DIY Gift Idea for Your New Teen Driver

Our son Aidyn has recently turned 16 and will soon be getting his driver's license. While he'll be getting a new (to him) car, we wanted to also give him a personalized gift to help him remember this milestone event. 

DIY Gift Idea for Your New Teen Driver

The DIY gift that we decided on was a photo book that included photos of family members with cars and advice for new drivers. Many of you may remember getting similar types of advice from relatives when you got married or when you had your first baby. We used this same thought process (just geared toward a new driver) while including photos of family members with cars to make it into a keepsake photo book.

Since we have a BIG family, I got lots of photos and advice to include in this photo album for Aidyn.

FUN FACT: We have 14 family members on the Harris side of our family and 12 family members on the Walkush side of our family. (4 of those family members are our family and represent on both sides.) But you can see how it would be easy to collect lots of content for this book! (We ended up with 81 photos and 45 pieces of advice - not too shabby.)

Tips for Making a Custom Photo Book for Your New Driver

Collecting Content for the Book

First, you'll want to contact anyone who you want to contribute photos and advice for the book and give them a due date to submit their content. Make sure to leave yourself enough time to assemble the book, have it printed, and shipped to you. 

If you have old printed photos that need to be converted to digital (I did), I would recommend downloading the PhotoScan app by Google Photos to your phone. You can use this app to digitally capture your printed photos without the glare that you sometimes get when you just take a photo of them with your phone. Pro Tip: The app will automatically save a version of the photo to the app and to your Photos on your phone. The version saved in your Photos on your phone will be higher resolution and won't have the PhotoScan frame around the edges.

As tips and advice rolled in from different sources, I saved it all into a Microsoft Word document. That way, I was able to gather it all in one place before starting the project. This also gave me one document to proofread before starting. Once I proofread that document, I then copied and pasted directly from that document into the photobook. Make sure to re-proof the photobook before purchasing, though, because some special characters, like colons and apostrophes, may be removed from your text in the copy-and-paste process. You'll need to manually insert those if that happens, but that is still easier than typing everything again from scratch.

Designing the Book

• I used Shutterfly to create our book, but other online vendors also offer this service, so you might want to shop around to compare pricing or designs. (The design that I chose for this book is Outdoor Adventures by Sarah Hawkins Designs, and the size that I used was 8" x 8".)
• When designing your book, remember to save early and often.
• Make sure to customize the book with the new driver's name and the date. 
• Make sure to add the name of the person giving the advice after each piece of advice so that the new driver knows who said what.
• Make sure to include at least a few photos of the new driver in or with a car. (We had photos of Aidyn with different cars from many stages of life, from toy cars when he was young all the way up to driving actual cars with his learner's permit pre-license. That photo of Aidyn on the front cover? That's him behind the wheel of Granddaddy's 1964 Chevrolet C10, Pretty Boy!)
• I added a Memorabilia Pocket to my order. This is a clear plastic pocket that adheres to the inside back cover of the book. I thought this would be a good place for Aidyn to keep his previous learner's permits and any of his old driver's licenses through the years. 
• Include a dedication at the front of the book, just like a real author!

Advice for New Drivers

If you're asking a bunch of adults for driving advice, you're bound to get duplicates, right? You'd be surprised! I emailed everyone on the list and had them email their advice back to me. The beauty of this project is that with everyone sending their advice back in their own words, we really didn't have any duplicates. (Of course, since the advice is in everyone's own words, this is why it will be important to note their name beside the advice in the book for reference.) 

The advice was far and wide, and it was just what I was looking for! 

Here are a few of my favorite tips that rolled in:

• Don’t turn right in front of someone who has their blinker on to turn. They could just have their blinker on and could plow right through you.
• Don’t tailgate; it doesn’t make them go any faster, and you will not have enough time to stop without hitting them.
• Always pull over for emergency vehicles and funeral processions, even if no one else does. It’s the right thing to do. 
• Cup holders are the most essential thing to look for when buying a car. 
• Your car is a fish bowl. Other people can see directly inside. So don’t pick your nose. 
  
  

Photos of Vintage Cars

We had all sorts of photo submissions for this book. We were originally looking for photos of family members with their cars (previous cars or current cars), but what we received was SO MUCH MORE THAN THAT! Family members dug deep and submitted not only those photos but also photos of themselves with other types of vehicles too. So we dedicated an entire two-page spread to other types of transportation.

