tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-84508180704921398542024-02-19T00:43:17.460-08:00Sparkles N' SportsSparkles N' Sportshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14843639117651573484noreply@blogger.comBlogger121125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8450818070492139854.post-10846854865530453702015-01-01T22:12:00.001-08:002015-01-01T22:12:54.976-08:00Happy New Year 2015!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Goodbye 2014! </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Hello New Year! Thank you Rhonna Designs App for allowing me to be creative and make pretty stuff!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Ringing in 2015 Pappasitos style with the family! The two hour wait with my parents was worth it always!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Brody always gets picked by the Mariachi men! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">New Years Day was a well-deserved lazy day. We spent it watching football and staying in pajamas! </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibfsFdMcHmRssKCRr7-87NWbQk5weSq4MBdjnEMcuGK4e1BoOJoKqpw9RCVIPjr-plnLGGStjIUV5D1DiLExQ_rhuEo8W3WFsh-EXdoo4vEulZ2PDPOjdraCq4jmxFB2FjstYN3Zu022S9/s1600/IMG_4443.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibfsFdMcHmRssKCRr7-87NWbQk5weSq4MBdjnEMcuGK4e1BoOJoKqpw9RCVIPjr-plnLGGStjIUV5D1DiLExQ_rhuEo8W3WFsh-EXdoo4vEulZ2PDPOjdraCq4jmxFB2FjstYN3Zu022S9/s1600/IMG_4443.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It was <b><span style="color: #3d85c6;">COLD</span></b>, cozy, and rainy all day long! I couldn't help but stare at all the lights! I'm in NO rush to take down Christmas! I probably won't start for another week! Maybe it will all be down by February!</span></div>
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Sparkles N' Sportshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14843639117651573484noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8450818070492139854.post-79345086424616255422014-06-11T21:40:00.000-07:002014-06-11T21:40:43.998-07:00Summer on a Whim<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Some of the funnest summer days aren't planned, they just happen!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">our day brought:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">a cancelled yoga class due to a leaky rain-soaked ceiling :-((</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">a call from an old college friend</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">finished first book of summer, I couldn't put it down - Shattered (Belinda Temple and her baby Erin will be on my mind for days)!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">a text from a sweet friend wanting a coffee date at starbucks</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">old town spring</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">reading the historical marker for our little city for the first time (ten historical markers are on our summer to-do list)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">refreshing blue snow cone, gone in minutes</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">quaint shops</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">no schedule</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">a glimpse of Cleveland Indians baseball on a bench under a big tree, thank you MLB app</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">quiet time to cook dinner while kids played with friends</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">major mosquitos</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I love summer!</span><br />
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<br />Sparkles N' Sportshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14843639117651573484noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8450818070492139854.post-80000204733778105112014-01-02T18:51:00.001-08:002014-01-02T18:51:33.978-08:00Happy New Year 2014<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2014, it's a new year and a fresh, clean start! Cheers to new goals, a re{new}ed marriage, new days, new friendships, new memories, new possibilities, new projects, new reasons to smile, new chances, and new doors to open! I'm excited to see what 2014 brings! Happy New Year!</span></div>
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<br />Sparkles N' Sportshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14843639117651573484noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8450818070492139854.post-2681318848021668902013-01-01T12:44:00.000-08:002013-01-01T12:52:20.065-08:002013 Chalkboard Art Printable<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm so obsessed lately with all things chalkboard, and chalkboard art. I have a </span><a href="http://pinterest.com/lavishbliss/"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Pinterest</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> board dedicated to my love of </span><a href="http://pinterest.com/lavishbliss/chalkboard-junkie/"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">chalkboards</span></a>. <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Soooo, I couldn't resist, and made my own little 2013 printable.</span> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's full of inspiration for the new year ahead! Happy New Year's Day!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRSbjfV4SRq8QRvVrF3QCEyHj4TxOoJqozdnlMYgQ6rcgGOPF87_iv9yVd_KbToM1rVIFBfhZjegKoDH3RyGo3NxmgVSnFY6s3WP9SMoCKSUgkNTy76Jn9eTZJKceduqh1yj9KjYpJKG8W/s1600/2013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRSbjfV4SRq8QRvVrF3QCEyHj4TxOoJqozdnlMYgQ6rcgGOPF87_iv9yVd_KbToM1rVIFBfhZjegKoDH3RyGo3NxmgVSnFY6s3WP9SMoCKSUgkNTy76Jn9eTZJKceduqh1yj9KjYpJKG8W/s400/2013.jpg" width="308" /></a></div>
<a href="javascript:void((function(){var%20e=document.createElement('script');e.setAttribute('type','text/javascript');e.setAttribute('charset','UTF-8');e.setAttribute('src','http://assets.pinterest.com/js/pinmarklet.js?r='+Math.random()*99999999);document.body.appendChild(e)})());"><img alt="Pin It" class="aligncenter" src="http://www.clickinmoms.com/cmprodaily/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/pinit.jpg" /></a>Sparkles N' Sportshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14843639117651573484noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8450818070492139854.post-61362229918856337062012-12-31T20:36:00.001-08:002012-12-31T20:36:03.791-08:00Happy New Year!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEige5WsCSA3ZrCxeWOOQByZHtxQmm9RXeVlcCLueV_nL-9GVOvEVSs1y205TFujV43_jmTwbJ0VCqnVU7BU9Dc3VRemhWzBAxQ8w0rJfYRh2jy_fpuNtCncDiYdkvIMG-Gt6asmGiDhug0_/s1600/2013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEige5WsCSA3ZrCxeWOOQByZHtxQmm9RXeVlcCLueV_nL-9GVOvEVSs1y205TFujV43_jmTwbJ0VCqnVU7BU9Dc3VRemhWzBAxQ8w0rJfYRh2jy_fpuNtCncDiYdkvIMG-Gt6asmGiDhug0_/s400/2013.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's hard to believe another year is coming to a close! I'm excited for new experiences with my family, possibilities, the journey ahead, my first full year being 40, things I'm going to learn, and things I'm going to create!! I'm excited about my photography! I'm excited that I will be learning to say NO! I don't like to make resolutions, since it's hard for me to keep them. I like to make goals instead. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In 2013, I want to devote my full attention to my kids, and spend less time on orders. I have been thinking long and hard in deciding whether to give up my <a href="http://www.lavishbliss.com/">little girly business</a>. That, I must decide on. I love creating, and love the colors, the sparkles, the glitter, the glue, the excitement of making pretties for other people. But, my customers will never know the sacrifices that my kids have made so I can get their orders to them. The trips to Hobby Lobby, Michael's, the shipping store several times a week after school, the late nights, the movie nights that I have missed so I can meet deadlines, the times when I'm not all there when they talk to me, and the mess in my kitchen where I work. This stay-at-home mom enjoys a little extra money, but it really isn't worth it all knowing how much time I miss with them!! I'm ready to do pretties again for my own girly and me!! We're always last.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I want to date my honey again, once a month, at least! Also, I want to spend more time with my parents. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Life gets crazy with all our weekly activities with the kids, then sports on the weekends, and birthday parties. I want to make them a priority too! We recently saw Parental Guidance and it tugged at my heartstrings when Billy Crystal's character mentioned to his daughter that she went away to college and stopped coming home, then she got married and came home even less, then had her own family and never came home. It made me sad! I want to be sure to make it a point to drive 15 minutes to go bring them dinner and spend more time with them. