Late night fun

I am curious how many kids do you think are on the trampoline. I know we need to replace the net.
Tonight we had a late bedtime. Hope begged daddy to mow the grass, she rushed around cleaning everything up. So after dinner it was time to mow the grass. Everyone was in pajama's but noone minded. Tom had a blast riding on the lawnmower. They played on the trampoline. We actually have a small one on the deck that he can jump on alone. It has been a great day!!

Oreo cupcakes

I saw this recipe on Tidy Mom. I fell in love. I am addicting to Oreo's right now. This recipe is super simple. Place one oreo in the bottom of each cupcake pan, fill with batter and bake as normal. I actually added oreo's to my cake batter and used oreo frosting.
Have you made anything with oreo's recently. I would love to try the recipe. Just please hurry because I am about to eat plain oreo's.
Pam

Miscellany Monday

My whole life has changed since the last time I did this.
1. I now have two precious blessings to snuggle daily.
2. I have lost a man who treated me like a daughter and even told me I was the pick of the litter.
3. I am knee deep in laundry. I go to bed thinking it is done and wake up and find another basket.
4. My hero is home and I cannot hug him enough. I miss just taking a moment to talk to him.
5. I think it is funny that my house is cleaner today than it has been in years, funny because I have 2 more kids in the house.
6. I am feeling so blessed and love this week. I have really realized what wonderful friends I have and how amazing they are to me. They have brought me to tears several times.
Pamela

Bored

Do you ever think, hmm my life has been turned upside down (in a amazing but busy way) so let me see what else I can do to keep myself busy. Hmmm, me either. So it was not me who volunteered to keep this precious blonde for three days straight. In her defense she earns her keep with those blue eyes and hugs that could solve the world.
It was not me who volunteered to keep my friends birds for a month even if one of them will not stop laying eggs and is on a special diet.

It was also not me who volunteered to drive across town, as in 40 minutes away, to take care of her cat.
But you know what, any minute of any day the same people would do the same and have done the same for me. I think it is part of being a military family. You learn to help one another in the good times along with the bad. Today I feel honored that they trust me with there babies. Now hopefully my cat will not notice the blue and green toys hanging in my kitchen. What have you done for someone recently that benefited you?
Pam

Daddy is home

Can you tell who came home today. Oh boy did my house get ten times louder when he came home. Between bringing home balls for the backyard and us eating ice cream after dinner it went wild. My hero was on the phone when he finally had a moment to set and Tom was having nothing to do with that. He was all over him. I just set back and watch. Then the girls came in and decided they wanted in on it. It has been 2 weeks since daddy was able to beat anyone up. I think they all needed it and I think they will all sleep well tonight. Tonight we had our first family meal together and tomorrow we go to church together. I am beyond excited.

Pamela

Fill in the blank Friday

1. The last thing I ate was SH, do you promise not to tell. I ate a little Debbie honey bun cake. It has been calling my name all week from the cabinet but I could not find time to eat it without the blessings seeing me. This morning that time came. I regret eating it because my allergies are acting up so it was not that tasty and it was a waste of calories.
2. The next thing I'd like to eat is a hardee’s biscuit. But really I am making oatmeal for the blessings.

3. The best things are when you work for them. Are unexpected gifts from friends. When someone tells you that you are doing something right.

4. Something that makes me supremely and utterly happy is when Jerry says OH OH, he smiles so big and it melts my heart or when my girls take Jerry and go in his room and play.

5. Sports are a wonderful form of exercise that no one in my family is currently doing. While I have enjoyed soccer and baseball and fencing and tae kwon do, I am glad we are just enjoying being a family.

6. I miss my husband and son. They will be home in the morning. I know they are where they need to be and I would not change that for the world but I miss him need him to hold me and tell me he is okay..
7. Right now I am watching Faith and Tom play quietly in the floor together. The bond that is being built is so much fun. I could watch them for hours.
Pamela

5 Question Friday

1. What is your current favorite TV show? Army wives although it makes me cry every week. I know it sounds silly but I love to watch wipe out with my husband because he is constantly laughing at me for shaking every time they get hurt.

