*Rags to Riches

I am in the process of making the centerpieces for our wedding reception, dinner table. And you know how it is, you get something in your brain that says, "I have to have THAT in THIS specific way, or I am going to burst".......weeeelll, I had one of those moments with glass bowls and globe vases.

I wanted a champagne/light gold-ish color....could I find ANY?? No. So I bought some spray paint in the color I wanted and got the-always eager to help, Joe, to spray paint some clear ones I already had.

They turned out even better than I had imagined they could. I am one happy camper now!!

 

You'll have to see how they look on the dinner table with the fuchsia, pink and orange flowers ........

*Wedding Sneak Peek

The centerpiece for the kids' table.

The kids' table will be kid heaven on June 25th. I am still buying just the right candies to fill these with, but I am well on my way. I decorated the plain white bucket and scalloped-edge boxes with organza ribbon and paper flowers. I filled them with curled ribbons of different colors. These large lollipops are HUGE.....they are as big around as a small cantaloupe. The middle part is well over a foot and a half tall. The popsicle-looking sucker is about a pound. Their table will be a circle.....with white tablecloth and an orange table runner.....and white chair covers with orange sashes.

Annnnnd........just a teeny tiny peek of a hint as to what my bouquet looks like......just teeny tiny!!

 

I had to have some bling on my stems!!





I hope you enjoyed the peek at the centerpiece.....I think the kids will be all smiles too!

*Monkey Bread



Photo by Prepared Pantry

3 (12 ounce) packages refrigerated biscuit dough

1 cup white sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 cup margarine
1 cup packed brown sugar



Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease one 9 or 10 inch Bundt® pan.


Mix white sugar and cinnamon in a plastic bag. Cut biscuit dough into quarters. Shake 6 to 8 biscuit pieces in the sugar cinnamon mix. Arrange pieces in the bottom of the prepared pan. Continue until all biscuits are coated and placed in pan.



In a small saucepan, melt the margarine with the brown sugar over medium heat. Boil for 1 minute. Pour over the biscuits.

Bake at 350 degrees F for 35 minutes. Let bread cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out upside down onto a plate. Do not cut! The bread just pulls apart in pieces =)



Soooo easy and soooo good!
 
If you try this, let me know what you think!

*Amaaaazing Chocolate and Peanut Butter Cupcakes

Photo by Sheila T.

1 box mix of chocolate cake....prepare as directed for cupcakes.

After you put the prepared mix into the paper cups....add a teaspoon of peanut butter in to each cup and push it down a bit into the mix.

Bake as directed...usually around 25 minutes or so at 325 degrees.

Cool in pan for 2 minutes then remove to cooling racks.

The frosting......THE YUMMMMMY....Super amazing frosting =)

1 cup creamy peanut butter

1 stick room temp. butter (REAL butter, not margarine)

2 cups confectioner's sugar

3 tablespoons milk or cream

Cream together peanut butter and stick of butter until smooth.

Add the 2 cups of sugar and mix in well.

After that is mixed well......add in the 3 TBS milk or cream and whip it up. It should be a perfect spreading consistency.

Frost cooled cupcakes and garnish with chocolate chips or quartered Reese's Peanut Butter Cups. Mmmm. Mmmm. Enjoy!!



*A Delightful Design

Okay.....so I am not one who pushes products or services....like everrrr, but I have to right now. Not only is that what friends are for (to blab and brag all about one's special qualities), but I just think that she has some super-talent. I want you all to meet Abby, like a sister to me, and a most amazing- interior decorator. The best thing that Abby can do FOR ANYONE, no matter where you live, is help to guide you down the right path. Lord knows we all have ideas, but that doesn't mean that all of our ideas look spectacular when put together. Let Abby help you. I will not call out names on here......but I realllly know of a few friends that could and should benefit from Abby's Eye! (myself included)

A Delightful Design

Visit her blog and be prepared to be enlightened.

PS......if you get over there to check out her blog quick enough, you can be entered to win a FREE DESIGN BOARD for any room in your house that you choose. This is HUGE!

*R.C.B.

