A little bit of an update on us…

Well, we have a lot going on in the next few weeks.  This weekend, my dad is taking the kids and Jason and I are heading to Myrtle Beach for the weekend.  I’m so excited!  His Marine Corps Ball is down there.  I’m not going to that, but he is.  Well, just the ceremony part.  Then we’ll both go out to dinner and hang out in our AWESOME hotel I booked.  It’ll definitely be a fantastic and romantic getaway. 

Then there’s next week.  On Thursday, we’ll get the keys to our ‘new’ house.  Our base neighborhood has been getting remodeled for a while and our names have finally come up for a remodeled home.  I’m excited but exhausted thinking about it.  This will be our third move in one and a half years.  Sigh…  Thankfully, the Marine Corps is footing the bill this time and providing movers to pack, load and unload everything.  Supposedly, it’ll only take 1 day.  We’ll see.  So, they’ll come on the 13th, pack, load and unload at our new house.  It kind of works out nice because then we’ll have the weekend to unpack and get completely settled… hopefully.

About 2 weeks later on Wednesday, we’re hoping to host a Thanksgiving dinner for Jason’s shop of 50 at our house.  I’m definitely excited.  We’ve been here for almost a year and I have yet to meet anyone Jason works with or their families.  So I’m hoping I can plan properly and fit 50+ people in my home!

After all of that, we’ll have Thanksgiving at my dad’s, Kylie’s 7th birthday, mine and Jason’s 10th anniversary, Jason’s 31st birthday, Christmas (probably at my dad’s), New Year’s then Connor’s 11th birthday.  Wowza.  This is an incredibly busy time of year for our family!

I hope y’all have had and will have a great first week of November!

9 years ago…

… last Wednesday, this little man was born:

I don’t even know how this happened!?!  Where has the time gone?  How on earth did this baby turn NINE. YEARS. OLD.?!?!

Zachary looks just like his father.  It’s unbelievable.  He has no resemblance of me, at all, whatsoever.

However, he is just like me.  Overdramatic.  Needs details to tell a story.  Talks A. LOT.  He prefers to look ahead rather than at RIGHT. NOW.  :giggle:

He really is such a great kid.  He’s improved in so many areas, regarding school.  He used to hate reading with a passion.  Now it seems like you can’t get him to quit reading.  It’s so fabulous!  If asked, his absolute favorite subject is History.  He’s really learning his math and enjoying it.  It’s so fun to watch him learn.

He is my loving boy.  He adores giving hugs and loves telling you he loves you about a kabillion times a day.

I just don’t know how he got to be such a big kid.  Here are some pictures from our family birthday celebration:

Zachary with his birthday dinner choice: Chicken Enchiladas and Rice

Zachary's Birthday Cake - Lemon Cake with Vanilla Frosting

With his gift from Grannie and Grandad

With his gift from Kylie (that she bought with her own money... I love my kids)

With his gift from Connor

The next few are Zachary with his gifts from us.

And now it’s cake time!

Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you...

Make a wish!

Yum

Macaroni and Cheese

My mom used to joke with me and others saying that I came out sucking my thumb and eating macaroni and cheese.  This has been my all-time favorite food for as long as I can remember.  With that said, I’d say it’s high time I blog about it!  So, let’s get started!  Preheat your oven to 375 350 degrees.

 

The ingredients: butter, flour, milk, salt, pepper, cheddar cheese, monterey jack cheese, garlic and elbow macaroni

First, we'll melt three tablespoons of butter with 1/2 a tablespoon of garlic and salt & pepper to taste (I use A LOT of pepper)

Slowly warm 2-2.5 cups of milk, separately. It's better to mix warm milk (or liquids) into a roux.

 

Shred both blocks of cheese. The blocks I buy are 10 ounces. I'll use about 8-9 ounces of each cheese in the mix and then 1-2 on top.

 

 

Add in 4 tablespoons of flour

Mix well and cook on medium heat until smooth and bubbly

Slowly add in the milk and mix well. Heat on med-high heat until boiling and thick-ish. You don't want this mixture too thick.

