A Bit About Us

Projects

2012-02-10T17:10:00.000-08:00

We made these back in the fall and instead of "HOPE" it said "FALL" and the background had an autumn theme as well. Since fall has come and gone, we finally updated it for a more "year round" look.

They are really easy to make and can add character to any room.

What to use:
* picture frames (we bought ours at Hobby Lobby, 50% off)
* scrapbook paper
* cardboard
* modge podge
* chipboard letters (Hobby Lobby has sales on them all the time)
* paint (optional...we used paint for the "FALL" letters and
scrapbook paper for the "HOPE" letters)

What to do:
* cut your cardboard to fit the frame.
* modge podge paper onto cardboard
* paint (or modge podge paper to) letters
* place your cardboard into frame
* modge letters onto paper covered cardboard

These nifty little things are PERFECT for holding those fruits and veggies that just don't have a good spot. My mom saw (on pinterest) someone use magazine racks to do this. We could not find any (that were decently priced), so my mom came up with this idea. Big Lots have these garden baskets for $7 dollars right now...woo hoo! We just cut out some cardboard to fit the back and modge podged fabric onto it. Again, very simple, useful, different, and I LOVE them!

Cheesy Cilantro Pasta...So Easy, So Good

2012-02-07T17:29:00.000-08:00

Picture it...you wake up, get dressed, get the kids dressed, grab the lunches, your purse, oh yeah...need to grab extra wipes and diapers to keep at the sitters, get everyone in and buckled, ugh forgot to gas yesterday, speed off, drop off kids, speed off to work, park the car...half way through your HECTIC work day you remember...I forgot to set out meat for dinner!!!!

If this is not you, please keep that to yourself...I envy you. Now, this may not be an accurate depiction of my everyday life...but, most of the events occur (in that order) everyday. For the days that this does happen...here is a recipe that can be your saving grace.

I discovered it one day as I was preparing an ever-so-delightful meal of spaghetti. I could not bring myself to make plain old spaghetti...my family really deserved better than that...especially since the day before was probably fast food (don't judge me).

I decided to "fancy up" my pasta dish...or maybe I just "hodge-podged" it.

Cheesy Cilantro Pasta:

1 box of mini farfalle pasta

2 bell peppers (green, yellow, red...doesn't matter) - chopped

1/3 of an onion - chopped

1/2 bunch of cilantro - chopped

1 1/4 cup velveeta cheese

1 8 oz. can of tomato sauce

1 jar of favorite spaghetti sauce

1/3 cup of ranch (the actual dressing, not packet)

Bring 4 quarts of water to a boil and pour whole box (1 lb.) of pasta into the pot.

Boil for 7 - 8 minutes

While pasta is cooking; in a pan sauté (with a drop or two of olive oil) - peppers, onions, and cilantro

When pasta is done, drain and put pasta back into pot

Reduce heat; stir in veggies, velveeta, tomato sauce, spaghetti sauce, ranch

Stir continuously for about 5 minutes

YOU ARE DONE

Serve with garlic bread, salad, and enjoy!

There are so many different things you can do with this dish...adding meat, making it spicy with a jalapeño sautéed in the mix, and so on. Please share your renditions of this recipe...for all the moms who are just having one of those days.

An Apple A Day...

2012-02-05T18:00:00.000-08:00

Honey Crisp Apple

My FAVORITE apple, Honey Crisp, is one of my favorite breakfasts, mid-afternoon snacks and now was part of a favorite dessert. For my Super Bowl dish, I decided to make an Apple Upside-Down Spice Cake...and of course, I used Honey Crisp apples.

Upside-Down Apple Spice Cake:

* 2 large apples
* 1/2 cup butter
* 2/3 cup brown sugar
* Spice Cake mix (water, egg, oil according to your cake mix box)
* 1 banana

Directions:
* Heat oven to 350°F
* Melt butter and mix in brown sugar

* Pour butter and brown sugar into bottom of bundt cake pan
* Chop up apples and sprinkle on top of butter/brown sugar.
* Mix cake as directed
* Mash up one banana and mix in with cake batter
* Pour batter into bundt pan
* Bake for 40 minutes
* Loosen sides with a knife and turn upside down on a platter
* Enjoy

This is such a MOIST and DELICIOUS cake. Served with a chilled glass of milk or nice cup of hot coffee would equal perfection.

