The Swinson House

2011-09-21T11:11:00.000-07:00

The other day, I was pages away from finishing a book that I really wanted to finish. And while I wasn't technically ignoring Luke, I wasn't exactly watching him closely either. I knew he was in my bathroom. I knew he was in the cabinet. I knew he had a brand new bottle of de-tangler in his hand. What I didn't know is that he was able to get the lid off and poured the entire bottle on his head. You can see where he's all wet and if you could enlarge this pic, you'd see it dripping from his earlobe and puddled around his feet. Oh well, at least I finished my book and Luke's inch long tresses are far from being tangled. And lets not even discuss the jewelry.

If today was a test...

2011-09-20T17:43:00.000-07:00

I bombed it. Bad. As in complete failure. I asked God yesterday that my kids would be like Him. I prayed knowing that the only way they would be like Him was if I am like Him. I prayed that I would let Jesus shine through. I begged God that He would use me, in spite of me, to raise them to reflect the Son. I prayed that when the pressures of motherhood were pressing in, that instead of responding with frustration and irritation, I would respond as Jesus would...patient, loving, merciful and kind. Should have known that testing would come. And today it did. If I had it my way, the hour from 4 PM to 5 PM would be banned from existence. It is this hour that my kids do their best to be sure they annoy each other, scream, destroy the house I cleaned and need me for every possible thing. It is also during this hour that I am to whip up something delicious that everyone loves. It is at the end of this hour that Tom comes home. And while every book on being a great wife recommends that we freshen up and slap some lip-stick on for our mate, I've yet to read how they expect you to do it when it's impossible to stop time for one millisecond. So needless to say today was no exception. It seemed they pulled out all the stops. I yelled. I threatened. I spanked. And yet, it seemed as if I was getting no where. The Lord brought it all around when I finally sat down to do devotions with the kids. God is the Master of Irony. The passage was from Ecclesiastes and Solomon summed it up best...life is full of seasons. I know this "season" of life will soon pass but I can't let it pass as a frazzled, impatient mom if I want them to see Jesus in me. I will one day wish my kids needed me to love on 'em, break up their fights, or just hold them. So for now, I must be reminded that I can't do it on my own strength, but by complete reliance on Him. Thankfully, tomorrow's a new day. New mercies. Fresh chance to try again. Here's praying for a better grade!

Lessons from Leporacci

2011-09-17T11:23:00.000-07:00

This week Molly started piano lessons. I'm really not sure what her expectations were heading into that first lesson. I mean I think she knew she had no skills but we hadn't really discussed how basic the beginning would be. The first lesson went okay but oh my stars, the first practice? Totally different story. I was ready to dis-enroll her for life five minutes into it. I mean how can one 6 year old cop such an attitude? But we managed to get going and after a few moments, it seemed to come together for her. It also helped when I left the room and let her figure it out. After the allotted time, she actually asked to practice longer! This was all her idea, piano lessons that is. I'm not going to make her do something she doesn't want to because that's just punishment for me and a waste of money. So we'll see how long her music career holds out. If it's anything like her dance career, it will be short lived. Oh well, at least the dance bag is the perfect size for piano books! (that's a red-headed ballerina on the bag in case you can't tell.)

Mad for Plaid

2011-09-17T11:09:00.000-07:00

It will probably be a long, long, LONG time before I don't blog about my kids. So if you're not up for another post about Luke, then you should probably stop reading here. He loves to dress himself. He's real proud of the fact that he can find the clothes in his drawer and then get them on. The problem is that he rarely and by rarely, I mean never, matches. I should do a photo montage of his creations but I will spare you that. This is what he chose for Friday, except he initially had the shirt on upside down. I guess I could give him points for...for...ummm...coordinating colors? He's still a doll baby in my eyes.

