Crazy Good Meatloaf.

I'm not a HUGE meatloaf-lover. This one, I have to admit is GOOD. It's EASY. My kids (and husband) LOVED it. Thanks, Jeannie. I shall title this one....

Jeannie's Meatloaf

2 lbs. ground beef
1 package Stove Top stuffing
1 C water
2 eggs (beaten)
1/2 BBQ sauce (I think I used more...)

Mix all ingredients except 1/4 C BBQ sauce. Shape into a loaf in 9x13, then spread remaining BBQ on top. Bake 1 hour at 375 degrees. (I think my loaf was wider and flatter than it should have been-so I only cooked mine about 45 min., so just watch it.)

ABC's With Lily.

Lily has been obsessed with singing the ABC's, lately. I hear it in my sleep.

Noah brought this wonderful dragon home from school today. Don't you want to just kiss that face?!?

Come One...Come All.

Doris (see below) has had a very hard week. She's been worked and reworked all week, and still cannot get the crazed look off her face. She's had blue paint blobbed on her face, her hair dyed and redyed several times. She continues to look back at me like she might snap at any moment. What to do, but give her an appropriate quote. Somehow, it all seems to make sense now.

We would like to invite you to the 3rd? 4th? (it's all a blur...) annual arts and crafts open house featuring these three lovely ladies. Come for art...conversation...snacks...a good laugh. And now... a shameless plug.

Looking for the perfect holiday gift for that 'hard to buy for' person? Find what you're looking for at our art open house. You'll be sure to find the perfect gift. This Sat. 10-3. Click to the right or go to http://www.thingswithwingsartjournal.blogspot.com/ for details and sneak previews. Be there. Bring a friend. Yes, Doris WILL be there, but come early, I don't think she'll be there long! You guys will have to duke it out amongst yourselves. See you there!

I Say Whip It. Whip It Good.

Yesss!

I got a very special delivery today. I'm WAY more excited than the kids, because, you know, I did "buy this for the kids..." Yeah, right. So, we sat down and watched it this evening. Needless, to say, the excitement wasn't exactly felt throughout the fam. Lily liked the music and tuned in when they were sliding down the slide. Noah just said, "Mo-om, you can see their strings.." I got an eyeroll from Jackson. He quickly went back to his book. Kids just don't appreciate 'muppetry' these days. They didn't even bat an eye when "Chuck" from The River Bottom Nightmare Band made his terrifying appearance. I remember having nightmares from that guy!! Oh, well, I thought it was very entertaining. I think I need to dig out my John Denver Muppets Christmas CD out of storage.

"Baby Cheeses."

I got out my stash of Christmas books for the kids today. Lily quickly decided she liked the stories about "Baby Cheeses."

This Is For Emily In 90 Degree TX.

Getting To Know My Kids.

name:Noah
age:6
favorite thing to do: gamecube
favorite food: grilled cheese
favorite subject: recess
least favorite subject: math
who do you play with?: Owen
favorite teacher: Mrs. Frisbie
favorite sport: baseball
favorite animal: cheetah
favorite TV show: Arthur
favorite movie: Cars
favorite bible story: The Fruit one...
What do you want to be when you grow up?: baseball player
Where would you like to travel to?: Chicago
What would you do with a million dollars?: buy something really huge!
What do you like best about yourself?: I'm good at sports
What do you want for Christmas?: a big toy

name: Jackson
age: 11
favorite thing to do: read books
favorite food: Mt. Dew
favorite subject: science
least favorite subject: math
favorite teacher: Mrs. Kurtz
favorite sport: baseball
favorite animal: hawk
favorite TV show: Monday Night Football
favorite movie: National Treasure
favorite bible story/verse?: David and Goliath/ John 3:16
What do you want to be when you grow up?: mechanical engineer
Where would you like to travel to?: London
What would you do with a million dollars?: buy the world
What do you like best about yourself?: I'm cool.
What do you want for Christmas?: all the Legos in the world

Name: Lily
Age: 2
favorite food: pizza
favorite drink: orange juice
favorite TV show: Dora/ Blues Clues
favorite animal: puppies and kitties
favorite toy: watercolor paints
favorite song: anything from High School Musical soundtrack/ ABC's
favorite bible story: you blow your horn, then the walls come tumblin' down
favorite fruit: bapples (apples)
favorite candy: buppers (suckers)
favorite thing to do with daddy: let him tickle my armpits
favorite thing to do with mommy: go to the mall
favorite thing to do with Noah: wrestle
favorite thing to do with Jackson: 'play' gamecube with an unplugged controller
What I want for Christmas: Butterscotch the Fur-real pony ($299 @ Target. PLEEEASE, GRANDMA!!!)

