Sleeping Babes

Almost every morning after Dan leaves for work "D" and Rie crawl into my bed and snuggle with me.

They usually take over my pillow, and drool all over it.

This is what my bed looked like this morning.

I am so grateful for their snuggles and their beautiful sleeping little faces.

The Baby even had a good night sleep. He woke up once around three in the morning. I got up and held him for a while. Then I fixed him a bottle and put him back in his crib. He did not wake up again until 7:30 this morning. I am grateful that both him and I got a good nights sleep. I am grateful that today he is back on schedule, taking his regular nap. He has been asleep for the last hour!

I love watching my kids sleep. Again and again, I feel so very blessed to be their Mother.

Tomorrow, Dan and I are going to his work's Christmas party. The theme is "Country Western". I have no idea what I am going to wear. The only nice pair of slacks I have are white. Does the "fashion" rule, no white after Labor Day still apply. I hope not, because it looks like that is what I am going to be waring! 

We are taking the baby with us and have a babysitter coming over to watch "D" and Rie. This is our very fist paid babysitter - our very first babysitter who is not related to us - our very first babysitter under the age of 18. My visiting teachers gave me her name and said she is the best babysitter in our ward. I am still a little nervous. We are going to be gone for five hours, and be an hour away.

DEEP BREATHS.

I am such a worry wart.

Dan said that this year I am not getting out of going.

Again, DEEP BREATHS.

I can do this!

Long Day

I decide I am not starting my 100 days of gratitude over. I  am going to keep going...I think this is day 33, at least that is where I am starting.

I am grateful for little boys, not aware their picture is being taken.

I am grateful for chubby baby legs.

I am grateful for goofy grins, and goggles worn upside down. SO CUTE! 

Today was a LONG day. The Baby did not want to take a nap. Three times I rocked him to sleep and three time he woke within 15 minutes. By the time my sweet hubby came home from work the baby was extra grouchy.  Dan took him and held him for a while, to give me time to rejuvenate. Then after he took quick shower he loaded the dishwasher for me. After dinner he gave the kids a bath, dressed them in their pj's and put them to bed. He is great! I am so, so thankful for him. I count down the minutes until he walks though the door at the end of the day, just so I can see his handsome smile!

Pineapple Pie

We were invited to spend Thanksgiving with a family in our ward.  One thing I new I had to make and bring was pineapple pie. It is Daniel's favorite pie, I make it every Holiday, and usually for his birthday too - since he does not like cake - or any other pie for that matter. 

I posted some pictures on facebook, and a couple people asked for the recipe. SO without further ado, I am going to share it with you! The credit for the recipe goes to Daniel's Mother.

First things first, I cheat. I DO NOT make my own pie crust.  Here is what I do, I go to the store and buy Pillsbury frozen pie crust. The package contains two  pie crusts.

I buy the deep dish pie crusts. See...

I usually thaw the crusts out the night before in my fridge. Then I take one of the crust smash it back together, but down a sheet of parchment paper, (or wax paper)  sprinkle some flour on to it, then I roll out the dough into a big circle. Next I take a cookie cutter and cut out cute little shapes - like hearts! You can also buy the crust in a box, I am just in to lazy and like the throw away pie "plate".

                          INGREDIENTS

 2 Pie Crusts

1 20oz Can of Crushed Pineapple

1 Tbsp  Cornstarch

1/4 Cup of Water

1 Tbsp Nutmeg

1 Tbsp Milk

1-2 Tbsp sugar

Preheat Oven to 350

1. Mix the Cornstarch and water until it is smooth.

2. In a medium sauce pan add pineapple, cornstarch mixture, and nutmeg.

3. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until it becomes nice and thick.  (last time I made this it seemed like it was not getting thick enough so I added another tablespoon of cornstarch with a little water. If this happens to you pour the cornstarch in slowly while you are stirring, otherwise you will end of with a big blob of jell on the top of your pie). After it is nice and thick, let it boil for a minute, then take it off the burner, and let it cool down for about 10 minutes.

4.  Pour the cooled of pineapple mixture into the pie crust. Cover with the top crust, and seal the edges.If you did not cut out cute little piece on your top crust, now is the time to add some "steam" vents to your crust.

5.Brush Milk on the top crust, and sprinkle with sugar.

6. Bake in Oven for 30 Minutes or until the pie crust is nice and golden brown.  (My oven is horrible so I usually check the pie at about 15 minutes, to see what the crust looks like. If it is already golden brown, and the center is not, I take the pie out of the oven and cover the edges with tin foil, or if you have one of those pie edge gadgets use that!)

7. Let  pie cool done and then EAT. 

Welcome

Welcome to my new BLOG! Since this is a new blog, I think I am going to be start over with my 100 days of gratitude. The gratitude post are mostly for me-to help me see the little things around me that I need to be grateful for. Maybe someday I will tell you all the real reason I started my 100 days of gratitude.

Goodnight everyone. I need to go and remove two cute little toads from my bed so I can go to sleep!

Thousands

 Today I want to share a story.

Once upon a time there was a women who received a blessing. In this blessing it told her, that because of her faith and wiliness to share the gospel, thousand of people would join the church.

Her name was Vera.Vera and her husband John owned a little hamburger joint during the 60's. She went on to share the gospel with her employees, but no one seemed to have any interest in what she was saying. Then one day a brown haired, brown eyed girl started working for her. She once again she shared the gospel, but something was different this time, this little sixteen year old girl listened.  Vera asked her to meet with the missionaries, she complied and they came over. When the missionaries arrived at the girl's house she had a page full of questions for them. One of the questions she asked was,  if Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost were really only one person. When The missionary told her the were three separate personages, she knew what they were telling her was true. Since she was a little girl she had always believed that they were three, even when she was told over and over that they were one person.  The missionaries walked away from her house that day, saying in hushed tones, "We have a GOLDEN one!". At 18 years old against her mother's wishes the girl joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Later Day Saints.

Over the years Vera and the girl become great friends. When the girl married and had children, her children called her Grandma Vera. One day when the girls children were grown, Vera told her about the blessing. She felt like she had not completed her mission here on earth because only the girl had joined the gospel. The girl told Vera, "Look, my husband joined the church, my children have been baptized, my sons went on missions and spreed the gospel. Some of those people joined the church. Someday I will have grandchildren who will be baptized. Their grandchildren and so on. Someday, because of you thousands of people will be members of the church. It only takes one."

I am grateful today to be one of those thousands of people. This is the story of my Mom, and my Grandma Vera. Oh, how much I love Grandma Vera I am so thankful for her courage, and her example. I am grateful that my Mom followed it and became a member. I am grateful for the testimony that I have of the gospel. I am grateful that I am raising my kids in it. I hope I can be as great example to them, as the two women before me. I used to want my Mom to be sealed to Grandma Vera, so we could be with her forever. But, I know this, that no matter what she will always be with us. She is my Grandma, forever.