Greetings and Merry Christmas!

Many of you have just received our link and found us on the web. Welcome! A lot has occurred this year and I have tried to faithfully record it here.

Probably the biggest change was that Taigen became the pastor of Heritage Baptist Church in Dover, NH at the end of July. I'd send you to the website, but it has not been changed in almost a year! (That's on Taigen's "to-do" list.) We were able to start down in Dover at the end of August and have thoroughly enjoyed getting to know all of our dear church people. Taigen is doing a fabulous job and I throughly enjoy being under his preaching. He loves what he is doing and is very good at it. He was able to get in some rounds of golf this year and even helped organize The Heritage Classic at our church. Mr. Bowman was gracious in coming down to play with him and probably was a key part in their foursome winning! (Surprise, Surprise!)

The kids are growing and talking and are busy little people. They turned four earlier this month and are eager for Christmas. We are definitely going to have fun this year. It has been so much fun preparing for it with two good helpers. You will find their happy faces plastered all over this blog and it won't take much reading for you to realize they say and do the most hilarious things! It keeps us entertained and on our toes.

I am still a "stay at home mommy". Of course that means cooking and cleaning (more so lately because our house is on the market) and taking care of my favorite kids. I took on a bigger piano role at Heritage and am now accompanying the choir & most of the special music, offertories and of course, congregational hymnplaying. I am thankful that this is stretching me and making me a better pianist, but I have to be honest and say I don't enjoy all the practice time. Probably sounds like some of your kids, eh? I was able to start a Sunday School song time for the kids and also a children's choir. This is one of my favorite ministries at the church. Most recently, I've become the church secretary, so my new boss is Taigen. How nice! Thankfully, I get to do the majority of my work from home. Flash drives and laptops are wonderful inventions.

God has been overwhelmingly good to us. We have so much to be thankful for this year, primarily for our salvation through Jesus Christ. His priceless gift is one that we should never take for granted.

Merry Christmas with much love from our family to yours.

Winter Wonderland- Take Two

It's going to be a white Christmas! We had our first major storm on Sunday and we got our second dose of winter (which it technically isn't even winter yet!) today! It started snowing last night and the big plows were out on the interstate. For you speed demons, this means the speed limit changes from 65 to 45. We got home from church much later last night.

Taigen brought stuff home to work on today knowing that we were to get a pretty good dumping. It snowed the majority of today so we got a beautiful coating of fresh fluffy snow.

While the kids ate breakfast, I whipped out the Kitchen Aid and started into my baking for the day. I had tons to do before company comes tomorrow. The kids helped me dump the flour into the banana bread after they finished their frosted flakes. I know that Shaylen was really hoping to get to lick the bowl, but I put her to work instead. They do a good job.

Thirty Years Ago

It was probably thirty years ago that Taigen wore this exact same sweater. Grandma Rutledge knitted it for him. Last year, my mother in law, Sherry, pulled it out of storage, washed it, fixed the zipper and mailed it to Marshall. It was a bit too big and so I put it away, hoping that this winter it would work for him. He wore it to church tonight and proudly told everyone that it was "my Daddy's sweater".

My Life As A Sitcom

I don't watch much TV these days. There are many good reasons why. I won't bother you with them today. I loved the good old ones like: Leave It To Beaver, The Dick Van Dyke Show, & The Cosby Show. The situations the families would get into were hilarious...or at least their reactions were hilarious.

My reaction to my life at around 12:55 was not hilarious. It was downright maddening. It reminded me of some of those sitcoms. But I must start at the beginning...

We had just finished up a good lunch and Marshall had politely asked if he could be excused. "What a good boy!" I thought. He pushed away from the table and put his milk in the fridge. I told him to go upstairs and go to the bathroom and then wash his hands. I proceeded to wipe down the counters, wash his plate, fold up his napkin and place it on his chair. Shaylen was finishing up the rest of her fruit snacks while I worked. When she was done, she also politely asked to be excused. I beamed at her. I thought, "What good kids I have!" (You must remember this...it is crucial to the plot of this story.) I excused her and told her to put her milk away and go in to the bathroom on the main floor to go to the bathroom and then wash her hands.

