M.I.A. and now I'm found....

Can we pretend it hasn't been over a year since I've written in this blog?

If it's ok with you?  Honestly, even if it's not ok with you, that's pretty much how it's going to be.

We had a blizzard this week.  Which means the monkeys have been home a lot.  It also means the hubby has been home.  

I needed a little "Mandy time", so I went on a snow walk.

I felt a little like Lucy and Mr. Tumnus in Narnia.

Gus and Ollie went with me.  They aren't made for snow walks.

Oh yah, you don't know who Ollie is!  

We had a moment of weakness and thought our family needed another fur ball.  

He is cute as a button, but I'm afraid he doesn't click on all cylinders.  To put it nicely....Ollie is a very slow learner.

Gus is fatter than ever!  I had to drag my feet in the snow to make a path for him to follow.  He was breathing like he was in cardiac arrest.  Poor boy!!  I've decided this Spring that he is going on a diet! 

Ian and Gracie also had fun throwing snowballs at each other.  They built forts and a snowman.

See there....we made it through a post without any awkwardness.  It's just like we talked yesterday.  :)

On the go, go, go!

Bad blogger......bad, bad, bad!!!!!

I've let myself get so far behind, that I'm hitting a creative wall.  I've stopped taking pictures, I've stopped looking at other blogs.  Hence, I've been a little inactive here lately.   So, this post is my meager attempt to catch up.

I consider this little blog a record of our family events.  It is nice that friends and family can view it, but honestly, I would probably still do this even if they couldn't.  My goal isn't to have thousands of followers.  It's to be able to remember!  Friends, something happened at 30 years of age to my brain.  It no longer recalls things as easily.  I do remember having three children and a husband.  Maybe a dog or two.  

Possibly a cat..........or three cats.  Who knows?

In the past couple weeks I have sat through countless basketball games.  

I've ordered a few Christmas gifts (though not nearly enough).  

I've decorated the house for the holidays.

  

I've cleaned my scrapbook room (which was a huge, huge feat!). 

Remember Buddy?  Our little elf who visits the house the day after Thanksgiving through Christmas eve.  As we hoped, he was waiting for us when we returned home from black Friday shopping.  With a nice note, no less.  

This year, Buddy brought a helper.  Her name is Bridgette.  We are noticing that having Bridgette help him has gotten him into more messes.  

A toilet paper mess with a toilet paper roll crown.

And a paper trail from the bathroom to his location on the dining room buffet.

Ian's sock drawer

A bowl of milk chocolate chips in the kitchen.

And milk chocolate faces!

A horseback ride through the mess in Gracie's room!

A science experiment in the hall bathroom with food coloring.

Yes, toilet water CAN be turned a nice shade of Christmas green.

Then a game of cards with a few friends.

I will try to keep you up to speed on his where-abouts from time to time.  He has a Facebook page if you care to send a request.  It's Buddy the Elf, in case you're wondering.

Well, we are off to another basketball game in St. Joe, MO.  Ryan had an injury in his very first Varsity game.  So this is his big RETURN!  Hopefully (praying hard), he doesn't get hurt again.  This momma cannot take it when her babies are hurting!  

Ridin' Dirty

My morning has barely begun and I've already had difficulties with a red-headed monkey, a pair of baseball pants, and a crazy pot of coffee.  I ask for your forgiveness in advance if my temper seems a little flared.  It's not you, I promise!!!

It's nasty outside today.  It's grey........ and cold....... and raining....... and I'm ticked about it!  Is a little sunshine and warm gentle breezes too much to ask for?  Bleh!  Pooey!  Bah Hum-bug! Then a deep sigh!  I want spring!  I feel betrayed by mother nature, as she gave me a taste of it, then took it away.

I better get to some pictures before I say something that I cannot take back!

The highlight to Gus' very "interesting" life is getting to go "buh-bye".  If anyone looks in his general directions and says "buh-bye", then you better prepare to pay up.  Because he will wag his non-existant tail, give you a low growl and RUN for the garage door.

Buh-bye is the utter purpose for his existance.  His reason for breathin'!  

He stares out the windows and watches the world as we pass by.

He gets scratches behind his ears while his momma drives.  Then gets treats when we go through the drive-thru.  

When the weather is nice, (which it ISN'T today), he gets to ride gangsta style out the window.  Which means to you non-gangsta's, he puts one paw out the window, nods his head to the beat of the radio, and looks at all the passerbys.  

Gus is one cool pooch!!!!!!!

3 posts in 1

Because my mind flitters from here to there in less than .05 seconds, I am combining several topics into one post.  I'm doing this mostly because I'm lazy, and that's how I roll!

