Weekend Happenings

We had a fairly relaxed, low-key weekend! It was so nice.

Friday, I got off work in time to run to a consignment sale with Derek. They didn't have much left (it was the second to last day) but I did find two cute play dresses for Anna-Kate and the cutest Harding cheerleader uniform that I got a great deal on! She was so excited about it that she wore it all day on Saturday!

After we picked the kids up from school, we had to run an errand to the fire station. Anna-Kate went with her class earlier this year so she was pretty excited. When we got there, they let her get in and sit in the driver's seat. She was pretty nervous and wanted Derek right by her side. Thomas, on the other hand, was thrilled and could not wait for his turn! Before we left, they flashed the lights and Thomas just giggled! Future fire fighter on our hands, maybe? I wish I had taken pictures but I didn't expect to get a tour of the truck!

On a side note- did you know they had to leave the truck doors open? It makes sense now that I think of it, but dummy me shut the door! ha! I was a little embarrassed, but they didn't say anything!

After the fire station, Anna-Kate wanted to eat at Chick-fil-a, so we decided to go. After we ate, we saw my friend Amanda, her husband Jordan, and their son Jackson, so we decided to stay for some ice cream! While we were talking I let Thomas play. He's played before but never been interested in climbing. I guess Jackson encouraged him, because he went all the way to the top and just hung out! He stayed up there for a while, but Anna-Kate made sure and checked on him. I finally had to come up there and get him down so we could leave. While I was coming down this little boy said "um, you're too big to be up here" ha! Gotta love his honesty!

Saturday, we got up and decided to go over and see Derek's parents. Derek's mother and I went on and made our grocery run while the girls played.

When I got back, Anna-Kate was bawling! Apparently, the dog had bit Anna-Kate when she tried to pet one of the little puppies. Derek calmed her down but then Anna-Kate got my camera out of the diaper bag. Derek's dad told her that the camera was for mommies to use and it hurt Anna-Kate's feelings SO bad! She has been on a kick lately where she thinks she's a mommy. She has about 5 babies, so that does qualify her... :) So when she got my camera taken away and was told that she actually was not a mommy, she lost it. You guessed it- she was beyond ready for a nap! :)

We had a normal afternoon evening. It was our cooking Saturday, so that's mostly what we did but we had it all cleaned up by about 7:30.

Derek had the guys over for a long game of Risk. Seriously- you don't want to know how long the game lasted! (5 1/2 hours!) Thankfully, Derek has been working hard to get our shed cleaned out and converted into his "man cave" so they played out there.

Today, we had Derek's family over for lunch... my first pork pot roast. It turned out so good. I think I'm going to switch over to pork roasts all the time from now on- so tender! I also made Pioneer Woman's Chocolate Sheet Cake. That's my absolute favorite thing. It's fast and simple to make and it's so good it melts in your mouth! Definitely a crowd pleaser!

I thought it would be fun to start taking pics on Sunday mornings.

This afternoon, I met Amanda to help me pick out some fabric for my dining chair project. I found a fabric I liked, but it was a little high. When I got home I decided to search for it online. I wound up finding a fabric that I liked better for 1/3 of the cost! So, I can't wait to order it and get my chairs done! :)

My weekend got off to a really great start. I am overwhelmed by all of the sweet comments on my family post. I really appreciate you taking the time to read it. It is nice to feel so much love and support. Thank you all. I can't explain it but I know I am one blessed girl. I am so grateful that I could share my story with you. 

Weekend Happenings

We had a really great weekend! We didn't have any obligations, so it was nice to just relax and make our own schedule! 

Friday night we went over to Derek's parent's house and visited with everyone. Anna-Kate heard that Chick-fil-a was open so she worked really hard to get everyone to go get some ice cream. She absolutely loves going there! So we all gave in and went to check it out. We had so much fun! The girls played in the play place and then ate their ice cream and went back to playing! They did really good and it was nice to get out and relax! 

Saturday morning we got up and ate at Chick-fil-a again... yes... we went back! I am proud of it too! ha. Anna-Kate ran into several little friends from school and church so she played really well. Thomas was happy because he got to finish her food while she was playing! After we ate we got our groceries and then went home and put the kids in bed. After they went to bed Derek and I got to work on our meals for the next week or two. I'll post that menu soon! We always enjoy cooking together and this time we got to experiment a little bit more. A few of the "recipes" we used weren't really recipes, so that was fun. I am excited to eat everything- ha!

Anna-Kate waving to us! 

I looked over and noticed that Thomas was mimicking Derek! He mimics us all the time! So funny! 

Thomas likes to hold his dvd player. On our way home from the store I turned around and saw that he was out! So sweet!

After the kids woke up we played and waited on Kristen to come over and play! The girls played really well. I was excited they didn't really fight like they have been. Once they went to bed Derek and I watched a few of our shows and that was that. Not extravagant or exciting but so nice! 

Thomas testing out his cooking skills! 

I am serious, the poor boy needs some of his own toys! ;) Or at least a momma who can take some pictures of him playing with boy things instead of Anna-Kate's pink toys! 

Anna-Kate played with us too. She had a bowl of fruit to feed her babies. Apparently she decided that the babies didn't want to eat their fruit so she had to eat it. And by eat I mean lick the whole fruit. It was gross! I didn't even realize she had done this until she was on the last piece of fruit! Whoops!

After Thomas eats he signs and says "Ah du" which means 'all done'. It's pretty cute! I think this was after he did it the first time, so he wasn't very happy I got out the camera instead of letting him out of the highchair! 

The best thing about our weekends lately is the simplicity of them. We miss our Lepanto family but it is nice not to have the drive take out such a big chunk of our Sunday. 

After church today Derek's family came over for some nice homemade lasagna and Mississippi mud cake! It was so good! I've never made Mississippi Mud Cake but I had some marshmallow cream and I thought it would be fun to find a recipe that incorporated that into it. I actually wound up using Paula Deen's recipe but instead of mini marshmallows I used a 7 ounce jar of the cream. You bake the cake and then we heated the marshmallow cream for about 20 seconds in the microwave and spread it on and then poured icing with chopped pecans on the top. WOW- so good! 

After lunch I headed over to the church and got to help some of the ladies make meals for someone. It was so much fun. I'm so glad I went! I love any chance we get to spend time with church family!

Tonight we had Derek's family back over to help us eat all our left overs! We still had some things in our freezer so we pulled them out yesterday but I knew there was no way we could eat all of it! So they helped us out. It was fun just having a little bit of everything! 

After everyone left Anna-Kate picked up all of her toys without our help! She even put them up in the right places! I was so proud! She was so sweet and funny this weekend!!

Tomorrow is the first Monday in two weeks to have school and work! I am definitely looking forward to a more normal week than what we have been having!