Princess Escapades

To feed or not to feed....

2012-01-31T16:04:00.000-06:00

This post isn't about our new puppy. It's about something that no one cares about but me, I'm sure, but I need to write it.

My kids are picky eaters. I will freely admit that some of the time they do not get their 2 servings of fruit and vegetables a day. It's a source of guilt and frustration for me (and don't even get my mom started.).

But here's the deal....Growing up we never had dessert around. I assume because my mom was always on a diet and didn't want them around but also because she and my dad thought my sister and I didn't need the temptation to eat a dozen cookies at once. When we did have a treat, it was just that..a treat. Something special that you only ate on special occasions, to celebrate or as a reward. So when I got old enough to buy my own food, I went straight for the cookies and pie and ice cream because I could finally eat it whenever I wanted. Unknowingly, my parents created an underlying desire by declaring sweets off-limits.

By contrast, my husband had dessert regularly and it was never a big deal. Some nights they had cherry pie and ice cream, some nights not. Consequently, he has no "unhealthy relationship" with dessert. Sure he would eat pie every day, but who wouldn't?

Now, on to vegetables. UGH. My dad made most of the dinners growing up. And dutiful and conscientious dad that he is, he included a vegetable with every meal. A vegetable I was forced to eat before I could leave the table. The worst part? The vegetables of choice were stewed zucchini, beets, or green beans. Sometimes peas. To this day, the sight of beets make me gag, and don't get me started on the stewed zucchini...blech. That stuff squeaked when you ate it.

So, back to my kids. I read this article today by Rhiana Maidenberg and felt like saying AMEN! Finally someone feels the same way I do. 2 of the studies the author mentions were particularly interesting because I have always felt this was true:

Besides, it seems we have even less control over our kid’s diet when we try to be, well, more controlling. Researchers at Penn State found that restricting a child's access to "forbidden foods" only increases their desire for them. In the study researchers divided the kids into two groups: one group was given very limited access to a jar of cookies, while the other was allowed to eat as many cookies as they wanted off a plate. It turns out that when access was restricted, cookie consumption nearly tripled.

And even if you’re not forbidding food, forcing food on kids is apparently just as bad. In another Penn State study, researchers found that coercing children to eat certain foods made it more likely that the child would dislike that particular food in the future.

She also wtires something my pediatrician said to me a few years ago:

Dr. Amy Maidenberg of Sage Pediatrics, a Bay Area integrative pediatrics practice, says that unless a child is failing to thrive (has no energy and is not growing), then she is getting enough nutrients for her current needs. Kids will eat when they are hungry.

Right now my girls are 3 and 5. They are growing like weeds. I send a fruit and vegetable in their lunch every day. I try to provide a fruit and vegetable throughout the day and/or with dinner. I'm doing my best. And at least now I can feel a little less guilty. This too shall pass...I hope.

2012-01-29T12:06:00.000-06:00

Yes, this blog is now about a black little dog. Luckily she is a girl and definitely a princess so I don't have to change the title. (Haha!)

Saturday

Sunday

Miss Greta's ears started to stand up today and it's soo cute. It's amazing how much they change from day to day. One of them is kind of crooked still. It makes her look confused all the time. She is most certainly not confused and knows exactly what's going on

I made 2 new food bowls for Greta and Shelby (remember our other dog??) using these decals I bought from this person on etsy and some stainless steel bowls I got at Target.

She sent me some extra footprints for free so I put some of them on Greta's food container.

The girls went to my parents Friday night and we met in Bella Vista yesterday to pick them up. We went to church (almost smooth sailing except for an incident at the communion bench!!) and then Cracker Barrel and now we are home and ready for naps!!

Basketball Girl

2012-01-24T18:59:00.000-06:00

We finally managed to take the camera to Caroline's basketball game. These shots crack me up because they are SUCH an improvement over the first week. She was so timid and never tried to touch the ball those first weeks. But we have been working and talking (and possibly bribing) with her to be more aggressive during her games and I guess it worked. Check out these action shots.

Neither of these shots went in, but I was so proud she even attempted a basket let alone 2!!!

Going for the rebound.

She can't decide if she is right or left handed at bball.

And this is the true Caroline....such a squirrel.

Puppy Love

2012-01-24T18:48:00.000-06:00

We haven't known her very long, but we already love her very much. Here's some more pictures of Miss Greta....

First bath. She reallllly needed it, too!

Caroline and her new best friend.

Margaret with the wiggle worm. (PS It's not easy to take pictures of a black dog. Mostly she ends up a black blob. Gotta work on that!)

Bandwagon

2012-01-23T18:39:00.000-06:00

So I know I am TOTALLY late joining this bandwagon, but I read The Hunger Games this past week and OMG. I couldn't put it down.

I seriously neglected the kids and the house and went without a lot of sleep so I could read. (And I never do that....haha.) I had to make myself wait to start the second one because I need to join the real world for a little bit.

I'm actually starting The Kitchen House, it's the new book for the bookclub I'm in.

I have lots of Greta pics and bball pics to post but I have gotta go fix dinner for these pesky kids ;)

Greta

2012-01-22T10:23:00.000-06:00

We picked her up yesterday and she is so cute and sweet and smart!

She really is a German Shepherd. She's just all black. In a few weeks her ears will stand up and you will be able to tell she isn't a black lab. Isn't she cute??

Ready or Not....

2012-01-16T09:28:00.000-06:00

Ready or not, one of these fur balls is coming to live with us this weekend.....

I know one person who has no idea what is about to happen to her quiet little life.....

Google

2012-01-09T13:23:00.000-06:00

I was just thinking that you can tell what's going on (or how badly things are going) in a person's life by their google history. Sometimes I'm googling things like "snowman birthday invitations". But I will admit I have googled baby poop questions, too.

So, wanna know what I googled today? "How to get fire extinguisher powder off."

How's your day going?

Christmas 2011

2012-01-09T13:19:00.000-06:00

We somehow made it to my parent's house for Christmas without our new camera. So these iphone pics will have to suffice. We went to Joplin on Friday so we opened our presents to each other (just the 4 of us) Thursday night. All the showstoppers were from Santa, mom and dad presents were (mostly) practical.

Caroline (in new pjs) with Kit (in a new sweater and headband) and a mini Kit.

New matching doggie slippers.

Margaret (with new pjs) and Bitty Baby (in a new sleeper and a new blanket).

New monkey slippers.

I get PJ crazy at Christmas. Seriously, all the kids I know expect pajamas from me for Christmas. And I almost always deliver! So these girls got about 4 new pair each.

And my cousin took this picture of Margaret at my Grandparent's house on Christmas Day.

Margaret's Birthday (Belated post!)

2012-01-09T12:58:00.000-06:00

Miss Margaret Grace is 3 now. I don't know how that's possible, but it's happened. We had a lovely party to celebrate her big day. We went to Build-a-Bear Workshop and all the kids got to make a bear and then headed to the Pinnacle Food Pavilion for pizza and cake.

This is when Margaret first got to Build-a-Bear and was just looking inside like she couldn't believe this was going to be where her party was.

I have become a HUGE fan of birthday parties where someone else entertains the kids. It's the way to go for sure. This girl, Holly, handled the picking out and stuffing and naming the bears and I just sat back and chatted with the moms!