A Change to the Old Mundane

2012-01-29T18:36:00.000-08:00

You know, sometimes I feel like I get into a rut with my cooking. You know what I mean. I know my own recipes so well, that sometimes I forget to get creative with them. By adding an ingredient or two, you can change the dynamic of the original recipe. I love that Pinterest has helped me come out of my rut.

Today, I made chicken enchiladas. Not just my ordinary enchiladas (which are still very good), but by adding a thing here and a thing there, I was able to enjoy them in a whole new way.

Thanks to http://www.favfamilyrecipes.com our enchilada experience tonight, was a little different. So, with a new recipe in hand and my own black bean.rice.guacamole combo, we had a FABULOUS dinner.

Honey Lime Chicken Enchilada
From Favorite Family Recipe Website:

1 small, onion, peeled & diced (use a sweet onion if you can find it)
3 chicken breast halves
1/2 c. chicken broth
1 Tbsp. chili powder
1 tsp. garlic, minced (2-3 cloves)
salt & pepper (to taste)
6 tablespoons honey
5 tablespoons lime juice (1 large lime)
8-10 flour tortillas
1 lb. Monterey jack cheese, shredded
16 ounces green enchilada sauce (we like Las Palmas brand, but any brand is great)
1/2 c. heavy cream

Saute onion in a little butter until it becomes transparent and soft. In a crock pot* add chicken, chicken broth, sauteed onion, chili powder, garlic, and salt & pepper. Cook on low for about 8 hours (or high for 3-4) adding more broth if needed (you don't want it to cook out completely). Remove chicken from crock pot and shred, then return to crock pot and simmer another 5 min. Drain out some of the juices (but not all of it... keep about 1/4 c.) and add honey and lime. Place seasoned, shredded chicken in a Ziploc bag and seal tightly, pressing out as much air as you can. Marinate at least 30-40 minutes.. longer if you can (I did about an hour). While chicken is marinating spray a 9x13 pan with cooking spray, then pour about 1/2 c. of enchilada sauce over the bottom. Fill tortillas with chicken mixture and shredded cheese, saving about 1 c. of cheese to sprinkle on top of enchiladas. Mix the remaining enchilada sauce with heavy cream. Pour sauce on top of the enchiladas and sprinkle with cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes until brown and crispy on top. Serve hot and top with your favorite enchilada toppings.

*If you don't have a crock-pot, just boil chicken in the same ingredients in a large pot with a little extra chicken broth until cooked through and can shred.

For the green enchilada sauce, I used my absolutely favorite sauce ever. (I use it on just about everything)

Now, for DESSERT. I know this is what everyone is
really curious about.

Who is not lusting after this right now???

Chocolate Applesauce Cake
(This recipe is from my mother-in-law)

1/2 cup margarine
2 Eggs
1 3/4 cups of sugar
*1 (16 oz.) can of applesauce
2 cups of flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons cocoa
1 1/2 cups chocolate chips
1/2 cup of chopped nuts
Instructions:
Cream margarine, sugar, eggs, and applesauce.
Mix flour, cocoa, soda, salt, and cinnamon in a separate bowl.

Slowly mix in well with first 4 ingredients ingredients.
Pour in greased and floured 9x13 cake pan.
Bake at 350 for 30 to 40 minutes.
Sprinkle chocolate chips and nuts on top when done.
ENJOY!
* I did not have applesauce so I pureed a can of apple pie filling.

Hope someone out there enjoys this meal. It was definitely a winner at our house.

A little of this, A little of that

2012-01-26T19:00:00.000-08:00

Thoughts For Today:

Cooking -

I was recently talking to some people about my love for cooking. I, always reflecting on things, thought more about it today. I believe I have narrowed down my love for cooking based on these two things.

~ I am a people pleaser. I love to cook a meal and see the reactions of people as they eat the food I prepared for them. I could cook all day and be perfectly satisfied to just watch people enjoy the meal I just made without ever getting to eat any myself.

~Memories. Just about everytime I go to make a meal, I think about my dear Mama Linda. My great-grandmother and I spent many times in her kitchen as I helped her make various meals. The funny thing is...all these memories of cooking with her and learning some of her recipes happened before I was even 12 years old. Those memories are priceless. I loved cooking next to her and listening to her talk (I could usually understand about half of the conversation because she only spoke in Spanish to me) about life - the big and small things. She took great pride in cooking for her loved ones; I am so glad that is something I inherited from her. Now that she is gone, I love cooking even more. It is my way of remembering her. What I wouldn't give for one more time in the kitchen with her.

