SUPRISE!....Momma Turns 30!!!

Ahhhh...Thirty! I've been anticipating entering this decade for the past few years....and now it's here! And was I SURPRISED at how I got to celebrate!! My sister, mom and inner circle (with a little help from Brock) pulled off a wonderful suprise evening just for me. I unknowingly threw some kinks in their plan along the way, but they adjusted and we had a most fantabulous time complete with mani/pedis, Mexican food, high school scrapbooks (YIKES!), and of course dessert! I LOVE these women...Carissa, Jade, Bratt, Shanna, Kandy, and Mom...THANKS for a very special evening. I can't wait to see what the thirties have in store!

The (Big Red) Barn!!

She's Finished!!!

Isn't she pretty?! I've always wanted a red barn....I think she's pretty!

I especially like these (umm, what are these called?)...anyway...I really like this detail.

The boys are so excited about the barn too! Tytus asked to have his picture taken with her.

You can do lots of things with a barn...store a tractor and all your equipment. I think that's the main idea. I'm leaning a little more toward parties, barn dances, maybe even a good ol' fashion box supper...ooohhh, maybe someday one of my sons with meet and fall in love with a wonderful woman and it will have always been her dream to have a big wedding reception in a big red barn and then I will fall in love with her too and call all my friends and we will start cleaning and preparing and throw one giant wedding party reception!!! oh boy, did I get side tracked for a second...

You could even live in a barn...

(to be continued!)

Halloween

{The following picture of Beau was originally placed later in this post, however when I was proof reading I somehow accidentally deleted it. Then I was a bit frustrated and gave up! So try and be flexible when reading this one...it's been a while since I posted and I'm just thankful to FINALLY have a Halloween post up...even if it is three weeks later and scrambled!}

The boys and I spend Halloween at Grandma's house this year. This was the first year that Brock was not able to be with the boys on Halloween (however, thanks to modern technology it was kind of like he was with us)...it was also the first time we legitimately 'Trick or Treated' (meaning we actually went door-to-door asking for candy, rather than going only to a couple of friends' and families' homes and showing off our adorable children!!), and it was the first year that I lost all control in the costume department!

I wanted the boys to be Coach Gundy and two OSU football players....and they did not. Basically I contended with winning one out of three!

Even without going with coordinating costumes they still looked adorable and had a really good time.

Tytus chose Buzz Lightyear. Thankfully Mom found a costume at Wal-Mart a couple of days before Halloween! He was as happy as could be and I was just fine with not dragging out my sewing machine and/or hot glue gun and throwing together a home-made costume!


{and this is where the picture of Beau as Spider-Man is suppose to go...if anyone out there in blogger world can help me...please do so!}

Beau was Spider-Man...again! oh, wait, I stand corrected...last year he was Spider-Man...this year he was "the REAL Spider-Man"! The boys is having a bit of an identity crisis! Oh well, who cares when you look as cute as he does!!

And Cash...oh thank you, Cash...for not being able to talk yet and express your own opinion on the subject! Cash so willing went as Coach Mike Gundy! He played the part very well and was a big hit at the neighborhood party...

He wore his headphones so that he could talk to the guys in the booth...he decided this year that he needed some help calling plays...

He has a really good arm (just like he did back in the Barry Sander days) and he had to get in a few passes...

He carried his 'Playbook'...just in case his new offensive coordinator wasn't getting the job done!

Even though I wanted the big boys to wear their football uniforms and they did not, they still played football (rather than playing on the playground with the rest of the children)...

and tackled one another over and over...Now, how cute would this have been if they were wearing their uniforms? Okay, I'll get over it (or next year I'll forget to give them options!)
just kidding!

We left 'Coach Gundy' at home...because let's face it "he is a man" afterall, and T-Man, Beau and me set out to gather as much candy as we could!

And that we did!!!!

YOUR O-S-U COWBOYS!!!!!!!

Earlier this season we took the older boys to an O-State football game (will post more on this later). They had a blast and now when we watch them on TV they have to play their own game, complete with pre-game warm ups, running out of the tunnel, first downs, touchdowns, "waving wheat", halftime, and of course Bullet!



First you've got to get pumped up for the big game with lots of growling, jumping up and down, and 'smack talk' (3 and 4 yr old style!)

Next you have to do your stretches and take some practice snaps!

Then it's GAME TIME!! So everyone has to line up in the 'tunnel'. Mom makes some pretend smoke and puts on her announcer voice...."And here they are...YOUR O-S-U COWBOYS!!"

(I know it appears that I lock my kids in a cage...I would NEVER THINK of doing something like that!!! But it's the only place in the backyard that has a gate that they can bust open and run through...it is important to be as authentic as possible...use your imagination people!!)