Margaret and Isabella with Hello Kitty and Bunny Foo Foo.

Margaret taking the pledge to take care of her bunny.

All the kids with their animals!

I never thought I would have a birthday party at a food court, but it was actually really nice. It was a rainy Monday night and we were some of the only people in the whole place. (And of course, Santa.)

Birthday Girl!

It was so sweet of Santa to pop by and talk to the birthday girl and have a cupcake! This was totally unplanned, but perhaps my favorite part of the party!

Had to throw this picture of Baby Eli in, he's just too cute!

I didn't want to do a "bear" theme for the party and decided on a "snowman" theme. I found these little cupcakes at a local bakery and knew I had to have them. Aren't they the cutest thing you've ever seen??

Goodreads and Good Reads.

2012-01-03T09:30:00.000-06:00

Hello, just checking in from my parent's house in Joplin. We are here for a few days before the girls start school again on Friday.

I wanted to post about my Goodreads goals. (Are you on goodreads? You should be if you like to read.) Last January I set a goal to read 30 books in 2011. My, my that was a lofty goal. I read 17 books. Unless you count the thousands of stories I read the girsl..ha! So, this year I set my goal for 25 books. And I feel pretty good about that goal. I have already finished my first book this year and I am going to be in Mexico for a week without kids, so that should be prime reading time!!

Here's my list of books for 2011:

The Duchess
The Birth House
When She Woke
Before I Go To Sleep
Doc: A Novel
Stories I Only Tell My Friends
American Wife
Saving CeeCee Honeycutt
The Confession
The Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet
I Will Carry You: The sacred dance of Joy and Grief
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks
Having A Mary Heart in a Martha World
Water for Elephants
Room
The Postmisstress
When You Are Engulfed in Flames

I have finished The Night Circus already and started my book club book The Sweet By and By.

2012

2012-01-01T15:00:00.000-06:00

Working on it...

2011-12-28T09:20:00.000-06:00

I'll be back with pictures of MG's birthday party and Christmas just as soon as I dig my way out of this laundry and all these toys and boxes!

Until then....here's a picture of my new side table (for my favorite sitting area!) with a cup of coffee (with LOTS of white chocolate caramel creamer) made from my new Keurig!

Margaret's Birthday Pt 1

2011-12-20T19:37:00.000-06:00

I will get more pictures and details up about Margaret's party soon, but I wanted to share these two pictures....

School Christmas Program

2011-12-20T18:54:00.000-06:00

The girls had their school Christmas Program on Friday afternoon. They did such a good job. As usual, Caroline was the loudest singer and knew all the words. The teachers even said they put her in the middle so the other kids would know what to do. Funny girl.

Margaret and Isabella with their teacher, Ms. Crissy.

Caroline and Ms. Michelle

And since Margaret's birthday is this week and Friday was the last day of school, we celebrated her birthday with her class that day with some brownies and milk.

Both my girls love this school so much and I'm so glad they are happy!

Nutcracker Sweetie

2011-12-20T12:57:00.001-06:00

Back in July I bought tickets for Caroline and I to see the Nutcracker. (I was a little worried that she might be scared, but we watched it on tv "Live from Lincoln Center" last week so she knew what to expect.)

We even bought her a new "ballet" outfit to wear.

Blurry iphone pic of her waiting for the show to begin! We had front row seats...benefit of buying Nutcracker tickets in July.

In front of the stage at "half-time".

She loved it. I was so nervous about taking her but she did great and had a blast and had perfect manners. I was so proud of her and so glad to be able to have a little girl to take to the ballet. (I asked her if next year we should bring Margaret and she said Margaret wouldn't like it until she was 10! Ha.)

All is calm, All is bright.

2011-12-17T20:29:00.000-06:00

Don't you love that phrase? I always imagine Mary holding her little newborn baby Jesus, all wrapped up and snuggly. I had many of those moments with my babies. Calm, quiet and peaceful.

That's the feeling I wanted to evoke with our Christmas card this year. The idea of taking a break from the hustle and bustle of the season and sitting by the fire really appealed to me. Even if it was just for a few minutes while my sister took our picture....

Plugging along

2011-12-14T11:27:00.000-06:00

The girls have their Christmas program at school on Friday (which is also their last day until January 6th!) so I have been getting teacher gifts together this week.

I made 2 batches of Peppermint bark and packaged them up nice a pretty.

Margaret is showing the cat lots of love.

Can't believe she will be 3 next week.

I always go back and look at this picture. There is so much emotion attached to it..we brought her home on Christmas Eve. Having a newborn at Christmas is such a reminder of the precious baby who's birth we are celebrating. While there were presents and trappings and lots of food that Christmas, it was a little bit more special because of the new life we had in the house.

Home for the Holidays

2011-12-11T18:22:00.000-06:00

Love this:

Santa Success

2011-12-06T08:55:00.000-06:00

For the second year in a row (after 3 horrible attempts before that) we got a picture with Santa!

I love that it's the same Santa in all of our pictures. (We have one when Caroline was a baby and then when she was 4 and 5.) And I am convinced this one is the real deal!

Oh Christmas Tree

2011-12-05T11:47:00.000-06:00

The girls have fun decorating their own tree and this year we had to get a bigger tree out. (The white one from a few years ago!) And I tried with all my might to let them decorate it their way...but there were a few branches with 4 or more ornaments and I just had to space those out. Mostly though, it's all them!

Remember Me?

2011-12-02T09:51:00.000-06:00

Whew....I took a little blog break I guess. It has been a busy past few weeks, getting ready to travel and celebrate Christmas and Thanksgiving with my husband's family and then being gone for 7 days was kind of exhausting. I am finally climbing out of the laundry fog and have put the suitcases away.

First up....the girls had their Thanksgiving Party at school It was so nice. All the parents got to come eat lunch with the kids. They had decorated with leaves and turkeys and hats they made...so cute.

I'll post pics soon!

The day after their party, we drove up to my Grandparent's house in Granby. My Grandma loves seeing the girls and they love her. And the rope swing.

The next day we headed up to Kansas City and spent a few days at Great Wolf Lodge. I don't know why we haven't gone there sooner, but we should have. The girls loved it there. If you don't know, it's this hotel/resort with an indoor water park and a whole bunch of other activities for kids.

(If there is such a thing as "traveler's rash", Margaret has it. EVERY TIME we go somewhere she gets this rash on her face and chest. I don't know what to do with her. So excuse the rash on her face in most of these pics.)

After Great Wolf Lodge, we headed up to Iowa to Mark's parent's house. There was a housefull, but we had a nice time. The girls love playing with their cousins and their grandparents. They had a blast. We celebrated Thanksgiving and Christmas since we weren't going to be together again for a while. The girls were so excited to open presents early. They are so stocked up, Santa doesn't even need to visit us! (He will anyway, I'm sure!)

These two crack me up. They are a year apart and are like 2 peas in a pod. Every time they see each other, they pick right up where they left off. That's the kitten from the 4th of July post...not a kitten anymore!

Rebecca is so sweet to Margaret and carries her around and helps me get her dressed.

Little Turkeys!

Grandma Barb and her little Gobblers.

