What a great weekend!

What a great weekend! We thought we were going to start with a volleyball game on Friday, but Grace was still coughing alot so we made her skip it. And for those keeping up, that was a week with  no athletics for Grace. That's pretty unusual for her. We 're back into the swing of volleyball abs basketball this week, though!  So Saturday we had the EHS graduation. I love going to graduation and seeing all the formalties. This was a hard one for me though, because I am envisioning Grace graduating more and more and more. I had to remind myself several times to just enjoy the moment! So after graduation we went for our weekly 'cheeseless' pizza at Pizza Hut (it's cheaper to eat there than enywhere else for us!) Then we headed to Mesquite to go to Academy. Now that's an adventure. Everyone goes in with their phones so we can find everyone when we need them. Grace headed to shoes to find discus throwing shoes...JoGail was in the clothes and Coy was everywhere. I just kept up with Coy! He needed new clothes since he has lost so much weight, so we loaded him up there. Grace would have gotten the shoes she picked out but they were 'Kemp Orange'. (Had they been 'Eustace purple' they would be in her closet right now). She ended up with workout clothes along with JoGail. I know, we're weird buying workout clothes, but it works for us. Since the girls do their own laundry in the summer it helps keep them motivated to keep up with doing their laundry! An enjoyable time was had by all.....then we slept in Sunday..don't do that very often but we were ALL tired. (3 out of 4 of us are on antibitics for strep.) Then we went our for brunch. It was very enjoyable just spending time with the four of us. Today we slept in again and grilled out for lunch. The hamburgers were great and the desserts even better-chocolate skillet cake, root beer floats, or key lime pie. Everyone enjoyed it and we talked about the significance of the day to keep everything in perspective.

Tomorrow night it's volleyball again. I'm very excited to get to see my Grandmother and Aunt Toot on Wednesday! Plus I get to see Aunt Nancy (really my great aunt) and cousin Wanza! Thursday is a half day at school. Then Friday is a workday for me. I'm excited to be pretty much finished by June 7! (They reduced our days and our pay but it doesn't bother me as long as I can still get most everything wrapped up at work!) There's a few days I'll have to go in through out the summer, but I can handle that! I'm really looking forward to summer workout walks starting up and seeing all my EISD friends! And of course Wednesdays at Sherry's!!!! I've been really trying to let my hip heal so I'll be ready to walk!

I can't believe both of my girls are old enough to do summer workouts. Grace loves those. She fell in love with working out during these when she was younger. We're hoping JoGail will as well. Grace is also planning on throwing the discus some and lifting even more weights to try and get stronger to throw farther.  She's already cut cokes out of her diet and been trying to eat more and more protein and drink more water. It's amazing to watcher her and her passion for throwing. And it is a passion. something she absolutely loves.

JoGail will have a rough time at workouts, but will adjust. She'll get to see some friends, so that will help her alot.

I am looking forward to getting some deep cleaning done around the house and of course finding and trying new recipes. Sometimes it's hard to try new recipes when you live with people that could eat the same thing for days on end.  I made some homemade chocolate syrup (for ice cream and making chocolate milk) today. It turned out pretty good. Next up is hot fudge sauce. Since I found some ice cream (Breyer's LActose free) ice cream Coy can have, I'm hoping we get to eat more of that this summer!

Coy is reading to quite wearing suits every day! He will keep going in early in the summer and get lots of things done. I know he'll  enjoy the 'daily report' from the girls when they fnish the summer workouts too. (I'm sure he will get more out of JoGail reporting it than he did with just Grace!) . Of course she'll have to learn (the hard way) that Daddy sees and knows all with his video cameras....BAWAHAHA  She did make the year without being sent to the prnicipal's office........first time since she started in head start...like 8 years ago! She adds so much fun to our family!

Enjoy your summer!!

~Laurie

Snickers Salad, Grape Delight

We are having another salad luncheon at work tomorrow. Not a problem, except that (in case you haven't noticed), I'm not a big salad eater. So, I have been scouraging the net trying to find something to make for my friend Suzette who is retiring. It just won't be the same without her but I know her sister well and will find her when I need her. :)   So, I saw this recipe several places and decided to try it. JoGail loves it. I promised her I would make it for Memorial Day. Without further adoo, here's the recipe. The source is not listed because I saw it lots of places including allrecipes, cooks.com and pinterest.

