pat-a-cake

My Cookie Angles helped me make Christmas cookies this year.

It was lots of fun!  It worked out great as soon as I set up their own cookie station and set them on their way.  They used the mini cookie cutters and even the mini rolling pin from their play kitchen.  They worked so good together.  It was so sweet watching Emily helping Amy, showing her how to roll out the dough.

                                                                              Roll it,

and pat it,

and make it into a star,

and bake it in the oven for a Delicious Christmas Treat.

Happy Birthday to my "Little Laura"

My daughter Emily turned 9 the middle of December.  "Little Laura" as my mom calls her.  She really is a "mini me,"  but she is also a truly unique girl.  I will never forget the day she was born, I didn't believe the nurse when she told me I had a girl.  I was so happy, after all I already had a little boy, Alex and now he would have a little sister to protect.  Protect, ha ha, that rarely happens these days, they are 9 and 12 and usually fighting but I know they really love each other.  Emily does have it tough being the middle child and a big sister herself.  With a little sister following her around, it isn't easy.  I should know...I have a little sister too, who when we were little was annoying to me.  Now that we are grown up and have children of our own I'm so glad I have my sister.  I love her very much. 

So Emily...I try to do special things with her since she's the middle child.  We do Girl Scouts together, I'm her Brownie Leader.  On her birthday we went to a play together with some of her Brownie friends and her BFF Kayli.  We then went for gourmet cupcakes at Bettie's Cakes a cupcakery cafe.  The theme of Emily's birthday was cupcakes.  I made her a GIANT cupcake cake for her family party the day before. 

Blow out your candles and Make a Wish!  I hope all your wishes come true, Emily!~ love, Mom

Thanksgiving Vacation

It's been a while since I've written, that's because we took a family vacation.  We surprised the kids with a Thanksgiving Trip to see Grammy and Grampy in Florida.  It really was wonderful to BE on vacation and leave our worries behind.  Everyone knew about the trip accept our kids and Grampy because the BIG SURPRISE was his 70th birthday party.  The surprise was a HUGE SUCCESS!   Emotions were on overload and Grampy was brought to tears by the sight of his family all together. 

I love the saying, "there's a first time for everything."  We spent Thanksgiving morning on the beach for the first time.  It was beautiful to take in the wonders of God's World.  The kids played in the sand and the crashing waves.  They searched in the broken sea shells for sharks teeth and found Baby Ghost Crab smaller than your thumb nail.

From start to finish my eyes were wide open seeing all of the things which I am thankful for.

Family~Health~Nature

And even in the midst of a stormy day we were able to experience the beauty of a perfect rainbow.   After a long day driving through the rain we found the end of our rainbow, EXIT 27, home sweet home!!!!!

Scouts Support the Veteran's

Got my morning coffee and sat down the read the morning paper, boy was I disappointed with the newspaper coverage of the Veteran's Day parade.  I have better pictures.  Some of the shots my husband took and I reworked them a little.  I think that it's important for us as Americans to support our Veteran's and honor them everyday not just on Veteran's Day.  By having the Scouts (Girl Scouts, Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts) march in the parade we are teaching them to honor the Veteran's.  I hope they learned something from listening to the Politicians and Veteran's speak and seeing them receive their medals of honor from our "small city with a BIG heart." Veteran's are the "heart of America."  One of the speakers said that "in this celebrity obsessed culture, it's important to remember the real stars of America.  True appreciation is expressed not only by deeds, but words.  Don't underestimate the power of saying 'thank you' to a veteran you encounter."  Just like my father taught me I teach my children, always thank a soldier in uniform for their service to our country and for protecting our freedoms.  Children are sometimes too shy to do this so by them marching in the parade they are saying "thank you."

Veteran's Day

A BIG thank you to all of those who have served, or is currently serving our country. Thank you Lars, Leif, Dad, my father-in-law Bob, Deb, Bob, Josh, Steve, Bryce, Jeff, Vic, Clint and anyone else I may have forgotten, thank you so much for all that you did and do. Happy Veterans Day! God Bless you and God Bless America.
My brother is currently serving in the Army and stationed in Iraq with the Rough Riders.  I worry about him everyday.  I love it when I get to see my brothers smiling face in pictures he shares on facebook. God bless our soldiers!!!

Just got to say a quick "hi," to my brother again. It's bitter sweet hearing his voice. I love you Lars!!! Stay safe!

Thankful for a camping weekend with Emily

This past weekend I went to Camp Wood Haven Girl Scout Camp with the Brownies and my Emily.  We had a great time.  The theme of our weekend was Thanksgiving.  So we did Thanksgiving crafts and made a Thanksgiving feast with help from the girls.  We made corn cob lanterns, by recycling and re-using water bottles and Gatorade bottles along with tissue paper. 

The weekend was packed full of activities for the girls including 2 science try-it's.  Another parent planned out all of the science experiments, they were great.  The girls also went on a short hike, but I couldn't go because of my injured foot.  So I drove down and met them at the end.  While I waiting for them to return I walked around a small area and got some great shots.  I had just as much fun editing them as I did taking them. 

