Thursday, March 26, 2009

Our Last Day

Can you tell we have had a great time on our trip!? I haven't had a spare minute to post! Tonight was our last night for the parks. We saved Epcot for last and it was WONDERFUL!!! We had such a good time and the kids were completely exhausted. So were we! As we were leaving the park tonight after the MOST amazing fireworks display/ light show I have ever seen, Bailey Rose said, "Dad, I just don't want to leave." Mission accomplished! We went to all the countries and ate a bite of something at almost every country. The kids got their portraits done in France just like my sister and I did when we visited Epcot a very llloooonnnggg time ago. The price hadn't changed that much and the quality was still very good. The artist said that he had attended art school and had worked at Epcot for ten years. Wow! The kids also had a great time trading pins with "cast members" at the parks. Uncle Matt bought them each a starter set and they traded and traded at each different park. So cool! They got lots of neat pins at every park and after a tip from a cast member, we discovered that there were extra special pins to look for. The workers at the parks get "special" pins that have a hidden Mickey on the pin. Only the workers get these and they have to trade if they are asked. Bailey Rose was immediately hooked and eveyone of her pins now has a hidden Mickey! Ha! After we get home I will update more and post pics. Needless to say, we had a super time and are already looking forward to the next trip- whenever that may be! Tomorrow we will travel back half-way. We will stay the night in Mobil, AL and dip our toes in the ocean. Saturday morning, we will head back to Arkansas and sleep in our own little bed. God bless and Good night~

Sunday, March 22, 2009

MICKEY MOUSE!!!!! We're Here!

After two days of travel, we have arrived! Thank you Lord! Really, it wasn't too bad of a trip. With the miracle of portable DVD and Grandma's bag of tricks, we are finally here in Orlando! Saturday morning we all loaded up in the rental van and headed for Georgia. We got a bit of a late start because of a mix-up with the rental car people. Michael and Matt cleared that up and we were off! We arrived at "Anut Sherry's" and Uncle Don's house to a delicious meal of Famous Corn Chowder, sandwiches and amazing Pineapple Cobbler! YUM! We crashed all over that warm and cozy house and we were back out on the road a little before 7am. This day of travel seemed to go much faster and we rolled into Orlando at 4 pm. Thank you Jesus for safe travel! We saw several wrecks along the way and are so thankful to have had a safe journey. Our condo is beautiful! Michael found a real deal with this company. Everyone settled in and after some grocery shopping, Michael and I went for our 12th anniversary dinner. Twelve years and I must say that I still like that boy very, very much! Tomorrow is Magic Kingdom. The kids are so excited and don't really know what to expect. The surprise of it all will be the best part! More tomorrow! I might even try pictures!

Saturday, March 14, 2009

A Blessed Woman....

I was going to call this post, "A Sad Story" but then I got a little Divine perspective.
Let me give you some history concerning this latest adventure. My sweet, dear friend, Renee` and her equally sweet husband Mark, are in the final stages of adopting two siblings from Ethiopia. Their adoption journey has been such a beautiful witness and I am so excited about meeting these precious kiddos! Our women's group at church is hosting a shower for them this Sunday (tomorrow) and of course, I volunteered to make the cake. Now, many of you know that cooking is not really my strength but with baking, I'm not so bad. I pulled out my 11X13 in cake pan, 3 cake mixes and got started. I had never used this cake pan before and if you have a ruler handy, you will see that 11X13 is a good sized cake. I popped the cake in the oven and sat down to watch "Beverly Hills Chihuahua" with the kids. (Good movie BTW) The movie was over, the timer dinged and I went in to trim the cake and let it cool on the cardboard base. You already see where this is going, doncha? I really don't even remember the cake slipping or falling. I just remember staring down at the tile in complete and utter disbelief. The cake was in something of a tri-fold pattern. You know how you fold a piece of paper up to be a brochure? Just like that. Steaming and golden (and delicious, Mike had the kids taste it before he got rid of it) and all of it on the floor. I think I said something like, "Oh Gosh!" and Michael and both babies came running. "Are you burned? Are you burned?" was all Michael could say. He just kept checking me over to make sure I wasn't hurt. "You're okay, then?" They all hugged me and told me everything was fine and another cake could be made- no problem. I held my head in my hands and nodded. Off to Kroger..... Michael cleaned up the kitchen while I was gone so well that you couldn't even tell I had baked Cake Number One. Everything was washed and waiting for me to start again when I came home.

As I was making the Second Cake, I started listening. Listening to thoughts like, "What an honor you have to make this cake", "Wonder what all those kids in that transition home in Ethiopia would have done with that broken cake?", "Wonder if Renee`and Mark's kids in Africa have ever even Had cake?", "How lucky you are that you have a husband like Michael and children like Bailey and Ike", "Isn't great that you had the money to go out and purchase more supplies for this New cake?" Michael came in to check on me. He said, "Think about this, tomorrow you will have a great story to tell!" Typical Michael. By the time I put the Second Cake in the oven, I was smiling. Broken cake- what a great problem to have.........

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

Some of my New favorite things...

I was waiting until I had pics of each of these things to post this but at the rate I am going the words will just have to do. I have collected these things in my mind here and there and now I want to share them with you. Here goes-

"Chiken Patties" by Morning Star: these are breaded faux "chiken" patties that taste so good! Defrost in the microwave and then cook in a skillet with a little Pam until the breading is crunchy. They are 2 WW points and (I think) they taste like the real deal!

PB2 by Bell Plantation: Dehydrated Peanut Butter! 57cal for 2 tbsps! You can order it from www.bellplantation.com or you can get some at your local Hyvee store (If you have one, you lucky duck). I eat some every morning on a Thomas Light English Muffin (another BIG favorite) and have even mixed it in my balsamic vinegar/olive oil dressing for a peanut version to pour over shredded cabbage salad.

Quinoa: My mom turned me on to this one. It's not rice and it's not a grain. I am not sure WHAT it is actually but it is super good AND good for you. I have eaten it as a side dish and as an ingredient in my egg white omelet.

Cedar brand Micro Fiber yarn push broom: We have laminate and tile through most of our home and this broom is a Lifesaver! It picks up everything! Even cat/dog/hamster/people hair. I sweep at least twice a day and it only takes 2 or 3 minutes. Then, when you are finished you can pull the broom head off and throw it in the washer/dryer. 10$ at (you guessed it...) WalMart. But I bet Target has 'em too....

Neutrogena Deep Wrinkle cream with SPF 30: I have started wearing this everyday under my make-up and I reallllllyyyyy like it. It is not greasy at all and has the sunscreen built right in. Yea! And Deep wrinkle, well, I have heard that such a thing happens to some women on occasion so it couldn't hurt.

Yada-Yada Prayer Group Book series: These are so cute and "real". I guess that makes them "real cute". Ha! If you have ever been a part of a women's prayer group then you "know" the characters of this series already! It has great scripture reference too so you get in a little bible study while being entertained.

OPI Nail Polish: Now, this stuff has been around forever but it is great stuff. It stays on fingernails over a week (even with tough housework). It costs a little more (around $7-8 at Target and salons) but they have great seasonal lines so treat yourself to a little spring.

That is all I can remember right now. What are some of your favorite things?