Poem in your Pocket Day

is tomorrow, April 26, so here's a heads up for those of you who procrastinate. 

(um... ahem,... or those of you, like me, who have never heard of this before)

My Day Off

Edna B. Hawkins

I'd planned to clean the house today

And store all the winter things away,

But a little girl called out merrily

So my task must wait until she's tired of me.

I'd thought I'd polish all the floors

And finish a hundred household chores

But a little boy wanted his story read,

His dinner cookied and his puppies fed.

A brown thrush down in the woods nearby

Called me to look at God's blue sky,

And the sunshine, warm on her joyful way,

Begged me with all of her heart to stay.

With fields full of clover and the apple trees,

The rosy richness of a springtime breeze,

I forgot all the work that I'd planned to do

And just loafed in the meadow till the day was through.

Why the tasks aren't finished I can't explain;

I try to feel sorry but all is in vain.

For the rapture I've known I just wouldn't miss,

For no day will be as happy as this.

April is National Poetry month, and "Poem in your Pocket Day" is a way to share a favorite.  It's pretty simple, just carry one around in your pocket for the day.  Share it, savor it, eat a cookie.

Yes, you can!

 have your cake and eat it too!

benefitting the Imagination Library

a cake competition for professionals, home bakers, and "junior" bakers

you get to buy some of the cakes on the spot and also vote for your favorites

I can hardly stand it!

Hosted by Mrs. Coach Dooley at Neyland

The winner of the competition; but does it taste good?

requisite frou-frou

Angry Birds- Mad's favorite, $30

 Our favorite from the junior division; this baker was only 7 years old!

Chicka-chicka Boom Boom

Ladybug Girl

One fish, two fish, red fish, blue fish

Green Eggs and Ham

The Lorax

Peter Rabbit $75

Tangled $70

My personal favorite; $50, classic and easy to cut

Postcards from Spring Break

I've been hanging all of our laundry out to dry this week. First day of Spring, and then a record breaker yesterday; literally.  85 degrees!  I never thought I would turn on the AC in March, but I'm awfully close....

These are my "After Midnight" cookies- a recipe invented by me when I ran out of flour and substituted in an equal amount of cocoa.  This time I thought almond extract? in place of vanilla and my boat has been floating all week....

Fan mail!  There is no tellling what my oldest will do when you leave her alone.  This time she took a bunch of paper folded in half and stuck it in the door- "Hey mommy, check out the mailbox!" 

A free can of paint from Parker Bros.  I had planned on getting a purple color for the girls bath, but they didn't have a good match, so I opted instead for the most inspiring name.  No ......seriously!  I was so set on the purple color and being disappointed, I couldn't think straight. 

So I sez to myself,

"Self; it'z a free can o' paint.  'Git you somethin' to make ya happy." 

(bad grammar self, bad, bad, bad!!!)

So, I snatched up this color called "French Market".  It's kind of a warm vanilla with green undertones, but when you walk in the room you just say "Oooo La La!"  or "Champs Elysees" and it feels fancy!