Recipe SOS

Hi All!

I wanted to send out this SOS because I need some help.  We are leaving for a week long stay in Orange Beach in about two weeks, give or take.  I love vacation time, but I hate the amount of money we always seem to go through on eating out.  Therefore, I have decided to try to cook some things at home and take some stuff from our pantry to the condo with us.  I know that sounds crazy because it's additional things to pack, but we always go to the beach with not a lot of money.  And the girls fell in love with go kart riding, so I know we'll have to do that plus goofy golf and souvenir shopping.  I just don't want to 'waste' a great deal of money on eating out.  We have to go to the grocery for home before we leave anyway, and I was just going to add some things to my list to take and try to make before leaving.  Do any of you have any great make ahead and freeze recipes that you could recommend?  I live with a good  many picky eaters so the more basic ingredients the better!  Thanks so very much!!!

More PIctures from the Twins BIRTHday!

are they not absolutely adorable?  these are the outfits they got from BopBop & DamDam.  they looked so grown up to me--made me proud and sad all at the same time!  and they were absolutely crazy about the bows that came with their outfits--HAD to wear them to church!

Anna posing in her new shades from the grands

at this particular moment, we couldn't find Maggie's new shades, so she opted for a pair of mine

Anna opening presents from Mimi and Pop

my mom and stepdad came by Sunday--they treated us all to lunch and brought presents for the girls--LOTS of new clothes that will be perfect beach wear in a few weeks.

not sure what this face means--she's either excited or scared about what she's opening!

The Cookie Mama Giveaway

My friend Shannon, the Cookie Mama herself, is having another cookie giveaway.  And since I'm letting all my blog buddies know about it, this is a way for me to enter my name into the drawing.  Be sure you go and leave her a comment on her blog to get your name in the hat!  Shannon's cookies are DELICIOUS!!!!  My whole family loves them.  She can design just about anything--cars, trucks, beach balls, trains, flowers, and the colors she chooses--very eye catching.  You won't be disappointed!  Shannon is the best!

Twas the Day & Night Before.....

DamDam came over the Saturday before the girls' birthday, bearing gifts as she came.  Grandparents never seem to visit the grands empty handed, do they?  And that's why God made 'em, right? =)  They got the most absolutely adorable outfits (which they wore to Sunday school the next day and naturally I took a picture and will post that one, but for now, it's on the sidebar!).  

And, since these little ones are really beginning to express some different interests, they got some different gifts of their own.  Anna, being the more girlie girl of the two got a 3-D kite (which we plan on flying at the beach in a few weeks--yay!) and some pink princess sunglasses.  

Maggie, who does exhibit girlie tendencies on occasion but seems to have less interest got a pair of Spider-Man sunglasses and a Spider-Man Mr. Potato Head!  Yes, my four year old daughter LOVES Spidey!  Don't ask me why; I have no answer for that one!

We decided to the birthday cake thing that night.  And let me tell you, having girls with different likes made for one interesting cake picking out experience.  Since we weren't doing a big, blow out party, I had decided on getting one 1/4 size cake; that would be plenty!  On the way to WalMart to pick it out, I asked the girls what they wanted.  Anna said she wanted a princess cake, and Maggie, yep, you guessed it, asked for Spider-Man.  How was I gonna solve this one to make them both happy and on a budget?  The answer came to me when I saw that they did small, more individual sized cakes--one a Barbie princess and one a Spider-Man.  This seemed perfect, and they were only $5 each to boot!  I could do those and get one of the already made ones and just have them write Happy Birthday Anna and Maggie on it.  Great!

Not so fast Mama!  Maggie just would not be talked in to getting a small cake.  Anna was much more agreeable on the small one, but Maggie wouldn't budge.  Then I made the executive mom decision and got the small Barbie for Anna (who said she would eat the whole thing by herself) and do a Spider-Man 1/4 sheet.  That way they'd both be happy!  The whole way home I kept thinking to myself,  "I can't believe I just ordered a Spider-Man cake for my four year old DAUGHTER!"  Too funny!

Anna's very own Barbie cake

the Spidey cake!  (it turned out great!)

Anna making her wish

Mags making her wish

KOBE!!

listening to the birthday song

making their wishes

On Friday, we took the girls to Tuscaloosa to KOBE to celebrate the twins upcoming fourth birthday (their actual birthday wasn't until Sunday).  KOBE is one of those Japanese restaurants where they cook your food at your table.  We had eaten at KOBE once before, and Reese loved it.  Maggie was okay with it, but Anna wasn't too sure about the fire!  And again, we had the same reactions--Anna ever cautious, Maggie kinda interested and Reese along for the ride!