Friday we headed back down South. We stayed in Kansas City to break the long drive down to Arkansas up. There was a Doubletree that we had stayed at before that had a nice indoor pool, so we went back there. The pool was great and such a treat for the girls to get to swim again in the middle of Winter! (It presented a packing challenge to pack for cold weather AND swimsuits and coverups and flip flops, but I soldiered on. ha!)

Thankful

2011-11-15T13:06:00.000-06:00

I am thankful for so many things I couldn't begin to name them all here. But I am probably most thankful for these two:

Branson weekend

2011-11-07T19:23:00.000-06:00

I went on a last minute trip to Branson with 2 of my friends this weekend. It was so much fun to get away and eat dinner and talk and shop. We all got our own hotel room. And except for the earthquake, it was really relaxing. (I actually slept through it, but at breakfast everyone else was talking about it. And also we were the youngest people at the hotel by at least 20 years.)

So, no pictures to share and lots of house work and laundry to do....

Pinterest Challenge Project

2011-11-03T12:09:00.005-05:00

I'm linking up to the Pinterest Fall Challenge.....less pinning, more doing.

This is a preview of my new sitting area/former breakfast nook.

Here's my inspiration pictures:

Source: involvingcolor.com via Rory on Pinterest

Source: meghan-blum.blogspot.com via Rory on Pinterest

I really liked the fresh look of yellow and gray and once I decided on charcoal curtains, I knew I had to make the pillows I was dreaming of. I love it! And let me tell you, this is my favorite room in the whole house. I spend hours in here reading, blogging, pinterest-ing, watching the crockpot make dinner. It's my hideout somedays.

*Fabric from fabric.com

Premier Prints Suzani Slub Charcoal

Premier Prints Chipper Slub Charcoal

Premier Prints Barber Slub Yellow/Taupe

Duralee Dalesford Yellow

Pillows were on clearance at Walmart...some beige numbers
that I recovered.

I'm linking up to:

Hosted by:
http://www.younghouselove.com/
http://www.ana-white.com/
http://www.houseofearnest.com/

Halloween 2011

2011-11-01T16:54:00.000-05:00

Some pics from parties, school, trick or treating and friends.....

Little Red Riding Hood and Tangled (Rapunzel)

Running Red Riding Hood

Heading out to get some treats and hopefully no tricks!

Funny Friday

2011-10-28T11:24:00.000-05:00

Saw this and it made me laugh.....

Old Main

2011-10-25T10:56:00.000-05:00

There is an iconic building in Fayetteville called "Old Main" and you can see it from miles away. It has a huge lawn in front and the girls love to go there and run in the grass and look at the statues and climb the trees.

**Mark took these pictures with some new app on his phone, so thanks to him, again for saving my post!

Getting into....

2011-10-25T09:28:00.001-05:00

Forgive the picture-less post as I lost my cell phone yesterday which was my only means of picture taking....so....here we go.
*******Mark has graciously shared some pictures that were on his phone. And I got a new iphone that should be delivered any minute, so we are almost back in business!*********

I have been totally getting into Fall....even if it is freezing one night and 80 degrees a day later. That's how we roll in Arkansas. I even got my Halloween decorations out this weekend. I was totally not going to do it, but how many more years do I have before the girls think big spiders are cool and not lame-o? Fewer than I'd like, I'll tell you that.

Yep that's an angry birds pumpkin!

Caroline has been learning to ride her bike without training wheels. (Mark took the girls to a fancy bike store and bought them real bikes...they are in love!)

This picture is of Margaret trying to "fix her bike with a ranch". She really wants her training wheels off, too.

I have had a tough time getting into a book lately. I finished The Birth House which was a really good read. 4 stars from this girl. I started a few other books that were just 'blah' and finally moved on to Bossypants by Tina Fey. Love it. So funny!

(pics of those on my nightstand go here)

Also, I did a mini makeover on my breakfast nook. Once it's finished, I'll post pics. Right now, let's just say it is no longer a breakfast nook.

I have been driving myself crazy trying to find the right fabric for some pillows. I finally gave up on the initial fabric choices and went back to the drawing board. Now I have 6 new choices. I have decided to just make 6 pillows and switch them out now and then.

So that's what's going on around here. I've also been working on getting all the pieces together for Halloween costumes and I'm almost there. Just need 2 pair of shoes and one pair of knee socks.

So cute

2011-10-05T19:33:00.000-05:00

After the pumpkin patch this weekend, we went to a friend's house to see their baby goats. 2 day old baby goats. Does it get any cuter??

Are you ready?

2011-10-05T10:31:00.000-05:00

Me either, but I'm getting there:

This helps! (Except the music is awful....)

Pumpkin Patch

2011-10-02T20:31:00.000-05:00

Hard to believe it's already time for the annual Pumpkin Patch pictures. We were in Joplin this weekend so we went to a farm near my grandparent's house. It was not crowded at all, so we had the place to ourselves.

Caroline wasn't in a very photographic mood, so I didn't get any pictures of her alone!

Updates

2011-09-30T10:32:00.000-05:00

My blogging lately has been seriously lacking. I just haven't had much to share. My good camera has a spot inside the lens that needs to be cleaned so I haven't been using it. I tend to blog more when I have pictures and I haven't been taking any. So here's what we have been up to via my phone....

We babysat this turkey while my parents were out of town. I swear, he is as big as Clifford....and still growing.

Meredith and Dale had a party at their house on Monday to celebrate Dale's 1000th consecutive blog post. My parents came to help out and the girls gave Papa some love.

Margaret getting caught trying to blow out candles.

Random pics from my computer

2011-09-20T22:29:00.000-05:00

I was searching for something earlier today on my computer and started looking at all these pics I have on my computer. I thought I'd just post them so I can remember them. Stroll down memory lane with me?? (Also, try to guess who is who before you read the caption...these girls look nothing alike now but could pass for twins in some of their pictures.)

Caroline's first trip to Pumpkin Patch

Thanksgiving 2007 Caroline at my Grandparent's farm.

Margaret on her first trip to the beach..long car ride with a 5 month old.

Caroline in baptism gown.

Margaret in her new swing, drinking a baba.

Caroline and my dad

Margaret and Isabella Cinco de Mayo 2010

Caroline 4 days old

Blah blah blah

2011-09-19T15:02:00.000-05:00

Nothing much to report, but that won't stop me from talking....

We watched Soul Surfer last night as a family...such a great movie and a great message. Before I watched it, I only knew it was about the surfer girl that lost her arm after a shark bite. It has such a message of hope and love and faith..I was really blown away. I cried through most of it. But all 4 of us enjoyed it, so that's something.

Pinterest has become so popular that there was bound to be some backlash. The negative thing being "I spend so much time pinning things I want to make that I don't have time to actually make anything." Well, I decided I would post the things I have made from inspiration pictures I have pinned on Pinterest.

I already showed this

This weekend I made this:

Inspiration:

Source: noragriffin.typepad.com via Rory on Pinterest

Last week I made this:

Inspiration:

Source: princesselsieandme.blogspot.com via Rory on Pinterest

And a few weeks ago I put this together:

Inspiration:

Source: getitgirlstyle.com via Rory on Pinterest

So there ya go.....Equal amounts pinning and doing....sort of.

Wooooo Pig Sooie

2011-09-18T12:08:00.000-05:00

Arkansas is 3-0 so far this season...

