Sunshine (at last!)

May 18, 2009 | Uncategorized

Ahhhh,
Sunshine at LAST! What a beautiful weekend.

Cupcakes I made for Heidi’s wedding shower (photos thanks to Tony!)
Flavors included: Vanilla Bean with Lemon filling,
Chocolate Fudge with Vanilla Buttercream,
Spiced Carrot with Cream Cheese icing, and
Vanilla Bean with Amaretto Buttercream

Now I have to think about the wedding cake! (Actually it’s all I’m thinking about.) I am going to try some small trials because I wanted to do ruffles of fondant and haven’t done that before. I am not sure if white chocolate or fondant will work best…

We went to Hot Springs yesterday and had a great time.

(Except for waiting at Magic Springs for a long time again to get our season’s passes-
THE SECOND TIME!) I had ordered our tickets on the phone and they lost our paperwork. This time we did manage to get our passes made and leave- we wanted to do it before the park gets busy for the summer.

We also went to the Mid America Museum (the purpose of the drive) and had a picnic out front. I didn’t want to leave the picnic table it was so sunny and breezy! We have really missed the sun in central Arkansas lately.

A tip for anyone interested: if you have a science museum nearby- join! We have really made use of our memberships. Most science museums have reciprocal memberships with museums around the world. A family membership at Mid America Museum is only $65 for a year, and includes 3 kids and 2 adults. We can go there (or the Museum of Discovery here in Little Rock) for free the rest of the year. If we go to Memphis for the day the Pink Palace museum is free, Children’s museum is free. In Dallas the Natural History museum is free! This Spring Break we went to the several museums in San Antonio for free. When we drove to California two years ago we went to places all along the way for free! If we had to pay regular admittance it would have been at least $65 each time.
*We also join our zoo for the same reason.

J. watching the koi at Mid America Museum

Terrarium I made a few weeks ago and forgot to post a picture of!
(Unfortunately it’s not doing too well now, going to have to change the plants already.)

Today looks to be a gorgeous day also! Hope everyone has a great day.

Also congratulations to my lovely cousin, Molly on her graduation from Texas Women’s University! We love you and are so proud of you!

Orthodontia, again

May 13, 2009 | Uncategorized

Today was my first trip back to an orthodontist in 21 yrs. Not for me, for my oldest cutie.
We got the bad/good news.

  • Yes, she has to have braces (sucking your thumb for 9 yrs will do that to you)
  • Insurance will pay $1000 of it
    (Not going to tell you what they WON’T pay, but let’s say “YIKES!” and “I wish I’d gone to dental school.”)
  • It will only take 22 months or so! (I had my stupid braces on for FOUR YEARS!)
  • Rubber bands now come in an actual pallete of colors you can choose from.
  • Spacers are now plastic and tiny. (No huge metal bands around your teeth that they hammer on.)
  • No head gear! (Yes, I had to wear it but cheated and only wore it at night.)

Happiness is a Mini-Van

May 12, 2009 | Uncategorized

I am NOT a “car person.” I can’t really tell one car from another, I guess because I really just don’t care in the end. I’d rather be walking or riding bikes, but reality is that I live in a city and have a family of five. My kids attend school and activities in another city so what can I do? I was really hoping that in the years since we bought our last mini-van (used then of course but a ’99) that things would have progressed and I’d get a vehicle with much better gas mileage.
Ahem. Nooooooo!
Mini-vans today (even brand new) get MAYBE one or two miles more per gallon than my old one! So, with many repairs in the future of the old Winstar we bit the bullet and bought a “new” used vehicle anyway.

My Mother’s Day Gift
(Thanks, babe!)

It is really swanky compared to our old mom-mobile- 2 DVD screens, wireless headsets, everyone has their own sunroof and air control (and light like on an airplane!) Thanks for the great deal, Marc!
I think we’re spoiled already! I only hope that President Obama will take all this into consideration when he’s doling out tax-payer money to car manufacturers that don’t manage their companies well. I know that large vans still get the same gas-mileage that they did in 1977. Mini-vans haven’t made progress since at least 1990. What is wrong with this picture? Hopefully by the time I need a new mini-van (and yes, I will have to get another one since I have 3 kids and a large dog and even though car seats will go away they will only be replaced with long legs!)
Hopefully there will be hybrid or electric mini-vans soon…
A funny for you…

Farmer’s Market Breakfast

May 9, 2009 | Uncategorized

Mom and I went to the NLR Farmer’s Market this morning. I always spend too much money at markets. Seems like the money slips away. I have a new term for this- “Farmer’s Market Frenzy.” Everything always looks so good- hard to resist!

Some of my gatherings (eggs and cheese not included)

Breakfast I made (Chilaquiles) – All local and fresh! YUM.

I also managed to score some beautiful azaleas from the Argenta CDC. Great price for the size. I am redoing some flower beds and probably need more than the four I bought.

It was so nice that the rain gave us a reprieve. The air must be about 95% water right now. I actually love that if it doesn’t get any warmer. Feels like you’re swimming- almost!

Crazy Hair!

I had to add this picture of the back of my baby’s head last night at the Travs game. You can see how humid it was! See the storms clouds above the field?

Homes and Time Passing

May 5, 2009 | Uncategorized


Growing up I never had one place I really think of as my “home” unless it would be our house in Coco Solo. (Maybe because I was happiest there.) We moved often-usually within a few miles of each other. I lived in at least 11 different homes before I went to college. (4 states, 2 countries, 2 provinces)

I can remember when we had to go help my grandmother sell her childhood home in Saskatchewan. Her brother, who had been living in the home, passed away. He had left everything as it had been when he was a child- same furniture, his father’s vet things in the garage as they had been in the 1920’s. It was like going back in time- and so hard on my grandmother.

Papaw’s passing has been hard on the family because now their “base” or “homeplace” is going to be gone. I honestly can’t imagine how hard this is or how it will change everything. It will take the whole family pulling together and making an effort to keep us all close.

It’s Emily’s recital week. Tomorrow is dress rehersal and Sunday the real thing. She is in 5 dances this year again, so she has 5 costumes to cart to the auditorium along with shoes etc.
Watch the time fly by…