Gone, but most definitely not forgotten. It has been nine LONG years, but somehow feels just like yesterday you were alive and well......and being.......you. Hanging out with us "kids" talking, waxing your car for the two thousand and third time that year, enjoying a cigar and singing Elton John's- Bennie and the Jets, to your Bennie Boo Boo, in the garage. Yelling at Tim for farting in the kitchen or for jumping off of the roof into the pool, having a tea party with Ariel, eating Cozy Shack Rice Pudding, or irritated because someone forgot to clean out the lint trap in the dryer.

Many people, love, miss, and think of you every single day. We wish you were still here to make so many more memories with. Thank you for being the man you were, for teaching us all the lessons you did, and for being one of the most entertaining men I have ever met. At that point in time, I did not have my father in my life........I had you.

My life right this second is what it is 100%, because of you.....not many people know this, but I am willing to share now......

 When you were ill and things started to seem bleak, I was crumbling inside. I wanted to keep my brave face on and be the one Marilyn, Ver and Tim could lean on. I had never in my life felt so overwhelmingly sorrowful. I was strong but I think you knew my secret. Answering the questions Ariel had was heart wrenching......you were her man =)  You held on for days more, and then one day in the hospital room, Tim and I decided to get fresh air and a bite to eat. You passed away about 5 minutes after he and I left. I think you knew we were a wreck. I felt helpless. I wanted to fix them all....their hurt......and anger. I went home that night just destroyed. I was lying on my bathroom floor crying all night and Teron, my boyfriend at the time, just watched TV. He did not have one ounce of sympathy, care, or compassion, that the woman he professed to love- was heartbroken. I decided right then.....that night.... to tell him I could not stay with him.

Less than two months later, I met Joe. The most thoughtful, passionate, giving person I had ever met. Aaaand.....he just ADORED Ariel. He did the silly things you would do and had no shame in doing her girlie little things either. So, out of your passing, I was able to gain this most wonderful, blessed life, with two little brothers for Ariel, that I would have never known had I not felt so heartbroken and alone. There was some sunshine after all of that gloom. Ariel and I miss and love you like crazy!! You will always be part of our lives~

A special song will be playing on my other blog....just for you and Bennie! =)
http://mymemoriesandsuch.blogspot.com/

*A Letter of Thanks.....

This holiday season, I think my 4 year old son's teachers deserve to know how I appreciate them with WORDS. I know that bath lotions and coffee mugs are great, but how better can you show gratitude than something in writing?! (And cc'd to the Principal of course).

What it says:

Dear Mrs. Hughes and Mrs. Darby,                                                                  12-16-10






I want the two of you to know you are so appreciated by me. While I will not be able to convey just how much, I will state some reasons why:


You are selfless and I think, probably very often overlooked in the school. Children (not much older than toddlers), are brought to you and you are responsible for and entrusted to enrich them. YOU ARE SPECIAL!!Most can not open their milk or juice alone, tie their shoes or hold their bladders, many can not blow their nose or wipe themselves properly or even tell you exactly what they need or how they feel.....you are MIND READERS!! You somehow.....magically, make them loved and important enough in school that they don't kick and scream every morning upon arrival. You keep them engrossed, even though they have attention spans of a gnat. You are AMAZING!! You let us parents feel secure and hopeful when we leave our love, pride and fears with you. YOU ARE SUPERHEROES!!


I know that you are not thanked nearly enough. And I know that you do not take care of our children to be thanked. It is just YOU! It takes a very specific type of person to be able to do the things you do. You take these undisciplined, school-foreign, runny nosed, pants wetting, whiny, germy, stubborn, loving, kids......YOU MUST BE INSANE!


You open 20-ish milks/juices, zip 20-ish jackets and count heads more times in a day than you probably slept in hours last night. Yet, you find the time to make each one feel special. And I thank you! My child loves you and smiles SO BIG when he talks about you! THAT means the world to me.






Best Wishes,




Jennifer Paradise


cc: Linda Marr

If your child/children have a special teacher or teachers, that go above and beyond their "job-descriptions" and really love what they do (even though we have no idea how they could)......please tell them. Then tell the principal too =)

Thank you for being AMAZING, Mrs. Hughes and Mrs. Darby!!

*Doing it Right?!

