tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6565981866092715402024-03-05T02:43:23.616-05:00Ava ElisabethUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger476125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-656598186609271540.post-85478804729867949432013-10-23T03:53:00.000-04:002013-10-23T21:01:00.538-04:00Salted Caramel Sauce<a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5682_1_1.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_5682_1_1" alt="IMG_5682_1_1" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5682_1_1_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>So we love caramel- in every form! I decided to try my hand at making some salted caramel sauce and it didn’t start off too good. First I discovered my candy thermometer was broken and then I burned the first batch, but luckily I didn’t give up because the second batch turned out good (and delish!).<br/><br/>INGREDIENTS:<br/><br/>2 cups sugar<br/><br/>12 tablespoons butter<br/><br/>1 cup heavy whipping cream<br/><br/>1 tablespoon salt (I used sea salt)<br/><br/>INSTRUCTIONS:<br/><br/>Let your heavy cream, and butter come to room temperature. Also, I recommend cutting your butter into small pieces to make it easier to melt. It’s also a good idea to measure out your sugar and salt as everything is timing critical.<br/><br/>Add 2 cups of sugar to a large saucepan (the ingredient list is short, but it does bubble, so use a larger saucepan). Put on medium heat and wait for the sugar to start to melt. When it does, start whisking. It’ll get clumpy (keep whisking) and then start to turn to liquid (keep whisking). Once the sugar has dissolved, stop whisking and watch for the amber/ golden-caramel color.<br/><br/>As soon as you see the amber color, add the butter and whisk until it has incorporated. Then remove from heat.<br/><br/>Slowly stir in the heavy cream and then the salt. Let it sit for about 10 minutes and then you can pour it into jars to store.<br/><br/>Of course, now is also the time enjoy on an ice cream Sunday, so don’t store it all!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-656598186609271540.post-11260983786268745862013-10-22T15:30:00.000-04:002013-10-23T21:01:00.530-04:00Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party<a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5876.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5876" alt="IMG_5876" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5876_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>On Tuesday night while we were down in Orlando we decided to go to Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party. We have always done the Mickey's Very Merry Christmas party but everyone always told us to do the Halloween one, so we decided to take advantage of the opportunity while we were already down there and take Ava.<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5877.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5877" alt="IMG_5877" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5877_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>Ava wanted to dress as Sophia, which worked out perfectly since A.) We already had the outfit and B.) That's who she wanted to see at Hollywood Studios on Thursday.<a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5879.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5879" alt="IMG_5879" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5879_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/> <br/><br/>Mom, Dad, Adam, Ava, myself, and Mrs. Teresa (an employee from the store) all went for the evening/night. The weather was fantastic, I even got a little cool (which I am NOT going to complain about!). The crowds were the lowest we had ever seen. I think we did just about everything in the park in about 3 hours time, due to no waits at anything!<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5882.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5882" alt="IMG_5882" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5882_thumb.jpg" width="271" height="404" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5885.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5885" alt="IMG_5885" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5885_thumb.jpg" width="271" height="404" border="0" /></a><br/><br/> <br/><br/> <br/><br/>She, of course, had to wear a birthday button since her birthday was the week before. Princess Sophia :)<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5888.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5888" alt="IMG_5888" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5888_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/> <br/><br/> <br/><br/>I didn't take too many pictures, because really, how many pictures can you have of her doing the same things each time we go...<a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5890.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5890" alt="IMG_5890" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5890_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/> <br/><br/>But I did take pictures of her with Ariel. As you know she had an Ariel birthday party this year so she was telling her all about it. <a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5891.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5891" alt="IMG_5891" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5891_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/> <br/><br/>Ariel was such a good sport and listened and asked all kinds of questions about it.<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5892.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5892" alt="IMG_5892" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5892_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/> <br/><br/>I know why Buzz Lightyear (or the Toy Story Ride at H.S.) is such a big hit...because no matter your age or gender you all enjoy the ride!<br/><br/>Proof Below:<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5893.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5893" alt="IMG_5893" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5893_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/> <br/><br/>Mom and Dad<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5894.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5894" alt="IMG_5894" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5894_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/> <br/><br/>Me and Adam... I wasn't cheating, I promise!!! :)<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5895.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5895" alt="IMG_5895" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5895_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/> <br/><br/>Mrs. Teresa and Ava<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5900.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5900" alt="IMG_5900" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5900_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/> <br/><br/> <br/><br/>We found the dance party with Sulley and Mike Wazowski.<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5906.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5906" alt="IMG_5906" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5906_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>The "old"er people left earlier than we did and we made our way up to see Mickey and Minnie in their Halloween costumes.<a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5907.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5907" alt="IMG_5907" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5907_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5912.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5912" alt="IMG_5912" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5912_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/> <br/><br/>Then we settled into a spot for the parade. Before the parade they had a dance party in the street and Ava went out in the middle. <a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5917.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5917" alt="IMG_5917" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5917_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/> <br/><br/>I should post a video because pictures just do not do it justice... She was dancing her little heart out!<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5918.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5918" alt="IMG_5918" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5918_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/> <br/><br/>I'm telling you- when she is dancing she becomes a different person...I'm not sure if I should be concerned about that or not- haha!<br/><br/><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5910" alt="IMG_5910" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5910_thumb.jpg" width="271" height="404" border="0" /><br/><br/>We had such a good time, but it was hard to get up the next morning! Luckily we had a short walk to the convention and we didn't have any plans the following night!<br/><br/> Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-656598186609271540.post-2266922340696505242013-10-21T03:00:00.000-04:002013-10-23T21:01:00.520-04:00Ace Convention 2013<a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5852.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5852" alt="IMG_5852" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5852_thumb.jpg" width="271" height="404" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5853.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5853" alt="IMG_5853" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5853_thumb.jpg" width="271" height="404" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>The week of September 9th, I picked Ava up from school to learn she was the Star Student! We are so proud of how well she does in school!<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_58541.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_58541" alt="IMG_58541" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_58541_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>Too bad we were going to be gone the rest of the week and she wouldn’t be able to perform her Star Student duties!<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5864.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5864" alt="IMG_5864" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5864_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>After picking Ava up from school, we headed south to Orlando.The Ace convention was held in Orlando this year. It was safe to say we had a busy few weeks with the conference, birthday/party, and convention following each other! Ava is always so excited to stay in a hotel because its the only place I allow her to jump on the beds- haha!<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_1230.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_1230" alt="IMG_1230" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_1230_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="304" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>Of course Adam likes hotels because of amenities like TVs in the mirrors...<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5866.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5866" alt="IMG_5866" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5866_thumb.jpg" width="271" height="404" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5869.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5869" alt="IMG_5869" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5869_thumb.jpg" width="271" height="404" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>We stayed at the Peabody which is right across from the convention center so it was really nice to be able to just walk over. Although, Ava liked it for the pool area! <a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5870.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5870" alt="IMG_5870" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5870_thumb.jpg" width="271" height="404" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5871.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5871" alt="IMG_5871" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5871_thumb.jpg" width="271" height="404" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>She really wasn't even tall enough to slide down the cool slide but since they weren't busy at the time we were there, the lifeguard on duty said it was okay. <a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5872.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5872" alt="IMG_5872" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5872_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5873.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5873" alt="IMG_5873" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5873_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>She convinced her Papa to swim with her. They spent a while in the pool. Mom, Adam, and I were actually quite chilly sitting out by it, which is very surprising for Orlando in September. In fact, the entire time we were there it was nice and breezy!<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5874.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5874" alt="IMG_5874" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5874_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5875.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5875" alt="IMG_5875" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5875_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>I remember swimming under the waterfall at this exact hotel when I was MUCH younger!<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_1236.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_1236" alt="IMG_1236" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_1236_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="304" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>The next morning, Ava, Adam, Dad and I all walked over to the convention for the general session meeting (aka the convention kickoff) and then headed onto the show floor.<a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_1238.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_1238" alt="IMG_1238" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_1238_thumb.jpg" width="304" height="404" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>While Adam and I were speaking with some vendors, Ava and mom walked a few isles and within 30 mins to an hour she had loaded up on quite a few freebies! haha! I joked on<a href="http://instagram.com/adamsgirl903" target="_blank"> instagram </a>that she was on par to set the record for the most free stuff from a convention that her older cousins currently hold :)<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_1242.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_1242" alt="IMG_1242" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_1242_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="304" border="0" /></a><br/><br/> <br/><br/>Adam and Ava found quickly found the candy booth- go figure, right?!<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_1245.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_1245" alt="IMG_1245" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_1245_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="304" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>Ava took a drive in the simulator- she thought it was so cool!<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_1256.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_1256" alt="IMG_1256" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_1256_thumb.jpg" width="278" height="371" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_1259.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_1259" alt="IMG_1259" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_1259_thumb.jpg" width="278" height="372" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>Ace is a big supporter of Children's Miracle Network. This year's Ace CMN Champion was Ellie and Ava was able to meet her and these two girls instantly hit it off. Ellie had such a great personality and she had Ava up in the CMN booth with her trying to get dealers to buy raffle tickets and bid on items! They became fast pals! They had actually planned a playdate at the beach, of course then I had to break the news to both of them that there was one crucial fact they were forgetting, Ellie lives in Illinois!<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_1258.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_1258" alt="IMG_1258" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_1258_thumb.jpg" width="304" height="404" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>There was a big card everyone could sign and Ava wanted to leave a note for Ellie all by herself. She was sad to have to say good-bye to her!<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5927.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5927" alt="IMG_5927" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5927_thumb.jpg" width="271" height="404" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5928.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5928" alt="IMG_5928" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5928_thumb.jpg" width="271" height="404" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>On Thursday morning, when I realized we were going to be leaving and hadn't yet seen the ducks walk the red carpet, we walked back over to the hotel to see them do their thing. <a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5933.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5933" alt="IMG_5933" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5933_thumb.jpg" width="271" height="404" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5934.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5934" alt="IMG_5934" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5934_thumb.jpg" width="271" height="404" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>The Peabody has actually been sold to the Hyatt and as of October 1st was no longer The Peabody, so this was Ava's last chance to see the ducks walk down the red carpet. Adam thought the entire thing was way over the top. The way grown people were going crazy over ducks! haha!<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5937.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5937" alt="IMG_5937" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5937_thumb.jpg" width="271" height="404" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>You know, I told Adam the Peabody was the first hotel I ever remember staying in as a little girl. I'm not sure that it was the first one, just the first one I remember, but I vividly remember that each hotel room in The Peabody had one of those mini fridge/bar things, and I also vividly remember asking my parents if I could have something from it and they told me no, multiple times. At which point Adam responded, 'And if they had one now, you would let Ava have something, wouldn't you?!' He knows me well, because I sure would have- I mean that has obviously scarred me for life- and it was probably all of $3.00 that I wanted to spend (if that!). haha! He made me tell my parents about it! They no longer have the mini-fridge/bar but we found out after the fact that you can call ahead and order your favorite items to be stocked in your fridge prior to your arrival! (At this point Adam was silently thanking God we did not know that beforehand!)<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5942.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5942" alt="IMG_5942" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5942_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5946.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5946" alt="IMG_5946" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5946_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5949.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5949" alt="IMG_5949" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5949_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5950.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5950" alt="IMG_5950" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5950_thumb.jpg" width="271" height="404" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5951.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5951" alt="IMG_5951" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5951_thumb.jpg" width="271" height="404" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>One major advantage to having passes to Disney is being able to go and it not cost- so we took the opportunity on Thursday afternoon to run over to Hollywood Studios to let Ava see Disney Junior, Live on Stage, and to see Sophia since she wasn't there the last time we were!<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5953.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5953" alt="IMG_5953" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5953_thumb.jpg" width="271" height="404" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5954.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5954" alt="IMG_5954" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5954_thumb.jpg" width="271" height="404" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>We waited a long while in the line to see her, but it was worth it for Ava and then right as we got up to her they told us they were moving her to a new location because it had started to rain. Luckily they didn't tell us she was going to be leaving for good! Oh my at the unhappy child we would have had on our hands if that had been the case!<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5956.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5956" alt="IMG_5956" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5956_thumb.jpg" width="271" height="404" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5957.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5957" alt="IMG_5957" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5957_thumb.jpg" width="271" height="404" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>After snapping a few pictures with Sophia we headed back to the convention to finish a few things and load up some goodies we had purchased and were bringing back! <a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/ace-jd-power-2013-1.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="ace jd power 2013-1" alt="ace jd power 2013-1" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/ace-jd-power-2013-1_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>We had a good week, but I was glad to have it over- I still had/have a busy couple of months planning for 2014, but at least some of the major events were out of the way! We made it home and still had the rest of the weekend to enjoy as a family!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-656598186609271540.post-56141039328931925362013-10-16T14:00:00.000-04:002013-10-23T21:01:00.509-04:00Ava’s Under-the-Sea 5th Birthday Party<a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5731.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5731" alt="IMG_5731" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5731_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>Ava’s 5th birthday party was an Under-the-Sea theme, centered around, of course- Ariel, The Little Mermaid. She had actually said that was the theme she wanted last year after her Princess themed party, I just knew she would change her mind, but when I asked her a few months before her birthday she was still wanting an Ariel party. She helped me get some decorations together.<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5707.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5707" alt="IMG_5707" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5707_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>Octopops- mean ole Ursala!<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5709.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5709" alt="IMG_5709" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5709_thumb.jpg" width="271" height="404" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>Sand Dollar Oreos<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5710.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5710" alt="IMG_5710" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5710_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>Marshmallow Pops<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5712.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5712" alt="IMG_5712" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5712_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>Goldfish and the biggest hit of the party I didn’t even take a close up picture of (darn me!) was the ‘Pearls’ which were really just sixlets that had a pearl coating. All the kids loved those things, (and the adults too).<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5739.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5739" alt="IMG_5739" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5739_thumb.jpg" width="271" height="404" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5722.