Modesty 101

2011-09-14T11:09:00.000-07:00

Just want to pass this one along to those of you who have little girls. A lot of the skirts nowadays have the cotton shorts sewn it them. Which is so nice and avoids them being taunted by "I see London. I see France. I see {insert child's name} underpants!!" Or do kids even still do that? At any rate, of the uniforms that I bought Molly this year, none of them had the shorts built in. I thought this might be an issue for her but figured I'd cross that bridge when I came to it. Well, sure enough, she told me the other day she was a little embarrassed because a time or two, while swinging, her skirt blew up. I checked a store or two but didn't find exactly what I was looking for. Then, I did a little on-line shopping and found some at a boutique for $16. As if. So with a little persistence and a few more clicks, I came across these on Old Navy's website...for, get this, $6.75/pair. Much more like it. They are perfect to wear under her skirts and jumpers. They fit snug enough to not be bulky but not so snug to be uncomfortable. The waistband is also pretty minimal which is nice for not being bunchy at the waist. We ordered 3 pairs and when the other colors are available, I plan to order a few more. I'm glad she's modest and wants to cover what should be covered. She will learn soon enough that society encourages the opposite. Here's a link if you're interested in checking them out.

Source: oldnavy.gap.com via Jessica on Pinterest

Heads up!

2011-09-09T10:43:00.000-07:00

I've figured out (thanks to a fellow blogger) how to have tabs. So if you look up, you will see "home," "what's cookin," and "photography." Instead of posting recipes and photo sneak peeks amongst the stories of my life, I will put them in their appropriate spots. I think I'm going to like them having their own little spot and maybe for the few of you that read my blog, it will make finding a recipe I've shared a little easier. Have a great weekend!

08.31.2011

2011-08-31T15:08:00.000-07:00

So this morning I ripped August off my desk calendar thinking today was September 1st. Oops. Luke and I have settled into our "routine" now that Molly is in school. And today was a little more boy-appropriate play for dress up....

I mean, what's more manly than a cowboy boot wearin' fireman in Cars jammies? This morning, we puttered around the house. Threw dinner in the crock pot and then ran a couple of errands. I would be remiss if I left it at "threw dinner in the crock pot." I have mentioned how much I love my crock pot and this was a new (for me) recipe that I found on my new love, Pinterest. It did not disappoint and I will most definitely make it again. One thing that is nice about this recipe is that you don't have to clean, peel, and dice potatoes. So that's a real time saver. You literally throw it in the pot and leave it alone. If you're like me, you must have bread to dip in your soup, leaving no carb or starch left behind. So I made a couple of loaves of frozen bread and it was perfect. Here it is...

EASY CROCKPOT POTATO SOUP

1 30oz. bag of frozen, shredded hash browns {I used Ore Ida}

3 14oz. cans of chicken broth

1 can of cream of chicken soup

1/2 cup onion, chopped

1/4 tsp. ground pepper

1 pkg. cream cheese {don’t use fat free. It WON’T melt!!!}

In a crockpot, combine everything EXCEPT for the cream cheese. Cook for 6-8 hours on low heat. About 1 hour before serving, add cream cheese and keep heated until thoroughly melted. Serve with cheese, sour cream, bacon bits, green onions, or whatever else you think would be good!!
(copied from a link on Pinterest)

I think we need a little more...

2011-08-30T12:40:00.000-07:00

...Chuck Norris and a little less Barbie. Every time Molly dresses up to be a princess, a dancer, or some other "character," Luke feels he must join in and so these are some shots I've snapped over the last few days...

Tom thinks this is completely unacceptable. I think it's a phase and will pass. Plus, he does dress up in his firefighter gear. He steals Matchbox cars from the church nursery. He loves dirt. He wants us to sing songs about fishing, hunting, and hanging them on the wall. I'm sure he's fine. Right?!?

