Duke's Photoshoot

Yesterday, after I was done snapping pictures in the back yard, this is what greeted me on the way back to the door...

Me: "Duke?"


Duke: "What?"

Me: "Do you want YOUR picture taken now?"
Duke: "Who, me? Right now?"

"Let me just fix my ears...does this look alright?"

Me: "Say cheese!"

Duke: "Can't really say that, but here's my best attempt." (He tries so hard to do what I ask)

Aw...perfect...

I took this one for Rose Marie on the way back inside...

Back inside...Aspen was lounging and soon was wondering why I was sticking a camera in HIS face.

They are such good sports.

Spring Flowers

Stop and smell them.

A Sweet Week

Ok, so this week, we whipped up a few sweets. This is one of our favorite sweet snacks (you've probably seen it here before). It's quick and easy and who can go wrong with chocolate and peanut butter.

For this recipe, you need 3 ingredients: crackers, peanut butter, and chocolate.
Spread a little peanut butter between two crackers and dip in chocolate bark, and here is what you get:


Yummy...we usually use crunchy peanut butter for a little extra texture.

Also this week, was the return of the Pioneer Woman's pound cake. I made it for Bible study. We have dinner and desert every-other-Thursday, and the person who brought the main dish brought the Pioneer Woman's chicken spaghetti...and no, we didn't plan to have an entire meal from PW, but it sure was tasty!

And you can't have pound cake this time of year without some early-season strawberries.

mmmm...

Happy Birthday Kent!

While we were gone to Memphis my brother celebrated his 19th birthday! I hated to miss it, but I did leave him some of our family-recipe, yummy, made-from-scratch, yummy, chocolate-chip cookies...

Did I say they were yummy? What? I had to taste them for quality control...

This was my first batch of cookie dough made with my Kitchenaid mixer. Oh how I love the ease of mixing dough with this magic machine. Anyone who has stirred the flour into cookie dough can appreciate what I'm talking about. No more sore shoulders here! Now excuse me while I go wipe the flour from its shiny brow...

Lovin' my mixer...oh, and a Happy Birthday to my brother, :)

Another Cold Race

Last Saturday we arrived in the Memphis area to meet Ryan's parents for a visit and a 5K. We were greeted with sunny skies and 70-degree weather. Sunday morning, when we woke for the race, it was 49 degrees and pouring rain. Of course, this just seems to be our luck...if you'll remember...in Disney World, it was sleeting, then raining as the temperature rose just above freezing, last spring we ran through the rain at Oak Mountain...This just is just par for the course.


Pre-race

I crossed the finish-line in just over 29 minutes. Turns out I was second place in my age group, but don't get too excited, it was a small race...very little competition...most real runners would have left me in the dust.

Here comes Ryan: for someone who doesn't run on a regular basis, he did pretty good!

And Bobby...My running partner through it all! (I think I just about have him talked into a full marathon someday)

After...all wet...

P.S. By the time we got home on Monday, the temperature was back in the upper 60's, sun was shining without a cloud in site....You can shed a tear for me now if you'd like.

Sometimes it's nice to know...

...that someone appreciates what you do...
....that all you do....

....doesn't go unrecognized...

Even though I don't work any harder than anyone else who works a 40-something-hour work-week or harder than any college student taking a full-load of classes, Ryan thought I deserved a little something to brighten my day...and it worked :).