HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

WISHING YOU A VERY BLESSED
2010!!!!!

Happy Birthday, Lexi

Yes, can you believe it another birthday this week. What a way to finish out the year, Lexi's birthday. Today is Lexi's 6th birthday!!!

Lexi is in all-day Kindergartner. She LOVES it. Lexi is a detail person. Once she makes up her mind---good luck changing it. Lexi is always on the move. She loves to ride bike. Today we are taking her and Lyndsi to Build-a-Bear.

Happy Birthday, Lexi!!!!!

Happy Birthday, Lyndsi

Today, is Lyndsi's 8th Birthday!!

Lyndsi is in the 2nd grade. She likes playing with her Webkinz, reading and watching old TV shows. She also likes dancing to Michael Jackson music.

Lyndsi is very excited about her birthday. We are planning just a small celebration at home tonight. However, she has been begging for McDonald's--we might have to really celebrate big and venture to the Big Golden Arches!!

Happy Birthday, Lyndsi!!

Happy Birthday, Stacey

Today is my OLDER brother, Stacey's 40th birthday!!! I have learned many things from him. One of the latest things he has taught me---Never do this--with a camera in the room.

Because your sister with the blog--will post it!!! He may be older--but I am not sure about WISER!!

Happy 40th Birthday, Stacey!!

It's Christmas time

Hope that everyone is having a great season. We are very THANKFUL to have already had 2 Christmas gatherings. We have had Christmas with both sets of my Grandparents.

Grandpa and Grandma Stucky, who are both 90 and live at the retirement home.Grandpa and Grandma Gerber, both 85--still living at home.

Both parties were lots of fun. We opened gifts, played games and caught up with cousins.

Opened more presents--Lyndsi and Lexi got their own camera. Maybe over Christmas break they will be guest bloggers.
While we were waiting for Ubby's turn to open gifts we took our picture.We've played BINGO and had exchanges--Oh what fun we are having. We have really enjoyed spending time with family. Looking forward to more time with our immediate family.

Christmas card

Here is our Christmas card--some of you received it in the mail. To my blogging buddies, the faithful commenters, I was going to add you to our list; however, I just decided to post it for you and the non-commenters.

Yes, we went the cheap-o route with the 4X 6 postcard. Did you know that you can mail a 4 X 6 print?

I did add a piece of card stock to the back to make it a little sturdier. And, of course, I just had to stamp it? (I just couldn't send it out all white and plain.) As you can see we spent one Sunday evening recently signing our names. It is a tradition I enjoy. I am not sure why--the boys complain and see how quickly they can finish. It takes Lyndsi and Lexi a little longer--but they get the job done.

So Merry Christmas from our home to yours.

Just in time

Yesterday, as I was heading out the driveway on one of the many adventures out. I stopped to pick up our mail. Yes, you find the newspaper, a bill and a couple Christmas cards. It is always good to hear from our friends and family. As a read the cards, this poem was on the front of one of them.

Keep Christ in Christmas
By Helen Steiner Rice
If we keep Christ in Christmas,
He will keep us every day.
And when we are in his keeping
and we follow in His way,
All our little, earthly sorrows,
all our worries and our cares
Seem lifted from our shoulders
When we go to God in prayer.

What a great reminder and it arrived in the middle of my crazy day. I hope you enjoyed that too. Have a great day.

Making a list . . checkin it twice

My homepage tells me this morning that there are 10 days til Christmas!!!!! That is why I am making a list and checking it twice. My goal this year is not to be wrapping presents the day of the party. Now I do reserve the right to wrap the presents that are still on my craft table, not yet completed, minutes before the party. The goal is to wrap all the presents that have been store bought before, Friday at 3:30 p.m. when the bus drops off

these five smiling, over-sugared (parties on Friday) children. So we will be able to do fun things together instead of them (the little ones) doing bad things while Mommy is shut up in her bedroom wrapping Christmas gifts.

So back to my list:

Teacher gifts/bus driver gift: (Just a note: if time allows later in the week I will show you what is in the bags for our teachers.)

Check---they went to school yesterday.

Christmas postcards: (will post it later for all of you)

Check--they are heading to the Post Office this morning!!!!

Let's see now next on my list--a trip to the grocery store!! Then home for lunch-then off to school for a Christmas program. Back home to make supper and greet children--back to school to pick up Logan--back home to feed the children and then back to school for the second music program of the day.

Well today sounds pretty relaxing. (ha ha) This is our CRAZY day this week!!! Hope your day isn't as crazy as ours and hopefully not CRAZIER!!!

I must get going now if I am planning on checking anything else off of our list today!!!

Yes, we are still here--busy getting ready for Christmas. This morning I was thinking I should really blog--but what should I blog? I could blog some of the fun craft things I've been working on, or---I had it I was going to blog about everything that had gone wrong today--and it is only 8:15 AM.
Then as I start to look for the camera--one of my favorite Bible verses came to me:
And when the people complained, it displeased the Lord:
Numbers 11:1
It is so easy for me to complain about things--that verse always make me think. Seriously, what do I really have to complain about, so things aren't going like I had planned. They will probably turn out better than I had planned.
Praise ye the LORD. O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever. Psalm 106:1

More stockings hung

This time the stocking were not hung by the chimney with care.

