Monthly Archives: April 2008

The Smoothie Bar is open

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We have started a “tradition” at our house of having smoothies for breakfast on Wednesday mornings so here is the menu this morning.  It takes a while because everyone wants something a little different.

Luke and Drew like this one
Strawberry Yogurt
Strawberries (frozen)
A banana
milk 
ice
a little sugar (my strawberries are not sweetened)
Emma’s favorite
Milk
big spoonful of peanut butter
ice
vanilla yogurt
Mike’s favorite
orange juice
ice
milk 
a little sugar
Mine
I usually like the strawberry banana but this morning I tried to be starbucks
I fixed a shot of espresso (in my Tassimo) poured it in the blender
added some milk, sugar and ice and blended it all up – yummy
You can’t forget to top them all with some whipped cream
Maybe this will make our day go a little “smoother”

A pirates life’s for me

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Too tired to post pictures tonight, just wanted to let everyone know I am still alive after being held hostage by about 12 little pirates today. It was a great party. Drew is a big boy. I am off to batten the hatches and sleep with one eye open, mateys. I am so tired I may close both eyes tonight.

It’s Party time

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Today is the big Pirate Party.  Can’t believe my “baby” is turning four.  Better get busy.  Balloons to order, guacamole to make, treasure hunt to plan for and house to clean.   Pictures coming soon.

Great book for talking to girls

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 Here is an awesome book that you should get if you have a “tween” daughter.  It’s called The Body Book by Nancy Rue.  The book is part of the Lily series and there is a related fiction book for every non-fiction book.  The book is very well written and is right on the level of 8-12 year old girls.  It’s a book that talks about growing up in a direct way without giving “too much” info to freak her out and it does it in a Godly way.  I HIGHLY recommend the book!  It is great for a mom and daughter to go through together and then girls can read it again on their own.   Emma and I had a beautiful time going over it together.  She is turning into such a little lady. I am planning to get her some of the other Lily books soon.

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I am excited about our date night tonight.  Mike and I are going to Winston.  We have to do a little shopping and then dinner somewhere.  Thanks to Joe Sangl we have our envelopes to keep us under control.  We’ll be eating cheap so we don’t use all the eating out money.  We didn’t do a seperate date night envelope – maybe that’s a thought for next month.  So since it’s cheap eating we are trying to decide Chipotle or Mellow Mushroom?  

Check this out

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I have been involved in helping plan a community wide children’s event for this summer. Praisin’ in the Park is going to be awesome. Check out the website for more information and to register your kids. Register early and tell everyone you know! We need your kids and we need adults and teens to help make our first year a success. The plan is for this to become an annual children’s event. We are doing an American Idol theme and I kn0w the kids are going to LOVE IT!!

Yummy summer time!

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I made this cake last night and thought I would share the recipe.  It tasted like summer

Pina Colada Upside Down Cake
1/2 stick butter
1 cup dark brown sugar
1 fresh pineapple
1 yellow cake mix
13 oz can of coconut milk
3 eggs
rum extract
15-20 maraschino cherries
1/2 cup toasted sweetened flaked coconut
Preheat oven to 350
Melt butter on stove top in a 9×13 pan (I think you can get by with less butter if you want to make it a little healthier)
Remove from heat and sprinkle with brown sugar ( I used Raw Sugar instead of brown sugar)
Cut pineapple into rings and place in the pan.  Cut them in half to make them fit.  You can also use canned pineapple slices.
Place one cherry in the middle and place the rest around pineapple rings (I didn’t use these because I don’t like them)
Combine cake mix, eggs, coconut milk and rum flavor (I didn’t use rum flavor because I didn’t have any and also I had to use cream of coconut because I couldn’t find coconut milk – the cream of coconut is sweetened and the coconut milk is not – but it was fine)
Carefully pour batter over pineapple.  
Bake 35-40 minutes until pick comes out clean
Let cool 5 minutes and invert cake onto serving plate
Sprinkle with toasted coconut – pressing it into the cake

Control Freak?

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On our road trip to Charleston to see my sister and her family Drew decided he wanted to drive.  Here was the conversation (I was driving)

Drew: “Mommy, we’re at da beach yet?”
Me: “No, we have a little ways to go still”
Drew: “But, mommy me saw a palm tree” 
(it was at the South Carolina visitors center)
Me: “Yes, we are getting closer to the beach and we are going to stop in a few minutes and get something to eat and take a little break.”
Drew: (very agitated) “No, me not want to stop and eat.  Me not hungy”
Me:  “Well, the rest of us are hungry so we are going to stop and eat and then when we get back in the car we will have a short trip left.”
Drew:  (very, very agitated) “Wet me drive dis car!”
He must have decided if he could just drive he would get us there quicker – no stopping to eat.
In about 2 minutes he was asleep in his car seat.  We didn’t stop and eat in Columbia as we planned we let him sleep about an hour and then stopped in Orangeburg.  He was a little happier with a nap and full tummy and he let me keep driving.

Make people feel special – and they’ll be back

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This is a great post I just read.  If you know anything about Newspring Church you will know that they are crazy about volunteers and making people feel welcome.  So Cornerstoners – read this before Sunday and lets make sure our visitors (and regulars) find a place that feels authentic and a place that they feel like they are our special guest.  Most people decide if they are coming back way before they hear the sermon.  Let’s be known as the church where people can come and leave with a smile on there face because they feel like we were truly glad they were there.  See ya on Sunday – with a smile on your face!