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5722" alt="IMG_5722" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5722_thumb.jpg" width="271" height="404" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>Lulu made Ava’s cake and it turned out great! She loved it. It was exactly what she wanted!<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5728.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5728" alt="IMG_5728" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5728_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>I have a confession to make. Ava’s birthday is at the beginning of September, and we have a pool, its so very hard for me to think of having anything other than a pool party! I mean, why spend the extra money on something else?! Luckily, Ava was very adamant, for many, many months that she wanted an Ariel themed birthday, so I tried real hard to make it work with the pool <img class="wlEmoticon wlEmoticon-winkingsmile" style="border-style: none;" alt="Winking smile" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/wlEmoticon-winkingsmile.png" /><br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5734.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5734" alt="IMG_5734" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5734_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5736.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5736" alt="IMG_5736" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5736_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>To say she was excited would be an understatement!<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5745.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5745" alt="IMG_5745" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5745_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>Mom put the idea in Ava’s head to have her daddy hang fish over the pool so it would seem like we were really under the sea. Well after about 2 hours of trying to rig something up that would go the length of the pool (and beyond to a place to anchor it)and not sag Adam gave up and just hung fish above the patio- which was just a good to Ava (thank goodness- although he wished he had known that 2 hours before…)<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5747.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5747" alt="IMG_5747" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5747_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>Thanks to my mom and aunt for bringing chips an dip, a cheese ball, and a platter of fruit! I had a cooler full of drinks, but I also made the ‘tiffany punch’ which was equal parts lemonade and berry blast Hawaiian punch. It was really good, I didn’t have much left of the 2 gallons I made!!<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5746.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5746" alt="IMG_5746" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5746_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>The kids seemed to gravitate to this table more often than the other- ha!<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5752.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5752" alt="IMG_5752" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5752_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>The hit of the party was definitely this huge swan float. All of the kids had a blast with it.<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5756.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5756" alt="IMG_5756" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5756_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>Pictures don’t even do it justice the size of this float- so you will either have to come see for yourself or just trust me. They beat the poor swan to death jump on it, jumping off of it, flipping it over, they had such a good time and somehow the swan seemed to survive all of it!<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5762.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5762" alt="IMG_5762" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5762_thumb.jpg" width="271" height="404" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>After a little swimming it was time for cake and presents!<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5763.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5763" alt="IMG_5763" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5763_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>She usually gets so embarrassed to be the center of attention, and she wanted all her buddies to be around her and help her blow out her candle. haha!<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5764.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5764" alt="IMG_5764" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5764_thumb.jpg" width="271" height="404" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5765.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5765" alt="IMG_5765" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5765_thumb.jpg" width="271" height="404" border="0" /></a><br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5766.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5766" alt="IMG_5766" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5766_thumb.jpg" width="271" height="404" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5767.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5767" alt="IMG_5767" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5767_thumb.jpg" width="271" height="404" border="0" /></a><br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5768.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5768" alt="IMG_5768" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5768_thumb.jpg" width="271" height="404" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5769.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5769" alt="IMG_5769" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5769_thumb.jpg" width="271" height="404" border="0" /></a><br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5771.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5771" alt="IMG_5771" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5771_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5775.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5775" alt="IMG_5775" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5775_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>When it was present time, Trevor and Bella pulled up a seat and sat down while Ava opened her presents- and they sat there the entire time! So sweet!<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5777.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5777" alt="IMG_5777" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5777_thumb.jpg" width="271" height="404" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5778.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5778" alt="IMG_5778" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5778_thumb.jpg" width="271" height="404" border="0" /></a><br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5781.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5781" alt="IMG_5781" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5781_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5782.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5782" alt="IMG_5782" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5782_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5783.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5783" alt="IMG_5783" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5783_thumb.jpg" width="271" height="404" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5785.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5785" alt="IMG_5785" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5785_thumb.jpg" width="271" height="404" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>A game and a big bag of M&M’s?! They know the way to this girls heart!<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5787.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5787" alt="IMG_5787" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5787_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5788.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5788" alt="IMG_5788" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5788_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5792.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5792" alt="IMG_5792" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5792_thumb.jpg" width="271" height="404" border="0" /></a><br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5793.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5793" alt="IMG_5793" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5793_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>See what I mean? They were so sweet!<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5796.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5796" alt="IMG_5796" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5796_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5797.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5797" alt="IMG_5797" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5797_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5800.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5800" alt="IMG_5800" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5800_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5806.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5806" alt="IMG_5806" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5806_thumb.jpg" width="271" height="404" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5809.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5809" alt="IMG_5809" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5809_thumb.jpg" width="271" height="404" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>My parents bought a violin for Ava for her birthday. This was a complete surprise to her, she had been playing my violin which was way to large for her, but there was definitely interest, and we aren’t one to pass up on interest in a musical instrument.<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5810.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5810" alt="IMG_5810" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5810_thumb.jpg" width="271" height="404" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5813.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5813" alt="IMG_5813" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5813_thumb.jpg" width="271" height="404" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>At first she thought it was just a case- its funny because she told everyone that it was a case because she plays violin- haha!<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5815.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5815" alt="IMG_5815" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5815_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>It’s so cute and we have her practice 10 minutes a day- which is about max for her attention span and patience (as well as mine!), but she’s doing great!<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5817.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5817" alt="IMG_5817" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5817_thumb.jpg" width="271" height="404" border="0" /></a><br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5823.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5823" alt="IMG_5823" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5823_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>She had a very specific list of things she wanted- and even had me take pictures of things she saw in the store that she wanted. I’m not sure what we ever did before camera phones!<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5828.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5828" alt="IMG_5828" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5828_thumb.jpg" width="271" height="404" border="0" /></a><br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5831.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5831" alt="IMG_5831" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5831_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5836.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5836" alt="IMG_5836" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5836_thumb.jpg" width="271" height="404" border="0" /></a><br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5840.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5840" alt="IMG_5840" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5840_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5843.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5843" alt="IMG_5843" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5843_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>A doctor’s outfit from her Aunt, Nurse Stacey.<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5845.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5845" alt="IMG_5845" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5845_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>Another option for kids if you don’t have a pool or a huge swan float? Box fillers! I’ve never seen a group of kids get so excited about something!<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5846.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5846" alt="IMG_5846" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5846_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5849.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5849" alt="IMG_5849" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5849_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>Baylie came a little later and we all hung out while the guys watched the football games! The kids were all tired from a full day and Ava said it was the best. day. ever!<br/><br/>Each birthday is bittersweet but we are so thankful God gave us the opportunity to be a part of our little girl’s story!<br/><br/>Ps. Thanks to Jenny for being the photographer and my sister for videoing!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-656598186609271540.post-86320773512509192872013-10-11T06:30:00.000-04:002013-10-23T21:01:00.501-04:00Ava turns 5!<a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5685.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5685" alt="IMG_5685" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5685_thumb.jpg" width="271" height="404" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5687.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5687" alt="IMG_5687" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5687_thumb1.jpg" width="271" height="404" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>On September 5th, my big girl turned 5!!! She had school that morning, so we got up extra early so we could have time to open presents and she had her favorite (very nutritious) breakfast of powdered sugar doughnuts. We also made brownies to take to her class so she was excited about the day! <a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5689.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5689" alt="IMG_5689" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5689_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>Every year on her birthday morning, we play this ‘Happy Birthday Princess’ song and she loves it, so this birthday morning was no different.<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5694.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5694" alt="IMG_5694" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5694_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>At 5 years old Ava is right at 47” tall, she wears a size 12 or 12.5 shoe and has moved into a size 6, which means good-bye sweet little girl clothes *tear*. She has learned to snap, whistle and ride a bike, some big achievements for 5th year of life! She has also<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_56961.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_56961" alt="IMG_56961" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_56961_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>She is independent, oh boy is she, she thinks she is able to do anything and everything as good or even better than we can…grrrr… but I’m pretty sure I know where she got that from…<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5700.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5700" alt="IMG_5700" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5700_thumb.jpg" width="271" height="404" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5702.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5702" alt="IMG_5702" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5702_thumb.jpg" width="271" height="404" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>She was so excited to open some presents. We let her open a few before school. I don’t know that I’ve met a child that likes games more than my child, she absolutely LOVES them. We have so much fun playing Quelf as adults, we bought her the Quelf Jr game. We all played it the next night and laughed and laughed and laughed! It made us do silly things, but it was fun!<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5703.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5703" alt="IMG_5703" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5703_thumb.jpg" width="271" height="404" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5705.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5705" alt="IMG_5705" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5705_thumb.jpg" width="271" height="404" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>We surprised her and told her we were taking her to the Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party at Disney the next week. She also received some Ariel treasure books to read.<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_1212.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_1212" alt="IMG_1212" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_1212_thumb.jpg" width="277" height="372" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_1214.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_1214" alt="IMG_1214" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_1214_thumb.jpg" width="276" height="370" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>After school, her Gigi and I took her to be pampered. She received the royal treatment <img class="wlEmoticon wlEmoticon-smile" style="border-style: none;" alt="Smile" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/wlEmoticon-smile6.png" /><br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_1216.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_1216" alt="IMG_1216" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_1216_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="304" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>Pink nails with flowers on the toes.<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_2022.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_2022" alt="IMG_2022" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_2022_thumb.jpg" width="279" height="373" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_2024.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_2024" alt="IMG_2024" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_2024_thumb.jpg" width="280" height="373" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>When I asked her what she wanted to do for her birthday dinner, since we were having her party the following Saturday, she said she wanted to eat at the Chicken House… we are all about fine dinning here. So I bought a cake and Nana, Mom, and Dad met us up there to eat.<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_2025.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_2025" alt="IMG_2025" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_2025_thumb.jpg" width="280" height="374" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_2026.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_2026" alt="IMG_2026" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_2026_thumb.jpg" width="279" height="374" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>Later that evening, I think she had wore herself out, which means a successful day if you ask me! She had fallen asleep on the couch and wouldn’t wake up even when I tried. So that night, I put my big 5 year old to bed for the first time . Happy Birthday, Ava!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-656598186609271540.post-87532096629640492362013-10-10T03:44:00.000-04:002013-10-23T21:01:00.491-04:00The Last of Summer’s Cell PicsSo a lot has gone on during the last part of our summer through Labor Day, but I didn’t always have my big camera with me- thank goodness for camera phones! <img class="wlEmoticon wlEmoticon-smile" style="border-style: none;" alt="Smile" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/wlEmoticon-smile5.png" /><br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_0970.png"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_0970" alt="IMG_0970" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_0970_thumb.png" width="229" height="404" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_0974.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_0974" alt="IMG_0974" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_0974_thumb.jpg" width="304" height="404" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>July 22 was a big day for the UK, and for a lot of American women who keep tabs on Kate. Ava and I woke up early on that April morning when Will & Kate were married, so it was only natural that we watch the showing off of the new Prince!<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_0976.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_0976" alt="IMG_0976" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_0976_thumb.jpg" width="276" height="370" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_0978.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_0978" alt="IMG_0978" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_0978_thumb.jpg" width="278" height="370" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>Now I know its trivial, but I also know one day she will be able to say, I was sitting in my Mama’s lap, in her office while watching Prince George make his first appearance. I mean he is the future king and all…<img class="wlEmoticon wlEmoticon-smile" style="border-style: none;" alt="Smile" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/wlEmoticon-smile5.png" /><br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_0983.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_0983" alt="IMG_0983" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_0983_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="304" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>A Princess game + Daddy = SUPER FUN! (he looks real thrilled doesn’t he- you can’t even see his tiara! haha!)<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_0997.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_0997" alt="IMG_0997" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_0997_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="304" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>We took to the beach with Lisa and her boys one Friday- the water was beautiful, the weather was great, and the company, well you can’t be it! <a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_1001.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_1001" alt="IMG_1001" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_1001_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="304" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>The kids all had a great time and were worn out by the time we left, of course they weren’t too tired to stop and get some ice cream <img class="wlEmoticon wlEmoticon-smile" style="border-style: none;" alt="Smile" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/wlEmoticon-smile5.png" /><br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_1004.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_1004" alt="IMG_1004" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_1004_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="304" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>We went bike riding in Fernandina.<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_1005.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_1005" alt="IMG_1005" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_1005_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="304" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>Did some crafts…<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_1006.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_1006" alt="IMG_1006" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_1006_thumb.jpg" width="278" height="371" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_1007.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_1007" alt="IMG_1007" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_1007_thumb.jpg" width="276" height="370" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>I couldn’t find any basket liners I was super crazy about (without spending a fortune) so I decided to make my own. And its even reversible! <img class="wlEmoticon wlEmoticon-smile" style="border-style: none;" alt="Smile" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/wlEmoticon-smile5.png" /> <a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_1015.