Because you asked...

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Here is an example of one of the birthday cakes I made for my Boy 2 years ago. I took these with my cellphone camera at the time because I didn't have a digital camera yet so the pictures are kind of fuzzy, but you get the idea...

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His theme was a Pirate party and he saw this Ocean cake in a magazine and he said, "Mom, here is one you can do, but can you put some sharks on it!?" It's sweet how much faith they have in me. Little do they know, I don't sleep for days trying to figure out how to create it. ha ha

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Here the bears are swiming in shark infested waters. Some are scuba diving and others and floating on colorful intertubes and playing ball in the waves.

Splish... Splash... S-H-A-R-K... secure the treasure!

Fish swimming through the kelp and seaweed.

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Here is the picture from the magazine... like I said, not exact replica's but darn good for this Betty Crocker!

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Here's your sign!

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Oh yeeeeeeeeeeeeees, definitely! Case in point... I was in a public restroom, all quiet in my stall... when a fellow patron came in... talking... obviously on a CELL PHONE!

Me... well I'm not one to complain... but I couldn't hold myself back on this particular occasion. So what did I do? I DID NOT SAY ONE WORD but instead... began flushing my toilet REPEATEDLY! Oh yes, it was bliss! After what seemed like a constant 2 minutes of flushing, interrupting her "What did you say?" the fellow patron said to her caller... "Let me call you back, I can't hear you, someone is making so much noise in this bathroom!"

Yep, that's me! I'm such a little stinker aren't I? (tee hee)

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Awe-Summm Award!

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Thank you, Nana Trish at Nana's Living the Dream for such an Awe-Summ award! (Pun intended!) You KNOW I lurve the bling-bling crown, it's soooo me and the retro look of the drawing is right up my artistic alley too!

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The idea here is to list 7 things that make ME Awe-Summm!!! (Hmm, this took 3 hours to do, so it's not as easy as you'd think!)

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1) I rarely complain about anything. I can thank my Mother for that learned behavior.

2) I have the gift of discernment and it has served me well in life.

3) I can make the birthday cakes my children request at their birthdays. Not exact replica's from the pictures but they are pretty darn close!

4) I am Betty Crocker in the kitchen. When I go out to eat at a restaurant, all I ask is that the chef make it better than me. That shouldn't be hard, right?!

5) I host Afternoon Tea Parties that are filled with fun, laughter, good food and memories!

6) I could be Nancy Drew! I see things that others often miss. I can accurately guess the outcome of CSI shows and mysteries 99% of the time. Kind of takes the fun out of it though too 'cause I know what's going to happen.

7) I love, love, love my Jesus! Without Him, I would NOT be Awe-Summm or Cha Cha!

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You're right Nana Trish, that was not easy. It's always easier to see the wonderful traits in others, rather than yourself. Now the rules are to tag 3 people with this Awe-summm award! This is difficult because I have MANY Awe-Summ bloggy friends that I could tag, but I will choose 3 ladies who consistently visit me and leave comments that make my day: Cynthia at Muse-Swings, Lavinia at Birdbath Chronicles, Sparky at My Thoughts Exactly!

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First fruits of the season

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Strawberries are one of my favorite berries and this weekend I got our first basket of the season. We went through them pretty quick and when there was just enough left to do something with, we made strawberry shortcakes!

I grew up on the box drop biscuit version my Mom used to make...

... but now I'm my own baker, so we make them from scratch and if I don't make the scone version, I'll bake a drop biscuit version and put them in a muffin pan. They come out the perfect size too! Really it's portion control. ha ha

I usually use the cream scone recipe from MY favorite food recipe website of all time Joy of Baking but today I decided to try something different and went to my stand-by website for recipes, Southern Food - but if you choose this one, reduce the baking powder to 2 teaspoons, otherwise it takes like your eating aluminum - icko!

Voila - delicious anytime!

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For Today...

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FOR TODAY...

Outside my window
. . . is the sunrise. The coffee is brewed and I'm already on my second cup.

I am thinking

. . . how lovely it is to have peace and quiet in my home.

I am thankful for

. . . to be living in America, enuff said.

From the kitchen

. . . recipe for self rising flour pancakes. I HATE pancakes but I make them for my family.

I am creating

. . . a new theme for my tea party in July. I usually do a patriotic theme but I'm going to mix it up this year.

I am going

. . . to start looking for new everyday dishes. After 12 years, mine are definitely showing their age.

