Halloween Fun Has Just Begun Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween!!! I love this holiday and most of what it conjures up. Not just for kids obviously. I will be taking Amelia/Snow White trick or treating tonight. We went to her school's carnival Friday night. It was cute to watch her find her friends and be a part of the festivities.

Saturday, Zoe had a sleepover in the tent her two besties were in attendance.  Just pizza, and I made these delicious S'mores candy treats. They are super easy to make! 

I caught our dog Coco in mid air running out of the tent lol. I guess she was hanging out with the girls!


On Thurdsay the advocate from the court regarding the adoption came by to congratulate us. She dropped off this oh so delicious cake from Nothing But Bundt cakes. We were all very appreciative of this very thoughtful gesture!

Amelia wanted to thank Cathy so we sent this quick little video to her email address...

​[wpvideo bWTfWs2O]​
This was a delicious treat that we all shared after pumpkin carving!


This is my seasonal cover. The 2016 SoundCloud version-

https://soundcloud.com/tyna-j-phipps/i-put-a-spell-on-you-written

I haven't done anything spooky this holiday. No looking into the paranorma like I usually do. Haven't even watched a scary movie! After the kids go to school, I will see what I can scare up to do... 

tynajoymetzner

Music, Home, Family, Relationships, Life and Living. Daily Life

Alma Mater And Till We Meet Again 

Whenever I cover this song I kinda feel the spirit of Terry Kath looming. I didn’t meet him in life but somehow, I feel like we would be friends had we ever met. I don’t know what he would think about my covers of his music… I never know what artists think of us wannabes that cover them. They probably think honestly that we are a pain in the ass! I’ve never heard any feedback from an artist in which I cover. I however have always had an affinity toward the music of Terry Kath. His big powerful soulful voice and remarkable guitar skills! I couldn’t believe it when I heard that he died…I felt struck down by the news. I couldn’t imagine that Chicago could make it through and go on, but they did! Anyway, for what it’s worth, here are two covers that Terry sang that remain ingrained, in my heart. I wish I could hug Terry and tell him how these songs have touched my spirit! 

Alma Mater 

Till We Meet Again

I Put A Spell On You Tube

tynajoymetzner

Music, Home, Family, Relationships, Life and Living. Daily Life

I a Put A Spell On You Tube 

I Put A Spell On You written by Screamin Jay Hawkins

I wrote the arrangement on this…

tynajoymetzner

Music, Home, Family, Relationships, Life and Living. Daily Life

You Know Like I Know

You Know Like I Know written by Ozark Mountain Daredevils

Adoption Day Now I Can Play

tynajoymetzner

Music, Home, Family, Relationships, Life and Living. Daily Life

Adoption Day Today I Get To Play

 It’s official! Amelia Rose is my #5 daughter! The adoption was rather quick but fun and full of good spirit and light hearts. The honorable judge Veronica Brame, presided over the hearing! Now for a big sigh of relief! It seemed like such a long haul to get here. Nearly two years! It should settle down now. DCS signed off on the case and that is it for them, no more DCS! No more foster care review board, court advocates… Quiet, on the Homefront!

Sweet, Andrea Hartman Amelia’s attorney for the last two years. Andrea didn’t need to be at our hearing but she made the trip across town because she wanted to be!

My attorney and DCS case worker Jamie Newman with Amelia and Kadee.

Now on to the party!

Kadee enjoyed opening her gift and the birthday cake I made for her.

Steve and Irene are friends from down the street. It’s so sweet they came to celebrate with us.

A great time was had by all! Now for some R&R …

tynajoymetzner

Music, Home, Family, Relationships, Life and Living. Daily Life

Adoption Day Today I Get To Play

 It’s official! Amelia Rose is my #5 daughter! The adoption was rather quick but fun and full of good spirit and light hearts. The honorable judge Veronica Brame, presided over the hearing! Now for a big sigh of relief! It seemed like such a long haul to get here. Nearly two years! It should settle down now. DCS signed off on the case and that is it for them, no more DCS! No more foster care review board, court advocates… Quiet, on the Homefront!

Sweet, Andrea Hartman Amelia’s attorney for the last two years. Andrea didn’t need to be at our hearing but she made the trip across town because she wanted to be!

My attorney and DCS case worker Jamie Newman with Amelia and Kadee.

Now on to the party!

Kadee enjoyed opening her gift and the birthday cake I made for her.

Steve and Irene are friends from down the street. It’s so sweet they came to celebrate with us.

A great time was had by all! Now for some R&R …

Could It Be Magic Or Is Rainbow Dash On My Cake

tynajoymetzner

Music, Home, Family, Relationships, Life and Living. Daily Life

Could It Be Magic Or Is Rainbow Dash On My Cake

Amelia Rose and Coco Rose. We have had this sweet precious dog for 8 years now… She is good friends with Amelia.i just gave Coco Rose a bath and Amelia as well this eve.

I have been cleaning, organizing and baking all day! As I said I would do, I made a Rainbow Dash cake for tomorrow to celebrate Kadee’s birthday as well as the adoption tomorrow. Kadee’s actual birthday is today. The cake turned out ok lol. I’m no cake decorator although, I am happy with the over all design. I do hope that 5 year old Kadee will find it to be special. This Gram tried!

Sorting the colors was a task! Amelia helped but it took awhile to sort the colors of both the mini and regular m&m’s .

Here is my finished Rainbow Dash Birthday cake!

I also made a Apple Spice Cake with Maple Icing

I think this will be very good as I added a lushious chopped honeycrisp Apple to my cake batter…a dollop of whipped cream on each piece will finish this off nicely. I can see this being the adult choice tomorrow? Hopefully, they are delicious!

