Sunday, February 21, 2010

Photo (and non-Photo) Update!

Since I "talked" with you last, there have been lots and lots going on in our lives. I thought I'd give you a little update via pictures of the activities (and also via some descriptions where photos are sadly lacking).

Valentine's Day, of course, was last week (or perhaps the week before, by now? Time is just flying by!). Gary and I went out to eat and enjoyed some good food and wine and dessert...but mostly just enjoyed some time together.

McKenna got very artistic for the holiday, and painted something special for her boyfriend. (I love that McKenna is a creative soul; I often find her in her room, just painting away. That makes me smile.)

All the girls got candy and stuffed animals for the day, and Sydney was happy to pose with her new Valentine's bear. Of course, she named it "Kiss Me," which like she explained, "is what her sweater says."

I made a bunch of special treats, including these decorated cookies...although they did not turn out as planned. (My very Martha Stewart-like plan was to make perfectly shaped and baked hearts, then decorate them with clever little messages for Gary. Messages that would say things like "I love you more than Lost," and "John Cusack has nothing on you." As you can see, the hearts turned out lopsided and there was no way to get long messages like that on them. Still, they were all eaten, which is really what it's all about. Right?)

I made cupcakes for a customer (and then had six left over, which I promptly ate four of!). They were delicious!

And now for something that took place, even though I have No Photos of it:

We all (well, Delaney and I; and, occasionally, Gary) became obsessed with the Olympics. I always so look forward to the Games and, as a sports nut, it's easy for me to get into them. Still, I'm always amazed at how crazy I get over curling and snowboard cross and luge. (My love for figure skating is a given, however. I have loved it since I was itty-bitty! And I have become a huge Evan Lysacek fan. I cheered SO loud when he won the gold!)

Later in the week, I had a wonderful dinner out with two of my very favorite people in the whole wide world. My friend, Jeff, popped in from NYC and we joined my my bffwwb ("best friend from way, way back"), Angela, for dinner out at the most amazing restaurant. We enjoyed the best food and conversation imaginable!


(Yeah, that would be the trio of desserts we partook in. Chocolate souffle, Chocolate Mousse, and Coffee Creme Brulee.)

And now for another Non-Photographed Event:

We have started softball in earnest, and Delaney has been practicing with her middle school softball team as they prepare for their first game this coming Tuesday. Sydney has also started practicing with her spring softball team, The Stray Cats, to get ready for opening day the first weekend of March. (Gary is coaching her team, and we think they are going to be really good. The team, and all the families, seem great and we are SO excited about getting started! And you all know that it won't be long before pictures of softball will be popping up all over this blog!)

And yet another one:

McKenna and I went and looked for prom dresses yesterday, which was just so much fun. She's looking for a full-length, bright, really unique dress that fits her personality (and you know I will post a picture when we find "the one"). It's hard to believe that it's almost time for McKenna's senior prom; time just goes by so fast, doesn't it?

I hope that all of you are having a wonderful February. (Gosh, can you believe that the month is almost over?) I plan on popping by all your bloggy homes and saying "Hello" very soon.

Until then...
love ya bunches!


14 comments:

Nina Diane said...

great pics! I'm loving the Olympics too but getting no sleep at all. And then before you know it, we'll have March madness and then....no sleep again!

Phats said...

Ahh prom season have fun with that :) ours is in the fall had to supervise not a fan :)

Sounds like a GREAT Valentines Day! I would have gladly eaten those yummy looking cookies.

I am loving the Olympics oddly enough I don't usually get into the winter ones. I can't get into curling it's too much like shuffleboard haha. Loved the half pipe, moguls, and speed skating though

Hope you're doing well, ROLL TIDE!

Phats said...

Oh yeah i was glad the American won the gold in skating too, since the Russian was such a douche about it

Edleen said...

just few more days left til February leaves us! love that shot of you two lovebirds :)

Have a great week!

Mississippi Songbird said...

Great photos. and the cookies and cupcakes look great.. February is flying by!

Gin said...

Oh my goodness. I cant believe how good all that food looks. Yum!

Daisy said...

Those cupcakes look devine!!!!

hippo chick said...

What fun catching up.

~hippo hugs~

Cheryl Wray said...

Nina--There is no rest for us Sports Nuts, huh? LOL

Phats--The Russian skater needed to be brought down a couple of levels. I was SO glad we beat him!! :-)

Ed--Thanks! I actually really like that picture a lot too!

Cheryl Wray said...

Songbird--February always goes by so fast, but I'm still shocked that it's almost over already!

Gin--Haha. It WAS good!

Daisy--That red velvet cake recipe is my current favorite.

Hippo--Thanks for stopping by! I've got to pop by and see how your trip is going.

Anonymous said...

Ok,I neeed those desserts!
Trying to cut out sugar(can you believe that?) and find I'm droooling over sweets even more,lol

Travis Erwin said...

Play Ball!

Cheryl Wray said...

Laelee--When you try and cut it out, you just want the sweets more! It's a no-win situation. :-)

Travis--YES!!!

Linda said...

love all the photos and news. I just finihsed reading your previous post and it was amazing. I often feel exactly as you wrote, that God is in the chasm between you and him. All of what you said is so true. This last year has led me to so many truths about that amazing BIG and wonderful power called GOD, and all the amazing things he gives to us. Through a lot of really hard and tough times, I have been able to smile, to enjoy, to be grateful for even the lessons that I have had to learn the hard way.

A favorite line from a poem that reminds me of this,

"for all the ways that you have taught me dirt, as an opportunity to grow."

Hugs, I love coming here and finding one of your inspirational posts like that. Makes me remember that Im human that i screw up and that it is ok. And that sometimes, the dirt in life, is a mound to take us to higher places.

Hugs