Project 365 - Week 9

Week 9.

Well, I have been a bit MIA. This last week was a blur......2 pretty stressful days sandwiched by two really fantastic trips kept me away from my computer. But I am back and through it all, I succeeded in getting a picture every day!!!

Before I show you, I would like to ask ya'll to pray for my friend's son. He was visiting in Chile when the earthquake hit. Praise God, he was able to contact her today and he is fine. But he is there with no money (he was robbed the day before the quake) and all the ATMs are not functioning. He was supposed to leave tomorrow but the airports are closed. He is staying in a hostel. Please pray for his safety. Thanks!

Sunday

We spent the afternoon snuggling and watching movies.
Alyssa looked up at me and said "mom, when I am 50 and you are 80 we will still be doing this!"
I said "yep, only reversed!!!"

Monday

Saying goodbye to Alyssa's house :(

Tuesday

had a picture almost identical picture to this last year, just different PJs!
Taking Jared to school today

Wednesday

Left today for my girls weekend. These are my friends that I have met with the same weekend every year for the last 17 years. We are meeting in TX again this year.

Wendi using her GPS on her phone trying to figure out where the heck we are!

this is what welcomed us. The owner of the farm fixed a fire for us before we got there!
and then God fixed us up a beautiful sunset!!!

Thursday

When my group of friends gets together, we each have a job to do..
...this year I was the fire wench. :)

Friday

My chocolate lava cake debacle....
..but they tasted great!

Saturday

These are some of the best friends a girl could have!
They are such a blessing to me!

So...how was your week? Link up!

Project 365 - Week 8

Week 8.

**update** Oh my word, I think I actually passed the food challenge without even realizing it!!! thanks for pointing that out Esthermay!**

We are almost at the end of February.....it seems like it should still be January!

I am still in Abilene with my daughter and having the best time ever! Have I told you guys how much I love this girl.......oh ya, I have.....many times. But it's true and I feel so blessed to be her mom and even more blessed that we have the relationship we do! I'll be heading home on Monday :( and will feel ya'll in on our weekend.

But until then, here is my week:

Sunday

some of the kids going over their scripts for the drama they are going to video.

in the fiery furnace...the kids thought this was great!

Monday

Spent the day touring JBU.
Jason's audition for Worship Ministry major went well and we both were very impressed with the school! We shall see!

Tuesday

Each month, a group of parents comes up with a treat to put in our senior's lockers at school. February was my month, with 4 other moms. We made these cute bags full of goodies and stuffed 107 lockers today!!!!

Wednesday

It's Wednesday night....that means the youth at our house.
Steve and I were relegated to our bedroom, so we sat and watched the Amazing Race episode we missed on Sunday!

Thursday

Waited all day to hug this girl!!!
So happy to see her!

Friday

At chapel with Alyssa.
Go here to hear a bit of the worship music...so great.

Saturday

One of my best friends, April, and her daughter, Amber, drove up from San Angelo to spend the day with us. April and I have know each other for 20 years. We had so much fun!

One of the things we did was attend Sing Song at ACU. This is a tradition that has gone on for 54 years at the school and it was AMAZING!! These kids put so much work into the show!

So what was your week like?

Just had to share....

I am having so much fun with my daughter!

It's only noon and we have already done a million things it seems.
While on campus, we went to chapel and I have to tell you it is so amazing to hear all these students voices.
All their music is a capela and absolutely beautiful!!

Here is a taste..

What a blessing.

Off to see my daughter!!

Hey guys!

I will be taking a blogging break through the weekend.

I am off today to go see my daughter at college..
....doing the happy dance!!!!

If I have time to touch base, I will.
But my focus will be spending copious amounts of time with my favorite girl!!!

See you next week!

Random Dozen

I had a very busy weekend. My son and I went up to John Brown University for a visit. We both really liked the school!! Jason had already been accepted, but had to audition to get into the Worship Ministry major. It seemed to go well, but we won't know for sure till March......I really dislike waiting!!

but while I am waiting, I am joining Linda at 2nd cup one more time for Random Dozen. It has an Olympic theme this time......I love the Olympics!!!


1. If you could compete in one Olympic event (not necessarily winter sports) what would it be? I would love to just be able to compete in the Olympics in anything...really I just want to walk in on opening night.....but if I had to choose, it would be tennis or swimming..my two sports in HS.

2. Do remember a specific Olympic moment from the past? First, I remember very clearly Nadia getting the first 10 in gymnastics. Second, probably the bombing in Atlanta..mainly because that was the one Olympics I was fortunate enough to attend. We got there the day after the bombing. But even with that..it was an exciting week!!

3. Have you ever known anyone who competed in the Olympics? nope

4. If everyday activities were Olympic-worthy, which activity would you have a gold medal in? Probably how many times I can clean a kitchen each day and how fast. Or maybe Lunch making & sacking!!!

