Recipe

Thank you to everyone who helped me out with my dinner time dilemma. I have gotten some great ideas of things to cook for my family. So I would like to share with you one of my more recent recipes that has crossed my path. I got this recipe from my mom just a few weeks ago. She made it one night for Sunday dinner and it was excellent and very filling.

Taco Soup

* 1 lb hamburger

* 1 onion

Cook until meat is browned and onion is tender

*3 (151/2 oz) cans of chili beans undrained

* 1 can whole kernel corn

* 1 (15oz) can tomato sauce

* 1 (41/2 oz) an chopped green chilies

* 1 envelope ranch dressing mix

* 11/2 cups water

* 1 large can stew tomatoes

* 1 pkg taco seasoning

Stir all ingredients into beef mixture, bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, uncovered, 15 minutes stirring occasionally.

Toppings: Corn chips, cheese, sour cream, chopped onion, chopped tomatoes

Jackson and his BFF Tanner

After Jackson and Tanner got done with school we went over the lunch room where Jenn's mom works and we had lunch. The boys thought it was pretty cool because as we walked through the lunch room full of high school kids, the boys got a lot of comments on their costumes. They felt pretty popular. As we were eating the boys were being their usual selves and were cracking Jenn and I up. These were the poses I got when I took out my camera to snap some pictures of them. Those two are crazy! They are great friends and I hope they stay that way forever!

Taylor and Katie didn't want to feel left out so they posed for a few pictures as well

Jackson's halloween program

Jackson had his Halloween program today at school. It was really cute. They sang a bunch of Halloween songs for all the parents and then they got to go trick or treating around the school. They let Taylor dress up and go along for the trick or treating part. He did a great job and I had a fun time watching him

Piglet and Snow White Aren't they cute?

There is flash standing next to his best friend super man

In the library trick or treating

The House

Our new home is moving right along. After we did the insulation in the garage they put up the Sheetrock. And when I drove by today they were mudding and taping. Things are going right on schedule. The only left is to sell our house. We have had a few lookers but no takers yet. If anyone knows anyone who might be in the market for a beautiful 3 bed 2 bath home with room to grow, please let me know. (hey I think that rhymed) Whoever does buy our house will get a screaming deal, we just don't want to have two house payments. But even though we don't have the house sold yet, we still feel very good about the decision we made. I thought that by this point I would be sick with stress and worry, but to be honest I feel that things will work out and I feel at peace with the decisions that Brian and I have made up to this point. I will leave it in the lords hands, I know that things will work out the way they are meant to.

They started to put up some of the brick on the outside

Family room

This is standing in the family room and look up to the upstairs

Trevon is Seven!!

Trevon turned seven years old on Saturday. I know I say this every year, but I can't believe how fast my babies grow up. It doesn't seem that long ago that we brought our first little boy home from the hospital. I remember that drive home from the hospital and how carefully Brian drove now that we had little Trevon in the back seat. He was the cutest baby in the whole world and what a relief that was. While I was pregnant I kept picturing him with a combination of Brian and my worst features. He was nothing like I had feared, in fact he was the opposite. He was so gorgeous if I hadn't of just given birth to him I would have doubted I could make such a cute little person. It just goes to prove that if Brian and I can have cute kids anybody can!
We love Trevon and the sweet spirit that he is. I honestly don't know what I would do without him. The only thing I would change about him is to have him quit growing up!!

As you can see Trevon's party was quite a success. The weather was beautiful and we were able to play games outside. I asked all the kids to get together for a picture and they asked if we could do a silly one first. I said sure, but it turned out that silly was all that I got.

Okay I know it looks like Taylor is flipping everybody off, but if you look really carefully she is copying Madison and making bunny ears. I just thought I should clarify.

What a bunch of goof balls. But we had a great time at the party!

This is Trevon swinging at the pinata while all the other kids waited so patiently for their turn.

Taylor sure does love her big brother Trevon

All the kids went home with quite a loot.

