2012 Calendar!!

November 5, 2011 Zach got his braces off!  After two 1/2 years!  While we were in the orthodontist office  they said they were making a calendar and asked if they could take Zach's picture to be in it!  Sure!!

 We got our copy in the  mail today.

 And May 2012 is my favorite page!!  ☺

October 2012 is pretty special too!! ♥

Zach has a great new smile now!  I'm glad to have this cool calendar to show it off!!  ☺

Busy Month of Concerts and Performances!

Here is the Admiral Men singing at an Elementary school.  Sorry the video is sideways.  Good thing the singing is not!  ☺  Enjoy!

What a Boy Wants...

I have found, being a mother of sons, that new clothes or a day at the beauty salon is not what makes my boys happy.  What makes them happy is good food.  So I was happy to come across this Weight Watchers Recipe!  Drew loves a good shish~ka~bob, so I couldn't wait to make these!

We got take~out fried rice and steamed our own veggies.  This meal was a hit!  All three boys went away happy and I was filled with not only a full tummy, but smiles and compliments on a great meal. ☺

Honey Ginger Chicken Thighs

Ingredients

	2 Tbsp ginger root, freshly grated, or less to taste
	2 clove(s) (medium) garlic clove(s), minced
	1/2 cup(s) hoisin sauce
	1/4 cup(s) orange juice
	2 Tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
	1/4 tsp black pepper
	1 pound(s) uncooked boneless, skinless chicken thigh(s), cut into 36 chunks
	2 tsp honey
	1 Tbsp uncooked scallion(s), fresh, minced (for garnish)

Instructions

• In a medium glass bowl, combine ginger, garlic, hoisin sauce, orange juice, soy sauce and pepper; add chicken and turn to coat with marinade. Cover bowl and refrigerate for 3 to 4 hours.
  
• When ready to cook, soak 12 wooden skewers in water for 30 minutes (or use metal skewers).
  
• Preheat oven to 375ºF. Line a roasting pan with aluminum foil to catch drippings; place a wire rack over prepared pan.
  
• Remove chicken from marinade; reserve marinade. Thread 3 pieces of chicken onto each skewer and place on wire rack; cook for 10 minutes.
  
• Meanwhile, spoon reserved marinade into a small saucepan; stir in honey. Bring to a rolling boil over high heat; boil for at least 1 minute to kill any bacteria.
  
• After chicken has cooked for 10 minutes, remove from oven and generously brush with boiled marinade. Flip skewers and bake until chicken is cooked through, about 10 minutes more. Place on a serving platter and garnish with scallions. Yields 2 skewers per serving.

Maybe you will enjoy this recipe too and make the boys in your life smile!  ♥

SnOw DaY!!!!!!

We had "threats" of snow before we went to bed on Dec 4th, and what fun to wake up to find the ground covered in snow!  I was suppose to sub this day, and the teacher text me at 4:30am that school had been cancelled!  So even I was excited!  (I guess, no work, no pay for subs!)

 I let the boys sleep in, and Zach was the first one up!  He was thrilled to have a day to get some game playing time in!!!

 I started pulling the boys rooms Christmas trees out and started decorating them.  I had seen a cute "boyish" way to decorate it and I got right to it....however, I needed a new strand of lights and I wasn't going to let any snow stop my decorating!  Also, Drew informed me that he needs a Colonel Sanders costume for school by the next day!  WHAT?  There went my relaxing snow day!  Drew got out with me to look for costume materials and he spotted this CupCake Barn!  We stopped and got us some "fuel" to finish our errands!  Yum!  Good eye Drew!

 We didn't get out and build any snowmen, but someone did!  I had to snap a pic of these cute snowmen at the University!!

 It was also a great time to pull out our snowman dishes!!!

 And after what seemed like all day, I finished the boys Christmas trees!!

 Helmets and footballs are easy to find in our house!!  I overheard Drew saying how much he loved his tree one night!  I was thrilled!  When I asked him about it, he said he just loved the multi~colored lights!

