Madalynn

Sometimes life happens so quickly that you look back and it's such a blur, especially the hard years when kids are babies and toddlers. Madalynn is 10 now and it's not quite the same kind of hard years, thank goodness. I'm sure those will return soon, she will eventually be a teenager, I know. Just for memory sake, here are a few recent pics of our girl...

kinda up close and personal (she's only wearing lip gloss)

a day at the river (yes, again)

playing in the waterfall

practicing a selfie

photo courtesy of Madalynn, flowers at Mom's

Love this girl so much, she has such a kind heart and she is just wonderful.

~Tara

In Our Element

After a long week of rainy days, Sunday the sun came out. As the Easter sunrise service was finishing up, the sun burst up over the trees across the lake. It was beautiful really, and felt so nice on my face... it was really cold that early in the morning.

We went on from there to Easter services at our church. It was a great day there. We held our services in a different location than usual to accommodate a larger crowd. There was probably around 750 people attend the two services that were held.

After lunch, we had to drag ourselves from the recliner but we managed to get out for a hike to the river. It was a nice afternoon despite the fact that the Pathfinder nearly ran out of gas. Thanks to a faulty gas hand, we ever know how much gas in in there. We like living on the wild side obviously.  I was so scared we would have to walk to the gas station, which would have been very difficult since the hike out from the river was nearly straight up. Thankfully we made it home ok and enjoyed time together being in our element. Maddie did get tired of waiting while the boys were fishing, so she made a sign out of sticks that said, "We at car." She was begging me to start walking out and leave the boys "in the dust".  Unfortunately my phone died that very moment and I couldn't snap a picture.

Being out at the river is like hitting the reset button for me. And that was just what I needed.

~Tara

What they did on Spring Break

Spring break was kind of a bust. The weather didn't want to cooperate with any plans. It was rainy several days and turned very cold. There was frost one night that most likely bit my tomatoes that I planted last weekend.
Here's a few pics from the morning the kids and their dad went turkey hunting.

We spent Wednesday as a family and ate lunch at Tupelo Honey Cafe. We went to Gravitopia and the kids spent a while jumping on trampolines and into foam pits.

Thursday the kids went bass fishing with their dad. They caught a lot of fish and had fun which is all that counts.

Monday's coming quickly and it will probably be rough starting back to another school week routine. Only 6 more weeks of school, give or take a day or two.

Happy Easter!
~Tara

Artsy

Both of my kids enjoy art. Blake has taken art in middle school all 3 years and has art on his list of electives for 9th grade. Maddie like to craft and is in her after school Art Squad. This year a piece of her art was selected to be on display at a local venue. We went last night to the reception and unveiling of her art.

They obviously got their artistic ability from their dad because I have absolutely none. I can do a few crafty things but mostly after I've seen the idea somewhere else and copy it.

She was not very enthusiastic about posing for this picture but she managed a semi smile.

This is her "Honey Ant."

~Tara

Spring Break

It's spring break week, finally! We have no official plans but will play it by ear and see what happens.  I know there will some fishing since the kids will be spending the week with their Dad. I have to work.  Maddie had the stomach virus this week and missed a few days of school. Then her retainer broke. Life, there's always something.

~Tara

{this moment}

{this moment}

Yellow Branch Falls- Spring 2014

~Tara

Go Take a Hike

Sunday after church the kids and I took a hike. We hiked to Yellow Branch Falls. 

The water was still cold but that didn't stop them from pulling their shoes off and wading around in it. It was a beautiful day and we enjoyed being out in it.

~Tara

Secret Recipe

I make a super easy cake that is so wonderful. Bryan's shift and dispatch usually always request it anytime they have a meal together at work. This morning I got up early to make one and it's shameful how easy my semi-famous White Wine Cake is.... and I'm gonna share the recipe!

White Wine Cake

1 yellow cake mix

1 small box vanilla pudding

1/2 cup sugar

2 tsp. cinnamon

1 pinch nutmeg

4 eggs

1/2 cup water

3/4 cup canola oil

1/2 cup white wine

1/2 cup chopped nuts

Coat a bundt pan with Crisco, sprinkle nuts in the bottom. Mix all the ingredients and pour over the nuts.

Bake one hour at 325.

Poke holes in the cake with a knife when it comes out of the oven.

Make this glaze.

White Wine Glaze

1 stick butter

1 cup sugar

1/4 cup water

1/4 cup white wine

Melt butter, sugar and water on low heat for a couple minutes.

Remove from heat and add wine. Pour glaze over the cake and let it rest a while and become magical.

Turn the cake out onto a cake plate and enjoy!!

Don't cry too much if the cake doesn't come out of the bundt pan perfectly, mine rarely do, but the better you grease the pan the better your chances are.

"Ugly cakes still taste wonderful"~ according to my dad! 

~Tara

National Donate Life Month

April is National Donate Life Month. As I have blogged about before, our family is a donor family. When Bryan's mom died in 2013, her life saving organs were donated. A wonderful gentleman named Gary received her liver and it saved his life. He has since become an advocate for donor awareness. He is holding the First Annual Save A Life Golf Classic in Charlotte, NC. The goal is to raise awareness for organ donation and honor donors and their families also. It's in October and we are looking forward to being there for it.

It's a tragedy any time you lose a family member. An awesome gift of love and selflessness can come though when you donate your organs. We have gotten to witness someone have life and become part of our family. We also honor Peggy's memory and how much she loved all of us by allowing her organs to help someone else.

It's an honor to donate and if you have not chosen to be an organ donor, go do it today.

courtesy LifeShare of  The Carolinas

~Tara