Black Bean Hickory Chicken Pasta

½ box penne pasta
Can of black beans
½ bottle of BBQ sauce (any flavor)
2 cooked chicken breasts, chopped (I used 4.)
1 cup shredded cheese
Parmesan cheese

Cook chicken (however – grilled, baked, boiled) and chop. Boil pasta. In oven dish, combine cooked noodles, chicken, can of beans, BBQ sauce and cheese. Mix and bake at 350 for 25 minutes. Sprinkle Parmesan on top and serve.

This was really good and the kids loved it. It was easy to make too.

Long Jon Jon

This Jon Jon was made for a little boy who is 3 months old. Email me for details.

8 months old

Coleson is 8 months old today and is just the sweetest thing ever.

Things he is doing now:
- he gives five and high five
- he give sugars
- he goes from the crawling position to the sitting position
- he eats 3rd baby foods
- he claps
- he loves Gerber Graduate snacks and so does Rascal

Abbey has her first softball tournament next weekend that we are excited about going to. I am anxious to see how her team does. She had good grades in her papers this week. We are so proud of her and hope that she will keep it up.

I am loving this cool weather. Coleson got to wear a jacket for the first time this morning. He looks like such a big boy. Abbey loves getting my camera out and taking pictures of her baby brother. Sunday, we are going to give up some of our time and support a great cause. We are participating in a walk for diabetes. It’s nice to do things for others sometimes and not always think about yourself. Dennis and I are trying to teach our kids the importance of this and that if you do something for others then they will do something for you in return.

I tired a new recipe last night and it was really good. Abbey loves soup so I knew she would enjoy it.

Santa Fe Soup:

2 lbs. ground beef
1 white onion
1 package taco seasonings
1 package dry ranch dressing mix
2 cans diced tomatoes
1 can rotel tomatoes
2 cans white corn
1 can pinto beans
1 can black beans
1 can kidney beans
1 cup water

Cook until meat is done in skillet and drain. Put in a soup pot with remaining ingredients and let simmer for 1 hour. Serve warm with corn bread, sour cream, and chips.

MSU vs. LSU

We went to the Northwest Rankin and Warren Central High School football game Friday night. I went to Warren Central so we decided to go and watch the game. It was great getting to visit with people that I have not seen in a while. Saturday morning we got up and headed to Starkville. By the time we got to the game, it was pouring down rain. This is what our tailgate tent looked like.

We still had a great time. Coleson and I stayed at the tent until the rain stopped. He was entertained by all the girls that stayed there as well. Our tailgate is big so there is always someone around to talk too. There are 14 families that we hang out with. We finally made it to the game right before halftime.

Coleson loves to watch the game. He is so good and never hardly makes a sound. My sweet boy loves his bulldogs!

He had finally had all he could take a passed out in my lap. I have no idea how he slept with all the loud noise and the cowbells ringing but some how he did.

Every week we go to Starkville, Coleson always does something new. I had him in the book store this week while we waited on the rain to stop and he went from the crawling position to the sitting position. My baby is getting so big. He can't wait to see his big sister and brother this afternoon.

A Line Dress

This was made for a little girl who's uncle plays for the Madison Central baseball team.

Our Little Monster

This was supposed to be Coleson’s Halloween costume this year, but there is no way that it will fit him in a month so we let him play in it last night. It was so cute on him and I can’t wait to dress him up. We have Abbey and Brandon this year so they will have fun helping him trick or treat. We will be on the coast for a softball tournament on Halloween, but we are planning on dressing the kids up and taking them somewhere during the week. I am sure something fun will be going on.

I have officially started planning Coleson’s first birthday party. I know that it is still four months away, but with the holidays coming up the time will fly right on by. I also like to have things planned out perfectly. I love birthdays so I especially want his 1st to be one that we will remember. I will try to keep my self contained and not go over board. :)

Today is the first day of fall. I love this time of year.

Food for Thought....

I have always loved reading quotes and writing them down in a book. I have done this for a long time and enjoy reading them often. When you have alot going on in your life, it is often nice to sit down and take a break from the world. Enjoy!

"Everyone is a friend, until they prove otherwise."

"There is only one person who could ever make you happy, and that person is you."

"You cannot step twice into the same river, for other waters are continually flowing on."

"Don't bunt. Aim out of the ball park."

