Project 365 - Week 22

Week 22!!!

Before I show you my week, I need to remind you that Lisa @ Blessed will be hosting Project 365 next Sunday.  So, head over to her blog to link up....don't forget!!!!

We had a great week....busy....but great!!  I have all my chicks under my roof and I am happy!!!!  It will only be for a month, but I will take it.  I love having everyone home!!!

Here's my week:

Sunday

No picture today

I took a nap instead!

Monday

A sure sign my daughter is home!

YEA!!!!

Tuesday

See that rusty coil?

it means a new A/C.....great.

Wednesday

Pedicures with my daughter!

Thursday

My parents are here for the graduation.

Fixed my dad's favorite for dinner....

fried catfish!

Friday

The graduate!

Woo Hoo!!!

Saturday

you will have to wait till next time for a picture.
I didn't have time to get this one in.

 Okay, your turn.  Link up and share your week in pictures!!!

Houston, we have a graduate!!!!

look at that smile!

think he is happy?

the whole family

below is a short video of the end of commencement.

these seniors introduced the "rollercoaster" to the school and it has become a staple at pep rallys, etc.  They decided to do it one more time.....

Silence

That is pretty much what you are going to get from this blog for the next 2 weeks!

My son graduates on Friday and with all the preparations and family coming in, I just don't think I will have the time or mental capacity to put any posts together......

.....but you never know, I may surprise myself!!!

Once I get Jason graduated on Friday, my whole family including my parents and my brother's family are going on a vacation together.  We are celebrating my parents 55th wedding anniversary on a Caribbean cruise.  

I know, 2 cruises for me in one year.....don't hate!

It just sort of worked out that way.

Anyway, I plan to completely unplug on the trip and focus on my family, relaxing and having lots of fun!!

I will be posting Project 365 this week and then Lisa @ Blessed will be hosting it for me next week....Thanks Lisa!

See you in a couple of weeks!!!

Project 365 - Week 21

Week 21.

Before I show you my week, I want to tell ya'll that Lisa at Blessed will be hosting Project 365 the first Sunday in June (June 6).  I will be on vacation, with no internet, and didn't want to miss a week.  Lisa was kind enough to say YES when I asked her to host.  I will remind you again next week, but try to remember to go to Lisa's on June 6th to link up!!!

This was a great week.  Not near as emotional as the last!!  But just to warn ya'll.......there are a lot of food pictures this week......I know, what's new?!!

Here's my week:

Sunday

A couple of my girls in Sunday School were so excited to get all these stacked up!!

Monday

My husband turned 50 this year and that means.....

....a party in a box!!!

For those of you "youngins"...that's a colonoscopy.

the box is the wonderful stuff you get to drink the day before....ugh!  It will be me all too soon.

Tuesday

I had a craving for shrimp tonight.

So, I made up a pasta with asparagus, mushrooms, shrimp, white wine, lemon and parmesan cheese.

It was so YUMMY!!!

I just wonder if I will ever be able to remake it?!!

Wednesday

Jason and I had some bonding time at the hair salon today.

He had fun with my camera while he waited his turn...

Thursday

Have been craving seafood lately

Friday

These are the flowers around my mailbox

aren't they pretty?

They are succulents so they don't require a lot of water.

Saturday

I just love Jason's Deli's salad bar

with the boys gone, Steve and I headed there for lunch.

So how was your week?  Link up and let us see!!!

Six Word Saturday

The calm before the storm starts

I have nothing planned today

my house is clean

my laundry is caught up

both kids are gone

husband is officiating a wedding

I can do what I want

The CALM

The STORM

Monday my daughter comes home

Tuesday my son comes home

Thursday my parents arrive

Friday is the last day of school for one son

and graduation for the other

Saturday we leave for our all family vacation

I think I will savor the quiet today!!

Random Dozen

Joining Linda for Random Dozen today.  After you are done reading mine, head over to Linda's and visit some others who are joining in.......join in yourself!!!


1. What is one really fast, know-by-heart "go-to" meal to fix in a pinch?  Zatarain's Red Beans and Rice.  I just add andouille sausage to it.....awesome, fast and CHEAP!!

