Casa de Mask

2011-12-29T14:42:00.005-06:00

Makeover and a Move...

2011-04-22T22:32:00.022-05:00

Hello Friends~

Lately, I have been doing some spring cleaning around the house. It feels good to do this. This spring cleaning has also included my little blog. Change is good for the soul in my book and I have been feeling for a while that I wanted to do a total blog makeover. Just as we evolve as human beings... each being shaped and molded every day by our life experiences--the same could be said for our hobbies....mine being blogging.

I have had fun playing around with it this week. My new makeover includes a new look, and a new name, and-- a completely new blog address.

You can now find me over at "Cupcakes and Mud Puddles..."
why cupcakes AND mud puddles you may ask??...

...it really started with a conversation with my mom. I mentioned to her that I wanted to change the name of my blog and do a makeover. She is an amazingly creative woman and a great writer so she started asking me what I wanted the name to symbolize. She asked me things that I liked and we got on the idea of cupcakes. I love cupcakes--they are oh-so-tasty and they put me in a happy, joyful mood when I see beautifully decorated cupcakes. And then she threw the name out there...."Why don't you name it Cupcakes and Mud Puddles??" I loved it! I enjoy sharing with all of you the happy moments in my life so I thought cupcakes would nicely (metaphorically) represent those happy, special times. And mud puddles...well, you know my son loves running through mud puddles. He's ALL BOY!! Whenever he can, he'll splash and jump right in puddles and get all messy. Metaphorically speaking, the mud puddles represent the more challenging and messy times of our lives--all things that I often share on my blog as well.

So my friends, this will be my last post at Casa de Mask. Moving forward, I can be found here.

I hope you'll stop by my new place....

And one last reminder...if you are a Google follower, don't forget to add yourself as a new follower over at Cupcakes and Mud Puddles!!;-)

Many blessings to you all on this Easter weekend....

XOXO...

Easter message...

2011-04-22T10:00:00.002-05:00

Noah-isms

2011-04-21T01:38:00.002-05:00

Today, Little Man was full of all kinds of new phrases and words. It's pretty stink'in cute to hear what is coming out of his mouth these days. Here is just a sampling of what we heard today:

1.) The Hubby was leaving for work this morning and Little Man ran up to him to give him a hug. He then asked, "Daddy...where are you going?"

The Hubby responded, "Well buddy...Daddy has to go to work."

And Little Man said, "But you just went to work yesterday!"

(as if saying...you went yesterday, so you should have the day off today.) :-)

2.) After Little Man and I scarfed down our sandwiches for lunch at the house, Little Man had a doctor's appointment that we were about to be late for, so I was running around trying to gather my purse, cell phone and get him dressed. I realized I couldn't find my car keys. So I began searching the house frantically because we were really running late for his appointment about this time. Little Man could obviously sense my anxiety. And then he said to me:

"Mawwwm...why don't you just call Daddy and see if he knows where your keys are?"

I sat down at the kitchen table and responded, " You know, that's a great idea. Let's do that." And I proceeded to call Daddy.

Little Man then climbed up on the table and scooted real close to me and said, "Mom...it'll be okay."

Come to find out...when Daddy answered the phone --I asked if he knew where my keys were, they were in his suit pocket. ;-)

When I told Little Man, he said, "See...I told you."

3.) When we finally arrived to the doctor's office (Little Man has such anxiety when we go to see his pediatrician---he's always so worried they are going to give him a shot.) ...I walked up to the counter to sign us in and give them my insurance card. About this time, Little Man walks straight up to the counter, stands on his tiptoes to be sure the receptionist could see him and says real loudly:

"Hey...I don't want no shots and no band-aids...okay?" She (and the rest of the lobby full of parents) busted out laughing with me.

Gotta love it. Out of the mouth of babes, right??.... ;-)

Missionaries and Little Man.

2011-04-20T16:39:00.020-05:00

We had the LDS missionaries over for dinner recently in our home. I asked the Elders in advance if they had ever had Delia's tamales (a local favorite) and they had not.

I thought it would be a great Mexican side dish to introduce them to while serving in this area of South Texas. The Hubby had to work late at the office, so Little Man and I ate outside with them in our backyard. The Hubby joined us later.

The missionaries LOVED the tamales. They also learned that the green sauce is really....really HOT!!

We had three different types of tamales:
1.) Pork
2.) Bean and cheese
3.) Cream-cheese and jalapeno (our favorite!!)

Little Man absolutely loved having the missionaries come to our home. He played ball with them in the backyard and showed them how to turn on the water sprinkler. He even sprayed them with it at one point...yikes! I felt bad about that, but they both just laughed and said that it actually felt good to get a little wet because it was so hot outside that day.

Many of you reading this may not be familiar with the LDS faith....let me explain missionary service in our faith. Young men and young women have the opportunity to serve full-time missions for our church. They serve voluntarily and do not receive a salary for the work they undertake; in fact, most are financially supported by themselves or their families. Missionaries for the LDS Church typically fall under one of these categories:

1.) Young men between the ages of 19 and 25 who meet standards of worthiness are strongly encouraged to consider a two-year, full-time proselytizing mission.

2.) Women who would like to serve a mission must meet the same standards of worthiness and be at least 21 years old; women generally serve shorter 18-month missions however, they are not actively encouraged to serve.

3.) Married retired couples--their length of service may vary from 6 to 36 months depending on their circumstances and means.

I must say that a regret I have is that I did not serve a full-time mission. I remember when I was 24 years old, I was asked by a family friend to consider serving a mission--quite frankly, it just wasn't something I had ever really considered while growing up. At the time, I had just recently graduated from college and had begun my first teaching job as an elementary teacher. I was a 3rd grade teacher in the Dallas area and living on my own for the first time. I traveled home one weekend to see my parents and while attending church with them that Sunday, a member of my home ward Bishopric (Bro. Tefteller) invited me to visit with him for a few minutes. His daughter, Jordan, was on her mission at the time. He told me what a wonderful experience she was having and how happy she was being a missionary. I will never forget that conversation and I remember being thankful that he took the time to meet with me and discuss it. But sadly, I was too overly concerned at the time about leaving the career I had just begun . I didn't feel the timing was right to serve a mission for 18-months. And honestly, I was concerned that I might miss out on finding "Mr. Right'. That at the ripe old age of 24, if I took 2 years to serve the Lord, I might miss out on the opportunity to get married. And well, the rest is history. I basically dismissed the idea and didn't think of it again. Oh my-- if I could only turn back time.... if so, I would have made a very different decision at that stage of my life. I would have chosen to serve--I had the time (24 is not too old). My family would have been more than supportive of this decision. But hindsight is always 20/20..we make decisions and we move on. I am happy to say though that my husband and I have made a commitment to one another that we will serve a mission together someday. I look forward to having that opportunity.

I have brothers who served full-time missions for our church and what a blessing this proved to be for them and our entire family. We grew closer together because of their missions and closer to the Lord. I will always be thankful for their service in the mission field.

Recently, I was going through some boxes in the garage and found old pictures and a letter that my brother Brian wrote to me while on his mission. Brian served for 2 years in the London, England South mission. I hope he doesn't mind if I share a portion of his letter. Here are a few snippets (I won't share all because it is too personal) but this portion still touches my heart to this day. It was written in March of 2000...

