Another Anniversary Post...

Happy Anniversary to my little blog! It was on this day a year ago that I published the first post.

It's been really fun! Here are some flashbacks from Memorial Day Weekend last year, and then a few from this year. A lot changes in a year!

{Enjoying the weather on Memorial Day 2011}

{Meeting Bon Bon and Uncle Tobin for lunch on Memorial Day weekend 2011}

{First time in a high chair at a restaurant / Aunt Al's birthday party 2011}

{Aunt Al's birthday party 2011}

{Memorial Day weekend 2011}

{Someone is tired after church / Memorial Day weekend 2012}

{After church / Memorial Day Weekend 2012}

{Memorial Day 2012}

{Aunt Al's birthday 2012 / glad Levi would cooperate}

{Memorial Day weekend 2012}

To My Parents & Sister

Happy T H I R T I E T H Anniversary to my parents! We couldn't have better parents who have always loved the Lord and each other, taught us right and wrong, and have always been good role models without wavering. Thank you and HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!

............................Aaa-aand, Happy 21st Birthday to my sister! I will also tell you later today (when we go get pedicures) because I don't think you read my blog :)

Zucchini Bites

I found this recipe on Pinterest and it looked fun to me. We don't ever eat fast food (well, Levi and I don't...his father is on the road a lot and that is a different story - so I will say, "as a family" we don't ever do fast food) but one thing I have learned from the very few times Levi has had any fast food-types of food, is that the boy loves tater tots and fries.

The source I pinned from compares these bites to tater tots so it sold me. I, however, will not compare them to tater tots after making them because I think they are better. They are similar to tots in size and texture, but the taste is a lot greater. Squash and zucchini are two of my very favorite things - no matter how you cook them; a love stemmed from growing up with an abundance of fresh produce from my Papa T.A.'s 2-acre garden.

After making them, I also made a few tweeks from the original recipe to make them better. They're easy and quick and a great thing for my toddler to have as a snack or with lunch the next day (if we'd had any left!).

Ingredients:
2 C grated zucchini
2 eggs
1/2 small onion, FINELY diced
1/2 C shredded fresh Parmesan cheese
1/2 C regular bread crumbs
Salt & pepper

Instructions:
Grate zucchini and squeeze out all excess water into a paper towel. Combine all ingredients in bowl and mix together. Fill up each cup of a mini muffin tin, sprayed with cooking spray. Bake at 400 degrees for about 18 minutes, or until the tops are nicely browned.

Heirloom Cake Stand

This is yet another thing I acquired from my sweet great grandmother. Many of my family heirlooms once belonged to her...she had a lot of nice things to give and share.

The pictures might not do the cake stand much justice, but it is the sweetest light pink milk glass with lots of little details and textures. She had a large collection of milk glass and my mom has some of it now. I pull this out for Valentine's Day every year and use it throughout the spring (Easter, etc.). I also have used it every time we throw a baby girl shower at church. Other than that, it doesn't get a whole lot of use with all of our camouflage-boy-themed parties and celebrations around here, but I do love that it's in my cabinet ready to pull out at any appropriate time.

It's smaller than a standard sized cake stand - a very odd size in fact - and I have searched and searched for a dome to fit it for years. I have looked at antique stores, department stores, and basically every store that would sell cake stands and domes. A while back, I finally found one at Macy's. Thank you, Martha Stewart, thank you!

{My mom had this old picture at her house for some reason and I snatched it up, knowing I would be writing this post soon. It's a picture of my grandma with my cake stand}

A Quilt for Mom

I told you about the fabric scraps that my grandma gave me in this post and this post. Who knew that a little shoebox-sized storage container could hold something that could make so many cherished heirlooms! There were two different types of scraps that my great grandma had cut out. One type was the star-like shapes used to make the "Peace" pillows and my little memory quilt, the other scraps were strips she had cut out to make a fan quilt- a whole bunch of strips. The really neat thing was the the pattern was in the box along with the scraps (and it's very, very old!) that she planned to use for the quilt. I asked a dear lady in my church (who made Levi's baby quilt) if she would finish piecing the scraps together and finish the entire quilt for me, which I knew would be a difficult task. She happily took on the challenge and I didn't give her a deadline since I knew it would take a while.  

My brother and sister contributed and we gave the quilt to my mom for Mother's Day. It was a total surprise, which made it even better. She thought all the scraps I had were used on the pillows and my small lap quilt. Here are some pictures:

{We witnessed some tears...sign of a good gift?}

{Not sure what is going on here}

{Before opening gifts...she was wondering why anyone was taking pictures}

{The quilt pattern - we laminated it to keep it intact}

{The tag on the back}

InstaFriday

Pictures from the last week via Instagram

 

{Starting/Finish Line @ last week's race in Sallisaw}

{Dad, at about the 3k mark}

{Crashed at dinner}

{Dr. visit 5/7/12} 

{Mom & Dad's pool during a treatment - they said it was crystal clear and blue and beautiful the following morning}

{Warming up after swimming on a cool day}

{Comfort food during a long week}

{Levi & Hunter playing}

{Levi & Hunter playing}

{Levi & Hunter}

{Levi & Jake playing}

{After two play dates & a lunch date with Dad & Grandad, he couldn't quiet make it}

{After-dinner playground visit}

{This wasn't forced at all:)}

{Playing on the same equipment his mom and dad played on over 20 years ago}

 

Embarrassing Before & After

I love a good, dramatic change.