HAPPY NEW YEAR

Happy new year everyone! We had a great "party" We started with Apples to Apples and make your own pizza. And ended with " Scene it" and the ball drop. We also had a Rousing game of fear factor "food edition" including ALL our favorites, like spinach, oysters, grapefruit, beets, and more...

Love ya!!!!!

Christmas

Hope you all had a Merry Christmas. We did. Christmas Eve we went to the home of friends, they were having a "stable gathering" there were 10 of us, we had a devotion, prayed together and sang Christmas carols, of course we sang silent night candle light and all. It was really nice! We came home and had oyster stew, try it with hot sauce, it's really pretty good that way. In the morning we opened presents. Friends invited us to breakfast, their tradition is biscuts and gravy, so we took our cinnamon rolls along and shared. It was really yummy! Then we went to see Sherlock Holmes, came home and napped, then off to Justin and Kellies house for turkey dinner and games. Sooo much fun!

We planted a Christmas tree! Jon thinks it's funny because of course we will never live in one place long enough to enjoy it. He's right, so we planted it in a really big pot. It's sitting at our new house. We are off t0 KS Thursday to go to Great Wolf Lodge with the whole family, next blog will be all about that. Have a Happy New Year!!!!!!!!!!

Uncle Phil and Aunt Tami

MERRY CHRISTMAS, EVERYONE!

Christmas Jiggs

I cant turn them the right way

5 days to Christmas

Were having a very quiet relaxing weekend. Yesterday morning I woke up about 7 and laid in bed just listening to the little boys. They were getting all the paper they could find and writting books. They were saying things like"You be the illustrator and ill be the author, and how do you spell prepare, and challenge, and , no, the alliens dont come in until the 3rd episode..." it was so cute and they worked on their books most of the day yesterday and vowed to wake each other up early this morning to continue work on their books. which they are doing.

The girls and whipped up some great last minute gift items on friday night . Candy cane body scrub, "candy" soaps and a furry little hampster. The candy cane body scrub is great , we had enough to save some for ourselves and weve been using it , We love it. heres the recipe:

1 cup sugar

6 candy canes (crushed fine)

1/2 c olive oil

a few drops peppermint extract

1/8 c vitamin e oil (optional)

mix and put in small glass or plastic containers with nice homemade labels.

the soap candies were made by grating bars of soap and adding hot water to form a dough and roll into balls and dry overnight, wrap in squares made from grocery bags or net from orange bags.

the hampster is made from 3 football shapes sewn together stuffed, with ears, tail and eyes.

Have a great weekend!

love Sandi

long night

Last night me and amy had our friends over to watch a movie and amy said she wasn't feeling well and went to bed at around 730......from 9 till around 1130 she wasn't feeling so well leaning over the toilet.....me worried and not knowing what i could really do to help took her to the ER.......(apparently the "E" somehow stands for "waiting") We finally got seen and they hooked her up to some fluids and gave her some stuff for nausea....came back later took some blood.....more meds for nausea.....more meds for nausea.......then told us she had to go see her own doctor asap to find out what was wrong........if i'd known that i would've just waited......anyways stayed up all night then took her back to hosptial for ultrasound then she had to go see her doctor to tell her the results........

long story short

amy has a bug and some gull stones......they aren't going to do anything about the gull stones unless they bother her again......once is not enough


on the bright side

we got our christmas tree up i can't believe christmas is less then a week away....

'cuse still undefeated so is UK

i found out how to watch sabres highlights on my tv..pretty sweet

and i think the bills got a good chance to beat the pats

we shall see

love you all

j

Holiday Fun

I've had to learn the past couple of years how to have fun without having children. It isn't as easy as you might think. Maybe it's harder for me because I've had children since I was a child. Regardless, this week my fun was making gingerbread men out of cupcakes. I learned that you have to "glue" the cupcakes to the pan or your gingerbread man my loose a limb or two. Phil took one to a cake walk at work, it fell apart before it even made out of the kitchen. I took another to a friends daughter, by the time we got it to her house, the only thing still attached was the left leg. Oh well, I was distraught about the first one falling apart, but laughing hysterically about it later! Great Fun!

Address

This is my address, I guess a few people are looking for it. By the way what is J and Amy's?

6556 W 91st St.
Apt 133
Overland Park KS 66212

Aunt Sandi if you see this can you please share with Grandma. I tried calling her and I think her phone is disconnected. It said temporarily out of service. I ll keep trying. Love you all
Brandi

Making Christmas

All the little elves in NY are very busy making gifts. Were making bird feeders, braceletts, soap, candles, stationary, bookmarks, ornaments, bean bag chairs, candy , cookies, and more...

