and salt & pepper to taste. Cook until the chicken pulls apart easily. Now... shred the chicken with a knife or your hands.  You now have chicken to use in any recipe... chicken chili, chicken enchiladas, chicken casseroles, chicken salad, et cetera!  Freeze any chicken you are not going to use immediately.  You can also use the broth or freeze it as well. You have just save yourself a lot of time when preparing your week's meals!

Funny things five-year olds say!

What is bathroom privacy? I lost mine a LONG time ago!  It seems every time I need to use the ladies' room, I am not the only lady in there!!  With four little girls, I have company or interruptions just about every time I use the bathroom!  This story is a little graphic, so bow out now if you need to do so!

We went to the fair yesterday & had a great time.  Of course we all had to use the bathroom, so 2 of the big girls followed me.  I was wearing a pantiliner.  Our 5-year old spotted it, of course, and said, "Mama, why are you wearing a DIAPER?"  I quickly replied, "I'll explain it when you're older, but it helps Mamas have babies", not knowing what to say.  Then she excitedly replied, "You're having another baby!! I want a boy baby. I do NOT want another GIRL baby".  "No, sweetie, we're not having another baby. I'll explain it all in a few years".  At that, I thought our conversation was over.

This morning I drove K's carpool that has 3 little boys in it along with K.  There was a doll baby bottle in the car so we all teased about whose bottle it was.  Then, K said, "My mommy wears diapers!!", and the boys all giggled.  "No, she doesn't", they said.  "No, really, she DOES. My mommy really does wear diapers! I'm not teasing!"  I just sat & laughed because I knew exactly why she was saying that. Thankfully the boys just thought she was being silly!!

The Fair! 2008

We went to the fair yesterday & it was perfect! The weather was perfect fair weather!  The children wore hooded sweatshirts with a shirt underneath them and a pair of jeans. No one complained about their clothes & all sweatshirts stayed on! On the ferris wheel, they all put on their little hoods!!  The clothes are in the washer now & are almost all clean! I even throw their tennis shoes in there, though this year's fair did not feel dirty.

The day was perfect. We had bought tickets in advance & did not use them all, but the children still rode plenty of rides. Most were 3 tickets each.  We arrived around 11am & they rode several rides before lunch.  Lunch for 9 people was only $30!!  We shared fries & the children shared 2 sprites between the 5 of them. Footlongs were only a quarter more than a regular dog, so we bought 3 footlongs to split between the five children! Pretty smart! My mama was the price checker on that one!

We bought 2 elephant ears & all shared them. Two of the girls bypassed the elephant ears (fried dough) to wait on ice cream.  We spent about $22 total on treats. One favorite is the spiral apple in the Village of Yesteryear for just $1.  I carried 2 regular bottled waters & one small one & came home with the 2 big ones. The children did not beg for drinks or lots of food. They were GREAT!  

We even sold our 5 leftover sheets of tickets, so I left with $50 in my pocket! PERFECT!!!  Since we are moving, we are sad we may not be back next year. I may sneak back out there on canned food day on Thursday for some more fried dough! Shh.... don't tell anyone!!!

Pimiento Cheese

I LOVE pimiento cheese!!! You can eat it on crackers, on top of a hamburger like they do at Add Drug in Athens, Georgia, on celery, or on a sandwich.  This is the time of year when it is best served on a grilled or toasted sandwich! YUM!

My recipe is very simple... you determine the amounts of each ingredient based on taste.

-shredded sharp cheddar cheese

-mayonnaise (Dukes is my favorite)

-jar or 2 of diced pimientos

-red cayenne pepper

-garlic powder

Mix all ingredients together & enjoy!!!

Now is the time...

Now is the time to get things done...

wade in the water,

sit in the sun,

squish my toes

in the mud by the door,

explore the world in a boy just four.

Now is the time to study books,

flowers,

snails,

how a cloud looks;

to ponder "up",

where God sleeps nights,

why mosquitoes take such big bites.