2. What's the worst haircut you ever got? Haha, I wish I had a picture. I was 13 and had my whole hair cut about 3 inches from my head. I look at that picture and think HOW and WHY

3. What was something that you did as a child that you thought you were so cool for doing? I stayed home alone for the weekend when I was 16. I use to set on my front porch and play my flute. I just knew the whole neighborhood must have loved it. Now I am glad I do not live in that town.

4. Do you have any GREAT frugal family fun tips? Fishing, seriously the first few times are pricey but then you can just buy worms and run. My best tip is to buy a family membership to a zoo because you can use it at most zoos or aquariums for a year. We can buy a family membership at my zoo for $45 and go as many times as we want in the year. Last year we went to the zoo or aquarium 8 times. That is $384 worth of tickets for $45. We love it.

5. Would you drive across country if you had the money to fly? If I had a RV and could stop and relax and visit every where I would say take a month and drive. If I were moving and just needed to be there I would say fly in a heartbeat. I do not like driving. I honestly cannot stand driving.
Pamela

Froggy love

On Friday we had cousins come over to play. We met at my moms. My mom lives just enough in the country that a neighbor has a goat and roosters and down the street you can find cows. The kids had a ball running around outside. Then Hope caught a frog. I am telling you this child will catch anything. She had so much fun catching it and then letting it go again. She loves that she now has someone to catch things with. At first Tom was not so sure about touching this wiggly frog. Then the dog got involved and he realized it was okay. They had so much fun. I felt bad for the poor frog. I will say that the frog survived and did not come home with us.
Does Tom not have the best smile in the world? I cannot wait to share his mischievous one. I am definitely falling in love



Pamela
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A relaxing day

Today has been a good day. We stayed home today and I organized dressers and got all the boys clothes put away. It feels like home again. The kids all just played. Strangely no one really played outside. My friend came over for a couple of hours. This afternoon a friend called and said she had an outdoor car for the boys. One of the battery ones and they can drive around the back yard. I said it will go great with the girls Barbie car.
We made spaghetti for dinner. I realized while cooking I need to buy an oven lock. I forgot some of the basics about having a baby. I do not mind, he is so worth it. I cannot believe how much these blessings can eat. I totally do not mind. We had spaghetti at 6pm and then they took a bath and before I could get Jerry dressed Tom was eating carrots. How do you say no to carrots? The dog loves Jerry; I bet he has already gained a pound or two.
I think bath time is one of Tom’s favorite times. We have a little basketball hoop on the shower wall and he just plays and plays. I have to admit giving the boys a bath is so much easier than the girls and they do not complain about getting their hair washed.
Pamela

Getting settled

We are home. I have so much to tell you but really I am joyfulling just hugging babies and smooching them. And re arranging clothes and making sure we have what we need. And spending a lot of time getting use to having a one year old and three year old again. Honestly now that we are home it seems so much easier. Bedtimes are so much better. We have gone from going to bed at 11 to 9-9:30. Now I just need to get myself in bed earlier.
I have wonderful friends and feel so blessed. Yesterday morning I got a call from a friend at scouts saying she had clothes for us. A few hours later a friend from church called and said her and a friend had gone shopping. So very blessed. Later a friend called and said she had a bunk bed and would drive 3.5 hours that evening to deliver it. She brought her 6 kids which is great because it was Faith’s birthday. So we had a built in birthday party.
The boys are doing great. I really expected things to be rougher than they are. Tom just woke up and said this is my house. I assured him it was and then he reminded me where his bedroom was. He is amazed at the cat and dog. He keeps asking me if this is his dog. Our dog is sleeping with him. It is so precious. He is a protective (never aggressive) dog and so I think he is protecting him. Tom does not want him sleeping with him. He is scared of the cat and dog. I just remind him that if he is nice to the cat and dog they will be nice to him.
Yesterday Jerry stood up three times out of the blue. He would be in the middle of the floor playing and then just standing there with nothing to hold on to. I do not think it will be long and he will be walking.
My husband is doing well. He is planning on coming home on Saturday. I cannot wait for him to be home and us to be able to have a few minutes to just stand and hug. I feel like with all the things going on I have not been there for him like I should. He says it is not so. But I miss just hugging him. He is so strong and such an amazing man. I do believe he is where he needs to be right now and am glad he can be. I just wish my arms stretched far enough to hug him.
I have so much I want to tell you about. I want to tell you about my homeschooling children at the funeral. Let’s just say when you teach your children that pop pal is in heaven and not there then all questions seem right. My husband said he was glad there was not a scalpel there. No worries they were not disrespectful but the funeral home employees said they felt like they taught a class.
I want to tell you about all the fun the kids had with cousins. I want to tell you how much fun my daughter’s birthday was.
I want to tell you or show you how we re-arranged our home to add 2 more blessings. And I want to tell you my children’s thoughts on new blessings.
Pamela

