The Beginning of the End

Last night was the Lynden Christian FFA banquet.  I took this series of pictures of the officers meeting with their advisor, Mr. Van, before the dinner.  There are lines involved and a proper protocol with an FFA meeting.  The moms of the officers make the dinner.  There is a proper protocol for the meal too.  All the cooking instructions are typed out and it is the same menu every year.  It went like clock work.

 Since I was there making dinner I snapped some pics of the BiG officers' pow wow prior to the banquet.  These pics crack me up, I'm not exactly sure why, maybe because I can see their personalities in the pics.

Austin is giving one of the yearly reports.  It's interesting to hear all of the reports on all of the different activities that the kids are involved in during the year.

Mr. Van talks about all of the seniors and their contributions to the FFA program.  I always love that part of the evening.  He finds the best in every student.  The seniors' grandparents are invited too.  My folks came and Uncle Darryl and Aunt Judy came too.  Max asked them to come as they played a big part in him being able to show dairy animals.

Max was awarded the 2012 Forage Production Proficiency Award in Placement.

I am thankful for these students that feel called to farm.  They love the land and the animals.  Farming isn't easy today, and yet there are all these students excited to get out there and be involved in Agriculture.  

Good thing, cuz we all gotta eat.

It was a bittersweet evening as it was the end of Max's FFA career  in high school.

The FFA banquet is the first of the all the lasts in school.  It is a slippery and fast slope to graduation in June.

Happy Trails Farmers!

Projects Gone Bad and Projects Gone Good

 I found the Easter decorations this weekend.  I thought I had lost them forever but they were in the attic all along, just in a different storage container than I remembered.  I cleaned this weekend, Hubby did yard work and we worked on projects.

Even though Max has been in school for almost 12 years, it just hit us this weekend that we have a graduation party coming up!  So, obviously we should finish all of the projects and get our game on for June.  

Panic attack!

 I painted. Over and over and over again, I painted.  You don't even want to know.  Someday this project gone bad will be just a faint, bad memory and the finished project will be fantastic however; in the meantime I am just about ready to haul it off to the dump.  Seriously.

Hubby spray painted the legs of the chair project and they came out perfect.  Today the chairs leave to where they will lose their dusty rose fabric behind.  Forever.

We are expecting a crazy busy week here at the Stone House.  As Max left for school he mentioned he would like to just hide here and avoid it all.  I agree, let's hide under the covers until it's over.  

It's all good, just a little much for one week.  

And in addition to a crazy week, we need to get these projects under control.  June is coming!

I'll keep you posted, as time permits...

My Guys

Where are the guys lately?  Well, they are not at Mt. Baker, the photo you see was taken in December.  I'll give an update but no current picture and certainly not of them together.

Danny

Danny celebrated his 25th birthday yesterday.  He celebrated with his girl, Jess in Grand Rapids, Michigan.  

Danny is busy with school and work at Bistro Bella Vita.  He will finish school in December.

It's hot in Michigan so Dan got out his AC unit yesterday and bought a Weber BBQ.  Sounds amazing to me.

We had a nice visit on the phone last night but I really want to see him in real life.

Sam

That Sam I Am is all over the world.  I am so thankful that we can text via groupme.  

Sam started his week in Oman, where he has been with the army.

Tuesday I got a text, "in quatar, chillin in civillian clothes and havin a few beers."

This morning at 2:12 a.m. I got another text, "im in italy, on my way home."

It will be nice to hear his voice again, I'm hoping for a call tonight, but I'll totally understand if he sleeps first.

Max

Max is winding down on his high school career and all of the year end activities.  He gave notice at his high school part time job at Westside Pizza this week.  I went to a meeting yesterday for the FFA banquet that the officers and their parents have planned for next week. 

The sun shone yesterday and Max went riding.  Dirt bike, that is.

He is working on his Senior Speech/Presentation.

Max brought his car in for some work yesterday, he is getting it ready for the Eastern Washington commute.  His goal is to have it last two more years while he studies at Walla Walla Community College.

I am so thankful for each of my guys.  They are out there shakin' the world, everyday.  God bless 'em.

Diet Cupcakes

 Of course, I found this recipe on Pinterest.  Is there any other source for fantastic ideas?

Diet Cupcakes

1 white cake mix

1 can of diet 7up

2 egg whites- optional*

Mix the ingredients together just like any other cake mix.  The diet pop helps the batter to raise without the fat of oil and egg yolks.  It looks just like regular cake batter.

 Fill 24 cupcakes 2/3 full of batter.

 Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes and then check every two minutes.  The original recipe called for 30 minutes and that would have been too long.

 Cool completely.  Top with 2 T. lite cool whip for a snack under 100 calories.

It needs a fresh strawberry on top but I didn't have any in the house.

Next time.

 I can't wait to try diet coke with a chocolate cake mix, or diet cherry 7up with a cherry chip mix or diet orange soda with a white mix or....

OH MY!

Trash to Treasures

Hubby and I went to an estate sale early Friday morning.  It was at a great old house in Blaine and the family was so nice and very organized.  In fact, everything was so nice that we decided they had thrown away the trash.  Probably the trash that was treasures.

We did find a pretty lamp for $5 and some free vintage Christmas lights so we did alright.

As we paid for our treasures, the gentleman told me that they had thrown the lamp in the garbage and then decided to try and sell it. So they pulled it out of the dumpster.

I'm thinking that dumpster was full of treasures.

So it goes.

Best Wishes

I would like to give my Best Wishes to one of my readers and his fiance.  Congratulations Adam on your engagement!  And Best Wishes to your sweet, pretty fiance. 

Besides the vows and the serious stuff... Adam, the only important part of the wedding is the cake!

That is all anyone really remembers.  Really!

So happy for you!