We are ready for XMAS

We got the tree, the lights, and the Hello Dollies.

We had fun setting up the tree, Gwen and Addi are having fun taking it down slowly. Tonite we are relaxing and eating a quick meal, I think we are going to say hi to MOm and Dad take a bath and head to bed. We had a long day.

Christmas in Wilmore

Saturday was Christmas in Wilmore. It started with snow, just a little dusting, but it was snow. (by the way, I did go out in my barefeet), I passed on the pancake breakfast at the school and headed to the seminary for the craft show. I didn't find anything that I had to have, so I moved into the dining hall. Every year the international students sell lunch, so I had Korean beef and rice and some soup. All day there are horse and buggy rides and at night Main Street shuts down and all the stores have music and treats. It was really cold, but really fun, it's been part of our Christmas for the past 4 years, one of the things I really love about Wilmore. I'm sure we'll miss it next year.

Its here, its finally here!!!

Well,the Santa dance must have worked, it snowed last night! Were so excited! The first thing you have to do when its snows is to run outside and grab a big snow ball to throw on the wood stove so you can watch it melt? Then when you've brought in several snow balls and they have all melted, then the second thing you do when it snows is: have a competition to see who can run the farthest across the snowy yard in their bare feet?? Fun!!!
Sandi

Rockin Santa

Lyle got picked to be the rockin santa in the 4th grade Christmas concert, He had to wear a santa hat , sun glasses, a santa coat, and play an "electric" guitar. He was so excited he was bouncing off the walls for 2 days. I didnt get to get a good video of him ,but this isnt too bad. He was so cute.

Relax

Well we have been busy for those of you who dont know I got a second job. I work at the Dollar Tree here, but no discount as Gwen would say: "Awwwww Man" But I have found some really great stocking stuffers for our X-Mas and I am getting some good exercise while making alittle bit of money. Ruben has been home with the kids in the evening hopefully he gets the hang of it soon because coming home at 11 and then putting the kids to bed is not fun. Today we had to do McDonalds for lunch because my wonderful mother in law came last night and made dinner for the kids and Ruben and cleaned my kitchen I did not want to mess it up. I out dinner inthe crock pot and am making some bisucits, quick clean up. I have a week and a half left of school and then we are on break. Yea!!! Addi is walking like a pro she can even run with her hands above her head. Gwen has a little hive like rash so she is not feeling too good today and Ruben left a little while ago to spend the day with his grandma.
LOve you all the tree is going up tommorow so I hope to get some pictures, hey mom can you e-mail me the recipe for the hello dollies i want to make some tommorow. Love you
Brandi

Peanut Butter Blossoms

Ingredients:
48 HERSHEY'S KISSES Brand Milk Chocolates
1/2 cup shortening
3/4 cup REESE'S Creamy Peanut Butter
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
1 egg
2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
Granulated sugar

Directions:1. Heat oven to 375°F. Remove wrappers from chocolates.

2. Beat shortening and peanut butter in large bowl until well blended. Add 1/3 cup granulated sugar and brown sugar; beat until fluffy. Add egg, milk and vanilla; beat well. Stir together flour, baking soda and salt; gradually beat into peanut butter mixture.

3. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Roll in granulated sugar; place on ungreased cookie sheet.

4. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Immediately press a chocolate into center of each cookie; cookie will crack around edges. Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely. About 4 dozen cookies.

lay off

What carpentars do to "relax" when they are laid off of work.

Blog looks great

Wow the blog looks great. I love it. I am wanting to decorate my house in the next couple of weeks, but I have not found the right kind of ornaments yet. They are having a big salw at Hobby LObby this week so I am going to go look. And I really want to do wings and pizza so they weekend would be better more time to do homemade pizzas. Aunt Sandis house looks great. We are going to have a lazy day yesterday we cleaned the kitchen and the patio and did lots of laundry. Ruben pitched in so that was great. We talked with mom and dad on skype, I enjoyed a nap and dinner at my mother in law, that was so nice because ofter spending hours cleaning your kitchen you really just like to look at it for awhile. 1 cents prints at walgreens right now the Code is JOY10 if anybody is interested. I just wanted to say hi, I am on my way to make some of those bacon waffles, and then to Michaels to get some stuff for school this week.

