Stop and Smell the Chocolates

It's Just Me

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa @ Stop and Smell the Chocolates) — Fri, 17 May 2013 16:00:00 +0000

Hi.

It's just me.

Hangin' out here, chattin' with friends {You!!}.

I really thought my April blogging challenge would help me get back on track with posting, but we're halfway through May and this is just my 5th post for the month. I truly have no lack of things to post about - it's just getting it out that seems to be the problem. I get stuck with wanting it to be done a certain way with a certain photo posted on a certain day at a certain time.

I read a post this week, by Ashleigh Baker: Simple Stories [An Invitation to Old-Fashioned Blogging]. What a wonderful post!! If you're a blogger, I encourage you to read it and share your thoughts. If you're not a blogger, I still think you should read it and share what connects you to a blog. Ashleigh said just what I've been thinking and even explains why I probably have been feeling "stuck" on my blog.

Because of Ashleigh's post, I thought it might be OK just to simply write to tell you hi! Or to tell you that I'm drowning in housework. Or to tell you that I watched a hummingbird chasing a squirrel last week. Or to tell you that my son is on a field trip to an amusement park today.

Or to share a completely random picture with you {my son a few years ago} that has nothing to do with this post, but might make you smile.

What's new with you?

I'm about to get a cup of coffee - can I get you one?

Thanks for being here with me friends and have a blessed day!

Happy Mother's Day!

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa @ Stop and Smell the Chocolates) — Sun, 12 May 2013 07:00:00 +0000

I hope you have a blessed Lord's Day and lovely Mother's Day!

And if this is a difficult day for you, then extra virtual hugs are comin' your way. {My own mother passed away almost 12 years ago and my stepmother passed away almost 5 years ago. And though we've been blessed with a fabulous son, I have experienced multiple miscarriages since. But I am greatly blessed and content and pray that you find that peace today.}

I had to repost the poem that my son wrote for me in school a few years ago for Mother's Day - I still love it! :)

Mother's Day Poem
by B.

She's mostly at home
She is very nice
She's also a blonde
And she doesn't like mice

She is kind of fun
She is also kind
She also likes Buster
And she also is not blind

She's sometimes in the kitchen
She really likes coffee
She's also real friendly
She also likes toffee

She washes my clothes
She makes me my lunch
She puts me to bed
I love her a bunch

Gotta love that! :) Are you doing anything special today?

Have a lovely and blessed day friends!

German Chocolate Cookie Pizza

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa @ Stop and Smell the Chocolates) — Tue, 07 May 2013 16:30:00 +0000

I saw this idea in a magazine, but changed up the way it was cooked and some of the ingredients. I'm soooo happy with how it turned out! I think you'll like it too - it's rich and yummy and it's just fun!

Use a spring form pan {I think mine was a 9-inch pan} to make this. When you have all the ingredients layered, resist the urge to just get a fork and start eating now! :)

German Chocolate Cookie Pizza

2 tablespoons honey
2/3 cup chocolate wafer crumbs
2/3 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup coconut flakes
1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350. Grease bottom and sides of an 8 or 9 inch springform pan. Cover bottom with wax paper and grease that also.

Heat honey in bowl in microwave {or on stove} on high for about 15 seconds, until it is more fluid. Add the chocolate wafer crumbs and stir with fork until well-mixed. Press the crumb mixture onto bottom of pan.

Sprinkle the crust evenly with chocolate chips and coconut flakes. Drizzle sweetened condensed milk evenly over the top. Sprinkle chopped pecans over top. Bake in oven for about 30 minutes. Remove and cool on wire rack.

When cool, carefully remove from pan and cut into slices. I used my pizza cutter! I cut this into 16 wedges - that left enough of a wedge to pick up but small enough to be a serving. This is very rich. You don't need bigger slices!

If you're a fan of German Chocolate flavors, you might also like German Chocolate Cookies.

Have you ever had a cookie pizza? You could have pizza for dinner and pizza for dessert - your family will love you! :)

This post linked to:
~ Tasty Tuesday at Balancing Beauty and Bedlam
~ Chic & Crafty Party at The Frugal Girls
~ I'm Lovin' It at TidyMom

Have a blessed {and chocolate-filled} day friends!

April Blogging Challenge Recap & A May Challenge

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa @ Stop and Smell the Chocolates) — Mon, 06 May 2013 01:00:00 +0000

Well I didn't quite make the goal I set for myself in my April Blogging Challenge. But I did post a lot more than I have in previous months and that was the point. What was your goal and how did you do?

The previous 3 months I had only posted 6 times a month and the 3 months before that were 13 times a month. I ended up with 16 posts for April {quite a bit short of my goal of 22}. I am happy with that though as it is definitely more than I've blogged in 6 months. I think I'll try for 18 posts in May - a little more realistic, but still an increase .

For May - I don't have an official button or anything like that, but if you liked having the nudge {or kick in the pants} to do more on your blog, I'll give you {& me!} a new challenge. During the month of May, I want you to write 4 extra posts that you schedule to publish automatically on your blog - at least 4-5 days after you write them. You could write 1 extra post each week and schedule it for the following week. Or you could go crazy and write 4 posts over the next few days and then schedule them all throughout May.

This should do a couple things for you: Relieve a little of that pressure to try and get something up on the blog when you are just too busy with life *and* help you to be more organized with your blog posts rather than flying by the seat of your pants. <--- Oh I am talking to ME there. :)

What do you think? Are you up for it? C'mon, 4 little extra posts to schedule - piece of cake. Mmmmm...cake. Chocolate cake. Um, *some*body has a problem with getting sidetracked. And if you never had a chance to do the April challenge, just make it your May challenge - it's OK. Really. I don't have enough funds here to hire blog challenge enforcement people.

So let me know, how many posts did you do in April? Are you going to join me in this little May challenge? What helps you get inspired to blog more?

Have a blessed day friends & blog on! {And for those of you who don't blog, you can always apply this challenge to something else in life - make a goal for something you need to work on this month!}

National Day of Prayer ~ Can I Pray For You?

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa @ Stop and Smell the Chocolates) — Thu, 02 May 2013 19:00:00 +0000

Today, 5/2, is National Day of Prayer. There are many different events around the country. My son's Christian school is even doing something special today to observe it.

