Seasons

I cannot believe it is almost Halloween already.  Wasn't it just a minute ago I was frantically making Wizard of Oz costumes for everyone?  Oh yes, I meant to sell those costumes this year.  Ooops.  Maybe next year!

Well that was then and this is now!  After our "second honeymoon" cruise to Alaska, life was a little too chaotic for costume making.  We have an "everyday hero" theme planned for this year and all the costumes are "boughten" ones.  The Blitz will be a fireman and he loves his new boots so much he wears them 18 hours a day.  Tinkerbelle will be a nurse; her love of the medical profession started after that trip to the hospital in May.  The Captain is an army hero; our family appreciation for members of the military seems to have rubbed off on him.  Sunshine will be a police woman and Pepper, Rosie the Riveter.  So fun.  Daddy seems to usually pull off a costume at the last minute.  He's my hero everyday so maybe he can just wear his blue jeans!

We are really enjoying the autumn.  Not the weather, of course-- it's still summer here--but we are enjoying the rhythms of school and fall ball and all both entail.  The Captain is a ball player now.  Picture a little absent minded professor in center field and you've got the picture.  It is actually totally adorable and completely entertaining and I can't believe I haven't posted a picture until now.

Sunshine is back at it too; she is not always enjoying the season but things will get better.  Her team is not gelling as well as is often the case and most of her friends were on the other two teams, but all is well.  I haven't gotten a picture of her in new uniform but maybe this week.  She plays at 8:40 in the evening and apparently, my brain has checked out by then!

School is going great!  Pepper is practically a college pro now and is taking two dual credit courses, English Comp and Art History.  Of course she is also taking all the regular fare at home, math, science, etc.  She has been practicing her driving and will get her license in December; neither of us can wait.

The big news, though, is that Mamaw and Papa are here from Idaho and we are soaking up the Huntley time. That explains the radio silence of late; we are just too busy playing Bingo and Pinochle!

Hope your fall is a beautiful fall too.

Menu Plan Monday

It's Monday, and I'm joining Orgjunkie.com in her Menu Plan Monday link-up.  Enjoy!

Monday:
Scrambled eggs, raisin toast, milk
 "Snack Plate":  cheese, pretzels, broccoli florets (raw), grapes, strawberries

Pork loin (marinated in soy sauce, mustard, honey and splash of wine), noodles with bok choy, carrots and bell peppers and a "quick sauce" using pan drippings, peanut butter and a splash of soy sauce

Tuesday:
Dr. Bircher's Museli
Egg salad on lettuce, crackers, refrigerator pickles (any kind), homemade granola
Homemade Mac-n-Cheese, brussels sprouts, homemade applesauce

Wednesday:
Cereal and milk
Meat cubes, cheese cubes, pasta with pesto, grape tomatoes
(Family fends for itself tonight!)

Thursday:
Yogurt and banana
Lunch out
Too Easy Fettuccine Alfredo, green salad, cookies

Friday:
Bacon and egg cups, juice
School cookout
Potato Soup with cheese and egg dumplings, 3-bean salad

Saturday:
Scrambled eggs, re-fried beans, corn tortillas
Sandwiches
Leftovers

Sunday:
Sweet cereal, milk, grapes, bananas

King Ranch chicken, 3 bean salad, greens

Peg Bracken's Bean Salad 
from the I Hate to Cook Cookbook

INGREDIENTS

• 1 15-oz can green beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 15-oz can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 15-oz can wax beans, rinsed and drained

• 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 
  
• METHOD

1 In a large bowl, mix the beans

2 In a separate small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, sugar, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Add the dressing to the beans. Toss to coat.

3 Chill beans in the refrigerator for several hours, to allow the beans to soak up the flavor of the dressing..

Grandparents: It's "LOVE Thursday!"

 I just sent a "shout out" to our fabulous five grandparents on one of  my Adoption.com blogs.  Because of copyright laws, I can't replicate it here, but I can ask you to go over there and take a look at it, please!

Dear Hubby and Grandma

Enjoying dinner on a cruise

I am also limited to one tiny picture there, but not here so before you go there, take a gander at these snapshots.

Papa and Mamaw

(To visit the blog, just click on any of the blue words.They all head to the same place!)

Grandma (Dear Hubby's mom), Papa and Mamaw (my folks)

Papa reading to the Littles

Gram and Pepper

Dear Hubby and Grandpa

At the State Fair of Texas

Gram and Tink