RECIPES!

As requested here are the recipes for the Apple Breads below! Enjoy Jan!!

AWESOME APPLE BREAD
1 cup oil
3 eggs
2 cups sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
3 cups apples, diced
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Directions:
Combine and set aside the oil, eggs, sugar, and vanilla. Sift flour, cinnamon, soda, and salt. Add dry ingredients to oil mixture gradually. Add apples and nuts. Bake in 2 regular loaf pans or 3 foil loaf pans at 325°F degrees for about 70 minutes. Cool 10 minutes in the pan. Sprinkle with sugar, if desired.


APPLE DATE COCONUT BREAD
3 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 cup flaked coconut, toasted*
1 1/2 cups milk
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
8 ounces chopped dates
1 cup finely chopped apples

*Toast coconut:
Spread coconut in shallow pan. Bake at 350° for about 15 minutes, stirring frequently, until lightly browned.

Mix and sift flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Stir in the toasted coconut coconut. Whisk together the milk, egg, and vanilla; add to dry ingredients. Stir well. Fold chopped dates and apples into mixture. Spread into greased and floured 9x5x3-inch loaf pan. Bake at 350° for about 1 hour and 15 minutes.

ENJOY!! These bread recipes are really yummy!!

Mommy Baked!!!

There is no way, between Teagan and Myself, that we could have eaten all of the apples we picked on Saturday, so I baked and baked and baked!! 3 Loaves of yummy Apple Bread and 2 Loaves of Apple, Date and Coconut Bread! Both were first time recipes for me and really turned out deliciously! Not to mention I only used about a quarter of the bag of apples!! I am going to be baking for the next month!! The kind of apples we picked are called "Paula Red", they are really sweet and juicy, and they are a softer apple so Teagan can actually munch away on them, needless to say she was eating the apples as fast as I was dicing them!

Mom - I have to tell you, I made the most amazing chicken curry for dinner last night!! I have had a taste for curry for weeks now, so last night I pulled out the recipe book you made for me and there it was, A RECIPE FOR CURRY!! I love my recipe book!! You know.... you could always email me recipes and I can add them to the book you know.... :)

Love & Hugs to everyone around the world!!

PS - I can't believe Teagan will be 2 years old in just 4 short months... I remember when she used to be this teeny tiny little bundle...

AN APPLE A DAY... FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR!!!

We had a wonderful day at "Apple Holler" on Saturday with Muriel, Jerry, Soph, Nicole, Luka, Pat and Austin! We picked enough apples to last a year!! Teagan had a blast picking apples off of the trees, and a few off of the ground!! The weather was great, and the kids got to do so much fun stuff! Train rides, feeding the goats, and tons of pictures!!

We got invited to Lynn's Mom for Sunday Dinner! YUMMY!! She made us a traditional southern dinner of fried chicken, mashed potatoes, green beans, corn bread, corn on the cob, salad and to top it all off - Cheesecake!! Teagan ate so much, her little tummy was stuffed!

What a great weekend!!

HUGE MILESTONE!!!

Somebody got her very own "Big Girl" bed and loves it!! After weeks of sleeping with Mommy in her big girl bed, Mommy decided that if she ever wanted to get anymore sleep, Teagan needed her own big girl bed that she could rearrange at her leasure... at 3:00 am!! Teagan is doing so great, she sleeps through the night, has only fallen out of bed 3 times! And... the best part.... when she wakes up in the morning she toddles through to Mommy's room for morning cuddles! I love "Big Girl" Beds!!

We are so excited! We are spending the day tomorrow with Muriel & Soph and Nicole, Luka & Austin. We are going up to Wisconsin to "Apple Holler"! It is an apple and pumpkin farm where every year they have a big Autumn festival, with pony rides, hay rides, corn maze and of course apple picking! along with so many other fun outdoor activities for the kids! I will definately post lots of pics on Monday!!

Have a wonderful weekend!
Love & Hugs around the World!
Gina & Teagan.
XOXOXOXOXOX


"My very own Big Girl Bed"!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY AUNTY CHANTS!!!

Big, Huge Happy Birthday hugs and kisses to my Sis and Teagan's Aunty Chants, all the way in Cape Town, South Africa!! Hope you are having a wonderful Birthday, wish we could be there to celebrate with you!! Love you lots and lots like jelly tots!! Have a great Birthday! We miss you! XOXOXO
P.S. Next time we see you, Teagan will be old enough for that Pedi and Manicure!!