Of course we need to pray every day! Prayers aren't more special today, but it's a wonderful opportunity to gather together and reach out to others. I'd like to reach out to you today. Can I pray for you?

I'll spend some time in prayer in general for my lovely readers, but if you have a specific prayer request I'd love to pray for that too. You can leave your requests in the comments - and feel free to pray for others who have left comments. If you prefer to keep your request private, you can e-mail it to me {info is in the Contact Me tab at the top} or just leave a comment saying you need prayer for a private matter.

May the Lord bless you today friends.

Key Lime Pie Parfaits

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa @ Stop and Smell the Chocolates) — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 16:30:00 +0000

I wanted to make this for an Easter dessert, but none of us were feeling great so I made it several days later. YUM. Very rich and I ended up making mine much smaller servings than the original recipe called for. I found this recipe sometime in the last few years from Cooking Light and adapted it a bit.

For the right flavor, you're going to want to use key lime juice. Key limes are adorable mini limes with a more tart flavor, but they were not to be found when I made this recipe. So I used Nellie & Joe's key lime juice, found in my local grocery store near the lemon juice.

Key Lime Pie Parfaits

1/2 cup key lime juice
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon grated lime zest
2 eggs
14 oz. sweetened condensed milk
1 1/2 cups sweetened whipped cream
1 cup graham cracker or cookie crumbs
Lime zest for garnish

Combine lime juice, sugar, lime zest, eggs, and sweetened condensed milk in large bowl, stirring with a whisk until smooth. Pour into a double boiler {or create your own by using a bowl sitting on top of a saucepan}. Cook over simmering water, stirring constantly until the mixture thickens {6+ minutes or temp of 160 - mine took a long time to thicken up}. Remove from heat and place pan in ice-filled bowl for 25 minutes, until mixture cools to room temp. Stir mixture occasionally.

Whip heavy cream and sweeten or use spray whipped cream or Cool Whip. In small serving dishes or glasses, start layers with a couple teaspoons of whipped cream. Top with a couple teaspoons of cracker/cookie crumbs and then a couple tablespoons of lime mixture. Repeat layers. Top each serving with some more whipped cream and sprinkle with lime zest. The glasses I used in the pics are 6-oz glasses. You could also serve a single set of layers in a shot glass with a mini spoon. Serve immediately! Yummy...

If you like the flavor of lime, you might also enjoy Key Lime Muffins or Cool Lime Napoleons.

Do you like Key Lime Pie? Do you have a favorite lime dessert?

This post is linked to:

~ Tasty Tuesday at Balancing Beauty and Bedlam

~ Chic & Crafty Party at The Frugal Girls

~ I'm Lovin' It at TidyMom

This post is #16 in my April blogging challenge.

Have a blessed day friends!

Monday Musings {4/29}

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa @ Stop and Smell the Chocolates) — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 19:30:00 +0000

Copying my friend Charlotte again by doing some Monday Musings! Feel free to post your own musings ~ tell me in the comments so I can come visit! :)

What I'm thinking: That I will never ever never be caught up with housework. *sigh* And that it gets expensive to have a son who won't quit growing - LOL! We just bought him size 13 shoes and ordered a few more school uniform pieces so he'll actually have something to wear during the last few weeks of school. :)

What I'm reading: Reading Ecclesiastes and 42 Days to Fit by Brandy Ferguson, Emma Swanston, & Stacy Karen on Kindle.

What I'm listening to: The sounds of washing machine and dryer and Hubs listening to talk radio while he works from home.

What we're learning: I learned that I can run 3 miles! :) Son is still taking his computer programming type class and tennis. But next up is basketball! He's decided that he likes it {which is nice considering his height} and wants to play on the school's team next year. So he may be attending a basketball camp for a few days when Summer starts just to get him up to speed.

What I'm watching: Finally watched the movie War Horse. Good movie! Probably a bit too realistic for young kids with the war scenes and death, but we enjoyed the story. Also watched the last episode of our latest show obsession - Naked Castaway. The guy filmed himself attempting to survive with next to nothing on a deserted island for 60 days - interesting stuff.

What's cooking: Leftover beef stew and cornbread tonight. Definitely roasting a pork loin this week {I follow this recipe to make a rub for it}. And I still have to figure out what to make for our upcoming church potluck which will have a Mexican theme - it's Cinco de Mayo you know! :)

What I'm buying: Well we just bought the clothes & shoes for kiddo - ugh! I might make a small Costco run this week, but I don't think I have other things to buy at the moment.

What I'm thankful for: Thankful for all my WONDERFUL friends! I ended up with all kinds of belated bday gifts this week, but also time to fellowship with friends. Even met up with a fellow blogger at my fave thrift store this past week - hi Julie!

What I'm creating: A plan for being completely and totally organized in all areas of my life that requires no effort! hahahahahahahaha :D

What I'm planning: Starting the 42 Days to Fit program {simple program with fitness and eating goals each week} to.day. I wanted to wait until after the 5K so I could focus better on it.

What we did this last weekend: So many errands! Did my Saturday run for 30 minutes. And then we ran errands most of the day, but at least we are somewhat caught up on things now. Watched the movie War Horse. Sunday was church and then hanging out at home.

What I'm looking forward to: Seeing how I feel at the end of the week after no desserts and no sweetened drinks other than 1 morning coffee! And *not* looking forward to attempting to run today in the 90-something degree heat. :/

A picture to share:

A beautiful homemade cream currant scone from my friend K! And the saucer goes with the teacup she gave me! :)

What are your plans for the week?

I'm totally behind on my posting challenge - this is Post #15 for the month!

Have a blessed day friends!

One Word 2013 Update ~ Diligence {April}

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa @ Stop and Smell the Chocolates) — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 16:00:00 +0000

My One Word to focus on for this year is Diligence and I thought I'd give you a brief update of how I'm doing with that this month!

My main example of diligence this month so far has been sticking with my jogging program! We finished up and ran our 5K last week! Woo Hoo! {You can read about it here.} We do plan to continue jogging, so the rest of the month I'll do my best to stick to some sort of schedule and keep it up. Maybe it'll actually get easier - LOL!

