Showing posts with label Birthdays. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Birthdays. Show all posts

Monday, January 2, 2012

Beth and Ben's Birthday Party November 2011

Beth turned 17 in November and Ben turned 14 in November. They both love to dance, so we had a combined birthday party for them. They both invited several friends and we all had a good time!


Mamaw, Grandma, Grandpa, Daddy and Aunt Janet


Ben and his cousin, Alley.


My niece, Susie, putting raspberries on the Raspberry-Mocha Cupcakes


My great-nephew Daniel with his daddy, Robbie.


Laura and Beth swing dancing


Ben on the right


Time for food!


Looks like the girls claimed this table!


I made Keylime Cupcakes and Raspberry Mocha Cupcakes


We had hot dogs, potato salad, mac and cheese, cole slaw and chips.




Beth and Alek dancing


Getting ready for a line dance.


Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Living Life

Living Life ... that's what I've been doing, but I haven't been recording it as much as I would like. Maybe that will be a new year's resolution, to spend more time on my blog!

As I go through the days of my life, I tend to think I will remember everything important that happens, and that I might even remember the not so important things. Now as I sit here trying to sum up the year, I find that I have forgotten a LOT! That's why I need to make this blog a priority, so that I can remember the important, and not so important, things in my life!

Thinking back over 2010, there was, of course, good and bad. I lost two special cousins this year. They were both named Richard. The first Richard, Richard Johnson, passed away in March. Richard had been in a wheelchair for probably 25 years or more. I always saw him with a smile on his face and he didn't seem to let his paralysis defeat him! He did however contract an illness from a blood transfusion and that was what ultimately killed him. It was a very sad time, but I believe Richard is in heaven now and I look forward to seeing him walk and run some day!

The second Richard, Rick Reynolds, left us very unexpectantly this summer. I saw Rick in July at our family reunion. It had been several years since I had seen him, so I'm very thankful for that last opportunity. Rick was in a car accident in August and hit a tree. He was killed on impact. He was such a talented and fun-loving man. He is missed by so many!

One thing I remember about 2010, was that it was an extremely hot summer! Hotter than any I've experienced here in Virginia! It was so hot that most days we didn't even want to go to the pool because the water wasn't even cool enough to be refreshing! Now, here in December, it's so cold that we could probably ice skate on the pool if it had water in it! :)

I didn't lose the weight I wanted to lose in 2010...probably gained about 5 lbs instead. :( Hopefully 2011 will be a better year to get focused and lose weight. I did, however, walk/jog in a 5K in October! It was mostly walk, but I DID IT and I FINISHED! Beth walked it with me and I so appreciated her company!

In June we went to the annual homeschool conference. We went as a family this year and thoroughly enjoyed our time away. We stayed near Neal's sister, Janet, so we were able to spend time with her as well. It was a fun weekend!

We had a great trip to Ohio/Indiana/Kentucky in June/July. My brother, Darrell, celebrated his 50th birthday on June 25th. We were able to go celebrate with him, so that was a special treat! We also were able to spend time with my brother, Robert and his family, and my aunt Alberta. At the end of the trip we went through Kentucky to go to my family reunion. It was so nice to see aunts, uncles and cousins that I hadn't seen in a long time! After the reunion, we went about an hour and a half away to spend the night with my mom's sister. That was a sweet visit, too!

August brought our annual camping trip with friends. Although it rained, we still had a great time! We had great hopes of camping once more this year, but it did not happen.

In September, Neal's cousin Ruthie and her mom, Mary Beth came for a week. We had such a nice visit. We went on a couple of walks together, went up on the Blue Ridge Parkway, went to the D-Day Memorial, and to Colonial Williamsburg. I loved spending time with Ruthie and Mary Beth...I wish they lived closer!

September also brought Myrtle Beach! Mom, Beth, Ben and I went to the beach for a few days. It rained every day, but we still had fun! Well, I take that back, it didn't rain on the day we left. :P We were blessed with a beautiful sunrise that morning and Ben and I took a quick morning walk on the beach before we had to leave. Ben and I also went for a walk on the beach at night. That was fun!

October brought the women's conference from church. It was a good time of relaxation and refreshment in the Word.

November brought a round of birthdays: Neal, Ben, Mom and Beth. Ben became a teenager! I can't believe both of my children are teenagers now. Beth turned 16! Wow! It's hard to believe that my kids are getting that old!

