All the Ways I Love You

*Disclaimer: This is a sentimental entry and was intended to be entered on March 7th*

My sweet, sweet sister found a wonderful way to make this birthday special even though they are far away. She sent me some very cute bags with my initials on them that I have not yet photographed, but will soon, and this book. This is by far the best book I own now. It is, "All the Ways I Love You" by Theresa Trinder. Yet, that is not the reason I love it so.

This book is a gift from my nephews and that is so sweet but that is still not what makes this book my new all-time favorite book.

This little speaker is what makes this my favorite book. From this speaker I can hear with every turn of the page my sweet nephew Jack, 3, tell me he loves me and listen to my loving sister's voice tell me the ways they love me. I have gotten in the habit of listening to it almost every night before I go to bed. I must admit the first time I opened it up and heard his sweet voice I had tears in my eyes before I even reached the first page where they actually read. The first half is so funny because Jack literally shouts, "I love you!" each time. I absolutely love it and it is now one of my all time treasured possessions and would like my sister to know she could not have done better!!

What a Beautiful Day

*Disclaimer: This is the post for March 6th*

Today I had to go to the commisary, aka grocery store- for you non-military lingo'd folk, to pick up a few things for pasta salad Sunday. It was such a lovely day that I broke out a sundress from the closet and dressed it up with a jean jacket and my new favorite pair of boots. I must admit I was proud of myself for assembling such cuteness and now wish I had a picture to show it, maybe next time. Anyhow I decided to let the sunroof back so I could snap a picture of the beautiful skies God gave us that day!

Okay, the second one I actually got out of the car for but I am sure operation security will find nothing peculiar about a woman in the grocery store parking lot standing outside her car taking pictures! ;) Our good friends, Jim and Chrystal, decided to have people over for a cookout later in the day. Jonathan was, as always, the human jungle gym for the kiddos.

My little James decided he could not wait for all the food to be done and therefore would help himself to whatever he could get his hands on.

No worries, the pan was no longer hot so he was in no grave danger as I watched on. Speaking of my sweet James he has now come to associate me as "Meme." This almost brought tears to my eyes the first time he called me that and ran and gave me a hug because this is what my precious nephew Jack started out calling me before he worked his way to "Emmy." This little boy makes me heart soar sometimes and makes me miss my sweet boys back home. Here are a few other pictures from our grilling night!







Aaah the sweet aroma of a fire in the fire place...

...or just the candle that tries to capture the smell?

HUH? My sweetie had the best of intentions. He knows I love the smell of a fire in the fireplace but who would ever try to put this smell into a candle? It just seems silly and ironic! Anywho, as far as my nose has been able to distinguish it is nothing like the actual smell so I guess my favorite scent of winter will just have to wait until next year...bummer!

*Disclaimer: This post was intended to be written on March 5th and was therefore written as such!!*

Tight Squeeze

No the title of this post is in no way related to me and my daily battle with my jeans. ;)

*Disclaimer: This post was intended to be posted on the actual day these events occured and there fore will be written as if it was!*

Jonathan came to see me today at work while I took a lunch break so we could spend a little time together and so he could get beat at ping pong!! Lol. At least my tennis skills come in handy every now and then. He came closer than last time to beating me though.

Later that night at work, once the kids were out from school and filling the place with useless noise (just kidding), we discovered the one youth in the place you should never play hide and seek with!

In case you are wondering he most definitely can get his whole body, including his legs in the locker and be able to close it shut and lock it from the inside. Those of you out there that are thinking, "I can't believe this horrible woman allows this to happen." hold your horses because he can open the door from the inside as well and nobody was forcing him to do this! Puts a new spin on bullying- "Go stuff yourself in that locker!"

Cooking Class in Session

To celebrate getting my new camera and being able to picture blog again I got into the kitchen and decided to document my cooking processes by playing with the new camera!

Sunday February 27th
My sweet friend, Jess, makes this pasta salad for her husband to eat off throughout the week. Jonathan and I really like this idea so I decided to try it out. The first night I made some, all of it was gone by the next morning. It did not even last 18 hours! So I decided I would have to do what Jess does and make two batches at once. I already told Jonathan he has to make the double batch last for at least the rest of the week so that Sundays will be pasta salad day in the kitchen! :) Here are a few of the pictures from my afternoon in the kitchen.

Noodles all done!

Ready for the Italian dressing!

Peppers all diced, with some left over for Jon to munch on!

Cheese! This is when Cash's nose goes nuts and he bugs me to death!

All done and ready to be packed into containers!

So, in the end Jonathan ended up with three large containers filled with pasta salad. As of yesterday one was already gone. I had fun playing with the camera will cooking though.

Monday February 28th
So Monday after I got home from work a friend of Jonathan's was over so I popped some sugar cookies into the oven before Jonathan could get to the dough. This is where I am stretching to say it is baking because I used the break and bake kind! :) Anyhow, we pulled out the vanilla frosting and sprinkles and made some sugar cookie sandwiches with frosting in the middle. YUMMMM!! Here are the pictures from Monday.

Sprinkles, you gotta love all the colors!!!

Ready to be sprinkled!!