And, of course, my favorite photos were the ones of vintage cars. Here are some of my favorite photos that we included:

Mama when she was a little girl (Aidyn's Grandma Harris)

Gram when she was a young lady (Aidyn's Great Grandma Lopresti)

Daddy circa 1980's with his beloved conversion van (Aidyn's Granddaddy)

The Harris Sisters circa 1990s with the Wayne's World car (Aidyn's Mama and Aunts)

The Walkush Brothers circa 2004 with a vintage car (Aidyn's Dad and Uncles)

Collecting and passing down these words of wisdom and photos allows you to share important life lessons that you and your family members have accumulated throughout the time you've been driving. Sharing these pieces of advice creates a personalized gift that will make a one-of-a-kind family heirloom that will be cherished for generations to come. I hope you'll try recreating this gift idea for your new teen driver. 

Holiday M&M Cookie Bars

These chewy cookie bars are packed with chocolate chips and when you decorate them with your choice of colored M&M's, they make the perfect addition to your holiday party table. Use the classic bag of M&Ms for a dessert any time of year (or to celebrate birthdays!), or use the limited edition seasonal M&Ms to color coordinate with Valentine's Day, St. Patrick's Day, Easter, Fourth of July, Halloween, and Christmas. The possibilities are endless!

You can cut them in generous portions or into smaller, bite-sized pieces to share. If you love the idea of chocolate chip cookies, but you don't have the time to scoop individual cookies and bake batches of them 10 minutes at a time, then making a BIG chocolate chip cookie in a 9 X 13 pan will be perfect for you. The kids are going to love these yummy cookie bars (and you will too)!

Holiday M&M Cookie Bars

2 sticks of butter at room temperature

1 cup of granulated sugar

1 cup of firmly packed brown sugar

3 large eggs

1 1/2 teaspoons of pure vanilla extract

3 cups of all purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon of baking soda

3/4 teaspoon of salt

1 1/2 cups of M&M's

1 1/2 cups of chocolate chips

 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Line a 9x13 baking dish with foil, leaving some overhang to make removal easier.
3. Spray foil generously with nonstick cooking spray.
4. Beat butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar together until fluffy.
5. Add in eggs and vanilla extract and continue to beat.
6. Lower speed of mixer and add flour, baking soda, and salt. Mix until combined.
7. Add 1 cup of M&M's and 1 1/2 cups of chocolate chips and stir with a spoon until incorporated.
8. Transfer cookie dough to prepared baking dish.
9. Evenly press 1/2 cup of M&M's into top of cookie dough.
10. Bake 30 to 35 minutes.
11. Let cool completely. Use foil overhang to remove from pan and cut into squares for serving.

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Reflections

Hi there, friends.  Just checking in and feeling like it's time to catch up again.  Last year around my birthday I posted a similar entry of random thoughts and reflections.  And while I don't always post these thoughts publicly, I do certainly entertain them- especially around the old birthday each year.  So here's a snippet of what's happening with me lately.

Age is just a number, or so they say. My number now stands at 43 and I'm completely ok with that. I would rather my number go up than be up. In fact I spent the past year thinking I was already 43. (Isn't that something that old people do?) In any case, I have either squandered the year or gained one, depending on your perspective.

Birthdays will always, always make me a little nostalgic. Each one my own personal New Year's Day as the old year passes away and a new one lies before me. I always find myself taking a trip down memory lane to remember what has brought me here, lingering on the good stuff and skimming quickly past a few things too...

Speaking of perspective, the passing of time surely lends you that. I have discovered that I am quite possibly the least competitive person I know. I love throwing stuff away but I'm also deeply sentimental. I am a fall/ winter person. Give me a chill in the air or even some snow and I'm a happy girl. I spent the majority of my adult life thinking I wouldn't be a mother. But now that I am one, I can say beyond a shadow of a doubt that I love being a mom. Lexi's mom. Yes, it defines me in many ways, but I am humbled to be a part of the magic that happens daily.

I know me very well. And there is a comfort that comes with that; a confidence. I am a speaker by profession, a talker by extension, though at my core I am rather shy. I am a thinker. A listener. Sometimes even a doer. I am a dog person, really just an animal person. I love deeply. I care deeply. I strive to be the best version of me that I can be. I'm not there yet, but as long as He's still working on me, I try to give myself a little slack.

I dance in public. I sing out loud. (Lexi tells me I sound like Elsa- from Frozen, though I'm pretty sure Idina Menzel isn't too worried. Bless her heart and the innocence of youth.) I talk to most everyone. About most everything. I can even hold my own in some sports conversations and most things related to preschool youngins. But only religion and politics with those I know very well.