Now December is upon us and it's been busy, busy, busy! The kids had their Christmas cantata at church, we had a 90th birthday party for Neal's grandpa, Beth started working, Neal and I had a fun date night while the kids went to the youth Christmas party, and Mom and I went to Colonial Williamsburg for two days. Now to enjoy the rest of the month and celebrate in our Savior's birth!

God bless each of you as you celebrate Christ's birth this holiday season!

Thursday, November 13, 2008

Ben



Eleven years ago this afternoon, I gave birth to a precious little baby boy. He weighed in at a whopping 8 lbs, 7 oz! We called him our little Sumo wrestler. He was so cute! We named him Benjamin Ward, and he has brought us so much joy his entire life!

Ben has a gentle, giving spirit. He loves to do for others, and hates it when he sees people mistreated. He's very sensitive.

Ben also enjoys playing super heroes, reading, playing piano, listening to his Christian music cd's, watching movies, playing the Wii, and spending time with his family. (Sounds like I'm advertising him for a dating service, doesn't it?)

Anyway, we love this guy! And we are so thankful to God for bringing him into our lives!

This is Ben in his new jacket he got for his birthday. It's reversible, and you can see the other side in the picture at the top of this post.

Ben enjoy his musical birthday card. ("Hey now, you're an All Star, get your game on, go Play!")

Neal called this the "Breakfast of Champions!" Ben requested sausage balls and I threw in his favorite donut and a freshly made fruit smoothie!

HAPPY 11th BIRTHDAY, BEN!!! WE LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Saturday, December 1, 2007

Priceless

Beth just told me what her Daddy told her the other night on their date. He said, "Tonight is like one of those commercials:

Gas to drive to restaurant: $3.00

Cost of meal: $75.00

Date with my daughter: PRICELESS!"

Beth's Birthday


Beth's new bedspread. She wants to redo her room in blue and brown. Next we'll have to paint the walls.

Neal took Beth out on a "date" for her 13th birthday. They went to what is probably the nicest restaurant in our town (and most expensive, too). She got to experience having several courses, different forks, and a server who would refill her drink after she would take a couple of sips. She really enjoyed the restaurant and experience, but mostly she enjoyed valuable time spent with her Daddy.

Neal also gave Beth a ring. He called it her "Princess Ring." He told her that when she looked at it she should remember that she is her Daddy's Princess, and that she is also a child of the King (speaking, of course, of God our Father).

Wednesday, November 21, 2007

Woo Hoo

Isn't it great to get money in the mail? Ben got this card from his Uncle Darrell and Aunt Jan.

On the inside it said "Feel Free to Woo Hoo" and he did!


Thank you Darrell and Jan! The Wii fund is almost complete!

Wednesday, November 14, 2007

Cheesecake

We had our November birthday dinner at my in-laws last night, and I made this cheesecake. Perri gave me the recipe, and it is pretty good. I didn't process the graham cracker crumbs long enough, so the crust doesn't look too good. I also cut back on the amount of chocolate chips to one cup, and it was still rich enough.

Can anyone tell me how to move a cheesecake off of the springform pan bottom and onto a plate? I always keep it on the pan, but if I wanted to make one for someone else, I wouldn't know how to transfer it.



Mom's Birthday

Sunday was Mom's birthday. She turned 73! When we got home from church we fired up the grill and grilled ribeye steaks and I made baked sweet potatoes and green beans. For dessert I made a peach cobbler! Yum!
Mom and I holding the card I made for her

I loved this picture of Mom and Ben walking back to the car after the Veteran's Day ceremony

Monday, November 12, 2007

Birthdays, Birthdays, Everywhere!

Neal's 41st birthday was last Tuesday...November 6th....Election Day. Poor fella, he works part time for the Registrar's Office in our county and he had to get up at 4:00 Tuesday morning and didn't get home until a little past 10:30 that night! Not much of a birthday!

Since Tuesday and Wednesday were a bust (after work Wednesday he crashed), we decided to celebrate on Friday. I made him one of his favorite dinners: Spicy Curry Chicken and Cous Cous. I made some Flan for dessert (I cheated though -- I used the Jello mix. Shhhh...) Then we went to a play at a local college. They put on a very good production of The Rainmaker. After the play we went to Dairy Queen for a post-play dessert ;o). We all had a great time celebrating with "Daddy."
Jeremiah 29:11

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."