Three Sparkly Gems

Summer Photos.....

2011-06-30T07:57:00.000-05:00

In looking back at some older photos, I realized that as a family, we really like the summer and we especially love spending time at the beach. These are a few of my favorite photos.

It's a bird, it's a Christmas tree...No, it's feathered, tinsel hair !!

2011-06-07T09:44:00.010-05:00

I am the first to admit that I grew up in the 80's and loved the bangles, mini skirts, leggings, clogs, and very high bangs. I also admit that I have never been very good with hair. I am sure my Mom still has a photo of me from Glamor shots circa 1980-something which is a clear example of how not to style your hair and makeup in any era. Hairstyles and clothing styles definitely come in quickly and go out just as fast. That is why I did not pay much attention to the latest hair trend, hair tinsel, nor did I have a clue about feather hair extensions. Not to mention I am at an age where I should not entertain wearing tinsel or feathers. If you haven't seen it before, here is a picture of the hair feathers:

and the tinsel

Nevertheless, I have 3 daughters who keep me up to date on these things. Brooke had mentioned it to me as something she was wanting to do in the summer and when Ally's birthday came around, she decided to buy it for her as a gift. Before I knew it, we were on the way to one of the only salons in town that had any in stock (they are a hot commodity in these parts). We were lucky that the salon we went to had just received a shipment the day before and they had a whole display of feather bundles and individual feathers. Paige picked her set first which were hot pink feathers with a pink tinsel (which combines the two crazes) and Ally picked the same type of set in purple. Brooke opted for two individual feathers which she combined. It took less than 2 minutes to have them attached and after watching it in person, I wish I had come up with the idea myself. I also think it would be very easy to do on your own if you bought the feathers and had the rubbery clips to attach to the hair. Who knew that a fortune was lurking in unused Christmas tree tinsel? Did you know that fly fishermen have been experiencing a shortage of flies as a result of this craze? Maybe I will dig through my craft box to see what I can come up with as the next hot hair craze. Just kidding. (sort of ) Happy Tuesday!

A Birthday Celebration

2011-06-06T11:07:00.000-05:00

Yesterday we celebrated Ally's 11th birthday. It is very hard for me to believe that my baby is now 11. Really hard. Add that to the fact that my eldest daughter left today for camp and I am certain that if anything like a helpless kitten or puppy, a newborn baby or a sappy television commercial crosses my path today, I will be a heap of emotions. It seems hard to believe how quickly time flies and it seems like only yesterday when I was helping them each tie their shoes or do their hair. Not that 11 is completely grown but I realize as we have recently with Brooke, that time moves too quickly and as they become more independent (and driving) you see less and less of them each day and before you know it, you are looking at colleges and talking about when they were young.

So we are going to enjoy the simple things this summer; blowing bubbles, catching fire flies, swimming, sipping lemonade and remembering to celebrate! Have a Happy Monday!

Cheer Big Sis Gift - Flip Flps

2011-06-05T08:44:00.000-05:00

Night two of cheer camp, the big sis and little sis' give one another flip flops that they have decorated. Brooke used the same ribbons that she used on the bulletin board to make the ribbon flip flops. Each of the ribbon (6 different kinds) was cut to the same length and then tied onto the top of the flip flop. It is hard to tell in the photo but they are very sparkly from the sparkle ribbon but they turned out really cute.

Paige's Dance Recital

2011-06-03T09:04:00.000-05:00

I will add more pictures once they are uploaded by the company on Monday but I wanted to show a picture of Paige that was taken after her dance recital on Sunday afternoon. She was in beginning Modern dance and they did a wonderful job. It was our first experience with dance costumes, hair and makeup but we made it through. I was backstage so I wasn't able to take any pictures and they don't allow cameras during the performance so this is a picture from Don's phone taken in the lobby after the show.

Yesterday was the last day of school for the girls for the summer so this weekend will be one of rest and relaxation. I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!

Lil Sis Cheer Project

2011-06-02T06:00:00.008-05:00

Tonight we started working on one of the cheer big sis gifts that Brooke (the lil sis) will give while she is at cheer camp this summer. The first night the girls exchange bulletin boards. We wanted to do something that involved her big sis' favorite colors, purple and silver. She also wanted to incorporate ribbons. We were pleased with the final product and we only need to finish hot gluing the letters down to the board. We are still trying to determine whether to place them on the board or on the upper edge.

We are also working on flip flops with ribbon for the second night gift. I will be posting that craft later this week.

I hope everyone is having a great Thursday!

