Halloween for Mom & Dad

For 15 Halloweens we've had children. For 15 years we've been doing the trick-or-treat extravaganza.

Not this year.

Both of our goblins have other plans tonight. Plans that do not include Mom & Dad.

Knowing that our girls wouldn't be needing us this evening I suggested to Lawman last week that we come up with our own Halloween plan. One that does not include manning the front door and handing out candy. For about 150 kids. I kid you not. (We've got elementary teachers that live in our neighborhood plus we're on a dead-end street so you can only imagine the kind of horror, um, traffic that haunts us on October 31st each year.)

Initially, Lawman was not too thrilled with this idea. He thought me not buying candy and handing it out was unlawful. Un-American.

Well, as luck would have it, we've received two party invitations. Yes, parties for the parents! Costumes not required! One on our street and another at the home of one of Lawman's partners in crime later in the evening.

Sorry gouhls and goblins. My lights will be off. No jack-o-lanterns lit. No candy by the door. You'll have to go to my neighbors.

And girls, have fun at your parties. Enjoy your chocolate. We'll be thinking of you as we feast on devil's eye, gnarly fingers and witch's brew.

A Walk Down Memory Lane

B3 and I took a walk down Memory Lane....


As little girls, both of ours absolutely loved this game. We would play for hours on end. It was entertaining, educational and simple. We could make it last as long or as short as we wanted.

I got the game out for a couple of little boys that were at our house earlier in the day with B2; she was baby-sitting. When they left, B3 and I decided we should play a game for old times sake.

The end results were different than they used to be. The girl beat the pants off me. She's got great memory skills. Look how big her winning pile is.

Wonder if she could beat me at Candy Land??

The Grinch of Halloween

I was in costume yesterday. Something similar to the Grinch. Or maybe it was the Wicked Witch. Or the Hulk.

B2 has a costume party to attend on Halloween night. Of course she needs a costume. And of course, nothing that we could "create" at home will do.

Let me just say that I hate Halloween costumes for 15 year old girls. Why is it not ok to be CUTE at that age? Why does everything for teenagers have to be sexy? And why do teenage girls (one in particular) see nothing wrong with spending $60 on a one-time outfit that isn’t even NORMAL clothes?

I had a major headache and a foul mood to match it by the time we got home from shopping yesterday. I did not behave well. Just ask B2. I was the Grinch, the Wicked Witch and the Hulk all rolled into one. What girl wouldn't be thrilled to have such a mother?

Thank heavens for small favors. B3 wanted to be a nurse. We borrowed her costume from our friend, Dina, who is a real nurse.

If there had been a bottle of wine in my house when I got home yesterday, I would have drank it all. Again, thank heavens for favors or I would have had a headache this morning.

And if you're wondering, it was not my $60 which purchased a cute sailor outfit.

Menu Plan Monday

Last week's menu worked like a charm. We had leftovers which allowed Lawman and I to have lunches and a smorgasbord on Thursday night to clean out the fridge.

We tried two new recipes last week - bubble pizza and broccoli & potato bake. Both were well liked by everyone so I'll be making them again.

Only one new recipe this week; the cheesey lentils. If it's a keeper, I'll share it later this week. I'm curious how the girls are going to react to it. Lentils are a food item that they have not been exposed to. Here's our menu this week. It's plain and simple this week. Mainly tried and true dishes.

Sunday - Broccoli Cheese Soup, Salad, Bread

Monday - Cheesy Lentils, Salad

Tuesday - Chicken Spaghetti

Wednesday - Pork Roast (crock pot), potatoes, carrots

Thursday - Pork Fried Rice, Eggrolls

Friday - to be decided; both girls have Halloween parties to go to so Lawman and I may have a date night.

For more menu ideas, check out Menu Plan Monday at http://www.orgjunkie.com/.

Magic Corn

Jiffy Pop popcorn is not a staple on my shopping list. However, B3 noticed it on the grocery store shelves a couple of weeks ago and was intrigued by it's unusual packaging. I told her she could throw it in the cart. I thought it might provide a bit of evening fun for us.

Thursday evening I suggested that popcorn would be a good snack while watching a family favorite tv show. I asked B3 if she'd like to make it for us.

B3 got a little nervous at this point. She was sure it would explode. I tried to reassure her that it would be ok but instead she handed her duties off.

Lawman got in on the action as soon as it was ready.

