Tempting dessert

This dessert should be called Death by Chocolate.

It is divine, easy, and it takes great for breakfast! :)

I got this recipe off pinterest. Click here for the directions on how to make this chocolately dessert.

Monkey scarf

First of all, I can't believe how old Kate looks here.

Our dear friend, Donna Cooper, sent Kate a package last week. It arrived a day after the throwing up virus stuck her, and she was so tickled to get it! Inside, she had made the cutest monkey scarf, where the monkey heads doubled as mittens. Also, a knitted monkey to match (she named him, but I can't remember off hand). There was also a veterinarian Barbie - her favorite of course!

She didn't forget Brooks, sending money for us to pick him out a toy. She said that boy's toys weren't easily knitted! :)

Thank you for being so thoughtful of us, Ms. Donna!

Kate Reed and Reed

My sweet old boy is showing his age.

I had the opportunity to take some pictures of him and his namesake today. Next week we are getting his teeth floated and I will be posting some neat pictures of that.

I just love both of these pictures of her and him.

First report card!

Math grade - 99

Reading grade - 97

:)

Tickled pink

Here is my entry this week for I ♥ faces.

The theme is tickled pink in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness.

Kate had finished playing in the creek in our backyard and was pouring the excess water out of her pink boots...

Nutty wreath

Every year, when we go to the mountains, we collect the BIGGEST nuts from an old mountain cemetery. I have had a collection of these nuts for 6 years, waiting to do something with them - but not knowing exactly what.

Thanks to pinterest, I got some inspiration. Not that I had no idea that I could do this, but that I needed the (as Mom would say) "creative juices" flowing. 3 1/2 hours and 4 sticks (extra long) later, I was finished.

I don't like it hanging where it is (but this is where I thought I'd put it). It is h-e-a-v-y. I'm too scared to hang it on the front door...

Look what we did today!

So, this past fall and spring was dedicated to working on the deck. I don't believe that I've posted pictures of it yet... need to do that...

So, this fall I asked Scott to be able to get some plants outside since it got skipped over this spring.

We got pansies, mums and kale planted. It looks so pretty.

Who is that sweet dog on the front porch between those pretty pumpkins?

Scott fittingly put the bulldog on the walkway to guard our porch. Since our trashcan was stolen last night I guess we should have had him in the yard...

Crafting...

My new interest is Pinterest. Thank you to Casey for getting me hooked. In case you haven't tried it - let me know and I'll get you an invitation.

I saw these ornament ideas from another pin and wanted to make them (to see it click here).

While we were in Mobile this weekend, we found out that Gran Gran had a jar full of buttons. Kate and I sorted the colors while listening to the pathetic Auburn football game. It was so sad - I was glad to be distracted.

I will finish it off with a ribbon and have a beautiful ornament!

The blue one, we decided, will go to Gran Gran! :)

I heart faces - Hands!

Here is my entry for this week.

The subject is hands.

This was one of Kate's favorite leaves we found in Cades Cove last fall.

Find out more here.

Our kids

I have a cold.

I didn't feel like doing much, so I have been practicing some more editing.

I came across these similar posed pics of the kids. How much they look alike and different at the same time!

Who can read 100 books?

Last year all the kids at Kate's school were challenged to read 100 books. We started and got to over 50, but then became forgetful and neglected to write the titles down.

This year, it was much different. When Kate got the challenge, she started immediately! Part of this improvement came with her learning to read. She is so eager to read and loves it! The first afternoon after school she read 17 books... and it went on from there.

She has now completed reading 100 books. I think I will continue to keep record of other books she reads to keep her interested.

I am so proud of you, Kate!

This child is into drawing and coloring these days. She loves it! Animals are being drawn everywhere, with coloring and cutting. Below is the beginnings of a pumpkin...