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_1015" alt="IMG_1015" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_1015_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="404" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>I even opted to ride my bike to work one morning, but who wouldn’t when it looks this cute! <img class="wlEmoticon wlEmoticon-smile" style="border-style: none;" alt="Smile" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/wlEmoticon-smile5.png" /> haha!<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_1017.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_1017" alt="IMG_1017" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_1017_thumb.jpg" width="304" height="404" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>We were eating at the Chicken House one day and a little boy apparently won a stuffed kitty cat from the machine and gave it to Ava. I’m not sure who the boy was, he disappeared as soon as he came, but I did make sure Ava told him how nice it was.<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_1034.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_1034" alt="IMG_1034" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_1034_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="304" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>Caroline started her first day of her Senior Year!! So naturally, we went to lunch since she gets out of school before lunch. We love this girl!<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_1042.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_1042" alt="IMG_1042" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_1042_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="304" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>Ahhh… Jaguar games…remember when, on second thought, I’m not even going to go there…. Trevor and Brody came to one of the preseason games- Ava was glad to have her buddies!<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_1048.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_1048" alt="IMG_1048" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_1048_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="304" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>Adam and I are horrible ‘selfie’ takers.<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_1054.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_1054" alt="IMG_1054" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_1054_thumb.jpg" width="304" height="404" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>Happy Sunday!<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_1062.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_1062" alt="IMG_1062" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_1062_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="404" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>We received a sweet, sweet letter from our girl we sponsor in India, Nithya. She told us they eat watermelon to stay cool and that she has a banana tree in her yard. She also said she prays for God to bless our family more and more. Of course at that point I have to fight back tears, because here is a girl who has nothing but prays for us to have more…<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_1073.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_1073" alt="IMG_1073" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_1073_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="304" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>With the first week of pre-k complete we met Jenny and Trevor for lunch at the Chicken House.<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_1077.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_1077" alt="IMG_1077" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_1077_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="304" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>We saw them again the next week- unplanned. <a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_1081.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_1081" alt="IMG_1081" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_1081_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="404" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>Apparently my jewelry has gotten a little out of control. It pulled my bar out of the wall, it was a mess trying to sort through all of it, and it didn’t motivate me to get rid of any of it- A girl needs her accessories…<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_1089.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_1089" alt="IMG_1089" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_1089_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="304" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>Listen, I love s’mores, but I have a new addiction- its called Ritz Crackers and roasted marshmallows. I had been wanting some for a while, so I decided since its summer out I could roast them inside- which is exactly what we did- and we enjoyed it too! haha!<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_1090.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_1090" alt="IMG_1090" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_1090_thumb.jpg" width="277" height="370" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_1092.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_1092" alt="IMG_1092" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_1092_thumb.jpg" width="277" height="370" border="0" /></a><br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_1098.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_1098" alt="IMG_1098" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_1098_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="304" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>We also had an ice cream sundae night, complete with all the toppings AND homemade salted caramel sauce (I’ll post the recipe soon!)<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_1105.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_1105" alt="IMG_1105" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_1105_thumb.jpg" width="276" height="369" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_1108.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_1108" alt="IMG_1108" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_1108_thumb.jpg" width="276" height="370" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>Ava took her first trip to the dentist! She gets so nervous at places like this, but she did great, and of course Dr. Stratton was so good with her. It broke my heart, but at the same time made me so proud, when I could tell she wanted to cry because she was so nervous/scared, but she didn’t, she was such a big girl!<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_1137.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_1137" alt="IMG_1137" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_1137_thumb.jpg" width="272" height="363" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>Ava ready to walk into a Jaguar game!<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_1152.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_1152" alt="IMG_1152" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_1152_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="304" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>This time of year is always an extremely busy time for me, at work and at home. We have our annual Vendors Conference in St. Augustine. We went to dinner at The Floridian and it was delicious. Their food is different, but its all from local sources, so a farm-to-table type restaurant. I ordered the ‘Not-so-Mac-n-Cheese’ which was actually farro grain and spring veggies with a dairy cheese and dijon cream sauce. It was topped with a tomato-bell pepper salsa and since I don’t eat meat or seafood I ordered Tempeh. It was really good.<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_1153.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_1153" alt="IMG_1153" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_1153_thumb.jpg" width="304" height="404" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>And I had to make a confession, Adam does all my ironing (I don’t own/wear much that needs to be ironed, but he does it all for me) so I had to do my own while I was away at the conference. I really missed him at this moment…<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_1160.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_1160" alt="IMG_1160" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_1160_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="404" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>My parents always bring Ava down with them and I get to spend time with her when I’m not in meetings or heading up dinners. On Tuesday of that week we went to eat dinner with a group at Caps and it was a beautiful evening. <a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_1170.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_1170" alt="IMG_1170" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_1170_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="404" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>Wednesday morning, while the vendors and dealers are out golfing or fishing, mom and I took her to ride the merry-go-round and play at the park. Then, because it was August in Florida, we went to get ice cream.<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_1174.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_1174" alt="IMG_1174" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_1174_thumb.jpg" width="277" height="370" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_1175.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_1175" alt="IMG_1175" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_1175_thumb.jpg" width="278" height="370" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>Wednesday night is a big event we have with all of the vendors and dealers and then some. Ava enjoyed the dessert the best <img class="wlEmoticon wlEmoticon-smile" style="border-style: none;" alt="Smile" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/wlEmoticon-smile5.png" /><br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_1176.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_1176" alt="IMG_1176" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_1176_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="304" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>It’s also a big deal as we raise money for Children’s Miracle Network.<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_1184.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_1184" alt="IMG_1184" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_1184_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="304" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>After dinner, we went for a carriage ride. I was soooo exhausted by this time in the evening, but Ava had been dying to ride and I promised her if she was super good at the dinner we could go. She was perfect and even helped pick the tickets for the doorprizes. It was a good week, but I’m always so glad for it to be over! After this night I still had another full day of meetings before it was over!<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_1188.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_1188" alt="IMG_1188" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_1188_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="304" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>This is called tired…. she fell asleep while I was in the shower.<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_1190.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_1190" alt="IMG_1190" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_1190_thumb.jpg" width="304" height="404" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>Brody was baptized, so Ava and I went to see him. Adam was playing at Access, so he couldn’t come, so it was just us girls.<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_1193.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_1193" alt="IMG_1193" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_1193_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="304" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>Since it was Brody’s big day, he wanted to go eat and play putt-putt. We rode over to Jax Beach and ate at Cruisers. As we were walking in, Adam had all the kids in hand, I thought for a second, Jenny, Jason, and I should run the opposite direction and leave him with them <img class="wlEmoticon wlEmoticon-smile" style="border-style: none;" alt="Smile" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/wlEmoticon-smile5.png" /><br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_1195.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_1195" alt="IMG_1195" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_1195_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="304" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>We let them grow-up a little and have their own table, fortunately we kept checking on them and they all did great- this was at the very end of the meal and their true colors were starting to show- haha! After eating we drove over to play putt-putt and that’s when the bottom fell out. We even sat in the truck for a little while hoping to see it slack off/stop but it never did, so we headed back home.<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_1201.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_1201" alt="IMG_1201" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_1201_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="404" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>However, the next day was Labor Day and I think Adam made it up to Brody. He had been asking when we could go out on the boat again.<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_1198.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_1198" alt="IMG_1198" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_1198_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="304" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>Adam thought, why not, so he texted Jenny and Jason first thing the next morning and they were glad because it got them out of doing work around the house- and of course the kids were excited since they were going out on the boat and getting to play. We rode down to Fort George Inlet and pulled up on a sandbar with every other person in the world..haha! It ended up being great. The kids had a blast jumping and swimming and running and jumping, and swimming, and running..did I mention jumping and swimming and running?<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_1200.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_1200" alt="IMG_1200" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_1200_thumb.jpg" width="304" height="404" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>When clouds started to build for Florida’s notorious afternoon thunderstorms we headed in. It was a good way to ‘end’ the summer!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-656598186609271540.post-30146548525822729112013-10-09T03:23:00.000-04:002013-10-23T21:01:00.482-04:00Ava’s First Day of Pre-K<a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5658.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_5658" alt="IMG_5658" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5658_thumb.jpg" width="271" height="404" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5666.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_5666" alt="IMG_5666" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5666_thumb.jpg" width="271" height="404" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>On August 12, 2013, Ava started her first ‘official’ day of Pre-K.<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5670.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_5670" alt="IMG_5670" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5670_thumb.jpg" width="271" height="404" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5674.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_5674" alt="IMG_5674" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5674_thumb.jpg" width="271" height="404" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>She was super excited after having the summer off, but other than the fact that she would be going 4 half days instead of 2, it really wouldn’t be much different than last year. Actually, leading up to the weekend before school started she wasn’t too keen on the idea of going back, she wanted to ‘go to work’ because she had ‘tickets to do’… I’m afraid that girl has been bitten by the Ace gene as well..haha! Fortunately she started to get excited a few days before and woke up ready to go that first morning.<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5675.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_5675" alt="IMG_5675" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5675_thumb.jpg" width="271" height="404" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/First-Day-of-PreK-2013.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="First Day of PreK 2013" alt="First Day of PreK 2013" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/First-Day-of-PreK-2013_thumb.jpg" width="287" height="376" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>I also have to put in this disclaimer… She hasn’t ever been to gymnastics, that is something we are going to do this fall, but she has decided she wants to be a gymnast because, and I quote, she ‘wants to be on TV’…well… okay then. So who knows whether she will still want to be a gymnast after she has actually ‘done’ gymnastics! haha!<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5677.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_5677" alt="IMG_5677" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5677_thumb.jpg" width="271" height="404" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5678.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_5678" alt="IMG_5678" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5678_thumb.jpg" width="271" height="404" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>After a great morning at preschool, I picked her up and we went to lunch with Nana and Gigi! It’s going to be a great year!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-656598186609271540.post-62863888318446777632013-10-08T03:30:00.000-04:002013-10-23T21:01:00.474-04:00Chickens!<a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5650.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5650" alt="IMG_5650" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5650_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>So….<br/><br/>Yeah…<br/><br/>This has been in the works for a long time. I mean over a year! I have wanted chickens for quite sometime and Adam’s answer has always been a definite no! But I eventually sweet talked him into letting me have some chickens, what he thought was initially only going to be 2 has grown, but more on that in another post!<br/><br/>We ordered by the mail (who knew?!) day-old chicks and anxiously awaited the day they would arrive. We had ordered 5 total chicks since that was the minimum they could ship to our area and only 2 made it.. well actually 3 made it but one wasn’t doing well and actually died in my hands- it was hard to watch, but fortunately the other two were doing well and we were able to take our minds of the other 3. (I did make Adam give them a proper burial.)<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5648.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5648" alt="IMG_5648" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5648_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>Meet Lucy… this is a white silkie, named after Ava’s great-great-grandmother, how’s that for a legacy?! Hey, I died and went to Heaven and all I got was chicken named after me! haha! <img class="wlEmoticon wlEmoticon-smile" style="border-style: none;" alt="Smile" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/wlEmoticon-smile4.png" /><br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5649.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5649" alt="IMG_5649" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5649_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>This is Lily, she is an Easter Egger, meaning she will lay colored eggs (pastel colors like blue and green)<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5651.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5651" alt="IMG_5651" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5651_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>We were all pretty enthralled with them- they were so cute and you better be ready to pick up both because if one was ever without the other or couldn’t find her, they would chirp so loud until they found each other!<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_1028.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_1028" alt="IMG_1028" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_1028_thumb.jpg" width="304" height="404" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>They were like our newborn babies, all we did for the first few days was sit around and watch them… I’m not sure if that speaks to how cute they were or to how boring our lives are?…<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_1029.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_1029" alt="IMG_1029" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_1029_thumb.jpg" width="304" height="404" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>When they were only a few days they would fall asleep standing up and almost fall down, which kept waking them up. Eventually they starting laying down with their wings spread out.<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_1031.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_1031" alt="IMG_1031" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_1031_thumb.jpg" width="304" height="404" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>The 3-5 days I had them only on paper towels, since they were so young and no mama hen to teach them, they needed to figure out what was food and what wasn’t, so it made it a little easier without the shavings in the box.<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_1104.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_1104" alt="IMG_1104" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_1104_thumb.jpg" width="304" height="404" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>Eventually I added shavings as they grew. They each developed their own personalities but they were still inseparable.<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_1103.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_1103" alt="IMG_1103" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_1103_thumb.jpg" width="304" height="404" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>We would take them outside and watch over them ‘like hawks’ haha!<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_1085.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_1085" alt="IMG_1085" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_1085_thumb.jpg" width="304" height="404" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>Then came the real reason I needed to sweet talk Adam… the Chicken Coop, which has been affectionately named Cluckingham Princess Palace haha!<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_1087.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_1087" alt="IMG_1087" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_1087_thumb.jpg" width="304" height="404" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>I don’t do anything without researching the heck out of it (thanks Dad) and I also have very specific objectives, so the coop was no different. Poor Adam, I think he wanted to put me out on the street corner with my box of chicks!<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_1093.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_1093" alt="IMG_1093" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_1093_thumb.jpg" width="304" height="404" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>The chicks ‘sunning’<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_1094.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_1094" alt="IMG_1094" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_1094_thumb.jpg" width="304" height="404" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>Adam was amazing and worked with only a slight amount of complaining…<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_1112.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_1112" alt="IMG_1112" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_1112_thumb.jpg" width="304" height="404" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>We would work on it in the evenings for a couple hours each night, which I’m not sure if that made it better or worse, we didn’t tire of working on it each day, but it drug the project out a lot longer…<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_1132.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_1132" alt="IMG_1132" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_1132_thumb.jpg" width="304" height="404" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>Eventually we added doors/windows and Ava claimed it as her playhouse temporarily. <a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_1133.