My other example of diligence for the month is my April blogging challenge. I wanted to see if I could post on the blog every weekday this month, which would be a total of 22 posts for April. I have been really trying to keep up with it {and some other bloggers even joined in!}. But at this point I'm behind. I'm keepin' on though and will see if I can still reach my goal by posting more than once some days. The main point was to post on my blog more and I've definitely done that! By the way, this post is #14 for the month.

I was hoping to show you some diligence in the area of Spring Cleaning. There were many different challenges on blogs that I wanted to join. But I have not done any Spring cleaning at all. I guess I'm selectively diligent! :) Need to work on that...

Do you have a One Word focus for the year? How are you doing with it? What goals are you working toward this year?

The sweet Melanie at Only A Breath hosts One Word updates each month - link up or check out how others are doing this month!

Have a blessed day friends!

I Actually Ran A 5K!

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa @ Stop and Smell the Chocolates) — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 18:30:00 +0000

It feels really good to say that - I ran a 5K! Yes I did! I'm not telling you about it just to brag about how wonderful I am {LOL}, but to tell you how good it feels to accomplish a goal *and* to tell you that if I can do it - ANYBODY can!

That's me, approaching the Finish Line. :) Tired, but happy! 3.1 miles {5K} is the farthest I have ever jogged - hadn't even gone that far in any of my training.

I mentioned in my Diligence update last month that a group of friends joined me to do the Couch-to-5K program. It's a 9-week training program that transitions you from not being a runner to running a 5K - or almost. For us slower joggers the program never took us that far on the timed runs. We continued past the 9 week program and kept up our running for an additional 4 weeks, trying to improve our pace. We picked a 5K in the area and signed up!

I was nervous since I had not actually jogged 3.1 miles in any of my training runs. My goal was to jog the whole 5K without stopping to walk *and* to come in before last place! The great thing is that this was a Fun Run - not a huge number of people, no pressure, and an evening run on a pretty shaded college campus. I did actually jog the whole thing - thanks to a friend staying right beside me and talking to me & encouraging me throughout {thank you M!!!}. And over 100 people came in behind me so I definitely wasn't last! Woo Hoo! My pace wasn't bad - not my fastest, but not my slowest either. In my age group, I came in 30 out of 45 - not bad for a 43-year old beginner, and an overweight one at that!

One would think that after jogging/walking 3 times a week for 12 weeks, one would lose a little weight. That was not the case with me. So looking at me, I think many people would assume that I couldn't jog that far without collapsing. :) But I can! And that means you can too - don't let your size keep you from trying! I might still be the same size as when I started the program, but I am firmer, stronger, healthier, and happier.

Thanks to the group of ladies who did this with me {and a whole lotta help from the Lord}, I stuck to a program and accomplished a goal of jogging a 5K!! Amazing! And we plan to continue jogging and do another 5K in a few months. Go us! :)

Do you have an exercise goal to work toward? It doesn't have to be jogging a 5K, but come up with a goal and find a friend to join you & help you with accountability and encouragement! You'll be glad you did!

What goal(s) have you recently accomplished? What goal(s) are you working toward?

Have a blessed day friends!

Top 5 Go-To Cookie Recipes

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa @ Stop and Smell the Chocolates) — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 20:00:00 +0000

There's probably not a cookie recipe that I don't like - unless you're gonna try and make me some broccoli cookies or somethin' - ew. :) Even though I like so many different cookies, I tend to rely on just a few fave recipes that I whip up for the family and friends.

These are my go-to cookie recipes and what I make most often {one recipe is from somewhere else 'cause it's become our fave choc chip recipe}.

1. Toffee Cookies

2. Melt-In-Your-Mouth Sugar Cookies

3. Traditional No-Bake Cookies

4. Red, White & Blueberry Cookies

5. Chocolate Chip Cookies {Recipe from Apple a Day}

OK, now I'm getting a cookie craving! :) If these don't appeal to you, you can always find more cookie recipes in my Recipe Index. What's your fave cookie recipe?

Still running behind on my 22-post challenge! This is post #12. See the Recap here.

Have we connected on Facebook or Twitter yet? Come say hi!

Have a blessed day friends!

If You Have Nothing To Say, Stop And Write A...Haiku?

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa @ Stop and Smell the Chocolates) — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 07:00:00 +0000

With my blogging challenge this month, I warned you that not every post would contain brilliance. :) But forcing myself to come up with a post feels like a good thing and makes my brain work a little better - I think!

So, I didn't have much of anything to say and decided to write a couple haikus about blogging! And you know what? It was kind of fun and got the creative juices flowing! I recommend it! If you don't want to do any haikus in a post, try leaving one in the comments. I won't judge your haikus if you don't judge mine - LOL!

Blogging Haikus:

Blogging is your work,
Working at your writing craft,
Crafting words of joy.

Turning images
Swirling all around my brain
Into word paintings.

Your turn! Got a haiku or poem to share? Try writing one and get some new brain "muscles" working! :)

Post #11 of my 22-post blogging challenge {check out the recap here}.

Have a blessed day friends!

Stop And Write A Blog Post Mid-Month Recap {April Blogging Challenge}

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa @ Stop and Smell the Chocolates) — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 19:00:00 +0000

That title was kind of a mouthful - LOL! Just wanted to recap how things are going for me during the blogging challenge and see how it's going for you! {And you can still join in this challenge for the rest of the month!}

If you look back at the original post, you'll see why I decided to do the challenge and you'll also see that 4 wonderful bloggers linked up and joined in with me! Awesome job to Homesteader's Heart, My Freshly Brewed Life, Summer's Story, and Life In Focus!!

My goal was to post every weekday for the month of April, which would be 22 posts total. If I was right on track, this post should be #13. But I am behind, so this post is #10. I'm 3 behind!!! I do plan to write another post today, so then I'll only be 2 behind. I still want to hit my 22, so I'll be trying to make up those extras as I go.

But this isn't necessarily about each person hitting a certain number of posts. It's about taking that nudge to write and challenging yourself to do it no matter what. Sometimes it takes getting back into the writing habit to find our voice, our inspiration, and our joy again! I'm still struggling some with my own challenge, but the writing is getting a little easier.

How are you doing with this challenge? Has it been easy or hard? Have you learned anything new about yourself?

If you didn't join the challenge before, but feel that nudge to post more on your blog, feel free to join in and link up! If you do every weekday for the rest of the month, starting today - you could squeeze in 10 posts! Or come up with your own number or just a pledge to post more than you are now.

