Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Christmas Mess
We went out for a drive the other night and were admiring all the christmas lights in our neighborhood. As we passed by a huge display of christmas lights Rylee exclaimed "That's just a big old christmas mess" and was she right. We appreciate everyone spending their christmas money on their light bill just for us to enjoy and I will not be posting a picture so that I will not offend a neighbor.
Monday, December 21, 2009
Super Easy Crockpot Peanut Cluster
This is one of the easiest reciepes I have ever made!
16 oz dry roasted peanuts salted
16 oz dry roasted peanuts unsalted
1 package semi sweet choc chips
1 4 oz bar German Chocolate
1 Package Almond Bark
Put all ingredients in a large crockpot and cook 3 hours on low. Do not remove lid to peek! Turn off and let cool for 15 minutes. Mix well and drop by tsp full on wax paper. This makes a lot!!!
Cool and enjoy!
16 oz dry roasted peanuts salted
16 oz dry roasted peanuts unsalted
1 package semi sweet choc chips
1 4 oz bar German Chocolate
1 Package Almond Bark
Put all ingredients in a large crockpot and cook 3 hours on low. Do not remove lid to peek! Turn off and let cool for 15 minutes. Mix well and drop by tsp full on wax paper. This makes a lot!!!
Cool and enjoy!
Moms Famous Spinach
In a frying pan mix together
1 stick of butter
1/2 a red onion
8oz fresh mushrooms
handful of frozen corn
small jar of pimentos
Saute slowly
Add: 2lbs of frozen spinach (or fresh spinach)
Cover and let it cook down (stirring occasionally)
Add: 1tsp salt & 1tsp pepper, 1 package of cream cheese, 6 strips of cooked bacon
Stir - until cream cheese is melted then put in a baking pan add shredded cheddar to the top and bake at 350 until cheese is melted
**** My mom made this recipe after eating at a restaurant called "Abeulo's" and fell in love with their side spinach dish - this is her re-creation... and it is wonderful!
1 stick of butter
1/2 a red onion
8oz fresh mushrooms
handful of frozen corn
small jar of pimentos
Saute slowly
Add: 2lbs of frozen spinach (or fresh spinach)
Cover and let it cook down (stirring occasionally)
Add: 1tsp salt & 1tsp pepper, 1 package of cream cheese, 6 strips of cooked bacon
Stir - until cream cheese is melted then put in a baking pan add shredded cheddar to the top and bake at 350 until cheese is melted
**** My mom made this recipe after eating at a restaurant called "Abeulo's" and fell in love with their side spinach dish - this is her re-creation... and it is wonderful!
Kaitlyn turns 13
This post is a week late but very much needed. Kaitlyn Nicole Kirchner turned 13 on December 14th - Yes that makes 2 teenagers in our house now. Kaitlyn was such a wonderful baby, rarely cried and always had a smile for everyone. She loved to be held and she was so little and cute.... now 13 years later.... I have this beautiful, high energy girl that seems to always be making me either laugh or cry. She is an amazing artist, she can draw and she has such musical talent it is amazing since nether one of her parents are talented in these areas. She never takes the answer "No" and she always asks "Why". We are so much a like in so many ways that it seems we bump heads more than I like to. I hope that she knows that we want the very best for her and that we love her very much. I am so proud to be her mother and I want her to stay my little girl for as long as possible. She struggled while we were in El Paso and I think she is settling into Houston so much better.
Sunday, December 6, 2009
Sarah Macy Honshtein
We went right back to Fort Worth this past weekend, for Sarah's Baptism. We were so glad to be there - Ashley and Sarah have been best friends since they were born. We love the Honshtein Family so much and are so thankful to be able to call them friends!
Monday, November 30, 2009
Thanksgiving, Baptism, & Blessing
This Thanksgiving we left for Fort Worth very late on Wed evening. Thanksgiving day was wonderful, with lots of food and fun we really had a great time. My mom always makes the most amazing amount of yummy food and there is something for everyone to do. Some kids played in the toy closet, some watched tv, several play a game while several others stand around the kitchen munching! I will be posting several of my favorite foods from her house for you later!
All my girls were very excited to meet for the first time both Payten and Layten Killebrew they are the cutest babies and the girls and I had a great time loving on them!
Friday instead of going shopping like most of America the day after Thanksgiving, we had the opportunity to see Ethan Wall be baptised. He was baptised with his cousin Scotty Wall and another one of their friends named Thomas. After the baptism we went to the Woodland Springs Park and the kids played together and we all enjoyed a nice lunch. I am so proud of Ethan!