Later there'll be time

to sew and clean,

paint the hall

that soft new green,

to make new drapes, 

refinish the floor-

Later on . . . when he's not just four.

by Irene Foster "Time is of the Essence"

Love one another deeply, as Christ loved us

Here are D & I on our 24 hour getaway.  If you haven't had a date night with your husband lately, find a sitter or a friend to watch your children, and go THIS weekend! :)

Tips for the FAIR!

The fair is an expensive endeavor.  Where we live, you can buy your tickets online early and  you will save almost half of the price for ride tickets and $2 on admission. Every little bit counts! If you live in my state, go to __statefair.org  Fill in that blank w/ our state's initials. I know, I'm being weird, but who has time for a cyber stalker??  Especially when you look as good as I do first thing in the morning!  ha

So...more money-saving ideas:

-Bring a backpack filled with bottled water, some snacks, and a treat or two like bubblegum or mints.  Bringing a treat will cut down the number of treats you have to buy at the fair!

-My friend, E, brings small dixie cups to the fair & writes each family member's name on them with a sharpie. Then, they buy ONE sprite or ONE lemonade or ONE water & they all share it!  If you bring some bottled water in your backpack, you don't have to buy drinks.  Or, if you're selfish like I am, Mama gets her Diet Coke & the children share the water you brought!! :)

-My friend, C, uses a sharpie marker to write her cell phone # on her children's stomachs. Another friend writes the number on their wrists. This way, if they are separated from you, they will know what number to call.  When you're scared or lost, it is sometimes difficult to remember the number!

-I dress all of our children in the same color.  Orange is an easy-to-spot color.  Sometimes D & I even dress in the same color. This way, when one person is ahead of the group, you can see them in a crowd.  The pictures are always cuter when you're dressed in the same color anyway!  It makes you focus on the faces, not the clothes!

-Go early. 

-If your budget allows each person to have a treat like a caramel apple or fried dough (my fave!), then tell everyone in advance how many treats they can have or how much they can spend.  We tell the children we won't play games, but we will buy or share 1 treat per person. 

-If you don't want to pay for food at the fair, go before or just after a meal.

-Bring your camera!! I love pictures from the fair!

-Visiting the stinky animals is FREE!! Who doesn't love seeing a big ole mama pig & all of her piglets? And the cute cows!! MOOO

-Children also enjoy seeing the produce. There's nothing quite like an 850 pound pumpkin that is in SECOND place for BIGGEST PUMPKIN!!

Now I am so excited! Have fun!!!!

The Fair!

October is my FAVORITE time of year... then again, I love each season for different reasons. I love Oct. because I was born in Oct, so it has always had special meaning. I also love THE FAIR. I know many of you are thinking, "Ooooo... gross... I can't stand the fair"! Well, I do enjoy it. I love seeing the children's faces when they ride the rides and try fried dough. I love watching them pet animals that then give them diarrhea for 2 weeks. I love hearing the man say, "Come on down to Cary Methodist. We've got ham biscuits, footlongs, french fries, hamburgers, and the best ham biscuits at the fair". They say the same thing every year. Every year I watch people stand in line for Al's french fries, even though I've never had them.

One of my favorite fair visits was before the children were even born. I was newly pregnant, and went with my friends, Q&A, and my brother & sister in law, A & A. Q was VERY pregnant & it was more fun!! She may not be happy that I am writing this, so now I am going back & changing initials! So, my imaginary friend Q ate her way through the fair. It was more fun. First she had a hot dog... but not just any hot dog. She had a footlong! with extra fries. Loved it. Just loved it. Then, we went outside & she saw the ears of corn. She had to have it. D loves to tell of how he heard her yell through the thick crowd, "Honey, make sure they put EXTRA BUTTER on it"!!!! And they did. She ate that big ole piece of corn w/ extra butter. Next we walked past a chocolate dipped banana. I was feeling sick just watching her eat the corn. But, oh no, she was GOING to eat that banana!! She ordered one & we laughed & laughed as she ate that banana!! The night continued like that. Who doesn't love the fair with that kind of entertainment??