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_1133" alt="IMG_1133" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_1133_thumb.jpg" width="304" height="404" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>I wanted to make sure it was completely safe from predators, there is no way in this coop unless you are a human, and even then it isn’t super easy! We will eventually build a run out to the side to give them more room.<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_1135.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_1135" alt="IMG_1135" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_1135_thumb.jpg" width="304" height="404" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>When the chicks were about 4 weeks old we moved them out and they now rule the palace! <img class="wlEmoticon wlEmoticon-smile" style="border-style: none;" alt="Smile" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/wlEmoticon-smile4.png" /> I’ll post more updates soon!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-656598186609271540.post-52235596961701444182013-10-07T02:13:00.000-04:002013-10-23T21:01:00.467-04:00Lemon Blueberry Cake<a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5621.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_5621" alt="IMG_5621" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5621_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>My mom loves lemony desserts so for her birthday I made a Lemon Blueberry Cake which may just be one of my favorite desserts I’ve ever made. It’s super lemon-y so if that’s not your thing, stay away from this!<br/><br/><strong>Cake Ingredients:</strong><br/><ul><br/> <li>2 cups plus 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour, sifted</li><br/> <li>2 teaspoons baking powder</li><br/> <li>1 teaspoon salt</li><br/> <li>3 cups fresh blueberries</li><br/> <li>1/2 cup sour cream</li><br/> <li>1/2 cup whole milk</li><br/> <li>2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract</li><br/> <li>1/2 teaspoon pure lemon extract</li><br/> <li>1 teaspoon lemon zest</li><br/> <li>1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened</li><br/> <li>1-1/2 cups white sugar</li><br/> <li>4 large eggs, at room temperature</li><br/></ul><br/><strong>Frosting Ingredients:</strong><br/><ul><br/> <li>1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened</li><br/> <li>2 teaspoons lemon zest</li><br/> <li>5 cups icing sugar, sifted</li><br/> <li>2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice</li><br/> <li>1/4 cup whipping cream</li><br/> <li>1/4 teaspoon pure lemon extract</li><br/> <li>a pinch of salt</li><br/> <li>yellow food gel, optional</li><br/></ul><br/><strong>Lemon Curd Ingredients:</strong><br/><ul><br/> <li>4 lemons (or 6 Meyer lemons)</li><br/> <li>2 whole eggs plus 4 egg yolks</li><br/> <li>1 cup sugar</li><br/> <li>4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature and cut into small even cubes</li><br/></ul><br/><strong>Instructions</strong><br/><br/><strong>Cake:</strong><br/><ol><br/> <li>Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare your round cake pans with parchment paper, butter, and flower. I personally used only 2 layers, but I have seen versions of this cake done with three. Sift dry ingredients into medium bowl. Transfer 1 tablespoon flour mixture to larger bowl. Add fresh blueberries and toss to coat them with flour. Set remaining flour mixture and blueberries aside.</li><br/> <li>Stir sour cream, whole milk, vanilla extract, lemon extract and lemon zest in small bowl.</li><br/> <li>In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream butter and sugar, until pale yellow and very fluffy, about 5 minutes. Beat in eggs one at a time, until well combined.</li><br/> <li>Mix in flour mixture alternately with milk mixture, starting and ending with flour mixture. Stir until just combined. Gently fold in blueberries.</li><br/> <li>Divide batter equally among prepared pans. Bake cakes until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, about 25-30 minutes. Cool cakes in pans on racks for about 10 minutes, then invert onto racks until completely cool.</li><br/></ol><br/><strong>Frosting:</strong><br/><ol><br/> <li>Cream butter and lemon zest in bowl of electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment, about 3 minutes. Slowly add icing sugar, mixing on low speed for about 2 minutes.</li><br/> <li>Add remaining ingredients and beat on med-high for 3-4 minutes until very fluffy. If using color gel, add a drop or two (really, no more than that, because too much sunshine really can be a bad thing!), then beat until blended.</li><br/></ol><br/><span style="color: #4a4a4a;"><strong>Lemon Curd:</strong></span><br/><ol><br/> <li>Wash citrus really well (with a bristled brush under cold water) and zest the citrus until you have 2 teaspoons of zest.</li><br/> <li>Slice the citrus in half and extract as much of the juice as you can using a citrus reamer. Repeat the juicing until you have 2/3 cup of juice.</li><br/> <li>Get a double boiler ready by filling a saucepan with 1″ of water, then placing a metal/glass bowl on top of the saucepan. You will need to ensure the bowl fits snugly into the top of the saucepan and that the bottom of the bowl doesn’t touch the water (important, or your eggs will cook!).</li><br/> <li>Whisk the juice, whole eggs, egg yolks and sugar in the bowl until smooth. Add the butter cubes to the bowl, but don’t stir.</li><br/> <li>Heat the water in the saucepan over low heat until it simmers (not boils) and place the bowl atop the rim. Stirring gently, but constantly, using heatproof spatula or wooden spoon, cook until the curd has thickened and all of the butter has melted and is incorporated, about 10 minutes (this can vary). To test if the curd is thick enough, remove the spatula or spoon from the curd and check that it’s coated.</li><br/> <li>Strain the curd over a bowl using a fine-mesh sieve and then stir in the zest. Cover with plastic wrap pressed directly against the curd (to prevent a skin from forming) and chill for at least 3 hours (I like to chill it overnight). It also thickens up a bit more while chilling.</li><br/></ol><br/><strong>Assembly:</strong><br/><ol><br/> <li>Transfer 1 cake layer to your board/plate/carrier.</li><br/> <li>Create a dam around the perimeter of the layer using frosting in a pastry bag fitted with a coupler, then spread lemon curd (apprx 1 cup) inside the dam--this prevents the curd from reaching out over edges.</li><br/> <li>If you have 3 layers, you will need to repeat the same steps above one more time.</li><br/> <li>Top with last cake layer, face-down (brown smooth side up). Spread thin layer (crumb coat) of over top and sides of cake, using offset palette knife and bench scraper for smooth finish. Place cake in refrigerator for about 30 mins to chill.</li><br/> <li>from refrigerator and using same method, frost cake with generous layer of frosting, smoothing again. For ruffled border, add frosting to your liking, garnishing with lemons and blueberries.</li><br/></ol><br/>Due to the lemon curd filling, keep cake covered and refrigerated (for up to 2 days) but serve at room temperature.<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5622.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_5622" alt="IMG_5622" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5622_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>A few notes:<br/><br/>You do NOT have to make your own lemon curd as this takes this cake to a whole new level- you certainly can buy it pre-made, but I like a challenge so I opted to make it <img class="wlEmoticon wlEmoticon-smile" style="border-style: none;" alt="Smile" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/wlEmoticon-smile3.png" /> .<br/><br/>Also, there are lots of tricks to getting a level cake layer, but what I have found to work most consistently for me personally is to lower the temperature by 50 degrees and bake for one-and-a-half times as long, so for instance with this cake, I baked it at 300 degrees for 45 minutes (keep in mind to still do the toothpick test as this bake time can vary based on the thickness of your levels).<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_1024.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_1024" alt="IMG_1024" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_1024_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="304" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>We went to eat at TacoLu’s and enjoyed our dinner and cake, we even shared some with our server <img class="wlEmoticon wlEmoticon-smile" style="border-style: none;" alt="Smile" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/wlEmoticon-smile3.png" /> .<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5623.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_5623" alt="IMG_5623" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5623_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>Try it soon if you love lemons- you will not be disappointed!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-656598186609271540.post-4270346831070719702013-10-04T17:38:00.000-04:002013-10-23T21:01:00.459-04:00Come On Barbie… Let’s Go Party!!<a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5594.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_5594" alt="IMG_5594" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5594_thumb.jpg" width="271" height="404" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5596.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_5596" alt="IMG_5596" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5596_thumb.jpg" width="271" height="404" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>Each summer Baylie (or rather Baylie with a lot of help from Tracy <img class="wlEmoticon wlEmoticon-smile" style="border-style: none;" alt="Smile" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/wlEmoticon-smile2.png" />…) put together a little party for a few of her friends. This year’s theme was all about Barbie. The girls were instructed to come dressed as a Barbie. Ava chose to dress as Hawaiian Barbie, or Hula Barbie.<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5597.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_5597" alt="IMG_5597" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5597_thumb.jpg" width="271" height="404" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5609.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_5609" alt="IMG_5609" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5609_thumb.jpg" width="271" height="404" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>John put together the Barbie box and the girls took turns taking pictures in the box. Tracy even got in on the fun as back-to-school barbie!<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5603.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_5603" alt="IMG_5603" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5603_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>The Barbie girls <img class="wlEmoticon wlEmoticon-smile" style="border-style: none;" alt="Smile" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/wlEmoticon-smile2.png" /> Do you recognize these girls?<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5610.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_5610" alt="IMG_5610" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5610_thumb.jpg" width="271" height="404" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5612.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_5612" alt="IMG_5612" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5612_thumb.jpg" width="271" height="404" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>They walked the runway and Ava even hulaed (is that even a word? I’m not sure?) down the runway. They were all so funny!<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5613.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_5613" alt="IMG_5613" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5613_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>The girls played a game of pin the glasses on Barbie.<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5614.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_5614" alt="IMG_5614" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5614_thumb.jpg" width="271" height="404" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5616.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_5616" alt="IMG_5616" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5616_thumb.jpg" width="271" height="404" border="0" /></a><br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5618.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_5618" alt="IMG_5618" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5618_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>Tracy had everything decorated so cute and right on theme. There was Barbie stuff everywhere and cute little sayings throughout the kitchen and living room.<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5617.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_5617" alt="IMG_5617" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5617_thumb.jpg" width="271" height="404" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>They were even super sweet to give the girls little gift bags and a new barbie.<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5620.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_5620" alt="IMG_5620" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5620_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>These are some of Ava’s favorite parties, its one of the highlights of her summer! She has so much fun and Baylie is so sweet to continue to invite her. <img class="wlEmoticon wlEmoticon-smile" style="border-style: none;" alt="Smile" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/wlEmoticon-smile2.png" />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-656598186609271540.post-26978320514857765842013-10-03T14:30:00.000-04:002013-10-23T21:01:00.450-04:00Charleston Day 3- Middleton Place<a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_0966.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_0966" alt="IMG_0966" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_0966_thumb.jpg" width="304" height="404" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>Our last morning in Charleston we woke up and decided to grab a quick, but nutritious, breakfast. So naturally we went to Krispy Kreme. haha! Now if you know me at all, you know we don’t do chain restaurants when we travel, but we weren’t super hungry and didn’t feel like sitting down to eat a big breakfast, plus we were wanting to hurry to our next adventure incase it was going to rain that afternoon.<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5544.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_5544" alt="IMG_5544" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5544_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>We had wanted to visit one of the plantations, specifically one along the Ashley River, but we couldn't decide which. And of course, they aren't cheap to visit, so we finally decided on Middleton Place. I would be lying if I wasn’t secretly hoping Princess Kate would give birth to her baby while we were there, marking our trip symbolic…haha.<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5546.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_5546" alt="IMG_5546" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5546_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>Each of the plantations are unique in their own way, some are have the houses, some have the gardens, most have the rich history, but we eventually decided to visit Middleton Place since most of what we had been told was that was the best one to visit if you haven't seen any at all.<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5548.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_5548" alt="IMG_5548" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5548_thumb.jpg" width="271" height="404" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>The we did the self-guided tour, with us, we found that to be the best option most of the time as we could speed through certain areas and stop and enjoy others. Middleton Place is best know for it’s gardens.<br/><blockquote>First settled in the late 17th century with its main family residence constructed in 1705, Middleton Place was acquired through marriage by Henry Middleton in 1741 and for a century and a quarter was the family seat of four generations of Middletons who played important roles in American history. Today a National Historic Landmark, it has miraculously remained under the same family stewardship for some 320 years. Henry Middleton was the second president of the First Continental Congress and his son Arthur, a passionate revolutionary, was a signer of the Declaration of Independence.</blockquote><br/><blockquote> </blockquote><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5551.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_5551" alt="IMG_5551" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5551_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><blockquote>The South Flanker, today's House Museum, was originally built in 1755 as gentlemen's guest quarters and together with the North Flanker - a library and conservatory - completed Henry Middleton's overall grand design. It is the only surviving portion of the three-building residential complex that once stood overlooking the Ashley River. The flankers, along with the main house, were burned by Union troops in February, 1865, just two months before the end of the Civil War. The South Flanker was the least damaged of the three buildings and was restored to provide family living quarters. Repairs began in 1869 and included a new roof, Dutch gable ends and an entry hall leading from the Greensward. Thus strengthened, the South Flanker survived Charleston's Great Earthquake in 1886, that felled the gutted walls of the other buildings. By 1870 the Middletons returned to live again at Middleton Place and the South Flanker continued to serve subsequent generations until becoming a House Museum in 1975.</blockquote><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5553.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_5553" alt="IMG_5553" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5553_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>Sadly this is all that remains of the main house, but you are able to still see the outline of the building, and you can only imagine what a nice place it was. Especially with views like this….<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5556.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_5556" alt="IMG_5556" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5556_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>This is the walkway to and through the formal lawn and what you can’t see from this angle is it drops down and is divided by two ‘lakes’ known as the Butterfly Lakes.<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Middleton-Place.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="Middleton Place" alt="Middleton Place" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Middleton-Place_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="180" border="0" /></a><br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_55581.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_5558" alt="IMG_5558" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5558_thumb1.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>Ava was part photographer for us <img class="wlEmoticon wlEmoticon-smile" style="border-style: none;" alt="Smile" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/wlEmoticon-smile1.png" /><br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5559.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_5559" alt="IMG_5559" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5559_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>This is a close up picture of the turnbuckles that are in a lot of houses in and around Charleston. These were put in houses so they could be tightened after an earthquake, but apparently they have been tightened so much that if another major earthquake was to hit, they would implode on themselves since there is absolutley no give.<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5561.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_5561" alt="IMG_5561" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5561_thumb.jpg" width="271" height="404" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>Rice Mill Pond Bridge<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5563.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_5563" alt="IMG_5563" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5563_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>We had the opportunity to see the old Rice Mill and the Spring house/Plantation Chapel. there were also quite a few alligators sunning on the banks of the pond. These gardens we walked through would have been fabulous to see in the spring when all of the plants bloom.<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_0967.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_0967" alt="IMG_0967" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_0967_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="304" border="0" /></a><br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5564.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_5564" alt="IMG_5564" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5564_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>After walking through the some of the walks, we visited the stableyards. Which is probably where we spent a majority of our time.<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5565.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_5565" alt="IMG_5565" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5565_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5568.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_5568" alt="IMG_5568" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5568_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>Horses, sheep, goats, pigs, chickens, ducks were all out and we could pet all of the animals.<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5570.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_5570" alt="IMG_5570" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5570_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/> <br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5571.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_5571" alt="IMG_5571" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5571_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>Over near the stableyards was the workshops and carriage house. We were able to see some early farm tools and even meet and talk with the carpenter that was building the wooden barrels.<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5572.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_5572" alt="IMG_5572" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5572_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>There was also workshops they handled tanning (of deerhides, NOT humans <img class="wlEmoticon wlEmoticon-smile" style="border-style: none;" alt="Smile" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/wlEmoticon-smile1.png" /> ) and corn grinding, as well as candlemaking and spinning and weaving.They had volunteers that did demonstrations for each category, so neat for Ava to see.<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5574.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_5574" alt="IMG_5574" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5574_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>There were several peacocks walking around and we even saw some bunnies.<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5575.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_5575" alt="IMG_5575" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5575_thumb.jpg" width="271" height="404" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>This peacock was strutting his stuff around the females for sure!<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5576.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_5576" alt="IMG_5576" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5576_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>After leaving the stableyard area we walked across the greensward back towards the house. This is the south flanker, all that remains of the house.<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5578.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_5578" alt="IMG_5578" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5578_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>Its also a museum but after spending $90 to tour the grounds, we didn’t pay the extra $15 (per person) to tour the house… We did feel completely comfortable getting pictures made in front of it though <img class="wlEmoticon wlEmoticon-smile" style="border-style: none;" alt="Smile" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/wlEmoticon-smile1.png" /><br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5580.