More Christmas Festivities

Saturday night we celebrated with my extended family at my Aunt Wanda's house in Boaz/Albertville. Monday night we had my Dad's family over (at our house) for dinner and presents! Tuesday we had our Friends from church over. Good memories!

Tiffany and I Saturday night!

Uncle Michael with his 'special present' on Saturday night.

Daniel got a replica of Beard-Eaves Memorial Coliseum on Monday night from Aunt Freida.

Kenneth (Tiffany's Fiance), Tiffany (my first cousin, her mom and my dad are siblings), me, and Daniel. (Monday)

Kenneth will be deploying on January 7th. Please keep Tiffany and Kenneth in your prayers in the next 14 months. (Picture from Monday)

FYI: Daniel finished the post from here.

Tuesday night, we had several of our friends from Church over for a laid-back Christmas

get-together. We had alot of my favorites: chicken casserole, corn on the cob, orange rolls, and lemon pie. Here are the girls on the front porch.

Daniel next to one of our easy set-up Christmas trees in the dining room. (Also with his

techno-leash a.k.a. a youth minister's cell phone)

Me and Sara Shoemaker at dinner. My china is in the background- It's being discontinued, GRRRRRR.

Tonya and Sarah at Dinner. Good Times!

Dessert- The end of the meal (and this blogpost)

Dinner Party

Thursday night we enjoyed dinner with friends at the Hayes' house. It was an exciting evening full of fun. We ate a dinner of ham, mac n cheese, green beans, and mashed potatoes. It was delicious.

The girls at the party (Sarah, Sara, Tonya, Emily, and me.)

Christi was there too, but she left earlier.

The lovely cook, Tonya

Banagrams!

Coffee... they said it was good. I wouldn't know.

.

Mason, Sarah, Tonya, and Sara eating dinner!

Tonya and David had it set up with several

small tables rather than one long table

so you could have better conversations.

It was a cute setup!

Computer Giveaway!

... at http://www.blogher.com/hp-touchsmart-review-and-sweepstakes?reviewer1 for a total of five giveaways!

The blog got a makeover!

A special thanks to Jamie for updating my blog for FREE!! I'm planning on going back after Christmas for a template that will last year round! You still have until midnight to get your free blog template! She does it ALL for you! Pick your banner, background color, photo, and title! SWEET!! Scroll to the bottom of my blog to see her "button". Thanks again, Jamie!

Blog Template

Free Christmas Template for your blog until midnight tonight!! http://jamiekubeczka.blogspot.com/

Giveaway at Bargain Buggy

Click on the new button on the side to register for a $35 Publix card giveaway!

Spring Break, VBS, Lasik and Gatlinburg Getaway

Life has been hectic... I finally convinced my computer to join the world wide web. It now uploads photos successfully. Before it just plain didn't work. I am currently at the beach (Orange Beach) with my parents. Daniel is (again) gone on a youth trip. I am NOT a fan of him being gone soo much. Next year I will be going with him because I will already have tenure, and I won't be doing extra stuff in hopes of keeping my job!

We took a quick trip down here to the beach the week after Easter this year. We didn't ever upload photos so here are a few from our trip! We visited the Pensacola Naval Museum.
After Spring Break we started gearing up for a crazy summer. We kicked off summer with VBS. The theme this year was "The Wall". We had a lifesize wall made out of cardboard boxes complete with doors in the large fellowship hall (aka gym). We even had wall guards, and we also had Mr. Jericho who said no one could take down his wall. I had Lasik right after VBS. I no longer have to wear glasses!!!

We left June 30 for Gatlinburg. We were there a whole 6o hours but had a blast. We ate at Corkys, No Way Jose's, walked the downtown area, played lots of games, and went to Hoot 'N Hollar. We also celebrated our 4th anniversary!

Daniel is gone to camp now at Maywood. We are b oth planning on returning home on Friday for good (at least until Polishing the Pulpit at the start of September).

Open Letter to all those who refuse to knock on my (classroom) door

Dear Fellow Locust Forkians,

I know it makes you feel better to pull on my door before you knock. However, it is going to be locked. It always will be locked. If you feel a need to see my beautiful face, knock kindly. I will politely obligue and open the door in a timely manner. If I am not there in .0048657 seconds please understand, I am on my way. See I hate to wear shoes, I usually am sitting on my fee without my shoes on. Therefore, I must find my shoes, slip them on, and race to the door so you do not feel neglected. I apologize for any inconvience I may cause by keeping my door locked. However, I tried leaving it unlocked and random wondering Jews (aka other people's students) ended up in my classroom without my realization. I hope this clears up our issue of assaulting my door before knocking. Have a wonderful day!

Thanks,
Mandi Courington

Recipes, anyone?

If you have a family recipe that you don't mind sharing, will you please email it to me? I am trying to create a recipe wall in our dining room. I don't even have 1 family recipe. Sad, huh? If you don't like to share you recipes, I understand. However, I'll be grateful for any that are shared!