A Recipe: Spa Water

2011-06-01T09:36:00.000-05:00

Image from Things-we-heart.blogspot.com

It's June! That means it's already hot here in Texas and there will be many more sweltering summery days to come in the next 3 or 4 months. It's also the time of year when drinking water is not only a good idea, it's essential. I have never been a big water drinker but I am trying to really make an effort to get 8 - 10 glasses of water in each day this summer. In order to do that, I have really enjoyed making and drinking my version of Spa Water. Who doesn't enjoy a trip to the spa? The fancy water that they have while you are waiting for your treatment is delicious and very easy to replicate at home. It also ensures that you can enjoy a little piece of the spa even on a Wednesday afternoon while you are working. So drink up and Enjoy!

Spa Water
1 cucumber shredded with a grater
1/2 cup of mint either crushed or chopped
1 limes -sliced
1 lemon - squeezed
Water

Soak the shredded cucumber and mint in 3 cups of water overnight in the fridge. Strain the mixture into a glass pitcher. Add the juice of one lemon, 1 lime (sliced thinly) and fill the rest of the pitcher with ice cold water. Serve and enjoy.

For a twist, add a sprig or two of rosemary.

Spa Water

A Product Favorite -Sally Hansen Salon Effects

2011-05-31T06:00:00.007-05:00

Sally Hansen doesn't know who I am, nor does she know that I really like one of her products, Sally Hansen Salon Effects Nails. This product allows you to have nail effects that you only used to see in salons. These are nails that have a patterned effect or in our case, glitter. We have tried them before and had a good expereience with them both times. They are easy to apply and are much like stickers. Don't be fooled though. These nails will last for ten days as the box suggests and will not show any wear or chips like other polishes. It takes only moments to apply them and the colors and styles are very popular with teens.

For all of the colors and styles, look here:
http://sallyhansen.com/products/nails/nail-color/salon-effects-real-nail-polish-strips

It's a Wrap - The Weekend Comes to a Close

2011-05-30T20:19:00.000-05:00

It has been a busy weekend filled with the right amount of to-do's, activities, and family fun. Paige had her dance recital on Sunday and she did a wonderful job. I'll be sharing those pictures later in the week. We wanted to squeeze every last drop out of the weekend so we went to the Waterpark tonight for a picnic dinner. It is our family favorite summer picnic dinner to have Hawaiian bread sandwiches, chips and fresh fruit followed by dippin dots ice cream. It was the true start to our summer vacation.

Three Sisters

I hope everyone had a restful holiday weekend and they are ready for the week ahead. For us it is the crazy busy last week of school!

Happy Memorial Day Weekend!!

2011-05-28T15:05:00.000-05:00

I hope every one has a safe and happy Memorial Day weekend!

It's National Blueberry Cheesecake Day!

2011-05-26T09:10:00.001-05:00

Not blueberry cheesecake. Image from Artfire.

I love blueberries. In fact, I love them so much, that at this time of year when they are readily in season, I often feel like Violet Beauregarde from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. That is why I was excited to learn that today is National Blueberry Cheesecake Day. I am not usually a fan of cheesecake which is weird because I love cream cheese but I will just say that the blueberries definitely make it taste delicious. They make everything taste delicious. Blueberries are also good for you as they contain vitamin C, fiber, manganese and they are a powerful antioxidant. I know this because the blueberry council told me so here: http://www.blueberrycouncil.org/nutrition.php

Blueberries

These websites have some great blueberry recipes:

http://www.blueberry-recipe.com/blueberry-cheesecake.html

http://allrecipes.com/Recipes/Fruits-and-Vegetables/Fruits/Blueberries/Top.aspx

My favorite recipe using blueberries though is a blueberry sauce recipe that I received with a pint of blueberries at Target years ago.

My favorite Blueberry Recipe- Blueberry Sauce

2 cups of fresh or frozen blueberries
1 lemon zest
juice of one lemon
1 cup of sugar
1 Tablespoon of Cornstarch
2 Tablespoons of butter

Melt the butter in a saucepan. Add in the cornstarch and stir until a paste is formed. Add in the blueberries, sugar, lemon zest and lemon juice and bring it to a bubble. Turn down the heat to medium and allow it to thicken over the next 30 minutes. Stir as needed. Do not use a wooden spoon as the sauce will stain. Serve the sauce warm over pancakes, ice cream or yogurt. Delicious!

A Recipe: Don's Favorite Apple Cake

2011-05-25T06:00:00.001-05:00

Despite tornado warnings and taking shelter at a local elementary school safe room, I was able to bake a cake this evening which I consider no small feat. Luckily, we are all fine but our hearts go out to those who have lost loved ones and property in the devastating storms across the country this week. As I write this post, they are evacuating the Rangers Ballpark because of a tornado outbreak in the area. The weather radar is unlike any I have ever seen in Texas. There is rotation in several areas at once with heavy hail throughout local counties.

