Stringing Popcorn!

As we pulled out the tree for Family Home Evening last week, the kids decided they wanted to string popcorn. We spent the whole night poking holes in the popcorn and our fingers. We didn't finish that night due to it being a school night. They said they had fun!!

I thought it was interesting that they didn't remember ever seeing a hot air popper! We did string last year, but maybe they didn't see me actually pop it. It was amazing for them to watch the popcorn pop with just hot air!

They spent the next night putting the ornaments on the tree. I love not having to worry about it. I just let them go at it!

Christmas is coming, YIKES!!!

Great Find!

I was at Walmart in the Christmas light section, buying some lights, and replacement bulbs for lights I already had, when I came across this Light Repair Tool.

I was very skeptical, but I thought I would give it a try. If it really worked, it could save a lot of time going through all the light sets. It always takes so long to go through the lights trying to find the problems and replacing burnt bulbs. Just locating the burnt bulbs were even a pain if too many were burnt out and the strand wouldn't light. I was hopeful!


Basically, you take one of the bulbs out of the socket of a strand that won't light and plug the socket into the gun. You then pull the trigger up to 20 times and voila! If there are no disruptions in power (ie light loose, or something wrong with the socket) the circuit will light! Then you can see which ones are burnt out and need to be replaced!

If they don't light, then you push the top button and run the red led light along the wires to locate the problem socket. It beeps at you as it detects the current. When it stops beeping you check that bulb. A lot of times I only had to pull it out and put it back in, maybe it was just loose. If it didn't light you keep checking. It sure took a lot of guess work out of locating and fixing the problems!

It also has a place on top to test individual lights to see if they are burnt out as well as a fuse tester.

Of course as with anything it wasn't 100%. I had a couple of circuits that I just had to go light by light. But out of all the strands I went through it cut my time down considerably! I definitely think it was worth the $20!

I did however decide to stop buying these cheap lights. As I replace my lights, I'm replacing them with the LED lights. I'm hoping it will save me time and money in the long run. When I get the outside done, I'll post pics. We're almost there!

Thanksgiving Pies

I've decided I have a lot to catch up on and I'm just going to go for it. I'm not going to worry about the order though, just go with what comes up and works!

We had so much fun making pies this year, I actually took pics. I don't usually get a lot of help in the kitchen unless someone wants to learn how to make the pies, or Holly is here! This year most of the girls wanted to help! Yeah!

I didn't quite make as many as usual, I just knew I wasn't going to have as many people around all weekend, and I decided I was going to try to behave myself, and not indulge too much!

Anyway, We started around lunch time, because Melanie wanted to come help too, so we were waiting for her to get off work. I started with the cream pies, and the low fat, crustless pumpkin, so by the time she got here, we would be ready for the pie crust and pumpkin pies!!

These girls really worked hard to learn how to crack eggs with out dropping shells in the bowl. There were lots of eggs to crack, so by the time we were done, they had learned well! It cracked me up, the faces they were making trying to open them!

Emily was great to measure the sugar and spices and to help keep the girls out of the way when we needed them to be.


Melanie got pretty good at rolling pie crust and getting it into the tins! While this is a great tasting pie crust, you can't mess it up, it really can be annoying getting it into the tins. It takes great patience and a lite heart!

Final Pie Total....20! We made 4 cream, 3 low fat crustless pumpkin, and 13 pumpkin! That's cutting down you ask? Yup! I usually make 25. I didn't make any fruit pies, I wished I made less pumpkin and a couple of fruit. With Nana gone, I just didn't know who would eat them with me, and I didn't want to eat them by myself! Melanie took 3 pumpkin with her, and Jon took a cream pie for one of his parties. I only made that many because the kids were complaining when I said I wasn't going to make as many as usual, so I made a few more than I thought I should.

It did make for a GREAT Pie Weekend!!!

1st Tooth!

Today it finally happened!! Tiffany lost her 1st tooth!

She's been waiting for this moment to happen for some time. It's been loose for several weeks now, the permanent tooth was even a bit impatient! It was growing in before the baby tooth was even out of there!!

Today I finally asked her if she was ready to get that puppy outta there??? She was worried and a bit skeptical, but she trusted me enough to get the string wrapped around it and let her go at it!!

It took a little patience on her part. She had to be gentle with herself at first. Then she would get braver and braver, and pull harder and harder, as she realized it didn't hurt. Then, the first pang, ouch that does smart a little. She thought about giving up a couple times, I could see it on her face, but she didn't!

She went into the bathroom so she could see her progress. Finally, just when she thought it would never come out, it just did!!!
Please forgive her breakfast all over her teeth! We just had to get that close up, of what, at our house, we call, the "Jack O'lantern Smile"!!

She was so happy and excited!! Can you tell??!!