**Please excuse the dirty floor and blurry pics.

You're Welcome

2011-09-12T11:30:00.001-05:00

Not feeling Fall-ish yet? Need a little something to get you into the season? Let me help ya out.

I usually make a bundt cake version of this. Caroline calls it Pumpkin Butt Cake. It's yummy, but these are yummier.

Pumpkin Cupcakes with Glazed Pecan topping

1 box yellow cake mix (usually calls for 3 eggs and 1/4 cup oil)
1 can pumpkin pie mix (1 big can or 2 little cans)
1/2 cup chopped pecans (or pieces or halves, your choice)
1/3 cup brown sugar
3 Tbsp. stick butter
pinch salt

Preheat oven to 350. Prepare cake mix as directed on box minus the water. Add in can of pumpkin pie mix. Blend on Med. speed for 1-2 minutes, scraping bowl several times to get the cake mix off the sides. Set aside.

In a small saucepan combine butter, salt, pecans and brown sugar. Heat on medium until butter is melted. Turn down to Med-Low and stir constantly for 3 mintues. Remove from heat.

Spoon cake/pumpkin mix into paper liners in muffin tins and then spoon pecan topping on top.

Bake 18-20 min. (Your house will smell like Thanksgiving!) Let cool. Eat a whole bunch. Then thank me.

You're Welcome.

Smiling Sisters

2011-09-09T17:53:00.001-05:00

My super-talented, super-busy sister took the girls out the other day and got some super-amazing pictures of my little girls. Aren't these adorable? (the girls and the pics!)

Thanks, Mere! I love them...the girls and the pics! (and you)!!

Zuckerman's Famous Pig

2011-09-06T19:55:00.000-05:00

I can't help but think of Charlotte and Wilbur and Templeton when we go to the county fair. There is no place that smells, sounds or tastes like the fair. And I'm so glad to be able to take my girls there. While we live in a larger town, we are actually in the school district of a little farm town. One that has 4H and FFA and you aren't a big nerd if you are in them. I envision my girls showing goats and raising chicks or rabbits at the fair one day.

(I really want a goat, either way.)

Or a sheep.

Or a miniature pony. Not this one though, he was mean.

Giant corndogs? These girls loved them.

While they love the animals, the real draw for the girls is the carnival part of it. Caroline has talked about the rides for over a month. She always intends to go on the "Fairest Wheel". But instead opts for the "Miracle Round". She also used $2 of her own money to try to win a goldfish...but no luck.

Briar Rose

2011-09-01T17:11:00.000-05:00

There is the cutest little bakery near our house. We watched as they built it and tried to guess what it was going to be. It looks like a little cottage.

The girls and I went there today with my mom and it was so cute and so delicious!

Caroline has wanted to go through this little door since the first day she saw it.

These little tarts were our dessert. I could have eating a little piece of everything there!

Margaret, right before she dropped her tart on the floor.

One last look at the little door.

If you live near Farmington, I highly recommend Briar Rose bakery. (I had the ham/cheese croissant!)

Recipe

2011-08-30T20:40:00.000-05:00

We are still trying to get used to this new school schedule. Margaret decided on Monday that she wanted to go to school. I was not prepared for that so I was scrambling around looking for all the stuff she needed and trying to make an extra lunch and extra sippy cups and fill out the paperwork. It was crazy-town. She changed her mind when she realized I was going to leave her there, but I snuck out. I was so shocked and proud of her for deciding to go. Until they called me an hour an half later to come get her because she was crying uncontrollably. That's the Margaret I know!

While she was at school, I was busy in the kitchen. Sunday I made a few frozen crock pot meals that I froze.

Source: mamaandbabylove.blogspot.com via Rory on Pinterest

(This was my inspiration)
Yesterday I made chili to freeze and tried out a new recipe. It turned out pretty good, so thought I'd share it.

Stuffed Green Pepper Casserole

See Stuffed Green Pepper Casserole on Key Ingredient.

I found this one from pinterest too. See, it's not just a waste of time!

These girls....

2011-08-28T21:31:00.000-05:00

Make me smile.....

Is it fall yet?

2011-08-24T21:04:00.000-05:00

I'm so over this:

and ready for this:

Bless her heart

2011-08-22T18:20:00.000-05:00

I think that's a Southern thing. That's all I could say about Caroline this morning...bless her heart. Today was the first day of Pre-K. (Yes, we tried it last year, but it didn't stick.) We found a new school closer to our house and it's in our school district so the kids in her Pre-K class right now will be at the school she goes to next year....and all the years after that!

I tried so hard to make this a positive experience because I had horrible anxiety as a little girl and school (especially the first day) was always so miserable for me. I told her all about the "1st Day of School Fairy" that fills your backpack with school supplies and goodies while you sleep. I printed out signs and banners to say Happy 1st Day of School!

I got out the "You Are Special Today" plate.

But, she was still a scared, sobbing little mess. She hid in the closet, she laid on the floor, she almost threw up about 2 dozen times.

But, eventually she was dressed and in the car.

Look at those sad eyes.

Finally, a smile.

I went to pick her up this afternoon and she said she threw up once, but had a super fun day. And she's ready to go back on Wednesday. Bless. Her. Heart.

*************Sidenote: I truly believe that God has a plan for everyone and that everything happens for a reason. We may not know it at the time, but He knows why things happen. It struck me last night that I am uniquely able to empathize with Caroline. If I didn't have paralyzing, life altering anxiety when I was her age, I wouldn't be able to understand what she is going through now. I mean, sure, we've all been nervous about things, but this is different. And as miserable as I was, I see now that God was preparing me to raise a little girl just like me.

Running

2011-08-18T13:36:00.000-05:00

Mark runs. I don't. Yesterday I had the crazy idea that I would run a half marathon on New Year's Day. We'll see what comes of that. Sometimes these crazy ideas pan out.

Source: someecards.com via Taryn on Pinterest

Here and there

2011-08-17T16:25:00.000-05:00

More of "a whole lotta nothing going on". Here's some pictures:

Friday, after 3 days of loud thunderstorms and MUCH needed rain, it stopped and this appeared in the sky. I uploaded this on my facebook page and like 3 other people did, too. Kind of nice to see that so many of us recognize the beauty in this wonderful promise.

Margaret helped paint the kitchen this weekend. More pics to come when it's finished.

We went to the park yesterday with some of friends. Most of the kids started school today, so yesterday was the last hurrah of summer. (Caroline wouldn't stand still long enough to get a picture taken.)

Last night we took the girls for a bike ride/walk.

It's finally starting to be nice in the evenings, so we are able to go out at night. It had been in the 100s until dark and we were stuck inside!

Saw it, Loved it

2011-08-12T12:30:00.000-05:00

Last night my little book club got together to see a movie we have waited MONTHS to see: The Help!

And due to a little glitch at the theatre, we almost didn't get to see it....but we were determined and rushed over to the other movie theatre just in time to see it. It. was. so. good. SO GOOD. Rarely does a movie measure up to the book, especially when the book was as beloved as The Help was, but this one TOTALLY did. I highly recommend it whether you read the book or not, but if you have a chance to read the book first, do it.

It's been a while....

