Pamper Day

Every girl deserves a pamper day every once in a while and today was mine. For teacher appreciation week at school a few weeks ago my principal had a massage therapist from a local chiropractic clinic come to our school and give us ten minute back massages. The massage therapist gave us coupons for a one-hour full body relaxation massage for only $39.00 and I could hardly wait to set up my appointment. I have been looking forward to it all week. My appointment was today and the massage was so wonderful. I hope to do it again soon! 

After my massage I decided to try this new yogurt place that just opened up in Beaumont called The Yogurt Spot. I love frozen yogurt and we haven't had a good frozen yogurt place to go to since TCBY closed down a few years ago. I love how it is set up. They give you a big cup that you can fill with any combination of over 12 different flavors of yogurt that they have and then you can top it with any of the 30 or more toppings you want such as fresh strawberries, candy, etc.. When you checkout they weigh your cup and sell the yogurt  for 39 cents per ounce. I filled my cup with chocolate indulgence, red velvet cake, cookies and cream yogurt and topped it with M&M's. Weird combo I know but I had a hard time deciding what flavors I wanted. I also love that all of the yogurt is fat-free except a few flavors that have 5% fat which is hardly nothing at all especially compared to ice cream. I am happy that they opened just in time for summer and I will definitely be back.

My Bucket List

 I have been wanting to make a bucket list forever and never sat down and did it until now. These are all the things I could think of right now that I would like to do, God willing, before I "kick the bucket." There are some big and some small things on the list and I am sure the list will grow and change over time. I really want to travel and see as much of the world as I can. I can't wait to start crossing things off my list! Hopefully, this summer I can get started on a few.

1. Visit the Billy Graham Library in Charlotte, NC

2. Travel to Israel and see the Holy Land where Jesus walked

3. Travel to Paris, France

4. Get Married

5. Have children

6. Home school my kids

7. Write a book

8. Buy a house

9. I have several friends who grew up going camping with their families and now they own campers and do the same with their families. My family was not a camping family, but hearing about my friends trips and how much fun they have makes me want to do the same with my family someday. I would love to own a camper (not a tent) and  go camping at Yosemite National Park and other camping sites all over the U.S.

10. Own a family lake house

11. Travel to Maine and take pictures of the lighthouses

12. Go on as many mission trips as possible

13. Buy a "real" camera and take a photography class

14. Go to the Joyce Meyer Women's Conference in St. Louis..I would also love to meet Joyce one day

15.  Travel to New York at Christmas time

16. Take a Zumba Class

17. Go to a spa resort with friends

18. Take ballroom dancing lessons

19. Take country two-stepping lessons

20. Take cooking lessons

21. Visit Carlo's Bakery in New York..I love this show on TLC

22. Travel to Tuscany, Italy

23. Learn how to quilt ( I love patchwork quilts like the picture above and want to learn how to make one)

24. Get my Masters Degree in Education Administration

25. Travel to London, England

26. Travel to Los Angeles

27. Stay at a Ranch in Wyoming

28. Stay at a bed and breakfast

29. Stay at a Georgia plantation home bed and breakfast

30. Go skydiving...I go back and forth on this one

31. Learn to crochet

32. Visit as many places in the United States as possible...I want to go to every state at least once

33. Vacation somewhere in the Carribean

34. Go back to Maui, Hawaii and visit all the Hawaiian Islands

35. Earn the Teacher of the Year Reward

35. Learn to play the piano again...I took piano lessons when I was younger and learned the Suzuki method of how to play (where your fingers are numbered) and never graduated to the point where I learned how to read the music. I wish I had never quit taking lessons.

36. Go to a Broadway Play

37. See the Titanic Exhibit...I have always been interested in the Titanic and would love to see the exhibit that goes around to cities with artifacts from the Titanic

38. I would also like to see the Dead Sea Scrolls Exhibit

39. Travel to Cape Town, Africa

40. Go on an African Safari

41. See a show at the Grand Ole Opry House

Mother's Day Weekend

Mother's Day was full of surprises this year....

Surprise # 1-Glenn called me last week and told me he was coming in for Mother's Day and was going to surprise mom. He drove in on Saturday and since she thought he was playing in a golf tournament all weekend it was a great to see her face when he walked in.

Surprise # 2- My dad had Glenn stop at the florist and buy mom some flowers...so sweet of my dad!

Surprise # 3-Glenn had to leave early on Sunday morning and wasn't going to be able to go to church with us and see Grammy so we decided to keep the surprises going and go over to her house Saturday night and surprise her too. We called and told her we wanted to come by and drop something off. Glenn hid on the side of her house when we pulled up and after we were in her house five minutes he rang the doorbell. She answered the door and was so shocked to see Glenn standing there. Surprises are so much fun!

Mom opened her presents at Grammy's. Here she is opening her gift bag of Hamburger Helpers. We grew up on Hamburger Helper so we thought she would really enjoy that :)

Surprise # 4...Glenn, Stephanie, and I went in together and got Mom the pots and pans she has been wanting and needing. I taped a picture of the pots and pans to the front of one of the Hamburger Helper boxes.

On Sunday after church, Mom and I went over to Grammy's house to eat. I asked Mom if she wanted to go out to eat on Mother's Day but she wanted me to make her favorite, chicken and dumplings,  instead. I made it on Saturday and we heated it up on Sunday at Grammy's. It was nice not having to fight the Mother's Day crowds at the restaurants.

There is nothing like homemade chicken n' dumplings!

For dessert we had coconut cake. Coconut cake has become a Mother's Day tradition....it's both Mom and Grammy's favorite! I know people who don't even like coconut who like this cake. If you have never had it before all it is is yellow cake with cream cheese icing and coconut flakes on top.

A good woman is hard to find,

and worth far more than diamonds...

When she speaks she has something worthy to say,

and she always says it kindly.

She keeps an eye on everyone in her household,

and keeps them all busy and productive.

Her children respect and bless her;

her husband joins in with words of praise:

"Many women have done wonderful things,

but you've outclassed them all".

Charm can mislead and beauty soon fades.

The woman to be admired and praised

is the woman who lives in the Fear-of -God.

Give her everything she deserves!

Adorn her life with praise!

(Excerpts from Proverb 31, The Message)

Happy Mother's Day!