Dec 25~ Christmas Day!

                                           Here we go the big one!
                                        Presents from "santa"

                                 Shiloh got a present too!
                                 Oh the excitement! Littlest pet shop... her #1 favorite toy!

                                             And here it is... the big one! XBOX!!!!!!

Christmas! We opened presents while watching Christmas story and afterwards we had a wonderful breakfast of homemade oatmeal pancakes, Egg sausage casserole and homestyle potatoes! Mmmm, Mmmm good!  Here are the recipes.... 

Oatmeal Pancakes

1/2 Cup flower                      

1/2 Cup quick cooking oats

1 tbl spoon white sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 Cup buttermilk

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 tbl spoons Vegetable oil

1 egg

Place Flour, oats, sugar,baking powder, baking soda, salt, buttermilk, vanilla, vegetable oil, and egg in a food processor and puree until smooth.

Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle using approx 1/4 cup for each pancake, brown on both sides.

Sausage Egg Casserole

3/4 ground pork sausage 

1 Tbl spoon butter

4 green onion chopped

1/2 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced

12 eggs beaten

1 (16 oz.) container low fat cottage cheese

1 pound monterey jack cheese, shredded 

2 cans (4 oz.) diced green chile peppers, drained

1 cup flower

1 teaspoon baking powder 

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/3 butter melted

(I would half this portion of the recipe as I thought that there was to much of the dough and not enough of the egg, it was still tasty though which ever way you prefer it)

Place sausage in a large skillet. Cover and cook over med-high heat until evenly brown. Drain and set aside. Melt butter in skillet, and cook and stir green onion and mushrooms until tender.

In a large bowl, mix eggs, cottage cheese, monterey jack cheese, and green chile's.

Stir in sausage, green onions and mushrooms. cover and refrigerate over night. 

Preheat over to 350. Lightly grease a 9x13 in baking dish.

In a large bowl mix together flower, baking powder, and salt. Blend in the melted butter. Stir in the flower mixture into the egg mixture. Pour into the baking dish.

Bake for 40 to 50 min. or until lightly browned. Let stand for 10 min before serving. 

I got my Kitchen Aid! (Dec 24th Cont...)

                                                       YAY!
         I know this has nothing to do with the kitchen aid but I thought it was cute.

I Had to post that I finally got my Kitchen Aid! My mom got me one for Christmas, what a suprise that was! Im SO excited! Thank you mom!

Dec 24~ Christmas Eve

We went to Crista's house for Christmas eve dinner and to open presents. We had yummy roast beef and mashed potatoes, devilled eggs, stuffed mushrooms, green beans, rolls, and for desert "pumpkin somethin " ( that's what Crista named it because I don't know the official name!) 

We ate till we were stuffed, as always. The only thing missing was Grandpa and Grandma! 

Santa!

                                                 Can you find my kitty sitting in the snow?
We started to get stir crazy after 9 days of snow. After it was all said and done we did two weeks of ice and snow!  18 inches total! Anyhow~ we ventured out and went to the mall to see Santa and to finish up some christmas shopping:)

Happy Face

We let shiloh run around out back. For those of you who don't know our yard is not fenced in yet so mike had to stand at the back door with some treats just in case she wondered off to far. But she didn't. She was to happy just running from one end of the yard to the other end! 

Snow day!

                                             Some of the snow ball fight:)
                                 Its MEEEEE!  This is behind our house, it has a creek but its frozen.
                                              Here is shiloh pulling Anthony!

                                                     Our little creek!

We have had snow the last 3 days well, actually its 4 now that I think about it! it has been fun for all of us. Shiloh pulled the kids around on their sleds, we got the 4wheeler out and we had a snow ball fight with the neighbors and some kids that saw the fun and joined in:) 

Although it put a damper on Christmas shopping plans, we ventured out anyways in the bad driving conditions and finished up the last of what we needed to get done. 

I have always wanted a white Christmas and it looks like we got one! Ok well, the week before Christmas but I will take it. Its Oregon... beggars cant be choosers! 

Ironic

My last blog was hard to write but very therapeutic for me. I write when I'm upset, it helps me to work through whatever it is that I am going through. My thing with my Grandpa was writing letters to each other. So I thought that I would write one last letter to him. 

After I was done posting my writings I went out to check the mail and found a letter from him. His last letter to me. He had mailed  it the day before he died. 

I burst into tears.... I had cried but not like this. I sobbed. I felt like I was 6 again when I had gotten in trouble and was crying so hard that I had to gulp in air. Sad... I know. But in a sense I needed it.

 Everything that he had to say was, of course, the right things to say. The very things that I had questioned in my blog and the things that I was wondering he confirmed in his letter to me. Its kind of ironic because here I thought I was writing my last letter to him and  really he wrote his last letter to me. It is so special that I got that, and at that time. The timing was perfect. I'm sure God planned it that way. 

For my Grandpa.

Dear Grandpa Neu,

Your sudden death is hard to swallow, I was excited for you to visit for Christmas but I guess God had other plans for you, I'm sure spending Christmas with the one person who gave the greatest gift is even better then being here on earth. I find comfort that you are in a better place but still my heart is grieving. I love you so much and I hope that you knew that.  

Did you get the Christmas card I sent before the accident? I wonder if my letters were often enough. I still have the last letter you sent me, I will keep it forever.

I'm sorry that I cant be there for your memorial but know that I will remember you always. I will hold dear to the memories that I have of you. 

Until the day we meet again, this is my last letter to you, a farewell letter. 

Love Your Granddaughter, 

Cassie

Thanksgiving!