God's Beauty Is Seen Everywhere

I have a new love for all blooming plants. However, the hydragena (spelling?) is my absolute favorite. Here's one I found in our neighborhood. I probably gave the guy a heart attack when I walked on his perfectly manicured, kelly green lawn. But, I wanted pictures. So, he'll survive.

Photo Update!

I had quit updating because my computer would crash if I opened Internet Explorer. It also would take approximately 20 hours to load 1 photo onto blogger. So, Dan bought me a new computer!

Tippin got a hair cut today! Her hairballs (aka tumbleweeds) were beginning to drive us over the edge. She also seems to take f.o.r.e.v.e.r to dry when we wash her with long hair. She is so cute prancing and struttin all over the place!

Before

After

Daniel and I decided to get our hands dirty this past week and plan some flowers!! We also tore out part of the old flower bed that had been taken over by some unknown type of vine. We then laid pine bark mulch. It looks so colorful!

My new computer came today. It only took about 6 weeks from the time we ordered it. I wanted a neat color, it was worth the wait! The computer is smaller than my Bible!

Tonight we spent time with Tonya and David Hayes and Sarah Ridinger. We are very blessed to have so many friends now! I remember when our closest friends were twice our age!

Summer is only 9 short days away! (9 School Days.) I live by a August - May calendar. Also there are only 5 days in a week if you ask me. hehe.

I received tenure yesterday. It isn't effective until the last day of this school year. So, I have to behave for 9 more school days. I will continue to behave next year too though! I did rebel and wear sweat pants today. It was nice not feeling like I was committing some kind of terrible crime.

Daniel and I spent Spring Break at the beach with my family.

I am facing shoulder surgery this summer to remove a bone spur in my right (YES, i am right handed) shoulder. Not being able to wash my own hair for three weeks will be interesting! Please keep me in your prayers as I return to the doctor for the pre-op appointment/scheduling on June 1.

Yard sales are in full swing on the eastern side of Birmingham! I am ESTATIC! It is currently raining (and lightening). I hope the yard sales are still on for tomorrow!

Dear Dooner,
Four years ago right now we were finishing finals at Freed, planning our wedding, and preparing to begin our lives together. I was so excited I couldn't help myself. I know we took a large risk, but the rewards are more than I could have ever imagined. Who knew in three short years, we would have moved four times, taught together for a year, learned to live on 1.5 paychecks, adopted a puppy, lived in my childhood home, purchased a home on our own, and worked with two wonderful congregations of the Lord's church. We've been busy. We're always busy, but we are always busy doing the work the of the church. We've made our own life and routines. While you do most of the cooking, I try to be as involved as possible at youth activities. This may not be everyone's life, but we've made it our happy life!
I love how you rarely get ill at me. I love how you never fuss when I don't get everything done I was suppose to get done. I also love how if I want to take a nap, you let me sleep. Most of all I love how you always put my needs and wants first.
In fourty years from now, I hope we are as happy, healthy, and blessed as we are today. However, I know that no matter what happens, we will always have each other. Therefore, I know I am a more understanding, loving, patient, and kind person as a result of marrying you. Thank you for choosing me.

Just because,
Mandi

Peanut Butter Strawberry Bars

I made Peanut Butter Strawberry Bars from May 2009 Better Homes and Garden (great magazine!). They were a huge hit! We took them to our Lads to Leaders/Leaderettes meeting where we disucssed what went right and what went wrong. They were a huge hit! It is the first thing I've actually baked (without cheating by using packaged cake or cookie mix).

Ingredients
3/4 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup peanut butter
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup strawberry jam
4 cups small whole strawberries, halved or quartered

Directions
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 13x9x2-inch baking pan with foil, extending foil beyond the edges. Set aside.
2. In large mixing bowl beat butter and peanut butter on medium to high for 30 seconds. Beat in sugars, baking powder, and salt until combined. Add eggs and vanilla; beat until combined. Beat in as much flour as you can with mixer. Stir in remaining flour.
3. Spread dough in prepared pan. Bake 25 minutes or until top is lightly browned and toothpick inserted near center comes out clean.
4. Cool completely on rack. Remove from pan by lifting foil. Spread jam and top with berries. Cut into bars. Serve at once or refrigerate up to 6 hours. Makes 24 bars

Make Ahead: Wrap the peanut butter base in foil; store at room temperature up to 24 hours. Before serving, top with jam and berries. Or freeze the peanut butter base in a freezer container up to 3 months.

Picture and Recipe belong to Better Ho mes and Garden

Mini Spring Break

This week was not [Blount County] Spring Break. However, we did get Thursday and Friday off for Weather Days. So, I took full advantage with antiquing, smelling the flowers, breaking out the yellow box (flip flops), youth activities, and friends! I also got to enjoy my first tomato sandwich of the year! Here are some pictures showing you what we've been up too!! [I try to take pictures of Dan but usually he just sticks his tounge out at me. Please forgive his absence in my recent posts. He's been abnormally uncooperative with pictures! :) ]

Our Young Ladies Day [Purity Day] was focused on I Timothy 5:1-2. The verses state, "Do not rebuke an older man but encourage him as you would a father, younger men as brothers, older women as mothers, younger women as sisters, in all purity." What if we treated everyone as we would our fathers, brothers, mothers and sisters? We also received a pink braclet with Ephesians 4:29 on it. We are to move the bracel from one wrist to the other when our words don't meet the criteria in verse 29. The verse states, "Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear."

