My Little Mermaid

Katie's Swimming Lessons
Today was the first day of Katie's swimming lessons with Mrs. RA. Bless her heart, she was a bundle of nerves. She was so excited, but nervous. Poor baby was on the couch and I noticed her tearing up. Taking it serious, I sat down beside her and asked her what was the matter. With her lip stuck out, she said "I wish you could watch me swim." {Awww!} The past couple of years at the old facility, I've had to drop her off and come back in a half hour to pick her up. I didn't know what to expect at the new facility, so I promised to get there a little early and watch for a few minutes. She felt better after my pep talk.

Oh my goodness, the new facility is AWESOME! After looking around the outside and inside pool area of the Aquatic Center and I fell in love. It's too bad, I'm not exactly in bathingsuit shape. I didn't get to check out the weight room or any of the other accomodations, but WOW I was amazed. Katie begged me to stay a little longer and let her play on the playground by the pool. HAHA! I had a hard time explaining to her that the slides were part of the pool. She's never seen anything like that, her eyes were HUGE. Plus, we are not members . . . yet. A friend of mine, Shelley, is a member and she said that they are only paying for membership during the Summer months at $75 a month. Talking with Maryann and Whitney last night, they told me that they offer family rates at $65 a month. I told Maryann, I'd love to join for the weight room when Katie starts school because they have a secure daycare center available. Doesn't it sound great to drop off Katie at school, take Colton to daycare and workout for about an hour a day. We might have to see if it can happen.

As soon as we met up with RA, she took us to the inside pool area, which was so nice. Guess what? Colton and I actually got to stay in the atrium area by the pool and watch Katie swim. Us there made her so happy. She did good swimming with RA. RA kept the flotation device off of her during most of their training. I guess she felt Katie was ready to swim without the device, with her keeping it off of her most of the time. She put it on her to practice her reaching with her arms. I think she liked the flippers on her feet. LOL! She looked like a little fish flopping around in her flippers and goggles.

I posted a few months ago about finding out that we had a local swim team and how I think Katie would love to be a member. She LOVES the water and she is doing so great swimming. I mentioned it to RA this morning and she seems to think Katie will do well. I asked her when she thinks she'll be ready to be apart of the team. She wants to work with her for a couple more years. She feels that Katie should be ready for the team when she turns 6 years old. She said the coaches want the children ready when they can swim a full lap, which she feels Katie is almost there. I got to see some of the team practicing in the outside pool. RA told me that the coaches are there every morning and she wants me to go talk with them about Katie. Hopefully, I'll get a chance to talk with one of them tomorrow. Wish me luck.

Bathroom Update
The painting is finished and all the rods and holders are hung. When I went to hang up my picture frames, I noticed one important detail that I didn't notice when I purchased them. One of the frames didn't have a anchor on the back of the frame. Ugh! On top of that, it was my favorite of the two frames. Hobby Lobby still has their frames 50% off, so I'm going to see if I can find something else. If I can't, I'll just make this frame work. I really like my metal design above the toilet, so I'm going to see if I can find something else to go above the light switches. Needless to say, I don't have any of my decorations hung yet. I did find a valance that I thought would go well. The fabric seems to go well with the shower curtain. I think I'm going to have to break down and put blinds back up. I was hoping to put up all curtains, but my window is so small that I can't find anything that will really go well.

Before

After

Before

After

I hope you can see the color wash, I took a close enough picture of it.

Lessons learned - don't purchase curtain rods where you have to apply adhesive or possibly glue on it in order for it to stick to the wall. Why I say this you ask? Well, Doug had to use a hammer to knock off the bases of the curtain rod. It took forever to knock it off the wall. Doug hit it so hard that I just knew he was going to knock a hole in the wall. My newly painted wall. Ugh! The only damage the wall suffered was a little ripped drywall. I applied compound, sanded and went to work painting. No big deal.

Father's Day

I hope you had a wonderful Father's Day yesterday. We were fortunate enough to go to two different places to celebrate with our dads. First, Katie and Colton spent a little time with their daddy before we went to church. Katie's card was so touching to Doug, a moment that will be treasured. I wanted to get a picture of my dad with the kids, but I don't think he and mom were feeling too good.  So, we'll have to take that picture at another time.

Bunny in Papaw Millard's yard

Baby birds just hatched

"Oh Lord, Please Help Me!"

