new vine

pssst!!

fyi, no big deal, but i made another grocery store vine today; unfortunately, the new vine update now won't let me post to blogger.

so this link probably won't help you...

https://vine.co/feed

good luck. sorry.

Homemade mac n cheese!

Today when I asked my 12-year old daughter what she wanted for lunch, she said she loved the kind of mac n cheese you get in a restaurant, but not the kind that I made.  (meaning, of course, the blue and yellow box, aka kraft)

ok, so I'm always up for a challenge.. so I found a recipe and got to work on my first batch of real homemade macaroni n cheese.

First you boil the noodles according to package directions.

Then you melt the butter, stir in flour, salt, pepper, and slowly add the milk.

Stir until smooth and bubbly.  Almost done!

Ta da!  Now I may not be no Southern girl, but I think I can still make a mean pot of mac n cheese!!

Here's the recipe I followed:

• 8ounces elbow macaroni
• 1⁄4cup butter
• 1⁄4cup flour
• 1⁄2teaspoon salt
• 1dash black pepper
• 2cups milk
• 2cups shredded cheddar cheese or 8 ounces cheddar cheese

DIRECTIONS

1. Cook macaroni according to package directions.
2. In medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat; stir in flour, salt and pepper; slowly add milk.
3. Cook and stir until bubbly.
4. Stir in cheese until melted.
5. Drain macaroni; add to cheese sauce; stir to coat.

****************************************************

ok, now the kids are begging me to join in their game of battleball on the stairsteps...with a TON of balls...how can i say no?  gotta go!!!!!!!!!!

tuesday pics

nothing much. just another day in the life.

starting with my boy's play date with his friend.

they're on track-out from year-round school, so they get to play while a lot of other kids start school this week.

anyway, here they are, battling it out with some boxing gloves. (one pair my own, the other an inflatable play type)

next random photo: a beetle i passed on my walk tonight.

y'know what i just LOVE?  finding a little guy like this on his back, his chubby little back, with all 6 legs kicking and squirming and he be like "help! i've fallen down and i can't get up!"

and so i come along and can't help teasing him a bit, but then i feel sorry for him and roll him over so he can waddle on his merry little way.

these next shots are of this guy's insane garden of exotic plants and flowers that completely take over his front yard.  he must be some kind of science geek, as he even has them labeled, with little tin plate markers giving their exact scientific name and genre name or whatever the word is, species, whatever. 

                           an orange tree?!!!

                                                                   that's all folks.

purple sunshine

Colby's birthday

                             Colby turned 9 the other day!  Happy Birthday, Colby!!

                             Some of his fun presents:  a HUGE "bubble ball" that is ridiculously fun
                                  to throw at each other...
                       

                                          ...a real putting green and kid-size putter.....
                             

                                  ...and a set of drumsticks which he tried out on some buckets
                                            and whatnot.   (he's agreed to let me sign him up for
                                                 some real drumming lessons at rnrhs!!! yay!!)

                                    

                                      He also received some Target gift cards, so here we are,
                                            looking for something to spend them on.

                                              ....and, as usual, their mother was FORCED into trying on the
                                              kids' XL size minecraft CREEPER sweatshirt!!!...
                                                    ahh, the things we do for love.

                                                  9 candles on a chocolate cake.

 
                                        We celebrate the life of a very special boy today.
                                              Praise God, I even had the honor,
                               just a few weeks ago, to pray with him to accept Jesus in his heart.
                                         Celebrating two birthdays, physical and spiritual!!

                                                               I love you, Colby!!!!

kid drummer part 2

.....aaaaaaaand this is truly amazing.  I just got done sharing this with my 9-year old boy, not to intimidate him, as I think this kid would intimidate anyone, even good drummers, but hopefully to inspire him to want to take lessons.  heck, maybe i should just sign him up, make him at least try it out.  this looks so fun, way cool to watch, too, so enjoy!!




(scroll down for part 2, not as exciting, but endearing to his mother)  ;-D

Kid drummer part 1

Happy Birthday, Colby!  Here he is with his "new" drumsticks i bought him, and a bunch of buckets and stuff to bang on.  I'm hoping he'll want to take lessons sometime.  anyway, here he is:





(part 2 coming soon, wait for iiiiiiiitttt!!!.....)