Speaking of cooking. A meal I made today, which I found on pinterest, was very good and perfect for a night like tonight. I tweaked it a bit...added a dollop or two of sour cream, cilantro, lime, and tortilla chips. Very good.

Chicken Enchilada Soup (Thanks Real MOM Kitchen)

A Dare; A Love Dare -

Lance and I have recently started reading a devotional called The Love Dare Day by Day. So far, we are really enjoying it. What makes it really handy, is that it is an app on the iPhone. So, it is always with us. Even if he is at work, we can do it together. It is devotional I would highly recommend. I want to share one of my favorite parts from it.

"Paul the apostle endured beatings, intense persecution, and hardship throughout his life. He did it for one reason alone: "Christ's love" compelled him. If love began fueling your decisions, what would it drive you to do for your marriage?"

"Read 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 replacing the words "love" or "it" with your first name."

Our goal in doing this devotional is not to "fix" our marriage. Rather, we are wanting to build our marriage with God at the top of it. 3 years of married life have come and gone...and we have loved every moment. We know the key to keeping it great is to keep God in the forefront of our marriage.

A Few Good Men:

"Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it." Proverbs 22:6

I am currently looking for some good books to read on raising boys. Well, better said, raising boys to become strong men of God. I have recently felt the pressure of who I gave birth too, a precious little boy; A precious little boy that will grow up to be a young man...and then a man. EESH. Coming from a woman's perspective...I know what I need to do to raise a woman after God's heart...I am a little lost about how to raise a man after God's heart. Please feel free to drop any good reads on this topic.

. "I'm fine(d)" -

Okay, so funny thing happened today. For all of you FRIENDS addicts out there (like me) you will appreciate this. I have seemed to catch this awful little cold. Nose is stuffy, head hurts, throat hurts, etc. My poor students have to listen to me all day as I cough, sneeze, blow my nose, and frankly, my voice sounds miserable. Well, as it so happens, I am working with my CVCV group today (silent e) and we are reading words, making words, just having a good ole' time with words. Towards the end of the group, I say "Okay, now I want you to spell the word fine". They pop off the lid on their Expo marker...they excitedly and hurriedly write down the word on my table (yes, they get to write on my table with Expo markers during flex time). They all look up at me as the finish their word. Eyes are beaming and they are anticipating my approval and "congratulations" on spelling the word. I look at each child's word..."find", "find", "finde". I think to myself...really? So, I ask..."I want you to look at your word. Tell me what it says" Of course, they all proudly say "FIND!!!" One student explains to the other that there is no "silent e" in find..."it is a word that doesn't follow the rules, remember?!?!" I finally ask why they all spelled the word FIND instead of FINE. They look at me with confusion on their face...one brave student finally says..."Mrs. Williams, you said find twice...we did spell find". I stop to think for a moment, then it hit me. I looked at them and said, "Oh, I am sorry I meant fine (really worked hard to say it correctly), like 'I am feeling fine'." They just say "ohhh", wrote the word and we moved on to close the lesson. I had to take a moment to LAUGH to/at myself. All I could think about was Monica on FRIENDS...."I'm fine(d)...I'm fine(d)"

Tomorrow is Friday, with it comes new reasons to laugh, to enjoy, and to love this life!

"Here We Go"

2012-01-25T20:31:00.000-08:00

"Here We Go" is the first Fresh Beat song Maddox LOVED.

I am beyond thrilled that I get to go on a very special "Mommy/Maddox date" to go see The Fresh Beat Band. I just wish I didn't have to wait until May 10th, but still VERY EXCITED. I have been searching through their tour dates since they first announced they were going to be starting the tour. Unfortunately, they were all so far away. Finally, I saw they were going to be in Dallas...they were sold out by the next day! So, when I saw the announcement on my FB page that they added a new stop...to TULSA, I immediately bought the tickets.

The funny thing is, I do not remember being this excited about going to a concert since the Bryan Adams concert in 2005 or DC Talk concert back in 1999. (These are my two top favorite concerts)

Love his music

They will always secretly be my favorite band of all-time

All I know is, I need to make sure I have all the "new" Fresh Beat songs downloaded so Maddox and I will have plenty of time to learn them so we can sing our little hearts out on May 10th!