 It's been frigid outside this week.  And since I have a soft spot for T-bone, I've been letting him inside off and on.  He has enjoyed the spoiling and makes himself at home.  Smack dab in the middle of my kitchen work space!  Sorry about the distasteful camera angle in the above photo.  I tried to edit it, but finally decided......... IT IS WHAT IT IS!!!

  There is no chance of working with this road block.  Especially when Gus decided that he didn't like T-bone getting all the camera shots.

 So, Gus stood on T-bone's gut until he got up.  That was the end of that!  

switch of subject matter warning:

Tuesday was Ian's holiday concert.  I must confess that he was NOT thrilled by the idea!  He wasn't thrilled that he had to wear his Dad's pants....... shoes........ and socks.  He was especially NOT thrilled when I told him he MUST tuck in his shirt!  It wasn't an option!  

My...my..my!  Ian, you look so much like your Daddy, it scares me!  

This is how Ryan entertained himself during the program.  

The last switch of subject matter:

The 16th of December.......... WOW!

It seems so cliche' to say, "How time flies?".  I guess that it is said for a reason, time DOES fly by.

I'm still trying to understand how I can be in my middle 30's 20's.  (he he)

It was yesterday that my children were born.

I look in the mirror and see creases that weren't there the other day.  (thank goodness Rick is going to a botox seminar in Feb.)

Either way, here we are,  December of 2010.  Smack dab in the center of another Christmas season.  The words hustle and bustle seem too fun.  I wonder what people would say if I shouted, "I'm in the lunacy and craziness of Christmas!", instead of hustle and bustle.  After all, I looked up the definition of bustle and it says, "briskly energetic activity".  Who the heck is energetic?  I'm not even close.  Then I went out on a limb and looked up hustle.  It says very similarly, "to work energetically".

Nope, not me.
I'm tired (in case you're curious, the definition for tired is), 1. exhausted in strength, endurance, vigor, or [my favorite] freshness.  2. lacking in freshness or originality [as my blog readers often discover]  3. having one's patience, tolerance or pleasure exhausted [no comment].  




 Just so you don't get the wrong idea, I LOVE CHRISTMAS!  I love what it stands for!  I love being busy!

Yesterday was our annual Christmas Dessert Buffet at church.  It's our biggest meal of the year and people have come to expect an amazing spread!  In order to get everything done in time, we make several things the day before in our own kitchens.  I made the cheesecakes below.  (click on the links for recipes)

 Chocolate Cherry Cheesecake

Frosted Chocolate Chip Cheesecake

I ALWAYS use a water bath for my cheesecakes.  I find this makes a moister cheesecake with no cracks.  Make sure to surround your spring-form pan in aluminum foil first.  This prevents water seeping into your pan.

Many of our desserts came from the TASTE OF HOME Cheesecakes and More magazine.  You can purchase yours at most retail stores or here.  

 There it is!  3 posts in 1.  Didn't think it could be done, did ya?  Doubted my ability, didn't ya?  Don't really care, do ya?  (he he)

Comfort

I took a walk this morning with my doggies.  I needed to be outside to clear my head. 

The word "comfort" kept popping into my thoughts.  

I want to reflect today, I suppose.  I get in those melancholy moods sometimes.  These are usually the times when I feel most creative.  So today, I take my creativity out on the camera.  Hoping for something that will capture the feeling.   

I found one of the first evidences of Fall.  A reminder that time keeps ticking by.

I saw millions of these little blooms.  Before they are fully opened, they remind me of an upside-down teacup.  (or a fairy skirt)

I saw grasses that were coated with raindrops from this mornings shower.

Lily Pads that I have a love/hate relationship with.  They are so pretty, yet invasive. 

       

"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God"

2 Corinthians 1:3

"May your unfailing love be my comfort, according to your promise to your servant."

Psalm 119:76

Rick and I are heading to the "Windy City" tomorrow..

With "Mr. and Mrs. Clark"

and "Mr. and Mrs. Trout"

I LOVE...............

Today, I love................

These monkeys (who are as onery as they are cute)

100%'s on spelling tests (without studying for them)

Cool "Happy Meal" Toys from McDonald's (and my ADULT friend's who are willing to eat "Happy Meals" so you can have them)

My dog (who has no idea that he is as cute as a bug's ear)

My cat (who doesn't give a flip if he's not supposed to be on the table)

and Hazel the Housecleaner, a.k.a. Lisa (who doesn't want her photo taken)

(note the heels, pearls, up-do)