We've Got Spirit!!!

Yes we do! Some of you might be wondering what I have been scrapping as of late. The answer? Not much. I have taken a little scrapbooking hiatus for the last week or so to work on some spirit goodies for Hazel's competitive cheerleading squad. Now that we are part of the Cheer Extreme family of gyms, Hazel and her team have really started to blossom on their skill level. Here she is modeling her new uniform...



I must admit... I'm a total sucker for the new team colors. Teal is my favorite, and I loved having a chance to create with it! I've been making cowbells for the team moms to bring to competitions with us. Us cheer moms... the noisier, the better!



And, then I started on a project that harkened back to my days in high school football-crazed Texas. For those of you that have never lived there, went to high school there, or had a child that went to high school there, let me introduce you to the mum...



Now, let me just tell you... this is a VERY scaled-down version of the "everything's bigger in Texas" mums that the high school girls sport during the annual homecoming football game/dance. In fact, this is more of what you would consider a "garter," and would be worn by... get this... THE GUYS. Yes, guys wear these frilly, sparkly things as a garter around their upper arms. Manly, is it not?

The girls? Well, let me tell you... I stand at about 5'5", and my homecoming mums in high school nearly reached my ankles. Don't believe me? Check these ladiesout! No, I don't know the crafty lady whose blog I pulled this from. She just had the best photos (actually ON a person) that I found when I Googled photos of homecoming mums.

Mind you, I graduated from high school over 13 years ago... but, these things seem to have only GROWN in size since then. At least we used to be able to pin them to our shirts. Sure, it might have taken 5 safety pins... but, we weren't wearing them around our necks like they do now. I get it, though... the bigger, the more sparkly the mum... the cooler you thought you were. Well, at least until you looked back 13 years later. LOL! They even make ones that light up and play music... I kid you not.

So, back to my little mum. This guy only measures 12", and is a great way to show support of your cheerleader. There were moms that wore them back in high school to support their football-playing sons, cheerleader daughters, etc. So, I thought I'd bring a little of that good old Texas tradition right here to North Carolina. We'll see how this catches on... or not. It sure was FUN to make, though. And, you all know how much I LOVE anything that sparkles! Lights up and plays music? Not so much. We'll save that for those Texas gals.



If you're a Cheer Extreme mom, find yourself reading this, and are interested in your very own mum to support your little cheerleader... please feel free to contact me.

Speaking of cheerleading... it's about time for practice. We have our first competition this weekend, and need to get ready. I'll leave you with a photo (and a video) from their recent Showcase performance...

Happy Halloween!

Just a quick little last-minute project made with all of the cool new "Twilight" goodies from Pink Paislee. This makes a great little card for your kids (that can later be used as a door hanger), or even a quick hostess gift for those Halloween parties I know you;ll all be attending tonight. It only took about a half an hour to put it together (aside from waiting for the glitter and glue to dry).

Everyone in the Hanks houshold wants to wish you the happiest of Halloweens as well. Including our new rescue Frenchie, Zee...



She looks real happy, doesn't she? Yeah... not so much. Next year I'm going to devise a costume for her that looks like "Spike" from the movie, Gremlins. Everyone keeps telling me she looks like a gremlin, so I figure, "Why not?"

Sake's just glad that she avoided having to wear the hot dog costume again this year. The skeleton suit is much more dignified... and it glows in the dark!



I'm quite certain that my dogs hate Halloween. But, not my kids. Luka threw a fit until I relented, and bought him this Brobee costume. Not the most manliest of things, but Bryan isn't home for this Halloween to complain. *wink*





As for Hazel, we've managed to avoid the generic princess costumes... until this year. But, her obsession with all things glittery has taken over, and she fell in love with this Cinderella dress when she spied it this summer at Disney World. Fortunately, the Disney Store had it for about $30 cheaper. She looks beautiful... if I do say so myself.





I hope you all have a wonderfully fun (and safe) Halloween! Trick-or-treat!

*re-cap*

This past weekend was the one I eagerly anticipate all year long... our annual trip to the apple orchard.



