Baking, Baking, and Baking some more

If I never see another mixer...make another cookie...ice another cupcake...or pipe anymore icing, it would be too soon.  This past weekend was Kendall's big first birthday and I flew into Dallas to spend some time with my niece and help her celebrate in a BIG way! Alexis, Ashley, and I decorated 60 cupcakes, made 120 sugar cookies, and piped royal icing on said cookies.  Needless to say, my hand has recovered after two days.  On Friday, Alexis stayed up with us until 3:30 and Ashley and finally crashed at 6:00 AM.  After three hours of sleep I rose to help set up and finish with the second round of cookie decorating.  I will write more about the party, but until then, enjoy the pre-party decorating pictures!

The Cookies...all finished

A different view of the cookies

The boy cupcakes

A combination of girl and boy cupcakes

Baby Tucker

Meet Baby Tucker Alan Perkins.  He has had one roller coaster of a life so far.  He was born on May 17 with what the doctors thought were "wet lungs".  It turns out that he actually had underdeveloped lungs and spent some time in the "extra care" nursery.  Rae and Mike roomed in with Tucker on Sunday and everything was successful and they were able to go home on Monday.  I am headed to Abilene on Friday night and can't wait to meet Tucker for the first time!  Until then, here are some pictures that Al and Rae sent me.

Rae holding her bitty baby blanket from Al and me

Grams, Pops, and Kendall...waiting to see Baby Tucker

Rae with Baby Tucker

Rae with Big Brother Mason

Mike with Mason

Tucker in his oxygen bubble

Tucker with just his nasal cannula.  Isn't he a cutie!!

Tucker

I became an aunt again today!  Tucker P. was born today at 12:40 pm.  He is gorgeous!!  Can't wait to meet him in two weeks!

101 Goals

There is a lot going on in my life this year.  Taris is away on his year remote, I am turning 30, and am a "single parent" to our three girls for the first time in 4 years.  To help the time go by, I am participating in a Project 365.  (The rules are that you take one picture per day and post it.)  Being that committed has proven to be harder than I thought...but I shall persevere!

I have been trying to come up with something BIG for my big 3-0.  Taris will not be here for it, so I am hoping to make it as memorable as possible.  I have yet to come up with something to send me into my next decade, but in my search I have found something to keep me busy for the next 1001 days.  I have decided to start the 101 goals in 1001 days challenge. The challenge is to complete 101 preset tasks in a period of 1001 days.  Tasks must be specific (ie. no ambiguity in the wording) with a result that is either measurable or clearly defined. Tasks must also be realistic and stretching (ie. represent some amount of work on your part).  Why 1001 days you ask?  Well, many people have created lists in the past - frequently simple challenges such as New Year's resolutions or a 'Bucket List'. The key to beating procrastination is to set a deadline that is realistic. 1001 Days (about 2.75 years) is a better period of time than a year, because it allows you several seasons to complete the tasks, which is better for organising and timing some tasks such as overseas trips, study semesters, or outdoor activities.  So, there you have it.  You can keep up with my updates and progress here.

Below is my list of 101 Goals to be completed February 10, 2013.

