Cherry-O-Cream Cheese Pie

This is a dessert that I made 4 of to bring along to some of the Parties that we have had lately. It is really yummy and easy to make. Here is the recipe.

Cherry-O-Cream Cheese Pie

1 Graham Cracker Crust

1 - 8 oz. cream cheese

1 can sweetened condensed milk

1/3 cup lemon juice

1 tsp. vanilla

1 can cherry pie filling

Let cream cheese sit until softened. Beat until fluffy. Gradually add sweetened condensed milk while beating. Beat until mixed. Add lemon juice and vanilla. Beat until well mixed. Pour into pie crust. Chill 3-4 hours.

Graham Cracker Crust

8 whole Graham Crackers

1/4 cup sugar

1/3 cup butter, melted

Preheat oven to 375. Mix all ingredients. Press into 9-inch pie pan. Bake 8 to 10 minutes. Cool completely.

Party On

The past 2 weeks for us have been filled with quite a few parties. We don't normal have this many so close together. The kids were in heaven.

Our first party was at the "Jump zone," for our niece Trisha's 4th Birthday. Happy Birthday Trisha!

Next on our Party agenda was a summer Party/Picnic at the park in my mom's neighborhood. We had a picnic, baseball game, and a water fight.

For the Memorial Day weekend Grandpa & Grandma Mohler invited ALL of their kids and grandkids over for a HUGE SLEEPOVER. We first went as a family to visit Jason's two brothers Russell & Trevor’s gravesites, and Grandpa & Grandma Worthen's. Then we went back to Grandpa and Grandma’s. We ate, played games, visited, and ate some more. Grandma had lots of activities planned for the kids to help wear them out, but it seemed to give them more energy. I headed to bed around 1 a.m., I remember feeling Jason climb into bed a little while after, and Jaden reported to us that he went to bed at 5 a.m. Everyone was back up bright and early for breakfast and swimming. We swam until around 3 then we packed up and headed to our next party.

My Dad's Birthday Party. All of our kids were dead asleep just minutes after being on the road. But as soon as we got to my dad's and they heard their other cousins swimming, they were right back in their swimsuits and back in the pool. I had forgotten my camera so I have no pictures of this party.

Preschool Graduation

Wednesday was graduation day at preschool. Although Macy is the only one of my 3 that is really graduating and moving on to Kindergarten. The kids were mostly excited for me to come to class with them and stay. They had a cute little program and a lunch. The twins kept referring to their day as "Gradulations” I think Graduation and Congratulations just mixed together in their minds. I thought it was cute. I was bummed that I didn’t get any good pictures. My kids were not in the mood for pictures I guess.

DANCE

Earlier this year my girl Macy decided that SHE wanted to take dance lessons. Cloey also wanted to sign up for dance but I told her that she would have to wait until next time. I just didn’t think that she was ready. So the first few weeks of dance lessons were great. Macy was excited and looked forward to going. Until about week 4. After that she cried every week and did not want to go. She argued and argued with me that SHE NEVER wanted to go, I just signed her up. Though when we would get there she always had a good time. Except for this one-week. On that particular morning Macy had started in with the whole “ I hate dance, and I am not going” saga and then changed her story to “I feel sick, and I am going to throw-up.” I thought the sick act was just an attempt to get out of going. I battled with her and we went to dance. After Macy did a few twirls she threw-up all over the dance floor. Not just a little, a whole lot. And of course all the other little girls started screaming ewww, gross and Macy was totally humiliated. She was so mad at me for making her go when she had told me she was sick. I did feel really, really bad. I honestly thought she was just saying that to get out of going. Any how, Macy didn’t like dance lessons, I didn’t like dragging her in, and poor Cloey would watch through the window each week and copy what the class was doing wishing she could go in. Here are a few pictures of Macy at her lessons.

Then last week was the big dance recital, and Macy was so excited to wear her costume and have Dad come watch her. On the drive home she asked me if she signed up for dance again would she get another costume? Oh brother!

My boy Jaden

Jaden seems to have had a lot going on lately so I wanted to spotlight some of the accomplishments and hobbies that he has been working on.

