A new bag...

So I went grocery shopping the other day...

And ended up with a new bag, LOL!

The best part of it was...

It was regular $30.00...and I got it for $7.00!!!

I had been looking for a huge bag to put what "little" I carry...

But more than anything...

To put all the "junk" my three guys always want me to tote around in my purse.

So with over SEVEN compartments...nearly a "filing system"...I think we'll have more than enough room for everything.  This purse is SOOOOO huge and has SOOOOOO many compartments, that I couldn't even FIND the few things that I put inside of it!

My stuff was literally lost.

Jamie said to me, "Ya know, you should only use the few pockets and compartments you really need.  It's kinda like a mansion...no sense putting a few things in every room 'cause you'll never find them and you're just gonna have to clean it ALL."

Makes sense I guess.

I did tell them though...just because I now have a bag "BIG ENOUGH" for all you guys' junk...doesn't necessarily mean I'm going to always CARRY your junk!  This purse, without anything in it, IS HEAVY!!!  LOL!

Shopping with boys is so much fun...NOT.

Ok, so shopping for shoes and clothes with two boys is not the most fun thing in the world to do.  Change your shopping excursion to video games and BINGO!  Let's go have some fun!  Woohoo!
But none the less, I can't complain too much.  They were sooooooo patient today, because this really was a SLOW, AWFUL shopping trip.  No selection in styles, sizes, etc.  Very limited.
We started at JC Penney and FINALLY found Ev a pair of shoes.  But NOTHING for Nate.
Nate's at a tricky size.  Size 6-6.5 in childrens or a size 7 in mens.  And the selection was NADA at JC Penney and Kohl's for him.  We finally wandered over to Shoe Carnival...but we've never really had much luck there in all the years we've lived here.  But to our surprise they had a Buy 1 Get 1 Half Off Sale going on.  An elderly gentleman who worked there came over to help us and was SOOOOOO knowledgable about shoes, feet, sizes, styles, etc.  He had a thick accent (though I couldn't tell what it was) and he was SOOOOO sweet and SOOOOOO helpful!  He measured Nate's feet and kept bringing size after size in style after style, helping Nate in and out of shoes.  He was just a sweetheart!  We finally found a nice pair for Nate and the salesman reminded us we could get another pair for half off.  Soooooo...since no one else needed shoes....MOMMY got to get some new shoes!  I had a REALLY hard time finding some, though I don't know why!  I had pick of the litter...yet I felt guilty for spending the money, guilty for taking so much time and making the boys wait, and just nothing was really jumping out at me!  I felt out of touch with shopping too.  I'm not exactly in one of those "mommy slumps"...but I just haven't spent a lot of time shopping for myself in a long time...so it felt weird.  I finally decided on these copper colored faux alligator skin pumps.  Jamie looked at my purse and said, "Look!  They match your bag perfectly!"  Sure enough they did!  They were a bargain too.  Regular $40.00...on sale for $14.98...so I got them for $7.49!!!  Woohoo!  I think they'll look cute with jeans or skirts.  I'm anxious to try them out!  Yay for bargains for mommy!

Shame on me...

“I'm not upset that you lied to me, I'm upset that from now on I can't believe you”
Friedrich Nietzsche

“Trust is like a vase.. once it's broken, though you can fix it the vase will never be same again.”
Unknown

“Trust yourself. You know more than you think you do.”
Benjamin Spock

“When mistrust comes in, love goes out.”
Irish Sayings

“Self-trust is the first secret of success”
Ralph Waldo Emerson

Nater's 10th b-day celebration (early) w/ geeg & papa...

Last Saturday we celebrated Nate's 10th birthday with geeg and papa.

They came over for a day of fun at Craig's Cruisers, dinner at Texas Roadhouse, and icecream birthday cake from DQ.

Here's Natee with his gift from them!

He got a new model...

...and a check for $15.00!!!

No...I didn't make this cake with my newly acquired decorating skills.  Nate doesn't like "real" cake...only icecream cakes for our Natee!  LOL!

Smile birthday boy!

Make a wish!

Say cheese!

Cutie pie!

Blow out those candles!

Here we go!

Nate drove for the first time all by himself!

He's in the lead!

He did so good!

Go Ev Go!

Bumper cars!

What's up with those eyes Natee?  LOL!

Mommy joined in the fun too!

The "alternate" cake...

So...after the frozen butter cream transfer bit the dust (a.k.a. melted/clung to the wax paper)...

And after I had a complete meltdown...(complete with crying and yelling)...

I quickly came up with a new design...

Nothing majorly fancy...nothing extravagant...

