This is how we make stuffing

 

Kylie, my niece, and Joe mixed the stuffing for me. I tripled my recipe so we had to use 27 cups of bread cubes. Thus, the big stock pot to mix in. We outgrew regular mixing bowls many kids ago.

This is the recipe I used, but I tweak it here and there; http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/classic-bread-stuffing/129aa22f-2203-483e-a7a9-dde5b5c6b715

Happy Birthday, Son!

My youngest son celebrated his 12th bday while our family was in town. He and I went to breakfast, and then did some bday shopping. Later in the afternoon we took him, one of his brothers and three of his friends to Phil's BBQ for an early dinner. We all had the yummy rib tickler plates, and finished them all. Once we got back home we had cake and ice cream with everyone.

Family Reunion

This Thanksgiving I was reunited with my mom, my younger sister and younger brothers. It was the first time in thirty-two years that we had all been together in the same place. I had seen my siblings or my mom at different times in different places, but we were not all together until Thanksgiving. I also met my niece for the first time.
To add to the fun my other niece from Florida came out for a few weeks.

 Joe the youngest, Teri my younger sister by 12 months and 3 days, and then my younger brother Steve. I'm the oldest if you didn't catch that. (That's why it's easy for me to be so bossy.)

                                    My mom with her four kids.

Free Adoption book on Kindle

This Mean War: Equipping Christian Families for Fostercare or Adoption



I bought this book in print form several years ago and loved it. It's offered for free today on Amazon for Kindle readers. Don't have a Kindle? You can download the app to your computer and read it there. Here's a write-up I did on it a few years ago.

This Means War Write-up

Starbuck savings & recipe book

I subscribe to The Krazy Coupon Lady. In today's email she has an article on how to get more savings at Starbucks. Since I didn't know about these savings I thought maybe you didn't know either. Sip and Save is where you'll find out the ins & outs on how to save more at Starbucks. There is also a 32 page recipe book that is available at Starbucks Recipe Book. Unfortunately they don't have the recipe for the iced coffee that I love and my 15 year old son knows how to make perfectly, but I did find the recipe for their frappucinos. Enjoy!

World AIDS Day 2012: Five Things You Should Know

World AIDS Day 2012: Five Things You Should Know

World Aids Day

Today is World Aids Day. I don't know anyone in my everyday life that has Aids or HIV, but I do know plenty of adoptive families that have brought HIV+ children into their homes. Knowledge is the first step away from the fear of this disease. We are approved to adopt a child with HIV+. I wanted the approval just in case we needed it. We haven't, but I did get a bit educated in the process. We're not in the 80's anymore!




Project Hopeful video:
Truth Pandemic

You can also visit: The Farmer's Wife Tells All
to see how one family lives with a daughter who happens to have HIV.

Upside Down Christmas?

As the mom of a large family I do not look forward to Christmas for the above reasons. What if we celebrate simply? Do my kids remember what their third gift was last year? I'm already thinking that we will go to the thrift store and let the kids pick out $5 or $10 worth of gifts for their family gift swap. I do need to read with my kids more. We should play more games. That's what they'll remember. Not all the stuff that was in their stockings. How did we get to where we are? Get us off the merry-go-round, please!

For more on this topic go to That We Might Be Adopted