2011-08-11T13:57:00.000-05:00

I guess I took a little blog break, but not on purpose. Really just nothing was going on. We took a trip or two, spent a lot of time at the pool escaping the 100+ degree heat (for like 3 weeks straight!!) And just relaxed. We spent $500 finding out that our dog is just getting old and nothing is really wrong with her. I got Caroline enrolled in pre-school and we are attending Open House next week. She is starting to take Karate. We are getting a new roof on the house next week due to a really bad hail storm back in April. I'm working on a little makeover in the kitchen. That's about it. Here's some pictures from a trip to Branson with Mark's parents:

Work in Progress

2011-07-29T20:36:00.000-05:00

I have been quilting lately. Or more like piecing. I am not good at the quilting part. I send my babies off to experts for the heavy duty treatment. But anyway...I wanted something for the couch. It's chocolate brown with aqua pillows. Behind the couch is the fireplace with a white mantle and turquoise mirror. So with that in mind, I grabbed all the brown/aqua/turquoise fabric in my stash and added a bit of pink and green and here's what I ended up with.....

It's wrinkled and in bright sun and not squared up yet, but I kind of like it alot.

I have no idea what the back will look like, but I'm thinking just a plain white or something because I honestly don't plan on taking it off the couch. Except to wash it. And for tent and fort making. Quilts are made to be used and washed, right?

And most of all loved.

39

2011-07-28T10:07:00.000-05:00

Someone turned 39 yesterday. I'm not sure if he's going to stick with 39 for a few years or not (I know I would!!)...hehe.

We celebrated with a good old fashioned at-home party complete with pizza and homemade cake.

This was the first time ever Caroline picked up her pizza to eat it...I was shocked!

This cake may not look fancy, but it was delish....homemade ice cream cake. The layers are Oreo crumbs, Rocky Road ice cream, Oreo crumbs, vanilla ice cream and more Oreo crumbs on top. I invited the Dixons over to have some so there wouldn't be any left. Otherwise I would've had it for breakfast today...other people do that, too right?

Needless to say, it was a hit. And I think it was a nice, quiet birthday party for Mark. Happy Birthday!!

Beauty

2011-07-25T15:13:00.000-05:00

Source: imgfave.com via Jennica on Pinterest

See the beauty in everything

Rainbow

2011-07-25T15:03:00.000-05:00

Source: google.it via Veronica on Pinterest

Be a rainbow in someone else's cloud.
Maya Angelou

Sunshine

2011-07-25T15:00:00.000-05:00

Source: longestacres.blogspot.com via Chelsea on Pinterest

If you want to see the sunshine, you have to weather the storm.
Frank Lane

Book time

2011-07-20T13:42:00.000-05:00

Oh Summertime. I love you so much. Despite the hot weather, the fussy girls that want to go to the park and the mean mom who says it's too hot and the slide will burn them, having to figure out new ways to make dinner that don't involve the oven, packing and unpacking and packing and unpacking, trying to find a way to mainline iced tea directly into my body.....where was I? Oh, the thing I love about Summertime, is that I always read so much more. I don't know why, other than it's always been that way. I have the same amount of time today that I have in December, but I somehow get more reading done in the heat.

To that end, I thought I'd share the books I have read so far this summer. I have loved all of them, so far!

src: curtissittenfeld.com

American Wife by Curtis Sittenfeld

The epic yet intimate story of an ordinary woman thrust into extra-ordinary circumstances when she becomes first lady.

I have ordered her other 2 books because I so enjoyed her writing and attention to detail!!

Next up:

source http://bethhoffman.net

Saving CeeCee Honeycutt

LOVED this one. So good, I didn't want it to end. If you liked The Help, you'll love this one.

Rob Lowe's Autobiography:

Stories I Only Tell My Friends

A totally random Amazon purchase for my Kindle, but so wonderful! I could have read 100 more pages of his witty writing.

And currently, I'm reading:

Doc: A Novel by Mary Doria Russell

It's a sort of fictional biography of Doc Holliday. So far, it's great!

So there's my book report for the first 1/2 of the summer.

And don't forget, if you are on Goodreads.com to add me as a friend. It's a great site and you will find so many books that you want to read...there's not enough time to read them all.

Margaret and Hayden

2011-07-15T20:03:00.000-05:00

Two years ago when we were in Iowa for the 4th of July, Margaret was 6 1/2 months old. Mark's cousin Adam has a little girl named Hayden that was 5 months old.

Here they are 2 years later......where does the time go????

Giant Chicken

2011-07-15T11:26:00.000-05:00

I have seen lots of people mention this post on Facebook, so you might have already read it. But if not, you need to go read this RIGHT NOW. Prepare to pee your pants and/or cry with laughter.

Hilarious, right?? So I forwarded this baby on to my sister and husband and several other people. My sister replies: I want that chicken.

Fast forward a week later and we are driving up to Mark's parent's house in Iowa and stop for gas in a really small town. I look outside my window at this random, eclectic Antique store and see a lot of oddities out front. I pick up the phone and tell my sister that I found a place that might have the chicken she is looking for. (She is always in the market for a good conversation piece.) While I am listing the things I see in front of this House of Crap, I see it. The chicken. The big chicken! I get giddy and beg Mark to drive over so I can take a picture of it!

Sadly, my sister decided it was too big for her house, so it's probably still available. Let me know if you know anyone that can use a 6 foot tall chicken. Be careful though, it will cut you. HAHAHA!

There was also a big metal bull that was only about 4 feet tall, but 5 or 6 feet long, with long horns. Just sayin'.

Sisters (and Squealer) and Shirley

2011-07-12T18:40:00.000-05:00

Also:

We have been watching a lot of Shirley Temple movies lately, so it may be my imagination, but....

The 4th

2011-07-12T18:06:00.000-05:00

I left my SD card at my parent's house last week, so I wasn't able to post any pics from our trip to Iowa until today. We had a nice time with cousins, kitties, bunnies, tractors, toenail polish and grandparents!

Lanterns

2011-07-08T12:37:00.000-05:00

We let off some lanterns at my Grandparent's farm....like in the movie "Tangled"..... for the 4th. I thought this would be something fun for Caroline since she is terrified of fireworks, but she freaked out at the first sound of distant fireworks and watched it all from inside. Oh well.

My cousin Chloe lifting one off.

It took a little time to get them lit and in the air, so I didn't get a good picture of multiple lanterns lifting off. But we lit 20 of them and it was a nice family activity.

Margaret wasn't scared, she even did 2 sparklers!

Baby, You're a Firework!

2011-07-01T21:35:00.001-05:00

Random

2011-06-29T13:41:00.000-05:00

This is a preview of Caroline as a teenager....curled up on the couch talking on the phone. I doubt the doll and the matching pjs last that long.

Margaret's hair is so cute like this.

Cheese!

Creepy

2011-06-23T12:17:00.000-05:00

I have a lot of things that creep me out. Things that make my skin crawl. A long list of things. On that list (near the top) is food that looks like something else.

Take a look at this:

Yummy corn on the cob, right? Nope.

They're cupcakes. With yellow jelly bellies. Gross.

