12 Days of Christmas in NM #2

 Yesterday evening I spent some time decorating the dining room china cabinet. The green, red, and white plates were already in our possession and I got the cute-o wooden Christmas signs from Hobby Lobby.

The garland was made from a roll of crafting burlap, a string of white lights, and strips of green and red bandannas.

12 Days of Christmas in NM #1

The state question here in New Mexico is, "Red or green (chile)"? If you want both you reply with, "Christmas". 

That (red and green) is going to be the theme of my "Christmas" tree this year. I went to Hobby Lobby and cleared out their artificial red and green chile peppers and turned them into ornaments. Sooooooo stinkin' cute, aye???

An Early Thanksgiving

With my family here this week we've been busy celebrating Thanksgiving and doing some sightseeing here in NM.

Oh, well!! Maybe next year Cade will get into the holiday spirit........:)

Indian Clint

Tending to his "fire"

Of course we squeezed in a trip to White Sands.

Plenty of family shots :)

Time for some serious sand sledding!!

Weeeeeeeeeeee!!!

Stopped in Lincoln, NM to see where Billy the Kid roamed.

The courthouse

American history is so much fun!!

The grave of one of his victims.

The post office

Dad REALLY wanted to see Roswell on the way home so we stopped there for awhile too.

Taos Pueblo and Picnic

Aquarium and Botanical Gardens Trip

Today, we took a family day to the aquarium and botanical gardens. We haven't really done anything like that since before Callie's birth so it was loooooong overdue.

The boys really enjoyed seeing all the fishys :)

The gardens were beautiful!!

( please excuse my darling Son's rear end......LOL )

Posing with the flowers

My dream homestead.....

A horsey!!!!!

LOVE!!!

Pumpkin Bread Recipe

By request, here is the recipe for the pumpkin cupcakes I made for Cade's birthday. To be honest, I think that may have been the first time I used that recipe to make cupcakes. We've always made loaves or a bundt cake out of it. 

The recipe came from an OLD Taste of Home magazine we had and it's been a family favorite for years. Enjoy!

5 eggs

1 1/4 cup oil

1 can pumpkin puree 

2 cups all purpose flour

2 cups sugar

1 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 tsp cinnamon 

1/2 tsp salt

2 (3 oz) pkgs cook & serve vanilla pudding 

In a large mixing bowl beat eggs. Add oil & pumpkin; beat until smooth. Combine remaining ingredients in separate bowl and gradually beat into pumpkin mixture. Bake @ 325 degrees in 2 greased 8x4 loaf pans for 75 minutes OR 1 greased bundt pan for 65 minutes.

Happy Birthday, Cade!!

 Happy 1st Birthday, Cade!!

Western theme

 Stinkin' cute

"Happy Birthday to you......"

Pumpkin cupcake

More!!!

Time for presents!!

( wrapping paper by yours truly ;)  )

Clint ( with ketchup all over his face ) helping with the presents

Clay joining in the fun

Wow!!!

Let's play!!