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15 years ago today....

Madison Rose was born....when she was little she would always ask, 'Tell me the story of when I was born" Do your kids do this, do they still ask now? Well at 15 she doesn't ask anymore to tell me the story, but she has heard it so many times she still remembers "her" story.  It was a hard back-aching labor,   they ended up taking her by C-section.  Her father said when she came out of my belly, "She was the most beautiful baby he had ever seen!".  He was so proud of her and loved her immediately. She loved hearing that when she was little.  I was delirious as 24 hour plus labor does to a woman.  It was a hard road for me after the delivery, as I got the "baby blues" real bad, I wanted her with all my heart so I was surprised I would ever have those feelings.  I don't like to tell sad stories on here, but  I'm being comepletely honest but lets move on to the "happy" stuff, the proud and happy moments of parents.

Today she officially has become a young lady, a young lady that I and her father are so proud of.  The sensitive character of her nature.  Her hardworking as she stives toward a goal, be it making the Varsity Team for Soccer and now making the Varsity Volleyball team her Sophomore year.  She continues to  keep her grades high with great G.P.A.  As I look back in time, she has grown so much from the shy, 6 year old she was to a girl who speaks up when the need arrises {defending her friend or fellow teammates}.  Madison Rose....we celebrate you today as you turn 15!!  

Another Teenager in the HOUSE!

Yep...my Li'l One is NOT so li'l anymore she is 13!!  Oh boy! Here we go. 

taking pictures with cell phones, instagraming, kiking {teenagers ap for texting each other}

yes..this girl is all TEENAGER.....

Oh course she was begging for the iphone for her birthday but......

at her Music Programs' dinner dance she "begged" for me to bid on this cruiser, she had to have it!  Well Happy Birthday Girl !  You just won your bike!  It was time for a new bike, she out grew her old bike and this one fits her just perfect!  I can't believe how grown up she looks in this picture....

 

Making Pumpkin Crunch

Last year we made Molasses Pecan pie....from Better Homes and Gardens magazine....it was not a success.  So this year we went back to our ever faithful Pumpkin Crunch....no fail, better than Pumpkin Pie...and I LOVE pumpkin pie...

It has to the one of the easiest receipes ever.....we had to 1 and half the receipe this year...we used three of the small pumpkin can but it usually calls for one big can of pumpkin but DO NOT confuse it with PUMPKIN PIE filling it is not the same...one time I did and it came out way tooooo sweet..."broke the mouth"  as they say in Hawaii speak....

We needed to get a bigger bowl.....

Pouring in the BEST part of Pumpkin Crunch....yellow cake mix

Here is the CRUNCH in Pumpkin Crunch......chopped walnuts or you can use pecans if you'd like...

oh..not for the diet conscious...oh no!!  Melted unsalted butter....

Perfect Pumpkin CRUNCH...with some vanilla ice cream or a dallop of whipped cream......

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Pumpkin Crunch~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

1 large can of pumpkin (do not confuse this with Pumpkin Pie filling.."broke the mouth" one time)

1 can of evaporated milk

3 eggs

1 cup sugar

1/4 teaspoon cinnomon

1 box of yellow cake mix without pudding

1 cup of chopped walnuts

2 sticks (1 cup butter)

1.  Grease a 13x9x2 pan or line with wax paper

2. Blend pumpkin, milk, eggs, sugar and cinnomon in big bowl

3. Pour in pan

4. Sprinkle with cake mix over pumpkin mixture

5. Spread nuts over cake mix

6. Span melted butter over nuts

7.  Bake at 350 degrees for about an hour or until top is light brown.

8.  Serve with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream...yummy!!!

 

 

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Tidbits....from October and November

Sorry for the blog break...we have been busy and I've had no time to compose a blog post.  I do have LOTS to share with some Autumnal goodness around these parts....FALL is finally here and it feels soooo good with the brisk cool mornings.   Here are a few tidbits of some things that have been going on...with the Maders. Starting with the above photo.....

Going to the Long Beach State VS. University of Hawai'i {my Alma Mater} Volleyball game with my girls and Madison's volleyball team. It was a great game..

but as I expected the Hawai'i team took the win....way to go Warriors!!

MacKenzie's middle school team has one more game left..they are doing pretty well this season, lost a couple and won more than they lost.  Not bad.

Her league play is swap dab in the middle of the season...go Mustangs!

Madison with her Frosh Volleyball team...they lost a total of 3 games the whole season not sure where they placed in league as it has now come to an end...now on to High School Soccer....