I went to visit my sisters new store "Real Deals" it truly had really good deals on clocks and mirrors and cute things to put on the walls. I will have to visit again when I have some extra spending money. If you live in the Dallas/Fort Worth area - check out "Real Deals" off of Denton Hwy the owners are very creative!
The day seemed to fly by so fast - that evening Adam and Cindy invited us and the Walls to see the Fort Worth Christmas Parade and WOW - the parade had over 75 entries - and at the end of the parade we saw Santa Claus and Mrs Claus. On the way home the girls all feel asleep!
Saturday morning my mother and I got up early we had decorating to do - Thanksgiving had to be put away and Christmas brought out! We also started baking we made pecan sandies, martha washington chocolates, toffee, sugar cookies, and peanut butter kisses. We got some sewing done, see I am not sure of my sewing skills, I need my moms help and she is amazing. While we were doing all of that; John took the girls to Adam and Cindy's house for the 1st Annual Cousin Pancake Breakfast (I heard it turned out great - the kids had a great time and the food was good). Then they went to visit John's sisters (I was sad I missed them) and of course Michael DeWolf. I need to stop here and say how very much the girls love Michael, he is so sweet to them and teases them just a little that it makes them giggle non stop when he is around.
Saturday Evening we began to help around my moms house. We always try to do a little service around the house when we come to stay. I do not want the kids to take advantage of momo's house or her generosity. John mowed the yard (which made him very happy to ride the lawn mower), Kaitlyn blew the leaves everywhere, Rylee and Ashley swept all the concrete and porches and played with Mario, and Rachel cleaned out the toy closet.
At dinner we all sat down and had a great discussion about the Jonas Brothers and whether my girls really knew anything about them. All of sudden Rylee smiled really big and pushed one of her bottom tooth out and back in - it was really weird. That did it - the tooth had to be pulled - so of course - my mom asked her to show her what she did one more time and out came the tooth and what did we know but the tooth right next to it was also very loose and she pulled it out really quick too! Rylee was fine for a minute - then started to cry - 5 minutes later she was fine singing with my dad - My dad would start with "All I want for Christmas is my....." and he would point at Rylee and she would sing "my 2 front teeth, my 2 front teeth". I have to say that the tooth fairy in Aledo Texas is way more rich than the one in Houston - some how the tooth fairy left 2 five dollar bills - one for each tooth. (You try arguing with a tooth fairy - it isn't easy and never fun - so I gave in - what could I do!)
Sunday morning we went to the Chapel Creek Ward and we saw Layten Killebrew get blessed. Adam did a great job on the blessing and we were able to see lots of friends we hadn't seen in a long time.
Sunday afternoon was the Annual Killebrew Christmas Party. My parents have 6 kids that are all married and 15 grandkids and we want everyone at our party, which can be hard to achieve. So this year it was a little early - but everyone was there that is what counts! We always do a themed gift and we each get to choose a gift and open it, if we want we can switch with someone else. It is always a lot of fun, this year CarieAnn came up with the theme "A few of my favorite things". To add to the fun, when you chose a gift and opened it you were supposed to figure out who bought it. Some people were easy and others were harder.
Before we left for home our van was overloaded with wrapped gifts for Christmas from my parents, a frozen ham and a frozen turkey, and lots of other extra food. Adam gave us about 20 pounds of frozen meat from a cow that he slaughtered. I cannot even explain how full the van was, we could not have placed anything extra in there.
I am so thankful for a huge loving family, we all have our quirks and problems, we all make mistakes, but at the end of the day all I can ask is that we love each other unconditionally. I am thankful for parents that have been able to help us when we needed it the most. When I was little we were very poor and my parents could not go to their families for help, everyone was struggling. I am thankful for Metro Code and all that the company has done for my family. I am very blessed and very thankful starting this Christmas season.
All my girls were very excited to meet for the first time both Payten and Layten Killebrew they are the cutest babies and the girls and I had a great time loving on them!
Friday instead of going shopping like most of America the day after Thanksgiving, we had the opportunity to see Ethan Wall be baptised. He was baptised with his cousin Scotty Wall and another one of their friends named Thomas. After the baptism we went to the Woodland Springs Park and the kids played together and we all enjoyed a nice lunch. I am so proud of Ethan!
I went to visit my sisters new store "Real Deals" it truly had really good deals on clocks and mirrors and cute things to put on the walls. I will have to visit again when I have some extra spending money. If you live in the Dallas/Fort Worth area - check out "Real Deals" off of Denton Hwy the owners are very creative!
