Now that is SASSY!!!

Wade and the boys are getting in the last few practices this week before ball games start next week. It has just been us girls at home tonight having 'sew' much fun.

I have really enjoyed sewing, but I am loving it even more when I am making things for her...like this funky dress...

She has gotten very picky about her clothes lately. I sometimes forget that she is almost 9 years old and not a little girl anymore so I have to be careful when making her clothes that it is not too 'little girly' looking. She really liked this zebra fabric as I am sure you can tell. I told her that we needed to take a few pictures for MM & Nana Sharon and she went to town....posing and blowing kisses.....ha! She is so sassy and a hot mess (in a good way)!!! I am very pleased with the outcome!!!! We are going to get her some hot pink leggings to wear under it with some black flip flops!!! One outfit down...a ton to go....lol!

Monday Memories

Our niece, Rylee celebrated her 4th birthday Friday. It is so hard to believe that this sweet little girl is now FOUR!!!! She has really grown up and has such a fun personality!!! She wanted a Sponge Bob skating party so that is what she got. She really cracked us up while she was opening her gifts. The song "Who let the dawgs out" started playing and she jumped up and wanted to go dance and skate....Forget the presents....She was ready to PARTY!!!!

We all had a great time! Happy Birthday sweet girl!!!! We love you!!!! We had not been skating in a while so the kids were a little out of touch....At first, Avery spent most of the time on the floor...ha...I got so giggled just watching him bust it!!! He was a great sport though. He would laugh and get right back up and go again!!!

I don't know if Andrew just never fell or if I just didn't catch it on camera!!!! :o)

Annah Brooke was afraid of falling so she sat around and watched everyone else for the longest time. She finally braved the rink and realized falling wasn't so bad!!! :o)

St. Paddy's Day Parade 2009

Wade and I took the kids out this morning to the 27th Annual Mal's St. Paddy's Parade. We have never been before and I have been planning for months that we were going this year!!!! We all had a fantastic time watching the Sweet Potato Queens and all of the fun floats! By the time we left there our necks were hurting from all of the beads we caught! ha!

Spring Break fun

We enjoyed an afternoon of hiking yesterday! Anything to do with outdoors and nature is right up our alley! The kids were even sweet enough to let me practice and play with my new camera! I think the pictures turned out great, but then again, I am very partial to my kids :o) Hope everyone has had a wonderful spring break...It is almost over!!!

Party like a BLOG STAR!!!

To all of my regular readers: I am participating in the Ultimate Blog Party! Today starts a week long of blog hoppin' party fun! Each year 5 Minutes for Moms hold the Ultimate Blog Party! This is a great way to find new blog friends that you share the same interest with and they also have AWESOME prize giveaways....TONS of prizes! You really should check it out if you have not!

If you are visiting from 5 Minutes for Moms, WELCOME!!! Please come in and make yourself at home! I've made this yummy chocolate chip cake just for you!
Please, let me get you a piece.

Let me introduce myself.

I am Melanie and this is my husband, Wade. I am a sinner saved by grace. I love the Lord and I know I am nothing without him. I married the love of my life and I couldn't ask for a better husband, father, companion, lover, & friend. We have three crazy kids that keep us on the go, but I wouldn't have it any other way! They make our life complete!! I enjoy blogging, blog designing, photography, baking, sewing, decorating and the outdoors. I love baseball. The Atlanta Braves to be exact. My Grandaddy got me hooked on them many years ago. I was a HUGE Dave Justice and Tom Glavine fan!! Dill pickle sunflower seeds are a must all year round, but especially during baseball season! I love to dance and sing. There is nothing better than grabbing the IPOD and dancing and singing the night away. I can't live without (well, maybe I could, but I choose not to) flip flops, coffee, mascara, lip gloss, the beach, music, Wade's hamburgers, tanning, diet coke, pedicures, all things pink, and The Young & the Restless.