Deliciousness

2012-01-23T17:09:00.000-08:00

So, I don't have much time..as I am finishing up dinner. I do want to share this delightful meal we had last night. It is a MUST try.

The Main Course: Chicken and Cheese Lasagna Roll-Ups (click to go to recipe on ivillage)

Side: Roasted Broccoli (This AMAZING recipe my friend found on Pinterest and made for us and I HAD to
make it again)

The lemon juice is really key to this recipe

Dessert (Prepare yourself...it is very good): Easy Banana Bread (another Pinterest find)

I was thinking about what sounded good for dessert...yet I was TRYING to maintain a level of "healthyness". So instead of what really sounded good (see butterscotch/chocolate chip cookie below), I opted for a new recipe I had recently "pinned".

Instead of this

I am so glad I chose the new recipe! It was so DELISH!

I chose THIS

I urge you to add this to your menu in the very near future...you will not regret it.

Happy Cooking!

Something Beautiful

2012-01-22T15:19:00.000-08:00

Proverbs 31 - "A woman worth far more than rubies"

These last two weeks, as I have searched God out more earnestly, I have felt him calling me to search myself deeper. I try everyday to do the right thing for my family, my marriage, my students, etc. I always have done everything I could to make all the areas of my life "richer and better". Little did I know, this would be my biggest downfall.

I truly feel that God, in the last couple of weeks, has impressed upon me to "let go". Everything that I have been struggling with understanding about that concept, I felt was brought to light today. I was sitting in church and listening to the sermon about "giving everything - every part of you to God". I sat there thinking, not bad of a sermon, one I have DEFINITELY heard more than one time in my life. In fact, I could probably give the sermon myself. As I sat there, the oddest...no, the most beautiful thing happened. I suddenly felt God's presence, and in that moment, He was making sense of everything I was struggling to understand.

Letting go. I did not realize that it was something I had never quite done. I have always put my faith in God, prayed to him in the good times, in the hard times, and believed that he was leading me along the right path. The part that I was missing? I was setting myself one step in front of Him.."just in case". I am a planner, organizer, and a little OCD. I think these are all qualities that God can use and has used in me. However, the part I could not see, was that I needed God to LEAD in every aspect of my life.

Letting go of everything is not in my nature. Thankfully, I was reminded of these words "For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11. These words, again, I have heard multiple times...but I never had thought to apply them to my whole life - my marriage, raising my son, taking care of the house, taking care of finances...so on and so on. I was limiting God on what I wanted Him to be in control of.

So, today I have a new hope; A new purpose. My goal, is still the same. I do want great things for all that surrounds my life. The only difference is it will not start with "what I can do to make it better" but "what can I do". I am an instrument of God's plan and purpose and I do not want to set limitations on those plans again. It will be something that I will have to pray daily about...but I know that He will be with me leading the way.

I started this post with Proverbs 31 because these words have been impressed on me for two weeks. I have always loved PARTS of this chapter. I decided that there were things on here that were just outdated and no longer applicable. I am making it a point to study this chapter and really take in what it is saying to ME as a mom, wife, sister, daughter, teacher, and friend. I have no disillusions for this to be something I figure out overnight...in fact, I believe that this is something that God is going to have me working on for awhile. All I know, is I am excited to start this journey on becoming a Proverbs 31 woman of God and fulfilling my life as He planned it to be.

I love this song by NEEDTOBREATHE and it really moved me this week. I love how God uses all kinds of ways to reach us.

Justin Moore, Tim Tebow, and Davy Crockett

2012-01-14T23:40:00.000-08:00

One may ask, what could these three men POSSIBLY have in common? Well, let me explain.

Justin Moore - Bait a Hook. One of my new favorite songs.

My favorite part of the song.

"...Has he kissed you in a hay field as the summer rain falls down?

Has he took you to meet his mama, back in his home town?
Does he drive the interstate, or take them old back roads?
Can he melt your heart with a country song, every good old boy should know?"

Yes, I can't help but be attracted to a man who can "bait a hook".

Tim Tebow - Quarterback. One of my new favorite football players.

I know he can be a little socially awkward sometimes, but come on, really...it is not the end of the world. I love the way he is so completely unashamed of what he believes and who he believes in. His life is reflective of the One he follows, and I LOVE that. I don't think he is perfect and I know he does (and will) makes mistakes...no delusions about it, we all do. I just really admire the man of God he is trying to be. I also can't help but love the fact that he was home-schooled. I mean, wow, NFL starting quarterback?!? Talk about beating the odds.