So, get ready because the fair is in our state for 10 days starting on Thurs. I hope you'll go! Tomorrow I will post some tips on how to go to the fair & save a little mad cheddar!

One Little Pumpkin

Click here to see all of the things Homespun  Heart taught me about what you can do with one little pumpkin! So inspiring and clever!  

Time away is so important

I have the sweetest hubby!  For my birthday, he gave me a night at our favorite inn.  It is a PERFECT place.  They know how to do everything just perfect from parking your car, to sending you on your merry way with cold bottled water.  PERFECTION.  

We were only gone for 24 hours, but we feel completely revitalized.  The time to just be a couple and not Mama & Daddy was MUCH needed.  Now we can face the storms... TOGETHER. UNITED.

If you are married and haven't been away together, you need to make it a priority.  Time to focus on one another & your marriage is so important!!

"Just as iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another".

Teacher Conferences

At the beginning of the school year, I made a survey that I gave to each of our children's teachers, their principal or Director, and any other pertinent staff members at their preschool and elementary school.  I have loved reading the answers!! I asked the staff questions about their favorite treats... salty or sweet, favorite drink, favorite lunch if I bough one for them, et cetera.  The answers have been very helpful!

I have had conferences with most of the teachers this week.  I tried to remember to look at my survey and then bring the teacher one of the things she likes.  For example, one teacher likes Diet Coke, so I brought her one.  Unfortunately, I didn't get to Starbucks before the 8:15am conference, but I plan to send in a little treat to that teacher.  You may want to bring your teachers on conference day!  A little pick-me-up goes a long way!

Enjoy your beautiful Saturday!  Wouldn't you know my whole house is still asleep & I woke up an hour EARLIER than normal??? :)

A favorite blog

I find the Femina blog to be very enlightening.  Today's post was very encouraging.  God is with us, even in the midst of trying times.  Our trials will not be identical to the trials of others we love, but they are trials nonetheless.  Click here to read the article.  Nancy Wilson explains that we must look up to the Lord. Even in the midst of a difficult time, He is with us.  As she explains, before the crucifixion, the resurrection had already been planned. What blessed assurance! I hope you'll read the article because her explanation is much better than mine!

Novel idea!

I recently visited MN's home & she was in the midst of wrapping some presents.  I thought she was a GENIUS!  She had taken an old paper towel holder and it held several spools of beautiful ribbon!!!  That way, you easily pull the ribbon off and cut it as needed! I loved it for a mobile gift-wrapping station!  Enjoy!

Your role

John Rosemond is a gifted writer, though he sometimes steps on your toes.  I like him because he is direct and to the point about his opinions.  There is no grey area!!

Yesterday he wrote an article about our roles in the family.  You can read the article here.  This article illustrated a great point on the problem facing marriages today.  We don't know our roles!!!  If we are married with children, our first role or job is to be a WIFE and a HUSBAND.  Today's families have confused the roles and most of us live as mothers first and wives second.  This leads to the deterioration of the family!!!  If you don't believe me, please read the article!

Take time this week to be a WIFE first.  Put your husband's needs before your children's needs.  In Sunday School someone said that the wife would always iron her husband's clothes first so that even in that small thing, the children would see that Daddy comes first.  Make time to be ALONE together this week, even if it's after the children are in bed.  I'm preaching to the choir here, but turn off the computer and the debates, pour yourself a glass of wine or some water, and sit down on the sofa, snuggle up, and TALK!  You'll be so glad you did.

Tuesday's Tip!

