More Birthday Celebrating and Recitals.

Happy Memorial Day and Happy Anniversary to Wade and me. It's been 13 years today. I am thankful for the soldiers who put their lives on the line for my freedom and I am thankful for my husband who believes in me and loves me. ♥

Today has been a very low-key day. Wade had the day off and the kids were home from school. (Three and a half more days of school - woohoo!) We just putted around the house and Wade did some work outside. The kids and I did take a walk around the house looking for my neighbor's lost cat with no luck. I hope she finds him soon.

Friday was Elizabeth's sleepover for her birthday. She ended up having two friends over, Tatum and Riley. She had told my sister she wanted walkie-talkies for her birthday from her but she wanted them by Friday for her sleepover. My sister told her she would take care of it. Jon, my brother-in-law was traveling that week and went to a Bass Pro Shop to buy her some. They really spoiled my girl! ;) Jon dropped them by the house on Friday before I went to school to pick them up.

After I got Andrew and the girls, we ran by Sonic for our usual Friday treat (half price slushees). Later when we got home, we ordered pizza, played hide-and-seek with Elizabeth's new walkie-talkies, took a walk around the neighborhood, painted nails, played with glow sticks, ate brownies and played on the swings and club house. Andrew enjoyed having them here too and allowed them to paint his nails. (Can you tell how dirty the bottom of his feet are? LOL)



I used some subtle psychology to get them in bed that night. I asked what their goal was to stay up that night. One of them said, "12 o'clock!" I said, "noooo" so another said, "11!" and I said, "noooo". Then they said, "Ten?" I said, "Okay!" But I let them stay up until 11 so they felt they were getting to stay up later than they were supposed to. LOL They were all asleep just a few minutes after eleven.

On Saturday, Andrew and Elizabeth had their piano recitals at 2. Wade's dad came up for that and for Elizabeth's birthday party later that afternoon. Andrew was the first on the program to play. He was glad to go first and get it over. He played it confidently. Elizabeth played well too but messed up in one part because she was playing from memory instead of reading her piece and lost her spot. She was a little upset about it but I assured her no one could tell.


With my new camera I was able to video {most of} their pieces. Still new at this so please excuse not getting the start of Elizabeth's song and then remembering I was videoing and not taking a picture on Andrew's where I turn the camera sideways. LOL Let me know if it doesn't work.



My children - especially Elizabeth - really get to celebrate their birthdays. I say "especially Elizabeth" because she is the one that likes to have a party at school and then something at home with friends. I am the one that wants to do something with family so then that throws an extra festivity in the mix. The family party was on Saturday at 5:30. We usually do pizza (easy!) but wanted to do something different this year and chose BBQ from Phil's Dream Pit. Plus, we grilled hot dogs, made baked beans and had chips. Mom made Elizabeth a Hershey Bar Cake. (See recipes below.)


Her birthday card from me (inspired by a card I saw online a while back):



Elizabeth got inline skates from Papaw and Nana, the Dolphin Diaries series plus two more dolphin books from Papa, money and a card from Nannie (her great-grandmother), a gift card to Books-a-Million from Uncle Steve, Aunt Jeanette and Ms. Grace and of course the walkie-talkies from Uncle Jon and Aunt Lori which she received on Friday. She loved all her gifts. She immediately put the skates on and was "skating" all over the house and outside. She wore them until it was time for bed and had them on as soon as she got up the next morning.



Yesterday, Elizabeth wanted me to curl her hair. I'm not sure if it's that she's nine and having the desire to fix her hair has hit suddenly or if it was just a wild hair. I know we were at some friends' house last weekend and their 5th grade daughter was just experimenting with the curling iron for the first time so maybe that was it. Anyways, I allowed enough time for me to curl her hair Sunday morning before we went to church. It looked so pretty. Of course I had to snap a shot before we left. I sprayed it quite a bit with hairspray but warned Elizabeth not to run her fingers through her hair or run or because they would fall out easy. She has asked me four or five times today to curl her hair again. I keep putting her off though since we aren't going anywhere. I have a feeling I'm going to have to get up early tomorrow to do it before school.


I am super excited about going to the beach house next week. I have lots of plans already for all of us - Chinese restaurant, craft at Lowe's, eco-boat tour, possibly making curtains for Elizabeth's room, visiting the pool and beach, maybe digi-scrapping, letterboxing, etc. Fun, fun, fun!!

Baked Beans

1 lb. very lean ground beef
1 c. ketchup
1 med. onion, diced
2 T. vinegar
1 sm. green pepper, diced
¾ c. packed brown sugar
1 tsp. salt
2 (1 lb.) cans pork and beans

Brown beef, onion and pepper; drain. Add salt, ketchup, vinegar, brown sugar and pork and beans. Bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes.

BAKED BEANS PRINTABLE RECIPE

Hershey Bar Cake

1 Duncan Hines Swiss Chocolate cake mix
1 c. powdered sugar
8 oz. cream cheese
12 oz. Cool Whip
6 Hershey bars with almonds
½ c. sugar
Cocoa

Follow directions on the box, making 3 thin layers. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes or until done in the middle. Cool. Whip together the cream cheese, sugar, powdered sugar and Cool Whip. Chop up the candy bars and add to the mixture. Add enough cocoa to make it turn light brown. Using the cream cheese mixture, ice and stack the three layers of the cake.