Happy Thanksgiving

Today would have been my grandmother Estella's 89th birthday.  I am so thankful for the 27 wonderful years I had her in my  life.  She taught me so many valuable life lessons but most of all she taught me to love unconditionally.  I am so blessed to have called her my grandma and now my children have a very special guardian angel.  

  As you gather this holiday season hold tight to your loved ones as I wish I could give her just one last hug.  May your holiday season be blessed this year.  

From our family to yours,

Happy Thanksgiving. 

Give Thanks

With Thanksgiving being tomorrow, I thought I'd wish all of you a very happy and safe Thanksgiving holiday! This year we will be heading to my sister's house to eat some grub and be with family. I've volunteered to make the turkey this year, it was one of my weaker moments. Thankfully my mom is coming over this afternoon to help me cook it, then we will pop it in her roaster and it should be nice and juicy for consumption tomorrow. I'm also taking my AMAZING green bean casserole. Seriously, it's mouth watering. I was going to attempt to make a homemade apple pie, but then I had a reality check and knew, who was I kidding. I found a local store that carried homemade pies from a local gal here in town...PERFECT! I really enjoy when I'm pregnant on Thanksgiving, maternity pants make it so much easier to eat!

What are you doing for the holiday? What is your favorite dish?

This year I give thanks to those who have gone before us, yet watch over us daily.  You are missed, but always loved and remembered.

Thankful Thursday

I know it's Friday, but let's just go with it. I linked up with Kelly at Our Silly Rodriquez family,  check out her Thankful Thursday edition!  Plus, her little man is too die for! Seriously, I melt!

Ok, so what I am thankful for...This is hard one, I only have 4 Thursdays, yet there is so much I truly am thankful for!  Today I'm going with my little family, Brendan, Drew and Ruby, plus this little peanut I'm brewing. 

Brendan and I met 8 years ago and I am so very thankful our paths crossed and we ended up together.  He is my best friend, my soul mate and the best daddy.  Brendan can make me laugh no matter how angry I am, and get me laughing until I'm in tears.  He knows how to comfort me at my weakest moments and love me unconditionally so that I feel loved every single day.  When Drew came along he didn't miss a beat in becoming a father, it seemed natural to him.  I know this is so cliche to say, but he completes me.  I honestly don't know where I'd be or what I would do without Brendan.

My little man Drew, I don't even know where to start.  This little boy brings such joy to my life.  He is at such a fun age right now, but every stage has been a blast.  I can only imagine it just keeps getting better from here on out.  Drew is such a blessing and a gift from God that each and every day I am so thankful I am his momma.  We went through a difficult phase trying to have him, but I've always known everything is in God's plan and now I know why we went through two miscarriages before Drew, otherwise we wouldn't have him.  Drew makes me smile each and every day and I can honestly say, I love being his mom, he has made me a better person and a more patient and caring one as well.  His hugs can turn my day around in a second, his smile makes my heart warm and his sweet face makes everything we went through completely worth it.

We adopted Ruby almost 4 years ago and man oh man is she still my baby!  She is the sweetest little girl, and my snuggle bug.  Ruby was abused before we adopted her from the Humane Society and was so sad and scared, it broke my heart.  All we know about her previous home was that she was on a farm, had no positive human contact and had never had a bath.  This all within her first 3 months of life, so sad! We have trained Ruby ourselves but I have to say, it's been pretty darn easy.  She listens so well, will walk with us without a leash, and stays very close by when we are in our front yard.  She absolutely loves Drew and gives him kisses all the time.  We were nervous when Drew was born how ruby would react, because she's just a little spoiled.  She did great, we've had no problems, knock on wood, and Ruby has not missed a beat.

We are so very lucky that our lives crossed Ruby's path, I'm so very thankful we decided to make the jump to adopt a puppy when we did. 

Here's what you do now, go to Kelly's blog and link up for Thankful Thursday, and dont' forget to link up every Thursday in November!

Happy Thanksgiving

I hope everyone has a blessed holiday.

Today I look back at this year and all that I have to be thankful for, family, friends, health and our sweet puppy, but there are a couple things that really stick out in my mind.