My life is peaceful...serene.

Marshall called to me from the stairs. "Mommy?" (I thought,"What is he doing on the stairs? I sent him up several minutes ago. Surely he's not done already.")

"Mommy? I want to go to the bathroom down there!" (Now, you need to know that Marshall is a fearful child. He is afraid of the towel holder in the upstairs bathroom when the lights reflect off of it. He says it looks like a "serious creature staring anxiously at him".)

"No," I say. "You need to obey, not argue and go upstairs. It is okay to use the bathroom upstairs," I say firmly.
He goes. ("Whew")

As I round the corner to go back into the kitchen, I see Shaylen come running out of the downstairs bathroom yelling, "Mommy, come help me! Something is very wrong with the potty when I flush it!"

As I went into the bathroom I heard it. Water rushing. I looked. Water was flowing out of the toilet bowl and all over the floor. I grabbed a few towels to get under the bowl to sop up the water. That wasn't going to cut it. There was water running toward the bath mat, the heat register, and all around the base of the toilet. It was continually running. I had to stop the water. So I did what any sensible woman would do, I turned the main water off. Only...it didn't work. Remind me to tell Taigen that it doesn't work. Remind me to tell him that it only slows the flow. Great! The toilet bowl was full. Why was the water still running? I lifted off the decorative items from the toilet lid and opened up the toilet tank. The plug had decided to rebel and stay in place so that the water would keep running. I shove the plug down. The tank starts filling.

Shaylen decided to help me by saying, "Mommy, I need to go potty and poo-poo!" (Maybe she had been playing in here instead of going to the bathroom when I had told her to.)

"Go upstairs."

I now grabbed my entire bag of rags, all the old towels in the laundry closet and the old hand towel on the counter that I use for the kids during the day. It isn't enough. The bath mat is now soaked and so are my knees.

I hear Shaylen crying and call to her, "Shaylen, come here, honey!"
More crying...um...let's call it wailing. (Shaylen is a GIRL. She tends to overreact and cry.)
I get up, leave the mess and go to find out what is wrong.

"Marshall won't let me into the bathroom." I look and Marshall is sitting on the potty still.
"Are you done?"
"No."

I grab a stack of old hand towels from the upstairs linen closet and Shaylen and rush down to the bathroom. She says, "I don't want to go poo-poo in my panties!"

I run faster.

I plop the towels on the floor around the toilet and pull Shaylen's pants down and set her on the toilet. She asks, "Is the toilet broken?" I laugh.

Marshall starts yelling from upstairs, "I WENT POO-POO! CAN YOU WIPE ME?"
If that wasn't enough he yells louder, "I WENT POO-POO! CAN YOU WIPE ME?"
Shaylen says, "Mommy, my socks are wet!"
"I WENT POO-POO! CAN YOU WIPE ME?"
"Mommy, my socks are wet!"

Dear Reader...You're laughing at me, aren't you?

Well, as I sit here typing, the house is peaceful...serene. My toilet is back to normal. My bathroom floor is sparkling clean. It has been dried off, then washed with antibacterial spray, then sprayed down with Clorox Anywhere disinfecting spray. I have changed my clothes. My rags and old towels are soaking in bleach/detergent mixture in the washing machine. I have read to the kids, kissed them both good-night and put them down for naps. I breathe a collective sigh of relief.

I laugh.

Once In Royal David's City

Remember a while ago, when I posted about Shaylen singing "When He Cometh"? She had learned that solely from sitting in on my children's choir rehearsal. She loves the song and frequently requests it during our song time before bed.

Well, it has happened again. My children's choir has been rehearsing "Once In Royal David's City" for our Christmas program that was supposed to occur this last week. Last night Shaylen was coloring at her table and I was able to grab this video of her without her knowing it! I don't know where the opera influence comes in. (You'll know what I'm talking about when you watch it!) That's not how my children's choir does it, but it makes for a funny video!