It was a fun activity for B3 but we all agreed that it wasn't quite as tasty as our usual popcorn but most of it disappeared.

(Note to self: This would be great on a camping trip.)

A Girl and her Pants Update

The girls and I did go shopping last night. Specifically for jeans.

Guess what we didn't find?

Yep. No jeans.

Never fear, I did not leave the store empty-handed. We did manage to find great deals on other items that were on her list such as long-sleeve shirts, khaki pants and a sweater for church, and athletic pants.

Here's our haul.

We got a deal. 10 pieces for $113. Not bad.

But still no jeans. Let me just share with you that we found a pair of jeans that fit her and in my opinion (which doesn't count) and that of her sister were darling on her. Oh but no. We couldn't possibly buy them. Apparently there are jr. high fashion rules which I am so not aware of. Something to do with the fact that the shoestrings on her tennis shoes were visible?? What?

Shoestrings and shoes were also an issue when we got home and she tried on the cute little fleece pants & sweatshirt. And I quote, "The pants look dorky with my tennis shoes. My feet look huge." Well I hated to break it to the girl but she does have large feet. What could she wear? Well, I did tell her that flip-flops were out and if she wasn't going to be wearing those pants with shoes she already owned that I would return them. I played the bad mom card. Oh the drama.

Girls don't have school tomorrow and I'm not working so once again I'll be hitting the mall to accomplish my mission of finding jeans.

And, last night just reminded me, yet again, why I did back-to-school shopping with one girl at a time. Guess I better pack the Tylenol tomorrow and remember to treat myself to a diet coke!

And on a couple of side notes -- 1) she apologized later for making an issue about her shoes and 2) she did wear the cute little fleece pants and matching sweatshirt to school today. With her tennis shoes. What a dork. (I'm kidding. She was darling.)

A Girl and her Pants

When it comes to keeping our youngest in clothes, I'm always a step behind. Or maybe two.

It's been this way her entire life and I don't understand it. She has these growth spurts and suddenly. nothing. in. her. closet. fits.

This year I thought I would avoid that. I purchased new jeans (a single pair) for her in late August thinking that she'd at least have pants for that first cold morning.

In recent days, we've had more than one cold morning and the only pant that seems to fit her is that single. pair. of. jeans. That won't do for a 12 year old. GIRL.

Yesterday she raided her sister's closet for a pair of pants that fit. She was fine with that. Sister was not.

Being the good mother that I am, I spent my lunch hour yesterday scouting the mall for jeans. SALE jeans.

I found some.

There's shopping in the near future for a 12 year old girl and me. The future will be tonight.

Menu Plan Monday - Changing Seasons in the Kitchen

I made my menu plan and grocery list on Friday night. I can tell the season is changing by what I'm including on both. The change of seasons provides inspiration for me in the kitchen. I enjoy being able to add seasonal fruits & vegetables to our table.

I purchased a butternut squash yesterday. Lawman and I both love it. The girls will try it but they're not a fan of it. I'm planning to include it with our dinner tonight.

I'm doing some baking today. Another thing I don't do during the warmer months. I've got a Honey Bun Coffee Cake (similar to this one) in the oven which will provide breakfast for at least 3 days this week and B3 just whipped up some chocolate chip cookie dough to make cookies yet this afternoon. Last week I made a gingerbread cake (with the help of Betty Crocker's mix) for dessert; another seasonal item we enjoy.

Here's our menu plan for the week --

Sunday - BBQ beef (from the freezer), roasted butternut squash, mac & cheese corn casserole

Monday - Bubble Pizza (carry-over from last week), Salad

Tuesday - Chicken & Rice Soup (from the freezer)

Wednesday - Broccoli & Potato Bake, Baked Beans, Corn Muffins (from the freezer)

Thursday - Pancakes or Waffles, Sausage, Fruit

Friday - Frozen Pizza (needed a quick meal between an out-of-town trip and getting to a football game)

Saturday - Chicken Tacos (crockpot) & all the fixin's.

For more menus please check out Menu Plan Monday at http://www.orgjunkie.com/

Milestones of the Auto Variety

B2, our oldest at 15, got her official "restricted driving license" last week. She got her instructional license in May. Her driving has much improved since that first outing but let's face it, she's still a NEW driver.

With the restricted license comes the ability to drive oneself to/from work and school without an adult in the car.

In her mind this should be an automatic. As well as her own car.