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">I also am pumped about diving into Photoshop, and can't wait to play around with my </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://ohsoposhphotography.com/artstore/products/elements-actions/">Oh So Posh Photography</a> actions that my mom and sister gifted me for Christmas. I plan on making photo books instead of keeping all my thousands of pictures on my laptop. There are so many home projects I want to do, but better take advantage before baseball season starts. And, I'm planning on random acts of kindness more often. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">It's time to start with a fresh, clean slate! Good bye 2012! I'm looking forward to a brand new year! Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one, Happy New Year!!! Hello 2013!</span>Sparkles N' Sportshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14843639117651573484noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8450818070492139854.post-42116985392640615572012-12-17T22:11:00.000-08:002012-12-17T22:13:31.066-08:00<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yay!! I just finished our Christmas card for this year! I haven't done cards for three years, so I'm a little excited. Yes, I waited too long again, so my friends and family probably won't get them until after Christmas. These are just shots from my cell phone. I waited too long to get the photographer's pics. There's always next year!!</span><br />
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Sparkles N' Sportshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14843639117651573484noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8450818070492139854.post-15650133960308439012012-11-20T21:17:00.001-08:002012-11-20T21:17:29.899-08:00Forty Things<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Today has finally arrived! The day I turned 40 years old!!! Time really flies when I think that Tim and I have been together since we were 18!!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In honor of turning 40, these are 40 things about me!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1. I was born on 11-20 at 11:20am, my mom calls me every year at my actual birth time, I love that!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2. My favorite time of year is fall when we can all be outside again after being stuck in air conditioning all summer long.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3. I'm addicted to glitter, my glue gun, ribbons, and paper pretties! I love to craft, if only I had more time!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">4. I'm so blessed to have wonderful, caring parents who have been married 45 years and have taught me values, lessons, and compassion.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">5. I am such a baby, and cry so easily at everything! Commercials, movies, babies, I should just keep a tissue in my hands all the times!!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">6. My nose knows, I have a strong detection of scents and I secretly love the smell of skunks! Except, at night if the windows are open if it's cold out!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">7. I'm obsessed with Christmas decorating...there has to be a tree in every room (except bathrooms). I have two up so far and have six more to go!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">8. My favorite color is hot pink.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">9. I have names for my big left and right toes. For some reason Latreca always gets kicked, Rhonda seems to do ok, except her baby toe sister that I kicked on the bathtub by accident recently and has left me limping lately!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">10. My favorite scripture is Philippians 4:13.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">11. I love to clean, always have! Almost obsessed, have to have it clean before I can enjoy anything I really want to do. I guess that's why I never get anything done, like blog!!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">12. I cannot live without Sonic's Strawberry Limeades.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">13. Or, Pumpkin Spice Lattes from Starbuck's</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">14. Or, sweet tea from McCallister's Deli, or any tea for that matter.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">15. I love to grocery shop!! Most people can't stand it. I love to look at all the possibililities and take my time strolling along. The sights and smells and samples are the best. I am an HEB snob!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">16. I would love to live in the country on tons of land, in a cute little house with a front porch, a picket fence, old wood floors, and tons of antiques, and a sky full of stars!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">17. I am an introvert and need my quiet time or I go cray cray! Taken from a fellow Instagrammer (ani_rdz), "Quiet people have the loudest minds!" Sometimes my quietness has come off as snobbiness, which is furthest from the truth, and I can't stand that!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">18. I LOVE to cook and bake. That is my time to unwind and chill out, it's so relaxing to me! I love to throw in my favorite jazz music - Chris Botti and Peter White and an occasional glass of wine.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">19. Photography is my passion. I'm known to have my camera or iPhone whipped out in a flash! Now, if I could only figure out what to do with all my pictures! I wish I had an iPhone when my babies were little!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">20. I love to snuggle with my babies under soft, warm blankets. It's the best feeling ever!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">21. My favorite singers are Carrie Underwood, and John Mayer (that voice)!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">22. I'm a soupie. I could eat soup all day, every day. I make a mean tortilla soup!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">23. I miss the fact that I never grew up knowing a grandpa. One died before I was born, and the other when I was ten. He lived in another state and I have no memories of him. When I see little old guys at Walmart or war veterans, it makes me want to adopt them. It hurts my heart!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">24. I love small towns and unique shops and restaurants! I would much rather spend money there rather than chains!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">25. My favorite candle is pumpkin spice! Mmm!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">26. I am a Real Housewives junkie - Atlanta, Beverly Hills, Miami, New Jersey, New York, Orange County. I have to have complete silence when I watch, no kids allowed, so I can hear every bit of juiciness!!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">27. I once had someone tell me I smiled too much! That didn't bring me down, that comment makes me smile 10X more today!!!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">28. I am crazy for leopard print! Seriously!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">29. I started watching The Young and the Restless when I was in 6th grade, and still watch to this day! Thank goodness for VCR's and DVR!!!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">30. I'm weird about numbers and think things are meant to be - our address is 20919 - my birthday is the 20th, our anniversary is the 9th, and the day Tim and I started dating was March 19th. All of our birth years equals 72, 7+2=9 (our anniversary), the kids birth years equals 12, 1+2=3 kids. My birthday and Tim's birthday equals 23, 2+3=5 members in our family! Call me a dork, is it a coincidence all our numbers are aligned?!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">31. I HATE, I LOATHE emptying the dishwasher!! So glad that I can toss that chore off to the kids!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">32. My favorite movies are Sixteen Candles, Pretty in Pink, Planes, Trains, and Automobiles, Home Alone, I can almost do those line for line!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">33. I dream to go to Paris one day!! I want to pig out on French pastries, drink coffee, look at antiques, strolling the streets with my love arm-in-arm observing all the sights and sounds! Oh, and kiss under the Eiffel Tower.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">34. I had a horrible experience getting four teeth pulled for braces, I felt EVERY bit of the pain as my teeth were yanked. The dentist called me a baby as I kicked my legs and cried. This is when parents weren't really welcome to go back in the room. I hate dentists to this day and rest assured, that WILL NOT happen to my kids!!