If you've already joined the challenge, link up your blog below {either your blog, a fave post from the challenge, or a recap post}. If you're new to the challenge, but want to join in, link up your blog below {either just your blog or a post about the challenge}.

Post #10 of my 22-post challenge.

Have a blessed day friends!

Monday Musings {4/15}

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa @ Stop and Smell the Chocolates) — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 06:30:00 +0000

Copying my friend Charlotte again by doing some Monday Musings! Feel free to post your own musings ~ tell me in the comments so I can come visit! :)

What I'm thinking: Well I was going to do this post early today but then got sidetracked by laundry and then further sidetracked when the tragedy happened at the Boston Marathon. So sad and our prayers go out to the people in Boston.

What I'm reading: Still reading Song of Solomon in the Bible and finishing Organized Simplicity ~ The Clutter-Free Approach to Intentional Living by Tsh Oxenreider . Reading 42 Days to Fit by Brandy Ferguson, Emma Swanston, & Stacy Karen on Kindle.

What I'm listening to: Hubs watching TV - currently American Pickers.

What we're learning: Son is learning HTML and CSS and a little Javascript {that's all computer language lingo - used for creating websites, etc for those of you who don't know} through a free class at his school on Saturdays. He's coming along really fast and he loves it! He also started Tennis classes again, so he's relearning those skills! Me? Hmmm...not sure what I'm learning other than trying to learn diligence. :)

What I'm watching: Hubs has been gone a lot lately, so I've been watching a lot of movies on Instant Netflix. Hard to find a lot of good new ones there! But I did see a cute PG romantic comedy if you're a David Tennant fan and like Scottish scenery - The Decoy Bride.

What's cooking: Tonight was Parmesan Chicken and I think some Mini Meatloaves this week. Still working on planning the rest!

What I'm buying: We need to buy some plants to put in planter boxes in our backyard, but we haven't fully decided what we want yet. Need to get on that ASAP!

What I'm thankful for: Thankful for another birthday! :) And thankful that such a special group of ladies have stuck with me to do the Couch-to-5K program and have signed up to do a 5K with me this week!

What I'm creating: Blog post? I really got nothin' this week - LOL!

What I'm planning: To jog a 5K this Thursday!! Woo Hoo! I really hope I can jog the whole thing, but I'll go as far as I can and walk the rest if I need to. And possibly a belated birthday outing with friends later in the week.

What we did this last weekend: Hubs and son were gone on a Boy Scout campout, so I just went for a jog, did some cleaning and tried to relax for my birthday. The relaxing part would have been a lot better if there hadn't been an ant invasion in the kitchen. :/ We quietly celebrated on Sunday after church - got my fancy coffee drink & hubs got one of our favorite family meals to-go from Tahoe Joe's, including my fave cheesecake! :) Oh - and how could I forget? We finally finished up our taxes and filed them using Turbo Tax. This is the first time in years & years that we have to pay something {only to Federal, getting some back from State still.}! But it has always been our goal to get it to even or as close as possible as we would rather have use of our money all year than let the government keep and use it. Did you get your taxes done early or just in time?

What I'm looking forward to: Completing that 5K!

A picture to share:

Field Day at son's school last Friday. They worked hard, but lost the Tug-o-War.

What are your plans for this week?

Have a blessed day friends!

Birthday Memories

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa @ Stop and Smell the Chocolates) — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 18:30:00 +0000

With my birthday almost here {I'll be 43!}, I've been remembering birthdays from childhood. Ah yes, the days *before* parties at restaurants, giving goody bags to guests, and special themes. :)

I didn't have many formal parties - they were mainly family parties. That meant that we went to my grandparents' house to have cake and ice cream! And it also meant that there would be one of 2 cakes - strawberry cake made by my grandmother or a made-from-scratch and decorated with homemade frosting sheet cake made by my great aunts!

This was one of those Strawberry Cake birthdays {17th birthday, I think - and, yes it was the 80's}.

I did have a big 16th birthday party with friends who also had their 16th birthdays around the same times. We had a costume party at my dad's place - very fun! That's me on the right and my "costume" is just that of a party girl - LOL! I rented a vintage dress from a shop and wore my mother's rhinestone necklace.

But the party that sticks out in my mind is from 4th grade. I have a pic of it somewhere, but I don't know where {I can picture the photo in my mind, including me in my favorite light blue floral dress from K-Mart with my light blue windbreaker over it}. That was the year I actually had a party with some female classmates invited over!

Mom made the cake with her homemade boiled frosting {seems like it's called 7-minute frosting}, topped with sprinkles. There was no party plan - the girls just came over and we had cake and ice cream and played games. That was all good, except that it didn't end well. My memory is very blurred on this, but I believe we were playing outside and I became unhappy with how things were going - either people weren't doing what I wanted {'cause I was a very bossy child} or a couple girls were being mean in my opinion. Basically, as far as I can remember, I told them all to go home! Nice, huh?! And I think they did leave early or they all went inside and waited for their parents while I stayed outside.

Um, maybe the birthday girl should have had a talking-to? Maybe my mom did talk to me. If so, I guarantee that I strongly justified my actions because of how truly wronged I was and at my very own party too! Such a strong-willed stubborn girl - sigh.

Good times - LOL! Overall though, my birthdays were good! It's fun to think back through them and see how times and people have changed. {Hopefully I've changed for the better - yikes!}

Did you have big birthday parties as a child? What birthday memories do you have?

This is Post 8 of my blogging challenge - I'm running behind!

Have a blessed day friends!

My 5 Year Blogaversary!

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa @ Stop and Smell the Chocolates) — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 06:30:00 +0000

Since I still wasn't feeling well, I did not get this posted in time. But let's pretend like I did {I'll even backdate it} - LOL! So that means ~~YESTERDAY~~ TODAY is my 5 Year Blogaversary!!! Woo Hoo!!! That's like...1/20th of a century! :)

It's an amazing feeling to have been blogging for 5 years! That's a long time to keep up with something, especially for me! I think that might even be an example of my 2013 One Word: Diligence! :) How many posts is that? Well, with blogging breaks and all, it comes out to 943 published posts. Getting close to 1000 - yay!

Thank you for being here and for reading my blog!! Without you, I wouldn't be here. Really. Just knowing that somebody is out there reading {even if you don't comment!} helps me to keep on going. I truly appreciate you.