Can't help but appreciate that he is easy on the eyes as well. :)

Davy Crockett - Frontier Hero. Has been and will always be someone special to me.

When I was around 7 years old, I developed a fascination for Davy Crockett. I really have no clue as to why. In all truthfulness, I don't know much about the man he was. I know the basic facts that everyone else knows. All it took was one movie about Davy Crockett and I was hooked. I will never forget being at Disney World and watching the parade...when who goes by on his frontier float???? Yes, Davy Crockett. I felt faint. He looked right over at me and waved with a wink. My life was officially complete. I felt like I was on top of the world.

So what do these men have in common...nothing. Nothing but the fact that they are all tied to something that interests me or I find admirable. :)

I will end by saying....I love that MY man can bait a hook, loves the Lord, and would look good in a coonskin cap.

Cilantro-Marinated Shredded Beef Taco

2012-01-14T22:36:00.000-08:00

I am sharing a recipe I created. I really hope you enjoy this one. It is a huge hit at my house!

Cilantro Marinated Shredded Beef Tacos
(I hope you enjoy this one, it is my own personal recipe!)

Here I added some of my fresh homemade salsa as a nice little plus for the palate

What you will need:

* 2 pounds of round roast * 1 can of tomato sauce *1/2 of an onion
* 1 tomato * 1lime
*1 small bunch of cilantro * 1 clove of garlic * 1 tsp. salt
*2-3 shakes of lemon pepper seasoning

What to do:

* Place your (thawed) roast in the slow-cooker and season with your salt and lemon pepper seasoning.

* In a blender ( I LOVED using my Ninja) puree your onion (chop it first), tomato (sliced), cilantro, garlic, and make sure to squeeze your whole lime into the mix before starting that blender.

* Pour over the roast (that is in your slow-cooker)

* Now, pour in the can of tomato sauce

* Cook on high for 7 1/2 - 8 hours

* Pull the roast out and shred. Then place back into the slow-cooker. Stir the meat and juices together.

* Place on a warm tortilla (I prefer corn for the particular recipe)

* Garnish with some fresh cilantro and a little squeeze of lime...ENJOY

Craftsmanship...A Little of What My Husband Can Do

2012-01-08T11:55:00.000-08:00

I thought I would brag a little bit on my husband and post some of his handiwork. He really is so talented. All his work first starts as an idea in his head, then he sketches it out himself, and goes to work starting from scratch. His next project is building two bookshelves for our living room. (I will post pics)

An Outdoor Bench

Extra fence panels??? Make a bench!

Coffee Table

From an old door...to becoming the top of a coffee table

Perfect for storing things! Totes on one side full of toys and scrapbooks on the backside.

A Bench For The Entry Way

From a bi-fold door

Side view

Shelf/Curtain Rod

What he can do with a few pieces of wood

If there is anyone interested in his work and would like more information on having him build you something, please leave a comment or email builtbylance@yahoo.com

Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep

2012-01-04T09:39:00.000-08:00

Two years old. Ah, the changes that come with each and every new stage of life. As we embark onto the next chapter "Life With a Two Year Old", I anticipate watching our little one become more of a little person continuing to develop a personality and opinions of his own. One of our first major transitions into this new stage of life is changing over from a crib to a "big boy bed". WOW, I didn't think it was going to be so hard on me to watch his crib, glider, and changing table be taken out of the room. The memories of the last two years were flowing through my mind. I may have choked up a few times, but it is time to move on. New memories will be made and I am looking forward to them.

Where will he sleep now? Yes, this was our current conundrum. Should we go buy a bed, change the crib into a toddler bed...or act on the idea we had been playing around with? We decided on the latter...we were going to make him a train bed. (and by "we" I mean my husband) The measurements were then taken, the materials were purchased (from Home Depot), and the new bed began to take shape.

Yes, this was starting to turn out even better than I expected. Everything went perfectly....minus staining the bed inside the house, the fumes were intolerable.

The front of the train

A little shelf inside the bed...perfect!

The final product...AMAZING. How my husband did this with no pattern, no instructions, no anything besides the wheels that turn in his mind is absolutely boggling to me.

I do not think Maddox will have any problems going to bed...it just may take him awhile to go to sleep.

"Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord." Psalm 27:14

3,2,1...Happy New Year!

2012-01-01T13:28:00.000-08:00

I cannot believe the new year is here. Where does time go, seriously? I am absolutely READY for 2012. I was happy with how 2011 played out and I am believing 2012 to be just as good, if not better. I used to be all about "resolutions". I came to the conclusion last year that my resolution should be to always be reflective in my personal life, spiritual life and professional life, throughout the year. Life is always changing and something I decided on the first day of the year may not be applicable on 230th day of the year. So, with that said...I am ready to make 2012 a fantastic year for me, for my family, for my students, for everything that I can.

Tasty Bites: To help bring in the new year, I made a bacon-cheese-jalapeño bread that was DELISH! I would highly recommend this recipe. I used my good friend, GoogleChrome, and found this gem of a recipe on yummly.com. The only thing I changed, was I used 2 large cans of biscuits and 1 small one. I also used ready to eat bacon instead of cooking up some.

Bacon Bread

1 lb bacon (chopped fried crisp)

34 cup diced onion

12 cup jalapeno pepper (sliced green)

112 cups shredded cheddar cheese

12 cup butter (melted)

72 ozs refrigerated biscuits

1	Fry bacon to crisp and drain.
2	Add onions and peppers to bacon drippings and sauté until done.
3	Cut biscuits in 4 pieces each.
4	Toss the biscuits, cheese, onions, green pepper, bacon and margarine in a large bowl.
5	Put everything in bundt pan.
6	Bake 35 minutes at 375°F. Some more yummy spicy food I made was spicy pretzels. My friends are always making them and (of course) I lost the recipe. So, I looked one up on allrecipe. VERY GOOD. Spicy Pretzels 1 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper 1 teaspoon lemon pepper 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic salt 1 (1 ounce) package dry Ranch-style dressing mix 3/4 cup vegetable oil 1 1/2 (15 ounce) packages mini pretzels In a small bowl, mix together cayenne pepper, lemon pepper, garlic salt, ranch-style dressing mix and vegetable oil. Place pretzels in a large, sealable plastic bag. Pour in mixture from bowl. Shake well. Allow pretzels to marinate in the mixture approximately 2 hours before serving. Shake occasionally to maintain coating. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - I will end this week's post with my favorite verse: "Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord." - Psalm 27:14 This has been my favorite verse since I was a teenager. As I enter this new year I want to be reminded that no matter what comes my way, I will get my strength from the Lord. He has a plan and when I wait on His timing, blessings overflow. Until next time...

70 in a 55

2011-12-27T13:03:00.000-08:00

Not one of my proudest moments. When I got the phone call..."I think my water broke" from my sister all I could think about was getting to her, especially since she was by herself. Her husband was at work and I was just finishing up breakfast. (My left-over breakfast casserole) I quickly got out of my (very comfy) pj's and put on my jeans and slipped on a comfy shirt. NO TIME FOR MAKE-UP OR FIXING MY HAIR. This did not bode well with me, but I quickly put it out of my mind and headed out the door with my little man in tow. (Thankfully Lance was able to get Maddox ready)

Then began the waiting...

Might as well take some pics!

After waiting and eating, waiting and talking, waiting and eating some more, and of course, waiting...baby Merrick finally made his arrival.

One of my favorite pictures.

He is so precious. All that waiting was well worth it when I finally got to hold him.

Maddox loves him too

After hugging and saying goodnight (and a quick Arby's run for the new parents) it was time for us to go home. What a beautiful wonderful day it had been!

Maddox's 2nd Birthday Party

2011-12-17T22:00:00.000-08:00

To celebrate my little train conductor's (as trains are his new thing) 2nd birthday my husband and I decided to put together a Thomas the Train themed party. It really was an absolute blast to plan and get ready for. Our party was simple but FUN. If anyone is looking for some really cute ideas for a Thomas the Train party, my husband would be the one to ask. He made just about every decoration/game for the party. Here are some of great ideas you may want to use when planning your next train party!

The Place: Oklahoma Railway Museum We rented out a caboose that was on a "dead track". This was really cute and, of course, it went with our theme!

The Food: Since the party was right between lunch and dinner and it was only for a couple of hours, we decided to do cupcakes and cookies. The sugar cookies we made ourselves, using my MIL recipe. We bought a train cookie cutter at Michaels and then used her icing recipe to glaze the cookies. We added blue and red food coloring to make blue trains and red trains. VERY CUTE.