We have a lot to be thankful for tonight.

Don's Favorite Apple Cake
1 cup of oil
2 eggs
2 cups of sugar
2 cups of flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 cups of grated apples (Granny Smith's work well)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla

Mix oil, sugar and eggs. Add flour, soda, apples and then vanilla. Pour into a greased bundt pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 60 minutes. Do not open the oven for the first 30 minutes or the cake will fall. Cool for 1 - 2 hours and serve.

A Product Favorite - Blue Agave Sweetener

2011-05-24T06:00:00.000-05:00

The makers of Wholesome Sweeteners Organic Blue Agave have no idea who I am nor do they probably care but this is one product that I tried only once and I was hooked. Initially, I was looking for a substitute for my husband who uses honey in his coffee each morning. I liked the idea that it was a low glycemic sweetener but I never thought about using it myself. That was until I tried a little in my tea one evening and then I poured a little on my plain yogurt. It was delicious. I love that it isn't as thick as honey and it is very versatile. It can be used as a glaze on fruit, as a syrup on pancakes and a little goes a very long way. I hope to start trying baking with it and using it in even more recipes. As a general rule, 3 parts agave is equal to 4 parts of sugar. Have you ever tried Agave and if so, what recipes have you used it in?

This particular brand of Agave was purchased at Costco.

A Craft: Patriotic Wreath

2011-05-23T08:30:00.000-05:00

This was a very easy wreath that I made using balloons in red, white and blue. I wanted something for Memorial Day Weekend which would also work for 4th of July. I re-used a foam wreath form that I had from a previous wreath and I bought 12 inch round balloons in the three colors. I ended up using approximately 250 balloons for the whole project. I attatched them to the form with floral pins. I bought mine very cheaply at Wal-mart and they are in the crafting area of the store. The entire project took less than an hour to make and I love how it turned out.

Have a Happy Monday!

Weekend Gardening, Crafting and Celebrating

2011-05-22T10:39:00.000-05:00

I was inspired this weekend to get out in the garden and add a little color to my very green world by my sister, Becky, who has an amazing blog: http://findingmygarden.blogspot.com/ She lives in a different part of the country but her flowers, plants and the knowledge she has of them is incredible. The flowers in the pictures above are all from my backyard but I can't tell the name of any of them. I pick my plants because I like the way they look which usually means that they don't last long in the heat of the long Texas summers. I have started to buy more perennials and more drought resisitant plants which has helped but I have a long way to go before I can keep flowers alive into August or even July. However, now they are all in bloom and I will enjoy them while I can. Some of these actually came back from last year, just don't ask me to name them.

Yesterday was also my husband and my 22nd Wedding Anniversary! The gift for your 22nd is Copper. We didn't realize that was what we were buying each other until Thursday night when our Air Conditioner sputtered its last breath and the gift of copper (a new A/C unit) was given. We also went to dinner last night at Tim Love's new restaurant, The Love Shack, which is very different from his original restaurant in Fort Worth, Lonesome Dove. It was a fun night and his website is here: http://www.loveburgershack.com/

I also did a little crafting this weekend so I will be posting the latest wreath on Monday so stay tuned for that.

I hope everyone is having a wonderful weekend!

I Spy......

2011-05-20T17:02:00.000-05:00

Small items around the house - sorry for the lighting in this photo

My poem which is below

The filled jar

I got this idea of "I Spy" from the Magic Onion which can be found here: http://themagiconions.blogspot.com/2009/05/eye-spy-jar.html

I adapted it for my kids who are older. I found small objects that were lying around the house and filled a mason jar with them items as well as rice, leaving enough room for the contents to move. I then made an explanation sheet and a guessing sheet and left them on a table in our entryway. I let them find the game on their own. We will see who guesses the correct amount of objects in the jar at the end of the weekend.

The explanation says the following:

I Spy
I won’t tell my secret but revealed in this jar,
A number of items found near and far.

Record the number of things there you find,
In your head, on your hand or even in your mind.

You may lift, you may shake but never do cheat,
as the winner will get a prize for their feat.

Work as a team or work on your own,
you may even rely on a friend, via the phone.

I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!

A Recipe: Black Bean and Corn Salsa

2011-05-19T06:00:00.001-05:00

This is one of my favorite recipes to make when the weather is nice and we begin grilling outdoors. It is fresh and can be eaten with tortilla chips or served aside grilled chicken or pork as a salsa. I also like it just on its own and it makes a large amount but never lasts long.