"Nap time"!!


"Now when you get older Aunty Chants will be able to give you a Pedicure"!


"I miss my Family"!

Happy Birthday Scotty!

We spent Saturday night celebrating Scott's 19th Birthday! This is Teagan's Godfather, and she is totally his little shadow! We had such a fun time! Scott, incase you don't pick it up from the pics, is a huge, mongo Cubbies Fan! So hence the theme!!


"Goodnight Cuddles"!


Teagan's competition!!


And I wonder why my daughter loves spending time with Lynn and her family???.....


"Girlfriends 4eva"!!


Let me help you Scotty!


Butt/Face Towel!!


Cubs Cookies!


Back away from the Cake!


Ice-cream Cake! Mmmmmmmm..... Yummy!


You know it's love... when he lets you blow out his candles!


"The Gathering"

HAPPY BIRTHDAY GRANDPA TERRY!!

Big, Huge Happy Birthday hugs and kisses to Dad/Grandpa Terry!!! Teagan (AKA Princess Crabby Pants) and I wish you a wonderful Birthday and hope you have a great day!!


"Happy Birthday Grandpa Terry"!


Mommy thought this was perfect for me!!


Teagan's "Baptismal Rose" - presented to her by the Church!


I had participated in a Promotional Online Product Purchase and just received the products I selected (all free) in the mail!! Sooo cute!


The "Mini" Version!


The Newest addition to Teagan's Winter Wardrobe!!




Teagan's "Bow Buddy"! We special order her bows from Stacey!! Aren't they adorable!


I saw this and had to buy it for Teagan's room! My first words of wisdom to my little girl! It was written by a 10 yr old little girl!


Teagan no longer wants to sleep in her Crib!! "But Mommy your bed is so much more fun to sleep in"!! I think it's time for her own "Big Girl" bed!!

Curb Appeal!

As Mentioned before I have been working really hard at landscaping my front yard, so as to add a little curb appeal to our house! Thought I would include some pics!! Also included a few pics of the precious little doll I bought "T" when I was in Minnesota. It is from a company called "Friends 2b Made" - You go into the store and start from the beginning.... You choose the body of the doll, hair color, eye color, you then choose a heart and decide what you would like the doll to say, I chose "I love You"! You then go over to the big "stuffing" machine and actually put the heart and voice box into the doll and then stuff it yourself! After that is done, you get to play dress up, you do the hair, choose the outfit/shoes and dress the doll. At the end you get to name the doll and get a certificate of friendship! Her name is "Teagan Stella"!! Very cute!!
















"Driving Uncle Brian's Truck"!!

What a Wonderful Day!

Here are a few more pics from Teagan's special Day!










Well yesterday was Teagan's baptism and it was wonderful! We had such a great day, the weather was beautiful, the service was lovely and lunch was great! The service was at 10:30 am at the Messiah Lutheran Church in Wauconda. Paster Dawn and Pastor Chuck were both part of the service - which made it very special! We had our closest friends join us in celebration of Teagan's special day - Thank You to everyone who shared in this day with us, it meant so much to have you all there! Teagan was, of course, a total Diva and even if she didn't really know that the day was all about her, she certainly made sure it was!! She looked just beautiful in a her baptismal dress that Lynn (Godmommy) bought her, and her special bow that Stacey made for her! Scott (Godfather) recited a really touching prayer that he put together for Teagan, brought tears to my eyes.... All Teagan wanted to do during the Baptism service was walk up the stairs on the "stage" and then jump off!! She wanted nothing to do with being held or paying attention to the service! As soon as Paster Dawn baptised her and touched her head she did calm down and had a look on her face as if to say "Mommy.. What the heck is she doing? I already washed my hair this morning"? After the service everyone came back to our house for a light lunch and just hung out and played and chatted! And what an awesome surprise when we got home and there was a message from Grammie Gene, sending lots of love and hugs to her Grandbaby!! We miss you too Mom!! It really was lovely day! Oh yeah!! Stacey video taped the whole service!!! So I will be making DVD copies and mailing them around the world!
I have attached some pics from yesterday, I will post more as soon as I round them up!
Love around the Globe!
Gina & Teagan.
XOXO