My first born

Today is a happy day.  It is my daughters 28th birthday.  I have always like to tell the birth stories to my children, every year!  I know they like to hear it. haha.  Now that I have my own blog, I can tell it and not be interrupted.  Well here goes my story.  When I was a child I had a silly childish wish, I always asked God to keep my parents around so they could see at least my first born.  So I was around 4 months pregnant when my dad died.  So I guess he kept his side of the promise.  And my sister was also pregnant but didn't know it at the time.  So at least we have something to take our mind off of the last year, with this wonderful blessing.  My husband decided to go on a hunting trip on my moms birthday that year and I went to stay over at moms for the night while he was gone.  I wasn't due until December 19th and it was  only Nov 27th.  Lots of time, so I wake up at my moms the next morning, and go in my moms room and say, "mom I think my water just broke"  haha.  So my mom calls her sister to come and give me a drive to the hospital, it was snowing!  So my mom and her sister take me, mom walks in with me and she is from the old school, she left!  And says "Do you want me to call your sister to come down?"  Oh lord, so my sister came down, pregnant herself and had to watch me all day.  My husband calls my moms to check in on me and she tells him, well we just took her to the hospital, and he said thats not funny, you are pulling my leg.  He was 3 hrs away.  So him and his uncle Bill started for home.  I was in the labour room, and of course things didn't go well.  They were calling in Docs from Kentville, the room became full of nurses and docs.  Then all of the sudden I felt my dads presence right beside me, and I heard a soft voice say "Don't worry, it will be okay."  Everything changed, I went calm, my labour pains stopped, my husband arrived, rushing through the door putting those pretty blue slippers on.  And they put me asleep.  My poor sister was sitting out in the hallway watching everyone running past her, I told our doc after that, my sister is scared to deliver now,and he says "To late for that now, isn't it, haha"  Everything worked out fine, I had a 7 lb baby girl.  Fell in love instantly.  She is the only one of the 3 that never did the sports thing.  But she was in the girl guides all the way through, took swimming lessons, and piano.  Found school hard, but with some pushing never to quit, she graduated with honors.  She is still with Tyler who she met in high school, over 10 yrs together.  And they have given us our first grandchildren, 5 and 2.  I could never imagine being so blessed.  But I am.  Now I can't wait for my other childrens birthdays so I can tell their stories.  They all like to be treated equal you know, and I don't mind sharing the love.  Even if no ones reads this, that's fine, I love writing it.  Until next time!

My baby brother

I just wanted to have my own little rememberance of  my brother, who was 3 years younger then myself.  There were 4 of us and we were exactly 3 years apart.  I am sure my mom had her hands full.  My brothers name was Kevin, he was quiet and shy, a head full of red hair.  All 4 of us had different color hair.  They were all left handed, I was the only rightie.  Kev was a good kid, who didn't get into trouble.  Well maybe had a little part in my Uncles barn burning, when all of us kids would gather there and plan in the old cars and climb all over that barn, until it burn't down, haha. Kids will be kids right? Kevin decided to move out west at maybe 17 or 18, not quite sure.  He was determined to follow his older brother and make a life for himself out there.  He became a security guard, and met someone and fell in love.  His life was set.  We wrote back and forth quite often.  In one letter he told me how he loved life and being alive.  Then one day out of the blue on my moms birthday 29 years ago today, we received a call that my brother was found hanging in his apartment.  When you say there are moments in life that are forever in your mind, well that is one of them.  My mom is the strongest person I know, she has weathered that storm, which would have destroyed most people, and believe me it wasn't easy for her for quite awhile.  But she pressed forward.  We don't know if our brother was doing this thing called the choking game or he meant to do it, but it doesn't matter how.  I have forgiven him and want to cherish our memories we had together.  My mom has survived more that any mom needs to survive, with my dads passing 6 months after my brother.  Then my older brother passed with cancer only a couple of years ago.  But life is for the living and we have a lot to be thankful for.  She turned 82 today and I am so proud of her for being a great role model in my life.

It's beginning to feel a lot like Christmas

My coffee table after the change.

Some people decorate alittle, some a lot.  I usually empty my bookcases, china cabinet, tables, and replace it with Christmas.  I am trying to do a little at a time, time permitting.  I have my lights up outside, just waiting patiently for hubby to help string cords, since I have to use his.  But I won't wait very long, I am a little impatient about certain things.  I constantly change things, so what you see today may be different tomorrow.  My pictures aren't lining up right so I will have to leave them as is.


My Coffee table before.

This is my little fireplace display before.

After.  Most of these things were given to me.  I am very frugal.

My daughter gave me the flower last year.  And I added a set of red lights on it.  It is so pretty.

These were all gifts also, I love my hurricane lamp from my daughter, and I was given a whole box of Christmas magazines that someone was savng through the years for the recipes.  I love it.

My version of Lasagne

This is my homemade lasagne recipe, easy to make and a joy to eat!

9 or 12 noodles
1 lb hamburger
1 med onion, chopped
salt & pepper
28 oz tin plain spag sauce
5 1/2 oz tin tomato sauce
5 1/2 oz water
450 gr soft cheese (I use lasagne style cottage cheese)
2 large eggs lightly beaten
450 grams mozzarella cheese grated
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

Cook lasagne as package directions.  ( you can use oven ready, but I prefer to cook mine first).  Brown meat, onion in frying pan.  (You can add some garlic, but I don't).  Season with salt & pepper.  drain fat, combine spag sauce, & paste & water with meat, simmer 20 minutes.  Blend soft cheese (cottage) with eggs.  Spread thin layer of meat sauce on bottom of pan.  Top with 3 strips of lasagne length wise, close together.  Place 1/3 of  following in order:  meat sauce, soft cheese, mozzarella.  Top with 2nd layer of noodles.  Continue layering.  On the very top put the meat sauce, mozzarella & parmesan sprinkled on top as the finishing touch.  Bake 350 degrees 30 minutes.  Let stand for 10.

What's even better is to have it with garlic bread and cesear salad!

Peanut Butter Reindeer Cookies

I made these reindeer cookies for one of our famous Pineo Cookie Parties, they were so fun to do.

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup peanut butter
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp soda
1/2 tsp salt
48 large red m&m candies
96 mini semisweet choc chips
Pretzels, broken into 96 1 inch pieces

Heat oven to 375 degrees, rack in center.  Grease 2 baking sheets.  In a large mixer bowl beat together butter,
peanut butter and sugars on medium speed until light about 2 minutes.  Add egg and vanilla, beat until combined.
Stir in flour, baking soda and salt until a dough forms.  Roll into 1 inch balls and place 1 inch apart on prepared sheets.

Bake one sheet at a time, until just set and bottoms are golden.  8 to 10 minutes.  For each cookie, immediately place
1 m&m in center for nose.  2 choc chips for eyes and 2 pretzel pieces on top for antlers.  Transfer cookies on sheets to
a wire rack and let cool completely.  Can be made ahead.  Store in an airtight container at room temperature, in single
layers separated by wax paper.

Enjoy!