Good Tuesday morning!
The Showcase Pic is of our Special Guest for this month... LANA SMOTHERS and family. She is the mother of Kelsey and Craig and wife of Mike. Aren't they a lovely family? For Part One of her interview, look below.
The Gallery Pics, as promised, are tubing, tubing, tubing. Sorry. That was the only picture-worthy event the Faulkner Five participated in this past weekend.
WARNING! WARNING! WARNING! This post is INCREDIBLY long... even for me. However, everything is in nice and neat little sections, so pick and choose. Do NOT be overwhelmed. I consider it my job to inform, not terrify, the readers of A Simple Life, so breathe and relax!
"How To" Birthday Party Class
I'm going to have a "How To" Birthday Party Class in my home Tuesday, June 8 from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. for mothers of young boys (ages 3 to 6). I will be teaching how to throw an INEXPENSIVE Purposeful Christ-Centered Birthday Party for your son. The party themes for this class will be a Pirate Birthday Party and a Super Hero Birthday Party.
I will also be having a class Tuesday, June 15 from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. for mothers of young girls (ages 3 to 6). The party themes for this class will be a Luau Birthday Party and a Princess Birthday Party.
Each class will cost $10. The $10 will cover the following:
A handout for two specific parties for boys/girls in this age category (3 to 6). Each handout will include a schedule, an arrival activity (a craft), three or more games, cake ideas, invitation ideas, a FUN devotion and an ending activity.
I will have two baked and iced cakes for each class, and I will show you how to quickly and simply decorate these cakes.
I will have supplies, and we will decorate an invitation for each party. (Your birthday child will be able to do this with you for his/her party.)
We (the MOTHERS) will actually play each game, make each craft and listen to each devotion.
I will have a fun door prize for one lucky attendee, as well as two bonus birthday party gift ideas you can use for ANY party your child attends. (Affordable, memorable and unique!)
Each birthday party lasts only 90 minutes (instead of two hours), and will be fun, organized and enjoyable (for the kids AND the parents).
The cost to throw these parties in your home is minimal (no more than $25 to $30... and it can be even less if you plan in advance).
If you are interested or you have a friend who is interested, please contact me to reserve a spot via the Comment Section, Facebook or e-mail. There are only 15 spots available per class.
Tuesday, June 8 (BOYS)
6:30 - 8:00
Pirate Birthday Party
Super Hero Birthday Party
Tuesday, June 15 (GIRLS)
6:30 - 8:00
Luau Birthday Party
Princess Birthday Party
For more information on future classes, click on May 23 under my Archives on the right.
SPECIAL GUEST - LANA SMOTHERS - PART ONE - Lana graciously agreed to be my Special Guest for the month. Lana has more energy than any one individual I have ever met. Not only is she able to get it done... she gets it done with excellence. Faithful, organized, creative, family-oriented... the list goes on and on. I am thankful to call her my friend. Let's get to know Lana better, shall we?
1. Name three places in the U.S. you've never been, but have always wanted to go... and why? (This must be the easiest question I ask. Everyone picks this one, but I'm always surprised at some of the answers.)
Hawaii... because everybody says that (and I don't want to be the only one not going), and I LOVE the beach, so why not?
New England States... because I've heard it was beautiful, and I LOVE lobster, and that is the place to go for good lobster!
California... but only if I can drive a convertible down the Pacific Coast Highway and enjoy the view!
2. If your life was made into a movie, would it be considered (mainly) a comedy, drama, action/adventure or a romantic chick flick?
Drama.
3. Not counting the days you were saved, married, or the birth of your children, what are two of the most significant, life-altering days you can remember, and why?
My parents divorce after 28 years of marriage, and all the events leading up to their divorce (which occurred during my dating years)! Talk about changing your views on "happily ever after." But all in all, I learned that love isn't just a feeling, and a strong marriage is work and a choice. Once you make that choice, you have to work at it everyday!
4. What was your worst dating experience?
Dating the "dude" who wore the other horrible mouse costume at Showbiz Pizza Place. I wouldn't say it was the worse dating experience ever. We were just better friends than dates. It's a good thing because he and his wife have been happily married for almost 22 years and have 12 children now! God knew I couldn't birth that many! I still keep in touch with him and his wife. They've ended up being fun friends.
5. How many siblings do you have, and where do you fall in the mix?
One sister, but I am the oldest (only by 28 months)! And the laugh to all of it is she chose to start her family later in life. So while I am about to see my oldest child graduate next year from high school, her only child will be turning 3! Ha! So who really cares who is older. She is definitely more tired!
6. In as few words as possible, what is the most important lesson you want your children to know before leaving your home?
I want them to know that people will fail you. We are only human. BUT your Heavenly Father will NEVER LET YOU DOWN!
On a side note... I would like for them to also realize good communication skills are vitally important to their future (jobs and relationships)! No matter how good they are at texting, they should still to be able to carry out a complete conversation without using a hand-held device! (Amen, Sister!)
7. What is one surprising thing people do NOT know about you?
I can't whistle! No matter how hard I try, I have never been able to whistle.
8. For each of your children, list at least one of your traits or characteristics they have.
Kelsey definitely gets her naturally curly hair from me. However, if Mike were a hippie, you would see his curls, too. But since he's not and keeps his hair short, it is my claim they come from me! As for Craig, he looks too much like Mike for me to claim any of his traits, but characteristics... Well, Kelsey told me he and I are "social butterflies" and are more comfortable in social situations than she and her dad. Out of the mouths of babes!
9. If you could have one physical attribute changed, what would it be?
Loose the double chin. Fat or thin, it is always there!
10. Dog lover or cat lover?
Dog. We have 3 at the present time! BUT we have had so many in the past I have declared once they are gone... NO MORE! As a matter of fact, we owned 4 dogs (2 inside and 2 outside), but one passed away October a year ago, and while everyone was somewhat sad, I will admit I thought to myself, "One down, three to go." Okay. So maybe I shouldn't have admitted it, but...
There you have it! Part One. And there are at least two more parts left. Visit again tomorrow to learn more about Lana and the intricate workings of her mind!
TOPIC OF THE WEEK - HUMIDITY AND THE RAVEN CONCERT (PART TWO)
In case you're just tuning in, I left off yesterday having a good ol' time at Alabama Adventure. I had already changed clothes twice, and as you can see below, I was heading for the Big Gold Van to change once again because of "massive wetness" thanks to our friend, Humidity!
Two hours later, I repeated the "changing" process which was "iffy" because at 4:00 p.m., we still had four to five more hours left in the park since the concert didn't start until 7:00. I made a rookie mistake. I should have packed FOUR outfits, FOUR bras and FOUR pair of underwear. I knew better. I had grown up in the South. Now, I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt I was going to become the mildew"y" person by concert time. Something a true Southern Belle fights to the death NOT to become!
Because it was an outdoor concert (of course), we had brought blankets and camp chairs to set up in the grassy area. By the time I re-entered the park after changing, the line for the Raven concert was already forming... THREE HOURS EARLY! The four moms decided to take turns standing in line with the blanket and four camp chairs for 30-minute intervals. It was a very good idea, and we had four very pleasant moms in our group... not a whiner in the bunch. This plan worked very well until 5:30... my shift. At 5:30, the line began to move... 90 minutes before the concert was to begin. I had four camp chairs, a blanket and for some unknown reason, a duffel. I later found out the duffel belonged to the people behind me in line, but they let me carry it for a while before they told me it belonged to them. (I don't think they were truly Southerners. A real Southerner would carry their own duffel! Except for maybe me.)
I used my handy-dandy cell phone to call in the troops, but once everyone arrived (85 minutes before the concert was to start), it was decided two of the moms would stand in food lines and the remaining mom would take the girls to another ride before the concert began. Since every task had a comparable amount of line standing, I offered to stay put and everyone scattered.
We were very smart women. We calculated we had at least 40 minutes before I would actually make it to the front of the line. Everyone had their own tickets. We were ready to rock and roll.
We only thought we were very smart women. Almost immediately upon the departure of the kids and other moms, the line started moving at warp speed. By this time, there are too many mildew"y" smelling people around me to even begin to wonder who smelled the worse. Plus, I couldn't put the chairs and blanket down to do a "test sniff" to make certain it wasn't me. And I'll just be honest. I didn't care any more. That's right. I had lost the will to smell nice.
I called the other chicks as I entered the gate, and told them where I was going to set up our little "Raven Camp," and as food was purchased and the girls finished riding their ride, they trickled in about 15 minutes before the concert was to begin. Of course, there was no shade, but on the positive side, there wasn't another body too close to mine, and I sat "wetly" in my camp seat waiting for the concert.
That was when I noticed the black thunderclouds in the distance. If there is a plus to living in one of the highest humidity-producing states in the USA, it would have to be the possibility of a really good thunderstorm in the late afternoon (caused, I'm sure, by the heavy humidity). Hey! I'm a Southerner... not a meteorologist!
The best thing about a Southern thunderstorm is the wonderful breeze that comes before the pelting rain, crashing thunder and cloud-to-ground lightning. Yes, sir! I was pretty excited! A breeze was coming, and if by chance I was struck by lightning... Well, let's just say by that time, I was spiritually, emotionally and physically ready to "meet my Maker."
I have a rather anticlimactic ending, I'm afraid. The breeze did come, but not before the concert began. Strangers did close in on our little group as the concert crowd grew WAY too large. I discovered the only thing worse than being soaked through and through (and through) with sweat, was to be soaked through and through (and through) with sweat while sitting in a camp chair with two little girls I did not know squealing at the top of their lungs in my left ear.
I decided Raven was an excellent performer, and watching our little chicks sing, clap and dance along with her made me happy.
And I promised myself I would remember all the good times we had that day (which were many), and forget about Humidity. But, as you can see, Humidity has a way of "sticking" with you in the South.
Before I end this excruciatingly long story, I will say the breeze was lovely, and had I not been SO hot and wet all day long, I know I would not have enjoyed it (or even noticed it) quite so much. The rain began as we started walking to our car, and it didn't storm until we were on our way home. The girls were tired, red-faced and happy, and as we were slowly leaving the park more than one of them asked, "Can we do this again?"
"NO!" my mind screamed... but all the moms (including me) said, "Of course." And believe it or not, the next year... we did!
Vanilla Homemade Ice Cream
This is the simplest form of homemade ice cream. While it won't "knock your socks off," it is perfect for hot summer days. As everyone knows, vanilla ice cream wasn't created to eat alone. It is here so we can use every topping known to man!
This recipe makes 4 quarts, and you will need the following:
2 cups milk
1 3/4 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups half and half
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
4 cups whipping cream
1. Pour milk and sugar into ice cream freezer. Stir until sugar dissolves.
2. Add the rest of the ingredients.
3. Add more milk until you reach the Fill Line.
4. Follow your freezer directions.
I assume it goes without saying to have a couple of bags of ice and two boxes of rock salt on hand at all times (3 bags of ice stay in our freezer... 3 or 4 boxes of rock salt stay in our pantry). You never know when you'll get the hankering for homemade ice cream!
If for some unfathomable reason you do not own an ice cream freezer, go to Wal-Mart and buy one TODAY. It's the best kind of summer dessert!
I'll have more inventive ice cream recipes every Tuesday during the month of June.
Have a fun, productive Tuesday. Wednesday on A Simple Life will be FULL of Wisdom, Part Two of Lana's in-depth interview, a fun-in-the-sun Seasonal Tradition, and the story of Humidity and Our First Camping Trip Ever.
Take care, and I'll talk to you tomorrow.
Sincerely,
The Enchanting Belinda
Monday, May 31, 2010
Drive-In Party
Good Monday morning!
The Showcase Pic is a picture of Mikie and Roxie in all of their pre-tubing glory! Do you love Mike's lake shirt? I totally agree. But he would be incredibly easy to spot if he fell out of the boat, so I let him wear it.
The Gallery Pics are more of the same. Tons and tons of tubing photos. I even have enough to use in tomorrow's Gallery, too.
SPECIAL GUEST HINTS - She'll be here tomorrow, but I have two more little hints to help you out in the guessing department. (I'll be supplying the clues today. I didn't want you to think she was a "bragger," because she is not. She's extremely humble, but her gifts are many.
5. I grew up with her husband, and had no idea we went to the same church for several years. (We attended different services!)
6. She is a homemaker extraordinaire, and her attention to detail is amazing. As soon as you walk into her home, you feel her warmth.
Okay. One more day to guess. Give it your best shot!
REMINDER! REMINDER! REMINDER! - If you haven't already signed up for the "How To" Birthday Party Classes coming up (and you have children in this age category), what are you waiting for? We're going to have a lot of fun. On June 8, I'll be teaching the Boy Class (Pirate Party and Super Hero Party), and June 15 I'll be teaching the Girl Class (Luau Party and Make-Up Party). For more information, click on May 23 in my Archives on the left-hand side of A Simple Life.
TOPIC OF THE WEEK - HUMIDITY AND THE RAVEN CONCERT
You don't have to be a lifetime resident of the State of Alabama to know the true meaning of the word "humidity."
I'll give you the "dictionary" meaning first. "Moisture; dampness; a moderate degree of wetness, which is perceptible to the eye or touch; used especially of the atmosphere, or of anything which has absorbed moisture from the atmosphere, as clothing." This definition was written by a person who lives in one of the northern states, because the above does not come close to accurately describing Alabama "humidity."
I'll give you the Alabama version throughout this first of five "essays" on the subject.
A few years ago, my cousin, Amy, invited me and Roxie to attend the Raven concert at Alabama Adventure (our local version of Six Flags Over Georgia... small, but growing) with her and her daughter, Monica, and a few other friends. Raven was very popular at the time, and we were excited to receive the invite.
The concert was to be held in the evening, but Alabama Adventure has a water park, as well as rides, so we decided to make a day of it.
When we arrived, the gates were opening, and, of course, the girls wanted to hit the water rides. I could already tell it was going to be a scorcher because "a moderate degree of wetness" had already started making an appearance on my upper lip, elbow and knee creases and my hands began to swell. It was 10:00 a.m.
The water rides and the Lazy River helped alleviate some of the evidence of the humidity, but if you walked from one water area to the other, steam was starting to appear... rising from the concrete. Steam is not good. Not good, at all!
Around noon, the girls decided they were hungry, so we changed clothes and headed to the vans for a "picnic with the air conditioning running." I knew it was wasteful to sit in a car and run it for 30 minutes while people ate. But I also knew what we were about to encounter during the next five to six hours... and it wasn't "moisture or dampness." It was full-blown, buckets of sweat, not a dry thread on your body, bad hair HUMIDITY!
Because I am a Southern Belle through and through, I did have the foresight to pack TWO extra pair of shorts, bras, underwear and shirts, as well as deodorant and make-up.
There was nothing I could do about my hair. Humidity does one of three things to a Southern Belle's hair. (1) The hair goes completely flat and limp (as if to say "I surrender"); (2) the hair gets huge... bigger and scarier as the day goes on; or (3) the hair tries to go back into the scalp. In reality, it only looks like it is trying to go back into the scalp because it appears to be disappearing. It is just trying to survive the attack of Humidity by banding together which is described in the South as follows... "My hair is drawing up." I have the hair that "draws up."
As we re-entered the park, within seconds it was evident Humidity was going to win. Trickles of sweat ran down my back, my front and my hair "left me."
Waiting in line next to other people suffering from the effects of Humidity is even worse, because sooner or later you're going to smell someone who has a mildew"y" odor about them... and you cannot be sure if it is them or you. So you have to stand in line and wonder. After the ride, you can pretty much determine it was the other person and you move on, only to doubt yourself again two or three rides later when once again you catch a whiff of that mildew"y" odor. It's a vicious cycle, I tell you.
Around 2:00 p.m., I excused myself for 15 to 20 minutes and ran out of the park to the van. I turned the air conditioning on in the Big Gold Van, drew the shades (yes, it has shades) and reapplied deodorant, make-up and changed clothes... ALL of my clothes. I spoke encouragingly to my hair, but to no avail, and then made my way back into the park. Before I ever reached my group, I was once again completely soaked.
Uh-oh. Who knew I had so much to say about Humidity? Not me. You'll have to come back tomorrow for the rest of this amazingly interesting story!
Weekend Review - As the pictures above indicate, we did indeed get to go tubing after church Sunday. We drove to the river in rain with our friends, the Tuggles, ate a quick snack to hold us until the next storm and we headed to open water. We had a great time. We tubed and swam and tubed some more.
We came in to sit through another storm and eat a late lunch which was amazing. Ribs, chicken poppers, pasta salad, baked beans, coleslaw, banana pudding, lemon icebox pie... the list goes on and on.
The sun came through again, and we headed ten minutes away for skiing lessons for Josh and Roxie and some knee-boarding at a "quieter" place on the lake. We mastered knee-boarding (when I say "we," I mean the kiddos) and turned around to see the blackest black clouds ever known to man... parked over the place we NEEDED to be! We pulled everyone into the boats, and started to drive the boats into the midst of the storm. Thirty seconds into our travels, Michael (Tuggle Dad) spun his boat around and we headed back to the spot we had just left.
Thankfully, people who live on the lake are the MOST hospitable people in the world. Julie (Tuggle Mom) knew the people who lived near the place we had been knee-boarding, and as we approached their lake home, there were two or three men on the dock pulling our boats in and telling us to run up the stairs for shelter. Very, very kind people.
We sat on their screened-in porch with their family of ten or so until the storm passed, and it was safe to head home again. I love a little adventure on an otherwise ordinary day, don't you?
A little more knee-boarding, tubing, swimming and eating and it was time to head back to our nice, soft, DRY beds.
It wasn't our whole weekend, but it was definitely the best part.
Argo Drive-In Party
Whether you have a birthday coming up in the near future, or you just want a fun, easy get-together with friends and family, the Argo Drive-In is the place to go.
You will need to call the Drive-In on Monday afternoon or Tuesday morning to find out what will be showing the following weekend (467-3434). Once they are showing a movie OR double feature which interests you, get on the phone and start inviting your "guests."
Usually, the cost is $10 per carload, but every now and then depending on the movie showing, they will charge $5 per adult and $2 per child (12 and under). It's still a bargain... especially when you take into consideration they do NOT mind if you bring your own food.
Pack a cooler of drinks, cook a crock-pot full of hot dogs and head up an hour early. (Earlier if it is the opening weekend for a blockbuster like Iron Man 2.) Once they allow the cars into the Drive-In, set up camp chairs and tailgate for awhile. There are usually empty spaces along the edge of the Drive-In the kids can throw a football or a Frisbee.
Be sure to take plenty of bug spray.
If this is something you've been talking about doing for a while, wait NO LONGER! This is the summer to experience the Drive-In... and have a party doing so.
NOTE - It's a great way to entertain a bunch of kids before a slumber party, especially if it is a double feature. They'll be tired enough to curl up in their sleeping bags as soon as you get them in the house!
Have a glorious Memorial Day Monday! I am sure we will all be remembering our men and women who serve (or have served) in the military and their families with a thankful heart. Such amazing sacrifice.
I will have the first of four wonderful homemade ice cream recipes tomorrow, and will continue to share them throughout the month of June. Our Special Guest arrives bright and early tomorrow morning. I will also finish my "Humidity and the Raven Concert" story. My goodness! Tuesday is going to be a busy day!
Take care, and I'll talk to you tomorrow.
Sincerely,
The Enchanting Moderately Damp Belinda
The Showcase Pic is a picture of Mikie and Roxie in all of their pre-tubing glory! Do you love Mike's lake shirt? I totally agree. But he would be incredibly easy to spot if he fell out of the boat, so I let him wear it.
