A Half-Marathon...What was I thinking?

First of all, let me remind those of you who know me..I am not a runner! I can run, I can chase down a tennis ball or out run a child teetering towards the street but I am not a "runner". So what was I thinking last December when my husband and I decided to run a half-marathon this year? Not only did we decide to do it but then we made it sound like so much fun that we enticed friends to do it, too! So here we are, 6 weeks into our 10 week training program and I'm hearing things like "Oh, we just have to run 5 miles today" or "yeah, I ran 10 miles last Saturday" coming out of MY mouth. Never in my wildest dreams did I ever think such things could be uttered... but they are! The training program we chose has really helped, I don't think we could have had the discipline to do it on our own, my advice to anyone who wants to run a half-marathon for the first time...follow a training schedule. We are using one from http://www.marathonrookie.com/ and it has really worked! I still don't consider myself a runner but now I know I could be if I wanted to be. It's been fun to train along side my husband and friends and everyone who has run a half-marathon tells me that it is alot of fun the day of the race! We'll see, I'll let you know in a few weeks if I have been tricked or not.

Monogrammed Flowers? You know us!

Here's a simple idea to dress up an old flower pot! Monogram it...you know us, we'll monogram anything. When our new neighbors moved in, (full blooded Irish...Notre Dame fans and all!) I filled one of these with potted shamrocks and delivered it as a "Welcome to the neighborhood!" gift. Small ones would also make terrific teacher or birthday gifts! So simply Southern...we love it!

Down the Rabbit Hole!

So my daughter and I could not agree on a birthday party idea - she wanted to go roller skating, I wanted to throw a party! (She's 12, it may be my last oppportunity until she gets married.) So as the days on the calendar ticked past her birthday We came up with the perfect idea! We were "late late late for a very important date!", a Mad Hatter's Tea Party! And so timely with the new version of "Alice in Wonderland" coming out. She loved the idea and Mommy began the planning. (have I mentioned how much I LOVE to plan a party?) Immediately, I went way out of the box and decided we would hold the party in the clearing in the woods behind our house...the "Rabbit Hole". I know, I'm a little crazy when I get a theme going, but I had a picture in my head of the "Rabbit Hole" decorated and I had to try it! I started praying for a beautiful Spring day right then, mud meant the party had to be in the dining room and and what would we do for two hours in the dining room? Well, all the preparations came together: invitations, party favors, hats, etc. Thankfully we also got a beautiful Spring day and we were in business! We hung a chandalier in the tree and hung paper lanterns from the limbs, carried a big, high backed chair down to the clearing and set the table like the Queen herself was coming. It was so much fun to do and the kids loved it, they even came dressed up as their favorite characters! My daughter had a great time with her friends and told me later in the day "Mommy, thanks for turning the woods into a Rabbit Hole." What more could a mother ask for?

From the Kitchen of...

A few friends and I recently hosted a baby shower and made the cutest sugar cookies for party favors...tied up with personalized ribbon, of course! The sugar cookie recipe we used was so good I thought I would share it with you...they kept their shape better than any batch I've ever made. Enjoy!

Rolled Sugar Cookies

1 1/2 cups butter, softened

2 cups white sugar

4 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

5 cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Stir in the flour, baking poder and salt. Cover, and chill dough for at least one hour (preferably overnight).

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Roll out dough on floured surface to 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick. Cut into shapes with any cookie cutter (we did baby carriages). Keep dough as cool as you can before baking. Place cookies 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 6 to 8 minutes in preheated oven. Cool completely.

It is suggested that when you make these cookies for someone that you make sure to bring along several copies of the recipe because you WILL be asked for it!

Throw yourself a party!

Life deserves celebrating so celebrate! After the long, cold winter we're all ready to get out and mingle...it doesn't have to be an elaborate affair you can simply throw some burgers on the grill and invite some friends over, or pop some popcorn and let the kids host a movie night or simply invite some neighbors to meet you for "Cocktails on the Curb"...BYOB, of course~!

With good weather in our futures it's time to get out and party! Call some friends and grab your "go" cups and let's get together for some good times, I hope to see you soon!