Ye-Haw! Happy Birthday Madalyn!

My oldest niece, Madalyn, celebrated her 11th birthday last week. She told me all the way back in January what kind of cake she wanted. We even sat down together and drew it all out. Her Mom (Dala) ended up changing a few things, so it was sort of a surprise to Maddy.

This is how it turned out.
Madalyn & I

The back of the cake.
Maddy & her friend, Rilee, blowing out the candles.
A blue bird looking over the fence.

Happy Birthday, Maddy Faye.
I hope it was a great one!

One Last Thing:
I didn't get to use these clouds, though I do love how they came out.
And I love all of the blue in this picture.

Dala

This is my sister, Dala. She is the 2nd oldest. About 2 weeks ago she became a year older. I decided the night before her birthday to make her a simple cake.
Simple it was.

When I asked, she said bright pink and turquoise were her favorite colors, so that's the colors I used. I also used, for the first time, my cake stand that I bought at Target after Easter for only $2. That was a happy day!

A Few of My Favorites

Hope. When all else fails, hope remains.
* * * * * * *

I'm really loving this gum from Cracker Barrell. It reminds me of Fall, my favorite season. Shawn says it tastes like Pepto. I say it tastes like Halloween.
* * * * * * *

My Family. These guys & gals are the greatest. They are always there when you need them, always willing to lend a helping hand. Thank God for family. And, yes, the guy below is family. The dog, I'm not sure who his family is.* * * * * * *

Color.

When people ask me what my favorite color is I usually say,
"Every color of the rainbow."

p.s. I also LOVE Sharpies! In every color.
* * * * * * *

These kids.
As you can tell, they each have their own unique personality that makes them interesting. There's never a dull moment with any of them.

Strawberry Crush.
Best when served ice cold in a glass bottle.

Want A Kiss?

I bought these funnels a few weeks ago at Michaels.I was certain I could use them for something.

Then I saw this:
The instructions are on the back.
Just take the funnels, some delicious chocolate chips,
some foil, two small strips of paper...

and you have your own, personal giant kisses!

Perfect if the one you love is a chocolate lover.

Ruffly Headband

I found this tutorial for a simple, beautiful little ruffly headband.

So, naturally, I had to make me one.

I'm really loving ruffles right now.
I want to buy every ruffly shirt that I see, and I've been seeing many.


I had already made this flower from the same fabric.
Now I have a matching set!

Amelia

This is Amelia.
The baby, not the silly woman with her eyes closed.
Amelia's grandparents go to our church. She and her parents live in a different state, so when they came to visit this past week, her granparents gave Amelia a baby shower. I was asked to make a cake for the shower.

Rainy Day Randomness

As the rain is pounding down against every outersurface, the wind is howling in the rain and the lightning is lighting up the sky, I thought I'd share a few random things.

These Roasted Potato Wedges are delicious! I think I may have to make some more real soon. Oh, and that's my special fork. I absolutely have to eat every meal with it. It's a rule. And I LOVE black pepper, especially when it's freshly ground.

I saw this on my good friend, Kylie's myspace. She took this in New York. Such a great quote.

Um, yeah. My Dad has 3 goats...that he keeps in a fenced in area at the church. Usually. He won the first one in a raffle, then a church member gave him the other two. They do keep the grass looking good.

Our courthouse has a fallout shelter. I worked almost across the street from this building for about 3 years before I even noticed the sign. I've never seen the fallout shelter, but it's interesting to know it's there.

I love this little girl. She so limber. She can turn cartwheels that would make a cheerleader green with envy.

HOPE. We all need it. We all can have it. My Dad always says, "As long as there's breath, there's hope."

I love this boy, too. He is super talented. He plays the drums and guitar. He's never had a lesson. I wish I had some of that talent.

Shawn went fishing one day and brought this turtle home to me. He didn't like being confined, though, so Shawn put him back in the lake the next day.

My brother-in-law, Simeon, found a turtle just like this in his yard one day, and he brought it to my nephew, Ian. When Ian saw the picture of my turtle and I told him we put hime back in the lake, he couldn't believe it! He said, "Uh! You could've brought him to me, and I would've put him in the bowl with Hotshot." Apparently, Hotshot is his turtle.

I love trees! They can be full and green in the spring and summer, shedding their red and orange leaves in the fall, or completely bare in the winter with nothing but the shell of their limbs. I love them all.

Speaking of love (and saving the best for last), I really love this guy. I've come to the conclusion that I love him because he loves me despite my imperfections. I also love when he's silly and just enjoying life.

Well, here's hoping your day is full of fun & interesting things, sunshine, good things to eat and people you love!