almost Halloween...

yesterday the girls and thier dearest friend went to trunk or treat at our church.

 The girls won most creative in their group contest. I was soooo proud! They won Charlie brown and the great pumpkin!! So tonight we are watching Halloween movies and eating homemade pizza. super yummy. tomorrow we are going over to gwanma and pookieboos house to go trick or treating. Well the girls are I am going to curl up in the livingroom and drink hot toddies 'cause the girls so lovingly shared thier sore throats with me. btw this crust is fabulous. ill post the recipe later.

Halloween costumes on a budget

Big_Daddy is still out a job like many others. We have been very blessed with plenty of help so please do not think I am in any way whining! God has taken care of our needs!
That being said and out of the way:
Halloween is coming up this weekend!!! We have no budget allowances right now for some things. Occasionally we squeeze out enough for a hot fudge sundae or another kid of special treat. The girls have been VERY good during this time about not asking for things.. except for rose.. but she is 4 and its hard for her to understand. I knew they all wanted special costumes for this year and we had discussed how we didnt have money to go buy stuff this year to make our outfits. We decided to make all the girls goddesses!! We had Eldest's outfit she made during the PERCY JACKSON session we did! We also had an extra sheet ( we thought eldest would need two for her project) and Ms. Kitty had a bunch of trim she needed to get rid of. FREE COSTUMES!! How 'bout that? Each child got a personalize goddess costume for virtually no cost. I am rather proud of myself this year!
Here are the pictures:

btw: even though they were from a diffrent project the sheets still cost about 7.00 apiece at Walmart

one reason why I homeschool!

God gave me the courage to homeschool our children. I thank him all the time for putting Homeschooling on mine and Ms. Ducky's  hearts this year. This is the third situation like this in our area. One was at a local middle school. I don't know where we'll be next year or how I will handle 3 homeschoolers BUT I do know that God wants me to do this. Thank you Lord

for giving ME (and Mrs. Ducky)  back my children. 

Woodlawn High School on Lock Down

Woodlawn High School on Lock Down

Copied from NBC13

BIRMINGHAM, Ala (WVTM) – A Lockdown at a Birmingham School was lifted earlier today, but the search for two suspects continues.

Officials put Woodlawn School on lockdown around 10:30 Tuesday morning, after two burglary suspects ran into the school.

Police arrested a third suspect away from the school. The man was armed with a “sawed off” shotgun.

Police also say someone called in a bomb threat after the school went on lockdown. Bomb sniffing dogs were deployed to make sure a bomb wasn’t actually inside the school.

Captain Allen Hatcher says the two men entered the building from its back side. Hatcher says the men were able to easily blend in. “School was in the middle of changing classes at the time that suspects ran into the building,” Hatcher told Alabama’s 13’s Hilary Golston.  “That’s why they were able to kind a intermingle in with the students and go where they went.”

Hatcher says he’s been at the East Precinct for 18 months and has never seen anything like this before.

Several parents were wondering how the suspects were able to get into the building at all. It’s kind of stunning to me,” parent Irma McCoy said. “How did they get up in there in the first  place.

Cystic Fibrosis and the pepsi refresh program

The Pepsi Refresh voting is going on until Oct. 31st. Help Babies breath is in third place. http://www.refresheverything.com/helpbabiesbreathe 

I just dont know what to say. 

This is the second time we've been in the lead only to drop to third place before the voting closed. 

      Im just.. sad. 

   People in Missouri accused a CF patient of just using his "problems" as an excuse to not work. The patient was on Oxygen and in the hospital. 

How can they not understand? Why can't CF awareness be as big as cancer awareness?  People are SLOWLY dying of a disease... one they inheriated. NOT CONTRACTED by drugs or some other "bad" choice. SLOWLY DYING. DROWNING TO DEATH. There is no cure. 

Countless Pills

Countless hospital visits... a once a year "tune-up" stay (if you're healthy) is two weeks... if you are sick you go in more often and sometimes for longer amounts of time. 

But hey there is good news! The age that most survive to went up from 35 to your 50's! 

I know im all over the place.. i just want a better life for these poor babies, children, teens, and adults. No one should have to go though this and if there was a way to prevent it..or for more clinical studies to maybe one day find a cure I think we should do everything in our power to do it.  

