We did it! We survived the first day of Preschool!

We came. We saw. We conquered.   Lily Grace and i set off to her preschool class for the second time (open house being the first) and boy was she excited!  (check out the smile on her face!)  Mommies got to stay for one hour today and though she clung to my hand and asked twenty times if i was staying with her, she still oozed with independence. (even held the flag for the Pledge of Allegiance).

I'm amazed at how quickly she can make friends (the kid already knows all the names of the other kid's in her class) although she probably can't tell me both her teacher's names.  She's not interested  unless you're 3 ft. tall :).   She colored, had circle time, sang songs (she loved this) played and ate snack.   When the hour was up we headed to the car and she exclaimed " Mommy! i looooooove preschool, i'm sooooo glad they let mommies go so i won't be scared" ( uh oh...friday's gonna be tough).  She goes all three hours by herself Friday, and even though i'm sure there will be a little "car line" drama, she'll be fine as soon as i'm out of sight.

After Preschool we ventured to Chick fil a (before the lunch rush, cause Lord knows i wouldn't be caught dead in there at 1:00.) where there were "playground friends" to be made and ice dreams to be had.  

I love today. I love that i got to spend it loving on my girls. I love that dinner is done, the house is clean and the girls are napping.

This mommy is blessed and thankful.

Hope wherever you are, you're loving today.

Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Psalms 37:4

Grandmother's Pound Cake

Okay folks! I'm normally pretty healthy when it comes to food and i try to use "substitutes" in my recipe's for  butter, eggs etc. but when you're making Pound Cake you have to go ALL OUT! With that said, put up the "Egg Beaters" and "i can't believe it's not butter" cause it's time to make "Grandmother's Pound Cake" ya'll!

For Christmas a couple years ago Derek's Grandmother (who i love and adore and can sew the pants off anyone i know and puts Paula Deen to shame) gave me a Recipe Book compiled of all her favorite recipes! Hands down my favorite Christmas gift of all time (unless your couting the year i was six and got my first baby alive doll that pooped and peed, that totally rocked :)

nothing fancy, but it's priceless to me!

Ingredients

3 Cups Sugar

3 Sticks Butter (Room Temperature)

3 Cups Plain Flour

1 Cup Whole Milk (use whole milk! Might as well, you've already added 3 C sugar and Butter:)

1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract

Method

Mix Sugar and Butter together. 

Add Eggs one at a time, and beat well after each egg.

Add Vanilla Extract

Add 1/12 C. Flour with 1/2 C. Milk

Add the rest of the flour and milk, then beat well.

Cook in a Bundt Pan @ 325 degrees for 1 1/2  Hours or until toothpick comes out clean!

~If you haven't invested in a decorative bundt pan yet...DO IT! You're cake will taste the same, but it'll look prettier :) 

Topping Suggestions~ Powdered Sugar, Chocolate Glaze, Lemon Icing  ( I dusted mine with powedered sugar and topped with fruit and whipped cream....one word...Delicious!)

New Post coming soon on my little "Preschool" girl! In the words of Lily Grace....."Preschool is the best place in the world, where i can carry my pack back and play outside!" (hope she doesn't get upset when "Mrs. Foooooornock" breaks out the books:) Hope Everyone has a Fabulous Friday!

Time Be Still

Wednesday is the Big Day! Lily Grace will be starting her very first day of Preschool!  Where did the time go?! It seems like just yesterday she looked like this!

 Hard to believe she'll be 3 1/2 this month!  My anxiety is growing as the day gets closer to sending her off with her little "pack back" filled with crayons, safety scissors and whatever else she's stuffed in there because everyone knows you can't go to preschool without lip gloss and a hairbrush!  She's sooooo excited and has asked me to read her the letter her teacher sent about five hundred times over the last two weeks.  She's still practicing her name "Mrs. Foooornock"....."Mrs. Foooooornock"....Hope Mrs. Thornock understands :) We'll keep practicing.   Here's to hoping she doesn't cling to my leg and cry when i drop her off...Oh, who am i kidding.....it wouldn't be Lily Grace without a little drama. (and i love that about her).  Keeps things interesting.  If you think about it, please pray for us Wednesday morning.  Gonna be a bittersweet day for this momma!  I'll leave you with a few of my favorite pictures of Lily Grace throughout the years....she had personality at nine weeks old... and hasn't changed a bit! 

Oh and one more thing! Remember Maria?!

She and her big brother Adrian are coming to town this weekend! Can't wait to love on these kids! God is so faithful!

Adventures at the Mishion House!

Recently, Lily Grace and I had the opportunity to go on a mission trip to Savannah Georgia with our church. (Love all my CC peeps :)  Since i was taking her and my best friend Lindsey was taking her girls we got to stay in the Mission or "Mishion" (what we affectionately call it. Hey! that's how it was spelled on the key chain ;) house.  Long story short, the mishion house was about 100 years old with window units in every room that sounded like a train was coming through the house every time they came on and one channel on the television (that may or may not pick up, and basically depended on which way Lindsey was moving the antenna.) We Loved it.  Lily Grace still begs to go back on a daily basis and says "that old mishion house was waaaaaayyyy better than our new house."  Go Figure.  Unfortunately, i didn't even take a picture of it, but i did take a picture of this......