First, I am so thankful for the time I was able to have with my dear grandma Stella.  I feel so blessed that I was able to be so close to her and share so many memories with her for 27 years.  Each and everyday I miss her dearly, but although she is gone from this earth, I know that one day we will see each other again.  I know that I have someone watching over me and it seriously breaks my heart that she won't be able to come and hold half-pint when he/she is born.  I am know that my child will always have a guardian angel. 

Secondly, and some of you might think I am seriously crazy, but I am so thankful for the tough road of trying to concieve B and I have been on.  Having to lose two pregnancies was one of the most difficult things we have ever had to go through.  But I am so thankful we did.  This journey and those two losses have made me realize how strong I am as an individual.  I found strength in places I would have never imagined.  I got through, perservered and now we are expecting our healthy baby.  I am also so thankful to have gone through this because it made our marriage so much stronger.  We had to suffer with each other and I was amazed at how we were able to lean on each other when we needed.  I am now more confident than ever that we can make it through anything!

This Thanksgiving, I give thanks to those that are with us on this holiday, those that we have lost and now watch over us in heaven, and the one that makes everything possible.

Happy Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving cooking

Thanksgiving is fast approaching and this year is going to be a little different than the rest.  We usually all gather at my mom's house to watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and then stuff our faces until we pop.  This year since my grandmothers recent passing we are changing it up a bit and going for a very small gathering of people.  Just the immeditate family and my grandpa too of course. 

 

   My grandma was the one that taught us all how to cook.  Cooking is the thing that has really brought our family together.  When we gather, it's usually around a meal and without her there this year, my mom, sis and I are going to try and pick up where she left off.  So this year I will be picking up another staple other than Green Bean Casserole, we call it organge jell-o with apple salad.  My grandma has made it since I can remember and it's so easy, yet so divine!  My grandpa even gave me a little preparation trick!  He's too cute! 

  My grandma always brought the pumpkin pies to Thanksgiving and this year my grandpa is making them!  He even practiced his pie crusts the other night and brought them over for us to sample.  They were delicious! 

 

  My hope this Thursday is that we can remember my grandma Estella, celebrate our family and honor her by cooking a delicious meal!

 

  Here's to a short week and happy Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving is fast approaching

I am in love with Thanksgiving....You get turkey, mashed potatos, gravy and green bean casserole all in one place, what's not to love!  I've been looking at Thanksgivng decor these days and absolutely drooling!  I want so many cute things, but until we purchase a house, I won't be buying anything!  The house hunting is a completely different post in itself!

First these plates are oh so cute....Perfect for appetizers!

Acron plates

This would look great on a table scape!

Cranberry vase filler

Front door worthy if you ask me

Etsy wreath

Now I will leave on this Friday with some fab tablescapes for Thanksgiving

Beans, Beans, the magical fruit....

This Thanksgiving I am making my favorite dish of all....GREEN BEAN CASSEROLE!! Every year someone in the fam makes it and unless it's my mom, sisters or myself, I don't like it! There isn't anything special to our recipe, but it just turns out that my palette likes my own flesh and blood cooking the sacred dish!

This year I will be making it and my little sis Karin will be coming to help me Thanksgiving morning. Not that there's much you can screw up, but she's like me and needs the casserole to be perfect! Every year it's no fail that there are leftovers of GBC but not enough!! My entire fam loves GBC and all eat it in a variety of ways.....My Stepdad loves leftovers and puts everything including GBC on his turley sandwich, my brother eats it combined with his mashed potatos, I eat it warm with my leftovers and my sisters will eat it cold out of the dish....yep, that's us!! We could eat the stuff till the 4th of July, no joke!! I thought I would share with you my recipe and some tricks I've learned over the past years!

The ingredients:

1 block Velveeta cheese

6 cans french cut green beans

2 cans crispy onions

3 can cream of mushroom soup

Worcestershire suace 3 Tbsp



First in medium sauce pan combine velveeta, soup and worcestershire on medium heat. Let simmer until cheese is melted, and everything is the same consistency. Put half the mixture in crock pot. Add 3 cans of bean, mix together in crock pot. On the first layer put about hald a can of the crispy onions. Repeat with the rest of the mixture and beans. Top with half can crispy onion. Bak at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. I bake mine in my crock pot. This way I can transfer it to the base of the crock pot and keep it warm. About 15 minutes before your casserole is ready to come out of the oven, top it with 1 can of the crispy onions. After it's done.....ENJOY!!!


p.s. if you make this recipe, yours will look better than the picture up top!