Splash Pad Party

Good Monday morning!

NOTE TO LANA - I went BACK to CVS after I went through my paper. I spent $50, saved $22 and I have $9 bucks for next week. I only bought brands we normally would eat or use (that were already on sale), and I didn't buy more than two of any one item. Thanks for the lesson... I'll be needing more of those lessons, by the way. (Did I do good?)

NOTE TO PRAYING READERS - All joking aside, I covet the prayers of any and all people who read the blog this week. Not for me, but for Austin. I specifically ask that you pray for him to find at least one Christian friend quickly... not just "any" friend quickly. He's always chosen his friends slowly and carefully, but I know the transition will go so much smoother if he has a friend (or small group of friends) sooner than later. Male or female, tall or short, band member or non-band member... it doesn't matter to me or him. Just someone who can help him get through his first few days in a very new environment. I truly appreciate your prayers. I don't ask you lightly, and I know there are more urgent prayer requests in the world. I also know we serve a God whose "eye is on the sparrow," and I know he's watching my Austin. Thank you in advance.

The Showcase Pic is of me. I did it. I joined Facebook. I'm not proud. I'm afraid I will turn away from blogging very soon (because looking to see if anyone has asked you to be a friend is VERY addictive). My only defense is I joined to have another way to communicate with Austin while he's away. (Believe it or not, he doesn't read my blog on a regular basis... or at all. He does look over my shoulder from time to time to see what pictures I'm using, but that's about it.) I'm having to stoop to his level... FACEBOOK! (NOTE - If I do stop blogging because there aren't enough minutes in the day to do BOTH, I will notify you at least two weeks in advance. I promise!)

The Gallery Pics are of my nephews, niece, Roxie and Josh at the pool. Cousin time is always time well spent. Summer is winding down and our days at the pool will be getting shorter and shorter.

I know you are all just sitting on the edge of your seats wondering, "What did the Faulkner Five do this past weekend? Did everything go according to Belinda's 'list of activities' taped to the refrigerator? Tell us. Tell us, please!"

Okay. Okay. Some things went as planned, and I'm proud to say, I did something VERY spontaneous this weekend, also. The kids and the cousins spent Friday evening with their Grandmother as planned, so Mikie and I had our little date on the deck. However, no one showed up at 6:00 p.m. with Hawaiian chicken and rice... or at 6:30... or at 7:00. So we were forced to use our Ruby Tuesday's Buy One Get One Free (Entrees) coupon.

We did eat on the deck as the sun was setting, but I was unable to get our tiki torches to work. Can someone please tell me what I'm doing wrong. It was so easy the first time I lit them, and now... NOTHING! (I'm probably the only person in the history of the world who can't get a tiki torch lit the second time... And yes, I did refill the canisters with tiki torch juice.)

All and all, it was a very nice date, and we talked about the many, many changes coming up in our lives (and how well Mikie will handle everything, and how poorly I will handle everything). Don't worry. It doesn't hurt my feelings. In the 21 years we've been married, this is pretty much how it works.

Now comes the spontaneous part. On Saturday, I was going to work in the house, and I was going to make sliders for supper, as well as the LEMON CREME PIE! I had been to the grocery store and bought all the ingredients (lots of ingredients), and was just getting ready to start baking when I got a call from our friends, Nancy and Kerry. They had spent the morning at Rickwood Caverns with their two girls and were heading to the new Gardendale Splash Pad (new this summer), and wanted to know if we wanted to visit with them there for about an hour or so. Well, it sounded good to me. Pie and supper would have to wait... and it did.

Roxie and I spent an enjoyable hour or so at the Splash Pad with Kerry and Nancy's girls, Anna and Mary Elizabeth. (Mike and the boys were engaged in other "planned" activities and couldn't break away.) I know you were probably thinking something much bigger when I said "spontaneous," but that's pretty much as big as it gets for me. (More on the Splash Pad below.)

When we returned home, I immediately started on our sliders for dinner. They were very good and everyone was full, so I knew I had time to tackle the LEMON CREME PIE because everyone was willing to let their "food settle" before they had dessert.

