June/July Celebrations

Every time I log on to my computer I'm reminded of all of the occasions I've missed blogging about. Just before leaving for my scrapbook retreat I downloaded pictures from 4th of July (this year) and our trip to New York with the school band at the end of April. As I was hunting for the pictures on my computer, I came across pics from a couple of years ago. Did I ever develop any of the photos? Have I already scrapped some of them and they're stashed in a pizza box somewhere in the "craft room" (aka, "multipurpose" or "catch-all" room)? I thought I might feel just a little better if I took a few minutes to at least post a few of the pics before I retire for the night. There will be more to come as I become more organized in the very near future!
The Hubs grew up always requesting caramel cake for his June 18th birthday. I have searched high and low for a recipe similar to his Aunt Zeda's recipe. I found this one at Betty Crocker's website. The cake looked like a caramel cake, but the icing just didn't quite do it for me. You can read my review if you click on the link. The cake part was good, but I'll keep looking for a better caramel frosting!

Here are pics from the 4th of July impromptu get-together at my parents' house. I say impromptu because mom literally called me the day before the holiday and asked if she should grill some hot dogs and burgers and have everyone over. Umm, no, not really. She wouldn't accept that since she was feeling a little guilty about skedaddling out of town for our scrapbook retreat on Friday July 5. Then she asks what I want to bring. Umm, nothing 'cause I have lots to do to get ready for said scrapbook retreat AND I had to work 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. on the night of the 4th. Anyway, we did end up getting together. I did end up making potato salad and a very patriotic five layer cake with whipped cream icing that slid all over the place inside the cake holder on the way to mom's...

 Me and the baby niece, Maycie

Cousins: Aaron, Xavier, Alisa, Micaela (Aaron's sig-o), Maycie & Leyla

 The slip-sliding away cake. It tasted great even if it was a little worse for its travels!

T'Lani's patriotic mini cupcakes. We did have real food, too, just in case you're wondering LOL!
I'll save the New York pics for a separate blog. Until next time...

Welcome to our world

Howdy, y'all! Everyone has been bugging me to get on facebook, but I know better! Less than 12 months to go before I finish my nursing degree. I say "woo"; you say "hoo." Woo-hoo. Woo-hoo! Then, I'll consider more fancy communication techniques. Because I've been determined to get back into journaling, I thought I'd create a blog for now. This should be fun. I'll eventually learn to post pictures and everything else, but for now words will have to do.
Today is Mike's birthday. He's a little bashful about his age, but I'll give you a hint: it falls between 47 and 49. We had shrimp etouffee (a la Tony Chachere's creole etouffee mix), Caesar salad, & garlic sourdough bread for dinner. I got up at 6 a.m. to bake Mike's cake before I went to clinicals at Hickory Trail Hospital in DeSoto, TX. My sister-in-law, Lani, found caramel frosting for me after I was unsuccessful at Krogers & Albertsons. Everyone thought it tasted more like anything but caramel: coffee, butterscotch, maple, etc. It was good with the vanilla ice cream anyway you cut it.
I stopped by Albertsons to look for the Duncan Hines caramel frosting (I just couldn't imagine standing in front of the hot stove "stirring constantly" to make the icing from scratch.). I was talking to Barrett at the time. Although I didn't find the frosting I was looking for, I did find granulated sugar and canteloupe on sale, so off to "self-check" I went with my three 98-cent items...still talking to Barrett. I completed my transaction, fed the machine my five dollar bill, took my coin change & receipt but forgot my $2.00! I didn't realize this mistake until I had been home for over an hour and was patting my pockets to pay Lorenzo Jr for the caramel frosting Lani had picked up for me. The way I see it, Barrett is to blame since he was obviously adistracting me from by business at hand. Oh well. I hope whoever found it needed it worse than I did. I'll burn up $2 worth of gas & time driving back over to Albertsons to maybe retrieve my forgotten change. God bless whoever found it.
Aaron & Alisa will be glad when summer school is over for me (July 2). Mike is home with them on Mon/Tues (his regular off days); then, I take them to PaPa & Tia's house on Wed/Thurs @ 7 a.m. We'll all be glad to sleep in a little!
Mike will be on vacation in mid-July. We're hoping to get away somewhere just for a quick trip since who knows when that will happen again. We're still working on getting the pool up and running (if that's not the most pitiful thing ever...still not swimming in mid-June in Texas!).
Whew! That was quite a bit of typing. Guess I should've just gotten the facebook (smile).
I have a busy weekend with 3 major assignments due next week, plus Trey & Thomas' graduation party at Lake Worth, and having to attend an AA meeting and an anxiety/bipolar support group (part of mental health nursing class). Another busy weekend. C'est la vie!
Good night. Until next time...