Today

Has been one of those rare, peaceful calm days. There aren't many days like today, but when they pop up I surely do cherish them!
My morning started off with coffee. And since the house was quiet and still I opened my new (and possibly new favorite) HGTV magazine.


Oh my... I love this magazine!
Bella hung out on the table, keeping me company.


After my Papa Bear left to work, I took Charlie and Bella outside. Toby and Micah peeked out by quickly went back in.
I took what is possibly my favorite picture of Bella ever.


She moves so much and with her coat color it's really hard to get a good picture. But she ventured around near the gate and driveway.


Charlie messed around in the bushes then lounges in the sun.






In all we spent a good 45 minutes outside this morning. I hope to make more of a routine of it. I know the babies would appreciate it.








Then the girls and I headed over to Starbucks for a late morning pick me up.


We watched Tyler Perry's "Madea Witness Protection". I LOVE Madea! Every movie leaves my tummy hurting from laughing.
For dinner I made pelmini soup.


Oh my.... It was so good! Just what we needed!!

On another note....yesterday we ran into Whole Foods and saw this.....


These ladies were sitting there, at Whole Foods, at TWO in the afternoon getting wasted. You should have heard how loud they were cackling. Oh my goodness. I don't even want to know what they have going on that causes them to go get drunk at two in the afternoon...on a week night... in a GROCERY STORE!!!!!

It's back to work tomorrow...ugh. My two week days fly by too fast. I'm already missing my girls and my Papa Bear pretty darn much.
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There's been no time...

To keep up with all we have going on here. We certainly haven't been DOING anything other than everyday things, but we've just been so busy doing those things I haven't blogged.
So what's happening here lately?
My peace rose bloomed a beautiful bloom...


But the rains have caused black spots on the leaves and I'm not happy about that. My red rose bush is getting some black spots too. Apparently there's a good process that has to be done to rid it.

On my days off we catch up on DVR'd shows or play games. This night Bella decided we weren't playing Clue and plopped down on it. I really don't know how mom handled her. It's so hard sometimes!


She is getting some better with Charlie, not so much with Luigi.

I left to work the other morning and found Lena, CC and Luigi all snuggled up on the couch. The girls have been watching TV late into the night then knocking out on the couch.


Luigi finds his spot, then the girls have to find their way around him!

I'm super excited Target is selling these oldies but goodies.


BooBerry Crunch was always my favorite growing up and I'm so happy my girls look forward to this season when Target sells them. It's really neat to have that in common with them. Last night we each made a bowl and sat on the couch watching The Middle we had recorded. Mom got us hooked on that show. I couldn't help myself, I wanted to call her and ask her what she thought of Brick's new tick!

Charlie has been getting snugly with Lena. Definitely out of character for him.


But like with the rest of the family, they will take any nice attention he gives them.

I've also been itching for a new 'do. I looked at a few magazines and such and found these three. I like the first. Papa Bear likes the third. I like it too but would really like bangs with it. And I would like to change my color to a chocolate brown for fall.








My voice is gone from yelling at Manziel. My aggies lost to LSU...


That's ok though. We'll make it up. I just LOVE college football Saturday's!!

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Easy and Simple Chicken Pot Pies

I have always wanted to try my hand at making homemade pot pies. When I asked Papa Bear what he would like me to make for him last Saturday, he said pot pies.

I used Mom's recipe for home made pie crust. She was given this recipe by her former father in law.

 Step 1: Chop 1/2 onion and saute with about 1/3 cup of butter.

Add in 1/3 cup of flour with salt (1/2 tsp + 1 pinch) and pepper (1/4 tsp) until blended well.

 Step 2: Gradually add in 2 cups of chicken broth (canned, boxed or season cube)

and 1/2 cups of milk.

Continue stirring until thick and bubbly.

 Step 3: Str in 2 1/2 cups of chicken or turkey (I used canned chicken)

and 2 cups of frozen mixed vegetables.

Spoon chicken mixture into a crust lined pie pan.

Top with the second crust. I just doubled Mom's recipe.

Seal the edges and cut slits in several places in the top crust.

 Step 4: Bake 30-40 minutes on 425 degrees.

There are so many variations you could do with this.

I want to try one with turkey, wild rice and mushrooms.

