Pecan Walnut Pie

This Thanksgiving we are really taking the easy way out....just not that "into" the holidays this year, this being the first one without Dad....

So on our menu:

turkey (of course!)
mashed potatoes
mashed sweet potatoes
green beans from Goode Company
rolls from Texas Roadhouse
pecan walnut pie from RealSimple  http://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/browse-all-recipes/pecan-walnut-pie-00000000044851/index.html

We are going to start the day going to see Tangled at 9:30.  The kids are so excited.  We are trying to do some "different" things this year to cope.  The movie tradition is actually one we used to do before I was married...Mom, Dad and I would put the turkey in the oven and head to an early movie on Thanksgiving AND Christmas...holidays are kinda boring with 3 adults....so we did something we liked....went to the movies!!!  This year we will start the tradition with our kids!:)
Happy Thanksgiving!

I just made the pie and it is SUPER easy, I'm actually going to make two, one for our SWEET neighbors, Ms. Sheila and Mr. John.  Try it!!!:)

Praying you all have a blessed day!

Kathy

The Dog, AGAIN, The Texans

I know, ANOTHER post about THE PUPPY, but this one is Funny!!!

So, I leave the room for 5 (FIVE) minutes.....

and this is what I come back to....SOMEONE (named Jack) taught the 68 pound puppy to get ON TOP of his kennel....and WHO got up there with him????  Why, Jack, of course!!!  They had a BLAST playing up there!!!  Made my morning!



This is the only picture I took at the Texans game....Claire LOVED it, er the food, that is....Jack DID NOT like it...TOO LOUD.  We left shortly after half time.  I'm glad the kids have been to a game though, Jack wants to go back to the "quiet" football game....the Cy-Fair HS game....maybe next season!

Jack still naps EVERY day, 1-1 1/2 hours....this day Cody attempted to join him....Jack is sound asleep, Cody is on his way to sleep-ville!!!:)  The boy loves his dawg and the dawg LOVES his boy!!!:)

I bought these at the store last week, I KNEW Claire would be interested in them....so one Monday night, she did a taste test for me....THE WINNER IS......

WHITE FUDGE OREOS!!!!!!!  In case you wanna try them on your own...Kroger!!!

First graders in Cy-Fair raise chicks from eggs every year...this year (since Claire is in first grade), I got to deliver the chicks to their new home....THANK YOU,

Mr. Blackshear!!!  They will have a wonderful chicken life with you in your coop!!!:)

Both kiddos had their last soccer games of the season last Saturday....Claire had a small ice cream party afterwards and got awards and new balls!!!  Thank you, Coach Tim for a GREAT season!!!:)

Claire had her friend Annie Kate from church/school over last Sunday for a Sunday Funday....they made CUTE oreo turkeys!!!:)  Fun times!!!



Halloweener 2010

Happy Halloween!!!!  The Juenke's started celebrating Halloween on Saturday, Oct. 30!  We had 2 soccer games (each kiddo had one, Jack won, Claire lost) and then we cheered the Cy-Fair Bobcats to VICTORY against Cy-Ranch!  What fun that was, the Bobcats will make it into the playoffs!!!:)  The kids loved it, it was a 1 PM game, so they got to experience it all!!!:)  We headed home to carve pumpkins....on the way home, Claire called Gee to come and help!!!

I think they look GREAT!!!  The kids really "helped" a lot this year!:)

Sunday afternoon, after Claire's choir practice, we went to Gee's for trick or treating....

Yep!  They were soccer players...their choice!!!  I love that they want to be "normal" things, no zombies, or anything scary!!!  Hope it lasts!!!  I hope your Halloween was awesome!  Our kids like to give out candy more than trick or treat, so after a few and I mean a few, houses, we came home and they handed out the candy!!!  Love that!!!

Have I mentioned we have a HUGE puppy....

Just in case you haven't been keeping up, our HUGE puppy is EVEN BIGGER!!!

This is what he does in the evening, usually on Friday or Saturday evenings while Spencer and I are watching a movie or Dexter on DVD.....

Yep, he's sound SOUND asleep....snoring in my ear.....he THINKS he weighs about 10 pounds....in reality, he's 63 pounds at 7 months old.....any guesses on his TOTAL ADULT weight????

Here is his position when I am NOT on the couch....

Again, sound asleep and AND snoring....ruff life, really!!!

Cody Juenke, WE LOVE YOU, GIANT lap dog and all!!!

Rescue your next pet, I'll bet you'll feel the SAME way!!!

Soccer GOALS!!!

This past Saturday BOTH Claire and Jack scored GOALS during their soccer games!!!!  Oh, what a proud Momma I am!!! 
I don't have any actual "goal" pictures, but I do have some random soccer pictures!!!

