No Memory (literally & figuratively) and a story

During our last trip to Dallas, I left my camera at my parent's home! I had so many cute Valentine pictures to post, stories to tell, memories to record, but alas they are all stuck in the "BIG D" on my Canon Rebel's memory card.


Darn it.


So I will leave you with a story...that I did have a photo to go with...but you'll just have to settle for the story folks.


My Dad, Cade and I are driving back to Nani and Papa's house one evening after he spent the afternoon with Aunt Manda and Uncle Cody!


Cade- Mommy, look at that!



Me- Look at what?



Cade- Up there, in the sky.



Me- (spotting airplane lights moving across the sky) Oh the lights?



Cade- Yeah Mommy, it's Jesus.



Me- You think?



Cade- Yes, he's headed to bed in the clouds.



Me- Why is he flashing?



Cade- So the birds won't run into him.

Gotta love the ingenuity of a 4 year old.

I really miss updating the blog! Badly...

Hopefully, I'll be back in business soon! You'll have to bear with me...no pics and all :)

Target Dollar Spot Sparkler

I happened to find myself in Target, yet again, last week! I initially went in looking for a new hairdryer because the old one decided to retaliate by spitting fire when we tried using it! I wish I was kidding. I saw the FLAMES blazing in my mirror with my own 2 peepers...YIKES!

Seeing as that is a serious FIRE HAZARD I chunked him in the trash on the spot.

Back to my story, I run in let Cade pick out a basket, strap Gracyn in the front and we're off. Okay, here's where the catch comes in...am I the only person who absolutely CANNOT and I mean can NOT pass by the Dollar Spot without looking to see what treasures it holds this month? Please give me a shout out and let me know I'm not suffering from "Dollar Spot-itis!"

Back to the story take II, the 3 of us are perusing the bins when I spot this little cutie!

A miniature mailbox...for a DOLLAR!

Of course I pick one right up and toss into the basket, not knowing exactly WHAT I'm going to do with it, but figuring I'll come up with something...because it's a bargain at a dollar, right?!?? We continue on around find a new hair dryer too and end up eating lunch there because Cade insists they have the best crust less PB&J sandwiches around. This coming from a fella who seriously knows his stuff. The kid is addicted to PB&J sandwiches and he says they're the best, so they are the best! Are you beginning to see why we love Target so much?

I sat my mailbox on my kitchen counter at home to hopefully be inspired with an idea. While checking the blogs I follow this past weekend and saw a girl who decoupaged her Target mailbox. Luckily she linked back to the post she got the idea from and what do you know...I found a decorating step-by-step tutorial and a new blog to follow in the process! Amanda at Imperfectly Beautiful gives the play by play specifically for these mailboxes, I mean even down to the paper lengths to cut! Easy-Peasy.

So my simple little dollar spot mailbox now looks like this...

A perfect gift for a teacher, friend, co-worker, daycare provider, church bible class teacher, nursery worker, or yourself! Ours will be sent to preschool on Friday for Cade's teacher! We filled ours with Hershey kisses and hugs, what an inexpensive way to say "we LOVE what you do!"

*Update-I went back to Target to buy more, but the secret is OUT...they were totally gone! Hurry girls...hope you'll have more luck at your Tarjay!!!

SIGN, Sealed, Delivered

Check out my new sign from Susie Harris! I was so anxious to receive it that I was beating my "mail woman" to the box every day until one afternoon I hear a knock on our door. I answer it to find the said "mail woman" holding a long brown package with a bundle of other superfluous (mainly junk) mail. I thanked her, hastily closed my door, ran to my trusty kitchen shears and ripped into the brown packing paper and feasted my eyes on my new beauty.

And let me tell you people, she was a sight in her dIsTrEsSeD glory and silvery gold HAND PAINTED letters. Oh the love...

I *heart* my new sign!

She's already taken up permanent residence above my kitchen cabinetry.

Susie, you do BEAUTIFUL work, thanks so much!

Having sign envy?

Go order one of your own at Susie's Etsy store!

http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5914190

Been there, Done That, Bought the T-shirt

I was tagged to participate in this...What Have You Done?...questionnaire. It was neat to go through the list and realize just how much I've seen and done over the years!

I tag Rebecca, Ashley, Amanda and Julie to participate, just copy and paste in your blog girls and bold all of the things you have done. It's kind of fun!!