The Gallery Pics are more of the same. Tons and tons of tubing photos. I even have enough to use in tomorrow's Gallery, too.
SPECIAL GUEST HINTS - She'll be here tomorrow, but I have two more little hints to help you out in the guessing department. (I'll be supplying the clues today. I didn't want you to think she was a "bragger," because she is not. She's extremely humble, but her gifts are many.
5. I grew up with her husband, and had no idea we went to the same church for several years. (We attended different services!)
6. She is a homemaker extraordinaire, and her attention to detail is amazing. As soon as you walk into her home, you feel her warmth.
Okay. One more day to guess. Give it your best shot!
REMINDER! REMINDER! REMINDER! - If you haven't already signed up for the "How To" Birthday Party Classes coming up (and you have children in this age category), what are you waiting for? We're going to have a lot of fun. On June 8, I'll be teaching the Boy Class (Pirate Party and Super Hero Party), and June 15 I'll be teaching the Girl Class (Luau Party and Make-Up Party). For more information, click on May 23 in my Archives on the left-hand side of A Simple Life.
TOPIC OF THE WEEK - HUMIDITY AND THE RAVEN CONCERT
You don't have to be a lifetime resident of the State of Alabama to know the true meaning of the word "humidity."
I'll give you the "dictionary" meaning first. "Moisture; dampness; a moderate degree of wetness, which is perceptible to the eye or touch; used especially of the atmosphere, or of anything which has absorbed moisture from the atmosphere, as clothing." This definition was written by a person who lives in one of the northern states, because the above does not come close to accurately describing Alabama "humidity."
I'll give you the Alabama version throughout this first of five "essays" on the subject.
A few years ago, my cousin, Amy, invited me and Roxie to attend the Raven concert at Alabama Adventure (our local version of Six Flags Over Georgia... small, but growing) with her and her daughter, Monica, and a few other friends. Raven was very popular at the time, and we were excited to receive the invite.
The concert was to be held in the evening, but Alabama Adventure has a water park, as well as rides, so we decided to make a day of it.
When we arrived, the gates were opening, and, of course, the girls wanted to hit the water rides. I could already tell it was going to be a scorcher because "a moderate degree of wetness" had already started making an appearance on my upper lip, elbow and knee creases and my hands began to swell. It was 10:00 a.m.
The water rides and the Lazy River helped alleviate some of the evidence of the humidity, but if you walked from one water area to the other, steam was starting to appear... rising from the concrete. Steam is not good. Not good, at all!
Around noon, the girls decided they were hungry, so we changed clothes and headed to the vans for a "picnic with the air conditioning running." I knew it was wasteful to sit in a car and run it for 30 minutes while people ate. But I also knew what we were about to encounter during the next five to six hours... and it wasn't "moisture or dampness." It was full-blown, buckets of sweat, not a dry thread on your body, bad hair HUMIDITY!
Because I am a Southern Belle through and through, I did have the foresight to pack TWO extra pair of shorts, bras, underwear and shirts, as well as deodorant and make-up.
There was nothing I could do about my hair. Humidity does one of three things to a Southern Belle's hair. (1) The hair goes completely flat and limp (as if to say "I surrender"); (2) the hair gets huge... bigger and scarier as the day goes on; or (3) the hair tries to go back into the scalp. In reality, it only looks like it is trying to go back into the scalp because it appears to be disappearing. It is just trying to survive the attack of Humidity by banding together which is described in the South as follows... "My hair is drawing up." I have the hair that "draws up."
As we re-entered the park, within seconds it was evident Humidity was going to win. Trickles of sweat ran down my back, my front and my hair "left me."
Waiting in line next to other people suffering from the effects of Humidity is even worse, because sooner or later you're going to smell someone who has a mildew"y" odor about them... and you cannot be sure if it is them or you. So you have to stand in line and wonder. After the ride, you can pretty much determine it was the other person and you move on, only to doubt yourself again two or three rides later when once again you catch a whiff of that mildew"y" odor. It's a vicious cycle, I tell you.
Around 2:00 p.m., I excused myself for 15 to 20 minutes and ran out of the park to the van. I turned the air conditioning on in the Big Gold Van, drew the shades (yes, it has shades) and reapplied deodorant, make-up and changed clothes... ALL of my clothes. I spoke encouragingly to my hair, but to no avail, and then made my way back into the park. Before I ever reached my group, I was once again completely soaked.
Uh-oh. Who knew I had so much to say about Humidity? Not me. You'll have to come back tomorrow for the rest of this amazingly interesting story!
Weekend Review - As the pictures above indicate, we did indeed get to go tubing after church Sunday. We drove to the river in rain with our friends, the Tuggles, ate a quick snack to hold us until the next storm and we headed to open water. We had a great time. We tubed and swam and tubed some more.
We came in to sit through another storm and eat a late lunch which was amazing. Ribs, chicken poppers, pasta salad, baked beans, coleslaw, banana pudding, lemon icebox pie... the list goes on and on.
The sun came through again, and we headed ten minutes away for skiing lessons for Josh and Roxie and some knee-boarding at a "quieter" place on the lake. We mastered knee-boarding (when I say "we," I mean the kiddos) and turned around to see the blackest black clouds ever known to man... parked over the place we NEEDED to be! We pulled everyone into the boats, and started to drive the boats into the midst of the storm. Thirty seconds into our travels, Michael (Tuggle Dad) spun his boat around and we headed back to the spot we had just left.
Thankfully, people who live on the lake are the MOST hospitable people in the world. Julie (Tuggle Mom) knew the people who lived near the place we had been knee-boarding, and as we approached their lake home, there were two or three men on the dock pulling our boats in and telling us to run up the stairs for shelter. Very, very kind people.
We sat on their screened-in porch with their family of ten or so until the storm passed, and it was safe to head home again. I love a little adventure on an otherwise ordinary day, don't you?
A little more knee-boarding, tubing, swimming and eating and it was time to head back to our nice, soft, DRY beds.
It wasn't our whole weekend, but it was definitely the best part.
Argo Drive-In Party
Whether you have a birthday coming up in the near future, or you just want a fun, easy get-together with friends and family, the Argo Drive-In is the place to go.
You will need to call the Drive-In on Monday afternoon or Tuesday morning to find out what will be showing the following weekend (467-3434). Once they are showing a movie OR double feature which interests you, get on the phone and start inviting your "guests."
Usually, the cost is $10 per carload, but every now and then depending on the movie showing, they will charge $5 per adult and $2 per child (12 and under). It's still a bargain... especially when you take into consideration they do NOT mind if you bring your own food.
Pack a cooler of drinks, cook a crock-pot full of hot dogs and head up an hour early. (Earlier if it is the opening weekend for a blockbuster like Iron Man 2.) Once they allow the cars into the Drive-In, set up camp chairs and tailgate for awhile. There are usually empty spaces along the edge of the Drive-In the kids can throw a football or a Frisbee.
Be sure to take plenty of bug spray.
If this is something you've been talking about doing for a while, wait NO LONGER! This is the summer to experience the Drive-In... and have a party doing so.
NOTE - It's a great way to entertain a bunch of kids before a slumber party, especially if it is a double feature. They'll be tired enough to curl up in their sleeping bags as soon as you get them in the house!
Have a glorious Memorial Day Monday! I am sure we will all be remembering our men and women who serve (or have served) in the military and their families with a thankful heart. Such amazing sacrifice.
I will have the first of four wonderful homemade ice cream recipes tomorrow, and will continue to share them throughout the month of June. Our Special Guest arrives bright and early tomorrow morning. I will also finish my "Humidity and the Raven Concert" story. My goodness! Tuesday is going to be a busy day!
Take care, and I'll talk to you tomorrow.
Sincerely,
The Enchanting Moderately Damp Belinda
Friday, May 28, 2010
Weekend Happenings
Good Friday morning!
The Gallery Pic is just one of Roxie and a couple of chick friends. There will be many, many more of these pictures throughout the summer, I am sure (and I hope)
RANDOMNESS - Next week I'm going to have a theme all FIVE days. I'm calling it "Ode to Humidity." That's "humiDity." Not "humiLity." You're probably asking yourself, "How can she write "humidity" stories for FIVE straight days?" (Again, conversation in my head.) It is SO easy. The words are just flowing out of me right now! Here's the "humidity" schedule:
Monday - Humidity and the Raven Concert
Tuesday - Humidity and Our First Camping Trip Ever
Wednesday - Humidity and Gone With the Wind
Thursday - Humidity and the Theme Park (Story One)
Friday - Humidity and the Theme Park (Story Two)
And that's not even ALL of them. I could write "humidity" stories forever... but I will not. However, I did want to let you know the path we would be taking on A Simple Life next week. Come... perspire with me!
REMINDER! REMINDER! REMINDER! If you haven't already signed up for the "How To" Birthday Party Classes coming up (and you have children in this age category), what are you waiting for? We're going to have a lot of fun. On June 8, I'll be teaching the Boy Class (Pirate Party and Super Hero Party), and June 15 I'll be teaching the Girl Class (Luau Party and Make-Up Party). For more information, click on May 24 in my Archives on the left-hand side of A Simple Life.
ANOTHER REMINDER! ANOTHER REMINDER! Don't forget to share your favorite homemade ice cream recipe if you get a chance. It's time to start making this stuff on a regular basis!
HINTS FOR SPECIAL GUEST - Here are a couple more little tidbits which may or may not help you in your quest to figure out the identity of our Special Guest...
3. She is the wife of one and mother of two.
4. She LOVES to cook. That's right... she's a COOKER! And a looker, too.
Well, what do you think? Do you know who's coming to visit?
Weekend Happenings
We were going to try to go camping this Memorial Day Weekend. Except for our first camping trip ever, the Faulkner Five have never been camping in the heat of summer or the freezing cold of winter. We're fall and spring campers. Always have been, and always will be. We were thinking about giving it a try this weekend IF the temperatures were going to be mild, but I have NEVER thought temperatures in the 80s were mild. NEVER. It is better than the 90s, but it's still not doable.
That being said, we've shelved the camping idea... and replaced it with a day at a lake TUBING! That's right. TUBING! I cannot wait. The only downside is Austin has to work tomorrow, so he'll miss our first TUBING outing. But WAIT! There will be more!
On Sunday, Josh is planning on having a friend or two over. And that's it for that day. Roxie and Austin haven't "declared" their plans, but I'm sure they will have some.
We'll cook out, swim, etc. on Monday, but since I won't be camping, I'll be able to tell you in great detail Monday morning what we'll be doing, so I will not tack it onto the end of Weekend Happenings!
All in all, a fairly uncomplicated weekend. Almost boring in nature. (I kind of like that type of weekend... don't you?)
In honor of NOT going camping on Memorial Day Weekend, I will leave you with the Faulkner Five First Ever Camping Trip Story. If you have read it before, feel free to skip it... just this once!
Our First Camping Trip Ever!
We decided to bite the bullet and take our little family camping. Austin was five and Josh was three. Roxie was a toddling baby, so we decided to leave her at her grandparents' house. In my mind, if everything went well, she could start camping when she turned three. (Actually, I was hoping she was going to be a prissy little thing who didn't like camping, and on camping weekends while the guys were out and about, she and I would have manicures and shop and watch chick flicks, etc. That dream never came true (heavy, heavy sigh)... but that's another story.)
With another family who had boys our boys' ages, we planned our very first camping trip. Oak Mountain was our destination... only 35 short minutes from home. We planned a weekend in May (usually a mild month in Alabama). We borrowed the tent and gathered the rest of the equipment from different places.
We arrived at the campground mid-afternoon, picked out our spots and started (for the first time ever) to set up camp. The boys were thrilled. They had brought their box of dinosaurs (a camping must), other various toys and they had each other in the woods. They were happy.
Near our campsite was a large branch which was semi-broken and hanging from a tree almost touching the ground. Our guys were just the right weight NOT to break the branch, and it was like having a tire swing in our back door. They had a ball playing on the almost broken tree branch ALL weekend long.
While we were setting up camp, the three year-olds needed to use the bathroom, and rather than walking all the way to the bathhouse, the dads told them to do what all little boys love to do... skip the bathhouse and find a tree. Life was good.
After camp was set up, we all walked down to the lake to let the boys wade. We hadn't planned on swimming, and we hadn't really packed a lot of extra clothes... Plus, if your three year-old swims that means mom has to be ready to swim. We, as the moms, had definitely not packed our swimsuits.
We were very specific in our instructions "to wade" and "not swim." We even went so far as to explain, "Do not put your head in the water. Do not let the water get above your knees. Do you understand?" There was a lot of nodding going on.
And then, Joshua's partner in crime at the time, smiled the smile three year-old boys smile right before they... go completely under the water... in front of the parents who had just told him "Do not put your head in the water!" He came out the water, and flashed another sweet smile.
We've all been there. You tell your child not to do something, and they decide to disobey you then and there... and smile at you. He was quickly punished, and we were on our way to the campsite. We had handed all the boys water bottles. "Drink it all. Do not pour it out. Do not waste the water." And then, Joshua's partner in crime at the time, smiled the smile three year-old boys smile right before they... pour the water out of the water bottle onto the street.
Sputtering, the dad of this particular three year-old uttered the punishment then and there.
"NO WATER OR DRINKS FOR YOU THE REST OF THE TRIP!"
Don't get self-righteous on me. We've all done the same thing before. I've told my kids they could never go outside again; never have ice cream again; never watch TV again; never... well, you get the picture. Parenting is hard on the best day... and three year-old boys... WHEW!
"What are we going to do?" I asked the other mom as we walked back to camp. "He'll be dehydrated if he doesn't get to drink until we leave tomorrow."
"I know. I know," she replied. I could see the wheels turning, and she walked up to her husband and whispering began.
"We've figured it out," she said as she dropped back to walk beside me.
"What are you going to do?" I asked.
"We're going to give him mercy," she replied.
"Oh. Yeah, that will work," I said. Actually, I didn't know what in the world she was talking about.
When we got back to the campsite, Dad and mischievous three year-old boy went to a picnic table to sit down and talk. A few minutes later, hugs were exchanged and the the little boy came up to me. "May I have a drink, please?" he asked.
"Well, what did Mom and Dad say?"
"They said it was okay. I got mercy," he said simply... and I handed him a bottled water.
Mom and Dad had turned the whole incident into a devotion. Every day we do things we are not supposed to do, and this does not please God. But God has mercy on all of us, sinners that we are, and forgives us when we ask. This little guy had asked for forgiveness and, in return, had received mercy (a/k/a bottled water).
Of course, just like all of us (adults, too), mercy isn't given just once and that's it. We need it time and time again as we go through our daily lives. What a great lesson.
And by the way, the three year-olds ALMOST made it to bedtime before mercy had to be bestowed upon them yet again.
Our first camping trip was short, memorable and it went well enough we were hooked.
Have an exceptionally great Memorial Day Weekend. Enjoy family, friends and SUMMER! During the next couple of weeks, we'll be concentrating on summertime activities, as well as Father's Day tips and treats. Our Special Guest will be making her appearance on A Simple Life Tuesday, June 1. And, of course, there will be pics galore... mostly of wet people as we start visiting our local pool regularly.
Take care, and I'll talk to you Monday.
Sincerely,
The Enchanting Belinda
The Gallery Pic is just one of Roxie and a couple of chick friends. There will be many, many more of these pictures throughout the summer, I am sure (and I hope)
RANDOMNESS - Next week I'm going to have a theme all FIVE days. I'm calling it "Ode to Humidity." That's "humiDity." Not "humiLity." You're probably asking yourself, "How can she write "humidity" stories for FIVE straight days?" (Again, conversation in my head.) It is SO easy. The words are just flowing out of me right now! Here's the "humidity" schedule:
Monday - Humidity and the Raven Concert
Tuesday - Humidity and Our First Camping Trip Ever
Wednesday - Humidity and Gone With the Wind
Thursday - Humidity and the Theme Park (Story One)
Friday - Humidity and the Theme Park (Story Two)
And that's not even ALL of them. I could write "humidity" stories forever... but I will not. However, I did want to let you know the path we would be taking on A Simple Life next week. Come... perspire with me!
REMINDER! REMINDER! REMINDER! If you haven't already signed up for the "How To" Birthday Party Classes coming up (and you have children in this age category), what are you waiting for? We're going to have a lot of fun. On June 8, I'll be teaching the Boy Class (Pirate Party and Super Hero Party), and June 15 I'll be teaching the Girl Class (Luau Party and Make-Up Party). For more information, click on May 24 in my Archives on the left-hand side of A Simple Life.
ANOTHER REMINDER! ANOTHER REMINDER! Don't forget to share your favorite homemade ice cream recipe if you get a chance. It's time to start making this stuff on a regular basis!
HINTS FOR SPECIAL GUEST - Here are a couple more little tidbits which may or may not help you in your quest to figure out the identity of our Special Guest...
3. She is the wife of one and mother of two.
4. She LOVES to cook. That's right... she's a COOKER! And a looker, too.
Well, what do you think? Do you know who's coming to visit?
Weekend Happenings
We were going to try to go camping this Memorial Day Weekend. Except for our first camping trip ever, the Faulkner Five have never been camping in the heat of summer or the freezing cold of winter. We're fall and spring campers. Always have been, and always will be. We were thinking about giving it a try this weekend IF the temperatures were going to be mild, but I have NEVER thought temperatures in the 80s were mild. NEVER. It is better than the 90s, but it's still not doable.
That being said, we've shelved the camping idea... and replaced it with a day at a lake TUBING! That's right. TUBING! I cannot wait. The only downside is Austin has to work tomorrow, so he'll miss our first TUBING outing. But WAIT! There will be more!
On Sunday, Josh is planning on having a friend or two over. And that's it for that day. Roxie and Austin haven't "declared" their plans, but I'm sure they will have some.
We'll cook out, swim, etc. on Monday, but since I won't be camping, I'll be able to tell you in great detail Monday morning what we'll be doing, so I will not tack it onto the end of Weekend Happenings!
All in all, a fairly uncomplicated weekend. Almost boring in nature. (I kind of like that type of weekend... don't you?)
In honor of NOT going camping on Memorial Day Weekend, I will leave you with the Faulkner Five First Ever Camping Trip Story. If you have read it before, feel free to skip it... just this once!
Our First Camping Trip Ever!
We decided to bite the bullet and take our little family camping. Austin was five and Josh was three. Roxie was a toddling baby, so we decided to leave her at her grandparents' house. In my mind, if everything went well, she could start camping when she turned three. (Actually, I was hoping she was going to be a prissy little thing who didn't like camping, and on camping weekends while the guys were out and about, she and I would have manicures and shop and watch chick flicks, etc. That dream never came true (heavy, heavy sigh)... but that's another story.)
With another family who had boys our boys' ages, we planned our very first camping trip. Oak Mountain was our destination... only 35 short minutes from home. We planned a weekend in May (usually a mild month in Alabama). We borrowed the tent and gathered the rest of the equipment from different places.
We arrived at the campground mid-afternoon, picked out our spots and started (for the first time ever) to set up camp. The boys were thrilled. They had brought their box of dinosaurs (a camping must), other various toys and they had each other in the woods. They were happy.
Near our campsite was a large branch which was semi-broken and hanging from a tree almost touching the ground. Our guys were just the right weight NOT to break the branch, and it was like having a tire swing in our back door. They had a ball playing on the almost broken tree branch ALL weekend long.
