Super Hero Capes

Sorry for not blogging more often.  Hey!  It's the summer - but we've been quite busy!  We're getting ready for our church's VBS, starting up this Sunday night (Come join us!).  

Told my mom that the next "great idea" that I have... to just kick me hard!!  LOL!  I had this vision... our theme was "Jesus/ Super Hero" and I just had this idea of all the kids running around with capes on... SO!  Being the "artsy-fartsy" one and having a mother and husband that support me so much - we are making capes = 180!!  OMG!  Alex is my model in the pic with the cape.  He's a little big in size for the cape, but you get the idea.  The capes will go to the kids up through 5th grade attending the VBS.

  Several ladies in the church are helping - each

 making 10 capes!  Ging cut out portions of the fabric, printed the iron-ons and I assembled it all together.

Then she cut out 50 capes and I'm trying to get them all "serged" tonight.  I got a serger machine over 20 years ago - Best gift that my first husband ever bought me... but working with a serger is frustrating, hmmm , just like my first husband - LOL!  ANY-WHO!  Will take pics next week and let you see the kids reaction.

We're using 100% muslin fabric, iron on transfers and velcro tabs.  Cutting and "serging" the edges has been the most time consuming!  KV has become the official "Iron Man" - it's all

 teamwork and it's coming together so well.  After this activity is completing the boys'  4-H Record Book - argh!  Hope you are having a great week and a great summer.  Hug the ones you love - real TIGHT!  It feels GOOD on both sides! LOL!

Family Vacation!

WE SURVIVED!  Lord willingly, we have completed our Family Vacation and are home safely to rest (and wash LOTS of clothes - LOL!)  It was WONDERFUL to have all my chicks under one roof and know that they are safe - if you're a parent; you understand!  

We were all together and it felt GREAT!  On Monday, met up with KV & little boys, picked up Andy Hayes at the DAL airport and headed to the Great Wolf Lodge.  OMG!  "Save your $$ and GO!"  It is SO WORTH it!  I can't say enough good things about it!  It is all family orientated;

from my 20 yr old down to my 10 yr old - WE ALL had a blast.  GO!  We stayed there for 4 days and 3 nights.  Zoomed Andy back to the airport to fly to Alabama on Thursday.  He's a "working man" now - okay its just Wal-Mart... but he working!  Here's just a few pics from our stay at GWL.  Again, GO with your family - you will be so glad that you did.  We paid about $300 a night; but that includes the water park and it's HUGE; indoor & outdoor with super cool slides - everywhere!... everything is clean and so nice.  There are special deals - we were able to get a "Stay 2 nights and get a 3rd night FREE" deal!  Check out their website here!  We all had such a great time!  

    

(YES!  AH needs a haircut, but at least the hair is BLONDE... remember the "black" hair - argh! Andy got "carded" several times at GWL; everyone 18 and younger needed to be with an "adult" - Hee hee!  He's got a "baby face" - and the HAIR! Makes him look so much younger...! LOL!)

  

KV and I had the honor of taking our mothers to the musical play of TEXAS on Friday.  GREAT SHOW!  Very well done!  The Palo Duro Canyon is really pretty.  Haven't been there or to the play since my senior year in HS - OMG!  Yes, that's over 25 years ago!  Eek!   

Before the show, we indulged in an AWESOME steak dinner (when you can cut a steak with a plastic knife like butter -yummy!).  

Also were delighted to join a childhood friend and her family at the play - Crystal Wright Miller, Bill, Sara Beth and Sam.  Love you Crystal - she deserves her own post, so more on Crystal later!

So, we are finally home.  What is it about sleeping in your own bed? - it's so good!  Now it's time for completing 4-H Record Books and making 180 Hero Capes for VBS!  Life is good!  Thanks for stopping by and hope you have a MARVELOUS weekend!

To all the Fathers (cenus has it as 64.3 million dads out there... wow!)  Hope you have a wonderful Father's Day!  I had the greatest dad - he was awesome.  Ole' KV got himself a new "Dad" shirt (annual tradition!) and not one but TWO trash cans... ahhhhh!  I hear the jealousy - "Wow! Man, trash cans!" Sent him a picture-text via the boys today; he'll get to use the "cans" next week! LOL!   I love you Kyle - Happy Father's Day!

 

A New Look!

What a beautiful weekend!  I love the summer, don't you!  Every minute... it's great!  Could be that, as a teacher, the summer is the "relief" point of the year!  LOVE it!  I need "relief"...

The main reason for having this blog is for up-dating my oldest son ANDY, who is going to school in Alabama, of what is going on in the big C-Town.  He will start his JUNIOR year this fall - OMG!  Can Andy really be that old?  Our school's inservice gave workshops in blogging and how to apply it to our classroom.  What better way to learn than by using it, right?  Can't believe it's almost been a year that we have had this blog.  Time sure flies fast!