First Grade

2011-08-30T12:21:00.001-07:00

We are now in the second week of school. Molly is loving it. Well, lunch and recess that is. Her first week went great. She did tell me that she has "some talking" problems because "I can't keep my mouth closed." It probably doesn't help that her desk is right next to a friend of hers. We let her buy her lunch at the cafeteria on Friday. She maintains that she "threw-up" on Friday during lunch and at this point has sworn off lunchroom food. Word on the street though is that she was trying to consume her can of Coke before the teacher made them throw their lunches away. I sure hope this binge drinking isn't a trend in her life. They were nice to us the first week. No homework. No tests. Today study sheets for math, Bible and science were all sent home. Time to get crackin'. Homework starts next week and I need to get organized. How do you do it...keep it all straight that is? Do you make your kids do their homework right away or is it better to unwind, then hit the books? Do you review everything, every night? Any tips would be greatly appreciated!

Here she is on her first day of school last week....

Epic Dinner Fail

2011-08-25T17:01:00.000-07:00

On occasion, I share a recipe that has just delighted my taste buds. It's only right to pass yummy things along, right?!? Well, this is a warning. Several months ago, I printed a recipe for "Crock Pot Beef Stroganoff." I {heart} my crock pot and any meal that I can prepare in it so I thought I'd give this one a whirl. I had a feeling from the start that it was going to be a doozy and put Pizza Hut's number on speed dial. I wish that there were words to describe what it looked like. Tom was close when he asked if I mistakenly printed a recipe for homemade dog food. Yes, my friend, it was that bad. Worse still was the smell and you know how a crock pot smell can permeate the air for hours. Still gives me the gags just writing about it. So, much as I love to pass on a good recipe, I feel it is also my duty to warn you of less than desirable ones as well.

3 years old!!!

2011-08-25T16:55:00.000-07:00

This here's my friend's baby. He turned 3 a couple of weeks ago and that is unbelievable because I just did his newborn pictures like yesterday. Or so it seems. He's a doll baby and keeps his mama busy for sure. Here he is...

Enjoy being 3 buddy!

Tornado Alert

2011-08-10T07:44:00.000-07:00

It wasn't reported on any major news stations. The doppler radar didn't pick it up. The Farmer's Almanac couldn't have predicted it. But it hit and it hit hard. The path was small and short-lived. And the effects? They were devastating. The co-ordinates were the exact location of our playroom. Here's a picture of the destruction...FEMA wasn't available to help with clean up and my homeowner's insurance denied the claim. So I enlisted the help of my little assistant we had that place cleaned up in no time at all. I give it a day before we're struck again. Call it a hunch or an intuition. I'm thinking I missed my calling in meteorology.

Never a dull moment...

2011-07-19T18:40:00.001-07:00

I love my Luke. I think he's perfect but not in that "he can do no wrong" way. Tom, on the other hand is a little worried about the boy. I think it has something to do with this....

And the fact that what you can't see is that underneath those purple shorts are a pair of princess panties. He was messing in the laundry basket and put the outfit together. But really, can you go wrong with Hello Kitty?

Also, I'm attending a photography seminar in a couple of weeks and I entered a picture of Luke for a chance for him to be the "subject" of her instruction on how to photograph toddlers. If he's chosen, I will be tickled pink to have her photograph him and also I'll be eligible for some goodies. If you have a second, please go to this site http://contest.sandypuc.com/Contest/Jacksonville/17552265_hKNxpp#1383844562_bxPx4gW and follow the prompts to comment on his photo. You must enter a comment for it to count as a vote. Thanks so much. Even if he's not chosen, I'm really looking forward to the seminar and learning lots of tips and tricks.

Hope all is well in your little piece of the world!

Gravelling for votes....

2011-07-14T14:47:00.001-07:00

Not too proud to beg....
As many of you know, I love photography. I have entered Luke in a photo contest with a popular photographer who is coming to town and needs models for her seminar. Would you please take a second and go to the website and comment on Luke's picture? Pretty please with sugar on top?!?! Here's the 411...
Go to contest.sandypuc.com
Click on contest entries
Click on Jacksonville, Jessica Swinson
You must comment on Luke's photo and give him a star rating. (Five stars, of course). Only one comment per person.
If by some chance you don't know me or my cute kid, here he is...
Thanks so so so much!!!!

Weekend fun...