This year was actually somewhat disappointing. There were easily 5 x's as many people as when we went last year. I'm not sure if it's because we went a week earlier than usual, the fact that everyone is doing "stay-cations" now, or that a bunch of people wised up and realized that they can get about 30 lbs of apples for the same price they would pay for less than half that many at a grocery store. And that all those apples make lovely applesauce, apple butter, apple bread and apple pies of their own. Whatever the reason, it was frustrating to wade through that crowd and try to enjoy ourselves. But, we managed anyway.



They make the best homemade donuts at the orchard... great with a warm cup of cider. But, after waiting in a line 20 people deep for almost half an hour without moving an inch, I gave up. The kids didn't mind the wait, though. They were busy rolling around in the hay.



We managed to find some lovely pumpkins. They always have such gorgeous heirloom varieties. I just wish the large crowds hadn't forced us to park nearly 3/4 of a mile from the orchard, so that I could have brought more of these beauties home. As it was, I could barely carry everything back to the truck. But, lugging these chubby gourds back was well worth it.





For me, one of the best parts of the trip is always on the way home... our stop at Flat Rock Village Bakery just a couple of miles down the winding lane from the orchards. Oh, it is delicious! They have their own brick wood-fired oven, where they fire handmade pizzas from the freshest ingedients. We enjoyed sharing a margherita pizza with fresh tomatoes and basil. They also offer a variety of sandwiches, organic juices and fresh-baked loaves of artisan bread for you to take home. I've never bought any of the bread, but this year I couldn't resist the 3 cheese with basil loaf.



To be quite honest, I wasn't entirely sure that I hadn't wasted $6 on this loaf of bread. I thought it impossible for myself to devour the whole loaf, and my little ones aren't big starch eaters. I toasted a couple of slices for dinner that night... pretty yummy. Then yesterday, I had a delicious revelation... I could make sandwiches out of it. But, this bread... it is deserving of something more than just processed lunch meat. Once or twice a month, I make one of these chickens for dinner. WIth Bryan gone, it is entirely too much food for the kids and myself to eat in one sitting. So, I shred the left-over chicken and snack on it for a few days afterward. It just so happens that I made one a couple of days ago, and had some left over. With some fresh spinach leaves, a little spicy brown mustard, some mayo and a slice of pepper jack cheese... heaven between 2 toasted slices of 3 cheese basil bread.



Have you ever eaten something that was so delicious, it nearly brought tears to your eyes? You probably think that sounds silly. But, trust me... there are a few meals out there in this earth that can evoke such feelings. The first time I ever experienced it was earlier this year when my great-uncle took me to lunch at Magnolia's in Charleston, SC. There, I had a bacon, lettuce, lump crab meat and fried green tomato sandwich with homemade sweet potato fries. I had never put something so amazing in my mouth... but, that's a stoary for another time. I had certainly never made something so awe-inspiring in my own kitchen... until this sandwich.

It's a good thing that bakery is over 4 hours from my house. Otherwise, it might well be responsible for adding about 100 extra punds to my figure. But, trust me... if you ever find yourself in the Asheville area, a side-trip to Flat Rock is worth the extra time in the car. Then, you can have one of these delicious artisan loaves of your very own.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I have about 5 dozen apples calling my name... waiting to be turned into something warm, sticky, sweet and homemade.

footprints...

of where we've been this weekend. I mentioned that we were heading out last Wednesday for Illinois to celebrate my great aunt's and great uncle's 50th wedding anniversary. We had such a lovely time. We're such a small family, and everyone is spread out. It's a rare occasion that we are all able to get together. But, I can't think of a better reason to spend time celebrating with family than a 50th wedding anniversary!

We swam.



We slipped and we slid.





Then we decided it might be better to walk.



We played piano with cousins from Switzerland that we met for the first time.



Can you tell Hazel has a flair for the dramatic?



We came across strange winged things.



But, most importantly, we helped this darling couple celebrate 50 years together...



and, toasted to many more happy years of marriage.



Happy anniversary Aunt Marty and Uncle EM!

Friday happiness

My favorite new musical artist (well, new to me). And, no, it isn't just because we share the same name. ;0) She just plain rocks. Holly Conlan...



On to some Friday fill-in's. The questions just plain suited me this week, so I had to post 'em!