Sugar Cookie Recipe:

1/2 c. margarine 1 c. sugar 1 egg 2c. flour, sifted

1.2 tsp. salt 2 tsp. baking powder 1/2 tsp. vanilla

Cream together margarine and sugar until fluffy. Blend in egg. Sift together the flour, salt, and baking powder. Add dry mix to the preceding ingredients. Blend in vanilla. Bake on ungreased sheet at 350° for about 9 minutes.

Icing:

3/4 c. sifted powdered sugar 3to 4 tsp. water Drop or two of desired food coloring

The cupcakes were the best cupcakes I have ever had...seriously. I ordered them from Sugar N' Spice.

The Decorations: This is where the talent of my husband came in handy. I decided I would like to have a "food train" to be the centerpiece...so that is what I got. Lance used cardboard boxes and butcher paper to make the cutest train for our centerpiece. We used a green tablecloth for "grass" and black electrical tape to make a train track. Some of the boxes were turned upside down to hold the cupcakes and the other ones were lined with white tissue paper and filled with the sugar train cookies.

This isn't the best view of the train because of the sunlight and the time stamp, but you get the idea.

The Games: We played Pin the Nose on Thomas, had a bean bag toss, and of course...a piñata! Again, some cardboard boxes and butcher paper go a long way!

The bean bag toss. We used it for carrying things back to the car afterwards.

Pin The Nose on Thomas.

The Piñata (from Party Galaxy)

The party was fun. The food was good. The setup was exactly what I wanted for my little man.

School is in session

2011-08-24T22:00:00.000-07:00

Well, school is back in full swing. With it have come many prayers, sleepless night, tears, excitement, joy, and affirmation to my life's calling. I have the sweetest bunch of kids. I also have some children who are in need of love, discipline, direction, and structure to go along with their sweetness. These last four days have been a roller coaster of emotions for me. I feel that I have been tested in every area possible. Tears came, but like the calm after a storm, so was the assurance and strength I needed to know everything is going to be okay. I am so thankful for Lance. He held me up when I all I could do is fall. I will say, God has been so faithful to provide me with the patience for survival, wisdom I seek, a husband who supports me, a child who brings happiness into my life like no one else can, friends who can help push me through to the next day, a principal who has my back, and I could go on and on. I thank God for his faithfulness to provide me these and many other things...especially for the last few days.

I am thrilled with my new bunch of kiddos. I love seeing the eagerness in their eyes when they learn something new and I love knowing that I helped make that happen. I love getting to know their individual personalities. I love knowing that I am making a difference in their lives. I pray that every decision I make in my classroom is for the betterment of all my students.

WHEW

2011-08-11T21:21:00.000-07:00

I finally have a chance to sit and think. What a whirlwind of a week! My comings and goings will be listed in order of favorite to least favorite.

~ On Tuesday, I found out my dear sister is going to have a BOY. I am thrilled! Maddox and his little cousin will have a blast together. I am already planning on them doing boy scouts together, playing sports, and lots of fishing/camping trips. Oh what fun! I cannot wait to see what he will look like, what his personality will be like, and how special it will be when I first get to hold him.

~ My brothers were able to come and visit us for a couple of days. I always love when they come to visit. I know these visits won't last forever, so I cherish each time they get to come. Such a double-edged sword. I love seeing them grow up into such wonderful young men. I love seeing where their lives are taking them. I just hate that growing up means less time to come and visit us. They are so special to me. We always have so much fun together.

~This will piggy-back on the previous favorite thing. Going to Claremore for the evening was great. I love when we all get to be together. I wish we all lived closer. It was so touching to me to see that Maddox was able to show us how he knows who "Papi", "Abuelita", "Tia", "Chu-Chu" and "Tio" are. It melts my heart. I would love for nothing more than for us to be able to live closer to each other. It always seems longer until the next time we get to see each other.

~ OUTLET SHOPPING! That was a treat. I hate to shop, but I love to save money! I had a blast shopping with Meg and Amber. We made it into an all day event. I also loved that Maddox got to spend time with his grandma. They had so much fun baking cookies together. I was privileged to enjoy one of his cookies; it was very good.

