Halloween/Birthday Fun...

So today is an extra special day of the year...not only is it Halloween but it is my hubby's birthday too. So today I made him a cake (one that requires no eggs -- so he can eat it-- and is very yummy). The cake is called Crazy Cake (or Poor Man's Cake). Here are the ingredients and how its made...

Here is the recipe...the following pics are from the process of making the cake

I also made homemade icing for the cake. Here are the ingredients and pics from making the icing...

This was before food coloring

After food coloring...it is purple (but sort of looks blue in this picture)

The FINAL PRODUCT...









So this evening before the trick-or-treaters started coming we went out to eat with a UK IBS Program classmate of Jason's-- Shawn and his girlfriend Mallory. We had dinner at Logan's and then came back to the house for cake and hangout time while the trick-or-treaters came by. We dress Leia up for Halloween...she was Princess Leia (quite fitting for her since she is our Princess Leia). Here are some pics of Leia in her costume and our friends over for Jason's birthday...

This is from when I made her costume and she sat still for me to take pics

My little Princess Leia...isn't she the cutest!!

Pics from tonight...

The Birthday Boy!!

Shawn and Leia

Mallory and Leia

Soaking up the attention...she isn't spoiled at all...NOT!

Me passing out candy...Leia had to see all the Trick-or-Treaters too

We had a great time with friends celebrating Jason's birthday and enjoying the Halloween holiday!!

Weekend Fun with The Jackson's

This past weekend Jason's sister and her family came to Lexington to stay with us for the weekend. We had lots of fun. Friday night we watched the Cardinals win the World Series, then Saturday we went to Kelley Farms and did the corn maze, hayride, and other fun things there, then came home and played at the park across the street for a little bit. Here are some pictures from our weekend with The Jackson's...

Kelley Farms



Love these boys!!!

Me and my toothless Tucker

Me and my Awesome Sister-in-law!!

The whole Jackson crew!!

Me and the Hubby at Kelley Farms

Time at the Park

The boys swinging at the park

Tucker and I having a sort of swing off (hehe)



We had a wonderful weekend with Jennifer, Randy, Tucker and Trent!! Wish we could see them more often...but when we do see them we make the most of it!!

Happy Halloween--- Happy Birthday!!

Today is not only Halloween it is my hubby's 25th Birthday. So today is dedicated to him...I love you Jason Hoefer!!!

AND

JASON!!!

Have fun TRICK-OR-TREATING EVERYONE!!



Another GREAT weekend ahead...

Looking forward to this weekend... Jason's sister and her family are coming to visit!!! Not to mention the fact that the hubs is over the moon about the Cardinals win last night and that they play game 7 of the World Series tonight. You can guess what we will be doing this evening...watching GAME 7...

GO CARDS!!!

(this is for the hubs...if you know me well you know I am and always will be a Cleveland Indians Fan!)

We also plan to take Jennifer, Randy, Tucker and Trent to Kelley Farms . This is a corn maze, pumpkin patch place here in Lexington. I think they will really enjoy it (pics to come late for sure).

This is what the maze looks like from above...I am not a huge Calipari fan but this is pretty cool

This weekend should be lots of fun...Excited to see Jennifer and the boys!!!

Have a good weekend all!!!

What a GREAT weekend!!

To start off the weekend Jason called to tell me he passed his quals with a unanimous vote...SO PROUD of my hubby!! Here is what he got when he got home

After this we waited for my parents to arrive and then we went to Texas Roadhouse for a celebratory STEAK dinner!! We had a great night. On Saturday we got up and lounged for a little bit before getting cleaned up and heading to Keenland. This was a first for all of us.

We arrived at Keenland around noonish...the first race started at 1 or 1:30 and they continued every 30 minutes after that. We stayed for 6 of the races. We had such a good time. Mom was having fun picking horses and placing bets...to bad none of them won...but she still enjoyed herself. We all had fun picking horses we thought would win and cheering on during the races. We had a perfect day to be at the track...not too warm not too cool not a cloud in the sky and the sun shine was great. I definitely think we will be back in April for the races then!! Here are some pictures from our day at Keenland...

Jason and I when we first got to Keenland

Mom and Dad when we first arrived!

