Thought for the Day

"Never let who you were yesterday,
keep you from being who God's called you to be today."

~ KSGN 98.7 FM

A Yummy and Pretty Dessert

Our church put on a Couple's Valentine's Dinner a few weeks ago. A lot of the women of the church were involved in some way. For me, I was in charge of the dessert for 50+ people. I decided to do brownie sundaes, and since it was a couple's dinner, I had the couple's share their dessert...romantic huh?

That week I baked five or six double batches of brownies. I didn't care that week if I ever saw another brownie again. The brownies were nice and thick and made for a great base for holding ice cream! The facility where our church meets allows us to use the kitchen, so I was able to warm the brownies up in oven. Which made for the dessert being all the more better....who doesn't love a warm brownie topped with vanilla ice cream and chocolate syrup??And just for the special occasion, I sprinkled heart shaped sprinkles atop the sundae and served with two spoons. The brownie sundaes were a hit. Everyone complimented me on how yummy and pretty the dessert was. It's the kind of dessert that can be done anytime, not just for special events, change out the colored sprinkles and serve with just one spoon and you have a crowd pleasing dessert for any occasion!

Learning the Ropes

The coordinator currently in charge of the Box Tops program at our school is approaching her final year at the Elementary School and she's been looking for people to take over her jobs at the end of this school year, so that next year, while she won't be in charge, she'll still be around for asking for help.

Several months ago, she approached me about taking over the position of Box Tops coordinator for next school year and I accepted. This morning I began my training...

Last Friday, the current Box Tops for Education contest at school came to an end. Those Box Tops must be counted into groups of 50 and then mailed off so that we can get a check in return. She showed me how to package up the box, counting, and then going about prize distribution to the classes who won 1st -5th places. Today's box that is being shipped off had 15,063 Box Tops!!! And that's just since mid-October.

I'm looking forward to the position next year, it's definitely one of the easier jobs to take over, and will be fun to see how much money we can raise for our school!

Girl Stuff

This post is about hormones and periods. If that's TMI (too much information) for ya, then check back another day for a new post title. LOL.
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Last Fall, I went off the birth control pill. I was first placed on the pill 14 years ago, just a few months prior to Steven and I getting married. And with the exception of being off the pill the two times of trying to get pregnant, and then through my pregnancies, I've pretty much been on the pill for over ten years.

We knew we were done having children. We've been done. But last Spring, we took permanent measures and thus I was able to get off the pill. I knew, based on the complicated mess my periods were before going on the Pill, and the two times of going off, that it'd be a mess now that I was off the pill for good. I've alwaysI had trouble getting my period regularly. I could go 35-45-60 days and even longer.

When I saw my GYN in October, she gave me a prescription for some hormones to take ten days out of the month and as a result, it would induce my period. Well, the holidays came and who wants to be miserable with cramps and achy legs during the holidays? So I didn't take the drug. The beginning of February it was approaching 3 months since my last period and I thought it was time to go ahead and take the medication and 'clean house' so to speak.

So Aunt Flo came to visit last week, and she was not a very nice visitor. But over this last weekend, I was an emotional mess. I was constantly on the brink of an emotional meltdown most of Friday night and Saturday morning. I took Calcium (my GYN told me Calcium can naturally be calming). I took Magnesium (another natural calming and relaxing mineral). I texted a friend and asked her to pray for me. And I finally resulted to taking a lose dose anti-anxiety medication. Ahhh, once everything kicked in, it was sweet relief from the cursed hormones. I continued taking calcium and magnesium the rest of the weekend and today, I feel so much better.

I think it's a combination of things - off the Pill, not regularly getting any extra hormones and I'm getting older. I'm approaching the age that my Mother was when she had a hysterectomy. In my family, there's a history of the women folk and hormone issues. And I guess I'm not going to escape it. Stupid Hormones. I bet hormones wouldn't be so stupid if Eve hadn't have messed it all up by partaking from the forbidden fruit!!!

Valentine's Day

The 'Day of Love' has come and gone and I was left with a dozen pink roses, chocolate covered strawberries, and a box of See's candies (I gave Cupid the hint and gave him my gift certificate I'd received-not knowing I'd be getting strawberries).

The box of chocolates has been stashed in a safe place and ready for the moment a hormonal breakdown is on the brink and chocolate is necessary. Which could happen anytime. :)

The last few years, I've tried to make Valentine's Day special for the entire family, with a nice meal, special dessert, etc.

This year I did bacon wrapped beef filets, red roasted garlic mashed potatoes, and red raspberry jello salad. And for dessert I made giant chocolate cupcakes. They were prettier than they tasted. LOL. Tried a new recipe, that obviously isn't a keeper. And like my Dad always says, 'practice makes perfect', so I'll just have to try out another recipe!

Hope everyone else had a nice Valentine's Day!

A Celebration of Diana's Life

This afternoon was the memorial / celebration of life for my dear friend, Diana. What a beautiful, beautiful service.

