"MUSSEL" MAN !

This is the face of a six-year-old Mussel Lover! Yes, Ryan could not wait to order mussels at The Olive Garden. His eyes lit up as he chow downed not only one serving, but TWO SERVINGS OF MUSSELS! Our waitress kept bringing other servers to our table to witness him devouring them!

When he got his second serving, he was so excited to open a shell and find this huge mussel inside! Two servings of mussels and the endless salad made Ryan's day! The Olive Garden now has a gluten-free menu, so the boys were really excited about being able to order pasta in a restaurant! Unfortunately, even though we got there when they opened today, they were out of gluten-free pasta - ridiculous. Aidan was especially disappointed.
Kari had breadsticks, salad, and mac and cheese. Here she is cheesing it up for the camera!
On Thursday night I took them for their machine pitch baseball game. The boys both play on the same team - the Tides. Check out Aidan's batting stance!
Ryan was playing center left field and taking his job seriously. At least it looks like he is!
I poked the camera through the fence and got this sassy picture of Aidan - check out his expression! He is humoring his Nana!
Playing the cool dude during practice - check out the hat! Aidan, you are too much!
Man, if Ryan would have connected with the ball, he would have had a good hit. Alas, the connection never happened. Good try though, Ryan!
I have been having a great time with the kiddos! We always have so much fun together. Just wish they lived closer to Chambersburg!

Happy Birthday Annisa!

I just can't believe that thirty-three years ago Annisa was born on a beautiful April spring day. I can remember that I cleaned out the garage that morning (nesting syndrome) and was not expecting to go into labor. Like Jennifer, she was early! Weighing in at 6 lbs 12 0z., she was a tiny bundle of joy! Now she has three bundles of joy of her own. Amazing!

For lunch I made a German Paprikash chicken recipe from the Pioneer Woman's Tasty Kitchen website. The only change I made to the recipe was to use Tastefully Simple seasonings like Onion Onion, Garlic Pepper, and Seasoned Salt. I served it over rice and accompanied it with a salad and corn. I made her birthday cake from scratch, a Sour Cream Chocolate Cake with Sour Cream Chocolate Icing. Annisa loves chocolate and gave it up for Lent, so it was fitting she should have a chocolate cake.Sasha and Clara presented her with Giada's panini pan. It was unbelievably heavy and it took both sets of muscles to carry it to their mom.
Annisa loves to cook and is a good one. She is almost completely through cooking her way through Giada's cookbook!
After food and gifts, the girls created their entries for the Public Opinion's Mother's Day drawing contest.
Notice that they both have their mom smiling! Annisa is a great Mom and her girls know it!
Happy Birthday Annisa! May each one bring special moments and special memories!

HAPPY EASTER!

It is a tradition in the family to color eggs for Easter. We hard boiled two dozen eggs, but little Dixon pulled one dozen onto the floor, sooooo. . .. . . seven cracked eggs fewer, we dyed eggs!

I think the kiddos had the most fun decorating chocolate cupcakes. Aside from a candy sprinkle spill, which I have to confess was my doing, look at their handiwork!
I think Ace of Cakes better watch out for these incredible cupcake decorators.
Sunday morning we went to church. It was such a glorious day! The sermon was wonderful and the music was fantastic! The Praise Team Band is AMAZING! I still am awestruck that we have six grandchildren and one on the way!
Jen, Adam, Aidan, Ryan, and Kari are all smiles! I think they are anticipating the Easter dinner that awaits them . . . or maybe it is chocolate candy . . .Annisa, Cory, Sasha, Clara, and Dixon look their Easter best! The girls made Easter Lilies that were so cute and lifelike! Check out the next top model pose!
Dixon and Pap had a little discussion about the Easter Bunny. I think Dixon knows something we don't know - what look of concentration!
However, when he found his Easter basket he looks pretty happy!
The girls are all smiles and happy with their Easter basket goodies!
Now, this is one happy Ryan! He love his DS and was so excited about this new game!Aidan is definitely no wimp. but he loves the Diary Of A Wimpy Kid series and he found the newest one in his basket.
Kari looks so serious, but in reality, was very excited about her Zhu-Zhu pet.
The Easter Bunny hid sixty eggs and the kids found them all in record time!
Mom-Mom arrived just in time for Easter lunch and loved snuggling with Dixon. She brought her yummy fruit salad, which we all devoured.
The piece de resistance was this incredibly delicious cake that Annisa made. It has hazelnuts and marscapone plus luscious chocolate in it. Annisa has been cooking her way through Giada's cookbook over the past few months and saved one of the best for last! WoW! After full bellies, everyone just kicked back and Dixon enjoyed looking over Aidan's shoulders as he played Nintendo DS. A future gamer?!?
Next year at this time, we will have another addition to our blooming family! Can't wait for baby Emme to arrive!
Kari and Dixon share a moment . . .
A very proud egg hunter!
I hope everyone had a wonderful Easter or Passover! Spring has finally arrived and let's hope that the blossoms continue bursting forth. Peace be with you and you family!

