Hairbows!

This FABULOUS cheer ribbon is only $14 and that includes the monogram! Use your school name and give it to all of the girls on the squad for Christmas! Darling!

These cute pony tail buttons are $14 and just $15 with a bow. Again, you choose your ribbon and name color!

A small monogrammed bow is only $12. I love these for baby gifts as I love to give a baby girl her first bow!! And what is better than a MONOGRAMMED first bow?!

I just felt sure Hopsy at Monograms & Manicures & KK at Pink, Green, & Southern would LOVE these!

Monogrammed Hair Bows and Ribbons!!!

You need to check out these monogrammed hairbows!! If you are interested, leave me your email address in the comments section, and I will email you a price list. Prices INCLUDE the monogram!! It's a great deal!! You will love them! There are cheerleader ribbons, ponytail ribbons, head bands, etc!

Click here to see the bows!

Click here to see your fabulous ribbon choices!!!

"I'm da Mommy"

H likes to play mommy... this is what she looked like recently. I'm not sure what that says about me???

Car Time

Do you take advantage of time in the car with your little ones? I know that I too often reach for my cell phone instead of engaging our children. I have learned that "car time" is special because the children will open up and tell me about their day. One of our girls is quieter than the other children, so I try to make sure that she has a turn to speak along with her brother and sisters.
As we are driving to school in the mornings, I try to remember to PRAY for our children and the children in our carpool. Don't worry, I don't bow my head or close my eyes. I simply pray a prayer out loud asking the Lord to bless our day and committing the day and my children to Him. This morning, I named all of the children in our car, which was my 5 plus 2 friends, and prayed for them. My most earnest prayer each day is for their protection... from bad people, accidents, disease, and sickness. I know that their days are already numbered, but I want them protected each day. I pray that they will know the Lord as their Savior. I believe our oldest 4 already do, and it brings such joy to my heart. They still need to learn and grow, but they have all committed their lives to the Lord. But that's another story...

So, use your sweet time in the car with your children in a meaningful way. Try to make less phone calls and engage them more! After my quick prayer, we turned up the radio and shook the car laughing and singing to "Who Let the Dogs Out?" Don't you know we were a sight to see!!!

Quick & Incredible Cheese Biscuits

These make you wanna slap yo mama!!!
YUM! I wish I had a picture but my waistline has BEGGED me not to make them for fear I would eat the entire 4 dozen! Get ready, this is a keeper!

Quick & Incredible Cheese Biscuits

2 cups (about 8 ounces) shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 cup butter, melted
1 cup sour cream
2 cups self-rising flour

Preheat your oven to 350*F. Mix together the cheese and melted butter. Cool for 2 minutes. Add sour cream and mix well. Stir in flour. Spoon batter into greased miniature muffin cups. Bake for 18 to 22 minutes. Serve WARM whenever possible! Hold onto to your seats because this is a little taste of HEAVEN!!!

Eggs!

Our family just loves eggs... we will eat them poached, scrambled, over easy, hard boiled, soft boiled or deviled. Eggs are an excellent source of protein and are great for children. I try to send our children to school with a belly full of protein, a carb, and a fruit. I feel it is part of my duty as a stay-at-home mother to provide balanced meals for them. However, it can be difficult to serve a full breakfast at 6:45am! Therefore, I love the Chef's Choice egg cooker! It can poach 3 eggs at a time or hard or soft boil 6 eggs at a time. It is fabulous!! Just this morning, I started bacon in the microwave and poached a batch of 3 eggs. Then I poached a second batch for our last 2 children and hubby. Everyone left full and happy! Sometimes I hard boil the eggs and use an egg slicer to cut them. Our children LOVE this! In fact, they are begging to take the whole hard boiled eggs AND the slicer to school. I just need to make sure it's not a concealed weapon...