While we were setting up camp, the three year-olds needed to use the bathroom, and rather than walking all the way to the bathhouse, the dads told them to do what all little boys love to do... skip the bathhouse and find a tree. Life was good.
After camp was set up, we all walked down to the lake to let the boys wade. We hadn't planned on swimming, and we hadn't really packed a lot of extra clothes... Plus, if your three year-old swims that means mom has to be ready to swim. We, as the moms, had definitely not packed our swimsuits.
We were very specific in our instructions "to wade" and "not swim." We even went so far as to explain, "Do not put your head in the water. Do not let the water get above your knees. Do you understand?" There was a lot of nodding going on.
And then, Joshua's partner in crime at the time, smiled the smile three year-old boys smile right before they... go completely under the water... in front of the parents who had just told him "Do not put your head in the water!" He came out the water, and flashed another sweet smile.
We've all been there. You tell your child not to do something, and they decide to disobey you then and there... and smile at you. He was quickly punished, and we were on our way to the campsite. We had handed all the boys water bottles. "Drink it all. Do not pour it out. Do not waste the water." And then, Joshua's partner in crime at the time, smiled the smile three year-old boys smile right before they... pour the water out of the water bottle onto the street.
Sputtering, the dad of this particular three year-old uttered the punishment then and there.
"NO WATER OR DRINKS FOR YOU THE REST OF THE TRIP!"
Don't get self-righteous on me. We've all done the same thing before. I've told my kids they could never go outside again; never have ice cream again; never watch TV again; never... well, you get the picture. Parenting is hard on the best day... and three year-old boys... WHEW!
"What are we going to do?" I asked the other mom as we walked back to camp. "He'll be dehydrated if he doesn't get to drink until we leave tomorrow."
"I know. I know," she replied. I could see the wheels turning, and she walked up to her husband and whispering began.
"We've figured it out," she said as she dropped back to walk beside me.
"What are you going to do?" I asked.
"We're going to give him mercy," she replied.
"Oh. Yeah, that will work," I said. Actually, I didn't know what in the world she was talking about.
When we got back to the campsite, Dad and mischievous three year-old boy went to a picnic table to sit down and talk. A few minutes later, hugs were exchanged and the the little boy came up to me. "May I have a drink, please?" he asked.
"Well, what did Mom and Dad say?"
"They said it was okay. I got mercy," he said simply... and I handed him a bottled water.
Mom and Dad had turned the whole incident into a devotion. Every day we do things we are not supposed to do, and this does not please God. But God has mercy on all of us, sinners that we are, and forgives us when we ask. This little guy had asked for forgiveness and, in return, had received mercy (a/k/a bottled water).
Of course, just like all of us (adults, too), mercy isn't given just once and that's it. We need it time and time again as we go through our daily lives. What a great lesson.
And by the way, the three year-olds ALMOST made it to bedtime before mercy had to be bestowed upon them yet again.
Our first camping trip was short, memorable and it went well enough we were hooked.
Have an exceptionally great Memorial Day Weekend. Enjoy family, friends and SUMMER! During the next couple of weeks, we'll be concentrating on summertime activities, as well as Father's Day tips and treats. Our Special Guest will be making her appearance on A Simple Life Tuesday, June 1. And, of course, there will be pics galore... mostly of wet people as we start visiting our local pool regularly.
Take care, and I'll talk to you Monday.
Sincerely,
The Enchanting Belinda
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Civil War Date
Good Thursday morning!
I have a few leftover graduation pictures in the Gallery today. Too many to post in one day!
RANDOMNESS #1 - I have a new favorite thing. If you have a chance, buy a bottle of Trop-A-Rocka Diet Snapple today. It's fruity, refreshing and it does NOT taste like a diet drink. (And I've become an expert on what does and does not taste like a diet drink!) I highly recommend it!
RANDOMNESS #2 - I'm going to be collecting some of your homemade ice cream recipes between now and next Friday, June 4. If you have a favorite, leave your recipe in the Comment Section, Facebook or e-mail. It's time to get the freezer and the rock salt out, and I'm interested to see what your favorite recipe might be!
SPECIAL GUEST HINTS - It's that time again! Our June Special Guest will make an appearance next Tuesday, June 1. As always, here a couple of hints to keep you guessing.
1. I am the daughter of a retired firefighter.
2. As a teenager, one of my jobs was "birthday host" at Showbiz Pizza Place. I had to wear the giant mouse costume!
Hmmm. Interesting. To know her now, that job would NEVER pop into your head. Way too germy for this chick.
I'll have a few more clues tomorrow and Monday, so be sure to let me know who you think it might be!
Blog Linkage - I have three excellent links today. No surprises, but excellent just the same.
1. Click on Sherri's Blog under My Blog List. Today would have been Bronner's fifth birthday, and Sherri's family has put together a very sweet video clip of his life.
2. Go to Confessions of a Pioneer Woman, but instead of clicking on Confessions at the top of her page, go to Tasty Kitchen. This is part of Ree's blog, but it is a place to find great new recipes and share old ones if you are so inclined. To learn how it works. click on About and you'll get the low-down on how to navigate this part of her blog.
3. Also, if you want more of Ree's fun commentary on other subjects other than the farm, click on Home and Garden at the top of her blog page. Since she has been on so many book tours recently, she takes you room to room in some very neat hotels she has visited. It's a quick, fun and interesting read.
Civil War Date
Having three "history" buffs in the Faulkner Five, this would be a GREAT date for us. You'll have to decide if you and yours would enjoy it, too. I copied the info from The Bargain Mom's blog.
The annual Memorial Day weekend Civil War Reenactment at Tannehill State Park is Saturday and Sunday.
Admission is $3 at the gate for adults and $1 for kids 12 and under.
Tannehill and the Alabama State Militia Artillery will host the 12th annual Civil War Battle and Living History Reenactment. The event features more than 500 reenactors. The camps open at 9:00 a.m. and the battles start at 2:00 p.m.
There will also be live Civil War music from the 5th Alabama Regimental Band. (A little bonus. I don't know what Civil War music is, but it would be interesting to find out, wouldn't it?)
For more information, go to www.tannehill.org or call (205) 477-5711.
Bonus, Bonus, Bonus
I've mentioned it before on A Simple Life, but it's worth mentioning one more time. The Alabama Jubilee Hot Air Balloon Festival will be held in Decatur May 29 and May 30. This is a great festival. (We've been twice on a Family Date.)
If you are looking for something completely cool to do this Memorial Day Weekend, then you'll want to head north to Decatur to Point Mallard Park. This weekend is the 33rd Annual Hot Air Balloon Festival.
Some of the activities include:
Balloon competitions
Fireworks
Classic car show
Tractor shows
Arts and crafts
You can even take a tethered ride in one of these amazing modes of transportation for FREE.
For more information, go to www.alabamajubilee.net.
Have a terrific Thursday. It's Graduation Night in this neck of the woods. (My nephew goes to a different school, so their graduation was a little early.) It's very exciting... and I'm relieved I don't have another one graduating tonight. It would be just too emotional for me, I'm afraid. And thus, you, the reader of A Simple Life, would be the one to suffer. Be glad. Be very glad!
Friday I'll share some Weekend Happenings, a few more clues and some Randomness. Nothing major. Pretty minor, actually.
Take care, and I'll talk to you tomorrow.
Sincerely,
The Enchanting Belinda
I have a few leftover graduation pictures in the Gallery today. Too many to post in one day!
RANDOMNESS #1 - I have a new favorite thing. If you have a chance, buy a bottle of Trop-A-Rocka Diet Snapple today. It's fruity, refreshing and it does NOT taste like a diet drink. (And I've become an expert on what does and does not taste like a diet drink!) I highly recommend it!
RANDOMNESS #2 - I'm going to be collecting some of your homemade ice cream recipes between now and next Friday, June 4. If you have a favorite, leave your recipe in the Comment Section, Facebook or e-mail. It's time to get the freezer and the rock salt out, and I'm interested to see what your favorite recipe might be!
SPECIAL GUEST HINTS - It's that time again! Our June Special Guest will make an appearance next Tuesday, June 1. As always, here a couple of hints to keep you guessing.
1. I am the daughter of a retired firefighter.
2. As a teenager, one of my jobs was "birthday host" at Showbiz Pizza Place. I had to wear the giant mouse costume!
Hmmm. Interesting. To know her now, that job would NEVER pop into your head. Way too germy for this chick.
I'll have a few more clues tomorrow and Monday, so be sure to let me know who you think it might be!
Blog Linkage - I have three excellent links today. No surprises, but excellent just the same.
1. Click on Sherri's Blog under My Blog List. Today would have been Bronner's fifth birthday, and Sherri's family has put together a very sweet video clip of his life.
2. Go to Confessions of a Pioneer Woman, but instead of clicking on Confessions at the top of her page, go to Tasty Kitchen. This is part of Ree's blog, but it is a place to find great new recipes and share old ones if you are so inclined. To learn how it works. click on About and you'll get the low-down on how to navigate this part of her blog.
3. Also, if you want more of Ree's fun commentary on other subjects other than the farm, click on Home and Garden at the top of her blog page. Since she has been on so many book tours recently, she takes you room to room in some very neat hotels she has visited. It's a quick, fun and interesting read.
Civil War Date
Having three "history" buffs in the Faulkner Five, this would be a GREAT date for us. You'll have to decide if you and yours would enjoy it, too. I copied the info from The Bargain Mom's blog.
The annual Memorial Day weekend Civil War Reenactment at Tannehill State Park is Saturday and Sunday.
Admission is $3 at the gate for adults and $1 for kids 12 and under.
Tannehill and the Alabama State Militia Artillery will host the 12th annual Civil War Battle and Living History Reenactment. The event features more than 500 reenactors. The camps open at 9:00 a.m. and the battles start at 2:00 p.m.
There will also be live Civil War music from the 5th Alabama Regimental Band. (A little bonus. I don't know what Civil War music is, but it would be interesting to find out, wouldn't it?)
For more information, go to www.tannehill.org or call (205) 477-5711.
Bonus, Bonus, Bonus
I've mentioned it before on A Simple Life, but it's worth mentioning one more time. The Alabama Jubilee Hot Air Balloon Festival will be held in Decatur May 29 and May 30. This is a great festival. (We've been twice on a Family Date.)
If you are looking for something completely cool to do this Memorial Day Weekend, then you'll want to head north to Decatur to Point Mallard Park. This weekend is the 33rd Annual Hot Air Balloon Festival.
Some of the activities include:
Balloon competitions
Fireworks
Classic car show
Tractor shows
Arts and crafts
You can even take a tethered ride in one of these amazing modes of transportation for FREE.
For more information, go to www.alabamajubilee.net.
Have a terrific Thursday. It's Graduation Night in this neck of the woods. (My nephew goes to a different school, so their graduation was a little early.) It's very exciting... and I'm relieved I don't have another one graduating tonight. It would be just too emotional for me, I'm afraid. And thus, you, the reader of A Simple Life, would be the one to suffer. Be glad. Be very glad!
Friday I'll share some Weekend Happenings, a few more clues and some Randomness. Nothing major. Pretty minor, actually.
Take care, and I'll talk to you tomorrow.
Sincerely,
The Enchanting Belinda
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Summer Reading
Good Wednesday morning!
I love me some Pomp and Circumstance... when it isn't my own personal baby! It was easy to just feel very proud of my nephew, Brad. I thoroughly enjoyed watching him reach this milestone in his young life. It's a very exciting time. Thus, the Gallery Pics are dedicated to Brad and family. Because we were in the upper, upper level of The Alabama Theater during graduation, there are no digital pics of the actual ceremony, but plenty of before and after.
NOTE TO KIM - Check out Project 365 this evening after 7:00 p.m. I am in the process of looking for a bandanna!
RANDOMNESS - I LOVE The Alabama Theater. It is so grand and so beautiful. I have many wonderful memories associated with this theater. When I was a little girl, it was the theater we would visit ONCE a summer to see the latest offering of Walt Disney. I vividly remember coming out into the bright sunlight and seeing Herbie, the Love Bug sitting on the sidewalk in front of the theater. I was thrilled. It was like seeing a real celebrity. (I wish I had a picture!)
I watched Gone With the Wind and Casablanca with Mikie and friends during my single days at Shades, and loved listening to the organ and watching classics on that big screen.
I saw the play Charlotte's Web on the stage with Roxie's school class, and once again cried when Charlotte died, and clapped with the little ones when the theater filled with bubbles and twinkly lights to symbolize Charlotte's babies floating away. Beautiful!
Mike surprised me and the kids one Christmas season, and we sat in the red fabric seats and watched a Christmas classic. So much fun!
And I took Austin to The Alabama Theater on a date to see Blue Hawaii starring Elvis Presley when he was nine... because to truly understand his mother, he had to understand why she loved Elvis.
And last night I watched Bradley graduate on the stage of The Alabama Theater. Wonderful, sweet memories.
In honor of this old theater, I would like to share my Blue Hawaii story once again (if you'll allow).
Blue Hawaii
One of the main reasons I wanted to visit Memphis several years ago was to see Graceland. I was, and am, a huge Elvis fan. At age 14, I was in attendance at his last concert in Birmingham before he passed away the next year. Growing up, I watched every "Elvis" movie ever made with my cousin, Becky. He was "it."
When Austin was nine years-old, the old Alabama Theater had an Elvis Movie Marathon, and on Sunday afternoon, I took Austin to see Blue Hawaii. The old theater had been redone and it was so beautiful. It was fun sharing something that had been so important to me growing up. They even had an Elvis impersonator there to perform before the movie. (He was great, by the way.)
Austin and I walked into the theater and went to get popcorn and a drink. We walked up to a counter and there were beautiful turquoise drinks in huge, fun glasses sitting on the counter top. Austin slapped his hand down and said, "I'll have one of those, please."
The person behind the counter said, "You can't have one, son, but your mother certainly can."
I wasn't really paying attention, so I said, "Sure. I'll have one. What are they called?"
"Blue Hawaii," was the reply.
"Cute," I said. I did not hesitate ordering one because I thought the only reason they didn't want a nine year-old boy having one was the threat of spilling the bright blue drink all over The Alabama Theater. I totally understood that. "Give me two straws, please," I requested.
"Why?" the person asked.
"So we don't have to share a straw," I pointed out. That was an odd question.
"Ma'am, this is an alcoholic drink. You can't let your child drink this."
Wow. It never occurred to me The Alabama Theater would serve alcoholic drinks on a Sunday at an Elvis movie. Wow, again. "Two Cokes, please," I said.
Austin, of course, had taken all this in. "You would have let me get drunk. You were going to give me alcohol. Alcohol is a drug, you know." Thank you, D.A.R.E. Program.
"Austin, it was a mistake... and if you ever tell anyone (and I mean anyone), that will be an even bigger mistake. Do you understand?"
He nodded and we headed to our seats. Close call. I've had several of those, but hopefully this will serve as a warning to all of you out there... I've asked around and most turquoise colored drinks do, in fact, have alcohol in them. Just saying.
Wednesday Wisdom - If you listen to one of the three commencement addresses given at any graduation ceremony, there is a good chance you'll hear the word "dream." I decided to dedicate Wednesday Wisdom to this word, and I was pleasantly surprised at many of the quotes I found. There were too many to share them all, but I picked a few good ones, I think.
“Dream as if you'll live forever, live as if you'll die today." James Dean.
"Be careful what you wear to bed at night. You never know who you'll meet in your dreams." Anonymous. (I rarely have dreams where I'm actually wearing my PJs, but to each his own.)
"You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream." C.S. Lewis. (I think this might be what keeps some people "young at heart.")
"Staying up all night is a waste of sleeping, and a waste of sleeping is a waste of dreaming, and dreaming is important because the more dreams you have, the better chance you have of one coming true." (I knew there was a reason I've ALWAYS required 8 to 10 hours sleep!)
"You know you're in love when you can't fall asleep because reality is finally better than your dreams." Dr. Seuss. (Dr. Suess was brilliant, I tell you!)
Summer Reading
As soon as Austin was old enough, I would sign up for the Summer Reading Program at our local library. It was (and is) wonderful. Of course, the kiddos are too old to be registered in the program now, but the habit was formed, and summer is the season of "enjoyable" reading.
The Summer Reading Programs are wonderful. After the children sign up, they are given a large cut-out (which represents the "theme" for the program) to put on a huge bulletin board. Each week, after they "check in" and have the books they have read recorded, they put stickers on their cut-out showing the world their reading accomplishments. Small tokens are given to the children who reach certain goals.
The end-of-the-season party is also another perk. (You don't have to host and clean your home top to bottom. You just have to attend!)
If haven't tried this before, RUN (do not walk) to your nearest library and sign up today. You'll be glad you did.
VARIATION #1 - If you're going on a long road trip, add a really good book tape the whole family will enjoy to your "in-car" activities. Depending on the length of the trip, you might have time for two books.
VARIATION #2 - Since there is NOTHING on TV during the summer, tell everyone to put on their PJs and meet in the den with pillows. Get comfortable and take a little time each night that week to listen to a classic!
VARIATION #3 - Add your own prize if your kids meet their reading goal this summer. Take them to The Cheesecake Factory (for dessert) or Yogurt Mountain.
VARIATION #4 - Usually the Summer Reading Program ends a week or so before school begins, so there is still plenty of reading time left. You can extend their goals.
Roxie is looking forward to reading two different series of books at her leisure over the next few weeks. Austin has a list, too, and Josh is searching for the next great book.
Reading is never a waste of time. Depending on the reading material, it is always time well spent!
Have a wonderful Wednesday. Take some time and make a phone call to a friend or family member you haven't talked to in a while. Catching up is always fun. Thursday's date is fun, too, so you'll need to visit again. I also have a little Blog Linkage to share, and I'll give you a hint... it has to do with food. Good food!
Take care, and I'll talk to you tomorrow.
Sincerely,
The Enchanting Belinda
I love me some Pomp and Circumstance... when it isn't my own personal baby! It was easy to just feel very proud of my nephew, Brad. I thoroughly enjoyed watching him reach this milestone in his young life. It's a very exciting time. Thus, the Gallery Pics are dedicated to Brad and family. Because we were in the upper, upper level of The Alabama Theater during graduation, there are no digital pics of the actual ceremony, but plenty of before and after.
NOTE TO KIM - Check out Project 365 this evening after 7:00 p.m. I am in the process of looking for a bandanna!
RANDOMNESS - I LOVE The Alabama Theater. It is so grand and so beautiful. I have many wonderful memories associated with this theater. When I was a little girl, it was the theater we would visit ONCE a summer to see the latest offering of Walt Disney. I vividly remember coming out into the bright sunlight and seeing Herbie, the Love Bug sitting on the sidewalk in front of the theater. I was thrilled. It was like seeing a real celebrity. (I wish I had a picture!)
I watched Gone With the Wind and Casablanca with Mikie and friends during my single days at Shades, and loved listening to the organ and watching classics on that big screen.
I saw the play Charlotte's Web on the stage with Roxie's school class, and once again cried when Charlotte died, and clapped with the little ones when the theater filled with bubbles and twinkly lights to symbolize Charlotte's babies floating away. Beautiful!
Mike surprised me and the kids one Christmas season, and we sat in the red fabric seats and watched a Christmas classic. So much fun!
And I took Austin to The Alabama Theater on a date to see Blue Hawaii starring Elvis Presley when he was nine... because to truly understand his mother, he had to understand why she loved Elvis.
