Weekend Happenings, Crack Cake, Pinterest Stuff (Mother-Daughter Bucket List), A Little Bit of My Story - Part 2, Easter Traditions (Re-Posted), Quotable Quotes

Good Friday morning!

And a very Good Friday it is!

I have no new pics to share with you today, so in between each and every section, I'm going to the Archives and I'm just posting an old pic I like.

So there.

RANDOMNESS #1 - The Chick wants a duck.

That's right.

Roxie is head-over-heels in love with the idea of raising a duckling.

She and Sweet Taylor even drove to a farm of sorts yesterday after school, and she chose her duck.

She came home with pics of her holding the most adorable duckling, and I have to admit my heart melted just a little.

And then she told me the following:

"I asked the man if they had a duck leash for walking, and he said once you bond with a duck, they just walk beside you wherever you go... forever."

Oh, my.

I have to say, I started re-thinking my 23 year-old decision to raise a family of humans instead of farm fowl right then and there.

As cute as the duckling is (and it IS cute), we have too many cons at this time in our lives.

1. The duck would only be a duckling for about two more weeks. Apparently, ducks mature very, very quickly.

2. Although Roxie would "take complete and total care of all of the duck's needs," keep in mind, The Chick goes to school, goes to church, got a job as a lifeguard this Summer, is going to Basketball Camp AND Guatemala between now and August 6.

Does that sound like she is going to be able to "take complete and total care of all of the duck's needs?"

Does it?

I didn't think so either.

3. Copper and Sparkle will not, under any circumstances, share a yard with a duck.

It just will NOT happen.

4. I have seen a fox and a giant woodchuck in our front and back yards (respectively) over the past 12 years.

I'm thinking unless we declare the animal an "inside animal," it really doesn't have much of a chance of survival in Gardendale, Alabama.

5. I'm thinking we will NEVER declare a duck an "inside animal."

There are more cons, but I think I've made my point.


Me and Roxie during our Amelia Island Vacation in 2010.

RANDOMNESS #2 - As I told you this past Tuesday, I'm going to share my Panic Attack story with you over the next few weeks. It was first posted in April of 2009.

A Little Bit of My Story - Part 2

The day after being released from the hospital, I still felt very weak, but I attributed everything to the diabetes. Again, 212 seemed like a very high number to me. I scheduled a time to see a nutritionist to learn how to eat (diabetic-style), and totally took myself off sugar until that time.

I went to an eye doctor at 8:00 Monday morning to check and make sure there was no damage to my eye (as instructed by the ER doctor), and was assured there was none.

Later Monday morning, at Roxie's school Christmas party, it happened again. The only differences this time around were no eye problems, but added sweating and dizziness. I felt as though I was going to faint. I left the party, drove to a fast food restaurant and ordered some food (no sugar), and ate in the parking lot until I began to feel better (about an hour or so). I was still thinking diabetes.

I attended the classes for eating (diabetic-style), and for a few weeks everything went back to normal. I didn't feel any differently. Then one night, standing in line at Wal-Mart, the sickening feeling began again. I couldn't breathe. My chest was heavy. I thought I was going to pass out. I had seen a friend earlier that evening in the store, and looking around I spotted her at the entrance talking to someone. I made my way to her and asked her if she could stay with me until Mike came to get me. I knew I didn't need to drive. She walked with me to my car, followed us home and then took Mike back to Wal-Mart to pick up The Big Gold Van. As was now becoming my pattern, in about an hour my symptoms started subsiding.

However, I now had a diabetic meter. My blood sugar was within the 70 to 100 range. Whatever was making me so sick was not diabetes.

The next day as I was ironing, I had the television on and saw the commercial featuring Aretha Franklin. She talked about her blood sugar being well over 400 before she began feeling terribly ill. "I must be the biggest weenie in the world," I thought to myself. She would probably laugh at 212. I then started asking around, and I found out that 212 was not considered a high number at all. Especially when the majority of the time my blood sugar was well within the acceptable range. Something else was going on.