2. What is one item you won't leave home without. (Purse and license do not count.) My camera!!  Since starting Project 365, I never leave home without it!

3. Where is one place you never tire of visiting? Baskin Robins! 

4. Share one factoid of your family's history. Well, my dad is adopted so we don't know his family history.

5. Complete this sentence: "Once upon a time I .... asked Jesus to be my Lord and Savior and it's the best choice I have ever made!

6. If you could win a one year's supply of anything, what would it be? coffee!!!!  good coffee!!! ....or toilet paper.

7. "One quirky thing you may not know about me is ...." do I really want to tell you something quirky about me?  hmmmmm...... though I am not a detail person and am pretty much an otter in personality....I must be on-time!!  I really dislike being late and it is a pet peeve of mine.

8. You have one dollar in your pocket. What will you buy? Sonic Cherry Limeade.....and if I go at "happy hour" I can buy you one too!

9. "One thing that always makes me laugh is ...." The show The Big Bang Theory.....bazinga!

10. What is one thing you could do today to help yourself reach a personal goal? go exercise when I am done typing this......ugh!

11. What is one thing you could do today to bless someone else? send an encouraging card or make a phone call or take some one a dessert or offer to babysit a young mom's kids or.......wow, I could go on and on.  I guess I will pray and see which one God has for me to do!

12. What is one thing you're looking forward to soon? vacation with my WHOLE family in 10 days!!!

CSN product review

CSN stores recently contacted me about reviewing one of their products on my blog!!

I have worked with CSN before and they are awesome!!!

Do you know that they have tons of amazing products for your home? Like these Bathroom Vanities if you're redoing your bathroom. I only wish I had it in my budget to use this beauty. Go on over and take a peek, I think you'll be stuck there for a couple of hours ooohing and aaaahing.

 For my CSN giveaway last year, I had so much fun looking around and picking out something special for my readers. So when they contacted me to review a product, I was thrilled.

And was ecstatic when I found out that I was going to get to review this beauty...

The Digital ProFry Element Deep Fryer.

Now I am a southern girl at heart and when you ask me to review....meaning I HAVE to use it....a deep fryer, well I could hardly wait to get my hands on it. 

It was so easy to use!!!

Very few parts and simple to put together.

I was really surprised at how fast it heated up!!

Of course, I had to try SEVERAL different items....

....fries....

....chicken tenders....

and my ultimate favorite....

...fried catfish!!!

And you can't have all that without corn bread!!!

Look at these fries!!!

They were so good.  However, I fried them first and when (yes, when) I do this again, I will fry them last....they got a bit soft while I cooked everything else.

But look at this chicken and fish!!!

beautiful!!

and it tasted just as good as it looks!!!

I have never owned a fryer like this before.
I have always fried food in a skillet....no more!!! 
I am hooked!!!

Thanks again to CSN for allowing me to review this product!!!

Now go check out some of their stores...

www.cookware.com

www.toysandgamesonline.com

www.tvstands.com

www.justvanities.com

or one of their over 200 other stores!!!!   

Two Truths and a Lie......answer

On Saturday, I posted 2 truths and a lie about myself.
I asked ya'll to guess which one was false.

I have to say, there were some good guesses!

But the truth is......

I do NOT love scuba diving!!!

I am completely freaked out by the thought of what I might come face to face with down there!!  I do love to snorkel, but only close to the boat or the beach and with a guide that is constantly watching for sharks, etc.  I don't have any desire to go deeper!!!

I DID have to have a police escort while touring Shanghai, China.

I was fortunate enough to be able to visit China only a few years after it had opened up to foreigners.  Many of the people there had never seen foreigners....much less those with curly, blond or red hair (the blond and red hair belonged to my friends).  One day when we slipped away from our group,  we stopped on a side walk.  So many people crowded around to get a look at us, it started to stop traffic.  The police came and had to escort us to the car and then take us to our hotel.  

It was my one moment of fame! ha!

