Fun With Cake Balls!

This afternoon my daughter and I created these...

Actually she did most the work...

All I did was sprinkle as she dipped...

Since it was a lesson, we did learn a few things.

1. Wear disposable gloves when using Red Velvet cake for the balls.
2. Did you know you can use Diet Soda instead of eggs and oil? She searched and found that Sugar Sleuth had a recipe.
3. Use 2 bags of candy melts as we ran out before we got them all covered.

I have decided that I will do a different cake mix while on vacation. Less messy and I will also use colored candy melt so to elimate the sprinkling.

I Love a Party!

We're Having a Party!

A while back I mentioned we LOVE to through parties.

I also love finding and creating neat idea's to set the mood. I am often told I should start a business doing events, but I feel it would take all the fun out of it. Plus after seeing what I have seen on other blogs, mine are not really better then theirs. Just that a lot of LOVE went into each and every one.


The first party we are planninig for is a NASCAR BBQ with friends and family while we are visiting the Napa Valley next week.


So what have I found or what will I put together?

Since we will be RVing it and it's already filled with our NASCAR banners, flags and games, I will make it look like it does while we are at the races.

I will be making some of these....

Thanks to these directions and I can't forget to mention the ones Pioneer Women made. There are so many others who have come up with some creative ways of making and decorating these. Can't wait to see how mine will come out.

It will be the first time I will make them so my daughter came over today with all the ingrediants to make some for a Going Away Party we are attending tomorrow. Now I won't feel like I am attacking something blind. We will be using red velvet cake and cream cheese frosting. For the Going Away Party, we will do something simple. For the NASCAR BBQ I will decorate them using NASCAR colors. I they come up like I hope they will, check back on June 7th, to see.

Having free internet at the RV park will be great and I will be able to do some undisturbed blogging. It will be 2 weeks of nothing but relaxing and visiting. I even have another puzzle started by my son to work on. He used the RV for a few days and left it for me to finish. Hopefully it won't slide off the table during any sharp turns.

Right now these are the only preparations we have made since I have been cleaning and packing the RV. Once we get to Napa on Tuesday I will be able to attack other decorations and fun edible delights.

When we get home it will be time to concentrate on the Baby Shower and our step 'Grand' The Boy's 4th birthday.

Call us crazy but with family coming in for the shower and The Boy's birthday is the next day, we might as well have a celebration for him also. It just might help with all the attention on the new baby, for him to have a special day as well. He's in Florida right now visiting his grandparents and when we all get home I can nail down what kind of party he would love to have and go from there.

As far as we have gotten in the planning for Baby Showere is the date, the guest and the colors....

We found this awesome Louis Vuitton Baby Bag Cake.

A dear friend has offered to recreate it for us. Bless her heart.

 We fell in love this darling diaper cake.

And the invites might look something like this.

We haven't decided yet. Since it will be a co-ed shower and the daddy to be has mentioned he likes the Rock Baby Theme, we will see. We thought when he said this that we could use records for the place mats and a label on them announcing the baby to be. There are still more things to put together but at least we have been putting ideas down and poundering them in our heads.

Enough for today...I must get back to that packing.

You Capture - Depth of Field

I love participating in "You Capture" and this weeks assignment was a lot of fun. If only I had a better camera. You see, I shut all my pictures with a Kodak Easy Shot Z1015 IS.

My daughter has the fancy one's. She began with the Canon Power Shot 5S and recently got herself a Canon Rebel XTI. I have used her Power Shot many times and love the pictures I have captured. I have yet to play with her Rebel. I hope to soon but for now I just use my little ole Kodak.

So here are my pictures of Depth of Field (DOF). 

This one was taken when we went and visited the ostrich the other day. I saw the goats and their babies and after taking a picture through the fence I wanted to try the DOF by focusing on just the fence.

The rest our from my yard.

Peeking through the banana tree at our Abby girl.

A picture of a rope the kids have tied to a tree to swing with.

And Button's goggles perched on the fence around the pool.

Here is one of our passion fruit, shutting toward the beach (our version of a sandbox) patio and another shutting one above the fence that shows our neighbors pasture and trees. 

A grandma's house isn't complete without bubbles (yes we have cookies too) and we love taking pictures of them being blown. This one wasn't taken this week but fit the assignment.

My last one is of our 'Grand' Day Monday when Bug was building his tower on the kitchen island.

I had a lot of fun with this assignment. Next week will be SKY and if you know me, and for those who are getting to know me, I love sunrise's and sunsets, and cloud formations. I already have a few picked out to share and will go out and about capturing other's.