I will not pretend to be perfect or even an expert on the subject, but I am a parent of a teenage daughter that is asked constantly, how the kids I am raising are so well behaved and "normal". I will focus mostly on Ariel, because I have been her parent longest. She fills me with huge amounts of pride, and in the same sentence, can make me feel like I am literally going insane. I have tried many different methods of discipline with her over the years and I was always left feeling that she was impossible.......now that I am older, as is she, I think it was ME that was impossible. Let me explain. We have preconceived notions of what this child is "supposed" to be. And when this child colors outside of those preconceived lines, we balk. I am not saying that we (the parents) are always wrong in this.....but I am saying that we are NOT always right!

Ariel is 15 1/2, driving, hormonal, intelligent, sassy, emotional, insecure, hopelessly forgiving, unreliable around the house, completely devoted to her sports and activities, a mean big sister, very sharp tongued, relentless when she wants something, crazy funny, and manipulative. All VERY NORMAL things for a young lady on her way to  being her own woman.

Now, my discipline/parenting is completely dependant on the child's attitude and maturity. As I mentioned, Ariel is starting to drive. Well, driving is not a right.....it is a privilege....and you better bet that if my teenager is acting like a 4 year old that has been told they can't have ice cream, then SHE WILL NOT DRIVE. If she is unable to find a way to help around the house and show some responsibility (without being asked).....then she will be UNABLE TO FIND HER PHONE. If she makes the horrendous decision to lie to me, then she will not have the pleasure of going to friends' houses or parties......I can not trust that good decisions will be made away from me if she has made crappy ones in front of me.

So there you have it.....very very simple and very hard for the child/teenager to argue. You are simply treating them at the age/maturity level they are behaving in. If your 12 year old wants to whine and pout like a 2 year old, then very bluntly......THEY ARE NOT MATURE ENOUGH FOR A PHONE! Would you buy a 2 year old a phone??? Didn't think so. If your child can not find a way to clean up after themselves, then THEY DO NOT NEED MORE THINGS!!! Why keep giving them more to take care of??? You are not FORCING this child to be anything that they are not ready for, if they want to be immature, then so be it. But you also should not reward their decision by treating them like they are mature and deserving of "older", more mature things.

We, as parents, need to take responsibility for our actions in enabling our children's bad behavior! You can not blame the child/teenager for what they have been ALLOWED to be. Have higher expectations of them, do not waver, and be rewarded!! They are not our puppets......but we can help them to be the BEST they will be when they are grown. Because we all know that selfishness, greed, hatefulness, temper tantrums and laziness don't just disappear in adulthood......who wants their child to be THAT PERSON when they are on their own??!! I sure don't.




If you have any nuggets of information that may be helpful to others on this topic, please feel free to share it below!

*My Secret Recipe (that I will share with only you)...



I have this recipe for Apple Bread and Muffins. I get loads of requests for me to make it for people. Sometimes a few loaves at a time. Each year, the orders are piling up more and more and to be honest, I just can't keep up. Sooooo, I have decided that I will share my recipe so that those that are able to bake for themselves can. I will continue to indulge those whom I know burn water. =)

2-ish Apples (I use Gala, Honeycrisp or Fugi)
1 cup Sugar
1/2 cup Oil
2 Eggs
1tsp. Vanilla
1/2 tsp. Almond Extract (optional...but I love it)
1 1/2 cups Flour
1tsp. Cinnamon
1/2 tsp Baking Soda
1/4 tsp. Salt


-Peel and finely chop apples to equal 1 1/2 cups. Set aside.

-Stir together sugar, oil, eggs, vanilla and almond extract in a large bowl.

-In a separate bowl, stir together flour, cinnamon, baking soda and salt then add this mixture to the sugar mixture. Stirring just until blended. (Batter will be stiff).

-Fold in apples.

For Bread:
-Pour in to greased 9x5 loaf pan and Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.

For Muffins:
-Poor in to greased or lined muffin cups and Bake at 400 degrees for 18 minutes. (They do not rise much, so you can fill the cup up)

I hope you enjoy as much as we all do! Let me know if you try this and what, if any, modifications you made to the recipe. I would love to hear it.

*15 (other) reasons to get married....