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">35. I'm not much of a drinker. White wine gives me the worst headache, although I love it so much! My drink of choice every now and then is a margarita on the rocks, with salt, of course! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">36. I feel there are no coincidences in life, God has placed people in my life at the most perfect time!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">37. I'm a history buff, I'm not good with dates though. But, I'm so fascinated at things that have taken place. One of my favorite series that I still need to finish on NetFlix is called America, The Story of Us! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">38. My sister Stephanie is my best friend. We get each other, I love being able to lean on her. I love you, Steph!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">39. I'm so glad I granted forgiveness to my mother-in-law, Barbara. She chose to not be very involved in my kids' young lives because she was envious of me that her son married me. She caused me many tears and much heartache. I could never understand what my kids did to her. There were no baking days, no shopping trips, no trips to the store, or even lunch or dinner with them, or trips to the playground. They lived five minutes away. She was diagnosed with colon cancer in 2009 and eventually lost her battle on October 22, 2011. During those years, she tried her hardest to be the grandma that she hadn't been for years. I give her credit for that. Although the hurt never will go away, it gets easier. It was her loss. I was the same person and never changed. She just never got to know the real me. There has not been a day go by that I don't think of her. I'm sad that my husband does not have a mother. I'm sad that my kids have one less grandparent. Thank you Jesus for giving me the strength to forgive her.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">40. Creme brulee is my favorite dessert, and I plan on having it tonight at my birthday dinner at my most favorite restaurant, Jaspers!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Hello 40!!</span></div>
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Sparkles N' Sportshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14843639117651573484noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8450818070492139854.post-28345124747404086962012-11-19T20:21:00.000-08:002012-11-19T20:21:06.144-08:00For I know the plans I have for you...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This is one of my favorite scriptures and it sums up everything I'm feeling today....my last day of being 39, and my last day in the decade of my 30's. A whole new decade of possibilities is in front of me! Tonight, Sydney and I went on a girl date, to dinner and Starbuck's. She asked me if I'm sad about turning 40. Up until now, I have have been excited about turning 40. Now that the time is drawing near, I can't help but feel a little sad. Maybe it's sadness and fear that I'm moving one step closer to "getting old"! Ha!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>Up and on</strong>...I'm ready to embrace 40, I'm ready to learn new things and have new experiences. I'm ready to meet new people. I'm ready to move away from my baby years. I'm ready to finally feel a little more free now that my "babies" have gained their independence. It's time for ME time again!!! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My <strong>FORTIES</strong> will bring me elementary school, junior high, high school, braces, teenagers, driving, college, a 25th wedding anniversary to my love, lots of sports and cheer, and homework, life lessons, and coffee!!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My <strong>THIRTIES</strong> brought me a wonderful career at HP, then the opportunity to leave it all behind to be a stay at home mommy. Being able to watch my babies grow is one of the greatest gifts I have ever received! It has been trying at times, but would never change it! My thirties brought me our first house and two more babies, and a family of five that is now complete! They brought me struggles with relationships, they brought me cancer of my mother-in-law and then her death, they brought me the true meaning of sacrifice. They brought me the realization of what is truly important in my life.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The 30's brought out my creativity and expression and gave me the motivation to start my own little business. They brought me my love for photography. They brought our whole big family together as we celebrated Grandma Jeanne's 90's birthday. They brought dreams that came true. They brought me exhaustion that I have never known before having three kids and all kinds of sports and activities. They have brought me gray hairs, and wrinkles on my forehead, LOL!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The most exciting part of my thirties was the true relationship I began with Jesus Christ. He has given me strength when I needed it most. I learned He was faithful in hearing my prayers. He has given me relationships with wonderful people that otherwise I would have never known. He knows my plan and I trust Him completely! When He quietly speaks to my heart, I listen to Him!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Trust in the Lord with all your heart</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">and lean not on your own understanding</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">in all your ways submit to him,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">and he will make your paths straight.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Proverbs 3:5-6</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I can honestly say, that I wouldn't go back for a re-do! I'm completely happy in my own skin and not so much worried about what anyone thinks of me anymore.</span> It feels good to have the confidence that I didn't have ten years ago!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Tonight I go to sleep being 39 and thankful for all the wisdom and knowledge I have gained. I will turn the chapter and hold all the wonderful memories tight that these years have brought me. </span><span style="font-family: Arial;">Tomorrow, I will wake up beginning a new book! I can't wait to see what lies ahead!!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Philippians 4:13</span><br />
Sparkles N' Sportshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14843639117651573484noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8450818070492139854.post-41502169726411259962012-11-12T22:06:00.000-08:002012-11-12T22:06:55.272-08:00Love my little boy<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Some days, he's cranky when he wakes up, and some days he's not. Brody must have gotten a great night of sleep last night! My sweet lil' angel was right by my side as I got dressed. Mr. Coat and Tie gave me his honest opinion on my outfit. I just got a vest with a little faux fur hood. He was adament that I did not wear it. I had the perfect solution...unsnapped the hood off, then suddenly I became "fableeus"! Brody loved my new boots and helped me zip them up, "Here Shan, let me help you, that looks cute." Yes, he calls me by my name. I love it and don't have the heart to tell him to stop calling me by my name. I am just savoring these last few days of Brody being three. I am so thankful that my prayers were answered in deciding if our family was complete. Brody was part of His plan for our family. He keeps us laughing and we can't imagine our lives without him.</span> <br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I had to snap this moment, regardless of the messy background. Brody just asked me to marry him! Melted my heart!</span> <br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It was a BoSox and bow-tie kinda day, he dressed himself!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Three Brodys</span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Cousin time at lunch today. Brody just can't get enough of Jemma and squeezed the heck out of her and always tries to hold her!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Playin' in the leaves</span></div>
