Wordless Wednesday: The Park

When he was little I would take him to the park and he could barely reach the toys-I can't believe how grown up my little Monkey is!

Wordless Wednesday: Pretty Baby

Isn't she the cutest little blue eyed baby?
I can't believe The Bean is 10 months old-time goes way too fast!

Wordless Wednesday: Teddy Bear Tea

Baby Bug in her special tea party clothes, with her bear. I still can't believe she's TWO!

Wordless Wednesday: Cats + Computers

I like cats. I like computers. It only makes sense. None of these cats are mine, but they're all LOL cats.

[ALSO, DON'T FORGET TOMORROW IS THE LAST DAY TO SEND IN Q'S FOR MY FIRST VLOG CELEBRATING MY 300TH POST! COMMENT OR EMAIL ME!]

Wordless Wednesday: Helpful

This is one of the best reasons for Wordless Wednesday....

Since you're here though I want to remind you that I'll be doing my first ever vlog on the 29th to celebrate my 300th post! During my Vlog I will be announcing the winner for my custom spa package giveaway--so hurry over to THIS POST to leave a question for me to answer during my Vlog and gain an entry for the giveaway (your odds are good there are only TWO entries so far!).

Wordless Wednesday: The Most Wonderful Time of the Day

Some days are rough. Really rough. Like today-and on those days I cannot even express to you how much I love bedtime. I love bedtime almost as much as I love The Bean in all of her teething glory, or Baby Bug as she cruises right on through her Terrible Twos, or Monkey as his mood swings from one extreme to another when he feels slighted for attention. Bedtime really is magical.

*The Bean does not sleep in her toy thingy when she goes to bed...I just thought that was a really cute picture of her sleeping.

Wordless Wednesday: Playing

There's nothing cuter than the kids playing sweetly together-baby leggings are pretty close though....

My post yesterday was pretty late, so if you missed it make sure to check out my personal ad for a Mommy Clone.

Wordless Wednesday: Her Cutest Smile Yet

Mommy's Little Bean

A Really Wordy Wordless Wednesday: Thanksgiving-The Before Picture

It's Wednesday! Normally, just another day-but today also happens to be the day before Thanksgiving. I'm soooo ready:

We're having Rolls, Mashed potatoes, Deviled Eggs, Carrots, Cranberry Sauce, and a fun Spinach Salad (with apple, walnut, feta cheese, and raspberry vinaigrette) all with fudge and coconut cream pie for dessert. Oh yeah...and TURKEY! I had a moment of panic when I couldn't find my old turkey recipe, but luckily I'm not to bad on my feet. We're having an improvised orange-sage turkey. My new recipe looks like this:

MrsM's Orange-Sage Turkey Recipe
Whole Turkey (ours is 11lbs)
1/2 cup fresh sage
1/4 chopped
1/4 whole
3 whole sage leafs (plus some extra for garnish, 'cause I like my food pretty)
1 Orange
2 tsp grated orange rind
4 Orange quarters
1 1/8 tsp Salt
2 Small Onions
1 tbsp cornstarch
1 cup orange juice
1 1/4 tbsp sugar or 1 tbsp honey
Salt and Pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 475 degrees [Yes, 475! This is to "seal" the juices in the turkey-it's the same idea as searing a pot roast]. Remove turkey giblets. Rinse turkey, then pat dry with paper towels. Starting at neck cavity, loosen skin from breast and drumsticks by inserting fingers, gently pushing between skin and meat.

Grate 2tsp of orange rind off of orange, then cut it into quarters.

Chop up 1/4 cup of sage, mix with rind and 1 tsp salt. Rub under skin of turkey.

Peel and cut onion into quarters. Add orange and onion quarters with 1/4 cup whole sage and put into turkey cavity. Lift wing tips up and over back; tuck under turkey.

Rub turkey skin lightly with salt and pepper.

Put turkey into a lightly greased/sprayed roasting pan, cover turkey entirely. Cook turkey for 20 minutes at 475 degrees. Lower temperature to 250 and cook, covered, for 20 minutes per pound or until the meat thermometer says the internal temperature on the turkey thigh is 180 (or the red button pops out of the turkey, if you're me!).