Don't forget the macaroni! Cook it about 1 minute less than the instructions say. They'll cook more once we put it in the oven.

Once the white sauce is thick enough (but not too thick) add in about 8-9 ounces of each cheese.

Mix well. Stir until all of the cheese has melted into the sauce. Make sure to taste the sauce before saying it's done. It could need more cheese! And never believe the lie that there is such a thing as too much cheese... that's simply RIDICULOUS!

Next up is buttering the casserole dish. I use a plastic sandwich bag - I put it on my hand, scoop some softened butter and butter the dish. Easy peasy!

Make sure to drain the macaroni really well!

Pour the macaroni and cheese back into the pot to mix.

Once everything is mixed, pour it all into the casserole.

This is about how much cheese I had left over... and it will go on top of the macaroni...

...just like this.

 

 

Now we’re ready for the oven.  You’ll put this into a 375 350 degree oven for 30 minutes.  So, while we wait for the macaroni to be done, here are some pictures of what the kiddos were doing while I was cooking!

 

The boys were both working on school work...

And Kylie was reading a Spiderman comic, for kids.

And here is Zachary showing me what he REALLY does when he thinks I'm not watching....

So here we go….  I overcooked the macaroni and cheese.  Well – too high of heat in the oven.  Next time – 350 for 20ish minutes.  *insert eye roll here*

 

67 days until Christmas…

Holy cow…  I have all of these ideas for Christmas and only 67 days to complete them.

I’m making each kid a bag of costumes.  Though now that I think about it – I might just make one and make it one big joint gift…  So far, here are my plans:

I found this REALLY cool pattern at Hancock Fabrics:

I’m not sure which ones I want to do just yet… I know the one on the bottom, 2nd from the left is a definite.

There’s also:

My plan is to do the top and bottom on the right.

I plan to do the cape in the top left then the 2 costumes on the right as well as the cape in the middle for Kylie.

So that’s it for the costumes.  I think…  I should really not plan so many things, right?  RIGHT!?

Next up, I’m planning to make the boys a load of PJs.

And shirts:

And for Kylie…  Remember yesterday’s post and the skirts I made?  I’d LIKE to make a box full of skirts and shirts to match.  Though, that would probably be for her birthday.  Which is just over a month away.  I don’t need a pattern for the skirt but here’s what I found for shirts:

And possibly this next one… if they’ll still fit:

AND lastly – I would also like to make Kylie several dresses.  One of my pattern’s is not showing up in any search engine and I’m too lazy to take a picture right now.  It’s just a jumper – nothing spectacular.  But here’s the other dress I just purchased from a friend:

Now I just hope I can get everything done in the next 67ish days…

my recent sewing projects…

So yesterday I had a sew-a-thon.  My first project was a set a scrubs for one of the boys for Christmas.  I’m thinkin they MIGHT fit Zachary… But I’m unsure.  The measurements didn’t work out the way I wanted, so they’re a wee bit short/small on Connor.  Oh, and he’s trying it on not realizing it’s for him or Zachary for Christmas.  They think I’m making those for someone else’s son.  Ha ha ha!

Since I had PLENTY of scraps lying around, I made Kylie a skirt.  Seriously – this skirt was so easy.  No pattern needed.  Done in 20 minutes.

Jason has been requesting, also, that I use the same material for a book cover for one of his USMC notebooks.

Now you see it....

Now you don't.... (giggle)

And lastly, I found that I had PLENTY of material for another skirt for Kylie.

So there you have it!  I still have plenty of projects to complete.  But I had a great time using my new machine yesterday.  I just LOVE it!    I think a trip to Wal-Mart may be necessary today…

The final installment of our trip to NY

So, the rest of our vacation in NY consisted of just hanging out at the S’s house, going out for the BEST fish fry ever, swimming at Mrs. S’s dad’s house, going to a beach on Lake Ontario, church and visiting lots of friends.

I can’t even express to you how much we miss our friends in NY.  They really give new meaning to church FAMILY.  We all really were on big family.  I can’t wait until the day we can move back for good!  So – here are some pictures!

Kylie and Zachary

Sarah and A

Connor, A, and Kylie

The main reason went was for sailboat rides a la Shawn.