And last night I watched Bradley graduate on the stage of The Alabama Theater. Wonderful, sweet memories.
In honor of this old theater, I would like to share my Blue Hawaii story once again (if you'll allow).
Blue Hawaii
One of the main reasons I wanted to visit Memphis several years ago was to see Graceland. I was, and am, a huge Elvis fan. At age 14, I was in attendance at his last concert in Birmingham before he passed away the next year. Growing up, I watched every "Elvis" movie ever made with my cousin, Becky. He was "it."
When Austin was nine years-old, the old Alabama Theater had an Elvis Movie Marathon, and on Sunday afternoon, I took Austin to see Blue Hawaii. The old theater had been redone and it was so beautiful. It was fun sharing something that had been so important to me growing up. They even had an Elvis impersonator there to perform before the movie. (He was great, by the way.)
Austin and I walked into the theater and went to get popcorn and a drink. We walked up to a counter and there were beautiful turquoise drinks in huge, fun glasses sitting on the counter top. Austin slapped his hand down and said, "I'll have one of those, please."
The person behind the counter said, "You can't have one, son, but your mother certainly can."
I wasn't really paying attention, so I said, "Sure. I'll have one. What are they called?"
"Blue Hawaii," was the reply.
"Cute," I said. I did not hesitate ordering one because I thought the only reason they didn't want a nine year-old boy having one was the threat of spilling the bright blue drink all over The Alabama Theater. I totally understood that. "Give me two straws, please," I requested.
"Why?" the person asked.
"So we don't have to share a straw," I pointed out. That was an odd question.
"Ma'am, this is an alcoholic drink. You can't let your child drink this."
Wow. It never occurred to me The Alabama Theater would serve alcoholic drinks on a Sunday at an Elvis movie. Wow, again. "Two Cokes, please," I said.
Austin, of course, had taken all this in. "You would have let me get drunk. You were going to give me alcohol. Alcohol is a drug, you know." Thank you, D.A.R.E. Program.
"Austin, it was a mistake... and if you ever tell anyone (and I mean anyone), that will be an even bigger mistake. Do you understand?"
He nodded and we headed to our seats. Close call. I've had several of those, but hopefully this will serve as a warning to all of you out there... I've asked around and most turquoise colored drinks do, in fact, have alcohol in them. Just saying.
Wednesday Wisdom - If you listen to one of the three commencement addresses given at any graduation ceremony, there is a good chance you'll hear the word "dream." I decided to dedicate Wednesday Wisdom to this word, and I was pleasantly surprised at many of the quotes I found. There were too many to share them all, but I picked a few good ones, I think.
“Dream as if you'll live forever, live as if you'll die today." James Dean.
"Be careful what you wear to bed at night. You never know who you'll meet in your dreams." Anonymous. (I rarely have dreams where I'm actually wearing my PJs, but to each his own.)
"You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream." C.S. Lewis. (I think this might be what keeps some people "young at heart.")
"Staying up all night is a waste of sleeping, and a waste of sleeping is a waste of dreaming, and dreaming is important because the more dreams you have, the better chance you have of one coming true." (I knew there was a reason I've ALWAYS required 8 to 10 hours sleep!)
"You know you're in love when you can't fall asleep because reality is finally better than your dreams." Dr. Seuss. (Dr. Suess was brilliant, I tell you!)
Summer Reading
As soon as Austin was old enough, I would sign up for the Summer Reading Program at our local library. It was (and is) wonderful. Of course, the kiddos are too old to be registered in the program now, but the habit was formed, and summer is the season of "enjoyable" reading.
The Summer Reading Programs are wonderful. After the children sign up, they are given a large cut-out (which represents the "theme" for the program) to put on a huge bulletin board. Each week, after they "check in" and have the books they have read recorded, they put stickers on their cut-out showing the world their reading accomplishments. Small tokens are given to the children who reach certain goals.
The end-of-the-season party is also another perk. (You don't have to host and clean your home top to bottom. You just have to attend!)
If haven't tried this before, RUN (do not walk) to your nearest library and sign up today. You'll be glad you did.
VARIATION #1 - If you're going on a long road trip, add a really good book tape the whole family will enjoy to your "in-car" activities. Depending on the length of the trip, you might have time for two books.
VARIATION #2 - Since there is NOTHING on TV during the summer, tell everyone to put on their PJs and meet in the den with pillows. Get comfortable and take a little time each night that week to listen to a classic!
VARIATION #3 - Add your own prize if your kids meet their reading goal this summer. Take them to The Cheesecake Factory (for dessert) or Yogurt Mountain.
VARIATION #4 - Usually the Summer Reading Program ends a week or so before school begins, so there is still plenty of reading time left. You can extend their goals.
Roxie is looking forward to reading two different series of books at her leisure over the next few weeks. Austin has a list, too, and Josh is searching for the next great book.
Reading is never a waste of time. Depending on the reading material, it is always time well spent!
Have a wonderful Wednesday. Take some time and make a phone call to a friend or family member you haven't talked to in a while. Catching up is always fun. Thursday's date is fun, too, so you'll need to visit again. I also have a little Blog Linkage to share, and I'll give you a hint... it has to do with food. Good food!
Take care, and I'll talk to you tomorrow.
Sincerely,
The Enchanting Belinda
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Refreshing Kid-Friendly Summer Drinks
Good Tuesday morning!
The Gallery Pics are from our first FREE bowling trip of the summer. Of course, Katie and Josh no longer qualify for the FREE part since they are now 16, but Roxie and Zac are still footloose and fancy FREE! We had a good day, but we definitely need a little work in the strike/spare department.
NOTE - Don't forget to register for the "How To" Birthday Party Classes (if you're interested), or tell a friend. See yesterday's post for details.
RANDOMNESS #1 - I did not like the LOST finale. I'm sorry. I did NOT. And that's all I have to say about that!
RANDOMNESS #2 - I did not mind the 24 finale. I can definitely see how the story line will go straight to a big screen movie... and I can definitely see me paying $13 (by the time they release it) to see Jack again. I'm glad he finally came to his senses, although it was too little, too late. And that's all I have to say about that!
RANDOMNESS #3 - Tonight we will head to the Alabama Theater to see Brad, my nephew, graduate from high school. The "big events" in our lives are coming fast and furious now. I've decided to categorized my life into decades. (Are you even surprised?)
From 20 to 29, it was definitely "becoming Belinda" time. I thoroughly enjoyed the majority of my 20s. I was working in a job I enjoyed. I was going to church at Shades Mountain Baptist and had made friends I would love the rest of my life. I traveled a little. I met Mikie. I married Mikie. We moved away from all of the above when I was 27 and two of those years were EXTREMELY difficult (to put it mildly), but then I had Austin at 29, and that eased some of that pain. All in all, it was a good decade.
I refer to the 30 to 39 years as my Let's Have a Family Decade. I thoroughly enjoyed ALL of that decade! Babies, babies and more babies. Roxie came the month after I turned 35. Mikie and I moved to Gardendale. We made new friends, and my life was a blur of play dates, preschool, elementary school, skating, camping, biking... kids, kids, kids. It was a fantastic decade.
Turning 40 was not pleasant, but I decided not to dwell on it very long. My years from 40 to 48 (present time) have been very tumultuous... very difficult... very eye-opening. I now walk with "grief" on a daily basis on several levels. I have experienced the overwhelming grief of losing one of the people I loved most in my life... the grief of losing the "normal" of my life... the grief of having a chronically ill child... the grief experienced while going through the beginning stages of the "empty nest syndrome." I can honestly say, I have NOT enjoyed my 40s as much as my 20s and 30s. However, there has been some growth, and looking back Mike and I are able to see God's hand on so many things which have happened during this past decade.
Our family unit is very tight. (Because I actually wrote that, today you will see Roxie, Josh and Austin in a huge fist fight in public, I am sure. Roxie will be the one winning the fight!)
Mike and I are more committed to each other and our family than ever before. The "world's" statistics say the divorce rate increases from 50 percent to 70 to 80 percent when you have a child with Josh's particular illness. Mike and I turned to each other, and not away... and I give God the credit for all of that. (Because I actually wrote the following, today you will quite possibly see me and Mikie in a huge screaming match in the Wal-Mart parking lot. I will be the one winning the fight!)
And because we literally had no one else to turn to, we did what we had been taught from childhood until present... we turned to God. We had absolutely no idea what to do or where to go, you see. And when we did that, He guided our path... to the right doctors... to the right books... to each other.
And while I walk with grief in some form each and every day (it doesn't just go away after three weeks or so, you know), this has been an important decade for me. It has been illuminating.
"Gee, Belinda. You weren't this melancholy when Austin graduated last year. All of this because Brad is getting his diploma tonight?" (This is me having an imaginary conversation in my head again.)
Nope. I'm not melancholy. I'm just realizing what the remainder of my 40s will probably be and what my 50s most certainly will become. I imagine my 50s will be known as the Decade of Milestones. Graduations (many, many graduations), weddings, babies (not mine) and more showers than I can count! Not just for my guys, but for all the children I've watched grow up over the years. It will be amazing, I imagine.
I'm also thinking it may be the Decade When Gravity Finally Wins... but I'm still going to put up a mighty fight! (I've started a plastic surgery envelope, you know!)
Refreshing Kid-Friendly Summer Drinks
All of these are recipes from my FAVORITE magazine, Family Fun. I was on a smoothie kick last summer, but I'm going to give all of these a try this hot, humid summer. They just sound healthy, don't they?
Perfect Fruit Punch
You will need the following:
2 cups cranberry juice
1 cup pineapple juice
1 cup orange juice
1/4 cup grenadine syrup
1/4 cup lime juice
1 lemon, cut into thin slices
1 lime, cut into thin slices
3 1/2 cups club soda, chilled
1. Mix the juices and syrup in a large pitcher. Chill for at least an hour to allow the flavors to blend.
2. Right before serving, add the lemon and lime slices and the club soda. Pour over ice. Makes 8 cups.
Purple Passion
You will need the following:
1 cup blackberries, plus a few for garnish
1 ice cube
2/3 cup milk, plus more if needed
1/4 cup sugar
1 or 2 drops vanilla extract
Vanilla ice cream or vanilla frozen yogurt
Plain or lemon-flavored seltzer (optional)
1. Chill the berries on a plate in the freezer until firm (not frozen solid) for about 35 minutes.
2. In a blender, puree the chilled berries with the ice cube and milk. Strain the mixture into a bowl to remove the seeds. Rinse the blender and pour the mixture back in.
3. Add the sugar, the vanilla extract, and 3 to 4 big scoops of ice cream or frozen yogurt. Blend the mixture until smooth, adding more milk if it's too thick.
4. Divide the shake among three chilled glasses. If you like, stir a few tablespoons of seltzer into each for a little fizz.
5. Garnish the tops with whole berries and serve. Makes three 8-ounce servings.
Lemon Juice Juleps
You will need the following:
2 cups cold water
2/3 cup fresh lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
1/3 cup sugar
4 rinsed mint sprigs
1 quart ginger ale
1. Combine the water, lemon juice, sugar and mint sprigs in a medium glass bowl. Let the mixture set for 30 minutes.
2. Strain the liquid into a serving pitcher and pour in the ginger ale.
3. Serve over ice in tall glasses. Makes about 8 servings.
I'm trying the Lemon Juice Juleps this week. It not only sounds tasty, but very Southern, too. I'm on a big Southern kick lately! I shall drink this wearing a huge hat sitting under my magnolia tree, I think.
Have a great Tuesday. Wednesday's post will be full of Wisdom (not mine), a Seasonal Tradition and a little more Randomness. Oh, and tons of Brad pics from graduation!
Take care, and I'll talk to you tomorrow.
Sincerely,
The Enchanting Belinda
The Gallery Pics are from our first FREE bowling trip of the summer. Of course, Katie and Josh no longer qualify for the FREE part since they are now 16, but Roxie and Zac are still footloose and fancy FREE! We had a good day, but we definitely need a little work in the strike/spare department.
NOTE - Don't forget to register for the "How To" Birthday Party Classes (if you're interested), or tell a friend. See yesterday's post for details.
RANDOMNESS #1 - I did not like the LOST finale. I'm sorry. I did NOT. And that's all I have to say about that!
RANDOMNESS #2 - I did not mind the 24 finale. I can definitely see how the story line will go straight to a big screen movie... and I can definitely see me paying $13 (by the time they release it) to see Jack again. I'm glad he finally came to his senses, although it was too little, too late. And that's all I have to say about that!
RANDOMNESS #3 - Tonight we will head to the Alabama Theater to see Brad, my nephew, graduate from high school. The "big events" in our lives are coming fast and furious now. I've decided to categorized my life into decades. (Are you even surprised?)
From 20 to 29, it was definitely "becoming Belinda" time. I thoroughly enjoyed the majority of my 20s. I was working in a job I enjoyed. I was going to church at Shades Mountain Baptist and had made friends I would love the rest of my life. I traveled a little. I met Mikie. I married Mikie. We moved away from all of the above when I was 27 and two of those years were EXTREMELY difficult (to put it mildly), but then I had Austin at 29, and that eased some of that pain. All in all, it was a good decade.
I refer to the 30 to 39 years as my Let's Have a Family Decade. I thoroughly enjoyed ALL of that decade! Babies, babies and more babies. Roxie came the month after I turned 35. Mikie and I moved to Gardendale. We made new friends, and my life was a blur of play dates, preschool, elementary school, skating, camping, biking... kids, kids, kids. It was a fantastic decade.
Turning 40 was not pleasant, but I decided not to dwell on it very long. My years from 40 to 48 (present time) have been very tumultuous... very difficult... very eye-opening. I now walk with "grief" on a daily basis on several levels. I have experienced the overwhelming grief of losing one of the people I loved most in my life... the grief of losing the "normal" of my life... the grief of having a chronically ill child... the grief experienced while going through the beginning stages of the "empty nest syndrome." I can honestly say, I have NOT enjoyed my 40s as much as my 20s and 30s. However, there has been some growth, and looking back Mike and I are able to see God's hand on so many things which have happened during this past decade.
Our family unit is very tight. (Because I actually wrote that, today you will see Roxie, Josh and Austin in a huge fist fight in public, I am sure. Roxie will be the one winning the fight!)
Mike and I are more committed to each other and our family than ever before. The "world's" statistics say the divorce rate increases from 50 percent to 70 to 80 percent when you have a child with Josh's particular illness. Mike and I turned to each other, and not away... and I give God the credit for all of that. (Because I actually wrote the following, today you will quite possibly see me and Mikie in a huge screaming match in the Wal-Mart parking lot. I will be the one winning the fight!)
And because we literally had no one else to turn to, we did what we had been taught from childhood until present... we turned to God. We had absolutely no idea what to do or where to go, you see. And when we did that, He guided our path... to the right doctors... to the right books... to each other.
And while I walk with grief in some form each and every day (it doesn't just go away after three weeks or so, you know), this has been an important decade for me. It has been illuminating.
"Gee, Belinda. You weren't this melancholy when Austin graduated last year. All of this because Brad is getting his diploma tonight?" (This is me having an imaginary conversation in my head again.)
Nope. I'm not melancholy. I'm just realizing what the remainder of my 40s will probably be and what my 50s most certainly will become. I imagine my 50s will be known as the Decade of Milestones. Graduations (many, many graduations), weddings, babies (not mine) and more showers than I can count! Not just for my guys, but for all the children I've watched grow up over the years. It will be amazing, I imagine.
I'm also thinking it may be the Decade When Gravity Finally Wins... but I'm still going to put up a mighty fight! (I've started a plastic surgery envelope, you know!)
Refreshing Kid-Friendly Summer Drinks
All of these are recipes from my FAVORITE magazine, Family Fun. I was on a smoothie kick last summer, but I'm going to give all of these a try this hot, humid summer. They just sound healthy, don't they?
Perfect Fruit Punch
You will need the following:
2 cups cranberry juice
1 cup pineapple juice
1 cup orange juice
1/4 cup grenadine syrup
1/4 cup lime juice
1 lemon, cut into thin slices
1 lime, cut into thin slices
3 1/2 cups club soda, chilled
1. Mix the juices and syrup in a large pitcher. Chill for at least an hour to allow the flavors to blend.
2. Right before serving, add the lemon and lime slices and the club soda. Pour over ice. Makes 8 cups.
Purple Passion
You will need the following:
1 cup blackberries, plus a few for garnish
1 ice cube
2/3 cup milk, plus more if needed
1/4 cup sugar
1 or 2 drops vanilla extract
Vanilla ice cream or vanilla frozen yogurt
Plain or lemon-flavored seltzer (optional)
1. Chill the berries on a plate in the freezer until firm (not frozen solid) for about 35 minutes.
2. In a blender, puree the chilled berries with the ice cube and milk. Strain the mixture into a bowl to remove the seeds. Rinse the blender and pour the mixture back in.
3. Add the sugar, the vanilla extract, and 3 to 4 big scoops of ice cream or frozen yogurt. Blend the mixture until smooth, adding more milk if it's too thick.
4. Divide the shake among three chilled glasses. If you like, stir a few tablespoons of seltzer into each for a little fizz.
5. Garnish the tops with whole berries and serve. Makes three 8-ounce servings.
Lemon Juice Juleps
You will need the following:
2 cups cold water
2/3 cup fresh lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
1/3 cup sugar
4 rinsed mint sprigs
1 quart ginger ale
1. Combine the water, lemon juice, sugar and mint sprigs in a medium glass bowl. Let the mixture set for 30 minutes.
2. Strain the liquid into a serving pitcher and pour in the ginger ale.
3. Serve over ice in tall glasses. Makes about 8 servings.
I'm trying the Lemon Juice Juleps this week. It not only sounds tasty, but very Southern, too. I'm on a big Southern kick lately! I shall drink this wearing a huge hat sitting under my magnolia tree, I think.
Have a great Tuesday. Wednesday's post will be full of Wisdom (not mine), a Seasonal Tradition and a little more Randomness. Oh, and tons of Brad pics from graduation!
Take care, and I'll talk to you tomorrow.
Sincerely,
The Enchanting Belinda
Sunday, May 23, 2010
Treasure Hunt Devotion
Good Monday morning!
The Gallery Pics are plain and simple... trampoline jumping! But these photos were taken on a Sunday night... what was once a school night... but is now a SUMMER NIGHT! So we can jump on the trampoline, watch movies and stay up late KNOWING we don't have to get up early the next morning. Roxie, Katie and Zac are jumping for joy... literally.
NOTE - Don't let the length of this post throw you. Pick and choose what you want to read. It's much more doable that way!
MASSIVE RANDOMNESS - I've been brainstorming for a few weeks, and I want to try a little experiment.
I'm going to have a "How To" Birthday Party Class in my home Tuesday, June 8 from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. for mothers of young boys (ages 3 to 6). I will be teaching how to throw an INEXPENSIVE Purposeful Christ-Centered Birthday Party for your son. The party themes for this class will be a Pirate Birthday Party and a Super Hero Birthday Party.
I will also be having a class Tuesday, June 15 from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. for mothers of young girls (ages 3 to 6). The party themes for this class will be a Luau Birthday Party and a Princess Birthday Party.
Each class will cost $10. The $10 will cover the following:
A handout for two specific parties for boys/girls in this age category (3 to 6). Each handout will include a schedule, an arrival activity (a craft), three or more games, cake ideas, invitation ideas, a FUN devotion and an ending activity.
I will have two baked and iced cakes for each class, and I will show you how to quickly and simply decorate these cakes.
