BiRtHdAy BoY!

ETHAN MCCALL SPORE
10/24/1994
8lbs. 8 oz.
19.5"
Then...

Ethan's Top 5 at 4 Years Old
Football
Pooh Bear
Cowboy Boots
Chocolate Cake
Mee-Mee's (Blankets)

Now...

Girls
Fast Cars
Deer Hunting
Texas Walker a.k.a. Chuck Norris
WE LOVE YOU ETHAN!
Please leave BIRTHDAY WISHES for Ethan in the comments!

BOO-YA!!!

I couldn't let October go by, without a Halloween post or two. Halloween is right around the corner and although our family doesn't go trick-or-treating anymore, we have a new family tradition. For the past four years, the hubby and I load up a couple dozen middle and high school age kids and take them to the area spook houses. Everyone has a spook-tacular time even with the old fogies! In fact, our oldest is now 16 and still asked us to take him and his friends this year! You can bet that made mom smile! :) You can also bet that our house will be filled with colors of fall, pumpkins, the smell of cookies and other ghostly treats! Below are treats I've made for school classroom parties, home, and church dinners.

MONSTER FEET COOKIES

• 1 bag (17.5 oz.) peanut butter cookie mix
• 1/2 cup flour
• Green food coloring
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup M&M’S® Brand Peanut Chocolate Candies
• 1 (16 oz.) vanilla frosting
• 2 cookie sheet pans
• Aluminum foil
• Resealable plastic bag

Directions

• 1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line sheet pans with foil.
• 2. Prepare the cookie mix according to package instructions. Knead in the flour and some of the green food coloring.
• 3. Pull off walnut-size nuggets of dough. Shape into 1 - 1 1/2-inch ovals and roll in sugar. Place on the foil lined sheet pans about 2 inches apart. Press M&M’S® Brand Peanut Chocolate Candies onto one end as the toenail. Bake in a preheated 350°F for approximately 9-12 minutes, or until just golden and cookies have puffed and spread. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely.
• 4. Meanwhile, tint 1 cup of frosting green and spoon into a resealable bag. Snip a very small corner from bag and pipe wavy curly lines on top of the cookies to resemble knuckles.
• Tip: If peanut butter cookies aren’t a favorite, then exchange the peanut butter cookie mix with a sugar cookie mix.

MINI PUMPKIN'S

You can harvest a whole pumpkin patch full of these sweet treats in minutes.

INGREDIENTS:
Circus Peanuts
Green Gumdrops
Granulated Sugar
Toothpicks

1. For each pumpkin, cut one circus peanut in half. Cut a small piece from a green gumdrop and trim away the sugar coating so you have a dot of the sticky inside. Use this piece as glue to stick the two halves of the peanut together, bottom to bottom.

2. Roll the pumpkin in the palms of your hands to make it round. Press lightly; you don't want to compress the candy too much.

3. Use a skewer or toothpick to poke a hole in the top of the pumpkin and draw lines down the sides. Cut another small piece from the green gumdrop and roll it in granulated sugar, molding it into a slightly conical stem shape with your fingers. Insert the stem into the hole on the top of the pumpkin.

Looking Towards Heaven,is hosting, "BOO-ya!" Check out lots of other tricks and treats for your Halloween celebration this year by clicking the button above!

Introducing...

I haven't devoted a lot of my time on our family blog to Breast Cancer Awareness month, however my personal blog, Lil' Bit This...Lil' Bit That... tells a different story. Please take time to visit and meet my new friend, Tisha Rambaransingh, a 35 yr. old single mother fighting breast cancer. You will be truly blessed by her story and fight to beat cancer. Each day I will be posting a new video of Tisha's so be sure to check back for her continuing story. You'll be inspired by her faith in God and the miracle God is working in her life.

Also, another worthy site to check out (CLICK BELOW). Make sure and share with all of your

family and friends know! Submit your cancer story for a chance to raise $$$$ for the cancer

charity of your choice. ONE LAST THING... you MUST check out their sister website below...

I think I'm in LOVE!!!
Sinful Delight, Eggnog, CocoLua, Caramel Apple Pie, Georgia Peach, Jamaica Me Crazy,
Mocha Banana Latte, Very Berry, Cookies & Cream.

It Started In The Grass Documentary

Documentary photography:
refers to a type of professional photojournalism,
but it may also be an amateur or student pursuit (quest, mission, hunt, activity)

The photographer attempts to:

* create truthful, objective (factual), and usually candid (open, honest, truthful, sincere) photography of a particular subject, most often pictures of people
* the pictures usually depict (represent, show, portray)
a certain perspective (viewpoint) of the photographer

Why is this important you ask?
What does this have to do with the family?

