Time to Catch Up!

It's been a while since I have blogged and we have so much to catch up on! I am still working on my real estate license. I haven't given up, it's just taking me forever! There is a company of men outside my house right now cutting down some very large pine trees. This makes me so nervous! I am starting Jillian Michael's workout, the 30-Day Shred. Should be interesting. My tennis team made the playoffs!

And in other news, here are a few more updates with pictures. They are in SO random order:

Sophie had 7 inches cut off her hair! This broke my heart, but it looks really cute! She's been wanting to do this since the beginning of the year, but I told her to wait until after Easter. She also got strep throat again last week. I have an appt with the ENT in May. She's probably going to have to have her tonsils removed.

Opening Weekend of the Pool! It was in the 80's this weekend so the kids had a great time outside! Our pool heater is broken (Long, long story) so the temperature of the water was in the 70's still, but the kids didn't care.

It was Disciple Now weekend at our Church. I had the High School girls spend the weekend at my house. This is some of them out by the pool when they had a little down time.

One day last week the boys were outside playing after school. I told them they couldn't go swimming. This is what I found when I went outside!

Ice Cream after a day at the ballpark! Can't go wrong there:)

Knock on wood... Reed seems to be calming down a little at home with the "mess-making!"

Sweet Baby Cydney is getting big! She is up to 7.5 lbs now. Monica and I are trying to exercise everyday.

Bo ate the biggest grape I have ever seen! He said it tasted ok.

My tulips finally bloomed!

Sophie had her Fairytale Ball at school. She wore her flower girl dress. She had so much fun dancing with her friends!

I love it when all the guys come to hang out at our house! This is a few of them on the back porch cooling off!

Reed's in his big boy bed now. He has only fallen out a couple of times and he has gotten up in the middle of the night 3 times. Still working on it though.

Baseball (Bo is an awesome pitcher!)

Softball (She's a cute little shortstop!)

A Homerun! Sometimes a pound cake turns out perfect! This time it did! You can get my recipe for Mom's Five Flavor Pound Cake here. Instead of a sheet cake pan, use a bundt cake pan. Make sure to grease and flour it well.

Easter (Teacakes)

Here are my kids on Easter morning. Aren't they beautiful?

OK, so I am a little behind with my posts...

Easter started on Saturday morning with a very cold Easter Egg Hunt at Church.

When we left church, we took the boys to get a haircut. I ran by the grocery store and then we took the kids over to Mom and Dad's to color Easter Eggs and have another Easter Egg hunt with the cousins. Meanwhile I stayed home to work on my cooking.

We celebrated Easter on Saturday night with Michael's Mom's side of the family. It was a fun time to be with family we don't get to see too often. I took a Pineapple Casserole. We had hamburgers and hot dogs on the grill and lots of good sides. Here is a picture of the kids and some of their cousins getting ready for another Easter Egg Hunt!

This is a picture of Michael and his Grandfather. Everyone calls him Strawberry, or Straw for short.

After a great church service Easter Morning, we headed over to Robert and Judy's house. (Judy is my Dad's cousin.) I grew up very close to all my cousins on this side of the family and now we all have kids of our own. There are always a lot of kids to play together and there is so much for them to do. Most of the kids in this picture are third cousins. I love it!

Along with an inflatable bouncy, a huge playground, and alot of land to wander around, there are several 4-wheelers that are running all afternoon. This is my second cousin Jon, taking Sophie on a joyride.

Regretfully, we didn't make it to Michael's grandmother's house to visit with his Dad's side of the family or over to my Aunt's house to visit with my Mom's side of the family.

I made A LOT of teacakes this Easter. I took some to Robert and Judy's and sent some over to my grandmother. I think I was in college when I first went over to my Grandmother's house to help her make her teacakes. She made these for every holiday. She made them for my birthday. She made them for my graduation parties from high school and from college. My Grandmother is known for her teacakes. After I learned how to make them, I started helping her on the holidays, to save her time. I also started taking them to parties of my own and bridal and baby showers. A lot of people that try them say they remind them of cookies their Grandmother made. I am proud of this recipe and of being able to make them like my Grandmother did. She says she makes them like her Mama used to make them. There is a lot of heritage in cooking, which is a whole post of it's own. Here is a picture of my Grandmother holding Reed when he was a baby. I can't believe I can't find a more recent picture. You can bet I will have one soon..

