Happy Birthday Daddy!

Sunday, we celebrated my dad's birthday. He braved the icy streets to come have an early dinner at our house. I made Steak tenderloin with cheesy, garlic mashed potatoes, shrimp cocktail, side salad and dinner rolls. I started to take pictures of dinner, as I was cooking it, but I only got to the mashed potatoes then forgot. I did, how ever take pictures of the yummy birthday cake cookies with homemade icing, I made!



You heard me right, birthday cake COOKIES.



The reason I decided to make these instead of a birthday cake, was that I had no more icing. And since it had just snowed so, I was not going anywhere. These cookies though, are so yummy and they are super easy to make; just take any cake mix box, add the required amount of eggs and oil - omit the water, stir and drop teaspoon size onto baking sheet. Bake approx. 8 min or so. Mmm...





I ended up making homemade icing. I thought I would give it a try and it turned out pretty freakin' good, if I do say so for myself. Hubby asked if I had more! To make the icing I took cream cheese and 1/2 stick butter (softened) and 1/2 t. vanilla extract mix it until it was smooth, then gradually added powdered sugar. I would add a 1/2 cup pwd. sugar at a time stirring until it was a nice consistency. I put it into a plastic bag, cut off the tip and piped it onto the cooled cookies.




My little man had the idea to put cherries on top. Cherries happen to be a favorite of my dads, so that was no problem. And I added some chocolate chips because you just can't have enough chocolate!

You know you want one...

The Birthday Dad!

My dad is a great man. Not too many men would have done what he has. He has made many sacrifices in his life for me and for his family. My dad joined the military when he was 18 years old. When he was 20 he went on his first deployment to the Philippines. There he met my mom and me. I was 2 years old. He fell in love with my mom and within another 2 years we were living in the United States. My dad at such a young age got married and had an instant family. He never had children of his own, but he has always loved me as his own. Rheumatoid arthritis left him unable to continue his career in the Navy. And last year he lost his best friend/his dad, my papalan. Life hasn't always dealt him the best hands and there have been times where he questioned his purpose. After, my parents got divorced, my dad was reborn and was baptized in the baptist church. I was so proud of him.

Today, just before I wrote this post, I found this book called; Birthday Wishes For You, while cleaning up the kids toys. This is for my dad.

God has chosen this day especially for you!

In His infinite timing and wisdom, He chose this day to bring you into this world and to make you a part of His plan. He created you with special talents designed for His purpose. He has blessed you with the desire to fulfill His purpose and the ability to succeed in His plan. Setting you free, He designed your path for life. Celebrate your life by honoring the days you've had and have to come! For this coming year and the years to follow, may everything that you've dreamed of come true!

Happy Birthday Daddy! I love you!

p.s. In case you were wondering why I didn't have any icing, in these parts we like to sometimes eat frosting straight from the container. I know, it's kinda gross, but it.is.so.good.

Winter Storm of 2010

Well, it's still snowing! I can't believe it and it's snowing pretty darn good, too! I'm so thankful that the it's a Saturday and not too many people have to be on the roads. I saw the deticated mail carriers a while ago, braving the blusty cold weather to deliver our mail. Nothing stops them.

What a wonderful day we are having. We started the morning with a big, comforting breakfast of scarmbled eggs with cheddar and parmeasan cheese, biscuits and gravy and fried ham. I know some of you are thinking; I thought she was on a diet, well I still am. But on a day like this you need a big breakfast to give you energy to play in the snow! We bundled up and headed outside for some fun!

Hubby and I. I look as though my name should be Natashia.

Little man.



My Lovey.

Getting mom with snow balls.

A boy and his dog.

This was when they first went out. Lovey walked out there, turned around and said; "I gotta pee!" Kids, never a dull moment.

Hubby was showing them how to make snowballs.

Afterwards, we came in and some some hot chocolate. Mmm! I put our wet jackets, gloves and hats in the dryer for a few minutes, as soon as the dryer buzzed we put our gear back on and went back out! Now, everyone is napping. What a blessed day it's been! Thank you Lord, for the beauty of snow!

