Hoppy Easter 2008!

What a wonderful day! Our Easter began with a very uplifting message at church. RB presented the resurrection by using EASTER as an anagram. Here it is:

E mpty tomb
A ngel who invited
S urprise
T ell it!
E xcitement
R esurrected Lord


Jason also presided over the Lord's Supper on Sunday. It was his first time to lead the congregations mind's to reflect on Jesus before the Lord's Supper. Despite his nerves, he did a really good job! I was proud of him.

After church services we came back to our house for lunch. Before eating we took lots of pics outside. Great-grandparents Shake-Shake and Granny. Popa/Shake Shake got his name because he uses a cane and every time the boys go to see him they shake his cane with him. It's a cute little game they play! They are my mom's parents.

GPop and Granna - my parents.
And us! Rylan, Jason, Kim and Jacob. Can you see the new huge bruise on Jacob's head... a fight with the antique washstand this time!
And our spread! In case you did not know, another obsession of mine is dishes and table linens! Mom and Dad gave me these pretty yellow ones for Easter. They are reversible and are a beautiful celery green on the back. They gave Jason his new sports jacket he's wearing.

We had pork roast, sweet potato bake and green beans. The sweet potato bake is a Paula Deen recipe. And for all you WW people, 1/2 C is 19 points!!! I used light butter and it took it down to 12 points per 1/2 C. But I had been saving my extra 35 points just so that I could eat the sweet potato bake and not feel guilty!!! By the way, it was worth every bite!
For dessert, Mom made a delicious pineapple upside down cake. The boys really, really, really liked it! Jacob gobbling it down.
Open wide Rylan!
After lunch we went over to Mom and Dad's beautiful backyard to hunt for eggs. The Bunny left them wonderful treats! Peter Rabbit books, an Elmo DVD, Baby Monet, sippy cups and turtle bath toys.Let the hunting begin!!!

Once Rylan discovered there were animal crackers inside the eggs, he was done hunting. Let the eating begin now!

Jacob on the other hand was very methodical about finding the eggs. He is so mathematical-logical in his thinking!

A little help from Mommy for Jacob.

Enjoying their new books!

Jason and I love holidays. It is so fun to have a nice meal, take millions of pictures and share time with family. But this holiday is especially special because it is centered around our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Beacuse of Easter, because He lives, we too can live eternally in heaven. Praise the Lord for the gift of His Son for us! It is our prayer, that we never lose sight of Christ and keep Him the center of our celebrations!

On another note... At our weekly WW meeting yesterday, I lost 3 more pounds! Yipee!

And yet another note... WE won Spring Sing! Way to go Ju Go Ju and Kojies! Alumni - be proud! :)

Horton Hears A Who

Last weekend Jason's parents came down. On Saturday we decided to take the boys to their first movie, Horton Hears a Who. I dug through my teacher stash and got out 2 stuffed Horton's and we were off! Here's the family before going in...

And Jason's folks with my three favorite boys!
Now let me say, as a teacher, I am always skeptical of books turned into movies. And, as a primary teacher, I L-O-V-E Dr. Seuss! In fact, I have quite an obsession for all things Seuss. But that obsession, I'll save for another post. We were all so excited for the movie and to see how the boys would react to being in the theater. We were ready...clutching our Hortons and all! They sat really still through the 15 minutes of previews. Then Jacob started squirming. He was a wiggle worm for about 15 minutes, then he fell asleep...sound asleep. Snoring and all! Rylan on the other hand was mesmerised by Horton! He sat glued to the screen for about 45 minutes. Then he fell asleep...sound asleep. So Jason and I really got to enjoy most of the movie and got extra baby cuddles.So how was the movie? I loved, loved, loved it! There were a few age inappropriate words, but nothing bad. And they stuck to the book really well in my opinion. The elaborations were true to Seuss and cute. I would recommend it to all little kids and their parents! So overall, our first movie experience was a great one!

"I meant what I said and I said what I meant! An elephant is faithful one hundred percent!"

Weight Watchers: Week 2

Yes, it's true...the post-baby curves and lumps have gotten the best of me. I'm tired of the "muffin top" - you know that roll of loveliness that goes over your pant waist. I'm tired of being down on myself and trying to squeeze into clothes that used to be baggy. So I have made a new commitment - Weight Watchers!

Two of my dear friends and I began this journey the day after returning from Savannah. We decided to start before the trip, but wanted permission to eat like COWS and not feel guilty - see Mrs. Wilkes House and The Lady and Sons.

So far I have lost 7.2 pounds! Yipee!!! I am really liking the Flex Plan and am finding it very reasonable. Of course, I am not using my Paula Deen cookbook for now, but bought a great WW one at Half-Price Books for $7! Another yipee!

Now instead of 2 waffles with lots of syrup for breakfast, I'm choosing to eat a heart healthy cereal with reduced fat milk and strawberries on top. Much more filling and tasty, if I might add! Lunch is no longer a bland turkey sandwich with sour cream and onion chips. It is beef tacos on a wheat tortilla with lots of salsa or a big huge salad with almonds, feta cheese, strawberries and light balsamic vinaigrette. And dinner has less casseroles (gasp!) and more things you cook in separate pots! Carrots, green beans, grilled zucchini, less fatty meats, no bread (another gasp!) and no more sweet tea (yet another gasp!!).