H and M

Isn't she gorgeous?

What a good lookin' boy...

Lookin' just like his daddy...

H said - "Oh wait! Let me do my head thing first!" Ha ha ha.

And here we all are....

My handsome hubba...

Kylie and A in the spider web they made...

M and all the kiddos...

Sitting around talking on our last night in NY....

Kevin and Tammy

The next few shots… ha…  well Jason M decided that he wanted to mess with our camera… so here you go:

So there you have it.  Thanks for stickin’ with me through all of these pictures!

Our Trip to NY, Part Tres

Friday morning, the family and I left to meet our friends, the S’s, at Letchworth State Park.   It was really, so beautiful.  We walked alongside the gorge starting from this really gorgeous mansion up to a really high railroad.  Well, we couldn’t get to the railroad, but we went as far as we could.  The kids had a blast and my husband thoroughly enjoyed taking a lot of scenic pictures.  Tammy and I had a fabulous time just walking and talking.  I miss her!  She really is just one of my greatest friends…  Someday we’ll live in NY again and I’ll get to see her more regularly.    Until then, here are some more pictures.

Kylie, Connor and Zachary in a really big chair.

Zachary, Kylie and Connor

Isn't that absolutely beautiful?

God's creation is really just amazing.

Sort of the front of the mansion we met at.

And we begin the hike...

There's a double... maybe even a triple rainbow going on there!

The kids exploring

All of the kids...

Jason and I

The railroad we were moving towards..

Our Trip to NY Part Deux

On Thursday, we all went to an amusement park that was formerly a part of Six Flags, Darien Lake.  Darien Lake had a ROCKIN’ deal that week!  $30 per CAR LOAD!  So…  we paid $30 for 7 people.  Rock. on.  We had a good time but didn’t stay all day long.  I think we got there around 1030 and left around 330… on our way out, we ran into the S’s (yes I know that’s grammatically incorrect… I don’t care), the family we were going to stay with in Lewiston the following day through the Tuesday after Labor Day… more on that later.  So, here are some photos of our day at Darien Lake.

From left to right: Zachary, Connor, Jason and Kylie

Um... I don't remember what this was but aren't my kids CA-UTE!?

Proud Member of the Havelock High School Class of 1999

May 28th, 1999 was such a glorious day!  It was the day I was FINALLY a high school GRADUATE! I couldn’t believe that day had finally come!  August 1995 to May 1999 were some of my best years growing up.  I really did have a blast in high school.  But I will say, that most of the stuff I did, my parents would not have or did not approve of.  So while at the time, I had a lot of fun, most of the stuff I did would not be recommended to anyone.

My freshman year was interesting.  First of all, that was the first or second year of block scheduling at Havelock High School.  We had 4-1.5 hour classes per day then the second semester we’d have 4 more 1.5 hour classes.  Let me see if I can remember what classes I had…  Honestly, I don’t think I can…  I know I had Advanced English, Advanced Physical Science, Algebra 1, Freshman Chorus, Art 1, P.E., Typing, and ELPSA – kind of a governmentish class…  Freshman year was the year I met my Sarah.  I just loved her.  She and I instantly clicked and become inseparable for the rest of our high school ‘career.’  I don’t think I had a date to the homecoming dance, I think Sarah and I went together to the Sadie Hawkins, I didn’t attend the Sweetheart dance, and of course I was too young for Prom.  But we still had such a great time our freshman year.

So moving onto my sophomore year…  Classes – uh… Computer Applications 1, Biology, Weight Training, English 2, Geometry, World Geography, I think I had another computer class and then Spanish.  My sophomore year – nothing is really sticking out!  I did attend the homecoming with a boy named Chris, I also attended the Sadie Hawkins with the same boy, and again I did not go to the Sweetheart dance or the Prom.  In the fall, Sarah and I became football managers.  We had SUCH a blast doing that but we didn’t continue on with it the next year.