I am southern through and through. Manners, respect, charm, chivalry. I love the south, real ladies, true gentlemen, grits, handwritten thank you notes, collard greens, country roads, potato salad, the smell of tobacco and earth, peonies, gardenias and magnolia blossoms. Cornbread should never be sweet but tea always is. If there was ever anyone born too late, it was me. I would have been in my hey day in the 1950s.

My name isn't that long. 6 letters. Short on the page but long on the tongue. As such, people have always shortened my name. D is the most common, and I always respond to it. Daddy is the only person on earth who still calls me Annie. When he says it, it sounds right and I know exactly who he is talking to (or about). If ANYONE else were to call me Annie, it wouldn't register at all.

I have about 12 umbrellas in my car but rarely use any of them. And when it's truly pouring down, there is never one within arm's reach. I am not a morning person. I don't understand people who are. My day starts with coffee (lots of cream, no sugar) and ends with wine. (Red. Cab sav, please.) I do, however, switch to white in the heat of the summer. I'm not a monster.

I don't eat cheese, even on my pizza. Never have.

I am 5' 7.5". I have always rounded that up to 5' 8". People have long thought I am much taller than that, I'm sure because I almost always wear heels. If you catch me in tennis shoes or flip flips, you will realize quickly that I'm not a close to 6' as you may have thought. Though my mom was and she still wore heels daily too.

There is beauty in everything. If you look. Really look.

I have my Grandma Elizabeth's green eyes and my Mama's freckles. I also inherited my mom's cooking abilities (which she would have been the first to admit were less than.) But I do have the handwritten copies of all of Grandma Elizabeth's famous recipes, and every time I make her chicken soup or coconut pie, I still feel like maybe I can cook a little after all. One day I will see them both again on the other side and I have a feeling we will all have a good laugh about my cooking abilities. For that moment I cannot wait.

Life is short. Do the good stuff now. Eat, drink, be merry. Use the good china. Dance. Pray. Burn the candles. Use the pretty towels. If they get soiled, wash them. (Duh.) Respect your elders. Listen to their stories. Remember. **Respect everyone.** Travel. Sightsee. Leave only footprints. Take only memories. Love is all around. Grab onto it and hold on tight.

I'm pretty sure differential equations is loooong gone, but by golly I know every song, every lyric, every note to the Frozen soundtrack. And I'm completely ok with that too.

43, here's to us.

And if that wasn't enough for you, here's the click for the entry I wrote last year.  

Chocolate and Peanut Butter Fudge Cake

My oldest son Aidyn just turned 13. And one thing we know for certain about him: he absolutely LOVES Reese's Peanut Butter Cups (and really anything that has both peanut butter and chocolate). So for his birthday cake, he wanted me to make him a chocolate cake with peanut butter frosting.

As a surprise, I decided to get a little creative with the decorations. The most fun part was adding Reese's Pieces around the sides of the cake! I wasn't exactly sure that it would work since they are heavier than sprinkles, but I just pressed them on by the handful and the placed the whole cake in the refrigerator to set the frosting. If you are a more professional baker than I am, you could also carefully line them up or even make a pattern around the cake with them.

It came out really cute! (And delicious - did I mention delicious?) The consistency of this cake is really more like a fudge brownie and the frosting recipe makes a generous amount so that you can just pile it on!

Chocolate and Peanut Butter Fudge Cake

I just happened to have two recipes that I've used for years, but I've just never put the two of them together in one cake. You'll need these recipes for this cake:

• Chocolate Fudge Cake
• Peanut Butter Fudge Frosting 
• plus 2, 4 oz. boxes of Reese's Pieces (I used about 1 1/2 boxes full to go around the side of the whole cake.)

I have always made a chocolate frosting for the chocolate cake and a peanut butter cake to go with the peanut butter frosting. (Those recipes are included too - in case you want to try that!)

But, let me tell you - the Chocolate Fudge Cake with the Peanut Butter Fudge Frosting was a real winner! Doesn't that look yummy?

And here's a few photos of the cake with candles and the birthday boy blowing them out!

This makes for a really pretty cake that would be perfect for birthdays, fall, or Halloween since it is decorated with orange, yellow, and brown fall colors. And, since fall is the time of year for organizations to ramp up on bake sales and cake walks, this would also make a great contribution for one of these!

I hope you'll give this cake a try. If you have a Reese's lover on your hands - I promise they'll love it!

Allow Me to Reintroduce Myself

Hi yall!  It's been a little while since I've been active on the blog- like before the holidays.  My  sincere apologies.  I do miss this, and you all too.  What can I say?  I'm busy.  Life is busy, but you already knew that, I'm sure, because you all have wonderful and busy lives too.  I am working on  cooking up several new blog posts for you, but to kick things off, I thought I would share the following with you.  

