Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Mr. Betty Crocker

James has been a huge help around the house this week. He must have know Santa was watching :)

I promise to get Christmas pics up soon!

Monday, December 26, 2011

Mistletoe

Since my hubby and I have been married, he's been trying to find a piece of real mistletoe to hang in our house. This year he succeeded, even if it didn't come from our neck of the woods. I hope this tradition continues...

Saturday, December 24, 2011

The Best Cinnamon Rolls!

I made Pioneer Woman's cinnamon rolls last night and oh my word..they are to die for! Be warned you will have enough for an army! I have 7 pans that I plan on handing out today! Enjoy!



Friday, December 23, 2011

Shhhhh...don't tell!

Wonder what James is getting for Christmas? It's one of his surprises so it's sitting in the closet now. I can't wait until Christmas morning!

And of course Macey can't miss a photo op...

Saturday, December 17, 2011

Our First Win!

Our lil Eagles won their first basketball game today in Lincoln 17-2! I am so proud! James even scored twice and the look on his face afterward was pure pride. After a celebratory lunch at Olive Garden, we are enjoying a quiet day at home and maybe a movie!

I love our little rockstar!

Thursday, December 15, 2011

What's on my mind...

I don't know about ya'll, but my head is spinning this time of year! I think it's time for a good ole fashioned bullet point post. Sorry for the randomness I have laid out before you...

  •  Tonight, James suggested tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches with bacon. That sounded perty dern tasty and it most certainly was. What made it even better was James helped me cook. Maybe I can pass down my mad kitchen skills to him!
  • Also, notice the picture below. Apparently, I give way too much attention to the dog [:^}


  •  I had a meeting with the school today and got fabulous news. I'm not going into detail, but so excited for our little man!
  • Are you done Christmas shopping? I'm about 90% finished excluding James and Gene. They are the hardest to buy for!
  • I think we all have that person in our life that seems to survive on putting other people down. They're not happy unless they are at the top and using you as the stepping stool. I don't know if that made a lick of sense, but I've noticed it more and more lately.  I thought Christmas brought out the best in people, not the worst.
  • Sorry for the random redneck lingo dotting this post.
  • I saw an old friend at Walmart last night. I often wondered if she still lived around here and now I know. She was the mom-like figure who gave me the advice I was too embarrassed to ask my own mother :)
  • My wonderful, handsome, talented kiddo broke my computer 2 weeks ago and I had to buy a replacement. I'm still a little irked about it, so now he's under strict supervision when using it!
  • I'm in need of a good vacation.
  • My Schwann's man rang my doorbell at 8:45 pm tonight! Can you believe it??? It's a good thing I don't have sleeping babies or I may have clawed his eyes out myself. So, what do I do? I turn up the volume on the TV (which is right by the front door) and refuse to answer the door. How rude!
  • All the college kids posts about finals being over makes me sad. Can't I have a month long break to do absolutely nothing? Please? PLEASE??
  • Hi, my name is Jenn, and I'm addicted to Words with Friends....Hi Jenn!
  • Shouldn't the utility/car/mortgage people do us all a favor and declare December a bill free month? Wouldn't that be the Christian thing to do?
  • Although, I'm not a huge Duggar's fan, I do watch their show from time to time. The news of their miscarriage just broke my heart. And the leaked pictures on TMZ brought me to tears. God be with them and sweet little Jubilee. {Jenny--do NOT, under ANY circumstance seek out these pictures!!}
  • I think that's all tonight. Happy Friday!!

Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Freezer Meal Swap

I saw this idea over on another blog and wondered if anyone would be interested? Each participant would create one or two meals for each other participant including themselves.

So if we had 5 people and each made 2 meals, we would have 10 frozen ready to eat meals. That's 10 nights that you could have an easy home cooked meal and more time with your family!

If you are interested can you leave a comment or msg me on Facebook? I'm looking forward to some great feedback!

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Conversations with James

So last night on the way back from bball practice we had a strange conversation:

James: I don't know why but ever since I've been born my hands have been so soft!
Me: so you have ladies' hands?
James: Yes.
Me: LADIES' hands???
James: Yeah, is that weird?
Me: Ummm, yeah kinda....oh look how about Subway for dinner?

Saturday, December 10, 2011

Lazy Movie Weekend

James and I have had a pretty lazy weekend. Friday night, we ordered pizza and rented movies. I rented Judy Moody and the Not Bummer Summer. I fell asleep in the middle of it, but James loved it. We started watching Dirty Jobs while I caught up on some Words with Friends. He fell asleep about 8:00 and I sent him to bed. Then I watched the Change-Up {which was funny, but crude} and Horrible Bosses {which I didn't finish...kinda boring}. It was the perfect end to a crazy week.