Love you all

Brandi

Ready for Christmas

Our house is ready for Christmas just like the blog!

LOOK WHAT I DID!

I'll have a Blue Christmas without you
I'll be so blue just thinking about you
Decorations of red on a green Christmas tree
Won't be the same dear, if you're not here with me

And when those blue snowflakes start falling
That's when those blue memories start calling
You'll be doin' all right, with your Christmas of white
But I'll have a blue, blue blue blue Christmas

(Uncle Phil made the page look blue too)

You'll be doin' all right, with your Christmas of white,
But I'll have a blue, blue Christmas

The Day After

Thanksgiving was good, I was so tired by the end of the day I didn't make any pumpkin pie so I am doind it right now because I really want to eat some. Ruben worked yesterday and got home just in time for dinner. Little Ruben fell asleep at the dinner table before he ate, Addi really like the stuffing and Gwen got her fill of the Ham. We had a fire and sat in front of the tv untill we were all sleeping and then Ruben brother came over and I ran to the gas station to get milk. I really wanted some. I got up early with thte kids and got their bedroom cleaned and watched cartoons. I got the living room cleaned and put back together gave everyone baths had some lunch and then we went out to enjoy a beautiful day at the park. We went to a differnt park them we normally do It was great there was so much for the kids to do and it really was not any farther than the park we normally go to. The had a stone wall you can climb and Gwen must have done it 20 times, she loved it. We got lots of goods to make a collage of what we found, we are going to paint with those funny lookin bumpby apple things. Now were home watching the cat in the hat Ruben is taking another nap and my pie is smelling delcious. Gwen loves to look at the blog and see all the faces she keeps saying hi and we do it all over again. I wish I had had a camera today. It was 70 what a great day after. LOve you all

Brandi

Happy Thanksgiving

Turkey Day!

Happy Thanksgiving!!!!

Bacon Waffles

Bacon Waffles
Yield: 6 To 8

1 lb Bacon; cooked & crumbled
1 3/4 c Flour
1 tb Sugar
2 ts Baking powder
1/2 ts Salt
3 Eggs; separated
1 1/2 c Milk
1/4 c Butter; melted

1. Preheat waffle iron.

2. Mix flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. In
separate bowl, beat eggs, milk and butter; combine
with dry ingredients just until blended. Add
bacon. Stir batter before making each waffle. Bake
according to manufacturer's directions.



THAT'S WHAT'S FOR DINNER TONIGHT!!!

(uncle phil)

Thanksgiving Eve

It is beautiful out today. The sun is shining, it's cool, but not cold. It's been dreary the past few days and I haven't really gotten out, I'm glad that I saved my in town errands for today, walking in the sunshine is so much nicer then walking in the rain. Tomorrow is Thanksgiving and I'm not cooking! It's kind of strange, but nice. We will get up tomorrow, stop at Starbucks to say Happy Thanksgiving to all of my friends and maybe drop off some treats for them since they have to work, get some coffee, Christmas Blend and a sllice of ginger bread, then off to Cincy to see Aunt Betty and Uncle Jerry, I guess Pete and his family will be there and maybe Kelly and Byrd. We are taking games with us, Apples to Apples and Mad Gab, I'm not sure what we will ear, but I know there will be turkey and chocolate pie, Aunt Betty said she would make a lot, but I'm sure her and Phil will still fight over who gets the last piece! It will be fun to be with family. Over the past several years we have had dinner with seminary friends, it is strange that they are no longer here. I wonder what they will be doing? Wonder if they miss us like we miss them. Happy Thanksgiving !!!! Hope you have a great day, and enjoy the parade!

Long Day

Normally the days seem to go to fast, but today has seemed very long, I missed my kids, no one wanted to cone to school with me today, Ruben is in a rut, where he does not like to go to schooll right now. I dont think it is much fun for him he comes to school eats lunch and lays down for a nap then it is time to go home. Not much of a day. Addi and Gwen both have yucky runny noses. I am just wasting time before I go cook dinner for the kids and Ruben, at least he come home somewhat early because it get dark early. I got some scrapbooking done. Gwens 1 year old book is almost finished I have to get started on Addisens. Ihope to be able to get hers done over X-mas break I need to get caught up before I get really behind. Well have a great night.

Tommorw we have Thanksgiving Dinner at School and then we are off early and for the rest of the week Yea!!