Our new life

Isn’t life funny? I was telling my hero last night that it seems weird that I have not blogged in a week and then it dawned on me that I had pre dated some things. So you guys do not even realize I have not blogged in a week.
My life has been torn upside down in an amazing way and in the most traumatic way. Let’s start at the beginning. Last Friday night my husband’s niece called and said she was no longer able to care for her boys. She asked if we could take them. I cannot imagine the strength it took to do this. I am sad for her and proud of her for being able to do this. We said yes quickly. I do not want to get into it but it was something that had been thought and prayed about before. So honestly there was no real discussion. We knew the answer before she called.
On Saturday morning my in laws drove to her where she was and picked up her and the boys. I am going to call the mom Joy and the boys Tom (he is 3) and Jerry (he is 1). On Sunday the plan was they would drive half way to our home to drop off the boys. Sunday morning at 6:30 the phone rang and I assumed it was my mother in law. It was only instead of saying she was on her way. She said an ambulance was there and my father in law had a heart attack. He had one a couple of years ago. So we jumped up and started making phone calls. Within a hour we knew he was in surgery. We learned they thought his stint had slipped or was covered by a blockage. Within another hour we learned that my big strong father in law did not make it off the table. They think he had the heart attack on Saturday and by the time they got in there on Sunday he was full of blood clots. My hero could not leave until Monday morning. So we spent the day mowing the yard and cleaning the house. Although we both are were a wreck and really we spent the day walking around in circles wondering what to do next or what to think?
On Monday we came home to WV. It has been a week I will never forget. A week of good-byes, a week of getting to know two precious babies. A week of wanting to take them and snuggle them and hug them and run with them. But reminding myself that there mom was there and this would be the last few days she would have with them for a while. On Thursday we signed the paperwork to obtain guardianship of the boys. So that we can register them through the military and get them on our insurance. The lawyer said it could take up to 45 days. Please pray with us that there are no glitches and that this would happen sooner than later. She said because my husband is here on emergency leave and because the mom signed all the paperwork already that she is hoping they can rush it through this week.
I have so much to tell you but right now I have one thing on my mind and that is that this morning I am loading up my van and heading home. I am taking the five younger kids and my husband and son are staying here to help my mother in law with some things. They will come home next weekend. So the prayer requests are that the legal stuff will be handled quickly. For healing for our family as we have lost a great man. It is honestly hard to be sad about it because we know where he is and that he is healthy now. I will write about the funeral another day. Pray for these precious boys as they adjust to a new home and a new life. Pray for their mother as she adjust without them. Pray that we are able to get everything we need for these boys. I have several friends who will help with this. But we are starting fresh with two blessings and did not get the nine months to prepare for this. Pray for my husband. I just want to hug him and tell him how sorry I am for his dad; I just want to cherish him for the man he is. That will come but right now we are just learning to be a new family with the changes in our life.
In case I have not said it we are thrilled to have these blessings. Beyond thrilled and fill blessed to be allowed to care for them.
Pam.

Oreo Cake

I know I saw this recipe on a blog but for the life of me I can not remember where. It is a super easy idea.
1 white cake mix
1 package of oreos (two rows at least, cut into four pieces each)
Mix cake according to box
stir in oreos
Bake according to box.
I made butter cream frosting and then added crushed oreos to it.
What a wonderful addiction to any cake. I will be honest and say I used Dollar General oreo's because I am frugal like that.
If you like this recipe you may love my
Oreo pancakes
Oreo fudge
Pamela

Indoor Pools

Today I have sad news. The indoor pool we love is closing for the summer. I know it sounds silly when there are so many wonderful outdoor pools. I love indoor pools because I do not have to worry about sun block. I cannot stand to put sun block on but I know I can’t be outside for more than a minute or I am a lobster.

