joy to the world!

Okay, so they're not so pinterest-y, but I did make them yesterday...


This is the third time this season I've made the double batch of cut-out butter cookies, it makes about 85 cookies.

They take a bit of time to make, but less than in the days gone by, the baby/toddler/small children days, when I had to break to nurse the baby and get the toddler fed and into nap, and and and.

Everyone should have 16 children, and be so busy for so many years, on so little sleep, so busy that you can't string two thoughts together, then...when the littlest one starts growing up...ahh, you appreciate EVERYTHING. Every single cup of coffee with the feetsies up, every moment of quiet, every uninterrupted baking session, going to the bathroom without little fingers snaking under the door...or even not having to make the decision whether to sneak to the bathroom without saying anything and risking one of them noticing and listening to a chorus of WHERE'S MOMMY (or worse, they sneak real quick into the cereal cupboard), or telling them and having one or two cry to come with you.

Anyway. It's not actually post-traumatic stress syndrome, because it wasn't really traumatic. But it was challenging. And It was rich and filled with blessings and hugs and cuddles and fun.

So I decided not to go to the pool yesterday, because it was so blissful to just be home. The usual busy church schedule is rather relaxed this week, so everyone was home last night, and it was nice. I frosted the cookies, got a few last gifts wrapped, and a visit from Bethany and Joseph.

Here's a little something fun: We are going to Florida this year, in February! Grandma is wanting a visit! Paul is going with us this year, yay! The drive is UGH so long, the drive home, super UGH. But, it's so nice to visit the sunshine and warmth in February, and to spend time with Grandma...and go to a theme park, too:)

Well, I have things to do and places to go and a house to clean. Ever notice how clean the living room feels when you clean under the couches?

some of my favorite things....

Do these look yummers or what? Peanut butter cups on top of peanut butter cups?

And these: Rice Krispie Treats that look like little presents!

I need to stay off of Pinterest, right? Good thing there's no calories in looking.

But here's the thing: we are having an appetizer contest on Christmas eve. I am pairing up with Char and Cam, and am thinking Krispie treats with peanut butter in them dipped in chocolate...then when I was poking around looking at yummy things, I found this dip you make to dip cookies into, it's cream cheese with brown sugar and peanut butter, all whipped up, with broken Reese's broken into it. Oh dear heavenly yum.

I AM going to have a nice Christmas, a few treats on Christmas Eve, we're celebrating at Ben's house. We're doing Secret Santa. Fourteen of the kids will be there, with spouses and grandkids there'll be...well, a lot, ha. 24, I think. Sam, Grace, and Grant are coming back on the 26th, (they left yesterday).

We're celebrating Christmas morning here, with all of the older kids who want to come, but I think Molly and Josh and Lyd will open presents at their place then come over, same with Ben and Ashley and their two little girls. I think Margaret and Adrian may just spend the night here Christmas Eve, it's so nice when they wake up here in the morning. Jon and I have plans to make homemade cinnamon buns, and I'll have to remember orange juice. I rarely buy it, just as a treat, as it's so sugary and superfluous.

Anyway. We are having ham and beef brisket for Christmas dinner at Ben and Ashley's, in addition to the feasting on Christmas eve there.

As far as gifts go, I think I'm done. I am not satisfied when I look at my list. I want to give them things that will make each and every one of them happy and thrilled and surprised. They grow up, but they're all my sweet dears, whom I would give my very life for. My heart can break at the mere thought of them being hurt or sad, and all I really want is for them to have good lives. When Margaret and Adrian got married, Margaret said to him, something along the lines of, "If you are ever hurt or sad, it won't be because of me, I vow right now to only bless you and be good to you every single day forever..."

Anyway anyway. Today, I went to the post office for boxes to ship some things in, what's the hurry, right? The day before yesterday, we stopped and Sam ran in and came out with only huge boxes, which I didn't realize until we got home. Then yesterday I asked Kathryn to stop and get some on her way to the gym, but she stopped on the way home when it was closed. Rural post offices close for lunch out here. So today I got the boxes, then drove back to town to mail them, then went to the small city with Jonathan for a few things.