I am eating fresh fruit for snacks and drinking mostly water. I still get a few sweets in here and there, but it is all reasonable. So far, I am loving it!!! It is nice to go to the meetings and compare strategies with my friends. So if you see me at the next potluck with my own plate from home, please do not be offended...I'm just counting points! And if I decline snacking at bunko, give me a pat on the back instead of pressuring me to indulge.

Monday is weigh-in day... hopefully it will be less than last week! Have you ever done WW? What were some of your favorite low point items?

18 month photos

Heather's sister, Ashley, started a photo biz recently and she came down on Friday to take some pics of the boys. THEY ARE AWESOME!!! If you want to check out a preview go to www.ashleyallenphoto.blogspot.com

Isn't she talented? Doesn't she have a great eye? If you are in the area, she is a great photographer to use! Thanks Ashley - we can't wait to see more!

Spring Time Fun

It has been beautiful weather here lately and the boys have discovered that they L-O-V-E playing outside! They love to drive their Little Tikes cars in the driveway, they love to pick flowers, they love to swing on the swing set and go down the slide.

One afternoon we went over to visit Granny and Popa (my grandparents) and took the boys out in their backyard to run around. Here are their GIGANTIC smiles as Jason helped them run and swing up in the air!

Here are Jacob's dimples...

and Rylan's spiky hair blowing in the wind!
Have your kids been having fun outside?

The Lady

Last Friday night we ate at the famous Lady and Sons restaurant in Savannah. Getting a reservation is quite a big deal now that the Food Network has made Paula a star. Thursday night after arriving in Savannah we made our game plan for Friday. The plan was to eat lunch at Mrs. Wilkes House and then dinner at The Lady and Sons. We were told to go get in line at 3:30 for dinner reservations for Paula's. So we had it all planned out which sights to see and still get to Paula's by 3:30 to get our name on the list.

11:30 rolls around and we are in line at our FAVORITE Savannah stop, Mrs. Wilkes House (see Holly's and Lacie's blog posts) when we noticed the two ladies in front of us in the winding line had bags from the Paula Deen Store. So we asked them if they had already eaten there and how was their experience. They told us that they had just gotten their dinner tickets for tonight. What dinner?!?!? You were not supposed to get dinner tickets until 3:30... and once they are gone, they are gone. You are out of luck! SO Heather whips out her cell phone in lightning speed and dials Paula's. The hostess tells her they are taking 8:30 reservations right now. So Heather asks to put our names on the list. No can do... you have to come in person! Then Heather asks when should we come in person and the girl responds right now!

Now you see, Mrs. Wilkes is about 20 blocks from Paula's and we had found a PRIME free parking spot earlier that morning. So we had no choice. Lacie and I took off RUNNING through the streets of Savannah - boas, flamingo bags and all! Let me tell you, I am no runner. Lacie is. So as I was getting winded after about 5 blocks we stumbled upon Forsyth Park...WHAT?!?! We were going the WRONG direction!!! So now we turn around and RUN our little feet off in the right direction towards Paula's to get our names on the famous list for dinner.

20 LONG blocks later, we get there. The hostess tells us they have one more reservation for 8:45 - the last of the evening! So of course we took it. As we were walking back to Mrs. Wilkes, Lacie remembers - oh no! We have already reserved a $26 ghost tour for 9:00!!! There was no way to do both! So, we whip back out the cell phones and call Holly and Heather as they are waiting at Mrs. Wilkes. We decided that Paula was more important than the ghost tour. So I called the ghost tour people just to see if we could change our reservation. YIPEE!! They still had four slots for Saturday night! So now we were in the clear - Paula tonight, ghosts tomorrow night.

As we briskly walk back to Mrs. Wilkes, Lacie and I are trying not to die laughing at the sight we were to the people around us. Just picture it... 2 30 somethings in pink boas and the big tote bags running down the street! We did get honked at a couple of times! haha Then we started thinking about our adorable husbands and how they would just roll their eyes at us! (which they did!!!)

So 8:30 rolls around and we got to Paula's early. Here's the outside!

They sat us at our table pretty quickly. Then a delightful girl brought us a Southern specialty - hoe cakes and a yummy biscuit!
And of course there was more sweet tea! This was my favorite tea - the mint leaf added a little something extra!
Since we were still stuffed from Mrs. Wilkes FABULOUS meal, we all got something small - shrimp and crab dip and crab cakes for our table. Besides we wanted to save room for Key Lime Pie. Apparently Key Lime Pie is quite a "Savannah Thing." This pie was everywhere and even featured on postcards! So we got 2 pieces to split between the four of us. Let me say - best.dessert.ever. My mouth is watering just looking at the photo!
And of course on our way out we took our feet picture!
Eating at The Lady and Sons is a must in Savannah. However, it was not my favorite. The ambiance was the same as "Any restaurant USA" - nice dark wood tables, wood floor that looked new, dim lights. I was expecting a home-y place with a little more character. But would I eat there again? ABSOLUTELY - for the Key Lime Pie if nothing else!

