Happy Two-Days-After Thanksgiving

We are alive and well! I just haven't updated in ...... forever.

Sorry about that. We've been busy, but I haven't taken out my camera in ages :(

Thought I'd get on real quick before I start getting around for the day. Jon ran to the bank (I love getting a paycheck!) and Braden is asleep on the couch. ??? He got up some time this morning. When I got up at 8:30, he was asleep on the couch with the TV on. I turned it off and asked if he was feeling ok. He said he was just tired.... and hasn't moved since!

Maybe he's worn out from his late night! Jill sent me a text Friday around 4pm asking if Braden was doing anything. Vitor (their 16 yr old foreign exchange student from Brazil) wanted to know if Braden wanted to come over and play PS3. Apparently, electronics are a lot cheaper to purchase here in the US than they are in Brazil. Vitor came with $$ and a list of items he wanted to purchase while he was here. He braved Black Friday and now has a PS3.
Braden was over there until after 10pm! They had Arby's, played PS3, and Vitor played his guitar for Braden..... maybe he can give him lessons!..... just a thought :)

Braden has a basketball game @ noon.

I got out our gingerbread house kits yesterday. We may have a decorating challenge this weekend! If you'd like to get in on the action, take a picture of your finished house (that you, and only you, decorated!!!) and send it to me. I'll post them and have a vote!! Jon, Braden, and I are each decorating a house.

Enjoy the rest of your holiday weekend!

Sorry!

I haven't posted in AGES!

I apologize.

I'm not posting today though.

The boys will be home any minute.

Then dinner.

Homework.

And I head off to my women's book study!

Working 3.5 days this week!!

Praising the Lord.

He is so good!

Hope you are all healthy.

We miss you.

We love you.

Have a great week!

Pumpkin Cupcakes

I made these on Wednesday for our high school kids, along with my peanut butter chocolate chip cookies. If you make these yourself, DO NOT put the candy corn on until just before serving. I put them on around noon. By 3:00, the color was running all over the frosting. (Wish they mentioned that in the recipe!!)

You need:

1 yellow cake mix (plus ingredients on package directions)

1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

1 15-oz. can pumpkin puree

2 8-oz. bars softened cream cheese

2 cups powdered sugar

24 pieces candy corn

Directions:

Heat oven to 350. Line 24 muffin tins with paper liners. Prepare cake mix as directed BUT with the following changes: Substitute canned pumpkin for the water and add the pumpkin pie spice.

Divide batter into muffin tins. Bake 18-22 minutes. Let cool.

Frosting: Beat cream cheese and powdered sugar until creamy. (I only used about half of the frosting so you may want to half the recipe) Spread on cupcakes and top with candy corn.

Busy Me!

Where have I been? I've been subbing EVERYDAY this week! PTL for all the work! And praise Him that today is Friday!!

Off I go! ...... but I do have pictures to post as soon as I get a chance.

Have a great weekend!

Just Another Thursday Night at Home

Braden has recently begun working on his core.... {laughs} I guess they learned to do this in P.E. once and he really enjoys it. He even challenged Dad to a contest the other day. Braden won! So Dad challenged him to a cartwheel contest. Daddy won! (They were pretty funny to watch!)

Here are some pictures from last Thursday. He worked on this forever!

First successful attempt that Mom got a picture of.


You can see how unimpressed Dallas is!


Not sure if this was an attempted extension or Braden falling.

This would definitely be a fall!

Taking a break.

Guess who was sitting next to me?

Back up! And topless this time!

Balancing-ish.

I dyed my hair "dark chocolate brown" on Thursday morning. Hard to tell with the flash, but you get the idea.

Focus....

Yawn....

Focused again....

Almost ready....

Almost ready....

And he's up!

I Need You Jesus (Rescue)

Check it out. We sang this in worship today. I LOVE it!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1rTlhRO0E8k&feature=related

Big Red

On Friday, we colored Braden's hair for the homecoming game. I colored it real quick before he left for school in the morning. Jon gave him a touch up before he left for the game that night.

And oh the panic when it didn't all wash out the first time! Too funny!