When we told our waiter that it was the twins' birthday, he said that they had a little 'show' for customers birthdays.  Once we finished with our meal, most of the wait staff came out and sang "Happy Birthday" to the girls.  They even had a "cake" for them--it was about a quarter of a pineapple that served as the cake base and on top of that was a hollowed out orange.  The 'inside' of the orange was sliced and the slices were stacked on each other--it was like a tiered cake!  There were even two candles in the orange for the girls to make their birthday wishes with.  It was very special for me to watch them be so excited about something different being done just for them.  They were even given small boxes that contained their very own pair of chopsticks!!!!  That was an extra special surprise!

I've got more pictures and stories from that birthday weekend, but I'm so behind.  I began this post two weeks ago--and I'm just now finishing it!  I guess I'll get to it all now that my online classes are OVER!  Hallelujah!  

Stay tuned......

Catching Up

I have a lot to catch up on with this here blog.  Am going to try to get some of it done today.  We celebrated the twins fourth birthday all weekend long, and I've got pictures and posts to make so stay tuned......

Say Y-E-S to VBS!

We finished up VBS week last night at church with Family Night.  I'm a little behind with all of my postings.  I'm taking FOUR online classes for my license renewal, so I've been a bit busy!  Will post family night stuff later.  Anyway....

I helped out in the older four year old room this year, and it was such a blessing seeing how excited those boys and girls were about Bible school and Jesus!  It did a world of good for me to help.  

The theme for the week was Boomerang Express, and the boys and girls learned all about Australia.  The boomerang was chosen as the "symbol" and our saying was "it all comes back to Jesus."  'Cause you know a boomerang's supposed to come back to you when you throw it!  

My girls sang every song every morning in worship rally, and we had to sing them on the way home, too.  This was Reese's second year and the twins first, and they all had a blast.  Reese was sad that we weren't going this morning; she didn't want VBS to be over.  I have so many crafts and colorings that I need to organize, but it was a true blessing for all the girls to be a part of.  

The seeds have continued to be planted in sweet Reesie's heart.  She asks me if I have Jesus in my heart, and I know she's beginning to understand.  I just don't want to force her into any kind of decision.  I want her to totally understand what it means to have Jesus in your heart.  I think that the next time she says something about it that I'll get our children's minister to sit down and talk with her.  I just want her to understand what it's all about.

Since we were in Australia on the Boomerang Express, I had to get the girls' picture besides these kangaroos.  The halls in our children's building have these awesome murals on the walls....the outback with kangaroos, under the sea with dolphins, moose grazing, polar bears in the Arctic and my favorite one is an entire wall of Noah's Ark with the animals boarding two by two!  On my to do list for the future is to get the girls picture with all the murals.  

Reese had a few tears in her eyes because Anna would not let Reese be in a picture by herself.  This was taken just moments after a youth worker got Anna occupied with something else so Reese could be with the kangaroos all by herself!

Maggie and Anna with the 'roos.  (I have got to take them for a haircut PDQ!)

Dandy Doodlez

Last Tuesday, I took the girls over to Starkville to Dandy Doodlez. For those of you who don't know, Dandy Doodlez is a paint your own pottery studio. The girls have been wanting to go there for a long while, and I decided to brave it alone last week as a reward for finishing a great school year!  I couldn't have asked for a better time....the girls were so well behaved.  I don't think they've ever acted much better than they did last week.  

all my happy girls!!!

Reese decided on painting a small birthday cake and a dolphin.  I'm not sure what drew her to those, but she was very proud of what she did (and so was I).  Anna picked out a puppy, and bless that puppy's heart, he had more paint on him than the law should allow.  Anna just couldn't get it how she wanted it, and she kept adding color upon color upon color!!!  (and to my amazement, her puppy turned out really well!!!)  Maggie decided on a spider....have I mentioned that Maggie really likes Spider-Man?And her spider also got his fair share of paint layers!

sweet Mags hard at work on her spider!

The girls had a little trouble understanding that we couldn't take our painted pieces home the day we actually painted them.  I had to tell them that the pieces would have to go in a big oven to get all shiny and pretty for them.  I got a call earlier this week saying that our work was ready to come and be picked up.  The girls were so excited about seeing what they painted.  

crazy Anna--she really had a ball!

One of Maggie's spider's legs broke off in the oven though.  That was the only casualty we had.  Maggie didn't seem too upset about it, and I think the people at Dandy Doodlez felt kinda bad, too.  They gave us a store credit so that Maggie can come back sometime and paint something else!  That was news to my ears!!!

my big girl!!! (posing as always)

Befores and Afters.....

Reese's birthday cake and dolphin before....

and Reese's after

Anna's puppy dog before.....

Anna's puppy dog after...

Maggie's spider before....

Maggie's spider after (more on his missing leg later)