Tee Hee...

Oh My Delicious Goodness

Stop what you are doing right now. You must go out right this minute and buy the ingredients to make this cake. Well, you can finish reading this first...

PUMPKIN SPICE BUNDT CAKE WITH CREAMY PUMPKIN GLAZE

I was just in a baking mood this afternoon. No matter that I can only allow myself a small slice of it. I just felt like baking something. It's very relaxing. And, the Creamy Pumpkin Glaze...well, let's just say I probably embarrassed myself by licking it out of the bowl. Seriously.

Click here if you want to have this amazing goodness in your life. You can skip most of the post and scroll down to find the recipe. You will not be sorry.

Happy 14th Birthday, Abigail!

My baby has grown up. I mean really grown up. She is the tallest girl in our family. Her older sisters aren't too fond of this, but what are you gonna do, right? My sweet little cheeky baby has turned into a beautiful young lady. She keeps us all on our toes that's for sure. Her wit and smile are just like her dad's. She plays the piano beautifully. She has "great hair" according to her sister, Rebecca. I've always called her my "unexpected blessing" because she was...well, unexpected. She's the best present I never knew I wanted. Love you, Absie, and the happiest of days to you today.

We held a small party with three of her close friends from school. She received some fun gifts. We ate Chicken Express and I took them to see a movie with Taylor Lautner, because he's adorable. (according to teenage girls -- me? not so much) Here are a few pics from the party:

Thank you Sydney, Olivia and Emma for making Abigail's day so special.

Would You Please Call Me Cordelia?

"I know I chatter on far too much... but if you only knew how many things I want to say and don't. Give me some credit." ~ Anne

I was thinking this very thing today. I guess it's a good thing that with experience (aka "age") comes the wisdom of keeping your thoughts to yourself and not blurt out what you really think in a given situation.

So many times I just want to say what I am thinking but know that it will not be well received. Does that mean I should always be quiet? I don't know. I certainly don't believe in being politically correct. There's far too much of that skipping around hand in hand with tolerance these days. (but that's for another post someday...something political or when I decide to quote Rush Limbaugh or Sean Hannity) For now I will be Anne of Green Gables and suffer my thoughts in silence...

"My life is a perfect graveyard of buried hopes. That's a sentence I read once and I say it over to comfort myself in these times that try the soul." ~ Anne

Feeling a Little Fallish

This beautiful door wreath was given to me a few weeks ago by my mother and the minute...the minute, I tell you...that the weather felt a tiny bit cooler (in this case, below 100 degrees) I put it on my front door. I love fall, which is a little strange because the main colors are orange and brown, which I really don't care for much. I guess when they come in the form of pumpkins, leaves, berries, warm drinks and such I like them very much.

I can't wait to buy a fresh pumpkin and some yellow mums to put on my front porch. I'm pretty sure there are no pumpkins out in the stores yet. Hmm...wonder if the heat this summer affected the pumpkin crops. It seems like they are usually coming out about now. Guess we'll have to wait and see.

Meanwhile, coming soon...hot tea, hot chocolate, roasting marshmallows, scarves, jackets...can't wait!

Just wondering...

From time to time I have these random questions that just pop into my mind. I'm weird enough that I thought I should put them out there on the blog for three or four people to read. : )

1. Posted this as my Facebook status this morning: I wonder how many pounds of bananas I've thrown away over the course of my lifetime?

2. I wonder why I have an entire shelf in my freezer dedicated to ice packs of all shapes and sizes? An entire shelf!

3. Why do teenagers not realize that their parents are wiser than they are? I'm not saying smarter, mind you, but wiser. If they just recognized the wisdom of experience, I would be okay with my IQ not being as high as theirs.

4. Why do I hate exercise so much? This is something I've pondered for years and I am starting to think it's a personality flaw or a defective gene. What else am I going to blame it on?

5. I wonder how many licks it takes to get to the bottom of a Tootsie Pop. Sorry...couldn't resist. Ah one, ah two, ah three.....(Barb, google it.)

6. Here's a deep one: Why do Christians attack other Christians for insanely stupid reasons and not see anything wrong with it?

Just wondering...

College - Year Two

What a difference a year makes! This was certainly true when moving Katherine back to Stephen F. Austin for her sophomore year. There were way less tears on my part, not any actually. Katherine moved to a new dorm and finally, FINALLY was able to have the roommate she's wanted for a year -- her friend, Erinn. It only took a year for all that matching bedding to come together. (Back Story: We just knew Katherine and Erinn would be able to room together since they requested each other as roomies. We had just spent 3 hours in Target, July 2010, buying matching bedding when we found out they weren't roommates!)

It was fun to see them put their room together and to watch the squealing and hugging that went on when they would see one of their friends from last year. It's going to be a great semester. Katherine has been asked to join the Honors College, of which we are extremely proud. She had 3.6 and 4.0 semesters her first year. She is taking Political Science, Psychology, Drawing 3, Oil Painting 1 and Art History.

SFA Besties, Michael and Erinn

Moseleys and Holmes leaving their girls

First Day of School - August 15, 2011

Summer, as always, ended too soon and school is already a week past. Little bit of shock for some who have been on the couch most of the summer. Names will be withheld to protect the lazy.

Class Schedules are:

Bex (Junior) - American Lit, College Prep Math, Physics, U.S. History, Journalism, Cross Country, Basketball and Track

Absie (Freshman) - English, Geometry, World History, Biology, Art, Spanish, Basketball and Softball

We took the usual "forced" first day of school pictures. How much more fake can Abigail's smile get? We quickly jumped in the car after these were taken. I had already preempted any fighting over who rode in front of the car by giving Rebecca upperclassman privileges for the first week. Abigail will get this coming week in the front.

I believe Abigail's backpack gets the award for heaviest. It's no wonder we are all at the chiropractor when having to lug around these monstrosities. I should send the school a bill!

I leave you with this final thought as we jump into our second week of school...

If there were no schools to take the children away from home part of the time, the insane asylums would be filled with mothers. ~Edgar W. Howe

A Short, Open Letter to My Children

Dear Holmes Children Still Living at Home (Not to Be Confused With the One in College),

YOUR LACK OF PREPARATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE AN EMERGENCY ON MY PART -- NOW OR EVER.

Thank You,

The One Who Gave Birth to You and Still Hasn't Forgotten the Pain

Oh, Canada - Part Three

This is the part where you can truly say, "OH, CANADA!!!!" There's a long story about how we traveled from a dump motel on the American side to the 33rd floor of the Embassy Suites on the Canadian side but I will save that for when I see you in person. I don't want you to miss my facial expressions and hand gestures.

This was the view from our room. I'm tearing up now just thinking about it in all its glory. I don't believe I've ever seen a view that was its equal and, might not again.

This is a little picture I'm titling "Jeff's Happy Place."

Wow. Just wow.

The flowers were incredible! Every color and kind you can imagine.

I was freaking out (ask Jeff) over the size of the hydrangeas and the hostas.

The hanging plants were huge!

This is a little picture I'm calling "My Happy Place."

The Falls at Night with Illumination

The colors would change every 30 seconds. Gorgeous!

And then, fireworks! Magical.

Absolutely one of the best trips of my entire life. Thank you, Michael and Christie, for getting married in Buffalo, New York, so I could go to Niagara Falls!