Sunday Morning

Its a beautiful November morning . The sun is shining and its in the 50s. We got up early this morning and took a ride to Tim Hortons in Irving, and then went down to walk on the beach. It was beautiful, we were back home by 9. I know were not supposed to watch christmas movies until after thanksgiving but we did watch national lampoons christmas vacation while we drank our coffe. Now well read the sunday paper and then have meatball subs, polish sausage, chips and salsa, and gumbo while we watch the bills game. What a nice relaxing sunday. (It all sounds good but the little boys just got home they spent the night at randys and they didnt sleep, so their both extremely crabby and refuse to rest) Have a nice day.
love you guys
sandi

Rubens Birthday

We just had Rubens birthday last week-0end we had a great time. He got a giant horse, and a beta fish with a little tank he love him. Today we are athome relaxing I am plannig on doind some scrapbooking tonite, with a fire. Ruben brought home wood last night soI can;t wait. J I like the blog I can't way to see some more pics of the wedding. I am doind some Chavettas chicjen tonite I am excited. And Ruben is begging for cookies so I guess I better get busy. Have a great Week-0end everyone. Love you!!

hello everyone

In case you were unaware

For all of you who didn't know what an important day yesterday was, let me tell you. Yesterday the newest Star Trek movie came out on DVD. It was delivered to our door in the morning, which is good, because, I don't think Phil would have gotten any work done, the anticipation was killing him! The event required a party of course, complete with phaser's, transporters, and of course food - red matter, Saturn rings etc., and Romulan Ale to was it all down. Thought you might like some pictures. I don't know why they are all sideways. By the way, if you haven't seen the movie, it's really pretty good, even better if you know anything about the original Star Trek series.

Today

The weekend here was beautiful! Phil and I went and stayed in Louisville Friday night, we were able to walk around with just light jackets. Saturday at lunch we ate outside, it was so nice. Sunday and Monday more of the same. This morning KS woke up to snow. I woke up to sunshine. Now it's cloudy and cool, raining in some area's. You can feel the change. Yesterday I couldn't get enough of the outdoors, today I don't want to go out. I wonder what tomorrow will bring?

Cookies Yum

Aunt Sandi the party was so fun and you gave me inspiration to take on the kids for Ruben's birthday party. I am making cookies right now and we have white bags we are going to decorate with stickers and dot markers, and some other things, I was making cookies in a jar for gifts for the families, so I am going to have the kids make them for their parets beforethey go, it will save me time.
Ruben and Gwen have fevers and runny noses so we are staying in, and having chicken noodle soup. Gwen keeps going to the door and saying outside outside, she got so spoiled, its hard to go outside hear because of all the dog poop and cigaretter butts, they are so tempting.
Ruben was telling his teacher Ms. brenna all about his friends(cousins) and his Uncle Jon and J. And grandma and granpa he went onand on it was so cute.
I think we will be early to bed tonite.
Love you all, cant wait to see you again.
Brandi

Holiday Format?

Hey J, I know that you're busy with married life and all, but how about a new holiday format for out blog?

thanks

thanks everyone for coming out to the wedding, it was awesome to see everybody
me and amy are moved into our apt. now and making it feel like it home.......she even had dinner ready when i got home from work today......pretty awesome.......anyways thank you everyone for everything.........most of all thank you to those who give their lives so that we can go about ours......we are forever grateful


J


p.s. video blogs to come when me and amy get internet at the house

Home

It always good to go away and then come home to a nice clean house, within hours the nice house it full of traveling things and clothes are everywhere, and you dont know where to start.
We made ithome in about 10 hours, we stopped twice for about 45min each time so we did good, the kids did so good. Today was back to work, and up at 6:45. It feels good to get back into things.The girls were so excited to get in their beds last night, and big Ruben left to work this am. poor guys has not had a good home cooked meal in two weeks, I got a bunch of frozen meals, and canned vegtables for me and the kids, I dont cook much when he is not home.
So I guess this week I am going to unpack, get ready for Ruben's birthday party, and figure out a new budget to start saving for out trip to New York for the wedding. I finished James, and I am going to move on I guess I am just going to start in Matthew. So if you all want to join me you can. Hopefully JAmy will be able to get on the blog when they get in their apartment. Love you all!!
Brandi

Home

Today is my first day alone in I don't know how long. I am able to sit peacefully and enjoy a cup of coffee, thanks to my Philip. He took care of me yesterday. He took me to some of my favorite places and bought me some of my favorite things, like ice cream and new underwear and a good book. It's really the simple things that make me happy. While I napped he made our house ours again. Phil packed up all of the baby things that people had so generously loaned us, he cleaned out the refrigerator moved my furniture back to it's place. When I woke up he let me tell him about the weekend as I lived it, the good the bad and the ugly. That's real love. Phil is kind to me, he pays attention, he knows when I am happy and when I am sad.

