Say Cheese!

Yippee!!!  As soon as Sam arrived home from golf team practice . . . an exciting box was waiting for him!!!!

It's a . . . a . . . a . . .

What could it possibly be Sam?  You look sooo excited!

Could is possibly be?

Your BRAND NEW CANNON EOS REBEL XS?

It is!!!  It is Sam's DREAM camera!!!  Sam is our resident photographer!

He takes so many wonderful pictures and makes excellent videos!!!

We are excited that his package finally arrived!!

Sam is going to take a PHOTOGRAPHY COURSE to really sharpen his skills!!!

Congrats on the NEW CAMERA, Sam!!  

We cannot wait to see your work!!!

DREAM

DREAM big!  Think about all of the wonderful blessings that have been afforded to you! Have a wonderful day dreaming about all that you can be and all that you are!  It is a gorgeous spring day outside! Have a truly blessed and awesome day . . . why not?

WINNERS!!!!!

Congratulations!!!!!  Sam and Luke both won their golf tournaments!!!  They  battled the wind and serious competitors, but they did it!!!  We are so proud of Sam and Luke . . . They are both excellent students, play musical instruments, are wonderful scouts, and great golfers.  I do not know what I would do without them!  They help so much around the house and are my companions now that Tim and Zach are away at college.  We are so thankful that Sam and Luke are ours!!  

Sam's finds that his latest success on the course is due to using his great-grampa's titanium driver.  Luke has a be-a-utiful golf swing and is usually an excellent putter and chipper! Great going!!!  We are proud of you!!!!

Must Do List

Today's Must Dos Include:

1.  Wash all bedding.

2.  Study!

3.  Bake Easter sugar cookies!

4.  Study!

5.  Decorate Easter sugar cookies!

6.  Read!

7.  Watch Sam and Luke play in golf tournament.

8.  Study more.

9.  Put fresh sheets on all of the beds!

10.  Make homemade soup and bread for dinner.

11.  Read and study.

12.  Watch a fun family movie in bed with family!

13.  Read.

14.  Lights out!  

15.  Say prayers!

16.  Get some shut eye!

They're Here!

After a wonderful, exciting, much needed, fun three week break, my new textbook and coursework has arrived!!  My family has been fully warned that I am back in study mode with assignments, reading, and WRITING to do!!

Here we go guys, be prepared, school is back in session . . . 

My Master's Degree in Early Childhood Education will be completed next March!  Early childhood is my passion!  I love learning about families, developmentally appropriated educational practices, and early learners!  My courses demand many hours of devotion and study.  Obtaining my Master's Degree is a personal goal that I have set for myself.  Working on my degree provides much satisfaction, although is demands sacrifice.  I am grateful to my family for their patience and long-suffering beside me!  Thank you for your support and encouragement!

Ready, set, here we go . . . 

Family

When I woke up this morning, all that I could think about was the many blessings that I have with my wonderful family!!! Each member of my family is so incredibly special to me.  The BIGGEST regret that I have is that time goes by so incredibly fast!  I am so proud of each of my family members for their dedication to our family and for the goals that they have set for each other personally!

AMAZING isn't it how the Lord carefully places each one of us just where He wants us in our families!!  

To my dear family, thank you so much for being who you are and for your important roles that you play in our family!  I am so very thankful and grateful to each and everyone of you!  I love you more than you will ever know!

Yummy Cupcakes!

What could possibly start the day out better than a YUMMY chocolate chip cookie dough cupcake?

I made these yummy cupcakes this morning from scratch using real vanilla, homemade chocolate chip cookie dough, and cocoa powder.

If you think about it, cupcakes are purely innocent and should be consumed guilt-free just about anytime of the day! Cupcakes have a way of putting a bounce in our step, a smile on our face, and give us a reason to go on living!

Enjoy your cupcake with a cold glass of milk, hot herbal tea, hot chocolate, or lemonade. Cupcakes can be eaten with out without frosting, piping hot from the oven or saved for later wrapped up just for you in your pantry.  Cupcakes were first introduced in the late 1800s and are associated with homemaking in the 1950s and 1960s.  Cupcakes remind us of our fond childhood memories.

Cupcakes are most fun when they are made with some of your very favorite people!  Luke is my taste-tester and has deemed it his duty to taste everything before it leaves our kitchen!

Cupcakes can be enjoyed anytime:  at home, on a plane, in the lunchroom cafeteria, or on a picnic with your favorite people. We are deciding whether to make pineapple-upside down cupcakes or red velvet cupcakes next! Put some sunshine in your day, get out your mixer, whip up some batter, and enjoy your very favorite cupcake!