.happy birthday samdawg.

Today is Samson’s 5th birthday. He’s officially older than I am (in dog years)!

For his birthday, he got a couple spoonfuls of peanut butter in a bowl. Nothing better!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Even Coco got a little taste of it!

I love you a.lot. :) Even when you don’t come when I call your name.

.back in black.

After some reluctance on my part (I administered & proctored the ACT exam at CHS that morning and thought I’d be exhausted!), I decided to go to the Lind Combine Demolition Derby with Candace and meet Nick, Kate, & Chris there. It was the most fun I’ve ever had at the demo derby! We got to be in the pits with the Johnson crew. It was fun to hang out under the tent and visit with the Baumann’s and Johnson’s. Kate, Candace, & I walked back and forth between the beer garden and the pit so we could watch Nick’s heats. It was fun to run into old friends and get the customary snow cone!

Candace and I sat in the stands with my parents in the beer garden for the final heat. We had a great time cheering on Nick & his Back in Black combine. Our cheering must’ve been the trick because Nick tied for 1st place overall! SO exciting!

Nick & Brian celebrating! It was fun to spend some time with Brian and Megan. The more I’m around Megan, the more I enjoy her. She fits in so well with the Baumann clan!

Karen snapped this picture of Candace, Kate, & I. I love it!

  

The pit crew, family, & friends went out to Nick & Kate’s house afterwards for a bonfire and celebration. I got to pick up Kamryn from Gramma Debbie’s and spend some time with her. I love snuggle time with her!

So glad I decided to go to the derby! What a fun time!

.just dance tap dance recital.

Melissa’s dream came true this year with the opening of her tap dance studio. She taught 4 classes and had 32 students. The year culminated with the big recital on June 10th. The theme was “Dancing Through the Year.” Each class had 3 dances, so there was one song per month. Melissa did a great job of creating an entertaining recital and choreographing every routine. It was so cute!

She had Olivieri Portrait Design take their class photos the same day as dress rehearsal. The dancers were so darn cute!

This is the youngest group – PreSchool and Kindergarten. They danced to “I’m Lookin’ Over a 4-Leaf Clover” (March), “Walkin’ on Sunshine” (August), and “Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town” (December).

This is the Kindergarten, 1st, and 2nd grade group. They danced to “Stupid Cupid” (February), “Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini” (June), and “Thank You for Being a Friend” (November).

They got to wear TWO costumes – they changed into these cute bikinis for the Itsy Bitsy dance. Adorable!

This is the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th grade group. I loved all the costumes, but I think they were my very favorite!! They danced to “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head” (April), “Yankee Doodle Dandy” (July), and “Monster Mash” (October). They changed into Halloween costumes for the Monster Mash song – genius! I loved the different costumes!

These are the Jr High & High School girls. They danced to “Celebration” (January), “Wildflower (May), and “September” (September). They did great!

   

I am so proud of Melissa for making her dream come true. She thought of everything for the recital and it went wonderfully to an almost full house! I can’t wait to see what she comes up with for next year!

. community .

This evening I headed out to the basin to Bart & Susan Hawkins’ home. The drive there, especially this time of the year, is just beautiful. As you come over the hill on Wahluke Road and get the first glimpse of the Rowley/Hawkins farm, it’s the most beautiful sight! I had to slow down and take a picture!

This is the view from their back porch. Can’t get much prettier than that!

Hawkins’ have an appreciation BBQ every June for their kids’ teachers, administrators, coaches, and church leaders. It is the coolest tradition and it is always a really fun time. Their yard is like a park for kids with a trampoline, swings, slides, a badmitton net, a volleyball net, see saws, and other playground toys. The kids all have so much fun and the adults have a great time gabbing.

I think I missed this part tonight, but usually my favorite part is before the meal, everyone stands in a circle and the Hawkins’ kids introduce their guests. I’ve gone each year since I’ve worked at CHS – while I’ve been there, three Hawkins’ kids have graduated (Julie, Aaron, & Alan) and next year two will be in high school (MarciAnne & Jessica). I just love this family and the way they raise their kids.

Thanks Bart & Susan and kids for another fun evening. You are gracious hosts and provide a really fun time!

. candace’s going away party .

Last night our Beta sisters got together at Karen Vanderbilt’s for Candace’s Going Away Party. Even though we are so sad the Clark’s are moving, we made it a fun evening!!

Here’s our group, obviously not picture ready!

Top-ish Row: Marcie, Kate, Amy K. , Jennifer, Kelly, Kara, Amy C., Jeanne, & Connie
Bottom-ish Row: Bonnie, Sharon, Candace, Karen, Martha, Jessica

We had an appetizer potluck (YUM!). I had fun trying some new recipes to take!

These are called the Best Ever Cream Cheese Cookies. That title is not deceiving! They were delicious. In fact, for a half a second this afternoon, I contemplated making another batch! :) haha
Oh – and I found this recipe on Pinterest. I love Pinterest!!