2011-07-12T10:05:00.001-07:00

I originally titled this post something else but in lieu of semi-decent grammar, I opted for something boring. It seems that we're always trying to come up with something fun to do with the kids on the weekends. Often, we have errands to run or other things we need to catch up on and so by Saturday afternoon/evening, we're trying to think of something to do with the kids. It's entirely possible that we're trying to make up for dragging them around on Saturday morning. So this past Saturday was no exception. I suggested heading down town and walking over the Main Street bridge. It was well received and off we went. Molly had been a princess all day (not a reference to her behavior but the role of her character) and had been anticipating a ball that evening. So she dressed up and asked if she could go as she was. I was a little hesitant and if you know Molly at all, you know that when she's dressing up, the wardrobe changes by the second. So I said yes, knowing that this was the stuff memories are made of. She got dressed up and off we went. Here's what she looked like....
She was a site for sure! Of course I couldn't leave out my happy little guy. He sure does love to smile. He prefers to ride "up top" most of the time and Tom never seems to mind.

We had parked by Friendship Fountain and so when we came back over the bridge, we watched it for a little bit. It's been a long time since I was there but apparently, it has undergone a facelift recently. It's almost like a water show...complete with water, lights and music. We thought it was a pretty cool outing.

Ten years...

2011-07-08T12:21:00.000-07:00

So for our 10 year anniversary, we talked about going to several different places. Just couldn't decide how far we wanted to go and of course, the farther you go, the more expensive the trip becomes. Plus, I didn't want to be too far away from Molly and Luke even though they were going to be in great hands. So we decided on Charleston. This is where we stayed...

If you are ever in the Charleston area, this is where you must stay. It's a bed and breakfast minus the knick-knacks and clutter that a lot of B&Bs have in an effort to feel more quaint. It's clean, yummy breakfast included and great staff. We had a fantastic time. While we missed our babies, it was refreshing to do whatever we wanted. We walked all over downtown Charleston, ate at Hyman's a popular seafood restaurant, went to Middleton Plantation, Fort Sumpter, had the best steak dinner ever at Hall's Chophouse, did some shopping and went to a movie. It was a relaxing 4 days for sure. Now we're looking forward to our family vacation later this summer and doing fun things with the kids.

Mr. B...

2011-07-08T12:08:00.001-07:00

Check out those big brown eyes!!! I always said I wanted a brown eyed baby. I may just steal this one. Maybe with the distraction of his 3 older brothers, his mama and daddy wouldn't miss him. As sweet as he is though, I bet they would. Sigh.

Summer Survival...an update.

2011-06-27T11:52:00.000-07:00

Several weeks ago, I blogged about things we would be doing to fill our summer days. The bad news is, we've not done much on our list. The good news is, Molly has successfully created a "mii" on the wii for all of our family members and by family members I mean even Grandma with the white hair, her great grandma. So we're filling our summer, just not with meaningful productive activities. How's your summer shaping up?

I did have a little photo shoot of a very sweet family...here they are. I met her at Bible Study and it was so lovely to meet her beautiful family.
And in other news. I took a phone survey and for my time, I received 2 of these!! Pretty cool and I'm glad I didn't tell them "no, I don't have time to do their survey" as I usually do.Also, several weeks ago, my parent's neighbor's mom passed away. Such a sweet story of her last day that I'd love to tell but suffice it to say it would give you holy chillbumps. Anyway, her instructions were that none of her stuff was to be sold but to be given away. They opened her apartment and gave the stuff away. I felt bad taking her stuff but they did say it was what she wanted. I got these adorable pillowcases...vintage? Not sure but I love them.

I also loved this purse.
And lastly and probably the most momentous...Tom and I celebrated our 10 year anniversary on June 16th. I am so blessed to be married to him and unfortunately he got stuck with me. He truly is everything thing that I prayed for and more. Looking forward to many more years with him. In lieu of jewelry, because my practical side won, I got some work done. On the house. Had you there for a second didn't I?? Here's a small shot...to those of you who've been in my home, no more blue walls, no more gray counter-tops. I still don't know what I was thinking when I chose those. I'm much happier with these and the paint color.We're going to be heading to Charleston for a few days to celebrate and my mom has graciously accepted our offer to watch our kids. I'm sure we'll have a good time...just sitting in a restaurant and not having to chase crayons, dodge greasy ketchup covered fingers, or inhale our food before the next melt-down will be wonderful.