My GIRL made VARSITY!!  Yep my freshmen...she was so excited when she found out, she was shaking like a leaf!  Whoop, Whoop{oops that's Volleyball cheer}!!  As for me..

 the House of Horrors... was a great success!!  All three of us were actors in the Insane Assylum {Kenzie is in the wheel chair} boy oh boy did I love playing the crazy lady in the rocking chair, not a far stretch for me.  I put together a Bat Cave complete with LIVE Vampire in a coffin {I was so mad at myself that I never took any pictures!!!}

Madison {and most of the vball team} and Kenzie trick or treating around the hood...this year Madison was an Indian Girl and Kenzie finally settled on being a Black Cat...she started out wanting to be be Bear { I guess not that far off from a cat}, then a Greek Goddess,  then Hello Kitty....I think she makes a very cute Black CAT...Meow...

After going a few blocks...they all came back to do the "trading game"...I remember doing this with my brother when we came back after a night walking the streets trick or treating...

I was so impressed with this year's seasonal set up at TJ's...I love the little chalkboard pumpkin on the fence...I bet it looks pretty at night with the string of lights overhead..so festive.

I was alone shopping so I didn't get my picture taken in the totem pumpkin photo op....I suppose I could of asked a passerby...but they probably would of thought I was a bit nutty...don't answer that please..

I picked up some of those mini white pumpkins for my home.....

Here they are in my galvanized feeder with some garland.....in my built-in Cottagy hutch...

My Li'l One grabbed a couple and decided to make her own mini jacks..next to her Last Year's Hello Kitty One..

My sign found a new home...next to the mailbox.....

Here is Mrs. Witch...resting her weary bones...in a Windsor chair.

the Happy Halloween sign is staked into my Hydrangea...welcoming visitors.

Saw this on Pinterest...was one of a couple Halloweenish projects I got done this season.  I love that I can change this little chalkboard sign to suit the need and/or season.

Here was another one I was able to get to do too...I just took a faux pumpkin and painted it white and used my scallop circle punch to punch out the M on my napkin and glued it on...so very simple. 

Here is the other faux pumpkin, I painted it with chalkboard paint ...and now I can change out the greetings.....and even add a bow on the stem.  Speaking of chalkboards...

I spray painted the backs of the boards of these frames and used Chalk to write scary on them { i used them for Madison and Kenzie room at the old house} Another simple idea that can be changed out....

Aren't these pumpkins "special"?  I love that some are bumpy with warts on them, other are smooth, others are striped......well....yesterday I was at a very "popular" Garden/Decor center that I have posted on here several times and they had the cutest idea......can't wait to show you, so stick around.   Happy Fall to you all!! 

Edible trick or treats....

In a couple of weeks we will be having our Third Annual Harvest Festival and House of Horrors for my daughters' music program.  I'm on the commitee for the House of Horrors. You might of remembered the first year I did The Creepy Music Room and last year the Medical Morgue room, remember The zOMbiES .  This year I'll be doing a hallway, something dark and eerie with glowing eyes in every corner.   To get us in the spirit I like to bring special treats to our meetings....so I'll be making and bringing these Strawberry Ghosts as seen in the above photo.  I do chocolate covered strawberries for Valentines every year, so this should be a piece of....chocolate cake.  If I wanted to step up my game I'd attempt these babies or spooks you might say.............

Super cute too...maybe at the next meeting I'll try the halloweenies...

Or these cake pops...I have NOT been very successful with cake pops..I tried the Hello Kitty ones..a couple of years ago but I do know they have all kinds of cake pans that can help with the process, maybe I'll check into that the next time I want to do the cake pops...

If you have been reading my blog for sometime you might know that I have a fondness for witches especially the witches from The Wizard of Oz.  I dress up as the Wicked Witch of the West every year since oh...1994....yep...I have her cackle down...

These Ding-Dong the Witches Dead cupakes will have to be made in the near future.....in honor of her sister....

All these recipes and how tos can be found here on my All Hallows Eve board....Happy Halloween Sweeties Treaties... Here is the video of our East Whittier Middle School Music Program's House of Horrors which will be On October 17th, 18th and 19th this year.  Come if you are in the area it is quite scary if you dare!!!!

 

 

 

 

Many Firsts...

Yep....off with her best friend on a new adventure, I know these next fours years will pass in a blink of an eye.  I'm excited and nervous for her all at the same time.  I know it can be difficult at times, as at this age they become more "hormonal" which results in hurt feelings and as they start to to become more independent as the aprons strings are become more tethered...I won't go there or else I'll start to tear up.  We don't want that do we?

Her first time as a Frosh Volleyball player {she made the team in July, haven't had time to post on that}....she is loving it. Some of the girls on the team also played with her at the Middle School so that is sweet.  We have had 3 games this week, won two and lost one.  We, Mr. Incredible and I are looking forward to watching more as the season unfolds...it is quite exciting to watch.  Also my youngest is practicing with them and hope to make her 7th Grade team....yep I'll be hearing a lot of "Spike It, Dig It and Bump It".....by the way Madison feels a bit strange in her Buns....those are what you call the volleyball "booty" shorts....I'd wear them around the house to clean if I could get away with it...Ok..do NOT picture that in you mind..not a pretty picture...

