Thanks Tank Thursday

We had a wonderful vacation at the beach. It was a lot of fun and none of us really wanted to leave and return to our normal stress filled lives. But once we hit the road we were ready to come home. So that will start off my thankful list for this week.

1. Vacation: We had a wonderful vacation with my parents and my sister's family. It's always fun to see the cousins playing together. I hope they always get along this well.

2. Safe Travels: I am glad that our travels were safe to and from Florida. I am also gald that Matt's travels have been safe thus far as well. He should be home tonight.

3. Babysitters: I am glad I have a babysitter for tonight so that I can attend the monthly Ladies Night Out with the Newcomers club.

4. A Clean house: I cleaned the house before we left on vacation so all I really had to do was unpack and put things away. I am thankful that that was all I had to do.

5. Reading Time: I enjoy read time. Both the time I sit and read and snuggle with the kids and the times that I listen to Gabriel as he reads. He is doing so well, that is as long as he does his best.

6. The World God Created: I am thankful for this world god has created. As we drove down to Florida I enjoyed the different landscapes and sunrises and sunsets. Seeing these things outside of my comfort zone helps me to be thankful for this world around us.

7. Games kids play: I have enjoyed listening and watching the kids at play as they invent games and play them together.

8. New Recipes: I have been enjoying trying out new recipes. I even made a pretty good chicken salad from scratch that I made up if I say so myself. But I have also done some more complicated recipes as well.

Take the time to think about what you are thankful for this week.

Wordless Wednesday

Back to the Everyday Occurances

Monday evening we returned from Florida. Tuesday I spent most of the day trying to get things unpacked and sorted. I also headed to the grocery store during Matt's lunch hour, Matt and the kids had pizza while I shopped, so that I could get the things I needed before he headed out of town. Matt left yesterday for Clovis, New Mexico and will return Thursday night. Gabriel starts football practice today and is very excited about it. Abby is chomping at the bit for me to sign her up for ballet and gymnastics. So I have added those things to my to do list. I also have back to school shopping to start and need to figure out a get well gift for Abby for after her hand surgery. Both of her hands will be bandaged for a week and I don't know how easily she will be able to use her thumbs since that is what they are correcting. She also won't be able to get her hands wet during that time either. And next week I am hosting our MOPS Bunco group here and need to get the house under control as well as the back yard. I really wish I had a truck right now because I need to pick up gas and don't want the fumes in the car with the kids. Maybe that can be Matt's next vehicle. Anyway, things are returning to the everyday and activities and school are starting again. I really can't believe that school is starting back in two weeks and that Gabriel is old enough for football already.