 You never know when you or someone else in your car might have an allergic reaction!!  I carry benadryl in my glove compartment and have been amazed at the times I have needed it.  When the triplets were 7 months old, we took them to pick out our Christmas tree.  All of a sudden baby #2 broke out in hives.  I was worried they would start to hinder her breathing. Thankfully I had benadryl in the glove compartment!!  

This summer a child was stung by a bee at the pool.  I offered to run & retrieve my benadryl.  My friend L reminded me this summer that Benadryl now sells pre-measured teaspoons of benadryl. They are perfect for the glove compartment or to carry in your diaper bag or purse.  Go buy some tomorrow!

I buy dye-free Target brand benadryl to keep at home. I believe the dye free is new. Hope you enjoyed your Tuesday's tip!

My first award!

Characteristics for the Smile Award:

1.  Must display a cheerful attitude (I try to be cheerful!)

2.  Must love one another (I try to love everyone!)

3.  Must make mistakes (I make a lot of mistakes, including posting this award & not knowing what to do)

4.  Must learn from others (I am trying to learn how to link things, etc on this blog!)

5.  Must be a positive contributor to blog world (I try to post several times a week, if not daily)

6.  Must love life (I am so thankful for my 37 years!! Just hit the mark 2 days ago!)

7.  Must love kids (I have 5 & adore them!)

These are the rules for The Smile Award:

1.  The recipient must link back the award's creator

2.  You must post these rules if you receive the award

3.  You must choose 5 people to receive the award after receiving it yourself

4.  You must fit the characteristics of the recipient of the award.

5.  You must post the characteristics of a recipient.

6.  You must create a post sharing your win with others.

7.  You must thank your giver.

This award goes to:

Mommy Talk and More 

you are the reason I started to blog!

Sycamore Stirrings

I love your muffin tin Mondays! 

The literature one was my favorite!

A Long way from the Theta House

Your life is an inspiration! I wish I was more like you!

We are THAT family

I love all of your great ideas!

Rocks in My Dryer

You are a gifted writer!

CONGRATS!!!!! to all!!!!

Hospital & new Baby visits

It is a wonderful blessing to those you love to visit them when they are in the hospital.  It is a time when you can show them your love for them by taking time to sit and talk, bring them some "real food", or to admire a new baby.  

However, you have to be careful because people are often under a lot of stress when they're in the hospital whether it be for an uncomplicated surgery, a new baby, or fighting a severe illness.  Therefore, you should remember to put their needs before your own! :)

It's always a good time to try to check first to see if the patient is even up for visitors.  Sometimes it can be quite lonely in a hospital room, and patients would LOVE the distraction. Other times the hospital is very noisy & the patient is exhausted and needs some uninterrupted sleep.  

If you do visit, try to bring something little... a plant, some flowers, a trashy magazine, some food (my friend, K, made delicious cheese straws one Christmas; my friend, A, brought Krispy Kreme doughnuts; my friends A & MD brought chick fil A, etc).  Those things will brighten the patient's day.

While you are there, offer to water the flowers, get the patient a drink or some snacks, make phone calls, or help them in any way.  

Most importantly, make it a SHORT and SWEET visit, unless they beg you to stay.  I mean really, really beg you to stay!

I'll never forget going through in vitro & I had come home from the transfer and was absolutely exhausted and emotional.  Some precious friends came to visit and my husband and her husband started talking. THREE HOURS LATER, they left.  When D came to check on me, I blew up at him!! It was after 10pm, I had wanted to sleep, not talk for 3 hours (even though I LOVED the wife, I didn't want to talk to anyone for that long!)!!!  I was furious at D for not being a better "guard".  So, don't stay away, but don't stay too long either!

Once I was pregnant with the triplets I had to go to the hospital three or four different times.  I had made it to about 28 weeks and I had a complication that put me back in the hospital.  A friend from years ago drove 45 minutes to come and see me.  We had been acquaintances early in our marriage.  She was thrilled to leave 3 children with a neighbor, and stayed for HOURS.  I was on a bedpan, and needed to use the bathroom, but I was scared she would STAY.  It was awkward and made me very stressed, which was not good for the babies!! I am sure I had 100 contractions when she wouldn't leave!!

