A Day Together

We didn't go to the Art Museum or to the Art Gallery she wanted to visit in Ocean City or even the antique shops in Mullica Hill, all ideas we considered as Abbey planned our day together for her birthday.   But we still enjoyed ourselves on this rainy day.  I just kind of bebopped about town with my indecisive 19 year old.

recipe below

We began with an early morning doctor check-up (with her grumbling about having to get up so early, especially on her b-day).  We made a few stops and then enjoyed a rendezvous with John for lunch at TGIF's.  She could not resist a visit to Barnes and Noble where she, of course, picked up a couple of books and then to the school to get Jared.  They headed to the mall together (thankfully I didn't have to endure a trip to the mall) and I prepared her requested birthday dinner of grilled chicken with linguine Alfredo and ice-cream cake made with mint chocolate chip ice-cream.

Covering Jared's mouth as he attempts to blow out her candles

Baby Bear and Papa Bear (two peas in a pod)

Baby Bear and Momma Bear sporting shades even on a rainy day... how 'bout those aviator goggles?!?

 For the sake of convenience, I thought I would buy the ice-cream cake, but I could not bring myself to pay $12.99 (on sale from $14.99) for the tiny little cake sitting on the freezer shelf of my grocery store.  Instead, I grabbed a container of Mint Chocolate Chip ice-cream, a package of Oreo cookies and a container of Frozen Topping and for about $5.00 made my own cake. (I halved the recipe below and it generously served eight)
I posted this recipe before but here is it again:

Ice~Cream Cake

1 package Oreo Cookies

1/2 cup butter, melted

1 (1/2 gal.) container vanilla ice cream, softened

1 (1/2 gal.) container ice cream flavor of your choice, softened

container Cool Whip (optional)

Anytime up to two weeks before serving, make crumbs from cookies in blended or with rolling pin. Combine crumbs and melted butter, reserving 2/3 cup of crumbs. Firmly press remaining crumbs over bottom and up sides of a 10-inch springform pan. Freeze until firm (15 minutes).

Remove from freezer and spread vanilla ice cream in an even layer. Sprinkle with reserved crumbs. Return to freezer until ice cream is firm

Spread second container of ice~cream. Cover top with foil and freeze. Early on serving day put serving plate in freezer to chill. Ten minutes before serving, invert pan onto plate, release catch, and remove sides and bottom.

Optional:  I frosted the top and piped the edges with thawed Cool Whip and decorated with a few sprinkles. I personalized by melting a 1/4 cup melting candy and 1/2 Tablespoon of Crisco in the microwave for about 60 seconds at half power.  I filled a snack size bag, snipped a tiny hole in the corner and piped on lettering.

Abbey's birthday dinner request

~*~

Joining Suzy's 3rd Annual Ice Cream Social at Kitchen Bouquet!

Happy Birthday!

Happy 19th Birthday to my precious, Abbey!

Looking forward to spending the whole day together just celebrating

YOU!

Abbey's 1st Birthday ~ Born September 28, 1991

Here is a page from Abbey's baby book highlighting her 1st birthday.

It includes a prayer from a little pamphlet titled Dad, We Really Need You that Dr. James Dobson and his wife, Shirley prayed for their children and one that I have been compelled to pray for my own children through the years. I think it was published in 1980.  Notice, I have inserted Abbey's name in this prayer.

You can double click on the photo above to read or read below.

Excerpt of Dr. Dobson's pamphlet:

...The second concept in my dad's letter was the one that ended my parental complacency. He helped me realize that it is possible for mothers and fathers to love and revere God while systematically losing their children. You can go to church three times a week, serve on its governing board, attend the annual picnic, pay your tithes and make all the approved religious noises, yet somehow fail to communicate the real meaning of Christianity to the next generation.
This mission of introducing one's children to the Christian faith can be likened to a three-man relay race. First, your father runs his lap around the track, carrying the baton, which represents the gospel of Jesus Christ. At the appropriate moment, he hands the baton to you, and you begin your journey around the track. Then finally, the time will come when you must get the baton safely in the hands of your child. But as any track coach will testify, relay races are won or lost in the transfer of the baton. There is a critical moment when all can be lost by a fumble or miscalculation. The baton is rarely dropped on the back side of the tract when the runner has it firmly in his grasp. If failure is to occur, it will likely happen in the exchange between generations!
According to the Christian values which govern my life, my most important reason for living is to get the baton--the gospel--safely in the hands of my children. Of course, I want to place it in as many other hands as possible, and I'm deeply devoted to the ministry to families that God has given me. Nevertheless, my number one responsibility is to evangelize my own children. In the words of my dad, everything else appears "pale and washed out" when compared with that fervent desire. Unless my son and daughter grasp the faith and take it with them around the track, it matters little how fast they run.
The urgency of this mission has taken Shirley and me to our knees since before the birth of our first child. That is why we find ourselves in prayer, week after week, uttering this familiar petition: 

Lord, here we are again. You know what we need even before we ask, but let us say it one more time. When You consider the many requests we have made of You through the years... regarding our health and my ministry and the welfare of our loved ones... please put this supplication at the top of the list: keep the circle of our little family unbroken when we stand before You on the Day of Judgment. Compensate for our mistakes and failures as parents, and counteract the influences of an evil world that would undermine the faith of our children. And especially, Lord, we ask for Your involvement when our son and daughter stand at the crossroads, deciding whether or not to walk the Christian path. They will be beyond our care at that moment, and we humbly ask You to be there. Send a significant friend or leader to help them choose the right direction. They were Yours before they were born, and now we give them back to You in faith, knowing that You love them even more than we do.

Sweet baby girl

Big sister, Erin (age 13) & baby Abbey 

Rock Collector

I have many things that interest me and a few things that I collect because they bring me joy.  Rocks are not one of them.  But, we do have a rock collector in the house.  Albeit, an unlikely collector.  I found this on the floor the other day.

  No one noticed that Raider picked it up on his walk. I don't know what criteria he uses in determining his selection, but he often carries rocks home from his daily walks.

As you can see he was having a great time with his new rock.  He doesn't chew on it but rather paws at it, bats it around and wrestles with it.

I have never known a dog with such personality and playful, quirky ways as Raider.

The other day I hauled out a huge container of stuffed animals that belonged to Abbey.  How excited he was to tug out many favorites.  I am sure he was planning on adding them to his own brimming basket of lovies.  As I was sorting, I would toss one out of the container and he would grab it and toss it back in.

Chores are so much more enjoyable having Raider help!

 Oh, how dull my days would be without the antics of my puppy dog!

Joining Mary @Little Red House for Mosaic Monday!