This is one of our Christmas gifts this year. I LOVE IT! Pay no attention to the unmatching door handle thingy, that is next on our To Do list.



This lock is perfect for our house! Someone is ALWAYS forgetting a key or losing a key. You can program up to 19 codes,have a one time code for a neighbor and so on. I especially love it because I do not like coming home with a hand full of junk and digging for my key. Oh or the text "mom can you unock the door?" O could go on and on about reasons I love this.

OK if you read my blog you may remember last week I was telling you about the app I put on my phone while standing in the grocery store looking all nuts.
I have this bread maker that I JUST HAD TO HAVE but never use. The times I have used it the bread is dry and taste strange. The book it came with says you have to use bread flour and yeast. First of all that yeast STINKS! But I make it we take a bite and the loaf gets thrown out.
Anyways so when you look at the picture below I know you are thinking "girl that is not bread it is meat loaf"

No really it is bread! I swear!
After I cut it all pretty one of my kids went digging thru it. This is one of those reasons we don't eat Pot Luck dinners you know like at a Church or something..we will go into that later. So this was the MOST AMAZING Banana Nut bread EVER! It was moist and sooo sooo soooo good!
I always want to use that machine but I swear the bread flour they say to use is so dry and bleek!

ok here is the recipe just in case you want a slice of goodness!

It is called Melt in your Mouth quick bread
1/2 cup margarine, softened
2/3 cup milk
2 eggs (i dropped my eggs and tried to catch by flinging my body close the the cabinet and I accidentally crushed them on me)
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup white sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup mashed bananas (I added a lil more)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
Directions:
1.Spray bread machine with oil
2.Place everything in order listed into machine
3.Select the Quick Bread/Cake cycle.Press Start
4.Cook until cake cycle stops. Remove pan and cool

This is the BEST ever I swear!

This is my favorite tree so far. We had to put it into the entryway because it was so big. Next year I am going for bigger!



Christmas came and went....I love this time of year but gosh it can get so overwhelming. We shop and we shop and try to get everyone everything they want. I love that part. But it takes 5 minutes for it to all be over! I still love it.
This year I was so ready to get the tree out of the house!
Christmas seemed so weird this year. I really can't explain it but it was just different. The girls went and did their thing and we stayed home with the little ones. It kinda of made me a little sad to think the kids are all growing up so fast and getting to the age they will either be leaving soon (I know they come back for holidays but...) or just old enough to do their own thing.
So I came up with this AWESOME PLAN! I decided Christmas Eve we are going to go look at lights as soon as it gets dark then run home and watch a Christmas movie. So out the door we went..into the rain. We got in the truck and started driving.OOOO how fun. OK FIRST OF ALL.....it was great for about 1 street! Then Nick wanted to play a video game and Ashlynn was in the back seat saying "i want milk, its cold,I need a blankey,roll up the windows,its hot" OMG ok lets rethink this plan next year!!! That was not a fun as it should be! I think next year we will dress REALLY warm, put on stupid hats and sing as loud as we can. BUT we did come home and we all snuggled in front of the fireplaced and watched movies.



So hard to get a picture of Natalie. When I do I am one happy mommy!




Not the best pictures but I was playing around with the different settings on my camera.

So Terry and I thought this was such a strange Christmas...but the kids went on and on all day how it was the best Christmas ever. It was just a calm Christmas I guess. WIERD!

Just a little busy around here and this is why...

Merry Christmas Eve everyone! I hope everyone is snuggled in at home enjoying the day. Sure is cold and rainy!

Terry and Lauren are both at work today, Natalie is at her Dad's house and the little ones and I are here at home. One of the things about previous divorce is sharing your kids during the Holidays. Not fun but I have always been lucky to "share" in the way Natalie's other family has Christmas on the Eve and we have ALWAYS had it on Christmas morning. So it always works out. I have friends who actually don't have it this good and it is just crummy for the kids.

Anyways, I was walking thru the grocery store the other day and I always try to figure in my head what I want to make for the week. I have no idea why in the world I don't make a meal plan but I don't. So I decided to go into the "market" on my phone and type in Recipes. I got a free app called allrecipes.com dinner spinner. OH HOW I LOVE TECHNOLOGY! ok so it has a spinner and you shake the phone and it will show you a list or you can just touch say chicken,main,30 mins and it will come up with all these options. You can browse by different categories and even build a recipe box. I LOVE IT! It has drinks,cookies,breakfast,brunch,breads...I mean everything!

ok Well I need to go attempt to get a Christmas picture of these 2 knuckle heads by the tree.