If you like deviled eggs, then you must be from the South! Check out this great book. My mama always said, "Every young lady should own at least one deviled egg plate." In fact, I gave deviled egg plates as gifts one year. If you don't have one, you need to search Ebay today! Then you can use this handy carrier and go to your favorite potluck!

Half Moon in Jamaica

I wasn't just whistling Dixie when I recommended the Half Moon Resort in Montego Bay, Jamaica. You can go to the New York Social Diary and read another article if you click here. See, Mama Henley knows what's best! Bon Voyage!

Teacher Surveys

A friend asked me about my Teacher Surveys. Click here for a great list of questions to print and ask your teachers. I now know that our teachers like coke and unsweetened tea, so on a whim, I may arrive at school with those treats for them! Now you can do the same.

Back to school means...

Back to having sick children!! Day 3 of Kindergarten and our Bug caught a BUG!!! THankfully it appears to be a very short-lived stomach virus.... those things just LOVE our family. Why, oh, why? Hopefully everyone will be back in school tomorrow for Day 5! The week is passing quickly despite this change in plans!

Making School Lunches

I have written school lunches in the past and you can click here to read!

If you involve your children in making their own lunches, it teaches them several things. First of all, they learn that it takes work to prepare them for school each day. They will begin to see all that you do for them. Secondly, it allows your child to make smart food choices! If you set guidelines for them, then they will be more excited to eat their Clementine, plum, or carrots. I have been amazed at the wise choices our four have made when I let them pack their lunches! Another lesson it teaches is to plan ahead. By making their lunch the night before the next school day, they do not have to rush around unprepared the next morning! What great lessons can be learned simply by letting your children make their own lunches! I always check the lunches after they finish... and often sneak in a lunchbox note!

More pictures of Half Moon

I thought you'd enjoy some more pics of this FABULOUS resort! The Sugar Mill restaurant was EXCELLENT. It was a neat building... a true former sugar mill. It sits up on a small mountain, so the views are lovely. We loved the reggae singers and I even bought their CD! It was a special night.

Half Moon in Jamaica

Dear reader, let me just tell you a little somethin' somethin'... Half Moon in Jamaica is INCREDIBLE for a getaway!!! It is the perfect spot for both honeymooners and families. It is ENORMOUS so you can have private time or time with your family. The grounds are beautiful, and the perfect place to rent bikes or golf carts to go from place to place. DH & I decided it was our vacation, so we opted for the golf cart and it was SO much fun!!! We'd scoot up the mountain for drinks at the 19th hole, and then scoot back to have lunch by a pool and then go back to the room for a nap. Lovely!

I hesitated to share about one of our new favorites. After all, if lots of people go, then it won't just be "ours". However, it is such a great place that others should go! Jackie Kennedy and JFK vacationed there when they had Caroline, and Jackie hand-wrote her will on Half Moon stationary. It is now framed at the resort. The resort was founded by 12 families in the 1950s and it is wonderful. DH & I really loved the people. The staff is excellent!! They are there to serve and they want you to love their Jamaica. They were successful for we DID fall in love!! Check it out... they are running some great fall specials at this five star resort!! And tell them Henley sent you!

Lunches for the teachers

Our fabulous little school made the best lunches for our teachers on the first day of school... and it was EASY. Everyone signed up via email to bring something. One family in individual servings of fruit, another family sent in little bags of chips, another sent in the dessert, and then several other families each brought in one sandwich each. Then, I filled a cute container with Izze fruit beverages. One talented mother made the CUTEST lunch bags. Once we had settled our little ones into their new classrooms, it took just a few minutes to fill the bags with the goodies for the teachers. I think they were pleased!! Feel free to use this idea for your school. I don't think any one person or family felt over-burdened and the end result made our teachers feel appreciated! At the same time, it was not "over the top" with fancy floral arrangements and a string quartet, which only add to the to-do list!

The First Day of School

Our Bug started Kindergarten today and she was SO excited!! I sobbed telling her goodbye, and was thankful for her strong hug. She was READY!!