"What's happening G? (my nickname to my brothers)....I'm at our service project right now. We work in a charity shop, which is like a thrift store in the United States. Sorry to hear about your love life. Just look on the bright side...it's a lot better than mine right now! You've got to come shopping here someday. I know I mention this in every letter, but I keep seeing cool clothes that you would love. You know I'm always trying to get you out of your school teacher style of clothes! :-) Just joking...you always look nice. We are praying to find more people to teach right now. The lady I found and was baptized in December, is still doing really well and is active in the church......

...I think when I get home, these 2 years will feel like they were only a dream; it already seems that way a bit. I just hope I've made a difference and accomplished what I came to do. I feel good about it so far but we missionaries feel a lot pressure and about people we may have missed or didn't teach them well enough. I want to come home knowing I made a difference. That is my goal...

...I can see the big picture much clearer now, as far as the Plan of Salvation. The main purpose for our being on the Earth is to become more like our Heavenly Father. Everything the church teaches is to help us do that and much of this is found through missionary discussions. We have to learn to live like God lives and do the things God wants us to.

...I guess I'll let ya go for now...tell everyone I love them. Take care..."

~ Love,
Brian

{Brian with his youngest daughter, Lola}

On Sundays, during Relief Society, when the notebook is passed around to sign up to feed the missionaries, my mind always seems to turn to my brothers and the gratitude I have for the families who cared and fed them while they were on their missions. We were always worried about their well-being those 2 years they were away and prayed that they were being taken care of wherever they were. When I think of these feelings, it is hard to turn down the opportunity to feed the missionaries in our area who are giving 2 years of their life to serve and live so far away from their own families.

After finishing our tamales with the missionaries the other night, they shared a spiritual message with us. I can tell you that prior to this, we had had a busy and stressful week leading up to their visit in our home. In fact, I was almost regretting scheduling the dinner appointment because we were so short on time that day and I knew the Hubby would have to arrive late due to work. I am embarrassed to admit it, but I was not very enthusiastic about their visit. But let me just say, when we all sat down together in the den and the Elders opened their scriptures and began teaching a lesson about the Savior and how he knows each of us by name, almost immediately--my stress level seemed to be tempered. One of the elders shared a few scriptures and shared with us how it is important to slow down and not let the stress of life weigh you down and take your mind off what is most important. We must rely on the Lord and know that He will never fail us. The Elder then shared how our Savior and Father in Heaven are mindful of the burdens we carry. They love us dearly and will always help us through the challenging times of life.

This sweet and tender spiritual message from the missionaries brought the peace we needed in our home that day. I saw that immense stress that my husband seemed to be carrying so heavily on his shoulders when he walked through the door slowly begin to dissipate. Whatever burdens we had felt before they arrived didn't seem to matter as much after their visit. In essence....these humble servants of the Lord had put things in perspective for us in a matter of 2o minutes. The Spirit was so strong in our home. The Hubby and I knew that the lesson they shared was inspired for you see, these Elders had no idea what we were struggling with at that time; however, the lesson they gave spoke clearly and directly to our situation.

I felt so loved at that moment by my Father in Heaven (as did my husband--we both had tears streaming down out cheeks) and I knew in my heart that He was more than aware of our trials and was loving on us at that moment through these young and valiant missionaries. What a tender mercy!

I want to remember this night with the missionaries and the tender mercy we felt (that is why I am recording it here). It never ceases to amaze me how our missionaries learn foreign languages so quickly. Both of these Elders are new to learning the Spanish language and already they have come to master the language in an impressive manner.

When I am asked about missionary service and why we send such young individuals out to do the work--these are my thoughts....There is no question that our missionaries serving around the world are young, they are often inexperienced when it comes to the more complicated "matters of life" and yes, more often than not --they are not the most eloquent of speakers. However-- it is always a humbling and faith building experience for me when they open their mouths to share the gospel. There is a divine spirit felt in the words they speak and the gospel messages they share resonate within my soul. I know they are sharing truths that, if followed, will lead me and my family to greater happiness and safety in this life and the life to come.

It is mine and my Hubby's sincere prayer {and wish } that our son will someday choose to serve a full-time mission for the Lord. I know if he does, it will be an experience he will never regret and one that will bless his life eternally.

{don't forget to pause the music playing at the bottom of this blog before watching the video}

Randomness...

2011-04-19T11:24:00.016-05:00

{Loving all these beautiful flowers in bloom at our house}

I have been pondering this quote in my mind and heart here lately:

"I am grateful that He rescues me, not only from physical death and from sins, but also from myself--my fears, my discouragement, my doubts, my feelings of inadequacy. I am thankful that He is so long-suffering, as well. He never tires...He never fails...He never falters...He never gives up on me. He is always reaching out His hand to me and "running to" rescue. Because of that, I am a different person-- stronger, more confident, more full of faith, and more grateful for God's goodness."

~ Brent L. Top, When you Can't Do It Alone: Take The Savior's Hand

We have had some challenging days recently. The Hubby has been having some health problems for some time now. He was admitted to the hospital last Thursday for some testing and stayed there until Saturday afternoon. My in-laws were so kind and helpful through this process. As soon as I called them and told them he was going into the hospital, they left town immediately and made the 10-hour drive to come help us out with Little Man and help me stay with the Hubby at the hospital.

We are happy to have the Hubby back home now and he seems to be feeling better. The doctors still can't say for sure what is going on, but a cat-scan and other testing did rule a mass or tumor which was a huge relief for us all. We are still awaiting other test results to find out what is causing him to feel so crummy. Needless to say, he has been taking it slowly since coming home from the hospital. I am forcing him to ease back into his busy work and church schedule...he is I'm sure tired of me asking him how he's feeling and to turn his phone off so he can get some rest!

My in-laws left to return back home yesterday. I want them to know how deeply grateful I am for them coming to help out. The drive to get here is long and hard. But what a blessing they were to us. Them being here during this difficult time helped ease our worries and brought us great comfort. I am also grateful to those family members and friends who were kind enough to call and check in on the Hubby. It's nice to feel that kind of love and concern. Little Man especially enjoyed having his grandparents come and stay. He showed them how he can fill the bird feeders all by himself, they played ball in the backyard together and he showed them all of his toys and books in his room. Since getting him home from the hospital, we have been spending some peaceful time around the house while the Hubby recovers, so you'll have to excuse me because this post is really random....

Raspas (aka...snow cones) on a hot South Texas day. Little Man's favorite is blue cotton candy and mine is pina colada with cream...yum--yum!

Three new books on my nightstand that I am enjoying reading ...a parenting book, an"escape the world" kind of book and one to make me ponder some wonderful spiritual truths.

The May issues of my favorite magazines came in the mail...

The new mixed media print I recently ordered from Jeanne Oliver came in the mail. I am giving it to a friend of mine who has been on my mind lately ... someone who has had to face a tremendous trial in her life this past year. She has amazing strength...more than she gives herself credit for at times.

Baked some homemade bread yesterday...the Hubby loves the way it makes the house smell.

A little Easter gift I am giving to the sweet ladies I am assigned to visit teach each month. I am also attaching this spiritual message with it...

Dear Lola...isn't she a doll??? She has settled in so nicely with our family. We LOVE her!

The newest DownEast catalog came in the mail. I'm a little stressed about trying to find a swimsuit this year...not feeling good about the body these days, frankly...I'm not even really jones'in to buy one for the summer. ;-(

I love this...Little Man and Pebbles buckled in the car together taking a nap.

More beautiful flowers blooming in our backyard...they just put me in a good mood.