I think I'm up-to-date on blogging. I'd better sign off and find my list of summer ideas. Gotta get my focus back before Molly decides to create a "mii" for everyone we know.

Harold Camping had it wrong...

2011-06-09T10:19:00.001-07:00

...yesterday was actually the end of the world, not May 21st. Okay, maybe I'm exaggerating some, yesterday wasn't the actual end of the world but it was close. Molly decided that she wanted to get her hair cut. We discussed at length, no pun intended, what she wanted her hair to look like. We even arrived at the salon a few minutes early so that she could look at book and get an idea. I'd already explained to her that if she liked a picture of someone with straight hair, hers would not turn out like that. So what does that child do? Picks out a hair style of a child with board. straight. hair. Not even a ripple or a wave...straight. Once again, I gently explained that the only resemblance between them would be length, nothing else. During her cut, I could tell already this was going to be a doozie. And sure enough, her hair was too short. And definitely too curly. She was brokenhearted. I did what every other mother would do and told her a sad story about a girl less fortunate than her who didn't have any hair. Molly was not in the mood for consolation. She thought she looked like a boy. She wanted to never leave the house again. She didn't want to go to her church class last night because she thought her friends would make fun of her haircut. So to help her move on, I straightened her hair and she went in big church with us. This morning, I did her hair for her. And she took a look at herself in the mirror and proclaimed..."I'm the cutest girl in the world!!!" Guess, I need to think of a sad story about humility. I'll work on that later though, I do want her to bask in the knowledge that she is indeed the cutest girl in the world. Or at least I think so. Here's a pic of her new do...
And because Luke didn't want to be left out of the picture taking, here's one of the cutest little boy around...

Summer Survival

2011-06-03T10:01:00.001-07:00

We survived Kindergarten. Not that I thought we wouldn't but some days "survival" was what it was all about. Now summer looms in front of us and with each passing minute I get a little more anxious because I have no schedule. For a planner like me, this is enough to give me heart palpitations and need a brown paper bag to breathe in. So yesterday, I determined that I would come up with some ideas that we could do to fill our days and not die from boredom or become obese from excessive snacking. To confirm that I am a complete nerd control freak, I even printed off blank calendars for June and July and plan to organize our lives somewhat. Believe me, I like spontaneity but since I won't be paid for the number of times I hear "Mom, what can I do?" I've decided to have a plan. So this post is to share with you some ideas I've come up with and also pick your brains to see if you have any suggestions.

~Art days at the Cummer-Tuesdays from 5-6
~Story-time at the library-Wednesdays 11 AM
~Popcorn and movie day
~Craft day
~Library day
~Pick a park day
~Friend day
~Pool day
~Mom's Day out
~Enroll in the Kids Bowl Free program
~Family night at the skating rink
~Vacation Bible School
~Family Vacation
~St. Marys Water Park
~Friday night beach nights

We won't be running the roads everyday...I've not hired a live in maid to tend to the house and meals so there will be days where we just hang out and play at home. So what's on your agenda and how do you plan to survive summer?

"Boys and Girls for Jesus..."

