Is super excited!

Yes my people I am...I am very excited. I just watched the new trailer for Eclipse and it was so good. Now I am ready for June!




I can not wait to see it all on the big screen. I know that the fight scenes between the Werewolves and Vampires will be awesome!

Where in the U.S. is the Meredith Family?

We started our journey at 6 that morning. No, we are not crazy only different. Can you see the excitement in their faces? If you know where we were going you could see it...really. Andrew, please sit up and be in the picture. No luck there, still too early in the morning for him. We stopped and picked up Savanna and head to my In-laws. We had a little back and forth discussion as to who was riding where and then we were off. We stopped at Wal-Mart in the big town of Holly Springs and then ate breakfast at Sonic, America's Drive-In. I know that all of you are just dying to know where we went. First clue: we (the Meredith Clan) go here every year around this time.


Still not sure...I will give you another hint. Soon so stop being so pushy. Andrew put together a short devotional for us at the picnic area. He did a wonderful job on the "Golden Rule". He makes me so proud *tear*. We finished our devotional, took the Lord's Supper and then had lunch. Second clue: We went North to a national park.


Since we were in a National Park, I agreed to let my children ride in the back of my Father-In-Laws truck. I am a jumpy parent. I don't like to watch my kids in situations that can be detrimental to their health...lol Josh is always telling me to let them be kids. I try, I do. I close my eyes and pray that they make good choices. Anyways, I put this picture up because of Kalan's facial expression, it's priceless. Josh was driving and trying to take this picture at the same time. Clint was holding the wheel. A camera has the same effect as side view mirrors, you know, objects are closer than they appear. Josh hit the gas a little to hard and sent us flying up behind them. Kalan was shocked. Third clue: The Hornet's Nest is located here.


After all of our site seeing in the park we came upon a river. Now, if I told you which one you just might guess where we are a little to quickly. My husband and his brother are bigger kids than our children are. This is where I was saying things like; "oooh Josh...don't let...get him away from the edge...I can't watch. I'm going back to the car." Josh and Clint where trying to out throw the kids and each other. Josh was trying to hit a coke bottle with a rock. All the kids threw rocks. I think this was the most fun they had...the little things. Fourth and Final Clue: A famous baby has it's name.


The best part of the whole trip, aside from family time and rocking out to my iPod there and back, was the sight of the "Symbol of Freedom". That's right, we got to see a bald eagle flying free. We even got to see it in it's nest. I have to say, I know this is a large bird, but I never would have imagined it's nest being so huge! It makes you proud to be an American. If you look close at the picture you can see it looking out of it's nest.


And finally......the answer to the questions is........Shiloh National Military Park.

Laura turned 30 and I made cake

I really enjoy making cakes. I didn't think that I would, but I do. I started out just making them for my children. My children have very weird requests as far as birthday cakes go, so that's when I started my adventure. Anyway, back on point. I made Laura a cake on Saturday for her 30th birthday. I started with one of my favorite boxed cake mixes: Betty Crocker Super Moist French Vanilla. I love this flavor of mix. I spice it up with a little almond extract and let me tell you, it is the perfect combination. It also goes well with the butter cream icing. For this cake I used 3 boxes of cake mix. Two boxes in my 12 inch circular cake pan and one box in a 9x13 standard cake pan. I know it's not perfect...I never claimed to be a pro. I divided the round cake and filled it with the butter cream icing. Clint didn't want anything fancy.


For the number 30 I started off by drawing the design on paper and cutting out the template. I used that to carve out the 30 on the 9x13 cake. Let me just tell you that Betty Crocker didn't lie when she said super moist. The 30 was the hardest thing I have ever had to dirty ice before. It kept falling apart. I had to count to 10 several times, just to keep from crying or throwing the 30 up against the wall. Finally I decided to stick it in the freezer after the first attempt and that did the trick. I have learned a valuable lesson...freeze a cake after carving and never dirty ice it immediately. This should keep me from whaling or cursing under my breath the next time.


I know that I skipped ahead, a little...sorry, I was pressed for time people. After dirty icing both the round cake and the 30 I tinted my icing. I used a hot pink for the base cake (12" round), Lavender for border on the 30 and the top border on the base cake, Leaf Green for the stars on the 30 and the bottom border on the base cake, Yellow for the lettering and loop pattern on the side of the base cake.


The cake turned out really good, or so everyone told me. I hope that Laura enjoyed all the blood sweat and tears that I put into making this cake on her milestone birthday. It is unfortunate that all she got from us was the cake and really really funny card from us. I know, what a bad sister-in-law I am, but I did show her what her birthday present money went to...a new tire for my van. Just another one of those unforeseen expenses in life. I know that she would much rather we be able to ride safely in the mini-van.

Easter Slide Show

The Tooth Fairy or the Easter Bunny

I believe they both were in my house on Saturday night. Kalan lost a tooth right before bedtime. The Easter Bunny called the Tooth Fairy and they made arrangements to come in together. This made things easier for them. I think it worked very well. The Tooth Fairy left her goods in the Easter Bunny's basket. I have soooo many pictures from Easter morning and egg hunting. I am going to put together a slide show and put it up. But until I find the time for that here are few of the kids that I liked.

Andrew...where did the time go? Can't believe he is 12.

Kalan Olivia...a heartbreaker. She is going to give her daddy fits in 9 to 10 years.

Nathan...I feel sorry for your teacher and principal. He is T R O U B L E!

Our Happy Family!

I might have another little heartbreaker on my hands. He is so precious!

Beautiful!

A time to Dye

Eggs that is. Something that my children, well two of them anyways, has been dying to do. I put on a happy face and let them do it. I hate easter egg dye. It gets everywhere.

As you can see my children like to put their fingers in there with the egg. So for several days later we still have dyed fingers. Don't let Nathan fool you. He wasn't gentle at all. Poor egg didn't stand a chance.

Andrew was very calculated with his egg dying. He was also aware of the chance he might dye his fingers. He opted not to plunge his fingers in with the egg. He took the high road and used the flimsy plastic egg thingy.

Did I mention that dye gets everywhere? Case in point...Nathan digging his egg out of the crazy looking dye cup with the flimsy plastic egg thingy. Yes he got dye everywhere. It's okay, nothing a little bleach won't get up.

Two of our finished products! Aren't they pretty? I think so. We didn't take them on the egg hunt at my in-laws. My child love boiled eggs. If you take them hunting they will eat them as they find them. This means bad stomach aches for their lack of self control.