Home...time to wrap presents with Lydia! She wanted everything to be for her mom. And she wanted to tape everything for me. She likes to help.

And, I made another batch of cut out cookie dough this morning, the third batch this season. So...out to the kitchen I go, to cut them out and bake them...then frost them!

(it's hard to bake and not eat it, but I'm doing okay. I think it's a ripoff I don't lose more weight than I am losing, but that's my lot in life, I guess. Jon told me I need to start working out, which I did but stopped again, I told him it's like this: 80% diet, 20% exercise...he said, "Well, maybe you need that 20%." ouchers, Jon. But, I'm going to the pool this afternoon...

Off I go...

how many days?

I can't. I really can't. It cannot be so close. So I'm just going through the days, pretending like I have lots of time. I can't even say what I've been up to, as it will ruin surprises.

Today, Samuel and I took a quick trip to the small city. He and I both know how to dawdle, and I can't remember the last time I've been to Walmart with one of my kids without being sighed at for simply looking at things! But no eye-rolling from Sam! He just looked at stuff right along with me, as we agreed we should really hurry up.

We didn't hurry up though, and it was fun.

Home....ah home. Sam and Grace and baby Grant have been here since Saturday. They were supposed to leave last night, but their car broke down. It's fixed now, so tomorrow I'll drive them to the place where it was fixed, and they'll leave from there.

Last evening, Benjamin and Ashley and their two little girls came for dinner. Their little Anya is BESTIES with little Lydia, so of course Lydia was NOT ready to go home when her mama came to pick her up. We had pulled pork nachos.

Tonight we had some really nice chuck roast which had been in the crockpot all day. I cut up some sweet potatoes and red skinned potatoes and roasted them in olive oil, mmm.

Dessert: the kids opened a box of chocolates from our friend from church, and I smelled it, but didn't have any. I'm really trying to not eat sugar, and it's helping! I've lost about seven pounds in the last few months. I know, it's not a lot, but it's better than GAINING seven pounds. Right? I'm still exactly 20 pounds over the lowest I went, back a few years ago...like seven years ago, I guess. It's coming back off slowly! I do intermittent fasting, and low carb, very little sugar, avoid eating in the evening, which is so hard around here! I can't drink diet soda anymore, I had some bad reactions from it. (shaky, jittery, feeling like my very brain was buzzing!) I stayed away from it because I thought it was the culprit, tried it again, and sure enough! I cannot tolerate it. I think going lower carb makes me more sensitive to it.

Anyway...seltzer water, or tea in the evening, or even a piece of gum makes me happy enough.

My shopping isn't done. My wrapping isn't done.

But I still have time, ha.

Today when I went out and about with Samuel, I forgot my phone and my glasses. I was as good as blind, as far as reading my Christmas list. Sam offered to read it for me, but first of all, his name IS on there, as well as what I've gotten for him, AND, I write things in codes that even I have trouble deciphering!

One of the girls still has a giant white blank next to her name.

So I am not quite done yet.

We had an amazing Christmas celebration at church. I bought the food on Friday with Camille.



40 pounds of potatoes, carrots, sqash (all roasted up, yummers!)..brown sugar cured spiral sliced ham, apple sauce with apples cut up in it, green beans with almonds... rolls with butter, baked potatoes and sour cream and butter...punch, coffee, hot cocoa with mini marshmallows and M&M's. And all those cookies from the cookie bake for dessert!


Kathryn at the candy and dessert table. I had only one cookie for the day, one of the mocha/peppermint twists I made.




Camille and me...:)


Benjamin with his baby, Elise...


Suzanne and Miss Char...


We watched baby Grant on Saturday night so his parents could go to the military ball...



And today is this beautiful little boy's first birthday!!! Happy 1st, Grant!!!

So it's been busy...shopping on Friday, having people over for dinner, babysitting on Saturday, Christmas celebration on Sunday...Emily, Evelyn, Kathryn, Char, and Cam, and some of the other girls helped with the meal...but oh how sweet it is when it all comes out nicely!

Monday...dentist appointments for Sonja and I...I have a cavity, dang it. Back to the dentist for a filling in March, which will be here before we know it.

