Oh No its the BIG...3-0!!!

So I have reached a milestone in my life. This past Monday I turned 30!!! I was dreading this birthday, but as it turns out it isn't so bad being 30. I really don't feel any different than I did at 29. Except for the fact that I will be having my foot cut open and surgery at 30. But more about that at a later time.

So to start my birthday celebration I went to dinner on Thursday the 6th with some girl-friends, including my sister!! My dear friend Cathie made this divine Key Lime Mouse Pie. It was soooo goood!! This is Cathie and myself (ignore my sunburn we had been outside all day at school!!). Cathie is the reason on know my hubby!!

We ended the evening celebrating Gabe and Ashlee's engagement!!!

Friday we didn't have school and the girls had gone to stay with my parents so Cory and I slept in!! Then my hubby went and got me my favorite breakfast....Breakfast Burritos!!! Then I spent most of the day laying around feeling awful thanks to my sinus and allergies. We did go get some dinner at a local Mexican food restaurant followed by a Blizzard. Then we crawled and bed to watch a movie and I was asleep shortly after 9.

Saturday we met my family for lunch in Lubbock at a new place I have been dying to try it is called Rain Uptown. It was soooo good. During the day they have a very diverse menu anything from pancakes to pasta dishes. At night though it goes very grown up, table clothes, candle light and menu of nothing but Italian dishes. I can't wait to go back on a date with my hubby....(hint hint).

My brother was in town so he got to join us for lunch along with my sister, mom, dad and Grandma.

Rhealee loved the balloons!!!

Taryn getting some lovin' from her Doakie.

My "princess" ice cream cake. It was peanut butter and chocolate. It was cute and good.

Taryn and her Uncle Rusty...they both love taking their own pictures.

We celebrated Mother's Day in between my birthday celebrations. We spent the weekend with my mom and dad and enjoyed lunch with them. I fixed that divine pie that my friend Cathie had made and my family approved of it also, so I will be adding it to my recipe book.

Monday was my actual birthday and I treated myself to a burrito on the way to school along with a Sonic coke. The day was uneventful for the most part. My hubby did take me to dinner and it was a "surprise" party but one thing was missing...Cory forgot to invite any of our friends!!!

Here are all the empty seats that were supposed to contain my friends.Here's all the family that Cory was able to remember to invite. Hehe this is something he won't be living down anytime soon.

You see we got calls to interview at a different school and they could interview us both on Monday and when this all came about Cory got distracted and didn't follow through with calling and inviting friends to come join us for dinner. Then when I cancelled my interview and he changed his, it was too late for him to get people there for the Surprise Party. Like I said he owes me big time and I wont be letting him live this down anytime soon!!

McTeacher Night....

So in the past two weeks we have eaten at McDonald's twice! That is more than we there in a six month period. We did it all in good cause. Both the Middle School and Oak Grove teachers worked to raise money for their campus. I went and took the girls while Cory and his co-workers were working it at the McyDee's. I loved getting to sit and visit with people I don't normally get to visit with. It was so neat to see so many people from the community coming out to support the schools.

When it was Oak Grove night Cory and the girls came up and had supper then when I was finished with my shift we sat and hung out with friends. It was a really great time both nights and everyone involved had a blast!!!


Here I am working it behind the counter with Mr. Snyder! The smell of the food coming by me as I put the order on the tray was driving me nuts. I was starving by the time my shift was over!!
Ashlee and I rockin' our hats!!
Taryn Rhea enjoying her ice cream cone. This thing was bigger than she was. Needless to say most of it melted before she could eat it all!!
Coach Rubio, Mr. Hayes and Cory. Don't they look like they are having so much fun!!

Rhealee enjoyed her chocolate chip cookies. By the way I am in love with McDonald's Oatmeal Raisin cookies. They are yumm-o!!


Yes that is Cory mopping the floor. And yes I am the one who spilled the drink!!! Save this picture cause this sure doesn't happen very often!!

Ashlee's Getting Married!!!