1. Started your own blog

2. Slept under the stars

3. Played in a band

4. Visited Hawaii

5. Watched a meteor

6. Given to charity

7. Been to Disneyland

8. Climbed a mountain

9. Held a praying mantis

10. Sang a solo

11. Bungee jumped

12. Visited Paris

13. Watched a lightning storm

14. Taught yourself an art from scratch

15. Adopted a child

16. Had food poisoning

17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty

18. Grown your own vegetables

19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France

20. Slept on an overnight train

21. Had a pillow fight

22. Drank an entire Sonic Route 66 by yourself

23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill

24. Built a snow fort

25. Held a lamb

26. Gone skinny dipping

27. Run a Marathon

28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice

29. Seen a total eclipse

30. Watched a sunrise or sunset

31. Hit a home run

32. Been on a cruise

33. Seen Niagara Falls in person

34. Traced your family tree at least 4 generations

35. Seen an Amish community

36. Learned a new language

37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied

38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person

39. Gone rock climbing

40. Seen Michelangelo’s David

41. Sung karaoke

42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt

43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant

44. Swam with a dolphin

45. Walked on a beach by moonlight

46. Been transported in an ambulance

47. Had your portrait painted

48. Gone deep sea fishing

49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person

50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris

51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling

52. Kissed in the rain

53. Played in the mud

54. Gone to a drive-in theater

55. Been IN a movie

56. Visited the Great Wall of China

57. Started a business

58. Taken a martial arts class

59. Cut your own hair

60. Served at a soup kitchen

61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies

62. Gone whale watching

63. Got flowers for no reason

64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma

65. Gone sky diving

66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp

67. Bounced a check

68. Flown in a helicopter

69. Saved a favorite childhood toy

70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial

71. Eaten Caviar

72. Pieced a quilt

73. Stood in Times Square

74. Driven a stick shift

75. Been fired from a job

76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London

77. Broken a bone

78. Been on a speeding motorcycle

79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person

80. Published a book

81. Visited the Vatican

82. Bought a brand new car

83. Walked in Jerusalem

84. Had your picture in the newspaper

85. Read the entire Bible

86. Visited the White House

87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating

88. Had chickenpox

89. Saved someone’s life

90. Sat on a jury

91. Met someone famous

92. Read an entire series of books by one author

93. Lost a loved one

94. Had a baby

95. Seen the Alamo in person

96. Seen the Pacific Ocean

97. Been involved in a law suit

98. Owned a cell phone

99. Been stung by a bee

100. Seen Mount Rushmore in person

101. Learned to play an instrument

Harper is Headed Home...an update

I know many of you read my post about sweet Harper, Kelly and Scott Stamp's daughter who came into this world fighting to stay! She was care flighted from Arkansas to Oklahoma the very day of her birth with grim predictions on surviving through the night.

But wait till you see her now,

she is weaned off all her oxygen, no feeding tube and all monitors have been removed!

Praise God for such miracles! Thank you to those of you who prayed for this precious family! They have been overwhelmed by the outpouring of faithfulness and love over these past 20 days! Join me once more in lifting them up as journey home this day! I can only imagine the great plans God has in store for this special little girl. If you'd like to see more pictures and read the full update on Kelly's blog, just click HERE.

"Weeping may last for the night, but a shout of joy comes in the morning."

Wordless Wednesday...lovin' our sideways smiler

Curiously Very Cute

Seen any CuRiOuS ChArAcTeRs lately?



We have.



Last week we rented Curious George the movie, mainly for the 4 year old boy in the house, but all of us ended up finding our way to the couches and tuning in! Can I just tell you, we went bananas over that little George! We didn't realize it until the movie had begun, but Will Ferrell, Drew Barrymore, Dick Van Dyke and Eugene Levy all lend their voices and humor to characters in the show while Ron Howard is on the production end.

It is truly a kid's movie! I think preschoolers can relate to George quite well as he's basically a little kid himself. George is spunky and adventurous, constantly letting his imagination get the best of him, is very resourceful, gets into trouble, yet is never in any real danger! There are also several funny "one liners" that we, the parentals, appreciated! We liked the music well enough to buy the soundtrack for Cade and Gracie to listen to in the car. Jack Johnson is the main musical artist, and I would use the words: sunny, light, and feel good to describe his style.

So if you're like us and the CARS DVD is getting it's HUNDREDTH spin around the player go check out Curious George, I don't think you or your kiddos will be disappointed.




What have you seen any good movies lately?

Menu Monday

Chicken and Rice Casserole. Everyone has their own version, it's a southern staple for heavens sakes, but my favorite is still my MOM's! I've tried 3 other versions of this dish, but my heart and my taste buds are still loyal to my old childhood stand-by. When I was a kid I bet we ate this for dinner at least every other week. And now, 20+ years later, my kids love it just as much as I do! So now without further adieu...

The BEST (in my humble opinion) Chicken and Rice Casserole

8 to 12 thawed chicken tenderloins

1 Can Cream of Celery Soup

1 Can Cream of Chicken Soup

1 1/2 Cans of Minute rice *yes, use your empty soup can to measure your rice*

1 1/2 Cans of milk

1 pkg. dry Lipton Onion Soup Mix



Preheat oven to 350. In a mixing bowl, combine soup with milk. Mix well and add 1 pkg. dry onion soup mix. Stir again. Then add rice and sprinkle with a little pepper. Spray 13X9 Pyrex dish with PAM, and pour half of soup/rice mixture in the bottom. Then lay your chicken on top of the soup/rice mixture, spreading your pieces out on the bottom of the dish. Finally, pour remaining mixture over the chicken. Cover tightly with foil. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 1/2 -2 hours.



- Healthy Variation: Instead of white instant rice, I use the instant brown rice!