Saturday we woke up and I cleaned house and did some laundry. Then we got ready for James' basketball game in Berryville. My mom rode with us and it was nice to catch up with her. The game wasn't great, we lost 13-6. Our boys could have played better, but there's always next weekend! I made some pasta and settled in to watch The Blind Side, James' favorite movie! I love that he snuggled up to me during the movie. He may be 10 now, but he still loves his Jenn!


Doesn't he look so handsome?

Tomorrow will be spent getting caught up on paperwork and a few things around the house. I need to finish up some Christmas shopping too, so maybe a trip to town will be in order...or I could just be lazy instead!

Here's to a lazy, perfect, cozy weekend!


Sunday, December 4, 2011

Friday, December 2, 2011

It's Beginning to Look a lot Like Christmas!!!

I decided last night that today was going to be the day I finally put up my tree! We got the tree up and all the lights and ornaments added. I was going to rest, but then I got a second wind and decided to put lights outside the front of our house and the back deck. The pic from the back deck didn't turn out since I live on a cliff and the road below was too far away to get a good pic on my phone. I love getting my decorations out and put up. It makes the house just a little more cheery! Bring on Christmas!

Thursday, December 1, 2011

New Ride

Did I forget to mention I got a new car this past weekend? Goodbye deerslayer...hello silver bullet! Fully equipped with a sexy husband and a charming little boy!

Tuesday, November 29, 2011

First Basketball Game!

First off I just want to say how much I love my iPhone and the ability to blog on the go!

We had our first tournament tonight! We have lost the first game 20-4 and we play a private school next so I'm hopeful that maybe we won't get annihilated. I love watching big man play...he's our little rock star!

Here's to a great season with even greater improvements!

Sunday, November 27, 2011

It's official...

We have our official reversible jerseys and we are ready to play some basketball!

Thursday, November 24, 2011

Happy Thanksgiving!

Cousins having fun...family togetherness...happy chaos!

Happy Thanksgiving from the Fort's!

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

It's a Gary Allan Kind of Day...

I've been in a funk lately, and the cause is many things in which I'm not going into here. Gary Allan is by far my favorite artist. He's been through so much in his life and his music really shows his pain. It's probably not a good thing that I need his music now.

With the holidays approaching, I should feel excitement and anticipation, however this year is filled with worry and stress. Between my husband's job and health and my boy's utha mutha, I'm just overstressed and on edge.

Life ain't always beautiful
Sometimes it's just plain hard
Life can knock you down
It can break your heart

Life ain't always beautiful
You think, you're on your way
And it's just a dead end road
At the end of the day

But the struggles make you stronger
And the changes make you wise
And happiness has its own way
Of takin' its sweet time


Drinkin' dark whiskey,
Tellin' white lies,
One leads to another,
On a Saturday night,
Don't ya cross your heart,
Unless you hope to die,
Drinkin' dark whiskey,
Tellin' white lies


But I can love you,
Like I've always done,
And when the hard times come a knocking,
Honey you won't ever see me run,
I won't leave you,
When you need a friend,
Can't make the bad days that much better,
Baby than they've ever been,
But I can love you,




Everything always works out in the end, so I don't know why I worry so much. But don't fret, I'm all right just like I always am...just a rough patch.

But I'm doin' my best
Every day and every night
Hangin' on by a thread
That's stretched just a little too tight
If I can't find some peace of mind
I'll take what I can get
I ain't doin' much good
But I'm doin' my best

Thursday, November 17, 2011

Sports

Does anyone want to know why I haven't posted lately?
Sports.

Do you know why I'm so tired?
Sports.

Do you know what makes our boy so extremely happy and confident?
You guessed it, SPORTS!!

Since the beginning of school, we have been playing sports. First, we played regular season football. Our team did ok, but the boys had a blast. We then signed up for basketball and thought, "How nice, only 3 weeks of games!". Then, James was chosen to play all star-football, which we juggled with basketball. And, then just when I thought it was all over and momma gets a break, TRAVEL BASKETBALL comes along! James isn't always the best student, but when he gets on that court/field, he's a rock star! How can I say no to his sweet little face? I can't, and smart boy knows it. :)  We should get a little 2 month break between basketball and baseball, but who knows...this boy may want to give soccer a whirl!

So, for the next 3 months, you'll find me spending my weekends driving little boy all over the country, or at least the NW part of our great state. But, that's ok, because I love to see him happy. That makes every drop of gas and cup of coffee worth it...

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

It's A BOY!!!!