I will have supplies, and we will decorate an invitation for each party. (Your birthday child will be able to do this with you for his/her party.)
We (the MOTHERS) will actually play each game, make each craft and listen to each devotion.
I will have a fun door prize for one lucky attendee, as well as two bonus birthday party gift ideas you can use for ANY party your child attends. (Affordable, memorable and unique!)
Each birthday party lasts only 90 minutes (instead of two hours), and will be fun, organized and enjoyable (for the kids AND the parents).
The cost to throw these parties in your home is minimal (no more than $25 to $30... and it can be even less if you plan in advance).
I have had all of these parties in my home, and they were very successful.
If you are interested or you have a friend who is interested, please contact me to reserve a spot via the Comment Section, Facebook or e-mail. There are only 15 spots available per class.
Tuesday, June 8 (BOYS)
6:30 - 8:00
Pirate Birthday Party
Super Hero Birthday Party
Tuesday, June 15 (GIRLS)
6:30 - 8:00
Luau Birthday Party
Princess Birthday Party
If these classes are successful, I will be having the following classes in the near future:
Preschool:
Farmer Party (BOY)
Thomas the Train Party (BOY)
Little Mermaid Party (GIRL)
Dora the Explorer Party (GIRL)
Elementary:
Camping Party (BOY or GIRL)
Indian Party (BOY)
Fishing Party (BOY)
Dress-Up Party (GIRL)
Nancy Drew Mystery Party (GIRL)
Craft/Scrapbook Party (GIRL)
Pre-Teen:
Football Party (BOY)
Digital Scavenger Hunt Party (BOY or GIRL)
Weekend Review
Our weekend was very nice. Friday, Roxie and I started things off with a crop, so I started the weekend feeling creatively productive. I like that feeling.
Mike had big plans for Saturday. Lots and lots of work was going to be done. He was going to totally catch up. But then several car opportunities arose for Josh's replacement vehicle, so he and Josh spent Saturday and Sunday looking at cars. They had a good time doing so, and I might use it as a date idea in the future. The teenager definitely stays interested, and we're talking HOURS of one-on-one time. It ended up being a good weekend for the two of them.
Austin had to work Saturday evening and Roxie had plans, too. I fully expected to cook a small dinner for me, Mikie and Josh, but Josh remembered a party he had been invited to Saturday afternoon. That meant no kids for at least three hours! Automatic date night! We were thrown off guard, so creativity and originality went out the window and we did the "Dinner and a Movie" thing.
Since Josh was driving Mike's car and Austin was at work, the Big Gold Van was our transportation option. Do not ask me why, but I picked up my keys and then inexplicably put them down on the table. We walked out the door. Mike asked for my keys. I told him they were on the table. And then we realized we were locked out.
A month or so ago, it wouldn't have mattered because our broken garage doors made access into our home super easy... for us, criminals and varmints. Now, not so much.
Our solution... A nice neighbor loaned us her car for five minutes and we drove to Austin's place of employment to beg for house keys. The joy he receives from catching me in a situation I've warned him about (over and over and over again) is very annoying... but I was going on a date and he had to work. HA! Who won that one?
Easy, breezy... We ate at Hamburger Heaven and rented Old Dogs from a box in our local grocery store. I MISS the Movie Gallery. I MISS asking my movie guy what he thought of this or that movie. I MISS the huge selection. I HATE asking the people who work at the grocery store if they have seen this movie or that movie. It feels weird. That being said... I love Old Dogs. It's predictable and a little corny, but that's how I roll!
Mike, Austin, Josh and friends enjoyed Robin Hood last night. While it hurt my feelings a little they turned down my offer of a Merry Men Party and "Robin Hood" food (giant turkey legs and gruel), I took the opportunity to have Zac and Katie over as our first spend the night company of the season. It was a good weekend.
Treasure Hunt Devotion
This is the last of four devotions for your Backyard Bible Club. After last week's super simple devotion (Movie Devotion), this one takes a little prep, but it is worth it.
I prepared for this devotion about 30 minutes before the Club meeting was to begin.
1. You will need to divide the kids into two teams when they arrive.
2. BEFORE they arrive, cut out 8 red hearts using construction paper. Write one word on each heart. WHERE IS YOUR HEART? (You are making two sets of hearts... one for each team.)
3. Using popped popcorn, make a trail around the yard, across the street, to a neighbor's bush. Hang the first heart from the bush. The heart will have the word "WHERE" on the front. On the back of the heart, write the next clue. (For example... Miss Belinda uses this to drive her kids to school on most days.) The kids will run to the van where they will find their second heart hidden somewhere inside. The heart will have the word "IS" on the front and a new clue on the back.
4. While Team One is following their popcorn trail and clues and finding their set of hearts, Team Two is doing the exact same thing but going in different directions.
5. When the fourth heart has been found, there should be instructions directing the kids to the back deck, driveway or the spot you are holding your Club meetings. When both teams arrive holding their four hearts, have them sit down and put the hearts in order asking the questions "Where is your heart?"
6. Ask the kids the following questions: What is your favorite toy? Is it your X-Box? Is it your electric scooter? Is it your football? How important is this toy? If something happened to it and it was gone when you went home today, how would you feel?
After the kids have answered the questions, read Matthew 6:19-21. "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in Heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."
Ask the kids if they think their favorite toy is going to last forever and ever. (They should answer "no.") Explain the term "where moth and rust destroy." Every "thing" on this earth will someday NOT work any longer. Wheels on scooters wear out. X-Box gaming systems stop working. "Things" are not made to last forever, and if we love "things" more than God, what will happen when our "things" are gone? We will have to buy new "things" to replace the old.
But if we love God and His teachings more than "things," we will never have to replace Him. He will always be with us. He will always love us. And if we live for Him and tell others about Him, we will be "storing" or collecting treasures in Heaven which will never break or wear out. Those treasures are the truly important ones.
Is it wrong to enjoy our X-Box or scooter or football? No. Absolutely not!
Is it wrong to love our things more than God? Yes. Yes, it is.
End the devotion by telling the kids how they can do things which would please God. They can obey their parents. They can respect teachers and other adults in their lives. They can invite their friends to Sunday School and Vacation Bible School. They can read their Bibles or ask their parents to read it to them.
After each and every Backyard Bible Club, offer to stay behind to answer any questions about God or being a child of God. Be ready to answer the questions! You may lead a child to Christ that day. (You can go to your Children's Minister at your church and ask for a simple, age-appropriate guideline.)
Be sure and always invite the neighborhood kids to Sunday School, Vacation Bible School and any other activities your church has to offer. If you have three empty seats in your van, the rule of thumb is FILL 'EM UP!
Have a lovely Monday. It is definitely feeling like summertime in the South. Tuesday I have several great recipes for light summer"y" refreshment. Check in if you have a moment.
Take care, and I'll talk to you tomorrow.
Sincerely,
The Enchanting Belinda
The Gallery Pics are plain and simple... trampoline jumping! But these photos were taken on a Sunday night... what was once a school night... but is now a SUMMER NIGHT! So we can jump on the trampoline, watch movies and stay up late KNOWING we don't have to get up early the next morning. Roxie, Katie and Zac are jumping for joy... literally.
NOTE - Don't let the length of this post throw you. Pick and choose what you want to read. It's much more doable that way!
MASSIVE RANDOMNESS - I've been brainstorming for a few weeks, and I want to try a little experiment.
I'm going to have a "How To" Birthday Party Class in my home Tuesday, June 8 from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. for mothers of young boys (ages 3 to 6). I will be teaching how to throw an INEXPENSIVE Purposeful Christ-Centered Birthday Party for your son. The party themes for this class will be a Pirate Birthday Party and a Super Hero Birthday Party.
I will also be having a class Tuesday, June 15 from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. for mothers of young girls (ages 3 to 6). The party themes for this class will be a Luau Birthday Party and a Princess Birthday Party.
Each class will cost $10. The $10 will cover the following:
A handout for two specific parties for boys/girls in this age category (3 to 6). Each handout will include a schedule, an arrival activity (a craft), three or more games, cake ideas, invitation ideas, a FUN devotion and an ending activity.
I will have two baked and iced cakes for each class, and I will show you how to quickly and simply decorate these cakes.
I will have supplies, and we will decorate an invitation for each party. (Your birthday child will be able to do this with you for his/her party.)
We (the MOTHERS) will actually play each game, make each craft and listen to each devotion.
I will have a fun door prize for one lucky attendee, as well as two bonus birthday party gift ideas you can use for ANY party your child attends. (Affordable, memorable and unique!)
Each birthday party lasts only 90 minutes (instead of two hours), and will be fun, organized and enjoyable (for the kids AND the parents).
The cost to throw these parties in your home is minimal (no more than $25 to $30... and it can be even less if you plan in advance).
I have had all of these parties in my home, and they were very successful.
If you are interested or you have a friend who is interested, please contact me to reserve a spot via the Comment Section, Facebook or e-mail. There are only 15 spots available per class.
Tuesday, June 8 (BOYS)
6:30 - 8:00
Pirate Birthday Party
Super Hero Birthday Party
Tuesday, June 15 (GIRLS)
6:30 - 8:00
Luau Birthday Party
Princess Birthday Party
If these classes are successful, I will be having the following classes in the near future:
Preschool:
Farmer Party (BOY)
Thomas the Train Party (BOY)
Little Mermaid Party (GIRL)
Dora the Explorer Party (GIRL)
Elementary:
Camping Party (BOY or GIRL)
Indian Party (BOY)
Fishing Party (BOY)
Dress-Up Party (GIRL)
Nancy Drew Mystery Party (GIRL)
Craft/Scrapbook Party (GIRL)
Pre-Teen:
Football Party (BOY)
Digital Scavenger Hunt Party (BOY or GIRL)
Weekend Review
Our weekend was very nice. Friday, Roxie and I started things off with a crop, so I started the weekend feeling creatively productive. I like that feeling.
Mike had big plans for Saturday. Lots and lots of work was going to be done. He was going to totally catch up. But then several car opportunities arose for Josh's replacement vehicle, so he and Josh spent Saturday and Sunday looking at cars. They had a good time doing so, and I might use it as a date idea in the future. The teenager definitely stays interested, and we're talking HOURS of one-on-one time. It ended up being a good weekend for the two of them.
Austin had to work Saturday evening and Roxie had plans, too. I fully expected to cook a small dinner for me, Mikie and Josh, but Josh remembered a party he had been invited to Saturday afternoon. That meant no kids for at least three hours! Automatic date night! We were thrown off guard, so creativity and originality went out the window and we did the "Dinner and a Movie" thing.
Since Josh was driving Mike's car and Austin was at work, the Big Gold Van was our transportation option. Do not ask me why, but I picked up my keys and then inexplicably put them down on the table. We walked out the door. Mike asked for my keys. I told him they were on the table. And then we realized we were locked out.
A month or so ago, it wouldn't have mattered because our broken garage doors made access into our home super easy... for us, criminals and varmints. Now, not so much.
Our solution... A nice neighbor loaned us her car for five minutes and we drove to Austin's place of employment to beg for house keys. The joy he receives from catching me in a situation I've warned him about (over and over and over again) is very annoying... but I was going on a date and he had to work. HA! Who won that one?
Easy, breezy... We ate at Hamburger Heaven and rented Old Dogs from a box in our local grocery store. I MISS the Movie Gallery. I MISS asking my movie guy what he thought of this or that movie. I MISS the huge selection. I HATE asking the people who work at the grocery store if they have seen this movie or that movie. It feels weird. That being said... I love Old Dogs. It's predictable and a little corny, but that's how I roll!
Mike, Austin, Josh and friends enjoyed Robin Hood last night. While it hurt my feelings a little they turned down my offer of a Merry Men Party and "Robin Hood" food (giant turkey legs and gruel), I took the opportunity to have Zac and Katie over as our first spend the night company of the season. It was a good weekend.
Treasure Hunt Devotion
This is the last of four devotions for your Backyard Bible Club. After last week's super simple devotion (Movie Devotion), this one takes a little prep, but it is worth it.
I prepared for this devotion about 30 minutes before the Club meeting was to begin.
1. You will need to divide the kids into two teams when they arrive.
2. BEFORE they arrive, cut out 8 red hearts using construction paper. Write one word on each heart. WHERE IS YOUR HEART? (You are making two sets of hearts... one for each team.)
3. Using popped popcorn, make a trail around the yard, across the street, to a neighbor's bush. Hang the first heart from the bush. The heart will have the word "WHERE" on the front. On the back of the heart, write the next clue. (For example... Miss Belinda uses this to drive her kids to school on most days.) The kids will run to the van where they will find their second heart hidden somewhere inside. The heart will have the word "IS" on the front and a new clue on the back.
4. While Team One is following their popcorn trail and clues and finding their set of hearts, Team Two is doing the exact same thing but going in different directions.
5. When the fourth heart has been found, there should be instructions directing the kids to the back deck, driveway or the spot you are holding your Club meetings. When both teams arrive holding their four hearts, have them sit down and put the hearts in order asking the questions "Where is your heart?"
6. Ask the kids the following questions: What is your favorite toy? Is it your X-Box? Is it your electric scooter? Is it your football? How important is this toy? If something happened to it and it was gone when you went home today, how would you feel?
After the kids have answered the questions, read Matthew 6:19-21. "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in Heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."
Ask the kids if they think their favorite toy is going to last forever and ever. (They should answer "no.") Explain the term "where moth and rust destroy." Every "thing" on this earth will someday NOT work any longer. Wheels on scooters wear out. X-Box gaming systems stop working. "Things" are not made to last forever, and if we love "things" more than God, what will happen when our "things" are gone? We will have to buy new "things" to replace the old.
But if we love God and His teachings more than "things," we will never have to replace Him. He will always be with us. He will always love us. And if we live for Him and tell others about Him, we will be "storing" or collecting treasures in Heaven which will never break or wear out. Those treasures are the truly important ones.
Is it wrong to enjoy our X-Box or scooter or football? No. Absolutely not!
Is it wrong to love our things more than God? Yes. Yes, it is.
End the devotion by telling the kids how they can do things which would please God. They can obey their parents. They can respect teachers and other adults in their lives. They can invite their friends to Sunday School and Vacation Bible School. They can read their Bibles or ask their parents to read it to them.
After each and every Backyard Bible Club, offer to stay behind to answer any questions about God or being a child of God. Be ready to answer the questions! You may lead a child to Christ that day. (You can go to your Children's Minister at your church and ask for a simple, age-appropriate guideline.)
Be sure and always invite the neighborhood kids to Sunday School, Vacation Bible School and any other activities your church has to offer. If you have three empty seats in your van, the rule of thumb is FILL 'EM UP!
Have a lovely Monday. It is definitely feeling like summertime in the South. Tuesday I have several great recipes for light summer"y" refreshment. Check in if you have a moment.
Take care, and I'll talk to you tomorrow.
Sincerely,
The Enchanting Belinda
Friday, May 21, 2010
Weekend Happenings
Good Friday morning!
The Gallery Pics are from the Paint 'n Praise Party held at our church last night. Roxie and friends painted beautiful crosses, and had a great time being artistic!
I also have pictures from a new rhubarb recipe I tried last night. I read a recent post on Nitty Gritty (under My Blog list), and Jody made a Rhubarb Cream Cake. It looked very pretty AND edible (my two main criteria for a new recipe), so I tried it. I had extra rhubarb in the fridge anyway. Why not?
May I say, it is delicious? It is. Austin loved it. Mikie liked it. Roxie hasn't tried it yet. And Josh just asked when we could have a plain ol' pound cake again. (Maybe today, Josh. Maybe today.)
NOTE #1 - The Rhubarb Cream Cake pics refuse to post to the blog. Stay tuned. I'll figure it out sometime today!
NOTE #2 - Please go to http://blog.al.com/bargain-mom.com and click on Entertainment on her sidebar. She has some interesting information about different things going on this weekend (free and/or cheap). Always check her website on Thursdays and Fridays if you're looking for date or family outing ideas. She has it all!
RANDOMNESS - The magnolia blossom in the toilet didn't have the reaction I had originally intended. Roxie wanted to know what was wrong with me. Josh asked if there was a specific reason we had a giant flower floating in our toilet. And, of course, Austin never noticed it at all. Everyone was too busy to read the story behind the flower yesterday, but today when they arrive home they will find a copy of yesterday's post on each of their pillows. It will be good weekend reading.
Weekend Happenings
Today Austin and Melia are having "Austin Day" around here. Melia just wants to do the things Austin enjoys. They are planning on playing basketball at some point and watching a non-chick flick. She'll be playing X-Box for a little while, too. If it is truly "Austin Day," they'll be eating quite a bit.
Roxie and I are attending our second crop with some friends tonight. Jennifer has her crops in the basement, so weather is not an issue. I like cropping in her basement!
We have another "nothing" Saturday which is good because we haven't had a chance to watch the Survivor Finale. And as unbelievable as it may seem, we haven't heard who won either. I made sure I didn't watch any of the morning shows Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday, and so far, so good. We might actually be surprised.
After church Sunday, I hope to have a leisurely lunch and afternoon. Mike, Josh, Austin and friends are eating at Cici's Pizza and going to see Robin Hood Sunday night (no church services). I offered to throw them a Merry Men Party before the movie, but they adamantly declined. (It kind of hurt my feelings. I was going to wear tights and everything.)
The "slipping into the movie theater in the afternoon and watching the Babies movie" did not happen this week. Roxie has said several times she would not be going with me. She wants to see Letters to Juliet, but I bet if I offer to buy her new flip flops she would go. Take note. I don't care what any of the parenting books say... Bribery is an excellent parenting tool!
We'll see how the weekend plays out, and (bless your heart) I'll share all the intricate, boring details with you Monday!
Have a fun weekend. We have a lot going on next week. Austin is attending not one, but two, graduation celebrations, as well as finishing his May-mester. YEA! The rest of us will only be attending Brad's graduation (our nephew). Very exciting! Summer officially starts in our home Tuesday AND Thursday of next week. (Josh finishes his finals Monday and Austin heads home for the summer Thursday afternoon.) After today, Roxie has no plans to go back to school... ever!
Take care, and I'll talk to you Monday.
Sincerely,
The Enchanting Belinda
The Gallery Pics are from the Paint 'n Praise Party held at our church last night. Roxie and friends painted beautiful crosses, and had a great time being artistic!
I also have pictures from a new rhubarb recipe I tried last night. I read a recent post on Nitty Gritty (under My Blog list), and Jody made a Rhubarb Cream Cake. It looked very pretty AND edible (my two main criteria for a new recipe), so I tried it. I had extra rhubarb in the fridge anyway. Why not?
May I say, it is delicious? It is. Austin loved it. Mikie liked it. Roxie hasn't tried it yet. And Josh just asked when we could have a plain ol' pound cake again. (Maybe today, Josh. Maybe today.)
NOTE #1 - The Rhubarb Cream Cake pics refuse to post to the blog. Stay tuned. I'll figure it out sometime today!
NOTE #2 - Please go to http://blog.al.com/bargain-mom.com and click on Entertainment on her sidebar. She has some interesting information about different things going on this weekend (free and/or cheap). Always check her website on Thursdays and Fridays if you're looking for date or family outing ideas. She has it all!
RANDOMNESS - The magnolia blossom in the toilet didn't have the reaction I had originally intended. Roxie wanted to know what was wrong with me. Josh asked if there was a specific reason we had a giant flower floating in our toilet. And, of course, Austin never noticed it at all. Everyone was too busy to read the story behind the flower yesterday, but today when they arrive home they will find a copy of yesterday's post on each of their pillows. It will be good weekend reading.