Lastly...the Easter bunny sent Little Man a "BIG" present early this year. It was delivered by a rather large truck yesterday...he was so excited when he woke up this morning and saw all the boxes sitting in the backyard.

At first he wasn't quite sure what it was until his Daddy lifted up the slide and showed him. He was beaming from ear to ear when he realized what it was.

When I dropped him off at his preschool this morning, he ran up to his teacher and said,

"Guess what? ... The Easter bunny brought me a playground for my backyard!!"

He insisted we cut open the boxes so he could take a look at it...

The only downer--we now have to assemble this monster playground set...uh-oh!!

A warm spring day...

2011-04-13T11:15:00.005-05:00

Spring is nature's way of saying, "Let's party!"
~Robin Williams

At our house...we couldn't agree more with Robin Williams. It is gorgeous in these parts of Texas this time of year!

We've had great warm spring weather here lately and therefore....being outside in the backyard is becoming a regular event for us.

We went outside yesterday to check on our bird feeders. Little Man loves helping refill the feeders and spread the seed on the ground to attract the birds. It has become a daily ritual for mother and son. I love this time together with my son.

Little Man decided it was time to cool off. He pulled off his shorts, filled up his yellow wade pool and cooled off in it. He's pretty independent like that. Of course, I am never too far away -- overseeing all of this with an ever watchful eye. ;-) I didn't fight him on it because it felt wonderful outside and I know how much he loves to play in the water.

After a while, he came over and showed me these wrinkled hands. I told him, "Son...you are getting all wrinkled--I don't want you to catch another cold. It's time to turn the water off and go inside to dry off" ....

And well, you can imagine how well that went over...

It got ugly...

...But thankfully--mommy and son quickly made up once inside the house. I had a little help from the homemade chocolate brownies I had waiting for him to snack on. ;-)

Oh the joys of being a kid...

XOXO...

You'll want to try this one...

2011-04-13T07:26:00.012-05:00

Okay my friends...I have a great recipe I stumbled onto that I am super excited to share with you. I found it in this cookbook and then of course put my own little spin on it.

I am happy to say that the Hubby and Little Man went nuts over this dish when I made it for dinner recently. ;-)

Chicken Pomodoro is a chicken and pasta dish that is easy-peasy to make and oh-so- tasty!

Even better...it's quite healthy, too!! ;-)

********************************************************

Here's what you'll need:

8 oz. of thin spaghetti
2 egg whites
4 tsp. of Basil-Garlic Seasoning
1/4 cup reduced-fat Parmesan cheese, grated
1 lb. chicken breast (I prefer tenderloins)
2 Tbsp. olive oil
3 tomatoes, diced (I used 15-oz. can of Italian stewed diced tomatoes instead--my favorite!)
1 green bell pepper, sliced
1 yellow bell pepper, sliced
3/4 tsp. Italian seasoning
4 Tbsp. red wine (I used chicken broth instead)

And now for the How-To...

1. Cook spaghetti.

2. In a medium mixing bowl, lightly beat the egg whites. In a pie plate, combine the Basil-Garlic seasoning and Parmesan cheese.

3. Dip chicken breasts (or tenderloins) in egg whites then into the seasoned Parmesan, coating both sides.

4. Heat olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Place chicken breasts in skillet; cover and cook for approximately 6 minutes; turn and cook for 6 more minutes until no longer pink in center. Transfer the cooked chicken breasts to a plate; cover with foil to keep warm.

5. Add tomatoes and bell peppers to skillet and saute over medium heat until the peppers begin to soften, approximately 3 minutes. Stir in Italian seasoning and red wine (or chicken broth), continue to cook for 2 minutes.

6. Add pasta to the skillet with sauteed tomatoes and peppers; mix gently.

7. Slice cooked chicken. Divide pasta mixture into 4 portions, top with a portion of sliced chicken, serve and enjoy! :-)

If you're like me, when I am cooking in the kitchen, I like music playing-- particularly if I am trying out a new recipe. It's calming...

Here is a beautiful song to listen to while making your Chicken Pomodoro....

Aren't these guys absolutely amazing??!!

XOXO...

A kitty-cat...

2011-04-11T11:50:00.010-05:00

Little Man has been asking for months for us to get him a kitty-cat. We have had reservations about getting him one for a couple reasons:

1. Inside pets...we like having a clean, good smelling house. Pets as you know tend to be a bit stinky and messy. :-)

2. Little Man is still so young...the idea of him having a kitten at 4 years old is a little scary. He may be too rough with it.

3. We had a terrible experience last time we adopted a "kitty-cat" --you can read more about that here.

But we know that Little Man needs a buddy to play with around the house. I told the Hubby it was time to begin the search for a kitty-cat. I have been looking for over a month at all the pet shelters in our area and on Craigslist for the perfect kitty-cat for our family. When I saw the picture above at the Harlingen Humane Society, my heart literally jumped. She was so beautiful and I don't know...those eyes seemed to speak to me, "Please come get me...adopt me!"

And so... I mulled it over for a few days, discussed her with the Hubby (he said it was my decision...he'd support me either way--argh!!--sometimes those responses don't help me much when I am trying to make a decision.). But last Thursday, I decided what the heck, I'm going to meet this sweet kitty-cat in person and see if she's a fit for our family. Little Man was at his preschool that day, so it was the perfect time to make the 45 minute drive to Harlingen.

When I walked in, there must have been over 40 kitty-cat cages all filled with kittens and cats waiting to be adopted. It was kind of sad because I knew that many of them had to be on the chopping block (if you know what I mean). I spotted the kitty-cat I had come for immediately---I recognized her from her picture above that was on their website. Frank, a nice man that works at the Humane Society, helped me get her out of her cage and walked us over to the sitting room so I could have a few minutes to hold her. As soon as Frank handed her to me, she just wrapped her front arms/legs around my neck. She was calm and seemed to savor being held and rubbed. Yep...she had my heart at that point and I had a calm, sense of peace about my decision to adopt her.

She was the perfect kitty-cat for our family.

When I picked Little Man up that afternoon from his preschool, I told him I had a big surprise for him. He was so excited, he could barely contain himself during our drive home.

When we walked into the house, kitty- cat immediately walked up to him and Little Man clasped his hands together and with the biggest smile on his face and exclaimed..."Mommy....a kitty cat!!! And she's mines!!" I said, "Yes baby....she's all yours."

The two have been inseparable ever since. They were instant buddies. I often hear the two of them in his room together...he is just talking away with her. Showing her all of his toys and reading her books. The Hubby and I have just been standing back, watching and smiling. Now sometimes I still have to remind him to not chase her so loudly, to be gentle when he picks her up, and to not share his Popsicle with her---but other than that...he is doing such a good job of taking care of her.

Things we know:

Her name is Lola...her previous owners named her this and we decided to stick with it since she responds so well to it when you call her by her name.

She was adopted from the Harlingen Humane Society on April 7, 2011 and all the volunteers there LOVED Lola---they were overjoyed when I took her home with me.

She tested negative to Rabies, Feline Leukemia and Feline FIV/AIDS...whew!

She is around 2 years old.

She weighs 5 pounds.

She is a domestic short hair kitty.

And most importantly...she has to be the sweetest, most laid-back kitty with the sweetest soul.

We already love her.

Mormon Women profiles...