I posted this on my personal Facebook page on my birthday last month, and I feel like it pretty accurately sums up my life these days.  Aside from my mention of being a wife, I feel like this also could double as a singles' ad.  Heaven help me.  

42- Wow. My heart and my thoughts are full. I don’t believe in hiding your age. Why bother? You are what you are. And for all my years, I can now say that I am living my best life.

I am a wife, a mother (to a 3 year old- how many 40-somethings can say that?), a sister (to 2 of the best women I’ve ever known), a daughter, a friend- to a fabulous group of women whom I cherish, a niece, a cousin, an aunt (many times over), a sister-in-law, a daughter-in-law, a dance mom, a class mom, and a stay-at-home mom (which by the way, is the hardest and most rewarding job I have personally ever known, and I’ve had some doozies).

My life has taken so many twists and turns. But it has all led me here. At 42, I know what I like, what I want, who I like. And I know the things that make me happy and those that do not. I sing out loud- usually badly, but occasionally I find an actual key and surprise myself. I dance with strangers. I talk - a lot- sometimes about things that matter. The years have taught me of the virtues of patience. I have known loss and I have known love. My cup overflows daily.

I believe youth is wasted on the young, and I also believe that is something that old(er) people say.  I am older than I’ve ever been, but also younger than I’ve ever been. I no longer try to impress anyone but myself. If I can do that, then I’ve accomplished something. I am humbled daily. I learn daily. I don’t care what other people think about me anymore. But occasionally I still do. I am a complex conundrum, but aren’t we all?

Not a day goes by that I don’t miss my Mama. Now she was a good woman. Someone that I try to be every day. She wasn’t much of a cook, but neither am I. She loved with all her heart. She taught me how to work hard, and I do. Every single day of my life.

I have traveled all over this world, but I still believe there is no better place than my bed. I nap EVERY SINGLE DAY. I love red wine and coffee. If I have vices, I suppose you could say those are it. But I have never smoked a cigarette in my life and that’s saying something for a small-town North Carolina girl.

I like me. Almost always. But sometimes I get cranky. See the aforementioned need for sleep, coffee, and red wine. Pretty much in that order. I believe in love, being kind to one another, and lifting each other up. We all need a little help from time to time, so pay it forward and just be a good person.

42- Double the legal drinking age, but occasionally a good-intentioned young’un still cards me. Bless my heart and all of my 42 years. And may the good Lord see fit to bless me with a few more so I can learn a few more things between here and the other side, because, y’all, I think it’s just getting good.

How to Make Mickey Mouse Cupcakes

These little cupcakes come together so easily, and are just the cutest EVER for a Mickey Mouse lover, like our little one.  We made these to celebrate her second birthday, and they were a huge hit!

Vanilla Cupcakes

2 cups all purpose flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup butter, softened

3/4 cup granulated sugar

2 eggs

1 cup milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

(yields 24 cupcakes)

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees and line cupcake pan with cupcake wrappers. 
2. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. 
3. Add eggs one at a time. 
4. Add flour (mixed with baking powder and salt), alternating with milk.  Beat well.  Stir in vanilla. 
5. Divide evenly among pans and bake for 18 minutes. 
6. Let cool completely in pans.

Buttercream Frosting

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

2 cups confectioners sugar

2 Tbsp milk

Food coloring, as needed (optional)

1. Cream room temperature butter until smooth and fluffy. 
2. Gradually beat in confectioners sugar until fully incorporated. 
3. Beat in vanilla extract. 
4. Pour in milk and beat for an additional 3-4 minutes. 
5. Add food coloring, if using, and beat for 30 seconds until smooth or desired color is reached. 

Decorating Your Cupcakes

As you can see, the decorations are what make this cupcake special.  So here are the finishing touches you will need to make your Mickey Mouse cupcakes take on that Disney magic!  

For the final touches, you will also need:

• Red polka dot cupcake wrappers 
• Red food coloring (I used an entire bottle to color my batch of frosting.)
• Red sprinkles
• Oreos
• Mini oreos
• M&M's (You will only need the yellow ones, which luckily leaves you with lots of extras!)

To complete your cupcakes, follow the directions for making the cupcakes and frosting.  Your frosting will need to be red.  So I completed the steps for adding food coloring to my frosting.  I did use an entire bottle of red to achieve the color you see here.  Once you frost your cupcakes, add red sprinkles to the top of each one.  Then add two yellow M&M's to mimic Mickey's buttons.  The Mickey Mouse ears are made using Oreo cookies.  You will need to carefully separate the Oreos so the cream filling remains on the back of the cookie.  Then attach the two mini Oreos, using the cream filling (or some extra cupcake frosting) to hold the Mickey Mouse ears in place.  Carefully place your Mickey Mouse cookie creation into the frosting of each cupcake. And voila!  There you have it!