It was a perfect dinner for a stay at home, watching football Saturday!

Crockpotalooza 2 - Stuffed Cabbage Rolls

With the weather turning cooler, I am always ready to cook or bake something. And there is nothing I love more than easy, delicious CrockPot dinners. Since Kelly is hosting Crockpotalooza 2, I thought I'd link up with my favorite Stuffed Cabbage Rolls!

If you know me, you know I love to make easy dinners in my slow cooker/crock pot. I tried out a new recipe for Stuffed Cabage Rolls but also did a few stuffed bell peppers in a regular pot. Both are so good topped with sour creme.....

I was supposed to use two cans of tomato sauce for the sauce but I only had two cans of stewed tomatoes. They worked just fine! I also added some fresh lemon juice, 1/2 cup brown sugar and ten shakes of Worcestershire sauce.

I was supposed to chop a whole onion but only had about 3/4 cup so I just added dried onion flakes to the meat. I also add one egg slightly beaten, 1/2 cup milk, and 1 tsp each dried basil, parsley and oregano. I needed two small cans of chopped mushrooms and didn't have any canned so I used 1/2 a carton of fresh. It was sooooo good!

I added my two pounds of browned ground beef and two cups of cooked rice to the spice mixture.

I was originally supposed to make 14 stuffed cabbage leaves but I ended up only getting 11 good leaves and the rest of the mixture I put in 6 large bell peppers. I made the same sauce mixture for these, spooned some on top and poured the rest on the bottom.

In the slow cooker I poured the tomato sauce mixture on top of my rolled cabbage leaves and let it cook on high for an hour and then turned it to low for 4 hours. Browning the meat helped speed up cooking time.

I cannot tell you how good the house smelled. We had to do deliveries and it was sooooo hard to not eat first. We came home with hungry tummies!

The stuffed cabbage is very similar to the Russian dish galubtsi. So we topped ours with sour cream just like you would galubtsi. It was beyond delicious!

I am linking this up today to Kelly's Korner Crockpotalooza!
This is also the last week to enter my giveaway here- perfect for families with school-age kids!!

Things Are Looking Like Fall....

Last week the girls and I went to Milberger Nursery to enjoy the nice, crisp fall weather.

We were so happy they had their fall decor out. I just love, love, love this time of year! 

 I do like to try to get some fall photos of my girls every year, even though they are growing so fast.

Thankfully, they don't mind and it's something fun we can do together!

 Blurry, but the only one of all three of us we have together.

 They always put up cute little spooky scenes.

 CC couldn't resist the opportunity to take a silly picture...the first one like this will be THE BLACKMAIL photo of my baby's life!! 

 After the nursery we stopped over at Party City.

The girls enjoyed being silly.

Our favorite haunted house, Nightmare on Grayson, is closing after this Halloween. 

We are soooooo sad. 

It's been such a tradition for us, and Lena just started going with me and CC.

We may have to make a few visits this month. 

It will be sad to see them go!

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We did have a really nice cool day this past Sunday. 

Of course I was at work, so I didn't get to enjoy it at all. 

I did look at the forecast on my phone and every day I am off the weather decides to be in the upper 80's.

My days off are forecasted to be windy and cool.

Of course!

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On a sad note, I wanted to share what has happened to Julee Turner and her family this past weekend.

I am still in disbelief and shock.

I have read Julee's blog for years. Read of her struggle with infertility. Read of her rejoicing when she and Matt became parents after many heartaches.

Julee has now experienced the most heart wrenching loss a wife could possibly imagine. The love of her life, Matt, was in a car accident and passed away. 

He left behind a beautiful wife and gorgeous 10 month old daughter. 

Her post to Matt is here.

I do not ask for prayer requests on here, I've never wanted to seem "preachy",

but if you are reading this, I do ask that you send a prayer for Julee and Preslee

and the Turner and Bell families. 

I cannot even imagine the suffering Julee is feeling at this time.

She will needs prayers from many to get her strength to get through these trying times. 

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We can take comfort in what the Bible does tell us;

Ps. 91:15- I will be with you, I will rescue you

Prov 3: 5,6- God will direct your steps

Phillipians 4:13 - You can do all things through God

1 Peter 5:7- God says to cast all your cares upon him

Heb 13:5 -  God will never leave or forsake you