Tomorrow, I will be making a double steamer tray amount of baked Ziti. I will blog about that as well. For now, I hope you have had a great weekend. I plan on hitting the shower and bed!

tynajoymetzner

Music, Home, Family, Relationships, Life and Living. Daily Life

Nous Vivons Ensemble Cover We Live Together

I don’t often make meat pot pies but I had leftovers that I didn’t want to toss. I had roasted chicken and vegetables the day before in a roaster. Not my best meal as a roaster just steams your food. Anyway, I used my leftover chicken, potatoes, onions, carrots and celery in this pie. A large can of cream of mushroom soup made with milk and sour cream! A tablespoon of Italian seasoning. I incorporated the chicken and veggies into the hot soup. I made a double batch of double crust for a bottom and top crust!

This was by far my best chicken pot pie to date. Everyone loved it and, it will be a nice lunch again today. It probably feeds 8! 

I have baking to do tomorrow for Monday’s adoption celebration! I am making a couple of cakes. Apple Spice Cake with fresh apples with a maple and spice icing. Granddaughter Kadee will be celebrating her birthday as well so I am baking a special cake for her as well. Kadee is turning 5 and she has a favorite character, Rainbow Dash from My Little Pony. She loves anything Rainbow Dash! So, I bought a cute figurine for the top of this little cake I am making. I will be adorning her cake with m&m’s for color… I hope it turns out cute! In my mind it’s cute, I hope I can execute it the way that I see it. I plan on baking with Zoe tomorrow. I am cooking Monday. Two big pans of baked Ziti,Texas Toast and a nice salad… Punch with fruit…My Ziti and Texas toast will be warm in the oven, salad made. Punch ready… When we walk in, instant party…I’m expecting 20-25 people.

This cover song seemed to fit the spirit of this post today.

Nous Vivons Ensemble-written by Gordon Lightfoot

I Put A Spell On You The 2016 Take

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Music, Home, Family, Relationships, Life and Living. Daily Life

I Put A Spell On You My 2016 Take

My 2016 version, with feeling lol…

I took a little time this morning to revisit this. I first posted this about a year ago today. On this day last year was one of the worst days in my 54 years… I am laying kinda low this Oct. 20th! I decided to hang out and just play today!!!

Hope you like it, I sure had fun doing it!

I love days like this that I can just be me!

tynajoymetzner

Music, Home, Family, Relationships, Life and Living. Daily Life

A Cookie Jar After My Own Heart

The witch even looks like me!!!

This was the ultimate Halloween find for me this year. I found this in a section of seasonal goods at a Goodwill store close by. I wasn’t even going to buy it because the pic on the box was very flattering. Also, I was afraid that it was probably cracked or broken. Come to find out it was in the original packaging and probably never even taken out of the box! I decided to take a leap of faith that the contents inside the box would be worth the $5.00 price… When I got it home and opened it, it touched my heart! It was far prettier than I imagined that it could be! Anyone that knows me and follows my blog understands this is so me!!! I am touched by beautiful seasonal merchandise, especially stoneware. It makes my heart sing to find a piece like this. To get it for a smokin deal, all the more enchanting!!! What a precious Goodwill find.

I began to research the designer of this cookie jar, Christopher Radko. He/they have designed so many gorgeous  imaginative cookie jars. I would love to collect them. For whatever reason, I’m finding that beautiful cookie jars delight me to my core. Is it the Gram in me? Cookie jars for every season and occassion . If I could indulge myself it would be in Radko cookie jars! Forget clothes, jewelry, purses, and shoes… The consumer in me has found a passionate indulgence not that I will indulge. A girl can dream…

House-

Have a wonderful Thursday. Wherever you go, there you are…

tynajoymetzner

Music, Home, Family, Relationships, Life and Living. Daily Life

Homecoming And A Permanent Home Is Coming!

The new grass is starting to fill in. Well the final filings are being made. The final adoption hearing is on Monday!  I am going to make a celebration out of this. Technically, I will have 5 daughters although Amelia will still call me Gram…My husband elected not to adopt so I am her sole legal parent. That means if we should divorce, the whole financial burden is on me as well as visitation being a non issue. My husband was clear about not wanting to be on the hook for support… This whole process has been enlightening really…

I am going to host a dinner following the afternoon hearing. I will make a couple of batches of my homemade baked Ziti with a salad and garlic bread. I am also going to bake an Apple/ Spice Cake and some kind of Caramel Cookie Bar… Anyway, a real celebration. My sister is going to drive up from Sierra Vista, AZ. She is bringing a few of her tribe. I am inviting both Attorneys, mine and Amelia’s GAL… A few friends, my grown kids and all of my 7 G-Kids. Could be a full house! I’m thrilled to be finished with the DCS and legal side of the adoption! I will secretly do a dance of joy in the street on Tuesday!

My newest daughter so to speak! She will still call me Gram…

We took the girls to a special Pumpkin Farm last Sunday… Here are a few pics!

First time on a live pony!

Paige and Zoe up above . It was extremely hot this day. Melting like candles in the sun…

If all of this wasn’t enough, Zoe had her first Homecoming Dance on Saturday. She looked sweet and had a terrific time with all of her friends at the dance!

Fun, fun fun!!! It is still so hot here.  Temps will be nearing 100 degrees again this week! We are so tired of the intense heat!!! I keep forgetting that it’s really hot until November!  We don’t really have a fall, it just gets chilly! Our blood is so used to so many months of heat that when it gets into the 40’s and 50’s, it really feels cold!

This is a video slideshow that I put together with my SoundCloud track.  Family pics…Although I didn’t write the song, it is my own arrangement and this is my piano/vocal cover.