Grandmother's Teacake Recipe

I never make just one recipe of these cookies. For Easter I made 4 recipes. I think that made about 7 or 8 dozen. Usually, I will make the cookies one day and ice them the next day.

1 stick butter

1 cup sugar

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

3 cups White Lily self rising flour, sifted

1/4 cup milk

Cream butter and sugar together. Add egg and vanilla. Mix with flour and milk. Divide dough in half, wrap in wax paper and chill for several hours. Well chilled dough is easier to roll out. Sometimes for the sake of time, I will put it in the freezer for about 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350, depending on how your oven cooks you may need to adjust the temp. Roll out dough to 1/4 inch thick. Cut out with round cookie cutter and place on greased cookie sheet. Bake for approximately 13 minutes.

Let the cookies cool completely on a wire rack.

Now it's time to ice the cookies. For the icing:

1 box confectioners' sugar

3 Tbsp. melted butter

1 tsp. vanilla

1/3 cup whole milk, heated in microwave for 30 seconds

Few drops of food coloring

Mix sugar, butter, vanilla and food coloring. Add milk gradually. You may not need all the milk. Consistency: You should be able to spread the icing to the edge of the cookie and the icing shouldn't drip off the sides. You will need to keep stirring the icing so it stays smooth. This is how I do it:

This is the finished product. Yummy!

Coldest Spring Break Ever!

We had a great Spring Break! It was cold and a little miserable, but it was a good time to get away. Here are a few pictures from our trip.

Reed just came up to me and said "take my picture." Then he went and laid down on the sofa and did this. What a ham!





Tiffany brought a portable DVD player and the kids had fun watching movies on the bed.




Bo, Madi, Russ and Sophie played their DS all the time. It's good they brought them because we were cooped up inside alot.

I never took my jacket or sweat pants off while we were outside.

You would not believe how cold it is outside by the fun that the kids were having.

Reed loved playing in the sand.

Sophie played in the sand for a while. She finally got brave enough to get in the water, but she was so cold.

Russ, Bo and Madi got wet from the beginning. The cold water was warmer than the cold air.

We made tacos one night for dinner. One night we ordered Pizza. The other night we went out to eat at Lulu's. It is one of our favorite places to go while we are there. They have a huge sand area for the kids to play in. Apparently, Lulu's is owned by Jimmy Buffet's sister. Every time I go I get the "Cheeseburger in Paradise." It's soooooo good! If you go, be prepared to wait. It's worth it though.

While we were there I also enjoyed reading a book. I didn't think to bring one of the many books from home that I plan on reading. But I was really in the mood to read, so I read one of the books that my Aunt already had in the condo. The book is Nights of Rain and Stars by Maeve Binchy. It wasn't my favorite book ever, but after reading all of the Twilight books, it was a nice easy read that I didn't have to pay too much attention to. Every morning, I would get up and make a cup of Instant Coffee. Yes, you read that correctly. I normally don't do "Instant" but I LOVE General Foods International, French Vanilla Cafe. When I was in college, in the Education Building, there was a vending machine that sold this coffee by the cup. I would drink this everyday during my break. Just the smell of it brings back such vivid memories for me. Every now and then I will get in the mood for this coffee. Now that they have the decaf version I can drink it a little more often.

Every time I called Michael while we were gone he told me about this "project" he was working on. He wouldn't give me details. When I got home I found our Powder Room to be completely redone. (It really needed because of the towel bar that was hanging from the wall by one side with a scratch mark all along the wall where it broke. Sophie had also added a little artwork on the wall in the form of a smiley face girl with a bow on her head. The toilet paper holder was also broken.) I was so Happy! Michael is not an indoor project person. If he is going to work around the house, it's mostly going to be the outdoor stuff, like landscaping. The last time I asked him to help me paint was before Bo was born and he almost had a nervous breakdown from the tedious nature of painting. So when I saw that he painted the bathroom and put up beadboard and crown molding, I had to question if he really did it himself. He said that he got a little help with the woodwork, from his cousin David. But I was shocked to find out that Michael actually did all the painting. It looked really good and he even picked out a color that I liked. What a good, good man! I love him!

