Happy Birthday Week!!!

This week we have 3 birthdays in our immediate family. Sunday would have been Braxton's 13th. I can't believe I'm old enough to have a teenager.

We went to the cemetery with cake and balloons. I was a great day to remember a very special son.

Monday was Dustin's Birthday. He choose to have chocolate cream pie. This is his mom's recipe and it is so yummy. He is an incredible man and I'm so grateful he is a part of my life.





And last but not least. MaKady's 11th birthday was yesterday. She put in some suggestions for what she wanted for a cake and this is what we came up with. It was massive. I joked I was decorating my first wedding cake because it was so big. I got the opportunity to practice the chocolate roses I learned last week, and the daises and name are made with starburst fruit chews. It was a lot of fun to make. I can't believe MaKady is growing up so fast. She is turning into this incredible young woman and I'm really grateful she is a part of our family.

Cookies! Cookies! and more Cookies!

I had an awesome opportunity to get together with a friend from high school, we met up again through facebook. She had posted pictures of the most amazing sugar cookies and I was privileged to go to her home yesterday and have her share some of her serious cookie skills. The roses are all made of chocolate. I can't wait to try these on my own. It was a great day and look forward to doing it again sometime soon. Thanks Mary!

Time Out

I received the most wonderful gift from my amazing husband for mother's day. The chance to not be the mom for the day. He bought me a ticket to "Time Out For Women." It was an amazing Friday & Saturday. The theme for the weekend was Sweet Assurance- The certainty that comes when you know life's truths. We were challenged at the end of the conference to share with those we love and those around us what we know, no matter what. What are the things you know, with out any doubt, no matter what else happens? I know my Husband loves me. I know my kids love me and need me. I know that we will be an eternal family, we have one that is already in Heaven. And I know that even on those days that I don't like myself very much my Heavenly Father still loves me. Take a minute after you read this post and think about what you know, if you like leave a comment I'd love to hear your thoughts.

The Actual beginning of Summer Vacation

The last day of school photo. They have grown so much this last year. I know school's been out since May 21, but in our house the real break didn't begin til yesterday. Yesterday was the beginning of the bookmobile coming, the summer reading program, free lunch started at the park, and the mean mom that I am got the kids workbooks for the summer and the kids started those as well. So yesterday felt like the beginning of our summer routine. I used the free lunch in the park as an incentive for the kids last summer. If they got their things done in the morning we could go to the park and have lunch with their friends. We made it most of the summer. Here's hoping this summer goes as well.