Just for Fun

WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE? No. My mom knew someone named Carmen and liked the name. That's how I got the name Carmen
2. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED? I don't remember.
3. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING? Sometimes.
4. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT? Chicken Salad. Does that count?
5. DO YOU HAVE KIDS? yes, 3.
6. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU? Yeah.
7. DO YOU USE SARCASM A LOT? Sometimes. I learned to use it more because of my husband who uses it all the time.
8. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS? No.
9. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP? No. I am scared of heights. I have trouble being in a hotel and looking down over a railing. There is no way I could Bungee Jump.
10. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL? Coco Puffs
11. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF? No
12. DO YOU THINK YOU ARE STRONG? No.
13. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM? Mocha Java
14. WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE? Their smiles or lack of.
15. RED OR PINK? Pink
16. WHAT IS THE LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF? That I tend to take on too much.
17. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST? My parents
18. DO YOU WANT EVERYONE TO SEND THIS BACK TO YOU? Sure
19. WHAT COLOR SHOES ARE YOU WEARING? Plaid. In greens, blues, whites, and blacks.
20. WHAT WAS THE LAST THING YOU ATE? Pasta
21. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW? This dishwasher running, Sesame Street and the kids playing.
22. IF YOU WERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE? Yellow
23. FAVORITE SMELLS? Coffee brewing, Apple Pie, and Christmas Trees
24. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE? Our babysitter
25. DO YOU LIKE THE PERSON WHO SENT THIS TO YOU? Yes
26. FAVORITE SPORTS TO WATCH? Football and basketball
27. HAIR COLOR? Brown with natural and chemical highlights
28. EYE COLOR? Brown with gold flecks
29. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS? No but I do wear glasses to drive.
30. FAVORITE FOOD? Mexican
31. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS? Happy Endings
32. LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED? National Treasure: Book of Secrets
33. WHAT COLOR SHIRT ARE YOU WEARING? Blue Green
34. SUMMER OR WINTER? Winter with Snow on the Ground
35. HUGS OR KISSES? hugs
36. FAVORITE DESSERT?Any
37. MOST LIKELY TO RESPOND? no one
38. LEAST LIKELY TO RESPOND? everyone
39. WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING NOW? Just Finished "Sphere" by Michael Crichton
40. WHAT IS ON YOUR MOUSE PAD? My family
41. WHAT DID YOU WATCH ON TV LAST NIGHT? Bones
42. FAVORITE SOUND? Running water and waves and my children playing happily or peace and quiet which I don't get much of
43. ROLLING STONES OR BEATLES? Beatles
44. WHAT IS THE FARTHEST YOU HAVE BEEN FROM HOME??? Osaka, Japan
45. DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL TALENT? No.
46. WHERE WERE YOU BORN?Calhoun, GA
47. WHOSE ANSWERS ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO? Everyone who will respond.

Thanks Tank Thursday

It's been a while since I posted anything. Between my trip to Atlanta which was fun and then stressful with flight cancelations and delays and packing for our family vacation I haven't done much this week. Here are the things that make me thankful this week.

1. Safe flights to and from Atlanta: I haven't flown in 6 years and this was only the 4th trip I have taken in a plane so I was thankful that things went smoothly on the way to Atlanta. I was also thankful that I didn't have to spend the night in the airport because of the cancelations and delays caused by weather. I was finally able to get a flight to Lousiville, KY instead of Indy so that I could get home.

2. Laughter: I love hear my kids laugh and play together.

3. Fantastic In-Laws: My mother-in-law came up to help out with the kids while I was in Atlanta. If she hadn't been able to make to come I would not have been able to go to Atlanta. I am so glad she was able to come. She also brought up with her our nieces which I am sure a huge help as well. Abby was having so much fun with her grandmother and cousins that she told me she didn't want me to come home yet. :)

4. Vacation: I am thankful that we are able to take a vacation to Florida with my sister's family and my parents. I just wish that my brother and his family had been able to join us this year.

5. Someone to water my plants: I am so glad that I found a young girl to come and water my plants while we are away.

6. Friends: I have a good friend who is always making sure that I take the time to get together with other women. She calls to make sure the date she has chosen for activities is one that will work for me. I am so thankful for this.

7. New recipes: I am thankful for all the wonderful recipes I have been enjoying through our MOPs cookbook and the ones that Jane Anne has posted that I am looking forward to making.

8. Crafting: Since our flood I have been unable to do any sewing and little scrapbooking but I have recently started making ribbon tied flip flops. Abby is loving all the new and fun flip flops I am making. It's fun and easy. I have always enjoyed crafting.

9. My husband who helps and supports everything I do. And I will need his help and support over the next two years since I have taken the Co-Chair position for the preschool and the following year the Chair position. It will be a busy year for both of us with Matt finishing school and me taking on that new responsibility.

10. Football: I am thankful that Gabriel is excited about football. This year he has chosen to play football instead of soccer. It will be interesting to see how well he does and if he enjoys it as much as he thinks he will.

11. I am thankful for the time I spent with my sister and mom last week. I can't rememeber the last time we did something without a child with us. It was a lot of fun to be with them.