Both kids have been BLESSED with wonderful coaches...teaching them great soccer skills, teamwork and FUN!!!  Our season is coming to a close, and I am kinda sad!  Both kids are ending the season LOVING soccer, we will probably play Spring soccer with Cy-Fair!!!:)

Sunday School Friends!

Sunday when I went to pick Claire Bear up from Sunday School, I saw this.....

It was Spirit Cart Sunday and these girls bought C*U*T*E feather headbands in all the colors!!!  How SWEET is this....girls and God...gotta LOVE that!!!:)

I made THIS!!!!

So, my sweet SWEET sweet friend Jo*Dee (no, she doesn't spell her name that way, I do!) is having a little thing called a FIRST BIRTHDAY PARTY for her SWEET baby Matthew (we call him crazy hair Matthew, but that's a whole other post!)  She shared with me the theme.....Green Eggs and Ham and the blog she got the ideas from....http://blueeyedbride.com/?s=green+eggs+and+ham%2C  I offered to make the "Celebrate" sign, but in order to do this I would definitely NEED MUST HAVE COULD USE a Cricut....
So, in sharing my dilemma with my SWEET Mamma....I suckered her into got a Cricut, JUST for this project...*wink, wink*
I LOVE MY Cricut!!!  It is like the Holy Grail!!!:)  A crafter's dream come true!!!  Here is my FIRST project with it....

Yep, I'll make you one....give me the colors and the wording....I loved it!!!:)

What have the Juenke's been up to, you ask?????

Soccer soccer soccer!!!!  Both kids are playing soccer this season, so we are spending TONS of time on the fields!!!  Last Saturday, we had 2 games at 8:30 on Saturday morning!!!  EARLY!!!  But the weather was BeAuTiFuL and the games were over by 9:30....had our whole day left....so we scooted on over to the Waller County Fair and spent a small fortune on rides and games and lunch!!!  The kids LOVED it, so it was all worth it!!!

Action shots to come!!!

What's for dinner this week????

Tuesday (tonite):  Noodles with butter and homemade meatballs

Wednesday:  www.cookinwithkim.com ...have I mentioned how much we LOVE her cooking!!!????!!!!

Thursday:  Leftover buffet

Friday:  crock pot lasagna   YUM!!!  http://www.kraftrecipes.com/recipes/slow-cooker-lasagna-114123.aspx


Saturday:  Out to dinner (Girlfriends @ gs Gift Market all day!!!)

Sunday:  Chicken on the grill with fettuccine Alfredo

Monday:  Tortellini Salad with left over grilled chicken!

What's for Dinner This Week???

Dinner this week:

Tuesday:
Creamy Mexican Chicken Pasta

3 cups bow tie pasta, uncooked                                                  1 can (10 3/4 oz) fat free cream of
4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves, cut into strips         mushroom soup
1/2 lb. (8 oz.) lowfat Velveeta cheese, cut into cubes                 1 cup salsa
1/4 cup fat free milk

Cook pasta in large saucepan as directed on the package; drain.  Return to saucepan.  Spray large skillet with cooking spray.  Add chicken; cook and stir 4-5 minutes or until cooked through.  Add to pasta in saucepan along with the remaining ingredients.  Cook on low heat until Velveeta is completely melted and mixture is well blended, stirring occasionally.
*today we had soccer practice, so I made this ahead and put it in the oven to reheat....worked great!  300* for 25 minutes*

Wednesday:
I'm picking up my YUMMY dinner from http://www.cookinwithkim.com/ again!!!  WE LOVE HER!!!!  Try it, you'll LOVE it!!!

Thursday:
Leftover buffet

Friday:
Dinner out, Claire picks!!!

Saturday:
Cut up chicken on the grill!!!:)  YUMMMMMM.....  Maybe some grilled veggies too!

Sunday:
Baked garlic shrimp and Fettuccine Alfredo (Claire's FAVORITE dinner)

Monday:  Tortellini Salad

Enjoy!!!

It's been more than 10 days since I blogged.....

Bad blogger, I know!!!  What have I been up to?  Well let me tell you!!!!

I went with some members of my church to the D6 Conference in Frisco, TX.  http://d6conference.com/  It was AWESOME!!!  I learned SO much!  I am SO motivated for my church to help me learn to bring faith home!

My Tuesday morning bible study has begun!  We kicked off this past Tuesday (yesterday) with The Power of a Praying Wife by Stormie Omartian.  There were 29 of us there...the biggest crowd NOT during the summer!  I can't wait to see how GOD will help us women help our marriages!!!

I have not been cooking quite as much since I discovered http://www.cookinwithkim.com/.  She lives in our neighborhood and makes DeLiCiOuS homemade cookin' every Wednesday for anyone who orders!!!  YUM-O and less work for Momma!!!:)

This week has been busy with "catch-up" from being gone 4 days last week....laundry, grocery shopping, Cody's lessons, etc....