They were hung on our front door. These were made from a cute little kit I got by Moda. (One of my favorite places to visit on the web: http://modabakeshop.com/ ). Well there are many more things on my to do list for today. I see on my home page that there are just 24 days til Christmas--I better get moving lots to do.

Have a great day.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas. . .

Yes, it is beginning to look a lot like Christmas here at the Lehman house. We were a little under motivated this years so we put up just a few Christmas decorations. But it still looks like Christmas.
OK---the stockings were hung by the chimney with care. (They were hung kind of a hurry!)
With the Christmas music blaring in the background the girls are finally in the mood to help. This is the kid's tree. Our children each receive 2 Christmas ornaments every year one from my mom and one from Matt's mom. You do the math 6 kids X 2 ornaments X 10 years (average)= yea that's right a lot of ornaments. We honestly have more ornaments that this tree can hold. (Which is about 4 totes) So I talked the kids into using these Santa ornaments I made one year and some icicles that I received from Grandma Marge when they moved the the Village. That way there was no fighting about which ornaments to put on the tree.

I don't want you to think just because I was mean by not letting them get out the 4 boxes of ornament and fight over which ones we would put out this year--that we did not have fun. See--fun is a state of mind. You can have fun if you put your mind to it. Example: here are Lauren and Lyndsi pretending to be unicorns? Speaking of fun--here is Lauren modeling the kid's Christmas tree skirt. Hey Lauren that goes under the tree!!
Well the job finally got done--the tree looks a little different this year but it is up, the lights are working and will be great for about the next 26 days.

Here is the tree in our living room. It is a little more formal. It is our star tree. All the ornaments are stars or have stars on them. Yes--nothing that fabulous and after 2 trips the hardware store to get lights that worked.

We are decorated for Christmas. All but the front door, which I hope to get that done today. So stay tuned. More exciting decorating from the Lehman's. (Ha ha)

Hope you all had a very blessed Thanksgiving.

Happy Thanksgiving

HAPPY THANKSGIVING FROM OUR FAMILY TO YOURS

O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good; for his mercy endureth forever. 1 Chronicles 16:34

A cleaning tip

Yes, a cleaning tip from Julie. I'd much rather be giving out a recipe or a cool craft project, but today, I am going to share my latest love.

If you have one of theses

a glass top stove.

The company recommends that you use this to clean it. If yours is like ours it needs to be scrubbed almost everyday.

I recently discovered that instead of the expensive cleaner you can use:

baking soda and spray it with water. I think it almost works better and is way cheaper.

OK--there you have it a cleaning tip from Julie. Hope you have a great weekend.

Troubles!!

YES, I know that there is a problem with my blog background; therefore you are unable to read past posts.
Here is where the trouble is: I know what the problem is, I know what needs to be done; however, I need Landon's help to fix it. So. . . since he has driver 's ed before school---my problem with remain the same until later today.
Sorry . . . also, maybe one day here real soon I will do a real post. Have a great day.

HAPPY FALL

Happy Birthday, Mary Dean

Today is a very special day. Today is the birthday of one of my best friends. She is a part of our family. It isn't a party if she isn't there. Today is Mary Dean's birthday!!!!

She is always doing something for someone else (here she is helping me get ready for Mom's 60th birthday party). Her real name is Mary Dean but we all call her Deanie, even our birthday cards are signed--Mike and "Deanie". So if you see Deanie out and about today--wish her a Happy Birthday.

Deanie and I celebrate our birthdays together every year!! Because today is her birthday and tomorrow is mine. Kind of fun!! This year we are celebrating big and hoping to go shopping!! (That is if my kids can stay healthy!! No H1N1!!)

Mike and Deanie are the greatest--if you don't know them--you should. What a great couple!! Thanks for always putting up with us Mike and Deanie!! And being there for the good and the bad times. We are very lucky to have you in our lives.

Happy Birthday Deanie!!!!

Craftin' Crazy!!!

I have been on a craft craze lately. Finally, I have finished the baby gift for our friends next door. I have been waiting all week to wash the raggy shaggy burp clothes, a task that I finally finished this morning. It is not that I haven't done laundry this week--it was just that I wanted to wash them in a small load. I have seen the raggy shaggy burp clothes on several blogs. They are a lot of fun to make; however, they are a little messy.

Also, I have completed my first infant-size head band. Isn't it too cute?

I have also just completed my first block taggie. I found this at Modabakeshop.com!http://www.modabakeshop.com/search?updated-max=2009-09-21T16%3A49%3A00-05%3A00&max-results=12I used one square of minke--also used black and white fabric. Note to self: taggies need to be shorter next time. But it is a fun little project that you can just make out of scraps!!!

So anyway I am so excited the gift is finally ready! I even

have the card ready!! (usually I am too lazy to do a card and just do a quick tag) So it is almost ready to go. Now cross your fingers--lets hope that I have some tissue paper to put in the gift bag!!