Sparkles N' Sportshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14843639117651573484noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8450818070492139854.post-20529173193579420092012-06-03T20:05:00.000-07:002012-06-03T20:05:07.515-07:00My sister's birthday...<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Friday night was my sister's birthday dinner at Carrabba's, one of our family's favorite places. There were 17 of us in all including 7 kids! These are some of the pictures of our night!</span> <br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The second day of summer was much quieter! Tim took the boys to baseball, I had planned on going but Sydney had a birthday party. Caroline's mom offered to take Sydney to the party AND bring her home too!! Soooo, I suddenly had an eMpTy house and took advantage of the time to go find a dress for Sydney for the Huntoon wedding we attended last night. What a treat to have shopping time ALONE. I almost didn't know what to do with myself. While at Target, families were everywhere. So many kids where misbehaving badly!! I wonder how we sound when we are out, I'm sure no better, haha!!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Tomorrow's post...the wedding!</span><br />Sparkles N' Sportshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14843639117651573484noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8450818070492139854.post-78181670044655911452012-06-01T22:48:00.000-07:002012-06-01T22:48:56.334-07:00First day of summer<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">June 1st is here!! Yippee, it's the first day of summer. I'm glad after a long school year that my babies are finally mine again {even though today was rough}!!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I am loving the Keep Calm iPhone app, and made this yesterday while sitting in the carpool line for the last time of Sydney's second grade year.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Today started off lazy, we all slept in! It was one of the best nights of sleep I have had all week. I loved it!! On Instagram, I am taking part of the photo-a-day challenge - I will get through this month without missing a day! :0 Today's day was morning, so I snapped a picture of my clock, the time that I woke up! Oh, did it feel good to sleep this late!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Since Tim's shoulder surgery two weeks ago today, the house has been a WRECK!! Toys, laundry, stuff, everywhere!! I'm putting all that off until next week since we have a busy weekend ahead! It's so hard for me though, I feel so much more productive when things are organized and in their places! First up, we had to make our first batch of summer lemonade, what's summer without it?!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Brody and Sydney wanted to go outside and swim in the little plastic pool, so we did that for awhile and enjoyed the awesomely amazing weather for the first of June. Blue skies ruled today with the nicest breeze. After they went in to watch a movie, I enjoyed a lil' quiet mommy time listening to the birds chirp, the planes flying overhead, the sound of kids playing outside, all without the constant hum of all the air conditioners running. It was just the bit of calm I needed before heading back inside to the constant, "mom, mom, mom", oh and the fighting and crying! </span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Unfortunately, we received some bad news today. Tim's dad has not been feeling well the last few weeks, and went into have some tests run. The doctor's office called and wanted him to go in for the test results. We knew immediately that didn't sound good. There is a 95% chance he has lung cancer. He will have to have a biopsy on Monday to see for sure. Poor Tim, this is too soon. We just lost his mom to cancer 7 months ago. We are not ready to go through this all over again! All we can do is pray! The doctor said it looks like they caught it early. But, regardless, cancer.sucks.period!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Today is Stephanie's birthday. Tim's dad told us to go to her birthday dinner, or else, we would have spent the evening with him, since he was upset about today's news. We ate at Carrabba's, all 17 of us! We missed Blake. Now that he's a big 7th grader, his priority is friends and going to the movies!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This is a picture of Steph and me taken in the back of the good ole' station wagon, circa 1970 something! It's my favorite childhood picture of us! Sisters and best friends...I'm so blessed to have such a caring, loving, creative, talented, and funny sister! Happy birthday Steph! I love you!</span></div>Sparkles N' Sportshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14843639117651573484noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8450818070492139854.post-71755419131299558302012-03-26T21:38:00.001-07:002012-03-26T21:38:48.625-07:00Happy 40-months old!<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When all my babies reached two-years old, I sadly no longer referred to them as a certain number of months old. Instead it's was just two years old and not twenty-four months. Just this week, Sydney wanted to know how many months old and how many days old she was and she's almost eight. She was also asking about Brody and as it turns out he's exactly 3 years and 4 months old today (40 months) old, hehe!! Well, since this is a big year of 40 for both Tim and I, I couldn't help but do a 40 month post for Brody!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">40 months ago, we welcomed a fifth member to our family, our sweet little Brody! As much as I LOVE being a mom, adding a new baby left me feeling like a zombie! I have cried in my closet more times than I can count, I have been overwhelmed beyond measure trying to juggle it all...being a wife, mommy, maid, chef, poopy diaper changer, bottle feeder, throw up cleaner upper, homework helper, sports mom, car pool queen, laundress, and having a home business to top it off! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I have given up on trying to be perfect, which is hard for this perfectionist! There are days when there are dishes in the sink {shudder}, days and piles of laundry with no end in sight, dinner menus that don't always get followed, clothes on the floor that don't get picked up, beds that go unmade, toys that might not get picked up for days, and the list goes on and on. Oh, and did I mention, these are the days where people just happen to come by my house, when our abode is at its WORST! Of course, it's never on a day where my house is all clean and sparkly!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">40 months - I feel like it's FINALLY a turning point from the last few years of all things baby and sheer nuttiness! Brody is finally able to find his own quiet time, playing or watching a movie. He's his own little person! </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Brody has supplied us with loads of laughs and we love how he has rounded out and completed our family! I just can't imagine that we had plans to stop at two. It's so fun to watch how he acts with Blake and Sydney, he adores his bubby and sissy! I feel sooo blessed that I have been given the gift to stay home with my little man and watch all his milestones since I was a working momma with the first two. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">At LAST, I am beginning to get little portions of MY life back now and it feels good to finally be able to breathe again! A happy momma=a happy family!!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Happy 40 months old my sweet lil' monkey man! I wouldn't trade the last three years of craziness for anything!!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-bWQf3wn8jWYAjjmg1UcjcGKdrCKnpOKrOyU1TKZmHQ99xh0oHxt3-w-Jge3RCSGDJtCLFGxEDts7jnggtebO06MxgW7IFFsPOkOxEowRfZI7PkSTAbvH8_-yfspq0kIUEzbGg7TWv29c/s1600/ssmarch2012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-bWQf3wn8jWYAjjmg1UcjcGKdrCKnpOKrOyU1TKZmHQ99xh0oHxt3-w-Jge3RCSGDJtCLFGxEDts7jnggtebO06MxgW7IFFsPOkOxEowRfZI7PkSTAbvH8_-yfspq0kIUEzbGg7TWv29c/s400/ssmarch2012.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Sparkles N' Sportshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14843639117651573484noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8450818070492139854.post-37009007803842533752012-03-07T16:20:00.000-08:002012-03-07T16:20:02.069-08:00Another ER visit...<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Since it's been forever since I have regularly blogged, I'm going to play catch-up for the month of February. Up until last month, I had only visited the ER twice in my career as a mom for the last {almost 12 years}. I think that's a pretty good record, thank you kids for playing it safe! It should have actually been three times, but I won <strong>mother of the year</strong> award a few years back when Blake broke his wrist, only I didn't know it was broken until three days later :-(.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Enter, Friday night, February 10th, almost a month ago. My sweet, grown-up sixth grader, Blake, requested to go to the skating rink with his friends. It's the fun Friday night hangout place to be for the pre-teen crowd. I lived at the skating rink when I was his age, the same skating rink. Oh, do I feel old! Of course, we let him go. There is a uniformed police officer who stays there the entire night, so I feel safe leaving him there for a few hours.</span><br />