The day seemed to fly by so fast - that evening Adam and Cindy invited us and the Walls to see the Fort Worth Christmas Parade and WOW - the parade had over 75 entries - and at the end of the parade we saw Santa Claus and Mrs Claus. On the way home the girls all feel asleep!
Saturday morning my mother and I got up early we had decorating to do - Thanksgiving had to be put away and Christmas brought out! We also started baking we made pecan sandies, martha washington chocolates, toffee, sugar cookies, and peanut butter kisses. We got some sewing done, see I am not sure of my sewing skills, I need my moms help and she is amazing. While we were doing all of that; John took the girls to Adam and Cindy's house for the 1st Annual Cousin Pancake Breakfast (I heard it turned out great - the kids had a great time and the food was good). Then they went to visit John's sisters (I was sad I missed them) and of course Michael DeWolf. I need to stop here and say how very much the girls love Michael, he is so sweet to them and teases them just a little that it makes them giggle non stop when he is around.
Saturday Evening we began to help around my moms house. We always try to do a little service around the house when we come to stay. I do not want the kids to take advantage of momo's house or her generosity. John mowed the yard (which made him very happy to ride the lawn mower), Kaitlyn blew the leaves everywhere, Rylee and Ashley swept all the concrete and porches and played with Mario, and Rachel cleaned out the toy closet.
At dinner we all sat down and had a great discussion about the Jonas Brothers and whether my girls really knew anything about them. All of sudden Rylee smiled really big and pushed one of her bottom tooth out and back in - it was really weird. That did it - the tooth had to be pulled - so of course - my mom asked her to show her what she did one more time and out came the tooth and what did we know but the tooth right next to it was also very loose and she pulled it out really quick too! Rylee was fine for a minute - then started to cry - 5 minutes later she was fine singing with my dad - My dad would start with "All I want for Christmas is my....." and he would point at Rylee and she would sing "my 2 front teeth, my 2 front teeth". I have to say that the tooth fairy in Aledo Texas is way more rich than the one in Houston - some how the tooth fairy left 2 five dollar bills - one for each tooth. (You try arguing with a tooth fairy - it isn't easy and never fun - so I gave in - what could I do!)
Sunday morning we went to the Chapel Creek Ward and we saw Layten Killebrew get blessed. Adam did a great job on the blessing and we were able to see lots of friends we hadn't seen in a long time.
Sunday afternoon was the Annual Killebrew Christmas Party. My parents have 6 kids that are all married and 15 grandkids and we want everyone at our party, which can be hard to achieve. So this year it was a little early - but everyone was there that is what counts! We always do a themed gift and we each get to choose a gift and open it, if we want we can switch with someone else. It is always a lot of fun, this year CarieAnn came up with the theme "A few of my favorite things". To add to the fun, when you chose a gift and opened it you were supposed to figure out who bought it. Some people were easy and others were harder.
Before we left for home our van was overloaded with wrapped gifts for Christmas from my parents, a frozen ham and a frozen turkey, and lots of other extra food. Adam gave us about 20 pounds of frozen meat from a cow that he slaughtered. I cannot even explain how full the van was, we could not have placed anything extra in there.
I am so thankful for a huge loving family, we all have our quirks and problems, we all make mistakes, but at the end of the day all I can ask is that we love each other unconditionally. I am thankful for parents that have been able to help us when we needed it the most. When I was little we were very poor and my parents could not go to their families for help, everyone was struggling. I am thankful for Metro Code and all that the company has done for my family. I am very blessed and very thankful starting this Christmas season.
Saturday, November 21, 2009
New Moon
In my house you cannot go 24 hours without seeing or hearing something about "Twilight" anyone that does not know what "Twilight" is - must not have a teenage girl and her mom! I had heard about this great book and decided to read it myself, after I read the first book I begged Rachel to read it. She had never read a whole book for fun, it was 2 weeks before Twilight came out in the movies and she still hadn't read the book so I gave her a challenge. If she read the whole book before the movie came out, I would take her out of school the day the movie came out and take her to see it. The challenge worked - she read the whole book. From then on Rachel has loved Vampires - she now has a whole collection of Vampire books and she reads all the time. Kaitlyn being the opposite of Rachel has chosen to love wolves (since Rachel loves vampires - that only makes sense).
Several weeks ago I got a crazy idea from Rachel and Kaitlyn and ran with it. I bought "New Moon" tickets for the midnight opening show! We went with Paige and Maria Torbit. Maria and I are not night owls - thankfully we had each other to keep us awake. We all loved the movie! There were some "cheesy" parts to it, but compared to the 1st movie it was so much better. There was more humor and the movie wasn't slow, the wolves were amazingly real. It was great - Rachel has a count down already for the next movie in the series "Eclipse". Although, I do not wish to go to another midnight movie - I was so tired the next day it was unreal!