1. Swim with dolphins
2. Go to a book signing
3. Re-do the landscaping in the front yard
4. Carve my name in a tree
5. Go to the Olympics
6. Go on a REAL honeymoon with Taris
7. Kiss in the rain
8. Knit a scarf
9. Take a photography class
10. Take a vacation to Ireland
11. Become a mom
12. Learn how to use Photoshop
13. Go camping
14. Create a recipe book
15. Ride a Mechanical Bull
16. Go skinny dipping
17. Go fishing with Taris
18. Climb a rock wall
19. Go to a water park
20. See New York City
21. Learn Japanese
22. Improve my posture
23. Complete a 365 day photo challenge
24. Sing karaoke at a bar
25. Run a 5k
26. Go to Japan
27. Buy a lottery ticket
28. See a show on Broadway
29. See the Northern Lights
30. Run a 10k
31. Take a cruise
32. Read 101 books (0/101)
33. No fast food for one month (0/30)
34. Send a message in a bottle
35. Finish a sewing project
36. Clean out the garage
37. See Michael Bubble in concert
38. Learn how to grill
39. Scrapbook our pictures
40. Find a charity and become active in it
41. Take a Zumba class
42. Pay for a strangers meal in the drive-thru line
43. Go sailing
44. Go on a trip with just the sisters
45. Read the Bible in Chronological order
46. Bake something for new neighbors
47. Keep a prayer journal
48. Lose 70 lbs (0/70)
49. Make homemade ice cream
50. Learn how to use my new pink gun
51. Create a vision board
52. Finish our Christmas stockings
53. Learn how to play chess
54. Make our family tree
55. Join a Sunday School class
56. Memorize 20 Bible verses (0/20)
57. Stop drinking soda for 30 days (0/30)
58. Learn how to decorate cookies with royal icing
59. Make 101 new recipes
60. Send a secret to PostSecret
61. Ride Amtrak somewhere
62. Go to a hot air balloon festival
63. Create a will
64. Take reusable bags to the grocery store for one month (0/30)
65. Create a Christmas card list
66. Get my blog bound into book
67. Don't complain for two weeks (0/14)
68. Go vegetarian for one week
69. Buy something on Etsy
70. Enjoy a full spa day
71. Eat no sweets for one week
72. Take a packed lunch to work for one month
73. See a UEFA soccer game with Taris
74. Save all of the change I get for 1001 days and go on vacation
75. Visit the Grand Ole' Opry
76. Make a list of 101 things I am thankful for
77. Plant a tree
78. Paint a painting
79. Make my own granola
80. Watch the sun rise and set in the same day
81. Get a henna tattoo
82. Write a letter to the President
83. See a movie at midnight
84. Geocache
85. Fly a kite
86. Complete the Love Dare
87. Start a family Tradition
88. Make a new friend
89. Try 10 new restaurants
90. Climb a mountain
91. Go on a road trip without a pre-set destination
92. Complete 26 things photography challenge
93. Watch 5 foreign films
94. Take a cooking class
95. Donate 100,000 grains of rice via freerice.com (0/100k)
96. Complete A-Z Challenge
97. Go on a Mission Trip to a foreign country
98. No eating after 8PM for one month
99. Visit Prince Edward Island
100. Become Debt Free!
101. Learn to golf

Show Us Your Life: Favorite Childhood Books

So this week on Kelly's Korner, the theme is favorite books/children's books.  I loved to read as a kid...and now with my Kindle I am getting back into the swing of things.  Here is just a small sampling of books that I couldn't put down.

Amelia Bedelia: Is there a girl out there that didn't read all of her books?  I just loved reading all about her mistakes and funny way that she interpreted things.

Anne of Green Gables:  This is more of a cult like following for me.  My sisters and I would sit down for a whole afternoon and watch all of the movies.  The books were so romantic, funny, and I used to dream that I could have adventures like Anne.

Babysitters Club: Who didn't try to start their own neighborhood babysitters club after reading these books?  The taught the concept of entrepreneurship.

Little House on the Prairie: It seemed like there was always one more book.  It seemed like the series never ended.  They were so adventurous.

Ramona Quimby: I loved reading all about Ramona...her trials and tribulations.  They were memorable.

Nancy Drew: These books were ones that my mom passed down from her childhood.  They really got your imagination going.  (They just don't write books like they used to.)

Well, there you have it.  Some of my favorites from when I was a kid.

Ischia

Pardon the lateness, but I was going through the blog and my pictures and I stumbled upon my Ischia pictures that I never posted.  So, here you go:

Our last excursion was to Ischia.  It is an island down the road from Naples.  Most people go to Capri, but Ischia is supposed to be as nice (or better) without all of the extra tourists and jacked up prices that go along with that.  FYI: Do not go there during the off season.  The boat ride was great, the views phenomenal, and the pace was easy.  Enjoy the pictures.

The Castle

Taris at the rocks in front of the castle

View of Ischia from the castle

The church in the castle

Ischia from the boat

The road between the castle and the the island

You would think that it was freezing on the boat...Taris insisted on going in

I think this may be my favorite picture of the trip

Conquering Code

So, I have been dying to update my blog with a new look.  I needed to figure out Photoshop and then tackle HTML code.  Slowly but surely I got it figured out.  I am still working on a post separator and the sidebar buttons, but it is coming along.  I am so excited.