They say a picture is worth a thousand words; I told you they were a hit!  

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A Few Things 40 Has Taught Me

What they say is true.  You only go round once.  And if you are LUCKY, you will age.  It's inevitable. We all do it, as we should.  So in this, the year of my 40th birthday, I've already been enlightened a number of times about all sorts of things that growing older has taught me.  And if you care to take a listen, this older (and perhaps a little wiser) blogger has a few things to share. 

Health: The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly Truth

• Conceiving Children: Let's start with the easy stuff.  Ha!  What I'm about to share is something I haven't shared with many people, but it's time.  If this reaches at least one person who needs to read it, then it was worth it.  I was 35 years old when John and I married.  We started trying to get pregnant shortly after we were married, and my naive 35  year old brain never once considered that it wouldn't be easy.  Until it wasn't.  I couldn't understand why it wasn't happening.  We were both (relatively) young and healthy.  I read and researched everything I could get my hands on.  I tried all sorts of things that I read about.  I tested and tracked my basil body temperature religiously each morning.  Eventually I went to multiple doctors who poked, prodded, tested, and so on for far too long.  No one really had any answers other than the obvious.  I was a female over the age of 35, and the odds of getting pregnant just isn't as likely the older you get.  It's not impossible.  Women do it all the time.  But the odds definitely are no longer in your favor as you age.  To make a very long story short, we did finally conceive our precious Lexi with the help of In Vitro Fertilization (IVF).  I was 37 years old when she was conceived and 38 years old by the time she was born.  I had an incredibly easy pregnancy and birth story, and Lexi is a happy and healthy little girl.  We are a success story, and even though the process was long and difficult at times, I am still beyond thankful that it turned out to have a wonderful outcome.  But I am not blind to the fact that many people have struggled even with the help of IVF and other similar procedures to get pregnant.  We are fortunate, and we know it.  My advice to any young woman out there is to really think about what you want your future to look like.  And even if you decide to hold off on starting a family, like so many women do nowadays, know that you have options.  Technology has come so far. You can freeze your young healthy eggs and utilize them later.  Or at a minimum, have discussions with your health care professionals about your options and about your health in general.  It's a conversation worth having.  Trust me.   

• Mammograms: At my most recent annual check up, I asked my doc about getting a mammogram this year.  She informed me that there was some talk among the powers that be to possibly change the age that women should start getting routine mammograms from 40 to 45, unless you have a family history of breast cancer or are experiencing some sort of symptoms. However, insurance companies still pay for this annual screening starting at age 40, so she asked me what I wanted to do.  Now I have no desire to torture myself any sooner than need be.  BUT, most cases of breast cancer are women who have no family history of the disease. And it's still a highly treatable and survivable form of cancer if detected early.  So I made an appointment that day.  In fact, I am glad to say that I had my first mammogram earlier this week.  There was no pain involved in this procedure at all, and it literally took less than 5 minutes total to perform.  The tech did tell me that with first time mammograms there's usually at least a 50 percent chance that they will call you back for additional films/ views because there are no previous images to compare your results to.  I'm so glad to have it checked off the list, and will continue to take advantage of ALL the appropriate screening tests that I can. 

• Back Pain: Over the course of the past week, I seem to have wrenched my back somehow.  I'm sure it has NOTHING to do with carrying around a 25 pound toddler on the regular. :)  In any case, back pain is no joke.  The only other time in my entire life that I've experienced back pain was in the 11th hour of my pregnancy.  Little did I know I was carrying around a nearly 9 pound baby.  Even my doc estimated that Lexi would be born between 6 and 6.5 pounds.  So that explained things then, and in the days following her birth, my back pain magically disappeared. Incidentally, my brother-in-law, who also just turned 40 a few months ago, is experiencing back pain too.  His is far worse than mine.  Thankfully, mine is improving and things are starting to get back to normal for me.  I'm afraid he still has a way to go.  So does 40 and back pain just go hand in hand?  Eeek!  I certainly hope not.  Moral of the story- take care of your body.  You know what feels "right" so when something isn't right, make sure you get it checked out.  Go to the doctor when you need to.  Take the medicine when you need to.  Take care of yourself, and be well.  You only have one body, and it has to take of you for many many years to come.  :)

Responsibility:  Voting and Elections

It's an election year, as you know.  You'd have to be living under a rock to be unaware of that little factoid.  In any case, this election year has been different for me than any other since I've been of voting age.  Yes, I have been registered to vote since I was 18 years old, and yes, I have always voted in every election.  I am pretty proud of that.  