Ging has gotten a new look to her house - or in the process!  She's getting a metal carport and fence to match her brown  metal roof.  It's looks great - don't ya think?  She's excited - has been planning and saving for this project for a while!

    

There's a new electric marquee at the CHS; drove by and saw this today - WOW!  It's on the CHS campus; right on the corner of J & 7th! Guess I missed the memo on this!  We knew we were going to get one, just not at this location.  It'll add something to see down 7th street at the high school!

Here's a "sneak peek" at my June Card Swap entry... it's got a "million" pieces to it!  Funny, just got an email from Steph... are we thinking alike? - she's got a bunch of pieces on her card too!  Great minds think alike, huh - LOL!  The requirement this swap was using red, white & blue.  More later on this project!

MY BOYS!  Can't wait to see them on Monday!  They have actually made it almost the whole week away from home on their "Man Trip".  Monday, I'll finally have my whole family together - so excited!  Andy flies in at 1PM in Dallas - only 4 days; beats nothing!  We haven't ALL been together since March.  I love my boys!  Hope everyone is doing well and you are having a FANTASTIC weekend!  Thanks for stopping by!

The Dilemma

How is your summer going?  Our summer is so BUSY - argh!  We're suppose to be "relaxing" right?  Guess its the way of the world, I don't know.  

We have been saving up money for something special.  It's the big dilemma right now - vacation or plasma screen TV; hmmm!  After several families went to the Great Wolf Lodge; the boys think this is the perfect place to spend our money!   But the TV situation is still here...  We need to buy a new TV soon.   We don't have cable; are really trying NOT to have cable - but would like some form of TV -  can you put "rabbit ears" on a plasma  TV?? (white trash - deluxe, huh!  LOL)  Our old TV is fix'in to die SO... will it be vacation or TV & cable... OR just die in debt...

       

A brief look into our calendar...  (we're going to have to go back to work to rest and pay for the summer - LOL!)

June 16-20 Man Trip

June 22-25 Great Wolf Lodge

June 26  TEXAS play w/ our MOMS & the Miller Family

June 30-July 1 School TAKS Testing (3rd & 5th)

July 2 4-H Record Books are due (this year I have two to do!)

July 5-8 VBS at the Church of Christ

July 14-18 CAMT (Math Convention)

July 14-17 High School TAKS Testing

July 19-24 QMCC Church Camp 

Aug 3rd  KV starts back to work  

"Sweet Poke Cake" Recipe

How about a "SWEET POKE CAKE" recipe for this Wednesday?  Our family likes to discover new tastes... this recipe is one that we have fun with --  this week KV found and we tried a "Cherry Dr. Pepper" Sweet Poke Cake** - wow!  It "so tasted just like DP" - totally wild! 

 

This is a "tried and true"

 recipe that we use OFTEN! The caramel cake is my standard cake for a Funeral Dessert - it's so easy to make; always have the ingredients on hand or have one in the freezer.  It's that easy.

The FUN is making different POKE CAKES...  here's the directions and 4 cakes that we have made!

SWEET POKE CAKE  

You select a cake mix and bake as directed (adding the oil, water & eggs; bake in a 9x13 pan).  Fresh out of the oven, poke the baked cake with the end of a wooden spoon all over the top surface.  Drizzle a can of Sweetened Condensed Milk and selected topping over the poked surface of hot cake.  Let cake cool completely.  Top with a carton of cool whip topping and serve!  Refrigerate any leftovers.  Serves 10-12  (Cake can be frozen at this time; then served frozen!  Good for making ahead of time; or making LOTS for fundraisers...)

Classic style is the SWEET CARAMEL CAKE;  use a German Chocolate Cake Mix, Caramel ice cream topping along with the sweetened condensed milk, cool whip and add toffee pieces on top. (aka - "Knock Me Naked" Cake)

PINA COLADA CAKE; use a Pineapple Cake Mix, CoCo Lopez (coconut milk; found in the "mixed drinks" aisle at grocery store!), add shredded coconut & pineapple tidbits on top or NOT... have fun!

STRAWBERRIES & CREAM CAKE; use a Strawberry Cake Mix, strawberry ice cream topping... (we even found strawberry flavored cool whip!)

** DR. PEPPER CAKE; use a White Cake Mix; "Cherry Dr. Pepper" ice cream topping (KV found this new topping at Wal-Mart -- wild tasting!)...

Let us know what you like or have tried using the Poke Cake method - LOL!  Hope you are having a great week!  I'm sorting through FIVE (yes "5")

 YEARS of unfiled pictures! ARGH!  We haven't organized photos since we moved into this house... what were we THINKING (not to file photographs obviously!!)  How do you keep your "memories" together?  We keep photo albums... (believe it or not, I don't scrapbook yet!  I have it all filed chronically, might be KV's 2nd wife's job to scrapbook, huh!)   Wish me luck - "sob"!

The "MAN" Trip

3 out of 4 of my boys are on a road trip together - left today.  They are being "Men" this week... what does that mean?