<br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Most weeks, we don't even get a call from Blake. We text back and forth, just to make sure everything is ok. Skating starts at 7pm, and we <strong><u>HAVE</u></strong> to be there on the dot! A few hours later, he called Tim's phone crying that he fell and hit his head on the skating rink floor, and he wanted to come home. Tim picked him up and the minute he walked in the door, he ran right to me, and buried his head as he hugged me. He began sobbing uncontrollably. My strong boy doesn't normally cry like this. We talked about it and he said it really freaked him out. I suggested that he get in the tub to relax. I began asking him how hard he hit his head, and if he caught himself. I don't think he liked that I was asking him so many questions. I think it scared him. </span><br />
<br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Kids have fears, certain fears like death. He asked me if he was going to die {that broke my heart}! I reassured him that would not happen. A few minutes into his bath, he began to vomit. Over and over. I immediately Googled head injury and vomiting and it pulled up concussion, and to seek immediate medical attention. My poor baby was hurting, and it killed me that I wasn't there to see how hard he hit his head on the skating rink floor due to him tripping on his skate. <strong><u>Mommy guilt, check</u></strong>!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So, at 11pm, up to the ER it was. I stayed home with Brody and Sydney while Tim took Blake to the ER. They waited and waited, and waited some more. Blake had to have a CT scan to assess the injury. I prayed and prayed and cried for my first born, who hadn't been to the ER since he was four. I prayed to God that he would wrap his arms around Blake and take care of him, and give him comfort. Finally, Tim called around 3:30am to let me know that he was ok. The scan came back good. He had a mild concussion without losing consciousness. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Blake came home and went straight to sleep. I knew I wouldn't be getting any sleep though. I kept checking him so often to make sure he was breathing. I watched his chest rise up and down, I felt so blessed that God took care of my baby! All that was left was a nasty looking bruise on his right forehead. He hasn't been back to the rink since then!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sweet text Blake sent me telling me he loved me!</span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Blake - 2</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Brody - 0 and hoping to keep it that way! Although, he's a rough and tough little boy...</span></div>Sparkles N' Sportshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14843639117651573484noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8450818070492139854.post-50117395167243690912012-03-06T22:33:00.000-08:002012-03-06T22:33:36.479-08:00February Photo-a-Day a-la-Instagram<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One of my most favorite things to do is take pictures! Having an iPhone certainly helps with my obsession. My family knows that I can't let a day go by without taking a gazillion pictures. The most popular phrase from two of the kids when the iPhone is held up is, "Mom, not another one, please!" Hehe, they won't stop me. I loved the February Photo-a-Day by </span><a href="http://www.fatmumslim.com.au/"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Fat Mum Slim</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">. I have to admit though, I only did the first 20 days, then busy days set in! I'm trying to do better with March so I can collage the whole entire month. :0</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Thanks to </span><a href="http://www.thehouseofsmiths.com/2012/03/photo-day-linky-party-february.html"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">House of Smiths</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> for the fun Instagram February Photo-a-Day link-up!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Some of my favorites from the month of February!</span></div>Sparkles N' Sportshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14843639117651573484noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8450818070492139854.post-19366257007369045232012-01-02T21:27:00.000-08:002012-01-02T21:27:14.396-08:00Post Christmas Baking<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For the first time in over 15 years, I did not get around to my usual Christmas baking, I LOVE cookies and counted a few years ago that I made 144 dozen of them. I used to make about 7-8 different kinds and sometimes doubled and tripled the batters. I would wrap them all up in pretty tissue papers and bows and hand out to co-workers, neighbors, friends, teachers, and whatever was left, we would eat. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Since we were out of town for eight days over Thanksgiving, and started off with a busy first part of December, I had to give up many things on my list, and sadly, my cookie baking was one of them. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Part of me felt strange not making them, this was a tradition of ours. But, on the other hand, it was a lot less stressful knowing I wouldn't be in the kitchen for days!!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Today was the last day of Christmas break with the kids, and a well deserved day spent in my jammies. Now that the Christmas rush is through, and I had time on my hands today, I got the baking bug! I was craving some sugary, and buttery goodness and thought of a recipe from my sister-in-law's mom I received last year. The moment I tried these melt-in-your-mouth goodies, I knew I had to make them.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 cup vegetable oil</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2 eggs, beaten</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">4 cups flour</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Combine oil, Crisco, and sugars. Beat until creamy. Add beaten eggs, and almond extract, beat together. Combine flour, salt, soda, and cream of tartar. Add flour mixture gradually. Refrigerate dough for at least two hours. Make walnut sized balls, and roll in sugar. Place on cookie sheet. Flatten with bottom of glass with sugar coating. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.</span><br />
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</div>Sparkles N' Sportshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14843639117651573484noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8450818070492139854.post-31287344331979856092012-01-01T21:30:00.000-08:002012-01-01T22:11:17.534-08:00Twenty.12...Day 1<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm ready to put 2011 behind me and start off with a fresh, new year! Twenty 12, here I come!! We hosted a fun family New Year's Eve at our house last night (my parents, 90-year old Grandma Jeanne, Tim's dad, my brother, my sister, brother-in-law and kids, and my next door neighbors). With seven kids between my sister and I, home is the most fun to us surrounded by the people we love. We had loads of food (as usual), our little ones' talent show, a game of Apples to Apple, lots of laughs, and we finished it off with fireworks.<br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Today was such a peaceful and relaxing start to the year!! Yesterday, it felt like a spring day, it was foggy in the morning, then humid in the afternoon (or, shall I say, a bad hair day)! Today, we woke up to the brightest, blue skies and much nicer temps! Hooray for Texas cold fronts!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We knew it was the perfect day to spend outdoors with our family of five. First, we headed to one of our favorite pizza spots - Grimaldi's (as if we need ANY more food)! Then off to one of the prettiest parks surrounded by Lake Woodlands. There were kids and families everywhere, it was such a stunningly beautiful day out. I wanted time to stand still and enjoy the laugher of my kids, and the last few days we have left with them before it's back to the usual routine of school and work. The ducks were in full force and we came with a box of cheese crackers, I'm sure they loved us! Most of the leaves have fallen off the trees by now, but there were a few that had the prettiest orange leaves left.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As Tim watched the kids, I took some pictures and sat and thought about how blessed I am! I am looking forward to a new year, new experiences personally and with my family, new things to learn, and goals that I want to accomplish in this last year of my 30's. I feel like now that Brody is three, I can finally breathe a little and come off this crazy train that I have been on for years! I'm ready to be me again. Having three kids is HARD!! I'm ready to slow down and enjoy life's little treasures. I'm ready to be in the moment again. Now that I am approaching 40 (and that was so scary to just type), I am ready to do things for me again! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Breathe, pray, live, enjoy, learn, embrace...my plans for Twenty 12!!!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Happy New Year!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Clear blue sky...my favorite kind of day!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Some fun with the ducks!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm excited to see what path 2012 will take me on!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Happy New Year!</span></div>