~Sounds of rumbling thunder rolling in was a welcome relief this week. What a huge blessing to have some rain finally. Temps today averaged 76 degrees. A much needed reprieve after the 100+ days we have had all summer. Best of all, school has not yet started. I was able to enjoy the storms from the comfort of my home.

~ Enrolled Lance in his first college class. I am beyond thrilled for him. I know not going to college is something he has always regretted. He had almost resigned himself to thinking it never would happen. God has opened the doors and made it possible for him to begin the journey towards getting a degree. We are so thankful. He will take 12 hours of independent study classes from OSU, then he will be entered into the BRIDGE program at SNU to finish his degree in business in administration.

~ Crafty little me, made a menu board for my kitchen. Talk about SIMPLE. I bought a frame, material that matched my decor, and letter chips from Hobby Lobby. Simply cover the cardboard from the back of the frame with the material and you have your background! I used super glue (for glass) to glue on the letter. I love it. It will help me as I prepare to go back to work next week. Yes, it is part of my "have a better year" plan. I actually got the idea off of pinterest.com. I tweaked it to suit my kitchen. Here is a picture of it...I will post a better one later.

~ Getting my classroom ready is always exciting. I love to organize and plan. So, this is a task I particularly enjoy. I am doing things a lot different this year. Centers have moved to new places, the Mimio board is going to be center-stage for my whole group. I really think the kids are going to enjoy everything this year. Lance has been a huge help in getting my room ready. I love him so much.

** The least**

~ Not having time to get my house clean and in order is driving me INSANE. I forgot how much harder it is to keep up with things when I don't get to stay at home. Going to school everyday this week has been a little reminder of what is to come. A little reminder to get a cleaning schedule started. Being a mom, wife, and keeper of the home is so much harder when you add working 40+ hours a week to it all. UGH. Okay, I am off my soapbox now. :)

~ Saying goodbye. I don't like having to say goodbye. This week I had to say goodbye to my family as we again parted ways. I had to say goodbye to days spent at home with Maddox; which in-turn means having to say goodbye to Nick. Jr. (Yes, I will miss it.). Saying goodbye to my summer of eating what I want, it is time to begin weight watchers again. Melt away those last 15 pounds. Goodbye to late nights watching Matlock with Lance and goodbye to staying up to 1:00 in the morning watching Golden Girls. My positive outlook on this is, saying goodbye only brings me closer to the next hello.

~ Discipline is something I pride myself in. I feel that I know how to manage children's behaviors and provide effective discipline pretty well. This was until I met my son, Maddox. I feel that I have to "fake it until I make it" (as my dear WOE friends would say) when it comes to disciplining him. He is getting to that stage where "time-out" = "time for me to practice my imagination skills". My least favorite moment is when I had to pull the car over (in a sketchy neighborhood) and get on to him because he would NOT stop sucking on the bottom of his SHOE. Putting the grossness aside, it was the fact that he was staring me down while I repeatedly instructed him to get his foot out of his mouth. After a small review of choices and consequences, he and I were able to start the car again and continue about our day. He really is a well-behaved child, but it is for those rare moments I just do not know what to do. I feel I need to end a negative with a positive. We have reached a point where my dear-to-my-heart teacher look has an effect on Maddox. Words cannot express what that means to me.

Too reiterate...WHEW what a week. I can't help but think, God is good. In life's ups and downs, He is good. I am so glad I have Him to lead me and guide me along this crazy thing called life. :)

Until next time.

Dog Days of Summer

2011-07-29T15:41:00.000-07:00

These 100+ degree days are awful! Really limits what Maddox and I can do during the day. We are limited to going outside and playing after 7:30 p.m. Needless to say, we don't go to bed early. Good thing we have swim lessons in morning.
Maddox's swim lessons have been fun. Not really learning how to swim, but we are having a fun time singing and swimming together and with friends. If we can master floating on our back by the last lesson I will be satisfied. It is hilarious to watch him, he insists on keeping his feet crossed and straight up in the air while on his back. Gives us all a good laugh.
As much as I deplore the heat, I do not want to wish the last few weeks of summer away. School soon begins. I love my job, I just hate feeling like a part-time mom. This year I am determined to be better with my time-management. My kids at school deserve the best I can give them. Lance and Maddox deserve all of me and not part of me. Not an easy feat, but I am not the only one who has had to do it and I won't be the last. I have already started devising strategies that I can implement in my personal and work life. I am excited about some of them. I'll post more about them as I get closer to having to use them.
Until next time.