OOOEY GOOEY CHOCOLATE CAKE

One of my patients gave me this great recipe for "OOOEY GOOEY CHOCOLATE CAKE". It is AMAZING. I have a big sweet tooth and I'm always up for a new treat! I decided tonight that Bella should try it! See for yourself what she thought... It was too funny!! Hope you enjoy..

OOOEY GOOEY CHOCOLATE CAKE RECIPE

1 Betty Crocker Trip Choc. Fudge Cake Mix

1 Can coconut milk

Chocolate Syrup

1 8 oz cont. of cool whip

1 small box of instant white choc. pudding mix

coconut

pecans

Semi sweet Choc. chips

Mix cake mix as directed using the coconut milk and water as combo. Add choc. chips, coconut and pecans as you wish. Bake 350 for 30-35 min in 9x13 baking pan. Immediately poke holes in top of cake and cover with choc. syrup as soon as it is out of the oven. Let cool.

TOPPING

mix 1 C coconut milk, 1/2 C milk, pudding mix... add coconut, pecans and cool whip

Spread over top and refrigerate

If you are not one that likes coconut, have no fear! It taste like PURE CHOCOLATE HEAVEN!!! Its great! Hope you will try it!

Ridgeland Kids Day

Yesterday was Ridgeland's Kids Day. I have been looking forwards to it for a few weeks now! I knew there was going to be a lot going on and it is always fun to get Bella out! However, the rain kept us away in the morning until around 11:30. Once the rain cleared I was in a RUSH to get Bella out there for some fun before the rain came back. Even though we didn't get to stay very long and I totally was neglectful to half my friends I had made plans with (Brooks and Mandy I really am sorry). We ended up having a pretty fun time; short but fun. We got see the Holloways and The Brewers (Jessica and Landon, yes they are Kyle's sister-in-law and nephew)

Although Crew is only in one of my pictures, I promise he was there and cute as a button! Running around everywhere! I could eat him he is so cute! Carrington and Bella were busy little bees themselves. As you can see in the pictures they favor each other so much! I always love when we get them together. They are too funny..

Jenny, Jessica, Ryan and I were a sight at lunch time! On our feet, sweating and feeding ALL kids at once. if one got a bite, ALL got a bite! Cotton candy was a big hit with all the kids EXCEPT Bella!! Didn't seem to be her forte. However, Landon was so sweet. He kept trying to feed her the PINK kind and taking the blue for himself.

Landon and Jessica rode on the ponies while Bella and I watched. Bella didn't seem to care for the pony's at all! She'd rather be running around or watching one of the circus shows. Like I said, it was a short day, but I just enjoyed getting to spend it with her!

Cheap Mom, Happy Bella

Bella has really started to enjoy playing in the sand. Every time we go to the park we end up on the slide or in the sand! So, I decided to take a trip to Toys R Us last week to buy her a sand box. Low and behold like everything else, It was a lot more than I wanted to pay!

Instead frustrated Mom decides to make one! Cadie and I figured that since I don't have cats around my apartment to mistaken it for a litter box and my patio is covered, we should do it the EL CHEAP O WAY!

$7.99 swimming pool

$5.99 50lb of sand

$5.99 bag of toys

I felt like I had SAVED THE WORLD. Well, at least Bella thinks so today! Mission accomplished. :)

My Day Off!

Tuesday I took the day off to spend with Bella. We were in need of some quality time between just us! Between work and everyday obligations, our time has been hurried. Honestly, I just needed a day to be with her! From swimming lessons to just playing around the house, Bella and I had such a fun day. I pretty much said from breakfast on that it was FUN day.. LIMITED RULES AND LOTS OF FUN!! :) I even let her eat Cheetos!! I'm not a big chip fan so we don't normally have them here. However, we ate at Newk's for lunch and I decided to let her have them as an afternoon snack! MAN DID SHE LOVE THEM!

I also pulled out a few of her Easter toys such as the side walk chalk and the gardening tools! We had ball, even without the backyard or GRASS! haha. I hope a house or condo with lots of grass and trees will be in our future! :) We both love being outdoors.

Oh and please notice the "blanket" a.k.a " PINK" in the pictures. We have officially become Linus from Charlie Brown. Pink goes with us EVERYWHERE, including outside to play! Cute at the time but I'm sure when its time to let PINK go, that will be a whole other story! Anyways, the day was good one. Stress free and full of Fun! I'm starting to wonder if I should be a stay-at-home-mom.. does anyone want to take over my bills?? :)

LUVVV YOU!!!

