PUMPKIN COOKIES

I talked about it and HONESTLY I didn't think it would happen BUT IT DID!!!! I ended up pulling out the recipe for the Pumpkin Cookies after all. After reading through the recipe (which by the way, is as easy as they come) and realizing I DID have everything I needed, I just went for it. I just dumped all the ingredients into my Kitchen Aid,

mixed, for literally less than a minute, dropped from the scoop and baked.

It was SO INCREDIBLY easy and the kids were happy to have cookies.

Joe's not a huge fan of these cookies (GOOD!! That means there's more for ME!!!) and can't you only just hear Nikki saying, because she did, "These are good but they'd be better without the chocolate chips." Hmmm, REALLY?! Break my heart, don't eat them....AGAIN, MORE for ME!!! (Especially because it would seem I'm going to have to FIGHT Salvador for them. HE liked them!!)

Here they are baking:

Mmmmmmmmm.

And you KNOW they are BEST fresh and warm right from the oven when the chocolate is soft and gooey.

Scroll down for the recipe. Give it a try and come back and leave a comment about whether you liked them or not!!

This is just one of those foods that reminds me of home. :)

PUMPKIN COOKIES

2 cups canned pumpkin

2 eggs

1 cup oil

2 cups sugar

4 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon salt

4 cups flour

2 teaspoons vanilla

2 cups chocolate chips

1 cup walnuts (optional) *I did not use nuts but go for it if you want!!

2 tsp baking soda (dissolved in 2 teaspoons of milk and added LAST)

Bake at 375 degrees for 12-15 minutes

** Confession here.....I guess I didn't look back at the recipe after the inital read. I baked them at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. I DO have a convection oven (which by the way I THINK was a waste because seriously, I don't notice a difference.... usually. I also, as you can see from the photo used my stones (I don't have ANY metal or glass anymore--just PC stoneware) so maybe the combination made the difference?!**

If you try it out be sure to come back and let me know how you like it or if you come up with any great modifications.

Fall Kid Pics

After sleeping ALL day today, Nikki came up this afternoon and asked if I would take some pictures outside. We have some REALLY cool trees and I found a few more GOOD spots today leaf hunting with Joe. It's kinda chilly today and I know she and Salvador aren't feeling so hot but thought, 'what the heck' and figured the fresh air might even do them so good. Would you believe, ahem...yeah, you probably will if you know me very well anyways, that I took 745 pictures of JUST the three of them!!!

I'm SURE I haven't even gone through HALF of them but I thought I'd share a few of the ones I HAVE gone through so far..........

Here goes:

So I guess we'll start with a few of Salvador and Nikki...........

awwwww, so cute

OF COURSE she hates the MAJORITY of the pics of herself.....thinks she's too fat.

Yeah, WHATEVER!

Sammo and Nikki

(I know, I know......the ears)

And a few of just Nikki:

I like this one.

I THINK she actually liked this one.

Yeah, okay.............so it's a little bobblehead-ish.

It's just the angle. :)

So HOW many times have I told you (in my other blog) that Samuel just CRACKS ME UP?!?!

"The power of corn!"

He looks like a 'kung fu fighter' here doesn't he?! Well, a wannabe anyway right?!

Here's one of JUST Salvador.

Poor guy. He's SO NOT feeling good.

I want to get a REAL nice picture of him and have it matted and framed and have him give it to his Mom and Dad for one of their Christmas gifts this year.

And just a 'fun' one.......not that the others weren't fun.......

Samuel and Salvador were shootin' some hoops before going in. He trumped up enough energy to make a few baskets and now he's back in bed!!

I have SO MANY MORE pictures to go through. I LOVE them but it's SO time consuming ESPECIALLY for those of us who have to take the VERTICLE shots all the time because then you have to turn them too!! UGH!

Oh, and guess what?! Yeah, no cookies. Samuel came home, went to playing outside, we took pictures, he played outside some more, he came in, had dinner and here we are. He's hanging out with Joe now so I guess no cookies here tonight! Oh well. Guess we don't REALLY NEED them anyways.....I just can't help thinking about my mom's pumpkin chocolate chip cookies though.........Mmmmmmmmmmmm........

Sunrise

I TOTALLY forgot I had taken these pictures the other morning.

Check out this sunrise. It was just beautiful!

They're so the same but so not.........I just couldn't pick JUST ONE between these three....