2011-04-10T14:21:00.005-05:00

As a former public school teacher, I can totally relate to Sheryl's love of teaching young children. I used to LOVE to turn on the music in my classroom and dance with my 2nd and 3rd grade students!! I've never met Sheryl, however, I am impressed with her enthusiasm for life, her dedication to teaching children who need her the most, her passion for dancing and mostly... for her deep faith in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Shawni is such a down to earth wife and mother. I like the fact that she "keeps it real" when it comes to discussing her daily life as a wife and mother. She will be the first to tell you that her life is not perfect. Shawni's youngest daughter, Lucy, was diagnosed with Bardet-Biedls Syndrom, which causes early onset blindness. She is fighting to find a cure for her daughter before her sight is taken. Despite these challenges, Shawni has such amazing faith and strength. Her photography skills are absolutely amazing and she has the sweetest blog...you can find it here.

Great inspiration for a Sunday afternoon...

Homemade bread.

2011-04-08T11:21:00.019-05:00

"How can a nation be great if its bread tastes like Kleenex?"
~Julia Child

I am embarrassed to say that I have never made homemade bread before. I know...it's pretty sad. I'm 38 years old, a homemaker and afraid to make homemade bread.

Don't get me wrong, I LOVE homemade bread. I think it's just the thought of trying to get wheat to rise and all that kneading that is required,it is a bit intimidating for this novice homemaker.

I remember walking in the door from school when I was a young girl and smelling homemade bread cooking in the oven. The whole house smelled divine when my mom made her homemade bread. For whatever reason though, I never took the time to have her teach me how to make it. Admittedly, the idea of learning how to cook didn't interest me when I was a teenager. Sadly, I don't think I saw the value when I was a youth in learning such things as this from my mom. I regret that now.

I decided this week it was time to try my luck at making homemade bread. I found this great recipe for Honey Wheat Bread at Allrecipes. I was a little nervous in the beginning when it came time to do all the hand kneading of the bread (yes, I know I could have used my electric mixer; yet, I wanted to do it the old fashioned way for my first time), and I discovered it really wasn't that hard. I had a few interruptions during the 15 minutes of kneading the dough...little man came running to the back door and said he had found rolly polly's and wanted me to come see them---"RIGHT NOW!". He had a royal meltdown when I tried to explain that I was knee-deep in bread dough and couldn't come right then. And to his shock and dismay, I continued the kneading while he threw his temper-trantrum at the door. My nerves were a bit shot after that event, but other than this--my first attempt at bread making went pretty smoothly.

{Note to self...wait and make the next batch of homemade bread when Little Man is at preschool. ;-) }

After completing the 2 hour process {and just as the Hubby was walking in the door at 6pm from work} I pulled my first 2 loaves of homemade bread out of the oven. And yes, they smelt divine.

I was a little nervous when the Hubby sliced the first piece and took a bite. (I was thinking to myself, "Oh please, please, please don't let it taste crappy!") But when I saw the smile spread across his face, I knew immediately that it was a success. Whew!

Here's how to make this delicious homemade bread:

Ingredients

2 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 tablespoon active dry yeast
1 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup honey
1/3 cup vegetable oil
5 cups all-purpose flour

Directions

Dissolve yeast in warm water. Add honey, and stir well. Mix in whole wheat flour, salt, and vegetable oil. Work all-purpose flour in gradually. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead for at least 10 to 15 minutes. When dough is smooth and elastic, place it in a well oiled bowl. Turn it several times in the bowl to coat the surface of the dough, and cover with a damp cloth. Let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 45 minutes.
Punch down the dough. Shape into two loaves, and place into two well greased 9 x 5 inch loaf pans. Allow to rise until dough is 1 to 1 1/2 inches above pans.
Bake at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) for 25 to 30 minutes.

Surprisingly, my first homemade bread was a hit with the family. Both of my boys enjoyed gobbling the first loaf down that night. We ate it with our dinner and then later that night...I found both of them in the kitchen having it as their "midnight" snack.

Making homemade bread proved to be much simpler than I ever imagined. I know this may sound silly, but I felt such joy seeing my family savor a loaf of bread that I made. I am continually humbled by how the simplest things in life often bring the greatest joy and happiness.

And Julia... I'm happy to report that it didn't taste like Kleenex!

Speaking of recipes...a friend of mine from my hometown has started her very own cooking blog. She has delicious recipes, so head on over today and meet Alise at The Ranch Kitchen!

Lastly....a special shout-out to our nephew Beck who turned 3 today!! Woo-hoo!! We love you so much. Happy Birthday!!

Have a great weekend everyone....

XOXO...

The Good 'ole days of TV Land....

2011-04-06T12:15:00.006-05:00

If you are needing a good laugh today, watch this:

{Reminder...pause music at bottom of blog b/f playing video}

The Carol Burnett show was my favorite to watch when I was a kid. I can remember laughing so hard when the cast would get out of character during a skit and bust out laughing. Harvey Korman always seemed to struggle the most with keeping his composure...so funny!! The "Went with the Wind" skit had to be one of the funniest and most memorable skits they ever did on the show.

They just don't make good T.V. like this anymore, do they?

Hey Hubby...you know that anniversary/birthday that is just around the corner?? If you're needing a great gift idea for me....I sure would LOVE this.

hint...hint... ;-)

Blog Tip: Change your URL to a Custom Domain name for CHEAP.

2011-04-05T13:49:00.006-05:00

Cartoon by Dave Walker. Find more cartoons you can freely re-use on your blog at We Blog Cartoons.

If you are like me, I have been wanting for some time now to change my blog url to a custom domain name. I have been hesitant to do so mainly because I wasn't sure how difficult the transition would be and I just assumed it would be costly.

I recently learned how very simple and inexpensive it can actually be for a novice blogger like myself. The other day I was reading this article-- it details the process of how a graphic designer gave a blog facelift to a mom blogger. In addition to the new blog design created, the graphic designer explains how she changed her blogspot address to a custom url. After reading about this, I decided to go for it and transition to a custom url name for my own blog.

If you notice in your url window for my blog, it is now official....

What was once http://www.casamask.blogspot.com is now...

http://www.casamask.com

For just $10 a year, you can have your own custom domain name. If any of you are like me and have been wanting to make this change, but you're not sure how to go about it.... go here for the directions and a simple, step-by-step video to walk you through it.

It took my blog 3-4 days to make the full transition to my new .com address, however, the nice thing is your readers won't even notice that a change is happening...only you will. For me, the only real "kink" I noticed was my Google Connect Friends gadget stopped working. It was simple to fix. I just went into my Google Connect account, changed the blog address to my new custom domain name and reloaded the gadget to my blog sidebar and VOILA...all is working fine now.

Oh, and another nice touch.... you don't even have to notify your readers of the url change. Blogger has made it really simple for you...when a reader types in the old blogspot address, they will automatically be redirected to the new url address. SWEET!! ;-)

And there you have it my friends. A simple and CHEAP way to get your very own custom domain name for your lovely blog. Hope this is helpful....

XOXO...

Sick boys and the Beach.

2011-04-04T09:44:00.007-05:00

We have had this trip on the calendar for a few weeks now. A condo at the Island was reserved and paid for...

But as luck would have it... 2 days before we were to leave, both my boys became very ill. The Hubby had an awfully stressful week with work. He had to be in 3 different cities in 3 days. He was running on low fuel with the travel and lack of sleep. When we picked him up at the airport Wednesday night, I knew immediately something was wrong. He didn't look good and definitely wasn't acting his jovial self. He was up all night sick and by Thursday morning, we were at the doctor's office. The doctor couldn't really say for sure what was causing him to feel so awful, but we walked out with 2 prescriptions for antibiotics. She told us that if he didn't feel better, I might need to take him to the ER. He stayed in bed all day Thursday and Friday feeling miserable.