If you want to see more pictures of DOF or join in on the fun, just head on over to I Should Be Folding Laundry (which I really should be doing myself) and see all the wonderful photo's others have captured.

A Wibble Wobble Monday 'Grand' Day

After picking up the 'Grands' from school we went and took some pictures of the ostrich that is around the corner.

We were to be at dance but it was me who didn't feel up to going. This foot of mine just dictates activities right now and I really didn't want to be around people.

When we got to the house I began making a pineapple upside down cake while 'Grand' Bug began working on building a tower to the ceiling.

When grandpa got home they immediately went outside to see is they could help him. It allowed me to get off my feet and put them up for a rest. Not a bad wibble wobble Monday 'Grand' Day.

Ready For A Monday 'Grand' Day

After a very quite weekend, it's time for my weekly 'Grand' Day. After last week, I wonder what this week will be like. Since I missed out on my 'Grand' Day last Monday, it was made up many times.

Tuesday, while The Boy's mom helped me with my house, he palyed around outside and then they all stayed for dinner.

Wednesday was my make-up 'Grand' since it is a short day of school and no dancing, they were able to spend time in the pool, then in the hot tub and finally on the beach.

With most their time spent on the beach, they dug this real big hole, filled it up with water and had the best time. Even Bella had a great time with them.

Thursday was an unexpected 'Grand' Day. it was the day we found out that The Boy's mom and my son were indeed having a girl. My policeson had called asking if I could watch The Boy for a bit but I was headed to my doctors. Bummer.

However, later that afternoon, The Boy's mom called and wonder if she could bring him by for an hour while she took a test. I was finally able to accomadate her and while she was gone, him and Bella played on the beach.

As I get ready for todays 'Grand' day, I know one thing, we will be minus one 'Grand', The Boy. Him and his mom traveled back to Florida today for a 2 week visit with their family there. I already miss them. That little guy has captured our hearts and keeps us busy at the same time. Him, Bug and Button get along so well. I'm sureBug and Button's will be busy with Bella and help Grandma bake some cookies. I'll let you all now later how today's 'Grand' Day turned out.

Getting to Know You!

Every Sunday, usually after church,

I sit down with the computer in my lap and hook up with Keely's GTKY.

Although today, I played hookie from church.

Hubby woke up with one of his pounding headaches

and my ankle/foot still is giving me trouble.

As I looked over and read some of the other post linked up, it dawned on me, and it really wasn't the first time either, that I am the I think the only grandma who answers her questions. Now grant it, I don't read every single one. If I did it would take me hours since her link usually has close if not over 100 participants. So if there are other's, I am sorry I missed you. Leave me a comment so I can go back and read yours. 

Onto the questions that she asked. You too can join in, just go on over, grab the questions, answer them however you want, go back and link up with her so others can get to know you.

The questions..


1. The most expensive thing hanging in my closet is.....?


An evening gown I bought in Las Vegas for a convention banquet. I had won $4100 on a slot machine and treated myself with a beautiful gown. So far it was the one and only time I wore it. I will wear it again though, as we go to conventions at least once a year if not more. It also depends on the theme. Sometimes they are casual like western or the 50's kind of themes. I will be ready though when they have a formal one.



2. Have you ever played a team sport?


When I was young I played baseball. We were called the Larks. I really didn't like it though and only played a couple of years. Then when my daughter was born I joined a bowling league with my mom and sisters. That was a lot of fun but only did it for 1 year. However, when our kids started kindergarten, they were able to join the swim team and we were very involved in the team from committee's and fund raisers to being a deck mom for almost 10 years.



3. If you were a bug, what kind would you be?


My first choice would be like what other's have said, a caterpillar.

Preferably this kinds...

So I turn into...

Second choice would be a Lady bug...

4. Where on your body is the worst place to get sunburned? (thanks Ian)

It's been a while since I have had a really bad sunburn but when I did it was the top of my head. I forgot to where a hat when we were in the Caymans on a boat all day. Not only did my head get so burnt that it was hard to brush my hair but shoulders also got really burnt that I would have loved to not wear any clothing of any kind.



5. Are you happy?

Very, very, very HAPPY! After all how I could I not be...I have 3 wonderful grown children who have given me 5 adorable grandchildren and one more on the way with a step grandson to top the cake.



6. People are always abbreviating..are there any abbreviations that make your skin crawl when people use them?


Doesn't make my skin crawl, just can't figure them out sometime..."what the heck does that mean?" I ask my daughter if texted an abbreviation I can't figure out.