Then you run around the 'field' followed by 'Bullet'! Did you miss Bullet? He's there...the 'horse' in the background...okay, it's really Cash...somebody has to be Bullet!!

And when it's halftime you huddle up with Coach Gundy (a.k.a. Mommy) to draw up some trick plays...

and get your picture taken, because you are just so adorable (I mean, TOUGH) in those helmets and jerseys!!

I LOVE MY OSU COWBOYS!!!!!

Cool Cowboys Wear Purple

A couple of weeks ago Brock took the boys to get Beau some new Cowboy boots. Tytus had just recently gotten a new pair after growing out of his, which meant that Beau also got a "new" pair of boots. However after wearing his "new" boots for a day it was obvious from the red sores and blisters on his feet that Beau can no longer wear his older brothers' hand-me-downs!

I'm pretty sure it was love at first site when Beau saw these beauties in the store. Purple has been his favorite color for, well, since the time he decided that one of the colors would be his "favorite." He is proud of it and he is proud of his new purple boots! I do have to agree that this is a fine lookin' pair of boots!!

He has rarely taken them off since bringing them home. He wears them everywhere and with every ensemble!

He was very excited the first day he could wear them to preschool...but when I picked him up I could see right off that something was bothering him (he is a bit like his momma...it's pretty easy to tell if something has upset him!)

Beau: "Mom, nobody even noticed my NEW PURPLE BOOTS today!"

(I was a bit caught off guard by this statement...most people notice an adorable little cowboy in his boots. and PURPLE boots at that, AND this was the first time I had ever heard him use the word 'noticed'...very grown up and appropriate for the subject at hand!)

Me: "oh man, buddy, I'm sorry...Did you show them to your friends and teacher?"

Beau: "YES, and they didn't even smile!!"

Me: "Well, I guess not everybody knows a great pair of boots when they see them."

Beau: "Yeah....I guess I'm just cool."

I think it's safe to say this cowboy is not lacking in confidence.

It won't be long before all the "cool" cowboys are wearing PURPLE!!

Zucchini-Carrot Bread with Creamy Honey Spread

I am sooo excited because this is my first time to ever post a recipe!!

I'm not sure what has taken me so long, because I love to cook, and I cook a lot...maybe that's why...when I cook a lot, I have to clean up a lot, and I don't have the time to blog about my cooking for all the cleaning (and all the children!)

My sweet friend Amanda from Joplin (urr, Webb City!) asked for this recipe and although she probably won't be whipping it up anytime too soon because she is having her third child TOMORROW, I am dedicating this one to her!!!

Zucchini-Carrot Bread with Creamy Honey Spread

1 1/2 c. shredded zucchini
1 1/2 c. shredded carrot
1 1/2 c. sugar
2/3 c. vegetable oil
4 eggs
1 1/2 c. all purpose flour
1 1/2 c. whole wheat flour
2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp salt
3/4 tsp ground cloves

Spread
1 package (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
1/4 c. honey
2 tsp grated orange or lemon peel

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease bottoms only of 2 (8x4-in.) loaf pans or 1 (9x5-in.) loaf pan with shortening or cooking spray.

2. In large bowl, mix zucchini, carrots, sugar, oil and eggs with wire whisk. Stir in remaining bread ingredients. Divide batter evenly between pans.

3. Bake 8-in. loaves 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes, 9-in. loaf 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in pans on cooling rack. Loosen sides of loaves from pans; remove and cool completely.

4. In small bowl, beat spread ingredients with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth and fluffy. Serve with sliced bread. Cover, refrigerate any remaining spread. Wrap loaves tightly and store at room temperature up to 4 days, or refrigerate up to 10 days.

ENJOY!!!

Flashback Friday!

In celebration of the Cowboys 3-0 record and the recent nailbiting win over Texas A&M, I thought it appropriate to post some past pictures of us enjoying our team!

Our first game as a family of five!

We tailgated that day with the Becks and some of their friends that own this very cool and very orange bus...the boys had a blast!

Pistols Firing!!

Cash's first OSU experience. At four WEEKS old we took him to the opening game against Georgia. My friend from Joplin custom made me an orange and black sling for the occasion and Cash obviously liked it ...he was perfect, sleeping the entire game!

Getting some lovin' from Grandma at the Miller's tailgame party.

Paxton is an ultimate fan. He loves going to games with Grandma and getting totally painted up.

At first I thought this was a picture of Paxton's first OSU football game, but now I realize it was his first Bedlam baseball game in Bricktown...

oh well, we love our Cowboys no matter what sport!

Here's a real throwback...I can't remember if it was Bedlam or Nebraska, but I know it was ESPN College Gameday and we won the game!!

Ahhh, so young...so in love...so, why doesn't Brock have an orange shirt on?!?

Our great friend Ellie who is a Texas A&M allum...she can't help it, I still love her!