Golf Coursing and Grandparents

2011-06-22T20:53:00.000-05:00

Caroline has been very curious about cemeteries and funerals lately. And due to the chaos after the tornado, my Dad didn't make it to the cemetery this year on Memorial Day. So, I thought we'd just go with him this weekend. The girls picked out some flowers at the dollar store the other day, Caroline got roses for my Grandma Xenia and Margaret got daisies for my Grandpa Rollo (it says Rolla on his gravestone, but it should be Rollo).

Then my Dad and Mark took Caroline to a glow golf place at the Mall. (She calls it golf coursing instead of miniature golf, for some reason.)

She's glowing!!

This picture cracks me up. You can see how badly my Dad wants to help her but is trying to let her do it herself. He rarely showed that kind of restraint in my golfing days!!

Notice she is left handed but playing right handed.....silly girl.

Father's Day

2011-06-22T20:23:00.000-05:00

What do you get the man who has everything?

A shirt and tie for his dog, of course!

More Phoenix

2011-06-15T21:06:00.000-05:00

So, we flew to Phoenix. It was the girls' first time to fly. (Caroline went to Las Vegas with us when she was 6 months old, buy I doubt she remembers much).

Here's the girls in the long term parking lot at the airport. Poor Caroline, she had many breakdowns from this point until we got on the airplane. She's just a little anxious ball of nerves like her mama.

Margaret sat beside me on the plane. She didn't care about the plane at all. She just wanted to run up and down the aisles and stand up in her seat and push all the buttons for the lights and flight attendant. The only time she cried at all was during take off and that was because I made her stay seated and buckled up. Mean Mom!

Mark had mentioned to Caroline that she should chew gum to keep her ears from popping. Her tummy hurt and she didn't want to chew gum. She was terrified the whole way that her ears were about to burst. This is pretty much how she spent the whole 2 hr flight.

Blurry pic, sorry. This is our rental car. Every time Mark put the top down, Margaret would say "Nice Boat, Daddy!"

4:15 am Heading to the Airport. Back to Arkansas.

Things you can tell about me....

2011-06-14T21:42:00.000-05:00

...by looking at my pinterest boards. ***If you have not discovered the ~~glorious-ness~~ addiction that is pinterest....move along and be glad you have free time :)

I'm pondering a hair cut:

Source: zimbio.com via Rory on Pinterest

I'm dreaming of making my back porch an oasis rather than a disaster:

Source: nattymichelle.blogspot.com via Rory on Pinterest

Source: houseofturquoise.com via Rory on Pinterest

I like to eat:

Source: lemonademakinmama.com via Rory on Pinterest

Source: fromcupboardtocupboard.blogspot.com via Rory on Pinterest

And drink:

Source: createdby-diane.com via Rory on Pinterest

And dream about spray paint:

Source: None via Rory on Pinterest

Phoenix

2011-06-14T12:58:00.000-05:00

The first thing you should know about our trip to Phoenix is that we kinda chose it randomly. My parents weren't going to take us all on the big beach vacation this year so it was just the 4 of us and we thought we'd try something new. (I hate going new places. I want to go to the same place and do the same thing every year, so this was out of my comfort zone!) We wanted a place that was hot, little chance of rain and a pool. Check, check, and check!

Also, Margaret got sick on day 2. Really sick. Day 3 and 4 and most of 5 she and I spent in the condo, with a few quick trips. She was a trooper though, and Caroline was a trooper to go on abbreviated jaunts to the zoo and aquarium.

Most of these were taken in the pool outside our Casita. Our resort had 2 large hotel style buildings and then about 30 Casitas which were 3 condos in one. (Even our own covered parking spot.) For every 3 Casitas there was a private pool. It was smaller than the big pools at the resort but it was nice to be steps away from a pool that wasn't crowded. (The large water park style pools were about a 5 minute walk).

Don't Mark's new sunglasses look nice? Someone stepped on his old ones right before we left....or so he says.

See how well my Kindle works in bright sun?

She is part fish, I tell ya.

Caroline and her Spongebob goggles can not be separated. Same goes for Margaret and her floaties.

Happy Mama and her girls!

It's a Dry Heat

2011-06-11T21:17:00.000-05:00

We just got back from Phoenix and I'm sorting through my pictures and such (and ignoring a massive pile of laundry). I'll have a lot of posts/pics soon, I'm sure, but here's a few to kick things off:

Summer Reads

2011-06-06T11:51:00.001-05:00

Summertime is when I can really get serious about reading. Sitting by the pool, at the beach, even while the girls are playing in the backyard, I can get a few pages read. There are so many books on my list any time of the year, but especially in the summer it seems that I keep finding more and more books that I want to read.

Here's my list of summer reads:

Currently, I'm reading Saving CeeCee Honeycutt. It's been good so far and has turned out to be similar to The Help, which is one of my all time favorites!!

Bossypants by Tina Fey

American Wife

Clara and Mr. Tiffany

Madame Tussaud (the cover drew me in)

Unbroken

If you join me on Goodreads, you'll see this is just the tip of the book iceberg, but these are the ones I have designated for Summer (and 2 of them are Book Club picks)!

On second thought..

2011-06-05T09:49:00.002-05:00

I ordered a new video camera for our upcoming vacay. It's a really cool one that is small and handy and has great picture quality. And it's waterproof up to 10 ft. Which means it shoots video underwater.

All of these qualities are why I bought it. And it came yesterday and it's great. And right off the bat Caroline and Margaret knew how to use it. Great! Should make for some cute videos.

Then it hit me. 2 little girls know how to use a video camera that works underwater....

What are the odds I will have hours of HD video of people's butts in the swimming pool?

Adventure is out there!

2011-06-03T12:21:00.001-05:00

If you haven't seen this movie,

image found via pinterest

Do yourself a favor and rent it tonight. And watch it twice.

I like to Spray it, Spray it

2011-06-03T10:19:00.000-05:00

I blame it on the gold. Remember about 17 years ago when the new trend was to spray paint everything gold? I kind of cringe thinking about that. But that's what started it all. My obsession with spray paint.

I'm not alone....all over the blogosphere are love letters to the glorious stuff.

Here's some things that I have spray painted...

Remember this mirror? It was orange? Now it's white and looks crisp and clean in the entryway. The lamp used to be brown with a beige/gold shade. Now it looks cool and modern.

This lady wears all my long necklaces when I'm not wearing them. So thoughtful of her, isn't it?

I'm not perfect

2011-05-30T16:38:00.001-05:00

Surprise! I'm not perfect. Not even close. And the truth is, I don't want to be. I am me. Are there things I don't like about myself? Absolutely. Are there things I wish I could change? You bet. But you know what? I am who I am. And I'm tired of hating myself. I'm tired of wishing my life away.

But it's more than that.

I'm tired of people making me feel like I'm not good enough. Like if I were a size 6 my life would be so much better. Like if I had the right hair or clothes or makeup, all my problems would be solved. Guess what? I have been that girl with the perfect hair and clothes and makeup. I have been a size 6 and I wasn't any happier than I am today. I've come to realize that it's a total waste of time to wish you were something that you aren't. It's an even bigger waste of time to try to please other people by being what they think you should be.

But it's more than that.

I have 2 daughters. Two little girls that are watching everything I say, do, think and feel. They are impressionable. They are little buds that have yet to bloom. They are building their self confidence and self image and the last thing I want is to quash that.