No, I'm not prego, but my best friend is!! I'm so incredibly happy for Jenny and Taylor. Jenny and I have been friends since 8th Grade, but became really close in college where we were roomies. She's the kind of friend who is always there for you even if you don't talk everyday. I know I can call on her for anything and she'll be right there. She is absolutely the sweetest person you will ever meet and I can't wait to be an auntie to little Lee Eddie {only kidding about the name LOL}!!



Monday, November 14, 2011

My Little Deerslayer

While his momma kills these bad boys with cars...our little guy does it the right way!

Tuesday, November 8, 2011

Country Strong

Love, love, love this movie! One of my favorite parts is where they sing this song on stage. I don't know what it is about this song, but I just love it!

My heart is set on you
I don’t want no one else
And if you don’t want me
I guess I’ll be all by myself



Sunday, November 6, 2011

Pumpkin Spice Muffins

I saw this recipe on another blog and it looked so easy and delicious! You will only need 2 ingredients. The batter will be really thick and hard to mix. Do NOT use pumpkin pie filling!!


Here are the directions:
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare 12 count muffin tin – either with non-stick spray or use cupcake liners.
  2. Mix pumpkin and cake mix until well mixed and then pour into muffin tin. Bake for 12 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes clean.
  3. Remove from oven and let cool. Seal in an air tight container and store for up to a week or you can freeze these and reheat them for later too.
I got bored while waiting for them to bake so I whipped up a simple glaze. Melt a couple of tablespoons of butter, add powdered sugar until you get the consistency you want, and then add a splash of vanilla. Make sure you taste test while waiting, you don't want to ruin the muffins with a sub-standard glaze :)







I also saw a recommendation to add chocolate chips to these and I think I will definitely add those next time!!

Ice Cream Cake

We had James' birthday a couple of weeks ago and I made my friend Jessica's recipe for Ice Cream Cake. This was one the best things I have ever tasted!! Several people requested the recipe, so I'm going to post how I made it.

~12 ice cream sandwiches {I used a little more, but you will need enough to make 2 layers}
~Whipped Cream {Cool Whip}
~Hot fudge topping {I used Hershey's syrup}
~Caramel topping {I already had butterscotch syrup...YUM!}
~Heath bars {To crumble on top, I used 2 King size bars}

Put a layer of ice cream sandwiches in the bottom of a baking dish. Drizzle plenty of chocolate/butterscotch syrup on top of the sandwiches. Then, add a layer of Cool Whip. Repeat this process again so there are 2 layers. Crumble the Heath bar on top. I froze this the night before and took it out about 30 minutes before I was ready to serve.

This is Jessica's picture, I was too busy eating to even think about taking one.

Wednesday, November 2, 2011

The Simple Things

Sometimes, the most simple things in life are what keep us grounded.
  • playing in the leaves without worrying about your hair or makeup
  • watching a little boy anxiously await his dad's truck rounding the corner, because he wants to give him a huge hug.
  • also watching same boy almost crash and burn in the parking lot because he wants to make it to the truck before his dad steps out
  • seeing an autobiographical poster by little man who names his dad as his favorite person
  • knowing that he may not call me mom, but loving the hugs I get in public and in front of his friends and how his smile melts my heart
  • quick dinners at McDonald's
  • quietly giggling when little boy asks to use my bubble bath
  • waking him up with clothes straight from the dryer
  • watching him take pride in finishing his homework at school and having more free time at home
  • quiet nights after the little boy has gone to bed 
  • hearing our boy say he's going to grow up to be a video game designer and move to Hollywood, but not to worry because me and his dad can move in too!
With all the hustle and bustle of sports and birthdays and housework and mounds of paperwork, I realize that things aren't always as bad as they seem. One day, I'll wish I had the same little boy who loves me and his dad wholeheartedly instead of the wild crazy teenager with blue hair {which he has already requested}!

Monday, October 31, 2011

Happy Halloween!!

James decided last minute to go trick or treating. He had 2 options, a zombie skeleton from 2 years ago or this....I think it's in his blood :)