On Friday, I was at the doctor's office with Little Man. His cough that had started earlier in the week had progressively gotten worse along with a bad runny nose. His pediatrician took one listen to his lungs and told me that he was a very "sick kid". The diagnosis...bronchiolitis.

She very sternly told me that if we didn't get going with 4-5 nebulizer breathing treatments a day along with antibiotics and steroids, he would end up in the hospital. I can't say for sure, but at this point, I'm pretty sure my bottom lip was trembling. We did a breathing treatment there at the doctor's office and then went straight to Walgreens to get the antibiotics and steroid prescriptions filled for my little man.

The pharmacist remembered me from the day before picking up my husband's medicine. He said to me, "You've got your hands full, don't you?" I nodded my head....I felt my bottom lip trembling again. ;-(

By Friday afternoon, both of my boys had antibiotics running through their bodies. They weren't feeling 100%, but seemed to be feeling a bit better. The hubby and I discussed what we should do about our weekend plans. Since we couldn't get our money back on the condo and the drive to get there is just about an hour, we decided to throw our clothes in the suitcase and head on over. His attitude about it was if I'm going to be sick, I might as well be sick over at the beach. We arrived at the Island around 6pm on Friday. As soon as we drove over the bridge from Port Isabel to South Padre, we rolled down the windows of the Hubby's truck and enjoyed the feel and smell of the coastal breeze.

We did a pretty good job of making the best of it. Little Man continued his regiment of breathing treatments while the Hubby rested in the condo.

The condo was located on the bay side...we enjoy staying on the bayside when we are at the Island. The sunsets are beautiful, it's really peaceful and the Hubby enjoys getting to watch all the salt water fishing going on.

On Saturday morning, we ate at our favorite breakfast diner, the Grapevine Cafe, and then we let Little Man walk on the beach.

He wasn't too happy with us for not letting him get in the water. We tried to explain to him that he was too sick to get wet, but he still didn't get it. Poor kid...I felt so bad for him.

The Hubby still wasn't feeling well, so we dropped him off at the condo that afternoon and I took Little Man to see the turtles at the Sea Turtle Rescue Center and then we headed over to the Nature and Birding Center.

Afterwards, we headed back to the condo to check on the Hubby. Little Man begged and begged to go back to the beach. Since the Hubby was feeling a little better, he suggested we all put on our swimsuits and head to the beach again. And so we did...

We didn't let little man get soaked, but all the same, he loved standing in the ocean with his Daddy. He giggled and laughed each time a wave would come in. It was precious to watch.

We decided to leave a day early because the Hubby was still feeling miserable. We spent the last day of our weekend in the comfort of our own home watching the LDS General Conference. I think it did all of us good to listen to the wonderful spiritual messages that were shared by our church leaders. One of my favorite talks was this one.

Both of my boys are still on the mend, so we'll continue to take it easy this week and let the medicine (and prayers) work their magic.

Cool Additions coming to Blogger...

2011-03-31T16:27:00.003-05:00

{Reminder...pause music playing at bottom of this blog before viewing this}

For all you Blogger Platform users, click here to learn more about the newest Blogger Buzz.

I like...I really like!!

High heels, bling-bling and motherhood.

2011-03-30T12:21:00.020-05:00

Earlier this morning, just after we had eaten breakfast--I was in the kitchen putting dishes away. I heard this "clang-clang-clang" noise coming from our bedroom into the kitchen. And this is what I saw....

Someone had been digging around in my closet...it looks like high-heels and the "bling-bling" caught his attention. I busted out laughing when I saw him. His Daddy is out of town right now for work, so I wanted to make sure he saw this today.

Yep...I have a feeling Little Man may be very unhappy with me someday for posting these pics. (The Hubby probably will, too!) ;-) But what they heck--that's what I keep this blog for, to journal about all our interesting days here at Casa de Mask.

It is in moments like this that I cherish the gift of motherhood the most. It's not always easy being a mom--we all know that. Many a days it feels like a thankless job, one where our minds, bodies and souls are stretched far further and deeper than we want or ever thought they could be. My stylish, professional clothing and those high-heels and fancy jewelry {on most days} stay nestled in my closet....collecting dust. Instead....you'll typically find me in my comfortable jeans and casual shirt, flip flops and my rubber iron-man watch to accessorize.

Yes, there are days when we feel completely and utterly inadequate for this role. But despite this.... the rewards of getting to see my son grow up play-by-play and the utter joy I feel in my heart when I am with him...these simple gifts far outweigh any sacrifice I may have to make as a woman in this day and age.

This morning, I thanked my Father in Heaven in my morning prayers for this time I have with my son as a "SAHM"--- the time I get each and every day to sit with him, play with him, laugh with him , tickle him, read books to him, make cookies with him, color with him and have all the wonderful {and quite interesting} conversations about life....yes indeed--there is tremendous beauty, happiness and contentment which flows into a woman's heart as she strives to be the best mother she can.

I have my days where I question why I could not have had the opportunity to be a mother sooner. Why am I just now having this opportunity, when {in my mind} it should have come to me long ago-- when I was younger? Or why can't I be the mother to more children? But it never fails, as soon as a thought like this enters my mind, another quickly follows...

God's plan for us is the right plan. It is a divine plan. We must never forget this. His plan for us {I know with every fiber of my body} will far exceed any plans we make in this life.

I feel certain that the younger version of "me" would not have cherished or appreciated this time with my son while he is young and so innocent. I was too insecure, distracted, and self-absorbed back then to appreciate the beauty of a developing child. More importantly, the divine role we have as mothers to shape and mold these sweet spirits is humbling to me in every sense. Without question, I know in my heart that the older, more mature {and yes, a little chubbier!} version of "me" is the mama my son deserves.

Because of my experiences with infertility and the long wait I had to become a mother, I can say without hesitation, I gained greater depth as a person and a daughter of God. I was given the gift of time to prepare for this role. Time to get to know my dear husband better. Time to work hard and get a great education. And yes, valuable time to get to know myself on a deeper level--to discover more about myself and what I am capable of doing in this world.

I am humbled beyond words to say that I have felt God's hand in my life --countless times-- most often while on my knees in sincere prayer...pleading desperately for the blessing to be a mother someday. It was in these tender moments that He comforted me, calmed me and assured me that the wait would be worth it.

Isn't it funny how we don't always understand God's plan for us until we get much further down the road. How true this has been in my life...particularly in my journey to becoming a mother.

{Mother's Day- 2010}

"Faith in the Lord is trust in the Lord. We cannot have true faith in the Lord without also having complete trust in the Lord's will and in the Lord's timing. ...Remember that when your prayers do not seem to be answered in the way or at the time you desire. The exercise of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is always subject to the order of heaven, to the goodness and will and wisdom and timing of the Lord. When we have that kind of faith and trust in the Lord, we have true security and serenity in our lives."

--Dallin H. Oaks

SPRING GIVEAWAY Winner...

2011-03-30T08:46:00.005-05:00

The winner of the Becky Higgin's Project Life kit is this girl.

I know you will enjoy using Project Life to create beautiful memories just like this talented lady is doing with hers.

Email me at virginiatexans (at) gmail (dot) com and tell me which kit you've selected....the turquoise or amber kit. Don't forget to include your mailing address.

XOXO...

Zoo fun...