I am wearing

. . . the usual, blouse with jeans and my hair & make-up are done as always!

I am reading

. . . Fresh Brewed Life by Nicole Johnson. I'm leading a summer book club at my church so I'm preparing chapter discussions.

I am hoping

. . . my Mother-in-Law's feet are healed in time for her vacation later this year. She had bunion surgery on both feet, ouch! But so worth the pain, she'll be able to wear her closet full of shoes again.

I am hearing

. . . birds chirping VERY LOUD outside.

Around the house

. . . is a layer of dust that needs cleaning.

One of my favorite things

. . . is when one of my favorite magazines arrive in the mail.

A few plans for the rest of the week

. . . getting a little gift for the kids to give their teachers.

Picture this . . .

. . .Here are a few recent pictures we took... I am reading and making notes in my book club journal. And here's my girl just a few feet away watching the birds in the valley below.

What are you doing FOR TODAY?

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Spring Tea Parties!

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I've shared before that I am part of a small group of women with whom we rotate monthly tea parties with. Recently, Ann hosted a Mother's Day tea at her home and there was never a more generous out door feast to honor Mother's than Ann set out that day. To call it a picnic would make it seem trivial!

And can you believe I FORGOT my camera! I know, I couldn't believe it. I'm always taking it with me, it's as common as the cell phone in my purse! I was having a small tantrum of sorts and carrying on so much, that I exasperated myself to the point I probably resembled a rerun from I Love Lucy! (just kidding but I was very miffed at myself!) THANKFULLY, Sharon remembered her camera and took this picture so we could make a memory!

Recently, the Women's Ministry at my church had a Spring Tea where 11 tables were decorated in different themes. We had nearly 90 women total, whew! Here are a few of what the tables looked like... I'll save mine for last.

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This tables' theme was A DAY IN PARIS!

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This tables' theme was PRETTY IN PINK!

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This tables' theme was M & M! *

This tables' theme was TAKE ME OUT TO THE BALL GAME! *

This tables' theme was A WEDDING RECEPTION.*

This tables' theme was EASTER! *

This tables' theme was A BABY SHOWER. *

This tables' theme was A LITTLE BIT COUNTRY! *

This tables' theme was ROMANTIC ROSE. *

This tables' theme was CHINESE NEW YEAR! *

And finally.... my tables' theme was LEMONS AND LIMES!

This was actually very subdued to what I usually do at home with big themes and big displays and decorations but we are on budget lock down and this theme only cost me $5.00. The candy for my favors is what cost the most. (tee hee)

My party favor was filled with Lemon Heads candy and my recipe to make a glass of lemonade. You know when you've got just one lemon and you don't know what to do with it? Well make lemonade! I was asked what to make with a lime and I said very quietly... a cocktail! ha ha

I got some compliments from a group of gentlemen who came to help with set up/clean up. They said if they got to choose, they would have sat at my table because it was refreshing and it didn't look all foofy, like a girl's table. ha ha

Soooo, I guess if I ever hosted a MAN's Afternoon Tea, they wouldn't be offended by this table scape of decorations. I was told there is such a thing as a Man's Tea. Supposedly there was one on a episode of The Soprano's but I wouldn't know because I don't subscribe to Hells Box Office.

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PFF - Friday - Memorial Day

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Thank God it's Friday

and PFF Day

hosted by my beautiful blog friend,

Marie at Cpaphil Vintage Postcards!

To our Men and Women in all branches of the US Services... I salute you!

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I love ironies!

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Have you seen the movie Miss Pettigrew Lives For A Day?

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I rented it because it had one of my favorite actors in it.. Ciaran Hinds. He has a small supporting role in the film but as you see the character evolve, it packs a big punch in the end. I was pleasantly surprised by the entire cast actually. I don't recommend viewing this as a family film as there are a few risk-ay scenes but if you like a romantic comedies!

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The movie, well it's full of ironies and I love it when I can recognize them in movies! Heck, I love 'em even when they are in books! I've got this song... If I Didn't Care... stuck in my head now, such a romantic little tune. Enjoy!

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8 Things

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8 Things...

Yep, I've been reading and reading and reading some more. Visiting blog friends has been like so much fun! While visiting NanaTrish at Nana's Living The Dream she tagged me to play 8 Things... So I too will take the challenge!