The "MAN" List:

• Not putting the toilet seat DOWN ever
  
• Not flushing
  
• Not having to wear shirts, socks or shoes
  
• Not having to "clean"; no baths
  
• Not brushing anything... (hair, teeth..)
  
• Burping, farting, making annoying sounds CONSTANTLY
  

and the list goes on!  

KV thinks that they will be gone for a 5-7 days, hmm!  I give them 3 days - what do you think? LOL!  We shall see!  I'm busy planning "Mystery Trip #3"!  More details later!

A year ago...

To be in the middle of a "storm" has new meaning after the June 15, 2008 Storm that we had in the big C-Town last year.  Storms NOW scare me.  I always have it in the back of my mind to be ready to grab the kids, dog, cat and RUN during a "thunder" storm.

Yes!  I enjoyed all the rain this weekend BUT I was weary to do much; not wanting to go far from a cellar! 

(picture is of the "mother-ship cloud" over Childress, TX on June 15, '08)

 How was your weekend?  

MONDAY will be KV's first "real" day off!  He's finally going to experience the "summer"!  

He's on a 11-month contract... so he always works 2 more weeks after and will start 2 weeks before... oh to be paid the "big bucks" - yeah, right!  LOL!  The boys are headed on their "Road Trip" this week without me... hmmm ! No one to take are of, cook for, clean up after... what will I do?  I'll be "lovin' it" - hee hee!  Hope you have a great week.

White Trash S'More's!

Picture a moon-lit night, stars aglow in the darken sky, 

cozy tents arranged in a "u" shape around a blazing 

campfire... campers roasting marshmallows on a wire; 

ready to fix up a batch of "S'Mores"... 

Hey!  In the big C-Town, us "White Trash" just roast "mallows" over the burn-can in the backyard... hee hee!  

Alex went on a Junior High Retreat - so we had to occupy Aric's time with something FUN, to make up the difference of being "left behind" - so he decided on making "S'More's" (YUM!)  So here's some pics from his "adventure" in the backyard!  KV brought home old math papers to burn (he says shredding takes too long?) so he burned his papers from the last school year and Aric made a "S'More" station out of the paper box top and "roasted mallows" (have you seen the old movie "Sandlot" - they say "mallows" - gah!)  KV just loves all the pics I post with him eating!  At least he gets compliments on his pretty teeth - huh Fitz! LOL!

        

Working on the May/June birthday cards... remember my resolution to make everyone in my church a birthday card (OMG!  What was I thinking...?)  I'm getting good practice making

 "Belated" birthday cards!  May was SO BUSY - but I've finally

 caught up and back to making just regular birthday cards!  

Also made "graduation" cards to go with a gift of a book - created by 

Samantha Ettus - "The Experts' Guide to 100 Things Everyone Should Know How to Do"  . For the graduate that "knows everything"... this book might help?  They're always so excited to get this gift... (not!) but most of the time they will comment on something that they have read or learned

from this book.  "Who Knows..."  I've been giving this book as a graduation gift for over 4 years... trying to be unique? - I don't know!  Adding to a collection of unread books?? Maybe!

How is your summer coming along?  It's almost the middle of JUNE!  Time sure flies!  I'm finally taking the "plunge"... KV is reading out loud the last "Harry Potter" book to us and I'm listening to the audio of the last book in the "Twilight" series - Breaking Dawn.  "I'm weird!"  I HATE good-byes, sad movies and "ending the story"... so it's really a big step for me to finish both of these series... told you I was weird - wonder what that says about me "really"?? hmmmm!  

Hope you're taking time out to relax and HUG the ones you love.  Thanks for stopping by!  Have a great day!

The Perfect SUMMER Pie!

Here's the perfect pie to make for the SUMMER!  KV's "infamous" "Kool Aid Pie"!  This is an EASY-PEASY recipe - that's why it is KV's favorite to make!  One time he made 8 pies for a church supper - they turned out great; didn't even make up a sweat! 

This recipe is a family favorite - made 2 Monday; one to share and one to EAT!  You can make it different every time, depending on which flavor of Kool Aid that you pick! This week, I used Kiwi-Strawberry; Mango-Orange is another good one.  You'll have to let us know what your family likes...   Also the crust... make it a graham cracker (and not heat up the kitchen in the summer; too easy) or a baked pie crust works well also!  Your choice!  Try this pie for the summer - we guarantee you'll like it!

KOOL AID PIE

1 can Sweetened Condensed Milk

1 Kool-Aid packet (unsweetened)

1 container of Cool Whip

9" Pie Crust (baked or graham cracker)

In a medium size bowl, mix the sweetened condensed milk and kool aid together.  Add the container of Cool Whip; mix well.  Pour into a pie crust; refrigerate until firm (1-2 hours). Top with more Cool Whip if desired. Refrigerate leftovers; 6-8 servings.  Enjoy!