Lawman and I are not so quick to oblige. We realize that we will have to let the girl go out at some point without us in the vehicle. The fact is though, we're not as excited about it as she is though.

She informed us a couple of nights ago that she had accepted a baby-sitting job for Saturday evening which would require her to drive. She also mentioned that it's about 12 miles away and it would require her to drive home at 10pm by herself. On a 2 lane road. No shoulders. Lots of curves. Uh, I don't think so. Fortunately, I knew Lawman would be on my side. As it turns out, the mother who asked her to baby-sit had a conversation with her husband the following day and they both decided that they didn't want our daughter driving that particular road by herself or at night. They thought about where they'd be in a few years with their own daughter and they knew they wouldn't want her on that same road by herself at night. Driving a car. So, all is well as B2 will be riding with the mom to/from the baby-sitting job. (Answered prayer.)

We did allow B2 to drive herself last night to a baby-sitting job. It was only 1/2 a mile from our house so we thought this might be a good way to test the waters. She did great. She called us when she got there and called again when she'd be heading home. Perfect.

Today she drove herself to school. It's a half-day so she'll be done early. She forgot to call us when she got there because she and her friend, Bailey, got so caught up in the fact that they were able to "park next to each other" that they got a case of the giggles and concerned parents slipped her mind. Go figure.

There's so much more to driving than steering, using turn signals and that sense of independence that comes with it. Lawman and I remember how excited we were when we were at this milestone in our lives. What new drivers don't realize is that you have to be a defensive driver - always be aware of your surroundings. Even further down the road than just where you are right now. The responsibility you have as a driver is huge. Not only for yourself but your passengers, pedestrians and other drivers. One mistake on the road and it can cost you. Big time.

And granted, given Lawman's line of work, he's seen more than the average parent/driver and he doesn't want his daughter to be a statistic. Many accidents can be avoided. It requires patience from our new driver (you'll get your independence in due time) and standing firm in making decisions/choices from us as parents (if we think we should say no, then we're probably right). I know our choices won't always be popular with her but that's just part of parenting. I know she'll "get it" when it's her oldest baby that's 15 and asking for the car keys.

Mmm! Good!

Rachel dubbed today as 'share your favorite soup recipe' day. Here's a favorite at our house.

Sausage and Red Bean Stew

• 1 pkg. Hot Italian Turkey Sausage Links, cut into 1" pieces
• 1 teaspoon cayaenne pepper, ground
• 1/4 white onion, minced
• 2 -15 oz. cans kidney beans
• 1-15 oz. can pinto beans
• 1-11 oz. can diced tomatoes
• 1-15 oz. can minestrone soup

Place sausage in a 6-qt. stockpot. Cook over medium high heat for 5 minutes, or until brown. Season with cayenne pepper. Reduce heat to low, add onions and saute 5 more minutes or until cooked through and sausage is done. Add kidney beans, pinto beans, tomatoes and minestrone soup. Stir and simmer about 15 minutes or until warmed through. Serve with a crusty bread.

This soup will warm you up clear through! It's got a bit of a bite to it so our girls like to add a dollop of sour cream or wash it down with a cold glass of milk.

Photo by Honeysuckle White

Takin' a Road Trip

Road trip. Everyone should take one on occassion, don't you think?

I took one a few weeks ago with 3 gals. We went to a quaint, little town in the Flint Hills. A town that has special appeal to me. It feels like home.

Because it is my home. I grew up there.

This trip had a purpose other than just sharing my hometown with my girlfriends. The region of the Flint Hills that I grew up in is the setting of a book that these gals and I read. We're in a book club together. We read The Virgin of Small Plains by Nancy Pickard.

This book was suggested to me about a year ago by my sister-in-law, Nancy and her daughter, Marcy. They had both read it and highly recommended it, not only because of its setting but also because of the story line. I took their advice, as it's usually quite good, and purchased that book. Once I started it, I couldn't put it down. It's a very quick read and it pulled me in immediately.

I suggested it to my book club as a possible selection as we typically try to read one book each year by a regional author. The author, lived in Prairie Village, Kansas when she wrote the book and she and her (then) husband owned a ranch in the Flint Hills.

Now, about the book. It's a mystery. The chapters switch back and forth between the present and the past but I didn't find it difficult to follow.