Wordless Wednesday

Tasty Tuesday

Sante Fe Soup

2 cans shoe peg corn
1 can kidney or red beans
1 can black beans
1 can pinto beans
1 can tomatoes with green chilies ( Rotel)
1 lg. can chopped tomatoes
2 pkgs. Ranch Dressing mix
1½ pkgs. Taco seasoning
1 chopped onion
1 or 2 lbs. ground beef- browned
Add water- no more than 4 cups
Add all ingredients to slow cooker and cook on high 4 to 6 hours or low 8 hours.

Serve with cheese, sour cream, and corn chips. I actually serve it with cornbread instead of the corn chips, though the corn chips are good with it. The whole family loves this recipe and it makes enough for our family of 5 to freeze half of it for dinner another night.

Off to Atlanta

Tomorrow I am headed to Atlanta for 4 days. I will be attending the Atlanta Buyers Market with my mom and sister. They will be purchasing gift items for the Nursery while I am along for moral support and the fun of it. Matt's mom, and our nieces Sarah and Amy will be coming to help watch the kids so Matt can keep his vacation days intact. I am looking forward to this trip. It will be really nice to get away without the kids for a while. When I get back it will be time to start getting ready for our family trip to Florida. Which should prove to be lots of fun.

Our Wonderful Weekend

Our long holiday weekend was a nice and somewhat relaxing one. On the third we went to the park with the kids and then watched the local fireworks display. On the 4th we got together with some friends for dinner and purchased fireworks. Gabriel wasn't prepared for the first one and his reaction was priceless, I just wish I had caught it on tape or on film. Saturday Matt and I started downloading all of our music to iTunes. And what a collection we have. I made the comment that some of the musicians would be appalled to be sittin next to some others. We have a very wide variety of music between the two of us. Sunday we started making decisions on the basement and went to our local home improvement store to purchase paint and flooring for the bedroom down there. We will probably have someone else come in and carpet the rest of the room if that is what we decide to do. It depends on how easily the installation of the hardwood laminate goes and if Matt thinks he can do an entire room. We also went to the local playground and played after dinner. We discussed making a weekly trip to the playground. The kids had so much fun and we did too. I hope you all had great weekends too. I am now going to clean my house and pack for Atlanta and get started packing for Florida.

Monday Morning Mirth

An elephant and turtle

An elephant was drinking out of a river one day, when he spotted a turtle asleep on a log. So, he ambled on over and kicked it clear across the river.

"What did you do that for?" Asked a passing giraffe.

"Because I recognized it as the same turtle that took a nip out of my trunk 53 years ago."

"Wow, what a memory" commented the giraffe.

"Yes," said the elephant, "turtle recall".

Wordless Wednesday

Tasty Tuesday

This is a recipe that has been auctioned off at every MOPS auction we have had since this mom became a member. It always goes for a lot and is liked by everyone. I was going to make it last night but I couldn't cut the bread with a regular knife. When she says a electric knife comes in handy, it shoudl really say that it is needed. I hope you enjoy this recipe.


From the kitchen of Julie Knight:

Hot Ham Sandwiches

I have made these every year for the MOPs Christmas Brunch so most of you have tasted them! You can put them back into the metal pan the rolls come in and wrap them in foil and freeze for up to 3 months.

Feeds ~30 as hors d'oeuvres or ~10 as a main entrée.

3 pkgs. Small dinner rolls
1 lb. shaved ham
8-12oz grated Swiss cheese
1 grated onion
2 sticks margarine
5 Tbl. Dijon mustard
2 tsp. poppy seeds (optional)

With the rolls still frozen, slice each pan of rolls in half. It helps to use an electric knife. Top with a layer of ham and cheese. Melt margarine; add mustard, onion, and poppy seed until mixed. Spoon the mixture on top of ham and cheese layer. Replace roll tops. At this point you can place them back into their plastic bag and keep them in the freezer for up to 3 months.
If cooking immediately, bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes.
If cooking from frozen, cover with aluminum foil and bake at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes, uncover and bake until tops are golden brown (usually 15-20 minutes longer).