Prayer Request
My cousin just contacted us this morning to let us know that she heard from my great aunt Mary's daughter-in-law. Mary's home from the hospital this morning, but is too weak to celebrate her 100th birthday. Thank you for all the prayers. 

Great Finds
If you have a Movie Gallery close by you, you probably already know that they are going out of business.  It has made Doug and myself so sad because it was the main movie rental place, we would rent our movies.  As you probably know about me is I don't really care to go to the movie theaters.  Doug practicely has to drag me to the theater or it would have to be a movie that I really really want to watch.  Anyway, Movie Gallery has all of their movies and games on sale.  We were out riding around the other day.  While waiting to pick up our pizza order, Katie and I walked around the store to see if there was anything we had to have.  We picked up a Blu-ray of "Marley and Me" and "Made of Honor" both for $20.  While we were being checked out at Movie Gallery, the clerk and I were talking about the closure.  I asked him what happened to make them all of the sudden go bankrupt.  He agreed with me that they were doing great.  That is until the company decided to buy out Hollywood Rentals.  He added "that's when everything went downhill."

Doug and I tried out Redbox this past weekend.  I was pleasantly surprised at the quality for the price $1.07 each movie.  The only bad thing is it's a one day rental.  I got to reserve the movies, "The Young Victoria" and "Tooth Fairy" online and it had an option to rent the movies for an extra day.  The closest Redbox to us is Walmart and Walgreens.  So far, I like the Redbox because the online option.  You can see what they have in stock and go ahead and reserve the copies, you want.  So nice!  No lines or leaving empty handed.  They also have Blu-ray available for $1.75 per copy. 

Gymboree is getting ready for Fall because a lot of their past styles are 70% off.  There are some really cute outfits for 70% off the original price.  CLICK HERE for Gymboree savings.

The Children's Place sent me an email message advertising that they had a lot of their Summer clothes on sale. There are select items for $3.99 each. You'll have to check it out.

Katie & Colton Story
As of today, my official nickname for my children are "Diva" and "Flash".  Can you guess which name matches which child?  As Colton gets a little older and better at running, he is as quick as lightning.  I have to be extremely quick when it comes to getting groceries in or out of the fridge and cabinets.  It's like a blurr when his hands get in there and grabbing stuff.  If he can successfully grab any object, without me catching him, {with a smirk on his face} he'll run just as fast as he possibly can. 

When we use a cooler during the weekend, we have a bad habit of leaving the cooler in the house and just take the drinks out of the cooler instead of the fridge.  This habit we're going to have to stop.  I placed the cooler up underneath the Dining Room table, so Colton wouldn't be climbing on it.  Well this afternoon, Colton decided to pull this very full (of melted ice) cooler over.  Yeah, he is our little Hercules.  The cooler was a small Igloo, but still.  Of course, most of the water poured out onto the carpet.  COLD ICE WATER!  As soon as I put the cooler outside, I went grabbing towels to clean up all of Lake Erie in our Dining Room.  Very humble and sincere, Katie folds her hands, looks up at the ceil and says, "Oh dear Lord, please help me!"  LOL!  Trying to hold back the spurts of laughter, I told her that she is listening to mom way too much.  'Cause when things get a little stressing around here and I feel like I'm living in a zoo instead of a house, I pray A LOT. 

Have you ever seen the new Snickers commercials with Aretha Franklin?  That is Katie all over at times!  I love the new Snickers commercials -



Father's Day Crafts
Katie worked on her Father's Day crafts today, in between her studies.   

Katie colored some really nice coloring pages, we created some Father's Day coupons and each greeting card with a story to each one. After she finished her picture, she would tell me what's going on in the picture and I would write it down. She also insisted on writing Colton's name inside each card.  I'd spell his name out and she'd write it down.   

Movie's In Review

Tooth Fairy with Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson and Julie Andrews was a sweet children's story with a great moral to the story.  Just because you don't see it doesn't mean it's not real.  Keep your childlike faith and the belief in your imagination alive. 

The Young Victoria with Emily Blunt was interesting to watch and very entertaining for me.  I've always been interested in the Royals, most of my life.  Doug says I'm crazy for watching something like this, but I enjoyed watching it.  Isn't it amazing how history continues to repeat itself, especially when it comes to corruption in any administration?  It doesn't matter who you are, where you live or where you work, there's always at least one rotten apple ready to infect the barrel full of beautiful ripe apples. I thought the romantic story between her and Prince Albert was sweet, despite the fact they were cousins. 

