Aubrey sooooo wants her friend Haley to go to youth group with her. We have invited her and invited her and invited her. She always says she WANTS to come, and that she can come next time. So we keep calling. I think we've probably crossed the line to pest-dom as far as her mom is concerned. Please pray that it will work out, soon!
And, because I don't think I've mentioned it on the blog before, we're going to be here in one month!
Oh, yes we are!
Another reader in our family, imagine that. Jackson made the leap to chapter books last week and is loving being able to read in his own bed just like Aubrey and Luke. He's devoured five of the "Magic Tree House" books and is ready for more.
The team float. They were one of the few floats that threw out candy. I don't know what kind of parade this was! Luke's coach is sitting to the right.
The middle school marching band! They did a terrific job, especially considering it was their first time marching. Aubrey's trying not to smile at us as she walks by. It's hard to smile and play at the same time!
Here's the best shot of Jackson's game that I've got. The boys spend their whole time talking around their mouthpieces. You can't understand a word they say.
Luke got to run the down marker. He was happy!
And the result of all this football.... Jackson is spending his free time drawing out plays.
In all of the pictures from this weekend, I failed to get a single one of Mom & Dad. Come back!
Jerry and I bought a new mattress for our bed last Friday. The saleslady at the store absolutely would not let me leave without taking this recipe. Apparently they won a chili cook-off using this recipe and now they give it to all their customers. So anyway, I felt obligated to try it out. We had it for supper last night, and it got a universal thumbs-up!!
Spicy Cheeseburger Soup
1 1/2 c water
2 c cubed, peeled potatoes
2 small carrots, grated
1 small onion, chopped
1/4 c chopped green pepper
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded & chopped (I left this out; my kiddos don't do spicy)
1 garlic clove, minced
1 Tbsp beef bouillon granules
1/2 tsp salt (I left out)
1 lb ground beef, cooked and drained
2 1/2 c milk, divided
3 Tbsp flour
8 oz processed American cheese, cubed
1/4 to 1 tsp cayenne pepper, optional
1/4 lb sliced bacon, cooked and crumbled
In a large saucepan, combine the first nine ingredients; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Stir in beef and 2 cups of milk; heat through. Combine flour and remaining milk until smooth; gradually stir into soup. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened and bubbly. Reduce heat and stir in cheese until melted. Add cayenne if desired. Top with bacon just before serving. Yield: 6-8 servings (about 2 quarts.)
*updated at the bottom*
The girls at the Clinic just called me in hysterics. Apparently the air conditioner in the back part of the building has not been cooling correctly. Joanie went back and opened the door to the a/c closet, and saw... a tail! She slammed the door and grabbed Linda to look at it. They opened the door again, and it moved! The general consensus is that it's probably a baby raccoon. It's a fuzzy tail, not a skinny one like a possum or a rat. I have a call in to the pest control company... their receptionist was giggling the whole time we were on the phone!
Joanie just called - it was a squirrel! The pest guy thought he might have to trap him to get him out. Then I guess we'd better call the air conditioner repairman and see what the damage is....
I've heard there was a bidding war among the local contractors for our wagon wheel decorations.
Unfortunately Fred has made an appearance at our house. His brother, Ted, has not shown up yet, however. If this completely confuses you, you need to read Gwen's post about Lane.
Jackson is Fred's host. He got out of bed this morning and stumbled downstairs holding his head so it wouldn't move. His brain hurts, he said. He complained of a sore throat yesterday, so I wondered. I think I'll have some company here at home today! That's okay, it will force me to stay home and I can finish up some tax returns I've got sitting on my desk. I also need to clean house - Mom and Dad are coming tomorrow to spend the weekend and take in the kids' activities. We have a lot going on; Aubrey is marching in the Buhler Frolic parade on Saturday. It will be her first marching experience. She is really glad her band teacher is letting her march with her clarinet instead of her tenor sax - much lighter! Luke and his teammates have a float in the parade as well. I'm hoping they'll let Jackson ride along as waterboy, that is if Fred leaves. Luke has a football game in the afternoon, and we hope to visit the Corn Maze at Buhler later in the day. It should be a fun weekend!