Tiny jumped in and made a new friend immediately with one of the new students. It was precious.


Our man helped his friend put his name on everything. Our little man had told us that some of the boys pick on one of the new boys, and we are proud of him for including this new friend.


Our Bella helped her desk partner unpack her belongings and fixed her notebook. She can't wait to learn more!


Our four oldest eager learners ready for the first day of school!! The little hurricane sister refused to be in the picture! I think we'll ALL sleep well tonight! 6am comes mighty early:)!

The tears are comin'!

Tomorrow is the first day of school for our 4 oldest. They are SO excited they can hardly stand it! Each child made his or her own lunch, and I actually had to prod them to not pack too many fruits!! It was precious. The lunches are in the fridge ready for school, their backpacks are packed, and I finished all of the forms I had to complete! I will post pics later tomorrow!! I have been crying because our Bug is going to Kindergarten AND I have three SECOND graders!!! I don't want these years to pass too quickly!

You know how I love a turkey leg...

Just thought every Monday should end with the visual image of someone chowing down on a turkey leg!!! Here's to Tuesday! To read another post on turkey legs just click here!

What Not to Wear

We visited Disney today which is always such a fun activity with the children. Unfortunately, it is REALLY HOT, as in HOT as BLUE BLAZES!! Anyway, it is always fun to people watch in public places. I saw a few "what not to wear" examples.

It is HOT in Florida. Did I mention that? Wearing a floor length denim skirt is just not smart. In fact, it's downright HOT and uncomfortable.

You may have a rock hard abdomen and fantastic figure. You go, girl. Just don't show it to my family. We don't want to see your abs and your top. A skimpy bikini top and teeny tiny shorts is not appropriate at a FAMILY amusement park.

If you are able to breast feed your children, that is wonderful. Just don't forget that not everyone wants to see your privates. When you walk around with your breast hanging out, it is embarrassing. Yes, I have two of them, but I try to keep them private. Undergarments were invented for a reason... to cover private areas.

Pants are important. If you are wearing pants, try to wear them on your waist, not your knees. Enough said.

Now I am not trying to be mean here. I put a lipstick stain on my shirt within 5 minutes of arriving at Disney. I just had on a white t-shirt and khaki shorts. It is HOT for pete's sake. But I did try my best to look decent and I brushed my hair and teeth, applied some makeup and put on DEODORANT. That is a MUST. If you don't wear it, you stink.

Back to School!

You are probably preparing for your little ones to go back to preschool or school if you are a parent. This is an exciting time of year for the children!! Try to shop the sales for the best deals on school supplies. Target has had 24-count crayons for just $.20 a box as opposed to $2.99 a box for the same crayons at Walgreens. It pays to shop around!

Your children's teachers are working extra hard to prepare their classrooms right now. My friend, B, is always so good to her children's teachers!! She gives them fun gifts like a new koozie with a diet coke and a roll of quarters for the drink machine. Try to be creative and come up with a cute gift for your children's teachers for the first day of school. Try to do something for the Director/Headmaster and Music and P.E. teachers too. It will get your year off to a great start! I think we are either going to make some homemade treats this year or organize our children's friends to come over and create cute box lunches for the teachers for the first day!

A little laugh...

As we were eating lunch the other day, K leaned towards me and said, "Mama, do you wash that shirt every night so that it's clean for you to wear again the next day?"

Ahhhhh.... the brutal honesty of a just-turned 6 year old!! Sadly I don't even wear that shirt every day. I mean, really!

Time Away

Any good book on marriage stresses that the relationship of husband and wife should come before the relationship of parent and child. That being said, when you have young children, this can become quite a challenge. Young children are physically demanding, and they are usually found wrapped around their Mama or Daddy. Therefore, it is difficult to put your marriage first in day to day situations.

One of my favorite Bible Study leaders, Laura, used to have "couch time" with her husband. As soon as he walked in the door, their 3 boys knew it was "couch time" and only Mama and Daddy could sit on the couch. The boys were to entertain themselves for 15 minutes while the parents shared about their day. This short amount of time showed the boys that Mama and Daddy were putting their relationship first. What a great visual reminder!

