Christmas Eve

I have always wanted to do a fish boil Christmas Eve!!!!! This year Kim and I decided to have a dinner with our families and each family brought our own meat to cook, and sea food to boil. We met a new friend about a month ago and she is the sweetest lady ever!!!!!! So the 3 of us girl decided what food we wanted to have all this day. I bought Brian crab legs whoo wee they were pricy, but he is sooo worth every penny :) I also got him jumbo shrimp that I sautéed on the stove in butter and garlic. I bought our kids and myself new york steak... YuMMY!! Kim was going to buy crab legs but said the price hurt her wallet!!!! Ha ha!!!! So she had steak and Wendy picked out steak too!!! Then each of us girls made or brought 2 side dishes, I made homemade Mac n cheese and twice stuffed potatoes, Wendy brought chips and dips, deviled eggs and drinks for the kids, Kim made a homemade salad, pumpkin pie and cheesecake. Matt BBQ all our steaks, we served the kiddos and stuffed our faces with the yummiest food ever!!!!!! We all enjoyed talking over dinner!!!!! Then as we all sat down we decided we would go to church for the candle light service...... It was soooooo beautiful and the presents of God was amazing :)

Missing my family

My life isn't perfect, but I am very blessed!!!!!! I'm laying in my bed thinking about my family back home..... I MISS THEM SO MUCH it HURTS!!!!!!! I've missed them since the day we drove away with the uhaul, but I miss them so bad right now it brings tears to my eyes :( I grew up with my cousins, and if you know me well, well my sister is my best friend and we miss her and the family. Jayden and Persaus ask about Saylor and Scout all the time, we are fortunate to talk on the phone and it's soooo adorable that Scout can talk back. I'm gonna rewind, this may have come on because Scout has been sick and I feel sooo helpless, when I used to be there to help my sister!!!! She did tell me he is doing a lot better!!!! I miss my family!!!!!!!!

Elf on the Shelf

Aunt GG sent the kids the Elf on the Shelf :)). Jayden does not believe in it, but Persaus looks for it every morning..... This morning I forgot to move it before she woke up, but I think with all the distractions she forgot. I had her put something in the trash as I quickly threw him in another spot!!!!!! It's hard to remember to move him lol!!!!! I love the idea, but I think I'm counting down the days she goes back in his box ha ha ha!!!!!

Cookie decorating

Kim and I met another lady that moved into Elgin and we met her at the Pre-School moms gathering. I had them over so all the kids could decorate sugar cookies and Wendy told us about making edible paint with food coloring. That was the coolest thing :))) so we made colors and the kids painted away and ate cookie. I made coffee, a sausage and egg breakfast casserole and blueberry muffins :)). I also had a the neighbor boys over!! I am sooo thankful for the friends I have met in my town and the ones I will continue to meet.

Dinner

Thursday night we went out to eat at Texas Road House, YUMMMM!!!!!! I forgot to get our pictures, but I did get Persaus with the orange in her mouth. She always wants her picture with orange peels in her mouth....

Shaving cream

The last day of school I helped in the school office. When I had a minute, I went into Persaus classroom to see what she was doing...... Mrs. Kelly put shaving cream on the table and the kids played away........

Story reading

Barbara, the director at Persaus school dressed up as Mrs. Clause and read all the students "Twas the Night Before Christmas" she, as always did an amazing job and the kids loved the story.

Christmas party- Persaus

Persaus was also exempt from class on Friday so Wednesday morning was her party followed by a brunch for me (a volunteer for the school) she had so much fun and I am soooo greatfull for the brunch all the teachers provided. I know Persaus is so well taken care of and all the teachers love each student!!! I stayed and talked with the teachers after the brunch and Persaus got to play outside when the pm class was out to recess, she got to play with all her friends we know through our neighborhood and moms group. The kids had a yummy plate full of goodies on there Christmas placemats they all made.

Christmas party- Jayden

Jayden had great attendance and good grades so he had an exemption day from school, so Thursday was his class Christmas party and all the students brought in food to make it a pot luck. Persaus had to go with me and the teacher was really sweet and made her a plate. It was a lot of fun and I loved watching Jayden laugh with his classmates.

Mrs Clause

We have a local Library in Elgin that has been re-modeled. Monday night was open to the public for a story reading by Mrs. Clause, I took my kids and our neighbors little girl. Mrs. Clause read Twas the Night Before Christmas. Mrs. Clause served Hot Chocolate with cookies and was soooo sweet to give each chid a gift (a pencil, activity book, eraser, and a candycane :).

The man of the house Dinner

Every week when I make our meal plan it's natural for me to ask the family some things that sound good for dinner, food they have wanted. Both Brian and Jayden said Stir Fry, they want this every couple weeks :) and then Brian started explaining to me a dish that he wanted..... He said he wanted baked beans, stew meat and bacon on top with green beans and mashed potatoes as the side!!! I said ok; really I was thinking this guy comes up with some interesting meals and actually they come out pretty good. I also thought to myself well I already have my meals pre made in containers in the fridge, so I will make him whatever he wants :)). To make this meal complete I took 2 cans of pork n beans, put it in a bowl and added brown sugar, mustard, ketchup, BBQ sauce, and a couple squirts of worcestshire (spelling???) mix that all up and place in a baking dish with a few prices of bacon across the top. While the beans baked I put the stew meat in my deep baker and added salt, pepper and garlic powder, cooked that until it was done. I took green beans and heat them up with a little cream of mushroom soup. Served it on a plate and I think I won my hubby's heart!!!!! I took a picture because the way he explained it and the way I pictured it was WAY off!!!!

Pictures

So I'm not the greatest on the computer, so I had to put our cd in the play station 3 to see our family pictures which was really fun cause they were HUGE!!!! Here is a couple that I took from my phone of the tv. I will be going to Sam's club tomorrow to print out all of them and ask my amazing friend Kim to help me get them on my computer!!!

Beating temptation

As I am on day 11 of my challenge I have been able to stay away from unhealthy food and not give in when out and about and go thru a drive thru. I pray in the morning and all through my temptations, I ask God to keep my stomach full until I get we're I need to be to eat my meals and rebuke the devil when he tries to get me to go his way!!!!! I WILL NOT GIVE IN :))) Persaus and I went Sams club to get a few things and I asked her if she wanted a hot dog, and yes she did along with her ice-e in 30 degree weather :))) she wanted to sit at the tables so we did :) I got a diet coke and did not have 1 bite of her hot dog!!!! I also had not eaten anything yet, I helped at the school and forgot to bring food, wait I lied I did eat a grapefruit!!!! We made it home and I cooked my ground chicken!!!! I WILL defeat the urge to eat bad things and stay on track and reach my personal goal!!!!!!!