Sometimes...

Sometimes we have no control over what happens. I think we have to stop when this happens and say to ourselves, "Self, what can I learn from this & how do I give up the control to the Lord?" The last phrase is the most important, we often tend to want to control, be in control, of everything. In our lives there are times when we just can't control the circumstances. As hard as it is to do this (I am not saying that I have an easy time with it) It is very important. Give it to God. That is what he wants us to do.

What do you struggle with? I struggle with giving up control. Among many things these are some of my other flaws.... like getting motivated, taking time out for myself, making more time to spend individually with each child & making time for my husband.

ah yes I am so perfectly imperfect.

sticky buns

YUM my Mom's recipe for Sticky Buns.... Oooey Gooey Goodness. Hands Down Best Sticky Buns Ever. I made these for the girls Spa Party.

See the smiles upon their faces they can't help it!

Full plate....

Almost gone, then Dom woke up and ate the rest.... okay I helped a little.... : ) YUM

Give Thanks, White Castles and Facials....

Emily - this was on the way to my Mother's house for our Thanksgiving gathering. Isn't she beautiful? I think so. How on earth has she grown up so quickly? WOW! 16 years has gone so quickly. Anyway, we had a lovely time at my Mom & Dad's house. My favorite place in the world to spend Thanksgiving.

Sara. Love this one of her. She is so stylish! Always have been. Our little fashionista.

Maddie - the one that is usally in every picture did not take one good picture this day. The older sister's and cousins put this hat on her and took this picture they thought it was a riot.

The Star of the Day.... Thomas Turkey. not one piece of Turkey was left after the vultures got at it....

THE NEXT DAY.... Black Friday.

I drove (well this is Emily driving ) But I drove her down the parkway to her best friends house Krissy. They will spend the weekend doing girlie stuff that 16 year olds do (whatever that is) They have a great time together and they have been friends since they have been 4 years old. Wow that is a long time.

Em was starving on the way down so we stopped at a little place called White Castles. Fot those of you that don't have these little treats in you area... you must try them if you ever come to Jersey... seek on out and taste one.... two .... three..... as many as you can get a crave case and take the rest on the plane home... people will swarm you. The down side to White Castle is they are never in nice neighborhoods. Sad that I know where they are... I have a built in GPS for food... in my head. I had to get off the GSP ( garden state parkway) and take a little side trip to the Castle... risking life and limb for a few burgers.....

Embarrassing Emily as I took this photo to document our journey.....

She 'bout died when I snapped this photo as we were pulling up to pay.....

LOL! She loved it. notice her left hand never dropping her phone while she ate... These teenagers are just amazing..lol

Throwing away the evidence..... the thing about White Castle's is you can not, I repeat, YOU CAN NOT LEAVE THEM or the BOXES in the car.... bad idea....

On to the facials.... Our neice Grace was having a slumber party so we had Linnea (her sister) over for a girls party. Sara made the Fun - Genda and this was on the list. Facials....her I am applying goop to Nea's face.

Applying glop to Sara

Here the 3 of us are... we sure had a good time.

(they both applied glop and goop to my face)

want to laugh ahve to 10 year olds slop glop on your face.... what a riot.

Good time by all.

We watched Elf and stayed up till 12.

I made sticky buns for the morning. They are in the oven now.... I will post the pics later.

Ahhh what fun we had.

Enjoy your family. I surely have over these last

few days!

~ Amy

ice cream in the ...

Have you ever been so tired that you just can't think?

I wanted some Ice cream last night.. ( i know and indulgence that i felt guilty about having after I had it.... ) I never eat ice cream don't really care about it one way or another... My family says I must be adopted.

Anyway, I thought I had gotten up and put it away. Well I did put it away. My husband, Dom, came up to get a drink or something and yelled from the other room, " Amy, you put the ice cream in the fridge!" Oh no can it be true? I did. lol

I lost my coffee the other day too.... Does this mean I am just getting old? Nah, I think it means that I have been so completely busy and pre occupied with other things that my brain can't keep up.

So I thought I would tell you about last night supper. (disaster) I tried to make Chicken Fried Steak. OH MY I can't even tell you how my mouth was watering all day thinking about this supper. I thought about the delicious creamed gravy running over the creamy mashed taters... and the yummy green bean casserole that I had planned to make with it. (it is so generic but it is Thanksgiving week, OKAY) but I digress. I got my steaks out, followed all the steps, egg wash, flour, egg wash, flour, Fry. OK did that.... Burnt the heck out of the roux so the creamed gravy went whizzing out of the picture (down the sink, really) oh no think fast..... I only had some packaged gravy mix (knorr makes good gravy in a pinch) all I had was Au jus.. (not quite the creamy goodness that was supposed to be) Anyway, my husband being a Marine, spent some time down in the southern part of our fine country. "Amy", he says, " You are from New Jersey, you are not supposed to make Chicken Fried steak" he he I thought as the words left his lips and found my ears. Just wait until he taste it, I thought. I still thought it would be delightful at this point. We sat down as a Family to eat, just as we always do, I am always the last to eat being that I serve everyone there food and then I get mine. Emily took one bite, " Mom, whose recipe is this?" I tell her. " Give it back!" she says. LOL It was bad......... everyone ate it. but it really was maybe the worst thing I have ever cooked . To be Cont...

Happy Birthday Paul : )

The Many Faces of Paul

Great face!

These Pics are not in chronological order

Love this one of Paul and Maddie.... she loves him soooo much

Paul & Em & Sara

his face is priceless in this one....
Paul and Young Em

Paul and little Bean

Paul, Man of mystery.....

Paul & Sara

Paul, strangling Em....(?)

Paul and the Bean
Here's Paul Strangling Em again.....