Andrew is our 13 year old. He enjoys duck hunting, baseball, football, & texting.

Avery is our (almost) 11 year old. He enjoys duck hunting, baseball, football, & his Nintendo DS.

Annah Brooke (aka Suzannah) is our 8 year old. She loves cheerleading, tumbling, talking, animals & her Nintendo DS.

Do you remember me telling you about the prizes?! Well, there are a TON of great prizes.
5 Minutes for Moms asked us participating bloggers to list some of our favorites that we would LOVE to win! So here goes...

• 58 – Kitchen Aid Artisan Stand MixerProvided by: Moms Who ThinkPrize details: From Amish Friendship Bread to Decadent Cheesecake and all the meals in between dessert, Moms Who Think has recipes you’ll love. We would like to donate a Kitchen Aid Artisan Stand Mixer to help make one lucky winner’s home cooking even easier. (winner’s choice of color, $349.99 retail value)
• 19 — $50 gift certificate to Target StoresProvided by: Shoot-Me-NowPrize details: Treat your kids, or even better, treat yourself! Shoot-Me-Now would like to donate a $50 Target gift card to one winner.
• 118 — $25.00 Old Navy Gift CardProvided by: Manic MotherPrize details: Buy something fun for yourself or the little ones.
• 71 – flip flops for Mom & Daughter from Top It OffProvided by: Top It OffPrize details:Unique accessories for moms and kids! Our newest style of flip flops are a huge hit, and we would love one lucky winner to have a pair for her and her daughter
• 99 — $25 gift certificate for ShutterflyProvided by: SandwichINK.comPrize details: $25 gift certificate for Shutterfly for photos of all those cute kids, grandkids, pets, etc.

There are really SOOO many awesome prizes! I would be so thrilled to win anything!

So now you know a little about me, be sure to leave me a comment so I can come visit you too! Thanks for stopping by and feel free to browse around my site to get to know me better!

Happy blog hoppin'!!!!

Funnel Cake Fun

I took tomorrow off to spend some time with Wade and the kids before they go back to school. We have a fun filled day and weekend planned and it all started tonight with funnel cake making fun!

Who says you can only have funnel cakes at the fair?!?!? The Smiths know how to do it up "fair style"!!!

I've never attempted this recipe that I've had for years, but thought I'd give it a shot tonight!!!! We were all pretty excited as they turned out perfectly!!!!

Funnel Cakes:

• 1 egg
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 1 1/3 cup flour
• 2/3 cup milk
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 3/4 tbsp baking powder
• TONS of powdered sugar
  

Sift together salt, sugar, flour, & baking powder. In separate bowl, beat egg and then add milk. Mix. Pour the liquid mixture into your flour mixture. Beat until smooth. Pour batter into funnel (we used an icing bag) while holding your finger over the bottom. Allow batter to run out of funnel (or squeeze batter out of bag) into a deep fry pan (375 degrees) making any design you want. (please do not make fun of my frying 'pot'. I do not have a real frying pan. This was my mother's pot and I LOVE it and use it for frying..works great for me:)Fry until golden brown. (This was my first one and this is what happens when you are trying to take pictures while frying...a little too golden brown) Drain on paper towel. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. ENJOY!!!!

I promise, your husband and kids will think you are pretty awesome if you make these!!!! :o)

Vogue

Strike a pose, there's nothing to it...Vogue! Annah Brooke and I headed to a nearby park yesterday for a (practice) photo shoot while the boys were at baseball practice. I needed to get some practice under my belt. I have no clue as to what all of these settings are on my camera. Wade keeps telling me that the little book that came with it serves a purpose! ha!! Maybe one day I'll get it out and read it!

I had so much fun taking these shots of Annah Brooke and maybe I am being a little partial because she is mine! :o) This mommy thinks she makes a great model!!

Pay-it-forward winners

Sorry in my delay in posting the winners for my Pay-it-forward giveaway!!!! Random.org picked #2 Julie, #5 Laura, & #1 Suzanne. Thank you for entering the giveaway!
Please be sure to email me your mailing info and I will get these goodies out to you!!!!