Here’s the recipe:

1/2 Cup Unsalted Butter (room temperature)
3 oz. Regular Cream Cheese (room temperature)
1 1/2 Cups Confectioner's Sugar
1/2 Tsp Baking Powder
1 Egg (room temperature)
1/2 Tsp Pure Vanilla Extract
1 3/4 Cups All - Purpose Flour

Heat your oven to 375 degrees and line your cookie sheets with parchment paper. Place butter and cream cheese in your mixer bowl and beat for 1 minute. Beat in the sugar and baking powder. Add the egg and vanilla and 'Beat Until Fluffy.' Beat in the flour. Chill for 30 minutes for drop/roll cookies, one hour for cut-out cookies. Scoop by rounded teaspoon full and dredge drop cookies (roll balled cookies) in superfine sugar. Bake for 7 minutes. Cool for 1 minute on cookie sheet then transfer to wire racks to cool completely. You'll get no less than 2 dozen dropped or rolled cookies out of this dough.

(I just rolled them into balls in my hand, gently pressed them in the middle, and dipped them generously in white sugar before putting them on the cookie sheet.)

Another Pinterest FInd! My Mom had A LOT of strawberries, so I suggested she try this out. They were a hit!

It’s just sliced strawberries and angel food cake alternated on a skewer. So easy, so cute, and so refreshing!

This is an appetizer that my cousin’s mother-in-law served at a family gathering we had in April. I didn’t get a picture of a prototype to see how you build the appetizer – but it’s Triple Crème cheese from Costco (in the special cheese cooler), cherry tomatoes, basil, and Ritz crackers. On top of a cracker spread a little bit of the cheese, stick a half of cherry tomato on top, and then drop a few pieces of basil on top. Pop that in your mouth and you’ll be glad you did!

I have a lot to say about Clark’s moving, but I’m going to save that for another day. They are gone yet and so I’m not saying goodbye any sooner than I have to!

. sunkissed quilt for April .

Jessica started this tradition of giving the senior football cheerleaders a quilt for graduation. She and I have collaborated last year and this year to make the quilts. I’ll definitely carry on this tradition. :)

This quilt is for April Hadley. She cheered for football for three seasons and for basketball one season. She is an inspiring gal. I am pretty excited to give her this quilt!

I saw this fabric at Craft Warehouse and knew it would be perfect for April. The spring-y cheerfulness fits her personality perfectly!

I love this pattern too. It’s Skipping Stones by Cluck Cluck Sew. It’s the second time I’ve made a quilt from this pattern and I will be making more in the future. It’s pretty quick and easy!

Jessica and I had a quilting bee one day here at the Koch Craft Room. We got all the blocks done in one day. Then Jess took them home and sewed them into the quilt top.

I quilted it – in the same way I did the other one I made from this pattern. I did stitch in the ditch around each square – small and large!

I machine sewed the binding on the front side and then Jessica hand sewed the binding to the back. I think we make a pretty darn good team!!

Pattern: Skipping Stones by Cluck Cluck Sew
Fabric: Sunkissed by Sweetwater
Quilted by: Marcie & Jessica

.our second annual Farm Chicks adventure.

Mom & I went to Spokane today to experience the Farm Chicks Antique Show. Kate & Candace had planned to come with us, but couldn’t at the end, so hopefully next year we can make it a fun weekend trip!

Last year we went on Saturday and the crowds were a little overwhelming. This year we went on Sunday and I liked it a lot better! It was still overwhelming – so much to look at and ingest. Sensory overload, you’d say!

I’m just going to give you the pictures without much commentary.

Warning: LOTS of pictures!!

This was my first metal basket sighting – and the rest of the day I looked for the best deal on them. Glad to say I had success and brought one home with me!

These were really cute bobby pins with old rhinestone earrings – I brought one home for each of us, Melissa & I.

These headbands were beautiful with lots of vintage rhinestones. My Mom overheard the lady saying that they were featured in Glamour magazine and have been on the runways in Paris & New York and seen on Taylor Swift! WOW!

My Mom was excited to see this – she said it was identical to their first dishwasher!

This was the most unique thing I saw all day – the back end of an old car repurposed into a cool couch-thing. How fun in a backyard!

These old letters caught my eye this year. They seemed to be everywhere!

Well, lookie lookie what I found. :) This was my very favorite book growing up. I gave a copy to Kamryn for her 1st birthday! As I was taking this picture, a lady walked behind me and gasped, “That’s my favorite book!” It’s a good one!

A cute old jar filled with fishing reels!

So true….so true….

This dress form had two real chicks in it’s skirt!

A speed limit sign repurposed into a table!

A birdbath filled with scrabble letters…

…old typewriter keys…

This was filled with ribbons like you win at the fair.

Rolling pins – cute display!

Mom & I even got our picture with Serena, the Farm Chick, and Catherine, an editor for Country Living magazine…

…and we each got a free magazine that they signed!

It was a fun day. I also came home with two old sugar pourers that will hold a spool of bakery twine. I saw it on Pinterest this week and that’s what I was looking for today among all the antiques. Success! I found some old hankies again – not sure what I’ll use them for, but they needed to come home with me!

Can’t wait for next year!