I tried 3 times to get the picture uploaded. It keeps saying the page cannot be found. So, I'll try again Sunday night. Does anyone else's blogger take forever (at least 30 mins to load 3-4 pictures) these days or just not work at all?

When life gives you four leaf clovers, dye your lemonade green...

Well, I completely forgot today was St. Patrick's Day. Luckily, I wore green and didn't get pinched by any stinkers at school. Here's my chuckle of the day:

I was out running some errands and stopped by Chick-fil-A drive thru for a quick, cheap dinner. I ordered a Lemonade and had a coupon for a free chicken nuggets. I drove down the hill and stopped to eat my dinner in Walgreen's parking lot. I looked down and noticed my green lemonade. I was furious... I wanted a lemonade not a limeade!! Then I remembered, it's St. Patrick's Day. They dyed the lemonade green. I'll definitely go back next year just for kicks!

I've also noticed all the beautiful Spring colors lately!!

I've been couponing this week. I combined coupons and sales to get all of this for less than 18 bucks!

If you reep what you sew, I'll get a lot of strings...

**Disclaimer: I realize it's not so smart to begin sewing my trying to make a quilt. It's the only thing I have any interest in making. Therefore, the only thing I'd be motivated enough to try to learn by doing- I'd just give any other project up after 2 hours of no success. Also, if I royally mess up one section, I can just toss those squares. I realize it will take several weeks/months to finish the project. **

I decided yesterday I wanted to finally figure out my sewing machine! Apparently sewing is something taught not learned without someone to aide in the learning portion. After trial and error I figured out you must lower the foot and how to get the thread from the bobbin wheel 'up'.

Nonetheless, it now continues to nest (I think after much research this is the correct term for when the thread gets knotted up - really knotted up- under your fabric near the bobbin wheel area. Not an expert at the sewing terminology.) I have all my squares cut out, washed, dried, and ready to sew together.

Notice I said ready to sew together, not sewn together. This is the problem. My next step is now to seek help.

Not mental help *because after today I almost need it* but with the sewing machine... I'm sure David will have some kind of comment for that.

On a positive note, here are some pictures of what I did successfully accomplish!

I got smart and made a cardboard template. I didn't want to invest in the fancy equipment so I toughed it out and cut out 28 squares out by hand!


Here are the four fabrics I picked out! I love the look of them together. Now to just get them sewn together!!
I did read and study enough to know that you must wash and dry your fabric before you sew it together - unless you never plan to wash it!

My three pieces sewn together. You should see the back, there is soo much excess string from where it kept 'nesting' and I'd cut it and start again. Ha. Someday, I will get such a laugh out of this!

Also, Alex came to eat tonight. I hope he knows how much he really does mean to us. He's like a little brother to Daniel and I and a true joy to be around. I look forward to watching him continue to mature into a Christian young man. We love you, Alex!

He was pitching a fit because Daniel hid his shoe and he was ready to go home. I told him to smile. Appearantly, this was all I was getting. So, I took it!

Simply Wonderful

Daniel headed out to play tennis tonight with some folks from church. I took full advantage of the opportunity to get some cleaning done and do a little organizing!

I hung a rack in the laundry room that's been waiting patiently to be hung for atleast 6 weeks now.

Before

After

I spent some quality time with the hound dog.


Enjoyed my favorite candle while singing at the top of my lungs to my favorite cd, Locke 6. They are some Freedies from Killen, AL.
And cleaned my china.

Oh, and did I mention we ate at Red Robin? My favorite restaurant.

A. WONDERFUL. EVENING.

Air conditioner anyone?

Well, this week has not been the best (financially) speaking. We received a bill from Budget (when Daniel ran the rental truck into the church and put a whole in the roof of the truck not the mention the building) with a total of $1051, the breaks on the 'Stang are kaput, the air conditioner's compressor went out in our new house (but we do have a home warranty!! WOO HOO), and our tags are due for renewal. OUCH!

But to focus on the good things.

After living in a 78 degree house for 2 days, I think Mom could see the stress on our faces after several sleepless nights. So.. what else would she do? She bought us a window unit and told me to go pick it up! We didn't even have to ask for it!

Daniel and I have always had a good relationship with each of our parents. I am so thankful that in a time of need I have people there to help. (Not that this was a crisis or anything, but it's nice to know that people care enough to help without even being asked!)

Who knew something so simple as a window air conditioner could make you realize how blessed you truly are! Each time I look at the new a/c in our window, I will smile a simple smile of gratitude for a lesson taught without a single request being spoken. Thanks, Mom!