Tomato noodles!

When I married into the Maple family I was introduced to a delicacy called tomato noodles. As a nervous girlfriend I was polite and ate a small portion and smiled. Now, I would not consider myself a picky eater, but I did not enjoy them at all!! Joe doesn't understand because I love tomato soup. I guess he thinks it taste like tomato soup, but it doesn't. Once I was an official Maple I chose to skip this once a year meal. this entree is homemade noodles, which is then cooked in a concoction of butter, diced tomatoes, and tomato soup. Once they are cooked they pour them in a bowl and begin to chow down. They also eat them with the strangest things, some of them pour milk in it (YUCK), others eat them with chips-potato and tortilla, and others eat them with crackers. For a while I was the only one who did not eat them, but finally Paige wised up and began to boycott them also. So for a few Christmas eve meals, Paige and I ate Sonic for dinner. Well, Paige and I still do not eat them as well as none of my kids (and I have not influenced them one way or another). However, Kenzi loves to cook and asked her Nana if she could help unroll the noodles. While they were making them Joe convinced Kenzi that she liked them so she gave it a try.  She ate a very small amount and told them she liked it (I think to please everyone because that's the kinda girl she is).  Ky on the other hand had to be bribed.  He took one small bite and he did not like it.  So now maybe Joe's little sweet pea will cook and eat them with him since I refuse!

December

Well, it's the best time of year! Also one of the busiest for our family! We have so many functions, banguets, practices and parties that the month flys by! However, we are starting a few new traditions to help us remember what this season is all about! We had a great friend who shared the art of "booing" in October. The kids absolutely loved it, so we wanted to come up with a similar tradition in December! So my 2 youngest chose a friend to surprise! We don't have a cutesy name(so if you can think of one please share). But we talked about giving to those we love, just like God gave us his son as a gift because he loved us. Another tradition I have picked up from a good friend is opening a gift each night, however it's not a new gift! So no money is spent....yay!!! Like most families we have a ton of Christmas books, so thanksgiving evening you begin by wrapping up 24 of your Christmas books. Then starting December 1st each night a package is opened and you read that book! You can draw to decide who opens and reads or have certain order, youngest to oldest, etc. Finally, on Christmas night you complete this tradition by reading the story of Christmas from the Bible. I am way excited to start it next year. A tradition we have done since Kam was little was build a gingerbread house or train.  Kam didn't want to participate this year, he said he's done it so many times it just wasn't fun any more....tear, tear!!  Kenzi and Ky still had a great time.  Ky loved licking all the extra icing and Kenzi enjoyed the left over candy! 

Makenzi is creating a masterpiece!

I love the picture above!  Below Makenzi and Kyler are so proud of their work of art!!  But they can't wait to eat it!!

More Maple Traditions!
One of our other traditions I have already written about the elf on the shelf. He has been hanging out on the garland for awhile, I think he's really comfy there.  If you don't know about the elf check out this website www.elfontheshelf.com. We also have the pickle ornament, which is fun for the kids. It's an old German tradition.  I have had this pickle since I was in college and the Williams (a family I babysat for) gave it to me as a Christmas gift.  So everyone has a pickle on their tree in my family.  Anyways, I just hope my kids will have wonderful memories of this time of year like I do from my childhood!

The Elf arrives with an early present!

On November 11, 2010 our Elf on the Shelf arrived!  If you do not know about the Elf, he is one of Santas helpers that reports back to him.  He mysteriously moves to different places in the night, so the kids wake up each morning searching for the Elf.  Normally, he just appears in late November or early December, but this year he had a special letter from Santa.  In this letter Santa explained that one of their Christmas presents had arrived early and it was waiting for them on the front porch!  The kids ran to the front and there was a crate with a puppy pug in it!  They were so excited!  

Halloween 2010

My kids love passing out candy on Halloween, almost more than actually trick or treating and since we have moved and have no neighbors I thought we would host a Halloween party this year.  I was so excited and started planning it in September.  I knew I wanted the kids to have fun, but I wanted the adults to enjoy themselves as well.  I constantly was talking to Joe about all the stuff we could do like make a haunted hay ride, fun games for the kids, bonfire and of course make s'mores....you get the idea.  I love making cute invitations so that was my first task.  Then on to the guest list which was pretty easy.  However it was kinda hard to decide when to have the party because trick or treat night was on different nights, Kam's football, HS football and of course OU football.  Well, we finally decided Saturday the 30th would be the night.  Invitations were sent and the festivities would soon start.  Well, it's time for some pictures!

Brad Burchett was kind enough to bring his 4 wheeler for the Haunted Hay ride!

This was a great shot of Ally getting ready to smash our pumpkin!

Ky is finishing it up!

They are going in for the good stuff.....Silly Bands!!!

Here the kids are searching through brains and eyeballs for more prizes!!!

Here goes the hay ride!

TRICK OR TREAT!!!!

The boys went a little crazy with the face pants!

Some people did a great job dressing up, some of us didn't!!

Melia was GI Jane and Scott was a Pirate, Joe was Bob Stoops, I was a Doctor, the Dr of Love to be exact! The entire Burchett family were pirates and by far the best dressed!  Melissa was Super Mom and Kelli and Andy portrayed themselves!

I am a Blogger.......really!?!?!?!

Well, I thought I would never and I mean never be a "mom blogger" but here I am!  I have several friends who have blogs and I subscribe to a few, but until I realized I could use this as a scrapbook I wasn't really interested! My best friend Melia Seely is the one who shared this information with me, so she deserves all the credit for this blog!!  
Anyway, back to the reason for me blogging, see I am a bit of a perfectionist and a little OCD, therefore when I start scrapbooking I don't want to stop until I am finished.  Well, with a husband and 3 busy kids, that is just not feasible for me!  So I haven't scrapbooked in a very long time and I am way and I mean WAY behind!  Hopefully, this little blog will help me get caught up and be enjoyable as well!