Anyway, life is busy, but I'll keep on working on being thankful.

Maybe tomorrow I'll get my shopping done, and my gifts wrapped, and things out to the post office.

Maybe I'll get the house cleaned too.

You never know!

molly rose gets married....

The cupcake table...



Ben and Ashley's house...all the furniture moved into the other room, and the carpet rolled up...Evelyn did most of the decorating, with Margaret.

My Molly Rose, my seventh child, my little rebel. She has chosen her own course in life, she has had her challenges. She is a registered nurse, she graduated from high school a year early and went to college, started working in the hospital right after college. She had Lydia three years ago, and still managed to work full time since Lyd was five weeks old. She is a good mommy, too. She met Joshua, and they both knew from the first minute they were meant to be. They pledged forever to each other, and it makes my heart happy. She deserves to be treated so well, he's a true gentleman.


Lydia walked down the aisle first...


Paul walked Molly down the aisle...






The Mr. and Mrs.!


Me with two of my granddaughters...Miss Anya and little Lydia.


Four of my daughters (well, five, Abigail is in the background...)with my other granddaughter, Elise. (Cam, Char with Elise in the front, Sonja K. and Emily in the back)


Paul and I with our eleven daughters!


With our sons Jonathan, Benjamin, and new son-in-law Josh...and Jon holding baby Wulf. (Joseph had already left, and Samuel and Aaron didn't make it to the wedding...:( )

Phew. It's over. It was so nice. This day, wow, what a day. We got up early and headed out the door on a quest to find Charlotte Claire a new dress. She's a growing girl, from a child to a beautiful young lady just overnight! She tried on some of her dresses and I almost cried...she's just gotten so big. So, off we went to the small city, to Marshall's, where she found just the right dress for fifteen dollars. Jonathan also went, and found a secret Santa gift for the boys' party this Friday, and some nice Adidas sneakers for $24, for Christmas. I feel bad making him wait, but who just gets new sneakers two weeks before Christmas?

We got home, got those meatballs in the oven, the girls took showers, I washed my tangly hair, and we packed up our cupcakes and headed over to Ben's house. We stopped at the pizza place in town, the best pizza in the world I'll venture to say, and picked up three large. We got to Ben and Ashley's by one, and just got home a bit ago.

The meatballs were really good, in the crockpot with barbecue sauce. Ashley made Buffalo chicken breast chunks, and Emily brought cheese, crackers, more cheese, grapes, oranges...Josh's mom brought these twice baked salt potatoes with bacon and cheese and some other dips and stuff. We had punch, and of course the cupcakes.

I did try some of the cupcakes, why not? I figure your daughter gets married only once, ha. (Only two of my eleven daughters are married!)

Anyway. It was quite a day! Ashley is the sweetest girl. She made so many pots of coffee, and was so gracious about the complete taking over of her home for this event. She has a busy little one year old (Elise), and Anya the kindergartner, so she is a busy mom. And Benjamin came right home from work and started setting up chairs.

The kids have all gone to bed for the night, I am up all alone. I need to get some sleep too. Lydia is coming bright and early tomorrow morning:) And in the evening, we are going to the pool with Abigail, it's her real birthday tomorrow. And I keep saying I need to go to the pool. So we have a date.

I have so many more things to do, but I need to recover from this event first. Sunday is our church Christmas feast, 80+ people, and I am buying the food for that. Friday night we are doing a cookie bake where everyone brings dough and bakes together.

And...I have totally backed off from my Christmas preparations here! I have so much wrapping to do! And I've lost track of some things I think I've bought, so I need to brainstorm and write things down! The days are flying by!

And, Samuel and Grace and baby Grant are coming up this coming weekend to stay here!

Ah well.

Can I just revisit the cupcake subject? They were SO good! The vanilla recipe, oh dear, yummers. The frosting was delectable. The chocolate ones were really good too. I sent a dozen for Molly to take to work, a dozen for Josh to take to work, and brought home about a dozen. They are calling me, but I am not lis-ten-ing! I will not eat anymore! I only had about one and a half altogether. The vanilla was actually better. But no more. No more.

