COLEMAN is 2!!!!!

Apple Hill

It has been several years since we have been to Apple Hill. We used to go there every October when the kids were growing up. Today we took a trip up there and it was so beautiful. All of the apple crop is gone and the Christmas Tree farm is in full swing, but it was still fun to go to High Hill Farm and remember my kids playing there when they were young and now seeing my grandkids doing the same thing. It was cold and crowded but I still enjoyed the time I got to spend with my family. And the apple fritters were delicious!!

Shauna & Jasey

Megan, Justin and boys

Grammy & her favorite little boys

Cowboy Lincoln

Cowboy Jackson

Coleman riding the tractor

Me and my cute girls

What to Do with Your Thanksgiving Leftovers

I saw this on Regis and Kelly this morning. Thought it was pretty funny. This cake looks delicious until you read the ingredients! It is actually ground turkey, mashed potatoes, yams and stuffing! It probably tastes pretty good, but in the shape of a cake you would be in for a big surprise.

Whether this Thanksgiving centerpiece incites horror, amazement, or confusion when it’s served, it’s certain to evoke some kind of outburst. Warning: This dish is not recommended for people who require an inch of space between food groups.
Game plan: The mashed potatoes and sweet potatoes can be made ahead. Rewarm them just prior to assembling the cake, so they are easy to spread.

FaVoRiTe tHiNgS

If Oprah can have favorite things so can I!! Mine are not nearly as exciting or expensive but they are things that make me happy and make me feel good. It doesn't matter what your status is in life or how much money you make - what is important is being happy and enjoying the little things in life... so here are my FaVoRiTe tHiNgS!

The last two are not only my favorite but also my greatest blessing....

As my girls will tell you, I am obsessed with losing weight. Well, I don't really agree with that because if I was obsessed I would be thin and in great shape! I am always looking for easy ways to lose weight or easy types of exercise. Unfortunately, the easiest way to lose weight is to stay active and eat the right foods. That has always been a tough one for me. I am a sugar junkie and I don't enjoy exercising. When I was off work yesterday for Veteran's Day, I watched Dr Oz and the following products were featured. They all looked pretty awesome to me and I want all of them!!!

Let's start with the JUMP SNAP
This is a jump rope with only the handles - no rope. Looks pretty good to me. It keeps track of the calories burned and how many repetitions you have jumped. I used to be an excellent jump roper in elementary school, but I doubt I could jump more than 10x in a row now without messing up, so the Jump Snap would be a good thing for me. I could watch TV and jump my heart out.
And Now - The Meal Measure
It is easy to use and measures your food right on your plate. Meal Measure fits most dinner plates. The cavities of the Meal Measure are labeled vegetable or fruit, starch, and protein. Each Meal measure cavity is one cup at the top with a one-half cup line inside. The protein portion is equal to the size of a deck of cards. It's all about portion control or at least that's what I keep hearing!

Next up: The Gruve
This handy dandy gadget keeps track of all your daily movements/calories burned and comparing those numbers to a predetermined goal, the user should be able to keep their metabolism running like a well-oiled machine. The fact that it vibrates and lights up red when you are being lazy also adds a bit of incentive. This would be great for me throughout the day. It would make me get up and walk around more at work, take the stairs, park farther way and keep me moving while I am watching TV!

Last but not least: Quantum Scale
If you dread stepping on your current bathroom scale only to see that three-digit number staring up at you, you’ll love the Quantum Scale. That’s right, now there’s a scale that you’ll love to step on! The first time you use the scale, it registers (but does not display) your weight, storing it in the scale’s memory. So everytime you step on it you only see how much you have lost or gained. I think this is the scale for me! I really do not enjoy seeing how much I weigh and the number is not what matters anyway!

Empty Nest

It is a gloomy Sunday morning & my thoughts today are taking me back to a very busy household with four active, loud, happy children.

Where did all those years go? I remember thinking: When will I have time for myself, when will they get along, when can I relax, when does this all end. Well in the blink of an eye it does and now I sit here wishing I had the bedlam, loud laughter, bickering, messy house, constant turmoil and rush to get everything done. Those were the happy times - the times when life was crazy, but wonderful. When you are living those times, you don't really appreciate them but when you have time to look back you long for those days and wish you could do them over.

I am not sad that those times are over. It is great to watch a TV show or have a conversation without hearing, Mommy, Mommy Mommy! It is nice to come home from work and not have to cook dinner or clean house or do laundry. It is nice to sleep in on weekends, stay up as late as I want and not have to answer to anyone. I am not sad, but I am very thankful that I had those years of craziness with my children and that now I can look back on those years and appreciate the important job that I had of being their Mom and making sure that all their needs were meant. I loved every crazy minute of it! (Even the teenage years when I knew I was not there favorite person like I was when they were little.)

They have all grown up and left the nest and are leading busy crazy lives of their own. I miss them terribly and I think about them everyday and constantly pray for their happiness and success. It's funny how life is... I am not a Mommy anymore, but I will always be a Mom.

A friend of mine posted on facebook the other day to her son and said: "How come I have to go on Facebook to find out what is going on in your life?" I thought about that and smiled and realized I am not the only one.... That is why I have become a Facebook user, Twitter follower and Blog Stalker!!