Happy Happy Birthday, Sweet Cheeks!

I CANNOT BELIEVE

you are

TEN YEARS OLD!

Because if YOU are TEN

then I am.....

thirty, forty,fifty, sixty, 

OLD!

Your birthday was yesterday

but you were out of town..

so, today, this is for you, 

Sweet Cheeks!

My Little Girl is Growing Up!

Look how cute you were at age 3!

Let me take you on a short journey

that started TEN YEARS ago..

The angels sang the day you were born.

You were so small when you were born-

You came early and 

spent 15 days in the NICU.

Nana visited you everyday 

and held you close to her heart.

Then-

When you got home your sisters loved on you

and you grew strong and healthy.

You were a cute toddler-

even when your mom 

thought you were a chicken.

You were such a happy little girl...

Sometimes though you were just 

ONE HOT MESS!

And one time at the 

Christmas Tree Farm

a bush jumped out and grabbed you.

Instead of rushing to rescue you 

your mom had the 

presence of mind to take a  picture 

so that we could all laugh!

One day you ran away from your 

pretty princess outfits

and showed up

dressed for a magazine cover

for downtown Green Bay.

We were so proud of you!

You love the Packers!

You love to dance!

And you love school!

For the first time ever you did not 

have to wear a uniform on the

first day of school.

You ultimately decided you 

LIKED wearing a uniform better!

You love your family, too!

And 

WE LOVE YOU!

Happy Birthday, Honey!

I hope I live long enough to see you 

wearing something like this someday!

Even though you told me I can't 

SIT UP FRONT IN THE CHURCH

because I might

ACT UP!

Seriously?  Me?!!!!

Okay- Okay-you have me pegged 

but just remember

THE NUT DOESN'T FALL

 

TOO FAR FROM THE

 

NANA TREE!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

Sweet Cheeks!

Love you to the moon and back!

TAKE ME-TAKE ME-TAKE ME--Home said the Gingerbread Boy!

I did a post about this a year or two ago.

Several people said 

they had never seen anything like it.

I thought I would post before it

gets any later in the season

in case you want make these for 

your own home.

I have been doing this since my

own kids were small.

You know how a front door says 

WELCOME

when you come in?

Those sleigh bells are off the horses my 

father drove as a young man.

So -there's my 

Happy Hello!

BUT I like my door to say

GOOD-BYE

when someone leaves, too.

And I like to say it NICELY

Unlike some people that will say-

Don't let the door hit you in the butt on the way out.

How do I do that?

I let my visitors take a little memento

of their visit with them.

It is called 

Cut and Run Take

Here they are my sweet little

GINGERBREAD BOYS

hanging in a row.

Here's how to make this sweet little door hanging.

Roll out Saran Wrap about 2 feet longer 

than the side of your door.

Lay your Gingerbread Boys in a line 

on the center of the plastic wrap.

leaving about 4-6" between them.

You could also do this with any sturdy

cookie- like a sugar cookie cut 

like a snowflake or star.

Flip them upside down making sure that they

are still in the center

Pull the plastic wrap to the back

overlapping it so they are enclosed 

all the way around.

Gently flip them over and using ribbon

tie a knot above and below EACH one.

Hang some children's scissors on

some curly ribbon from the top

to cut the saran wrap.

When you cut them apart 

you will cut between the ribbons 

leaving each one fully encased in plastic wrap.

Here I am making a cut between the ties.

You start with the bottom one and 

each person can cut off a gingerbread boy 

to take along when they leave.

I hung them on a nail hidden on top of the door jamb.

shhhhh-MyHero hates nails anywhere

I dressed the top with some greenery and red balls.

I love  Gingerbread Boys, don't you?

Sometimes I feel sorry for them though.

Poor things.

pinterest image

The one on the right hears about like 

MyHero does-especially when it comes

to trying to get a chore done!

Now- get in that kitchen and start baking!

As for me..

I will be pushing the gingerbread "boys"

around at the VA this morning

and then I am tied up for most of the day.

Have a great Tuesday! 

OH!  And THIS YEAR I am going

to do this with 

SNOWFLAKES instead of 

Gingerbread boys.

I'll post a picture when I get that far.

FRENCH TOAST FROM LEFTOVER PUMPKIN PIE!!! Yep- It's true!

Well, I already KNOW you all

think I am crazy..

so I might as well add to my legend!

I wasn't going to post this weekend

but this is too good not to share

while you still have leftover

PUMPKIN PIE!

WHAT do you do with 

LEFTOVER PUMPKIN PIE?

Well, if you live with ME

you might just get a piece of

THIS!

Well. you will notice that I didn't

POLISH the silverware for you!

Shhh..close your eyes and only look at the toast, m'kay?

Do you have some of THIS around your house?

You know the crust gets kinda 'soggy'

and it loses a bit of its appeal, right?

Well, cheer up!

I have a FIX IT for you!

Here is what you will need:

Scrape a few tablespoons of pumpkin pie

off the crust and spread it on

one slice of 

WHITE BREAD.

(It does NOT taste nearly as good 

on whole grain bread-sorry)

Spread some softened CREAM CHEESE

on the another slice of white bread.

Whip 2 eggs with about 1/2 cup of 

half and half and 

a teaspoon (or more) of GOOD VANILLA!

Put the two slices of bread together and

DIP THEM into the EGG MIXTURE.

They should be saturated but not too soggy.

Place it in a preheated buttered frying pan

and cook over medium to medium-high heat.

Oh! Yeah! Baby!

Wait til ol' bj over at Sweet Nothings 

sees this-

She is gonna think she died and went to

BREAKFAST HEAVEN!

She is my

"recipe tester"!

Now, I also made another one but forgot to 

take pictures.

Same thing EXCEPT-

Spread one side with Cream Cheese,

Add 2 Tablespoons leftover Cranberry Sauce,

Put a few thin slices of turkey breast 

on the other side.

Dip in egg and fry just like regular french toast.

Different and OH SO GOOD!

Easiest way to start a fight at the 

DESSERT TABLE!

You all have a great rest of the weekend.

I am recovering from a 

FRENCH TOAST COMA!