Vote in the Pepsi Refresh program please. Please help these poor babies have a better life, a better chance for survival. 

                          This is my face of CF. This is who I want a better life for. Who I want a cure for. 

the Story of a Sunday Drive

Once upon a time a Biggwrl wanted to take her mommy for a drive. She put the sewing box on the seat to give her some highth and started to go.

Then a sad sad man popped up in the window. She turned to ask if anyone knew who he was.

Then she remembered it was her BigDaddy and he wanted to drive Mommy. She thought she had locked him out BUT.... 

He got the door open anyways. She grabbed on to the steering wheel and refused to surrender it! 

He tried sweet talking her and tickling her....

He tried unbuckling her seatbelt but the Biggrwl wouldn't give up she wanted to drive!! 

She stood her ground and hugged the steering wheel!! 

                     But in the end BigDaddy won the fight :)

The Legend of Noccalula

See how big the Waterfall is? 

The Legend of Noccalula came from the early times.  Originally known as the Black Creek Falls, the legend as written by Mathilde Bilbro says that "long ago, on a mountain summit within sight and sound of a rushing waterfall, lived a great Indian Chief whose young daughter, Noccalula, was famed far and wide for her beauty and lovliness of character."  Many gallant braves sought the old chief for the hand of Noccalula, but only one was favored by the girl's father, a rich chief of a powerful neighboring tribe, who had much to offer in exchange: wampum, horses,  and blankets.  Vainly Noccalula pleaded that her heart was already given to a young brave of her own tribe.

But this young warrior, though noted for his skill and valor, possessed little in wordly goods.
The old chief refused to listen and ordered his daughter to make ready for the marriage he had arranged.  What was a maiden's silly fancy against many horses, much wampum and union with another strong tribe?  The girl's lover was driven from the tribe, and a marrige agreement was made with the neighboring chief.
The wedding day came and a great feast was prepared.  In silence Noccalula allowed herself to be arrayed in festive wedding robes.  It was incredible!...To be sold to a stranger by the father she loved!  Her chosen lover forever banished!  Overcome with grief, she quietly slipped away from the merrymakers during the festivities..the soft rhythmical rush of waters called her...a moment she stood poised upon the brink of the yawning chasm.  One leap - and her troubles were over.
Heartbroken, the remorseful father gave the great cataract his daughter's name.  Since that day the waterfall has been called Noccalula.

Noccalula Falls

On Saturday we went on a special picnic to Noccalula Falls in Gadsten Al.  with our Nana. We had so much fun. Since it's been so dry the past year there really wasn't much of a waterfall this time HOWEVER we were still able to find some water to play in.

We all walked to the edge of the water fall and took pictures.

 They have a petting zoo, a homestead ,which was really cool because all the building were from diffrent places in Alabama and Tenn.

 How Historical! Big_Daddy, Eldest and Grumpa walked down to the base of the falls.
 While Nana the little girls and myself went to play in the water. I am planning on talking T and her girls into going back later this spring. Apparently you can walk behind the falls into a "cave" and see indian writings! HOW COOL IS THAT?

On the way home we passed by SUMATANGA so that we could show Daddy. He's never been there before. Then we drove home a diffrent way so we could enjoy the trees changing colors. it was a great day!

R-E-S-P-E-C-T

So as a mother I try very hard to raise RESPECTFUL children. After dealing with a 4 year old running rampant in the fabric store touching everything and putting bolts of fabric in Gwanma's basket THEN coming home and having all three of them intentially hanging on things, breaking almost everything just geneneraly running just plain NUTS. I admit I snapped. I told the little ones to bring out all thier toys, books and dollies and put them in a bucket. Eldest was to bring all of her electronics and put them in the bucket. They took all thier bikes and put them in  big_daddys truck. I have decided that I am going to start a toy library. From now on until they can learn to respect other peoples toys then then wont get any! THEN later that evening their FATHER, who has been very "concerned" about the childrens lack of respect, pulled my coffee table over took off his shoes and put his naked feet on my coffee table!
You know how some mothers say well I just cant have nice things? Some days I feel like that :)
Then I get a big hug or kiss and its all worth it