I compared the storyline with her biography and it seemed to be fairly accurate.    

Prayer, Food, Twilight and Father's . . . what else is there?

Prayer Request
My friend, D, that I've asked for prayer has gone through her 4th week of radiation treatments and have 2 more weeks to go. She started back on the Chemo therapy and the effects are beginning to wear on her. She said that soon after the treatments, doctors plan to take a biopsy of the tumor and from there will determine what course of action will follow. She's been receiving cards, calls and pictures from all of her friends and family. I think they've kept her going. Please continue to keep her in your prayers.

Great Recipes To Bookmark
During VBS, Katie and I made the workers cookies.  The only problem was that I couldn't find my new "Royal Icing" recipe right off the bat, in order to whip up some icing to put on the cookies.  I did eventually find the recipe sandwiched between several other "Mirya's Favorites" in my homemade cookbook.  I've gotten so dependent on my blog to grab a recipe that I need right away.  To my surprise, I still had my old Royal Icing recipe on here.  Ugh!  So, I deleted the old and am posting the new, this way I have easy access and now so do you.  Happy Eats!  

Royal Icing Recipe
from Martha Stewart Show, April 2006
Ingredients: (Makes 2 1/3 cups)
1 box (1 lb) confectioners' sugar
5 tablespoons meringue powder or 2 large egg whites

Directions:
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine sugar and meringue powder. Mixing on low speed, add a scant 1/2 cup water. For a thinner consistency, usually used for flooding, add more water. A Thicker consistency is generally used for outlining and adding details. Mix until icing holds a ribbonlike trail on the surface of the mixture for 5 seconds when you raise the paddle.

Mirya's notes: watch the additional water added, you can get a little carried away.
I add a little flavoring approximately 1/4 teaspoon of vanilla, almond or peppermint flavoring (which ever you prefer). Add to taste. Sometimes, I add a little more.

Twilight Saga
Okay, how many of you Twilight fans are getting excited about the new movie "Eclipse" coming out June 30th?  Yay!  I was hoping to revisit this book just to refresh my memory before the big premiere, but I've gotten somewhat involved with Nicholas Sparks, "The Last Song." 

With all the latest activities around the Mason household, I've only been able to read 5 chapters.  So far, it's a pretty good book.  I'll have to give you my review as soon as I'm finished.  Hold on because the way it's been around here, it may not be until next Fall. {LOL!}

Twilight Saga:Eclipse Movie Trailer

Father's Day Children's Crafts
My children are still too young to do really BIG crafts for daddy and their Paw-paws. Plus, I only have so many nerves left that I don't think I could survive the weekend, if we tried some of these bakes and crafts.  So, I think we are going to stick to more simple crafts. Katie has gotten good with her drawings.  I think they'll make the perfect gift. Saying that, I must pass along some great finds that I found, while searching for some creative ideas.

Is this not cute or what? It looks so simple as well. If you look closely, it's just a regular cupcake topped with dyed green coconut. The lawn mower is made from a Hershey's Nugget, M&M's for the wheels and engine and a black licorice lace as the handle. So cute! Of course, all the M&M's are held in place with small dabs of icing. For the recipe and further information, check it out at Disney FamilyFun website. Disney FamilyFun also has some cute printable "Dad Coupons" HERE along with some other cute ideas.

Martha Stewart.com posted instructions and diagram of how to make these cute paper shirt and tie cards/crafts. There are 8 positive ratings, stating the craft was easy and are their favorite. I haven't done this craft simply because I didn't have an 8x14" piece of decorative paper. It looks like fun and I hope to come back here this time next year for the kids.

Martha Stewart also has template retro designs available for these cool Father's Day Retro Labels.

For our little ones, you can find some great printables at DLTK's "Father's Day Activities" and some sweet bakes and crafts from Education.com. I hope you will share with me your plans or if you know of some great websites, celebrating Father's Day.

Kudos
I have to give a quick "KUDOS" to Google Blogger for all the positive changes for their customers. I've had lots of fun, play around with the the new layouts and ways to create my blog that says "ME". I encourage them to continue the great job. Saying this, the rumor mill is that Google Blogger are considering charging their customers for access to their blogs. I really hope that they will refrain from this decision because I love blogging, but might have to stop if it goes in that direction. :(