However, as I said, this year is different for me.  I have been following the process in a way that I never have before.  I am genuinely interested in the candidates and what they have to say.  I have watched every debate so far this year (and there have been MANY.)  I have been out to the candidates' websites and read up on their stances on the issues.  I urge you to do the same.  Reading directly from the horse's website, as it were, is vastly different than reading or listening to the media's interpretation of the same.  

I live in Tennessee, which is one of the Super Tuesday states, and for the first time in my life, I voted in the Presidential Primary.  It was a rainy and stormy day, and as I mentioned above, my back was in bad shape.  Not to mention that I also had my wiggly toddler companion in tow.  There are a million reasons why it would have been easier to just pass on the opportunity.  But there are far more reasons why it was so important to take advantage of my right to vote.  I'm glad that I did.  While I was there, it struck me how many others were there that it couldn't have been easy for.  Lots of moms with their babies and children, lots of elderly- some with walkers or in need of other assistance, lots of people at the wrong polling place who patiently took instructions on how to get to the correct polling place across town in the rain.  Sure, it's not always convenient, but if they can do it, so can you.  It's important.  I'm proud of me, and all the others who made it out to vote earlier this week. 

And who did I vote for?  Who am I endorsing in the race for the White House?  It matters not.  I mean, yes, of course, it matters- to me, and ultimately every vote matters greatly.  But it's not my intent to impose my opinions on you.  The important part is that I exercised my right to vote, and I will do so in November as well, regardless of who the nominees end up being.  Know the facts.  Read up on the candidates and where they stand.  Be well-informed and do your part in the process.  No excuses.  End of story.  

Skin Care: Taking Care of Yourself

I'm glad to say that skin care is nothing new to me.  I have consistently used sunscreen most of my adult life and a daily moisturizer since I was a teenager.  I never go to bed without removing all my makeup and moisturizing again before bed.  It's a routine, and one that I'm glad I adopted long ago. 

But sadly, when we were young it seemed like sunscreen was something we only used once a year at the beach, if then.  And I've had the sunburns to prove it over those years.  They say freckles are little more than sun damage, and I've got more than my fair share of those too.  

Despite having good skin care habits in the second half of my life, I am still learning and adapting, and I hope to always do so.  One product that I recently started using is Argan Oil.  I've had a big bottle of it for a while, but haven't been very good about using it consistently.  The French women swear by it as a moisturizer.  I have started using every night now before bed on my face and neck.  It softens your skin beautifully, and really is a wonderful moisturizer.  But it is too heavy for me to use during the day.  I still use the tried and true Oil of Olay to start every day, just like Mama did.  And she always had the prettiest skin of anyone I have ever known.  

No matter which products you land on, just be sure you are protecting your skin from the sun's damaging rays and giving it plenty of moisture, both with skin care products AND with hydration. There's no replacement for drinking plenty of good old fashioned water!

Practicalities: Renewing Your Driver's License

Every so often, it happens that the DMV asks you to renew your driver's license, and this was my year.  But I learned something new this go round.  

When I received my renewal reminder in the mail, it actually informed me that I could renew online, by mail, or in person.  Wow!  That was news to me.  I thought you had to go wait in line at the DMV to renew your license.  I guess the last several times I have updated my license it was because of changes that required that you go to the DMV- eight years ago when I moved to TN, and then again five years ago when I got married and needed to change my name on my license.  Those sorts of things still require that you appear in person.  And that's also the only way to get a new photo and signature. Otherwise, they will just use the photo and all other information that they have on file for you.  

My initial knee jerk reaction was to go wait in line at the DMV because I really wanted a new picture. I actually like my photo very much, but it just doesn't really look like me anymore.  It was taken about a month after I had just gotten a chin- length bob.  And of course, now my hair is much longer. I thought it would be good to update it, but then I weighed that option against carrying my toddler to the DMV for an unknown wait time, and immediately updated my license online. 

My license arrived in the mail exactly 10 days after I applied for it online.  By that time it was, in fact, expired.  However, when I applied for it, along with my confirmation, there was a printable page that certified that I had completed my license renewal and served as my license until the real one came in the mail.  Aaaahhh, technology. 

I did notice that my new license is valid for the next eight years, so by the time I renew it again, my photo will be 14 years old.  Oh dear.  I bet they will MAKE me come in to update it next time.  :)

So that's all for now.  We can lament getting older, or we can just be grateful for the life we live no matter how old we are.  I choose the latter. 

