Honors Day 2010

Tuesday was a busy day filled with Honors/Awards Days for Trent and Laci. They both did a great job in school this year. So now it's my time to brag on them a little.

Trent's was first up. He received an A-B Honor Roll certificate for having made honor roll the whole school year, he was recognized for being on the 5th grade robotics team and for his team placing 3rd in regional competition, an Accelerated Reader goal award and the one he was most proud of, top scorer in the 5th grade in Accelerated Reader points with 458 points and 94% correct. The child loves to read and I'm so glad he does. Oh, he also received a $25 cash prize along with that.Great job Trent!



I headed over to the elementary school right after Trent's program to see Laci's awards day and party. She received an A Honor Roll award for making A's the entire school year, and an Accelerated Reader Goal award. Her teacher also gave each student an award especially from her that she thought of that was individually for them. Laci was given the Miss Manners Award. Mrs. Heaton prefaced it by saying that this child is always nice to others, very polite, proper and acts like a lady. She also said that Laci could have an adult conversation with you. I have to say I'm so proud of her achievements in academics, but as her mom, the manners award made me feel very happy inside! Afterwards they enjoyed a picnic lunch put together by their teacher, and parents snacked on cake and finger foods. We also got to see the kids perform a cute song and dance they put together. Mrs. Heaton was so nice to personalize pillow cases for them, as well as a framed picture and fun slide show that they each received a copy of. Great Job, Lace!

Thank You Teachers

Today is the last day of school for my kids. They are so excited for summer break! I didn't want to let these last days of school go by without giving their teachers a little gift of thanks. They have been blessed with AWESOME teachers this year!

This gift was a bit different than what I normally give, but I knew it would be appreciated by her teacher.We took her this basket of goodies for her to use next year in her class. They will not be getting any funds for supplies, so I hope this will help out just a little. It is a plastic tote I filled with copy paper, colored copy paper, dry erase markers, post its, Lysol wipes and a handmade card from Laci. I also attached a thank you note from my husband and I. Thanks Mrs. Deem!



My son has 3 teachers, so I opted to give all of them a potted flower with a little pick that says,"Thanks for helping Trent bloom!" I saw this cute idea at Skip To My Lou and thought it was perfect! I thought giving a flower was great because it's something that is different and they can enjoy it longer. I simply printed out the center for the pick and then punched a cute scalloped circle and glued them together. I then taped that onto a wooden stick. I also covered up the black pot with a piece of Kraft paper and tied on a ribbon. This one was still a bit wet as you can see. The teachers were thankful for the flowers and I'm thankful they were my son's teachers. Thanks Mrs. Parmer, Mrs. Pendergast and Mrs. Hurst!

Cream Cheese Brownies

Today I have a great recipe to share with you for Cream Cheese Brownies. At least, that's what I know them as. You might call them Gooey Butter Cakes like Paula Deen does, but my mom used to make these and I got the recipe from her so I still call them Cream Cheese Brownies. Whatever you call them, one thing is for sure. They are so good!!!

This is the only picture of them I snapped before I had to put them on a platter and take them to a baby shower. They were well received there and I even had a request from another girl who is expecting for me to bring them to her shower ......... or just bring some to the hospital she said.

Cream Cheese Brownies
1 box yellow cake mix
1 stick of butter, melted
1 egg
1 (8 oz.) pkg. softened cream cheese
1 box of confectioners sugar
2 eggs

Preheat oven to 350. Mix cake mix, butter and 1 egg until dough forms. Press into an ungreased 9x13 pan. Mix cream cheese, confectioners sugar and 2 eggs. Pour over dough. Bake at 350 for 35 mins.

Laci's Piano Recital

Laci has been taking piano lessons for 8 months now and she has learned and progressed a lot. On Friday night she had her first piano recital. Laci played three pieces: Jesus Loves Me, Magic Pony and State Fair. She did such a good job!! I so enjoyed watching her play. It's great to see her hard work and diligence played out in song.

All of the students played great. I think I could have sat there and listened to them through the night. It was great!! After the performances, her teacher gave out the awards to the students. Laci received 3 certificates, a special piano charm for bringing in her recorded tapes the most and a beginner's award trophy. She absolutely loved getting that trophy. It was her first one. She was super excited and when we got home she made a special spot for it. I hope she will continue to like playing the piano and loving music. It was fun to see her around the older students with more experience and how she just ate up everything they were playing. She watched and listened so intently.


