ice cream cake request...and delicious icing to share

She is eleven now. Turning eleven has its benefits.

  The only thing that makes this cake different from other cakes is the ice cream layer in the middle. A favorite yellow cake recipe was chosen along with the request of a strawberry ice cream layer. So far so good, but the best part of this cake with all its tasty goodness was the addition of this simple,delicious icing. Take one container of cool whip topping and mix it together with a jar of marshmallow creme, spread it quickly on the frozen cake while your newly turned eleven year old daughter randomly places the pastel-colored M&M's, attempting not to get intertwined with your spreading knife. Scoot it back into the freezer and remove it about twenty minutes before serving. 

Shh!...there were several that had seconds!

to crochet, to read, to yarnalong

I took on a crocheting project during the long evenings of winter. Charlotte desired an afghan to put at the foot of her bed to cover herself, for the times when she might be on her bed reading and needed a cozy covering.

A soft acrylic yarn was used to crochet 6x6 inch squares. Five colors were randomly double-crocheted in strips of seven rows joined to five rows. You certainly could crochet any amount of rows, this simply was the size I determined for Charlotte's afghan. I must admit the most undesirable thing about this project was the joining of the squares. I made up my own manner of crocheting them together, which created a distinction between the right side and a wrong side, desiring a definite flattened right side for this afghan. Then a picot trim was added because the addition of picot trim always seems to enhance the beauty of any project.

And speaking of beauty,

 I am reading another book by Leslie Ludy. I have appreciated her heart in appealing to young woman to seek Jesus above all else. She gives parts of her own life story as well as real-life situations of other young women she has met. Leslie handles the Scriptures well as she gives practical actions in order for a  life to be changed, renewed, and shaped into a "set-apart woman".  I would recommend this book to a high school girl and up, but I would be quick to suggest that you read the book first since some of the content would benefit being discussed between parent and young person.

Linking up with Ginny for her weekly yarnalong. Come and join us!

...she went to a garden party

Actually, it was a tea party. An invitation arrived via post, the mail that is, inviting me to a tea party, a Derby Hat Tea Party. My first response was, "I don't own a hat for such an occasion!"

But little did I realize that I was on to one of the most enchanting and engaging pursuits. I discovered several consignments shops all under one roof in town with a plenteous supply of vintage hats. The fun was just beginning. I entered my own little world that morning. A woman who was by herself, a woman trying on hat after hat, a woman laughing aloud and talking to herself.

Several hours late, I walked out of the store carrying a bag bulging with five vintage hats.

This is the hat I chose to wear to the Tea Party.

 With the vintage white gloves, absolutely!

Serena

GretchenJoanna left a comment on my last post. She probably just whisked it out there along with her sweet message with nary of thought about it. But her comment tickled me all under. Let me tell you why. In March I was reading through one of my old journals dating back to a little over a year ago. I noted a particular random scribbling, "I will have a female cat one day and name her Serena, to remind me of calmness- and peace." In April we brought home a ten month old cat, and I named her Serena. She sleeps with me and loves me with her irresistible felineness, I am serene. Then she jumps, and runs, and skids, and scratches the furniture, and eats all the beautiful blooms off my plants...I  shout, "S-e-r-e-n-a!" The idea was to breath deeply and be calm and serene.  Real life situations just aren't that easy. But it is a good plan.

  

Living up to her name

a window opened

When did the days get so full that even an itty bitty post was out of my reach? I desire to scale new heights on most days, but truthfully, sometimes it seems I must just go with the flow and keep up as best I can.

 Simply stated, here is a window of a number of happenings in my life in photos from the past few months. Hopefully, it is not too plethoric! 

If you need explanations for any photo, please scroll through these words, I attempted to be brief.

*Quiet mornings gathered around the kitchen table reading the Word.* Waking one morning in March to discover ice covering everything, including my blooming daffodils. Before noon, cracks and booms as trees and limbs fell one after the other. We would gasp and run to see. All of my Leyland Cypress trees fell, kaboom, but only one landed on the house, thankfully, with little damage. *Rooting little bits of rosemary and aloe vera. I do love rooting things! *A new family member whom George adores. *A luncheon hosted one Saturday morning with Erin Davis and several special young ladies. * "A" is for Alan, and Charlotte made a special biscuit for his birthday breakfast, which we all enjoyed with huckleberry jam, strawberries, and bananas with the light of the gleaming sun's rays making us even more joyful. *The  sewing and stuffing of bags that were traveling to Haiti. Rose was able to go and is already planning her next mission trip out of the country. *He was here with us for almost two months, but school starts back in Thailand soon, we found ourselves at the airport, dropping Alan off once again. They come and they go! We never stop praying for them. *Back to dining outside, and it is pleasing for me to see the sun beams across the tablecloth that was left out, along with one lone napkin and glass. *My most favorite first daughter turned eighteen *And there we are, the girls, on Mother's Day.