...butterin' me up...

for the past couple of weeks, zac will randomly stop me throughout the day and whisper..."mom, come here...i have to tell you something." so i'll go over to hear what he has to tell me, and this is what i get. and yes, it melts my heart every time! much better than the "i love you to the poop and back" phrase! :)

**oh...and in order to hear it without the music in the background...make sure to scroll to the bottom of the page and pause the playlist before you push play on the video.**

...sunday strolls & magnifying madness...

we love being able to take our sunday afternoon walks again! especially now that we're in a nice, little neighborhood and not off of a crazy busy road...makes it a bit more enjoyable!

zac got a magnifying glass for easter from grandma debbie. he LOVES to take it on our walks to look at all the many interesting things on the ground...like rocks, dirt, candy wrappers, and yes, even dog poop. speaking of the word "poop"...it is officially zac's favorite new word. i ask him what he wants for lunch...he replies..."ummmm....let me think.....poop!" i ask him what his favorite primary song is...he replies..."ummmm...scripture poop!" i tell him that i love him THIS much...he tells me that he loves me "to the poop and back!" and yes, he laughs at himself every time he says things like this...and so do i, even though i probably shouldn't...it's a funny little boy stage!

...Take My Hand...

here's one of my dad's newest paintings, and yes, zac is the little boy in it. he's pretty excited about the idea of being painted with Jesus...i guess as a child, that's probably a pretty cool thing if you stop and think about it. however...zac keeps saying, "that's not Jesus, that's mike...dressed up as Jesus. it's 'posed to be Jesus, but it's mike!"

Take my hand and follow me,
There are things ahead for you to see.
Little wonders are all around,
And tender mercies to be found.
We’ll take our time, no need to run,
Breathe deep the air and feel the sun.
The grass is soft beneath our feet,
Sounds are soothing, the air is sweet.
Sometimes we’ll stop and just be still,
Our hearts will tell us God is real!
Small graces along our path appear,
They let us know that Heaven’s near.
So take my hand anew each day,
The walk is lovely and I know the way.
-Greg K Olsen-

...Friday's Favorites...

so, yes, i am a lover of chocolate & any kind of dessert...so it's no surprise that i am in love with the Cheesecake Factory's Chocolate Tuxedo Cream Cheesecake...it's to die for and every bite of it is completely worth the calories! i know when you eat out at the cheesecake factory, especially when it comes to dessert, it can be a bit overwhelming, because how do you choose between sooo many good things?? take my word for it & order this next time...you'll be in heaven, i promise! :)

...and the winners are...

i really wish everyone could have won...so i'm going to do this again sometime soon! but as for now...these are the three lucky recipients!! kanoe & jess will you guys email me your addresses? i know i have them somewhere, but i'm lazy and don't want to have to search for them! you three can expect your surprises to arrive within the next three weeks...happy waiting! :)

...it's my turn...

i was a winner of this on my friend jessica's blog,
and now it's my turn to pay it forward! how exciting!
here's how it works...

leave a comment to this post by thursday, april 17.
i will put your name into a drawing...
and the three winners will get a
special something sent to them from me!

winners will be posted friday, april 18.
if you win...be prepared to pay it forward!!

...sprinkles frosting...

as promised, here's the sprinkles frosting recipe...you HAVE to try it the next time you're in need of some yummy frosting!! i promise you won't be disappointed!

2 sticks butter
3 1/2 c. powdered sugar
1/2 tsp. milk
1/2 tsp. vanilla

beat butter on medium speed until light & fluffy (2 minutes). reduce speed & gradually add powdered sugar...beat until incorporated. add vanilla & milk & beat until smooth & creamy. DO NOT OVERMIX or the frosting will be too airy. it should be creamy & dense like ice cream. add additional milk 1 tsp. at a time if necessary. :)

...waiting & wishing for warmth...

if the weather man is right, then we should be able to get out and do more of this come saturday. i'm crossing my fingers & can't wait...we're definitely ready for spring & summer to be here!

...caterpillars to your doorstep...

okay, so there aren't many things i remember about my early school years...but a few things stick out vividly in my mind....like the time my 1st grade class had our very own caterpillars & got to watch them go through the whole transition from caterpillar to butterfly. i LOVED it and still can remember how exciting & fun it was for me. so yes, all those feelings came rushing back when i found this website! you get five caterpillars & this cage for $26. it takes like 20-30 days for the whole process to take place...so i think it would be such a fun little summer activity for kids (and adults if you're like me)! anyway...i can't wait to get ours....i'll keep you posted on our progress!