Since we last spoke, a great many events have taken place.
Are you ready?
MISCELLANEOUS #1 - Roxie and friends had their Senior Awards Night. It was very nostalgic, and I vividly remembered many of the kids on the stage that evening...
From the time they were babies, attending preschool, kindergarten, elementary school, middle school...
You get the idea.
Everyone who walked across the stage that night looked like a "little" kid in my mind's eye, and not the 18 year-old young men and women whose images I captured with my camera.
Bizarre.
Kelci and Roxie.
Hannah, Roxie, Ragan and Ally.
Roxie and Ragan (looking gorgeous in all white).
MISCELLANEOUS #2 - Tommy had a birthday, and we all celebrated with him.
Have you noticed, it is much easier to celebrate someone else's aging process than your own?
Tommy and his traditional ice cream cake from Dairy Queen.
Melia, Tommy and Austin.
Roxie and Mikie playing a spirited game of cornhole!
MISCELLANEOUS #3 - The Senior Recognition Service at our church on the Sunday morning before Graduation has always been a fun event. It was my last "official" Recognition Service as a parent, so I tried to remember everything I could with and without the camera.
The best way for me to take pictures in our church is when the "subject" appears on the screen.
The official "Roxie is in her robe" picture with Hunter.
MISCELLANEOUS #4 - The 2015 Graduation Service of GHS was awesome.
The speakers were excellent.
The atmosphere was celebratory.
And I actually made it outside in time to take pics of the "hats in the air."
Third time's a charm!
Taylor, Alyssa, Roxie and Scotty.
Roxie and Savanna.
When Roxie is extremely happy and emotional, she will grab the person's face and gaze joyfully into their eyes.
It is one of my most favorite things about Roxie.
Roxie and Allyson.
Roxie and Hannah.
Roxie and Seth.
Roxie and Kendall.
Roxie and Mason.
Roxie and Hunter.
Roxie and her diploma!
MISCELLANEOUS #5 - I'm going to tell you something. My MOST favorite thing about Graduation is the Reception my church has after the ceremony.
We invite as many family and friends as we want ($6.50 a head), and we all meet at our Fellowship Hall. The Fellowship Hall is decorated and a snack dinner is served buffet-style in the middle. Family and friends can visit with each other for several hours.
And the best part...
I get to enjoy it just as much as everyone else because I'm not officially "hosting" the party, I didn't have to cook AND the clean-up is not on me!
Roxie and Josh.
Josh was present for the Ceremony and about 30 minutes of the Reception before he had to go to work.
Good pictures don't just happen.
They take a little work.
T.J., Roxie, Katie and Zac.
Ally, Roxie and Ragan.
Roxie and Grandmother.
Aunt Bev, Roxie and Uncle Tommy.
Melia, Roxie and Uncle Guy.
Grandma, Roxie and Grandpa.
Everyone decorates a table for the Reception. Roxie and Ally shared a table and it was FABULOUS!
Austin, Roxie and Zac!
Roxie and Sweet Kelci.
Restaurant Review - Kool Korners Sandwiches
If you had told me I would be a fan of a Cuban sandwich shop, I might have been a little surprised, but let me tell you...
I am most definitely a fan!
When we go to the movies, our favorite place to eat is Mugshots in Vestavia.
We love it!
But, on weekend nights when a huge blockbuster movie is playing, that restaurant can be crowded and a little unpredictable as far as "get in/get out" time goes.
Jurassic World was our ultimate destination, but we didn't dare want to be late (miss any previews)...
Or rushed (not be able to enjoy our hamburgers).
So we found a great alternative.
If you go one red light beyond the Mugshots red light, you will see a Publix.
When you see the Publix, pull in and look for Kool Korners Sandwiches.
From what I can tell from the wall, the restaurant moved here from Atlanta. Atlanta loved them. Again, this is information I gleaned from the wall.
And now, I, The Enchanting Belinda from The Dale in Alabama, love them, too.
I ordered the roasted chicken sandwich on Cuban bread. It is served warm and pressed (not unlike a panini).
The bread is a little crunchy, but not messy.
I also ordered a side of fried plantains. I enjoyed two of the plantains. They gave me eight. I have nothing against plantains, but if I had the order option, I would definitely go with a "small."
Mike and I shared a guava pastry. Guava was described to us as a jelly-like mixture with a taste somewhere between strawberry and pear.
I would buy this stuff by the gallon to put on toast if I knew where to purchase said item.
I am a big fan of the guava.
The next time we go (and there WILL be a next time), we will still order the sandwiches, but we will share the bread pudding and maybe, just maybe, a pineapple soda.
It cost the two of us about $20, but you could definitely get it down to about $7 each if you didn't order a bunch of the "extra" stuff.
We were in and out in 35 minutes.
We were not rushed.
We saw ALL of the previews before the movie.
We were very satisfied.
Best Corn on the Cob EVER
I've tried this several times, and it really is good!
1. Fill pot with water.
2. Add a stick of salted butter and 1 cup of milk.
3. Bring to a rapid boil.
4. Put ears of corn in boiling water. Turn heat to low and simmer for 5 to 8 minutes.
That's it! Easy!
Peach Dumplings
These are wonderful hot out of the oven with a scoop of vanilla ice cream!
You will need the following:
1 1/2 (8 ounce) cans crescent rolls
1 stick butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 to 2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 cup orange soda
2 to 3 fresh peaches (I used canned peaches and it turned out great.)
1. Butter 8" x 8" inch baking dish.
2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
3. Peel peaches and cut each into 4 to 6 slices
4. Roll each peach slice in a crescent roll and place in a buttered dish.
5. Melt butter. Stir in brown sugar, cinnamon, lemon juice and vanilla. When it has thickened, remove from heat and pour over the dumplings.
6. Pour the soda in the middle and along the edges of a pan (not over the rolls).
7. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until they become golden brown.
8. You can sprinkle more cinnamon-sugar on top of the baked dumplings if you like.
9. Serve warm.
Upcoming Miscellaneous Topics...
Roxie's Trip to Guatemala
Austin and Melia's Cruise
Mackenzie's 2nd Birthday
Arrival of Mackenzie's Brother, Micah
Mikie's Birthday Celebration
Camp War Eagle
Father's Day
Weekend Happenings
1. Josh is coming down tonight to spend some brother-time with Austin. They may be eating at the house before beginning their evening. I'm just waiting to hear!
2. Tomorrow morning, our family will head to Trussville to participate in our annual Balloon Release at Granddaddy's grave. After we release the balloons and have a prayer, we will head across the road to Jack's and share a breakfast together before heading in all of our separate directions.
This will be our 11th Balloon Release.
3. On Father's Day, we will go to Oxford after church to spend some time with Grandpa. Our "gift of time" to Mike will take place at Dreamland Barbecue where we will celebrate the best Dad to our kids I could ever imagine.
And ribs.
We will partake of ribs!
I hope you have a fabulous weekend. I have lots of things to talk about this Summer, and I hope you'll join me.
Take care, and I will talk to you next FRIDAY.
Sincerely,
The Enchanting Belinda
No comments:
Post a Comment