We Grow Kids and Pumpkins

Y'all! I am ecstatic! Nanny came for a visit today and she and I were in the house, cooking Chicken Croissant Roll Ups, when the kids came running in from the pasture. They were hollering and jumping up and down. I immediately thought they had seen a snake! We have pumpkins growing out in the back forty!!! Eek! Yay! After Halloween, I always let the kids smash their pumpkins out in the pasture. So now we grow pumpkins! How perfect that try discovered them on Halloween. Happy Halloween, right?! 

Nanny with Rowdy, Cash & RC...and our 67 dogs. 

Rem last year with a pumpkin from the pumpkin patch. This year, with a pumpkin we grew!

There's more, y'all! 

Chicken Croissant Roll Ups

2 cans chicken, drained

2 cans crescent rolls

Cream of mushroom

Cream of chicken

Shredded cheese

Milk

Preheat oven to 350• Spray 9x13 with cooking spray. Dump chicken in a mixing bowl and shred with a fork. Add in a couple of spoons of each of the soups and a little cheese. Stir it up real good. Flatten out the crescent roll triangles and spoon in a little of the chicken mixture. Roll up croissant and place in pan. Continue until all of the rolls are used up. Sometimes I have leftover chicken and I just empty my cans of soup and stir it all up. I add a little milk to thin it out. I let those cook for a while so that they can get a little done around the edges and they won't be doughy. Then pour the soup mixture over the top and top with cheese. Bake until golden and bubbly. 

My crew loves these and they're easy and quick. 

This is the only picture I got. We were too excited about the pumpkins! 

Now it's time for a slice of that pumpkin cheesecake Nanny brought with her. 

Happy Halloween, y'all! Have a boo-tiful day! 

❤️ Jennifer

A slice of Banana Nut Bread with a side of fear

Helloo! ::that was in my Mrs. Doubtfire voice:: Yesterday was great and fabulous and busy. I spent it cleaning and baking. I had had a dream the other day that I got stopped by the cops for speeding. They looked inside my car and told me that since it was dirty (it's not, y'all) and I had kids, they wanted to see my house too, just to be sure it was in livable condition. The cops took my kids (remember this is ONLY a dream lol), and CPS showed up at my house and said my house was too messy to raise kids. They kept my kids!!! When I woke up, I felt weird and just wanted to clean. Ya know, just in case... ;) Well, my boys' room was actually THAT messy. Boys! But not anymore! We got it licked. 

Yay! -baby photobomb-

They have bunk beds, but sleep together most of the time. Best brothers is what they call themselves. I just love that. 

I also baked banana nut bread yesterday because I had 50 million bananas that didn't get eaten. {Also, if autocorrect could stop changed banana nut, to banana but, that'd be great.} I tripled my recipe and it made 11 loaves. We go through spells with them. One week we eat 3 pounds, the next we eat none. But I always buy them. Cheap, healthy snack! Here is my recipe and it's so easy! It doesn't mess up your whole kitchen and you only dirty up one bowl. Winning! 

I usually keep my loaf pans and reuse them since I make this so often, but I was feeling generous ['tis the season] lol. Somebody (Cash) picked the top out of a few loaves to "see what it tasted like", so I had to get creative and hide that. I dug through my baking cabinet and found these Halloween picks. Then I just ripped some fabric into strips and tied on a pretty bow. Voila! Beautiful, dahling!

Banana Nut Bread

3 ripe bananas

1/3 C melted butter

1 C sugar

1 egg, beaten

1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

Pinch of salt

1 1/2 C all purpose flour

1 C chopped pecans 

Preheat oven to 350• Mash bananas in large mixing bowl. I melt my butter in a small glass bowl while I'm doing this. Mix in all the ingredients and pour in 3 small greased loaf pans. Bake until cooked through, usually about 70 minutes. 

Time to have me a slice! Or six. 

❤️ Jennifer

Make The Days Count

Good morning! I didn't have any coffee yesterday, so today I may celebrate and have an extra cup. Caleb has been home and it's been fabulous. He has been working so hard here lately. Yesterday we had a lazy day. Not really "lazy", just enjoying one another. We sat around watching Green Acres (I was raised on it, so you know I bought the DVD), eating Little Debbies and playing with the kids. If y'all know Caleb, y'all know he is just a big kid. Seriously. The kids love it! He plays with them like he's one of them. I'm blessed to have him for a husband. 