Remove turkey and let it sit uncovered for at least 20 minutes to allow the juices to settle. Once 20 minutes have passed, move the turkey to a platter and cover it with foil to keep it warm.

Now we make the turkey's sauce! Take two table spoons of the fat from the roasting pan and put into a boiling pan, then strain the fat out and the drippings into the boiling pan with the two spoons of fat.

Add 1/8 tsp salt, sugar/honey, and 1/2 cup of orange juice to the drippings, bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 1 minute. Combine 1/2 cup juice and cornstarch in a small bowl; add to drippings mixture. Bring to a boil, and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Serve with the turkey!

This recipe is loosely based off of my old recipe (sorry I can't give credit, I first used it five years ago and have no idea where I got it!) and a recipe I saw in Good Housekeeping...I don't see any inherent flaws in it so wish me luck~I hope you all have a great Thanksgiving!!

(Kindof) Wordless Wednesday: Catch Phrases

Baby Bug is at that cute little stage where she starts to say certain things all the time...I love it!

Wordless Wednesday: In The Beginning

In light of our 7th Anniversary I thought this Wednesday I would share pictures of Hubby and I from when we were first together. This picture of me was taken during our first Christmas together (it's a picture of a picture).

And this picture of Hubby was taken right after we moved in together.

Dang-we were hot. Hubby still is! Here's a picture of him and the kids on Halloween this year.

Doesn't he look just the same? I think in my mind he always will.

Wordless (kindof) Wednesday: Halloween!

The Kidlets this Halloween
Monkey (the Silly Skeleton)

Baby Bug (the Bumble Bee)

The Bean (the Lady Bug)

We all had so much fun visiting grandpa and grandma and going Trick or Treating! Well, The Bean didn't go (she preferred snuggling with grandma), and Baby Bug could only say "Hi! Hi! Thank you! Bye-Bye!", but Monkey definitely Trick or Treated. He was so adorable going around to my dad's neighbors and saying TRICK OR TREAT!! as loud as he could. Even more adorable-after they gave him candy he said "Thank you-I love you" to every person that gave him candy. Too too cute!

Wordless Wednesday: Sharing

Stories bring people...even my little people...together

Wordless Wednesday:We Have Pony Tail!

It took almost exactly 20 months, but our oldest baby girl has finally managed to grow enough hair to produce a pony tail. VOILA! [You may awwwwwwwww now.]

Wordless Wednesday:Life Cycle of a Fit

I'm Furious!!!!

Wait...What's that? (I'm still mad.)

Hey! A book!



Fit? What Fit?

Wordless Wednesday: LoL

It's old. It's cliche. It's adorable, and I love it. It's LOL Cats.

Wordless/Wordful Wednesdays:Mama Bear

As I know I've mentioned before, I am generally an anti-social person. For some strange and wonderful reason, this doesn't seem to affect my blogging but when it comes to real life friends I am very choosy.

Don't get me wrong, I am polite, but that's where my interaction with most people outside of my immediate circle of loved ones ends-unless you hurt someone I care about. Woe to the person who does something to hurt the ones I love.

This applies equally to anyone who might do something I consider wrong towards those I love-be they in laws that treat my Hubby like crap, or boyfriends who commit some dastardly deed, or another kid making fun of my kidlets, seeing one of them hurt makes me go all Mama Bear. I find myself with mixed feelings-part of me wants to pin the offender in a tree and (metaphorically) rip their heads off, and part of me wants to take my little bear in need of love and nurse them back to health.

Usually I choose the latter, and I spend my time baking cookies for my loved one and giving them lots of encouragement, but the whole time, on the inside, I feel like this:
So crappy relatives, *&%$! exes, neighborhood bullies, stupid bosses, IRS agents, or any one else who might be thinking of slighting my loved ones:

You've Been Warned.

Wordless Wednesday: Blogging With a Sense of Humor

So funny, and so true!

Wordless Wednesday:It's A Sign

Today, for your viewing pleasure, funny signs from churches....

Wordless Wednesday: I Am

Face-plant-in-your-food-exhausted.
[Note to self: Avoid soup.]