Spring Musical

A few weeks ago when I picked Hallie up from school she came out beaming Mom I'm doing a duet! I was shocked. Hallie has always been shy and never wanted to be on stage or in the spotlight. I worried the night of the musical Hallie would have stage fright and not go on the stage but thankfully I was wrong. All of the students did such a great job!

Here are a few pics
Hallie & Claire before the musical started

Hallie, Mady and Claire

Even Elvis was sighted during the performance of You ain't nothing but a hound dog!

Then, he left the building (sorry I couldn't resist)

Agadoo doo doo

To the left....

Jump and down and to the knees...

Time for Hallie & Mady

Their song was Spring Forward, Fall Back

Whew, performance over and back to the Ipod :)

We went out for Mexican and picked Hunter up on the way he walked out looking all GQ preppy :)

The food was delicious but unlike other blogs where they show beautiful pics of the food I was too busy eating and forgot until we were finished and this was all that was left..oh well....all in all it was a great night!

Devil is not the only Evil that starts with D!

I have always loved a theme so this blog post is dedicated to evils that begin with the  letter D

Diets

I am always on a diet (unsuccessfully I'm afraid) 

Desserts

My love for this second D is what made me need the first one so here is Desserts!

And this particular dessert is especially evil and addictive! Georgia cornbread, oh my goodness, thanks Lyn for hooking me on this and the 10 pounds I have to show for it-just kidding girl-you know I love you!

Here is the recipe (courtesy of Lyn) so everyone can be living large like me :-)

Georgia Cornbread
Ingredients

1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
4 eggs, beaten
1 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups self-rising flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups pecans, chopped very fine

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease and flour a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.
2. Stir together sugar, brown sugar, eggs and oil in a medium bowl until smooth. Stir in flour and vanilla. Add pecans and stir until evenly mixed. Spoon into prepared pan and bake for 30 to 35 minutes.

Digital Scales

I bought a set a couple months back and they are especially evil! They don't let you fudge at all. On my old ones I could always nudge it back under 0 a little and rationalize they were "off" just a tad-these don't let me lie to myself at all!

First Love... Rediscovered

The bad news....Hunter has been under restriction. The good news...he has rediscovered his first love-basketball.  Before Hunter discovered video games, he was always playing basketball, every day-rain or shine. To be honest I have missed that, I love children to enjoy the outside and be like kids of the "good ole days" not sitting inside all day. I came home from work the other day and found him like this- half soaked partly because it had been raining and partly because he had been playing so hard. It made me smile and I just had to capture a few pictures.

In the next few shots Hunter was showing me the new tricks he has learned. The dribble through the legs and behind his back and spinning the ball on one finger. I remarked to him he was becoming a little Harlem globetrotter! He said ok I've heard of them but just what is their point-I believe Hunter thinks you have to play college or NBA to count :)

Giggles

Just a short post today. We went out to eat pizza tonight and invited Claudia to go with us. It was so funny to watch them interact and brought back long forgotten memories of giggles and whispers.

Hallie & Claudia

Girlfriend Secrets :)

Thanks for coming with us Claudia, we enjoyed having you!

The Last Song

Have you read The Last Song by Nicholas Sparks? I finished it last night @ 1:00 a.m. I was sobbing. I don't think I have read one of his books that didn't make me cry. The book definitely has a spiritual side. 

The story is one of a son and daughter spending the Summer with their Dad.  The Father treats them with such patience that I found myself admiring him even though I knew it was only fiction.  I won't tell anymore in case you read the book/see the movie but wanted to share this. The Dad reads his Bible everyday and shares this scripture with his daughter.

Galatians 5:22 "But when the Holy Spirit controls our lives, he will produce this kind of fruit in us: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control."

I have read and heard this scripture before but last night it touched me and also convicted me. I need to work on all of these but I need to start with patience. I have had so much going on/going wrong in my life lately that my fuse has gotten shorter and shorter. I am praying God will change me into the kind of parent that my kids can tell anything to and even though they know they may be punished I will be fair and I won't "blow up".

Standing in the Gap

 I haven't posted in a while, to tell the truth my heart just hasn't been in it. Worrying over a child and a parent has occupied my every waking moment, it has seemed. To tell the truth I haven't even had the heart to pray about the situation. Although I have still been praying for others I haven't had the heart to pray for my troubles.  I have felt alone until...I talked with a dear friend the other day and she said I have had you on my mind the last few weeks, are you ok? I relayed a little of what was going on & she said she had my name on a list by her bed that she prayed for each night.  I can't tell you how that touched me. It also made me realize this dear friend had been standing in the gap for me. I know that during the hardest times in my life when I felt I didn't even have the strength to pray-others have been praying on my behalf/standing in the gap for me.

 Standing in the Gap

Babbie Mason

I heard that you were hurting
That you were suffering pain
But I didn't dare just turn my head
And look the other way
For when your heart is aching
My heart is aching too
Let me help you bear your burden
That's the least that I can do

I'll be standing in the gap for you
Just remember someone, somewhere is praying for you
Calling out your name
Praying for your strength
I'll be standing in the gap for you
Right now you may be troubled
But everything will work out fine
For the Spirit knows before you speak
What is on your heart and mind
So I'll be interceding
Til your standing strong again
The peace that passes understanding
Is going to be yours, but until then

So hang on my friend
It won't be long
And you have the strength
To carry on
For when two or three are walking together
It will be a much lighter load
For isn't that what a brother and a sister are for

 

I hadn't planned on doing this post but tonight my heart is breaking for a dear friend who has lost a cherished loved one. At times like this you want to do so much but nothing eases the pain.  Friend, my heart aches because of your pain and I feel so helpless but please know that I and so many others have been lifting your name and interceding on your behalf. I love this song by Babbie Mason and just as someone stood in the gap for me I and so many others are standing in the gap for you. I love you.

Happy 8th Birthday Hallie!!!

Today is Hallie's day and night and we are busy as bees but I wanted to post a birthday post on her actual birthday. I have a longer post to celebrate the day but today is just a few pics and Happy Birthday to our Hallie Bug!

Since it was Hallie's day I let her pick out what she wanted to wear to school and this is what she picked-should I be worried? Do you think I have a little rock star in my future? :-)

 Happy 8th Birthday Hallie-We love you!

"Ladies, I'm sorry but if you didn't receive a rose please say your goodbyes"

Okay if your a Bachelor fan like me you recognize that phrase. Bachelor is one of the few shows I watch on TV. I don't love the drama of it but I really like to see it when a rare thing happens and they do fall in love.  Hallie's favorite part is the Rose Ceremony and I always have to call her when they are about to hand out the roses.  We were taking pictures the other night and she was being silly and wanted to act like she was in the rose ceremony.....

Oh I can't believe he called my name!

Back in the line doing the obligatory rose smell!

 

 

 One happy Bachelorette

Ok we know sometimes you don't get chosen so I asked Hallie to show how the girls look if their name isn't called

This picture makes me giggle does she not look like a  brunette Nellie Oleson from Little House, I think it's the curls and the frown of course!