[In the middle of a backflip. I'm over here with a bad back, like, yeah, good for you lol. Cool dad award.] 

Roxie turned 13 months over the weekend. Here's a little progress picture.

Y'all know how when it's someone's child's birthday or major milestone, how they always say, "Where has the time gone?" It always gets me to thinking and reflecting back. I make a point to be engaged with all of my little babes, everyday. Playing, reading books, giggling, breaking up fights, coloring, feeding them, finding lost shoes, rocking, kissing boo boos, telling funny stories, filling sippy cups, tickling, big hugs, THAT'S where the time has gone! I know that the years go way, way too fast, and my kids are still little, but I enjoy every day I have with them. I saw a quote that has really stuck with me. "Don't count the days, make the days count". I've been Momma for almost 10 years now and I think back to when Rylie Cole was first born and I can't believe it's been that long, but I KNOW where the years have gone. 

I smell a poopy diaper, time to get busy. Make your day count today. Enjoy it. These are the best days of our lives!

❤️ Jennifer 

Cookie Cake Recipe

Good morning! Hi! Hello! Hey! How you doin'? I'm up having my coffee and eating puppy chow. I can't stop! I bought way too much at Brookshire's because I was trying to get bonus points. It's bad. Their sale this week is awful. I'm going to have to pay full price to fill my bus up. Hate that. But I'll get 'em next week!

I'm seeing all this Christmas stuff everywhere I go and it's making me ready for the holidays. One store I went to the other day was even playing Christmas music. In October?! That's cray cray. I ain't gonna lie, as soon as Halloween is over, I'll be trying to put my Christmas decorations out. Ya know, right after Halloween like a normal American. 

[Christmas 2013]

I finally finished Roxie's costume. It only took me about 20 minutes. I just winged it. Nothing fancy. Comfortable and cute, that's what I like. I'm ready to see her in it! My MIL came and picked up Rem (and Rylie and Rowdy and Cash, she can't leave with just one lol) so that they could go get Rem's Elsa dress finished. 

[Halloween 2013]

I have to bake cookies today for the cookie walk for our first fall festival of the year. Yay! I'm thinking about doing a cookie cake, like the kind you get at the mall. I got the recipe from Doughmestic Housewife on Instagram. I'm 100% sure that mine won't be near as cute, but I'm ok with that. I'm also going to make some almond bark candy. I can't ever make that just to keep here at the house. I can eat my weight in that. Basically I can eat my weight in anything. I'm a champ like that. 

Time to gather up my baking supplies and get crackin'.

❤️ Jennifer

Narcoleptic Sloth on Sleeping Pills, That's Me!

Good gloomy morning! Where's the sunshine?! Y'all know I'm solar-powered and without my sun, I'm ready to hibernate. 

Well, I've got some good news and some bad news. Good news is Rylie Cole found Remmi's lost moccasin!!! Yay! Bad news is that the other ones have already been shipped are on their way. I guess that's not really bad news, but I'd rather have my money back than two pairs of the same shoes, ya dig?! 

I have been SO tired here lately and have the energy of a narcoleptic sloth on sleeping pills. Usually sleepy = pregnant for me. But that's NOT the case. Lol! I would think I get enough hours of sleep; I just think it's a bad quality of sleep. It's broken sleep. Baby toenails scratching me, husband throwing his legs on me, toddler feet in my face ( I am SO, SO blessed to have all of that. For real though.) Maybe Momma just needs her own room lol! My biggest fear is that this is the way life is now, tired all the time. I need energy for my babies and Caleb. Nobody likes Sleepy, Grouchy Momma Bear. I've got too much stuff to do! I'm a momma to five, is sleepy the new black? 

Yesterday, I went to Reeves Chapel to help one of my best friends get ready for their Fall Festival. We go to it every year and it is something my kids and I always look forward to. If you are Methodist, and looking for a church to visit, visit there! It's a BEAUTIFUL old church out in the middle of nowhere and I absolutely love it! You WILL feel a warm welcome. The ladies there always treat us like family and cater to the kids like they're their own. I can't wait for Saturday! Kids in costumes, fellowship, games, candy, hayride, good food, and did I mention I get to see my friends?! That's the best part!