It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas

Sunday we had a big storm blow through New England. For those of you non-New Englanders, it was called a Nor' Easter, or as they say here, a "Noh'Eastah!"

Dad has been perplexed as to what makes a storm get what's it's named. They don't do that out west. It's either a snow storm or a blizzard, I guess! Why is it that in New England it's a "nor'easter" or an "Alberta clipper" and not just a plain old "snow storm"? Well, Dad, let's not be confused any longer! Here's what I found out: A nor'easter is called that because the winds from the storm come from the northeast and basically it can pack a punch. You can read more about it here. As for the Alberta Clipper, it's as we guessed, Dad. The storm comes from the Alberta region and quickly brings low temps and only a little bit of snow. You can read more about the clippers here.

There! Now don't you feel enlightened and smart?

Now, let's get past all the knowledgeable stuff! What really matters is that we got tons of snow and that means playtime outside with Marshall and Shaylen. That's the really important stuff! It was windy and cold, but we bundled them up. Taigen was busy trying to get the snowblower to work and I went out and dug a snow cave out of the small mound (or as they say up here, "Snow Combin's") of snow at the end of our driveway that Mr. Maskell (our friend and VERY kind neighbor) plowed for us. The cave eventually caved, but not before I got some cute pictures of the kids crawling in it.

Marshall and Shaylen had a blast in the snow. Eventually Shaylen wanted to come in because her feet were hurting her in her boots. When I brought her inside and attempted to take off her boots I realized that snow had gotten packed, and I mean packed, in around her ankles. I had to dig it out before I could even take her feet out. Poor baby! She was a trooper. Marshall played outside for a bit longer and dug around in the snow with a gardening trowel. It was so cute to watch!

Tomato Soup Smile

Dad always gives me a hard time about not knowing how to cook. He says it seems that every time he calls, I am making tomato soup and grilled cheese for my family. Now that is NOT the case, but there were a few times that it did occur and so, of course, he's taking full advantage of picking on me about it.

Now, of course I know how to cook, but tomato soup and grilled cheese are comfort foods (you know, the kind you love eating on a cold day OR a day that you're sick?) and happen to also be very inexpensive. Marshall especially loves it and this past week enjoyed THREE mugs full at lunch. I was able to capture his tomato soup goatee and unibrow so you could enjoy it as well.

Shaylen's Shiner

On Saturday, Marshall and Shaylen went over to Auntie Janelle's so that we could clean the house AGAIN and then head down to Dover for a choir rehearsal. Sending them over to Janelle's guaranteed that they could come home after the two showings and take a nap.

While they were at Janelle's she took them up a flight of stairs in her apartment to our good friends, Matt and Jessica Krupnek. Jessica was making sugar cookies and she said that they could come and participate. Janelle has pictures up on her blog.

When Janelle, Marshall and Shaylen came home, she sent them up to their rooms to get into their beds for naps. I don't know exactly what happened and neither does Janelle, but according to Shaylen, she had a run-in with her bed and, well, let's just say that the bed won. Shaylen has her first shiner. It's a doozy.

Your Knees Worn Out Yet?

Well, it's praying time again, folks. I got TWO, yes TWO emails from our realtor today saying that he got a request to show our house. This is amazing! We have a showing on Saturday at 10 and a showing at 12:20. Maybe tomorrow will be THE day. Thanks for your prayers. We'll keep you posted. I'm off to clean.

So Much To Say...So Little Time

Many of you know that we had a showing on Saturday afternoon. After spending Friday evening cleaning like a mad-woman (Taigen was speaking at Wolfeboro Bible Church Friday night), Janelle offered to watch the kids while I cleaned as much as I could on Saturday morning (Taigen was at a men's prayer breakfast) before I had to leave and speak at a ladies' Christmas tea at 12:30. The showing was at 12:45. So, you could say it was a busy weekend. Taigen came home at 10 and finished cleaning while I got ready and drove down to Rochester, NH.

All this to say, Janelle was a gem to take the kids because it was mass cleaning and chaos at our home. Do you know that she has done this EACH time we've had a showing? It's been a huge help.

