• A Date with My Princess

    Recently I had the privilege to go on a date night with my princess, Brina.  She wanted to do something a princess would do on our night out together.  It was “Dine Out For Mom” night where a portion of the proceeds goes to a great cause so we decided to eat out.  Brina chose to eat at the “ABC” restaurant (aka Atlanta Bread Company).  We split a Chicken Salad Sandwich meal and tea for about $7.  She decided to wait to eat the chips later in case we wanted a snack (smile).  I love seeing her think and plan ahead even at age 5.  We talked about our days and giggled together over our sandwich and sweet tea.

    After supper we had a few minutes in between events so we headed over to Aldi’s.  For those who have never shopped at Aldi’s it is a small discount grocery store.  We often get our staple groceries and fresh produce at Aldi’s.   If there is one in your area I recommend at least checking it out.  Brina picked out a beautiful bouquet of flowers for $3.99 to take with her on our date night.  She was excited to have the princess flowers and proudly carried them everywhere we went that night.  I am thrilled the flowers survived the evening despite being carried, squished, dropped, and well loved.

    After getting her flower treasure at Aldi’s we headed over to Virginia College to get her first pedicure.  Virginia College is a local college that has a Cosmetology School where you can get pedicures, manicures, massages, and your hair done for a great price.  Brina proudly carried in her flower bouquet and announced to anyone that listened that she was on a Date Night with her Mom!  Glad she gets excited about spending time with me, hopefully these precious memories continue as she gets older.  Brina received her first pedicure complete with a foot soak, foot massage, and candy while sitting in a massage chair.  She smiled like a princess the whole time.

    We made a quick trip by Goodwill on our way home to pick up a black shirt for her “cat” costume.  She picked out a little car toy for Karlie and a baby doll dress for one of her babies.  On the way home we were discussing our date night and she said “Mom, I LOVE my flowers! (pause) The flowers make me feel like the lady wearing the pretty white dress (bride) at a wedding.”  I smiled because she did feel like a beautiful princess that night.  Although the getting married part better not be in her near future since she is only 5!

    When we arrived home Daddy and Karlie were finishing up their Apollo 13 movie.  We discussed the exciting adventures and fun everyone had before bath time and bed.  It was a true joy having this fun and relaxing time with my precious princess.  I am thankful for the time we get together to create memories, talk, and laugh.  Life is too short so make sure you fit in time to have fun and enjoy the blessings you are given.  We had a blast spending time together without spending a lot of money.  Giving time and attention to my girls is more important than all the gifts in the world.

    My husband and I started taking our girls out on dates after one of them was in the hospital for surgery and we realized at that time they had never been a part for more than a few minutes.  Our girls are twins with very different personalities; we love them both and want to encourage them to grow up to be the people God wants them to be.  One is into babies, princesses, and animals while the other one is into rockets, planets, space, and sharks.   Having a date night set aside one night a month is something the girls look forward to and it gives us time to focus our attention on each child.  We are thankful for the children God has given us and look forward to seeing them grow.  A date night out with your child doesn’t have to be fancy or expensive the important thing is that you spend time one on one to listen and love them.  Creating one special memory after another together.

  • Easy Recipe for Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

    Jake made some amazing roasted pumpkin seeds during our evening carving the pumpkins.  Here is a super easy and great recipe for roasting pumpkins seeds:

    • 2 c pumpkin seeds
    • 2 T butter
    • Sprinkle Seasoned Salt (or substitute a 1/2 package ranch package mix)

    Rinse the pumpkin seeds.  Saute pumpkin seeds in the butter for about 5 minutes (until they start to turn brown).  Sprinkle the Seasoned Salt or Ranch Mix on the  seeds.  Spread seeds into a shallow baking pan and baked at 250 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes or until crispy.  Stirring every 10 minutes.

    We made half with the sprinkled seasoned salt and half with the ranch package mix this year.  Delicious snacks for the whole family!

  • Fall Festivities – Pumpkin Carving

    Our family enjoys celebrating the different seasons, Holidays, and events throughout the year.  It has been a blast going to a variety of family friendly Fall Festivals in our area.  The weekends are full of horse back riding, playing in the leaves, hayrides, bonfires, pumpkin carving and all the other fun activities while creating wonderful memories with the family.

    The girls have been asking for over a month to carve pumpkins and since they were on sale recently ($3.99 for a 12 ++ pound pumpkins at BiLo) we decided to have a family night together.  We had a great evening of carving pumpkins, roasting the pumpkin seeds, drinking hot apple cider and eating caramel apples.  Daddy free handed the designs the girls drew out on the disposable table cloth.  Everyone had a blast!

    If you are wanting to find some great carving patterns that you can download here are a couple websites to check out:

    Most of the designs are kid friendly (however there are a few frightful designs).  There is a range from easy to difficult ones depending on what you want to do.  Enjoy time with together and make it a fun celebration while creating memories together.

  • Don’t Leave Home Without: Your Phone

    We live in a society with cell phones.  They store our contacts, calendars, and contain many pieces of information.  Some people have even replaced their home phone with a cell phone to save extra cash.  Cell phones make us more accessible for anyone wanting to get in touch with us.