Savannah 2008

This last weekend 4 best friends loaded up and left Texas to visit Savannah, Georgia! We had been planning since last May and it seemed like this weekend would never come! Our sweet husbands let us leave a total of 7 kids behind for 4 days of giggles, prayers, eating, chatting and good old fashioned girl time!

We arrived in Jacksonville, FL and headed north to Georgia. I became the official map person, just call me Mappy Maperson! This is us stopped at the Georgia welcome center.

Thursday night we ate our fancy meal at The Olde Pink House in Savannah. The story of the house goes something like this... the original builder in the late 1700's had the house made of red brick. Once the house was finished, he did not like the red color, so he had the house painted white. The red bricks had not fully dried so they bled into the white paint turning the house pink.

Not only was it a good story, but the food was fabulous! Holly had a whole flounder that was huge and delicious. Heather got tilapia, Lacie had pecan chicken and I had redfish. I did not think about Savannah being such a "fishy" town, but it was delicious!

Friday started with a trolley ride to hear the history of the town. We ended up having 3 different guides. The first was good, the second was HILARIOUS and the third was a cute grandpa. We all loved, loved, loved the trolley and not only got a feel for the city, but learned a lot of history. After the trolley ride we ate lunch at our absolute, hands-down favorite place - the Wilkes House. We waited in line for a little over an hour, but it was well worth the wait. You sit at oval tables for 10 and the food is served family style. There were about 15 bowls of different vegetables - collard greens, black-eyed peas, creamed corn, squash, fried chicken, pork BBQ, melt-in-your-mouth biscuits, sweet potatoes, etc. And I tried a bite of everything, even the tomato okra relish. Surprisingly enough, I liked the okra relish and the collard greens! Who knew?!?!? Jason says that food pics always look gross, so skip the next pic if you agree with him! :)
Besides the food being FABULOUS, we also made a personal connection with the Wilkes House. We wore our boas all around town and that brought a lot of attention and questions. At the beginning of our meal, a distinguished lady came to our table asking if we needed anything and of course we needed more sweet tea. As we were eating, we looked around the restaurant and noticed that the distinguished lady was in a lot of the photos. So we put two and two together and realized that she was the owner...none other than Mrs. Wilkes grand-daughter. After the rest of our table took their plates to the kitchen, she came over to our table and chatted with us for about 15 minutes. Of course, we feel like we are BFF's with her. This is us with Marcia and our new cookbooks!
If you don't know Holly, you would love her brain! She is one who thinks outside the box. At her suggestion, we did not take a smile-y posed photo at every stop...we took pics of our feet! This is the famous Forysth Park fountain. We had so much fun figuring out how to pose our toes around town. In this pic our legs were resting on the banister. I'm sure we looked silly, but it's a cool photo, huh?
That night we ate at Paula Deen's restaurant. Getting those reservations is a whole other post though. We had the last 8:45pm reservation. We were still practically stuffed from lunch at Mrs. Wilkes. So we got some appetizers and the biggest chicken pot pie known to man and the BEST Key Lime Pie in the world. Overall, Paula's was yummy, just not what we expected. You know me, I thought she was going to come sit at our table and become our new BFF (just like at Mrs. Wilkes House). But it turns out that she rarely goes to the restaurant...and most of the food is on the buffet. So if you are too full for the buffet, your choices are limited. My crab cakes were divine though and did I mention that the Key Lime Pie was to die for?!?!?

Saturday began with us driving to the South Carolina state line - just about 20 minutes away. Then we headed to Tybee Island. We WALKED up this 113 foot tall lighthouse. We WALKED up this tiny spiral, ultra steep iron staircase. There were muscles burning that I did not know that I had!!! But it was beautiful. I got a little woozie, up at the top, but am still glad that I experienced it. Looking out onto the Atlantic was breath-taking.

Kim and Holly at the top of Tybee Lighthouse.

Once we made it back down to flat ground, we walked over to the beach. It was SO pretty!!! The sand was white and the water was blue. There was no seaweed! We collected shells, let the freezing water roll over our barking dogs and took a lot of pics. This shadow pic was another Holly inspiration.

The girls at the beach!

Saturday night we rode a trolley ghost tour after touring Juilette Gordon Low's house. She was the founder of the Girl Scouts. If you were a Girl Scout, I highly recommend going to Savannah and touring the house. It was the perfect example of a well-preserved historical home.

Sunday morning we got up way to early to head back home. We had to leave Lacie on the plane to head north, which was very sad. But to our surprise, we had LOTS of happy faces, and happy feet, waiting for us at baggage claim. Welcome back to Texas!

We had the perfect four day retreat! To me Savannah means sweet tea, moss covered trees, laughter, lots of yummy food, pecan praline samples, historic houses, 2 wars, the beach, and my friends. Thank you to our families for letting us go and taking such care of all the kids. It was a wonderful reminder of good friends and that girls will always be girls - even when they are 30! Thank you Holly, Heather and Lacie for being my friend. I love you all! Can't wait for next year...