5. Do you know anything about your ethnic heritage? well my dad is adopted so I don't know that side of the family. And my mom's side would say my heritage is....Texan! :)

6. Do you enjoy sleeping late? I just enjoy sleeping till I wake up....without an alarm!

7. Have you ever performed CPR on anyone? Do you know how? (Yes, that's two, I know. Whatevs.) Thank goodness I have never had to, but yes I do know how.

8. Name one country you'd like to visit and explain why. I would like to go back to Italy..because it was amazing. but I would also like to go to Norway....because I wrote a paper on it in the 5th grade and have always wanted to go there ever since.

9. Have you ever fixed up a couple romantically? nope....that always tends to go badly.

10. What is the last book you read? White Picket Fences. I am currently reading The Help.

11. Do you enjoy sleeping late? NO, YOU write the question! How's that for random?? Are you wondering when you will get some answers in LOST? YES!!!!!!! I am still so very confused.

12. What is your favorite meal at your favorite restaurant? I think it would have to be the fillet Mignon at Outback Steak House!!!

Happy Wednesday!!!

Project 365 - Week 7

Week 7.

Well, I tried. I really did.

I tried to go a whole week without photographing any food...my challenge from Esthermay.

I failed........I just couldn't do it. In fact, I didn't even realize I had taken some food shots until I went to write this post. Now, you might not call butter food......but it is a must have in this kitchen!!! And the photo of the kids cooking was more about the kids than the food...nevertheless there is food in the shot.

But the purple milkshake? ya, food.

I guess I am a foodie at heart and that's not gonna change!!!

Enjoy my week:

Sunday

I realized I hadn't take a foot shot in a while..ha! And since I have been challenged to not take a "food" picture for a week (thx Esthermay) , I can't show you all the great food I made for the super bowl party last night...your loss! So I got some of my friends to prop up their feet for a picture, because the best part of last night was spending time with my friends! And then the Saints won!!

Monday

We woke up to an unpredicted and record breaking snow fall today.

So Jason decided to make us all waffles...
....please note how many bowls he has used!
But they were awesome AND he cleaned it all up!
LOVE it!

Tuesday

Ok, I must admit this is beautiful with the blue sky backdrop!

However, what you don't see is the thick layer of ice on the road due to it raining yesterday evening and then freezing over night. We ended up getting 7.5" of snow...a record. We normally average 5" for the entire winter.

Now I am hoping that sun will melt the ice a a bit (even though it is going to be below freezing all day) so that my husband and son can get to the airport for their trip! They are leaving for AZ for Jared's 16th birthday trip.

Wednesday

Jason and I went out to get him some new glasses tonight...
..he lost his, but that is another story.

then we went out to dinner.
Can you guess where we ate?

**no one on my other blog guessed. I think they are only in the south...but the purple milkshake is a dead giveaway for the ...Purple cow!**

Thursday

I received my butter bell from Mike at Klaytivity!!!
and I love it!! the color is beautiful!


I first heard Rita at meemaw moments talk about her husband making these. they keep the butter at the perfect spreading temperature and then keep it fresh by a airtight water seal in the base. My trick will be remembering to change the water every 3 days!!

Friday

Jason and his girlfriend, Lauren, made dinner for me tonight!
stuffed bell peppers.
Loved the food and especially loved the company!!

Saturday
Home alone tonight watching the first night of the Olympics.
boys are still gone and Jason is at work,
but I had a great afternoon in Conway with my BFF!

How was your week? Link up!

Friday Fill-ins

1. Pickles are one thing no one in my house likes but me.

2. I totally love being with my family at home.

3. The snow is in our forecast.....and I don't like it!

4. To me, God is most vividly seen in nature.

5. It's 5:16 PM; that means it's 5:16 pm.

6. Sometimes a true friend is hard to find.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to my son and his girlfriend cooking me dinner, tomorrow my plans include who knows...my husband and younger son are out of town and older son is working..hmmmm and Sunday, I want to enjoy church and be able to drive my son to a college visit in northern AR...weather permitting!


Happy Friday!!!

Ice cream/butter molds

I grew up in a house full of antiques.
My mom loved them.
Today you might have called her an antique junkie..

.....but she is one of the most knowledgeable people I know on them.
We spent a lot of time as kids hanging out in antique stores my mom would spot and if she came home with something, you knew it was a treasure.

One of the things she started collecting was pewter ice cream molds.
I don't really remember a time with out them.

I can't even tell you how many she has...
...but on our birthday, we got to pick the molds we wanted our ice cream in.

she had one for every holiday.
and Easter always held ice cream eggs!!!

After I got married, she started giving me some.
one at a time for special occasions.

