Happy Easter!!!

I just wanted to wish all of my friends a Happy Easter! I hope you all had a wonderfully blessed day in what ever you were doing. We played it simple this year and stayed home and spent the day with family.
We grilled out to keep it simple. And of course hunted way too many eggs.
I was so excited that Patrick actually dyed the eggs this year before he never wanted to get dirty. Anyway it is late and I am pooped so I am off to bed.
Again, I hope you had a wonderful day!!!

Being I am part Irish and so is my husband. I decided to make an all green meal for dinner last night to celebrate St. Patrick's Day. We always did this as a child and I wanted to do it with Patrick as well. So I plan this entire green meal...magic milk, leprechaun pancakes and bacon and shamrock biscuits. Oh the wonders of green food coloring.
Being as Patrick is so obsessed with John Deere you would think he would get a big kick out of this. But nooooo he screamed and cried the entire time and refused to eat it. And of course our niece who is 9 spent the entire time picking at it and making faces saying she didn't like it. I mean for real it isn't like you can taste the coloring. I tell you you can't win for losing with the little ones.
Oh well thought because I had a good time doing it and I guess we will just wait and see how they like it next year.

I have a layout all done..so stay tuned it will be up in the next day or two. I did it for a game of tag...so once they are posted for that I will get it up too.

So I am finally getting around to posting the layouts I did over at Scrapdango during the Crowned Competition during the month of Feb. It was so much fun! And I got alot done too. I can't wait for the next crop Carrie puts together.

This one was alot fo fun to do. This is of my cousin, Kristen and her prom date...they both attend the School of the Blind in Macon. I had alot of fun using the tiny bling crystals all over the page. And of course glitter...which I can't seem to get enough of lately.


This was fun and fast...and I love fast pages. More of our Christmas in the Smokies. I decided there needed to be a page in Patrick's album too.

I love distressing. I love how the background came out. It looks like leather to me. How about you?

This layout was a challenge for me to do for sure. Raw emotions for me to talk about my mom and dad. I love them and miss them very much.

Did this interview style...Also did this for the BOM challenge at Paper Popsicles

I had a ton of fun last month and they have some wonderful challenges going this month too. So if you haven't checked out Scrapdango you should!!!

Look how cute he is!! Patrick got his new glasses Monday. I am quite surprised that he has been wearing them without alot of fuss. He was so funny after we got them. He is seeing things bigger now than he was. He started fussing that he didn't want Trevor's head so big...lol. He was looking through them and then over them to see the difference.

I think he looks so much older with them on.

The John Deere Room

We also finished Patrick's new John Deere room! There was a little more that I wanted to do but maybe later...I just ran out of time. I really wanted to put some metal around the bottom of the room with a chairrail...but we will see.

His new bedding hasn't arrived yet and I still have to get his Easter decorations on his tree. Yes that is still a Christmas tree...lol. He loves it so much that we just leave it up and change out the decorations.
And his headboard isn't finished yet either. We are refinishing it. Wow now that I am typing this it doesn't really sound like we are finished with it. There are also several other puzzles that will go on the walls but they aren't done either. You can tell where they will be...lol.

The finished Playroom...FINALLY!!

I know I have been missing lately but it is because I was trying to finish up a couple of projects while Patrick was in Colorado!
So here it is in all of its glory...lol. This room was alot more work than I was thinking it would be...seriously what was I thinking...lol. Nick says he will hate to ever paint over. OH No it will be here when our grandkids are visiting..hehehe.

The baseboards are down now but I wanted to get these pics taken while I still had daylight and none of the stuff was in the room.

The barn scene was a mural I bought from WallNutz.
The Elmo scene and tractors were hand drawn by my husbands cousin Evan...he is 14. He is a really great artist.
All of the rest was drawn by me or at least traced by me...lol
My husband and nephew finally got to put the flooring down. I am so excited and Patrick loves his new room.

The chalkboard is just chalkboard paint painted directly onto the wall. Nick built a frame around it. I am not sure I will enjoy the cleanup that will be involved with this.
So what do you think of it? It is a bit over the top I know. But things just kept getting added to it. Patrick knew exactly what he wanted and he wanted all of the animals that he wanted.