A good reason to leave the house!!

Hey all you girls living in my area--are you looking for a nice evening out of the house? Tonight is the start of World Relief Projects. I have posted about it before, I know some of you made the comment that you use to attend--well we would love to see you again. If you have never come--we would love to see you too!!!

You need NO SKILL!!!! It is a nice evening out--getting to know other ladies from church while making things for others.

Hope to see some of you there!!

Lehman Test Kitchen 1.2

I know I have blogged before about my love for Pampered Chef items. Here again, is one of my favorites.

The mix and chop!!!

I believe that is its name. I think it was designed to chop your ground meat while browning it in the skillet or crock pot (one of my favorite things). However, I may be way behind the times, but I like to use it when mixing up meatballs or meat loaf. It works very well and keeps your hands out of the meat, eggs and whatever else is in your recipe.

Speaking of recipe I thought I would share my favorite meatball recipe.

Meatballs:

• 3 lbs hamburger
• 1-2 cloves garlic (1/2 tsp)
• 1 13 oz evaporated milk
• 2 tsp salt
• 2 c quick oats
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 2 eggs
• 2 tsp chili powder
  onion
  
  Mix all ingredients together and form into balls. Bake at 350 for about 1 hour. For the last 20 minutes of baking cover them with the following sauce.

Sauce:

• 2 c Ketchup
• 2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 1/2 c brown sugar
• 1-2 cloves garlic
  onion

This sauce can be made ahead and stored in the fridge. It is great on all sorts of things. Just a note: I like to make the meatballs ahead and freeze them raw. I pull them out frozen and put them in the oven. They are great for when you need a good meal in a hurry.

Hope you all have a really good weekend.

Happy Birthday, Logan

Logan Hugh Lehman was born on Wednesday, October 7, 1998, at 2:54 pm. He weighed 8 lbs 11 oz and was 21 inches long.

Yes, doing the math this afternoon at 2:54 he will officially be 11!! WOW where did the time go?

He has grown up so fast. Logan is a 5th grader. He is playing the trumpet in the band and is also in the choir. Logan is our go getter. Logan likes to be on the move.

He also loves to have fun. So that would explain---(this is what happens when you leave your camera at home with you 11year old son).

Happy Birthday Logan you are truly one-of-a-kind!!!

Card Day

Today, Ubby and I got together with some friends to do a little stamping, a little playing and a lot of talking.
Here we are working hard on our cards. We each brought a card or two for all of us to make. It is a great time working and still having a chance to talk. It also gives the kids . . .
time to play. Yes, that is Ubby with the girls. He is baking a cake. A couple of the kiddos are missing from the picture.

OK here is the finished product. Eight handmade cards ready to send.
Not bad for an afternoon, the kids got to play, the mommy's got to craft and chat--it doesn't get much better than that. Hope you had a good afternoon.

A Saturday afternoon

Yesterday, we had the chance to spend some time with some friends. She is starting a new photography business, so since I have several children it gave her a chance to try some different things. We had a great time.
Thanks so much Tara it was fun.
Check it out: http://tarasteffenfotos.blogspot.com/
Note: Some of you may be seeing these pictures again--I am starting to think Christmas cards.

Oh where has my little dog gone?

I'm sure you all remember back in April when I caved in and said yes to getting a puppy. Murphy was the new addition to our crew. He was a cute little fur ball. Well-----don't worry Murphy is still here but---he is sure not little anymore.

Here is my little dog?
OK-first this is not my dog. Logan is his mater! Second, he is not little.

As you can see he has really grown; however, he still is a puppy. He can run like a speeding car and jump like a high jumper (just a note: if you live in a house with kids that do not like pets these are not good qualities for your dog to have).

Normally, Murphy stays in a very large pen and that keeps him away from guests we may have and it also keeps off the road, but we let him run free each day you should see him go.

This is the picture I took of Murphy--see he know that if he wants me to pet him he must lay down. The only problem is sometimes he forgets. He looks so sweet here. He can be if he is not digging up flowers, jumping on someone or something else he is not supposed to be doing.

OK there you have it--a Murphy update!!!

A post about flowers

I know I have shared how much I love to play in the dirt. I realized that I have spent more time watering and weeding this summer than I have been posting. So I wanted to post a few pictures, so you could see what I have been up to.

This was a fun, little project, it started as a few sickly looking plants and an old ice cream bucket--that I cut holes in the sides of and filled with dirt.

Then after some sun, some water and a little love:

Yes--It sure filled out nicely.

OK this was going to be the entire post--but then I realized it kind of sounded like I have spent my summer watering this--well it was more than this one. I am slightly obsessed with flowers. I love all the color in the summer. It always amazes me, how you can put a couple of plants in a tube and they fill it to overflowing. I makes me kind of sad to see the blooms starting to fade away. So before I go I thought I share a few more pictures.

OK there you have it--some of the plants I've been watering this summer. I have been making lots of notes about what worked and what didn't and I am so excited, because this year I think I do have pictures of all of my flower pots so next year before I go shopping I will be able to make an even better list of what I need. Hope you guys have a great weekend.