Sorry I've been M.I.A.

My goodness it's been a minute since I've last visited this space!

The Creamers have been on a whirlwind since spring began with Ryan moving away from home, two of the boys playing baseball in two different cities, JP's art classes and shows, and little Mary Grace's dance lessons.  I was also working five days a week to get us to Florida for the Homeschool World Series and family vacation!

Here are the highlights:

Pensacola Beach

 The Homeschool World Series

Kyle's last game as a Senior

DISNEYWORLD!

JP's recent art show entries.

He took 1st, 2nd, AND 3rd in his division!

Mary Grace's dance recital.

Yep, she's the one in the middle...in tears.

Danny's team won the league championship

Now we are on to the All Star games!

I look forward to getting back here more often because I have so many new projects, the garden is in full swing, and the kids have been doing lots of interesting things.

Pop in again soon!

The Forgotten Gourds

I grew some Birdhouse Gourds one summer then stashed them away in the back of my garage to dry.

That was TWO YEARS ago.

I simply forgot about them!

That's what happens when you have five kids and a full time job.

The boys stumbled upon them today.

They were covered in mold,

but I still thought they were pretty, so I went to work on them.

 After a light sanding, I shook the heck out of them to loosen the seeds inside and cut a hole in the front with a sharp kitchen knife.

The seeds came right out 

(and after two years of drying they should, right?) 

And after a quick spray with shellac to seal them,

they were ready to hang.

And a whole ton of seeds to plant again this summer.

Hopefully it won't take me two years to process the gourds!

Dear Lord, please make time slow down...

Ever since the age of two, Kyle has been swinging a bat.

His first love has always been baseball.

Here he is on his first T-ball team at the age of five.

I blinked and now he is a young man at 18 and in his senior year.

This is his team pic for the West Houston Thunder.

I can't help but still see the face of that little five year old, 

despite that beard of his.

I've always loved watching Kyle play ball.  Some seasons were good, some not so good, but with the Thunder he has soared.  

They are a great group of home schooled Christian young men. 

 He's found his niche with them.

Please, Lord, please make time slow down just a bit!

I'm not ready for baseball season to be over yet.

(Photo credit: C.Yohe)

"Recovering" and Crafting

Usually, on Mondays, I recover from my work weekends. 

And when I say "recover" I mean catch up on laundry, clean the house that the kids wrecked, and stock the empty fridge.

But THIS past Monday we packed up our beach chairs and snacks and headed down to Matagorda Beach for the day.

I did nothing but sip iced tea and dig my toes into the sand.

The kids played in the freezing water, painted seascapes, 

collected shells...

and dug three feet deep holes in the sand!

There wasn't a soul around for miles.

Just us and the sound of the waves crashing.

Now that's what I call "recovery!"

We came home with lots of treasures that day.

I have a shell wind chime that Doug bought me in Galveston last year.  I absolutely love it and thought that I could create my own version. 

 It couldn't be more simple!

All you need are your shells, driftwood, a drill with a small bit, 

and some fishing line.

Just drill holes in your shells, thread and knot them along the fishing line, and tie your strands off on a large piece of drift wood.

I added glass beads for a bit of color and sparkle.

And when the wind blows, the sound takes me right back 

to our spot on the beach!
I'm thinking "Matagorda Mondays"
might just become a thing, y'all!

Birthday Week!

Everyone in our family has birthdays grouped together, in January,

 it's me and my Danny-bird!

Our birthdays are only two days apart.  

I remember when he was born and the hospital staff I worked with had a lovely cake delivered to my room.  I nursed him and ate birthday cake and I tell him that was our first birthday together.....I'd also like to mention he hates when I tell that story!

Danny wanted a HUGE chocolate cake this year for his celebration,

and he got it!  

I used this recipe from The Pioneer Woman.

It did not disappoint!

We went out for wings and then an afternoon of laser tag, arcade games, ropes course, and bowling.

Just what every eleven year old wants, right?

My birthday, on the other hand,

was just what every 47 year old, girl at heart wanted.

Doug took me out for a very romantic dinner 

(NO kids invited!) at the Melting Pot.

We had cocktails, fondue, hand holding, 

wonderful conversation...

And I didn't have to yell at anybody across the dinner table 

to behave....well, except once for Doug.

Birthday is just the first day of a 365 day trip around the sun,

I plan on enjoying the trip this year!

Checking in

So it's been a couple of months since I checked in 

regarding my weight loss journey.

This is me now,

50 pounds lighter!

sweaty gym selfie

I'm not going to lie, I was a total slob over the holidays.

I ate, and ate, and enjoyed every tamale and sweet homemade treat.

But now I'm back on the 21 Day Fix 

and in the gym 4-5 days a week.

My goal is to lose 50 more pounds by June.  

At 46, my body isn't willing to give up the extra pounds so easily but I'm going to give it all I've got.

I feel great!

People tell me I look good all the time.

I've found a new love of skinny jeans and cowboy boots.

And my husband has even threatened to take me out dancing!

So far 2016 is looking like

a very good year!

For more on my weight loss journey, click on the "Health" tab in the label cloud to the left

Scenes from a very merry Creamer Christmas...

And wishing you a happy, healthy, 

and prosperous new year!

Let it BURN!

Every year for Christmas, the kids make handmade presents 

for our family and friends.

This year the boys have discovered wood burning.

I handed them a few pieces of scrap wood

(to kind of get the hang of it before burning our actual gifts!)

And as you can see from their "doodling,"

they got the hang of things pretty quick!

I purchased some pretty bamboo cutting boards and wooden spoons and let Mary Grace draw on them.  

She's currently into drawing gigantic heads with hands and feet coming out of them.

Cute, huh?

Then one of the boys traces her drawing 

with the wood burning tool.

What is left behind is a permanent etching of her artwork,

and a functional piece of kitchen ware.

The boards and spoons are already sealed

so there is nothing else to do except wrap them up.

The cutting boards will get a big summer sausage, package of crackers, and wedge of cheese wrapped up with a pretty ribbon for gift giving.

But this work-in-progress by Kyle 

(our family tree!)

 is going to get scooped up by 

THIS MAMA

before anyone else can get their hands on it!

Happy Elving!!!