[My best friends, Billie-Jo and LO at Roxie's birth]

Caleb got home really early this morning, but who knows how long he will be home this time. He has been busy here lately! That is a blessing because the winter is always hard on us. [Eat Beef] I'm going to make Taco Soup for lunch/supper. Taco Soup is a simple, quick meal, but Caleb really likes it. There are tons of different ways to make it, this is how I do mine. 

Taco Soup

1 lb ground beef

1 can of corn, not drained

1 can of Rotel, not drained

1 can of refried or pinto beans

1 can of enchilada sauce

Brown your ground beef in the pot you're going to cook your soup in (no sense in dirtying up extra dishes). I usually season mine with Tony Chacheres's (I probably spelled that wrong), garlic powder, cumin and salt and pepper. I drain my meat on a plate with paper towels. Then dump the meat back in the pot and open all the cans and dump them in, too. Let it all get hot and it's done! We eat ours with tortilla chips, sour cream and cheese. This always tastes better the next day, if there is any left. 

::Yawn:: Time for another cup of coffee. 

❤️ Jennifer

Moccasins and Makin' Stuff

Good morning! Or good day! I guess it depends on what time you're reading this. 

Let me talk about something tragic. Something horrible. I'm talking about losing just one of a little baby's shoes. It's one of the worst things that could ever happen, am I right?! Ugh! THAT makes me crazy. I bought Rem some little fringe moccasin boots and one got lost. Well what am I supposed to do with the remaining shoe?! I can't throw it away because I'm scared it'll turn up eventually. Those are the shoes that she wears with errything and we are all matchy matchy! So, I had to order another pair! And it was like finding a needle in a haystack. They were sold out of her size everywhere. I hate having to buy something I already bought, ya know? I finally found a pair and they're on the way. Whew. She's back in the moccasin club with us. Hallelujah! 

While I was searching online for her some more mocs, I came across The Children's Place. I usually buy a lot of my crew's clothes there because, duh, they have cute and super cheap stuff! I have a lot of bodies to dress around here (not that they're actually ever dressed though), so y'all know I love some good deals. Last night I got 18 shirts for my kidlets. Eighteen! You know how much my total was? Go on and guess, I'll wait. It was $75!!! Can you believe that?! Party up in here! My original total was $93, but of course I googled 'the children's place coupon code' and got an extra 20% off. This is the code I used BIGHEROSWEEP20. It's good until December, I think. So go getcha babies some new clothes, you know they need some. 

Last night after taking Rylie to dance, we stopped by my in-laws' and ate supper. It's always good. Real good. Like always. My mother-in-law made chicken and dressing. She had the cranberry sauce and everything. It was like a little Thanksgiving dinner. I get so pumped up about the holidays and that meal made me even more pumped up! When I was growing up, there usually wasn't many people at our house on the holidays because we have a small family. (This is a little sad/dumb, y'all) I remember seeing TONS of cars at my neighbor's house and there was so many people. I wanted to know what was going on in that house and what they were doing. I remember thinking to myself, when I grow up, I want a lot of people at my house on holidays. I didn't think about how many kids I would have, I just knew I wanted a family. Preferably a crowded one. Jackpot! Caleb gave it to me! His family is pretty large. His daddy has 9 brothers and sisters and had 5 of his own and they all have a couple of kids each. And my side of the family has a few kids, so my kids have lots (a whoooole lot) of cousins. Obviously I want to get a present for everybody! But I can't. Insert Bridesmaids meme here. "Help me, I'm poor." Have you still not saw that movie? You need to. What I plan on doing this year is making some homemade gifts. I actually PLAN on it every year. I never actually act on it. (Professional Procraftinator) Time gets away from me and the next thing I know we are all gathered around eating turkey and it's too late. Not this year! I'm on it! I created a Pinterest board with ideas for some of the things I want to make. Send me some good pins if you some across any. [Y'all, when Pinterest starts paying me for all the times I mention them, I'm going to be so rich. I'm probably going to need somebody to split my millions with, so stick around. I can't wait.] I'm leaning towards frames and pillows. All of my sisters-in-law like western, so I'm going to go with that. Along with their homemade gift, I want to bake them something, so I bought some pretty baker's twine. I REAL excited about that! I can't wait to make some cute stuff! Now if these kids would quit expecting 3 meals a day and clean clothes, I could probably get some crafts done. Geesh! They're so spoiled. ;) 

I can't start any crafts just yet, because today is 'I Have Got To Clean This House Before That Sweet Lady From Church Stops By With Those Cookies She Said She Was Going To Bake Us And Accidentally Sees How Filthy My House Is So I Better Clean It Day'. Oh, y'all don't have those days? You're missing out. 

