Patty Cake, Patty Cake

We're a couple of baking girls! Our good friend Molly turned 24 yesterday. I had the privilege of making her birthday cake for the little party we attended last night! She has a super sweet husband. I knew this before I ever met him. He won me over by coming and taking pictures of our current home before we ever moved here. He emailed them to us so I could have an idea of what our new house was going to look like. As you can imagine it is a little tough moving so often and to make things worse moving to a house sight unseen. Kenny erased a little of the unknown for me and I've always been grateful for that. So, being the sweet guy he is, he had gone to the effort to get a cake recipe from Molly's sister that he knew she would love. I set out, with a little help from my trusty assistant Carter, to make a beautiful birthday cake. It was a chocolate chip cake that called for a bunt pan. This initially made me a little nervous. I always feel like the cake is just going to fall apart when you turn it over. We were up for the challenge though. Carter enjoyed pouring, stirring and mixing. We followed the directions to a T and much to my dismay I turned it over, after letting it cool, and it literally looked like I dumped a bowl of cake batter on my counter! A little disheartening, but we're not easily deterred. After a quick trip back to the store to replace a few items we had "ruined" we were back at it! I knew we needed to let it bake longer so we camped out in front of the oven and checked it periodically:

Our patience paid off and as Carter put it, "the cake didn't melt this time mommy!" Don't worry it's going to get a nice coat of butter cream frosting to cover up the rough spots!

I was a little nervous about whether or not the cake would TASTE good. That's the bad thing about cake you can't really slice a little taste out without it being really obvious! So, I just a said a little prayer and hoped for the best. Meanwhile, I potted this cute little flower for Molly. I've decided that a pretty plant in a nice pot makes the perfect gift for a spring or summer birthday.

We had a great time at Molly's party. She and Kenny were great hosts and had all sorts of fun food they had spent the day putting together! They are wonderful friends and we are so thankful that our paths crossed! Happy Birthday Molly...

Everyone assured me that the cake tasted great and I have to agree! It's always rewarding when people enjoy the fruits of your labor...even if it did take perseverance to pull it off! The biggest reward however, was a great big chocolate kiss from my little assistant, who just loved licking the spoon!

Happy Birthday Joan!

I'm trying so hard to be diligent with this...but I knew sooner or later I would overlook someone! I can't believe that I managed to miss wishing one of the truly wonderful people in my life a Happy Birthday! Joan--You bring so much sunshine to our world! You're positive outlook and view point toward life is inspiring and contagious. We are so blessed to have you in our lives and are so thankful that you are Carter's Grammy! We love you!

Mary, Mary quite contrary, how does your garden grow?

I decided on a recent trip to the library to check out Babes in Toyland for Carter. I remember liking that movie as a child and thought it might be fun to watch again. It is amazing how things have improved over time. After watching it a few times I've got nursery rhymes on the brain and couldn't help but apply it to my budding flower beds. Last year around this time my mom came for a visit. She and I tore out most of what was in my flower beds and did a little re-planting. The most improved award goes to the Irises that she transplanted from the beach behind my house. They looked pretty sad last year...but have taken off quite nicely! Here is Carter in front of them before church on Sunday:

I am greeted by these blooms as i drive up everyday and it makes me so happy!

This is another little spot filled with things we moved from the "wild" they all survived and are doing really nicely!

The grasses that we planted definitely earn second place for most improved! They were only a fraction of this size last year...I guess the Washington rain is good for something!

My walkway greets me cheerfully and welcomes us to our home sweet home! We actually have 2 newly built birds nest above our front door!

Sun is good for growing plants, and little girls! At Christmas Carter received this shiny new trike, but was still a little to short to reach the pedals. What a difference a few months makes!This video ends a little abruptly due to a minor spill. No permanent injuries were sustained and I'm happy to report she dusted it off and got right back on!

Last but not least I snapped this photo of Carter today during her afternoon snack...one word...
Chillin'!

Happy Birthday Mimi!

Growing up whenever I saw a photo of my Mimi I remember thinking she looked like a movie star. She was beautiful and seemed so glamorous. I remember our whole family spending an entire evening at her house just oohing and ahhing over a shoe box full of her old photographs.

