RANDOMNESS #1 - The Boy is coming home today.
And not just for the weekend.
He's moving out of the dorm.
He's bringing his college recliner and his mini-refrigerator and his television/television stand/DVD collection HOME!
Of course, "home" will soon be a relative term. Austin will be going on job interviews here and there and everywhere. I don't know God's plans for his life, but I do trust and believe with all my heart His plans will be best.
But today... Today he is coming home.
And I am incredibly happy.
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But sometimes,I still miss this little guy.
Heavy, heavy sigh.
RANDOMNESS #2 - The next week will be very eventful because it will be Graduation Week for our family. Austin's graduation is scheduled for 6:30 p.m., Friday, April 26.
A cake must be ordered.
A new tie must be purchased... JSU colors, of course.
I need another pedicure and about two hours in the massage chair, thank you very much.
I don't have to shop for a graduation gift because it was decided long ago Mike and I would be giving The Boy his college ring and having his diploma and a beautiful picture of Jacksonville (given to him by The Lovely Melia) framed and ready to go by the time he has an office or an apartment... whichever comes first.
I also have a surprise for him, but since he stops by A Simple Life from time to time, I will have to tell you all about that at a later date.
After graduation in Jacksonville, we (family and friends) will be heading to Top of the River for a Fried Fish Feast of epic proportions.
And I will now commence with my breathing exercises.
RANDOMNESS #3 - Last weekend, Roxie and Friends decided to make tie-dye t-shirts in the driveway.
It's only a matter of time before BIG HAIR makes a comeback... and I cannot wait!
Quotable Quotes - I found a couple of quotes about laughter... and I took some pictures of laughter... and I thought I would share.
"Through humor, you can soften some of the worst blows that life delivers. And once you find laughter, no matter how painful your situation might be, you can survive it." Bill Cosby
“The earth laughs in flowers.” Ralph Waldo Emerson (I love this one.)
Blog Linkage
1. Go to www.thehouseofhendrix.com and scroll down, down, down until you see the April 11 post entitled "20 ways to fill your child's love tank on their birthday."
While you're scrolling down, down, down, you might want to look at some of her other posts, too.
The chick has some great ideas.
Brown Sugar Cookies
I haven't had time to try these, but I've promised to print this recipe for the last three posts. If you get a chance to make these before I do, let me know how it turns out!
Oh... And it's a Pinterest recipe.
Cookie Recipe
You will need the following:
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup dark Karo syrup
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1 egg
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 1/2 cups flour
1. In a large bowl, beat together the butter, Karo, sugar and egg until very light and fluffy.
2. Add the remaining ingredients and beat together until well mixed.
3. Roll into golf-ball sized balls. Place 3 cookies on each cookie sheet and bake in an oven preheated to 375 degrees for 10 to 13 minutes, or just until the edges of the cookies are golden brown.
Icing Recipe
2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon maple extract
2 tablespoons dark Karo syrup
1 tablespoon milk
1. Whisk all ingredients together until smooth.
2. Spoon into a Ziploc bag. Snip off the corner of the bag and pipe onto slightly warm cookies.
3. Allow to set for 20 to 30 minutes before packaging up cookies.
Mom Tip
Here's a Pinterest Mom Tip I found yesterday. I liked it!
Mom Tip for getting the house picked up! Using ping-pong balls, play the Clutter Busting Game.
Each person chooses a ball, completes the task written on the ball and then chooses another ball.
After 30 minutes, whoever has the most balls gets a prize. It could be a "no-chores" day or the child gets to pick the Family Movie for Movie Night that evening.
The Enchanting Belinda Says - I think this would be a great Friday Afternoon Tradition. It would help the family get ready for a fun weekend!
Birthday Traditions
These ideas also came from Pinterest.
1. Build the excitement with a COUNTDOWN. There are many ways to do this. This week we counted down with a chalkboard.
2. Decorate the bathroom mirror with a BIRTHDAY MESSAGE. Use a window marker, dry erase marker or lipstick.
3. Window marker your car with “Honk! It’s Lily’s 10th birthday!” This has delighted my children for years. With every honk, we all cackle with joy. (You can buy them at Michaels for $2.99).
4. Candles in their breakfast.
5. Put water balloons in their bath.
I shared the inspiration for these ideas under Blog Linkage today. (There are 15 more ideas on this page alone!
Fun (AND SIMPLE) Summer Activities for Little Guys and Girls
1. Glow sticks in the bathtub.
2. Writing your ABC's with licorice strings.
3. Fossil Digger. They have dino bones at The Dollar Tree. Bury them in the sandbox and get your paint brushes ready to dust away dirt.
4. Shave with daddy. Use popsicle sticks, of course. Use LOTS of shaving cream! Take LOTS of pictures!
5. Pick an Animal Day. Pick ANY animal and teach them everything you can about that particular animal. Draw it. Color it. Act like it. Watch a movie about it. Visit it at the Zoo!
6. Grab your nets and go Creature Catching! See how many creatures you can catch in one outing.
7. Make an obstacle course with crepe paper streamers. Use your hallway. They crawl and step over all of it while trying not to touch the streamers.
8. Mini Marshmallow Construction. Give them toothpicks and a bowl of colored mini marshmallows and you've got a good hour of down time.
Weekend Happenings
I have three things "on the book" for this weekend.
1. I'm going to be photographing Katie and her handsome date, Tim, in their prom attire at Vulcan. (I cannot wait!)
2. The Brothers will be cutting yards.
3. Mike and I will be attending the 17th Annual Garden Art Party Live and Silent Auction benefiting Alzheimer's of Central Alabama. This event is so much fun.
All three of the happenings "on the book" for this weekend take place Saturday.
Unless I come up with some good ideas, Friday and Sunday could be very, very quiet around here.
I'm thinking I may NOT try to have any good ideas. A quiet Friday and Sunday do not sound bad to me.
Not bad at all.
Have a cool, breezy Spring weekend. I'll be back Monday with prom pictures (Katie), Welcome Home pictures (Austin) and pup pics (Copper and Sparkle). I hope I'll be trying a new recipe to share, and I'm working on a kid party with a Christ-centered devotion. (I may or may not have that finished by Monday, but I'm a-tryin'.)
Take care, and I'll talk to you next week.
Sincerely,
The Enchanting (and Soon-to-Be Mother of a College Graduate) Belinda
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