When Janelle was feeding the kids lunch, they told her that they liked egg nog. She told them that she didn't. Marshall said, "But it is good." She told him that she didn't think it was. He responded, "Just try it!" (Boy doesn't he sound like his parents!)

Shaylen was pestering Janelle with question after question. Janelle told her that she needed to do more eating and less talking (sounds like us!). She looked at Janelle with her big eyes and said, "I just have lots of questions on my forehead!"

Party Number Two

Marshall and Shaylen had their "official" birthday party tonight. And although Jason, Joni, Enzo and Julia couldn't be here since Enzo was sick with something mysterious, and although Shaylen wasn't feeling too perky either, we had a great time.

Mr. and Mrs. Bowman came and Auntie Janelle and Grandma and Grandpa Mac! The McIlwaine's son, Mark (or "Dunnigan") was in town and helped get Mom Mac out of the house, into the car and up into our home for the celebration. (That was sooooo nice of him!) It was so good to have them in our home.We had a great time. There was pizza and pop and cupcakes made just how they wanted them: chocolate with vanilla frosting and vanilla with chocolate frosting, complete with sprinkles and M&M's!

Our Silent Servant

Four years ago, we were elated when Marshall and Shaylen were born on the fifth of December. That was Great Grandpa Rutledge's birthday and he was tickled pink that he was FINALLY getting a great granddaughter. We were happy to oblige. What we didn't know, was that there was a dear lady in our congregation at Cornerstone whose birthday was also on the fifth. Her name is Mary. She is what we call our "silent servant". If Mary sees a need she quietly takes care of it. There is no pomp and circumstance. It just gets done. Many, many times Mary has been a huge blessing to our family. In fact, Taigen mentioned her as an illustration in his Sunday morning sermon.

Mary had a dear sister named Ethel who always called me "dear" and "darling" in that soft-spoken New England accent. A few years ago, Ethel found out that she had cancer and moved back to Arizona to be near family. When Ethel really started to go downhill, Mary left everything here in Maine to go and be with her. She didn't expect Ethel to live long. Ethel lived another 14 months, and in those 14 months, Mary quietly served her sister and lost just about everything she had left here: her job, insurance, her apartment.

Ethel loved listening to the harp. Mary had arranged for a harpist to come and play and sing one day, not knowing that it was Ethel's last day on this earth. A picture was taken as Ethel was listening and you can see her complete rapture at the sound! Mary was there that night when Ethel quietly slipped away into heaven. I grieved with her.

When Grammie Endean told me that Mary was heading back to Maine I was elated. Cornerstone was getting a group of men together to get some of her furniture out of a basement and the church family was going to stuff her cupboards and get her apartment ready. How wonderful! Of course, we had to participate too! Grammie knows how much Mary means to us and arranged for a "Welcome Home Happy Birthday": party for Mary, Marshall and Shaylen. Seeing Mary was worth a million bucks to me. We had a wonderful time together on Thursday evening and the kids got reacquainted with her.

Mary brought pictures to share and we remarked that she has no regrets, only sweet memories. I hope one day that I can have a testimony like this dear sweet lady.

(Pictured from left to right: Shaylen, "Grammie" Endean, Marshall and Mary)

And The Paper Flew!

Poor Marshall was sick with a bad cough and a fever on his birthday. He had a crummy day. Fortunately, I had promised them that they could watch some videos for the birthday forever ago so what I had planned for the day was something that would keep him still and quiet. That helped in keeping the cough at bay. They watched Winnie the Pooh!

When Taigen got home they got to unwrap presents. They had so much fun! They got so many things that they had wished for!

Since Marshall was sick, I stayed home with him and we snuggled and watched Lady And The Tramp and then threw on our jammies and read and snuggled in Mommy and Daddy's big bed. He was such a good boy for me and went to right to bed after a few songs.

Shaylen on the other hand went to church proudly carrying a plate of cupcakes for her Pee Wee Club class. She informed me when she got home that she ate TWO cupcakes in class. (Okay, so now we know that she has her teachers right where she wants them...wrapped around her little fingers.)