1. It's time for my blogiversary!
That's right... I've been at it here for 2 years! Hard to believe. I never even kept a pen and paper diary going for that long. Maybe it's just the amazing blog community that keeps me going. Yep. That must be it! Anyway, I know NaBloPoMo is usually observed in November, but I'll be celebrating my version of the daily blogging ritual during the month of August. That's right... a post a day. Lots of inspiration, crafting, tutorials, recipes and even a couple of giveaways! That's right... free stuff! And, good free stuff too! Not just stuff I scrounged from drawers in my craft room. And, remember that whole 12 months of Christmas project? Yeah... we're getting back on track with that! So, be sure to check back... the fun starts tomorrow! ;0)

2. North Carolina; it's not a bad place for seafood. Look at these little guys that Bryan picked up on the way home from work today...



$12 for a dozen! Can't beat that. I see lots of blue crab nights in my future.

3. I must be crazy... to have shown those LIVE crabs to the kids. Now, they want to keep them... as pets.

4. Loving them...



is the best thing I have ever known. Even if they have *TOTALLY* tried my patience this last week, and worked every last nerve. They're still the sweetest things on earth.

5. My life is simply wonderful right now! I am enjoying every last second with Bryan before he leaves. We're having tons of fun, and making lots of memories.

6. The last time I laughed really loudly was last night... at one of my favorite episodes of George Lopez. Yes, I'm a Nick at Nite junkie!

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to... cooking up those yummy blue crabs up there!!

Tomorrow my plans include... a garage sale. No fun, no fun. But, the get-together afterward with friends will make it all worth it!

And Sunday, I want to... take a trip to the Raleigh flea market to see what treasures I can find. Hopefully something as cool as this vintage canister set that I scored just recently...



Happy weekend!

"Now, that's what I call magic!"

Those were Hazel's exact words about halfway through the 4th of July fireworks show at Disney World. I had her on top of my shoulders so that she could see when I heard those words whisper from her little mouth. It brought tears to my eyes. Sappy, yes. But, it's those kind of moments that I will treasure forever.

Originally, Bryan and I were supposed to take the trip to Disney by ourselves. We've been married going on 5 years and, thanks to the hectic military schedule, never got to take a honeymoon. So, we finally made time for one before he deploys again next month. After spending 5 days in the park just the 2 of us, we agreed that we HAD to bring the kids back... on our way home to North Carolina for the 4th of July. It was the best decision I have ever made. I've never seen my kids so happy, and that was an amazing feeling.

Anyway, as I said, Bryan and I spent a few days by ourselves while the kids stayed behind with Mimi and Grandpa. There, they caught lobsters from a crane machine and helped Grandpa boil them up for dinner!



Hazel says, "Why don't we eat like this at home, Mom?" If only we had crane machines where you could catch a lobster for only $2... or if lobsters grew on trees!

Meanwhile, Bryan and I explored the parks. It was a Tuesday, and the park was amazingly uncrowded. We got to ride EVERYTHING! The teacups were Bryan's favorite. And, I think this has to be my favorite picture from the whole trip. It was hard to hold down my lunch and try to get this picture, though. LOL!



Disney was most amazing at night. The fireworks, the light parade... awesome!





I was really bummed that the Cinderella pumpkin float was excluded from the light parade when we took the kids back. Cinderella is Hazel's favorite. :0(

The next day, we check out Epcot. That was, by far, our favorite park (although, the kids wouldn't have been able to do much there... the height requirement for most of the rides was too tall).



Epcot's food was most amazing. We booked some great dinner reservations for our trip (including one of Emeril's restaurants), but Epcot still reigned superior. Well, at least to me. We ate lunch at The Biergarten Restaurant. Although the food wasn't the absolute BEST I had, the atmosphere was insanely fun. In fact, the whole German area of Epcot's World Showcase had me really crossing my fingers that Bryan gets stationed in Germany next time around. I just love the culture!

Dinner was at San Angel Inn. I had been there years before on a trip to Epcot with my parents. The interior of the restaurant is gorgeous... a faux outdoor (it's actually inside) Mexican cantina under the "night sky" with Mayan ruins in the background. The atmosphere is insane! And, I had the best chicken mole I've had since we discovered a little breakfast joint down an alley in Cozumel. You just can't find mole like that in the states! YUM!