I thought it would be fun to share a few past posts in groups of 5 to reflect back a little. And yes, I thought 5 groups of 5 would be cool, but I thought it was just too much - so I went with 3. You're welcome. :)

5 Posts To Help You Know Me Better:

5 Posts of Fave Chocolate Recipes:

Double Chocolate Walnut Biscotti

Flourless Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Glaze

Mix-In-The-Pan Chocolate Cake

Toffee Cookies

Frozen Chocolate Mousse

5 Top-Viewed Posts {That aren't recipes or giveaways}:

Always interesting to look back at what's been written. What kinds of posts might be written in the next 5 years? I really don't know! Maybe we can find out together! :)

Time for a surprise giveaway in honor of my Blogaversary! Aren't you glad you read all the way down to here?! To help you stop and smell the chocolates - one sweet reader will win the following...

All you have to do is use the handy dandy Rafflecopter widget below to enter {just follow the instructions - it's not hard!}. Do tell me in the comments if you like/don't like using Rafflecopter to enter a giveaway.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Whether or not you're entering the giveaway, I'd love to read your comments on any feedback you have if you've been following along here for a while.

Or tell me about a favorite post I did, or a series that you liked, or a recipe that you found here and use all the time!

If you're new here {or even if you're not!} - what do you see that makes you want to come back again?

Thanks again for reading my blog and making 5 years possible! Hugs to all!! :)

Are you a blogger or do you want to start a blog? Start one now or restart one or post more on the blog you have! If I can stick around for 5 years, then I know you can manage a few blog posts! You can do it! :)

This makes Post 7 of my 22-post challenge, though I'm off by a day so will have to double up somewhere!

Have a blessed day friends!

A Little Old School Blogging

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa @ Stop and Smell the Chocolates) — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 05:30:00 +0000

I'm sick in bed and didn't know if I'd manage to get a post up for today to keep up with my challenge, but as long as it's up before midnight in my time zone, I figure I'm good!

Elaine over at The Miss Elaine-ous Life is bringing back some Old School Blogging each month with a linkup - so much fun! This is what we used to do when I started blogging almost 5 years ago!

This one's all about marriage, babies & bliss. So, here ya go.

1. How did your husband pop the big question?

Well, I knew that it would be coming sometime soon, so it made it very hard for him to surprise me. He did manage to catch me off guard though, by doing it on my birthday! We had plans to go out to a nice dinner and he brought me a bouquet of roses in a vase. As I was looking at them and admiring them, he asked me why I wasn't reading the card that came with them {I figured it just said Happy Birthday, so I wasn't worried about it}. I grabbed the card, opened it up and discovered much to my surprise that it said "Will you marry me?" Woo Hoo! Um, yes please. :D Simple, sweet, and a surprise - very nice.

2. What are the three most surprising things about married life?

That you can still learn new things after being married for over 20 years!
That you get a best friend who loves you unconditionally even when you act selfishly.
How fast time flies!

3. How did you find out you were pregnant for the first time?

The good old drugstore pregnancy test of course! Pretty exciting to see those little lines! And then confirmed by a test at Kaiser. Can't believe that was over 13 years ago!

4. How did you choose your first baby's name?

We were very methodical about it - LOL! Got a baby name book and looked through the whole thing. Then we each came up with a list of 4-6 names that we really liked and went through them together until we agreed. Since we didn't know if we were having a boy or a girl, we picked names for each. Bryce if he was a boy {and he was!} and Corinne if she was a girl.

5. Describe where you see yourself in 10 years from now...

I'll have a son who might be done with college and could possibly be married - wow!! Maybe hubs and I will work on more projects together or travel a bit more. I'll still be taking care of our home, but will also probably be working - at what I have no idea. It would be cool to still be blogging - can you imagine me saying, "Help me celebrate my 15-year Blogaversary!" - crazy!! :)

6. Describe how you find bliss, with words or images.

Now, tag 5 of your bloggy friends! <--- I never follow that rule - LOL! If you want to play along, consider yourself tagged!

If you do decide to play along, don't forget to go link up your post at The Miss Elaine-ous Life!

Completed Day 6 of my 22-post challenge! Go check it out and see what other bloggers have joined me!

Have a blessed day friends - full of the things that give you bliss!

Lisa :)

Time To Party! {2013 Ultimate Blog Party}

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa @ Stop and Smell the Chocolates) — Fri, 05 Apr 2013 06:30:00 +0000

Hello partying friends! Welcome! Come on in...

I'm Lisa and I'm happy to meet you! Glad you stopped by!

While you're here, you should help yourself to some treats! Maybe a Nutella Oatmeal Bar?

Or a slice of Caramel-Brownie Cheesecake?

Now that you've got your goodies {if you prefer a different kind of goodie, grab what you like from my Recipe Index} - sit down, relax, and take a little break from your busy day! That's what I'm here for - or hope to be anyway. I want you to leave here with a smile on your face, refreshed and ready to go back and tackle the next crazy thing on your never-ending list.

So...I'm Lisa - child of God, wife for 20 years, mother of a 13 year-old son {Ack - a teenager now!}, and an Imperfect Homemaker. I like to stop and smell the chocolates in life. What I mean by that is taking the time to notice and appreciate those little blessings in your everyday life. Blessings that come from faith, family, food, friends, and fun!

I've been at this little old blog for almost 5 years! In fact, my 5-year Blogaversary is 4/9 - so it's almost like the UBP is a celebration in my honor - LOL! Feel free to check out my About page or my 100 Things list. You won't really find a niche here - I blog about a variety of things - notice the large amount of labels on the sidebar! I'm just getting back to blogging more often - I started a challenge for the month of April to blog every weekday {not too late to join in if you need a nudge to increase blogging}, so I welcome you to stop by every day!

What about you? Do you have a blog? What kinds of blogs do you like to read? What's your favorite dessert? :) Introduce yourself in the comments!

Thanks for coming by! I hope the rest of your day is a blessed one!

Glad to be a part of UBP2013 - you can find more partying blogs, or link up your own at 5 Minutes For Mom!

If you like to stop and smell the chocolates too, you can subscribe to my blog, follow me on Twitter, or like me on Facebook!