2011-05-27T10:50:00.000-07:00

"...this our earnest prayer." I grew up listening, from time to time, The Children's Bible Hour radio program with Uncle Charlie. Uncle Charlie being the host of the show, not my actual uncle. Whose names are Jim, Freddie, Bud and Mike, in case you were wondering. The program always opened with kids singing this song. Now as an adult, my earnest prayer is to raise a girl and boy for Jesus. The other day, Molly was saying how horrible it was that the kids at public school didn't get to hear about Jesus at school. For her, it's as important and natural as reading, writing, and, of course, recess. We talked about it some more and I told her that it was sad but that it is ultimately a mom and dad's job to teach their children about Jesus. Deuteronomy chapter 6 pretty much nails down how we are to live, act, breathe and teach our children about Christ. Now if your house is like mine, the closer it gets to bedtime, the increased likelihood of crazy, whiny, or stressed behavior, or perhaps melt down central. Or maybe your house is always peaceful and you live in delusion. Anyway, what I'm trying to say is that the last thing my kids (or Satan for that matter) want to do is sit still while we read the Bible and have family devotions. Some time back, I remembered good ole Uncle Charlie and the home devotionals that my mom had from the CBH. It was/is called Keys for Kids. So I googled it and sure enough, it's still in print and still available. It is a daily devotional for kids. It has a Bible passage to read and then a short story in which the character(s) apply it. Molly has loved it. It's age appropriate and very applicable. A household can get one subscription for free. (which happens to be one of my favorite 4 letter words) You can get it by mail or I do believe they have it on their website daily if y'all wanna huddle around the ole PC. We like to do it as a family and have the opportunity to ask questions along the way. It is our responsibility and one that should not be taken lightly. I encourage you to check it out. Their website is www.cbhministries.org. Have a fabulous weekend!!!

"Calling all Super Readers!"

2011-05-12T10:25:00.000-07:00

If you're a parent that has tuned in to PBS, you'll get the title, otherwise, you're on your own. I love to read. And by love, I mean I LOVE to read. Always have. Always will. I'm currently reading this....

So far, I'm enjoying it. It is a little different in that instead of paragraph/chapter form, it is letters written to and from the characters and that is how the story unfolds. I'm about half way through and so I'm anxious to see how it all plays out.
In the last few weeks, I've read Sara's Key, The Nazi Officer's Wife, Winter Garden, The Help, Black Heels to Tractor Wheels and re-read Redeeming Love. Ironically, the current book I'm reading and 3 of the 6 mentioned above are set around the 1940s and Hitler's regime. I'm sensing a trend here. This week, I checked out These is my words : the diary of Sarah Agnes Prine, 1881-1901 : Arizona Territories : a novel and that will be next on my reading list. I'm always looking for something great to read so if you have any suggestions, please share. Though I should mention that as much as I love to read, I don't do vampires, werewolves, sleeze, or pottymouths. Thanks in advance for the suggestions!!!

What's for dinner?

2011-05-11T10:46:00.000-07:00

Glad you asked. I should get better about posting my meal plan on here since I do it every 2 weeks. Maybe there's something that tickles your taste bud or answers the nightly question of "what to fix." This month, Molly has swimming lessons on the northside on Mondays and Wednesdays at 5:30 and so on Wednesdays, it works out better to grab something quick and head to church from there. So night off for me in the kitchen. Score! As for Sundays, I used to come home from church and fix a big meal but once we had kids, it became harder to walk in the door and have to cook. Meanwhile they're getting hungrier and crankier so that it was impossible to enjoy the meal. So for this season of life, we go easy and quick on Sundays. Here's the line up for the next 2 weeks...

Friday-Date night!!! Woo-hoo, it's been way too long. Gonna try a new restaurant.
Saturday-Rocky Top chicken
Sunday-Chicken salad sandwiches (lunch)/ homemade pizzas (dinner)
Monday-Taco Pie
Tuesday-Baked Spagetti
Wednesday-OUT
Thursday-BBQ chicken packets
Friday-Tallahassee
Saturday-Tallahassee
Sunday-Sandwiches (lunch)/ Biscuits, sausage gravy, eggs (dinner)
Monday-Roast in the crock pot
Tuesday-Cheesy beef corn chip skillet
Wednesday-OUT
Thursday-Cheesy Salsa mini meatloaves

These are the main courses and I usually have a veggie and fresh fruit each meal. Four of the meals listed are new for us so I'm anxious to see if they will make the recipe notebook or not. I'm always up for new recipes or meal ideas so feel free to share with me!

Why'd the chicken cross the road?