All three boys were outside playing football with each other Sunday when Ethan, our normally cool, calm, and collected son frantically darted in the house yelling, "MOM... MOOOOMMMM!! Come quick! Logan fell and cut his hand on something. The blood is pouring out. He needs you!" Mark immediately jumped off the couch and ran for the door. I made it out after him where Logan was moaning and groaning in pain while holding his right hand. Ethan had already managed to get a towel for him to put pressure on the cut, but the blood was managing to soak through quickly. Mark took one look at it and said, "He's going to need stitches." Ethan and Caleb were ecstatic! You would've thought it was Christmas morning and time to open presents! "I wanna go!" said Caleb. "I am going" said Ethan. To which I replied, "We don't ALL have to go. He will be okay." "But, moooommmm... (whining the whole time) we wanna watch him get stitches..." I of course, gave in to their pleas and off we went...at least I thought we were on our way when, "WAIT! We have to get the camera. Logan is gonna want to see this when it's over!" Ethan yelled . "What? You have to be kidding?? O good grief! Hurry up Ethan!" I retorted. And then it began... the flashing lights... the clicking of the camera...

Ethan documented the entire excursion (or most of it) at the emergency room. I felt his first "student quest at attempting to truthfully and sincerely represent HIS viewpoint" of Logan's jaunt needed some recognition. We ask that you are kind and courteous, he is only 13 (14 tomorrow... sniff.. sniff) and leave your comments, suggestions, and opinions after viewing:

IT STARTED IN THE GRASS
BY: ETHAN M. SPORE

How Do You Do It?

"Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer." Romans 12:12This past Sunday, the family... yes ALL FIVE of us...made a mad dash to the local Emergency Room while blood poured from a gash in Logan's hand. Now, those that know our family up close and personal, will understand a trip to the E.R. is what you could call "routine" for our little menage! In fact, if you look back through our blog, one of the first posts was concerning a trip to the E.R. Ring any bells? Ah.. yes! I thought so and yes, it was Logan again that time as well! Sadly enough, that was ride five in an Ambulance for me. That's right! FIVE times and counting, SIX if you include my flight in a MedFlight Air Ambulance. Friends and family often say, "I don't know how you do it. I would be a mess! Our family hardly goes to the doctor, let alone the E.R. I don't know what I would do!" How do you respond to something like that, "Aw, gosh, golly, gee...it's nothing'" or "Why, thank you, I am very honored" or "What do you mean handle it? I was a blubbering idiot!" I didn't ask for two of my three boys to have life-threatening diseases. I never dreamed I'd witness my baby losing so much blood that he nearly died before my eyes and then have to go through the same thing again with the love of my life. I never thought a drunk driver would hit my father head-on at 90 miles/hour. And I never thought I would be fighting to hold my son down as his fragile body was convulsing with eyes rolled back in his head due to an extreme "low." And if that wasn't enough, who knew boys could cut, break, twist, stretch, bruise, sprain, and tear body parts so easily?!?!?!?! What would you do if it were you and your loved ones you ask?

When I recall each drawn out journey to the hospital, my heart tremors at what could've been, but wasn't. Each sombering ride, felt so cold and frightening, yet I knew I wasn't alone. I found myself, falling at the Lord's feet, kneeling in prayer, desperately pleading for a miracle. "I am not ready to let go Lord... we haven't had enough time...Please? I need...I want more time. You can't do this!" I was selfish. What would "I" do? How would "I" make it through this? My emotions would inadvertently take over as tears steamed from my red eyes, anticipating what was to come. It was then, that I felt His presence. his gentle arms wrapped around me, holding tight, strong and firm, yet tender and full of love. Cradled in his arms I heard Him whisper softly, "I am right here little one...calm down. I will not leave you. You can do this. We've been here before...you and I...trust in me and believe that I am." I felt his strength pour over me and knew at that instant, everything would be alright. I merely had to be reminded. Reminded that He believed in me! In me, plain and simple, without question! He knew without a doubt, that I could handle anything set before me. All I had to do was call on Him and He was there with no questions asked. How do I do it you ask? My strength comes from the Lord. I call upon my heavenly Father and He is there like a knight in shining armor. (Isn't it just like a father to protect and encourage his young?) You see, when I am faced with flashing lights and bellowing sounds of emergency sirens, I don't do anything but look above and he give me what I need to endure the pain and suffering.

Breast Cancer Awareness

Sorry for the delay in posting...I've been working on my personal blog at Lil This Lil That (stop by and take a look), among several other projects over the past couple of weeks. One of these projects concerns October being national Breast Cancer Awareness month. Like many others, my family has been hit by this deadly disease. Therefore, I wanted to raise awareness on our family blog as well as on my personal blog.

There are many sites on-line dedicated to Breast Cancer awareness, research, funding, and so on. One of the ways I chose to help support and bring awareness through the Internet was by joining a virtual walk. Go to www.galtogalwalk.org, register, create your own walker, and join my team, "The Terrific Tatas Tour" today! Remember working together we can accomplish so much more!

Here are some links to companies that are donating a portion of their proceeds to help fight breast cancer!

Glow Mama
Lean Cuisine and Carry for the Cause
MK Ash Charitable Foundation
Ford Care: Warriors in Pink
The Pampered Chef's Help Whip Cancer
Energizer Batteries
Uptown Liz
Build-A-Bear
Dish Network
Candle For A Cause

Check out these other websites as well. They are well worth your time!

In closing please keep in mind:

• Every 2 minutes, there is a new breast cancer diagnosis.
• Every 14 minutes, a life is lost to the disease.
• Over 40,000 people will die this year; about 400 of them will be men.
• 85% of all diagnoses have no family history.
• 1 in 8 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer.
• Breast cancer is the leading cause of death in women between ages 40 and 55.