Dare Not To Compare

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa @ Stop and Smell the Chocolates) — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 06:30:00 +0000

There have been many wonderful posts written about making sure we aren't comparing ourselves to others in a way that makes us feel inferior, but I feel like it doesn't hurt to be reminded one more time. It used to be just magazines and television, but now with the internet at our fingertips all day long, it's so easy to be lured into thinking that we just aren't measuring up.

Thoughts enter our heads, like:

She's reading the Bible in 90 days? I can barely manage to read mine once a week.

I don't know how they get up so early every day - I can hardly get out of bed.

I wish I could be creative enough to decorate my house like that.

That dessert looks fabulous. My family is probably sad that I don't make fancy desserts.

Why can't I be successful at something? Nothing I do really matters or gets noticed.

I can tell you that Satan loves putting those thoughts into our heads. And the more we look around, the easier it is to believe in the negativity!

I just want to remind us all that everything, EVERYTHING we see on the internet is simply an edited snapshot - not a full picture of a life. Will you let that sink in for a minute? That gorgeous picture of the decorated living room isn't showing the overflowing closet or the struggles with misbehaving kids or the battle with depression. The successful 90-day Bible reader may have unsuccessfully tried the challenge 5 times before. The blogger with the amazing food photo might be heading through the McDonald's drive-through right now because there's not enough time to stop at home between activities.

If we remember to look upward instead of inward, we'll realize that we are successful - in the things that God wants us to be successful in {with His help} - even if it doesn't seem like it's ever noticed. We each have our own gifts in our own seasons and thankfully, we are unique! Why compare? Don't let blog challenges or Pinterest pics get you down - enjoy them, let them encourage you or give you a new idea to try, realize that maybe they don't match up with your season right now which is OK and move on.

These thoughts struck me a few months ago as I took a pic of a dessert {Pumpkin Pie Pudding with Maple Sugar Nuts & Cream -yum} for a guest post. Now, my pics are certainly not professional as I am far too lazy to do more than use my automatic camera in bad lighting and get a close enough shot that I don't need to bother editing in any way. But my goal is to make the food look good enough to make you want to try the recipe. Here's the pic:

When you see this pic, I want you to think: Oh yum, I want to try making that and I bet I can do it if she can do it! Or - Mmmm...pumpkin, that reminds me - I should make that pumpkin bread my family likes. Or - I have some similar dishes and maybe I can serve some fruit in them for dessert.

What I don't want you to think: Wow, she always makes such fancy desserts - I could never do that. Or - She puts everything together so nicely - my family is too chaotic to even try to present something like this. Etc. Don't. Really.

Because let's just zoom on back from that cute little photo:

See what I mean? I hope you get a good laugh or a sigh of relief from this pic. Why, WHY are we comparing ourselves to only one little piece of a much bigger puzzle? It just doesn't make sense. Let's stop and just cheer each other on for the little gifts or successes experienced in a day. Dare *not* to compare, my friends!

Please take a moment, close your eyes {OK, well you can finish reading this sentence first - LOL}, and think about something that you've done well this week or this month or this year. Virtually pat yourself on the back and thank the Lord for blessing you with that success and making you unique. Take a deep breath, find your smile, and go on with your day. You.are.awesome.

If you feel led to share your thoughts on comparisons or a success you've experienced, no matter how big or little - I'd love to hear it all in the comments!

This post gladly linked to:
~ Life In Bloom at Denise In Bloom
~ Thriving Thursdays at Serving Joyfully
~ The Weekend Brew at My Freshly Brewed Life

Thank you for stopping by and reading today! Have a blessed day friends!

P.S. Day 4 finished of my 22-post challenge {don't compare if you're having trouble blogging - use it as a little nudge to get you posting again even if it's just once a week}. Also - if you want to join in the blogging challenge for the rest of the month - you can post whatever number of times you want. I've added a linky to the original post. Link up your blog if you want to challenge yourself to increase your posts for April and let us come cheer you on!

Wordless Wednesday ~ The Napping Squirrel

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa @ Stop and Smell the Chocolates) — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 06:00:00 +0000

We have a park behind our house, so there are squirrels hanging out on our fence regularly. I was fascinated by this one - it was napping in the sun - and it stayed that way for a long time! I didn't get the shot in time, but the eyes were even closed! When do you ever see a squirrel who isn't running around or completely twitchy?

Maybe he's stopping and smelling the chocolates. :D

I wonder if this squirrel used to be one of the family of busy little guys on our fence a couple years ago...

So yeah, I'm never wordless for Wordless Wednesday - LOL! Go check out other fun WW pics at 5 Minutes For Mom!

Day 3 of my 22-post challenge done! :)

Have a blessed day friends!

Celery Salad

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa @ Stop and Smell the Chocolates) — Tue, 02 Apr 2013 18:30:00 +0000

I love finding new salad recipes to try. They are such a great side dish and usually offer a refreshing crunch to the meal. I tore this recipe out of a Cooking Light magazine a few years ago and finally tried it recently with a couple of minor adaptations. So nice to have something new to do with celery!

Celery Salad

5 cups thinly sliced celery
3/4 cup finely diced parmesan cheese {I have used shredded, but diced creates a much better flavor!}
1/2 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped and toasted
1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil {I used organic cold-pressed}
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice {or bottled organic}
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt {or sea salt}

Combine ingredients in a large serving bowl and toss well. Serve shortly after mixing as ingredients will start to dry out after a while. About 8 servings - can also cut recipe in half.

My hubs is not a big celery fan and he even likes the flavors in this salad! Do you have a favorite salad?

This post linked to:
~ Tasty Tuesday at Balancing Beauty and Bedlam
~ Chic & Crafty Party at The Frugal Girls
~ I'm Lovin' It at TidyMom

That's Post 2 of my 22-post challenge for the month! :)

Have a blessed & refreshing day friends!

Stop and Write a Blog Post {A Blogging Challenge}

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa @ Stop and Smell the Chocolates) — Tue, 02 Apr 2013 01:30:00 +0000

**Linky now added below the post in case you want to join in the challenge - challenge yourself to any number of posts you want for the rest of the month!!

Okay, that is certainly not an award-winning button there, but I needed something quickly because it feels more official and will help keep me accountable!

