Dear Joey...

I have been following your story closely for the past few weeks, the pictures of you snuggling your baby girl have a place in my heart that has grown since having my son a year ago. You are new to me and I'm sorry for that. I am almost ashamed to say I probably wouldn't be writing this blog if you weren't sick. I love country music, but I never came across your music (and you got me hooked). Your voice is amazing. You are very talented, and you obviously are doing something right to have a man by your side that loves you as much as Rory does.

I am writing this letter to you, and I am not trying to be a "bandwagon" fan, or someone that is trying to get in the lime light. that is so far from the reason behind this letter. . But at this time of your life, you are inspiring me as a mother and a wife. I have read countless articles about how strong you are. My son and I have added you to our prayer chain, every prayer helps right? I guess my main reason for this is because I want to share with my friends and family the story of a mothers love. Its obvious in the pictures of you with Indy how much you adore your little girl. 

You have fought, and tried your hardest, You did good momma. And luckily your little girl will have your songs to comfort her, and stories from Rory, and her aunts and uncles and cousins,siblings,  grandparents you name it. Now, I am not the end all be all of what everyone in the world that is following your story has to say. But for me and my family, you have showed us what it means to fight, and be okay with your next place. 

I have had family members that we have lost to cancer, it seems like there is at least one person in every family, doesn't it? I watched the video from when you rang the bell tonight, and I sobbed as you and Indy hugged the nurses and I want to thank you, because you have welcomed ME into your life, even if it is only for a brief time. You have taught me that time is precious. Moments with my son are moments that I will never get back. The one extra cuddle before bed, the stinky diaper in the middle of the night. The random hug and kiss while playing or the tantrum because he doesn't want his sock on while wearing his show. The stupid fights with my husband about who changed the last diaper, or who's turn it is to turn off the light before bed, and the big ones too because we are human. These are all things that need to be cherished. 

Because of you and your love for your husband and three girls, I am making a promise to you, My promise is that I will cherish my time with my son and husband. Because at the end of the day, time can come faster than we all realize. Even though you have come into my life near the end of yours, my heart is with you. I hope in your last days you have nothing but peace, comfort, and continue to be surrounded by your loved ones. And know that your fans both old and new are praying for you, You have gained 3 new prayer warriors.

"Never say goodbye, because goodbye means going away. And going away means forgetting"- Peter Pan,

Spinach Artichoke Dip.....

...Made by me In the Crockpot!

Recipe courtsey of Pinterest and sixsistersstuff.com

All right, its football season and for some of the Eagles games we have parties. Not all of them and not always big games, but we have fun anyway. And on a fall day there is nothing better than a hot dish.

I decided I wanted to make some spinach- artichoke dip. I am so happy with it. IT WAS DELICIOUS! Here's what you will need...

 14 oz Artichoke Hearts, chopped and drained. 

(*Now I am no artichoke expert. I THINK I bought the wrong ones. All i had to do was rinse them in water and got the seasoning and oil off the best i could. They still worked great!*

1 10 oz package of frozen chopped spinach, drained.

1/2 cup Sour Cream

*I used friendship dairies, it was on sale at ShopRite, you can use whatever brand you love*

1/2 cup mayo

*Mayo can be any kind you want. I prefer Hellmans Mayo SNOB to the max*

1 Cup finely chopped onion

*Helpful Hint: ALWAYS get your husband or anyone else to chop the onions, my eyes were burning so bad!*

1 clove garlic minced

* we love garlic so i used 3- seriously garlic is a food group in our family*

what you're supposed to use...

what i used ;)

1/4 cup grated mozzarella cheese

*again we used what was on sale at shoprite, use whatever brand you love and or whatever is on sale*

1/4 teaspoon garlic salt.

Okay I forget to get the picture of this, but this is the kind of garlic salt I used.

1/4 cup milk

*whole milk from target*

1 8oz packet of cream cheese-cubed.