I used to feel guilty when he did things like he did today, I'd feel like I wasn't doing my job so he had to do it for me, or that he was doing so much more for me then I have done for him, that he was so much better at this marriage thing than me. It's taken me years to accept the fact that Phil doesn't do these things to make me feel bad, or guilty, he does them simply because he loves me.
Someone that I hope to be like someday said "Guilt doesn't live in our home. Obligation hasn't got a space to hang its hat. Life has enough burdens - we don't need them in our home. " That is the kind of home Phil has given me. Sometimes I forget, and fall back into feelings of not being good enough, not doing enough, then I say mean and hurtful things, I'm sarcastic, and feel the need to make Phil feel bad so that I can feel better about myself, I become judgemental and point out faults, or get angry. When I realize what a jerk I've been, instead of going to Phil and letting him know how I feel, I find myself in the pit of self pity, convincing myself again that I'm not good enough, everyone else is so much better and on and on I go. How attractive is that! But Phil is patient, he helps me see all the lies I believe about myself, and he helps me see the truth. Yesterday in between all the physical things Phil took care of, he helped me again see the truth. We may never own a house, but no matter where we are together, that is home.

So thank you my Philip for helping me feel good about my home again.

Love never gives up.
Love cares more for others than for self.
Love doesn't want what it doesn't have.
Love doesn't strut,
Doesn't have a swelled head,
Doesn't force itself on others,
Isn't always "me first,"
Doesn't fly off the handle,
Doesn't keep score of the sins of others,
Doesn't revel when others grovel,
Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth,
Puts up with anything,
Trusts God always,
Always looks for the best,
Never looks back,
But keeps going to the end.

Busy

The fmjaily must be busy working on stuff!! I have been trying to call and we keep missing. I guess it would help if I had my phone to get or dad number. Ruben is working out of town so we cannot leave Wednesday and probably wount leave untill Thursday afternoon so I am very bummed. Its just mje and little Ruben so I have the hous spotless and I am almost finished packing. I am so ready to go. I think I might do some scrapbooking tonite because I have a really hard time sleeping when Ruben is not home, its even worse now that the girls are gone too! I have a docotr's appt with Ruben in the Morning and then work. I am glad I al least have that. I forget what kind of things I did before I had kids and school work. Its hard to relax, but I have a bunch of movies on my DVR that I want to watch so I could do that. The pictures of the girls look so cute. I can't wait to hold them. Have a great evening.
Brandi

Happy Halloween!

Missin my babies

I sure miss my girls but I couldnt play with them if I tired, I am so tired, I woslept most of Wednesday and wore myself out in two hours at school today, I have tommorrow off so I am exocted to rest again. My fever is gone and my neck is not hurting as bad. Little Ruben loves the movie he say "Where are my girls, let go find them at Pumkin patch" We're making taco salad tonite, and going to bed early. LOve you guys
Brandi

Addi and the Pumpkin

PIctures

Here are the pictures I've been promising Bran. See we really are doing ok. Love you all!

A sad day

Oreo died today. He was a good dog. We are all very sad. We will miss him....

oh yeah i forgot

cheer up aunt sandi......

THE BILLS WON!!!! 2-4.........we're moving up

Im sick

I was supposed to go birthday shopping with grandma today. I even got all my chores done , dishes, beds ,floors,laundry, dinner in crockpot, table set... everything done,but I am sick and I cant stand up any longer, so I guess ill spend the day in bed intead of shopping...
Sandi

We carved pumpkins

gwen, addi, b, jenny, amy, and me all carved pumpkins tonight it was awesome

We are at Grandma's

We made it, we mssied the flight I did some crying then we the girls slept, then they did some crying, we met Amy's family, went out for girls night, the girls did some more crying. Today we had church the Gwen is Happy Addi is crying so then we went McDOnaldss had some fries, the n to the Apple ORchard. That was fun and Addi did some more crying, she is getting really good at it. We are having a great time thoughg bery relaxing, tonite we are carving pumpkins and peanut butter cake, and some baked spaghetti and an Algebra quiz are on the agenda. Love you all
Brandi

Fall at letchworth/ and snow in NY!?!

FAll at the beach