Our Christmas Card

We've cut back on the number of people we are sending Christmas cards to this year. Once our list reached about 65, we started to wonder just how many people would miss our not sending them out. Call us horrible, but with all the ways we keep up with people electronically these days, the cards just -- well -- don't have the same place they once did. So, honestly, if you aren't receiving a card from us this year, consider yourself one of our closer friends! And if we offend you in the process, please let us know so we can make sure we get you one next year. In the meantime, here are two versions of it for you....

Baked Potato Soup Recipe for a Friend

I offered this recipe to a friend of mine (Hey, Jules -- you finally got on my blog!) and thought I might as well post it here for anyone else who is interested. It came from a friend of mine in Tennessee. I was not a fan of any cream soup until I tried this one. Now I'm sold on this and make it in large batches (it makes MORE than enough -- I cook it up in the largest of my three crock pots) to freeze or eat on all week when it snows or ices. I've also been known to heat up some chili too and have a feast!

8 cups peeled, chopped potatoes (I use Russets most of the time but sometimes use reds. I also cut them in 3/4"-1" cubes and throw in a handful of the peels for good measure, texture, and iron.)
3 cans chicken broth (I use Swanson's.)
1 can cream of chicken soup (I use HT brand usually, but sometimes Campbell's. Personally, I think it needs the regular sodium and the full fat!)
1 package cream cheese (I use HT brand usually, sometimes Philadelphia brand. This one can be low fat if you really feel the need, but remember that it is a cream soup!)
1/2 cup chopped onion (Green onions are good here, but any kind is fine.)
3 tablespoons bacon bits (I cheat and use the ones you buy in the salad dressing aisle. We don't usually keep bacon in our house and I don't want to buy a whole pack just for this soup.)

Blend cream of chicken soup and cream cheese together. Pour all ingredients into crock pot. Cook on high for 6-8 hours.

Our Thanksgiving

For those who haven't heard, we had a clogged main sewer pipe on Wednesday that just got unclogged yesterday (Saturday). We had to take our youngest in to the ER on Thursday night @ 2am (ended up just being a bad case of croup, but they checked for pneumonia, gave him a steroid injection and also a breathing treatment. We had an overnight guest Friday to Saturday (yes -- without functioning plumbing), and now our oldest is screaming bloody murder about ear pain and the doctor's office will not change the prescription that he wrote about amonth ago from an eardrop I can't get in to one that is the same thing (just without the decongestant) to one that I CAN get. And then to top that all off, P still has the 102 fever, and I seem to be running one at about 100. Sigh -- anyone else have a great story like this to tell?

My son, the future economist.....

I'm not sure what new there is to say... we have an absolutely brilliant child on our hands.....

Here's how a recent conversation went:

C: “Mommy, the price of gas went up … Why?”
Me: “Well, C, it is something called supply and demand. If there is not enough of something that lots of people want, sometimes the price of it goes up.”
C: “Oh.”
(next day – price of gas went from $3.59/gallon to $3.49/gallon)
C: “MOMMY!”
Me: “Yes, C.”
C: “The price of gas went down!”
Me: “Yes, C, that is right.”
C: “So that means that there is too much gas and not enough people want it???”
Me: (Amazed at his astute propensity towards economics at only three years old) “Ummm…. Yes… pretty much that is right…” Then to test his concept transference…. “So what would happen if there was too much cotton candy and not enough people wanted to buy it?” (I was fully expecting a typical child’s answer like “I will eat it all” or “they should stop making so much of it….)
C: “Well, they would have to lower the price, then. So more people would buy it.”

America's Funniest Home Videos, Here They Come!!!

Is it me, or does this just get funnier and funnier the more that you watch it? I took the boys to the pumpkin patch at their school this morning. C ran around like he'd never seen pumpkins before. P had fun drumming on them. They finally both settled down at the same pumpkin, and .... well.... this was the result!

Blue Ribbon Winner

Wow -- I think I am still in a state of shock! My marinated vegetables won first place at the Dixie Classic Fair in their Lowe's Foods Good for Your Family cooking contest. They called out third place, then second place, so I gave up on winning. Then they really did call my name. Really...... !!! So here is a pic of the winning entry with ribbon, as well as the recipe below.

Summer Sweet Marinated Vegetables

Recipe makes approximately 18 servings of ½ cup each.

Ingredients:
One 15 ounce can early June petite peas
One 15.25 ounce can golden sweet whole kernel corn
One 15.25 ounce can white kernel corn
One 14.5 ounce can French cut green beans
One 15.5 ounce can dark red kidney beans
One 2 ounce jar sliced pimientos
½ red onion, thinly sliced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 cucumber, cubed

½ cup canola oil
1 cup apple cider vinegar
1 Tablespoon water
1 cup sugar
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon paprika


Heat oil, vinegar, water, sugar, salt, and paprika in a medium saucepan on the stove until the sugar and salt dissolve. While heating the marinade, drain all canned vegetables, discarding the liquid. Combine the drained vegetables, onion, pepper, and cucumber in a large bowl. Pour the marinade over the vegetables and stir. Keep in the refrigerator to marinate overnight.

More of C's "Exciting" Modeling Career

C is on the HATCH website's front page video!!! It's long, but he has some pretty good shots in there!!! I like the one jumping up and down. http://www.hatchearlychildhood.com/default.asp?cookie%5Ftest=1