Four Years Ago Today

Can you believe that Marshall and Shaylen are four already? I know it sounds like a broken record, but it seems like yesterday that they were born. What a journey it has been, and a joy! There are cupcakes waiting for them today and the paper is going to fly this afternoon when Taigen gets home. We love being parents to these kids.

Happy Birthday Marshall and Shaylen!!!

Sour Cream Cookies

Several of you have been drooling over the Psychedelic Cookies and so, to contribute to your holiday binging, I am posting the recipe. These are similar to sugar cookies, only so much more moist. If you enjoy them, then give thanks to my step-mom, Cathy, who shared her recipe with me many years ago.

Here's what you'll need for the cookies.
1/2 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 egg
1 tsp. baking powder (SORRY, I forgot this earlier!!!)
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup sour cream (not fat free or reduced fat...get the real stuff)
2 2/3 cups flour

Cream together shortening, sugar, vanilla, egg. Add the baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add alternately the sour cream and flour. Mix until dough doesn't stick to your hands. Roll out and cut with cutters (make them thick so that they will not be crunchy). Bake on an ungreased cookie sheet at 425 degrees for about 6-8 minutes or until edges are slightly browned. Cool and then frost.

Frosting
4 cups confectioners sugar
1/3 cup milk
1 tsp. vanilla
4 Tbs. melted butter

Mix together and create the "funkiest" colors imaginable with food coloring. Frost the cookies in unconventional styles and have fun. Only then can they be "Psychedelic Christmas Cookies." By the way, in the past, there has been a HUGE difference between Taigen's cookies and mine. Since we allowed the kids to decorate this year, you can hardly discern between theirs and his, much to his relief. I've been outnumbered.

Cathy and I both make a bunch, frost them and then freeze them. (Of course, Cathy's cookies look beautiful and normal...I guess my dad is a better artist than Taigen.)We take a few out of the freezer as they are "needed" and they (hopefully) last through the whole holiday season.

A Flying Leak

This morning Marshall and Shaylen were playing with about a half-dozen of their stuffed animals in the living room.They had put the animals in the middle of the floor and jumping over them. Shaylen came running up to us and said, "Do you want to see me? Watch me take a flying leak!"

"A flying leak?"

"Yes, watch me take a flying leak over Tramp (her stuffed dog)."

Also this morning they were talking about how big the Christmas tree is. I said that it's just about as tall as I am. Shaylen asked, "How tall are you, Mommy?"

"Six feet."

She thought for a moment. I could see the wheels turning. "But Mommy, you can't be six feet. You only have two!"

Nonpareils on the Floor, Memories in My Heart

Many people have holiday traditions. Turning on the Christmas music the day after Thanksgiving. Going to pick out and cut down the Christmas tree. Hanging a special star at the top of the tree. Hanging stockings on the fireplace mantle. Decorating the interior and exterior of the house. Driving around and looking at other people's houses and glorying in the fact that you don't pay their electric bill! Just thinking about those things gives me warm and fuzzy feelings.

In our household, we have a non-traditional tradition that started 9 years ago in our Brokenshire dormitory apartment at Bob Jones University: making psychedelic Christmas cookies. This year we included the kids and we had so much fun! The glory of decorating these cookies is that there IS no wrong way to do them. I think even Picasso would be proud!

Earlier today Marshall and Shaylen and I made Grandma Cathy's recipe of Sour Cream Cookies (basically sugar cookies only tons better). It thrilled them to cut out the cookies and lay them on the cookie sheet all by themselves. The kids are getting pretty good at sneaking pieces of cookie dough into their mouths when my back is turned. They knew that Mommy didn't really care this time. (Mommys have eyes in the back of their heads!) When they came out of the oven, it took a lot of self-control to not eat them all then. They smelled so good. They couldn't wait to decorate them with Daddy!After dinner we mixed up all the frosting and then they requested which colors we make. Here is Shaylen determining which color she will eat first. I told her that we don't eat the frosting from the bowl, we put it on the cookie!Let the games begin! When we turned them loose with the frosting, spoons and cookies, they did a great job. I think Shaylen's motto was, "If a little is good, then a ton must be the best!" Marshall was meticulous about how his frosting went on his cookies. His favorite cookie was an airplane cookie. I know it doesn't have anything to do with Christmas, but he saw it on the box and wanted so desperately to use it to cut out the dough. Why not? All in all, we had a great time. What a mess it made! There was frosting all over the table, sprinkles, colored sugar and nonpareils all over the floor, but we had the best time. I wish you all were here to eat them with us.