Today was See You At the Pole and Claire and I attended!  55 students and parents met and prayed for our school and students, administrators and our country at the flagpole at the school.  What an awesome way to start the day!!!!

Until next time....
Kathy

Menu Tuesday!

Here's what's cooking at the Juenke's this week:

Tuesday:  Canadian Cheese Soup

1/2 stick butter or margarine                            3 (10 3/4 oz) can potato soup
3 chopped green onions                                   8 oz. grated yellow cheese
3 stalks celery, chopped with some leaves          parsley flakes
2 grated carrots                                              dash of Tobasco
2(10 3/4 oz.) cans chicken broth                        8 oz. sour cream
3 Tbs. sherry (optional)

Melt butter over low heat.  Saute onions, celery and carrots.  Add chicken broth.  Cover and simmer 30 min.  Add potato soup, cheese, parsley, tobasco.  Stir in sour cream.  Simmer 15 more min.  Add sherry.  Add pepper to taste.

This is one of Spencer's FAVORITES!!!  I serve his in a Hawaiian Bread Bowl!

Wednesday:  Picking up from Cooking with Kim
http://www.cookinwithkim.com/main.html?src=%2F#1,0

Thursday:  Roasted Cornish Game Hens

Friday:  Leftovers!

Saturday:  Out to eat!

Sunday:  Roast in the crock pot!

What's for dinner at your house this week??!!??

Going to Creed TONIGHT!!!!

It seems like it's been 100 years since we've been to a concert.  OK, 6 years, kinda like 100!!!  Anyway, concerts used to be a BIG part of our life....well, we're BAAACCCKKKK!!!  Going to see Creed tonight, one of Spencer's ALL TIME favorite bands.  Back in the day, we actually went to back to back Creed concerts...crazy, I know.  Here we go, back in the concert saddle!!  I. CAN'T. WAIT. 
http://www.creed.com/

Cody Update!!!

We took our "puppy" to the vet for his final puppy shots last Friday.  I have puppy in quotes, because when you weigh 42 pounds at FIVE months old, are you REALLY still a puppy???!!!???  Yes, that was 42 pounds!!!  He gained 12 pounds the past month!  NOW that's A LOT of dog food!!!  Anyway, he is perfect and had to have 2 teeth taken out, yes, you did read that right, my 42 pound "puppy" had to have two teeth extracted...hello....rescue dog....He had his "baby" canine teeth on the top that had not fallen out, but his big boy teeth were already in and not going to push out the teeth, hence the extraction.  Fun stuff...another interesting tooth note...Cody was born without an adult lower left canine tooth, so he only has 3.  The vet said it was quite common and he'll be fine.  His tongue may hang out some, but he'll bring it back in and wet it when necessary.  (Glad the vet didn't suggest a tooth implant for my DOG!!!;))  Cody also started his behavior training this week...he is doing great!  Look at this...on the couch last night....

Nope, we didn't "pose" him, he does this all by himself.  In fact, I think from his facial expression, I can read, "um, excuse me, trying to sleep here..."!  Good thing WE got him, don't think anyone else would allow this!!!:)  LOVE. THIS. DOG.

Jack's first day of Little Lambs, Church and Laundry

I know you are reading on because of the interesting title!!!:)  Just compiling several things that have been going on into one post!!!
Jack started the 4 year old class at Little Lambs on Monday.  He will go Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday.  I think Wednesday will be my new favorite day of the week....I love hanging out with that kid!!!  So when I asked him to "pose for his first day school picture"...he headed for the horse....

Then I was able to get some "non-horse" photos!!!:)

Yes, my friends, that IS a "high and tight"..handsome, isn't he...a spitting image of his Dad at the SAME AGE!!!!  LOVE that!!!
Church...
So, this past Sunday was just an ordinary Sunday, but the kids got themselves dressed and I thought they looked wonderful...what do you think???

And yes, that is a Christmas dress with a crown and high heel flip flops....future fashionista!!!

On to Laundry...
So I went to visit my sweet cousin Lisa this summer and she turned me onto this awesome detergent.  Jack has a little Eczema and I wanted to quit buying 2 detergents for our family and wein him to ours, but I didn't want the expense of something like Tide Free and Clear or whatever it is...so she suggested this....

I. LOVE. IT.  It is all natural.  I love how it cleans, Jack's skin is great and it smells good too!!!  So, that got me thinking, I may wanna go a little more natural with my cleaners.....what do you use???  I'm wondering about Shaklee....anyone use it????  Love it?  Hate it?  Have something better???  Let me know what you use, if you too, have decided to go a bit more natural.  *the detergent is at Sam's, 11.99ish for that big bottle*