Happy New Year! (Antipasto Bites)

We had a great Christmas full of family, food and friends. The kids got a trampoline from Santa that has been used almost everyday since.

We spent New Year's Eve with our Best Friends. We ate a lot of food, watched football, played games, and had an amazing fireworks display. The kids enjoyed the sparklers and Carter enjoyed throwing firecrackers at my feet and watching me jump!

**New Year's Day was spent as it usually is, at my Mom and Dad's house, eating ribs, black-eyed peas, collard greens and cracklin cornbread. I truly enjoy this time with my family, especially my cousins, because we always end up playing cards at the end of the night. I love to spend time with them and learn more about them. We've all gotten older and have our own lives to keep us busy, so I look forward to New Years Day and spending time with them and I know they feel the same way too.

**Reed (2 years old) is still working on being "potty trained." He would probably be doing a lot better if his mother and father were a little more consistent. Reed is learning to speak in sentences now. I love to hear him through the monitor in the mornings, "Moommmmyyyy, get me OUT!" I can't seem to make the transition from the crib to the bed yet. I think it's because he isn't trying to climb out of the crib and he does sleep good still. It may be a little of the fact that he is my last baby and I really don't want to admit that he isn't really a baby anymore.

**Sophie is reading and writing up a storm. I can't believe she just turned 6. On her birthday, we went to see a movie, came home and baked cupcakes. Then we went to Stars And Strikes with all the Grandparents and Tiffany's family. She got in on the Hula Hoop contest and won a $5 game card. Sophie had a fantastic day that was topped off by her winning 3 humongous stuffed animals from the giant Crane Game at Stars and Strikes. We will do a real birthday party with her school and neighborhood friends on Friday at Build-A-Bear workshop.

**Bo (8 years old) is growing up! After I boxed up all of the Christmas decorations (about 10 big ones) he took everyone of them downstairs for me and put them away in the storage room. He always wants to spend the night with someone or have someone spend the night here. He loves watching sports on TV with his dad. He loves PLAYING all kinds of sports. We are about to start our basketball games, we just finished football in November and baseball seems to be a year round sport for us now that he is playing on a traveling team. We'll see how that goes.

**Michael and I are playing mixed doubles tennis together on Sundays now. Our season will start tomorrow. We have had a fantastic year. We have put a pool in our backyard, we have finished and furnished our basement, we have made some new friends and become closer with the old. We are so thankful for our family, our rock, our stronghold. I just can't count all the blessings in our lives.

**I am looking forward to 2009 with hopes of happiness, good health and a deeper knowledge of God and His plans for us. We will let His light shine through us!

**Antipasto Bites**

I took this appetizer to Mom's house on New Year's Day this year. It's a new recipe that I got from my cousin Lisa.

2 8oz cans crescent rolls
1/4 lb genoa salami
1/4 lb provolone cheese

1/4 lb pepperoni

1/4 lb swiss cheese

12 oz roasted red peppers, drained

3 eggs, beaten

grated parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350. Open one can rolls. Spread on bottom of greased 13x9 inch baking pan. Layer the meats and cheeses in order. Place peppers on top. Pour most of the egg over (reserve a little for the top). Sprinkle a handful of grated parmesan cheese over egg. Top mixture with second can of rolls. Top with remaining egg and sprinkle with more cheese. Bake covered with foil for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm or at room temperature.