Weekend Happenings
Today Austin and Melia are having "Austin Day" around here. Melia just wants to do the things Austin enjoys. They are planning on playing basketball at some point and watching a non-chick flick. She'll be playing X-Box for a little while, too. If it is truly "Austin Day," they'll be eating quite a bit.
Roxie and I are attending our second crop with some friends tonight. Jennifer has her crops in the basement, so weather is not an issue. I like cropping in her basement!
We have another "nothing" Saturday which is good because we haven't had a chance to watch the Survivor Finale. And as unbelievable as it may seem, we haven't heard who won either. I made sure I didn't watch any of the morning shows Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday, and so far, so good. We might actually be surprised.
After church Sunday, I hope to have a leisurely lunch and afternoon. Mike, Josh, Austin and friends are eating at Cici's Pizza and going to see Robin Hood Sunday night (no church services). I offered to throw them a Merry Men Party before the movie, but they adamantly declined. (It kind of hurt my feelings. I was going to wear tights and everything.)
The "slipping into the movie theater in the afternoon and watching the Babies movie" did not happen this week. Roxie has said several times she would not be going with me. She wants to see Letters to Juliet, but I bet if I offer to buy her new flip flops she would go. Take note. I don't care what any of the parenting books say... Bribery is an excellent parenting tool!
We'll see how the weekend plays out, and (bless your heart) I'll share all the intricate, boring details with you Monday!
Have a fun weekend. We have a lot going on next week. Austin is attending not one, but two, graduation celebrations, as well as finishing his May-mester. YEA! The rest of us will only be attending Brad's graduation (our nephew). Very exciting! Summer officially starts in our home Tuesday AND Thursday of next week. (Josh finishes his finals Monday and Austin heads home for the summer Thursday afternoon.) After today, Roxie has no plans to go back to school... ever!
Take care, and I'll talk to you Monday.
Sincerely,
The Enchanting Belinda
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Orientation Date
Good Thursday morning!
The Gallery Pic this morning is from my backyard. We have a giant magnolia tree at the corner of our deck, and many people are huge fans of the magnolia tree. Me... not so much. I think I keep the giant magnolia tree because, although it is not my favorite, I am a huge supporter of all things Southern. And let's face it. Magnolia just screams, "I'm Southern!"
When Mikie and I were in the Singles Department at Shades Mountain, it was customary on Friday and Saturday evenings to visit other singles. It was very common to have at least one or two parties to attend sometime during the weekend. Usually, if a girl was hosting, the apartment would be spotless, the food inviting and the atmosphere candlelit and cozy. If a guy was hosting, the apartment would be picked up, brightly lit, television blaring and the table full of food the girls brought over. Either way, it was good, clean fellowship and one of my fondest memories of my years at Shades Mountain.
One Saturday evening, my chick friends and I were headed to an apartment of a new friend. It was an open invitation get-together, so you could expect ten to 25 people easily. Her apartment was very pretty, but small. Two bedrooms and one bathroom. One bathroom, but a lot of people. It didn't take a CPA to figure out the problem there.
However, back in the day, my kidneys were super heroes so I wasn't too worried. That is, I wasn't too worried until one of my friends came over and whispered, "There's a problem with the bathroom."
Panic-stricken, my friend and I (and two other chicks we picked up along the way) made our way to the bathroom. It truly was a sight. Our hostess had filled the bathtub with light green colored water and floating in the tub (ever so lovely) were real magnolia blossoms AND lit magnolia candles. So pretty.
In the sink, we found three more floating magnolia candles. "I'm not seeing the problem here unless you're deathly allergic to magnolia blossoms," I said. "It's really just very, very lovely."
"Keep looking," my friend said.
It was then I noticed the glow coming from under the toilet seat. "You've got to be kidding?" one of the other chicks said.
But as we lifted the toilet seat, our worst fears were confirmed... FOUR more lit magnolia candles... floating in slightly green colored water.
"It's very clever, but I'm sure she won't mind if we remove the candles," I said.
"One of the guys already asked, and she said she would rather we didn't. She said she worked hard decorating," my friend replied.
"Well, I'm on my third Mountain Dew here. I don't really think we're going to have a choice. It's either remove them OR leave now. That's not going to look good either." I responded.
"I don't like the color of the water, and I'm NOT moving them," another friend said flatly.
"Someone is going to have to do something pretty soon," the original friend who had discovered the "situation" said.
"The toilet water is the exact same color as the bathtub water and the sink water. I'm sure it's okay." But I knew where she was headed. Being the mother of two boys, I now know in the male mind it would be a fun challenge to use the bathroom without putting out a single candle. In my single days, it was completely gross. In my "mother of two boys and wife of Mikie" days, it has unfortunately become a common reality.
Just as we were deciding to head out the door, our hostess popped her head in the bathroom. "What do y'all think?" she squealed. "Isn't it pretty?"
"It really is," we all gushed. "But it's time for people to start using the potty. What do you want us to do?"
"Oh... I hate to mess everything up. Oh, well." And with that, she reached under the sink, picked up a fish scooper (the aquarium kind) and expertly removed the floating candles from the "iffy" water. "There you go! If you don't mind, leave the candles in the sink and just use this hand sanitizer," and she was off... and we were once again in line for the bathroom.
I'm contemplating putting a giant magnolia blossom in our toilets today... just to see what kind of response I get. But I have this nagging feeling they'll be flushed... and then I'll have the fun job of explaining to Mikie why the plumber had to be called to remove giant magnolia blossoms from our pipes.
And then I'll remind him of the story of the magnolia candles in the toilet at the party we attended during our days at Shades. (He was there, you know. He was with chick number 28.) I hope he sees the humor!
Blog Linkage - I have some very different linkage for you today. You'll actually have to look somewhere beside My Blog List. We're branching out, Baby!
1. If you're looking for tankinis for you OR your daughter, this website has some very cute swimsuits which are different from what we've seen in the stores. Go to www.limericki.com.
2. There's a new book out called Awkward Family Photos. These pictures are hilarious. If you want a sneak peek, go to www.awkwardfamilyphotos.com. The authors of this book were on The Today Show yesterday. I can laugh, but I know I have a ton of photos which would fit in this book very, very well.
3. Finally, there's a website I found on Sara's blog called Two Men and a Little Laney. The mom asked her soon-to-be four year-old daughter what was her favorite thing to do. She was looking for party ideas. Her daughter's answer... "Scissors!" Instead of asking what was her second favorite thing to do, the mom "went with it!" She created a very cute four year-old party with a Scissors theme. Look for the post entitled Scissors Birthday Party dated May 16. You'll have to scroll down a little. Cute idea. Cute cake. Cute kids. Great party.
Orientation Date
Since graduation is only days away, several of you will be attending orientation with your college freshman in the very near future. Whether your child is attending a local college, an out-of-state university or a school one to three hours away, plan on making a day (or two) out of this new experience.
Before you leave, check on local restaurants around campus for you and your date to try. Plan on shopping a little before or after the orientation meetings and buy them a school t-shirt or cap.
Late afternoon when the meetings are over, take some time to just walk and talk and get to know the campus. If it is a two-day orientation, on the second day make sure to eat at a different local restaurant and see different things in and around the new town where your child will be attending school.
Becoming more familiar with the new environment will take some of the nervousness away (for you, as well).
Also, if your child has friends attending the same school, invite them to eat with you. Make it fun and exciting... because it is for them.
If at all possible, ride to and from orientation with just your child. There is a lot to talk about, and even the quietest kid might have a lot to say about all they have learned during the meetings.
NOTE - The day of Austin's orientation Farah Fawcett AND Michael Jackson both died. As you can imagine, our conversation was centered around Charlie's Angels and Thriller for most of our ride home... but you never know what might come up!
Have a terrific Thursday. Keep your eyes and ears open for people around you who might need a kind word or a smile. You never know what might be going on in someone's life behind a strained smile and sunglasses in the carpool line. Don't be afraid to reach out... ever. Friday I'll have a few Weekend Happenings to share and some Randomness here and there.
Take care, and I'll talk to you tomorrow.
Sincerely,
The Enchanting Belinda
The Gallery Pic this morning is from my backyard. We have a giant magnolia tree at the corner of our deck, and many people are huge fans of the magnolia tree. Me... not so much. I think I keep the giant magnolia tree because, although it is not my favorite, I am a huge supporter of all things Southern. And let's face it. Magnolia just screams, "I'm Southern!"
When Mikie and I were in the Singles Department at Shades Mountain, it was customary on Friday and Saturday evenings to visit other singles. It was very common to have at least one or two parties to attend sometime during the weekend. Usually, if a girl was hosting, the apartment would be spotless, the food inviting and the atmosphere candlelit and cozy. If a guy was hosting, the apartment would be picked up, brightly lit, television blaring and the table full of food the girls brought over. Either way, it was good, clean fellowship and one of my fondest memories of my years at Shades Mountain.
One Saturday evening, my chick friends and I were headed to an apartment of a new friend. It was an open invitation get-together, so you could expect ten to 25 people easily. Her apartment was very pretty, but small. Two bedrooms and one bathroom. One bathroom, but a lot of people. It didn't take a CPA to figure out the problem there.
However, back in the day, my kidneys were super heroes so I wasn't too worried. That is, I wasn't too worried until one of my friends came over and whispered, "There's a problem with the bathroom."
Panic-stricken, my friend and I (and two other chicks we picked up along the way) made our way to the bathroom. It truly was a sight. Our hostess had filled the bathtub with light green colored water and floating in the tub (ever so lovely) were real magnolia blossoms AND lit magnolia candles. So pretty.
In the sink, we found three more floating magnolia candles. "I'm not seeing the problem here unless you're deathly allergic to magnolia blossoms," I said. "It's really just very, very lovely."
"Keep looking," my friend said.
It was then I noticed the glow coming from under the toilet seat. "You've got to be kidding?" one of the other chicks said.
But as we lifted the toilet seat, our worst fears were confirmed... FOUR more lit magnolia candles... floating in slightly green colored water.
"It's very clever, but I'm sure she won't mind if we remove the candles," I said.
"One of the guys already asked, and she said she would rather we didn't. She said she worked hard decorating," my friend replied.
"Well, I'm on my third Mountain Dew here. I don't really think we're going to have a choice. It's either remove them OR leave now. That's not going to look good either." I responded.
"I don't like the color of the water, and I'm NOT moving them," another friend said flatly.
"Someone is going to have to do something pretty soon," the original friend who had discovered the "situation" said.
"The toilet water is the exact same color as the bathtub water and the sink water. I'm sure it's okay." But I knew where she was headed. Being the mother of two boys, I now know in the male mind it would be a fun challenge to use the bathroom without putting out a single candle. In my single days, it was completely gross. In my "mother of two boys and wife of Mikie" days, it has unfortunately become a common reality.
Just as we were deciding to head out the door, our hostess popped her head in the bathroom. "What do y'all think?" she squealed. "Isn't it pretty?"
"It really is," we all gushed. "But it's time for people to start using the potty. What do you want us to do?"
"Oh... I hate to mess everything up. Oh, well." And with that, she reached under the sink, picked up a fish scooper (the aquarium kind) and expertly removed the floating candles from the "iffy" water. "There you go! If you don't mind, leave the candles in the sink and just use this hand sanitizer," and she was off... and we were once again in line for the bathroom.
I'm contemplating putting a giant magnolia blossom in our toilets today... just to see what kind of response I get. But I have this nagging feeling they'll be flushed... and then I'll have the fun job of explaining to Mikie why the plumber had to be called to remove giant magnolia blossoms from our pipes.
And then I'll remind him of the story of the magnolia candles in the toilet at the party we attended during our days at Shades. (He was there, you know. He was with chick number 28.) I hope he sees the humor!
Blog Linkage - I have some very different linkage for you today. You'll actually have to look somewhere beside My Blog List. We're branching out, Baby!
1. If you're looking for tankinis for you OR your daughter, this website has some very cute swimsuits which are different from what we've seen in the stores. Go to www.limericki.com.
2. There's a new book out called Awkward Family Photos. These pictures are hilarious. If you want a sneak peek, go to www.awkwardfamilyphotos.com. The authors of this book were on The Today Show yesterday. I can laugh, but I know I have a ton of photos which would fit in this book very, very well.
3. Finally, there's a website I found on Sara's blog called Two Men and a Little Laney. The mom asked her soon-to-be four year-old daughter what was her favorite thing to do. She was looking for party ideas. Her daughter's answer... "Scissors!" Instead of asking what was her second favorite thing to do, the mom "went with it!" She created a very cute four year-old party with a Scissors theme. Look for the post entitled Scissors Birthday Party dated May 16. You'll have to scroll down a little. Cute idea. Cute cake. Cute kids. Great party.
Orientation Date
Since graduation is only days away, several of you will be attending orientation with your college freshman in the very near future. Whether your child is attending a local college, an out-of-state university or a school one to three hours away, plan on making a day (or two) out of this new experience.
Before you leave, check on local restaurants around campus for you and your date to try. Plan on shopping a little before or after the orientation meetings and buy them a school t-shirt or cap.
Late afternoon when the meetings are over, take some time to just walk and talk and get to know the campus. If it is a two-day orientation, on the second day make sure to eat at a different local restaurant and see different things in and around the new town where your child will be attending school.
Becoming more familiar with the new environment will take some of the nervousness away (for you, as well).
Also, if your child has friends attending the same school, invite them to eat with you. Make it fun and exciting... because it is for them.
If at all possible, ride to and from orientation with just your child. There is a lot to talk about, and even the quietest kid might have a lot to say about all they have learned during the meetings.
NOTE - The day of Austin's orientation Farah Fawcett AND Michael Jackson both died. As you can imagine, our conversation was centered around Charlie's Angels and Thriller for most of our ride home... but you never know what might come up!
Have a terrific Thursday. Keep your eyes and ears open for people around you who might need a kind word or a smile. You never know what might be going on in someone's life behind a strained smile and sunglasses in the carpool line. Don't be afraid to reach out... ever. Friday I'll have a few Weekend Happenings to share and some Randomness here and there.
Take care, and I'll talk to you tomorrow.
Sincerely,
The Enchanting Belinda
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
A Purposeful Summer
Good Wednesday morning!
The Gallery Pics are from my dinner last night. You might be able to tell I deviated from the original recipe and I baked the chicken instead of frying it. I do not like to fry. I'm not very good at it... it's a little stinky... it's a lot messy... and it's not very healthy. That being said, I LOVE eating fried food away from my house. It doesn't bother me a bit! You'll also notice I substituted mac and cheese for the caulitaters. I ran out of time... and energy.
But the carrots were sublime. I used last week's Honey Glazed Carrot recipe, and it was absolutely lovely. Also, if you put bananas beside the carrots on the plate, the honey glaze sticks to the bottom of the bananas and you get a whole "bananas foster" thing going. Very good.
I had said at one time I wanted to learn how to make a "reduction sauce" this year. It sounds so professional and chef"y" to me. I don't know if it counts or not, but when I was making the sauce to pour over the lemon chicken, I left the stove area for a minute or two, and when I came back there was significantly less sauce in the skillet than when I started. I've decided to declare it my first "reduction sauce" of the year.
That's a lot of cooking talk from a non-cooker, but as you all know, if I have a slow weekend picture-wise, you're going to be looking at a lot of photos of appliances, beagles and food products the next week. And I feel it is necessary to discuss it in great detail. Sorry. That is how I roll!
Wednesday Wisdom - Toy Story 3 will be hitting the theaters this summer. One of the most difficult parts of your children growing up is not having someone to take with you to see animated films. I LOVE animated films. I always have. And I especially love anything and everything Pixar Studios puts out there. Excellent movies. That being said, I also believe they could not have made a better choice for Buzz Lightyear's voice than Tim Allen. The pairing of Buzz and Woody would not have worked without the voices of Tim Allen and Tom Hanks. Of this, I am certain. So today, after that very lengthy explanation, I'll be sharing words of wisdom from the one and only Buzz Lightyear... better known as Tim Allen!
"Women now have choices. They can be married, not married, have a job, not have a job, be married with children, unmarried with children. Men have the same choice we've always had: work or prison."
"My mom said the only reason men are alive is for lawn care and vehicle maintenance." (I don't necessarily agree with this, but I did think it was funny.)
"Electricity can be dangerous. My nephew tried to stick a penny into a plug. Whoever said a penny doesn't go far didn't see him shoot across that floor. I told him he was grounded."
"Dad needs to show an incredible amount of respect and humor and friendship toward his mate so the kids understand their parents are sexy. They're fun. They do things together. They're best friends. Kids learn by example. If I respect Mom, they're going to respect Mom." (Not funny at all... but very, very true. I like this one!)
A Purposeful Summer
I love the word "purposeful." Sheila Keedy "gave" me this word when I was searching for an explanation as to why spending time with family was SO important to me... why I'm always looking for new, doable, age-appropriate ways to "be" with the people God has put in my life and my house... why I feel the need to share ideas with other mothers and get feedback from them. I was stumbling in my attempt to say what I felt, and she simply said, "You want your time with your family to be purposeful." YES! YES! That's it! I want it to be purposeful.
I don't want to wake up 18 years later and see that it all just slipped away... and slip away it will. Very quickly.
(Have you noticed my introduction paragraphs are HUGE today? I'll have to work on that... tomorrow.)
That being said, I'm going to share my Summer To-Do List with you today. Don't worry. I will NOT accomplish everything on this list. It is a "go-by," but having a "go-by" will help you accomplish a lot.
So far, my list looks like this:
Movies
Robin Hood - Mike, Austin and Josh
Prince of Persia - Mike, Austin and Josh
Toy Story 3 - Family
Letters to Juliet - Belinda and Roxie
A-Team - Mike, Austin and Josh
NOTE - Keep in mind, we will see some of these movies at the drive-in or at the $1 movie. We may not see them all. It is just a list of movies the kids said they were interested in watching.
Pizza and Pool - 5
Faulkner Family Game Night - 5
Faulkner Family Movie Night - 5
Tubing - 5
Fishing - 5
Bowling - 5 (www.kidsbowlfree.com)
Date Austin - 3
Date Josh - 3
Date Roxie - 3
Date Mikie - 8
NOTE - These are all activities we want to try to do this summer. On the actual list, I will mark an "X" each time we have dinner at the pool or go tubing. We may only tube three times this summer or go fishing two times, but it's a worthwhile goal.
After I put the things we want to do as a family (or a partial family), I then tell each child to list any friends they want to have over during the summer. In Roxie's case, it is usually a spend the night thing, but the guys can have anyone over they would like for dinner, X-Box, football, etc., etc. Once I have their lists, I'll tell them the beginning of each week to invite someone over on days we don't have anything planned.
Of course, our little beach trip is on the list, as well as Josh's work and football schedule and Austin's work schedule.
It gets a little trickier the older they get, but having the list helps you keep focused on what you really want to do this short, short summer... rest, relax, have fun and spend ENORMOUS amounts of time with your family and friends.
This is just a little something to get you started. Of course, your own list will be personalized for you and your family's interests. It will be more... Hmmm. What's the word? Oh, yes. Purposeful!
Have a wonderful Wednesday! Tomorrow's date is for you and your grad... some special one-on-one time before the big day arrives. I also have some really good Blog Linkage for you to read and enjoy. I just love Thursdays on A Simple Life! It's my favorite day.
Take care, and I'll talk to you tomorrow.