We never had a chance to meet my dad's dad, he died when my dad was in college. But, I always loved this photo of he and my Mimi together, they looked like they were having so much fun:

When my sister and I were little she would let us play in all of her old petticoats that she had worn out from square dancing. She was the most beautiful (and stylish) square dancer I've ever seen:

She made a point to create a little tradition of taking us to the zoo every time we would visit. I loved that. We would always ride the train. She was a wonderful grandmother.

And, as I've grown into an adult she's just as wonderful! She and my Papa are some of the most generous and thoughtful people I know. When Nate and I had a been married a year we received a surprise 2nd honeymoon of sorts. My grandparents took us, along with the rest of my family, on a week long Caribbean cruise. It was such a wonderful gift...memories are something that can't be bought.

My Mimi is a timeless beauty. She is one of the most graceful women I know. She may be turning 80 today, but you would never know it by looking at her. Mimi I love you so much. I hope your day is as wonderful as you are!

Champion of My Heart

I'm currently in a sappy state. Nate is heading out soon which always makes me act like a mental patient with 21 different personalities. You can tell just by looking at my poor husband he doesn't know which "Beth" will evolve from moment to moment. It might be my sweet as pie persona or short fuse sally...you just never know these days. He is a trooper. They make him take some class on what your wife goes through when you leave home so maybe that means he's better prepared. Maybe they teach your husband to expect you to gaze lovingly at them for no reason at all and the next second for you to bawl like a baby. I realize as I'm writing this I may be outing myself as an overly emotional loon...maybe I'm the only girl that reacts this way. If so poor Nate. Luckily he always seems to know just how to soothe the me. He's like Mentholatum to a stuffy nose, ice cold water after a long run, a hot shower at the end of a hard day...you get the picture. Maybe that's why my state of mind goes a little toward the crazy side every time he leaves. It's sort of hard to imagine not having Mentholatum, water or a nice hot shower now isn't it? Ok, I could get by without Mentholatum, but other than that you sort of need water and showers on a daily basis. So, I guess if I continue down metaphor lane, when Nate is gone I'm left dehydrated and stinky. Ok, I think I've taken this far enough...but you get the picture. I miss him when he's not here. Sometimes I feel like I'm not cut out for this. I realize there are girls out there who just love being a military wife, they covet the title. I love being Nate's wife. So here's where things get tricky. Nate loves the military, does that mean I love being a military wife? As it relates to him, yes. He makes me so proud. He has excellence ingrained in his soul. He doesn't know how to fail or skate by as "average", it's just not in him. I love seeing him succeed and reap the benefits of all his hard work...it is a great thing to see someone you love excel. You know what else I love? The way he makes me feel like I'm such a part of it. Like we're doing this as a team. I don't wear a flight suit or head off to far away lands, but he makes me feel like this just wouldn't be possible without me. It would. But, do you know what it's like to feel like such a part of something? It is a wonderful thing. I love him so much for taking his successes and sharing them with me...for allowing me to feel like a success too. He is my partner, my best friend, and to borrow a line from one of my favorite movies, the champion of my heart. He's not bad looking either...

In honor of Swimsuit Season

I'm pretty pumped. My husband bought me a laptop today!! YEA!! This feels like freedom to me. I love the thought of being able to escape from the confines of our desk to the living room, backyard, or even an occasional coffee shop! I also love the thought that when Carter and I travel all my computer "junk" can travel with us. The possiblities seem endless! So, I'm organizing all my stuff in order to "transfer" it over. I'm trying to delete all the meaningless things I have accumulated, sort of like spring cleaning for the cyber world. As I was going through TONS of photos we have scanned, downloaded, etc. I ran across a couple that I don't remember ever seeing. I'm sure I have, they just didn't stick out to me at the time. Maybe it's because I couldn't imagine Carter ever being anything other than what she was at that exact moment. I didn't know that in just a short amount of time she would no longer be my chubby little baby, but a leggy toddler. She was (and still is) pure joy to me. So, in honor of swimsuit season I thought I would share Carter and I enjoying the water a couple of summers ago.

This one was taken in a kiddie pool at our house in Jacksonville...how could I have know that "gummy" grin wouldn't last long:

The second one is at the pool on base in JAX. I'm getting ready to...

KISS YOU!!!!

I hope your swimsuit season is full of kisses from the ones you love and lot's of sunshine!

Happy Birthday John!