This is Maria

This is her House

Maria's one year old sister sleeping in her parents bed. She has no crib.

Everyday we went in to the "Azalea" Trailer Park and sang, danced, played games and presented the gospel to an average of 30 kids.  It was a million degrees (okay...it was 115, with the heat index) but we pressed through until 12:00 PM when we loaded back up and headed to the mishion to rest up for round two at 3:00 PM. 

It was Amazing

Life Changing.

Check out the sweat on these cheeks!

playing "hop scotch"

When the week was over, four kids had made decisions for Christ, and our lives were forever changed. Maria's family had two new bathrooms and she had her very own room!  To God be the Glory Great things HE has done!

David and Maria with her new doll

"So Faith Comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the message about Christ"

Happy Thursday

"Light" Banana Cake!

Thanks to my beautiful friend Kami in Cleveland, TN (she and i were college roomies....oh the good ole days!)  I have a delicious new recipe (with a few touches of my own:) to share with all of you!  here goes!

Ingredients
1 C Self- Rising Flour (very important!) trust me, I learned the hard way! Ha!
1 C Light Brown Sugar
2 Eggs
1 stick of Margarine, Butter or Butter substitute (room temperature)
3 Tbsp. vanilla yogurt ( i used banana cream pie yogurt! it's what i had in the fridge :)
1/2 C. chopped walnuts (optional) I made mine without b/c the hubby has an aversion to nuts :)
3 Large Bananas, Mashed

Method
1.Preheat oven to 350 Degrees
2.Cream together butter and sugar
3.Add in eggs one at a time and beat well
4. Add Yogurt and bananas
5. Fold in flour
6. Pour into Bundt Pan and bake for one hour, or until toothpick comes out clean.

Enjoy! It's Delicious!



Me and Kami on a Cruise in 2009
Love you girl!



The Bigger the bow the better the Mommy!

I came across this phrase recently while searching Etsy (I'm totally addicted) , and loved it! As promised, today i'm going to teach you how to make my favorite bow. I call it "a basic boutique bow" and it is the basis for almost all of the hairbows i make my girls.  It looks great as a layered bow and just as cute all by itself! 

Step 1:  All you need is Ribbon (i'm using 1.5 in. but any size will do), scissors, elastic cord, hot glue gun (greatest invention of all time! i can make anything with a hot glue gun) a jumbo clip (found mine at sally beauty supply) and an alligator clip.

Step 2: cut the amount of ribbon you want to use.  I usually keep mine on the spool until i finish making the bow so i can control the size of it. hold the ribbon in your left hand and make your first loop. (This is what it should look like)

Step 3: Make your second loop. ( try not to move your thumb, this is keeping your bow secure so you can make your loops) 

Step 4: make your third loop. (it should start looking like "butterfly wings").

Step 5: Make your last loop to complete your "butterly wings" it should look like this ...

Step 6: Yay! the hard part is over.  Now take your jumbo clip and place it in the center of your bow.  Thread the elastic cord through the clip at the middle of your bow and tie in a knot.

Step 7: You can now remove the jumbo clip from your bow.  Take your Alligator clip and place it underneath the elastic on the back of your bow. (you could also glue the flat side of the alligator clip to your bow, but i prefer to secure it by placing it under the elastic cord.)

Step 8: cut about a 6 in. piece of ribbon. This will be used as the center knot for your bow.  I usually fold my piece of ribbon in half before tying if i'm using 1.5 in. Once you have tied the ribbon in a knot, glue your "center knot" to the middle of your bow.  The "tails" of the "center knot" should wrap around to your alligator clip on the back of the bow.

Step 9: Glue both "tails" of the center knot underneath the first prong of your alligator clip on the back of your bow. and Voila! You've got yourself a Basic Boutique Bow! I knew you could do it :)

Good Luck! I've found that the hardest part of hairbow making is getting perfect loops. Practice makes perfect, and remember The Bigger the Bow the Better the Mommy!

Happy Friday!

C'est la vie

"That's Life"!  Today i've been faced with a major power outage and a sick baby.  Neither of which can be planned for.  The day began with a 6:00 AM phone call informing me that the power was out at the child care center and that the dryer was smoking. huh?  Maybe i'm dreaming.....(pinch) nope, i'm awake.  You see,  i've  recently inherited my Mimi's child care center, and lately it's been one thing after another.  My Mimi was the greatest lady i've ever known. She was patient, loving , kind, accepting, friendly, giving...the list goes on.  Losing her is the hardest thing i've ever had to go through, but knowing she believed in me inspires me to press on.  Turns out the center was struck by lightning, so for now, the girls and i are hanging at my parents waiting to meet the electrician.  Until then i'm busy doing what i do best, being a mommy.  Saylor unfortunately caught the bug i had last week and is (fingers crossed) napping , after lying around all morning (in her momma's arms of course).  Meanwhile, Miss Lily Grace has decided she's "not tired" and is busy putting all of her "babies" in time out because they won't go to sleep (this kid!).  It would be easy to focus on the negatives of today but i'm choosing to focus on the good.  Today i am healthy. happy. and loved.  Today i have a roof over my head. two beautiful girls and the hope of Jeremiah 29:11" For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."  and that's good enough for this momma.



                                                          Mimi in her 20's. How cute is she?!

                                                                 Miss her So much!