Several more weeks passed, and we were all sitting in the den watching Survivor. Roxie was sitting on my lap in the rocker when my vision again faded in my left eye, and the exact same symptoms returned. I immediately got up and checked my sugar. It was normal. I called Mike into the bedroom and asked him to take me to the paramedics to check my blood pressure because we weren't talking diabetes any longer.

The paramedics were wonderful... but my blood pressure was not. It was 170 over something (I don't remember EVERYTHING). I have NEVER had high blood pressure. I have always been blessed with very LOW blood pressure. That's one good thing that does run in my family. The paramedics told Mike to get me to the hospital at once because it looked like I was either having or about to have a heart attack. Off we went again. (Neighbors sat with the kids until my Mom was able to get to the house.)

I was hooked up to the machines again. I had vial after vial of blood taken again. And Mike sat there looking pitiful and rubbing my hand again. After an hour and a half, my symptoms started subsiding, and the ER doctor came in and said I did not have a heart attack or a stroke. He suggested panic attacks.

"I am not imagining all the things going on in my body," I retorted. "I am having real symptoms."

"Exactly. Panic attacks have real symptoms. There's nothing about them that is make believe," he assured me.

He told me to make an appointment with my regular doctor the next day, and take it from there. I did and she saw me the day after I called her. What happened next is a trip down "Doctor Lane."

Tuesday, I'll share how a perfectly healthy 45 year-old woman was doing very well December 15, and totally fell apart December 16. At one point in the first quarter of 2008, I was going to eight (COUNT THEM... EIGHT) different doctors. Let's name them, shall we?

1. Internist

2. OB/GYN

3. Cardiologist

4. Neurologist

5. Psychiatrist

6. Rheumatologist (I have arthritis... He didn't really have anything to do with my panic attacks.)

7. Podiatrist (To be honest, I only saw him once. He went with the diabetes diagnosis and had to check circulation in my feet. It tickled... meaning the circulation in my feet was fine, and I just needed to see him if I experienced any problems in that area. Bye-bye!)

8. Optometrist (I have to be checked every six months because of my "eye thing" which isn't related to diabetes at all. Turns out it is called an ocular migraine which sometimes occurs prior to my panic attacks. There is no pain involved, but there is no rhyme or reason for them either.)

Before we get into Tuesday's story, I would like to say the eight is now down to four... OB/GYN, Rheumatologist, Optometrist and Internist. They are what I call "check-up doctors."


Roxie and Kendall having their picture taken on Morris Avenue in 2011.

To this day, we still have NO IDEA who this lady photobomber was and why she chose the girls to photobomb.

#gottalovemorrisavenue

Crack Cake

You will need the following:

1 box yellow cake mix
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
1 box instant vanilla pudding
2 teaspoons cinnamon
4 eggs
3/4 cup water
3/4 cup oil

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Mix the above ingredients by hand or hand mixer.

3. Grease and flour a Bundt pan.

4. Pour into pan.

5. Bake for one hour.

When cake comes out of the oven, you can add a thin milk and confectioner's sugar glaze or just serve it plain.

NOTE - It is a really good cake, but it becomes better on the second and third day.


Zac, Brad and Austin when they were just wee lads.

Quotable Quotes - Fun fact for you... I was a huge Designing Women fan, and I loved all of the characters on that show. I'm going to share some favorite "Julia Sugarbaker" quotes with you today. There are many, many more, but here are a few favorites.

(Boarding a plane)
Suzanne: Where are our seats?
Julia: I don't know. If history teaches us anything, mine will be next to a baby who smokes.

Julia: Have you all just COMPLETELY lost your minds? (This was a line Julia said repeatedly on the show. This is a line I adopted soon after all of my kids became teenagers. It seemed appropriate.)

(As Mary Jo nervously prepares for her first date since her divorce.)
Julia: Here is a quarter for the payphone, Mary Jo. Mother always used to give Suzanne and me a dime to call home in case somebody got too fresh. I don't think Suzanne ever used hers. She eventually used the money to go to Europe.