I mentioned before that I wanted to get back to blogging this month and I meant it! My plan is to post every weekday this month. I know that some bloggers challenge themselves to post every day for a month, but that is unrealistic for me. Back in the day, when I started blogging, I posted every weekday. Somewhere along the line that became too much. There's not necessarily a right or wrong amount of how many times you should post on a blog, but I've gone too far in the direction of "only-posting-when-I-feel-like-it" and now it's become a habit to skip the posting.

If I truly felt the need to step away from blogging {I've done it in the past}, I certainly would, but I don't. And I do have the time - I've just gotten lazy. So I will post every weekday this month to get back in the habit!

Just like I want to stop and smell the chocolates in life, I want to stop {stop what I'm wasting time on; stop being distracted} and write a blog post.

I can't promise you brilliant blog posts every day - but I do hope that you'll enjoy them and keep coming back for more. You'll be getting an assortment of posts: recipes, thoughts about life, photos, celebrations, old-school blogging, and more.

If you're a blogger or a writer, how has it been going for you lately? If you feel the need to challenge yourself this month, please join in! Mention it in the comments and if at least a couple people want to join the challenge, I'll add a linky for your blogs! **Woot!! Added the linky below! Not too late to join - do any number of posts you like for the rest of April. Please stop by and encourage the bloggers who have linked up!

How can you help me? Just come on by and comment when you can to help me stay on track! I truly appreciate that so many of you are still reading my blog and several of you do comment occasionally. Hugs to you!!

Day 1 - April 1st post - Done. Bam. :)

P.S. On my sidebar this month, you'll find a few blogs that I like to read {in no particular order or preference}- I think you'll like them too! Click and read a few! The display will change every Monday, Wednesday & Friday so stop by often to find some new blogs to love!

Have a blessed day friends!

Pretend Like This Title Sounds Clever

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa @ Stop and Smell the Chocolates) — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 07:00:00 +0000

My plan was to have a well thought-out, clever sort of post for you. The problem is that waiting for *that* to happen just seems to delay my blogging even further. Sometimes I just need to talk here, ya know {old-school blogging style}? And while I'm at it, how are you today? You look good - those yoga pants make you look like you've lost 10 pounds. :) <--- That seems like one of those sentences where I should add a "Tweet That" link, but I won't because I've never done it and that's just too much work for a post like this.

I'm thinking and thinking about my little old blog space and what I want to do here in the month of April. You see - April is my Blogaversary and birthday within a few days of each other. One is 5 years {wow} and the other is a lot more than that. :) And 5 Minutes For Mom happens to have their Ultimate Blog Party right during that time - so I like to claim that all the celebrating is just for ME!!

So, April will include the following {always subject to change because I can be flaky}:

Participating in the Ultimate Blog Party
Celebrating a 5-year Blogaversary
Using my ad spots to share blogs I like to read
Challenging myself {and maybe you if you blog or write and want to join in} to blog every weekday for the month of April
Hopefully getting at least one series of posts ready to share
Continuing to have FB Friday Fun on my Facebook Page

That's really all I had to say. I just wanted you to know that I'm here - staring often at my blog, thinking about writing posts rather than actually writing them. But I feel like April is the time to change that, get back on track and reconnect with you. Because I like you and sometimes I just wanna say "Hey!" & "How's it goin'?" & "Where *did* you get those yoga pants 'cause I really do need a new pair?" And then I want to give you a virtual hug and some chocolate and tell you to take a deep breath and go back and face your day because I know you can do it because you rock, you really do.

What's going on in your world for the month of April?

Have a truly blessed day friends!
You.Rock. :)

Lisa

One Word 2013 Update ~ Diligence {March}

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa @ Stop and Smell the Chocolates) — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 05:00:00 +0000

Sweet Melanie over at Only A Breath hosts a monthly linkup for your One Word updates. I'm a little late joining in this month, but wanted to post an update anyway.

My word for this year is Diligence. It's a word I definitely need! And you know what? God has been good to me and helped me in being diligent in a few things. I'm the kind of person who needs baby steps so my hope is that by being diligent in a couple things, it will catch on and lead to diligence in more things!

One example of diligence that amazes me is doing the Couch-to-5-K {C25K} plan. In January, I saw a training class offered for C25K and thought it would be a great way to get healthier. I asked my friends on Facebook if any of them wanted to do it with me. A few said they would, but then it turned out that the class was already full. Boo. So I had an idea! One of the ladies who was interested in the program is a P.E. teacher and helps coach volleyball at our Christian school, so I asked if she would be our trainer/leader if we did the C25K plan ourselves. Yes! How cool is that?

We just finished our 9 weeks of jogging/walking 3 days a week! We did decide that we weren't quite ready for a 5K, so we're continuing another 4 weeks and then doing a 5K in April. There have been some ladies who have gone in and out due to injuries, schedules, etc. but there are 6 of us who are regulars and will probably do the 5K together. Woo Hoo!! We've gone from jogging 1 minute at a time alternating with walking to jogging a straight 32 minutes without stopping. That takes diligence my friends. But it also takes a group of ladies who are committed to each other - all of us agree that we would have stopped or would not have been to this level if we were on our own.

My other example of diligence this month is doing the Early To Rise challenge with Money Saving Mom. I made my mind up at the very last minute to join in! I bought the ebook and started getting up early on March 1st. I set my wakeup time for 6am. So far, I've done great! I skipped some Mondays as I had very little sleep and knew that was more important, but I also added in a couple of Saturdays which is completely out of character for me!! Woo Hoo for diligence!! {And thank you God for giving me the gift of diligence when I needed it.}

I need diligence in SO many more areas {like blogging *ahem*} and hope that I'll have more examples for you next month!

Do you have One Word for the year? How are you doing with it? If you want to post about, you can link up with Melanie at Only a Breath! She hosts the linkup in the middle of each month.

Thanks for being here with me - my diligent readers! :)

Have a truly blessed day friends!

Strawberry Pie

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa @ Stop and Smell the Chocolates) — Thu, 14 Mar 2013 20:00:00 +0000

Why have pie on 3/14? Because it's Pi Day {3.14} of course! :)

My son requested that I send along some strawberry pie with him to Algebra class - where they are celebrating with many varieties of pie today! This recipe is not mine, but we do enjoy it every year and I'm paranoid about losing the link to it so I'll post it here to share with all of you!