Life isn't easy.  Life isn't perfect.  But life is good. 

Meet Chance, the Rescue Pup

Today is one of our boys' birthdays. He's a whole year old today. This is our boy Chance.

He was actually our "big" Christmas gift to the boys last year. Instead of purchasing a dog before Christmas for the boys to "unwrap" (which I would generally recommend against for many reasons - the least of which being that puppies plus other assorted Christmas festivities equals enormous amounts of stress), we instead sent the boys on a scavenger hunt around the house for letters that they then assembled to spell out the word "puppy." 

After the Christmas festivities died down, we set out to a local rescue group to meet some pups. I had researched online beforehand, so I already had my eye on him (because hello? was he not THE most adorable thing you've ever seen?) and of course, we all fell in love with him when we met him.

Here he was visiting Santa last year right before we met him. Of course, I think he asked Santa for a new family (and Santa ALWAYS delivers).

The rescue group had actually rescued his mom (a German Shepherd) from the mall, and they named her Victoria after the mall store Victoria's Secret. If you're wondering what THIS Victoria's secret was, it was that she was pregnant. She gave birth to a litter of adorable puppies shortly after they rescued her, and the rescue named all of the puppies after other mall stores. Our Chance was actually named Pacsun when we adopted him. And if you look closely at the photos below, you can see that he wasn't much bigger than his "big" brother Smitty when we adopted him:

We would have probably kept his original name if it hadn't rhymed with Jaxon. But to keep my own sanity, we felt it best to think up something a little more distinctive. After kicking around a couple of options, we decided to name him after the Abba song "Take a Chance on Me." (His middle name is actually Trouper, from Abba's song "Super Trouper.")

If you're wondering why we chose to name our new puppy after Abba songs, well both Ryan and I happen to love the Abba Gold album. And these two particular songs have verses that could easily describe what a rescue dog must think at any given time during his life:

Take a Chance On Me (excerpt)

If you change your mind, I'm the first in line

Honey I'm still free

Take a chance on me

If you need me, let me know, gonna be around

If you've got no place to go, if you're feeling down

If you're all alone when the pretty birds have flown

Honey I'm still free

Take a chance on me

Gonna do my very best and it ain't no lie

If you put me to the test, if you let me try

Take a chance on me

(That's all I ask of you honey)

Take a chance on me

Super Trouper (excerpt)

So I'll be there when you arrive

The sight of you will prove to me I'm still alive

And when you take me in your arms

And hold me tight

I know it's gonna mean so much tonight

Tonight the

Super Trouper lights are gonna find me

Shining like the sun

Smiling, having fun

Feeling like a number one

And if you're wondering about our boy Chance. Well, he's adjusting perfectly. He follows me all around the house, plays with his brothers, has learned all of his commands, and is particularly fond of sticks. Just a big baby with a super big heart - and really that's all you can ever ask for in a pet.

Here he is today in some familiar poses (although he's a tad bit bigger). Note his bed, Ryan, and the boys are roughly the same size as they were when we adopted him (for size comparison). What a difference a year makes!

And if you haven't ever considered rescuing a pet, give it some thought. If you're looking for a particular breed, age, gender, etc., start with Petfinder.com. You can enter your location and any of these criteria to narrow your search. This website will find a local rescue group that has a pet that meets these criteria. Could not be easier!

The rescue group that we worked with to adopt Chance was Stepping Stones Canine Rescue. They are a charitable and educational non-profit corporation located in Winston-Salem, NC. If you are looking to adopt in this area, I cannot recommend this group enough. They are very thorough and really care about the animals that they rescue.

Read about the origins of brother Smitty's distinctive middle name here.

Green Velvet Cake

I recently made this cake per request for Jaxon's birthday. Each year, we serve bakery cupcakes for birthday party guests (to avoid any potential food allergy reactions), and the birthday boy gets to choose whatever cake he wants for me to make for him to share with the family later that same week.

This also allows us to extend birthday celebrations a little longer, which is fine by me because 1) my boys are truly worth celebrating BIG and 2) more cake! ;-)

This year, I was given very specific instructions to make a "red velvet cake - except make it green." Well, since the only thing that makes a red velvet cake "red" is the food coloring, I figured that wouldn't be too hard to do.

