Honduras Look Out!

After an almost year long application process, my sister Melissa found out yesterday that she's going to Honduras with the Peace Corps helping with the HIV/AIDS program. Being the dutiful older (and embarrassing) sister, I took a picture of her with her letter.

We will miss you when you leave (yes even Elizabeth) but we are so excited for your adventure! Maybe Eric and I will just have to join you there for a visit.

I'm a whole hand now!

Yesterday was a special day. Rachel turned 5!

What we love about Rachel.
--She gets so excited about her birthday. She started counting down once November hit.
--She definitely has an opinion about what she wants and even picked out her own Barbie and was great about letting me wrap it and keep it in my closet until her birthday.
--She loves to dress-up and pretend play but can also get down and dirty in the great outdoors and climb everything.
--She'll still sit and color forever, making rainbow patterns and all.
--She likes to help bake.
--She likes to read the Bob books to me.
--She's a really good sister to Elizabeth and Evelyn and a great daughter.

We love you Rachel!

Christmas Project

Make The Mantel Christmas 5x7 folded card

Get custom photo Christmas cards online at Shutterfly.com.

View the entire collection of cards.

Somebody stop me...I'm out of control!

Lemon Buttermilk Chess Pie

Spice Cake

After having my manhood called into question from all the baking I think I have to admit I have a problem. Hello everyone, my name is Eric...and I have a baking problem. Even so, I haven't been gaining weight, but this week was a little tough with the snow and a bum knee, I wasn't able to do any physical activity. Beside bake that is...mmmmm.

Crack Cocaine Coated Pretzels

Supposedly they're coated in "yogurt," but I'm on to you Sprouts. There is no way these pretzels are covered in anything less addictive than crack cocaine. Seriously.

While waiting for a prescription to be filled in Albertson's I stumbled on a Southern Living special food magazine edition. The yumminess was too much to resist, this is the first creation from the magazine: Buttermilk Pumpkin Pie. It tasted good, although mostly just like a regular pumpkin pie. I'm not sure the buttermilk flavor was strong enough to really notice. But it sure looks nice :-) Mixing 1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg in the whipped cream sure adds a lot too. Rest assured we will be showcasing more recipes from the magazine. Those Southerners know how to eat!

Our Japanese Halloween

No, we didn't go to Japan for Halloween but we were Japanese, complete with our own samurai! I think when it comes to Halloween, I'm a kid in a grownups body because I love to dress up and I couldn't miss out on the Japanese action and Eric, the good husband and father that he is, went along with it.

What we have to show for our pumpkin carving "creativity" this year. Eric pulled out the drill and I don't think we can go back to hand carving again.

Got worms? I don't know if others fully appreciated this one.