This pie is made in three different sections (if you count the crust, there are four sections). I worked on the first section (which I hereafter refer to as the Lemon Section) for quite a while. You have to use cornstarch with the first section and it talks about thickening a good bit.

Now, cornstarch has never been my friend. The few times I have used it have not been my best baking moments. This time was no exception. I did everything I was supposed to do, and when it finally started thickening (just a little), I took heart and thought everything was going to be okay even though I kept stirring on the hot eye for 8 to 9 minutes instead of 1 to 2 minutes. I poured it into the crust and popped it into the refrigerator for 30 minutes to set, and started working on section two which will now be referred to as the Cream Cheese Section of the pie.

The Cream Cheese Section worked like a dream. Cream cheese and I are very good friends. I doubt if I have ever had a bad moment with a block of cream cheese. I pulled out the Lemon Section of the pie only to find out it was still in liquid form. I let it set a little longer. Two hours later, you could still drink it with a straw. Now, it tasted very good, but it was not going to be a cut and slice pie. It was more like a Chilled Lemon Bisque. Yeah. That's the ticket! I invented a new summer soup!

I never moved to the third section of the pie (Homemade Whipped Topping Section), but kept the Cream Cheese Section for yesterday... just in case I had time to try again. I did not. Today the kids are having Cream Cheese Lemon Curd on their bagels. Yeah. That's the ticket! I invented a new bagel spread flavor!

It wasn't Sandra Lee's fault. It was entirely my fault, and I am trying again this week. Believe me, there will be a picture in the gallery if it turns out even close to being edible.

Sunday found us at the pool with the cousins (as mentioned above).

We all went to the Dollar Movie late Sunday night (Night at the Museum 2), and had a great time.

And then, as mentioned above, I joined Facebook. And that, my friends, was our weekend!

Splash Pad Party

Although I knew the Splash Pad existed, because my kids are too old, I had not visited until Saturday. I was thoroughly impressed and could only imagine the fun birthday party a 3 to 5 year-old could have at the Pad.

For anyone unfamiliar with Gardendale, the Splash Pad is located behind a very nice playground beside the soccer fields. It is free and open to the public. The Pad itself is one of the largest I've seen and accommodates a fairly large number of children easily. (There were probably 15 kids and parents in and out while we were there, but there was still plenty of room.)

The best part of the Splash Pad is its location. It is behind a very nice, pretty large, fairly new playground. When they get tired of the water, the kids can run to the playground and back again. The park and Splash Pad are inside the same fence. There are adult swings, picnic tables, two pavilions and large flat rocks for sitting and watching your children.

If I were throwing a birthday party, I would plan on having 5 to 7 kids over for a picnic on blankets in my backyard (hot dogs, chips, juice boxes and cake). For the cake, I would plan on a sheet cake with a big yellow sun in the middle. (I would put a pair of inexpensive bright sunglasses on the sun's face... pop off the earpieces. Add an M & M smile and you've got a great, happy, summer cake.)

After the picnic, we would open presents, store them away, and I would have everyone head over to the Splash Pad for an hour or so of fun in the sun playtime. Everything is brightly painted and pretty, so the pictures would be great!

Also, the ice cream truck came around 4:15 Saturday, so that would be a great little treat to buy the kids who came to the party. Other party favors could be simple things like bubbles, little squirt guns, Aqua Pod water bottles, etc.

The Splash Pad is open from 10:00 a.m. until dusk Tuesday through Sunday. It is closed Monday for maintenance. Also, it is open through mid-October.

NOTE - Even though the Splash Pad is built on cement, it can get a little slippery. The children who wore crocs or pool shoes were the safest.

ANOTHER NOTE - I'm going to go back some time today to take pictures for the Gallery.

Have a lovely Monday. Already August... heavy, heavy sigh! Tomorrow I'll have a recipe which I hope will turn out a little better than my first lemon creme pie attempt. I'm trying to keep the end result in my mind. It's going to be a great pie. I'm the one who messed it up. It was totally my fault... not Sandra Lee's. This week's pie will be a different story.

Take care, and I'll talk to you tomorrow.