Meet The Teacher @ MDO

Tonite was Jolea's "Meet the Teacher" night at her new MDO program that she will be starting next Tuesday. She will be going to Southwest Park Baptist Church MDO and her teacher is Ms. Jessica. I heard about the program thru the grapevine, called to check it out and was really pleased to be able to enroll Jolea for the fall. She will go on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9 am to 2:30 pm...that means Grammy will also be getting a nice break from keeping her for us on those 2 days. Her class just happens to be all girls...and what is even funnier and more amazing is that my childhood best friend who recently just moved back to Abilene has 2 girls and one of them is in Jolea's class. We grew up together...and now our babies are going to do some growing up together...so sweet to me. I am hoping this will give her and I the chance to reconnect and catch up on everything that has gone on in our lives. Its amazing how God works because I was so worried about my school schedule this semester and about how much I was going to miss with Jolea, but my schedule is perfect. I will even be able to take her on her first day which is really important to me. After the first week, Grammy will begin taking her, but I will be able to pick her up on both days. If you remember from a few posts back, I have been on the look-out for a sweet nap mat, back pack and lunch tote...and was really pleased to find something that was reasonably priced. I went into Under One Roof earlier this week (LOVE that store) and I came across these. I have seen them online, and based on the prices I saw, I really got a deal. They were 10 dollars a piece as opposed to about 22 for the backpack and 16-18 for the lunch tote.

I thought they were cute when I bought them...but after a little bit of nifty personalized monogramming...I think they are even more darling now.

Stacy Doby @ Initially Yours (here in Abilene) did them for me...and I also purchased the matching nap mat from her as well. I dropped off the items at her house on late Tuesday afternoon, and they were ready for me to pick up today (Thursday)!

Good, Fast Service...that's what I like :)

Here are all the "other" school supplies that we bought for Jolea's first day...it was fun to go and buy these things...but she has been wanting to get into them ever since! I guess you cant blame the kid...it does look like fun to dive into all of this colorful stuff.

Moving on...today is Thursday...and you know what that means...goodies for the coaches. Tonite I made Heavenly Banana Delight a.k.a banana pudding. Its a recipe that I have always gotten "raves" about and it came out of the Jordan Taylor Spice of Life Cookbook from 2003. I want to share it with you...make it...I promise it wont disappoint you, or anyone else who dives into it.

Heavenly Banana Delight

Serves 10-12

One- 3 1/2 oz pkg of vanilla instant pudding mix (small box)

One- 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk

1 cup milk

1 cup heavy cream

1 cup sour cream

One- 12oz box vanilla wafers

3 or 4 bananas sliced

In a large mixing bowl, combine the pudding mix, condensed milk and milk. Beat for approx 2 minutes or until well blended. Refrigerate for about 10 minutes. In another bowl, whip the heavy cream (till its nice and stiff at least 2 minutes). Add the sour cream to the refrigerated pudding mixture and mix well. Begin to "fold" in the heavy whipping cream into the pudding/sour cream mixture (this is the secret ingredient). Place half the vanilla wafers in the bottom of a 13x9x2 inch dish (or a pretty bowl). Top with half the sliced banana's, half the pudding mixture. Repeat each layer. You can sprinkle crushed wafers all over the top to make it PURTY! Now sit back, relax and enjoy!

I am usually alot "craftier" than a black sharpie marker...but I am running low on stickers...and cute things...and lets face it, they are MEN...like they care about presentation.

Don't let this precious little face fool you...this little girl was a ring-tail-tooter today, but she finished the day off in good spirits and that is a note worth mentioning. It always amazes me that no matter how frustrated, irritated or impatient I get with this little one, she always has a way of wrapping her little hands around my heart. Maybe tomorrow will be a better day...and by the way...its Football Friday Night...Again.

~Till Next Time~