The setting is a fictional town located between Manhattan and Council Grove, Kansas on Highway 177. The body of a young girl is discovered by the Sheriff and his sons (Rex & Patrick) during a snow storm in 1987. They take her to the home of the local doctor and here is where the mystery begins. The doctor and the sheriff both recognize the young girl and in the best interest of those they think may be responsible for her death, beat her face beyond recognition. Unbeknownst to them, Mitch is hiding in a closet in the doctor's office. The next day Mitch is sent away by his parents; his father happens to be the local judge.

This turns the lives of three teenagers - Abby, Rex & Mitch - and their families upside down. Abby & Mitch are teenagers in love and Rex is Mitch's best friend and also a very close friend of Abby's.

Fast forward to 2004. Rex is now Sheriff and Abby runs a local greenhouse and landscaping service. During a snow storm, Rex and Abby find another victim -- Mitch's mother -- in the cemetary near the headstone that marks the burial spot of the young girl found in the 1987 snow storm.

Now that the weather has turned cooler, we'll have days that are perfect for curling up on the couch with a good book. Here's one to try. What are you reading?

And, if you'd like to see some photos from our road trip, you can check them out here and here at Rechelle's blogs.

All photos courtesy of The Country Doctor's Wife.

It's a Bird, It's a Plane...

It's the Weinermobile. B3 spied this Saturday morning. She had no idea what it was. Neither did her sister.

It was parked in the grocery store parking lot on Saturday morning. The girls and I were on our way to my folks' house and we stopped for gas. As soon as I saw it, I started singing the theme song. Do you remember it? Oh, I wish I was an Oscar Mayer weiner.....

I suggested the girls go stand in front of it and I'd take their picture. No way. That would be so embarassing.

Menu Plan Monday

Behind. Can you say that with me? That's what I am right now and it's only Monday. What a busy weekend we had. Fun but honestly, how much can you pack into a 48 hour period?

It is feeling like fall today, cloudy and wet. I love this time of year. The change in season provides inspiration in my kitchen.

Here's the plan for this week.

Monday - Pasta Bake, Salad, Garlic Bread

Tuesday - Mexican Pizzas or leftovers (we may be in a time crunch as we have a band concert to get to)

Wednesday - Spaghetti Carbonara, green beans

Thursday - Breakfast Scramble (sausage, eggs, potatoes, cheese) with tortillas, fruit

Friday - Bubble Pizza

Morning Chatter

B3 is going to a corn maze and haunted house tonight with friends. On our way to school I went to the ATM to get some spending cash for the girl.

My transaction failed. The ATM receipt said, "Transaction failed. Unable to dispense." (I take that to mean the machine is out of cash, not my account.) ARGH...I'm on a time limit. So off to the local grocery store to cash a check the old fashioned way. ARGH...again. No check blanks.

Quick trip home to get check blanks. Tell B2 what happened.

Her response, "It's because the economy is crashing." Apparently 15 year olds do listen to the news.

Lack of Sleep and Wax Bags

I had to laugh as I was catching up on my blog reading tonight. Tori used the title that I had thought of while I was vacuuming. I am tired. So tired.

It's been a week and I'm only half way through it. Two nights have resulted in less sleep for me because I've not been to bed before 11:30 and my alarm still woke me up at 5:45. It's catching up with me.

Tomorrow is a long day for me as well. I have to work late as our office is hosting a fundraiser for a client. Not only will the day be long but it's also my favorite tv night and I'll have to miss 2 of my shows. Darn it.

And last but not least, I purchased these this week.

Tori made mention here that her zucchini bags were not so environmentally friendly but what's a girl to do. This is something I would do too. It's about the convenience. Jamie said this in the comments.

I love the idea of freezing the bread already sliced, that's too easy. I've tried waxed paper sandwich bags from the restaurant supply, but I don't know if they are any better. What could that wax be made from?

Jamie's comment intrigued me because B2 doesn't like the way her lunch/food tastes if I put it in a ziploc. She thinks it has a plastic taste to it. Plastic wrap is ok, just not the ziploc. We've also used wax paper to wrap her lunch items in. The box says they are "landfill safe" so I interpret that to mean it is biodegradable. Is that right? I thought the convenience of a wax paper bag would be worth it. The bags were pricier than a ziploc. I paid $2.85 for this box of 60 which is about 4.5 cents per bag. Anybody know how that compares to the price of a ziploc sandwich bag? I could find out but I'm too tired to go find an old grocery receipt.

That's all folks. I must go finish the laundry and then get some sleep.