I am so excited for some of my dearest friends, Ashlee and Gabe. Cory and I along with my aunt introduced these two crazy kids on New Years Eve 2009. I knew it would be the perfect match and I am becoming right.

Yesterday was Ashlee's birthday and Gabe had come up with a plan that involved dressing her classroom in t-shirts that said "Just Say Yes" on them. I got with our principal had her come take Ashlee to her office so we could get everything ready. We got her class dressed in their shirts and lined up in the hall. When she came around the corner they were holding letters over their shirt that spelled out "Happy Birthday" and they were singing to her. She still had no idea, until they dropped their sheets of paper and she read their shirts. Then Gabe came out of her classroom and got down on one knee. It was so romantic and sweet!!! Of course she said YES!!

I am so excited for them and can't wait to see them start their lives together. I wish them the best of luck even if it means she will moving away and I won't get to work with her everyday.

Here are some pictures from the exciting moments of the Great Proposal. Enjoy!! I'm off to plan a wedding now :).!!!


Here she comes with her flowers Gabe had delivered for her birthday. We are singing and she is really surprised.Here is Gabe coming out of Ashlee's room surprising her!Getting down on one knee! What will she say?I think she said Yes!!! Getting the ring (it's gorgeous!!)!Ahhh how sweet is this moment!!!The Happy Engaged Couple!! She said Yes!!!

Weekend Wrap-Up

So I am trying really hard to keep this blog more up to date and not waiting a month in between and then doing a dozen post. So here is our weekend wrap up.

Friday night was a lazy night around here. We had pizza that was left-over from the pizza party my class won!! My class was named "Outstanding Classroom" for the 5th Six Weeks!!

Cory had plans for taking Miss Taryn out on a little date to our local movie theater. I told Taryn that she needed to put on some nice clothes and fix her hair. So she picked out a dress and matching bow. Cory smiled and groaned all at the same time. You see he had planned on going to the movie in his typical "coaching" attire, wind suite pants and a t-shirt. He was very kind to change into jeans and a shirt. They were off to see "How to Tame Your Dragon" complete with popcorn and a sprite.

Rhealee and I stayed and held down the fort. I was really surprised when they came home early than I expected them. Apparently the movies sound was a little off at the beginning and it bothered Taryn. They stayed for about half of the movie before Cory asked if she was ok and she said she was scared, so they came home.

Here they are getting ready to leave for their date. Not the best picture but at least I remembered to get one.

Saturday we had plans of staying home, being lazy, working on laundry and cleaning house. I got up and fixed pancakes on Taryn's request. During the process of getting breakfast ready my mom called and said they were headed to Levelland for 4-H event. So we changed our pace and got dressed to head over for lunch with them. We had a yummy lunch and then headed to Wal-Mart to get our grocery shopping done for the week. I have to admit that my weekly budget does better when I don't have 3 extra sets of hands helping me! Oh well I still managed to stay pretty close to my budget. Including an unplanned pie.

A co-worker of Cory's made this pie for us after Rhealee was born last year and it has been a Golden family fave ever since.

I don't know if this pie has a real name, but we call it "The Divine" pie!! It is one of the easiest things you can make and very quick. We have tried many different varieties of this and they have all been great.

Here is everything you will need to make this pie.1 pie crust

1 pkg cream cheese

1 can of sweetened condensed milk

1/3 cup of lemon juice

1 tsp of vanilla

Carmel and Chocolate to drizzle

Oh and one of these:

Just the best kitchen helper a mom could ask for.

Ok back to the pie: Combine the sweetened condensed milk and cream cheese in your mixer and beat until well combined. Then add the lemon juice and vanilla. Beat until smooth.

Just look at that sweet little hand helping me!!! What get's better than that?

Once combined, then pour half of the mixture into a graham cracker crust and drizzle with carmel and chocolate. Then pour the rest of the mixture into the pie and top with more carmel and chocolate.

Freeze for 1 hour before devouring and enjoying every bite!!!

