More June Birthday Fun

Two days after my hubby's birthday comes my son's birthday. He asked for a combination of recipes this year. My mom made a Blueberry Fluff a week or so ago, but used blackberries instead. Paul Allen liked it and wanted me to combine the blackberries and the fluff part with a pretzel crust that I make at Thanksgiving with a Jello filling.

So, here is his birthday dessert.

Turned out well.

Grandma getting a hug.

Birthdays are done for June, now it is all about cleaning and accomplishing some long delayed tasks.

The beginning of summer...

Well, getting out of school was just like always....busy, busy busy!

Two birthdays right out of the starting gate, but I promised myself a morning on the beach for my first official morning of retirement.

My view for a couple of hours.

Then, it was home to bake a cake.
Hubby had his usual...the yellow cake with the chocolate frosting.

The cake is made with a box, but the frosting is a family recipe from my mom and mom-in-law. Both had the same recipe for the most incredible frosting ever. It hardens like a candy almost. Melt in your mouth goodness.

I made many small layers, to get the best use of the frosting. And let me just say, the cake mix shown above is the ONLY cake mix to be used with this frosting. No other cake mix will do. Trust me on this one.

June 10

And we are off... 

next up, my son's birthday.

Off to a Busy Start

Well, busy I have been, but with lots of interruptions. My plans were to redo my sewing room/office, but my hubby surprised me with a gift of new cabinets in there. Someone is coming out next week to measure and plan it, so that is on hold. I kind of went on a lark and started painting my kitchen Saturday evening. It didn't need it at all, just a whim! It has been a golden yellow for years, and I loved the color, however, I have seen all of these gray kitchens on blogs, magazines, Pinterest, etc., so I thought not...why not?

Photo Credit
http://unskinnyboppy.com/2011/07/from-yellow-to-blue-kitchen/

The picture above was my inspiration picture. I don't have white cabinets, but she went from yellow to a blue/green/grayish. I like very much!!!

I have only a portion done, because I am physically exhausted from the last year and keep getting interrupted to take care of other things. I really don't know what I was thinking starting this before I had some kind of order in the house. It is birthday week at our house too. My hubby and son have a birthday this week, so in the middle of painting a kitchen, I have to bake a cake today too:)

Anyway, I am loving the color. As I said, I really liked my yellow, but I just thought the gray might be a change of pace. It is amazing how well it looks with my oak cabinets and white countertop. Before, I think you noticed the color on the walls, now, I think you will notice how pretty the oak cabinets are.

I will share B&A pictures if I ever finish.

Sunday was a great day at church. Chris Cauley of the Voice led worship. It was fantastic. I was presented a retirement bucket with a JoAnn's gift card during our Waumba Land meeting (our preschool environment). That was so sweet of them.

Yesterday,  two of my colleagues in this grant took me to lunch and gave me such sweet gifts. I love the necklace.

All in all, I am off to a busy start to the summer...oh no, wait my retired life.

I made it!

I spent my last full day at work yesterday. I am not sure I feel totally free yet, because I have a little more to do from home to close out the grant that I was working with, but I am feeling a bit less stressed and hopeful.

I am ready to put this year behind me and get started on doing something different. I still speak in years as being school years (August to June). I have never thought of years as January to December. I wonder if that will change?

Anyway, the hubby did come through with the pink roses that I requested. They are very pretty. AND... my first task was going to be to organize the sewing room/office. I showed my inspiration in this post. Well, it seems if the wonderful daughter put a bug in hubby's ear and he has a cabinet maker coming out soon to actually do it big time. I can't wait. I will take before and after pictures to share.

Off to start cleaning my house, because I don't think I will be able to fully relax until I get the house back in order.

Here's to summer...