Black Bean and Corn Salsa
2 cans of black beans - drained and rinsed
1 bag of frozen corn - defrosted (you can use canned corn but frozen tastes fresher and better yet, you can grill corn on the grill and cut it off)
1 small onion - diced finely
1 -2 jalapeno peppers - diced finely
2 tomatoes - diced
3 limes - juiced
2 avacados - diced
3 cloves of garlic - diced
1 bunch of cilantro - chopped
salt and pepper to taste

Cut all ingedients and then mix together in a bowl. Refrigerate for 1 hour prior to serving so flavors intensify. Enjoy!

Choral Honors

2011-05-18T10:02:00.001-05:00

Last night was Paige's Spring Choir Performance. Not only did she have a solo part in one of the songs, she was also recognized as the number 1 Alto singer for the girls 6th grade choir! We are so proud of her and her accomplishment. Way to go Paige!!

Tuesday in Pictures

2011-05-17T06:00:00.001-05:00

I seem to have caught a cold/flu-like illness so I am a little under the weather today. I thought I would show some of my recent favorites in photos. Many are from our trips to the ocean, either Florida or Hawaii. I can almost hear the surf as it hits the shore and looking at the photos makes me feel better. Happy Tuesday!

Crazy Busy Weekend and a Recipe: Dump Cake

2011-05-16T09:18:00.000-05:00

Ever feel as though you wish you could have a weekend extension? If only it were that easy. We were crazy busy this weekend and before I knew it, the weekend was over and we were in our Sunday evening prep for the week ahead.

Somewhere in the midst of all of that, I forgot to post last night. It always seems as though Sunday nights are the busiest night of the week for us as we are signing forms, finishing laundry, making lunches, and squeezing every last item on the Sunday to-do list into several hours. That is why this recipe for Dump Cake is so appropriate. The prep time takes less than a minute and it smells delicious while it is baking. We won't talk about the calories, fat or sugar content. Brooke shared this recipe with me yesterday as we were grocery shopping. She had been at a friends house and tried it and thought we would like it and she was right.

Dump Cake
1 can of Cherry pie filling
1 can of crushed pineapple
1 yellow cake mix
1 stick of butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Pour the cherry pie filling into a 13 X 9 inch pan.

Next, pour in the pineapple.

Mix the two together and then add the yellow cake mix on top.

Then cut up a stick of butter and place it on top of the cake mix.

Bake for 45 minutes to an hour until browned around the edges and enjoy!
It tastes a lot like a cobbler and very little like cake.

Have a great week!

Take Me Out To The Ballpark........

2011-05-14T22:13:00.000-05:00

Today we spent a beautiful day at the Ballpark in Arlington where we watched the Texas Rangers lose to the Anaheim Angels, 3-2. Despite the loss, it was a warm day, the food was good and a great time was had by everyone!

We managed to eat our way through the ballpark. We had wings, garlic fries, nachos and ice cream. What a combo! I hope everyone is having a great weekend and don't forget to "Play Ball!"

Teacup rings

2011-05-14T21:58:00.000-05:00

We have a new store in our area, Charming Charlies.
http://www.charmingcharlie.com/home.

To say that I am overwhelmed each time I enter the store is an understatement. The store has jewelry, clothing, shoes, hats, and really any accessory a girl could ever hope for but it's also arranged in color coded sections. I actually have to limit my time in the store to 30 minutes or I get light headed from looking at everything. It is a lot to take in. Recently though, I purchased the most adorable and playful teacup ring at the store. That rings makes me happy. Maybe it's because I like tea and maybe I just want to play dress up but it made me think that there must be other teacup rings out there so I began looking online and here is what I found. They are everywhere......

This teacup ring with a bird can be found here: http://www.etsy.com/listing/23272586/bluebird-in-the-teacup-adjustable-ring?ref=sr_list_1&ga_search_query=tea+cup+ring&ga_search_type=tag_title&ga_page=&min=&max=&order=

Check out her fairy door necklace as well, it's wonderful !: http://www.etsy.com/listing/73071082/fairy-door-necklace

This one can be found here: http://www.etsy.com/listing/37825541/teacup-ring?ref=sr_gallery_4&ga_search_query=tea+cup+ring&ga_search_type=handmade&ga_page=2&order=&includes%5B0%5D=tags&includes%5B1%5D=title

And this one at the same Etsy store, with tea inside:

And then there is this one:

I love the colors. It can be found here: http://www.artfire.com/modules.php?name=Shop&op=listing&product_id=1852919

So can this one:

This is my ring from Charming Charlies.

