S's Date Night

S has been counting down the days till it was her turn for date night with daddy!

To say she was excited would be an UNDERSTATEMENT.

She woke up at 7, got dressed, and said she was ready to go. I asked where? She said on her date. I told her that she would have to wait till after daddy got off work. She understood, BUT throughout the day, she would either ask if I could just go ahead and  take her to her daddy's work OR she would tell me what time it was and how much longer it would be until her date started!

Now you understand just how excited this little girl was to go out on her date with daddy! It was really cute.

If you don't already do this type thing with your kids, try it! You won't regret doing it. The one on one time spent with a child is priceless. To listen, REALLY listen to what they say without the distraction or interruption of the other kids....The memories that it makes with each individual child....the way it makes them feel special and doted all over...the happiness and anticipation...it is all PRICELESS!!!

They started out at a local putt-putt, ate pizza, got ice cream and did a ton of stuff in between! She had a blast and is already talking about "next time."

Phase One

Well, the first phase of braces has officially started. E got her "arch" today. It is suppose to help hold the space from where she has lost her baby teeth and the permanent teeth have not come in yet.

E with one of the teens from our church

You can't see it because it is behind her bottom teeth. (Thankfully!) Hopefully, it won't be too hard for her over the next few months.

Baby Birds

Look what Scot found in the fireplace in our bedroom.

Actually, he found a total of 5 baby birds! The quarter gives you a reference for you to see just how small they were.

We could hear them chirping away in the fireplace. Scot scooted out the insert and found they had fallen behind it!

It was really sad because they were so little and obviously could not survive without their mommy!

Chocolate Cream Cheese Tunnel Cake

For Father's Day, I made this "death by chocolate" dessert.  Everyone LOVED it!

I shared this on my recipe blog, but wanted to share it here too just in case you didn't know I had a recipe blog. (You can check it out here.)

1 1/4 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup sugar
3 Tb milk
1 (18.25-ounce) pkg chocolate cake mix
3/4 cup cold coffee
1/4 cup oil
3 large eggs
2/3 cup nuts (optional)
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips


Preheat oven to 350°, grease and flour pan.

Melt 1 1/4 cups chocolate chips in double boiler over simmering water.

With electric mixer, combine cream cheese, sugar, milk, and melted chocolate. Beat until smooth. Set aside.

Combine cake mix, coffee, oil, and eggs, and beat with electric mixer for 4 minutes.

Pour into prepared pan. Sprinkle with nuts (optional)

Mound cream cheese mixture onto of cake mixture around tube, but do not spread to touch sides of pan.

Bake until top springs back when pressed lightly in center.  Cool upright in pan one hour before inverting.

Baking Time ~ 55 to 65 Min.


To make glaze:

Heat 1/2 cup cream in small saucepan over medium heat until it just begins to boil. Remove from heat and stir in 1/2 cup chocolate chips until melted and smooth.

Drizzle warm glaze over cooled cake.

Store, covered, in refrigerator.

Makes 12 servings.


Recipe Courtesy of Balancing Beauty and Bedlam

Pool Bums

This is the life............

We have turned into Pool Bums that is for sure. We have gone swimming  7 out of the last 8 days! But hey, that is what summer is all about, right?

Splash

We went to a friend's birthday party in a nearby city. She took us to a pool on the army base and I will say it was fantastic!

It had a kiddie area....

and a very large pool with 2 slides and even a rock climbing wall!

All FOUR of my kids enjoyed the slides...yes, even my three year old, M!!!

Picnic with a Friend

A little rain can't stop a picnic....

M and her friend E had an inside picnic after we had to come in from the pool because of the rain. They loved it! I overheard them say this is the best picnic ever!

Aren't 3 year old little girls the sweetest things :)

E's Birthday "Cake"

E does not like to have traditional cakes for her birthday, so this year I made Turtle Chewy.

It is so easy and extremely good!

1 pkg. German Chocolate cake mix
1 -1/2 c. chocolate chips (1 bag)
1 bag caramels (melt in top of double boiler)
1 c. chopped nuts (choose either pecans, peanuts or walnuts)
1/3 c. evaporated milk
3/4 c. melted butter
1/3 c. evaporated milk

Combine caramels and 1/3 c. evaporated milk in saucepan and melt. Set aside.

Mix by hand:
Cake mix, butter, 1/3 c. evaporated mil, and walnuts. Batter will be very thick.

Bake 350 for 6 minutes.
Sprinkle chocolate chips over crust, drizzle caramel over mixture. Spread remaining batter over it (use hands if necessary).


Return to oven for 18-20 min. Cool and refrigerate 30 min. to set caramel then cut.

Happy 11th Birthday E!

Today my sweet E is turning 11! Wow, 11....

E, you are growing into such a beautiful young lady both inside and out! You are thoughtful, kind, helpful and sensitive to the feelings of others. You are a wonderful daughter, sister and friend!

You love to be in the kitchen helping to cook and bake. You have learned to cook family meals all by yourself - and you do such a great job too! You also like to have fun and laugh! You love to play games, swim and read. I am so proud of you and the young lady you are becoming!

Happy Birthday E! We love you very much!

Learning to Dive

M is learning not only to swim , but to dive under and get toys off the bottom steps!

She is so proud of herself for being so brave and doing this....look at those eyes shining as she is smiling about her accomplishments :)

Home Blog

In case you may not know, we are starting to build a new home in the next few weeks! I can not tell you how excited I am that the dream is finally coming true. It has been a long process, but I know God's timing is perfect.

 I have a home blog that has been documenting things so far. It is called Our Home on County Road 39.

I have not been posting as much lately because there has not been much to share! However, that is changing now! I have started posting some more ideas that you may like to see and soon, hopefully, VERY SOON (like July 1st possibly!), I will start showing the building process!

I would love for you to follow me in this journey. Who knows, I may even ask for your opinion along the way!

Now go on over and check it out!

Date Night with Daddy

Tonight E had her date night with Daddy.  She has been looking forward to it for the last week! She got to choose where they go and what they do.

She wanted to go to a local pizza place where the teens from our church are having a fundraiser for their missions trip this summer. Then come home and watch the Chronicles of Narnia after the other kids go to bed.

I know they will have a good time! I am so glad that each of the kids get the opportunity to do something special with their daddy!

Summer is.....

swimming, swimming, swimming!!!! For the last two days, we have spent the afternoon swimming over at different friends houses. It has been SO nice :)

Squirt is loving learning how to swim.

Pookie has really became a dare devil jumping off the diving board and floating all around the pool on the noodles.

E is loving soaking up the sun!

B with our neighbor, M

B has always been a fish :) This year he is trying more and more things and has gotten to be a pretty good swimmer!

I love the look on his face as he does a cannon ball!

Looking forward to more swim filled afternoons...I just love summer!!!!!

Glow Sticks

Who knew that a can of glow sticks from the dollar spot could be so much fun!

Free Doughnut Day

What a treat to get a free doughnut from KK!

The Joke

Scot played a practical joke on E tonight.

He put these in her bed. (Don't worry they are plastic!)

When she pulled her covers back....well, lets just say the moment was priceless....we all got a good laugh including her :)

She was such a good sport! Isn't it great to be able to laugh and have fun with your kids?!

E's Last Tooth

So often lasts go unnoticed because we don't realize it is the last of something. I want to cherish every one I can!!!! So today I am blogging about a last........

the last baby tooth of my first born!