No pictures

Well I now have TWO kids sick home. Salvador is still sick. I took him to the Dr. yesterday and the Dr. said he might be able to go back to school today but probably, definately by Thursday. Well, when I went to get him up for school this morning, he STILL had a terrible headache so he's home. Before I knew it, Nikki came up from her 'cave' and now SHE has a headache and feels crappy. Samuel is the only healthy kid.....for now. My guess is he'll come down with it in a few....we'll see. Maybe he'll be spared? The other two are motrin'd up and in their beds sleeping.
I woke up with a scratchy throat this morning and a 'snuffly' nose (that's what Sammo calls it{teehee}), but don't feel too bad. Hopefully I won't get it. I've been washing, washing and washing STILL my hands. UGH!
On a happier note.........
Joe and I went out this morning looking for and collecting leaves. WHY? You might ask???? Well.......it's ALL Samuel's fault--kind of.....
He has THE BEST teacher this year. He's in 3rd grade you know and his teacher does THE COOLEST things. I've heard SUCH GOOD things about her and was SOOOOO happy to find out SHE was going to be HIS teacher this year!!!! One of the things they do is collect leaves, press them and then make up animal collages. I've seen them in the foyer of the school before and let me just tell you, 3rd graders are SUPER creative!! Samuel had to have his leaves pressed, ready and brought back to school by yesterday. He went out with Joe last week and they found some of THE COOLEST leaves. They pressed them and yesterday morning Samuel and I collected them back up so he could bring them to school. WOW!!! Were they ever pretty!!! (I let him take the smaller ones but I brought the larger ones in for him. I was afraid they'd get bent or broken during transport. ) While pulling them out of the bajillion books and pages I couldn't help but realize how beautiful they were and the things I could do with them!! So this morning, collection basket in hand, Joe and I went on a 'leaf hunt'. It was SO MUCH fun. I am SO blessed. Joe is THE BEST guy a girl could ever ask for (even when he's being 'bumpity'. :) Anyways, we collected a basketful of BEAUTIFIUL leaves. I SHOULD have taken a picture or two of the basket FULL but I've already put them to be pressed. :( Keep your eyes posted in the next few weeks to see what I end up doing!!!
I can't wait to see what Samuel comes up with!!! I've already decided that WHATEVER it is, I'm going to frame it. I just KNOW it's going to be AWESOME!!! :)
Well I'm off to complete a card or two today......that is my goal!!! :) I haven't had a chance to REALLY 'play and create' in SO long and I've REALLY been wanting to. There have just been SO MANY other things that have needed my attention! :) Soooooo, check out my OTHER blog in the next few days or so to see what I've come up with!!!
Until next time......
-S

What's been going on here......

I know, I know..........

I haven't posted in a while. After I got off work Saturday morning I came home, took an hour nap and then went to Lupe's to start taking pictures--she had her Quincenera Saturday. She was just beautiful!!

Check her out:

This is a picture we took right outside her house. I just LOVE pictures by trees....

Would you believe Nikki tried on this VERY same dress/gown a few months ago?!?!

I LOVE this gown-the beading is just beautiful. And Lupe looked like a princess in it!!

This is Lupe's sister Maribelle-she was one of the Dama's. I just think she is a BEAUTIFUL girl too!! She has a beautiful smile and she is just SO FULL of FUN!! She's just one of those people you LOVE to be around!!

....and SUCH a sweet girl too!! Their parents are VERY blessed. :)

THIS is one of my favorite pictures. I just wish I'd thought to get JUST Lupe in it. (I know you might not be able to see it very well but if you 'click on the pic' it'll enlarge for ya!!)

Obviously, it was right out in front of the church. It was a beautiful day--a little on the chilly side, for the girls, but nice and clear.

This was before the ceremony started.

And this little sweetie is Nikki's BFF, Vanessa's sister Isabelle. She is one of THE MOST BEAUTIFUL little girls I've ever seen!!!

LOOK at those cheeks! And those eyes!!

She's just beautiful!

I HAD to take a picture of her. I have some others from when she was a baby, baby and I just LOVE it when I come across them. TOO CUTE!

And finally........

I just HAD to add this pic of Lazaro. He is a dear family friend of ours. Nikki and he are in the same grade and have been friends for some time now and Joe and I have become good friends with his family. They are SUCH a nice family!!!!

'Laz' didn't think I got this pic.......he kept trying to 'hide' from the camera. I just like how this shot came out......him hiding behind the rose.....just one eye peeking out.......

So that was the Quince....I ended up going home early and not staying for the dance (BOO!!) I was SO tired though. I just couldn't do it. I'd hoped to make it back for the dance but didn't. I woke up at 10:30pm and by then it was just too late to go over for just a few hours. PLUS, I was STILL tired!!