John is my sisters husband! Today is his birthday and he is spending it like only a really cool guy would as a river rafting guide in Colorado. That is how he and my sister met, which makes them both pretty cool if you ask me. John is a really great guy! He is easy going and smiles a lot and is just a really fun person to be around. He is always willing to help you out and never acts like it bugs him in the least, I like that about him. He is a great friend and an even better Uncle. He even babysat Carter for a whole day last year while Nate was on det. and I was visiting them. He let my sister and I spend a day together shopping and hanging out, I told you he was cool! So, Happy Birthday John! Our family is a better place with you in it!

John and Kim's Engagement Photo:

Pre-wedding last July:

Our family couldn't be happier to have you in it:

Carter is pretty happy herself:

Happy Birthday John! We're so glad you're here!

Piece of Cake

We have just returned from a little weekend get-a-way to Seattle. Nate is leaving in two weeks and we are trying to make the most of the time we have together. We left Saturday and headed for Sesame Street Live! Carter was really excited about meeting all the characters (we were slightly nervous she might freak out). Here is our happy camper on the way to the show:

She was all smiles as we hung out while dad purchased the popcorn, candy, and coke Carter politely requested the second we entered the event center:

Nate had done a great job picking out our seats and we were front and center in the third row! I think we were all super entertained once the show started. They had re-done a few popular songs so I think that helped keep the adults interested...see if you recognize this one:



Carter and Nate posed for me during intermission:

And we all loved the grand finale!

We were also pretty proud of the fact that the only souvenir we purchased was an Elmo balloon! Here is Carter, Nate and our new friend Elmo leaving the show:

As a side note it was the warmest day I have ever experienced in Washington...I was loving it! We took our sunny selves and headed to our hotel. We spent a couple of nights at the Embassy Suites which I would highly recommend for traveling with kids! Two rooms for the price of one and free breakfast can't be beat! We ventured out for dinner and enjoyed stuffing ourselves at the Macaroni Grill:

I was hoping that shopping would be on the itinerary for Sunday but Nate had a better idea (ok it took some convincing on my part, but it really was a better idea)! We went downtown and took Carter to the Seattle children's museum. She had a really great time. She was able to do a lot of her favorite things, like reading:

Painting: This is how the professionals do it (two handed painting takes talent people):

Carter and I took a peek from a whale spout:

She and Nate enjoyed exploring the wombat cave:

They were partners in crime fighting fires:

And Nate enjoyed the drums (maybe a little too much):

Here is our little budding computer genius:

I think her favorite activity of the day was the area they had set up like a supermarket. She would have been the cashier all day if we had let her...turn up your volume for a laugh:

After the museum we headed out to the "Fun Forest". We have officially upgraded from the carousel (although she enjoyed that too). Carter is now a kiddie riding fool. Here was the first ride of the day:

She and Nate enjoyed a little Father/Daughter time on the carousel:

The next ride just about gave me a heart attack:

And I surprised myself by agreeing to some family fun on the Ferris wheel:

Nate and Carter spent that afternoon in the pool and I got to do a little shopping after all! The big find of the weekend for me was a new purse and wallet. It was actually my Mother's Day gift. Nate knew I had been wanting a change and "gifted" me with picking something out! I found this grass green purse (made in Italy) and Lucky brand wallet at TJ MAXX. Can we just have a moment of silence for how amazing that place is...I love it! So, not to be tacky or anything, but these two items would have retailed for around $400, I paid a fraction of that at $100 for both. I just get so excited about saving money! Now I know bright green purses aren't for everyone, but I just love color (and I convinced myself that bright green is a neutral color, after all grass is everywhere and it seems to go with everything!):

We then met our friends Jordan and Jaime for another delicious dining experience at P.F. Chang's YUM! Carter had been fresh from the pool right before we left so I had the opportunity for my first try at a french braid. I was pretty proud of the outcome and she looked really pretty, it was wet when we left, but had dried nice and neat by the time we arrived at dinner:

The next morning we packed up and headed out (Carter enjoyed riding the luggage cart):

We made our way down to Ikea for a few hours, surprisingly I did very little damage! Our last stop of the day was the airport. Nate was headed out for a conference in CA. It's only for a few days but I was still a little irritated at Uncle Sam. I just wasn't too happy with the fact that he is leaving next week and we didn't get to spend some of the time I was counting on with him. I was reassured by the fact that there is no rule in life that guarantees things will be a piece of cake. As Carter and I drove out of the city and headed to our remote little corner of Washington I couldn't help but think about how cool Seattle is. I'm so glad we've gotten to spend time here.