Sunday wasn't very eventful in this house. We went to church, got some lunch, took naps, worked on laundry and got ready for the week.

I did have Cory complete one little project for me though. You see about a month ago the device I had holding all my necklaces up feel off the wall from all the weight. So today I bought a stronger hanger and had Cory put it in the closet for me!! Now all my necklaces are hanging nice and neat!!!

So that was our weekend. Nothing exciting, but that's ok. The coming week is a short week at school!!! YIPPIE!!! But it is a busy week, but it does include a girls night out!!! Hope you have a great week!!

Easter....Just A Little Late!!!!

We celebrated Easter this year with Cory's family. We rotate Easter and Mother's Day between his family and mine. It works out great for us!! So this year we were here in town.

We spent Saturday evening dying and stuffing our Easter Eggs. The stuffing of candy is my part and the dying is Cory's part. Taryn loves to help with both!!

Very intent on her job of dying the eggs!!

Cory and his girls hard at work. Yes Rhealee even tried to assist in the madness that was.

Sunday morning we attended services at our church before heading over to Cory's moms for lunch and egg hunting. I had prepared pulled pork, so we had pulled pork sandwiches, coleslaw, and all sorts of sides. We finished off lunch with homemade ice cream and angel food cake. Divine I must say. My mother-in-law makes a pretty mean angel food cake!!

Here is my little family. I must say that we clean up nicely. Even Cory got dressed up for the occasion!!

This is my mother-in-law and all of her grandchildren. My poor nephew is so out-numbered!!!

I had a really hard time getting both of my girls to look a the camera at the same time. They were adorable in their matching dresses. Thanks to their Great-Grandma for buying these for Rhealee's birthday. I know I won't be able to dress them in matching clothes forever, so I am taking advantage of it right now while I still can.

After all the posed pictures it was time to do some egg hunting. Taryn and Megan were way too excited and the adults couldn't get the eggs hid fast enough. Rhealee on the other hand didn't really understand what was going on so she was picking up the eggs as fast as they could hide them.

Nobody was safe from confetti eggs this year!!! We had a blast trying to get each other. I ended up with confetti in places that there shouldn't be confetti.

Rhealee picking up eggs as fast as we were hiding them. Notice the chocolate on her shirt. She figured out how to open an egg and helped herself to some candy!!!

Rhealee still eating chocolate and playing on the slide. She is a little chocolate monster! What can I say they have learned from one of the best chocolate eaters!!

So paybacks hit the Golden house this year. About 5 years ago my hubby decided in his genius mind that it would be cute to get our nieces and nephews baby chicks for Easter. This was against much protest from me. You see I knew that we would someday be repaid for this gift!!!

Well it happened this year!!! We were given 3 small yellow chicks. Yes I was in a "told you so" sort of mood all day!! Uggg what were we going to do with chickens?

Rhealee wasn't really sure what to think at first. She tried to squeeze this poor guy to death. She thought they were toys. Ha!Taryn on the other hand was such a little mother to these chicks. She spent all afternoon in the back yard with her Cousin Megan playing and taking care of the chicks. In fact in this picture she is singing to the little guy.

We brought the chicks home and set up chicken farming in our garage. We named the 3 chicks: Hope, Peep and Chick. Taryn really enjoyed going out and playing with them the first week we had them, but the newness soon wore off and it was up to daddy to take care of the little guys. After about 2 weeks one of the chicks died. This was a little upsetting to Taryn but we got through the trauma of losing our first pet.

The 2 remaining chicks were doing well and growing very quickly. Cory was in the process of finding them a new home when tragedy struck us again. Taryn and I came home from school this past Monday and went to check on the chicks......they were dead!!! Oh this was bad, really bad. You see with the first one dying Taryn didn't actually see the chicken we just told her. Well Monday she was right beside me and saw them :( poor thing was really upset this time. We had to bury the chickens.

Poor chickens they weren't meant for garage living. Oh well we tried!! Thanks for the Easter gift Aunt Robin, sorry we weren't very good chicken farmers!!!