Rylee turns 6
It is very scary to realize that my baby has turned 6... I have to stop and realize I am getting older too! There is so much I can say about this girl, she has the best smile and everyone notices her huge blue eyes - she has brown curly hair that she loves to have styled. She is a great friend to everyone she sees. She is silly and funny and you never know what she is going to say next. I am very thankful for this sweet spirit that I have been given to raise. I love you Rylee!
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Very Busy
It seems the busier I get the better organized I am and lately its been very busy. I am not complaining actually I am enjoying every minute of it! I had Friday off of work due to a class for work that I had to take on Saturday (more on the class in a few). My friend Tambra was in Austin visiting her daughter so I was very bad and took Rylee and Ashley to Austin with me. We had a great time going for a long walk along a river and park, watching the kids play while we were able to talk. Tambra is so smart and amazing - she always has such great advice that I feel like I come a little short when she needs advice. She made an amazing salad that I promise when I get the recipe from her I will be posting the "how to".
Around 3pm we took off and ran back to Houston - the YM & YW had a Drive in theatre night - we had a really great time. They saw "forever strong" and we had an amazing concession stand. The goal was to have everyone bring a friend and for entertainment we asked them to make their own cars for the drive in. The creativity in our ward is amazing! Rylee and Ashley had fun serving the popcorn, Kaitlyn wanted me to make her box car (of course I refused) so she just had an invisible one. John went to Rachels first basketball game - which her team won - she got to the church there late but just in time to say hi to everyone! I promise to be at the very next game!
Saturday, John and I sat thru at Continuing Ed Class for our Plumbing Inspectors License. I keep a running time frame of how much longer we had. But in all fairness the instructor was really good. Then we had a "girls night out" we went to a place I had never been called "9ers" they had really good hamburgers and they were huge! Thank-fully I had Sister Orten share with me so I only spent $3.00 which was perfect for my budget! I needed that time away talking to other moms with the same issues and concerns I have with the kids, school, teenagers, housework and working.
I gotta run today is ward conference at church, Rylee and Ashley are already fighting this morning, I hear Kaitlyn looking for breakfast and I can't wake up Rachel, as always very busy!
I guess instead of eating the candy - Kaitlyn decided to be creative
Way to go Rachel!
Kaitlyn driving in reverse in her invisible car
Ashley and Rylee serving the popcorn
Around 3pm we took off and ran back to Houston - the YM & YW had a Drive in theatre night - we had a really great time. They saw "forever strong" and we had an amazing concession stand. The goal was to have everyone bring a friend and for entertainment we asked them to make their own cars for the drive in. The creativity in our ward is amazing! Rylee and Ashley had fun serving the popcorn, Kaitlyn wanted me to make her box car (of course I refused) so she just had an invisible one. John went to Rachels first basketball game - which her team won - she got to the church there late but just in time to say hi to everyone! I promise to be at the very next game!
Saturday, John and I sat thru at Continuing Ed Class for our Plumbing Inspectors License. I keep a running time frame of how much longer we had. But in all fairness the instructor was really good. Then we had a "girls night out" we went to a place I had never been called "9ers" they had really good hamburgers and they were huge! Thank-fully I had Sister Orten share with me so I only spent $3.00 which was perfect for my budget! I needed that time away talking to other moms with the same issues and concerns I have with the kids, school, teenagers, housework and working.
I gotta run today is ward conference at church, Rylee and Ashley are already fighting this morning, I hear Kaitlyn looking for breakfast and I can't wake up Rachel, as always very busy!
I guess instead of eating the candy - Kaitlyn decided to be creative
Way to go Rachel!
Kaitlyn driving in reverse in her invisible car
Ashley and Rylee serving the popcorn
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Decorating Fun
The girls and I have a lot of fun when we get to decorate. My mom gave me some flowers with fall colors and we had a really great time working on a wreath together - they were so excited to get started they refused to get dressed. The SunFlower is a cake that I made for a friend of mine at work - the best part of decorating cakes is my girls - they love to stand on the kitchen chairs and offer up advice - and they do a lot of taste testing! They are always so positive and reassuring even when I am not happy with the results. I always find things that I could have done better. Not them - they think each one is the best cake I've ever done! (Looking at these pics I realize that they all need haircuts)
Saturday, November 7, 2009
I found this poem - I just needed it
More Than A Day
As Thanksgiving Day rolls around,
It brings up some facts, quite profound.