I found this recipe a few years ago at Rocks In My Dryer {one of my fave blogs when I started blogging}. Shannon posted this recipe but no longer blogs so I always worry that one day the recipe will just *poof* disappear on me. I'm sure it's on the web in a bunch of places too, but I want it where I can find it easily.

You should know that this pie has its share of artificial ingredients. I'm sure there's a healthy strawberry pie recipe out there. This is not it - LOL! But we only have it once or twice a year and it's yummy. And it's easy. And it makes 2 pies at once.

This was the first time I made the pie:

Here's a better pic!

Strawberry Pie

2 pie shells {homemade or um, the other kind}
2 containers fresh strawberries {about 16 oz each} - washed & sliced
17 oz. Sprite or 7-Up
1 pkg Strawberry Jello {the larger box - 6 oz. I think}
1 1/2 cups sugar
5 tablespoons cornstarch

Bake pie crusts according to directions and set aside to cool.

In large saucepan, bring Sprite, sugar, and cornstarch to a boil. Cook and stir over low until it thickens {5-10 minutes}. Remove pan from heat. Stir in strawberry jello until dissolved. Mix in sliced strawberries. Chill mixture in refrigerator for about 20 minutes.

Remove from refrigerator. Pour evenly into 2 pie shells. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least 3 hours before serving.

Don't you love how my crust on the above pic turned out? That crimping on the edge is almost perfect! I am that talented. Except not really. I confess I hired a pastry chef to make that crust. Her name is Marie...Callender. :D

I've been too scared to make my own pie crust ever since this complete failure:

Now you and I can easily find this easy strawberry pie recipe when we need it! Do you like strawberry pie? If you have a strawberry pie recipe, share the link or recipe in the comments!

Have a blessed day friends! And Happy Pi Day! :)

P.S. Son said there were about 8 different kinds of pie in Algebra class, but the strawberry pie was the first one gone and a huge hit! So there's an official endorsement - teenagers will love this pie - LOL! :)

Monday Musings {3/11}

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa @ Stop and Smell the Chocolates) — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 19:00:00 +0000

Copying my friend Charlotte again by doing some Monday Musings! Feel free to post your own musings ~ tell me in the comments so I can come visit! :)

What I'm thinking: That I have lots to do today and was going to start it right after this post, but now that I look at the clock, I think I better go do a few things right now! Meet ya back here for the rest of the post after I finish a few chores - OK? LOL! :)

Aaannd we're back! Ate breakfast, finished getting myself ready, started laundry, put clean dishes away, loaded dishwasher, filled out our weekly schedule, backed car into driveway for windshield chip repair guy, and made a list of everything I must remember to get done today. Now I can continue the post guilt-free. :)

What I'm reading: Reading Song of Solomon in the Bible and trying to finish Organized Simplicity ~ The Clutter-Free Approach to Intentional Living by Tsh Oxenreider . Still reading Early To Rise - Learn to Rise Early in 30 Days by Andy Traub on my Kindle.

What I'm listening to: The dryer tumbling and that's about it - pretty quiet here at the moment.

What we're learning: Well, we all learned CPR this weekend! Actually son and hubs already knew it, but needed to be recertified. I had never taken a class so thought it would be a good idea since the Boy Scout troop was doing it together along with family and school staff members. We learned CPR, First Aid, AED and we're certified for 2 years now! Definitely important info to know - I recommend it for anybody! And son finished up a First Aid merit badge class for Boy Scouts, so as a result we now have an official family first aid kit {can't believe we didn't have one put together before - now if there's an emergency we can grab it and go or even take it along on car trips}.

What I'm watching: Didn't have much time to watch much of anything. Have any of you watched Duck Dynasty? We've seen a few episodes and I think it's hilarious! They claim the show is non-scripted, and maybe the words aren't written, but the scenarios are obviously planned out. Even knowing that, the characters are quite entertaining. And I like that they end each show with the family around the table praying.

What's cooking: Pork loin later this week - roasted in the oven with a rub on it. And thank you - that just reminded me I have to take it out to thaw!!! Be right back - LOL! Whew - so now can I claim that blogging saved dinner?! :)

What I'm buying: I need a few things from Trader Joe's and I hope to find time to get to the thrift store to look for more shorts for the kiddo. He prefers to live in shorts year-round {even in forty-something degrees} except for part of the year when he's forced to wear pants to school as part of the dress code! Just 2 more weeks until Easter Break and then when he goes back to school after that, he can wear shorts to school the rest of the year - he's seriously counting down!

What I'm thankful for: This week I'm thankful for beautiful sunshine!! And for everything starting to bloom as Spring is almost here! Spring is such a lovely time, though Summer is still my favorite season, I think, or is it Fall? Hmmm...maybe anything but Winter. :)

What I'm creating: Creating reports of the current numbers as part of my Treasurer duties for our Boy Scout troop. Doesn't that sound exciting? And maybe a new recipe to add to the backlog of recipes that I need to post on this here blog.

What I'm planning: Figuring out meals, etc for the week as a brother-in-law will be our house guest. More C25K jogs - they'll be 30 minutes long this week. Going out for a belated birthday celebration for a friend and maybe celebrating another friend's birthday on another day! Also planning to continue getting up early each weekday as part of the Early To Rise challenge.

What we did this last weekend: CPR and First Aid! That made for a long Saturday and then we had some errands too. So I didn't get my weekend jog done. Yesterday after church son & hubs got their First Aid merit badge class finished up. That means 5 scouts just earned another merit badge! And in between all those things, son did tons of homework {some of it his fault for not doing ahead of time} and was overwhelmed by it all. But proud of him for working through it and getting it all done - including his opening statement as prosecuting attorney in a mock trial in Junior High. So cool.

What I'm looking forward to: Easter Break - 2 more weeks!! That means I don't have to drive back and forth to school or prepare lunch in the morning. And there is usually sleeping in involved. Hubs will hopefully get a couple days off and we'll try to go do something fun.

A picture to share:

Son got a cast for a broken wrist over 3 weeks ago, but his arm was so sweaty that the cast was driving him crazy and he was worried about his skin underneath with all the moisture. So we went Friday to have it checked and got a fresh & clean new cast {no cost} put on! Son was very happy about that and has less than 2 weeks to go until this one comes off! Yay!

What are your plans for this week?

Have a blessed day friends!