Don't eat the yellow snow...

and make sure to scoop the poop before it snows. You don't want to have anything extra in your snowman.



I can't believe it actually snowed. And if the meteorologist are right, we should have quite a bit more heading our way! Where I live it doesn't get too much snow and just a few inches will pretty much shut down this town. We haven't had a good snow since hubby and I were living at the beach waaay back before we had kids. I'm excited to see a bunch of snow. This will be Luke's first experience in it and this will be the most Trinity has seen. Trinity got up very early this morning and I told her it wouldn't snow enough to make snow angels if she didn't go back to bed. She is back in to a peaceful slumber and it's snowing more!



Our computer is having some difficulties so we haven't been downloading pics off the camera as much lately. But I will definatly take some to capture the winter storm of 2010.

Randomness

It's 12:31 am...
...and I wonder why I've been so tired lately?

I want to get more into my blog. I want to look back someday and remember all the little happenings of my life. I love reading other people's blogs and the happenings of there lives. But I always wonder what to write about, I feel like I need a theme. So, I've decided to make myself accountable to my blog. I'm going on a diet. I am rather overweight. Now, some of my wonderful family and friends might say I'm not and that I've just had a baby, but the sad matter of fact is that I am 153lbs. I'm only 5 foot 2 1/2 inches. That is overweight. Actually that is considered obese. Now, that I have posted my weight on here, I HAVE to be accountable! I have to get back on here and say I've lost some weight. I just can't keep that I'm 153lbs on here for the next 5 months! So, I'm going to use this as my daily journal of my eating and exercising. Along with all the little happenings of my life, for my memories and your enjoyment!

Acting Out

Growing up my best friend and I would reenact movies. We even did them outside. In public. And one time at school we reenacted the end dance sequence to Dirty Dancing in the girls bathroom. I was Patrick Swayze. Once I made her do Gone with the Wind. I was Scarlett O'Hara and she was one of the slaves, Prissy. I made her pillowcase into a hat and her comforter into my hoop skirt. She followed me around "fanning" me off and calling me; "ma'am." Did I mention that my best friend is part black? I know it sounds so wrong but we didn't think anything of it. We were just kids playing dress up. In high school I use to get my guy friend, to dance the Virginia Reel with me to Dixie, in my front yard.

This afternoon, I relieved my childhood. Trinity decided that she wanted to reenact Cinderella. We made the invitations to the ball. We turned a sheet into an apron. I was, the Prince, the stepmother, the mice and the court messenger. It was so. much. fun. I love having a little girl. And I'm so happy she doesn't start kindergarten until next year. I get to keep her little for a bit longer.

I wonder what movies Luke will have me reenact with him?

Towels

I grew up being taught that you bring your own towel when you travel. My mother is quite neurotic when it comes to her towels. She's worse than Monica Geller. She feels using someone else's body towel is like using there underwear, it touches personal body parts and shouldn't be shared. So, whenever I pack I have my own, towel, washcloth and hand towel. My mother-in-law finds it a bit odd. She says that's why people have "guest towels". Back in June, when she was here for a visit, she asked me about the towels. She never knew of anyone who brings there own towel when they go somewhere but for one of her other friends. She said that when ever they come to visit her, they bring there own towels and had wanted to know if she should bring her own towel when she went to visit them in a few weeks. Being that I always bring my own, I told her she should.

So, here is a question for you out there in Blog land..Do you bring your own towel?

I've thought of something...

and I wanted to remember it.

As I was preparing dinner last night I replaced a candle. I was cutting the wick down when Luke walks in and watches me. I smell the candle and place it back on the plate. Here is the following conversation:

Luke: "Whas dat?"

Me: "A candle."

Luke: "oh, a canle."

Luke looks up at the stove. I have a pan of boiling water. He steps on his stool looking up at the steam.

Luke: "isat?"

Me: "Yes, that's very hot. Don't touch."

Luke: "ok."