Four Year Old Reasoning

Marshall and Shaylen's fourth birthday is only 8 days away. It is a huge milestone for them because it means that they will no longer be the nursery but going into Children's Church. They will be changing Sunday school classes, officially be in the kids' club at church (though they are already attending), and most importantly, sitting with me in the services on Sunday night.

I am trying to get them ready for this so that they know what we're expecting of them. As I was talking to them at breakfast this morning, I reminded them that they will be "big kids" once they turn four. We mentioned all of the things above and I reminded them that church is not a place to play or talk. It is a place to sit still and listen. Shaylen said, "If I need to talk to you, I need to whisper!" That's right!

I was talking to them about sitting still in the service and listening to Daddy preach from the Bible. I asked them why it was important to sit still and listen. I was hoping for the answer, "because we need to listen to the Bible" or "because God wants us to listen to Daddy preach."

Instead, Shaylen came up with this:

"Because it is impossible!"

Charge!!! Part II

Remember an article I wrote awhile ago that talked about the kids "charging" Daddy? It continues to be a favorite pastime on the evenings we are home. Tonight I whipped out the camera and captured a few pictures "in flight". They are hilarious. Believe it or not, Shaylen is the one that enjoys being the kamikaze dive bomber. She leaves all abandon and takes flying leaps onto Taigen.

Thanksgiving Photos

Happy Thanksgiving

What a glorious Thanksgiving we had. On Wednesday, Jason and Joni, Enzo and Julia came up from Massachusetts and Janelle came over. We enjoyed a time of fun and relaxation! If a mess is any gauge of the fun the kids had...they had a blast! You should have seen our basement.

We were able to relax this morning and casually get ready for the day and the feast that was to come tonight. I enjoyed the conversation with Joni as we prepared the food and laughed over our mistakes. Good memories! We planned for turkey, stuffing, creamy mashed potatoes, corn, green bean casserole, candied yams, cranberry sauce, rolls, and sparkling cider. For dessert we had pumpkin pie and apple pie. Whoa! It was a lot of food, but we enjoyed it all. It was so nice to have our dear friends here to spend the day with us.

One tradition that we are trying to carry on from Taigen's family is the singing of the Doxology before we partake of our Thanksgiving feast. Last year, Marshall and Shaylen didn't really have a clue about it, but this year I worked with them ahead of time to help them learn it. Marshall got "stage fright" but Shaylen did a really great job.

We wish you all could've spent Thanksgiving with us. We love you all and are thankful for each one of you. God is so good.

"Dear Jesus, Thank You For The Snow!"

Those were the first words out of Marshall's mouth today at lunch. I didn't even have to prompt him. He knew it was a good thing to thank the Lord for. A boy after my own heart!

Today as I was practicing the accompaniment to our Christmas choir numbers this morning, I opened the shades to let in a bit more light. To my delight, I saw the teeny tiny flakes coming down from the sky. I called the kids up from the basement and had them figure out what was coming down. When they realized what it was, Marshall said, "It's my birthday!" No, not quite. That's in two weeks, but he's got the right idea. They know their birthday comes in the winter and near Christmas.

We are so excited! Shaylen wanted to go out and catch the flakes on her tongue.

A Visit With the Macs

Last Tuesday, I took the kids over to Mom and Papa McIlwaine's for a visit. We hadn't been over in a while and I wanted to go and say "hello".

