Well Enough in West Virginia

NJ officially went back to school today!  Yay!  He wasn't thrilled about it this morning (and this Mama who isn't really feeling 100% herself wasn't up for the attitude, but we dealt) but he was much more pleasant and full of all kinds of excitement by the time he got home.  Now here's to hoping no one else comes down with it...  Or anything else for that matter!  Germs are taking over in the Hills lately, seems like EVERYONE has had something.

And it was because we've had something that the MOPS meeting this morning got moved from our house over to another member's place.  (Thanks for hosting, Michelle!)  The kiddos of course tore apart another location, which meant fun for all :-p  After, Colleen, R, D and E came to eat lunch and hang out for awhile.  R stayed and hung out so he and the Bean could watch "Cinderella"  (I think it's safe to say she really likes in Aunt Sar!) and then it was the usual afternoon routine around here - a bit of quiet time for the Bean and work for me before we grabbed NJ.

When we all got back out of the cold (brrrrr!) the kids started work on their coloring page for the week.  The extra time with Noah home this week has really given us a lot more state project time, so the kids were all over coloring their West Virginia pictures.  You'll have to check out what they came up with!

Tonight for dinner we feasted on Sausage Chowder.  This recipe came from my Taste of Home cookbook and was from a writer in West Virginia.  I thought it looked yummy for this chilly time of year and knew it was something the crew would eat up (literally).  I also made this Appalachian Corn Bread to go with it.  This came from that same cookbook and seemed to be the perfect compliment.  For dessert I (grossly altered) made West Virginia Mudslide. (Kristi's note: Don't even bother looking at the recipe - it doesn't make any sense, is missing ingredients.  Totally made it my own, but the *idea* of it being West Virginia is there :) ) Anything with pudding and whipped cream always goes over well here - even if it might not be that authentic ;-)

Tomorrow the Bean is celebrating her birthday at school (she's so excited) and there are a couple BIG surprises in store for her.  She doesn't know about them yet, so I'm not going to spoil it here either ;-)  I promise to try to get pictures up, but it will probably be late.  And Grant's Dad and brother are coming in for the weekend, though not sure when they'll actually be arriving.  It's sure to be busy!  So until then...

West Virginia Fun Fact of the Day:  West Virginia's Memorial Tunnel was the first in the nation to be monitored by television. It opened November 8, 1954.

Kayla does West Virginia

Right next to the Capital is her glass blowing, the pink is a room in the Greenbriar Hotel and the long orange line is the New Gorge Bridge :)  Off to the right is Fiesta ware

Noah's West Virginia is interesting...  He's got the letters of his name on race cars chasing each other across the state.  I have NO IDEA what this has to do with West Virginia but he was delighted with it.  The black circles are coal and the golden delicious apple also makes an appearance

Noah's West Virginia - not the hill I wanted to die on today :-p

Sausage Corn Chowder - the whole gang really liked this one

Appalachian Cornbread

Pretty on the inside!

Dinner time - and yes, after the week he's had Grant MORE than earned a "Shock"olate Wheat beer tonight

West Virginia Mudslide (Kristi's adaptation)