With 5 little ones at home, "couch time" does not work for us. Perhaps I'm also not that organized to have dinner ready so that I have 15 minutes to spend on the sofa! DH & I spend time together every evening after the children are in bed and we try to remind the children to "let us talk" when we are trying to talk to one another.

My favorite thing to do with DH is to get away for a night or two or three. I struggle being away for more than 3 nights, but I LOVE a quick getaway where I can focus on D and our marriage. It's nice not to wipe anyone's bottom, cut anyone's food, or be interrupted 22 times. As I type right now, I am being interrupted by 3 of our 5 children and a fourth is probably on her way!!! Time away for husband and wife is SO IMPORTANT. You need this time to focus on one another, talk about your relationship with the Lord and each other, and to just relax. If you have never had time away with your spouse, make it happen. If you don't have family who are physically able to watch your children, then ask a friend. If you are being prideful and just won't ask your mother-in-law, then lose your pride and ask her. Your in-laws would probably be delighted to help! If you think your friends won't help, then ask each friend to take one child or simply hire a sitter. There are plenty of capable young women who would love to earn extra money by babysitting. If you don't know any sitters, ask around at your child's school, preschool, or your church!! If DH & I can leave our 5 with a sitter, so can you!! This is such an important part of your marriage!

DH & I celebrated his birthday in July at Half Moon in Jamaica. To say it was fabulous is an understatement!!! I hesitated to share the name of the place because I don't want them to overbook so that I can't come back!! The people of Jamaica were fantastic and we adored this resort! I'll share more about Half Moon soon! Go ahead & book your little getaway with your spouse!! You can always go to a local hotel for just one night if nothing else!

Tuesday's Tip

When making brownies, my friend, N, recommends using a plastic or acrylic knife to cut the brownies. The chocolately goodness will not stick to your knife & you'll have pretty brownies!

Ad on my page

I am not endorsing the "Freedom Magazine" ad that is showing up on my page. I believe it is for Scientology, and I believe in a Sovereign God! Thanks!

A little adventure!

Yesterday we met DH in Orlando where he had been in an all-day meeting. After exchanging a shirt at the wonderful Millenia Mall, we ate dinner and decided to drive by Downtown Disney. DH has always always ALWAYS wanted to go to Chip & Dale's Campfire at the Fort Wilderness Resort in Disney. I showed the attendant the receipt for our passes, and she let us in the gates! As we drove towards Fort Wilderness, we discussed the fact that we just might be able to see the campfire and movie and that if we could, we would surprise the children. It is exciting just to be inside those big gates. Something about Disney makes your heart smile and creates very happy children. "I see Goofy!" "It's Mickey Mouse!"

We drove to some gates and were told to head on down the road to park and take a bus to the campsite. We couldn't believe it. This was TOTALLY unplanned, and we were being given a gift of a fun Disney memory without the expense of a Disney hotel! We parked, grabbed the two water bottles I had, and raced to the bus. With no idea of how to get where we were going, we took in the sights around us, and waited with anticipation. The cabins at Fort Wilderness really are neat!

The bus dropped us off and we arrived at the campfire. It was full of people. Can you believe that there was one long open bench? It looked like it was saved just for us!! :) We were all thrilled. Thankfully they accepted debit cards so we were able to buy the s'mores kit and the children roasted marshmallows over the fire pit. It was a great evening out under the stars! We watched some of the movie, and then loaded up our tired crew and drove home, thankful that we live just an hour and 15 minutes from Disney and that the Lord still continues to give us little surprises like this one!