Sincerely,
The Enchanting Belinda
The Gallery Pics are from my dinner last night. You might be able to tell I deviated from the original recipe and I baked the chicken instead of frying it. I do not like to fry. I'm not very good at it... it's a little stinky... it's a lot messy... and it's not very healthy. That being said, I LOVE eating fried food away from my house. It doesn't bother me a bit! You'll also notice I substituted mac and cheese for the caulitaters. I ran out of time... and energy.
But the carrots were sublime. I used last week's Honey Glazed Carrot recipe, and it was absolutely lovely. Also, if you put bananas beside the carrots on the plate, the honey glaze sticks to the bottom of the bananas and you get a whole "bananas foster" thing going. Very good.
I had said at one time I wanted to learn how to make a "reduction sauce" this year. It sounds so professional and chef"y" to me. I don't know if it counts or not, but when I was making the sauce to pour over the lemon chicken, I left the stove area for a minute or two, and when I came back there was significantly less sauce in the skillet than when I started. I've decided to declare it my first "reduction sauce" of the year.
That's a lot of cooking talk from a non-cooker, but as you all know, if I have a slow weekend picture-wise, you're going to be looking at a lot of photos of appliances, beagles and food products the next week. And I feel it is necessary to discuss it in great detail. Sorry. That is how I roll!
Wednesday Wisdom - Toy Story 3 will be hitting the theaters this summer. One of the most difficult parts of your children growing up is not having someone to take with you to see animated films. I LOVE animated films. I always have. And I especially love anything and everything Pixar Studios puts out there. Excellent movies. That being said, I also believe they could not have made a better choice for Buzz Lightyear's voice than Tim Allen. The pairing of Buzz and Woody would not have worked without the voices of Tim Allen and Tom Hanks. Of this, I am certain. So today, after that very lengthy explanation, I'll be sharing words of wisdom from the one and only Buzz Lightyear... better known as Tim Allen!
"Women now have choices. They can be married, not married, have a job, not have a job, be married with children, unmarried with children. Men have the same choice we've always had: work or prison."
"My mom said the only reason men are alive is for lawn care and vehicle maintenance." (I don't necessarily agree with this, but I did think it was funny.)
"Electricity can be dangerous. My nephew tried to stick a penny into a plug. Whoever said a penny doesn't go far didn't see him shoot across that floor. I told him he was grounded."
"Dad needs to show an incredible amount of respect and humor and friendship toward his mate so the kids understand their parents are sexy. They're fun. They do things together. They're best friends. Kids learn by example. If I respect Mom, they're going to respect Mom." (Not funny at all... but very, very true. I like this one!)
A Purposeful Summer
I love the word "purposeful." Sheila Keedy "gave" me this word when I was searching for an explanation as to why spending time with family was SO important to me... why I'm always looking for new, doable, age-appropriate ways to "be" with the people God has put in my life and my house... why I feel the need to share ideas with other mothers and get feedback from them. I was stumbling in my attempt to say what I felt, and she simply said, "You want your time with your family to be purposeful." YES! YES! That's it! I want it to be purposeful.
I don't want to wake up 18 years later and see that it all just slipped away... and slip away it will. Very quickly.
(Have you noticed my introduction paragraphs are HUGE today? I'll have to work on that... tomorrow.)
That being said, I'm going to share my Summer To-Do List with you today. Don't worry. I will NOT accomplish everything on this list. It is a "go-by," but having a "go-by" will help you accomplish a lot.
So far, my list looks like this:
Movies
Robin Hood - Mike, Austin and Josh
Prince of Persia - Mike, Austin and Josh
Toy Story 3 - Family
Letters to Juliet - Belinda and Roxie
A-Team - Mike, Austin and Josh
NOTE - Keep in mind, we will see some of these movies at the drive-in or at the $1 movie. We may not see them all. It is just a list of movies the kids said they were interested in watching.
Pizza and Pool - 5
Faulkner Family Game Night - 5
Faulkner Family Movie Night - 5
Tubing - 5
Fishing - 5
Bowling - 5 (www.kidsbowlfree.com)
Date Austin - 3
Date Josh - 3
Date Roxie - 3
Date Mikie - 8
NOTE - These are all activities we want to try to do this summer. On the actual list, I will mark an "X" each time we have dinner at the pool or go tubing. We may only tube three times this summer or go fishing two times, but it's a worthwhile goal.
After I put the things we want to do as a family (or a partial family), I then tell each child to list any friends they want to have over during the summer. In Roxie's case, it is usually a spend the night thing, but the guys can have anyone over they would like for dinner, X-Box, football, etc., etc. Once I have their lists, I'll tell them the beginning of each week to invite someone over on days we don't have anything planned.
Of course, our little beach trip is on the list, as well as Josh's work and football schedule and Austin's work schedule.
It gets a little trickier the older they get, but having the list helps you keep focused on what you really want to do this short, short summer... rest, relax, have fun and spend ENORMOUS amounts of time with your family and friends.
This is just a little something to get you started. Of course, your own list will be personalized for you and your family's interests. It will be more... Hmmm. What's the word? Oh, yes. Purposeful!
Have a wonderful Wednesday! Tomorrow's date is for you and your grad... some special one-on-one time before the big day arrives. I also have some really good Blog Linkage for you to read and enjoy. I just love Thursdays on A Simple Life! It's my favorite day.
Take care, and I'll talk to you tomorrow.
Sincerely,
The Enchanting Belinda
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Easy Lemon Chicken
Good Tuesday morning!
I forgot to post a photo of my Mother's Day gift. (Check out The Gallery!) The kids always give me three hanging baskets for the front porch on Mother's Day. It's never a surprise, but it is always welcome. (I'm not sure why they bought Impatiens this year. I know it isn't spelled the same as my main mood... IMPATIENCE, but it makes me wonder if they're trying to tell me something.)
I think it helps to have a "repeat" gift for certain occasions. When I'm 85, Austin, Josh and Roxie will never have to wonder what to give me for Mother's Day. Take me out to lunch (the week AFTER Mother's Day) and give me three hanging baskets. Simple. I'll be happy. They'll be happy. Another stress-free holiday!
We've taken Mikie to Dreamland Barbecue and a movie the last three years for his Father's Day gift. He's happy. The kids are REALLY happy. I like it because everyone wears a bib. Being a mother, it just takes me back in time when the kids were little. Again... stress-free!
QUESTION - Do any of the readers today have a "repeat" gift they give or receive each year on the same occasion? I would love for you to share your ideas.
RANDOMNESS #1 - Well, I watched 24 again last night, and I must say I am very disturbed. I have stopped calling Austin and Josh "Jack 1" and "Jack 2," because the original Jack has completely gone off his rocker! The boys are liking the show right now. Me... not so much. (I've even stopped wearing Austin's 24 t-shirt until Jack decides to straighten up!)
RANDOMNESS #2 - I feel the need to see the new movie Babies. I must see it soon. I'm pretty sure I'm going to go alone and slip in the dark theater one day this week and just soak in all the "babyness." I miss babies in my daily life.
Easy Lemon Chicken
Although this came from my June Southern Living Magazine, it looks incredibly doable. I have the ingredients, and I'm going to do a step-by-step pictorial this evening as I prepare this wonderful meal. This year, I'm really going to start working on my presentation. I'm okay with the taste part of the meal (for the most part), but I want the pretty food you see in the magazines on my dinner table. Technically, that means I'll be putting little green, leafy things and thinly sliced oranges on all of my dinner plates beginning tonight!
You will need the following:
4 skinned and boned chicken breasts
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
4 tablespoons butter, divided
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1/4 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup lemon juice
8 lemon slices
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1. Cut chicken breast in half. Place chicken between 2 sheets of heavy-duty plastic wrap. Flatten to 1/4" thickness using a rolling pin. (FUN!)
2. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Lightly dredge chicken in flour, shaking off excess.
3. Melt 1 tablespoon butter with 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Cook half of chicken in skillet 2 to 3 minutes on each side or until golden brown and done. Repeat this process with 1 tablespoon butter and remaining olive oil and other half of chicken.
4. Add broth and lemon juice to skillet. Cook 1 to 2 minutes or until sauce is slightly thickened, stirring to loosen particles from bottom of skillet. Add 8 lemon slices.
5. Remove skillet from heat. Add parsley and remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Stir until butter melts.
6. Pour sauce over chicken. Serve immediately!
Heavy sigh! I forgot to get the lemon this morning! I had everything I needed... except a lemon! It's okay. I'll just pull a Martha Stewart and run out in my back yard and pick one off my lemon tree after I cut my fresh parsley from my little herb garden I tend in my spare time... NOT! I'll run by the store after I pick Miss Roxie up this afternoon. Flexibility, people!
Also, I'm using chicken tenders instead of chicken breasts because I already had them in the freezer.
In the Southern Living Magazine, this meal is shown with Carrot Orzo and Green Beans with Goat Cheese, Tomatoes and Almonds. Not happening here! We're having mashed caulitaters and MAYBE glazed carrots. I have to see what kind of mood I'm in later in the day.
Have a productive Tuesday. Wednesday I'll be sharing Wednesday Wisdom, a summer Seasonal Tradition, and a little of this and a little of that.
Take care, and I'll talk to you tomorrow.
Sincerely,
The Enchanting and Lemonless Belinda
I forgot to post a photo of my Mother's Day gift. (Check out The Gallery!) The kids always give me three hanging baskets for the front porch on Mother's Day. It's never a surprise, but it is always welcome. (I'm not sure why they bought Impatiens this year. I know it isn't spelled the same as my main mood... IMPATIENCE, but it makes me wonder if they're trying to tell me something.)
I think it helps to have a "repeat" gift for certain occasions. When I'm 85, Austin, Josh and Roxie will never have to wonder what to give me for Mother's Day. Take me out to lunch (the week AFTER Mother's Day) and give me three hanging baskets. Simple. I'll be happy. They'll be happy. Another stress-free holiday!
We've taken Mikie to Dreamland Barbecue and a movie the last three years for his Father's Day gift. He's happy. The kids are REALLY happy. I like it because everyone wears a bib. Being a mother, it just takes me back in time when the kids were little. Again... stress-free!
QUESTION - Do any of the readers today have a "repeat" gift they give or receive each year on the same occasion? I would love for you to share your ideas.
RANDOMNESS #1 - Well, I watched 24 again last night, and I must say I am very disturbed. I have stopped calling Austin and Josh "Jack 1" and "Jack 2," because the original Jack has completely gone off his rocker! The boys are liking the show right now. Me... not so much. (I've even stopped wearing Austin's 24 t-shirt until Jack decides to straighten up!)
RANDOMNESS #2 - I feel the need to see the new movie Babies. I must see it soon. I'm pretty sure I'm going to go alone and slip in the dark theater one day this week and just soak in all the "babyness." I miss babies in my daily life.
Easy Lemon Chicken
Although this came from my June Southern Living Magazine, it looks incredibly doable. I have the ingredients, and I'm going to do a step-by-step pictorial this evening as I prepare this wonderful meal. This year, I'm really going to start working on my presentation. I'm okay with the taste part of the meal (for the most part), but I want the pretty food you see in the magazines on my dinner table. Technically, that means I'll be putting little green, leafy things and thinly sliced oranges on all of my dinner plates beginning tonight!
You will need the following:
4 skinned and boned chicken breasts
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
4 tablespoons butter, divided
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1/4 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup lemon juice
8 lemon slices
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1. Cut chicken breast in half. Place chicken between 2 sheets of heavy-duty plastic wrap. Flatten to 1/4" thickness using a rolling pin. (FUN!)
2. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Lightly dredge chicken in flour, shaking off excess.
3. Melt 1 tablespoon butter with 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Cook half of chicken in skillet 2 to 3 minutes on each side or until golden brown and done. Repeat this process with 1 tablespoon butter and remaining olive oil and other half of chicken.
4. Add broth and lemon juice to skillet. Cook 1 to 2 minutes or until sauce is slightly thickened, stirring to loosen particles from bottom of skillet. Add 8 lemon slices.
5. Remove skillet from heat. Add parsley and remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Stir until butter melts.
6. Pour sauce over chicken. Serve immediately!
Heavy sigh! I forgot to get the lemon this morning! I had everything I needed... except a lemon! It's okay. I'll just pull a Martha Stewart and run out in my back yard and pick one off my lemon tree after I cut my fresh parsley from my little herb garden I tend in my spare time... NOT! I'll run by the store after I pick Miss Roxie up this afternoon. Flexibility, people!
Also, I'm using chicken tenders instead of chicken breasts because I already had them in the freezer.
In the Southern Living Magazine, this meal is shown with Carrot Orzo and Green Beans with Goat Cheese, Tomatoes and Almonds. Not happening here! We're having mashed caulitaters and MAYBE glazed carrots. I have to see what kind of mood I'm in later in the day.
Have a productive Tuesday. Wednesday I'll be sharing Wednesday Wisdom, a summer Seasonal Tradition, and a little of this and a little of that.
Take care, and I'll talk to you tomorrow.
Sincerely,
The Enchanting and Lemonless Belinda
Monday, May 17, 2010
Use a Movie Devotion
Good Monday morning!
The Showcase Pic is of me and my baby, Roxie. This photo didn't get her "Seal of Approval," but I like it... and it's my blog... end of story.
The Gallery Pics are from my Mother's Day Brunch at Another Broken Egg Cafe yesterday. It was well worth the wait. I have no problem celebrating Mother's Day a week later. A tiny, little wait and a great meal and no rush, rush, rush. I liked it!
Weekend Review
Unlike last weekend, this weekend went very much according to plan.
Our Friday night dinner with friends was successful... and when I use the word "successful" I mean I haven't heard of anyone having food poisoning symptoms. Always a good sign!
Saturday was a work day for EVERYONE (except Roxie). Austin worked at the Chick. Josh worked at the football field AND in someone's yard. Mikie worked at the office. I worked at the house. By the time everyone returned home, they were tired and worn out... except for Roxie.
Mike and I spruced up a little and headed to B & A Warehouse for The Garden Party Silent Auction (which raises money for Alzheimer's), and we had a really good time. It was a very hip and trendy venue, so Mike and I felt right at home. (Are you kidding me?) It was fun bidding on a few things (but not winning) and watching the big items being auctioned off for hundreds and thousands of dollars for such a good cause. I could be wearing a full length mink coat for $700 if I didn't NEED a new camera right this very minute. And as everyone knows who lives in the deep south, all Southern Belles NEED a full length mink coat to wear during our 13 days of winter! It was lovely, and I know that husband got a big, fat kiss when he got home that night.
I guess one of the highlights of the evening was going from food table to food table grazing. To be honest, I was a little worried when I first arrived. There was a large table in the middle of the first room filled with fruit kabobs (sticking out of real pineapples... too cute) and tiny pieces of bread with four or five different dips and spreads to make mini appetizers. Hmmm. It appeared I was going to be able to clear that table all by myself. But wait! There was more!
In the corner of the room, I noticed a table with the small boxes you get when you order Chinese food. Could it be? It was! It was spicy low mien noodles. Lovely!
And when we walked into the main room, there were more little food tables. There was a shrimp and grits table... I passed on that one, but Mikie was happy. There was a sliders table (barbecue AND hamburgers). There was a fish and chips table with really salty homemade French fries. YES! And they had the most wonderful sweet potato fries. DOUBLE YES!
But what about dessert, you may ask? That was the most fun of all. There was a table with three buckets of mini cookies (chocolate chip, shortbread and oatmeal raisin). Hanging from the ceiling were three large pastry icing bags. Once you picked out your cookie, you grabbed the hanging bag and squirted buttercream, chocolate buttercream OR raspberry chocolate buttercream icing directly onto the cookies. Or you just tilted your head back and your spouse squeezed icing into your mouth until you motioned for him to stop. Either way!
I love grazing. It was a good night.
I celebrated Mother's Day Sunday with a brunch with my bunch at Another Broken Egg Cafe. I liked it just as much my second visit, and once again I ordered the blackberry grits. So good.
We finished our day by doing our Family Change Date "thing" and heading to the movies. Iron Man 2 was WONDERFUL! Everyone (male and female) enjoyed this one. And thanks to Melia (who had already seen the movie), we knew to wait to the end of the credits. One little scene was shown. One little scene which gave us all something to look forward to... Iron Man 3 OR The Avengers. Either way, it's gonna be good.
Use a Movie Devotion
I'm going to give you Devotion #3 for your Backyard Bible Club today. It's very simple, and there is little or no prep. However, unless you plan on moving the TV to the back deck and having a movie night outside (which I highly recommend), this Club meeting will meet in your home. Please consider pizza and a movie on the deck or in the driveway. It really makes it more memorable (and there will be NO MESS in your home when it's done).
Depending on the majority of ages of the kids in your Club, I would pick a couple of Veggie Tales DVDs or one of the movies. If the majority of your Club members are guys, try a couple of Bible Man DVDs. If your Club Members are a little older, Joseph - King of Dreams is an action-packed animated movie which will hold their attention.
Begin and/or end the movie with prayer. You may think because your kids have seen these movies multiple times, every kid has seen these movies multiple times. Not necessarily. You never know when sharing a Bible story, verse or prayer with kids in your neighborhood which kids may have never heard it before.
I'll have the last Backyard Bible Club Devotion next week. It will need some prep, but it will be fun and important to share with your guys.
Have a great Monday. We're winding down our school year. It's Finals Week in our little corner of the world. This time next week, I know we're going to have a very different attitude! Tuesday's recipe is yummy, and I have a couple of other things to share. Visit if you get a chance.
Take care, and I'll talk to you tomorrow.
Sincerely,
The Enchanting Belinda
The Showcase Pic is of me and my baby, Roxie. This photo didn't get her "Seal of Approval," but I like it... and it's my blog... end of story.
The Gallery Pics are from my Mother's Day Brunch at Another Broken Egg Cafe yesterday. It was well worth the wait. I have no problem celebrating Mother's Day a week later. A tiny, little wait and a great meal and no rush, rush, rush. I liked it!
Weekend Review
Unlike last weekend, this weekend went very much according to plan.
Our Friday night dinner with friends was successful... and when I use the word "successful" I mean I haven't heard of anyone having food poisoning symptoms. Always a good sign!
Saturday was a work day for EVERYONE (except Roxie). Austin worked at the Chick. Josh worked at the football field AND in someone's yard. Mikie worked at the office. I worked at the house. By the time everyone returned home, they were tired and worn out... except for Roxie.
Mike and I spruced up a little and headed to B & A Warehouse for The Garden Party Silent Auction (which raises money for Alzheimer's), and we had a really good time. It was a very hip and trendy venue, so Mike and I felt right at home. (Are you kidding me?) It was fun bidding on a few things (but not winning) and watching the big items being auctioned off for hundreds and thousands of dollars for such a good cause. I could be wearing a full length mink coat for $700 if I didn't NEED a new camera right this very minute. And as everyone knows who lives in the deep south, all Southern Belles NEED a full length mink coat to wear during our 13 days of winter! It was lovely, and I know that husband got a big, fat kiss when he got home that night.
I guess one of the highlights of the evening was going from food table to food table grazing. To be honest, I was a little worried when I first arrived. There was a large table in the middle of the first room filled with fruit kabobs (sticking out of real pineapples... too cute) and tiny pieces of bread with four or five different dips and spreads to make mini appetizers. Hmmm. It appeared I was going to be able to clear that table all by myself. But wait! There was more!
In the corner of the room, I noticed a table with the small boxes you get when you order Chinese food. Could it be? It was! It was spicy low mien noodles. Lovely!