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_5580" alt="IMG_5580" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5580_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>On the other side of the south flanker is a restaurant that you are welcome to enjoy lunch in, but dinner requires a reservation.<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5584.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_5584" alt="IMG_5584" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5584_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>Me and my girl in between the butterfly lakes.<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_55821.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_5582" alt="IMG_5582" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5582_thumb1.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5589.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_5589" alt="IMG_5589" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5589_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>Sun Dial and Rose Garden<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5587.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_5587" alt="IMG_5587" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5587_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>We enjoyed our visit and we were all tired after walking all over the property for about 4 hours. Ava loved walking through the secret gardens and seeing the animals. Its definitely a place that would be beautiful to visit in the spring.<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5590.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_5590" alt="IMG_5590" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5590_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>On our way home I decided to try and find somewhere interesting to eat, well, I definitely nailed it on the interesting front. We almost didn’t stop- it might have crossed that line of too interesting, but after turning around and driving 5 minutes we talked ourselves into going back. We are adventurous…<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5592.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_5592" alt="IMG_5592" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5592_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>Because this is the place we ate at. Its called Old School Diner. Its south of Savannah in Townsend, GA and basically you feel like you are in the middle of nowhere, because, well, you are!<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_0969.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_0969" alt="IMG_0969" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_0969_thumb.jpg" width="304" height="404" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>The chef comes around and greets each table and you are also given, complimentary, hushpuppies. Which in my book, means you are off to a great start <img class="wlEmoticon wlEmoticon-smile" style="border-style: none;" alt="Smile" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/wlEmoticon-smile1.png" />. It’s mostly seafood, which means you can count me and Ava out, but we always go along for the experience, so we left the food tasting to Adam <img class="wlEmoticon wlEmoticon-smile" style="border-style: none;" alt="Smile" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/wlEmoticon-smile1.png" /> We got cheese sticks- haha! Adam ordered the fried shrimp and said it was really, really good.<br/><br/>Each guest that eats here has their picture taken and stapled to the wall, so you can go back and find your picture, if you are able to take the time looking through the thousands of pictures that cover the walls.<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5593.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_5593" alt="IMG_5593" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5593_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>Our waitress was the sweetest girl and she took us around the restaurant for a ‘tour’ where she explained that the Chef and his wife started the restaurant out of their kitchen and just kept adding on to their house as the space was needed and money was there. They now live across the street and their old house is all restaurant.<br/><br/>One interesting fact… Ben Affleck has eaten here a few times…<br/><br/>After eating we headed home and talked about what a perfect trip is was for our little family. We are already dreaming of the next adventure!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-656598186609271540.post-20841208972381301562013-10-02T07:13:00.000-04:002013-10-23T21:01:00.439-04:00Charleston Day 2<a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_0932_thumb2.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_0932_thumb2" alt="IMG_0932_thumb2" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_0932_thumb2_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="304" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>We started our morning off over in Mount Pleasant for breakfast at Page’s Okra Grill. It was quite possibly the best food we had the entire trip (which is saying a lot in Charleston) but unfortunately we had a less than stellar experience with the restaurant itself. It took us an hour to get our food (breakfast food!) after ordering, and along with some other not so great things that happened. Needless to say, we weren’t happy that it was 11:00 before we even made it back to the truck to go sightseeing.<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_0934_thumb1.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_0934_thumb" alt="IMG_0934_thumb" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_0934_thumb_thumb.jpg" width="304" height="404" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>I got the Housemade Pimento Cheese Sandwich and it was delicious. It was grilled Texas Toast with fried green tomatoes, egg, bacon (which I passed off to Adam), and pimento cheese. It was to die for! Adam opted to go with the Shrimp and Grits and said it was delicious as well. Like I said, best food we had the entire trip.<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5482_thumb1.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5482_thumb" alt="IMG_5482_thumb" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5482_thumb_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>Despite our morning being taken away from us, we still said this particular day was our favorite of any day in Charleston. We headed to Patriots Point to tour the USS Yorktown (CV-10).<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5484_thumb1.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5484_thumb" alt="IMG_5484_thumb" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5484_thumb_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>The tour was self guided so you could travel through at your own pace and opt out of certain tours if you wanted.We figured we would spend maybe 2 hours here, but 4 hours later we were still going strong!<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_0944_thumb1.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_0944_thumb" alt="IMG_0944_thumb" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_0944_thumb_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="304" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>(This is a picture of a picture..hence the reason its crooked…)<br/><blockquote>The USS Yorktown (CV-10) is the tenth aircraft carrier to serve the US Navy. Under construction as BON HOMME RICHARD, this new Essex-class carrier was renamed YORKTOWN in honor of YORKTOWN (CV-5), sunk at the epic Battle of Midway (June 1942). Built in an amazing 16-½ months at Newport News, Virginia, YORKTOWN was commissioned on April 15, 1943, and participated significantly in the Pacific Offensive that began in late 1943 and ended with the defeat of Japan in 1945. YORKTOWN received the Presidential Unit Citation, and earned 11 battle stars for service in World War II. Much of the Academy Award-winning (1944) documentary "The Fighting Lady" was filmed on board YORKTOWN. (it was also featured in the infamous Tora! Tora! Tora!)<br/><br/>Yorktown displaced 27,100 tons during WWII and carried a crew of 380 officers, 3,088 enlisted men and an air group of 90 planes.<br/><br/>In the 1950's, Yorktown was modified with the addition of an angled deck to better operate jet aircraft in her role as an attack carrier (CVA). In 1958, YORKTOWN was designated an anti-submarine aircraft carrier (CVS), and would later earn 5 battle stars for service off Vietnam (1965-1968). The ship also recovered the Apollo 8 astronauts and capsule (December 1968). YORKTOWN was decommissioned in 1970 and placed in reserve; and in 1975, was towed from Bayonne, NJ to Charleston to become the centerpiece of Patriots Point Naval and Maritime Museum.</blockquote><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5485_thumb1.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5485_thumb" alt="IMG_5485_thumb" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5485_thumb_thumb.jpg" width="271" height="404" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>You walked onto the ship through the Hangar Deck and then 6 different tours would lead you through different areas of the ship.<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5486_thumb1.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5486_thumb" alt="IMG_5486_thumb" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5486_thumb_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>Crew’s Berthing area<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5487_thumb1.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5487_thumb" alt="IMG_5487_thumb" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5487_thumb_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>This room was the ship’s chapel.<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5489_thumb1.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5489_thumb" alt="IMG_5489_thumb" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5489_thumb_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>Torpedo workshop<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5490_thumb1.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5490_thumb" alt="IMG_5490_thumb" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5490_thumb_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>More sleeping quarters. I just have to pause here to say… Can you imagine?!<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5491_thumb2.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5491_thumb" alt="IMG_5491_thumb" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5491_thumb_thumb.jpg" width="271" height="404" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5492_thumb1.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5492_thumb" alt="IMG_5492_thumb" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5492_thumb_thumb.jpg" width="271" height="404" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>We walked through the bakery area and they had a recipe posted for 10,000 Chocolate Chip Cookies, so I snapped a picture, because you never know when you might need to make 10,000 cookies…<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5493_thumb1.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5493_thumb" alt="IMG_5493_thumb" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5493_thumb_thumb.jpg" width="271" height="404" border="0" /></a><br/><br/> <br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_1387_thumb1.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_1387_thumb" alt="IMG_1387_thumb" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_1387_thumb_thumb.jpg" width="304" height="404" border="0" /></a><br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5494_thumb1.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5494_thumb" alt="IMG_5494_thumb" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5494_thumb_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/> <br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5496_thumb1.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5496_thumb" alt="IMG_5496_thumb" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5496_thumb_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>These were the fire escapes, there were a couple of things we learned on this tour, well correction, there were a lot of things we learned, but one of the main ones was that I couldn’t do what these people do and I am eternally grateful to them. It was hard enough slowly walking up and down the stairs, I can’t imagine having to do it at any point during an actual attack.<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5497_thumb1.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5497_thumb" alt="IMG_5497_thumb" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5497_thumb_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>We climbed up and and and up and down and then at one point we went down, down, down, down and made it to the very bottom level of the boat. I again, just can’t imagine. I’m not a claustrophobic person, but this ship nearly pushed me over the edge. And we were not surrounded by the thousands of crew that would have been on this ship.<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5498_thumb1.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5498_thumb" alt="IMG_5498_thumb" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5498_thumb_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>There were close to 3,500 total crew aboard this ship, I can’t imagine- I know I keep saying that, but words just can’t describe how much respect I have for those that give their lives to protect us and have to spend (or have had to spend) their time serving on a ship like this. Not that other jobs in the military are “comfortable” but it brings it home when you walk on a ship like this. Adam actual made the comment in some areas you still, all these years later, could get a sense of death.<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5500_thumb1.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5500_thumb" alt="IMG_5500_thumb" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5500_thumb_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/> <br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5501_thumb1.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5501_thumb" alt="IMG_5501_thumb" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5501_thumb_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>It was welcomed relief when the tour took us up out onto the flight deck.<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5503_thumb1.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5503_thumb" alt="IMG_5503_thumb" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5503_thumb_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5505_thumb.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5505_thumb" alt="IMG_5505_thumb" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5505_thumb_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5507_thumb.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5507_thumb" alt="IMG_5507_thumb" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5507_thumb_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>Ava on the flight deck with the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge (overlooking the Cooper River) in the background.<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_0936_thumb.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_0936_thumb" alt="IMG_0936_thumb" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_0936_thumb_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="304" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5509_thumb.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5509_thumb" alt="IMG_5509_thumb" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5509_thumb_thumb.jpg" width="271" height="404" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5511_thumb.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5511_thumb" alt="IMG_5511_thumb" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5511_thumb_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5513_thumb.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5513_thumb" alt="IMG_5513_thumb" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5513_thumb_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>The tours took us all through the ship, so many places I didn’t take pictures of everything, because it really was ev.er.y.th.ing. which we appreciated because it really helped us see just how it would have been. Also, can I just say when Ava saw the ‘dental spaces’ I didn’t think I would ever get her to the dentist! haha! She did however enjoy being in the pilot house and pretending she was steering a the ship. <a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5514_thumb.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5514_thumb" alt="IMG_5514_thumb" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5514_thumb_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/> <br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5515_thumb.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5515_thumb" alt="IMG_5515_thumb" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5515_thumb_thumb.jpg" width="271" height="404" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5516_thumb.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5516_thumb" alt="IMG_5516_thumb" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5516_thumb_thumb.jpg" width="271" height="404" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>The ship did a good job of trying to place aircraft just as it would have been when it was active..<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5517_thumb.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5517_thumb" alt="IMG_5517_thumb" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5517_thumb_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5518_thumb.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5518_thumb" alt="IMG_5518_thumb" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5518_thumb_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5519_thumb.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5519_thumb" alt="IMG_5519_thumb" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5519_thumb_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5520_thumb.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5520_thumb" alt="IMG_5520_thumb" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5520_thumb_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5521_thumb.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5521_thumb" alt="IMG_5521_thumb" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5521_thumb_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5523_thumb.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5523_thumb" alt="IMG_5523_thumb" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5523_thumb_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>One of the most comical and random things we saw was the Escalator, which was installed for the pilots….<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5522_thumb.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5522_thumb" alt="IMG_5522_thumb" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5522_thumb_thumb.jpg" width="271" height="404" border="0" /></a><br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5524_thumb.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_5524_thumb" alt="IMG_5524_thumb" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5524_thumb_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5525_thumb.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_5525_thumb" alt="IMG_5525_thumb" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5525_thumb_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>Selfie <img class="wlEmoticon wlEmoticon-smile" style="border-style: none;" alt="Smile" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/wlEmoticon-smile.png" /><br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5527_thumb.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_5527_thumb" alt="IMG_5527_thumb" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5527_thumb_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>Before we left the ship, Ava climbed up into a F9F Cougar and we took her picture. This particular airplane was one of the last accepted by the Navy in 1959, it was built as a training version and it spent its career at the Naval Air Station in Iwakuni, Japan and until 1968 and then in Pensacola, FL until 1974 where it flew the last of its 4,321 hours.<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5531_thumb.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_5531_thumb" alt="IMG_5531_thumb" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5531_thumb_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5535_thumb.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_5535_thumb" alt="IMG_5535_thumb" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5535_thumb_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>After getting off the USS Yorktown, we walked down to the sub they had on site. It was small sub, only holding 80 people, but I’m sorry, we walked through it with about 20 people and I just don’t know how 80 people fit on this thing….<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5537_thumb.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_5537_thumb" alt="IMG_5537_thumb" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5537_thumb_thumb.jpg" width="271" height="404" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5538_thumb.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_5538_thumb" alt="IMG_5538_thumb" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5538_thumb_thumb.jpg" width="271" height="404" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>Adam (and even I) had a hard time climbing through doorways. He and another tall guy behind us joked that they were not designed with tall people in mind.<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5539_thumb.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_5539_thumb" alt="IMG_5539_thumb" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5539_thumb_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><blockquote>The sub was the USS Clagmore (SS-343) and was a 322-foot diesel-powered submarine. It was commissioned at New London, Connecticut in June 1945, a few weeks before the end of WWII. She spent her 30-year long career operating out of Key West, Charleston, and New London. She was decommissioned at Philadelphia in 1975.</blockquote><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5540_thumb.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_5540_thumb" alt="IMG_5540_thumb" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5540_thumb_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>Another view of the USS Yorktown<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5534_thumb.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_5534_thumb" alt="IMG_5534_thumb" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5534_thumb_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><blockquote>There was also a destroyer located on sight- the USS Laffey (DD-724). It was named for Seaman Bartlett Laffey, a Civil War Medal of Honor recipient. Its 376 feet, 6 inches (because those 6 inches really matter…) long and commissioned February 8th, 1944. While operating off Okinawa on April 16th, 1945, Laffey was assailed by a massive air strike of 22 Japanese bombers and suicide kamikazes. 5 kamikazes and 3 bombs struck her and 2 bombs scored near misses to kill 32 and wound 71 of her 336 man crew, who in heroism shot down 11 attackers and kept her afloat. She was decommissioned in 1975.</blockquote><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5542_thumb.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_5542_thumb" alt="IMG_5542_thumb" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_5542_thumb_thumb.jpg" width="271" height="404" border="0" /></a><br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_1389_thumb.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_1389_thumb" alt="IMG_1389_thumb" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_1389_thumb_thumb.jpg" width="304" height="404" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_1388_thumb.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_1388_thumb" alt="IMG_1388_thumb" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_1388_thumb_thumb.jpg" width="304" height="404" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>And in case you are ever wondering…this is how we do family vacations…we always find the Ace <img class="wlEmoticon wlEmoticon-smile" style="border-style: none;" alt="Smile" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/wlEmoticon-smile.png" /><br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_0941_thumb2.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_0941_thumb2" alt="IMG_0941_thumb2" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_0941_thumb2_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="304" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>We passed by the Ace Hardware in Mt. Pleasant when we were going to breakfast, so we stopped in for a looksee after we left Patriots Point.<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_1390_thumb.