Happy Hump Day!!!!

Dog Bone?!?!

This is what happens when an impatient 8 year old makes her own dinner.
Last night, the boys had ball practice so it was sandwich night. I was cleaning the bathtub and I told Suzannah that I would make her sandwich when I was done. I walk into the kitchen to find this...

I had to do a double take..I had no clue as to what was sitting in this bowl. She informed me she was making a PB&J sandwich (yes, in a bowl), but she did not want the crust. I told her it didn't look like she wanted the bread either and for that matter, where in the world was she going to spread the PB&J. Come to find out, she decided to use a doggie bone cookie cutter and this was the result....What a mess. Needless to say, we threw away the 2 slices pieces of bread and she ate cereal.

Thanks for guessing. She read the comments and thought it was funny! I thought the top piece looked like some kind of dinosaur head, boy was I wrong!

Knock yourself out!!!

Pay it forward giveaway

As promised...I am back with a giveaway with a twist!

I recently won a "pay-it-forward" giveaway from Lindsey at High heels & hairbows. I was so excited to open my mailbox today to find my lovely prizes! I won a pack of the cutest note cards, a $5 Starbucks card, & a BIG Hershey bar!!! We do not even know one another, but I feel we have a lot in common as all 3 of these prizes are some of my favorite things!

Lindsey, THANK YOU!!!! I LOVE it all!!!! Hopefully, I will get a chance to run by Starbucks this weekend and splurge on a Caramel Macchiato! hee hee So....I am here to host my very own "pay-it-forward" giveaway.

Being that I am all ready for spring, I am giving away a set of Easter hand towels, nail polish (to get those toes ready for some open toe shoes), and my favorite Easter candy to THREE lucky winners!!!!! All three winners will receive all three gifts!!

Leave me a comment by Friday, March 13th and I will pick the THREE winners on Saturday, March 14th.........here is the twist....YOU have to promise that if you are one of my lucky winners that you will "pay-it-forward" and host your very own giveaway and choose 3 winners! Don't let that scare you; giveaways are so much fun and your gift(s) can be anything you want!

Now, start commenting and spreading the word!!!!

Friday night fun!

WOOHOO...Its the weekend baby!!!! We started our weekend off by having a fun family night just hanging out at home, jumping on the trampoline, and spending time together...These are the best times of my life!!!!!!

Jumping....Even Sadie (our lab) loves to jump...practicing her back handspringAndrew has a great back flip and lands it! Avery has the best front flip, but he wanted to learn how to do a back flip...You see Ms. Thang giving him instructions...ha

Here is to a fantabulous weekend!!!!!!!!!!!!

Spring Fever!!!!!

I have enjoyed this weather for the past few days and I am really looking forward to tomorrow and Saturday's temperatures. I have spring fever! hee hee! I have pulled out my open toe heels and sandals and put away the boots. Actually, I keep my flip flops out year round because I wear them around the house all of the time, but anyhoo...You get it...
I have been wanting to make me a new springy/summery centerpiece for our dining room table, but I haven't quite figured out what I wanted so I decided to go ahead and decorate for Easter instead. You know it is just a little more than a month away and the way my life is passing me by, it'll be here in a blink. We picked up some tulle and plastic Easter eggs tonight and VOILA.....there you have it.I think it turned out cute for a very inexpensive Easter centerpiece, but then I walk back in the dining room and I have second thoughts about it....So tell me what you think!! Is the tulle too much or does it look okay? You can be honest, it will not hurt my feelings! :o)

ADDED THIS PHOTO after my 1st comment :o) This will give you a better idea of my dining room and the size of my dining room table..... :o)I'll be back tomorrow with a great giveaway with a twist!!! You don't want to miss it! It'll be FUN! WOOHOOOO....TGIalmostF!!!!!!!