Bean soup!

Michelle asked me to blog the recipe for bean soup. So here goes....

Boil 1 bag navy beans and then take off heat and let sit for an hour. I used a ham bone from a ham we ate, but you can also purchase a couple of hamhocks. I cut up celery, carrots and onion real fine....( Nick won't even know they are in there Michelle, they cook down wayyyy small) And then about 3/4 teaspon thyme and a bay leaft, and some salt and pepper. You put all this into a crockpot on high...add the beans and let it simmer until it looks thick...Mash up the beans as best as you can with a tater masher or just leave them whole, that's up to you. I mash them...and viola...bean soup. And it is YUUUUUUUUUUMMY!!! I will post pics next time...sorry for not taking any. But I will leave you with a cute one, of my new nephew Isaac.

Babytastic and bean soup.

Early this week I spent time with both my new niece Eliana and my new nephew Isaac. Along with Emily and other family members. It is such a joy and I sure enjoy those little sweeties! Makes me want another one in a BAD way. Not sure if that is going to happen yet or not...I sure hope so. If so, I want to try again starting in June for my #2!

Today I am babysitting for my friend Kellys daugher Morgan, she is 25 months and a bunch of energy and terrible twos!!! But I can handle it...=)

I am also making a crock pot of bean soup. Fred and I made a ham the other day and what's left of it, is going to be bean soup. It smells yummy so far!!! I can't wait to try it.

New baby, snow and package!

Hi all!

Well it turns out that I told a little white lie on my last entry. My sister in law didn't have her baby on his exact due date, he was an hour over. =( I thought for sure she was going to have him that day since she went in so early in the morning. But she had a long hard day of labor and then pushing, but Isaac got stuck in the birth canal and she had to have an emergency c-section or he would have been born on his day. Mom and baby went through a lot, but both are doing excellent and we are so happy to have him here with us, Finally.

It's been snowing like crazy here in Michigan, I'm so tired of it all. It seems we just keep getting more and more. My deck is almost full with snow, and the banks in our driveway are HUGE. I can be thankful today because the sun in shining. Not to mention it's been freeeeezing cold here. I feel as if I've been cooped up for months!!

Last week I got a package from my friend Michelle all the way from Guam. I had bought a few things from her, but she was nice enough to send me some extra's at no charge. Thank you Michelle. You are a wonderful friend.

Exciting!!

I'm so excited to tell you that my sister in law Steph is in labor as we speak, having her precious little boy Isaac ON HIS DUE DATE!! I can't wait to see him. It seems like she has been pregnant forever!!! I definately will post pics when I get some!!!

Also, I discovered Emily has her 2 bottom teeth coming in, and they are through the gums. There was absolutely no sign of her teething...so I'm like wow, she has more teeth! She sure is growing up like a weed!!

She now says "CHEESE" when you want to take a picture. The above photo says it all!!

Hope this finds you all happy and well.

Lay offs

I'm so sick of hearing it...it seems like every place these days is laying off people from their jobs! It's awful. And then they just string them along from one week to the next. It makes me pretty ill. Just let the people know so that they can get on with their lives. I am directly affected by it because my brother may lose his job, and they have a baby due any day now. I just hope this economy picks up sooner than later so people can get their lives back on track!! Sorry for the vent, but it just sucks for all these people that are unemployed and their are no jobs out there!!

Snow angel!

I took Emily outside in the snow to play and she had a blast. Fred and I got her a sled and I pulled her around in that thing and then let her walk around in the snow. She thought she was cool as heck. =) Her mommy thought she was cool as heck too.

Not much else is going on, just waiting on my sister in law Steph to have her baby finally. That boy is sure stubborn like his daddy!! He is just so happy in his home...hehe

Fred's been out ice fishing and has been catching his share of perch and blue gills, I'm so looking forward to my winter meal of those tasty babies.

Oh and please keep my sister in law Barb in your thoughts and prayers...her mother is in the hospital and not expected to recover.

Hope this recent blog update finds you all warm and well.

Catching up!

Wow, time has flown by since my last entry.

I can hardly believe that Christmas and New Years is already over. Literally with a blink of an eye it was done. But we had a wonderful Christmas, Emily had a blast opening her gifts and just being a little ham for all the family to see. It was great being together and playing games and just talking and hanging out with one another for the last time without 3 more babies added to the mix. =)

New years eve my sister Sarah had her baby Eliana Elizabeth Parler...I was in the delivery room with her and the birth was miraculous. There is nothing more amazing than a newborn child being brought into this world. Sarah was AMAZING and I'm so proud of her. Her beautiful daughter (my niece =)) is precious. She was 8 lbs 1 oz 21 inches. She has dark hair and is cute as a button. Now we are just waiting for my sis in law Steph to have her little Isaac...she is about ready to pop any day now.

Other than that, life has been good. I will try and be more regular with my updates.

And praise god, I don't have jury duty on monday. =) Hope you all had wonderful holidays.