Pork and Apple Stir-fry with peanut sauce

Okay this was an experimental recipe that actually turned out really good and REALLY cheap.
When I say almost all the ingredients can be found in your house I mean it. None of those froo froo ingriedents.
except maybe Sesame see oil ( which I NEVER stir fry without)

Okay...
Ingredents:
4 boneless porkchops cut in strips trim fat ( thats enough for our family of 5 plus seconds for 2 hungry little girls)
2 granny smith apples thinly sliced ( like for pie) - you can do ahead and leave to soak in lemon juice
1/2 a bag of california blend veggies (I just added what looked like enough for our family)

Sauce:
1/2 of apple cider
2 tbsp of soy sauce
1/4 to 1/2 cup of peanut butter ( to taste)

start apple cider and soy sauce heating on med is a sauce pan. While that heats up go twice around the wok with your oil ( whatever kind that might be) once heated start cooking your pork in wok over high heat. Once cooked through remove from wok. go once around the pan with your oil again and add apple slices (drained if you soaked them) and cook over high heat stiring constantly until crisp tender. Add in frozen veggies keep stiring constantly. Ask someone to remove the sauce from heat and whisk in the peanut butter. once veggies are cooked and the sauce is all mixed add by ladlefull until you are happy with the amount. Stir to combine if to liquidy add a little cornstarch that has been mixed with water.

serve over rice or noodles

it was REALLY yummy. our only complaint was our rice was overcooked and really hard. :(

Soda fountian

Today we decided to try a little experimant why sode explodes.

 We needed Mentos, Diet soda (less sticky) and our gyser tube.

 Attach tube to soda. MAKE SURE THE LYNCH PIN IS IN!

 Pose for mentos commercial

  MAKE SURE LYNCH PIN IS IN! Add 7 mentos to the tube.

make sure the pin is in place!

Start the count down.......
And pull the pin...
 RUN!

Awesome huh?

So then They wanted to try it again to see if they could get it to explode a 2nd time.

mentos in

count down and pull pin.....

Where to start

We've made Pumpkin Cake Pops

, A cotton wreath,

 forts,

 cookies,

 we've been to the bootanical garden

We tortured Gwanma's dog Sunshine

 and  the apple orchard

 I think we've done good on this whole fall break thing this year don't you?

Now we just have to figure out what to do with all the apples we bought :)

Apple Bourbon Pie anyone?

Applesauce?

Apple Cake?

Apple Scones?

Carmel Apples?

Chocolate coated apples?

Apple Butter?

Anyone? Anyone? 

Cotton Craft

It's that time of year again when the fields are covered with Dixie snow. Or for all of you North of the Mason Dixon line COTTON! Time for little girls to start begging for you to pull over so they can pick some.

I had cotton sitting around from  BigGwrl and I couldn't get rid of it so, I needed to find a craft to use it all in. :) 

 We wanted to make sure we had enough cotton for our craft so we all took a field trip out to a near by field and picked a little more.

Then we headed to MICHAELS to buy a wreath and some ribbon. 

This was our finished product.

isn't it cute? we are so excited to share it with our special someone :)

Just another crazy time

Who would have thought that this cutie-wootie  could have started mass chaos. ACTUALLY It started with BigGwrl telling Gwanma she should come over and listen to Taylor Swift on TV with her. For a few days now she has been teasing me about how she (Gwanma) isn't allowed to come over. Which SHE IS she just has to give me 3o min warning so i can hide the laundry! Anyways Biggwrl and I had just taken a break from cleaning mommy's room and knock knock I look out the window and there is Granma is all her loving and mischieviousness. I open the door to let her in and out goes the dogs. 

Genesis will come back Indiana will not . While I am holding open the door ( stupidly) to get the dogs, Out goes the cat! UGH! After having had a cat that vanished I am VERY paranoid about having an outside cat. So now I have a stray cat and a stray dog. We finally get Indie in and try to catch Mimi who has now gone UNDER the house. I ask BigGwrl if she can get the cat (since she is small enough to get down there) well she falls down and scrapes the fire out of her knees! I though my mom was going to cry! It finally all worked out. We were finally able to bribe the cat to come out and when she did she gave us that cat look that said What is wrong with you I was just checking things out. OVERREACT much? 

Why did I want 2 dogs and a cat again??