Mom and her first bet...she enjoyed this so much!

All of us in between races...we were enjoying the weather and the races!!

This was supposed to be our lucky horse...#6 in the 6th race named Tuckers Point...but he didn't win.

 

 Saturday evening we went to Applebees to celebrate Jason's birthday a little early with my parents, then we went to Dick's for Jason to check out a fairway wood he was wanting...but that Dick's didn't have it so we headed home and watched the Cardinals game and crashed for the night. Sunday we went to church then came home for lunch and mom and dad headed home and I headed to Evansville for work.

 

Overall, it was a GREAT weekend spent with family and we had lots of fun!!!

Tomorrow is the BIG day (for Jason)...

For the last month Jason has been working on his quals. Quals = Qualification Exam to become a doctoral candidate. He has been writing his grant proposal for his project on skin cancer (it is more specific than that, but if you want to know more you will need to ask Jason because I am pretty sure all I will do is confuse you if I try) and once that was turned in to the grad school and his committee he started working on studying for the oral presentation part of his quals. This is why my kitchen table has been non existent since around the beginning of October

It now only is half covered since he has went from studying to putting together his PowerPoint slides and going through stuff from classes to make sure he is completely ready.

I know he will do perfect on this qualification exam! He is a very intelligent man and can do anything he sets his heart & mind to. Especially since with God all things are possible!! He also has the support of some very wonderful folks in his lab. He went in to the lab this morning (day before his quals) to find this on his lab bench

A goodie bag of things from one of his fellow lab mates (not sure how else to word that) Jill . She as well as many of the others in his lab have been very supportive and helpful to him throughout this process. For this I am very grateful because they are able to relate to his frustrations and such much better than I can (since I know nothing about what he is doing--I do try to understand some of it but it is definitely not my area of expertise).

So tomorrow is the BIG day and all your thoughts and prayers for Jason would be and are greatly appreciated!!





T minus 3 days...

In three days Jason will be giving his oral presentation for his qualifying exam. This is when pass or fail will determine whether he becomes an official doctoral candidate. I have no doubt in my mind he will pass with flying colors and become a doctoral candidate!! Prayers for him during this time are much appreciated!! He has a lot of stuff he needs to know and remember for this oral presentation.

Also, in three days my parents will be coming to Lexington and we will be going to Keenland for horse races on Saturday (a first for me---I know I know I live and Lexington, KY and have never been to a horse race---its sad). I am looking for to this weekend for this reason and that after Friday Jason will not have to worry about studying or tests anymore...YAY!!!

Will update more on Jason's quals and Keenland later!!!

Where I have been...

So for the last week I have been absent for good reason...I was in Ohio for a few events and just to spend time with my family. I attended Meghann (Stevenson) Lightfoot's wedding, had fun with mom, dad, Julie, Adam and Luke throughout the week and then attended my cousin Matt and his wife Jenna's wedding reception. I really enjoyed getting to do all of this but I greatly missed my hubby and puppy. So now that I am back home I thought I would post some pics from my time away...so here ya go!!!

My sister was a bridesmaid in this wedding...she is the 3rd one down from center

The bride and groom getting ready to cut the cake

My sister and the bride...both BEAUTIFUL woman!!

Me and my sister : - )

While I was home Sadie and I spent the days together while I worked...she is such a good dog

More of Sadie chillin while I was working : - )

Me and the siblings at Matt & Jenna's reception

Matt & Jenna at the reception

Bella dancing the night away...she was having so much fun!!

Overall, I had an awesome week at home getting to spend lots of time with friends and family. Looking forward to this weekend...family coming down and we are going to Keenland!!!

My Fur Baby--- Leia

Most mom's take lots and lots of pictures of their children. Well since I have no children yet I take lots of pictures of my fur baby Leia. She does some really silly things sometimes and to me they totally warrant lots of pictures...plus she is just so darn cute I can't resist taking pics of her. So here are some recent pics of Jason and I with Leia and some cute pics of Leia. Hope you enjoy the pics of my little Tucker family!!

If you would like to see more pics from when she was a puppy till recent you can go to our shutterfly website and check them out... joniejasontucker.shutterfly.com

Have a wonderful day everyone!!!