The Beauty Shop Restaurant

One of my favorite dining experiences of all time was in Memphis, Tennessee. After all, what is there NOT to like about Memphis, its deep history, Beale Street, its ribs, and its people. If it's good enough for Elvis, it's good enough for me:). Anywho, four years ago DH & I took turns taking each triplet on a trip all by themselves. Miss CP and I flew to Memphis to visit dear friends, G & J, and B & C. What a wonderful weekend! Highlights were seeing J's son play basketball, The Women's Exchange, driving through neighborhoods, meeting the Peabody Hotel ducks, and EATING.

Saturday night of that long ago weekend, B, J, and I snuck out for a ladies-only dinner. We went to The Beauty Shop Restaurant. I had one of the BEST salads I've ever had. It was all delicious! I really loved the atmosphere. You literally eat with 1960s beauty shop gear all around you.... the large hairdryer seats, signs, et cetera. The tables are set with a mixture of china and silver and glasses so that no 2 place settings are exactly alike. SO UTTERLY CHARMING and CREATIVE.

If you're going to Memphis, you must stop in and try the Beauty Shop. You won't regret it!

Incredible woman and her car, Chariot!

A friend shared this with me over the weekend! You don't want to miss Rachel and her car, Chariot! They've been together over 40 years and now 557,000 miles!! You go, girl! I admire her tenacity!

http://growingbolder.com/media/technology/vehicles/romancing-the-road-259598.html






THIS is a woman after my own heart!!

Yelverton Contracting

If you live in the Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill area, then you need to know about this fabulous builder!! In my opinion, he is the BEST. Aldon is a fabulous builder because he is patient, on time, fastidious, has great attention to detail, has a vast knowledge of building, has a keen eye, and has a wonderful personality. He makes every job a top priority. All of his clients rave about his fantastic work and ability to finish the job. You can visit his website HERE or just type www.yelvertoncontracting.com You will not be disappointed!

Tuesday's Tip

Costco is the place for great deals and wonderful products for entertaining! We love Wholly Guacamole. It is truly delicious and each pack holds around 6 whole avocados! You can find this guacamole at Costco. It is sold in packs of 3 for around $8.50. This guacamole sells for at least $5 PER PACKAGE at the grocery store, so this is a great deal. My friend, C, introduced me to this great guac a few years ago. You can even freeze it for a later date!

Open the guacamole and add sea salt and salsa and it is really fantastic! Avocados turn quickly, so you need to be sure you are going to consume the pack before you open it or be prepared to spoon out the brown part if you save some for the next day. You will love this stuff!

Now if I can just get C to share her secret Sangria recipe....

Happy Birthday, J!!

My sweet friend, J, has a birthday today. J is an amazing friend. She is so thoughtful and remembers ALL (there are 7 of us!) of our birthdays and special occasions. She sends the most fun packages with the perfect gift every time. She knows exactly what each of us will enjoy!

J is a fabulous cook and she makes it look so simple. Whenever we visit, she makes my favorite breakfast sandwich. It is a croissant with a fried egg, crispy bacon, and Vermont white cheddar cheese. It is fantastic!! She & DH share a love for coffee and often go to Expresso Love or the Black Dog when we visit.

J is a fabulous mother. Her girls are both so smart and use good manners. J has read every book under the sun to them!! She has exposed them to so many wonderful activities from needlepoint to karate to horseback riding and farm camp. I just love it.

J is a wonderful wife. She & D have a great relationship and really understand one another.

J writes letters. That is a lost art!! I just love mail.

J is a true friend. She is always giving of herself to others and fully supports the charities and causes in which she believes. She is smart, industrious, well-read, a fabulous entertainer, a great decorator, and a special friend. I am so complemented that she reads my blog. Happy Birthday, J!!! May it be your happiest one yet.

2009 North Carolina State Fair!

2009 N.C. State Fair advance ticket sales begin online Aug. 3
New Early Bird Special offers extra incentives through Sept. 30

RALEIGH — Ticket buyers will have more options to save when advance tickets for the 2009 N.C. State Fair go on sale online Monday, Aug. 3, at 10 a.m. This year, a new Early Bird Special has been added to discounts on the advance admission and ride tickets when fairgoers purchase at www.ncstatefair.org.