Julia: I keep a list of people who touch my behind without permission. Some of them have died unnatural and untimely deaths.

(Talking to Charlene after being trapped in the hotel room with her all night.)
Julia: I think this illness has affected your brain. Or, I've just never before noticed the extent of your unequalled ability to be fascinated at absolutely nothing.
Charlene: Y'know, Julia, I used to think that if I were a man I'd be interested in you, but not anymore!


A little bit of Copper this morning.

Pinterest Stuff

Mother-Daughter Bucket List

Develop a signature family recipe
Take a mother/daughter trip abroad
Have a mother/daughter photo shoot
Bury a time capsule
Complete a physical challenge – climb a mountain, hike a trail, run/walk a marathon, etc.
Write a list of qualities that your daughter should look for in a man
Serve at a local shelter
Plan an outing for every holiday (pumpkin patch, Christmas tea, etc.)
Get a free make over at a department store
Do a Bible study
Go to a weekend craft/art class
See your favorite sport team play live
Learn how to change a tire
Have a spa weekend
Visit a big city for a weekend
Do something only your daughter has always wanted to do
Do something only your mom has always wanted to do

These are just some of the ideas from this wonderful blog... www.susanme.blog. Check it out if you get a chance.

I'll share some of the Mother-Son Bucket List items Tuesday.


Austin and The Lovely Melia way back when.

Easter Traditions

The following are some tried and true, oldie-goldie Easter ideas The Faulkner Five have enjoyed immensely in the past.

"Story of Easter" Egg Hunt

These are also called Resurrection Eggs, and you can now buy the "kits" at most Christian book store. If you want to do it yourself, number plastic eggs 1 through 12 and hide them with all the other eggs you will be hiding that day. (Make sure you don't hide the resurrection eggs in hard-to-find places.) When the hunt is over, have all the children sit in a circle and ask for Egg Number 1. Have them open it revealing what you put inside. Then read the scripture and tell the story one egg at a time.

1. Bread - Matthew 26:26. While they were eating Jesus took a piece of bread, gave a prayer of thanks, broke it, and gave it to His disciples. "Take and eat it," He said, "This is My body."

2. Coins - Matthew 26:14-15. Then one of the twelve disciples, named Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and asked, "What will you give me if I betray Jesus to you?" They counted out thirty silver coins and gave them to him.

3. Purple cloth (representing a purple robe) - Mark 15:17. They put a purple robe on Jesus.

4. Thorns - Matthew 27:29. Then they made a crown out of thorny branches and placed it on His head, and put a stick on His right hand; then they knelt before Him and made fun of Him. "Long live the King of the Jews!" they said.

5. Scourge (a small piece of rope or thick string) - Mark 15:15. Pilate wanted to please the crowd, so he set Barabbas free for them. Then he had Jesus whipped and handed Him over to be crucified.

6. Cross - John 19:17-18a. He went out, carrying His cross, and came to "The Place of the Skull," as it is called. (In Hebrew it is called "Golgotha.") There they crucified Him.

7. Nails - John 20:25b. Thomas said to them, "Unless I see the scars of the nails in His hands and put my finger on those scars and my hand in His side, I will not believe."

8. Sign - Luke 23:38. Above Him were written these words: THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.

9. Sponge - Matthew 27:48. One of them ran up at once, took a sponge, soaked it in cheap wine, put it on the end of a stick, and tried to make Him drink it.

10. Spear - John 19:34. One of the soldiers plunged his spear into Jesus' side, and at once blood and water poured out.

11. Rock - Matthew 27:59-60. Joseph took the body, wrapped it in a new linen sheet, and placed it in his own new tomb, which he had just recently dug out of solid rock. Then he rolled a large stone across the entrance to the tomb and went away.