As I sit here and type this out I am trying to think if it is worth me keeping Facebook anymore. I love keeping up with friends and family but last week (and its not the first time)I saw a post from a "friend" on Facebook.
She had posted that she was given a ticket. Not for speeding but running a stop sign. REALLY! Not only did she run a stop sign but she pulled out in front of the "cop". So people went on to make their comments...you know the usual comments of

Guess that jerk had to meet his quota.

That asshole was just having a bad day and wanted to take it out on me.

Why don't they find something better to do besides write tickets.

I normally laugh and brush it off and think WOW you stupid idiot you have no clue. But this time it hit me in the gut. It pulled at my heart and I thought about how hard my husband works to protect people like this. He never gets mad at people. I wish I was that strong but I am not. Anyways it has been over a week and as I sit here it still is brewing and making me mad.

So let me give you a little insight on the "STUPID COP"
First of all there is no quota! If there was a quota they would have that damn thing met the first day of the month...not the last. If there was a quota don't you think there would be like a commission check at the end? GRRRR think about it! THEY DO NOT GET A BONUS,COMMISSION or A CHRISTMAS BONUS!

Those "ASSHOLE COPS" are human just like you and I. They get upset,cry,get cussed at,yelled at and still do have bad days. I do think my husbands bad days are different than our bad days. His bad day is seeing a fatal crash knowing someone will not get to hug their child or spouse,turning to a total stranger and telling them the most horrible news you never want to hear, consoling total strangers,giving people the strength to move on (that's not so much a bad day but has to weigh heavy), and so much more. Now think about this...when you have a bad day and you are at work what do you do? I can tell you the last thing I do is work my butt off. I am not very productive when I am having a bad day. My husband has a bad day and he gets away from people. The last thing a cop wants to do on a bad day is deal with people. TRUST ME. They want nothing to do with anyone and normally sit alone in their car with their thoughts bottled up.

So as you see a cop sitting there waiting for speeders and you say hey "asshole" why don't you find something better to do like fight crime...DID YOU KNOW MOST TRAFFIC STOPS ARE NOT ABOUT JUST WRITING A TICKET? Most "bad guys" are thrown in jail from traffic stops. That traffic stop is sometimes more that just a ticket. It can be a Felony traffic stop, it could be that one time a kidnapped child is located,it could save the lives of others. So next time you blaze thru a stop sign think about this...you didn't even think about the cop that you ran in front of. Would you have seen a small child in the intersection? Most likely you wouldn't have.

Yes it seems like there are cops sitting on every corner writing tickets sometimes but HELLO WAKE UP we live in Harris County. Have you a clue to what goes on? I am sure you don't. I am quite shocked about all that goes on in this LARGE county.

So do people get mad when they get a ticket because the have been caught breaking the law? I am not saying I am perfect...because I am not. But this has all been building up. I woke up this morning to see another Officer was killed last night ON A STUPID TRAFFIC STOP. It seems like this month more have been killed than any other month.
I feel like everyday I am telling my husband another Officer has died. I feel like although I don't know them they are a tiny piece of our family. I feel like people do not have enough appreciation for Officers. They have no idea the horrible scenes they have to stare at,how hard it is to look a Mother,Father,Spouse or anyone in they eyes and tell them someone has harmed or killed their loved ones.
I don't even understand how my husband can keep complete composure when someone cusses him out or is nasty to him. I am not that strong. I have no idea how he sleeps at night without having nightmares of the guy he saw crushed by pipes last week or the everyday car accidents.
He is not an "asshole" cop. He is the guy who helps the mentally challanged adult that nobody wants, he is the guy who takes our clothing and food to the man who has nothing,the guy who listens to some lady go on and on about being beaten and raped (knowing that is someones daughter) he is a caring loving compassionate HUMAN. He wasn't trained on tucking away his feelings and emotions. He is good at it though...After 7 years I can tell at this point when he needs me to listen or just shut up. I pray every single day and night for his saftey and the saftey of his co workers. I pray that he walks thru that garage door every single day untouched. I pray that I NEVER HAVE TO TELL OUR BABIES OR HIS MOTHER something bad has happened.