Buying advance tickets will save $2 per adult admission ticket and $8 per ride sheet. Advance admission tickets will cost $5 for adults and $1 for children ages 6-12. Adult admission tickets for groups of 40 or more will cost $4.75. An 18-ticket ride sheet will cost $10 in advance.

With the Early Bird Special, ticket buyers can earn up to three free adult admission tickets based on the total purchase amount before convenience fees. “Spending between $40 and $100 earns one free ticket,” said State Fair Manager Wesley Wyatt. “If you spend between $100.01 and $200, you receive two free tickets. Purchases over $200 will get you three free tickets.”

The free tickets will automatically be added to your order when your total equals $40 or more. Read More>>

Concert lineup announced: Tickets go on sale Aug. 3rd


Jason Michael Carroll Thursday, Oct. 15 $5
Third Day Friday, Oct. 16 $15
Kellie Pickler Saturday, Oct. 17 $10
Nat & Alex Wolff Sunday, Oct. 18 $10
Jamey Johnson Monday, Oct. 19 $5
The Temptations w/ Dennis Edwards Tuesday, Oct. 20 $10
Julianne Hough Wednesday, Oct. 21 $5
TBA Thursday, Oct. 22 $5
Jeremy Camp with
Tenth Avenue North Friday, Oct. 23 $10
Blake Shelton Saturday, Oct. 24 $10
Eric Church Sunday, Oct. 25 $5


Race for blue ribbons begins

RALEIGH — Thousands of North Carolinians compete every year for the chance to win one a prized blue ribbon at the N.C. State Fair. This year’s race for the ribbons begins now with the release of the 2009 Premium Book, the source for all information related to competitions at the N.C. State Fair, Oct. 15-25. The Premium Book includes rules and regulations, entry deadlines, premiums and judging criteria.

Competitors can register online beginning Aug. 3 for the following categories: Agronomy Exhibit, Forage Crops, Flower and Garden Show, Horticulture, Arts and Photography, Bees and Honey, Poultry, Domestic Rabbits, 4-H Hay Bale Contest, Culinary, Clothing, Home Furnishings, TXT-O-LYMPIX and Handicrafts and Hobbies.Read More>>

Isn't God good??

Our sweet son gave DH Tampa Bay Rays tickets for his birthday. We decided to give DH the choice of which game he wanted to attend, rather than trying to guess his work schedule. Since we have a joint account, it's really his money anyway, so he didn't mind having to buy the tickets at the game. We have had some extra expenses lately involving eating out, so I had this feeling that maybe they shouldn't go today since we've had unexpected expenses this week. DH said that they both were really looking forward to it, and he wanted to go. Today's game was a Family Fun day, so the tickets are the cheapest you will find all season at $25 each and it includes a free drink and hot dog. Nevertheless, $50 is $50. It seemed like too much after the week we've had, but it WAS DH's bday gift, so they happily left for the game with the intent of buying tickets at the box office.

DH just called and said, "Isn't God good?"

I replied, "Yes, are you all having fun?"

DH "You won't believe this! I asked a woman where to go to buy tickets, and she said, 'Here you go. I have extra tickets from work. Use these.'" She then handed DH 2 tickets, which are GREAT seats and include the drinks and food. They were ecstatic! The Lord honored DH's intentions to make a special memory with his son, despite the fact that we were all "spent out" for this week. Thank you, Lord, for your provision in ALL things, especially when we least expect it. I wish I had sent a camera with them!

Tookie's Toys

Spend $35, Get a $10 Gift Card
August 1st - August 15th


We're paying you to shop with us! Just spend $35 or more on regularly priced merchandise at one time and we will give you a $10 Tookie's Toys Gift Card to spend on your next purchase.

The promotion runs from August 1st until August 15th. Discounted purchases, including Birthday Club, sale items or coupons do not qualify.