Luau Fort - Tiki Style

Every summer we have the 2 oldest grandangels here for 2 weeks (along with my mom) and we try to make it as memorable as possible (for all of us). This year - it is going to be a little different. Our youngest girl grandangel will be coming with the middle one - the oldest has too many things going on this summer with camps, etc.

Bradley, aka Pepaw - has decided they need a fort - so of course I (also known as Grammie) have been declared interior (out-terior?) decorator.
Pepaw put up bamboo around the palm trees and I went to the Dollar Tree and bought all kinds of cute decorations. We put everything up just to see how it would look and I took a pic to share.

We have cute flamingo and parrot plates and napkins, Tiki Mask mugs, Inflatable parrots, leis and Tiki Mask decorations. This will be a fun place to eat their snacks when we are out in the pool.

I have put everything away for now - they won't be here until June 30th.

Love This Life: For the Bidle tells me No

Check out Love This Life: For the Bidle tells me No:

 This is a video of my youngest grandangel, Tucker. He is a cutie patootie!

High Five For Friday

I am a wee bit late on my first High Five For Friday post, but that's ok!

I had such a funtastic week - it will be hard to narrow it down to my high 5! It was Spring Break -I was in Arkansas all week - but here goes!

1. Being with 4 of my grandangels....Alayna(12) Brooklyn (10) Lilypie (5) and Tucker (16 months)

2. Spending time with my daughter.

3. Shopping, playing dominoes and exercising with my mom

4. Teaching my grandangels how to make potato cakes and making a HUGE mess!

5. Spending 2 nights with my son and daughter in law.

Patty Cake Patty Cake - Cake Mix & Diet Pepsi

I've seen recipes where you can add your cola of choice to a box of brownie mix. I have also heard that Weight Watchers says you can make a cake using diet cola and your favorite cake mix. Today I decided to put it to the test. The only cake mix I had in my pantry was German Chocolate. I always have either Diet Coke or Diet Pepsi in the fridge. Simple enough - no eggs, no oil - just 12 ounces of Diet Pepsi - add to the mix - stir stir stir. ( I am not motivated enough to drag out my mixer, put it all together and then have to clean it up - put away again:-()

I made mine using 2 layer cake pans. Once out of the oven - I decided at the last minute to put a layer of Nutella on one of the cake layers while it was still hot. I LOVE Nutella. I let them cool just a bit before putting the layers together. I sprinkled powdered sugar all over the top layer and then cut into it while still warm.

It was amazing! It was so gooey inside with the Nutella melting into the bottom layer - I think the next time I make it I will add some caramel sauce to it. That will really set it off. I don't think this would meet Weight Watcher approval, but then I don't do WW - so no problem for me!

So - now I know - any flavor cake mix - diet coke/pepsi - Nutella, caramel or chocolate sauce - or any other favorite topping - and a yummy quickie cake is born.

Reflections of 2011

This year certainly flew by, didn't it?  I have to say it has really been a blessed year for me and my family.

I have 2 spectacular events of 2011 to share that I feel God was certainly in the midst of. 

 In March my grandson had his cranio surgery to allow room for his brain to grown as he was born without a soft spot. He came through the cranio surgery with flying colors and God took the liberty of healing him so quickly that even the doctors were surprised how fast his head shaped up and he could do away with the helmet after  only 1 month! We just helped celebrate his first birthday and he is now taking several steps at a time and is just about the most adorable baby ever!

In April  my hometown in Arkansas was hit with a devastating tornado and my son lost his home as well did many other people in the community. The miracle of it all was that my son, daughter in law and 3 granddaughters left their doublewide just in time to seek shelter in my parent's church basement. As my son sat watching the weather he had a strong urge to leave and I am so thankful they did! Had they stayed like they had every storm before, they most likely would not be here today.  Sad to say there were 4 deaths in their subdivision. The people of the community came together and supported one another in a way that was nothing short of amazing. My sons family received donations, monies, and physical help from all over. Thankfully they had great insurance. They now have a brand new beautiful double wide and we are all so thankful that they are here today to be able to tell their story.

Living in Texas for the past 13 years, it is a rarity to have any of my family here - other than my mom and 2 of my granddaughters staying 2 weeks every summer - we do most of the traveling to Arkansas to see every one. This year was a wonderful exception! My daughter, her husband and baby visited for the 4th of July weekend! Although too short of a visit - it was beyond wonderful. We were able to babysit while they attended a ballgame, I took him to have his pictures made, we played in the pool. It was great!
A very unexpected surprise was my son taking a job here in Houston for 3 months and he stayed with us part of that time. Once he hired help he stayed in an extended stay hotel but was still over every week, we went out to eat weekly and he and I even went to the movies together. It was a bonding time that I never thought I would get again. It totally changed our relationship as it had been years since we had any mother/son time. I loved every minute of it and was sad when it ended, but I know he was ready to get back to his little family.

One of the fun things of 2011 is I began a new hobby. I am now an Aquarist! I have "multiple tank syndrome". Ha!!  What started off with a Betta in a vase has turned in to 5 tanks total (so far...lol) They range from 5 gallons to 55 gallons. It has even carried over to the workplace as I have a 20 gallon there as well. I have gotten into breeding now and am having pretty good luck with selling the fry. I have mollies, platys, danios, cats, guppys, rasboras, and oh yes, I still have a betta. I am moving on to raising/breeding red cherry shrimp and mystery snails now. It is a big job but it is such a rewarding experience.

I am so thankful for all the blessings of 2011 and look forward to 2012 and pray that God continues to give us good health, financial blessings and helps me to grow closer to Him.

Happy New Year & God Bless!!