This pool is perfect for my girls because it starts at zero depth and goes to four foot. The only bad part is it only goes to four foot which means my six foot son wants nothing to do with it.
I do not know who the other little kids are in the picture. All I do know is my children do not know strangers. If you are within a mile you must be there friend. I hope they never lose that quality.


Do you prefer a inside or outside pool? Do you like spray sunblock or lotion sunblock? Do you prefer the beach or a pool
Pamela

Approved Workman are not afraid

Have you ever heard of AWANA? It is a wonderful program that encourages our children to memorize scripture. AWANA stands for approved workman are not afraid. Last week was the end of the year ceremony. I was sad to see it come to an end. Grace told me that she could not leave Cubbies’ because they needed her to help clean up. This is a amazing group of leaders.


Pamela

Praying

Good evening. I come to you today with a heavy heart. This morning we received word that my father in law had a heart attack. Sadly, and I can not believe I am saying this but he did not make it off the operating table. I just can not believe it. I have so many wonderful things I want to say about this man but right now I just can not think straight. Tomorrow morning we will head to WV.
I have one more prayer request. We are going to have a family member boys come and live with us for a while. I feel blessed that their mother trusts me enough to allow me to help her while she needs it. Please pray for her as she takes the time to take care of some things. Please pray for these boys that will adjust to not being around her. That they will feel the love we have for them.
Please pray for my mother in law as she closes down my father in laws business and continues to raise two children. She is an amazing woman. Pray that I will know how to be there for her and am able to help her.
Pamela

New York Times Chocolate Chip Cookies

Please tell me you do not see the drop of dried ketchup under the plate. Because surely my table was spotless before I took a picture on it.
I love baking. Even more I love trying new recipes. This recipe called for cake flour which I did not have. When I finally bought the cake batter I lost the recipe. So last weekend I made these amazing recipe and let me tell you they are truly amazing. I doubled the recipe and had no problem. I saw this recipe on My Baking Addiction. I caution you to be careful when visiting her blog because you will be stuck in the kitchen for days.


Ingredients
2 cups minus 2 tablespoons
(8 1/2 ounces) cake flour
1 2/3 cups (8 1/2 ounces) bread flour
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt
2 1/2 sticks (1 1/4 cups) unsalted butter
1 1/4 cups (10 ounces) light brown sugar
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (8 ounces) granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 1/4 pounds bittersweet disks or fèves, at least 60 percent cacao content (see note below)
*Sea salt (I used regular)
Directions
1. Sift flours, baking soda, baking powder and salt into a bowl. Set aside.
2. Using a mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream butter and sugars together until very light, about 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla. Reduce speed to low, add dry ingredients and mix until just combined, 5 to 10 seconds. Drop chocolate pieces in and incorporate them without breaking them. Press plastic wrap against dough and refrigerate for 24 to 36 hours. Dough may be used in batches, and can be refrigerated for up to 72 hours.
3. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
4. Scoop onto pan and bake 18 to 20 minutes.

I had oreo buttercream frosting on the counter from a oreo cake I made a couple of days before so I decided to turn the cookies into sandwhiches. YUMMY!!!
Pamela

Kitchen Angel

Grace made this on her last night as a cubbie. I am going to miss her being a cubbie. I do not know if I will ever have the heart to open this up and use it. Although, I am tempted to just to make a bunch of them as a gift.
It is two hand towels wrapped around each other and the poem read:
I am your kitchen Angel
I’ll watch over all you do,
Baking all those goodies,
And snitching one or two!
And if you ever tire of me,
Or some help is what you wish is,
Just untie my little ribbons,
And I’ll help you with the dishes!

It is too stinking cute. I am now wondering why I did not get a picture of my cubbie with her kitchen angel.
Pamela

Fill in the blank Friday

1. This weekend I'm going to sleep, I have not been feeling well recently and I am going to enjoy my hubby being home, we have missed him and he has just got home late last night. .
2. My last vacation was visiting my mom and then bringing her back home with me. It was fun to watch her play with the kids .

