Seventeen

 

17 years ago

I had a sweet baby girl

 

 Man time flies

 

and that makes me old

 

 

You always had good hair!

 

 

This was her 3rd birthday

 

 

I had to force her wear a dress for this picture.

It was her tomboy phase

I'm sure there were basketball shorts under there

(I miss bluebonnets)

 

And now you're almost all grown up

 

 

doing things on your own, even if it scares you

 

 

humoring your mother on occasion

 

 

loving life

 

 

loving family

 

And being so much more than I ever imagined in a daughter.

You are beautiful and I am so proud of you.

Happy 17 my sweet girl.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The first of the lasts

Oh what a weird week we've had.
It has been crazy busy. 
Katie backed into a friend's new truck at church Wed. night.  And by new truck, I mean brand new, off the lot, picked up about 4 hours before Katie put a dent in it. 
She has been just devastated over this.  She feels so bad.  "He can't even enjoy his new truck...." (read while crying loudly to get full picture)

Last night Katie had her last dance recital.  I didn't think about this fact till right before we went.
Mike really hated to miss the draft and when he mentioned skipping it I suddenly realized that this is the last one.  That made me a little sad.  And by a little I really mean I don't miss them going to dance every night and competitions but hate we are at the point where we are doing things with her for the last time in high school.
That explanation got Mike to go without complaining.  He did want to know if he could check it on his phone while we were there so that he could say things like "he is the worst general manager in the history of football"....

 

There seems to always be a weird dance

 

this year they were insane asylum patients

 

 

Make's a mama proud...

 

Where I embrace being a "Pilgrim"

Tonight at church we are having a dessert auction.  Katie said I should make homemade butter (not exactly a dessert) but I had already planned that.
You see, my making the homemade butter five a couple of times along with jelly, etc. has made Katie feel like she knows that I think we are "Pilgrims".  Now, my being raised in Miss. with a mother and aunts that canned everything that would fit in the jar, put tons of shrimp in the freezer for the winter, had gardens, and never wasted anything is more where I got it.
 I feel like my mother would have said she had churned butter and her day and would just buy it....
But if doing those things makes me a Pilgrim, I'll own it.
You would think we were eating all natural and such, too bad it's butter and jelly I'm interested in making.

Let me get back to tonight's church auction.  All of the youth group knows about the butter.
So I made Zucchini Cinnamon Muffins and am putting a jar of homemade butter with them.

I also made Chocolate Whoopie pies with Marshmallow Butter Cream filling.

While I'm talking about cooking, let me tell you about my latest food obsessions...

                        Trader Joe's -- I have read of everyones love of it in the blog world and have now managed to visit the Dallas/ Ft. Worth area stores three times.  Each time I have found more treasures!  The first visit I googled what peoples favorite products were and went from there.  Yesterday I had a good friend text me "I've got about 10 min. to run in a Trader Joe's, what would you buy?"  I quickly gave her my favorites.

My very favorite, top of the list is their Croissant rolls.  They come frozen. 

The Almond are incredible and the plain are great too. 

They put the ones in a can to shame! 

aren't they beautiful?

 

 

I read on a blog recently about copying the Starbucks Passion Fruit Lemonade, bought the tea bags, played with the recipe and can't quit drinking it.

 

and it's pretty...

 

I put 3 tea bags in a large glass of hot water and let them sit a half hour or so.  I have made homemade lemonade and used country time from powder and both are good.

I put about a 1/3 of a glass of tea, fill with lemonade and you can add simple syrup or my favorite, a package of equal, all over ice... Yummy.  Trust me on this one.

 

What are you loving lately?

 

Be gentle with my cookies

Our life has been a little crazy lately. 
Let me catch you up.
Last weekend my best friend's daughter got married.  I feel really old when I say, I feel like she was just a baby. 
I was put in charge of making the favors for the guests. 
Otherwise known as 200 large sugar cookies.
That didn't sound bad until I realized I was flying and could either take 200 cookies on the plane or make them in one day there, not in my kitchen. 
After making test batches I decided I had to do the majority of them here.  I was very relieved that I had when I got to my sisters and the only mixer was 40ish years old and "on it's last leg".  I suggested we stop and buy a cheap one, she thought it could make it.  And if by "make it" you mean not be powerful enough for the dough and dust my white icing with ashes, then yes, it made it.

I found the largest carry on in the house

I was very careful with them.  They had a special security search.  I offered up a cookie if she would be gentle....

and all but three arrived safely

 

not enough time with the friend

 

Too much time with the mother in law

Jennifer went with me (thank goodness) and sent the above message to her friend who apparently has the same type of mother in law...

 

But the night  wasn't about any one but the sweet bride!  She's dancing with her dad here.

It was a beautiful wedding!

It was a sweet night!

 

 

Throwing the biggest change into our life right now is that Mike lost his job a couple of weeks ago.

A job he has hated every day of.

So, as much as we are worried and concerned, he feels some relief.

He is happier and more relaxed than I've seen him in years.

He is spending more time with us than he has in years.

He is doing things around the house and as I started to do the dishes tonight he said words I've never heard before "I can do that".  I'm still a little confused by that but I've never been happier with him!

 

We promised Katie we would find a way to stay put for at least one more year till she graduates.  I never thought I would agree to not try to go back to Dallas but for now, it's what's best. 

 

So as hard as the waiting and praying for a job is, we are enjoying some time together. 

I know that it was what was best for him. 

My prayer is that he gets a job fast  that he loves. 

I know God is in control of this.  I know there is a reason for this.  I have to remind myself everyday that I need to leave it to Him and not worry.  Actually, I have to remind myself of that many times a day. 

 

Writing this all down, I see that I needed to make those cookies.  I always bake when I'm stressed.  I needed that day away and time with friends. 

I'm baking for a fundraiser this weekend.  After that, let me know what type of baked goods you need.  Just don't say heart shaped sugar cookies.

 

 



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Junior Prom fun

Have I told you what great girls I have? 
Well, let me brag on the oldest for a minute.
Tonight is her Jr. Prom.
She has been so low maintenance about it.  That is not usually how I think of her.
You hear all about the hair appointments, make up counter visits, nails and pedicures, and expensive dresses but my sweet girl wanted none of that.

She chose a very simple, affordable dress.
When I told her she needed different shoes she didn't want any.  She had black heels "that would be fine".
Nails?  "NO"
Hair?  "I'll do it".
She went with her best friend.  There is a guy who has a crush on her but she didn't want to go with him... "I'm not sure he loves Jesus".
I offered to send them somewhere nice for dinner.  "No, we're going to McAlister's"...

 

there were a lot of girls in that room

(notice the sister's look...)

 

 

there was a lot of looking at other peoples pictures on their phones

 

 

sporting the Chaco tan in those heels

 

sweet friends! 

 

I'm ok with this whole Jr. thing but I'm thinking next year I might not be ok...