It's my job to protect them, grow their little spirits and boost their self esteem, not tear them down. The world is hard enough. There will always be mean girls and bullies. There will always be someone telling them that they aren't good enough.

I want to raise confident, strong girls that can face whatever this world hands them.

And maybe somewhere along the way, the rest of the world will realize that it feels a lot better to build others up and not tear them down. Either way, my girls will face it head on with grace, courage and self confidence.

How can I help?

2011-05-24T18:22:00.000-05:00

We are hunkering down for a slew of tornadoes and storms headed our way. Praying we don't end up like Joplin and that Joplin doesn't get worse. It is so surreal to see these pictures of Joplin, it looks nothing like my hometown. So far 123 are deceased and I'm sure that number will rise. My brother in law lost his Grandma from injuries she sustained.

My thoughts (and everyone's that is watching this devastation) are "What can I do to help?". Well, besides donate to the Red Cross, donate blood and pray, if you live near here you can drop off items at a local drop off location (they're EVERYWHERE).

Some of what I've purchased and collected from neighbors to donate.

You can also keep Joplin in your thoughts and prayers.....for a long time. This isn't going to be better anytime soon. Joplin needs people to keep caring and helping and praying and donating. Two weeks from now when CNN is covering a celebrity divorce and The Weather Channel is covering a different disaster, these people will still be homeless, living in shelters and wondering how to rebuild their lives.

I'm working on another project that hopefully I can write more about soon.

Comic Relief

2011-05-23T18:59:00.000-05:00

I have been glued to the tv and computer for 24 hours and needed a break. This gave me a good laugh right when I needed it the most. Hope it does the same for you.

via here

Gone

2011-05-23T10:15:00.000-05:00

So many things in Joplin are just GONE.

This was my dad's business before yesterday:

And this is what's left:

However, so many people are homeless or injured or worse, so I count myself as lucky.

Please pray

2011-05-22T22:22:00.000-05:00

This is my hometown.......

Joplin, Missouri was devastated by a tornado tonight. Please pray for all those that have lost their homes and businesses and loved ones. My family is safe, but many others are not. Joplin is in my prayers and I hope yours, too.

Mary

2011-05-22T14:55:00.000-05:00

*****This post was lost during the great Blogger Fail of 2010 so I am reposting!

I have been on a journey for a while now. A journey of self-discovery, reflection, acceptance and surrender. While reading Angie Smith's book "I Will Carry You", I was struck and intrigued by her stories of Mary and Martha and Lazarus. After I finished her book I started looking for a book that my mom had given me called "Having a Mary heart in a Martha World".

I have a confession....I am a Martha. As much as I'd love to say that if Jesus were in my home I would be the one sitting at His feet and hanging on every word He said; I know myself. I know I would be the one in the kitchen, feverishly cooking and getting everything ready. I cringe when I think about Jesus telling Martha that Mary is doing what is right. I can totally see myself saying, "Jesus, tell my sister to help me", expecting her to get a good lecture about helping and preparing, etc.

I am trying to figure out how I got this way. My friend, Veronica and I have discussed this at length. We look at the story and totally see Martha's side: She has a house full of people, (one of whom is the Son of GOD!!) and they need to be fed, need drinks, etc. And no one else is helping!! We are both women, moms, and the oldest child in our family. I think all those things have instilled in us the need to be responsible, to see what needs to be done and do it. We are natural caretakers, born helpers. How many millions of times have I told my own oldest daughter to "be a helper" or "take care of your sister, you are the oldest". I'm sure that's what my mom told me.

But what did Jesus do? He didn't tell Mary to help her sister in the kitchen (part of me would LOVE it if He had!) He tells her:
Luke 10:41 But the Lord answered her, "Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things;42 one thing is needful. Mary has chosen the good portion, which shall not be taken away from her." He wasn't saying that Mary was better than Martha, or more faithful or dedicated. He was just basically telling her to get her priorities in order. I have heard it said like this: JOY= Jesus, Others, Yourself.
So, here is where my journey has led me. I am reading 5 books about being more like Mary. And looking for the positives in being a Martha. I still have moments where I think the world can't be full of Marys. Who will cook and clean and get things done if everyone is sitting at Jesus' feet?
Obviously I still have a ways to go! If anyone is interested, the books I am reading are: Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World by Joanna WeaverHaving a Mary Spirit by Joanna WeaverMary, Martha and Me by Camille Fronk Olson At Jesus' Feet by Kirkie Morrissey And because, to tell the truth, I'm not a very good Martha31 Days to Clean - Having a Martha House the Mary Way

In my future

2011-05-20T12:24:00.000-05:00

My girls are OBSESSED with corn dogs. Like they would eat them 3 times a day. What else are they obsessed with? Lemonade. So today I was telling Caroline that there used to be a place in the mall called Hot Dog on a Stick that made corndogs when you ordered them and had THE BEST lemonade.

Remember that place? The girls wore those striped vests and hats? Man, that was good lemonade. If I remember correctly, it had a whole lemon in it all ground up....yum!

So, being a nerd, I get online and see if the place even exists anymore. Well, not only does it exist, they have 2 locations right by where we're going to be on vacation in a few weeks. Seriously?! I could NOT be more excited.....this place will blow Caroline's mind!

There is one of these in my not so distant future!!!!!!

Luau Party

2011-05-16T19:47:00.000-05:00

I can't really believe it, but Caroline turned 5 on Friday. (Will these birthdays always be so bittersweet? STOP GROWING!!)

We had a Luau party for her at an indoor pool at a hotel about 30 minutes away.

I bought a little printable pdf kit from a seller on etsy called PaperGlitter so I actually printed and made most of the decorations myself.

I made this little hula skirt for her.

Sign that the sweet girl from the hotel made.

Caroline was nervous about everyone sing to her, but later said it was her favorite part of the party!!!

Fruit kabobs

Logan and Easton

Mark throwing Margaret in the air.

Birthday girl shooting her water gun.

Cupcakes...those little tags were part of the printable set. Cute, huh??

Want it, need it...not getting it....

2011-05-04T13:02:00.000-05:00

On being a mom

2011-05-04T11:02:00.000-05:00

Something Funny

2011-05-03T21:07:00.002-05:00

I found this on the hilarious Sh*t My Kids Ruined originally from Suburban Snapshots.... made me snort Dr. Pepper all over my monitor so consider yourself warned!

Why Having a Toddler is Like Being at a Frat Party:

10. There are half-full, brightly-colored plastic cups on the floor in every room. Three are in the bathtub.

9. There's always that one girl, bawling her eyes out in a corner.

8. It's best not to assume that the person closest to you has any control over their digestive function.

7. You sneak off to the bathroom knowing that as soon as you sit down, someone's going to start banging on the door.

6. Probably 80% of the stains on the furniture contain DNA.

5. You've got someone in your face at 3 a.m. looking for a drink.

4. There's definitely going to be a fight.

3. You're not sure whether anything you're doing is right, you just hope it won't get you arrested.

2. There are crumpled-up underpants everywhere.

1. You wake up wondering exactly how and when the person in bed with you got there.

For even more laughs, click the link to her blog above and read the comments....

More cookies

2011-05-02T12:51:00.000-05:00

Ali Bee's made more cookies for the reception. She made 8 different styles I think. I only got a pic of this one, but it was my favorite!