Does the thought ever cross anyones mind when you see a cop "hunting" on the side of the road they have been told to sit there for a reason? Because they are protecting us. Normally there is a spot my husband has to "sit" and it is because there are so many accidents right in that spot he is simply trying to protect YOU! I have never once heard him say "looks at these stupid people running the red light" What I have heard him say is " these people need to slow down before they kill someone or their self". There are rules and laws for a reason.
I have never heard him say "look at this idiot lady getting her purse stolen" but have heard him say "oh this poor lady had her purse taken and I am starving because I didn't get to eat today"


My heart breaks for the 172 families that have lost their Officer this year.

Remember back when Ashlynn had her Open House for dance? When we left that night Nick decided he would like to try dance. We thought right away WHY NOT! Seems fun and he is very coordinated so lets give it a try.
He is going 2 times a week with a class of older girls. He loves it!
Today he had his first performance at a retirement community near by. As soon as I can figure out how to upload the video I will be doing it!





We are so proud of him for wanting to try something different. I was a little nervous at first but he is doing pretty good.

I saw this tonight and thought it is so true.

‎20 things you need to share with your HS or middle school child. And I'm going to share it with my 4th grader because she sometimes acts like she is in High School. I love you girls!

1. Yes, your freshman year counts towards your GPA for college entrance. Screw it up and you’ll work for crap wages your whole life.
... ...
2. No means NO. In every possible circumstance.
...
3. Join every sport, every club, every after school activity no matter what the cost. It’s cheaper than bail.

4. Repeat after me: I am never in that much of a hurry…I am never in that much of a hurry. Now say that every time you get behind the wheel. It will save your life and that of your best friend in the seat next to you.

5. Don’t smoke pot. It ruins your short term memory. (Did I already say that?)

6. Don’t ever get a credit card. Ever. You earn it or you live without it.

7. If I yell at you, it’s because I love you. And also, because you pissed me off. To avoid the latter, stop being an idiot.

8. Make a vivid picture inside your head of every great moment of your childhood. You’ll need those to get through adulthood.

9. Make snow angels as often as possible.

10. Stand up for those who can’t stand up for themselves.

11. Be always benevolent. Yes, that’s a word. Look it up.

12. Call me for a ride even if you are so drunk you barely know my number. I’ll probably be mad for a while but I’ll respect you for calling and I won’t kill you. Riding with someone who is drinking will.

13. Be a leader, not a follower. Unless you are doing stupid things, then follow the kid with the highest GPA.

14. Love your siblings, even when you don’t like them. Some day you will be trying to get them to take care of me in my old age. If they are mad at you, you are stuck with me.

15. I’ve been there, done that on more things than you can imagine. I’m not stupid and I know what you are doing. I was once you (times ten).

16. Work hard at everything you do. Anything worth doing is worth doing your best at.

17. Cover it. (Enough said.)

18. When I tell you to clean your room, do not point at my messy room and raise your eyebrows. I’m trying to raise you to be better than me.

19. Learn to type; to budget; and to pray. All are equally important.

20. Never be sedentary. Some day soon you will no longer be able to move like that. Enjoy it.

Nick is going to have some Happy girls in his class! We decided about an hour before his class to make cookies and hair bows. REALLY! I got it done and he was a happy little guy.

These are not the best pictures but do you remember last year how much taller Nick was that the other kids? Again he is way taller. I sometimes wonder if he will stop growing.
He is 4ft 3inches 75 pounds, wears a 10 in pants and a 3 1/2 shoe. His class mates are in a size 6/7 and way smaller foot. Strange!

I think it is about time I update our family blog. I have decided I am going to stop using Facebook and concentrate on this for our family and friends. I love our blog but we have been so busy with everyday life that it has been neglected.

So much has been going on....
Lauren is on the count down until graduation. Today she is excited she only has 169 total days. Today is also the last day of her Fall Semester. She has been accepted into Texas State University which we are very excited about.

Sounds exciting right....well as of last night she is thinking about changing to Texas A&M. HHHHHHHHHH that is not a bad thing but several months ago I was begging her to apply there and she had no interest. We shall see.....
My main thing is I want them to go to a University. So I will be happy with either school. They both have their perks.

This picture was in the Houston Chronicle a few weeks ago...that is Lauren in the letterman jacket.

Natalie has been playing basketball at school. I love watching her in any sport. I don't have any pictures yet. I am going to have to wait until they are in a well lit gym. I swear it is so dark in there. She is also doing great in school. Makes me happy!