Purple was Diana's favorite color and many were wearing purple, not black, in celebration of her life. There were big pillars of purple balloons. Diana loved balloons, and the sparkly balloons were a perfect tribute.

The stage was adorned with a 11x20 picture of Diana. One of my all time favorite pictures of her. There was also a picture of her when she was a baby and another with her Mom. There was a beautiful black marbled oblong table that set in the middle of the stage, with the most beautiful swag of flowers, lavender in color of course. With taper candles lit in the midst of the flower swag. And in front of the swag, a beautiful urn that held Diana's ashes. A small table sitting on the floor level with a bouquet of flowers, and Diana's Bibles. It was a beautiful setting and I would have loved a picture of it, but felt it wouldn't have been appropriate. My Mom said there would have been nothing wrong about it, and now I wish I'd taken that picture.

The service was held at the church in which I grew up in. The church I met Steven at. Where I walked down the aisle and become his wife. Where we had our first daughter dedicated. A church that holds many fond memories. It was six years ago this coming April that we left the 10,000+ member church to go to a smaller church. I knew it'd be emotional just going back to the campus, and it was. While the grounds have changed tremendously, the sanctuary not as it once was, that church will always hold a special place in my heart.

It was good to see some longtime friends I've not seen for years. Sad to have reunited under the circumstances, but it was good to see them nonetheless. The Pastor officiating the service was a longtime friend to my parents, the pastor who prayed and dedicated our firstborn. It was good to see him, to hear his eulogy, and to hear his sermonette.

The eulogies were appropriate. One by the husband of a longtime friend, and one by another mutual friend. Both capturing the very essence of who DIana was. I was honored to have been mentioned in DaNiece's stories and memories.

Following the service, there was a light lunch provided. And it was nice to sit with friends and catch up with one another and remember some funny stories and pranks we'd been a part of with Diana.

It was a beautiful afternoon. A beautiful celebration of Diana's life...

Missing My Weekday Trips

A couple Friday's ago, the girls were out of school. And well, Friday + No School = Trip to Disneyland in my books!

It was a perfect day, the crowds were light, the weather absolutely beautiful, and the girls were behaving. And it really made me realize just how much I miss my mid-week trips to The Happiest Place on Earth.

For the last three school years, I've been able to drop Hannah off at school and make a trip to my Happy Place with Rachel. All the while being back in time to pick Hannah up when school was out. And the years prior to that, I was able to make middle of the week trips with both my girls.

But not this school year...

This school year finds me dropping both the girls off at school at 8:00, back to pick up Rachel at 11:30, and then back again at 2:15 to pick up Hannah. So the mid week trips have pretty much been non-existant since the school year started. With the exception of the days we have no school, which generally means, it might be a holiday where a lot of people are there.

Next school year will be different. Both the girls will get dropped off at 8:00 and picked up at 2:15. Which means, I can go back to having Mid Week trips to my Happy Place again! I know of another annual passholder friend who will be in the same boat and we can meet up, and I'm hoping to convince my Mama to buy a pass so that we can go together and people watch and soak in the perfectly landscaped planters.

Hmmm, There's a four day weekend coming up. I'll have to check to see if we're blocked out because of the holidays!

Paybacks

There are many times when my daughters do the most annoying things...

Act in the craziest of manners...

Push my buttons to the absolute farthest...

And when I tell my Mom what HER Granddaughtes have done, far too often she tells me I used to do or say the exact same things!!

....And then I feel the need to apologize to my Mama.

Annie: The Broadway Production

Last night, we as a family, went to see Annie the musical. It's currently touring the nation and this week, it's local. Steven and I have been to broadway productions, but the girls never have.

I found these amazing dresses at the Goodwill. LOL. My Mom washed them and she concurred that these were indeed of good quality, etc. They washed up just beautifully. The girls were so excited to put them on and do their hair, Hannah wore lip gloss, and I sprayed the girls with gold glitter spray. Going to a broadway play is a fancy deal, ya know!We went to a nice place for dinner. Rachel laid her sleeve in ketchup, and Hannah dripped Ranch dressing down the front of her. You know what they say..."You can dress em up, but can't take em anywhere."LOL. Our meals were great and then it was off to The Fox Performing Arts Center.It was rather exciting to be driving towards the theater and see the big strobing lights in the sky bringing attention to the fact that something special was going on. There were a lot of older people and quite a few families. Steven and I were impressed that more people were dressed up here than we'd ever seen before when we've gone to The Pantages, in Hollywood. We were also surprised at how many people come late! The show was about two ad a half hours long with an intermission. The girls were perfect! They sat still and stayed awake for the entire show (they normally go to bed when the show started) and had lots of things to say about it after wards.

The production itself was awesome! The little girls can sure sing! And Miss Hannigan is a hoot!!! It most definitely was a great family experience and will more than likely go back again to family orientated productions.