Best Parts of My Week

I had a rough start to the weekend, but it ended up being a really great week!  We took our first family hiking trip to Lincoln State Park last weekend.  I spent most of this week in my favorite spot, doing my favorite thing (baking in my kitchen).  I also pondered a blog make over this week, worked on planning a little getaway for Kevin & me, and spent many hours planning for this coming weekend!  Derby - Mother's Day - AND Hayden's 8th Birthday (which falls on Mother's Day)!

Like I mentioned above, my weekend started out rough.  We were on the tail end of a long stretch of days Kevin had to work, we had a bad couple trips to Walmart in the matter of 30 minutes, cats were making messes and throwing up, and I was disappointed by a few things that I've had to change my attitude about.  Kevin knew I was having a bad day and he so sweetly sent me the most beautiful arrangement of pink flowers.  Only...the lady that signed the card signed them from "Jevin".  I thought it was hilarious and it was the perfect restart to my weekend!

I had a fun week of baking!  My friend Amy needed a couple cakes for a first communion party.  She sent me a picture of what she wanted and I recreated it!

I also make some sugar cookies for Hayden's teachers!  He's got 3 this year!  (His main teacher, a student teacher, and a music/art teacher).  Hope they enjoy them!  They were a lot of fun to make!

ROY BOY IS OPEN!!!!  I'm excited about it!  They opened for the season on Saturday.  My MIL texted me while we were all at Walmart and we quickly wrapped up our shopping and headed there!  We still had groceries in the van - true story.  They were delicious and they told me I was the first whip cream of the season.  What an honor - haha!  Wished that qualified me for free whip cream the rest of the season!

Some of our favorite flavors:  red raspberry, pink lemonade, orange, & tutti fruitti. #Mmmmmm

I posted this week on Instagram that I've been on a mission to recreate a sourdough starter.  The family starter that was 20+ years old, that was passed down to me from my mom, {apparently I had the last of it}...... well I killed it.  It was shortly after Austin was born.  And I've missed it; not the taking care of it part, but the amazing bread and cinnamon rolls!  So I tried 3 different recipes over the last month.  The third recipe was alive but had a horrible vinegar taste.  I was able to start a new starter from it, and voila, I've remade a starter!  It took hours of research, lots of trial and error, and I'm going to do my best to keep it alive!  I wanted my mom to try it, and she thought "it was just as good as the old starter if not better!"  <--- I was really happy to get that feedback!

I made some yummy strawberry butter to slather all over the bread! (Look for the recipe next week!)

I made a regular sized loaf and 2 mini loafs!  One is in my freezer and I'm anxious to try it this weekend to see how it tastes after it's been frozen and thawed!

Was it last week or the week before I was just talking about how great CeCe was doing with the chickens?  Well she made me eat my words!  Dumb dog.  All the kids were outside playing, the chickens were out in the yard, and so was CeCe.  I was working on dinner and I kept glancing outside to check on everyone when I noticed CeCe "playing" with a chicken.... and when I say playing, I mean anytime the chicken tried to get away she'd bat her down and tackle her.  I came unglued!  I ran outside, immediately assessed her injuries, and sent CeCe to her kennel.  I dealt with her later, but thank God, I stopped things just in time.  It was Cutie, Allie's favorite chicken, that got hurt.  She was missing a patch of feathers on her back, had a few minor scratches that we cleaned and treated with ointment, but was overall fine and escaped major injury.  Just as a precaution, we kept her separate from the other hens and put her in the barn next to the baby chicks for the night.  When we checked on her the next morning she had broke into the baby's brooder and was hanging out with them! 

Poor Allie was SO upset.

The next day, Cutie was reunited with her sisters!

Despite the minor chicken attack, Cutie laid us an egg the next day and so did all her sisters!

My last week of pictures, Allie was sans glasses.  Her first pair got bent almost weekly, and the nose pieces had fallen off twice.  They were poorly made and we realized a couple weeks ago we'd need to order a new pair.  We picked out some plastic frames and we are hoping these will hold up much better.  And FYI, if your child will ever be needing glasses in the future, apparently Walmart is the place to go.  I've had two friends tell me that's the only place they go because they are so cheap (after we already ordered and paid for her new pair).  One friend paid $12, the other paid $80.  We paid that combined, then doubled, for her new pair from the eye doctor!  I had no clue. 

 One more note about Allie, she took her Lollipop test at the elementary school this week and did great!

Kevin likes to follow a local online auction that happens every two weeks.  There is always a wide assortment of stuff, and he frequently sends me pictures of things he thinks I'd like.  He hit the nail on the head with this old, hand stitched quilt.  I won it for $33!  It has a few flaws, but I love the bright colors, the beautiful double ring pattern, and I can't even imagine the hours of work that went in to making it!  One mans trash is my new treasure!

Krissy loves it too :)

I can't even explain how excited I am for this weekend of getting to celebrate 3 of the best people in our lives!  All while eating good food, and enjoying perfect weather!  I'll take lots of pictures, don't worry :)