Many of you have been praying for "Mom Mac". She is doing well, though the doctor has ordered more physical therapy since she is not getting a full use out of her left side. That therapy starts today. Please continue to pray for her. I know she doesn't enjoy the exercises, but if she can gain more mobility, the less Papa will have to do for her. She is sleeping better and that also means that Papa is too. Shaylen always remembers to pray for them before she goes to bed, or reminds me if I forget. For our kids to hear that they ARE sleeping is an encouragement to continue praying. Thankfully, the Cornerstone Baptist Church family is still bringing in meals for them and ladies are faithfully coming in to stay with Mom while Papa goes out to work. What a HUGE blessing it is for them, and what an opportunity it is for the Cornerstone church family to help those who dedicated their entire lives to Christian service. I wonder who is enjoying it more?

We love the Macs so much! Hopefully we brightened up their day. We certainly enjoyed our time with them.

Simple Joys...Take Two

Monkey See, Monkey Do.

Of course, since Marshall enjoyed his shower so much, Shaylen wanted to take one. Her splashes weren't as violent, but she gets a 10 for creativity.

The Simple Joy of a Shower...Curtain

Marshall had quite the runny nose on Saturday and was sounding congested as well. I thought it would be a good idea for us to close the bathroom door and run the shower in order to steam up the bathroom before Marshall got in there to take his bath.

When he got in there, he seemed so interested that I asked him if he wanted to take a shower. He did! I plugged the drain and let him get in and sit down and enjoy it. We pulled back the decorative curtain so we could keep an eye on him. Boy did he enjoy the splashing and crashing! I certainly enjoyed containing it all within the bathtub.


By the way...he feels so much better! Much better than taking medicine any day.

Ethan is HERE!!!

You may pass on congratulations to Steve and Stephanie (and proud brothers Jared, Caleb and David, and one VERY proud Aunt...ME!!!!!) who have just introduced their fourth son, Ethan to us all. He is a cutey too! I am so thankful for this sweet little one.

Ethan James Schag
Nov. 10th, 2007
1:02 a.m.
6 lbs. 15 oz.
20 1/2 inches

New Dictionary Entry

ukcypent- formally known as "occupant" n; a person, family, group, or organization that lives in, occupies, or has quarters or space in or on something.

Today I read the book Duck and Goose to Marshall and Shaylen. A duck and a goose mistake a ball for an egg. They try not to yell because it would disturb the "occupant" inside. Shaylen asked me at lunch what an "uckypent" was. It took me a while, and after much prodding and repetition of her new word, I finally got it!

Pumpkin Cobbler

Tonight we are having two dear ladies from our church come for dinner. We are so excited that they were willing to come all the way up for fellowship!

For dessert I have made one of my favorite fall dishes that Mom McIlwaine taught me how to make: Pumpkin Cobbler. It is a wonderful variation for those of you who don't care for the traditional pumpkin pie.

Crust:
1/2 cup melted butter
1 egg
1 box yellow cake mix (save out one cup and set aside later for topping)
Mix together and put in a 9x13 pan.

Filling:
1/4 cup milk
3 eggs
3 tsp. cinnamon
2/3 cup brown sugar
2 tsp. vanilla
29 oz. can pumpkin
Mix together and pour over crust.

Topping:
1 cup cake mix
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup softened butter
1 cup chopped walnuts
Mix together with fork until you have a corn meal texture. Sprinkle over filling.

Bake at 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes. Cool and then serve with a dollop of whipped cream.

The Heat Is On

I finally broke down this morning and clicked on the heat on the main floor. Never in our 7+ years in New England have we clicked it on this late. It's usually been on sometime in early October when the leaves change.

The heat wasn't on long though, maybe for one hour until the main floor got to about 67 degrees and by then we were bundled up in our warm clothes for the day and down in our warm basement. (We leave the furnace room door open and that heats the basement a little. It was 65 degrees this morning, but has heated up throughout the day to 69 degrees. Nice! That won't happen all winter though. Soon enough we'll be clicking on the heat down here in order to keep little noses and hands warm during our day here at home.)

Looking at the price of oil these days, however, makes us grab for that extra sweatshirt before reaching for the thermostat.