Yum!

This tomato is from my garden! This is the first time I've had a garden. I can't tell you how excited I am
and just how good it tasted. The cucumber is from my friend Kim's garden. Isn't nice that she shared of her abundance?

(Aren't my plates cute? My children, ((Christon and Jordan)) got them for me for Christmas! They make me so happy. I just love all things Black and White.)

Guest Room

$49.95?? Not any more!

"Mo"

This is the Boss!

He rules this house!

Until the grand daughters show up.

Then they rule!

He's a our 7 year old male

"Maine Coon" cat.

He weighs 25 pounds.

He's a big boy!

He's been on diet food

since he was a year old.

His given name is Gizmo.

Then Shelby came along and couldn't

say Gizmo and called him "Mo"

instead. So we all call him that now.

I was trying out my new camera

and he was a willing participant.

Flip Me, Pop Pop!

Miss Shelby was just full of it.

Flip me Pop Pop!

She's a wild woman!

We interrupt this wildness for

a quick kiss from Reagan.

She has to get them when she can.

Pop Pop's Gum

See right where that those little fingers are pointing? That's where Pop Pop keeps his gum!

Little Miss Reagan loves her some gum
and means she's going to have her a piece.

Christon and the girls stopped by after swimming all day. They can't seem to pass our road with out both girls calling out to see Pop Pop.

Say Cheese!

This is the new camera that

came yesterday in the mail.

I'm not real happy just yet

because it's not a Nikon D80.

I'm just glad to have a camera

and no money out of my

pocket because it's a replacement.

I'm still planning on getting

the other one soon.

(Only in my dreams,

Hey, I can plan can't I???)

13 Things About Yesterday

1. Shelby woke me up at 5:30 AM.

2. She peed my bed. (I forgot the pull-up)

3. Christon brought Reagan at 8:00AM.

4. We had breakfast at "Ziegs" again.

5. Went to Walmart for milk and yogurt.

6. Ran in to Amanda as we were leaving.

7. Borrowed her oldest daughter. (We had wanted Madi to spend the day with us but forgot to call and make arrangements. So was our good fortune to run into them. Madi has a 3rd birthday on Saturday but she and her family will be out of town on vacation and we wanted to have a party for her before she left. We look for any reason to party around here!)

8. Stopped by Dollar Store for balloons, party stuff, more arts and crafts and Madi picked out her presents. (balloon, doll, cards, puzzle, princess figurine and some way cute flip flops.)

9. Made sugar cookies.

10. Shelby picked my first tomato from my garden!!!

11. Watched 3 little girls play in the pool and sprinkler. Bathed 3 little girls. 6:00pm, Sent 3 little girls packin...

12. Cooked dinner.

13. Remade my bed with all freshly washed linen!!!

Annie

Harry and I took Shelby last evening to see my niece, my brother aka "Barney's friend Chris's" daughter, the Princess, in her 5th grade musical production. They did selected songs from "Newsies" and "Annie"! The Princess wore the curly red wig and red dress. Yes that 's right folks she was "Annie"! She did her family "PROUD"! I would like to take a little credit for her having the staring role. Thank you, thank you very much! She has watched the movie "Annie" at my house no less than 50 times if not more, since she was 2 or 3 years of age. She was WONDERFUL and I hope her father puts some pictures on his blog today and I will steal them and put them over here on my blog. (DONE see above) We took her some flowers and I let Shelby take them to the stage and present them to her. Shelby was so excited to see the Princess perform. She told us she wanted to get on the stage and do that too. I'm just not sure that the world is ready for Shelby yet?

Shelby was so funny on the drive home. I read 6 of her favorite books and then she told us she wanted to read them to us. So she opened the books and sang them to us. On about the 3rd book, Harry told her that it sounded like she was singing the same book over and over. We are not really sure what she was singing. I'm just sure it was Italian. She finally grew tired of singing and let me read again. After 4 more books her little head fell over to the side and she was out. I carried her in and put her in my bed so we had a sleep over. Fun good times!

Take Out For Dinner

So yesterday was the first day the girls were

out of school for summer.

I have them this week M-W-F.

Next week on T-and TH.

We started the day off here

at Zeig's cafe. They have a wonderful

breakfast and are a favorite of

all the family. Amanda did a

whole post on them if you

want more info.

As soon as we finished up breakfast

we made a quick trip here for a few arts

and craft supplies.

When we got home from town

I rode my bike.

And pulled the girls behind me in this
until Reagan's was nearly asleep.
Nap Time for her!
She slept for 2 hours.

While Reagan was sleeping,

Shelby ate lunch. Then

Shelby and I made a similar version of this.