Happy Thursday everyone!

It's National Eat What You Want Day....Who knew?

2011-05-11T09:00:00.000-05:00

It's Wednesday, the week is halfway over. More importantly, it is National Eat What You Want Day! Who knew such a day existed? I would hate to upset the National Day of people and I'm all for a day of eating whatever I fancy so I thought I would share my perfect day of food, in pictures.

This actually is what I had for breakfast. It's my summer breakfast (hey it's officially hot here in Texas so that counts). Winters I have oatmeal with cranberries because it's warm and wintry. But warmer weather means a cold breakfast. I like to have plain 0% Fage Greek yogurt with frozen mixed berries and a drop or two of agave nectar. Delicious, creamy, fresh and wonderful. I have also been known to have it for dessert as well.

Because it is Wednesday, that means it is office lunch day. Each Wednesday my whole office goes to lunch together and we rotate on picking a spot to eat. Today is actually my day to pick so I am picking a place that has an amazing salad bar. I get the same things on it each time I go. I am apparently a creature of habit. Spinach as a salad bed, mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, green bell peppers, one hard boiled egg, feta cheese, black olives, cottage cheese as a dressing and a side of hummus with wheat crackers. Yum.

And Dinner. It's actually my favorite meal of the day. I am having a family favorite tonight, chicken curry with rice. It is my Mom's recipe and my whole family loves it. I often pull it out when someone is not feeling well or it is a little chilly outside. We are expecting a big storm this evening and Don has been under the weather so I know this will be the perfect dinner.

And dessert. I have to go with my current favorite right now which is frozen yogurt. (See a pattern here?) Our town has recently seen 5 frozen yogurt establishments open in the last year and they are all really delicious. My personal favorite is original tart with gummy bears. It's the perfect end to a perfect food day.

What would you eat on your Eat What You Want Day?

A Recipe - Lemon Cloud Pie

2011-05-10T06:00:00.003-05:00

This recipe is adapted from one that my Mother in Law gave to me in a cookbook from a local Senior Association. She recommended it to me and I was in the mood for something lemony. Halfway through making it, I realized that I wasn't supposed to use a Graham cracker crust but instead was supposed to put the graham crackers in the bottom of a 13 x 9 inch pan. Then my evaporated milk mixture formed into stiff peaks but it fell when I was distracted. I wanted to salvage the ingredients so I decided to freeze the pie and low and behold, it turned out really well.

Lemon Cloud Pie
1 small package lemon Jello
3/4 cup boiling water
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 lemons, juice and grated rind
1 (14 oz.) can evaporated milk, very cold
Graham cracker crumbs

Dissolve Jello in boiling water. Add sugar, lemon juice and rind. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Refrigerate mixture until syrupy. Whip cold evaporated milk until stiff (it helps to freeze your bowl first). Fold in lemon mixture. Pour into a 13 x 9 inch pan lined with graham cracker crumbs on the bottom (or a graham cracker crumb pie crust). Sprinkle with graham cracker crumbs on top or grated lemon rind. This is where you can also freeze. Slice and enjoy!

Now that's what I call making lemons into lemon cloud pie! Happy Tuesday!

A Recipe - Candy Dots

2011-05-09T15:13:00.000-05:00

Yesterday, Ally and I made candy dots from a recipe and template I found here: http://www.sandytoesandpopsicles.com/

This is the recipe:

Candy Dots

2 tablespoons meringue powder or 2 egg whites

6 tablespoons water

1/4 teaspoon almond extract or lemon juice

1 pound confectioner's sugar

ziploc sandwich baggies

food coloring

Note: We used meringue powder and lemon juice.

1) Cut non-toxic computer paper into 2 3/4" x 10" strips

2) Whip together sugar, meringue powder and lemon juice on low speed for 1 minute. Then continue to whip for 10 minutes on high speed.

3) Divide the mixture into small bowls. Color each bowl different colors. You can also add different flavorings to each at this point.

4) If icing is too thick, thin out with drops of water until it is the consistency of sour cream. A drop should hold its shape and slowly smooth out to create a smooth button.

5) Pour each color into a baggie and seal. Then cup a very small corner off of each bag. (We used the snack sized baggies)

6) Squeeze a drop of icing at a time onto the paper.

7) Place on baking sheets in a cool dry place uncovered to dry overnight. (Ours dried within a couple of hours)

8) Candy will harden overnight and then you can store it in a ziploc bag or airtight container.

9) Enjoy!

I also wanted to share a photo that was taken yesterday of the girls and I.