These were the shoes Meredith wore on her wedding day in Italy:

and this is the cookie Ali made:

Go to her blog or like her on Facebook to see more!!

Reception

2011-05-01T13:37:00.001-05:00

Friday was my sister's wedding reception. It was a really great night. My mom and dad and sister and her new husband did such a gorgeous job of decorating. I don't want to share too many details until they do on their blog, but here's some pics I took of the girls and a few other things!

Margaret in her pretty dress.

Caroline in her favorite pose.

Veronica and Isabella...pretty as ever.

Meredith and my Dad dancing.

The cake. For many reasons (which I won't elaborate on) this cake is a favorite memory of the night. It's gorgeous and was delicious and was made by Jennifer Matsubara of Shelby Lynn's.

I gave the toast and I think everyone was nervous I was going to say something inappropriate but I wrote it out beforehand and had Veronica, Mark and my inlaws proofread it and okay it. It went well. Everyone laughed at the right parts and several people told me it made them cry. Can't get better than that!

Counting Down

2011-04-25T09:37:00.000-05:00

This year we are doing vacation a little differently. Just the 4 of us are going to a resort for a week. And we are flying there. Exciting & nerve-wrecking but, I'm so ready. 40 more days and we'll be here:

Alleluia

2011-04-24T11:46:00.000-05:00

Good Friday

2011-04-22T09:11:00.000-05:00

"He was wounded for our transgressions; He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we were healed." Isaiah 53:5

As we go about our day today (changing diapers, cooking, cleaning, etc.) let us try to remember what this day must have been like for Him.

Have a nice weekend

2011-04-15T13:29:00.000-05:00

Caroline is Famous!

2011-04-11T13:54:00.000-05:00

Yesterday, Mark took the girls to watch the runners cross the finish line at the Hogeye Marathon. While they were there, a photog from the newspaper snapped Caroline's picture and said it might be in the paper today...and what do you know??????

Sorry for the quality, I scanned it from the newspaper. She is super excited!!

Life is the most spectacular show on Earth

2011-04-08T19:32:00.001-05:00

To say that I am excited to see Water for Elephants on April 22 would be a HUGE understatement. Literally, it is among the best books I have ever read.

Reese and RPatz starring in it?? I die. (Rachel Zoe reference).

Did you read the book? Are you seeing the movie??

Truths

2011-04-08T17:54:00.000-05:00

Sometimes God sends us messages on other people's blogs. He sent this to me today.....I hope you get the message, too.....

1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.

2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.

3.. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.

4. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends and parents will. Stay in touch.

5. Pay off your credit cards every month.

6. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.

7. Cry with someone.. It's more healing than crying alone.

8. It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it.

9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.

10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.

11. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.

12. It's OK to let your children see you cry.

13. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.

14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it.

15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don't worry; God never blinks.

16. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.

17. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.

18. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.

19. It's never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else.

20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.

21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special.

22. Over prepare, then go with the flow.

23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.

24. The most important sex organ is the brain.

25. No one is in charge of your happiness but you.

26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words 'In five years, will this matter?'

27. Always choose life.

28. Forgive everyone everything.

29. What other people think of you is none of your business.

30. Time heals almost everything. Give time time..

31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.

32. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.

33. Believe in miracles.

34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn't do.

35. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.

36. Growing old beats the alternative -- dying young.

37. Your children get only one childhood.

38. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.

39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.

40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd grab ours back.

41. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.

42. The best is yet to come...

43. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.

44. Yield.

45. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift.

Spring pictures

2011-04-04T20:44:00.000-05:00

I was trying to take pictures of the girls the other day and it didn't work out so well...

One of my girls was happy and smiling and the other one was fussy and and just not in the mood.

Saturday morning I realized she was getting her 2 year molars in and one had just broken through....that explains a lot about the past week...including this photo session!

Weekend

2011-04-04T20:29:00.000-05:00

We went to Kansas City this weekend to meet up with Mark's parents and brothers. We had a lot of fun and it was a nice trip.

We stayed at the Doubletree so the girls could swim again....they were super excited to swim with their cousins Isaac and Rebecca, too!

Staycation

2011-03-29T18:53:00.000-05:00

This past weekend we took the girls to a hotel about 30 minutes away.

It may sound silly, but it was a nice little escape without a lot of driving involved. (The girls and I have car-sickness issues.) It was an extended stay place so we had a suite with a kitchenette and living room. But the main reason for the hotel was the pool.

My girls LOVE to swim. All of my swimming suits are at my parent's house, so I had to watch from the sidelines. I forgot how much swimming wears them out and makes them hungry...they were starving and exhausted.

There was a pullout couch in the living room with a dvd player and tons of dvds you could check out for free. Mark and Caroline watched Alpha and Omega..Margaret and I tried but ended up in the bedroom before it was over. Everyone was asleep before 9pm. Then we had free breakfast in the morning, another swim-fest and we were on the road. It was a nice escape.

My wish

2011-03-28T20:19:00.000-05:00

I found this a few weeks ago and it spoke to me. It is exactly what I want to tell my daughters...and everyone else I love for that matter.

“This is my wish for you: Comfort on difficult days, smiles when sadness intrudes, rainbows to follow the clouds, laughter to kiss your lips, sunsets to warm your heart, hugs when spirits sag, beauty for your eyes to see, friendships to brighten your being, faith so that you can believe, confidence for when you doubt, courage to know yourself, patience to accept the truth, Love to complete your life.”

March 23

2011-03-24T09:09:00.000-05:00

There was a lot going on yesterday...my little sister got married in Italy surrounded by my parents and their dear friends and a dozen photographers and I'm sure several Italian tourists watching the big event. I have seen iPhone pics and it was a lovely occasion and my sister looked gorgeous. (My daddy looked handsome as ever, too.) Here is a sneak peak of the happy couple:

Yesterday also happened to be my 34th birthday. Yikes, 34. I guess I should start using eye cream now. And moisturizer. If I learned anything from Nora Ephron it's to take care of your neck....so I shall start.

It was a lovely day here, except for the cold/allergies/bronchitis I can't seem to get rid of. But Red Lobster for dinner, a hot bath with one of my favorite bathing beauties, a cookie cake and a surprise delivery of petit fours was just what the doctor ordered!

Spring

2011-03-23T13:36:00.000-05:00

“Our Lord has written

the promise of the resurrection,

not in books alone,

but in every leaf in spring-time.” ~Martin Luther

ABC

2011-03-19T15:41:00.000-05:00

The Cookies

2011-03-16T20:51:00.000-05:00

I am so excited to share these cookies and all about the adorable Ali Bee's. She is the daughter-in-law of a dear friend of our family and is so talented! I was sure that when I hosted this shower, I wanted to have her make the cookies. And they turned out SO CUTE!

This is from her flickr page....all my pics of them, they were wrapped in cellophane for favors! She is sooooo talented.

I had her make these mini cookies to go on top of the cupcakes. Again...perfection. The detail is just incredible. To say they were a hit (and delicious) would be an understatement!

If you have a special occasion or party coming up, I would encourage you to contact Alison and order some cookies. Her contact info is on her blog: http://www.snargblog.blogspot.com/ Oh, and hurry up and visit..she's having a giveaway of a free dozen cookies!!