A Great Day

We had a busy day but it was so much fun. Coleson got up early this morning and so I put him back to bed after rocking him for a while. I put some toys in his bed for him to play with while I went back to sleep. It got real quiet so I went to check on him. I got my camera and went in his room. I couldn't see his face so I thought he was a sleep. As soon as I snapped the picture he looked up at me like yeah right, I'm still awake. He eventually went back to sleep and slept for a while.

Abbey wanted to feed Coleson his yogurt for breakfast. She did a really good job.
We had a birthday party this morning for our cute little neighbor. It was a carnival party and was a lot of fun.

Heather asked Abbey to help with one of the games the kids played. She had to wear this silly looking hat.

Isn't she just the cutest? I LOVE the hair bow.

Coleson and Stella Grace love each other. They get so excited when they play together. What sweet friends!

Sadie Leigh blowing out her candles. What a cute cake and it was so good too.

We had pictures made today in our MSU gear. They turned out great so I wanted everyone to see. Sorry it is blurry. I took a picture of a picture.

Prayer Needed…. (new to us)

I found out yesterday that one of Coleson’s daycare workers has a tumor on her breast. She is very young, maybe 17, and apparently this isn’t the first time this has been found. Please pray for her and pray that everything will be ok. I don’t know any details. She just found out yesterday. She has told us several times that Coleson is her favorite baby so we know that she loves him and takes really good care of him for us while we are working.

Update on Brandon

Brandon is feeling much better now. His fever broke yesterday around lunch and he is still fever free with no Tylenol. He has also been asking why he has to stay in his room all the time. I am going back home this afternoon to wash and wipe down everything. Coleson will be back tomorrow after daycare. It was good to spend a few days with my parents but I sure am glad to be going back home. Brandon has been so worried that his brother wasn’t coming back this week while we have them. Dennis, Abbey, and Brandon have missed him terribly and I am sure he has missed them just as much. I know I have. I can’t even imagine what it feels like to be away from my child for so long.

Check out the newest baby model for Sweet Pea Tees. They have some really cute collegiate outfit for little ones.

**** This is just a reminder that my blog is strictly to keep family and friends updated on what our children are up to these days. It is also a journal for me to look back on one day and remember these sweet times. If you don’t like something that I have posted, then please DON’T continue reading.

Our Weekend

Dennis and I had a busy weekend but it was fun stuff so we enjoyed it. Friday night Abbey had practice so Coleson enjoyed being outside at the ball fields again. Saturday my mom and I went to Brookhaven to a fabric store that we saw advertised in the Mississippi Magazine and we shopped around some. We came back to Jackson and shopped a little more. We had a really good time.

This was a neat high chair that Coleson sat in at the mexican resturant we ate at in Brookhaven.

We went to a tailgate party that night to watch MSU get beat by Auburn. The game was terrible but the food and friends were fun. Sunday we got up and went to church and had lunch at Dennis’s grandmothers. We came home and did some housework and enjoyed the afternoon off. It was nice to hang around the house for a little while. This outfit was ordered from Sweet Pea Tees.

Daddy and Coleson watching the game.

Uncle Preston and Coleson cheering the bulldogs on.

Uncle Preston and Aunt Bethany getting some good practice in.

Dennis took Brandon to the doctor today and he was diagnosed with the swine flu. So that means that Coleson will be moving in with Grammie and Pappy until all of this has passed at our house. I pray that Brandon will be the only one to get it in our family. Before Coleson comes back home, I will wash everything possible and make sure that the virus is gone. I certainly don’t want him to catch it. I have stressed over this swine flu and now it is here. I hope Brandon gets to feeling better soon.

Abbey was nominated for Student Council last week by her teacher. The sixth grade voted Friday and Abbey found out today that she was one the kids selected. We are so proud of her for getting selected for this and have told her that this is a great thing to be a part of.

MSU vs. JSU

Coleson attended his first Mississippi State football game this past weekend. He did great. I looked down at him at one point and he was clapping. This was his first time to clap and I am one proud Momma. Who better than the bulldogs to clap for the very first time! It was hot at first and cooled off after it rained. Coleson and I spent most of our time under the stands and then we made it back to the tent and hung out the remainder of the game. I don’t really watch the game anyway. I just people watch and see what all is in style.

Happy Anniversary!

Today is mine and Dennis’s 2nd anniversary. We went out to eat Friday night at Walker’s to celebrate. Our meal was wonderful. Thank you Dennis for 2 wonderful years of marriage. You are an awesome husband and the best Daddy to our three children. Here’s to many more!