Taylor's First Day at School

Getting organzied for the new year!

Giving sisterly advice on proper backpack packing techniques!

Looking amazing for the first day!

Little bit of a makeover for the second day! Ooops. Gotta love trampolines.

Shaylie's First Day of School

Looking Great with a new do, new clothes, and gorgeous smile!

Bravely entering new territory!

Shaylie and Mrs. Winterton, 4th Grade Teacher

Hard at work already! Have a great year, Sweetheart!

Family Celebrations!

We celebrated Shaylie's 9th birthday (again!) with our family!

Around the circle: Here is Aunt Anissa (back to us), Grandma Pam, Papa Strong, Shaylie, Grandma Rose, Grandma Dawn, Bella, Kaiah, Lynn and Chad.

Shaylie got so many neat presents!

Thanks to Grandma J for the cute clothes, to Chad & Bella for the Wii Game, to Taylor for the Bracelet kit, to Grandma Dawn for a DS game and Chocolate Frogs, to Mom and Dad for RC UFO, and to Papa & Grandma for her NEW website!

What a happy, fun day!

We're in Business!

For those of you who don't know, my daughter Shaylie is a born businesswoman! She always has a plan to invent a new product, make something to sell, set up a shop, etc.

Well, for her birthday--she's 9 now--her grandparents (with the help of mom and dad) bought her a web store so she can sell whatever she dreams up online! She is so excited about this. We even made her business cards to hand out to her friends.

It's up and running and we hope you will all check it out! Right now she is selling some jewelry she has made and a few of her stuffed toys. Let us know how you like it!!!

Go to www.shayliebay.com to see her fun jewelery and check back often because she's working hard at making new things everyday!

Inner Peace for All

I am sitting blessedly alone as the girls have both gone off to the first day of school. Summer has been wonderful but I always look forward to this day. I think it is the quiet contemplation that prompted this funny memory. I'm thinking about all the various forms of organized insanity that are about to start and remembered a conversation that Shaylie and I had.

She asked me, "Mom, am I going to get to take Karate this year?" I said, "Why do you want to take Karate anyway?" or something like that. She thought a minute and said, "It would be fun to learn how to beat people up....and I'd like to learn inner peace."

Sounds good to me! Where do we sign up?

My Favorite HCG Recipes...so far!

I am on round two of my HCG diet. This time around I have been experimenting with my food a bit more. I found two really yummy treats that I love! I will probably keep eating these even after my VLCD ends.

Ginger Chicken Lettuce Wraps

3.5 oz Chicken cut into cubes

3 large cabbage leaves

chopped cabbage to equal 3.5 oz

3 T. Balsamic Vinegar

1 T. Ginger

1/4 t. onion powder

1/4. t. salt

1/4 t. pepper

Garlic to taste

In a bowl combine cut chicken, vinegar, seasonings, cook on med-hi until done. At end of cook time, add in chopped cabbage and 3T water. Lower heat and continue cooking until cabbage is cooked. Place chicken mixture into cabbage leaves and roll into wraps. So YUMMY!!!

Strawberry Smoothies

6 large strawberries, sliced

16 oz. favorite Crystal Light beverage (I like cranberry apple.)

1 pkg. Truvia (Stevia)

Ice

Liquify all ingredients in blender until desired consistency. Enjoy!!!!

If I make any other discoveries...I will post them too!

Shaylie's Birthday Party

Our Cute Pupcakes!

In lieu of a proper cake.

Let the movie begin!

Thanks Friends!

Cute Kids!