A Big Love Affair

Top 10 Reasons to drive a Suburban.

1. We camp.  Have you ever gone to Colorado or Yellowstone in a car with 8 passengers and their stuff?  Trust me a car would explode and so would I.
2. 4 kids, 1 dog & a daddy who likes to be prepared for ANYTHING!  Can you say Boy Scout?
3. I am short—I like to be able see what is coming.
4. The kids like looking down on cars & making faces.
5. Leg room.  I tried folding myself Into the back seat of a car the other day.  Wow how do you do that?
6. Teenage drivers.  Your teen will not only be safe if he/she drives as Suburban but will be intimidated by parallel parking.  Therefore delaying the drivers test.(Evil laugh)
7. I like telling the kids go get in the ‘Burban(not Bourbon).
8. A large car balances the number of bikes we attach to the back—makes it SO much fun to park at Wal-mart.
9. The seats are really just couches.  Very comfy for long drives.  Did I mention Yellowstone?
10. It is good for my self-confidence.  All the little cars just seem to get out of the way when I switch lanes.  I must be someone important.

I am thankful our old Suburban passed inspection today without any needed repairs.

Linking up at oh Amanda for

Top 10 Tuesday

Money saving Monday! Homemade Cocoa mix

My youngest LOVES hot cocoa.  We all like it and drink it in the winter a bunch but Joshua could live on it.  When he was 2 or 3(sippy cup stage) he would get a cup while I was fixing breakfast and then beg for more at breakfast.

Luckily my mother in law shared her recipe for homemade cocoa mix.  Elizabeth made the first batch up a couple of weeks ago.  She did a masterful job & when it gets cold out this week we will be ready!

We like this recipe so much more and it is great for a big family like ours.  I haven’t done a cost bread down but it is way cheaper than the mixes you can buy in the packets.  So get your kids in the kitchen and make up some cocoa mix!

Grandma’s Hot Cocoa Mix

10 cups dry powdered milk—we use 1-8 qt box from Aldi’s

4 1/2 cups creamer—we use a 16 oz jar from Aldi’s

1 lb Quik chocolate milk mix

1 lb powdered sugar

Mix well & place in dry sealed containers.  Head a mug of water & mix in 2-3 heaping spoonfuls of the mix.  Add marshmallows & enjoy!

Posted at

Mouthwatering Monday

@ A Southern Fairytale

Tangling with a Cow (or A Lucky Old Man)

This morning started with smell of turkey.  I popped our turkey in the crock pot last night.  It was done this morning & ready for our dinner after church.
Got everyone to church even though my love wasn’t feeling the best.
Went to leave & had lost my keys—frustrating! But it worked out that I got 15 minutes alone with my oldest as he ran me home.  Sweet time to just talk.
Then things went south.
My Grandpa showed up with my aunts on their way to the hospital.  They were at my house to pick up my mom who would be skipping our turkey dinner to spend time waiting on a CAT scan and x-rays.  My grandpa is still a cattle farmer—he’s in his 80s and probably will never stop. 

He is 5 foot tall and 100 lbs soaking wet.  So yesterday when he and cow had a discussion in the barn she won. 

He had a black eye & lots of bruises.  Thankfully after he was checked out they said be more careful & you will be REALLY sore for a few days.  I am so thankful that he wasn’t hurt in any way. 

Love you Grandpa.

Linked up at http://heavenlyhomemakers.com for Gratituesday

One Wild Weekend

I am not sure how I will survive the coming 3 days.  Why is it that our normally calm life(sarcasm) has erupted in a mad marathon of company in town, business meetings, Thanksgiving dinner, Christmas play practice, and a parade.

The best thing out of all of this is that my house is de-cluttered more than it has been in YEARS and mostly clean!!!  We’ve taken 3 days off of school to really get things in to shape and the house looks marvelous.  The fall decorations are out and all the food is bought for our Thanksgiving dinner on Sunday!!!

I am not stressing and that is truly a finer thing.