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_1390_thumb" alt="IMG_1390_thumb" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_1390_thumb_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="304" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>We also took a nice walk along the water and saw boats, paddle boarders, and shrimp boats.<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_1391_thumb.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_1391_thumb" alt="IMG_1391_thumb" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_1391_thumb_thumb.jpg" width="304" height="404" border="0" /></a><br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_0954_thumb2.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_0954_thumb2" alt="IMG_0954_thumb2" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_0954_thumb2_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="304" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>After leaving Patriot’s Point, we headed back into historic Charleston to walk along the water and check out the houses.<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_0949_thumb2.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_0949_thumb2" alt="IMG_0949_thumb2" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_0949_thumb2_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="304" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>I felt weird taking pictures of people’s houses this close, but I did manage to snap a few. <a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_1393_thumb.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_1393_thumb" alt="IMG_1393_thumb" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_1393_thumb_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="304" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>Ahh…they are all so beautiful, but I’m sure a bear to keep up!<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_0945_thumb.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_0945_thumb" alt="IMG_0945_thumb" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_0945_thumb_thumb.jpg" width="304" height="404" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>We finished out the night with dinner at the Hominy Grill. We had originally planned to eat breakfast here but the wait is so long we decided to come back later (of course we didn’t realize it would take us forever at the place we stopped, so we probably we would have been better off with the wait).<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_0946_thumb2.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_0946_thumb2" alt="IMG_0946_thumb2" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_0946_thumb2_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="304" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>We all enjoyed the boiled peanuts they bring to the table <img class="wlEmoticon wlEmoticon-smile" style="border-style: none;" alt="Smile" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/wlEmoticon-smile.png" /><br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_0947_thumb2.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_0947_thumb2" alt="IMG_0947_thumb2" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_0947_thumb2_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="304" border="0" /></a><br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_0948_thumb.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_0948_thumb" alt="IMG_0948_thumb" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_0948_thumb_thumb.jpg" width="304" height="404" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>The food was good, but what was even better was the chocolate mousse- it was rich, but since we all 3 shared it, it turned out perfect- it was delicious!<br/><br/>We headed back to the hotel and spent the rest of the evening relaxing and chit-chatting about the day. Adam found a video on the USS Yorktown and he cuddled up next to Ava and they watched it together. I’m pretty sure in that moment, watching a documentary about the ship they had just been on with his little girl he couldn’t have been happier <img class="wlEmoticon wlEmoticon-smile" style="border-style: none;" alt="Smile" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/wlEmoticon-smile.png" />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-656598186609271540.post-58824052163853529762013-08-27T05:53:00.000-04:002013-10-23T21:01:00.434-04:00Bread & Butter Pickles<a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_5347_1.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5347_1" alt="IMG_5347_1" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_5347_1_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><h5>Ingredients:</h5><br/>5 1/2 cups (1 1/2 pounds) thinly sliced pickling cucumbers (but not too thin- you still want some crunch!)<br/>1 1/2 Tablespoons kosher salt<br/>1 cup thinly sliced sweet onion<br/>1 cup granulated white sugar<br/>1 cup white vinegar<br/>1/2 cup apple cider vinegar<br/>1/4 cup light brown sugar (packed)<br/>1 1/2 teaspoons mustard seeds<br/>1/2 teaspoon celery seeds<br/>1/8 teaspoon ground turmeric<br/><h5>Directions:</h5><br/>1. Combine cucumbers and salt in a large, shallow bowl; cover and chill 1 1/2 hours. Move cucumbers into a colander and rinse thoroughly under cold water. Drain well, and return cucumbers to bowl. Add onion to the bowl.<br/><br/>2. Combine sugar and remaining ingredients in a medium saucepan; bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Pour hot vinegar mixture over cucumber mixture; let stand at room temperature 1 hour. Cover and refrigerate 24 hours. Store in an airtight container in refrigerator up to 2 weeks.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-656598186609271540.post-6386695624064252422013-08-26T06:42:00.000-04:002013-10-23T21:01:00.423-04:00Road Trip!<a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_5443.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5443" alt="IMG_5443" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_5443_thumb.jpg" width="271" height="404" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_5444.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5444" alt="IMG_5444" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_5444_thumb.jpg" width="271" height="404" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>So Adam’s Fridays off were coming to an end and the school year was drawing nearer, so we decided to make the most of his last 3 day weekend! We ended up deciding to take a mini-road trip to Charleston. We were only going to stay one night, so we left pretty early Friday morning. However, after waking up on Saturday, we decided to stay another night- and we are all so glad we did- we had the best little family trip.<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_0926.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_0926" alt="IMG_0926" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_0926_thumb.jpg" width="304" height="404" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_0924.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_0924" alt="IMG_0924" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_0924_thumb.jpg" width="304" height="404" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>Our first stop on the road trip was the Charleston Tea Plantation. I figured, as much as our family loves tea, well, it would be fun. It’s the only tea plantation in North America. The next closest one is about 5,000 miles away. Its free to walk through the factory and watch a video that shows you how different teas are made and you can pay $10 a person to ride the trolley that takes you through the fields. We ended up doing both, but while we were waiting on the factory tour to begin we were able to sample different teas that had been harvested right there. Including the ‘First Flush’ which is defined as ‘the growth of new leaves on the tea plants in the spring time after a winter of rest. Their "first flush" of new growth is harvested to produce what avid tea drinkers deem to be the most unique, fresh, and amazing cup of tea.’ And it was different and good. I actually bought a little tin of it to make at home. <a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_5445.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5445" alt="IMG_5445" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_5445_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>Did you know?: Fun fact of the day, Green, Oolong, and Black teas are all made from the same plant, there aren’t separate plants for separate teas, its all in their post harvesting treatment that makes the difference- really it’s the time of oxidation that differentiates each one from the other. Just thought you would like to know.<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_0939.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_0939" alt="IMG_0939" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_0939_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="304" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>Ava was so excited to go on the trolley (and of course it was free for her…and Gracie).<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_5448.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5448" alt="IMG_5448" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_5448_thumb.jpg" width="271" height="404" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_5449.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5449" alt="IMG_5449" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_5449_thumb.jpg" width="271" height="404" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>They took us to visit their greenhouse and then through the fields, some had already been harvested. They only harvest the top 6 inches, or the new growth, so it looks like a field of shrubs all the time. Apparently it takes special knowledge to be able to blend the tea plants, even though they are all the same the tea taster has to know what leaves to use from what field. Interesting.<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_5454.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5454" alt="IMG_5454" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_5454_thumb.jpg" width="271" height="404" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_5458_1.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5458_1" alt="IMG_5458_1" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_5458_1_thumb.jpg" width="271" height="404" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>On the way out Adam spotted a Golden Eagle sitting on the rope, it let us get quite close to it and didn’t really pay us much attention- I think it was more interested in looking for food.<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_5459.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5459" alt="IMG_5459" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_5459_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>After the tea plantation, which is about 30 minutes from Charleston on Johns Island, we headed right up the road and stopped at the Angle Oak tree.<br/><blockquote>The Angel Oak Tree is estimated to be in excess of 400-500 years old, stands 66.5 ft tall, measures 28 ft in circumference, and produces shade that covers 17,200 square feet. From tip to tip Its longest branch distance is 187 ft. The Angel Oak Tree is thought to be one of the oldest living things in the country.</blockquote><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_5461.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5461" alt="IMG_5461" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_5461_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>There are signs everywhere warning people not to walk under the tree with heels on, not to stand on the roots, and not to climb over or sit on the branches- they are doing their best to preserve the tree. It really was a sight- a huge canopy of limbs and leaves.<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_5465.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5465" alt="IMG_5465" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_5465_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>After leaving the Angel Oak we finally made it to our hotel! Ava was so excited about staying in a hotel. We checked in a freshened up a bit before heading to eat a late lunch.<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_0930_1.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_0930_1" alt="IMG_0930_1" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_0930_1_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="305" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>Right down the road was Fiery Ron’s Home Team BBQ, which Southern Living rated on of the best BBQ eats- next to our favorite- Southern Soul, so we thought we would try it.<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_0928.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_0928" alt="IMG_0928" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_0928_thumb.jpg" width="304" height="404" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_0929.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_0929" alt="IMG_0929" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_0929_thumb.jpg" width="304" height="404" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>It was good, but we both agreed it wasn’t any better than Southern Soul- Adam said we would rate them about the same and Southern Soul is closer- so it wins <img class="wlEmoticon wlEmoticon-smile" style="border-style: none;" alt="Smile" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/wlEmoticon-smile3.png" /><br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/20130826-111012.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full" alt="20130826-111012.jpg" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/20130826-111012.jpg" width="400" height="300" /></a><br/><br/>With our bellies full we headed to the historic district of Charleston to take a carriage ride tour through the city. Ava was excited since it was a horse and carriage, but…<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_5469.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5469" alt="IMG_5469" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_5469_thumb.jpg" width="271" height="404" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>The excitement was too much to handle. Thank goodness the guy let Ava ride for free since this is what she did the entire length of the tour….<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_5467.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5467" alt="IMG_5467" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_5467_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>There is so much history in Charleston it was hard to digest everything in the hour long tour. I’m sure Adam remember so much more than I did, but I enjoyed seeing all of the beautiful homes and even if I don’t remember a single thing- I was able to see some pretty houses!<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_5468.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5468" alt="IMG_5468" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_5468_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>Looking back at these pictures from the tour, I’m certain there was a reason I took them- but I can’t for the life of me, remember what it might be. I’ve asked Adam, maybe he will remember- if not- well, just enjoy some houses in Charleston! haha!<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_5474_1.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5474_1" alt="IMG_5474_1" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_5474_1_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>After the tour we walked and walked and walked around Charleston. We eventually made it down to the waterfront and the pineapple fountain.<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_5476_1.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5476_1" alt="IMG_5476_1" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_5476_1_thumb.jpg" width="273" height="404" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_5477_1.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5477_1" alt="IMG_5477_1" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_5477_1_thumb.jpg" width="268" height="404" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>Apparently in Charleston kids don’t swim in pools, they play in fountains! We walked past one fountain and I think every kid in the city was playing in the water. Ava really wanted to play in the water (of course) so we let her take her shoes off and play for a few minutes.<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/20130826-111005.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full" alt="20130826-111005.jpg" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/20130826-111005.jpg" width="400" height="300" /></a><br/><br/> <br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_5478_1.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5478_1" alt="IMG_5478_1" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_5478_1_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>We drove over to Mount Pleasant (across the bridge) that evening to check things out and stopped at Fort Moultrie and watched the sun go down. It was a great family day together and there was still a lot more fun to be had!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-656598186609271540.post-71052132130320238342013-08-22T07:26:00.000-04:002013-10-23T21:01:00.429-04:00Wordless Wednesday (Thursday edition :) )<a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_4956_1.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_4956_1" alt="IMG_4956_1" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_4956_1_thumb.jpg" width="271" height="404" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_4960_1.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_4960_1" alt="IMG_4960_1" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_4960_1_thumb.jpg" width="271" height="404" border="0" /></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-656598186609271540.post-59647701491259900432013-08-21T06:15:00.000-04:002013-10-23T21:01:00.418-04:00Ava's New BabyJuly 19th was a very anticipated day around our house! Ava was going to adopt a baby!<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_5412.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_5412" alt="IMG_5412" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_5412_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>I had "ordered" the baby months ago and they finally called to say the shipment had arrived, so we took the first opportunity we had to go pick up her new baby. I didn't tell her until that day what we were doing. I had ordered a new outfit for the baby and brought along a few of Ava's baby clothes and a special baby blanket Ava had used when she was a newborn. When we first arrived we walked into the nursery at the store and Ava was a little apprehensive. She heard babies crying and cooing, it really did sound as though the baby dolls were real! haha! She wasn't sure what to think!<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_5417.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_5417" alt="IMG_5417" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_5417_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>The nice 'Nurse' had the baby that looked a lot like her with the brown eyes, set out on the changing table. And after Ava held her for the first time, she helped the nurse take care of the baby. They started by putting some baby powder on the baby.<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_5421.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_5421" alt="IMG_5421" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_5421_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>Ava rubbed it in really well- she thought it was so neat :)<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_5423.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_5423" alt="IMG_5423" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_5423_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>Then the nurse weighed her and can you believe she weighed the same as Ava did when she was born? 5 lbs 12 ozs! ;)<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_5427.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_5427" alt="IMG_5427" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_5427_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>She took her measurements- and again! Ava was in disbelief, she was the same length as Ava when she was born- 19 inches! (This one we didn't have to fudge on- the baby is really 19 inches!)<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_5425.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_5425" alt="IMG_5425" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_5425_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>After filling out the paperwork on the baby, she asked her for her name, which Ava had already decided - Gracie, and asked Ava a few questions about the kind of mom she was going to be to her baby. She also wrote her name on her hospital bracelet and placed it on the baby.<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_5432.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_5432" alt="IMG_5432" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_5432_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>After answering all of the questions correctly, Ava signed her name to the adoption papers and the baby officially became her baby!<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_5433.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_5433" alt="IMG_5433" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_5433_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>The nurse gave her some last minute instructions on how to care for the baby. She was so good with her!<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_5435.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_5435" alt="IMG_5435" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_5435_thumb.jpg" width="271" height="404" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>This whole experience was so neat for Ava (and her gigi and mama). It's more expensive than just buying a doll off the shelf- but for a special treat and to get the experience it was worth it! She finished her reading lesson goal we had set for her and we wanted to reward her for the hard work, so the time of this doll and her achieving her goal went hand in hand!<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_5441.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_5441" alt="IMG_5441" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_5441_thumb.jpg" width="271" height="404" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_0921.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_0921" alt="IMG_0921" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_0921_thumb.jpg" width="304" height="404" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>She wrapped Baby Gracie up in her special blanket and placed her hat on her head and Ava was beyond excited to hold her. She was/has been so proud to show everyone and that baby can't be left alone at any time. She has changed diapers, yes, I went out and bought a pack of newborn diapers! She has a pacifier, she sucks her thumb, she has multiple outfits, which are constantly rotated, and a car carrier that she sits in when we go places. She strolls her around in her strollers. She even takes her to the store in her stroller sometimes. The funniest thing, throughout this time, has been the comments we overhear from people who think its a real baby. We were eating lunch with Adam at T-Ray's in Fernandina and she set the baby on the table, just kind of flopped her up there and the elderly couple sitting next to us both audibly gasped! They thought she was a real baby. A completely separate time (I meant what I said about the baby goes everywhere with us!) Adam overheard a person tell another, 'Can you believe how they are letting her hold that baby?!' haha! He said the next time someone says something he is going to pick it up by it's leg and let it hang :) She has been the perfect little mommy! I must admit, I love having a little girl and watching her play with baby dolls- its so sweet!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-656598186609271540.post-41408853157991649162013-08-20T09:44:00.000-04:002013-10-23T21:01:00.413-04:00Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecake<a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_5283_1_1.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5283_1_1" alt="IMG_5283_1_1" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_5283_1_1_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/> <br/><div id="ingredients"><br/><div id="ingr_header">Ingredients</div><br/><ul id="ingr"></ul><br/>Crust:<br/><ul id="ingr"><br/> <li>1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs</li><br/> <li>5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted</li><br/></ul><br/>Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough:<br/><ul id="ingr"><br/> <li>5 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature</li><br/> <li>1/3 cup packed light brown sugar</li><br/> <li>3 tablespoons granulated sugar</li><br/> <li>1/4 teaspoon salt</li><br/> <li>1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract</li><br/> <li>3/4 cup flour</li><br/> <li>2/3 cup chocolate chips</li><br/></ul><br/>Cheesecake Filling:<br/><ul id="ingr"><br/> <li>10 oz cream cheese, room temperature</li><br/> <li>1/4 cup sugar</li><br/> <li>1 large egg, room temperature</li><br/> <li>1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract</li><br/></ul><br/></div><br/><div id="instructions"><br/><div id="inst_header">Instructions</div><br/><div>1. Preheat the oven to 325 F. Line an 8" square baking pan with parchment paper or foil allowing a little overhang and spray with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.