And when we walked into the main room, there were more little food tables. There was a shrimp and grits table... I passed on that one, but Mikie was happy. There was a sliders table (barbecue AND hamburgers). There was a fish and chips table with really salty homemade French fries. YES! And they had the most wonderful sweet potato fries. DOUBLE YES!
But what about dessert, you may ask? That was the most fun of all. There was a table with three buckets of mini cookies (chocolate chip, shortbread and oatmeal raisin). Hanging from the ceiling were three large pastry icing bags. Once you picked out your cookie, you grabbed the hanging bag and squirted buttercream, chocolate buttercream OR raspberry chocolate buttercream icing directly onto the cookies. Or you just tilted your head back and your spouse squeezed icing into your mouth until you motioned for him to stop. Either way!
I love grazing. It was a good night.
I celebrated Mother's Day Sunday with a brunch with my bunch at Another Broken Egg Cafe. I liked it just as much my second visit, and once again I ordered the blackberry grits. So good.
We finished our day by doing our Family Change Date "thing" and heading to the movies. Iron Man 2 was WONDERFUL! Everyone (male and female) enjoyed this one. And thanks to Melia (who had already seen the movie), we knew to wait to the end of the credits. One little scene was shown. One little scene which gave us all something to look forward to... Iron Man 3 OR The Avengers. Either way, it's gonna be good.
Use a Movie Devotion
I'm going to give you Devotion #3 for your Backyard Bible Club today. It's very simple, and there is little or no prep. However, unless you plan on moving the TV to the back deck and having a movie night outside (which I highly recommend), this Club meeting will meet in your home. Please consider pizza and a movie on the deck or in the driveway. It really makes it more memorable (and there will be NO MESS in your home when it's done).
Depending on the majority of ages of the kids in your Club, I would pick a couple of Veggie Tales DVDs or one of the movies. If the majority of your Club members are guys, try a couple of Bible Man DVDs. If your Club Members are a little older, Joseph - King of Dreams is an action-packed animated movie which will hold their attention.
Begin and/or end the movie with prayer. You may think because your kids have seen these movies multiple times, every kid has seen these movies multiple times. Not necessarily. You never know when sharing a Bible story, verse or prayer with kids in your neighborhood which kids may have never heard it before.
I'll have the last Backyard Bible Club Devotion next week. It will need some prep, but it will be fun and important to share with your guys.
Have a great Monday. We're winding down our school year. It's Finals Week in our little corner of the world. This time next week, I know we're going to have a very different attitude! Tuesday's recipe is yummy, and I have a couple of other things to share. Visit if you get a chance.
Take care, and I'll talk to you tomorrow.
Sincerely,
The Enchanting Belinda
Friday, May 14, 2010
Weekend Happenings
Good Friday morning!
The Gallery Pics are of Copper and Sparkle. I haven't featured them lately, so I thought I'd put them in the spotlight since I was running a little short of photos this week.
RANDOMNESS #1 - I was at Chick-Fil-A in Trussville yesterday, and they are offering a really good deal. Next Wednesday, May 19, go to the Trussville or Roebuck Chick-Fil-A location and order any meal you want... BUT SAVE YOUR RECEIPT. It's good May 20 through June 19 for the VERY SAME ORDER FREE! So basically, it is a Buy One/Get One Free deal, but if you're planning on shopping in Trussville next week, arrange your schedule to go Wednesday, and then you'll have a free lunch sometime the next month. (You know you're going to eat at Chick-Fil-A anyway!)
RANDOMNESS #2 - I found this little tidbit on Bargain Mom's website. Chick-Fil-A will introduce a new Spicy Chicken sandwich to the menu in June. To get a free sandwich, they have created a website where you can register Monday, MAY 24. Go to www.getspicychicken.com. You will select the restaurant and time to pick up the sandwich. (Can you tell my son works at Chick-Fil-A? I'm like a Chick-Fil-A Booster!)
RANDOMNESS #3 - Since your bellies are full (or soon will be), you can now go bowling FOR FREE. Go to www.kidsbowlfree.com and register your children (15 and younger) for free bowling at Vestavia Bowl Monday through Friday throughout the summer. All you have to pay is shoe rental. The details are on the website. We did this last year, and if we had a rainy day with nothing to do, we called some friends (who were also registered) and BOWLED! FOR FREE!
Weekend Happenings
I hate to say it out loud, but so far we are still virus-free. In fact, everyone seems to be feeling exceptionally well today. So I'll tentatively talk about Weekend Happenings here on A Simple Life knowing at any minute it could all come tumbling down like a house of cards. But that's okay, because as we've already established, I'm the MOST FLEXIBLE human being alive... NOT!
Tonight we're visiting and eating with friends. Roxie is hanging with Grandmother and Katie, and Austin isn't quite sure what his plans are, but plans he will probably have.
On Saturday night, Mikie and I have a date for a silent auction at the Garden Art Party. It sounds very sophisticated, doesn't it? We've been a couple of times before, and it is a lot of fun. I love walking around the room and seeing all the beautiful things being auctioned. Mike stays right by my side the whole evening. It has more to do with watching to make sure I don't bid on a ten-day cruise than actually enjoying my company, I'm afraid.
I have to admit, I do have a huge urge to write $1,001 after a $1,000 bid... you know, just to see what happens. And it would be so thrilling to win, wouldn't it? Well, until Mikie found my hiding place behind the large plant in the corner of the room.
But they have everything from floral arrangements, to photography sessions, to paintings, etc. It is a really fun event and it benefit Alzheimer's of Central Alabama. We've really enjoyed the times we've been before, so hopefully nothing will happen to mess up our evening out and about!
Sunday is Mother's Day... for me. We're going out to eat after church (I'm not sure where), and I will receive my gift (I'm not sure what) and then I'm taking my complimentary Mother's Day Nap when we get home! And to make everything even better, we're doing the Family Change Date Sunday, and we're all going to see Iron Man 2 Sunday night using all the change we collect from our rooms, cars and purses to pay for the tickets. It's like a free movie, I tell you!
This weekend really looks fun in writing, doesn't it? I hope no one throws up and ruins it for me!
I hope you and yours have a fantastic weekend! I'll have a few more graduation ideas to share next week. Tis the season, you know. And I think we'll go ahead and start talking about some new summer activities to try with the kiddos. It will be a week of information overload, I tell you!
Take care, and I'll talk to you Monday.
Sincerely,
The Enchanting Belinda
The Gallery Pics are of Copper and Sparkle. I haven't featured them lately, so I thought I'd put them in the spotlight since I was running a little short of photos this week.
RANDOMNESS #1 - I was at Chick-Fil-A in Trussville yesterday, and they are offering a really good deal. Next Wednesday, May 19, go to the Trussville or Roebuck Chick-Fil-A location and order any meal you want... BUT SAVE YOUR RECEIPT. It's good May 20 through June 19 for the VERY SAME ORDER FREE! So basically, it is a Buy One/Get One Free deal, but if you're planning on shopping in Trussville next week, arrange your schedule to go Wednesday, and then you'll have a free lunch sometime the next month. (You know you're going to eat at Chick-Fil-A anyway!)
RANDOMNESS #2 - I found this little tidbit on Bargain Mom's website. Chick-Fil-A will introduce a new Spicy Chicken sandwich to the menu in June. To get a free sandwich, they have created a website where you can register Monday, MAY 24. Go to www.getspicychicken.com. You will select the restaurant and time to pick up the sandwich. (Can you tell my son works at Chick-Fil-A? I'm like a Chick-Fil-A Booster!)
RANDOMNESS #3 - Since your bellies are full (or soon will be), you can now go bowling FOR FREE. Go to www.kidsbowlfree.com and register your children (15 and younger) for free bowling at Vestavia Bowl Monday through Friday throughout the summer. All you have to pay is shoe rental. The details are on the website. We did this last year, and if we had a rainy day with nothing to do, we called some friends (who were also registered) and BOWLED! FOR FREE!
Weekend Happenings
I hate to say it out loud, but so far we are still virus-free. In fact, everyone seems to be feeling exceptionally well today. So I'll tentatively talk about Weekend Happenings here on A Simple Life knowing at any minute it could all come tumbling down like a house of cards. But that's okay, because as we've already established, I'm the MOST FLEXIBLE human being alive... NOT!
Tonight we're visiting and eating with friends. Roxie is hanging with Grandmother and Katie, and Austin isn't quite sure what his plans are, but plans he will probably have.
On Saturday night, Mikie and I have a date for a silent auction at the Garden Art Party. It sounds very sophisticated, doesn't it? We've been a couple of times before, and it is a lot of fun. I love walking around the room and seeing all the beautiful things being auctioned. Mike stays right by my side the whole evening. It has more to do with watching to make sure I don't bid on a ten-day cruise than actually enjoying my company, I'm afraid.
I have to admit, I do have a huge urge to write $1,001 after a $1,000 bid... you know, just to see what happens. And it would be so thrilling to win, wouldn't it? Well, until Mikie found my hiding place behind the large plant in the corner of the room.
But they have everything from floral arrangements, to photography sessions, to paintings, etc. It is a really fun event and it benefit Alzheimer's of Central Alabama. We've really enjoyed the times we've been before, so hopefully nothing will happen to mess up our evening out and about!
Sunday is Mother's Day... for me. We're going out to eat after church (I'm not sure where), and I will receive my gift (I'm not sure what) and then I'm taking my complimentary Mother's Day Nap when we get home! And to make everything even better, we're doing the Family Change Date Sunday, and we're all going to see Iron Man 2 Sunday night using all the change we collect from our rooms, cars and purses to pay for the tickets. It's like a free movie, I tell you!
This weekend really looks fun in writing, doesn't it? I hope no one throws up and ruins it for me!
I hope you and yours have a fantastic weekend! I'll have a few more graduation ideas to share next week. Tis the season, you know. And I think we'll go ahead and start talking about some new summer activities to try with the kiddos. It will be a week of information overload, I tell you!
Take care, and I'll talk to you Monday.
Sincerely,
The Enchanting Belinda
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Alabama Theater Date
Good Thursday morning!
The Gallery Pic is of a can of rutabagas. Tomorrow's Gallery Pic will quite possibly the contents of the can of rutabagas emptied into a bowl. My friend, Joan, has frightened me a little about the smell which will permeate my home if I try to cook the rutabagas. And since my house has it's own odd smells here and there, I'm not sure if I want to add another one to the mix. It's a conundrum, I tell you. I guess you'll know the rest of the story tomorrow.
NOTE TO "SLOAN" - To the Slightly-Bitter-and-Obviously-Not-Speaking-to-The-Enchanting-Belinda "Sloan." Hey, Girl! Call me sometime!
REMINDER! REMINDER! REMINDER! - It's that time of year again when you start thinking about the Argo Drive-In. If you want to keep up with the movies they are showing, call 467-3434 on Monday afternoons for that week's schedule. Unless something has changed, they are showing Iron Man 2 AND How to Train Your Dragon this Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Iron Man 2 starts at 8:00 and How to Train Your Dragon starts around 10:00 so it would be a late night, but you cannot beat the prices. Sometimes it is $5 a car, but for this double feature it is $5 per adult and $2 per child. It's still a deal, no matter how you look at it! (ALWAYS call before you head out to make sure nothing has changed!)
Blog Linkage - These blogs come up a lot on this segment, but they're my favorites, so I assume they are your favorites, too.
1. Click on Big Mama under My Blog List. You'll have to go to the bottom of the page and click on Previous Posts until you come to one entitled Of Mice and Men dated May 11. If you've ever had a mouse in your house, you can certainly feel her pain... plus, it will make you laugh and laugh.
2. Next, if you have ever been to Universal Studios in Orlando (or you want to go), click on Confessions of a Pioneer Woman under My Blog List and read the last four or five posts. It's almost like you're at Universal for the first time when your kids were small. It's funny, bright and it takes you back. I love it.
3. Last, go to Sherri's Blog under My Blog List and see the pictures she took during her visit to India. It's hard to imagine a place so very different from where we live, isn't it? Several of the images will stay with you for a while.
Alabama Theater Date
This one is good. I copied all the dates and movies from Birmingham Bargain Mom. If you have 12 children, you can take each one on a date to the Alabama Theater this summer to watch a CLASSIC! You can write it on your calendar in RED INK, and look forward to this very special movie-going experience with your guy or gal!
Tickets cost $7 for adults and $6 for senior citizens and children under 12. Tickets are available at the box office one hour before showtime.
June 26
2:00 p.m. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
7:00 p.m. Sing-a-Long Mamma Mia!
June 27
2:00 p.m. Adam's Rib
July 10
2:00 p.m. Sleeping Beauty
7:00 p.m. Dial "M" for Murder
July 11
2:00 p.m. Tammy and the Bachelor
July 17
2:00 p.m. The Lion King
7:00 p.m. The Odd Couple
July 18
2:00 p.m. Some Like It Hot
July 25
2:00 p.m. The Glenn Miller Story
July 31
2:00 p.m. Bedknobs and Broomsticks
7:00 p.m. The African Queen
August 1
2:00 p.m. Oklahoma!
August 7
2:00 p.m. Lady and the Tramp
7:00 p.m. Gone With the Wind
August 8
2:00 p.m. Gone With the Wind
August 14
2:00 p.m. Peter Pan
7:00 p.m. The Birds/Psycho Double Feature
August 15
2:00 p.m. On the Town
August 21
2:00 p.m. Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
7:00 p.m. Ghost Busters
August 22
2:00 p.m. Cat On A Hot Tin Roof
August 28
2:00 p.m. Pocahontas
7:00 p.m. Hard Day's Night
August 29
2:00 p.m. South Pacific
Can I just say you have not seen Gone With the Wind until you have seen Gone With the Wind at The Alabama Theater. Perfect! Just perfect! Roxie and I have a date August 8 at 2:00 p.m. written in RED INK on the calendar!
Have a wonderful Thursday... the best day of the week! I've had a couple of short posts the last two days to give your weary eyes a rest, but tomorrow I'll be sharing Weekend Happenings and Randomness. I've been holding out on you!
Take care, and I'll talk to you tomorrow.
Sincerely,
The Enchanting and Slightly-Repulsive Smelling Belinda (because of the rutabagas, you see!)
The Gallery Pic is of a can of rutabagas. Tomorrow's Gallery Pic will quite possibly the contents of the can of rutabagas emptied into a bowl. My friend, Joan, has frightened me a little about the smell which will permeate my home if I try to cook the rutabagas. And since my house has it's own odd smells here and there, I'm not sure if I want to add another one to the mix. It's a conundrum, I tell you. I guess you'll know the rest of the story tomorrow.
NOTE TO "SLOAN" - To the Slightly-Bitter-and-Obviously-Not-Speaking-to-The-Enchanting-Belinda "Sloan." Hey, Girl! Call me sometime!
REMINDER! REMINDER! REMINDER! - It's that time of year again when you start thinking about the Argo Drive-In. If you want to keep up with the movies they are showing, call 467-3434 on Monday afternoons for that week's schedule. Unless something has changed, they are showing Iron Man 2 AND How to Train Your Dragon this Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Iron Man 2 starts at 8:00 and How to Train Your Dragon starts around 10:00 so it would be a late night, but you cannot beat the prices. Sometimes it is $5 a car, but for this double feature it is $5 per adult and $2 per child. It's still a deal, no matter how you look at it! (ALWAYS call before you head out to make sure nothing has changed!)
Blog Linkage - These blogs come up a lot on this segment, but they're my favorites, so I assume they are your favorites, too.
1. Click on Big Mama under My Blog List. You'll have to go to the bottom of the page and click on Previous Posts until you come to one entitled Of Mice and Men dated May 11. If you've ever had a mouse in your house, you can certainly feel her pain... plus, it will make you laugh and laugh.
2. Next, if you have ever been to Universal Studios in Orlando (or you want to go), click on Confessions of a Pioneer Woman under My Blog List and read the last four or five posts. It's almost like you're at Universal for the first time when your kids were small. It's funny, bright and it takes you back. I love it.
3. Last, go to Sherri's Blog under My Blog List and see the pictures she took during her visit to India. It's hard to imagine a place so very different from where we live, isn't it? Several of the images will stay with you for a while.
Alabama Theater Date
This one is good. I copied all the dates and movies from Birmingham Bargain Mom. If you have 12 children, you can take each one on a date to the Alabama Theater this summer to watch a CLASSIC! You can write it on your calendar in RED INK, and look forward to this very special movie-going experience with your guy or gal!
Tickets cost $7 for adults and $6 for senior citizens and children under 12. Tickets are available at the box office one hour before showtime.
June 26
2:00 p.m. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
7:00 p.m. Sing-a-Long Mamma Mia!
June 27
2:00 p.m. Adam's Rib
July 10
2:00 p.m. Sleeping Beauty
7:00 p.m. Dial "M" for Murder
July 11
2:00 p.m. Tammy and the Bachelor
July 17
2:00 p.m. The Lion King
7:00 p.m. The Odd Couple
July 18
2:00 p.m. Some Like It Hot
July 25
2:00 p.m. The Glenn Miller Story
July 31
2:00 p.m. Bedknobs and Broomsticks
7:00 p.m. The African Queen
August 1
2:00 p.m. Oklahoma!
August 7
2:00 p.m. Lady and the Tramp
7:00 p.m. Gone With the Wind
August 8
2:00 p.m. Gone With the Wind
August 14
2:00 p.m. Peter Pan
7:00 p.m. The Birds/Psycho Double Feature
August 15
2:00 p.m. On the Town
August 21
2:00 p.m. Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
7:00 p.m. Ghost Busters
August 22
2:00 p.m. Cat On A Hot Tin Roof
August 28
2:00 p.m. Pocahontas
7:00 p.m. Hard Day's Night
August 29
2:00 p.m. South Pacific
Can I just say you have not seen Gone With the Wind until you have seen Gone With the Wind at The Alabama Theater. Perfect! Just perfect! Roxie and I have a date August 8 at 2:00 p.m. written in RED INK on the calendar!
Have a wonderful Thursday... the best day of the week! I've had a couple of short posts the last two days to give your weary eyes a rest, but tomorrow I'll be sharing Weekend Happenings and Randomness. I've been holding out on you!
Take care, and I'll talk to you tomorrow.
Sincerely,
The Enchanting and Slightly-Repulsive Smelling Belinda (because of the rutabagas, you see!)
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Friday...
Finally, some new basketball action shots.
The JV team had two 40-minute games Friday, so I thought I would just go ahead and start filming now!
And here's the obligatory Bryant Tuggle pic. He's a HUGE supporter of our baskeball team. Always has been... always will be. Well, until he gets his own driver's license!
Saturday...
We spent the day with the cousins Saturday. Monica, Amy, Roxie and I shopped at Brookwood, ate at Yolo's and went to the movies (Pirates 4). It was a great day, but the best part was our celebrity sighting...
That's right! Will Ferrell! (Please feel free to use your imagination. I know we did!)
Sunday...
Mikie's 50th Family Birthday Celebration! Everyone knows 50 year-old men LOVE the Green Lantern...and their wives really like Ryan Reynolds! (How cool would it be to have your picture on a birthday party plate package? Another goal, perhaps?)
What do you give a 50 year-old guys for his birthday? Cards... filled with money, Ricky Skaggs' concert tickets, a True Grit DVD and a Red Devil's Food Cake with Divinity Icing (from his Mom). It was a very good day!
Lovely Melia gave him the True Grit DVD. (I LOVE that movie!)
And it wouldn't be a birthday without a hug from Roxie!