Sunday, October 30, 2011

Our Life in Lists

  • Gene finally went back to work. Which, I'm not sure how I feel about it. It will be nice to have $$ again, but I was getting used to having him home.
  • James made the all star football team!! We are so proud!!
  • We are also playing basketball. So juggling practices and games keeps me busy pretty much 7 days a week. Hence, the lack of blogging.
  • We celebrated James turning 10!!
  • We also celebrated my nephew Fletcher turning 1 year old.
  • Parent/Teacher conferences went well for the most part. They are going to do some more testing with James and his glasses to see if that is the real problem. More details to come, when I know them.
  • Halloween is coming up and I still don't know if James wants to go trick or treating.
  • I need to catch up on paperwork and housework. There's a lot of work in those 2 words and I'm just not motivated yet after 8 hours of sleep and 2 cups of coffee.
  • I really could use a girls night or a night to myself. I don't know which sounds better.
  • I'm so looking forward to November to see if Jenny is having a boy or girl! I'm so happy for her and Taylor!
  • I'm really looking forward to the holidays. I can't wait to start decorating.
  • I'm also loving the cooler weather.
  • Yesterday, I upgraded to the iPhone 4...loving Instagram!
  • Looking forward to another week of sports and fast food dinners! Maybe only the sports...
  • Just realized I haven't actually grocery shopped in about 3 weeks. Other than milk and cereal. I should do that soon.
  • Hoping to see my hubby soon!
  • I think that is all. Thanks for stopping by!!

James is 10!!

Wow, I can't believe it's been 2 weeks since my last post!!! I want to dedicate this post to big man James and how he's 10 now, and oh so cool. We had his birthday party last weekend {October 22} and it was a blast! We had his party at home {which I will NEVER do again} and we had cupcakes and carnival games in the garage. I wasn't sure how it would go over, but the bobbing for apples was a hit! Darius won, grabbing 7 apples. And, the boys got soaked from head to toe. After blowing out the candles, we had a cupcake eating race {no hands}, which James won. I'm thinking we should have had the cupcake race, then bobbing for apples so they boys could wash off. But, not to worry, they didn't have a problem with dunking their heads back in the water. We also had a pinata, and I swear the candy was gone in 30 seconds. After games and cake and ice cream cake, we opened presents. James scored a lot of Nerf guns, some hunting gear, and a new MP3 player from us. I heard him say this was his best birthday ever. That melts my heart!!



Big man's actual birthday is on October 25th. We had a busy day! James was out of school for parent/teacher conferences, so him and Gene spent the day together. When I got home, we went to conferences, then we had basketball games. Gail, Stanton, and Chandler came up to see his game and celebrate again! After the game, we went to our favorite local Mexican joint and had dinner and sopapillas for dessert. I was a little disappointed they don't sing and make a big deal out of birthdays, but none the less, I think James had a great time. I hope he will always remember turning 10 and being surrounded by his friends and family who love him dearly.


James, we love you so much. You have overcome a lot of struggles in your short life and we couldn't be more proud of you. You are doing well in school, you are our big sports star, and still the sweetest little guy. Please, please don't grow up! I guess we can't stop it, but I also can't wait to see who you grow up to be. Never forget who's always been there for you. Never forget who's been there for all the big moments in your life. There are people out there who will tell you things to get back at others, but when it comes down to it, always remember who took care of you when you were sick, who drove you to practices, and who has always done what's best for you. Your dad and I love you so much!! Happy 10th Birthday!!

Sunday, October 16, 2011

Friday, October 14, 2011

Catch Up!

We've been crazy busy the past couple of weeks. James made the all-star football team!! We are so proud of him!! Now we are juggling football and basketball practices. I sometimes wonder if we are going to show up to basketball practice with football pads on. The way I've been feeling lately, it's a real possibility: ) We should have a football tournament sometime in November and basketball runs now through the first of November. Maybe after Thanksgiving, I can take a breath. I try not to complain because I really do love watching James play sports. I love the confidence it gives him!




 So last weekend, we went camping with James' Aunt Gail, Uncle Stanton, and Miss Chan. We went down to White Rock which is deep in the woods off of the Pig Trail. The driver was beautiful since the leaves were starting to change. Our campsite was amazing! Riding 4 wheelers was so much fun, dinner was good, the smores were better, and then it got dark! James was ready to go home. He is so afraid of the dark, poor kid. Well, I thought I was going to be fine until Gene, Stanton, and Gail heard a mountain lion/panther/cougar. Whatever you call them in your area. Luckily, we came armed, but I was about {this close} to sleeping in the truck. I know there are bears down there, but actually knowing that someone heard something made my skin crawl! I definitely want to go back, but I don't know how I'll sleep :)








Tomorrow, James and I are going to Springfield, MO to pickup his glasses. Please pray that these glasses will make homework time a little bit easier. We also have Fletcher's 1st birthday tomorrow. I can't believe him and cousin Owen are now 1!! Oh how time flies!!

I also have to get the house cleaned up this weekend and get everything ready for James' birthday party next weekend. Big man is going to be 10!! We are having a huge party here at home. Gene said it will be organized chaos...I'm questioning the organized part.

Well I hope you all have a great week. I hope to find time to post again soon!