Overall, Spring Break was a lot of fun. I think the kids really had a good time and I know they will always remember these little trips with their cousins.

Happy Birthday Madi! (Mac n Cheese)

Today is my niece Madison's birthday. I am so proud of her. 11 years ago today we were all biting our nails, pacing the halls, and driving the Doctors and nurses at the hospital crazy. You would have thought the future queen of England was about to be born. Undoubtedly, Madi has lived up to all the hype!

We love to watch her dance! I can't believe how good she is. She is so sweet to all of my kids! She helps me watch Reed. She treats Sophie like a friend, not like a little cousin. And Bo thinks she is cool.

One of Madi's favorite foods is macaroni and cheese. I found this great recipe for macaroni and cheese and I am definitely going to try it one day soon. Check it out here.

These are just a few pictures of Madi that I have taken over the last week.

We love you Madi! You are beautiful!

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Here and There (Pan Sauteed Chicken and Vegetables)

Good Times!

Last weekend, Tiffany's kids spent the night with us! It was a cool rainy night and I made a big pot of Chili. The kids play so well together. When it's time for bed, I make a big pallet (sp?) on the floor, start popping the popcorn, fix the drinks and put in the movie. Usually this settles everyone down until they fall asleep watching the movie. This week they watched The Gameplan. When I came in to check on them at 12:00, Cooper the 3 yr old in the red pjs, was the only kid still awake.

On Saturday night the kids went to stay with Mom and Dad while Michael and I went to a Birthday Party for my cousin Wayne... at Stars and Strikes. Normally when you think of Stars and Strikes, you think of kids' parties, but Wayne just turned 36. None of us brought our kids and it was so much fun. I bowled the best game of my life! I bowled 2 strikes in a row and on my next turn I almost got another strike, I just left one pin standing. Now, I am not a bowler by any means, so this was huge, HUGE for me! Here's a picture of Michael and me on our way out the door. What a fun night!

Back to the kitchen, I have been trying to incorporate more vegetables into my cooking lately. I don't think my kids are getting enough vegetables because they don't really serve green beans or carrots at Zaxby's or Chick Fil A. This is a new favorite recipe for me, although the kids didn't really get into the carrots. I forgot to take a picture of the finished product, but this is what it looks like before you cook it in the oven. It was delicious!

Pan Sauteed Chicken and Vegetables
I got most of this recipe off of the back of the Swanson Chicken Stock container. I just changed it around to suit my tastes.

5 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 Tbs. all purpose flour
2 Tbs. olive oil
1 large onion, cut into thick slices
1 lb. baby new potatoes, cut into quarters
5 medium carrots cut into thick slices
5 cloves of garlic
1 - 2 cups Chicken Stock
Salt and Pepper

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Season chicken on both sides with salt and pepper. Put flour in a large baggie and then add the chicken. Shake the bag to completely coat the chicken with flour.

Heat oil in large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook until well browned on both sides. Remove chicken.

Add onions and potatoes. Cook 5 min. Add carrots, garlic cloves and chicken stock, scraping down the bottom. Heat to a boil and return chicken to skillet and cover.

Bake for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake for 25 minutes or until chicken is done and vegetables are tender.

Happy Birthday to Me!

I am turning 38 today! In honor of this special day, here are 38 random facts about me that you may or may not find interesting:


1. I love to bake! I learned this from my Grandmothers. One of my favorite memories of all times is sitting in my Grandmother's cramped, 3 ft by 4 ft kitchen and learning how to make Teacakes. Now, I'm the person in my family who makes the teacakes every holiday. I am proud to be able to do it. I can also remember as a very young child helping my Meme make biscuits.

2. I have an insatiable sweet tooth. My favorite candy is Reece's Peanut Butter Cups. I love strawberry pies.

3. I drink decaf coffee every morning. I just like the way it tastes. I also like coffee with dessert. I hardly ever drink anything with caffeine in it. Caffeine really messes with my sleep.