Most recently Jaden finished playing his first season of Flag Football. His soccer team from last year decided that since they had each been playing soccer for at least 5 years they wanted to try something new. They decided on Flag Football and their soccer coach Coach Andy said he would coach them. So they began this season with an entire team of new player with the exception of one. They never won a game, but that never seemed to get them down. Jaden always looked forward to the practices twice a week and their Saturday games. He really just loved the sport of Flag Football, and the FUN that they had.

Saturday the Football League put on an end of the season carnival for the kids and their families. The best part was that it was all-FREE!! My kids each ate 2 whole cotton candies. I don’t normally let my kids do that sort of thing, but this time I caved.

Jaden’s Saturday’s have also been spent playing Church Rag ball. They only had 4 games, but Jaden will take what he can get when it comes to sports. He is already asking what he can do until Soccer starts this fall. He doesn’t want to go the entire summer without playing some kind of sport.

Aside from Jaden's love of sports he also loves school. Even though P.E. and Recess are his favorite subjects he is a great little student. Once again he earned straight A’s on his report card. Jaden has never, not gotten straight A’s in his little 2 ½ years of school. His smart brain certainly doesn’t come from me.



Also in a recent school assembly Jaden received an award for being a student that demonstrates Respect. If only that were the case at home. But nonetheless I am happy that he is at least well behaved at school.

And one last thing that Jaden has been working on is his Wolf Badge in Cub Scouts. Over his past track break he finished all the remaining requirements and earned his badge. Scouts is another love of his.

I really do have a great boy! Aside from the things that I have to always stay on him about, and our personalities always clashing, I am glad that he is mine. I love my little buddy!

Mountains Edge Park

Recently we met up with some long time friends “The Newbry’s” whom we hadn’t seen in over a year. Jason and Jason Newbry stay caught up with their occasional phone calls, but we decided it was time to meet up. We met in the evening over at the park in Mountain’s Edge (love that park). We played with the kids and me and Lacey caught up while the Jason’s talked their pilot talk, and we BBQed. The weather was perfect and we had a great time.

I didn't get any pictures with Jason or Lacy in them and only one picture with Libby. I wasn't being very good at captureing that we were even with anyone else.

The Big Yellow School Bus

Last week I went and picked up my friend Summer who lives down the street from me to head over to Youth Conference. During our conversation she mentioned a problem that her daughter had had with the school bus. THE SCHOOL BUS??? Yes, the school bus that picks up right by our house. WHAT!!! Every day I have driven Jaden to school not knowing there was such a thing. The school is not really far away, but not super close either. I have picked him up each day, and most days woke up 2 sleeping babies to go get him. AND each day as I am driving home from picking Jaden up I have waved to Summer who is taking her baby for a walk....so I thought. NO, she is waiting for the school bus. So as the school year is coming to a close Jaden is now riding the BIG YELLOW BUS!

Homemade Strawberry Jam

Over the weekend I decided to make some Strawberry Jam since strawberries were on sale for 99 cents. I have been waiting for them to get down in price, so I was excited to finally get to make some. I thought I would share the recipe for those that are interested. It is one that my mom has always used and I LOVE.

Strawberry Freezer Jam

6 cups (2 lbs.) whole strawberries blended in a blender
1 pkg. pectin
1 ½ cup sugar
1/8 cup lemon juice
Heat to boil. Pour into jars or containers.

Silly Boy

Growing up I always looked forward to the holidays and the Sunday Night T.V. specials that would be showing the holiday movies like The Grinch, Rudolph, Frosty, and all the Charlie Brown shows. It was something EXTRA to look forward to. So in attempt to give my kids something EXTRA to look forward too, I have always packed our holiday DVDs and books away with the holiday decorations. And each year they are very excited to be able to get them out.

So the other day Troy was going through the book shelf, picking out a book for me to read him and came across a Christmas book that never made it's way back into the Christmas box. He yelled "it's Root beer, it's Root beer the red nose Reindeer." I had to laugh, and of course read it to him before I put it out in the box.