Love is...Parenting

Love is....A happy childhood!


I found some sweet Love is....on line in color! Free images! I have downloaded many of my own collection but recently blogger has been giving me fits trying to upload images so I am taking the easy road today!

I also wanted to share this with you about childhood and parenting:

If I had my child to raise all over again,
I'd build self-esteem first, and the house later.
I'd finger-paint more, and point the finger less.
I would do less correcting and more connecting.
I'd take my eyes off my watch, and watch with my eyes.
I'd take more hikes and fly more kites.
I'd stop playing serious, and seriously play.
I would run through more fields and gaze at more stars.
I'd do more hugging and less tugging.
~Diane Loomans, from "If I Had My Child To Raise Over Again"

Please visit Marydon and all the other participates of Love is...
Next stop by and visit Sally. As our fearless Blue Monday leader she has gone through some tough times with her health. We are glad she is back with us and on the mend nicely! Love you Sally!


I shot a few pictures with my camera phone this morning. The rec area where we walk/run is closed for repairs until September 6th so we have been going to the middle school and I walk the track while my hubby runs. I use to walk the straights and run the curves and visa versa. I may try to do that tomorrow. We try to go early but with the time fading quickly and the darkness still surrounding us at six a.m. I am not sure how many week days we can still head over there.


I love watching the clouds roll by and this morning they literally did. I shot this one because I thought it looked like a quilt! It is as close to crafty quilting as I can get! When I came back around the sky was totally different.


Enjoy!

Love is...Fruit Cocktail Cake and Blue Skies

Don't forget to leave a comment on on Pink Saturday.Spiritual Sunday/Memorial Day post all rolled into one for a chance to win a terrific pink surprise! The rule is very simple just leave a comment there and be a follower! Easy!

I am sharing a sweet Love is....today

 I hope you stop by Marydon's and join all the girls who participate. It is such fun!

This Love is... portraits my life. It has been one of very little materialistic gain. Lots of love, lots of fun and a great big phamily! So I am celebrating this with my Blue Day post of blue skies. I hope you join Sally and all the other wonderful participates of this Blue Monday meme.

I was thinking of a fun cake my Sweets said his late mom use to bake for them. She worked for 20 years in the college cafeteria at SCSC in my hometown. Southern Colorado State College at Pueblo. But because my late mother-in-law was a baker I am sharing a simple fruit cocktail cake recipe she made for the kids when they were growing up.

Fruit Cocktail Cake

1 yellow cake mix
1 can fruit cocktail, 15 oz. with juice
1 can crushed pineapple. 20 oz. with juice
2 large eggs
1 3-4 oz. package instant lemon pudding.
8 oz. whipping cream or Cool Whip

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Grease and flour a 17 x 11 pan. Mix the packaged cake mix with 1/4 cup pineapple with juice, the fruit cocktail and two eggs. Beat for about 30 seconds with an electric mixer. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Beat another 2 minutes. Spoon batter into prepared pan. Bake for 20-23 minutes until sides spring back from the sides of the pan! Cool on a wire rack.
For the topping mix the pudding mix with the remaining pineapple with juice and prepare whipped cream if using fresh. Otherwise add the pudding/pineapple mixture to the cool whip and frost cooled cake. Refrigerate until serving time.

Finally come enjoy the blue skies I found for you today to celebrate Blue Monday. I have added a Memorial Day surprise in blue too.

Thoughts of a Soldier
I struggle to see my objective for the sand blowing in my eyes,
I hear sounds of  explosions like thunder from the sky,
My mouth in dry and my body aches,
I must push on no matter what it takes,
the lives of so many innocent keep running through my mind,
I know this is why my country has me put my life on the line,
So don't lose hope America, we do this for you,
For all your soldiers bleed red,white and blue.
Submitted by Jimmy L. Ashburn

Love is..../Blue Monday

I want to incorporate two meme's in my post today. I love Love is... by Kim Caselli and own a few books full of these sweet treats as well as a box full of them I clipped from the newspaper years ago and glued onto construction paper making little love notes for my Sweets. So please visit Marydon and Sherry and Tete and everyone else who is participating in this Love is...fest!

I also decided to use this colorful Love is... for Blue Monday. I love blue and today is a mixture of blue for me. Stop by Sally's and thank her for hosting this Monday meme.

I ask prayer for my SIL who is seeing the doctor today regarding a sore throat and lump on his neck. I also ask prayer for Nick who runs in a very crucial race today. His school colors are royal blue and white for the Trojans! So please pray. Also pray that we make it to the race safely after work due to the fact that we have to travel about 45 minutes to get to Greeley where the race is being held. A prayer for good weather would be grand too.

I want to leave you today with this verse. With all the things going on in our world remember to hold yourself close to the Lord. Do not be distracted by the ways of the world.

"Let us lay aside every weight and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us." Hebrews 12:1

I will be back later this evening to visit everyone that I can! Love to you and have a happy Blue Monday!