2011-03-28T16:24:00.007-05:00

On Saturday, we headed to Brownsville (the southern tip of Texas) and went to the Gladys Porter Zoo. Little Man was super excited to go see all the animals. It was a perfect day for the zoo...mild temperatures, a little overcast and not too crowded.

We ran into one of Little Man's classmates from his former pre-school. They were happy to see each other.

We had a great time at the Zoo...

So much in fact that someone was VERY UNHAPPY with his mom and dad when it was time to leave.

I think we'll be heading back to visit the zoo again real soon...

Little Man enjoyed it so...very...much!! ;-)

{Note to self}...next time, wear my running shoes! Whew!!

XOXO...

Dental check-up.

2011-03-25T14:55:00.013-05:00

(reminder: Pause music playing at bottom of blog otherwise, you won't be able to hear this...}

As most of you moms out there know...taking your small child to see the Dentist can be quite "the experience".

Yesterday was Little Man's highly ~~DREADED~~ anticipated dental appointment. It was only the second time to see a dentist in his lifetime and poor little guy--he has been dreading it for weeks!

As soon as we pulled into the parking lot, he began to cry from the backseat. I don't know who was more upset...him or me. I felt so bad for him because I knew he was sincerely frightened...but there wasn't much I could say or do to make him feel better.

He cried all the way from the parking lot to the front door of the office. When we walked inside and walked up to the counter, I told the front office staff that we there for his 4pm appointment. Oh-My!!....the weeping and wailing became even louder!! Poor guy...the anticipation is always the worst. We sat down and I hugged him and continued to reassure him that all the Dentist was going to do was use a really fancy toothbrush and make his teeth look nice and white. I explained to him that she'd probably have some cool stickers and prizes for him, too. I even tried to distract him with toys that were in the lobby, we read a few books. He continued to hug his favorite stuffed animal "Pebbles" as tightly as possible...but none of this helped much. He was shaking from head to toe and had goose bumps all over. Gosh, my heart broke for him.

After waiting in the lobby for 15 min., they called his name to come on back. He yells out at this point, "Mommy...mommy...I don't want to see the dentist!" I picked him up, he glued himself to my body--- wrapping his legs and arms around me as tightly as he could, and we began our journey through the doors to see the lovely dentist.

We had a few moments of drama once the Dentist walked in...but after she cleaned his buddy "Pebbles" teeth and gave him a sticker to wear-- Little Man was all ready after witnessing this to get his own teeth cleaned. He wanted to get some of those cool stickers like best buddy, "Pebbles".

The Dentist cleaned his teeth in a flash and it was all over just like that. Whew!! Little Man sat up from the table and said with the biggest grin, "I did it!!". He even gave the Dentist a great big bear hug after it was all over. We walked out with clean teeth, several cool stickers for both Little Man and Pebbles, a new toy dinosaur and let me tell ya... I was one worn out mommy!

We are happy to report that he has no cavities and the Dentist said his teeth look great.

Little Man's grandpa, Poppy, and his Uncle Brian are both dentists, so I know they will be happy to hear this report. ;-)

Happy Friday...

P.S. if you haven't already seen it...watch cjane's vlog for this week. Loved seeing her wear a matching moo-moo with her sis. Pretty dang funny! ;-)

Springtime + a GIVEAWAY!!!

2011-03-24T12:07:00.025-05:00

{a sampling of the spring blooms in our backyard}

Springtime is such a wonderful season, isn't it? For me, it's always felt like a time for new beginnings, a sense of renewal is in the air and I feel a freshness in my life. I just love it!

I also love to walk around our backyard in the late afternoons {this is when we typically get our gulf coast breeze blowing in and it feels wonderful outside}. I've enjoyed taking pictures this week of all the blooms in our yard in the late afternoon sun. Above are just a few that I captured.

The other evening, the Hubby turned on our sprinklers...as they began to spray water all across our lawn, we began to chit-chat about our day as I was snapping some pictures of the flowers and all of a sudden, we heard this loud giggling and laughter coming from across the yard. When we turned around to see what was going on, this is what we saw...

Someone had decided to pull off his shorts and tennis shoes and take a run through the water.

Man this kid enjoys life!!. I love this so much about him. I pray that he learns from us as much we continue to learn from him each and every day. ;-)

I was sooooo happy I had my camera outside with me to capture this fun and sweet memory with our son.

***********************************************
And speaking of capturing memories...I'm super excited to tell you about my SPRING GIVEAWAY!!!!

If you haven't heard of Project Life, you really should go here and check out Becky Higgins' website. I first learned about her unique and simplified approach to preserving special memories from a fellow blogger friend. It is a sophisticated and easy way to combine simple journaling with your photographs.

Needless to say....I fell in love with Project Life after learning more about it.

I ordered my first Project Life "Amber" kit back in January. I am LOVING it--most especially though how simple it is to use.

Here is Becky Higgins (the creator) explaining a bit more about Project Life :

{don't forget to pause the music playing at the bottom of my blog before watching this...otherwise you won't be able to hear Becky. :-) }

Here are the details for this SPRING GIVEAWAY:

One of my lucky readers will win a Project Life kit!!

The winner will get to choose one of these....

To enter this giveaway:

Leave a comment. ;-)

For additional chances to win, you can:

1.) Become a follower

2.) "Like" the Casa de Mask Facebook page (see in sidebar of blog)...

3.) Blog about this giveaway and tell all your peeps about it...

4.) Facebook it...

US only and 18+

Giveaway closes on Tuesday, March 29th at 11:59 PM (CST).

{Side note: I have no affiliation whatsoever with Becky Higgins or her company...this is just a gift from me to you because I think it is an awesome product and also, just to spread some "good vibes" out there in bloggerland! ;-) }

XOXO...

Bird feeders, succulents, and egg plants.

2011-03-23T11:05:00.015-05:00

"If a child is to keep his inborn sense of wonder..he needs the companionship of at least one adult who can share it, rediscovering with him the joy, excitement, and mystery of the world we live in."
-Rachel Carson

We love spending time in our backyard. I have learned to appreciate the outdoors by following the example of my husband and my son. They both cherish time spent outdoors and being one with nature.

Now that spring time is upon us, we have been enjoying more time outside. The flowers are beginning to bloom, the grass is turning bright shades of green and we are seeing beautiful birds hang out in the trees all across our yard.

You may or may not be aware of this, but in our part of the state of Texas-- the Southern tip of Texas, it is known for the tropical climate. Because of this, it makes for an attractive area for a large amount of bird species to inhabit or to pass through during the migratory seasons. One popular place people like to visit when they are in our neck of the woods is this ranch...it's a great place to go on guided tours and see all sorts of species of birds.

When the Hubby and I were in Wimberley last week, the home that we rented had several bird feeders just outside the window and each morning when we woke up, there would typically be several birds sitting and eating just outside our bedroom window. This got me to thinking....why the heck don't I have bird feeders up in our backyard???

Since then, I haven't been able to get it out of my brain. It's just been swirling and swirling around up there...I need to get some bird feeders. What a fun activity for me and my Little Man to do together.

And so, the two of us headed to Lowe's yesterday. We were on a mission to find us some bird feeders. Well, let me clarify that...Mommy was on a mission while Little Man was on his own -- to run down every isle in the store, play with every trinket and gadget and you get the picture....to get into as much mess as humanly possible for a 4 year old boy. Whew!! It's always an experience to go into Lowe's with him. ;-) We had fun though, and yes, I'm embarrassed to say that the entire staff at Lowe's now knows my son's name. But our mission was accomplished in the end. We found some great bird feeders for our backyard. And of course...we came home with some other goodies, too.