We may think that we're poor,
Feel like bums, insecure,
But in truth, our riches astound.
We have friends and family we love;
We have guidance from heaven above.
We have so much more
Than they sell in a store,
We're wealthy, when push comes to shove.
So add up your blessings, I say;
Make Thanksgiving last more than a day.
Enjoy what you've got;
Realize it's a lot,
And you'll make all your cares go away.
By Karl Fuchs
As Thanksgiving Day rolls around,
It brings up some facts, quite profound.
We may think that we're poor,
Feel like bums, insecure,
But in truth, our riches astound.
We have friends and family we love;
We have guidance from heaven above.
We have so much more
Than they sell in a store,
We're wealthy, when push comes to shove.
So add up your blessings, I say;
Make Thanksgiving last more than a day.
Enjoy what you've got;
Realize it's a lot,
And you'll make all your cares go away.
By Karl Fuchs
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Halloween Fun!
I love Halloween - it is a time for kids and adults to play dress up and get to pretend. This year we went to the church for a full evening - starting with the chili cookoff, then a carnival and trunk & treating. We had a great time!
Kaitlyn as a punk rocker
Rachel and her friend Lizethe as themselves
Rylee, John & Ashley (Rylee as candy corn and Ashley as Selena Gomez)
My Ghost Cake
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
I've been blessed
A couple of weeks ago I went to Fort Worth all by myself for 2 days. It was Fort Bend County Day at work and all city employees got the day off on a Friday. Friday morning I was off to Fort Worth. It was so much fun! First Stop - Adam and Cindy's house to visit the newest addition to our family - Layton Killebrew - I LOVE babies but he is the cuties thing I have ever seen! I held him almost all day and then it was off to my moms house.
My dad was on a scouting trip so Mom and I had the house to ourselves which never happens. We decided to spend Sat morning working on floral decorations for her house.
After working on the floral decorations we hopped into my car and ran some errands for her. I had no idea that when we got to SAMS her plan was to stock up on groceries that were none perishables for my family. I don't like to talk much about the trials in our life, so I know I haven't mentioned that John lost his job a little of 4 weeks ago and he is struggling to find a new one. There isn't even applications to fill out or interviews to go on - there is just nothing out there right now. It was the neatest thing she could do - I was overwhelmed with joy - I couldn't wait for the girls to see all the great stuff she got us!
Then after shopping we went back to her house to change clothes and get ready for the Womens General Broadcast. Before we got to the church we went to dinner with Cindys mom and her little sister Michelle, and Kat my little sister.
Cindy and baby Layton
Kat & baby Layton
After the conference I started for home because the next day on fast Sunday it was to be announced that I would be then new Young Womens President.
I am so excited to be our wards Young Womens President. I have been praying daily that I can do a good job and serve these great Young Women well. I hope I can be as good as the leaders that taught me because they were amazing. I love the Young Womens program, I know that these girls truly daughters of our heavenly father and he loves them so very much. I know that these times are hard and that these girls have been chosen to come at this time because of their strength. My heart is full of happiness and love I do not know how to even try to explain.
I have truly been blessed lately!
My dad was on a scouting trip so Mom and I had the house to ourselves which never happens. We decided to spend Sat morning working on floral decorations for her house.
After working on the floral decorations we hopped into my car and ran some errands for her. I had no idea that when we got to SAMS her plan was to stock up on groceries that were none perishables for my family. I don't like to talk much about the trials in our life, so I know I haven't mentioned that John lost his job a little of 4 weeks ago and he is struggling to find a new one. There isn't even applications to fill out or interviews to go on - there is just nothing out there right now. It was the neatest thing she could do - I was overwhelmed with joy - I couldn't wait for the girls to see all the great stuff she got us!
Then after shopping we went back to her house to change clothes and get ready for the Womens General Broadcast. Before we got to the church we went to dinner with Cindys mom and her little sister Michelle, and Kat my little sister.
Cindy and baby Layton
Kat & baby Layton
After the conference I started for home because the next day on fast Sunday it was to be announced that I would be then new Young Womens President.
I am so excited to be our wards Young Womens President. I have been praying daily that I can do a good job and serve these great Young Women well. I hope I can be as good as the leaders that taught me because they were amazing. I love the Young Womens program, I know that these girls truly daughters of our heavenly father and he loves them so very much. I know that these times are hard and that these girls have been chosen to come at this time because of their strength. My heart is full of happiness and love I do not know how to even try to explain.
I have truly been blessed lately!
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