</div><br/><div>2. Mix the melted butter and graham cracker crumbs until thoroughly combined. Press the mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake in preheated oven for 6 minutes.</div><br/><div>3. While the crust is cooling, prepare the chocolate chip cookie dough. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or in a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, salt and vanilla until smooth and thoroughly combined, about 1 minute. Mix in the flour on low speed, and mix until just incorporated. Mix in the chocolate chips. Set aside. (*Note: This mixture is going to be dry...that’s okay. It’s rather like a crumble topping. You’re going to crumble it on top of the cheesecake layer.)</div><br/><div>4. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or in a large bowl with an electric mixer cream together the cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Mix in the egg and vanilla on low speed just until incorporated. Pour the cheesecake batter into the prepared crust. Use your hands to form "clumps" of the cookie dough, smoosh it together and flatten it out. Distribute the cookie dough onto the top of the cheesecake batter in teaspoon-sized clumps. Be sure to use all of the dough.</div><br/><div>5. Bake for about 30 minutes, until the top feels dry and firm (the cookie dough) and the entire pan looks set if given a gentle shake. Move bars to a cooling rack and allow to cool completely. Chill in refrigerator overnight or for at least a couple hours.</div><br/><div>6. Lift the bars out by the overhang and cut into squares for serving</div><br/></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-656598186609271540.post-10847666055715080522013-08-19T05:18:00.000-04:002013-10-23T21:01:00.408-04:00Mart Days<a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_5380_1.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5380_1" alt="IMG_5380_1" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_5380_1_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>Each year we have a group of girls that get away from the every day responsibilities of life and have a trip that consists of every girls favorite things: Food, Fun an SHOPPING!! We look forward to this every year and not surprisingly our group keeps growing. We are at our limit though now, so someone is going to have to drop out before we can add anyone else!<br/><br/>*Also, apparently, this year- orange is the new black- we all color coordinated but didn’t plan it! haha!<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_0898.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_0898" alt="IMG_0898" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_0898_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="304" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>Caroline is going to be a senior this year, she has come on these trips for the last 5 years and swears next year she will be back, actually, she said there isn’t anything that would keep her away from this trip…but we will have to see how college plays into the picture <img class="wlEmoticon wlEmoticon-smile" style="border-style: none;" alt="Smile" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/wlEmoticon-smile2.png" /><br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_0897.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_0897" alt="IMG_0897" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_0897_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="304" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>Jenny, Lisa, and I shared a room. We stayed at the Hyatt that was just a couple blocks from the Mart, so easy walking! By the way, can you tell we don’t take selfies/mirror pics! <img class="wlEmoticon wlEmoticon-smile" style="border-style: none;" alt="Smile" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/wlEmoticon-smile2.png" /><br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_2429.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_2429" alt="IMG_2429" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_2429_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="304" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>Ava loves playing dress-up…and I mean LOVES it! Each year at the mart I pick her up a tiara to play with, well while I was looking at all the tiaras, we found these that were about $100 wholesale…yes $100 WHOLESALE. So naturally Jenny and I decide to try them on. We were too scared to take them out of the package for fear something might happen, but we still got a shot with them on! I think they look good on us and that we totally should have bought them… I mean, it wouldn’t be normal for a girl to walk around wearing one of these as an everyday accessory?<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_5386_1.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5386_1" alt="IMG_5386_1" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_5386_1_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>We always eat at Mary Mac’s Tea Room whenever we come to Atlanta and it doesn’t ever disappoint, except for the fact we were able to seat all 18 of us together at the same table. <img class="wlEmoticon wlEmoticon-sadsmile" style="border-style: none;" alt="Sad smile" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/wlEmoticon-sadsmile.png" /><br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_5383_1.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5383_1" alt="IMG_5383_1" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_5383_1_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>Matt and Meghan joined us along with Matt’s parents, I’m pretty sure either Matt and his dad felt pretty lucky or really weird! haha! 2 guys and 16 girls?!<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_0905.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_0905" alt="IMG_0905" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_0905_thumb.jpg" width="304" height="404" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>It’s become a tradition to eat here and its always good food and sweet tea! I get a vegetable plate, mostly because I don’t eat meat, but there are way too many good sides to add meat into the mix anyways! I actually had her scratch the pecan pie for dessert, even though now I’m wishing I hadn’t…haha! I was way too stuffed I couldn’t even eat all my meal!<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_0906.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_0906" alt="IMG_0906" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_0906_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="304" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>I love this girl, she’s so much fun!<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_2436.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_2436" alt="IMG_2436" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_2436_thumb.jpg" width="304" height="404" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>We had seen these people walking around with these balloons and wanted to find one for Ava, especially since they were giving them out for free. We found the booth on the 2nd day and I had to carry it around the rest of the time we were there- thank goodness it was later in the day!<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/995918_538274756208077_172150317_n.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="995918_538274756208077_172150317_n" alt="995918_538274756208077_172150317_n" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/995918_538274756208077_172150317_n_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="304" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>After two days of shopping, you work up an appetite! I am never one to go for a chain restaurant and our original idea for a place to eat the second night wasn’t able to get us, I suggested Antico pizza. It was such a fun experience- I’m so glad we went!<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/1012403_538274679541418_1966047749_n.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="1012403_538274679541418_1966047749_n" alt="1012403_538274679541418_1966047749_n" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/1012403_538274679541418_1966047749_n_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="304" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>You get there and you stand outside until there is room for you inside (fortunately it was a nice evening). The wait took maybe 15 minutes, even though we had a LOT of people in front of us. When you get to the front you order an pizza from the menu- and this is authentic Italian pizza, so half the words I didn’t know what the meant. You also couldn’t make changes.<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_5398_1.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5398_1" alt="IMG_5398_1" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_5398_1_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>We ended up ordering a margherita pizza, a lasagna pizza, a margherita (with pepperoni) pizza and their best selling pizza- San Gennaro pizza. They brought it out quick!<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/1000085_538274492874770_1918196554_n.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="1000085_538274492874770_1918196554_n" alt="1000085_538274492874770_1918196554_n" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/1000085_538274492874770_1918196554_n_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="304" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>You sit together at random tables, and we lucked out and were able to get the only large table they had all to ourselves. We actually had to wait for a few people to leave, but they left shortly after we arrived and didn’t mind us taking over their table.<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_5405_1.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5405_1" alt="IMG_5405_1" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_5405_1_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>We all at the pizza quick! It was delish!!<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_5408_1.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5408_1" alt="IMG_5408_1" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_5408_1_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>This will probably become a place we visit each year as well. We are going to have to stay longer just to hit all of our places to eat.<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_0911.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_0911" alt="IMG_0911" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_0911_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="304" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>I didn’t buy <em>as much</em> jewelry this year. I actually bought shirts and dresses and I have loved every single one! I also didn’t buy a whole lot for Ava, this was the first year we didn’t bring her back very much. She’s kind of out grown the sizes they carry for children…she is getting more into the next level of the children’s department, which makes me really sad <img class="wlEmoticon wlEmoticon-sadsmile" style="border-style: none;" alt="Sad smile" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/wlEmoticon-sadsmile.png" /> I did bring back a few surprises, it just wasn’t outfits.<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/20130819-063147.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full" alt="20130819-063147.jpg" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/20130819-063147.jpg" width="400" height="300" /></a><br/><br/>While I was away, these 2 spent some quality time together. They headed to Fernandina Beach to ride bikes and had a good time. They even managed to beat the rain <img class="wlEmoticon wlEmoticon-smile" style="border-style: none;" alt="Smile" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/wlEmoticon-smile2.png" /><br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/20130819-063137.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full" alt="20130819-063137.jpg" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/20130819-063137.jpg" width="300" height="400" /></a><br/><br/>I love cell phones! I was able to get pictures of my 2 favorite people and I think Ava Face Timed me no less than 15 times while I was away. Poor thing, she wanted so bad to be in the middle of all the girl stuff! She would call and just sit there on the phone watching everything. haha! Ava has been upset she can’t go, but the rule is you have to be 12 or older. (Not our rule- the Atlanta Mart rule) Every now and then she will tell me she wishes she was 12 and when I ask why she says, so she can go to the Mart with me and all the girls. I on the other hand, would like those years to pass by slowly!!<br/><br/>Its always such a fun time and even if we didn’t find such great deals or anything we even liked, it would still be a trip we would take each year- its nice to get away and have fun- just us girls!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-656598186609271540.post-26005724607903454012013-08-16T03:34:00.000-04:002013-10-23T21:01:00.400-04:00Cell Phone Dump!<a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_0743.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_0743" alt="IMG_0743" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_0743_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="304" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>This might be the biggest picture post ever! With it being summer, we have had a lot of adventures that didn’t include me carrying around my big camera. Enter the camera on my phone! So I’m going to try and quickly recap some of our adventures.<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_0744.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_0744" alt="IMG_0744" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_0744_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="304" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>Adam and I went on a (rare) date with just the 2 of us. Ava usually always tags along, because we just enjoy being with her, or we are off with friends, which makes everything so much more fun, but this particular night we decided to go just the 2 of us. We went to eat at Cruisers, one of our favorite, low-key, places to eat at Jax Beach and it was delish!<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_0746.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_0746" alt="IMG_0746" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_0746_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="304" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>Afterwards, we decided since it was such a nice evening, to walk on the beach. It was super high tide so there wasn’t a lot of beach to walk on, but it was so nice. We even stopped and sat down and enjoyed people watching for a little while before heading back to the truck.<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_0749.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_0749" alt="IMG_0749" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_0749_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="304" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>On the way home we stopped by dunkin donuts and pick Ava up some donut holes. We figured that would bribe her to stay without a fight the next time we went off <img class="wlEmoticon wlEmoticon-winkingsmile" style="border-style: none;" alt="Winking smile" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/wlEmoticon-winkingsmile.png" /> <a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_0755.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_0755" alt="IMG_0755" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_0755_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="304" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>Adam plays at Access every 4-6 weeks, this particular Sunday, Ava, Mom, and myself decided to go and watch him play, plus, we always love Access!<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_0731.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_0731" alt="IMG_0731" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_0731_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="404" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>Ava and Nana went and picked some Hydrangea blooms from Memaw’s house and brought them over to me- so sweet and pretty!<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_0771.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_0771" alt="IMG_0771" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_0771_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="304" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>We took a impromptu family trip to St. Simons Island<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_0769.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_0769" alt="IMG_0769" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_0769_thumb.jpg" width="304" height="404" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_0768.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_0768" alt="IMG_0768" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_0768_thumb.jpg" width="304" height="404" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>We ate at one of our favorite places over there, Southern Soul BBQ, we ate inside for fear it was about to pour rain, but it ended up holding off, which made us wish we had taken the chance and eaten outside. Ava and Adam enjoy watching the planes take off and land.<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_0765.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_0765" alt="IMG_0765" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_0765_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="304" border="0" /></a><br/><br/> <br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_0772.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_0772" alt="IMG_0772" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_0772_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="304" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>After eating we rode and around and ended up walking out on the beach, which the wind was blowing at hurricane strength. I kind of wonder if this was normal since people were sitting on the beach like it was totally a normal thing….<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_1015.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_1015" alt="IMG_1015" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_1015_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="404" border="0" /></a><br/>We ended up stopping by a bike shop there and I drove away with my new bike. I love it so much! Adam couldn’t decide what he wanted so we decided to hold off on his until he decided. I actually rode it to work one morning it was was great!<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_0863.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_0863" alt="IMG_0863" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_0863_thumb.jpg" width="304" height="404" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_0862.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_0862" alt="IMG_0862" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_0862_thumb.jpg" width="304" height="404" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>Sparkler Fun!<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_0861.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_0861" alt="IMG_0861" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_0861_thumb.jpg" width="304" height="404" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_0859.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_0859" alt="IMG_0859" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_0859_thumb.jpg" width="304" height="404" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>Summer days mean one thing- pool time! Ava is a little fish and spends time in the pool almost every day! People ask all the time if we enjoy our pool and my answer… Ava sure does, we are at work paying for it <img class="wlEmoticon wlEmoticon-winkingsmile" style="border-style: none;" alt="Winking smile" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/wlEmoticon-winkingsmile.png" /><br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_0850.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_0850" alt="IMG_0850" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_0850_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="304" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>Adam is off on Fridays during the summer, so we tried to make the most of them with different family adventures.<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_0851.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_0851" alt="IMG_0851" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_0851_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="304" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>One morning we woke up and drove to eat breakfast at Maple St. Biscuits, where Adam ordered this plateful of a heart attack waiting to happen! All of our food was fabulous!<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_0856.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_0856" alt="IMG_0856" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_0856_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="304" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>Then we headed to a nearby park and walked around for a little while.<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_0792.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_0792" alt="IMG_0792" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_0792_thumb.jpg" width="304" height="404" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>Nighttime swimming is the best!<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_0773.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_0773" alt="IMG_0773" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_0773_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="304" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>Ava had been dying to go to a Japanese restaurant, so we invited Jason, Jenny and the boys. Ava hadn’t been to one since she could remember and was so excited about watching them cook in front of her.<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_0778.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_0778" alt="IMG_0778" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_0778_thumb.jpg" width="304" height="404" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_0779.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_0779" alt="IMG_0779" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_0779_thumb.jpg" width="304" height="404" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>None of the kids were super crazy about the fire (or rather the heat from the fire) but they loved all the other parts!<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_0780.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_0780" alt="IMG_0780" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_0780_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="304" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>I always enjoy Japanese, but they give you soooo much food, we always have leftovers to take home and usually enough to eat on for days!<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_0783.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_0783" alt="IMG_0783" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_0783_thumb.jpg" width="304" height="404" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>Afterwards we walked around Dicks and these two, well they are just 2 peas in a pod…haha!<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_0871.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_0871" alt="IMG_0871" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_0871_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="304" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>Adam and I had been wanting to eat at TacoLu’s so we decided to go on Aunt Roro’s birthday. We called her and invited her and Mom and Stacey. Ava’s crayon needed some surgery, so Nurse Stacey to the rescue….I’m actually a little concerned she has a pocket knife on her keychain….she’s armed and dangerous! haha!<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_0872.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_0872" alt="IMG_0872" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_0872_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="304" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>Dinner was terrific! I’m actually craving it again after looking at the picture!<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_0873.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_0873" alt="IMG_0873" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_0873_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="304" border="0" /></a><br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_0875.