12. Empty - Matthew 28:6. He is not here. He has risen just as He said.

Back in the day when we had this Egg Hunt, we would gather on my Mom and Dad's front porch and Daddy would read the scripture as the kids opened the eggs.


Austin, Roxie and Josh... Easter 2010.

Resurrection Cookies

After dinner the Saturday before Easter, you will need to sit down and make these cookies with your family. It is a wonderful way to share the story of Easter... BUT YOU HAVE TO DO THIS THE NIGHT BEFORE EASTER!!!

You will need:

1 cup whole pecans
1 teaspoon vinegar
3 egg whites
A pinch salt
1 cup sugar
1 zip-lock bag
1 wooden spoon
Scotch tape
Bible

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees. (This is very important. Don't wait until you are almost finished with the recipe).

2. Place pecans in zip-lock bag and let children beat them with the wooden spoon to break into small pieces. Explain that after Jesus was arrested. He was beaten by the Roman soldiers. Read John 19:1-3.

3. Let each child smell the vinegar. Put 1 teaspoon vinegar into mixing bowl. Explain that when Jesus was thirsty on the cross He was given vinegar to drink. Read John 19:28-30.

4. Add egg whites to vinegar. Eggs represent life. Explain that Jesus gave His life to give us life. Read John 10:10-11.

5. Sprinkle a little salt into each child's hand. Let them taste it and brush the rest into the bowl. Explain this represents the salty tears shed by Jesus' followers, and the bitterness of our own sin. Read Luke 23:27.

6. So far the ingredients are not very appetizing. Add 1 cup sugar. Explain the sweetest part of the story is Jesus died because He loves us. He wants us to know and belong to Him. Read Psalm 34:8 and John 3:16.

7. Beat with a mixer on high speed for 12 to 15 minutes until stiff peaks are formed. Explain the color white represents the purity in God's eyes of those whose sins have been cleansed by Jesus. Read Isaiah 1:18 and John 3:1-3.

8. Fold in broken nuts. Drop by teaspoon onto a wax paper covered cookie sheet. Explain that each mound represents the rocky tomb where Jesus' body was laid. Read Matthew 27:57-60.

9. Put the cookie sheet in the oven, close the door and turn the oven OFF.

10. Give each child a piece of tape and seal the oven door. Explain that Jesus' tomb was sealed. Read Matthew 27:65-66.

11. GO TO BED!

12. Explain they may feel sad to leave the cookies in the oven overnight. Jesus' followers were in despair when the tomb was sealed. Read John 16:20-22.

On Resurrection Sunday (Easter morning), open the oven and give everyone a cookie. Notice the cracked surface and take a bite. The cookies are hollow! On the first Easter, Jesus' followers were amazed to find the tomb open and empty. Read Matthew 28:1-9.


He's a keeper!

Weekend Happenings

1. Austin and Josh are working Friday night and Saturday night.

2. Mike and I are waiting to get The Chick's plans in writing to see what we are going to do Friday night.

3. Mike and I are going to Pepper Place Saturday morning. We've never been in the Spring, so I'm excited to see what they have to offer.

4. I will be preparing my Easter dishes for Easter Sunday lunch at Grandmother's. I'm taking Fruit Salad, Deviled Eggs, Corn, Rolls and Mandarin Orange Salad. Roxie is making a Cupcake Cross Cake (from Pinterest). So pretty.

5. We're attending the 9:00 a.m. Easter Service at our church Sunday morning before heading to Grandmother's for our Easter Celebration.

I have a few new things up my sleeve for the guys and gals this year, but I'll tell you all about those Tuesday.

I don't want to ruin any surprises.

Have a blessed Easter weekend. I'll be back TUESDAY with Easter pics, A Little Bit of My Story - Part 3, another new-to-me recipe, Pinterest Stuff and more.


Roxie was SO happy when Katie got her driver's license. We call this "COUSIN FREEDOM!"

Take care, and I'll talk to you next week.

Sincerely,

The Enchanting Belinda


You know what they're thinking, don't you?

Have a Happy Easter!