She had the choice to curtsy or bow. Laci chose curtsy and her she is practicing before we left for the recital.

The Little Music Studio students (minus 2) with their studio certificates.

Sausage Quiche

Today I have a recipe for a delicious sausage quiche that is a family favorite. It's so easy to make and the recipe can be doubled very easily so you can eat one and freeze the other. I've made this for breakfast, dinner, baby shower brunches, and as a freezer meal for new moms. This quiche has such a good flavor with that yummy sausage and cheese. Depending on when we're eating this, breakfast or dinner, we usually round it out with a green salad or fruit salad. Delish!


Sausage Quiche
1 9-inch pie shell
1/2 lb. sausage
1 c. shredded Sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 small onion
1 Tbsp. flour
1 large can evaporated milk
2 eggs
parsley

Brown sausage; drain well. Place sausage in pie shell. Sprinkle flour in with sausage. Add cheese and onion on top of sausage. Beat eggs and milk together and pour mixture over sausage in pie shell. Sprinkle the parsley on top. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes or until center is set.

Blinged Out Cupcake Picks

It's Wednesday so I'm linking up to Works For Me Wednesday at We Are That Family. Today I want to share these blinged out cupcake picks. I looove putting little picks in cupcakes. They make so much more of a statement. Kinda like, it was just a cupcake and now it's a CUPCAKE!

My favorite way to make these picks is to use my scalloped punch from Stampin Up!. I usually punch out a circle and either print or stamp an image and glue them together. For these I used a zebra print paper I punched out with the scalloped punch and glued on a round circle in the center. I stamped a hot pink #7 in the center and blinged it out with glitter. To finish it up, I taped the scalloped circle onto a lollipop stick.(You could also tie on a small piece of ribbon to the lollipop stick) So simple and they turned out so cute!Ummm, I guess I'm forgetting that the cupcakes tasted good, as well. The kids(and teacher) thought they were pretty cool, too! Great for our 7 yr. old little girl!

Birthday Girl

Just thought I'd post a couple more pics of the birthday girl. She celebrated her birthday last Wednesday, but I didn't get around to these pics until now. Lace wanted a strawberry cake, so that's what I made her. This year we celebrated a little more low key. We had cake and ice cream at home. However, she did get to go out to her restaurant of choice, which was Ruby Tuesday and Nana & Grand dad also took her out to Baumhower's restaurant. Her and I also got our birthday manicures together,too. We both love that little tradition we have going. Her class at school sang to her as well and I brought in cupcakes for the class. Wow! I can't believe my little girl is 7!!!

Oh Snap!

Well, that's exactly what my husband's A.C.L. (anterior cruciate ligament) did last month. He has been hobbling around on crutches for the past month and he had surgery this past Thursday to repair his A.C.L. So, that's why their wasn't very much blogging going on here last week. I think I did manage to get in a birthday post for Laci. Hopefully I can get back to my bloggy ways this week. I have more b'day photos to share as well as a yummy recipe and more.

I hope all you mothers had a wonderful day yesterday. It was a happy Mother's Day for me even if it was chaotic around my house. I received a sweet gift and homemade cards from my husband and kids. Will thought about Mother's day before he had his surgery so it would all be taken care of before he couldn't really do anything. Wasn't that so sweet of him!! It was a good day and I was happy to be with my family. The kids have been doing a great job helping me and their dad while he is recovering. They help around the house anyway, but they have stepped up to the plate and have been doing more especially to help their dad. What a good example of giving service to others. We are so used to having his help around the house, so it's been different. I just take it one day at a time because his recovery will take a while and it could be worse. The house will be a little messier, the lawn won't be as trim, and dinner might not be on time, but that's okay. It's all good.

Happy Birthday Laci

Happy Birthday to our sweet little Cinco de Mayo baby, our Laci bug! Seven years ago today she came into the world with her sweet little face and adorable dimples. It has been seven sweet years of being her mommy. She's a mixture of sugar and spice...... and everything nice! My crafting partner, baking buddy, tomboy at times, girly girl, piano player, singer, little sister, big sister, daughter of God, beautiful,smart, spunky, caring and thoughtful little girl! Happy Birthday!!