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_0875" alt="IMG_0875" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_0875_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="304" border="0" /></a><br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_0877.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_0877" alt="IMG_0877" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_0877_thumb.jpg" width="304" height="404" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_0878.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_0878" alt="IMG_0878" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_0878_thumb.jpg" width="304" height="404" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>After dinner Ava asked if we could walk on the beach, so we did. At least Jax Beach doesn’t have a ton of shells, sand you can brush off, the shells- they stick! She had so much fun playing in the sand!<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_0879.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_0879" alt="IMG_0879" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_0879_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="304" border="0" /></a><br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_0885.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_0885" alt="IMG_0885" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_0885_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="304" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>On our way home we saw the ‘Hot Now’ sign on at Krispy Kreme so we wheeled in and decided to share the goodness of a HOT Krispy Kreme doughnut with Ava (I know, I know, she has been deprived having never had a hot KK!!)<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_0883.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_0883" alt="IMG_0883" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_0883_thumb.jpg" width="304" height="404" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_0884.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_0884" alt="IMG_0884" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_0884_thumb.jpg" width="304" height="404" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>In addition to her hot, glazed doughnut she picked out a chocolate iced/sprinkle doughnut. She enjoyed it immensely! Adam decided to play with my phone…his punishment, this picture is now my lock screen picture- haha!<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_0894.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_0894" alt="IMG_0894" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_0894_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="404" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>Ever since learning to ride her bike, Ava loves to spend time outside riding. She takes her baby dolls for a spin <img class="wlEmoticon wlEmoticon-smile" style="border-style: none;" alt="Smile" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/wlEmoticon-smile1.png" /><br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_0891.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_0891" alt="IMG_0891" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_0891_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="404" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>One particularly nice evening we spent time outside and watched a <a href="http://northpointonline.tv" target="_blank">Northpoint</a> service while sitting outside.<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_0888.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_0888" alt="IMG_0888" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_0888_thumb.jpg" width="304" height="404" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_0887.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_0887" alt="IMG_0887" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_0887_thumb.jpg" width="304" height="404" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>Neal and Marty called and invited us to come over for dinner one evening. We had so much fun and Ava enjoyed being around all their animals. <a title="New Year’s Eve" href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/2012/02/18/new-years-eve/">Their pig has grown tremendously</a> and is the funniest thing to watch run around the yard. They also have chickens and a snake (yes, you read that correctly- a snake! That has since had eggs….aaaaahhhh!!) I can only look at Marty and laugh! Never in a million years!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-656598186609271540.post-40806521680518403592013-08-15T04:14:00.000-04:002013-10-23T21:01:00.390-04:00Whopper Cake<a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_5272.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5272" alt="IMG_5272" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_5272_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>My Dad loves Whoppers, so when I saw this cake idea I knew instantly it would be a big hit <img class="wlEmoticon wlEmoticon-smile" style="border-style: none;" alt="Smile" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/wlEmoticon-smile.png" /><br/><br/><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Chocolate Cake </span><br/>1 box Devil Food Cake Mix<br/>1 pkg instant chocolate pudding mix (larger box)<br/>1 cup sour cream<br/>1 cup vegetable oil<br/>4 eggs, beaten<br/>1/2 cup milk<br/>1 tsp vanilla<br/>2 cups mini chocolate chips<br/><br/>Preheat oven to 350. In a very large bowl, mix together everything except chocolate chips. Batter will be thick. Stir in the chocolate chips. Pour batter into cake pan of choice (normally 2 round cake pans, so you can frost the middle). For cooking time use the back of the box directions and maybe add about 10 minutes. Use the toothpick method.<br/><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Chocolate Almond Buttercream Frosting</span><br/><br/>1 cup unsalted butter (softened, not melted)<br/><br/>3-1/2 cups powdered sugar<br/><br/>1/2 cup cocoa powder<br/><br/>1/2 tsp salt<br/><br/>1 tsp almond extract<br/><br/>4 tbsp heavy whipping cream<br/><br/>Cream butter for a few minutes in a mixer with the paddle attachment on medium speed. Sift 3 cups of powdered sugar and cocoa into a mixing bowl. Turn your mixer on the lowest speed, add in the sift ingredients until it is absorbed by the butter. Increase mixer speed to medium and add almond extract, salt, and heavy cream; beat for 3 minutes.<br/><br/>To decorate the Whopper Cake, you will need at least two (12 oz) boxes of Whoppers. I started building the Whoppers along the bottom in a row and then added the second row by offsetting them from the first row and worked my way around. Continue to build on each row by offsetting them from the previous row.<br/><br/>**You could essentially use any type of chocolate cake and chocolate icing and just decorate with the Whoppers, but what fun is that?!<br/><br/> <br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_5271.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5271" alt="IMG_5271" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_5271_thumb.jpg" width="271" height="404" border="0" /></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-656598186609271540.post-3370887400222336462013-08-14T03:51:00.000-04:002013-10-23T21:01:00.385-04:00Cupcake Party<a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_5355.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_5355" alt="IMG_5355" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_5355_thumb.jpg" width="271" height="404" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_5356.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_5356" alt="IMG_5356" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_5356_thumb.jpg" width="271" height="404" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>Ava had been asking about having a cupcake decorating party for her birthday, which I had been on the fence about, just because we would end up having 2 separate parties, one for family and one for friends (aka the cupcake party). Tracy decided to set up party/get-together for Bailey and some of her friends at Sweet by Holly's so naturally, Ava was very excited about it.<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_5358.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_5358" alt="IMG_5358" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_5358_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>Each child received 4 mini cupcakes and there was a wide array of icing and toppings they could choose from to decorate with.<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_5359.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_5359" alt="IMG_5359" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_5359_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>After brief instructions on what to do, the kids went to town decorating.<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_5360.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_5360" alt="IMG_5360" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_5360_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>It was so funny watching all of them, they were all very particular about how they decorated their cupcakes.<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_5361.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_5361" alt="IMG_5361" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_5361_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_5363.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_5363" alt="IMG_5363" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_5363_thumb.jpg" width="271" height="404" border="0" /></a><br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_5364.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_5364" alt="IMG_5364" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_5364_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>This is something you could easily replicate on your own, but at $10 a child and they are willing to set-up and clean-up it was totally worth it to do it here!<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_5366.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_5366" alt="IMG_5366" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_5366_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>Ava's completed mini masterpieces :)<br/><br/> <br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_5368.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_5368" alt="IMG_5368" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_5368_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>At the end the hostess asked each decorator to pick out their favorite cupcake. Ava picked the one she called "Halloween" since someone mentioned it looked like a Halloween cupcake.<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_5370.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_5370" alt="IMG_5370" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_5370_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>After each one picked their favorite out they 'judged' the cupcakes and decided they were all decorated so well they were going to let each child pick out their own cupcake from the case. So they all ended up with 5 mini cupcakes plus the fun of decorating them for $10<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_5372.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_5372" alt="IMG_5372" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_5372_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>Our future cake decorators!<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_5374.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_5374" alt="IMG_5374" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_5374_thumb.jpg" width="271" height="404" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>Baylie and Ava<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_5376_1.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_5376_1" alt="IMG_5376_1" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_5376_1_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>After everything was over and cupcakes were boxed up, we picked out a few cupcakes to take come, we knew Adam would be upset with us if we came home empty handed!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-656598186609271540.post-26552391291945475842013-08-13T07:45:00.000-04:002013-10-23T21:01:00.380-04:00Sunday before the 4th<a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_5300_1.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5300_1" alt="IMG_5300_1" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_5300_1_thumb.jpg" width="271" height="404" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>The Sunday before July 4th, Ava proudly sported her patriotic colors.<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_5310_11.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5310_11" alt="IMG_5310_11" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_5310_11_thumb.jpg" width="271" height="404" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_5308_11.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5308_11" alt="IMG_5308_11" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_5308_11_thumb.jpg" width="271" height="404" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>I promise, I pull out the camera and she is such a ham. She poses all kinds of poses, most of which never make it to the blog, and has all sorts of faces!<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_5325.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5325" alt="IMG_5325" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_5325_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>Later that afternoon we headed over to Fernandina Beach. FBC was having a beach baptism service and they had asked Jason to lead worship, so he asked Adam to play guitar (and of course, if you know my husband, if its music its a yes...)<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_5329.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5329" alt="IMG_5329" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_5329_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>The weather teased us all afternoon and was even raining a little when we pulled up on the beach, but thankfully it stayed away and everyone had a good time.<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_5333.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5333" alt="IMG_5333" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_5333_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>The guys did good playing and there was quite a turn-out of people and all of the baptisms went great. Personally, if I had to do it over again, I think I would choose to be baptized at the beach, it such a cooler, more memorable setting.<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_5335.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5335" alt="IMG_5335" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_5335_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>After baptisms and music, everyone spent time playing and eating. Our kids love the beach! They did not want to leave when we said it was time to go!<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_0806.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_0806" alt="IMG_0806" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_0806_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="304" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>We made it a little easier on them when we said we would go to Tasty’s up town (because it was the only place still open on a Sunday night in Fernandina!!) We all had fun and I’m thankful the rain held off and everyone was able to enjoy the time together!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-656598186609271540.post-84861667571216568052013-08-12T01:48:00.000-04:002013-10-23T21:01:00.371-04:00Taco Macaroni and Cheese<a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_5285.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-width: 0px;" title="IMG_5285" alt="IMG_5285" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_5285_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>1 lb Macaroni or Shell pasta<br/><br/>1 lb. ground beef<br/><br/>1 onion, chopped<br/><br/>2 cloves garlic, minced<br/><br/>1 packet of taco seasoning<br/><br/>1 cup salsa<br/><br/>8 oz cream cheese (cut into chunks)<br/><br/>2 cups milk<br/><br/>1/2 cup sour cream<br/><br/>2 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend<br/><br/> <br/><br/>1. Cook pasta, drain.<br/><br/>2. Brown ground beef and sweat the onion together in a large skillet over med-high heat. When the beef is cooked through, drain off excess fat. Add garlic to the meat and cook for 30 seconds. Add taco seasoning and salsa and stir to combine; reduce heat to low.<br/><br/>3. In a medium sauce pan over med-high heat, add cream cheese, milk, and sour cream. Stir to combine. cook until the cream cheese is melted and the mixture is thick and bubbling. Stir in the shredded cheese.<br/><br/>4. Add cheese sauce and ground beef to pasta, stir to combine. Top each serving with salsa and sour cream.<br/><br/> <br/><br/>This was very good, but we would prefer it to be spicier. I made it to take to Adam’s parents and grandparents so I kept the spiciness at a minimum, but if I am making it for us, I would definitely kick it up a few notches!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-656598186609271540.post-50529794502754378162013-08-08T05:15:00.000-04:002013-10-23T21:01:00.375-04:004th of July<a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_0828.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_0828" alt="IMG_0828" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_0828_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="304" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>We woke up the morning of July 4th with not really any set plans so we laid around in bed for a little while, watched some TV and slow to get up and going, which was nice. We discussed options for the day and decided to head over to the Baldwin-Jacksonville bike trail. Ava, since learning to ride her bike, only wanted to ride her bike- anywhere we went she wanted to know if she could ride her bike, which of course, in most cases, the answer was, no. We loaded our bikes up and set out for an adventure.<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_0832.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_0832" alt="IMG_0832" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_0832_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="404" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>We ended up ride about 2.5 miles and then turning around and coming back. The trail is almost 15 miles long (one-way) and we knew that wasn't happening, but we also knew we didn't want to wear her out and hate the trip, so we started with 5 miles total riding distance and she did fantastic- we could definitely have gone a lot farther, but I was glad we played it safe- it kept her excited to go back! All the other bikers on the trail (much more serious than we) loved seeing Ava, I don't think they paid any attention to us- just the little one on the bike! haha!<br/><br/> <br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_0833.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_0833" alt="IMG_0833" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_0833_thumb.jpg" width="304" height="404" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_0834.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_0834" alt="IMG_0834" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_0834_thumb.jpg" width="304" height="404" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>We went and ate lunch in MacClenny and then headed back home. We decided to head over to Fernandina to watch the fireworks and we had been told there was a parade. Unfortunately, it turned out this was the first year they didn't have a parade, but I didn't feel quite so dumb when we bumped into some other friends who came early to see the parade as well (and we overheard several different groups of people talking about it). So we had A LOT of time to kill. We walked up and down Centre St. and debated on getting some ice cream but the line was just way too long.<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_0837.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_0837" alt="IMG_0837" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_0837_thumb.jpg" width="304" height="404" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_0838.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_0838" alt="IMG_0838" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_0838_thumb.jpg" width="304" height="404" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>We ended up grabbing something to eat at Timotis Fry Shack while Ava played on their awesome playground. :) She had so much fun and Adam and I were able to enjoy some adult conversation. Later we ended up walking along the docks.<br/><br/> <br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_0841.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_0841" alt="IMG_0841" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_0841_thumb.jpg" width="304" height="404" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>We saw a lot of people we knew and chit-chatted some and then headed back to the truck to watch the fireworks.<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_0842.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_0842" alt="IMG_0842" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_0842_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="304" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>It was at this point Ava was getting tired and would cry/whine about everything she didn't get her way. She wanted to watch a parade, she wanted ice cream now, she wanted to go home...every little thing was such. a. big. deal. Ahhh the joys of a having a girl! ;)<br/><br/><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_0846.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_0846" alt="IMG_0846" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_0846_thumb.jpg" width="303" height="404" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_0845.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;" title="IMG_0845" alt="IMG_0845" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_0845_thumb.jpg" width="303" height="404" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>We were a little concerned after waiting all this time we wouldn't be able to see them as the rain was getting closer and closer, but we managed to see them and the ones in St. Marys across the water. In the end Ava was glad we stayed, but fell asleep before we made it to the bridge to cross the intracoastal.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-656598186609271540.post-85978724434368209992013-08-07T02:00:00.000-04:002013-10-23T21:01:00.366-04:00Cherry Limeade Cupcakes<p><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_5266_1.jpg"><img title="IMG_5266_1" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="IMG_5266_1" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_5266_1_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" /></a></p> <p><b>Cherry Limeade Cupcakes</b></p> <p><i>Cupcakes</i></p> <p>3 cups flour</p> <p>1/2 tsp. salt</p> <p>1 tsp. baking powder</p> <p>1/2 tsp. baking soda</p> <p>1 cup unsalted butter (room temp)</p> <p>1 cup sugar</p> <p>1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp. limeade concentrate (thawed)</p> <p>3 eggs</p> <p>3/4 cup milk</p> <p><i>Lime Syrup</i></p> <p>3/4 cup limeade concentrate</p> <p>1/2 cup powdered sugar</p> <p><i>Frosting</i></p> <p>3 3/4 cup powdered sugar</p> <p>1/2 cup butter (soft)</p> <p>4 Tbsp. (or more) maraschino cherry juice</p> <p> </p> <p>In a medium bowl combine flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Stir together and set aside. In a separate bowl cream butter until smooth. Add sugar and beat until creamed. Add in the limeade concentrate and mix well. Add eggs one at a time, scraping down the bowl between each addition. Add the flour mixture in thirds, alternating with the milk- beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Mix ingredients just until moist. Divide batter evenly between cupcake liners. Bake for 15-20 minutes at 350. Cool.</p> <p>Whisk together limeade concentrate and powdered sugar to make lime syrup. Poke holes in top of each cupcake with skewer and pour syrup over cupcakes, allowing to soak in.</p> <p>To make frosting combine powdered sugar, butter and cherry juice in a bowl. Mix until smooth. Add more cherry juice if needed. </p> <p>Frost cooled cupcakes and garnish with a lime slice and maraschino cherry.</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_5269.jpg"><img title="IMG_5269" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="IMG_5269" src="http://www.shouldbefoldinglaundry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_5269_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="271" /></a></p> <p>I saw these on pinterest and thought Adam would love these. He’s crazy about cherry limeade (the drink) and I like just about anything with a lemon or lime flavor, but these weren’t our favorite cupcakes, as far as taste goes, but they were too cute not to remember. Of course, they weren’t bad, just not our favorite. </p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0