4. I love to nap. I love to go to bed early. I love my bed. I hardly ever sleep late anymore. I guess I am getting old.

5. I think it's neat that even though my Pop (my Dad's dad) died when I was in high school, he knew my husband from church. My Pop and Michael's grandad worked together at the local mill when they were younger.

6. I love it when people say that my daughter looks just like me. And I love it when people say that I look just like my mom.

7. My boys look just like their dad and I think their dad is the most handsome man in the world.

8. Michael (the hubby) is a multi-tasker and can do lots of things at one time. This is one of the things I love about him because I am a "one thing at a time" person.

9. I love reality TV. American Idol, Dancing with the Stars, The Bachelor, The Bachelorette, Big Brother, Survivor... the list goes on and on.

10. I am athletic. I play tennis, I'm not very good but I hope to get better. I have also played and/or coached golf, softball, basketball, soccer, track and gymnastics at some point in my life.

11. I don't love to dance! I think I am too inhibited. I DO love to dance to the "oldies" with a partner though. Sometimes I think I should have lived in the 1950's or 60's.

12. I love old movies. Doris Day, Audrey Hepburn, Carey Grant, and Grace Kelly are some of my favorite actors. I love Breakfast at Tiffany's, An Affair to Remember, and Pillow Talk.

13. I love the "80's" I love the music (Come On Eileen), I love the movies (Sixteen Candles), I love the hair, I love the clothes. I loved being in high school in the 80's.

14. I am a rule follower. I drive the speed limit.

15. I love my Dad. He has been making me laugh for 38 years. He has always been around for me. He coached my sports teams growing up. He was at every game I ever played as a High Schooler. Now he comes to all of my kids games. He's so wise about everything and he is a good listener.

16. I got a new camera for my birthday and I can't wait to learn how to use it.

17. I am creative. I am good at crafty things.

18. I'm a little bit of a perfectionist so when it comes to the "crafty things" I mentioned in #17, it usually takes me a while.

19. I am very patient and laid back. I am not bothered easily by people or circumstances.

20. I have a new elliptical machine and I love to work out on it.

21. I can't wait to go swimming again in our backyard pool. Next week is Spring Break and I hope to be spending a lot of time out there.

22. Unless we go to the beach. We are spontaneously planning a trip to the beach for Spring Break. I love spontaneous trips.

23. I love to wear sweat pants.

24. I am going to let Sophie get her hair cut after Easter.

25. I am going to MAKE Bo get his hair cut before Easter.

26. I ABSOLUTELY HATE, with a fear that many people have never known, the dentist. I would say, this is my biggest weakness.

27. I can't wait until the tulips bloom in my front yard. Any day now.

28. I am content. I love my life right now. Thank you God!

29. I wear a size 9 shoe. Most of that is my toes. I have really long, skinny toes.

30. I love to wear dresses in the summer and spring.

31. Even though I look like my mom, I hope to act like her too. She is someone who will bend over backward to help the ones she loves. She is the true example of the Proverbs 31 woman. I love my mom!

32. I am very close to my brother and sister. My brother is in Belize right now sharing Jesus with the kids in school. He will be home this weekend. I see my sister everyday. I keep her 3 year old (Cooper) while she teaches 4th grade. Her son, Russ and Bo are the same age and Madi is almost 11 years old. Sophie looks up to Madi like a big sister. And Madi is so good to Sophie and Reed.

33. I love to plan parties and menus. I am good at delegating, but sometimes, I just like to do everything myself.

34. Both my grandmothers and Michael's grandmothers are still with us. Including Michael's grandfather, my kids have 5 Great-Grandparents around to teach them and love on them. I love to hear stories from our grandparents.

35. My main job in high school and college was being a life guard. I also cleaned house for a sweet little Jewish woman for a short time in college. I also worked at HoneyBaked Ham during the Holidays. My family called me the "Pork Princess."

36. When Bo was a baby, the Paulding County Sheriff's dept. stormed my house looking for a fugitive car thief, while we were home! (Long, scary story)

37. I have never broken any bones.

38. This was harder than I thought. I usually don't really focus on myself.