Gram's Special Vegetable Beef Soup

It's been 25 years since I lost one of my best friends, my precious mother-in-law, known to all as "Gram". I can remember stopping in on weekends at her house and walking in to the smell of the most delicious smell, her famous vegetable beef soup. She created the recipe and one day when she was preparing it, I took notes and am so glad I did. It has become a tradition in our home to cook a pot every now and then. The special ingredient is the "Bay Leaf". I actually put several of them in. Steph started a family tradition that if you get the bay leaf in your bowl, it brings good luck. I had the pleasure of teaching my daughter how to make this special soup recently and when her hubby tasted it, he said he loved it so much, he wanted to marry it.....Now, that's a compliment!
I passed the recipe on to my sister in Louisiana and it was a big hit with her family. Today while I was cooking the soup, my hubby kept saying how it smelled so good. I can feel Gram's presence when I cook her soup and the smell brings me back to her kitchen. I even use her spoon that she used, which was passed down to me.
Something very strange happened when I tried to snap several pictures of the recipe to post with this picture. The picture would not capture the words of the recipe. It kept turning white, like nothing was there. I don't know the meaning behind that, but, I left it alone.
Thanks Gram for remaining near and dear to my heart. The tradition will go on.

Noah's 9th Birthday Celebration

We celebrated Noah's 9th Birthday today at Red Robin, his and my favorite place to eat. His Birthday is Feb. 16. When I arrived he had saved the seat next to him for ME. Talk about feeling special. Noah and I have a special bond. I can remember when he was a baby, when I would leave a room he would cry for me. He was very attached to me. He, being the first Grandchild named me "Mimi". How special is that? Noah has an angelic spirit and a permanent smile on his face. He is our miracle child and I know that God has big plans for him.

I adore this picture because it goes to show the special bond these brothers have. Carter & Noah, like peas and carrots! Best Buds!

And then there is Grayson. He had a sparkle in his eyes today. It is very hard to capture a smile like this one, but it happened.

Then we carried the Birthday Celebration over to the bowling alley. Steph and Noah looking so happy. Pretty soon Noah will be passing his mom up in height.
Look at Noah bowl! He was amazing. He does practice a lot playing Wii. The score at the end was, Steph in 1st, Noah in 2nd, Carter in 3rd, Mimi in 4th and Gray in 5th......Fun game and fun day. Happy Birthday Sweet Noah!

Happy 79th Birthday Dad!

Today is my dad's 79th Birthday! I met my parents today to celebrate over lunch. I work down the street from a wonderful Mexican Restaurant. After we ate our lunch, I told our server to bring us a small dip of fried ice cream with 3 spoons and that we were celebrating his Birthday, So 4 of the men servers came with horns in their hands and blew them right in my dads ear and I thought he was going to have a heart attack. He wasn't expecting that, but loved the attention. As we were walking out of the restaurant he passed a table of about 10 people and had to make sure they knew it was his birthday.

My dad has always loved his Birthday and if he could he would make it a National Holiday. He loves to spend the day answering the phone at the many calls from all over from friends and family sending wishes.

I do count my blessings to still have him around. It saddens me to see both he and my mom age as they walk with a cane or ride in motorized shopping carts. It's part of the aging thing and it stinks!

Happy Birthday Dad...Love you.

"Mimi, you're the bestest cooker ever"!

Don't you love unplanned things? They seem to be more fun sometimes.
Abby stopped by on Saturday evening with her mommy to pick up their car that Grampa was working on. She was suppose to keep her coat on and just say hello, since it was almost bedtime. Well, off goes the coat and boots, before you know it, she was going to her favorite toys to play. I couldn't resist the fact that she loves being at Mimi and Grampa's house, so I whispered to her mommy, asking if she could spend the night and I would go to church with them Sunday morning....When she asked Abby if she would like to do that, I saw the biggest, brightest smile come over this sweet face....YES mommy, YES....
After her mommy left, Abby wanted to eat, of course...the famous Chicken nuggets that I always have in my freezer. As Abby was eating them at 7:00 pm, she looked at me and said "Mimi, you're the bestest cooker ever"! She told me her other grandma made this yucky loaf meat and she didn't like it....which cracked me up. I don't think her other grandma reads my blog, if so, sorry other grandma. So, we went to bed around 8:30, and she was asleep by 9:00, after hearing the made up princess castle story I usually tell her. This mimi couldn't sleep....I knew I had better get to sleep because Abby is an early riser...and by early, I mean 3:30am. early....
Yes, 3:30, her eyes are wide awake asking me when was breakfast! I told her when the clock turns to 5:00, we will get up. She tossed and turned, squirmed and wiggled and I finally turned on cartoons. When the clock struck 5 we hopped out of bed....I crawled to make me a quick cup of coffee. Abby wanted pancakes, which were made very quickly. I couldn't believe she ate 3 small ones.
So, I guess you are wondering what is in the shopping cart....Abby loves to play shopping by emptying my spice cabinet into her shopping cart. If Steph is reading this she is probably saying "Gee mom, you never let me do this when I was a little girl". Let's just say, as a Mimi, you are much more relaxed and almost anything goes, unless it involves fire.

These pictures were taken at around 5:30 am...She had her belly full and ready to do some serious playing.
And....after I made her the pancakes, I made her Grampa this Big Country Breakfast! Hash browns, sausage, biscuits & eggs....oh, and I did slice some oranges for our vitamin C. I was a good girl and only had 1 biscuit and small portion of hash browns. Needless to say, I was exhausted by 6:00am.....After cleaning up the kitchen, I lay down to take a quick nap before church. Abby fell asleep on Grampa in the lazy boy chair.....30 min. later I hear....Mimi where are you? It was time to get up and get ready and wait for her parents to come with her church clothes, then it was off to church.....And after church.....this Mimi took a Sunday afternoon nap! Like I said, I love unplanned events....and I feel so special cause my granddaughter thinks I'm the bestest cooker ever!
P.S. No, my hubby did not eat all this food! He likes to eat the left overs during the week for breakfast.