Milk, cream, sugar, & vanilla

OH, ya, and an ice cream maker.... And voila!!!

Belle and I made homemade ice cream today. This is my favorite frozen treat... and let me tell you how amazingly delicious this was. I mean really, really delicious!

If you don't have an ice cream maker I would definitely recommend it. The kids think it's magical that we can make our own ice cream at home. You can also make sorbet and other things with it.

This looks like the one I purchased. Mine was a little less expensive so shop around if you're going to get one.

Jack is going to be so excited to have homemade ice cream after school!!!! I can't wait to get him!

Heaven is Rejoicing! Men are grieving.

I don't feel like posting today. Yesterday brought sad news with it. A great man of God was promoted up to heaven. Our dear Brother Joe C. leaves behind him a sea of lives he has touched, including my own. I know he was greeted by many at those wonderful pearly gates, but those of us on this side of those pearly gates will miss him dearly.

Enjoy heaven Brother Joe.

41 Glorious and Blissful years ago

My parents met at the altar and said "I do".

I am the "baby" of the family and to this day I love to hear my mother refer to me as her baby - even though I am fully grown and have 2 children of my own. There's nothing like being blessed with wonderful parents. And heaven knows how blessed I am. I watched my parents live by the standards they preached - they walked the talk.... I could go on and on about them... I love them so much.

And to celebrate with them my sister had all of us over for lunch. She made roasted chicken pie served with the best roasted vegetables. For dessert I made an apple crostata. As always, it was a wonderful get together. I cherish every moment I can spend with my heroes, my best friends - My Parents

Happy Anniversary Memo & Pop

Big girl, big girls bed

There's

Lots

of

excitement

going on

at our

'stead...

And it's all because of

This

Our girl's very own Big Girl Bed

I did it!!!

...What I have been wanting to do for so long now... I know, it's not going to be that exciting to you.... but it is to me.... I finally made my very own tortillas!!!! See, I knew you wouldn't get why this is a great moment. But what this means to me is one less processed food item we consume.

My goal is to feed my family as healthy a diet as possible by cutting out processed foods that are loaded with preservatives, excess sugar, salt and other additives. And doing so makes me feel like I've done something really great for my family. I'm sure somewhere out there you can buy organic/all natural tortillas but I can't get them here... and it was really easy to make my own. I'm going to test a few other recipes and will post the one I like best.

We put grilled chicken, black beans and cheese on ours and served them with salsa...Soooo yummy!!!

Pink Piggies

Spring is in the air!!! And one way I know this for certain, other than the calendar saying so- despite the fact that I saw snow yesterday on my windshield- but I know because I have been experiencing sudden impulses to get my hair chopped off! It happens every spring - like clockwork. There is no good reason for this internal phenomenon either. This year I am going to resist the urge to "bob-ify" my locks and keep it long........ I think.

So, if I cannot get the springy feel from a new do, the next best thing to satisfy the need to feel springy is.... PINK nail polish! These ones that I just bought are all fab!!!

You'll never guess what me and Belle did this afternoon.....

Photo shoot

I love aprons! Yes it's true! I wish I had more of them and I really wish I could make them. Believe it or not, I actually made two. Since I am a self taught sewer and I ran into some problems on my last project, I haven't sewn anything since. But I think it's time to bring out my good ol' Singer again.

...So here is beautiful Belle, donning her brand new apron she got in her Easter basket...

Last of Easter

Here's my dad showing the kids some neat "tricks"... I love my dad - He's so much fun.









Jack handed out the eggs...

...and even gave Belle a few tips of his own. (Belle's fingers are looking mighty green!)

Concentration!

Egg salad, egg salad and more egg salad!!!! I don't want to eat any more egg salad!

Gone fishing

The boys packed their bags and set off for a weekend of fun, fishing, and feasting.... I heard they already had s'mores.

Belle and I made cookies for their trip this morning... she wore her brand new apron... will post those pics later.

Daddy's so sweet... he said he was going to bring home a s'more for me!

Thanks daddy!!!

More Easter Highlights

Bunny craft


Pop's famous leek dip

Easter morning...

Easter Highlights

The Easter Egg Tree

Daddy's surprise Easter gift (a new Bible-he lost his on an airplane) wrapped in Easter coloring book pages, colored by J & B, of course.

A quick getaway to celebrate Jack's great achievements at school.

Good job Jack!!!

Bella loved the water.

Playing

These are the games we play (when it gets cold, again, outside)...
We swaddle our dear, and tolerant, Jack up like a baby- Belle plays mommy and reads stories to the baby.

GOODBYE cabin fever! HELLO Mr. Giggles!!!

F F F - S S S - T T T

Just when I think I have mastered Belle's vocabulary, and interpretation of it.... she does this to me this morning while eating our cereal...

Belle: Mommy, can I have a fawl?
Me: What?
Belle: Can I have a fawl?
Me: A fall?
Belle: A fawl!
Me: Belle, I love you so much, but I have no idea what you are saying...
Belle: Mommy, a fawl..... (and then she precedes to do to me what I have done to her in order to help her pronounce words correctly.... I exaggerate the first letter of the word by repeating the sound it makes a few times- for example, if I want her to say truck, I will say T, T, Truck)...
Belle: A fawl mommy.... F F F, S S S, T T T....FAWL
Me: And now I'm laughing because the word she is trying to say, clearly doesn't start with F F F, S S S, and T T T.... but she is so sincere in making these sounds in the hopes that I will 'get" the word she is trying to say... All I can do is laugh.

This scenario goes on for a few more minutes until I finally get it...... STRAW. She wants a straw to drink the rest of her milk in her bowl.... I should have figured this one out right away since she consistently switches her f's and st's...

It was a funny morning!

Juicy Fruit

This is my latest favorite thing...

I picked up a bag of organic oranges and had fresh orange juice! So good for you...