❤️ Jennifer 

Cheap Fun

Goot morntin! It's just the RCC Gand and myself today. Caleb got home at 4am yesterday and had to leave yesterday evening (Eat more beef). No good. I had laid out chicken for supper yesterday and since Caleb had to leave in a hurry, I just cut it up into small pieces and fried it. I was too sad/lazy to oven cook it. This may come as a shock to you, but I never fry anything. Like, never. I can count on my finger the times I have fried food for my fam. It really is a rare treat for us. I literally turned the stove off and told the kids to go to bed. My kitchen is a WRECK! 

My posse is still asleep (except Roxie the rooster) and I'm low on milk and I have some bread I need to use up, so I'm going to make them cinnamon toast for breakfast. Super easy and I'd say it counts as "cooking". This is how I do mine: 

Set your oven to broil. Butter your bread and place it on a cookie sheet. Sprinkle on some sugar, then a little cinnamon and stick the pan of bread in the oven. WATCH THE BREAD! It will get black real quick. Voila! There you have cinnamon toast. 

Pretty tricky recipe, huh? Now let me tell you how my dear sweet Nanny made me cinnamon toast once when I was a helpless, innocent child. Nanny woke me up one school morning and handed me a plate of cinnamon toast. Yeah, they used to cook me breakfast and bring it to me. I had a hard life. I thought it tasted a little funny, but I just thought it's because I had just woke up and wasn't awake good. I ate the toast and went on my way. I thought about that toast while I was school. When I got home, I told Nanny that my breakfast wasn't very good. She was a little confused and didn't understand why. She said she did it like she always did and got the butter out of the refrigerator to check it. Guess what? The "butter" was leftover mashed potatoes in a Country Crock bowl! So just to catch you up, she smeared mashed potatoes on some bread, sprinkled on sugar and cinnamon and fed it to me. And I ate it. All of it. So gross. Thanks, Nanny lol! Did I mention I never store leftovers in butter bowls? 

I had to make a quick trip to Walmart yesterday since I had let Rox run COMPLETELY out of diapers! No pull-ups, no diapers, no wipes. How does that happen? All at once everything was all out. So I had to put a pair or Rem's panties on Rox and go to the bank for Caleb and THEN to Walmart. I was scared she was going to pee [or even worse, poop] everywhere. I got the kids out of the car, grabbed a buggy and basically sprinted back to the diaper section. I grabbed a [huge] box of diapers, ripped it open and laid Roxie down in the buggy and got a diaper on her. I felt like I could finally breathe! Whew! Victory! Now I'm all stocked up and hopefully we won't have to do that again anytime soon. While I was there, I got a brown shirt so I could start on Roxie's engine costume. I'm pretty pumped about it and hopefully it'll turn out and look like a Pinterest costume and not a Pinterest fail. [I talk about Pinterest everyday, are you on there yet?!] 

With as many kids as we have, I like to find fun, cheap things to do. During the summer, we would go to free splash pads and water parks. But now it's too cold for all that! Sometimes we go to the mall and let the kids eat Chick-Fil-A and jump on those big trampolines, play in the arcade and play golf. What we really love to do is go to the show. Have you tried taking a family of 7 to the movies? Yeah, let me take out a loan first. We (I) LOVE to go to the show! If you live around here and you're going to the movies in Longview, then bless your heart, you're missing out! Morris Twin Cinema is where it's at! They only show two movies at a time, but the place is amazing. Very old school. I'm into that. Admission is, get this, $1.50. No, not $14 a person like big mega theaters, just a buck fifty. And the popcorn, ooh the popcorn, it's da best! Two large cokes and a big ole popcorn for, like, $8. Check out their website (MorrisTwinCinema.com) and see if they're playing anything you want to see! The theater is about 15 miles from where we live. Again, way closer than Longview! Box Trolls is coming soon and my kids can't wait to see it. I had never heard of Box Trolls, I just know I pulled up to my house one day and Caleb had cut holes in some boxes for the kids and they were running around outside calling themselves box trolls. [See what happens when kids play outside and use their imagination?] I'm ALL about that! 

What something y'all like to do for fun on the cheap? 

❤️ Jennifer