SteeleLife

I'm just going to warn you now that this one is a very picture heavy post. This year Santa came early, the kids were kinda spoiled. It was very fun! Here's our nativity.  I got the figures at Time Out For Women a few years ago, they're resin so very child friendly.  The boys and our nieces helped build the stable out of cardboard, felt, popsicle sticks, glue, and moss.  It only took us two or three years. Here are the boys Christmas morning.  You get a clear picture here for who is a morning person, and who takes a few minutes to warm up. :) Kevin and I found this adorable Monkey for Joey.  He's been all over the place already. Santa brought Aiden Legos!! Michael and his long…

I didn't mail out a letter this year.  In the past it has been very important to me, and this year (as well as the last few) it's just OK with me to not stress over.  I do hope to pick up the habit again in the future, it's just not important right now.  Simple and low key while putting energy into what really matters has become the theme. 2013.  MUCH better than 2012.  What a quick whip around the sun it has been!  You could call this the year of games.  Not computer or console games, but tabletop games.  We've learned and enjoyed many games and spent hours around the table talking, giggling and working on sportsmanship. In January our Joey turned 5.  Aiden was also baptized, and it…

Here's our Bountiful Basket today!  I covered all you might ever want to know in my last BB haul. Conventional Basket $15, plus $2.50 handling fee 2 bundles spinach 1 head romaine 3 zucchini 8 oz. box of mushrooms 1 bundle of asparagus (barely visible behind the bananas) 2 tomatoes 1 small watermelon 9-10 bananas 10 apples 11 mandarins Roots Pack $8.50 1 large yam 1 beet 5 russet potatoes 5 red potatoes (whoever packed my basket must have known we're a family of 5) 1 yellow onion 1 bundle of green onions 1 lb. bag carrots 6 oz. bag radishes Hope you enjoyed!

We're about due for one of these, it's been quite a while now. :) Here is the view in our yard.  Two mornings ago almost all the leaves on this tree fell as the morning sun came up, it was beautiful. The very still creek.  The leafs are just sitting there, not rush at all. Two of the most beautiful people I've ever known.  I am blessed that they call me Mom. I was trying to snap a picture of Aiden behind Joey, but Joey was not going to have any of that nonsense. Another blue eyed babe!  This one has a little red scruff.  He's watching Michael work to learn to shuffle cards. My Handsome Michael!  Daddy took this one.  He's only barely 2 inches shorter than me now. …

In High School, when I first moved I made some new and very fun friends.  One of them was a foreign exchange student from Denmark.  She makes a point of coming to visit every once in a while.  I'm so glad for good old friends and staying in touch!  Her hubby wasn't able to make it this year, but her sweet little girl was here, this was my first chance to meet her. what a beautiful pair!  I don't think her little one much liked Kevin snapping pictures of her though! What a beautiful tiny doll, don't you think?  She enjoyed the Crayons. Both of us with all of our children.

It's only a week late!  Our Halloween was nice, I spent the weekend before absolutely sick with a cold, on Monday I was OK, Tuesday I was better, and by Wednesday I was almost myself.  The world waits for no Mom. Wednesday night we pulled out the costume trunk, my costume make-up, and FINALLY decided upon what to dress as.  Joey picked a dinosaur shirt and tail, Aiden an alien robe, and Michael a black cloak. The next morning I scrambled to put the make-up on the way they desired.  After a quick search on Pinterest Joey and I picked a big toothy dinosaur grin.  Easy enough.  I had one last, nice, smooth, long lasting, black eyeliner.  I started with Joey and by the last line or two it needed…

One of my goals for 2013 has been to feed my family more foods made from scratch, and healthier foods.  I can't say the year has been an outrageous success, but there definitely has been a positive shift in the way we eat around here.  I've been working on changing my attitude towards cooking, including finding easier ways to get food on the table that don't involve the car and my wallet.  We have definitely tried a lot of newer *to us* things and there have been some outright misses, as well as some glorious victories. One serious help for us has been joining and participating in Bountiful Basket.  If you are not aware of how to participate a detailed description follows, if you are, feel free to skip ahead…

Maybe I can put a little more effort into this now.  My family and I have different wants and needs now, but I thought this might be fun.  Some things will change all together, some will not be touched.

Let me tell ya a little story.  I LOVE having all boys.  I love a lot, a lot, of things about it.  Even thought at times I've been vocal about wanting a daughter, I wouldn't exchange any of my boisterous boys for anything.  Ever.  I've got that fierce kind of Mama love going.  We're very blessed to have the exact sons we have. However (which doesn't negate my fierce protection of their feelings in any way) sometimes I just wish there was a little femininity in my world.  Someone to play make-up, enjoy frilly stuff, go window shopping with for hours, to teach about cooking (OK, my boys will be good cooks), and maybe enjoy pretty things that I like.  Someone to look forward to passing things to and helping…

This is in reply to a post over at That Old House by Cass.  That Old House is a blog about living in and enjoying an almost 200 year old home.  I was referred over there by Susan from Between Naps On The Porch, another fun and amazing blog about tablescaping (the art of setting a table beautifully and artfully), decorating, and general fun.  I found her blog a few years ago because of a beautiful beach theme table top that she posted on a decorating website.  Before I knew it it was Thanksgiving time and I wanted a "really fancy and formal" dinner table.  I emailed Susan and she was more than helpful and encouraging to this beginner.  At the same website that I found Susan and her blog,…