Thanking God for unexpected snow days, last minute projects, cupcakes, warm house and multi~colored lights!!

Cookies!! Part 1

I recently saw a stained glass cookie recipe in one of my magazines.  Oh, they were soooooo pretty!  I mentioned them to Drew and he wanted me to make them.  Years ago I had made some, so I was ready to do it again, this time making Christmas designs.  *I made the sugar cookie recipe from the Betty Crocker cookbook I have in my cabinet...(mistake #1)....

Drew diligently went to work breaking the candy and filling in the holes....

I rolled more and more dough to make our Christmas designs....

And .....

Our cookies did NOT turn out beautiful, as we hoped!  I realized that I did not make the sugar cookie recipe that comes with the design.  The delicious Betty Crocker recipe was not made for the 'stain glass' design....oh well.  We will TRY again soon!!!

So Thankful!

We have so much to be thankful for in the Rankin Household!  

The boys had a week off from school and we enjoyed every minute of it!  

This year we made the turkey!  Dan found a good recipe and took care of preparing it and cooking it!  He also made the giblet  gravy!  He is such a helpmate and I am thankful for him!!! ♥

 This is Mylee, our new great niece!  She was born on Sept. 1st and she slept so sweetly through our dinner!   Her momma was thankful for those quiet moments to eat in peace!  ♥

 Tia hosted this years Thanksgiving dinner at her beautiful home!  Thank you Tia! ♥

 I got a lot of "loving on Mylee" time!

 Dan's Aunt Ellen and Uncle Forrest came to visit.  Ellen just had a HEART TRANSPLANT (4 months ago) so she wears a mask to keep germs away since she is on a lot of immune suppressing medicine right now.  We are sooooo thankful the Lord has taken care of Ellen by providing her a heart VERY quickly and for a fast recovery.

 Dan helped Ryon pick up a pile of cards! ♥

 We are thankful for a BIG chair that we could all relax on and watch the Cowboys play!

 We are thankful for relaxing days with family playing Mexican Train!  (which Zach won!)  Yay Zach!

 Dan even got some Mylee time!  ♥

 We also had time to build forts in the living room, have sleep overs,

 put up and decorate our Christmas tree

 and keep warm by the fire on a very cold, windy, dusty day.

 As you can tell, we do have a LOT to be thankful for around the Rankin House!

~♥♥♥♥~

Lower Cave ~ Carlsbad Caverns

October 10, 2011 was Columbus Day and a holiday for the boys.  NO SCHOOL!!  Granddad has been wanting to take the boys on the Lower Cave tour in Carlsbad Caverns since they were born. ☺ BUT, you had to be at least 12 years old to go on this tour.  So, now that Drew is 12 - They found the first holiday (that wasn't booked) to go!

You have to go d o w n ....

 to see beautiful cave creations!

 Walk on narrow walkways....

 through tight spaces.....

 and even crawl!!

 But you noticed the smiles never left their faces!

Once the tour was over, you had to come back U P....

This holiday was the first days off since school had started and they were looking forward it.  I was a little nervous they would be upset having to get up early and head out....but from the moment they woke up, to the walk back into the house that evening, they had a smiles on their faces.  They both had a GREAT time touring Lower cave.  Thank you Granddad for wanting to take the boys on this wonderful adventure!!  ♥♥♥

Dove Hunt

The boys get a lot of shooting time some weekends.  They go up to the "ranch" (as we lovingly call it) and shoot clays for target practice.

 Once Dove season came around, Dan took them up to try and shoot some.  There weren't many that flew in, but they each got one a piece.  They were thrilled!

 I love this picture of Drew being a little brother!  ha!  (below)

I did not go on this Dove hunting adventure.  And boy, was I glad too.  When the boys got home they said there was a lot of baby frogs all over the place!  Eek!!  I don't love frogs, but I love these boys!! ♥♥♥