After the Storm

As B2 and I were on our way to piano lessons this evening, we got caught in a downpour. I nearly had to pull off the road it was raining so hard. I sat in the car and waited for her to finish her lessons. The double rainbow above is what we saw when we left the piano teacher's driveway. The photo doesn't do it justice; the colors in the bottom rainbow were so incredibly bright. God did some nice handiwork today.

Less Fortunate Gourds Find Home

Since it is starting to feel like fall, I thought it was time it started to look like fall. At least on our front porch.

The girls spied some pretty good fall decorating items while we were grocery shopping this weekend. B3 found this Indian corn and then selected a ribbon that would match.

B2 liked the unusual green gourd/pumpkin that you see below. The stem on it was broke and the pumpkin that is the scarecrow's head is missing a stem. So we decided we were the family that chose to help the less fortunate gourds! Oh, aren't we funny?

Lawman contributed as well. His old straw hat found a new home. Lawman is also the artist that graced the pumpkin with a face.

Mums are the only thing missing. I plan to pick some up this week.

I also noticed this weekend that the Christmas displays are going up. I realize that retailers are always ahead of the game but I find it so frustrating to be bombarded with all the decorations so early. I can't purchase any of them until I have a plan and know what I need. That won't happen until I pull out the Christmas decorations and that won't happen until Thanksgiving. Just let me enjoy fall.

A Trip Down Memory Lane

My friend, Rechelle, has done a fabulous (if I do say so) post about my hometown and me. You can learn more (only if you want to) here and here. Now git on over there, ya hear?

Menu Plan Monday #35

Today was food gathering day for me. In otherwords, I had to go to the grocery store to re-stock. I was prepared with my list and menu in hand but I still felt like I spent a bunch. I'd hate to think what my bill would be if I wasn't prepared.

It's a busy week for us with 2 volleyball games, I have to work a fundraising function at our office one evening and Lawman is working 2 extra shifts. Given our full schedule, I'm trying to keep it relatively simple this week.

Here's what is planned.

Sunday - Parmesan Chicken, Creamy Spinach Bake, Seasoned Potatoes

Monday - Stir-fry veggies, rice, egg rolls

Tuesday - Fast food or concession stand fare at volleyball game

Wednesday - Mexetti (recipe follows), Salad

Thursday - Beef Stew (crock pot), Biscuits

Friday - Grilled hot dogs, french fries, milk shakes

Saturday - to be determined

Mexetti - my sister-in-law made this a lot when her kids were little.

• 2 lbs. hamburger
• 1 T chili powder
• Onions, chopped - as much or as little as you want
• 1 can cream of mushroom soup
• 1 can tomato soup
• 1 soup can water
• 1/2 pkg spaghetti noodles, broken in half
• shredded cheddar

Brown the hamburger with onions and chili powder. Drain and return to skillet. Add soups, water and noodles to hamburger. Cook until tender. Put shredded cheddar cheese on top before serving. I'm going to try this with half the ground beef, twice the noodles and increase the liquids by using 2 soup cans water.

Go to Laura's place for more Menu Plan Monday.

Friday Night Fun

We've discovered that as our girls get older and have their own social agenda, it is sometimes difficult to get good quality time together. Scheduling a date with them seems to work well. Tonight we have a Family Date Night (FDN) on the calendar.

It's been a while since our last FDN so I think everyone is looking forward to this evening. The rules are simple -- family only.

We've done a variety of activities for FDN from movie rentals, going out for dinner, playing cards or games, taking a hike, miniature golf, going to the movies, etc. It doesn't always involve going out, sometimes it's just a quiet evening at home.

Tonight we are going out. There's a new place in town called Time Out Corner which offers miniature golf and an arcade.

My favorite thing about FDN is that we interact with each other. I hate to admit it but as the girls have gotten older and schedules fill up, sometimes I feel like we're just going through the motions.

Has your family struggled with this too? What do you do to connect with each other again?

Signs of Fall

Our buffalo grass has tasseled. That's a sure sign of the end of summer and the beginning of fall.

That's not all. Here are the other signs that I've seen this week.

1. Hot cocoa in the morning.


2. Needing a jacket before heading out the door.


3. Closing windows before going to bed.


4. Wearing socks...yes, the flip flops are in the closet.


5. Seeing pumpkins and mums everywhere.

I hope to purchase some pumpkins and mums this weekend and do a bit of decorating at our front door. Check out the cute pumpkin decorations that Amy did for her front step.

Will you be doing some outdoor fall decorating?