And each one holds a special memory for me.
My mom used to always mold this heart in strawberry ice cream.

my kids also grew up with their ice cream molded on birthdays!

but the other great use for it is molding butter for special occasions.
I have a turkey for Thanksgiving and a Santa for Christmas
(which no one likes to be the first to cut into!!
Funny they don't have a problem with the turkey!)

Here's how it works:

Soften your butter to room temperature.
Fill both sides of the mold with the butter.
then squish the sides together .

Place the mold in the freezer.
when it comes out of the mold,
it looks like this!

The tulip is a bit trickier because it is 3 pieces.

the bottom two come together

then the top.
It comes out looking like this..

It makes a dinner party just that much more special!!!

And now you understand the look below....

when Alyssa received her first ice cream mold for Christmas

I love traditions!!!

Random Dozen

I am joining Linda at 2nd cup for her Random Dozen today. Skip over to her blog when you are done and see how others answered her questions.

But first, I had so many of you ask about the molded butter from my P365 post.....come back tomorrow and I will tell you about how I did it!!

1. Are you pleasant when you're ill, or are you a grumpy, fussy patient? I am not grumpy and fussy, but I just like to hole up in my room and have no body bother me.......so I guess I am not pleasant.

2. When you find out that school is canceled (due to inclement weather) what is your gut reaction? UGH!!! just being real. most of those days turn out to be fun family days, but my first reaction is usually...ugh. Especially b/c our school rarely calls it the night before.

3. What is one domestic skill you wish you could improve? I would like to be a better housekeeper and more organized....ok, that is two.

4. Do you decorate your home for Valentine's Day? nope....who has time?

5. What song is on your mind today? to be truthful, I haven't had a song on my mind today.

6. Do you prefer contemporary movies or classic? I guess I would have to say contemporary.

7. How well do you "compartmentalize" your feelings? For example, how well can you put aside a really trying moment to deal with the immediate situation which is not related to the trying moment, e.g., putting aside a tiff with your spouse in order to finish wallpapering a room. I am really very good at compartmentalizing......sometimes too good.

8. What is the first thing that attracted you to your spouse? (Or if you're single, to your best friend.) that he was so darn cute!!!

9. When was the last time your heart raced? just yesterday driving with my teenager.....enough said.

10. What are your memories of Valentine's Day at school? I always loved decorating the shoe boxes in elementary school and then each student got to go around and put a valentine in each box....so fun for me!

11. If you were going to receive candy for Valentine's Day, which would you prefer? actually by this time of year, I am candied out and am trying to get back on my diet and exercise routine! so if my hubby loves me...no candy!!! However, if I were going to get candy anyway......milk duds.

12. Red or pink? Red all the way!

Have a great Wednesday!!!

I shouldn't have said that....

Yesterday as I visited around on P365,
I noticed most everyone had posted pictures of the snow they were having.

I "might" have made some comments.....

I "might" have even poked some fun....

I "might" have even gone as far as saying the sun was shining here...

...maybe even have given the temperature...


....and I woke up to my payback.

Project 365 - Week 6

Week 6.

Can you believe we are well into February already?!! I had a crazy busy week....I am not excited about the pace that February is starting with but am determined to enjoy every bit of it!!!

I was challenged by a few of you to go a week without a food picture..........ya, couldn't do it.

Here's my week....

Sunday

Steve and I were invited to join one of our church's Life Groups for lunch after church. The weather is somewhat better, but it was obvious that the restaurant was short staffed. Our poor waitress was working her tail off!!

Monday

I wore this necklace today and got so many compliments. the cool thing about it is that I bought this when I was in 7th grade. I worked all summer making macrame plant holders to earn enough to buy it!

Tuesday

The Dharma cake my friend made for her LOST party!!!

(okay I have to laugh just a bit! On my other blog, several of you said you had never heard of a Dharma cake. You obviously don't watch LOST.....Dharma is an organization on LOST and this cake was a Dharma design!!! :) yes, I am a LOSTie!!)

Wednesday

Today was crazy busy and I don't feel well...
...so it's pizza for dinner!

Thursday

NTunes concert tonight
Several months ago the school had tryouts and put together a band and several singers. They have been practicing like crazy and let me tell you it paid off!!
They were GREAT!
This is Jason playing the banjo.

Friday

Lily and I are having a girls night!

Jason is at homecoming and then playing at the concert after.
Jared and Steve are on their way to Jonesboro for Jared's all-state tryout tomorrow.

***update: he didn't make it but he was pleased with his audition! there were nearly 50 horns trying out. Next year for sure!***

Saturday

Tonight was the winter formal for my boys.
I hosted the dinner for Jared's friends..
...can you tell they are tired of pictures?!!!

...but they were impressed with my molded butter!!!

Ok, your turn!! Link up below and show us your week!