2011-05-03T19:32:00.001-07:00

Okay so I last blogged in March. Could someone please tell me where April went? The month, not the girl? The end of the school year is rapidly approaching and while I'm looking forward to not having get up and out the door everyday to take Molly to school, I am somewhat dreading the day-in-day-out repetition of "Mom, what can I do? Mom, can I have something to eat? Mom, I'm bored." So any ideas for keeping a kid full and engaged in meaningful activities would be appreciated. I will now proceed to tell you about the events of the last 24 hours that involved a chicken taking up residence at 1250. This could get long so consider yourself warned.

So yesterday, Tom and Luke go out on our back porch only to find a chicken pecking around the yard. This was the most pitiful looking chicken I've seen...understanding that I've never actually been near a live chicken as I prefer them as a meal, not a pet. So we go on about our day as if this was an every day occurrence, going so far as to name it "Barney." Reportedly, my neighbor shooed it out of her yard on Sunday and "Barney" in answer to the age old question, crossed the road to come and take up residence at our place. Today, I called animal control and apparently the only animals they control are cats and dogs. "Cindy" advised me that I could either catch it myself (as if) or call a trapper and referred me to the yellow pages. I should mention that in the meantime "Barney" was actually misnamed as this is what I found when I came home from dropping Luke at Mom's Day Out. Here's where I try to cut to the chase....A lady overheard me talking about it at Molly's school. Turns out she has chickens and would take mine off my hands. She arrives with cage. Takes one look at "Barney" and politely says, "Thanks but no thanks." BUT she does help me get the chicken in the cage she brought. I called my daddy because that's what girls do when they have a problem. He makes a phone call and then lets me know his friend will take care of Barney tomorrow. So Tom was going to take the chicken to this man's house but our neighbor told him about a house down Blair Road that has goats and chickens. Tom heads down there and sure enough, there's a sweet lady who would LOVE to take "Barney." So thankful to be rid of her and glad she found a home.

HaPpY BiRThDay!!!

2011-03-29T11:22:00.000-07:00

I cannot believe this little one is ONE!! I've photographed her from the time she was in her mama's tummy and it's so precious to see what sweet little girl she's becoming.
Here she is as a newborn...
And now here she is a year later. Oh so pretty!And while we did not do a cake smash, we did have some fun with a lollipop.

Happy Birthday Miss G! You are a prayed for blessing from God and I can't wait to see what He has in store for you!

And another one bites the dust...

2011-03-24T10:09:00.000-07:00

Molly pulled her fourth tooth today. I'm glad she's good at it because it gives me the willies. She lost one of the big upper teeth a couple of weeks ago and over time the other one shifted to the middle, never quite loose enough to pull so it made for a funny looking smile. Now she's lost two top teeth and two bottom teeth. Her mouth is so tiny and these big girl teeth don't have a lot of room so I'm predicting braces in her future. I told her the other day about how when she was a baby and her teeth were coming in how much she drooled. I went through so many bibs in a day because she would soak them. I'm glad that kids don't drool when their permanent teeth come in because one, it would be gross and two, it would be gross but I think I already mentioned that. Anywhoo, here she is...minus one more tooth.

Shirt to Skirt in a matter of minutes....

2011-03-23T16:28:00.000-07:00

Several weeks ago, I redid one of my dresses to make a skirt for Molly. I guess I'm on a roll because yesterday I turned this shirt of mine into a skirt for my Little Red. I loved this shirt and was so sad when it shrunk in the wash. And yes, I followed the wash instructions so I'm not sure what happened.

My latest project

2011-03-04T11:21:00.000-08:00

I really wish I had a lot of interior decorator talent. A lot of money to do what I want to my home would help too. We've been in our home for 7 years now and I still feel like we've done nothing more than paint the walls. So this week, I decided to try and change things up a little and did this to my kitchen cabinets....I saw this idea somewhere on a blog sometime ago so I can't assume credit for the idea and can't remember where I saw it to give that person the cr edit either. So basically, I took the cabinet doors off, sewed some fabric panels and then hung them with a tension rod. I spent less than $20 on the whole project so if in 2 weeks I hate it, I won't feel bad about taking them down.