Turned out I was SICK the next day anyways! UGH! Just a nasty tummy bug-but it had me down for 2 days. I'm feeling better today (Thanks to God!)--at least so far........it is ONLY 7:00 in the morning!! :) It really SUCKS being sick 2 of your 5 days off!! And I was SO looking forward to this week. I was HOPING to get SO much done. Oh well..............

And now Salvador is sick.......Poor baby. He came home yesterday with a fever, horrible headache, sore throat, hurting all over, neck hurt, vomiting etc, etc......... He's doing a little better this morning but still not so good. Poor guy. Hopefully noone else gets it!!

So, that's what I've been up to.....

and NO! Joe didn't get a deer this year! He got a few birds the other day---and I think he's on the 'look out' for elk now.....these hunters-GEESH!

Oh, I'll be SURE and post if, errr, I mean, WHEN he gets something, significant. :)

Now he claims he's going to get Samuel AND Salvador into Hunter's Safety so he can take BOTH of them next year....to make up for this year and last don't 'cha know?!?!

Alright, well, it's time to get my 'healthy' kids ready and out to school.

PLUS, it looks like a BEAUTIFUL sunrise this am!!!!

Until next time..............

Still NO Deer

Nope! Joe hasn't gotten a deer YET!

He's off this week so HOPEFULLY he'll 'get lucky' (hahahahahah-teeheeheeheehee) one day this week!!!

WHERE'S THIS ONE when you're LOOKIN' for him????

Apple Dumplings

I found the recipe for these Apple Dumplings earlier in the week at Country Kitchen Recipes and KNEW I needed to try it!!

Here they are still in the pan:

And HERE they are a top a mountain of homemade (Blue Bunny style) Vanilla Bean Ice Cream.........

Mmmmmmmmmmm.........

They were GOOD---PLENTY sweet with a nice crunchy top--(which I'm sure was due to the 1 1/2 CUPS of SUGAR!!!)

I NEVER said they were the HEALTHIEST dessert.......

**NOTE: These taste MUCH better warm--if not warm, right from the oven, then warm right from the microwave.

Nikki didn't too much care for them...she said it was 'too mushy on the bottom'. Samuel LOVED 'em---COME ON! They're FULL of SUGAR of COURSE he loved them!!! Joe, well, Joe I'm not sure of yet. He had one on the way out the door last night to work so I don't think he got the FULL effect. PLUS he probably ate it cold...not warmed.

Tonight I'm making Crawfish Soup. My dear friend Shelly told me about how she makes it the last time we were at their house for dinner so I thought I'd give it a whirl. I'll have to take a picture and tell you just how scrumptious it is in one of my next posts. :)

So this morning I was in the kitchen doing SOMETHING when I looked out and saw these guys:

I didn't get to my camera in time to get them cruisin' down the river in single file...mom (white) with her four 'babies' and then dad (a Canada Goose) holding up the rear. By the time I got my camera they were already swimming this way...back toward the island and I have NO idea where dad went--I THINK to another, smaller island close by. The interesting part, to me, is that MOM is a domesticated goose and DAD is a Canada goose. The babies have more the coloring of Dad but the build and the orange beak of Mom. This 'Momma Goose' has been here for a while....I'll have to double check with Joe, as he keeps up with these things, but I'm pretty sure this isn't her first batch of babies since we've been here.

Samuel stayed home from school today--he hasn't been feeling so good this week (a cold) and asked this morning to stay home so I let him. I head back to work tonight so I figured a little extra rest for him today wouldn't be such a bad thing.

Nikki has a volleyball game tonight so keep her in your prayers!! :)

See you next time!

-S

Fall

I've never been a huge fan of Fall---especially the weather. Spring has ALWAYS, ever since I was a little girl, been my ALL TIME FAVORITE time of the year...re-birth of the earth...everything is blooming and coming back to life and it's nice outside.....not too hot, not too cold!

Over the past 4 or 5 years though, I guess since we've moved back to an area that has a DEFINATE change of season, I've really grown to enjoy Fall. I think what I like MOST is the colors.....AND although I've NEVER been a fan of apples, I've really grown to LOVE apple season and apples. FRESH apples and what I can make with them....homemade applesauce, apple pies, apple crisps, dehydrated apples (the kids LOVE these), apple 'puff' (the kids LOVE this too....SO does Joe!!!), apple dumplings--this is actually a NEW recipe I'm going to try today for the FIRST time. I'll post a pic and let you know how it is!! :)--, the list goes on and on............But I ALSO LOVE decorating for Fall WITH those Fall colors!!