Just a simple devils food cake with chocolate butter cream filling...iced with Wilton butter cream icing.

And some simple purple drop flowers with yellow centers...and some dots at the bottom and on the sides.

I decided to practice my writing skills since tomorrow is Nate's birthday and wish him a happy birthday. 

I thought it turned out pretty good for a last minute design.

I finished my class.

Got my certificate.

Will be taking a few months off...to get Ev through marching band/football season...

Then I'm hoping to start the Fondant and Gum Paste or Flowers and Cake Design course.

I can't wait to start baking/decorating more.

It's been a fun journey!

Frozen Butter Cream Transfer...

So this weekend, I worked on my first ever frozen butter cream transfer.  It honestly wasn't that hard!  Not near as hard as I expected.  I decided on a Detroit Lions themed cake for my final project for class (for my hubby).  The only thing that TERRIFIES me...

Is REMOVING and APPLYING it to the cake tomorrow.

I am PETRIFIED it's going to crack!

My friend and fellow cake decorator has told me not to stress it, because you can always smooth it over once it begins to thaw.

So...

Stay tuned...

I'll keep you posted...

As soon as it's applied!

I love my family...

Today was a decent...but busy day.

Work as usual.

Evan had a doctor appointment.  Had to get his sports physical for school.

He is hoping to play lacrosse.

I believe it's a "try-out" sport...though many of the "athletic" guys at school have told him he's really good and should go out for the team.

The only thing that scares me is the price.

The equipment and such is so pricey...eeek!

We shall see.

Poor kiddo had to get a cortisone shot for his eczema which is acting up really bad here lately.  She also gave us a 'scrip for some ointment as well.

Took the boys to the pool tonight.

Ev didn't get in because the chlorine really aggrivates his eczema when it's flared up.

Nate had fun though.

Came home and Jam made sloppy joes for dinner (not my favorite but grateful he cooked).

Now I'm just relaxing.

Almost time for the boys to go to bed.

They have dental appointments tomorrow.

The busy schedules never end!

Until next time...

Fried Green Tomatoes

I have ALWAYS wanted to try fried green tomatoes.  I have always wanted to grow tomatoes.  Well, for the first time this summer...I bought a Topsey Turvey tomato growing system (and by the way...YES, they REALLY do work!) and I grew some Better Boy Tomatoes!  They are coming in quite nice, I might add!  So exciting to me to see the "fruits" of my (little) labor, teehee!  Little did I know that Better Boys don't get very big...so while I was waiting for them to get bigger before picking them for my fried green tomatoes...three of them started ripening!  So I ran out there today and found three of the "biggest" green ones I could (they're still quite small, LOL!) and brought them in.

Aren't they cute!

I have to thank my cousin Tiffany for giving me the recipe/instructions on how to make them.  I would have had no clue what the best recipe would be.  But they turned out just great and Evan and I LOVED them!  Jamie and Nate won't touch too many veggies.  And Jamie is especially freaked out that I actually grew them in the back yard.  If it doesn't come from a grocery store, he doesn't think it's edible.  He's afraid of bugs, chemicals, dirt, etc.  I said, "There's worse on the produce you buy at the store than on my tomatoes!  Mine are all natural!  No chemicals and I washed them thoroughly!"  Still...no dice.

Tiff instructed me to soak them in buttermilk.  So I put a little salt and pepper in there and soaked them in there.

Then we mixed up a bowl of flour, corn meal, bread crumbs, salt, pepper, a dash of garlic powder, and cayenne pepper (I saw those two in a recipe online).

So we breaded them...heated a little vegetable oil in the skillet and fried them up!

They fried up pretty quick!

We just waited until they were nice and golden brown.

They looked so delicious!  I couldn't wait to try them.  I was a little nervous because I had been waiting years to try them.  I was so afraid I wouldn't like them.  But THEY WERE DIVINE!  Evan dipped his in ranch dressing.  But I just put a little salt and pepepr on mine.

And while we were at it...Evan suggested we throw a couple dill pickles in and deep fry them.  We both had always wondered what they tasted like.  And although they were tasty...I have to say I liked the tomatoes better!

I guess I am a true southern girl at heart! ;)

Filled cupcakes!

Class #3...

I can't believe I'm almost done with the "Basics" class.  It has flown by.  We learned how to fill cupcakes in this class.  Then we practiced pompom flowers and shaggy mums.  You'll notice I didn't post any pics of my shaggy mums...as mine turned out looking more like the Cookie Monster from Sesame Street, LOL!  We worked on leaved as well...and I must say I'm starting to get them down pat a bit more.  At least they don't resemble "teeth" anymore, LOL!  I made Devil's Food cupcakes and filled them with chocolate pudding.  They turned out pretty tasty!  Next week is our last "Basics" class.  I will probably be waiting a couple months before starting the next two courses.  Probably at least till Evan's band/football season calm down a bit.  Then we'll move on to the next two courses!  Woohoo!