These two girls are like "two peas in a pod", like "ketchup and mustard", like "Beevus and Butthead"Oh you get the idea.  I'm so grateful they have each other to confide in and experience what life my bring to their young lives in the next four years. It really, really helps to have a GREAT friend. 

Here is my Li'l One...all looking sassy and cute for her FIRST day of 7th grade. Too bad those darn Toms gave her blisters at the end of the day.  I guess she needed to break those puppies in.  Ouch!

Off they go to Middle School.....excited to be back after having a couple of months off! 

So I'm enjoying the quiet of the home during the day with just me and my "girls".

We will be back on schedule with our morning walks...and I'll be ready to tackle some more projects around this old Cottage. Lots to paint, bathrooms to renovate and kitchen cabinets to spruce up,  Garage to clean up and reorganize, Now...what should I tackle FIRST?

Back to school, My Fifty Shades and Bean Sprouts..oh so Random

Well, our weekly beach day trips are over.....school starts tomorrow.   It is bittersweet.  Will miss the beach but will enjoy the quiet of my home during the day. 

The girls have shopped for new school clothes...for their upcoming school year. I can't believe I have a freshman! I did the shopping thing different this year than I did in years past.  I think my girls are a bit spoiled...maybe you mothers can relate but they seem to think "money grows on trees"so I gave each of them a set amount of money to spend {$200.00 in cash} for their back to school clothes which did not include school supplies; markers, binders, pencil stuff.  At first my li'l one was like Wow, LOOK at all this money, she thought she won big in Vegas!!   Well, she soon learned that $$$ does not go as far as you think, especially if you want to buy a pair of jeans at Hollister versus two pairs at H & M.  They begged me for Toms last year.....I really talked them out of them and they got the "Fake" Toms. This year if they so choose to buy Toms then they could..it was their choice. At the end of their shopping spree they didn't budget enough for a new backpack, my eldest was cool with using last years.  My Li'l one, well  is not too happy that she will be reusing last years, but it is still in great condition. It was a great learning experience for both of them and I'll do it again next year.  I want to teach them that yes.."Money does NOT grow on Trees" as my Daddy used to say while I was their age. 

Well, speaking of back to school shopping...I WANT these BOOTS {I DO have a slight shoe fettish, do you remember the Filipino Imelda Marcos?}...but since money doesn't grow on trees....it will be a loooooooong time if ever If I  can afford to buy them.  They are by UGG,  I was never fond of the traditional looking UGGS { you can see them in the left side of the above picture}, I thought they were UGLY to be honest.  Comfy and warm but not so attractive but these babies....mmmmmm, I think are mighty pretty.  Love the soft brown leather with the white fur inside, kind of cloggy- looking,  perfect size heel...I'll be saving my allowance for these babies...I can see them with a great pair of jeans and a warm sweater for the upcoming Fall season.

After shopping we always hit CalifornaPizzaKitchen and I always order My favorite Pizza, The Thai Chicken Pizza from CPK.....loaded with bean sprouts...but this time as I ate my sprouts I ate it without incidence...a few months ago I was eating an Asian salad at The Cheesecake Factory and a bean sprout got caught horizontal in my throat and I had the whole restaurant in a PANIC!  My waitress almost delivered her BABY early seeing me with my hands around my throat!!  In the end I went to the restroom and coughed it out...and no one had to do the Hemlick-maneuver on me....

Here they are teasing me.....Smart Aleck!

It took me all summer to finish reading my Fifty Shades....mmmmmm mmmm mmmm....Not because I didn't enjoy the book I SOOOOO did but finding the time to read them with teenagers in the house thinking my Mini Van is painted a sunny shade of YELLOW.  I LOVED THE BOOKS...LOVED THE STORY AND CAN'T WAIT when I can watch Christian Grey on the big screen.....I've been slightly obsessed seeing all the Fifty Shades' Pin boards on Pinterest and watching YOUTube-fan-based-movie-trailers..I found one that was really good and relatively tame, the one my friend sent me via my iphone is much more racier...what do you think, have you read the books, who can you picture playing Christian Grey and Anastasia Steele?

 

Without a doubt after seeing this trailor, Matt Bomer IS Christian Grey..

 

What I've been up to...