From: Brides January 2011 | Bridesmag.com

 1. You can (finally) change your Facebook status.

 2. You have someone to watch bad reality TV- and trade snarky comments- with.

 3. Um, hello- gift registry!

 4. Someone else can walk the dog at 11p.m. on a cold, rainy night.

 5. At weddings, you can stay seated during the bouquet toss.

 6. "I need to check with my husband" stops cold callers in their tracks.

 7. Two words: health insurance

 8. You have a "plus one" for infinity.

 9. Your cat died.

10. You can stop "celebrating" being single and admit that you kinda like fighting over the remote, tripping over his tennis shoes, and being accountable to someone.

11. Your Netflix queue needs a shot of testosterone.

12. Aunt Helen has officially stopped asking, "When?" at every single family get-together.

13. And now, when Aunt Helen asks, "When?" -about something else- you can point and say, "Ask him."

14.Unless you're a Civil War reenactor, life simply doesn't present that many opportunities for a floor-length dress.

15. Someone always has your back.

-Barrie Gillies


Reason 16: He can go through life not asking for directions- because you'll do it for him.

*Listen to My life

My most recent fixation (aside from the baking)......I have started a new blog, in addition to this one, that is music based. I feel like as we get older we "forget" so much. Memories, good and bad, get buried under more memories and events and feelings and we lose touch with them. But when you smell that certain smell or hear that "one specific song" you are hit hard with the memory and emotion....like no time at all has passed. I am trying to make a diary of sorts for myself, of all of these memories since childhood. Without even having to write a word, I can relive and remember all of these specific feelings and memories.....happy or sad. I have this overwhelming fear of forgetting everything and losing myself........so I am making sure that I have these Feelings That I Felt Right Then on record.....so I won't ever forget........


If you read this blog.....then chances are I have memories with you......so no doubt, you will recognize some of these emotions......and remember too....

http://mymemoriesandsuch.blogspot.com/

*Stress No More.....

You can get a quick fix for most anything these days.....it may not be the healthiest thing to do, but it will be quick. Hungry no more......Hot Flashes no more......Fat no more......you get the idea.  I have never been one to buy in to these things.....but if there were a 'Stress No More' - quick fix, I would have to really really refrain from jumping on the bandwagon and being one of the first 100 callers to order (and maybe even scoring a freebie too).

I know EVERYONE has stress.....even my children have their own forms of stress.....but for me.....right this second......my stress level is a tad out of control. Lawsuit filed......Holidays.....Illnesses in the family....my own permanent disabilities.....a grandma that needs extra care and I am 1700 Miles Away.....my Social Security Disability case up for review....... a 15 Year Old Daughter Starting to Drive...... Planning a wedding that is a little over 6 months and 1200 miles away......Training two dogs.....a Horrendous anxiety disorder...... Blah, Blah, Blah........

Anyways......my point to this is not to dwell on the stress, but to find ways to put my big girl panties on and deal with it.....without a quick fix. Lately (well, since the gas leak was fixed), I have been cooking and baking like crazy.....it is super comforting and a big distraction from the stress. The only problem is that I don't necessarily want to eat all of it.....so I give it away to people.....whether they want it or not. I am FORCING my baked goods upon people.....ha ha. I go through different phases, then circle back around....sometimes it is sewing, then I move on to logic problems, and lord......I think everyone stops talking to me and goes in to hiding when I am on my knitting kick.....I am afraid no one wants any more scarves or purses.....so I started donating all of them.

So here is my question to you.......

How do you handle, distract yourself from, and get through super stressful times? I could use some new ideas and my family .......they will be so so grateful for me to move on to something new to obsess over!

*Acceptance is the First Step....

As I am learning to accept the fact that my children are growing up.....I am learning that I have to have grown up talks with them.

Corey is the youngest....now 4 and in school full time, he has developed new behaviors. He becomes pissy emotional when told he is too young to do things. He is upset in the photo above because he wants a driver's license and does not have one. So Joey made one for him that says, "I Can Drive".

Talking to him and explaining that he will grow up too, is bittersweet. Seeing the elation on his face when told he'll be a man like daddy one day, makes my heart flutter.

Joey, playing air-guitar above, is 7. He is the middle child and a lot of the times.....bless his heart, on the back burner. He is SUCH a good child that he just doesn't demand a ton of attention.

