Rudolph

Christmas is especially magical when you have kids in the house. I love playing Santa Claus and hiding their gifts. I can't wait to see their faces when we decorate the tree, drive around looking for lights, or show them the Nativity and read The Christmas Story.

Rudolph came on tv lastnight. It was a childhood favorite of mine, along with Frosty the Snowman. The boys watched about 15 minutes of it before resuming their game of "let's climb on the bed when Mom's not looking and jump, jump, jump."

But, they'll eventually appreciate it.

Maddox didn't even ask about Rudolph's red nose. He only had two things on his mind:

"Mom, why is that toy sad?" (referring to the misfits)

"Mom, who is that? I wanna see that again!" (referring to the big, bad Abominable Snowman)

BBQ Chicken was a hit!

Andrew told me that my BBQ chicken was better than Jim n Nick's BBQ. And that's saying a lot, because he goes crazy for some Jim n Nick's.

The recipe comes from Pinterest and it's so easy that I had it in the crock pot ready to go at 6:45 am, before I even pressed the coffee button. I'm always looking for tasty recipes that are quick enough for me to make without the boys killing themselves in the meantime. And this one fits the bill.

Crock Pot Chicken BBQ
4-6 pieces boneless skinless chicken breasts (i threw them in frozen... even easier!)
1 bottle BBQ sauce (sweet baby ray's all the way!)
1/4 c vinegar
1 tsp. red pepper flakes
1/4 c brown sugar
1/2 - 1 tsp. garlic powder

Mix BBQ sauce with all ingredients listed under it. Place chicken in crockpot. Pour sauce over it and cook on LOW for 4-6 hours.

That's it. And it's so, so delicious.

I served it with fresh green beans, salad and rolls. I'll definitely be making that meal again. 

This picture has nothing to do with BBQ Chicken, but how hilarious is it that my wild escape artist climbed in the laundry basket and thought he was trapped?!

He can climb up and down chairs, couches, tables...but laundry baskets? Apparently that causes him great anxiety.

Nakina Drive, Here We Come!

We have a house!

It's smaller than our old house on base and it doesn't have a screened porch, but hey, it's got a fence and once I'm done with it, it will be warm and cozy. For the next ten days, I'll be packing my butt off. I'm a pro by now. 

The boys were a little crazy today. They thought everything in my house was a trampoline. 

It's a good thing our furniture isn't too nice. 

The Hoard

It's true. My child is a hoarder. 

This is his biggest hoard yet. 

It's a collection of toys, water bottles, snacks, socks, and underwear. Oh, and ALL of our washcloths. 

Today, I didn't get as much done as I wanted because a Twilight marathon came on tv. (that means: no packing)

But, I did get to hang out with a great friend, drink a caramel brulee latte, buy some paper towels and make chicken mushroom alfredo. 

Maddox ate four bowls and told me, "Now that's 'dewishes'."  Even super picky Jude liked it.

Tomorrow is a big day. We visit housing on base to see what they can offer us. I'm not thinking about it too much, though, because it makes my stomach hurt. Instead, I'm searching Pinterest for a good crock pot recipe. I think I'm going with BBQ chicken, fresh green beans and rolls. If the chicken turns out yummy, I'll post the recipe.

Stay tuned. Maybe tomorrow I'll find out where I'll get to call home. 

Lemons or Limes?

We have solved the 4-month-old question: What are those things hanging from our neighbor's tree? (that my children like to steal and attempt to eat)

First, they were lemons. Then, they started to look like limes. But, turns out, they are oranges. 

I'm glad we found out before we moved.

The boys are happy to be back home, though they sure did have a blast with their family in SC the last 5 weeks. 

Right now, it's pure sunshine in November, and life is feeling good.