On Monday, Kenzie and I signed up for our Library's Summer Reading club.  I love reading and so does my li'l one.  In summer it seems I have more uninterrupted time to devote to the pleasure of reading.  I know some people might feel that they don't have time to give and  absorbing themselves in a good book, but I think it is important that you lead by example.  I think if my daughters see me reading they intern will be "psyched" to pick up a book.  Like I said, my youngest LOVES to read but for my other daughter who "says the Library makes her sick"...she has dropped out of the summer reading club for the last several summers and the incentives don't inspire her to read I have my own "mommy incentives".  I believe that reading develops the mind and vocabulary. Students {people who read  have a bigger vocabulary thus they score higher on tests.  So....I put together a "Summer Fun"  bag for each of the girls to kick off the Summer.  

Got the straw bag from Target and the flip flop towels in fact everything was from Target except the Turtle flop flops.  Each bag contained a composition book, a reading book ,a beach towel, Salt Water Taffy and flip flops.  Madison got a special pair from Brighten this year as part of her Promotion gift.  She loves turtles and the colors match her room. 

This is my expectation for each of them.  They are to read a minimum of 30 minutes each day, Monday through Thursday. They are to write a short synopsis in their composition book on what they read.  If all is done come Friday we pack a lunch and head to the beach all day!   Both girls Love the beach so it is great incentive...When the girls were younger you might of remembered they Played Summer Bingo.  I thought since we are all on different schedules this year it gave them more freedom then having a set schedule like I have done in the past. 

And Yes....I'm reading 50 Shades of Grey.....oh my!!.....Have you read it, what do you think? I've been having the best dreams lately!!!

14!

Here is my girl in the plum formal with her besties at the Pops Concert, the theme this year was The Grammys.  I can't believe how much she has grown up especially this past year.  She'll be going to High School next year and I know that will fly by in the blink of an eye and we will be looking at colleges soon..Yowza!

It seemed like yesterday she was wearing SpongeBob PJ's and missing teeth.  She is such a good girl, smart and super athletic.  I'm proud that if she doesn't make the team {volleyball} that she does not let that deter her and she'll try out for it the next year, {and make it}.  

She is tall {at 5 feet 8 inches and growing}, beautiful and kind.  She is sure of her self and yet soft spoken.

She plays a mean flute.....and always gives 100 percent in school or sports..

She has a few close friends and is a loyal and true friend.  

She is a leader {Captain of her club soccer team and school team} she helped them take first place at the tournament in Soccer and Basketball.  

She is a great big sister {yes they do fight, that is normal I hear} and loves her to death......but above all she is a wonderful daughter and friend....we LOVE her soooo much and can't believe she just turned 14!

Watching the NBA...

It all began with this.....{my girl is number 3}....she made the 7th grade team last year but this year while she was on the 8th grade team (the 8th graders get to play in the gymnasium} watching them play on a real court with the fancy scoreboard seemed to make it more like they where playing real basketball.

                                                  {the 8th grade team}
Or maybe it was because in the regular season games when they played the school that they previously had lost to TWICE but during the tournament when they were playing against that school they where behind by several points in the fourth  quarter and they came back and won the game to advance them to the finals. Which was so exciting to watch and I came to the conclusion I LIKE Basketball.  I was on the edge of my seat and when they shot a basket I jumped up and cheered very enthusiastically, me? OH YES ME?!!.  I've even taken it a step further with my basketball phase, {is it a phase?}....when I'm subbing and I'm on recess duty I've been joining in with the 5th grade boys...well.  Madison's coach has the girls do this thing where they wave their arms up in the air and back and forth and yell, "BALL, BALL, BALL".  I'm quite competitive and don't like to get beat by some 11 year old boys so I started doing this and they looked at me like I was a lunatic and I grabbed the ball and shot a basket or two.  They told me I could not do that and I told them, "oh yes I can, the girls do it at middle school".  You might of guessed but I don't know a lick about basketball so not only do I drive the 5th grade boys CRA CRA {slang for Crazy, yes I live with teenagers} with my antics I have to question any fellow parent at the games all of the Basketball details and rules and why they got that foul while watching the game. {you don't want to take me to Vegas, I do this to at the Craps table too}

But in the end the girls took FIRST place in the middle school basketball tournament.  I must say they had an OUTSTANDING 7th grade player on the team and she really was like a 12 year old female Kobe Bryant.  Now because of this I've been following the NBA....who would of thought I'd turn into a basketball nut.  I loved watching the Clippers a week ago come back from way behind and win against the Oklahoma City.   It's so face-paced and can change in just seconds.  I watched the Lakers tonight against the Denver Nuggets {Kenzie thinks that is the funniest name for a team} and it was really close but the Lakers are leading 3-1 now in the series. I think it will be really interesting if the Lakers and the Clippers make it to the finals.  What do you think?  Are you a basketball fan?  What is your favorite team?   

 

                         {the tournament team with 7th and 8th}