Snickers Salad

1 extra large tub cool whip
1 box instant vanilla pudding
3 green apples chopped into bite size pieces
3 regular size snickers bars-cut lengthwise doum the middle then into bite size pieces

Mix fiurst two ingredients well then stir in the apples and snickers pieces. Best if you let it sit in the fridge a while before serving.


The other 'salad' I am trying is Grape Delight. I got this recipe from Diana Chambers here in Eustace. She wrote it down for me to put in Grace's cookbook.  I usually don't try those recipes but she kept asking me if I had tried it. She kept saying 'it's good' and she was right! By the way, this IS NOT diabetic friendly!

Grape Delight
Diane Chambers

8 ounces cream cheese
1 can Eagle brand  ANYthing with this is good, right?
1 large bynch washed and dried grapes

Mix cream cheese and Eagle Brand together. Stir in grapes and let sit in the frisde before serving.

Life lessons

My life lessons for the girls......

1. Be you. Be the best you ! Don't change the way you are for someone else.
2. It's ok to wait to for that special guy. You don't need alot of 'experiences' to know when you find your soul mate. Your dad and I have been praying for him.
3. Be healthy! Your size doesn't matter...your health does.
4. God, then family. This doesn't necessarily mean church then family, but it could. Keep your relationship with God first in your life and you will benefit. Keep learning scriptures. Tape them wherever so you remember them.
5. Stay away from Drama! Yes, there is drama at work, in families and in friendships. Stay away as much as you can. ( You are both already doing ag reat job of this!)
6. Manage your money well. You have often heard me say that money isn't everything, and it's not. But money can ruin relationships. Keep it in perspective.
7. Keep up your good work ethic. Yes, we all have to do work that we don't like at times, regardless of our job, title, education,etc. Sometimes it feels really good to just work.
8. Be nice to people-everyday. Holding a door, helpin gsomeone who needs help, saying a kind word--those are the best thigns in life.
9. Get your sleep. (You knew I would put that one in here.) It rejuvinates you, gives you energy and keeps you well. Nothing good happens on the streets after about 11 pm. NOTHING.
10. Do what your are passionate about. Those ar ehte things you will enjoy. Find a career that you are passionate about and go for it.
11. You always have a choice. You might not like the optoins, but YOU do have a choice.
12. Remember that we love you....but not near as much as God does!

I plan to add ot this and print if for them one day...any ideas??

Satuday's Spectacular Six

This is supposed to be a Fabulous Friday Five Post , but I am a day late ! We had a lot going on last night...volleyball, baseball playoff game, etc. We did have a nice break after school yesterday since nothing really started until 7:30.p

Satuday's Spectacular Six---six blessing from the past week...

1. I had time to come home and walk most days even though we had banquets galore to go to last week. Come home, walk, start the girls supper, shower and then get prettied up for the banquets. I love seeing everyone all dressed up.

2. A husband who truly puts kids first--not only his kids but the kids at school. . I was talking with some friends last night at the ball game and I was reminded of how well and how often he does this. I am truly blessed to be married to someone who loves people the way he does. Sometimes I get frustrated by that, so it was great to be subtly reminded of how much he does that.

3.  Allergies. I know it slows me down and makes me grouchy, but IT SLOWS ME DOWN when I usually need it most. This weekend its hit again and it has DEFINITELY slowed me down, but I needed to. I need to take a walking break and just relax with the family awhile.

4. Two girls that love playing outside-I know I have said that before. But it truly blesses me that they love playing outside, singing, kicking around a soccer ball, listening to theirr music. I seriously think their 'teenage' room is actually outside.

5.Facebook. I love being able to keep up with long lost friends and my family through facebook. With my best friend and sister (Melissa) in Amarillo and my new sister inlaw (Amanda) in Abilene, it's so much easier to keep up with them. I like Grace's posts, too. They are usually hilarious!

6. Comfort food. That chocolate skillet cake tasted alot like MawMaw. chocolate cake! Then I was grocery shopping this morning and got some pinto beans. I can't wait (Leigh Ann) to make a pot of pinto beans and a pan of cornbread. Then I tried to make my mom's potato salad (sort of, Cassie) this evening and it hit the spot.


~~SO Blessed!!!!

Laurie