</span></span>Sparkles N' Sportshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14843639117651573484noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8450818070492139854.post-6292732310183240972011-10-07T07:26:00.000-07:002011-10-07T07:26:52.264-07:00"Amy"<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm a bad blogger, it's been almost four months since a post! It's 9:19am and my little Brody Monster is still in his sweet slumber. It just seemed like the perfect blog opportunity. I was in the kitchen and he woke up a few minutes ago crying, "Amy", "Amy"! For the longest time, I couldn't understand or figure out what he was saying. Finally, it hit me. He's still sooo sleepy and he wanted me to lay with him, or as he was saying, "lay with me" (Amy). As soon as I came to cuddle up with Brody, he went right back to sleep! I'm so glad this night owl momma has a baby who likes to sleep in! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm in love with sleeping baby pictures and love to stare at my babies when they sleep! Here's Brody this morning. </span><br />
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Sparkles N' Sportshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14843639117651573484noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8450818070492139854.post-32283748714893849792011-06-26T20:34:00.000-07:002011-06-26T20:34:21.249-07:00Take Me Out to the Ballgame!<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yesterday was a day full of baseball! Our games were running a little behind, so as the all boys waited for the game to start, my babies were hanging all over their daddy! Quick, I had to grab my camera, the perfect photo opp! I snapped this sweet picture of Tim and the kids! Go Heat! </span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU6xdEAB_n5rYHqKjLwi5deNc8xxDkhC_yIHQSG0cVVRefm2BDhaJrqIIbUWQYTU2E0RF91iQ_4jE50nKioFT6H5uHCL-sE3tlzTWPseCNeSQ2XSLOQ1yia9VzHLmnZcQ-Hl7UthJGkQx7/s1600/baseball+6.25.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU6xdEAB_n5rYHqKjLwi5deNc8xxDkhC_yIHQSG0cVVRefm2BDhaJrqIIbUWQYTU2E0RF91iQ_4jE50nKioFT6H5uHCL-sE3tlzTWPseCNeSQ2XSLOQ1yia9VzHLmnZcQ-Hl7UthJGkQx7/s400/baseball+6.25.JPG" width="298" /></a></div>Sparkles N' Sportshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14843639117651573484noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8450818070492139854.post-12947038822471154372011-06-25T09:33:00.000-07:002011-06-25T09:33:02.652-07:00The sweetest sound...<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For almost five months, we have gone without rain. Our area has seen it's fair share of dead trees, brown grass, little watering ponds that have dried up and last week several devastating wild fires. There will be no July 4th fireworks to shoot off this year. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On Wednesday, we woke up to thunder, lighting and rain. What a sweet sound it was! It was temporary relief from watering the grass and a much needed day of rest with the kids to not go </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">anywhere and do anything! Now, we just need about 25 more inches of rain to get us out of this horrible drought!</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLcpxEjj2TllVO1xoKuxQ1jORO7PbUYiajENsb7Mb2BxW8vZhEhYI_zOv6XJh5tI5G10ZJwWyLIHTKIQmSjsvz62wXkzCfkmEYeXOGcBLqXIOB2XSlODcOOw2uS2cDjlg2pgQLI6aXjDQa/s1600/013.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLcpxEjj2TllVO1xoKuxQ1jORO7PbUYiajENsb7Mb2BxW8vZhEhYI_zOv6XJh5tI5G10ZJwWyLIHTKIQmSjsvz62wXkzCfkmEYeXOGcBLqXIOB2XSlODcOOw2uS2cDjlg2pgQLI6aXjDQa/s400/013.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjADqoFX14HFesvd1fJ84iVFkU-6oLancXZl33cfpuyukiZ0s5y1O_JNFvcUQAIXfNjesF-Fpb4PtDap2qLeu24UQR81qmXq6gSKJC1B1KCsbw4L-wZYZKah4Bs7wS15YQyZ6HuUD5VHj5a/s1600/038.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjADqoFX14HFesvd1fJ84iVFkU-6oLancXZl33cfpuyukiZ0s5y1O_JNFvcUQAIXfNjesF-Fpb4PtDap2qLeu24UQR81qmXq6gSKJC1B1KCsbw4L-wZYZKah4Bs7wS15YQyZ6HuUD5VHj5a/s400/038.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Sparkles N' Sportshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14843639117651573484noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8450818070492139854.post-23767641298000200522011-06-24T07:25:00.000-07:002011-06-24T07:43:06.348-07:00Key Lime Cheesecakes in a Jar<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtiIVFpqb9pze3v-_rWKMywJ8-UyCKlUdSPOpyA3KeYPD1AEr4a47kmzCyKclaKmkYXcHNeSTV0bV-w4Hy6PTS16JI7cia0Hf2dHUH9VMV1xhMlfHiZaNaZiGRB_K_7NMcxUA0YMS1OuEd/s1600/425.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtiIVFpqb9pze3v-_rWKMywJ8-UyCKlUdSPOpyA3KeYPD1AEr4a47kmzCyKclaKmkYXcHNeSTV0bV-w4Hy6PTS16JI7cia0Hf2dHUH9VMV1xhMlfHiZaNaZiGRB_K_7NMcxUA0YMS1OuEd/s400/425.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Lately, I have been obsessed with all these different recipes you can make in jars (I get mine at Walmart). I came up with mini Key Lime Cheesecakes in a </span><span style="font-family: Arial;">jar for Father's Day. My Dad loves Key Lime Pie. He also loves desserts in small portions or else the sugar makes him wanna take a nap. I used the <a href="http://joyofbaking.com/KeyLimePie.html">Joy of Baking</a> Key Lime Pie recipe and changed it up by adding a block of cream cheese to the filling. They were pretty tasty!! </span></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">I layered the jars with the graham cracker crumbs on the bottom and then added the key lime filling and baked. I chilled the jars for several hours and then topped each with fresh whipped cream (no Cool Whip here), lime zest, a lime slice and a few more sprinkles of graham cracker crumbs on top. </span><span style="font-family: Arial;">I wrapped the top of each with raffia. It was the perfect treat and just the right portion too!</span><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">I juiced about 30 key limes (sorry, not the prettiest picture)!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN2k_MQ5MuvMVnE6tmU4oevPH2ZF0mdlByGU5X9NIyCdLwVHrPTeqQtnn0bukuxhX5I_-urbnWbsP4MmJeAp0MBKINOL_kOS7lmA5P23g6D8_jLBNy-7zKnZJrAvwUf9TGdbQ16ileKVdq/s1600/426.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN2k_MQ5MuvMVnE6tmU4oevPH2ZF0mdlByGU5X9NIyCdLwVHrPTeqQtnn0bukuxhX5I_-urbnWbsP4MmJeAp0MBKINOL_kOS7lmA5P23g6D8_jLBNy-7zKnZJrAvwUf9TGdbQ16ileKVdq/s400/426.JPG" width="298" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Toasted graham cracker crumbs</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi29ftUMuZF35F2ROR1bQgVfzCF2EWzSZxFdRPuWp1g0RdKr4FGtQKgDAFRr9mlKUaIpvC4v0_M0YIko2_82wDLHVU9q9tiAKZaOGeKnT46dNd3WvEj11u28W0FWkTHjdW-53I0_x25BEMW/s1600/427.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi29ftUMuZF35F2ROR1bQgVfzCF2EWzSZxFdRPuWp1g0RdKr4FGtQKgDAFRr9mlKUaIpvC4v0_M0YIko2_82wDLHVU9q9tiAKZaOGeKnT46dNd3WvEj11u28W0FWkTHjdW-53I0_x25BEMW/s400/427.JPG" width="298" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Place a few tablespoons of the graham cracker crumbs in each jar.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCBfgxUmZqAd5XQUNMA1RckFkXkp7_9UJw0GViK019dGij2liW0BW_Nr9H4Y_IV7OvdQ4UiLp5soPqmstOq_G9TpmphtIi3LqSybm4A-0pMy4YDSPruOq8G3zM1aG95q-ioc9lz32eRLUq/s1600/430.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCBfgxUmZqAd5XQUNMA1RckFkXkp7_9UJw0GViK019dGij2liW0BW_Nr9H4Y_IV7OvdQ4UiLp5soPqmstOq_G9TpmphtIi3LqSybm4A-0pMy4YDSPruOq8G3zM1aG95q-ioc9lz32eRLUq/s400/430.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Scoop several spoonfuls of filling into the jars and <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">bake</span>.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPpN8IgtbJkx2G9zydkMtWvXixbxjsl9OZBEIjuQM5Tlx7MHpl8GOa3bE5-QFTtOil0QLx1xTuVBgc9vGX-QaRxY65VBSRyCYeeJv0K104QhyphenhyphenH7D9ckcG0k6DsGmOY38WuAxCLnopSTC8X/s1600/433.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPpN8IgtbJkx2G9zydkMtWvXixbxjsl9OZBEIjuQM5Tlx7MHpl8GOa3bE5-QFTtOil0QLx1xTuVBgc9vGX-QaRxY65VBSRyCYeeJv0K104QhyphenhyphenH7D9ckcG0k6DsGmOY38WuAxCLnopSTC8X/s400/433.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr4n94-HEOgfw7_z03DWZDkSPLgl7LFHxQt9q_JuupO5SvjmZ7FaF0d5p9J0DyDjZ34WecpB-C8UIXdCn9-Jn3EHRH9kWyHnq1sQ26LdWCofn9czjDquNLzNPbFCeJE5kDn4JJBOdsNGlq/s1600/440.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr4n94-HEOgfw7_z03DWZDkSPLgl7LFHxQt9q_JuupO5SvjmZ7FaF0d5p9J0DyDjZ34WecpB-C8UIXdCn9-Jn3EHRH9kWyHnq1sQ26LdWCofn9czjDquNLzNPbFCeJE5kDn4JJBOdsNGlq/s400/440.JPG" width="298" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