Anyway. Goodnight!!!

wedding cupcakes!!!!

I found some good recipes, I hope! I did cut up one chocolate one for Lydia and tasted a bit, mmm. The vanilla, I haven't tried, but hey, there's sugar in it, and sour cream, and butter...how can it not be good?



Buttercream frosting...











There are sixty something, all packed up nicely for tomorrow. I can't wait to put them on the cupcake stand and on the platters, it's fun. We have lots of decorating to do! We're using pine branches, greenery, sticks and twigs, and white Christmas lights.

I made lists, and checked them twice, tomorrow, a wedding! Mali and Josh are getting married. I hope it turns out just beautiful...

blogging with a snuggler....

This fine morning, I am attempting to write while snuggling with Miss Lydia. She is tired, had to get out of her warm bed too early, so her mama can go take care of sick people. We are watching Curious George. My first cup of coffee is gone, and I'm ready to start my day, but she isn't ready for me to get up yet.



So procrastinator that I am, I haven't started on those wedding cupcakes yet. I did look through my recipe box yesterday, lo and behold my papers with my favorite chocolate and vanilla cupcakes aren't in there. So I had to take to the internet to find some similar, and will have to cross my fingers they are good. That's the problem with being so organized ha.

I also found out we didn't have enough milk or eggs for the recipes, and also needed some buttermilk. So last evening, Evelyn and I went to the store...she also had to get some decorations for the wedding. She got two small Christmas trees to make a nice place for the ceremony...she has lots of ideas, it will be lovely.

There will only be like 40 people for the wedding, so the cupcakes shouldn't be too hard, says the procrastinator.

In other news, I did make a triple batch of chocolate chip cookies yesterday, with holiday (red and green) M&Ms on top. And I did not eat one single one. I sent a few home with Darius, he had to go home to Oregon in the wee hours this morning. I sent a few home with Emily, and with Anne, and Suze took lots to school.

Anyway...I'll try to take lots of pictures...time to get up and moving and start those cuppycakes!

monday morning blues NOT!

Sometimes you just look at things totally wrong. For example, on Mondays, I have two small children for the day. This means pretty much zero gets done here, and with one in diapers and one potty-training, with faces and hands to wash after those little snacks, and keeping them from bopping each other while fighting over one particular color Duplo block, and cleaning up playdough...well, I can make the mistake of waking up on Monday morning and being like...ugh.

But. But. IN a totally different prospective, yay! I get to stay today! I am going to get some hugs and snuggles, and hear funny little things said! I get to dry tears and give comfort and bless and nourish these little ones.

Two days 'til the wedding...I am planning to make the cupcakes this evening, and bring them over to Ben and Ashley's tomorrow to frost/decorate...it's so much easier to decorate them onsite, than to transfer them. I'll take lots of pictures, I am excited, because making cupcakes for something special is my thing, but...of course there's that fear that they'll flop!

I still don't know what I'm wearing, or what the little girls are wearing...the other girls all have their own ideas, and they'll be fine. Jon has lots of dress clothes too.

Yesterday we had an excellent birthday celebration for Abigail.


We had pulled pork nachos...Mirielle made homemade salsa, and oh dear were they good! I am not a cheese or sour cream person, so mine looked rather plain, but yum.


The dessert was a nod to Abigail's love for bananas and all things banana, a banana cake with cream cheese frosting...it looked delectable, but I cannot eat bananas, I am allergic to them. It looked so moist and dense and yum, but I had to say no, which I was rather glad about.

We had baby Wulf here to spend the night on Saturday so his mama and papa could have a bit of time away for their two year annivesary...


I don't remember if I put up a pic of Olaf yet...Lydia helped me make him.


On Saturday morning, I went out and about with Evelyn, Suzanne, Sonja, Charlotte Claire, and Camille. I tried on this fleece because it was marked down, and it looked comfy...it fit, and I liked it, but then I hung it back up and said I don't need it. My daughters insisted I get it, Sonja said she would wrap it up and give it to me for Christmas. :)


Ah well...Anne will be here in five minutes...Lyd is all snuggled up with me, but time to get up...and maybe have that second cup of coffee...