This is what I've done to the front, so far, for Fall decorating...

The buckets with the flowers in them are old buckets that used to be my Grandfathers. And the chair with the flowers in it and the milk can behind the hay bale...yep, I got them from my Grandparent's barn too when I was in Ct. last time. I just LOVE that I can have 'things' that used to belong to my family whether it be my Grandfather, Grandmother or parents, in or AT OUR home. I've lived away from 'home' since I was 18. Somehow having these things makes me feel more close to 'home'. Is that weird??

OBVIOUSLY Joe hasn't changed out the doors yet. For the past, oh, I dunno, I guess since we've moved here Joe has talked about taking out the double doors and putting in ONE door with side lights. Maybe next year??

The kids just got on the bus and today is my LAST day off so I wanted to do some FUN, hopefully, possibly, creating today so I'm going to say goodbye, for now.......

Thanks for visiting and come back soon!!!

SO.........what have we been up to.......

Well, YOU know how life is.......
....BUSY, BUSY, BUSY!



It IS apple season here, so we've been busy making our fair share of 'apple stuff'...
apple crisps, pies and I'm SURE dehydrated apples soon enough (the kids LOVE them!!).
We got an invitation to make apple cider again this year too......HOPEFULLY Joe will be able to make it over for that....I'll be working....I just LOVE apple cider!!!







Oh! and we CAN'T forget about the Oooey, gooey, caramel, chocolate sometimes with chopped nuts sprinkled over top apples.....
Mmmmmm. They are scrumptious. :)










Samuel isn't doing a sport right now, which is probably a BLESSING. It's busy enough with Nikki and everything she is involved in. Samuel is more into soccer and they don't offer Fall soccer here. :( So, Samuel will have to wait for Spring. I'm HOPING to get him interested in karate. We DO have a guy who teaches karate here and one of the traveler Docs has gone and said this guy is AWESOME. I'd MUCH rather have Samuel doing karate than football so I'm going to gently nudge that way with him.
Nikki is still doing volleyball, again this year and loving it. I'm pretty sure she'll stick with volleyball all throughout HS. Once volleyball is over she's going to cheer for basketball. I think she'll enjoy it. If you remember, she cheered for Pop Warner when we lived in California for a few years and LOVED it. It IS more Nikki don't you think?
Anyways, here is Nikki, she's #3, at one of their games this year. I haven't been to any lately just because of the work/game night schedule conflict. Nikki also participated in Powder Puff football this year. THAT was fun to watch!

Now, look at these twoGOOF BALLS!!!
Here's Sammo and Salvador (our 'adopted' son.) For those of you who don't know, Salvador is a friend of Nikki's who was having some 'issues' last Spring or so and started spending quite a bit of time over here at our house. He spent the majority of his summer here with us and is part of the family anymore. He's like a big brother to Sammo and Sammo LOVES that!!! Salvador........he's cool with it. :) He says Samuel is the little brother he never had. He does REAL good with him but just like ANYONE after a while Samuel can ride your nerves. They're both big Wii/DS fans so they enjoy spending as much time as they can playing video games. They ESPECIALLY like Guitar Hero and Need for Speed Carbon (heaven forbid I forget the 'carbon' part.
Salvador IS playing football....JV. Unfortunately I haven't been able to make it to ONE game he's played in yet this season. :(
You know me, I always enjoy taking pictures. This is a picture from the deck that I took one day last week, I think. The fog had rolled in and I just thought it was beautiful. It's mornings, and scenery, like this that reminds me why I enjoy it here so much:
Oh, it was a frigid morning---I don't care for THAT part so well but so long as I can be warm, it's ALL good!!
Joe is out hunting this morning. He saw a few yesterday he said but didn't shoot. Hopefully he'll get his early this year. You can BET I'll post of a pic!!!
Alright, so this is a start..... :)
Hope to see you back again soon! And don't be afraid to leave a comment or two!
Lots of Love from all of us!

I've FINALLY gone and done it!!

I've been talking about starting a 'family blog' so I wouldn't keep posting 'family' stuff on my 'creations' blog and now, I've FINALLY gone and done it!!! I imagine it will take a few days or so to REALLY get it going but here we'll start......
This is 'US', last year at my Graduation from Nursing School. Once we take a more current family pic I'll be posting it here FIRST!