<div><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yumminess!</span></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2CyIqu3xuiH41XZevnk3BWF4jI0nxcNknic3bv1SVUBHQ6NeWuADuwdAwUZjal89HfQ-lXW5F3pX5SmeK5Di8lDuAc-E6oyzjbGLBWHm7Z5owfQnbKeHheMSWHHyMpGxsD6ukbpcauGxG/s1600/441.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2CyIqu3xuiH41XZevnk3BWF4jI0nxcNknic3bv1SVUBHQ6NeWuADuwdAwUZjal89HfQ-lXW5F3pX5SmeK5Di8lDuAc-E6oyzjbGLBWHm7Z5owfQnbKeHheMSWHHyMpGxsD6ukbpcauGxG/s400/441.JPG" width="355" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLbPxkwzh_GUA15lhz4QPyN6OvUCMfP5UCp8zH7_ZdGAg64KIwKh3cnEYqWKHokx5mn7eZVu4t42J7GzNiE4_ubJtUrQmyIlMU44KEHY2R2BEktehpp_-5KjEiuHX6tcrS2h4X6mTW80LA/s1600/443.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLbPxkwzh_GUA15lhz4QPyN6OvUCMfP5UCp8zH7_ZdGAg64KIwKh3cnEYqWKHokx5mn7eZVu4t42J7GzNiE4_ubJtUrQmyIlMU44KEHY2R2BEktehpp_-5KjEiuHX6tcrS2h4X6mTW80LA/s400/443.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Here is my altered recipe!</span></strong></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Graham Cracker Crust</span></strong></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 1/4 cup graham cracker crumbs</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2 tablespoons granulated sugar</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">5-6 tablespoons unsalted butter</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Mix together the graham cracker crumbs, sugar and melted butter. Press onto the bottom of a baking sheet. Bake for about ten minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from oven and cool.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><strong>Key Lime Cheesecake Filling</strong></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3 large egg yolks, room temp</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1/2 cup key lime juice (I used 30 key limes)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 block of softened cream cheese</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> teaspoon lime zest</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In a bowl, beat the egg yolks until pale and fluffy (2-3 minutes). Gradually add the condensed milk and beat until light and fluffy (3-5 minutes). Scrape down the sides of the bowl and then beat in the lime juice and zest. Scoop several spoonfuls of filling in the jars over the crumbs. Bake for about 10-15 minutes or until the filling is set. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool. Once cooled, refrigerate for several hours or overnight.</span></span></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><div style="text-align: center;"><strong>Whipped Cream</strong></div></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 cup of cold heavy whipping cream</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2 tablespoons granulated sugar</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Once the filling has chilled, beat the whipping cream and sugar until stiff peaks form. I recommend chilling a silver bowl in the freezer for five minutes (the peaks will form quicker). Top each little cheesecake with several dollops of whipped cream. Garnish with a few sprinkles of lime zest, graham cracker crumbs and top with a slice of lime. Decorate jars with raffia or ribbon.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Enjoy!</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtiIVFpqb9pze3v-_rWKMywJ8-UyCKlUdSPOpyA3KeYPD1AEr4a47kmzCyKclaKmkYXcHNeSTV0bV-w4Hy6PTS16JI7cia0Hf2dHUH9VMV1xhMlfHiZaNaZiGRB_K_7NMcxUA0YMS1OuEd/s1600/425.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtiIVFpqb9pze3v-_rWKMywJ8-UyCKlUdSPOpyA3KeYPD1AEr4a47kmzCyKclaKmkYXcHNeSTV0bV-w4Hy6PTS16JI7cia0Hf2dHUH9VMV1xhMlfHiZaNaZiGRB_K_7NMcxUA0YMS1OuEd/s400/425.JPG" width="400" /></a></div></div>Sparkles N' Sportshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14843639117651573484noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8450818070492139854.post-73102207577368910442011-06-23T16:37:00.000-07:002011-06-23T16:48:50.210-07:00Father's Day<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We had a fun Father's Day weekend. First, we got together with Tim's parents, his brother and my sister-in-law and went to dinner. Luckily, Blake and Sydney were at my niece's ballet recital, so we just had the little guy with us. He was so quiet and good, which is rare when you have to wait awhile for food!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Since Dad is more of a cooking out kind of guy, we went to my sister Stephanie's house on Sunday for ribs, steaks, appetizers, drinks, dessert and some swimming in the pool. It was a perfectly relaxing day spent with family and all the dads too! My sister and I lucked out with our guys! They are wonderful, hands-on dads that do it all!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I have so many great memories of my dad! He loves his family! I used to go to his office with him on Saturday mornings when I was little, many times a friend would tag along. His office was gigantic. We would play tag, play with office supplies, pretend we were bus drivers in the meeting room with all the chairs, get snacks from the vending machines and clean and organize the supply closets (yes, I had the cleaning/organizing bug as a child). Dad would always take me to lunch and then K-mart on the way home to get me a toy. There was one cold and rainy day in December when he took me to McDonald's. The smell of the french fries was lingering in the air at the drive thru. I remember what a fun day at the office that was. Still to this day, when I smell McDonald's, it brings me back to that day, and not for the smell of grease, but the closeness I remember feeling. It was just the two of us! He was my protector, he kept me safe and would have done anything for me. I looked up to him and was so proud that he was my daddy! </span><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Although this post is a few days later, Happy Father's Day Dad!! I love you!</span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQS9-cxhu307XeESMdx98lCdlAPWz7gr9wDeuOXp8mmPXCbg5z0N9lEf4UdecNPwecp5sXZnCXBsSNb5T-KfGIgeEsEKI5mPjrWNdX_Dw-pwTQKZH_OBmZCRXCleAVa4W2GxUQNuvXrNtL/s1600/462.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQS9-cxhu307XeESMdx98lCdlAPWz7gr9wDeuOXp8mmPXCbg5z0N9lEf4UdecNPwecp5sXZnCXBsSNb5T-KfGIgeEsEKI5mPjrWNdX_Dw-pwTQKZH_OBmZCRXCleAVa4W2GxUQNuvXrNtL/s400/462.JPG" width="317" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My dad and I at my sister's wedding in 1997.</span></div>Sparkles N' Sportshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14843639117651573484noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8450818070492139854.post-77260154498731062482011-06-18T20:59:00.000-07:002011-06-18T20:59:45.414-07:00Goodbye Daisies, Hello Brownies!Sydney's Girl Scout troop recently had a bridging ceremony and they are now all officially Brownies! They sold a record number of Girl Scout cookies this year that they had a fun party at Sweet and Sassy to celebrate! I'm so proud of Sydney for selling almost $1,000 worth of cookies, my little sales lady! At the party, they all got updo’s, wore fancy dresses, walked the runway and rode in the big pink limo!<br />
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</div>Sparkles N' Sportshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14843639117651573484noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8450818070492139854.post-76620038785191861192011-06-17T15:55:00.000-07:002011-06-17T16:18:27.897-07:00My growing boy<span lang="EN">May was such an emotional month for me, mainly because my first born, Blake, would be turning 11 and it was his final year of elementary school and fifth grade. Several weeks ago, there was a parent meeting for all new sixth graders at the middle school. As I headed to the meeting, I was getting choked up. How did we get here, how am I old enough to had a middle schooler? I wondered if any of the other moms were feeling the same as me?? I’m a big baby when it comes to my kids getting older. I just want them to stay young forever. <br />
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I didn’t expect it to hit me so hard, I thought I was going to hear all about the school and the laptop that the sixth graders get to do all their work on. The principals introduced themselves and one of them began talking about adolescence. I wasn’t expecting this! I know it’s coming but to hear her talking about how my baby boy is going to be changing from being into name brand clothes, to his voice, to his independence, to liking girls - I wasn’t liking it. A single tear from my right eye fell down my cheek. Wasn’t my little baby just born? How could these things be right around the corner for us? <br />
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That night, the boys had baseball practice and the house was quiet after Brody went to sleep. I started thinking, wow, three weeks left of fifth grade. Three short weeks left of school where they still have to raise their hands in the cafeteria and walk in lines. The sweet little times spent with him at school (where he actually wants me there) are coming to an end...Christmas and Valentine’s parties, eating lunch in the cafeteria, Field Days, plays and Book Fairs. I lost it thinking of all these fun memories of elementary-even the simple things such as Blake losing his two front teeth! I cried and cried and cried some more. The tears were bittersweet, sad tears that my baby has one foot in the door of childhood and another foot in the door in adolescence and happy tears that my boy is on his way! There will be many more milestones that he will achieve and poor Blake, he's just going to have to deal with my waterworks! I’m such a proud momma for the young man he has become!<br />