{Just in case some of you are wondering...Little Man DOES NOT have a need for prescription eyeglasses, he just enjoys wearing Mommy and/or Daddy's cheap 'ole reading glasses around the house. When he wears them, he calls himself Dr. Naylor (a/k/a his pediatrician..) the funny thing though is Dr. Naylor doesn't even wear glasses.}

Okay...back to those bird feeders. When we got home, we laid the goods all out on the kitchen counter so I could assess what needed to be assembled and what tools I would need. Usually the Hubby handles stuff like this, but I wanted to do this all on my own.

It took about 30 minutes to get the pole assembled, dig a hole for it and set up the feeders in the backyard. Little Man had so much fun filling the bird feeders with the food.

While at Lowe's we also found this great turquoise umbrella for our outdoor table. Now that we have some shade, we can eat outdoors more often and not burn in the sun. We are VERY fair skinned folks if you haven't already noticed!

I absolutely LOVE succulents and have been wanting to add one to my front porch...they had a few of these left at Lowe's in the gardening section, so I picked up one.

I think it adds a nice little touch to our front porch, don't you?

I couldn't pass this petunia planter up either...it adds a nice "POP" of color to our front porch. Sidenote: Please disregard all that icky pollen that has so nicely found a home on our chair. You know it's springtime in Texas when all the pollen begins appearing. Time to stock up on the Benadryl!!

And lastly, you may have seen these already, but I thought Little Man would enjoy taking care of these little egg plants. Lowe's has a wide assortment of egg plants to choose from. The Easter bunny just might be leaving a few of these for him on Easter morning.

Thank you Lowe's for having everything we needed yesterday!! We love our new bird feeders. It was cute, when I dropped Little Man off at his pre-school classroom this morning, the first thing he said to his teacher when he walked in was, "We put up bird feeders in our backyard!!" He said it very excitedly and then very seriously he continued with, "But... no birds came." His teacher just smiled at me and then bent down next to him, put her arm around him and said, "Oh they will honey--they'll definitely come to visit your bird feeders. You just have to be patient."

Awww...you gotta love pre-school school teachers. They know how to make everything better with a few kind words and a big hug...even for us parents! ;-)

Don't forget to check back tomorrow...

I'll be announcing the details on how you can enter my SPRING GIVEAWAY!!!

FHE and an {Edible} Tower of Babel.

2011-03-22T09:16:00.009-05:00

“How well are we feeding, nurturing, training, and exercising the spirits of our children? . . . Remember, eternity is now, not a vague, distant future. We prepare each day, right now, for eternal life.”

—Elder M. Russell Ballard

On Monday nights, we try our best each week to make this our Family Night at home. Or as is more commonly referred to in our faith as "Family Home Evening" (FHE). This is our special night together where we study a gospel topic and do other activities to help strengthen our family. You can learn more about its purpose here and here. And even though it's just the three of us, we have great fun together and draw closer to one another as we make this a priority each week.

In an attempt to "mix it up" each week and make it fun all the while still keeping it spiritual for our Little Man, I usually have to get resourceful and look for ideas online. Thank goodness for the internet!

Here are just a few sites I love to go to for FHE ideas:

Family Home Evening Spot

LDS Living Magazine

The Idea Door

Family Home Evening in a Snap

100+ Quick and Easy FHE Activities

We always eat dinner before our FHE activity. The Hubby typically doesn't get home from work until after 6:30 in the evening, so that gives me a bit more time in the afternoons after picking Little Man up from his pre-school to get dinner planned and prepared.

For our dinner this week, I picked up some Tilapia at the market and coated it with my homemade batter that the Hubby loves and fried it in some olive oil in a pan. For our side dishes...we had hominy with hoppin john's beans, a garden salad with red peppers and Italian vinaigrette.

After enjoying dinner together, we moved on to our FHE activity which included our dessert. ;-)

I chose this activity. To start it off, I shared the story of the Tower of Babel with Little Man. We shared with him a brief intro of what it was, we discussed the Brother of Jared and then explained how we get to heaven. We let him color for a few minutes on the Tower of Babel coloring sheet that comes with the online activity, but he was too distracted by all the bricks of brownies on the table to finish.

I moved the brownies and icing to the center of the table and explained to Little Man that we were going to make our own {edible} Tower of Babel. He was grinning from ear to ear! I explained how our challenge was to stack our bricks {brownies} and the mortar {icing} to build our tower as high as we could without it falling down.

And here is how our FHE activity played out....I hope the pictures depict how much fun we had making our own {edible} Tower of Babel.

Ooops!! Mommy dropped a big glob of icing on the table...Little Man did not like that. He said, "Mommy, you don't do it as good as Daddy and me."

Boo-hoo!!! You can see below my reaction to that...

We were able to make it to 7 bricks {brownies} high before it toppled over...of course Little Man loved watching it fall over.

I know with all my heart that FHE is a heaven inspired program. I am grateful that my dear parents took the time to do this in our home when I was little. They set the example for me and my brothers to carry this tradition on in our own families someday.

By setting aside time each week to spend together as a family and study gospel principles, I have seen and felt first-hand how it provides safety for our souls, reminds us of what is most important in this life and further deepens our bond as a forever family.

And yes, I'd be lying if I didn't admit that there are those FHE's where it doesn't go as well as I had planned. There are those times when it feels more or less like a "tug-o-war" that begins and ends with a prayer...but hey, it always makes us chuckle in the end and provides precious memories to look back on someday and laugh about.

And that my friends is how we roll at Casa de Mask on Monday nights (well, most of them)...

XOXO...

Rural Small Town...A Slice of Heaven.

2011-03-20T18:43:00.017-05:00

"Ironically, rural America has become viewed by a growing number of Americans as having a higher quality of life not because of what it has, but rather because of what it does not have!" ~Don A. Dillman

Our last day in Wimberley was so relaxing and peaceful. I was proud of my Hubby--he actually turned his cell phone off for the entire day-woo-hoo!! ...which in other words means, he "turned the world off" and this chicka got to enjoy some quality time with her husband.

We enjoyed strolling around little Wimberley and taking it all in. We started our day by enjoying a nice breakfast at the Wimberley Cafe--which by the way, if you are ever there for breakfast, their pancakes are to die for, seriously...you'll be missing out if you don't try you some while you're there. :-)

After breakfast, we walked around the downtown area and looked into each of the shops. What a treat this was...there was so much eye candy, I tell ya!!

Here are just a few of the places we stopped in at while there...

The Old Mill Store is a neat little store....there is this quaint eatery/general store on one side of the building and then you can walk over to the other side where you enter a more sophisticated home decor shop. I always enjoy going to this side of the store and seeing all the beautiful decorative things.

The Salty Chicken Bed and Breakfast is located right on the Cypress Creek.... slap-dab in the middle of downtown Wimberley. While staying here, you can enjoy the convenience of walking anywhere you'd like from its central location. Click here to learn more about the Salty Chicken.

Wimberley has the neatest hardware store just a few blocks from downtown that we always enjoy visiting. The day we were there, they had several baby chicks napping under lamps that were for sale...they were so darling. The Hubby and I laughed and said to each other that if Little Man was with us, we'd most likely be walking out with a baby chick or two. He would have gone crazy if he saw those little babies.

Near the Salty Chicken Bed and Breakfast, they have this peaceful sitting area just up from the creek where you can put your feet up and relax.