    On my way to a meeting recently I realized that I left home without my cell phone and going back to get it would make me really late so I continued on my way.  I was going to be back in the area in a couple hours and decided I would pick up my phone then, emergencies rarely happen so it shouldn’t be a problem.  Boy was I wrong!  During the meeting another person in attendance received an emergency text for me.  I used her phone to call my husband to find out what was going on.

    The school was calling because one of the girls was sick and they needed someone to pick her up right away.  My phone was on my desk therefore they left me a message then went on to call my husband at work but his phone was disconnected.  Later we found out that they didn’t dial his number correctly (switched some numbers around).  The school nurse proceeded down the list of contacts for the girls.  They got a hold of my brother who happened to be out of state working in Kansas at the time, obviously, he would not be able to pick her up any time soon.  Thankfully my brother knew my husband’s phone number and was able to get the message to him so he could reach another person in my meeting.

    I left my meeting early and had her picked up within 45 minutes of the initial phone call.  It is amazing the domino effect that happens when someone needs to get in touch with you and the cell phone is left at home.  Don’t leave home without your phone because that could be the day when an emergency occurs.

    The crazy thing about all the commotion was my daughter wasn’t even sick….grrrr….she saw a classmate throw up at school and when the teacher asked she said her stomach hurt too.  She had no fever,was  bouncing off the walls, and eating well although I made her take a nap.  Maybe a little rest was necessary for her that week, who knows!

    I am a firm believer that you are only as organized as you need to be.  Don’t Leave Home Without……is a mini-series of items that you really shouldn’t leave home without in today’s society.  Most days I am organized which saves time and energy for the entire family, however, there are times that life gets crazy and items somehow manage to find another location in my home.  If something is not in it’s place (even though the spot it is in makes perfect sense) it can cause additional drama, scurried moments, and in the end laughter. Hope you enjoy the humor as I have (later in the day or in some cases later in the week).

  • Song: “While I’m Waiting” by John Waller

    There have been seasons in my life when I am “waiting”.  For those you who are currently waiting to find out what is in store for you I hope this song encourages you.  “While I’m Waiting” by John Waller was in the movie “Fireproof”.  My husband and I had the opportunity to see the movie in theaters.  I am very thankful for a loving husband.  It is always good to be reminded of ways we can help each other in our journey together.

  • Book: “The Power of a Positive Mom” by Karol Ladd

    This is my second time reading the book Power of a Positive Mom by Karol Ladd.  As a Mom of twin daughters it is important to me to be the best Mommy I can.  Life is full of surprises and I want my home to be a fun, safe and enjoyable place where the girls will continue to grow and flourish. The author, Karol Ladd, has a series of books on the “Power of Positive”.  In this book Karol Ladd offers positive ways we can make an impact of the lives of our children.

  • Family Recipe: Zucchini Bread

    Zucchini BreadI received this Zucchini Bread recipe from my Aunt Mary Ann.  We love having fresh garden veggies throughout the summer months.  Once fall hits we start looking for ways to continue cooking with those delicious vegetables that we are storing in our freezer.  It is a perfect fall recipe that has been a family favorite for many years.  Your kitchen will smell amazing and it is a joy to share the bread with friends and neighbors.

    Zucchini Bread

    3 Eggs

    1 cup Oil

    2 cups Sugar

    Beat together.  Then add:

    1 teaspoon Vanilla

    2 cups grated Zucchini (if using frozen zucchini drain the excess liquid)

    In separate bowl Mix together:

    3 cups Flour

    1/2 teaspoon baking powder

    1 teaspoon salt

    1 teaspoon baking soda

    1 teaspoon cinnamon

    Add flour mixture to the liquid mixture. Optional: blend in 1 cup chopped nuts.  Pour into a greased bundt cake pan.  Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour. Remove from oven, cool and sprinkle with powdered sugar.

    The Zucchini Bread recipe brings back the flavors and smells of a fresh garden.  Great bread to bring to a fall gathering.

  • Event: “Dine Out for Mom”

    There is a special event going on today called “Dine Out For Mom” which is a part of the “Let There Be Mom” organization.  As a Mom with small children it is important for me to remember that life is precious, sweet, and short.  We never know what joys and trials life will bring our way.  You may know of a friend or family member that has gone through serious illness and given only a short amount of time to live.   This event is to remind us to celebrate life, create memories, cherish our family, and help others because our life here on earth is not forever.

    What is “Let There Be Mom”? It is an organization that provides help to Moms when they or their spouse is diagnosed with a serious illness.  “Let There Be Mom” comes along side the family going through this difficult time to preserve memories.  They do this through a variety of services tailored to meet the needs and wishes of the individual families. Some examples of ways they are involved – photography, scrapbooks,  journals, videos, meals, errands, special events, care packages, family cookbooks, and many more wonderful activities.  The “Dine Out For Mom” event today is designed to help raise funds for this great organization.   When you eat at one of the participating restaurants today they will donate a portion of the proceeds to “Let There Be Mom” so they can continue to help families that are losing a loved one.

    Take some time out of your busy day to meet a friend for lunch or take the family out for supper.  What a great way to spend time with those you love while helping a wonderful organization that is committed to preserving family memories.

    For more information about the “Let There Be Mom” organization, their services, and how to get involved please visit their website.