3. My next vacation will be I have not even thought about it. My hero is taking 2 weeks off in July and honestly I think we are going to just hang out at home and relax. It seems like we are always on the go when he is home so this will be nice to just relax .

4. My favorite way to relax is to set on my couch while the kids eat lunch, the kids know we are getting back to school so they take there time and giggle and talk. My favorite way to relax is to set on my front porch during the rain. It is so relaxing .

5. When vacationing one should always take your time, enjoy the moment, take a ton of pictures, and take time to relax, go someplace fun and not always to just visit family.

6. When vacationing one should never have to worry about money, over plan and be on a strict schedule. Just go with it and have fun. And of course you should never forget sunscreen .
7. The best part about a vacation is coming home to a clean house. No seriously I love when my family is together. I love how all the sudden everyone gets along and wants to be together. I love hearing my kids giggle together.

Pamela

5 Question Friday

1. How close to your childhood dreams is your life now?
I grew up saying I wanted to be a nun or a school teacher. Well since I am not Catholic the being a nun flew out the window. I am not a teacher in a school but I am a teacher in my home. So honestly all my dreams have come true.
2. What is one must have item for the summer? AC cannot live without it, will not live without it. Oh, and what would summer be without mountain dew slushy’s. YUMMY, is all I can say about that one. Wait, can I add one more. The most important thing is sun block with SPF 2000, do they make one that big. I have to have it just to walk to the van. It is crazy how easily I burn.

3. Do you have your kids stay up on school stuff during summer vacation? (Or, if you don't have kiddos, did your parents make you keep up on school stuff during summer?) We try to school year round. I will take a couple of weeks off but not much. This year we are taking July off because my hero is taking two weeks off and the third week my son is going to camp. I like to keep school going so we can take time off during the school year when my hero is off.

4. Do you can or freeze fresh produce? Oh yes, oh yes, oh yes. Strawberry season was last month and we froze a ton of strawberries. Sadly they are almost gone. I wish I would have gotten more and then not let my kids eat them constantly. But how do you keep something that looks so yummy away from them. It is fun to go pick them ourselves.

5. Do you get ready for the day first thing in the morning? Nope, I go walking and then come home and relax. Honestly it may be late in the afternoon before I get dressed. I always say I am going to get dressed earlier and it still has not happened.
Pamela

Mil Spouse Friday fill in

1. When you vacation what type of vacation do you like to take (beach, historic, adventurous, food oriented, etc.)? submitted by Megan Dub-Yuh if it is just my husband and I it would be days spent at a amusement park and evenings spent on a beach. If it was with my blessing I would say someplace historical or food oriented so they could learn something.
2. What is your best memory associated with a song (you know we all have tons!) submitted by Ramblings of a Marine Wife My front porch looking in, because it seems like when my husband deploys that is his song.
3. If you had six months with no obligations or financial constraints, what would you do with your time? submitted by Married to the Army take my hero and my blessings and leave town. We would travel and learn and travel and eat and travel and be together. Oh how i dream about taking my family away and being together with nothing else to do. I love having time alone.
4. What is one thing about you that people do NOT typically notice at first that you wish they would? submitted by Our Motto is Patience hmm this is hard, I wish there was things they did not notice but i can not think of anything they do not notice.
5. …. submitted by The Three Turners: It’s a summer of sequels, and if you had to live in one of each of the following “worlds” (there are three total) which would you choose and why? I do not know what the sequels are. So this is hard for me

Batteries

How do you make three little girls happy. You take toys that have not had batteries in a year and put install new batteries. They have been busy the last couple of days playing with new toys.

Chocoate Donuts

• 4 cups all-purpose flour (I used 3 cups white and one cup whole wheat)
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 1.5 cups white sugar
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 teaspoon sea salt (I used regular salt)
• 2 cups buttermilk
• 4 eggs, beaten
• 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 4 tablespoon melted butter
Pre- heat oven to 450 and bake 8-10 minutes.
I got the recipe (that I doubled and changed a little) from Alli and Son she has some amazing ideas on other toppings. This will definitely be a new favorite one. I have several of these setting on he kitchen table waiting for breakfast.
Pamela