I got the idea from here, Crafty Crow.

It's a wonderful site with tons of things to do.

I will use them a lot this summer.

If you have any other great web sites

for crafty kids stuff, please share it with me.

We also made a get well card

for her friend Chad who had a

freak accident on the last day of

school. We called and checked

on him and his mom said he was

getting back to normal.

After Reagan woke up and had lunch

it was time to go back out side.

So I changed the girls into our swim suits.

Got all the sun screen on and got the pool

filled half way up and heard thunder!

A wild thunder storm rolled in and

we were all running

back in side the house.

It only lasted about an hour.

(This is Shelby a two years a go in the little

pool that we have had for 3 years now.)

But by the time things dried up a bit we

were dressed again. While it was raining we had

a snack and read 10 books

and watched "Curious George"

on PBS KIDS.

They wanted back out side as soon as it
stopped raining. So this is what we did
until their daddy came and picked them up.

As soon as the granddaughters left
Travis drove up to help me string up
my tomato plants.


It couldn't have
come at a better time, because the
sever thunder storm came with some high
winds and knocked a couple of them over.
No need to worry, we got them all fixed up.
When he left and I came inside it was 7:00pm.



Needless to say, I did not cook supper.
I ordered out and went and got it.
I actually thought it was a wonderful
day. Everyone was in good moods
and seem to have a good time.
No fussiness from any of us.
I think that on Wednesday we'll

just go to Summer Waves!

Schools Out For Summer

I can't believe that school is out and

that summer time is here.

I think that the girls had a wonderful

school year. They had the best teachers ever!

Both girls learned so much.

Now lets see if I can entertain and

teach them new things this summer.

This is Shelby's teacher Mrs. Brenda.

This is Reagan with one of her

teachers, Mrs. Audrey.

This is Mrs. Dottie, Reagan's other teacher.

Thank the Lord for good and

loving teachers.

Watch Always

"Watch ye," Paul said. Be wise. There are a lot of roads to travel on, many places to go, countless things to see. Companions of all kinds are available. So watch your step, examine carefully the alternatives. There are only so many books you can read, so many places you can go, so many tasks you can prepare to work at and actually give your time to; you can only have so many real friends; you have one character to form, one life to live, one Master who can be served at a time. So, said Paul, "Watch you." Be wise. Keep reading, keep thinking, keep asking, keep interested. Try out your own ideas, weigh them and weigh those of others, thoughtfully, prayerfully, honestly. Let truth have its chance in the marketplace."

- Marion D. Hanks,

May 28, 1964,

"BYU Speeches of the Year,"

Got Squash?

I do!!

Thanks to my gardening friend.

I have 2 - 5 gallon buckets full!

Yea! Yea! Yea!

(UPDATE, In case you were interested:

This amount yielded 6 one gallon freezer bags and one large chili pot full for lunch tomorrow!!)

We All Scream For Ice Cream

We actually have an ice cream man who drives around our neighborhood each afternoon. It's been a few years since we've had a regular one. His ice cream truck is white and he plays the loudest music to attract all the children and adults alike. I had the girls on the golf cart the other day and we were able to stop him so we could buy and ice cream. Shelby picked a yellow "Sponge Bob" ice cream bar that had pieces of bubble gum for his eyes. Reagan got the same thing. It made the biggest mess! But the girls were delighted with their treat. It was a fun first time thing. I suppose we'll stop him again some time during the coming summer.

Texas Sheet Cake

Texas Sheet Cake

Pre-heat oven to 350*

Put in sauce pan:
1 cup water
2 sticks butter
5-6 Tablespoons powder cocoa
Stir and bring to a boil. Don't scorch.
Remove and set aside.

Mix together:
2 cups sugar
2 cups flour
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
Now add the boiled mixture to these ingredients and beat well.
Add 1 teaspoon of baking soda to 1/2 cup milk and stir then add to all of the above.

Bake in greased jelly roll pan for 12-17 mins depending on your oven. Use the toothpick test for done-Ness.

While cake is baking make the frosting.

In same sauce pan from above put:
1 stick of butter
6 Tablespoons powdered cocoa
6 Tablespoons milk
Once melted and almost boiling add in a box of powder sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla mix well and pour over hot cake as soon as it comes out of oven. Eat hot, cooled or frozen. I served it with vanilla ice cream.

I made this Sunday night for dinner with the children. This is the first time I've ever made Texas Sheet Cake. I found it fast and easy to make. It was rich and wonderful.
Mrs. Ella Rae Keeney shared the recipe with me.

This isn't near as exciting as the Big Catch" that is on Amanda's blog and Courtney's blog today! Check it out!