*there is a theme here, it was on sale use whatever floats your boat for cream cheese*

Salt and Pepper to taste

I didn't add, but everyone added if they wanted too. 

Okay BEFORE you start, spray your crock pot with non-stick spray. It really made a difference.

Now you want to throw ALL of that into a blow and mix, you want to make sure its all mixed pretty well before adding to the crock pot.

Once mixed throw it into the crock pot & 

add the cream cheese cubes evenly throughout 

Turn that bad boy on high for 2 hours. 

Check it around an hour, if everything is hot, it's done. 2 hours is recommended to make sure everything gets cooked through.

Mix in the cream cheese and serve.

 It was delicious!

My taste-testers

My Taste-Testers part 2

The only picture I could get of the finished product

Now it says that the prep time was only 10 minutes. I am NO where near a chef. It took me at least 30 mins to prep. But then again I had issues with onions, and forgot to defrost the spinach. 

Try it out. Let me know if you liked it! We sure did!

Until Next time....

Just another...

...Manic Monday!


I cant believe it is already monday! I really have a case of the monday's this week. But that is not going to stop me from doing a weekend round up with you.

Our weekend was busy, extremely busy. For starters i am fighting off a cold that will never leave. I swear it is going to be a fight to the death. So far, i have the cough that just will not quit, and the stuffy nose. Its gross. Bt lets talk about something else. Like the freakin' weekend.

Saturday...

Saturday started off like an Alfred Hitchcock movie. I was making my coffee and I'm looking out the window. I literally watched the bird get ready and BOOM right into the window. I swear it was the craziest thing. I don't even understand how it happened. Magoo hung out and watched tv with his uncer before we went to the soccer game. Pots and Pans was the captain for his game and got to do the coin toss. Last game of the season for the Celtics, and boy was it.. i don't even know the word. I understand they are kids, But damn. They literally stood there and watched the other team win. Its a shame, but some of them played well. We FROZE our faces off. Its not that it was cold. The wind was killer. It was so bad. I had Magoo in his stroller turned away watching kids run around because the wind was that bad. 

Then when we came home it was a relaxing afternoon, ma raked the front yard. Bret raked the back yard. I took a nap. We watched the FSU game, i was extremely happy that my husband wasn't cranky after the game. If you knew his friends and their love for THE Florida State you would get it. Its deep and its real. But the best part, THE BEST PART. THE BEST PART was after the game. My husband gave ME the remote. There was still football on the tv, but he gladly handed it over. This is HUGE for my husband. He lives for saturday football. I don't get it. Watch your team and call it a day. He actually got made at me one time for changing the channel while he was ASLEEP.  Yep he was sleeping and still threw an attitude because I changed the channel. You gotta be kidding me. Anyway. It was a good saturday. Low key, just the way I like my weekends. Topper would have been a girls night with my Nikki (The Honest Fox  ;check her out, I love her and you will too. Tell her I sent you :) ) and wine, with a rom-com on in the background. But she is too far away.

Sunday...

Sunday we got up and dressed and headed out to Peddler's Village for the apple festival. There was apple moonshine. Yep, thats right apple moonshine. It was nice once we got there, the drive kinda sucked but at the same time, when is being in the car the best time ever?  We walked around for roughly an hour. I told Bret we need to go back when there isn't a festival going on so that we can enjoy the place. We were with my dad, his wife. Brother, girlfriend and their kids. We decided to go to dinner with My brother and his family. As we were heading back to their house we saw some deer, They are so pretty. I don't understand how people can hunt them. I mean they aren't hurting you. Leave Bambi and friends alone. Capiche? We saw hot air balloons literally taking off to our right and flying LOW over our car. It was very, very, neat. We got my mom some thanksgiving decorations and then say by the fire and watched the E A G L E S, beat Dallas. 

It was a great weekend. I hope we have more like it now that we are coming up to the holidays. I love that we are back north and Bret and Magoo can experience the seasons. 

I hope you all had a great weekend too. Life is about the moments that take your breath away. 

Until next time...