I've been tagged by Kristin. Here goes...

Name 5 things you were doing 10 years ago:
1. Got married.
2. Had a 8 month old.
3. Lived in Hawkeye Court apartments
4. Worked full time/Joe worked and went to school
5. Dad went to Jesus.
(That was one HECK of a year)

Name 5 things you were doing 5 years ago:
1. had a 6 year old and a 1 year old
2. was doing in -home day care (ugh.)
3. living on 12th street
4. Emily lived in our basement
5. crying because my baby was in Kindergarten

Name 5 things you were doing 1 year ago:
1. raking LOTS and LOTS of leaves
2. had a 10 year old, 5 year old, 1 year old
3. trying to decide whether to move or not
4. installing a floor in the bathroom
5. volunteering at the kid's school

Name 5 jobs you've held:
1. babysitting
2. checker and bagger at Hy-Vee
3. worked at a group home for disabled people
4. mom
5. am I missing something?

Name 5 of your favorite snacks:
1. diet cherry coke (good thing it's diet, huh, see below...)
2. chocolate
3. pastries of any sort
4. popcorn, buttered, salted
5. cookies

Name 5 things you did yesterday:
1. Went to Hobby Lobby
2. painted
3. took the kids to Mickey D's
4. went to the kid's conferences
5. pulled my hair out because there was no school

Name 5 things you'd do with a million dollars:
1. buy the new olive green mustang
2. go to Disney world
3. give lots of anonymous gifts to people
4. pay off our loans
5. let Joe invest his little heart out

Name 5 things you hate doing:
1. laundry
2. going to the dentist
3. excercise
4. trying to figure out what to have for dinner
5. cleaning the boys toilet!

Name 5 shows I like:
1. The Office
2. Dancing With the Stars
3. Cops
4. AFV
5. Project Runway

Name my 5 biggest joys in life:
1. being forgiven
2. being a wife
3. being a mom
4. being an artist
5. chocolate!

Name 5 people to tag:
1. Em
2. Jill
3. Mom
4. Angie
5. Shadley


You're it!

Some Of My Thankfuls, In No Particular Order...

God provided so much, above and beyond...

(Poor Cookie...)
My 'How-To Manual' for everything...

No explanation needed...
Again, no explanation...
3 best gifts in the world...
Can't go into it right now, or I'll cry...
Thank You, Jesus, for all these things. I love you more than anything.

Artist (In Training...)

A Few More Thankfuls...

From a growing 11 year old...

Miss Lily Margaret...

Mr. Noah...

I appreciate Noah's 'dottage'...

And last, but certainly not least...

You Ask...I Deliver.

Aunt Emily requested some cuteness....so here it is....

Tis The Season.

Every year this time, I cut out my construction paper leaves, and we all write down the things we're thankful for. I thought maybe I'd post a couple each day. The first two are Jackson's and the rest are Noah's

Anthony Horowitz is Jackson's favorite author right now. In case you're not sure what he's written, he made a list of all his books to the right. He's a book nerd, just like his mom :)

Houston...We've Got A Problem.

I laid Lily down for a nap today. About 1/2 hour later I hear footsteps and a door slam upstairs. My first thought was, "someone is up there...WITH MY BABY!!!" I go running upstairs and on the way up, I hear a little giggle, running feets, and SLAM! Oh, no. Realization hits me just then that life as I know it, will never be the same again. I go into her room and Lily is standing there with a big smile.

"Did you climb out of your crib, Lily Margaret?!?"

"Hi, Mom!".

"Did you climb out of your crib, Lily Margaret?!?"

"Yep."