My Perfect Saturday

This has been a banner year for blackberries. So I have been in serious picking mode. It is really one of my favorite things to do. It is my therapy. I am out in our pasture picking God's free gift. Every once in a while, one of the kids will come out and pick a few berries with me. They get tired and go back to the house, but I cherish those precious moments with them. Here is a shot of McKenna getting some pretty fat berries.

We still have a great many of them, so call me and I go out with you and pick some. You all are invited. I even have some good berry cobbler recipes to share. You have to buy your own Blue Bell, though. We covet ours!!!(just kidding, I'll share my blue bell)

My Mother's Day

I had a wonderful Mother's Day Breakfast prepared for me by my Sweet husband, Matt. We had bacon, and egg bisquits. (one of my favorite breakfast meals.) No, I did not eat both bisquits for all of my First Place readers. Clayton finished the rest for me. Matt tried breakfast in bed, but it ended up just coffee in bed. We are to crazy busy for a leasurely breakfast in bed. I did enjoy my coffee in my new Anita Renfroe coffee mugs that go with my new Anita Renfroe desert plates. She is one of my favorite Christian comedians. I didn't even know she had a line of plates out. Matt went to the Lighthouse Christian Bookstore and found them. He is soooo wonderful!!!!!

We had a beautiful ceremony at church honoring all the mothers at our church with our pictures in a wonderful dvd dedication. Lanier and Ryan spent a lot of time preparing this. Thank You!!!

Me and My Mom Picking Blackberries

Carson drew this picture for me for Mother's Day. We had spent the afternoon one Sunday picking Blackberries together. I think he did an amazing job on this!!!! I am not sure what the gray objects are, but I love it!!!!! I will treasure this always. Thank You, Mrs. Burke for getting Carson to sit long enough to draw.

Baker wannabe

O.K. I am going to let you all in on a little secret. I love to bake. The biggest problem is that I am absolutely- well, an average baker. I have dreams of opening a tearoom with homemade scones, chicken salad sandwiches, pies, cakes, well you get the picture. The problem is i don't have knowledge of baking skills needed. So I am going to live through the amazing bakers that I know of and have found on the web. This is one of my favorite baking websites. http://www.cookiemadness.net/ I love looking at the pictures. Dreaming fondly that all my cookies turn out as pretty. Not the flat half-burnt ones in my past. I love to give others food that I have made. I just need to get better at it. No one likes food-poisoning!!!!! No, I have never given anyone food poisoning, but I have made some pretty mediocre cookies in my life.

Calling All Bakers

So I am calling all my friends for some major help

I have been asked to make 2 dozen cookies for the first grade cookie walk.

I need good recipes

I need helpful hints.

Tangled up in Fun

Well it was a valiant effort, but Matt and McKenna never could get the kite up in the air. They had a lot of fun, however. This was McKenna's first try at kite-flying. A whole lot of string and not enough wind!!!!

What is a Mother!!

We used to make fun of those typical Mother's Day cards that start with.."What is a Mother?" In fact, we would try to find one with the most glitter and flowers to give to my mom as a joke. My mom is not a glittery kind of gal. But she is an amazing mother. Trying to find the right mother's day card is daunting( especially here at our Madisonville Walmart) So I will try to tell in my own words what my Mother means to me.

Truth

Mom would tell me the truth to just about any question

(except sex-related questions-too embarrassing)

Beauty

My mom is indeed beautiful inside and out

(She is practically wrinkle-free and usually washes

her face with plain soap and water)

Faith

She has an unrelenting amount of Faith. Her love

For Christ shows in her Truth and Beauty.

(She had faith in me!!! Proof of abounding faith)

Fun

Even though our definition of fun may differ,

Her sense of humor is incredible.

(Ask me about practicle jokes she has pulled off)

Friend

My first friend. I have to share her with many

other women who call her a friend.

(She has had friends for 40 years + that she is

still close to.)

Compassionate

She attends more funerals than weddings, more hospital rooms on

ICU ward, than new baby ward.

(She has even logged time in the courthouse to support others who have

loved ones on trial)

Godly

40+ years of marriage. Enough said about Godliness

My siblings and I try to imitate her dedication to her husband.

So, that is my Hallmark Card for my Mom. Minus the glitter and flowers, but covered in truth.

I Love You

Mom!!

To all my friends that are mothers or Mothers -to -Be

Happy Mothers Day

You inspire me to be a better Mom.

I hope that you are served breakfast in bed Sunday

Sticky pancakes and all!!!

Enjoy your special day!!!!

McKenna's trip to LaLa Land

I just had to share this precious picture of McKenna getting her blood pressure taken just minutes before her tonscillectomy and adnoidectomy?? She looks so hesitant about what is going on. Her tonsils were so large. I can't describe how ugly big they were. I even got an OMG from the ENT nurse. She did so well. We had several visitors Thursday. Nana and PawPaw came to be with her and help with the boys that morning. Memaw came to the hospital. Our dear friends Kyley and Sergio came, with balloons, after Sergio's therapy. It was so good to see him. Julie and Emma brought McKenna a little stuffed animal that McKenna quickly named Sara. Ryan Frech got to flirt with his McKenna that evening. Thank You friends for all the calls and prayers for us. We marvel at how blessed we are to have such amazing friends

Put Me In Coach, I'm Ready To Play

I love Baseball Season.

I may gripe about the busy nights

but I really love watching

these kids learn to love the

game that I have always loved

to watch.

Clayton is all that with his

sunglasses. Don't ask. He's 10 going on 18.

He said that the sun was in his eyes.

We couldn't find the sun.

I love it.

Carson looks so serious in his

big red batting helmet.

He is not that into baseball, but

he is really improving.

Only a few weeks left. Come out

to Lake Madison and watch

some future Berkmans and A-Rods.

Cinco De Mayo

Happy Cinco De Mayo

I was in the fiesta mood Monday, so I decided to make a good Tex-mex meal for the family. Homemade Salsa, beef enchiladas, mexican rice, corn, and homemade berry cobbler. Peyton Wiseman helped me all afternoon. She was my taste tester. I love having themed meals. A little kooky, but it's all good!!!! I tried to find some mexican decor, but I don't have a lot of that lying around the house. We actually had a relaxing evening, due to a baseball rainout. Those are few and far between this time of year.