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I did bunches of research on Baking Parties and scoured and gawked and gawked some more. Some of my favorite party websites where I found great inspiration were from <a href="http://amyatlas.com/">Amy Atlas Events</a>, <a href="http://party.tipjunkie.com/baking-birthday-party/">Tip Junkie</a>, <a href="http://pizzazzerie.com/">Pizzazzerie</a> and <a href="http://www.birthdaypartyideas.com/html/cooking_parties_10.html">Birthday Party Ideas</a>.<br />
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I chose the colors - hot pink, light pink, mint, yellow, white, turquoise and light blue. So, I first started out by making tissue paper flowers in all these colors to hang from the ceiling. I needed to make big ones, small ones, pointy ones and scalloped ones. Overall, I think I ended up making about 26 of them. <br />
I found some great tissue paper tutorials on <a href="http://youtu.be/lXNeVq2RxFU">You Tube</a>.<br />
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As I researched, I found a cute idea for <a href="http://blog.amyatlas.com/2010/11/cupcake-wrapper-garland-tutorial/">cupcake liner garland</a>. Blake and I stayed up the night before the party stringing on the cupcake liners and coffee filters. I think he secretly didn’t want to go to bed and he wanted to help to avoid bedtime. We made several strands and hung them in the the foyer, the kitchen and outside around the front door.<br />
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I wanted to have something cute on our door to greet all our little chefs so I got a little 8x10 canvas that I painted. Icreated my Young Chef’s Academy sign using cardboard cutout letters that I painted and glittered up. I added a wooden spoon, a paper chef hat and some ribbon and small tissue paper flowers.<br />
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Lately, I have been in love with all these bunting banners I keep seeing so I had to make one myself. I found a <a href="http://rosalindgracedesigns.blogspot.com/2009/04/free-bunting-template-and-tutorial.html">template</a> to help me out. I made it out of paper instead of fabric and didn't sew it. <br />
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I wanted each girl to have their own apron and since I don’t sew {YET}, I had to get them from Hobby Lobby. I ended up going with the plain white ones (except Sydney's was pink) and wanted to girly them up with trim. So, I added chiffon flowers at the top and some leopard lace around the pocket. All done with the magic of one of my most favorite tools - my glue gun (ignore the wrinkles)!<br />
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My sister is so good at graphic design and digital scrapbooking that I knew I wanted her to design the invitation. Unfortunately, I had trouble printing some of them out and came up with an alternative. On a spring trip to Round Top, I bought a big handful of old, vintagey spoons and this gave me my idea. Hobby Lobby has really cute baking ribbon, so I glittered up the spoons and attached them to the invitations, here’s the final look:<br />
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When the girls arrived, they got their apron and started a baking word search found <a href="http://images.birthdayinabox.com/partyplanning/cooking_word_search.pdf">HERE</a>. <br />
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Next, the the girls started making their own pizzas. I found a really great website called <a href="http://theglitterednest.typepad.com/the_glittered_nest/2009/06/baking-party.html">The Glittered Nest</a> and Terri's a fellow Texan! She had some great baking party ideas and a super yummy <a href="http://theglitterednest.typepad.com/the_glittered_nest/2008/09/homemade-pizza-dough.html">pizza dough recipe </a>that is now my favorite. I made all the pizza dough in advance since it has to rise. I divided it equally and floured up the clean counter tops and let the girls roll out and shape their dough. Then they added sauce, cheese and toppings. Most chose plain ole' pepperoni. But just in case there were some adventurers, I had hamburger meat, pepperoni, pineapple, black olives, green peppers and basiI. I used a plain pizza sauce from a jar.</div>
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I don’t have two ovens unfortunately, so I had to send a couple of the pizzas to my next door neighbor’s oven so they would all be able to eat them together. I baked the pizzas on parchment paper lined cookie sheets and used a sharpie to write their names by the pizzas.<br />
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While the pizzas were in the oven, the girls began decorating their own 6-inch cakes. I bought four cake tins at Hobby Lobby and also used 8-inch cake boards. I wrote each girl’s name on it prior to the party to save time. I used Duncan Hines yellow cake mix and began baking the cakes a few days before the party. I wrapped them in plastic and stuck them in the freezer. I couldn’t decide if I wanted to make a couple different colors of icing but decided it would just be easier to stick with white. I used <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/rachael-ray/cupcake-icing-for-a-crowd-recipe/index.html">Rachael Ray’s Cupcake Icing for a Crowd</a> recipe. It was so yummy, by the way!! <br />
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I got a bunch of plastic containers and filled them with all different kinds of candy.</div>
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My birthday girl!</div>
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The girls LOVED decorating their cakes and eating the candy too! They were so creative!</div>
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Finally, all the little chefs sat down to watch the Birthday Chef open all her presents. Each girl sat in the chair next to Sydney as she opened their present and I took their pictures. Lemonade Mouth premiered on The Disney Channel that night, so they watched as their moms began to arrive to pick them up. <br />
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Sydney and her cousin Alexa</div>
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Sydney and her best friend Brooklyn</div>
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I wanted to come up with a cute goodie bag idea to go along with our Baking Party theme. Thank goodness for Dollar Tree since at this point, I didn’t want to spend much more. I bought three different sweet treat mixes - sugar cookie, fudge brownie and chocolate chip. We dumped the baking mixes into cellophane bags and printed baking instructions on a separate card for each and attached a wooden spoon and a bag of sprinkles with the cute baking ribbon I used on the invitations. As the girls left, each one could choose what they wanted to bake at home. <br />
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The party was a hit and I could not have pulled it off without the help from my family…Blake helped me make cupcake garland, my mother-in-law came over the day of the party and chopped toppings for pizza, made cake icing, washed dishes, filled the goodie bags and my mom and sister helped at the party and also with the dreaded clean up! There was candy ALL over the floor, but that’s ok, the girls <span style="background-color: white;">(all 14 of them) </span>had a blast!<br />
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Worn out!!!</div>Sparkles N' Sportshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14843639117651573484noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8450818070492139854.post-50908476370908715562011-06-09T23:11:00.000-07:002011-06-09T23:11:43.569-07:00New posts coming soon...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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After nearly four months of no blogging, I'm ready to start again. Look for new posts coming soon. The kids have been out of school for a week now and so far, our week has been jam packed, I like it that way although I still need at least one lazy, quiet day a week!<br />
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I have several posts to catch up on for events that have happened over the months that I have not blogged about.<br />
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First up - Sydney's 7th Birthday Baking Party. It turned out to be such a cute party!! Stay tuned tomorrow.<br />
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Until then, I hope you are enjoying your summer!<br />
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ShannonSparkles N' Sportshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14843639117651573484noreply@blogger.com0