I must admit, though... I had the BEST sushi ever at Rangetsu of Tokyo (outside of DIsney). If you're a fan of sushi, and find yourself in Orlando... this place is NOT to be missed! And, if you're into teppanyaki a la Benihana... Mikado's Japanese Steakhouse at Orlando World Center Marriott Resort (that's a mouthful) is to die for! If you can spring for the lobster and steak... go for it (*drool*)!

Okay, back from the food diversion... Bryan and I also got to visit Disney's Animal Kingdom, where we saw the tree of life:



Which is where I got my pic snapped in front of this amazingly carved monkey...



I also got to meet MY most favorite of Disney characters: Stitch!



Our last day was spent at Disney's Typhoon Lagoon water park. (Sorry, no bathing suit photos... that would be just criminal). If you want to check out the water park, I recommend getting there when it opens. Believe me, even at 9 am, Orlando is HOT enough to enjoy a water park. We got to go on every ride in the park (with hardly ANY lines), and were ready to leave the park by 12:30.

Then, we checked out Downtown Disney... lots of SHOPPING and FUN restaurants (even a Cirque du Soleil show). This was a nice way to unwind in the afternoon (and the parking is FREE... no admission to the area either). They have an amazing World of Disney store full of every souvenir you could imagine! Seriously... 12 ROOMS full of Disney goodies! Totally overwhelming (and not recommended to take kids to if you're on a strict budget... LOL!)

The best part of Downtown Disney was T-Rex Cafe. It was created by the same folks that brought you The Rainforest Cafe... same gig except with animatronic dinosaurs instead of rainforest creatures. Bryan and I saved that restaurant until we brought the kids back. If you have a boy like mine that loves dinosaurs, this restaurant is a MUST-DO! And, the food isn't half-bad either (although, a little on the spendy side).

Another part of Downtown Disney I was most impressed with was The Lego Imagination Center! It's a HUGE Lego store. There's even a room full of different bins containing various Lego pieces, where you can put together your own Lego kit to purchase. Just fill up one of 2 different-sized cups with WHATEVER your heart desires... for one flat price. Then, you can go check out the AMAZING Lego statues outside...



Seriously, that whole sea serpent... made of LEGOS! Pretty amazing, huh?

Then, it was time to head back to Mimi's and Grandpa's for a couple of days before taking the kids back for some fun! The first stop we made on the way back was to SeaWorld. We met Shamu...



Fed and pet on some dolphins. (Hazel says the feel "soft, yet rubbery.")



And, got our faces painted...



Then, it was time to rest-up for our fun-filled day at Disney! Luka eagerly waited while the mayor of Disney S.L.O.W.L.Y. (well, slow to a 2-year old) opened the park...



We met princesses...



visited Minnie's house...



ate suckers bigger than our heads...



and tried to help Daddy extract the sword from the stone...



And my daughter, my darling daughter... she makes friends wherever she goes. This child has never met a stranger (which probably isn't a good thing, as I am constantly reminding her). While we were waiting for the 4th of July fireworks in front of the castle (a 2 HOUR wait!), she was busy making friends with this church group of 13-15 year old girls from Brazil. They barely spoke English, and the only Spanish Hazel knows she learned from Dora. But, they kept each other entertained for that whole 2 hours. The girls thought Hazel was so cute... they all took turns posing for pictures with her. Then, Hazel wanted her picture taken with all of them. Too cute!



It was a fabulous trip filled with memories that I will treasure for a lifetime! Not to mention that I have over 300 of those images recorded on camera to sort through and scrap soon. ;0) So, please bear with me while we get settled back into non-vacation life... it's tough!

**I know that many of you are heading to Orlando for CHA later this month, and might be contemplating a trip to Disney. If you have any questions for me, I would be happy to answer them. If you've never been to Disney before, or if you haven't been in years like me (believe me, A LOT has changed), I have lots of tips... places to eat (or NOT to eat), ways to beat the heat, shops not to miss, the best rides, etc. Just post your questions in the comments section, and I will answer them there!**