"Cira" is such a gem of a little shop. They have a wide assortment of skin care products to choose from...I could literally spend hours in there just smelling all their products.

Below is an interior picture of "Circa"...if you are like me, and love an assortment of natural soaps and body lotions, you'd LOVE this shop, indeed.

By far though, my favorite shop in Wimberley is the "Brocante Boutique". Oh-my-goodness!!! Ladies, there is so much eye candy in this store--a little bit of advice...if you are there with your hubby, you'll want to make sure you allow ample time to walk through this one. Most definitely find something for your special someone to do to keep him busy OUTSIDE while you do some shopping! :-) You don't want him to see the damage you do to the credit card while you are in here. Just kidding...(maybe a little)--but it is hard to leave this store without making a few purchases. ;-)

Here are some pictures I snapped while strolling through Brocante...

The merchandise in Brocante is predominately made up of apparel from independent designers. I love it because it feels so Anthropologie in there--very chic...

Our last stop was in this little gem of a shop...Chick-a-dee's. I fell "IN" love with this shop the minute I walked in. It is filled with antiques of all sorts.

I have started a small collection of vintage books for an antique bookcase I have in my home. Chick-a-dee's has a wide assortment of antique books in their shop, so the Hubby and I didn't hesitate to look through them. One of our favorite things to do when we pick up a vintage book is to read the Dedication page ...they are usually very moving with their word choice. Much is the same with all the books that were penned in the old days. Their style and manner of writing was just beautiful.

The book you see below, The Worst Foe, written by Grace Strong, caught our attention immediately. From what I can tell from my internet search about this book, it was published before 1923 and one website says that the was actually published in the year 1888. Wow!! Now I'm sure the one we found is a reprint and was published some time in the early 1900's, but still--its neat to look through vintage books and feel the pages. We searched the inside of the book for a publication date, but there is not one listed. After the Hubby read the dedication page aloud --we were both so moved by it and I knew I couldn't leave the store without it.

The DEDICATION reads:

"To my mother, who taught my infant feet to walk, who directed my lisping accents aright, who carefully guarded me through helplessness until I reached the age of accountability, and who has ever since been my best companion and counsellor, whose tender encouragement nerved me for this effort, this book is affectionately dedicated."

-Author

What a touching tribute from the author to her mother. I just love it and am so thrilled to add it to my **slowly** growing vintage book collection.

***If any of you have suggestions for me about a great online store I could go to for the purchasing of vintage books...please...do tell. I would love to hear your suggestions. ***

And that my friends concludes our recent little getaway to the Texas Hill Country. We had a wonderful time and yet, it feels so good to be back home. To have Little Man safely home with us feels even better and to sleep in my own bed again is pure heaven. Awwww....home sweet home.

It's really beginning to look and smell like spring down our way in South Texas. The orange trees are in bloom here in the valley and it smells as if someone has sprayed orange scented room spray all outside. What a beautiful day it is here today. I am super excited because Easter is just around the corner. Little Man absolutely L-O-V-E-S coloring Easter eggs and getting a visit from the Easter bunny!! He has been asking each night here lately to read all of the Easter bunny books for his bedtime stories.

Oh...one last tidbit for you--- be sure to check back later this week for my spring giveaway...

I really think you will like it!! ;-)

XOXO...

Finger-lick'in BBQ and a German town.

2011-03-17T00:06:00.007-05:00

For our family, a trip to the Texas Hill Country always includes a trip to one of the Lone Star State's finest BBQ joints....the Salt Lick.

It's a cash only joint and there is ALWAYS a wait. But let me tell ya, the scenery outside is just beautiful and the weather is usually pretty comfortable, so the wait never seems to bother us. We love to people watch while we are waiting anyway. :-)

We usually go with the Family Style for our order and I have been doing so good with not drinking my Dr. Pepper's...however, I had to make an exception while at the Salt Lick. Dr. Pepper and BBQ just seem to go hand-in-hand for my taste buds.

The grub was fantabulous --most definitely, finger-lick'in good!

After filling our tummies at the Salt Lick, we hit the road and headed to Fredericksburg, Texas. This unique Texas town is rich in German roots. It was founded in 1846 by German immigrants and named after Prince Frederick of Prussia. These days, it is a widely known attraction for many tourists who come to visit the Texas Hill Country. Their historic buildings ooze with German influence. It is such a charming town and you literally feel like you have entered the shopping mecca! Pulling into Fredericksburg, we were in dismay at how much it has grown since we lived in the Austin area 7 years ago.

Here are just a few pictures of the places we visited while there...

I was really digging these boots...but not the price.

I could have stayed in this bakery all afternoon...there are so many goodies to choose from and the bright colors and smell of freshly baked bread and cookies will literally suck you in. They also have all kinds of pretty "stuff" to decorate and adorn your home with.

By late afternoon, we were completely pooped out so we headed back to Wimberley. It's about a 45 min. drive from Fredericksburg to Wimberley, and boy...what a beautiful drive it was.

Here are a few friends we met along the way...

Another beautiful day...spending time in the country and close to nature is most definitely good for one's mind, body and soul.

"I love to think of nature as an unlimited broadcasting station, through which God speaks to us every hour, if we will only tune in."

~George Washington Carver

Happy St. Patrick's Day...don't forget to go GREEN today!!

Taking it easy...

2011-03-16T15:44:00.007-05:00

While in Wimberley, (a/k/a "A Little Bit of Heaven") the Hubby and I have been enjoying our stay at the Little Chapel. This rental home is modeled after a nineteenth century Victorian church. It is a lovely and cozy home that is perfect for a couple's getaway--especially if you like the peace and quiet found in the country and enjoy the beauty of nature. This little house is situated on the Lone Man Creek just outside of Wimberley--what a treat it has been nice to sit out on the deck and listen to the soothing sound of the creek. We have seen an endless amount of beautiful birds while staying here. I think I am going to buy some bird feeders when we get home and put them in our backyard...I have enjoyed watching them. There was the most beautiful red bird on our deck this morning when we woke up. Unfortunately I couldn't grab my camera fast enough to snap a picture of her.

I thought I would share a few pictures of this little gem of a place where we are staying in Wimberley.

Unfortunately, the legal field does not slow down despite the fact that we are on our mini-vacation. The Hubby has had to work some each day while we are here, but it hasn't slowed us down on having fun. It's been nice because the house has wireless internet and satellite TV to use while we stay here.

The owners told us that the gorgeous tri-stained glass windows you see pictured above where the Hubby is working -- they were the inspiration for the building of the Little Chapel.

The view from the back of the Little Chapel.

Lone Man Creek...

The Hubby is frustrated that he didn't bring his fishing rod...he has seen several little bass swimming in the creek since we've been here.

We are really enjoying our time in the country....relaxing and taking in the peace and quiet of this sleepy town called Wimberley. Which by the way, we learned from one of the town folk that Wimberley has been designated as one of America's Ten Best Small Towns" by Travel Holiday Magazine. When you visit, you quickly see why.

And, as a resource for you, if you ever want to make a trip to the Texas Hill Country, you might check out this great website for options on lodging. This is how we found out about the Little Chapel in Wimberley.

I must admit though...we are REALLY missing our Little Man. His grandmother, KiKi, reports to us daily that he is playing hard and heavy with his cousins and doing well. We look forward to picking him up at the end of this week and smothering him with kisses and hugs. :-)

Until then...we are headed back out today to drive around and look at all the shops in the area.