Soo.. every Mother waits to hear the sweet words "I love You." You never can imagine truly how you will feel until you hear them! Well, my day came this past Monday. Kyle and I were sitting around playing with Bella when she decided to sweetly pat me on the back and say " LUV YOU" followed by a MUAHHH, kiss! I teared up and my heart filled with such joy! Oh to know that your child loves you! :) What a great early Mother's day gift!!

Underwater Fishie!!

Since I took the day off Tuesday to spend with Bella, I also was able to go with her to swim lessons. I was very surprised to see what all she had learned in 5 weeks! She can hold her breath underwater, swim under water from one person to the next, kick on top of the water, and fish for objects independently by putting her face under to find them! She has come a long way and achieved all her goals! I couldn't believe it since just a few weeks ago she wasn't even kicking!

Her teacher told me that she is one of the children who has a natural instinct to "kick" when she is put under and as soon as she began putting her under, SHE KICKED! Therefore, that led to swimming a few feet all by herself! I was so proud and she really seems to love it! I think we are going to try and stay in through the summer. I'm still not 100% ready to do it on my own! :) Needless to say it was a lot of fun going with her and thanks to Cadie for tagging along to take the pictures! I know my Dad is smiling down on her! He was such an amazing swimmer and taught all of us Shields' kids to swim at a very early age! I'm sure he is watching over her with that big smile and saying "way to go Sissy Ann and Bella Boo!" :)

Weekend With Madrina!

This weekend my best friend and Bella's Godmother, Stephanie came into town! Steph has been a part of my family for 5 years! My Dad always had a special place in his heart for Steph. She has a great way of lighting up a room! I'm so glad she is an important part of both Bella and my life.

Steph was in Lindsey Swendenburg's (Pond) wedding which worked out great for us being that Lindsey is from Columbus! We all met and stayed at Mom's for the weekend, We really had a great time! From Lindsey's wedding to just hanging out around the house; Steph, Beka, Bella and I were always up to something! Bella warmed up to Steph very fast and the end of the weekend, Bella hardly left her side! I loved it.

I hope Bella will grow to be as beautiful as her Godmother! We love you Steph and wish you were closer!! We miss you tons! Thanks for a fast but wonderful time! We can't wait to see you again.

When Mommy's away... Bella Will Play!

Last Monday around midnight I woke up feeling the worst I have ever felt! I couldn't keep anything including water down. Thank goodness that Cadie (Ce-Ce) had spent the night or I would have been out on a limb ALONE! Cadie's electricity was still out so she was spending a few nights with Bella and I. Turns out.. I had food poisoning! I was very sick and generally weak.

After the first day with no rest and constant nausea/vomiting I didn't know what I was going to do. Since I couldn't do too much for myself, much less sweet Bella, I did what every other child does... CALL MOM!! Beka volunteered to bring Bella to Columbus just in case I was contagious. So, Bella spent the rest of the week at Mom's with Beka. SOOO PITIFUL! YEAH RIGHT! Between Beka, Mom, Paul, Grandma and the 3 extra woman who help around our house.. BELLA WAS IN HEAVEN! Lots of playing outside,eating cookies and pretty much having it her way. Guess that's what Aunts and Grandmothers are for!? If there is one person Bella loves.. Its Beka. They have a very special bond and I see them being best friends as she gets older. Bella already emulates Beka in everything! Including singing! haha.. They really just have a great time together and I love knowing that she is not only safe, but happy when I can't be there! I'm so blessed to have you both, Mom and Beka . Thanks AGAIN! I love you!

Well, I got to go back to work Thursday and work some Friday too. It was a lot to take on being that I was so weak, but someones gotta make the money! :) I came Friday after work and to my surprise there was Bella in the drive way waiting on me! I cried, Mom cried. we were all emotional! I missed her so much and she was ecstatic to see her Mom! Her smile and hugs were the best medicine!!

Long Time No Blog!

I'm assuming that most everyone knows about the terrible tornadoes that came through Jackson leaving their mark! Bella and I were out of Power for a little over 24 hours. I know that's not really an excuse not to blog but hey.. we've been busy! :)

Lately she has been running in full effect and VERY curious about "mommy's" things! As you can see from the picture above, she now loves to help me try and unlock the door! She will knock and follow it with "HELLO." Too cute!

We have also been experimenting for the past few months with various crayons, paints, stamps and markers. I finally pulled out my OT bag and just let her DIG IN! She shows a huge interest in crayons the most. Sometimes its 30 mins after bath time and we are still sitting in the luke warm/cold water so she can finish her "masterpiece!" I am having a great time with her. Moms if you don't have the crayola easy grip TaDoodles crayons, paints, markers and stamps. GET THEM!! They are awesome and are great for developmental writing. Just an OT tid-bit. Hope you enjoy the pics.