AIDAN'S EIGHTH BIRTHDAY!

Can Aidan really be eight? I remember vividly the day he was born and it just seems like yesterday. Sigh! He is growing up so quickly . . . The night of his birthday we went to an Irish Pub for dinner and were treated to Irish music! The entire restaurant sang "Happy Birthday" to Aidan and then all of the kids received Irish necklaces.
After dinner we went bowling on the Pax River Naval Base. Aidan is ready to roll!
Just look at his form - a future pro bowler, maybe? Maybe not?!?
Aidan didn't mind a few gutter balls! He and his friends had so much fun, especially when they happened to roll a spare or strike!
In the midst of the birthday chaos, little sis, Kari, wishes everyone "Peace!"
Ryan really got his game on! He did very well for being such a newbie at bowling.

In addition to his friends, Aidan's family joined in the celebration. Pap and Nana love birthdays with the kidlets. Dixon was in awe of the strobe lights and the noise!
Aunt Becky and Uncle Barry bowled in the lane next to the kids. They didn't do much better than the kids!
Although Clara and Sasha didn't know any of Aidan's friends, they joined right in and had such fun bowling with "the boys."
Aunt Annisa, Uncle Cory, and little Dixon are all smiles - or maybe just shell shocked!
After an hour on the lanes, it was time for the party - pizza and fabulous chocolate cupcakes. Yum! Then it was time for presents. Bakugan was a hit!
And of course, a birthday would not be complete without Legos. Aidan spends hours and hours and hours putting Legos together. He is amazing. The bigger the kit, the better.
Also on Aidan's wish list were books, the funnier the better. He got a bunch of them to keep him busy when he is not working on his Legos.
This Lego set is almost as big as Aidan! He has been wanting the Power Miners Titanium Command Rig for almost a year.
Birthdays are such special celebrations in our lives. I am just so thankful that we can share in the grandkids' "birth" days. Watching them grow up is such a blessing. Happy Eight Years, Aidan!

BROWNIE POPS, ART, and LITTLE GIRLS!

Since I had Friday off for a short spring break, Sasha and Clara stayed with us Thursday night through Saturday. Friday we headed to the mall to look for Easter dresses. We just had to make a stop at Old Navy where the girls posed with the other models! We didn't find Easter dresses there, but we did find a few cute spring outfits.

We had a great day out and decided that since it is pouring buckets - raining - today (Saturday), we would stay inside and do some fun activities. Our first project was making brownie pops! Yes, this is similar to cake balls, but on a stick! I had two great helpers mixing brownie batter.
After the brownies baked halfway in a special brownie pop pan courtesy of Michael's, the girls took turns inserting the sticks. Then back in the oven to finish baking.
Then the fun (and mess!) began. I iced the brownie tops and then Sasha and Clara rolled them in sprinkles, sugar crystals, and non-pareils. They had such a good time!
Of course they had to do a little posing with their creations!
Her are some of their creations . Don't they look gorgeous!

Someone had to do the taste-testing, too!
After all of that work, a story is in order and Pap loves to read books to the girls!
Later, the young artists got serious. Throughout the day, the girls created more than 15 pieces of artwork, which are hanging on my refrigerator, cupboard doors, and basement door. My kitchen is an explosion of beautiful colors!

Look at the concentration of this young artist at work!

Finger painting was a big hit! Sasha looks like a member of the Blue Man Group!
Here are just two of the many amazing works of art! This princess was created by Sasha using pencil and glitter paint.
Clara created this lovely work of art using markers - she said it is her Nana! I am so honored!
I have to give the girls back to their Mom and Dad tonight - Sigh! It was a blast having little princesses in the house - giggly, imaginative, artistic, fun-loving girls! And what a plus it is that they love to shop! Don't know where the shopping gene comes from! (Hee! Hee!) Until next time . . . .