Happy Birthday Sweet Ole Papa!

This weekend we celebrated Glen's dad's birthday! We had a wonderful dinner hosted by Glen's brother and his wife and a yummmmy Chocolate Pudding Cake made by Glen's sister.
*Recipe will be included for your enjoyment!*

We love this ole guy and he loves his grandkids!!


Happy Birthday Papa!! We love you (and the pudding cake)!



Chocolate Pudding Cake
(you gotta try it!):

Preheat the oven to 350.
Crust:
1 cup of flour
1 stick of butter
1 cup of pecans
Mix all together and smoosh into the bottom of a baking dish.
Place into oven and bake for 5 minutes.
Let cool, then layer with:
For the 1st layer mix:
1 cup of powdered sugar
8oz cream cheese
1 cup of Cool Whip
Mix all together and place onto the cooked crust.
Then for the 2nd layer:
1 large package of chocolate instant pudding
(follow the "traditional pie instructions" of adding 2 1/2 cups of milk) for this layer
Once the pudding is made, pour onto cream cheese layer.

Top with layer of Cool Whip.
Fun also to add chocolate shavings or pecans to finish it off.
Refrigerate for 2 hours, then get ready to scream with delight!!


FYI: It's always so much better the next day for breakfast too!!!

mmmmmm!! and I can't figure out why I packed on 9 L-Bs this summer!!?? geeez!!


Enjoy!!

Speed Week In Review.....

Holy Cow!! That first week of school smoked by us!!

It flew by so fast, I needed a review myself of what all happened this week:

1. SCHOOL STARTED! This had to be our best first week of school yet! Riley starting 7th grade like an old pro, Hallie entering 3rd grade with the teacher she has waited for "her whole little life"! Thankfully, not a tear to be seen all week!

2. I spent the first day, mostly on Facebook enjoying a quiet house and looking at everyone's children's 1st Day Back pictures! What a treat to see some of your old high school friend's kid's starting school and the little ones being just mini versions of your old friends back when we started school!

3. Started back to the gym, after hopping on the scales after one fun vacation.....with NINE pounds added to the screen, did you hear that N-I-N-E pounds........panic set in and I flew into action!

4. My 89 year old grandpa, named "Pepa" for short, made it through surgery and is back home rambeling the streets on his "scooter"! We are so happy and thankful our prayers were answered and he is doing so well!

5. While on Facebook, and after hearing the news on TV, we found out that one of our childhood friends that we grew up with was seriously injured when his own neighbor shot him in the stomach! The Facebook community exploded with support, prayers, and words of encouragement for Ryan and it appears that he is doing miraculously well, continuing to improve daily! This event made my "list" as it was such a shocker to actually know someone in the headlines, and so sad to think of them having to endure such a life changing ordeal.

6. The girls came home this first week with a total of 3 projects due this week, so much to my excitement, for real, we got to make a return trip to Hobby Lobby! One of my all time favorite "sanctuaries" among the world's craft stores. I had taken a bit of a self-imposed "Hobby Lobby Hiatus", due to a tanked checkbook this whole summer. So it was so good to smell the aroma of hot glue and cheap potpourri again, it really got me in the mood for some FALL DECORATING!!

7. Speaking of FALL DECORATING.......you may recall our Halloween Yard Fiasco from last year...........well, I have been putting much thought into our annual Yard Display already, mostly because (almost daily) I get a, "We can't wait to see what you put out there this year!" or a "So who's going to be in your web this time!?"

I hate to disappoint, therefore I am watching the headlines daily for something interesting to catch my attention....... (Gosh! That's been hard! Something interesting in the headlines)!? hahahahaha!! I have a few ideas, but do not really want the "Secret Service" knocking on my door! (snicker-snicker)!

Maybe I should play on the non-political side this year and get started on building 8 kids for my web, with a Jon & Kate to ride the spiders!? or maybe 8 kids on the spiders and those nutty parents in the web...see my possiblilities are ENDLESS, I tell ya!!

It's been a great week over our way and I hope you have had a blessed week as well! Happy Friday!!

"WHAT IN THE WORLD!?"

Were the first words out of my mouth as I am pulling up to my grandmother's Nursing Home today and catch a glimpse of this display of weirdness that was piled up behind the building at the dumpster...........From far off, it appeared that something had gone terribly wrong and they were throwing a resident out! Much to my relief, as I got closer I realized it was just a mannequin!
Silly me thought to grab my camera and take a picture, BUT wasn't quick enough to think to load this stuff up in my car! I could've had some real fun with all this!!
(I might have to go pay Grandma another visit today and hope yesterday wasn't trash day!!)

First Day Fun!!

You know it's been a good First Day of School when your third grader comes home wishing..."it was school tomorrow already"! Now that's a sign of a good day!

In the history of Cruson 1st Days Back to School may I mark this one down as the FIRST ONE with no tears from anyone...not even mom!

It makes such a difference when you know they are safe, happy, and loved when you send them into class!

Wow! We've got two sleepy girls tonight too!! Doesn't take long to get back into the swing of it all!

Happy First Day of School all and GOD BLESS THOSE TEACHERS!!

This Is What Happens.....

when you purchase .....

"Hannah Montana - The Movie"!


Total transformation.

Heaven, Help us!

"Meet The Teachers!"

It is going to be a GREAT year!!

Riley spent the day at the Middle School helping all of the teachers do their final preparations for Monday. She enjoyed spending the day at school and seeing all the familiar faces of friends and teachers, getting her "in the mood" to hit the books again! This year will be full of football games and pep rallies as she shakes her pompoms and shouts out those cheers!!

Hallie got the GREATEST TEACHER on the planet for 3rd grade and her very best friend in the world in her class! The sweet Mrs. Seifried even sat them right next to each other! uh-oh!! I smell a seperation in the horizon!! These two are cutups together!!

We are so excited and look forward to an amazing 7th grade and 3rd grade year!!

It's Never Easy ........

To say Goodbye...to a fabulous Vacation Resort!!
We have to head home today. We have had the most incredible time together and with our friends! It has been a vacation where we were truly able to stop, take a breath, and enjoy our time together!
I am really not ready for school to start, for all of the sports to swing back into play, for the 7th grade projects that come home everyday with a deadline of TOMORROW, for the Christmas holidays to be "just around the corner", and all the other stuff that fills the calendar and makes the hands of time seem to fly!!
Today, I will be thankful that we were able to spend this amazing time together and take a very much needed vacation before all the "routine craziness" takes off and controls our lives!!

Thank you to my sweet family for such a wonderful trip!!!

So, hang on now, it's going to be a fun year!!!