                     Me and my aunt, she looks cute as always. Me? I look... ahem... 
                 Just a scary picture. Me and mike being silly, all that food got to our heads!
                  Aaliyah treated grandma to a foot rub!
                             My frozen mint dessert. I was not to fond of this one and I think that the family would agree with me on this one because I found so many slices by the sink with only one bite out of it! I will post the recipe just in case anyone wants to try it:)
                                 My mango-chutney carrots... really yummy.

So I am finding that I am terrible at keeping this blog updated. I find that some update day by day others a few times a month and then there is me.... whenever I think of it or remember! Anyhow~ here is some pictures of our thanksgiving and some lovely recipes to the dishes I made! 

Mango-chutney carrots

1 pkg (16oz) baby carrots

2 tbl spoons of water

1/4 C. Orange juice

2 tbl spoons mango chutney

2 tbl spoons butter

1 1/2 tea spoons fresh ginger root

1/2 tea spoon garlic

1 tea spoon curry powder

3 tbl spoons minced  fresh parsley

Place carrots and water in microwave on high for 4-6 min or until tender. ( I just steamed the carrots until done)

Meanwhile in a large bowl combine the OJ, chutney, butter, ginger, garlic, and curry. Cover and microwave on high for 45 sec or until butter is melted. Drain carrots; add to orange juice mixture and toss to coat. Garnish with parsley! 

Yield: 4 servings

Frozen chocolate mint desert

1 pkg. fudge brownie mix 

2 egg whites

1/4 C. Unsweetened applesauce

2 tea spoons vanilla extract

1/2 C. baking cocoa

1 1/2 C. fat free milk

2 pkgs large marshmallows

1/2 mint extract.... ( I would half that, it was very minty! )

1 carton whipped topping, thawed

2/3 C. cream filled cookie sandwiches

In a large bowl, combine the brownie mix, egg whites, applesauce, and vanilla.

Spread into a 13 x 9 in x 2 in baking dish coated with baking spray. Bake at 350 for 18-22 min or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.

Cool on a wire rack.

In a dutch oven, combine cocoa and milk. Cook and stir over medium heat until cocoa is dissolved. Stir in marshmallows until melted. Remove from heat; stir in extract. Cool completely. 

Fold in whipped topping. Spread over brownies. Sprinkle with cookie crumbs. Cover and freeze for at least 8 hrs. Remove from freezer 10 min before serving.

Family pictures

On sunday I had my friend Rosie take our family pictures for our christmas card. We had some fun but had trouble with the wonderful sunlight so only a few picture came out alright. 

I do think we will still have to go to sears to get some good ones though. 

A Heart of worship

I love Sunday night celebration at church. For me, its a beautiful time of worship between me and God. I feel as if its just me and him in the room all else fades away, the worries of the world, troubles, stress.... everything. Gone. 

My heart is to worship. When I was small I would make up my own songs and sing to Jesus. And I must say that I still do (well I don't make up songs anymore). My heart is to love him and to follow him hole heartedly. I may mess up, time and time again  I try and try to do right. I find that the more that I worship, read my Bible, go to church, immerse my self in him that, that sin begin to go away. Even then, I don't do those things often enough. But the amazing thing is, is that his grace is so great that he still loves me and he will still be my God, he will forgive me with all my flaws past, present and future, he paid that price for me no matter how much I screw up. And that is why I have a heart for worship. I want to touch his heart like he has touched my heart. What he has done in my life, his faithfulness to pull me though the muck deserves nothing less then my best. My heart. My life. 

Our pastor has been going through Matt 26,27... the crucifixion of Christ. We have been there for a couple of weeks now and its good. Has made me reflect on some of the very things we tend to put in the back of our minds as Christians. It has made me take a hard look at myself and make sure that I am trying my best. And as I am saying this I am feeling convicted because I know that I can do better. 

Flowers!

A close friend of mine got married on the 30th of this month. I did her flowers. I have had no experience in doing flowers other then just my bouquets at home. I looked at pictures for ideas, I'm pretty creative when I want to be and it only comes out from time to time but when I get an idea or a "vision" of what I want to do I'm set on it and carry it out. This is what I did. 

I had two friends help me out. Michelle and Elrike, they as well had no experience with flowers but are just as creative as I am, if not more. Michelle did the brides maids bouquets and I did the boutneers and the bridal bouquet. 

Pumpkins!

Last night we carved pumpkins. The kids loved it, especally the slimy guts. When we were done we cleaned up and had a bowl of Beavers ice cream.... GO BEVS! 

Good by toddler age hello school age!

                                        Sad, I know, I cant figure how to make it right side up

                                       Aaliyah opening her gifts.

                                                       Singing "Happy Birthday!"
                                                   Great Grandma and Aaliyah.

                                        She wanted pumpkin pie, instead of cake! it is

                                        after all the season for it:)

Watching your kids grow up is such a fun thing to see their little personalities develop. It is a bitter sweet thing to as well. No more cute toddler age where they figuring out the world and how things work,  BUT no more temper tantrums and pushing the limits to see how much they can get away with. On to academic learning and new behaviors picked up from other children. Independence is always a plus. My little (well not so little anymore) Aaliyah turned 6 yesterday. Iv been reminiscing about when they were little babies, Both are in school now and are growing big everyday. I'm proud of the children they are and excited to see what adults they turn into. I pray that we can be good parents and that we teach them well enough to be successful in life. That they are grounded in the word of God and that they strive for him. 

Pumpkin Cookies

                                              The batter was tasty, mike and anthony kept

                                             coming in the kitchen for "tastes". 
                                              This was the first time Aaliyah has been intrusted 

                                               in helping me :)
                                                 Oh the anticipation! watching them bake.
                                                             Here they are all done!

Aaliyah and I made iced pumpkin cookies last night. My hubby was craving something sweet to eat and this is what I found on allrecipes.com!