My sweet friend, S, just went to Heaven after having cancer for a little over a year.  She was so good about stating her needs, "Please come see me.  I want some posters for my room", or "I need a stuffed animal to hold and some cupcakes from my favorite place".  I rushed over with a stuffed animal before her final surgery and I am so thankful that I did.  Don't stay away, just know when to leave:).

Things to keep on hand for unexpected guests

I love to be prepared.  When we are down to one 12 pack of toilet paper, honey, we are OUT of toilet paper & I am running to the store!!!

Unfortunately, this means our house is very full .... full of people and full of things to be prepared!

However, it comes in handy when I have no idea what to cook for dinner and can pull out a can of cream of mushroom in a blink of an eye. It pays to be prepared.  I love to have guests, though sadly we have very few unexpected guests or even guests in general!  Nonetheless, I try to stay prepared with a few items for overnight guests or guests who simply drop in and "sit a spell".

-peanuts or cashews

-Diet Coke (Diet Pepsi is my favorite), Coke, and Sprite kept cold in our extra fridge

-popcorn

-chocolates in the freezer. I love Ghiradelli chocolates.  You put them on your guests pillows at bedtime after pulling down their sheets and turning on the clock radio (set it to soothing Classical music)

-fresh towels in the linen closet

-nice new soap or shampoos for the guest bath

-crackers & cheese

-I even keep guacamole frozen for a spontaneous fiesta!

-MMs are good too!

Ideas with Pumpkins!

I saw the cutest blog, Homespun Heart, with fantastic ideas of what to do with pumpkins. I loved it!

I have a few ideas of my own:

-We buy one mini pumpkin per child and line them on the rail at our front door.  It makes me smile every time I see 5 little pumpkins!

-Pumpkins make great place cards.  Simply use a Sharpie marker to write your guests names on them.

-My brilliant friend, F, scooped out a pumpkin one time and served hot artichoke dip in it. It was fantastic!

-Soon I will share a recipe for pumpkin bisque.  It is delicious!

Children say the funniest things!

We have always told the children that they will receive 3 Christmas gifts, just like baby Jesus did.  If our Lord and Savior was happy with gold, frankincense, and myrrh, surely they can be happy with three things.  This also does not mean three very expensive gifts, rather, three things you'd really enjoy like some new art supplies, an outfit for your doll, and maybe a doll itself.  With 5 children now, we often have a gift that the children share.  One year Santa left a trail of candy and we found a new children's kitchen in our playroom!

I digress....  so, when the triplets were 4, we were in our favorite local toy store.  I heard A say to D, "You know, D, we only get 3 presents, just like baby Jesus did".  D sweetly replied, "I wish He had had FOUR!!!", with her hand on her hip.  I laughed right out loud!   If only Jesus had had 4 gifts, it wouldn't be quite as difficult to decide!  So cute.

Hot Ham and Cheese Delights

This is a great recipe and you can even prepare them ahead of time & freeze them!  I keep them in my freezer for those times when you just don't know what to eat for lunch or dinner.  Add a salad or some soup, and you have a meal!!  My friend, J, gave this recipe to me. It is from his wonderful Mama!!

Ingredients:

Hamburger buns with poppyseeds

thinly sliced ham (North Carolinians & Virginians like country ham)

sliced longhorn or swiss cheese

Dressing:

Vary the amount depending on the number of sandwiches you are making!

2 tbs. margarine or butter

1 Tbs. mustard

1 Tbs. poppyseeds

1 chopped onion

Combine above ingredients, and spread on each side of the hamburger bun.  Place ham and cheese & put the top on your sandwich!  Wrap individually in aluminum foil and heat at 300*F.  Cook for about 5-10 minutes until heated through and cheese is melted. YUM!