5.27.2011

Year in Photos~ Week #20

I realize this week is pretty much over and I have not yet posted last weeks photos, but I'm feeling confident that I have a good excuse this time. We had a terrible storm hit Tuesday afternoon that left us without power until Thursday morning. And as much as I hate to admit it, the absolute WORST part of losing power was going without my morning cup of coffee. Pathetic, I'm sure, but it's true. I was dying. I know Starbucks is right up the street, but without my coffee I didn't have the energy to load four kids in the car, drive, unload four kids and wait in a crowded coffee shop. 


Eventually, I called my sis-in-law in a no caffeine induced panic. She saved the day and had a pot waiting for me at her place Wednesday afternoon. She also let all six of us take hot showers, and we were feeling human-like in no time.


This weekend (before the power outage) Ben's Grandma and Aunt came to visit from Idaho. We haven't seen them for many, many years, so our time together was cherished.



We had an 80th birthday celebration for Grandma complete with swing dancing instructions from our friends, Lauren and Jed Rieke. You'll notice I'm taking pictures, NOT dancing. Ahem.


We ended the evening with a little cello duet action from two barefoot great grandsons...


And her four grandchildren sang a beautiful song in church Sunday morning. Grandma told us more than once how touching and special that was for her to hear.


Sunday lunch was followed by family photos and never ending, crazy antics of young boys.

  Puckett Family 2011





5.19.2011

Strawberry time!


We took a much needed escape away from all the testing and end of the year crazy to go out to Pungo and pick ourselves a mere 42 pounds of strawberry goodness. Apparently, we got a bit carried away with the whole picking thing. Who knew that turning 2 adults and 4 children loose in the field would result in 42 lbs. in less that 40 minutes. Give or take the 2+ lbs. consumed while picking. But who's counting, right?


We made 5 batches of freezer jam, packaged some to share with neighbors and family, and sliced the rest to store in Ziplocs and freeze for smoothies later in the year. Yummm!


And today while scanning recipes, I just so happened to stumble across chocolate-strawberry thumbprints. I couldn't stop myself; I whipped up a batch right then and there. Don't judge. You know you would have done the same thing:)



I have plans this weekend involving strawberry cupcakes of some kind for Ben's grandma's 80th birthday celebration, so if we're all looking a bit "pinkish" I think you'll understand why.




5.18.2011

This is why I have been a bad blogger lately...


Please forgive me. My life should return to its normal state(whatever that is) shortly:) Hope you all are well.



5.17.2011

Year in Photos~ Week #19

We did it! We finished another year of school-3rd grade and Kindergarten are complete. Yahoo! No, really. Can you hear the excitement in this homeschooling Mama's voice? Yahoo!!!!:)

{co-op friends}

And we took a trip to Great Wolf Lodge in Williamsburg to celebrate all our hard work.



{Brennen}
{Tilden}

5.11.2011

Tip of the day

If you need to wrap the cookies you made for the teachers who taught your children, but you have no time or energy left in your day to run to the store and buy the fancy, clear bags made for the job. Just do what I did and improvise. You'll be happy you did.


Take a clear storage bag and hack off the top.


See. Works perfectly. I don't think their teachers will ever know that I was being lazy and took the easy way out, do you? I hope the extra large GLAD across the top doesn't give it away. Haha. Maybe I should go back now and cut it off? Okay, you talked me into it; I think I will:)




All packaged and ready to go out to the co-op teachers who loved on and taught my children this year. What a special group of ladies. I couldn't have done it without them.





5.10.2011

Year in Photos~ Week #18

Okay, so this might just be the longest year in photos post yet, but we had a super busy weekend. Friday night the boys played in their first ever cello recital. To begin with, I need to apologize for not having any pics of the boys actually playing the cello. I used the video mode on my camera hoping to capture it on video rather than in photos. Big mistake. It came out a blurry mess. Apparently being able to snap photos does NOT qualify one to take video. Sorry guys. They did a terrific job, but I guess you'll have to take my somewhat biased word for it:)


{here they are with their cousin Chad, who also played that night, convincing me that they are ready}
{a shot with their teacher, Mike Daniels, after the recital was over.  Can you see the relief on their faces?}

{Just some of the cheering section}

And on Mother's Day my boys were baptized. What a gift that was to this Mama's heart.


{Brennen}

{Tilden}

Ben is leading the group in the song When He Cometh.

Little children, little children
who love their Redeemer,
Are the jewels, precious jewels,
His loved and His own.

Two young men declaring to the world that they are followers of Christ. I couldn't have received a better gift this Mother's Day. May you always remember this big day, my boys.









5.08.2011

Happy Mother's Day, Mom...

Just one of the many reasons why my mom is




GREAT!!!

Thank you mom for all the meals you have cooked, strangers you have loved, creativity you have sparked, and the example of Christ you have been to your children and your children's children.

We love you 



5.02.2011

Living room makeover for around $130.00

Our living room has desperately needed attention for some time now. The problem was just that~ TIME. But this past week I decided to tackle the task by rearranging furniture and accessories I already had in my home. Read: spend little money.


I knew I could do it, but I also knew I had to take my WHITE chairs out of their safe haven (my bedroom) and subject them to the sticky, dirty hands of my four children. Shudder.


As soon as I put the chairs in place in the living room, I knew that oxi clean and I would become fast friends over the next few years. 'Cause I love having them out where they can be used and I can stare at 'em all day long. Truly, as lovely as they were in my room, I never really sat in them. Who has the time? And the children and I are already having lessons on how NOT to touch the chairs every time we walk by. Bribery may or may not be involved:)


Okay, so it all started with the purchase of three dressers from my sister. I'm not really adding this purchase into the room total, because I only used one of the dressers in the living room. The other two were badly needed in other areas of the house. Rationalizing? Probably.

{This dresser is painted and now living in Lane's room}

{living room dresser being painted}

{finished}

Next, I painted a black cabinet we purchased years ago in the AS-IS section of our favorite store. If you look closely, you will see that it is missing a glass panel on the side, and has been for ummm... probably 5+ years. Embarrassing. We're working on it.

{almost finished~it still needs glass, hardware, and scraping}

Years ago my mom gave me a round table from my childhood that we have incorporated into the room. I still remember eating oatmeal at this table when I was seven. You know, about 20 years ago. Ahem.

{Table top mid sanding}

{sanding the base}

{finished table}


{$10.00 for the plant-hope I don't kill it}

{mirror I previously had in the room- I popped out the oval mirror and painted it white}

{Ben made the bench for my kitchen table. I'll probably have to move it back eventually, but for now I'm lovin' it here}

{Succulents on the coffee table-$20.00}

{two awesome stools dad found in the trash- Free!}

{8x11 herringbone jute rug $99.00}


With a little white paint, hard work and a bit of cash we now have a living room that feels welcoming and complete, like a breath of fresh air when I walk into the room. I wonder if we will now be able to move people out of the kitchen and into the living room when we have a party. I'm not betting on it, but if we can, they better wash their hands first!:)