This is Madison swinging upside down!

Stuck in a rut

Okay, I need some help. I need some new ideas for dinner. It seems like I cook the same things over and over again. I need your help with some of your families favorite recipes. Do any of you have any suggestions of things that you and your family like to have for dinner? But please keep in mind that I am far from a cook. I really am not very good. So if you do have a recipe I don't think I could handle anything very difficult. I guess I am looking for things that are quick and easy and don't have a lot of ingredients. Oh, and something that would be impossible to mess up. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated. You can email them to me if you want, and in return I will send you one of my few recipes that I can actually make. Thanks for the help.

Jazz game

Last night we went to our first jazz game of the season. It was a preseason game, so there were not a lot of people there which was kinda nice. The kids and I had such a great time. Brian had to host the suite for his work so I sat with the kids in our season ticket seats while he went to "work". But we could see Brian in the suite the whole time. The kids were so good for me, I couldn't have asked for them to be any better. Although the snow cones and pizza I bribed them with helped. We are looking forward to going to many more jazz game throughout the upcoming season.

House update

For the past six weeks almost nothing had been done on our new house. The master bedroom window was the wrong size so they had to reorder it. They couldn't start the drywall until the inspectors had come and the inspectors wouldn't come until the window was put in. So finally yesterday the window came as you can see from the picture. It is the large window above the garage. Along with putting in the window they also put in all the insulation. I think this is weird but I guess builders don't insulate the garage except for the walls that are shared with the inside of the home. And they charge a butt load if you want them to insulate it. The superintendent gave us a call yesterday and said if we wanted to insulate it ourselves we could do it tonight before they start the drywall on Friday. So that is what we are going to be doing tonight. What fun!!

Boondocks

Yesterday to celebrate the boys' birthdays we went to Boondocks with the family. We had so much fun riding the go carts, playing miniature golf, bumper boats, laser tag, and playing on the huge jungle gym. It was great because it wasn't very busy. This may have to become a tradition every year.


Racing in the go karts. From left to right Taylor, Mama Becky, Trevon, Uncle Bryce, Braden, Aunt Kella

Here is everyone getting ready for the race. Check out the car Brian is in, he barely fits, and I think my niece Hailey is in with him, but you can't see her.

I didn't get on the bumper boats, and man and I glad I didn't. There are squirt guns on them so everyone who got off was soaked. As you can see my brother in law is having a blast soaking my father in law!

Again Hailey is in with Brian, but you can't see her behind Brian.

Jackson was wearing a bat hat that he made in preschool that morning. He was a little upset because it was just made of paper and the water "got it destroyed"

Mama Becky and Taylor staying away from the crowd trying to stay dry

Here is Trevon and Braden after they got off the bumper boats. All wet

Of course everyone ganged up on Brian so he was drenched. My poor niece who was with him, she got so wet.

Grandma Jo, Kella and cutie baby Brooklynn

Taylor loved this playground. Even when all the other kids got bored and got off she stayed on and played by herself. She loved it!

Pumpkin Patch

Grandma Jo and Papa took us all today for our annual trip to the pumpkin patch. It was raining a little off and on, but it didn't matter the kids had a blast! They had tons of pumpkins to choose from and there were tractors for the kids to play on and even a little corn maze. We came home with five great looking pumpkins. Here are a few pictures of us and the cousins.

Taylor is prepared with her brother's bob the builder umbrella

Trevon and Braden on one of the tractors

I don't know what is with the silly grin for the camera lately.

So many to choose from

Jackson dragged this pumpkin about 50 feet and then after all that he found a different one that he liked better.

Here is the gang at the pumpkin patch. From left to right Braden, Hailey, Tyson, Taylor, Jackson, Trevon, and Brooklyn

Aren't they cute?

Baby Brooklyn trying to walk with Dad

All the boys

The girls

Brian was lifting Brooklyn in the air and she would giggle, it was so cute.

Watch out for the drool!