Paul and the little Bean

Paul and Sara and me... in my 20's

(ahhh 20 something skin is fabulous.....)

Paul, making some silly face.

Happy Birthday to one of my most favorite people in the WHOLE wide world.

Friend

noun

A person whom one knows and with whom one has a bond of mutual affection.

Paul,

Since the day that I met you and everyday since then, You have been one of the most important people in my life. I can't even tell you what you mean to me. It is not just me though you have cast your spell over my entire family. When my niece looks up and says "hey, where is Paul?" Well, need I say more. Thank you for the shoulder to cry and lean on .... many many many times, the ear to talk and talk and talk too..... and the many laughs that we have shared together.

You get me Paul. Not many I can say that about. I love you and am so thankful that you are a part of our lives.

Have a wonderful Happy Birthday.

xoxo

love yours truly,

Cactus Flower

Happy Birthday to one of my Very Best Friends

I have been busy

Dom & Maddie snoozing on the couch... take a look at LULU.....

twice Stuffed Potatoes... I served them with diced avacado , sour cream and I had jalepennos on mine.. GOOD
Lasagna.... it is sitting there on the table waiting to eat as I post this....

I got myself a new cookbook!!!! I can't seem to put it down. It is The Pioneer Woman Cooks!!!!

Can't tell you haow much I love it. Go out and buy one for yourself....

I have been slacking.... sorry blog

Oh dear Blog, Please accept my apologies... I am a slacker....

She likes it, she really likes it....

Maddie recieved her new winter coat, bibs and mittens in the mail yesterday. Thanks Granma. She loves it. Isn't it cute..... : ) She looks a bit deranged in the photo above, but she sees the camera and does this..... She yells CHEEZE very loudly I might add.....

I need to get motivated to get this house straightened up... Sara has a 1/2 day today. I love 1/2 days. I wish Em had one too.... oh well. I only have 2 hours to get my act together...... well off to get started... Enjoy your day. Wow only 1 week till Thanksgiving.

9:53 PM in New York

I THINK THAT Emily may have gotten my eye...... (by the way I am not sure why this is all being underlined but I can't get it off no matter what I push so you'll have to deal with it) ... I mean my creative eye. Look at this photo she took.... Amazing. then she played with it in editing to give it this funky effect. I am just loving it. By the way this is Jarred. He is Emily's beau. She has been dating him for quite awhile now I think it may even be close to a year.... Can't keep up with these things. He is very nice. We like him. Respectful young fellow... lol

Maddie tends to give Jarred a hard time... Not sur why but she thinks she is cute and they al laugh at her... oh to be 2 again (with a teenage sister) certainly an interesting relationship that I would love to explore one day with you..... Great Idea not tonight though.....

Anyway, I tried to email Paul the link for the next recipes that I posted but was unable something was going on with AOL too, Paul. so here you go my friend.... : )

Well, this day was good. But dinner was well, HOLY MOLY ....... mm mmm good!

these are BBQ meatballs from The Pioneer Woman Cooks.... amazing all her recipes.

Ok let us just touch on the Holy Grail of Mashed Potatoes for a moment. These are maybe the best Creamy Dreamy Mashed Potatoey Goodness that I have ever placed upon my taste buds, no I am not even kidding when I tell you that..... let me just give you a glimpse of their wonderousness...... 1 stick of butter and a bar a cream cheese , 1/2 & 1/2 WOWWEeeeeeee

This is for real people. Just one try and you will never ever go back to what ever kind of mashed spuds you were eating before....

Hope you will try these yummy treats!

Goodnight

xoxo

Amy

And so it begins

Fabric Covered Journals

My Sisters Dog, Sherman.....

Emily wearing all the scarves I have been working on.....

And so it begins, You know that it is almost Turkey Day. Gobble gobble.....

How can it be so? I have started on Christmas gifts. Money is tight this year and so I will be making most of our gifts. What is bette

r then days filled with sewing or handiwork that you will be able to give to someone to hopefully enjoy. I have recently learned to crochet (like last week to be exact) I actually have wanted to learn ever since I can remember.... I remember sitting next to my Mother on the porch swing out side the house I grew up in and her trying to teach me. I also remember her Mother my Grandmother trying to teach me also. I must have been only about 8 or 9. I never quite got the hang of it. this summer I asked my Mom again. I finally got the single crochet, the basic stitch that you must learn. I practiced a little and then put it down. Last week I decided to pick it up.... well let us just say that I have be

come obsessed , I have been to Micheals to buy yarn the last 3 days in a row... OH MY. I have used coupons every-time so it has not really been expensive. I think I probably have spent more in gas..... My forearm is so sore... does that give you an inkling of just how much I have been crocheting? I actually have made several scarves. In fact I gave one to my sister for her birthday : )

I also have been making fleece scarves for my nieces gifts. I have 6 nieces. I plan on making the younger ones a doll quilt and pillow with all my scraps and the older ones I have made some neat fabric covered journals.

So I have been a busy little bee. It is good to keep busy.

Anyway, What are you doing for Christmas gifts this year?

Have a great day.

On a side note, Maddie woke up with a fever this morning. I thought we had been lucky and missed this strange fever thing...... guess I was wrong.

One Pretty Thing

So I wanted to share one of my favorite new blogs with all of you. One Pretty Thing I check it everyday. I spend to much time on this computer. Enjoy.

Love this!!!!

Laundry

1. Laundry- It is a never ending vicious circle.

STOP

2. You can never seem to get ahead of it.

STOP

3. Even when you finish, you really aren't finished.

STOP

4. & Why exactly do I LOATH it so?

Stop

5. just being real here peoples.......

STOP

6.Off to do some more laundry

oh and we went to a wedding on Friday night, we had a blast. they had a photo booth there. HOW COOL!