This about sums it up!

"I believe in manicures...I believe in primping at leisure and wearing lipstick.  I believe in pink.  I believe that laughing is the best calorie burner.  I believe in kissing...kissing a lot.  I believe in being strong when everything seems to be going wrong.  I believe that happy girls are the prettiest girls.  I believe that tomorrow is another day and I believe in miracles."
~Audrey Hepburn~

Heaven rejoices...

You start reading your children Bible stories from the time they are born...
You pray at meal time and bed time...
You take them to church and involve them in activities/groups there...
And they start growing up...
And you start having "life" discussions...
And one day...
They really grow up.

Evan came home from his third Royal Ranger Pow Wow today.
And he told us all about his adventures, activities, meals, events, etc.
Later, as I was saying goodnight to him in his bedroom, he said, "I cried a whole lot the other night at campfire service."
I said, "Really?  Everything ok?"
He said, "Oh yeah, I just dedicated my life to Christ."
He told me how even though he knew all the stories of the Bible that we had taught him, grown up in church, talked with us about things of the Lord, prayed every day, read his Bible every night...
It just clicked with him in his heart that night that he needed to get serious and commit his life seriously to God.

I was so happy for him.
I hugged him.

I jokingly asked him if he stayed up late every night...and he said, "Well I did...but I was at the praise and worship hill praying for other boys."  What can you say to that!  ;)

His Senior Commanders have told us many things about Ev...his leadership, patience with and teaching the younger boys, etc.

Ev even told me that one of the other boys at camp told him that he reminded him of Gideon in the Bible...
Hmmm...

I am excited about seeing Ev grow up.
He has such a good head on his shoulders.
He is very grounded and stands up for the underdog, his faith, and what is right...and has no problem telling people so.

I pray he keeps his life always open to what God has in store...

The ferocious beast!

You know that sweet little adorable kitty we have?

Well...we no longer have him...

He's been replaced with this ferocious looking beast!

LOL!

Just kidding...

I just happened to get this cool photo right "mid-yawn" of him today, LOL!

Doesn't he look scarey?!?!

Pretty sillouette of my precious boy.

I don't know why I adore this cat so.

I never wanted an adult cat.

I never wanted a tuxedo cat.

But somehow...he is the one that attached himself to Evan that week at Kritter Kamp.

Thankfully...

He was the perfect match for our family.

Isn't he precious?

Yes sweetie...you're a peach.

We love you so much!

Our precious "baby"...

Yes, Oreo does think he's the "baby" in the family...baby brother...that's him!

LOL!

Give him a soft place to lay...there he'll be.

I know I am a complete and total nut when it comes to my kitty...but I think he is so dang precious when he sleeps!  Teehee!  He curls up into a tight circle and then covers his eyes with his paw!  LOL!  He's so stinkin' cute I can't stand it, LOL!

Who says cats are independant?

Alright...whoever said cats are independant...and like to be on their own...and aren't social...obviously never met any of OUR cats.  I tell ya...that Oreo...he's ALWAYS butted right up next to one of us.  Especially those boys!  LOL!  Last night, he was sleeping next to Ev while he watched tv.

And tonight...he napped right next to Nate while he was having a snack and watching a movie.  Pouncie was the same way when we had her.  I think it's all in how you raise a cat.  Our cats have ALWAYS been snuggly and ALWAYS want to be RIGHT in on the action...right where everyone is and where everything is going on, LOL!  We love our little "Flower"!  LOL!

The beginning of my cake decorating journey...

Cake number one.  After only one Wilton class.  No pattern, no instructions...just a little fun!

Just thought I'd share a few pics of my cake decorating journey.  I got very frustrated with this first one...I didn't have the long icing spatula and my handle kept getting in the part of the cake I already frosted...grrr!

Cake number two.  After lesson number two at my Wilton class.  My smoothing techniques are going to take a while to prefect.  I see a "little" improvement on this cake compared to the first.  It's a "little" smoother now that I have the long spatula.

I am trying HARD not to be so critical of my work.  That's a very difficult thing for me.  I'm a perfcetionist and tend to be my own worst critic.  But I am enjoying the class.  And I think with A LOT of practice...this just might be something I REALLY enjoy and could be half way decent at!  Stay tuned!  LOL!