8 Things I Am Looking Forward to:

1. 2 weeks vacation this summer

2. Planning my next tea party

3. Leading a summer book club

4. My niece's wedding this fall and seeing my adorable children as part of the ceremony

5. Redeeming my gift certificate to get a pedicure/manicure

6. Visiting my parents

7. Getting together with the PG girls

8. Sending a Thank You to a dear friend who gifted me dishes

8 Things I Did Yesterday:

1. Went to church

2. Went to Costco for a cheap lunch

3. Visited my blog friends and left comments

4. Watched "Miss Pettigrew lives for a day"

5. Helped my boy memorize his project for Monday

6. Balanced the checkbook

7. Spent time with my Man

8. Read my Bible

8 Things That Bring Me Peace and Comfort

1. Reading

2. Quiet mornings with coffee wrapped in my shawl at sunrise

3. Working on a bible study

4. Making journals/scrapbooking

5. Being able to pay my bills (Good one NanaTrish!)

6. Prayer

7. Seeing my family happy and healthy

8. Enjoying Afternoon Tea

Okay, now consider yourself tagged and I look forward to visiting your 8 THINGS!

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Back in the saddle again..

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Okay, I think I'm back in the bloggin' saddle again.

Whoa, it's been a busy few weeks here with no time to blog (I have a lot of reading to catch up on!). And to top it off, I've got a cold that is giving me insomnia at night and I can't sleep! Grrrr!

My Mother's day was lovely...

Recently, the kids found a birds nest with eggs that we left undisturbed. I loved the beautiful way the nest was perfectly round and snug...

Spirit week at school was fun with all it's daily themes. Here are some of my favorites...

Armed Forces Day

Western Day

Pirate Day

And here is a picture I couldn't resist sharing with you. Last Christmas we received some gift's that were... well let's just say they would have been better left not given and it was the thought that counted.. right? One of which was a cookie jar but the cookie jar was so awful that it was immediately given a burial in the trash can. The next day, another relative of ours was given a similar cookie jar but instead of giving it a proper burial, decided IN FUN to re-gift it to us. You've never heard a group of people laugh so hard on Christmas Eve! Thus, this little turn of events has begun our own family's tradition of re-gifting the Snowman Cookie Jar. Throughout the year I have been taking pictures of the jar and our family doing various things and at the end of the year, all the photos will go into a nifty little album that will go inside the cookie jar and when we re-gift it again this Christmas, the next recipient will enjoy seeing the memories it spent with us during the year. The idea is to also encourage the next person to do the same and see what wacky and crazy pictures they can come up with each year. So instead of passing around a block of fruit cake, we'll be passing the Snowman!

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Here is a recent photo that will be included in the album... Snowman enjoying a box of donuts! hee hee

Do you have a item that you re-Gift each year?

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Busy Time... Family Time

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Taking a break for busy time and family time...

I was just telling Marie that it seems because there are only 5 weeks of school left the teachers have begun cramming more homework, more projects, more field trips, more research, more everything to the schedule. After a day of working and then coming home to help the kids with what they need to finish, my Man and I are falling asleep just minutes behind them. I TOTALLY get it now when MY parents used to say... "I can't wait until summer vacation!"

Things to do this weekend...

1. Go to Mother's Day Tea Party

2. Get/Create a giftie for said Hostess of Tea Party

3. Bake several batches of Cream Scones & arrange baskets for Mother's Day Gifts

4. Start Diarama Camel Project with the Boy

5. Gather needed items for Spirit Week at School

6. Gather needed items for Teacher Appreciation Week at School

(Both Spirit Week and Teacher Appreciation are same week! Yikes!)

7. Spend weekend with Family/Relatives for Mother's Day

But first I have to get some sleep! Zzzzzzzz

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Spa Day

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Today, Muse-Swings is hosting Spa Day in France ~ Bloggy style!

Ah, fresh off the Orient Express Train and despite the usual rumors & innuendo that follow after our travels, we have once again been given permission to visit France ~ Gateau!

I am EASY to please... simple afternoon by candlelight...

Followed up with a hot rose pedal soak in the tub...

Then its off to the Salon where they will trim up my tresses...

Of course, ChaChaneen's trip wouldn't be complete if it didn't include Afternoon Tea...

And finally, a little souvenoir to bring home with me...

Real French Butter!

J'ai apprécié mon jour de ville d'eau dans bloggyland et j'attends impatiemment de visiter votre aventure de ville d'eau plus tard aujourd'hui aussi. Au revoir!

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