Busy Saturday: Senior Pics, 7th B-Day, & Night Out

This Saturday was a day of non-stop activities. First Grace & Ava met my best friend Kristie and her girls at a local park so I could take Senior pictures of her daughter Taryl and Taryl's friend Melanie.
Here are my favorites of Taryl:



And of course a few of my two girlies:


After we were done taking pictures we went through the drive-thru to grab the girls some lunch so they could go home eat and change their clothes to go to Mason's 7th Birthday Party.

Happy 7th Bithday Mason!

Sweet Girls Again! I finally finished these skirts for the girls. They took forever just because I have been so busy and haven't been able to work on them very often.

SWEET baby Blake! Belongs to Christina and her hubby. Christina is a childhood friend of my sister Sara's who I used to babysit. Hard to believe that she has her own little SWEETNESS!

Afterwards, Ashley and I left to spend the night in Downtown Dallas for a night away from the girls. We stayed in a suite at the Adolphus Hotel which was absolutely gorgeous. Enjoyed the King Tut Exhibit and a great romantic dinner at the Dallas Fish Market.

And that my dear friends was just Saturday.

Hot Dogs & Cow Teetee's

We are sitting at the dinner table eating dinner last night when Grace proceeds to ask us a question.

G: "Mommy and Daddy, Are hot dogs made out of cow teetee's?"
M&D: Trying to ask w/o laughing. "Grace why do you ask that?"
G: "Because at lunch today when I was eating my hot dog Logan said that hot dogs were made out of cow teetee's."
M&D: Although mom would love to tell her not to eat hot dogs or bologna, which Grace loves and her mom can't stand b/c of the ingredients. I decide not to tell Grace. "No Grace, hot dogs are not made out of cow teetee's."

I so wish that I could tell her that they put crap ingredients into these two foods but because I'm not prepared yet to have a vegetarian and b/c I know that sometimes she and Ava already don't want to eat chicken b/c they know that it comes from a real chicken I just couldn't make myself go there yet.

Easter Sunday

We spent Easter this year with Ashley's mom's family at his parent's house. This was the first time we have ever celebrated Easter with them. It was a nice day and the kid's had a great time playing. Ava decided that she would rather take a nap than eat lunch and even missed the egg hunt with Grace, Caleb, and Leah. She had to have her own after she woke up 2 hrs. later.

Caleb, Grace, and Leah had the best time dropping the hard boiled eggs on the patio to see if they would crack open. Good thing there were only a few to do this with because the other eggs were stuffed eggs with either money, candy, or sidewalk chalk in them.

Happy Easter 2009

Easter Story Cookies

Right before bed tonight we made Easter cookies with the girls.

We have also done a sticker activity book each night since last Sunday that tells the story of Jesus' last 7 days here on earth. We didn't think that Ava would get as much out of it as Grace but never the less we new that she would still like the stickers and coloring. She surprised us when tonight she had her sticker book and said "I can't find Jesus praying in the garden" - it's amazing how many times she reminds us that she remembers more than we think.

Easter Story Cookies - illustrate the story of the resurrection for your children!

You need:
1 cup whole pecans Bible
1 tsp. vinegar mixing bowl
3 egg whites zipper baggie
pinch salt wooden spoon
1 cup sugar wax paper and tape

Begin the night before Easter. Make sure to first preheat the oven to 325º. Place pecans in zipper baggie. Let the children beat the pecans with the wooden spoon to break them into small pieces. Explain that after Jesus was arrested, He was beaten by the Roman soldiers. ~Read John 19:1-3

Let each child smell the vinegar. Put 1 tsp. vinegar into mixing bowl. Explain that when Jesus was thirsty on the cross, He was given vinegar to drink. ~Read John 19:28-30 Add egg whites to the vinegar. Explain that the eggs represent life and Jesus gave His life so that we might live. ~Read John 10: 10-11