Green Velvet Cake

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

2 cups sugar

1 Tbsp cocoa

1 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

2 eggs

1 1/2 cups oil

1 cup buttermilk

1 Tbsp vinegar

1 tsp vanilla

1 oz. green food coloring

Cream Cheese frosting (recipe follows)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour two 8 inch cake pans. Set aside.
2. Place all dry ingredients into a mixing bowl and mix together well with a wire whisk. Set aside.
3. Lightly beat eggs in a separate medium bowl with wire whisk. Add remaining liquid ingredients and stir together with whisk until blended.
4. Add wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix with electric mixer on medium-high for about a minute or until completely combined.
5. Divide batter evenly into cake pans. Drop the pans on the counter a few times to release any air bubbles.
6. Bake for about 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
7. Cool in pans on wire racks for 10 minutes. Then, loosen the sides of the cakes from the pans and turn out onto cooling racks for another 10 minutes. 
8. Frost with Cream Cheese frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting

1 stick butter, softened

8 oz cream cheese, softened

3 3/4 cups confectioner's sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1. Combine butter, vanilla, and cream cheese. Cream until light and fluffy.
2. Add confectioner's sugar a little at a time, mixing after each addition until combined.
3. Apply to cool cake as per directions above.

Notes:

To make a red velvet cake, my recipe calls for 2 oz. red food coloring (probably because red is such a hard color to achieve and 1 oz. would result in pink).

We made this as a birthday cake, and it would certainly fit the bill for Incredible Hulk or Oscar the Grouch fans BUT keep this cake in mind as an alternative to red velvet for Christmas (think Grinch!) or as a yummy treat for St. Patrick's Day. The possibilities are endless!

Dog Days of Summer Party

Well, it's that time of year again where the Walkush family goes into full on party and event planning mode through the remainder of the year.

First up is always Jaxon's birthday. This year, he requested a puppy or dog themed birthday party. Considering his birthday is smack dab in August, which is still very hot in North Carolina, I thought we'd invite all of the kids over for a few hours of Slip 'N Slide and call it a "Dog Days of Summer" party.

Here are the details:

Invitation

I turned to Evite for a free email invitation. They have a ton of themes to choose from, and wouldn't you know that dog, puppy, paw print was one of them? Make sure to check them out for any theme party you might have. I think you'd be surprised at how many themes they have! And they keep track of the guest list for you, which is very convenient when you're doing the rest of the party planning.

Menu

For the menu, we served standard party fare and then labelled it creatively. We had a few special dog themed treats mixed in:

• Cupcakes (pupcakes)
• Potato chips (paw-tato chips)
• Chex Mix (puppy chow)
• Scooby Snacks (these are dog bone shaped graham crackers that you can purchase at your local grocery store)
• Dog Treats (Scooby Doo gummy snacks)
• Walkers Dog Shaped Shortbread Cookies (these are dog shaped cookies that you can purchase at your local grocery store)
• Red and blue Kool-Aid Jammers (to match the color scheme of the decorations)

The Scooby Snack graham crackers turned out to be the perfect toppers for the cupcakes:

The Kool-Aid Jammers fit perfectly into my vintage Cheerwine soda crate (which you've last seen me use as a Christmas decoration):

Decorations

For decorations, I opted to use classroom decor pieces in the Hot Diggity Dogs and coordinating Black, White & Bold design schemes. (The dog and puppy themed party supplies that I had found were either for very young children, were for girls, or were character themed, e.g. Paw Patrol).

So, I used EZ letters, a hole punch, and some cut-outs to create a Happy Birthday Banner:

I hung some extra cutouts from the chandelier and used a few more to create a small banner for the birthday boy's chair:

I labelled large library pockets with letter stickers for the kids to use as their goodie bags:

I used mini cutouts to decorate the food table. I punched 2 1/2" circles of  coordinating yellow card stock and labelled them with each item. Then, I used clear packing tape to attach both the yellow circle and the dog mini cutout to a wooden skewer from the back. 

I cut the skewer for the cupcakes to the same length as the two circles (combined) and then taped the whole thing to the top of the cupcake display stand. I placed the other skewers directly into the bowls holding the goodies.

Activities

The main activity for our Dog Days of Summer party was Slip 'N Slide. I didn't recognize until we set it up that it matched pretty well to the other party decor: teal, yellow, and red. (Long time blog readers might recognize that inflatable dalmatian from our Firefighter/Firetruck Birthday Party!)

Here's the birthday boy on its inaugural slide:

We also had a pinata because my boys just love them! I did find many dog pinata choices, but we ended up choosing a cute brown and white puppy with a teal collar. Remember, pinatas always hold more candy than you think they will, so don't be intimidated by one you think might look small.

And here's our traditional photo of the birthday boy with the pinata remains on his head. :-)

All in all the party was a success, and I need to get crackin' on the next one! Hope this will give you some ideas should you need to plan a dog or puppy themed party in the future.

Happy party planning!

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