7. Do you love where you live..or could you live anywhere?


Actually I love where we live. It was not a place I thought we would be living but have come to love it and really don't want to live anywhere else. We live 2 1/2 hours from a big city and the beach. I do miss the redwoods we use to live by but not the tourist that flood the valley now. I do wish family was closer though.



8. What, if any, extreme measures do you go to to keep yourself from overeating when you're full?

Nothing extreme. I don't have to eat everything on my plate. Once full I'm done, that is until it's desert time which is often an hour or so later.

So there you have my answers....now it's your turn.

You Capture - Yellow

A Time For...

A time for healing...something we do each time a certain person, who is making life difficult, stabs one of us in the back. Once again, our son, feels the pain. This time over a father and son outing where our son was not informed of nor allowed to take his son. I'm sure they have their reasons, but such actions will come back on them when Monkey Man is old enough to understand.

Psalm 147:3
He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.

A time for prayer...that God will touch her heart and heal her soul. To guide her to make better choices for their children, who continue to be the victims in their divorce. God knows our hearts and has answered many of our prayers already. We will continue to pray that His work will be done. 

A time for playing...with the 'Grands'. We'll enjoyed another wonderful day of swimming and a family dinner before bible study. It's days like this that makes being a grandparent the best Journey Through LIFE!

A time for planning...our upcoming trip to a nieces graduation. With prayers answered, we received the job needed in order to make the trip possible. He also has rewarded us with more time to spend with family then we had asked for. He surely has His plan for us and we will always feel blessed by His provisions.

Jeremiah 29:11
For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.


A time for change...the trip we prayered for did come with some new direction. We thought we would be able to spend a day with our sons for their birthday and celebrate with the 'Grands'. However, a regional meeting was planned just days before. To attend this important meeting we have to leave earlier then planned. I know they will understand and will have a great time with their kids. One thing we are good at is change and we know how to grow from and work around some of the things life throws us through this journey.

It's Official...

With no doubt...

Plain as day...

Their prayers were answered and they are having a little girl.

Now Grandma can go out and buy lot's of girlie things.

We Had The Most Wonderful Mother's Day

The day began with my tables being set and ready for the family to arrive. Usually having a dinner at home for such an occasion would mean using one of my many china's but today we were BBQing rib's, chicken, hamburger's, and hotdog's, so I opt to use paper plates. I didn't want any of my placemats soiled with sauce's so I used the same wrapping paper as the gifts, cut them into placemat size and wala, disposable placemats. When my hubby came home with flowers for me, the colors matched the table perfectly. I wanted to add some ribbon runners for more color, I just didn't have any wide ribbon in my drawer of spools. Reminder to self, stock up with some wider assortments of colors for such an occasion.

We decided to go the second church service since hubby has been going to the doctor for the last 3 days getting an IV antibiotics for the pneumonia. Yep, even on Sunday the office opened. It saved us so much money by doing it this way so he wouldn't have to be hospitalized. We left for church shortly after he got home. It was going to be a memorable service as our 'Grand' Bug and Button had decided this last week they wanted to be baptized. With all the family there to witness their choice to except Jesus as their Savior, made it extra special. I took picture but with my daughters camera, so will have to get copies after she uploads them. This is where I can tell you I love Flickr...it makes it so easy for us to share photos. Being  working mom and also having computer problems, she won't get to it till Thursday after it is fixed. Once they are available I will post them all for you to see. They were so darn cute. When we all got back to the house, the 'Grands' opened their special gift...Button received a cross neckless with the word Faith engraved on it and Bug received a medallion with a my special bible verse to him, "With God all things are possible".

I opened my gifts from the kids. I got this lovely clock and a photo of the 'Grands'. Buttons made her card for me while at a scrapbook class with her mom. Inside she drew a picture of her, her mom and me to represent 3 generations. The card was made with pockets that had a tab to pull out and in one was a picture she drew of her and her mom and the other her and me.  

First the 'Grands played on the beach helping Bella work on a great big hole she had started.

While we the feast was prepared, the 'Grands' did some swimming until the winds, and I mean COLD winds, began to blow. They spent most of their time before and after dinner on the beach. Even Bella got into the burying of feet.

After dinner the 'Grands' went back out to continue playing. Climbing trees, swinging from a rope and eventually jumping the rope and a brief game of limbo that Bella had to get involved with also.

We ended our wonderful day with desert of strawberry short cake and chocolate cream pie.

We also did our family pictures. My camera was not doing the job so they grabbed my daughters camera that takes better photo's. I will just have to wait to see how hers came out but until then, this is what I have and as I always do, I accept what I get and be thankful.

As you can tell, we had the most wonderful Mother's Day!