A couple of times, when I stopped somewhere, I would feel someone touching my hair.  The women were amazed by my long curls.......it was a bit freaky!

I DID ride an ostrich once.

While touring an ostrich farm in college, they let some of us get on the ostrich and ride it.

  Hi.lar.i.ous!!

You get on their backs and put your legs under their wings. 

Then you hold on to the top of their wings.  

Or you could hold on to their neck,
there by choking the poor bird,
causing it to go crazy and then be flung to the ground!!!

This was very fun!!!  Thanks Rachel for the idea!

You just never know what you will find out about someone!

Project 365 - Week 20

Week 20.

Well, it has been a crazy busy week for me as Jason ended his High School years.  It is a very weird feeling!  It was different with Alyssa, because we moved in the middle of her senior year.  In fact, we moved and she stayed 3 more weeks to finish her classes and graduate early.  So, we didn't have all these "last" days or all the emotion...we were too busy trying to get settled in a new home and worried about her being left behind.   I am not sure which has been more emotional.....but I was glad for a somewhat slow weekend!!!

For those of you who answered the questions in my post yesterday...I will be posting the true answer Monday!  If you haven't read it yet, go try and figure out what is true and what is false!!!

Here's my week:

Sunday

Jared performing at the AR Youth Academy Symphony Concert.

Monday

Jason being awarded the LRCA Christian Service and Character Scholarship from the PTF.

Tuesday

Jason's last day of High School

This was taken at the Senior Goodbye! 

Wednesday

Tonight the youth had a Mario Cart tournament.

These are 2 of the 3 TVs they had going in our house.

These are just the first 4 to arrive.

My son, Jared, was the winner....I am so proud...hmmm.

Thursday

Many of you comment on my magnolia picture.

I finally got a bloom low enough that I could reach and show you just how BIG they are!!  Isn't this gorgeous?  and the smell.....heavenly!!!

Friday

I love grilling season!!!

BBQ chicken and asparagus tonight..yum!

Saturday

my neighbors grandson is the first one to swim this season.

If you look close enough, you can see his teeth chattering! ha!

So how was your week?  Link up, join us and share your week in pictures!

Two Truths and a Lie

I saw Rachel do this the other day, and thought it would be a fun Saturday post. 

Below I've listed 3 statements. 

Two are true, one is false. See if you can figure out which one is false.

1. I love to scuba dive

2.  I needed a police escort while visiting Shanghai, China

3. I rode an ostrich once.

Okay, let's see how you do!!!

Remember TWO are true and ONE is false,

guess the false one!!!

I need to get some water proof mascara...

...seriously.

This week is going to do me in emotionally.

Yesterday was the senior's last official day of school....waahhh!

So, at 1:00 they had an all-school rally to say goodbye to the seniors.
Our school includes K-12 and ALL the kids were present in the gym.
The HS principal had a few words to say to the kids,
then called all the seniors to the gym floor...

They then asked any siblings of the seniors or parents that were there to come lay hands on them. They asked teachers and friends to fill in for those students that didn't have family there. Most every student and 3 or more people laying hands on them!

And then they prayed for our kids....

...wow! I can't even tell you how amazing that was...

..and the tears started.....

Then they asked all the kids and teachers of the school to line up out side. They made a human tunnel from the gym (at the top of the hill) to the high school.
You can't see the gym in this picture... it is to the right of the building at the top. The tunnel curved around and snaked all the way down the hill.

The tunnel ended at the cross outside the high school
(notice the Christmas lights on the cross.
The senior prank was to decorate the whole school for Christmas)

They then had the seniors go through the tunnel.
Getting congratulated by everyone as they went through.

as they exited the tunnel.....they were done with High School...
....and on to their new adventure.

...there were lots of smiles...

...lots of hugs....

...a few (okay..quite a few) tears....

...and yes, even rubbing of the head of the Head of School...

What a great day!
To have the whole school sending the seniors off was truly a wonderful experience. One they won't soon forget.

.....and now I have till the 28th to recover before graduation night when my son officially becomes a college student.....

WAAAAHHHHHH!!!!