He is at an age where he is easily frustrated by his little brother, and usually disgusted with his older sister.



He marches to his own beat, hates that he can not have a Mohawk all year long, and is now reading chapter books (that he is so so proud of). I am trying to teach Joey that girls in fact, do not have cooties!

 

Ariel, the big 1-5, is my source of indigestion gray hairs  energy. She is 100% becoming her own person.....woman. She is way too busy for my liking, and she juggles so much that I see me in her. She is in all honors classes, makes honor roll, runs cross country, cheers, is Vice President of FCA, in Public Relations for FFA and runs track. She makes it ALL a priority, does not let anyone down, and gives a thousand percent........UNTIL she gets home. (Big smiley face)....you hush, Mom! She has a hard time rinsing a dish or putting away her own clothes. Typical in every way, I suppose.



I am trying to let her learn on her own, what true friendships/relationships are and mean. It is extremely difficult, as a parent, to see your child learn first hand that a relationship is not what they though it was. My instinct is to save her...before damage is done....but that would not teach her anything.

She is learning to drive now. A HUGE deal for a parent. I am so proud that she is becoming such a responsible, smart, efficient, young woman, but it does make me yearn for those days when she was learning to tie her shoes.

And PS......I am teaching Ariel that boys DO have cooties!

*Fall



What a scrumptious past two days I have had. We have truly had some beautiful fall weather here and I have enjoyed every second of it. I feel like a butterfly that has finally left the cocoon. These past two months have been trying....physically and emotionally.

The kids started school:

Ariel is a sophomore, cheering, running cross country and is vice president of FCA.

Joey is in 2nd Grade and LOVES his teacher (and if I may say so myself, I LOVE her too). Joey has joined Cub Scouts and is VERY excited to get a uniform and he has decided that he may try to play basketball this year.

Corey is in Pre-K and goes to the elementary school with Joey. I take them every morning and they ride the bus home together in the afternoons. Corey has loved school wholeheartedly and was really upset when he had to miss a couple days due to a cold. His only dislike is when he has to be told it is time to get up from nap...ha ha. (And in case you are wondering, I have my sad, lonely, "my kids are growing too fast" moments, but for the most part, I have adjusted just fine as well).

The puppies, Layla and Beaux, are growing like weeds. They are almost 5 months old and FULL of energy (which I am not). They love to go for rides in the van and every day at 3:30pm, Layla stands in the living room window knowing that the bus is about to be here with the kids on it.

Joe's hand is healing up well. He is no longer in constant pain, but still does not have feeling in his finger or the side of his hand. The doctor did say that it could be about 6 months or so before he begins to feel anything. We hold out lots of hope still.



I had a follow up MRI for the spinal tumor and had (what I think is) wonderful news! The tumor has NOT grown in size but it has increased in signal??!! (Whatever that means). I will be discussing everything with my doctor at my next appointment and will pass along whatever he says. It has been a difficult time for me though, pain-wise. For whatever reason, it has been very rough here these last few weeks. I am thinking that maybe, at the very least, Joe and I should really consider buying a new bed. Maaaaybe it will help even a little.

Then, we had a nice gas leak here at the house. So, long story short.....our bird died, we have had no gas for a couple weeks (which makes cooking VERY interesting) and we will be tearing up our front yard and replacing all of the line in ground and also replacing what comes in to and under the house. Fun Fun Fun times =)

Right now I am SO SO SO looking forward to my Shelly and Eddie visiting for a couple of days next week. They are coming sans kiddos and we are farming ours out to my wonderful parents for a couple of the days they are here. This will be THE FIRST time we will have adult only time with our BFF's for longer than an evening out to dinner. *Sigh* We  are so excited that we don't even know what to do with ourselves. I do know that Eddie's plans are to go home with quite a few more tattoos though =)

That brings me to my very important order of business........WEDDING.......a tad shy of 9 months!!! Eeeeeek!!! It hit me like a lightning bolt last night. I guess now is when I bombard Joe with all of my hundreds of ideas on ten different decisions to be made at one time. Thankfully, most of the BIG things have been settled. The wedding blog link is here, if you would like to see more details. 

I hope everyone has a wonderful start to the Fall Season~