Junior year.  Algebra 2, Chemistry, French 1, U.S. History, English 3, Computer Applications 2, Computer Programming and some law class…  Um, I’d rather not discuss my dating adventures.  I can’t even remember if I went to homecoming, I don’t think I did.  And I did attend my Sadie Hawkins dance that year but let’s not discuss that, k?  I got my first job the summer before school at the new Burger King in town.  I enjoyed it but then … eh … it just became another job, you know?

Senior year.  I only went to school for the first semester.  I had enough credits after that semester to graduate 1/2 a year early.  So I only took four classes – English 4, a senior project class, French 2 (and then I taught myself French 3), and sociology.  I was pregnant this year, too.  Which is another reason why I graduated early.  I was due in January – so by the time I had Connor, I’d have to be out of school for several weeks anyway and then to come back “that girl with the baby…”  Eh, no thanks.  Anyway – I had to really focus on Connor anyway and work to make money for him.  So – it really worked out, my being able to graduate early.  The dances I attended this year were the Sadie Hawkins w/ a dear friend I’ve known since 1st grade, Mike and prom…  Prom came in the spring, of course, so this was post-baby.  Another good friend, Pat, asked me to the prom that year.  The only way I’d be able to go was if someone who was still in school asked me – and he did.  I’m so glad he did – I had a great time!

You know, during my high school years, I made some really really great friends.  Friends that even now, I keep in touch with.  To my friends:  Sarah, Jennifer, Amanda, Rachael (who didn’t attend our school but spent her summer’s down here/with us), Shana, Mary…  and many more…  my high school experience would just not be the same without y’all.  I’m so glad we met and became such good friends! 

Jennifer (senior) and I (junior) before our homecoming dance

Friend Amanda and I - she left the summer following her sophomore/my freshman year.

Sarah doing what she did best, talking on the phone and Amanda... I'm not sure?

I had just cut myself some bangs... big mistake!

A picture of my walls of stuff...

Sarah cookin us one of our favorite foods - TATER TOTS!

Shana, Mary, Me and Julie - I have absolutely no idea what I was doing or why I was doing it - so please don't ask... lol

Me, Jennifer, Jamie and Sarah on our way to Busch Gardens!

Jumpin' on the trampoline

Tawna's junior and Jennifer's senior homecoming w/ freshman boys... That's a post for another day... maybe...

Senior Sadie Hawkins - Sarah, Pat, me and Mike

One of my senior pictures

GRADUATION! Me and Sarah

Our Trip to NY Part 1

So we went to NY back at the end of August/beginning of September.  Our first stop was at Jason’s parent’s apartment.  We got there on Monday, August 31st and stayed through the morning of Friday, September 4th.  We had a really good time while we were there.  We stayed pretty busy – which is always nice… because honestly, who wants to spend their vacation sitting on the couch?  Not I!

On Tuesday we did just hang out, for the most part.  My mother-in-law did have to work so Jason and I took his dad and the kids to the restaurant formerly known as Nick Tahou’s.

This is a "Garbage Plate" from the restaurant formerly known as Nick Tahou's. It includes macaroni salad and home fries (1/2 and 1/2 on the bottom), 2 cheeseburgers on top, their secret hot sauce (the chili lookin' sauce) and mustard. Yum.

That night, Jason’s parents blessed us with some time alone!  Jason and I went to get a couple of appetizers from TGI Fridays and then we went to see Julie and Julia.  I’m going to keep my opinions to myself about both.

On Wednesday, we drove about 2 hours to Syracuse to enjoy the NY State Fair.  We really had such a great time!  The kiddos LOVE the state fair.    Also, I was greatly blessed by my In-Laws with a new Janome sewing machine!  I cannot even begin to express my gratitude!  Thank you so much!  Here are some pictures from the state fair!

The Sand Sculpture

Mr. Bobby Flay, folks!

It was so super cool to see him live!

And one more... just because.

Jason's dream car...

These guys were using water jugs as drums... they were pretty cool to watch!

Me and my Bug

Zachary

(inside joke… sorry…)”]

Contron

My mother in law and I at the Janome set up.

Ann, Tim and I watching the Police Dog Show

A sculpture... made out of butter... Butter makes EVERYthing better...

My hubba and his girlie

My new sewing machine <3