Sprinkle a pinch of salt into each child’s hand. Let each child taste it and brush the rest into the bowl. Explain that this represents the salty tears shed by Jesus’ followers and the bitterness of our own sin. ~Read Luke 23:27

Add 1 cup sugar. Explain that the sweetest part of the story is that Jesus died
because He loves us; so that we could know Him and belong to Him. ~Read Psalm 34:8 and John 3:16

Beat with a mixer on high speed for 12 to 15 minutes until stiff peaks form. Explain that the color white represents the purity of those whose sins have been forgiven. ~Read Isaiah 1:18 and John 3:1-3

Fold in broken pecans. Drop by teaspoons onto cookie sheet covered with wax paper. Explain that each mound represents the rocky tomb where Jesus’ body was laid.
~Read Matthew 27:57-60

Place the cookie sheet in the oven, close the door and TURN THE OVEN OFF. Give each child a piece of tape and seal the oven door. Explain that Jesus’ tomb was Completely sealed. ~Read Matthew 27:65-66

Now GO TO BED. Explain how Jesus’ followers were sad to leave when the tomb was sealed. ~Read John 16:20-22
Before the children are awake on Easter morning, remove the tape from the oven door. When everyone is up, give each child a cookie. Together, look at the cracked surface and take a bite. The cookies are hollow! Explain that on the very first Easter, Jesus’ followers were amazed to find the tomb open and empty! ~Read Matthew 28:1-9
HE IS RISEN! (credited to Cathy DeBano)

Dying Easter Eggs

The girls dyed Easter eggs today and had a great time. This year though I got a great idea when I was at my friend Meredith's house for Bunco. She had dyed Easter eggs in a basket that were eggs she had dyed when she was little. Her mom was able to keep them because the egg had been blown out previous to being dyed. So that was what I decided to do this year so that I could keep them or atleast a favorite every year. In the 2nd to last picture you will also see some really cute handprint lilies that the girls made.

What happens when you stay home for 8+ weeks?

Do you know what happens when you stay home for 8+ weeks and you aren't allowed to drive anywhere? You watch way too much DIY and HGTV. Then you get lots of ideas of things that you would like to do in your home. And knowing that we were going to have to make some changes so that we could fit the piano from my parents house into our formal living room meant that we needed to make some updates. One project led to another (for Ashley of course)and here is what we have done so far:
1. New trim around the windows in the family room.
2. New trim around the doorway to the formal dining room (which is a playroom right now).
3. New stacked stone around the fireplace instead of ceramic tile.
4. This meant that we needed a new paint color on the walls.
5. Then I decided that 8 years of looking at the furniture in the same way meant it was time to re-arrange. Which I found hard considering the layout of the family room.
6. Some new window coverings and throw pillows.
7. We still have a few more things to do to try to make it look finished like adding crown molding in the family room and finish out the formal living so we can move the piano.
BEFORE:

AFTER:

I have also made some things for the girls since my hand will finally let me do a little bit of sewing at a time. I made the girls and myself matching cross t-shirts. I have also made the girls some cute easy fit pants that are capri length, reversible Spring A-Line dresses, patchwork skirts, and peek-a-boo twirl skirts. I have found really cute patterns at You Can Make This which I love because I don't have time to hang out in the fabric store looking through books of patterns. And of course I have made a few bows. All of this I have had to do very slowly because my hand will only go for about an hour on the machine before it hurts like heck.


I am finally back at work and have now started therapy on my hand so there isn't a whole lot of time for DIY and HGTV anymore. Good thing because staying home was costing me too much money.

Sorry to my Stalkers - Update!

See I told you that I would add all of my updates. I know that I said I would do it this weekend and I started to but everyone in my house was diagnosed with Strep Throat this weekend. That should explain it all. To all my stalkers out there who said that they can't stalk me if I don't update my blog. I promise that I will add updates this weekend. I went back to work a month ago and things have been CRAZY around my house. Updates to come this weekend - I promise!