Wow...It sure has been a busy month for us. I have been hard at work trying to get some projects done around the house that I have been putting off for way to long. Finishing up some painting in the playroom and other places. We also got the laminate down in there...woo hoo!!! So I will be moving Patrick's toys upstairs this week. I will also have his John Deere room complete this week. So by the time he gets home from Colorado I will have him all settled and I will have my new craft room set up.
I will post pics of the playroom tomorrow. I have to charge my camera battery first...argh.

I will also be posting some pics of layouts I did while at Scrapfest Feb. 23rd. I got 7 layouts done that day and 2 the next. That is alot for me in one weekend...lol

Here are a few of my recent creations. I have been on a roll lately even with being sick. UGH..I hate colds. But anyway back to the topic at hand.
Most of these were quick and simple...my favorite style most of the time..lol.

I love these photos of Patrick helping me bake our annual Christmas ornaments to paint.
What you see: Him being very helpful and cutting them out like a good boy. What you don't see: Him screaming, crying and throwing a fit because I want to take his picture and am trying to help him out.
I love this picture of Patrick with his special blankie...Isn't he a cutie!!!
I had planned to have a picture to go with this layout but Patrick screamed the entire time and clung to me so hard that I forgot to take the picture. I love those grungeboard wings!!

I never do layouts about my birthday but I thought I would give it a try. I love these noteworthy papers. I hand cut the scallops. I also used another of Sheila's wonderful stamps...aren't they great you should check out her site.

Pecan Pie

So I was challenged to blog about a recipe or two that I am famous for, one that everyone asks me to bring. Well it is not that unusual or that much different than anyone elses but everyone always asks me to bring it. It was my moms recipe and since she is gone now it is up to me to supply it. It is pecan pie...it isn't as sweet as most peoples...I also make my own crust. It makes a world of difference from the store bought kind. ( Just a note: it isn't all that complicated really...it just seems that way ;))

crust
1 1/3 cup all purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup ice water
1/3 cup very cold margarine (cut into small pieces)

Sift the flour. Combine the flour and salt in a bowl. Mix the dough with a pastry blender or 2 knives (this works best for me) cut in the margarine. Working quickly, work the margarine into the flour until the mix looks like marbles, and every piece of margarine is covered with flour. Sprinkle with water, 1 Tbs at a time. Stirring with a fork or hands (this works best for me) until mixture begins to come together. Form into a ball and wrap in plastic. Chill for 1 hour. Chilled dough is easier to work with and makes a flakier crust. You can freeze it for later use as well.
Roll the dough. Working on a floured surface, roll the dough into a 12 inch circle. Don't use too much flour our your dough will be tough. Place dough over a 9 inch pie plate and press into the bottom so no air bubbles form. Cut excess dough from the edges.

pie filling

1 stick butter
3 large eggs beaten
1 cup chopped pecans
1 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup light corn syrup

Mix all ingredients together...adding pecans in last. Pour into pie crust. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes.


This was the only way my dad would eat pecan pie because it wasn't quite as sweet. Sometimes I still cut down on the sugar and syrup...but just be sure to cut in equal amounts.

Enjoy!!!

Finally my YITL cards 1 thru 6

So I have finally gotten around to taking a picture of my year in the life cards. I have been following along with Suzanne's challenge. She posts a new word every week. It has been alot of fun and I am making them 4x5.
The first word was Resolve...this one was simple for me resolutions of course.
Winter was not so easy for me...I don't like winter it is so drab and yucky here...no real beauty everything is brown and we are always sick.


Blue was easy it always means water to me.
Proud..I am always proud of Patrick and proud to be his mommy.

Red was a bit of a stumper for me...I don't really like red..I don't wear red often so I wasn't real sure on this at first. But the more I thought about it the I thought of Christmas...
Love...I love my family

I know not that exciting but it is me..lol. I hope to actually get these posted everyweek from now on. I just kept forgetting to take pictures.