All posts by Salinda

Hey Y'all! I'm Salinda. Welcome to my little piece of the South. I'm a sewing instructor and the seamstress behind PersonaliTy Children's Clothes. I'm crazy in love with my hubby and Momma to 2 spunky swimmers! I'm addicted to Sonic Cokes, my New Orleans Saints, and Jesus!
Everything Else

Road Trip: Caldwell Zoo, Tyler, TX

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Nothing like a last-minute trip to the zoo! 

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We ventured out with Ashley and Thomas to Tyler, TX last Friday afternoon.  Yes, it was hot!  But, we had a fun day.  The birds were out in force and the elephants were quite playful.  The big cats had the sense to chill-out in the shade!100_2317100_2322

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The best $3 I’ve ever spent at a zoo:  These bird seed sticks in the bird walk-about!  Each child had a stick and the parakeets flocked to them for a snack.  A bird landed on Addie’s hand, while another sat on the seed stick that Christopher held.  Lots and lots of birds!

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Of course, Addie had her camera always ready.  She got several pictures of these longhorn steer with a special gift in mind.  Shhhh….don’t tell Sarah!

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Thomas was a riot.  He “read” the map to us.  Goodness knows we certainly didn’t miss any animals on his watch!

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This picture is for Daddy.  He knows why.

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And my favorite of the day:  The black bears.  This one reminded me of my sister’s bull dog.  That’s right, she’s sitting in front of the fan, blocking everyone else’s air!

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The drive to Tyler takes about 90 minutes for us along I-20, so a day trip was quite easy.  The kids always have fun and find something new at the zoo.  Plus, the cafe offers $1 snowcones!  What’s not to love!

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Everything Else, Good Food

Cornbread Controversy

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Sweet?  Yellow?  White?  With flour?  Without?  Buttermilk? 

How do you take your cornbread?

I’ll admit.  I cheated for years.  You know, that little box of Jiffy.  It makes yummy, sweet cornbread.  And then, I got this book.

 

I decided to try the cornbread recipe on page 122, because you know those gurus at Southern Living are geniuses.  They must know the best way to make cornbread from scratch.  But wait, it has no sugar in it?  What???

So, a little more research:  Did you know that cornbread recipes vary regionally?  That’s right.  According to what I read, sugar is a Northern thing, as is flour.  And apparently, the only “real” way to make cornbread is in a cast iron skillet.  Whew!  Thank goodness I have one of those!

Being Creative, Everything Else

Hello Summer!

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Wow!  It’s already the 3rd week of June!  Where is my summer going?  The last 2 weeks of May were crazy with the end of school.  We had parties and honors assemblies and concerts and more parties.  I’m so proud of both the children.  100_2242

They each had a fabulous school year and did very well.  They both met reading goals and PE goals and had straight As for the entire year!

100_2232My big girl also earned recognition in music, writing, and art! 

June kicked off to a fast and furious start! 

100_2254The kids have swimming practice at 8 each morning and again at 4 each afternoon.  They’ve also attended basketball camp (“That was fun, but basketball is not my sport” –AB) and VBS.

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We had 3 summer league swim meets and one COSST meet crammed in the last 3 weeks too!  It has been quite a feat keeping the shop up and running and teaching a few sewing classes with all these other fun things!

And now, it’s already the 3rd week of June!  Things will settle down a bit now, just the 2-a-day swim practices and a few sewing classes left to fill our days until July.  Well, those and a visit from Grandpa, blueberry picking, putting up veggies from the garden, playing in the pool…

Everything Else

Sitting by the Pool

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“Sitting by the Pool”.  That could be the title of my life these past 2 years.  My children love to swim and we are blessed to live in a community with a city league swim team.  So, I can be found sitting on the deck at least 3 afternoons a week, 1 weekend a month, and all of June.

Today is the first day of Summer Swim League (that’s the “all of June”).   We swim with one of the local swim clubs for summer. Today there are about 100 kids divided into groups learning strokes and breathing .  Some parents are standing close to the pool, parenting and “helping” to coach.  I’ll admit, I’m thinking about it, wondering if they have my child in the wrong group, working him with a group that is not a advanced as he is.  But…the folks in charge are swim coaches, and I’m not.  Period.  So, I think I’ll sit back and let them do their job. 

I do that to God sometimes too.  I second guess His plans for me, the places where He puts me.  How many times have I said “Are you sure, God?  Really?”  And then I get that gentle reminder that He is God and I’m not.  Period.  So, I need to remember to sit back and listen and obey!

11 For I know the plans I have for you” —this is the Lord’s declaration—“plans for your welfare, not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. 12 You will call to Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.  Jeremiah 29:11-13 (HCSB)

By the way, the head coach just noticed Christopher and bumped him up to the next group.  🙂