Category: Baking

Sorry, little blog…

NikkiLeave a comment

Yes, I have been neglecting you. I’m back now and want to be waaayyyy more consistent.

So, it’s almost Feburary, you may be thinking “What in the heck have you been doing since October?” You probably didn’t say that but I’ll imagine that you did :)

Friends, we have done too much. We’ve done way  too much for comfort, too much busyness, just plain too much. I have felt like that since we went to the beach at the end of the summer.  To some this might not seem like a lot, but for our family it was.

October- I went to NJ, NYC and NY and had a fabulous time. I could not have asked for a better trip! The kids went to Charlotte. Danny got quite a few things done around the house while we were gone. A week long trip takes a week to get ready for and a week to re-coup from.

November- In the beginning of the month we were still trying to get back on track. I had little projects here and there. Then we spent a week preparing for my family to come for Thanksgiving. After Thanksgiving, the kids and I went to my parents new place in FL. Danny came and stayed the following weekend. We also got to see my Uncle and his family, which was an added bonus.

December- We came back from FL, and had Danny’s work party. The next week, I had two Christmas parties and a girls night out.  Then that weekend we had a stay-cation for our anniversary. We hit every thrift store in the upstate up to Asheville, NC. It was a lot of fun. Danny took off work, so we had 5 days together. The house got a makeover, specifically our bedroom :) Which then brings us to the weekend before Christmas, we went to Atlanta and came home Christmas Eve. We like waking up on Christmas Day in our home :) Danny’s parents stopped in for Christmas and had dinner with us, as they made their way back from Atlanta.

Confused…

I am too! Oh, and sprinkle in 4 doctor appointments, an ultrasound, and bloodwork too! Their nephrologist believes that since they are progressing so slowly that transplants will not happen for another 5 to 7 years, if at all!! What a blessing! We know that this isn’t a guarantee  but it is exciting all the same! The next round of appointments will not start until the end of Feburary.

We hope that you are looking forward to the new year too!!

xo, nikki :)

ps- enjoy the pictures from October until Christmas!

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It’s O-L-Y-M-P-I-C-S time!!

Nikki1 Comment

I love, LoVe, LOVE the Olympics!!! l-o-v-e.

The Olympics have been on morning, noon and night. I thought that the opening ceremony was great! I watched every minute! Both children enjoy the Olympics but Marseille is memorized by it. Any male swimmer they see, they call Michael Phelps. On Saturday morning, the cycling coverage was on as were getting ready for a bike ride at Furman. While we were there, a high school marching band was practicing, and the kids thought that we were at the Olympics. Then we passed the clock tower and Marseille yelled out, “There is big Bentley!” ( Big Ben is short for Big Bentley). There were a bunch of cyclist and families bike riding and Bentley said, “We are in the race!” It’ so fun to see them put all the things I have been teaching them together.

Anyway, I couldn’t let the Olympics Opening Ceremony begin without a party, so we had a Par-tay!! Well, we had decorations and food.

Lunch – Fish (sticks) and Chips

 

Snack – Popcorn torches

 

Olympic Metals- Not finished yet.

 

Dinner –  Food from every Continent, as a symbol of the Olympic rings!!

 

Dessert – Olympic Ring Cinnamon Soft Pretzels

 

Decor – My sis helped me out with these! I painted two of the colors backwards… I’m going to be re-painting them!

 

And even some painted nails!! Glitter white, red and blue on my toes and blue, yellow, black, green and red for the Olympic rings on my fingers. Crazy I know!

 

I think it’s safe to say that I am a little obsessed! Poor Danny,  he isn’t quite as into it and makes a  huge exception for my engrossment with all things Olympics!

xo, nikki :)

Travelling at the speed of life

Nikki5 Comments

I have no idea what we have been doing for the past month! As Bentley has been trying to figure out how to make the minutes, hours and days go by faster, I am trying to find a way to slow it down! We’ve been doing a little of this and that, gardening, swimming in the neighbor’s pool, physical therapy, hanging out with friends, tons of trips to the library, and pink eye!

Since a picture says a thousand words, here are a few to fill in the gaps!

Making homemade pretzels — Bentley loves to take pictures

 

Trip to the mountains

 

The kids brought me flowers

 

Flowers from our garden.

 

Blueberry picking!! 1 gallon for $5!

 

Playing dress up! Marseille said,  “I’m getting married!” She loves to say that when she wears that dress :)

 

This head of cabbage was much bigger than my head. It made great cabbage rolls!

 

I rigged this noodle sprinkler for the kids. They loved it!

 

Shot time!!

 

Lazy 5 Ranch was quite an experience! We met Danny’s parents and the cousins for a carriage ride through a ranch full of animals. You were allowed to feed most of them.

 

Learning how to do the dishes

 

I found this praying mantis on the grill, I caught it but had to let it go because I couldn’t find any food small enough for it.

 

Pool time :)

 

I was so excited to find that my rosemary sprigs, that my friend gave me, had roots.

 

Our huge sunflowers! There are at least 10 of them in our garden and at least 9ft tall. I love to see all the busy bees on them.

 

I was so excited to find these eggs. Papa and Mama Blue abandoned their nest so the eggs never hatched.

 

Bentley found the nest. I dried it out and saved it. It is an American Goldfinch nest.

 

We started school on July 2nd. We did an American Revolution and Fourth of July unit. Bentley is making his cucumber sandwich to enjoy with his “taxed tea”.

 

Our Boston Tea Party. I even polished the silver!

 

We made a cake for the 4th of July.

 

It went right along with our 4th of July unit!

 

Prizes from the summer library reading program. We read 80 books in a month and they received a medal, a pencil, a sticky hand, bounce house tickets and baseball tickets. At the baseball game they get to be in a parade and get a free shirt! They were very excited!

 

They are nice medals!!

 

July 9th, was the first day of our Olympic unit. A is for archery. Water balloon archery :)

 

Aunt Becca helping Bentley learn how to use a bow and arrow! Bentley loves archery.

 

B is for Basketball

 

Playing Basketball

 

I cut open one of the sunflowers to let the kids look and touch it. They really enjoyed that. We observed the insects, and eggs that were on it. We made guesses at what ate the leaves. I showed them where the seeds developed and Bentley wanted to eat them. :)

Hope you enjoyed the update!

xo, nikki :)

It’s Fall!

Nikki6 Comments

Well, the month of September flew by. It’s always a little scarry when September ends because it seems like the rest of the year comes and goes! I have been feeling myself again and so I have been baking and cooking up a storm. I LOVE to cook. I think it is one of the most fun and statisfying things to do. You make something and get to eat it! Not just look at it, but smell, taste and see it!

A lot of these are pictures of my baking. I take pictures so I can look back and remember that I did it and push me to try more things. I really want to learn how to make all sorts of bread. This month’s baking has inspired me to try it. So soon I hope to make baugettes and crossiants. I don’t know how long it will take, but hopefully it won’t be too hard!

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