 

When we returned to the cabin we finished preparing dinner and set the table with white table clothes and lined the center of the tables with the corn lanterns that the girls made.  Now, I know that the moms were saying "what kind of crazy junk project are you doing with our daughters now?"  But when we turned off the lights and it was unbelievable how beautiful those recycled battery operated lanterns looked. 

What a beautiful site, even with all the miss matched mess kits.  I'm so glad I found the craft idea in my Family Fun Magazine. 

Before we ate our dinner we all went around saying what we were thankful for.  I said, "I'm thankful for this weekend with Emily all to myself.  I'm also thankful for my other 2 children.  But these short camping trips are wonderful moments alone with Emily, they are so special."

*Life* Live it~See it~Don't let it pass you by

First came the picture and then the poem just now.  On my way to my van at camp I noticed this heart on the path.  NO, I did not arrange the pine needles to make it, I found it exactly as it is.  As I took the picture I wondered how many girl scouts walk this path and how many saw it.  Out of the 22 campers there I was the only one who saw it. 

*Life*  Live it!  See it!

Don't let it pass you by and don't walk past it.

My eyes are always seeing...

Seeing more than what most people see. 

Things that you might walk right by...

I stop to look and see.

BE Realistic

I was watching Grey's Anatomy tonight and what Dr. Bailey was talking to Dr. Webber about the hospital and what she would like to do with grant money. 
"Let's not go to Paris, let's go to the grocery store."
I feel the same way,  I have dreams, wishes and wants.
But do I need them or want them?
Kids, laundry, errands, Paris,  food and house.
What's necesary, what's not?

ACT don't Procrastinate

ACT don't Procrastinate!
These are words I really need to live by.  I need to ingrain them into my brain.

SO it's been a month and a half since the kids went back to school, actually closer to 2 months.  Where has the time gone?  Ever since school started and soccer season came and left and scouts started I've been wrapped up in all of it.  Like usual I haven't had time for me.  The only thing I have been finding time fore is boot camp on Monday's and Wednesday's.  But that's just a start.  I don' think it's really doing anything yet, especially since I'm not sticking to proper eating.  I haven't been logging  what I eat and I need to.

What can I do?  I really need to boost my BE list.  I'm looking for inspiration.

When I started this exploration of mine there was inspiration all around me and I was making the most of my time with the kids, relaxing at the beach.  Now the days are full again and I'm looking for inspiration.

Home

Home by Laura L. Brittain

A house isn't a home ~
A home is where your family is.
Slow down ~
Remember what's really important.

LOOK ALIVE! BE ALIVE!

LOOK ALIVE! BE ALIVE! by Laura L.Brittain

LOOK ALIVE! BE ALIVE!
Do you have the "WILL" to live?
When faced with the question, will you know the answer?

Live in the moment,
      Love every moment.
              LOOK ALIVE!
                          BE ALIVE!
                             

Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween!  To date I think today was the best Halloween I've ever had.  It was packed full of fun.
From my husband being a kid and leaping into the leaves to trick-or-treating with the girls.  It was a fun filled!

The Spirit of Halloween 2010

This year I really wasn't into the spirit of Halloween.  I didn't decorate the porch like I usually do, I don't know why, I just didn't.  But today as I took pictures of my kids in their Halloween costumes I really got into it.  I was inspired for a little while by a witch and a skeleton.  My little princess didn't want to be photographed  and she didn't want to get dressed up either.  Until this afternoon she too was a witch.  Emily was a green and black witch and Amy was supposed to be an orange and black witch.  But when it was time to get ready she didn't want anything to do with it.  Oh well at least I got pictures of her after her party at school.  Amy was trying on my witches hat and holding onto it tightly as the wind kept blowing it off.  Finally some inspiration.

Autum Poem by ME

Autum Poem

By Laura L. Brittain

Autumn colors all around

Leaves of beauty on the ground

Watching them as they fall

Wind blowing leaves

Autumn colors all around



Fuzzy Little Caterpillar

The kids found a Fuzzy Little Caterpillar today.  We all became fascinated by it, mostly me.  I loved taking pictures of it.  Watching the Fuzzy Little Caterpillar crawl quickly across the stick and leaf, his funny suction-cup feet, when it was scared it curled up into a ball.

Beautiful Busy Fall Saturday

Another busy soccer Saturday morning.  It was sunny and crisp this morning for the girls soccer games.  By noon it was warmer and we were able to take off our sweatshirts and feel the warmth of the sun.  After soccer we made a quick stop at home to drop them off and then Emily and I were off on a Brownie adventure to Five Rivers.  The girls loved exploring in the education center and then outside for a nature hike.  They were working on part of their WOW Journey Book and learning about the water cycle.  Emily found a teeny tiny snail.  While the girls were busy Listening, learning and searching for water bugs and animals, I was seeing things through by own eyes.  Keeping my eyes open to what was naturally there, reflections in a swamp, my shadow on the creek and the colors of fall.

After a beautiful day enjoying nature we ran home to change and pick up the rest of the family, to go out for a celebration dinner in honor of my parents 40th wedding anniversary.  My sister said a beautiful toast that I ended and now I wish I had written down.