While I was at it, I decided to do this to the shiny gold knobs. I experimented with 2 and I'm happy with the results so I plan to paint the other 18 this weekend. The cost here was just a can of spray paint.And as much as I hate counter clutter, I decided to put to use these glass canisters that have been sitting on top of my cabinets. I just wrapped some the leftover fabric from the cabinet panels and then tied a strip of burlap around it. The cost here, $1.49 for the burlap.

I am happy to have been able to spruce up my kitchen a wee bit and not feel guilty about spending a lot of money. I'm planning some other home projects and if you have any cost efficient ideas for decorating, I'm all ears!

Have a great weekend!

A Confession and A Commitment

2011-03-03T15:39:00.001-08:00

This is my confession:I hate folding socks. I think it's because the washer eats one so that I never come out with two identical socks in the same load. So I toss them into the sock abyss, which remarkably looks like a blue laundry basket. Anyway, every once in a while I will sit down and match them all up. This happens every 6 weeks or so. I kid you not. Remember this is a confession. Today was the day I got tired of looking at that basket full of socks or maybe it was because we were finally going barefoot, who knows. At any rate I folded every sock. Well most every sock. There are a few orphans that I put in a bin in my laundry room in the event their mates turn up.

Now for my commitment. Which really isn't a commitment to you but a commitment to myself.This is what this basket will look like at all times. I will fold socks pronto. No more piling them up. No more sock abyss. Keep me accountable folks. Ask me. Check our feet to see if we've got socks on. Ask Molly, she'll tell on me in a minute.

There, I did it. I aired my clean laundry. I feel better.

One last random fact....I had the bright idea of counting the pairs of socks after I'd put mine and the kids away of course. So I counted Tom's...there were 52 pairs. Is that ridiculous or what?!? Way too many socks. Guess that's how I can get by with only folding them every 6 weeks.

After re-reading this post, I'm not sure if I'll be able to face any of you again.

Mama Dress Redo

2011-03-02T12:55:00.000-08:00

I bought this dress last summer and only wore it a couple of times before the plastic ring on the strap broke. Boo on the designer that thought plastic would hold up to this big girl. So I held onto the dress thinking that I may try and repair it with something more sturdy but it's been sitting quietly in the closet for almost a year now. Today I had a hankering to sew something. Guess the whole American Girl doll bedding put me in the mood. So I went in search of some fabric in my junk closet and came across this dress. With no inspiration on how to fix it for me to wear, I decided to make Molly something. Voila! This is what it became. It definitely needs a black shirt. As for the length, I was thinking mid-calf would be cute but she wanted it as long as it could be so hence the full length. I know all too soon we will argue about things being too short so I'm going to encourage modesty as much as I can, while I can. I can't wait to see what else I've got that I can turn into something for her to wear. And while I'm on the subject, I bought some material on Tuesday for a home project and I hope to be sharing that in the next few days! Stay tuned.

In lieu of a small bank loan...

2011-03-01T13:25:00.001-08:00

I opted to forgo buying a bed for "Emily" at the American Girl Doll Store. As most of you know, for her sixth birthday, Molly didn't want a party but wanted to go the American Girl Doll store and pick out a doll and accessories. We headed to Atlanta two weekends ago and had a blast picking out her doll and all the stuff to go with it. In case you don't know...that junk's expensive! Needless to say after purchasing several outfits, getting a pet, and having her doll's ears pierced, we opted not to spend our other arm and leg on a doll bed. My friend, Traci, told me that I could get a doll bed at IKEA inexpensively and so as we headed south, we made a stop at the Atlanta IKEA and purchased a doll bed. (May I just say that I love IKEA.) Later in the week we went fabric shopping and Molly put together the fabrics she wanted for the bedding. I finished it up today and I must say, other than a couple of cosmetic issues, it looks pretty good. And it only cost me pocket change compared to the bed Molly wanted at the store for $125. Here's what it looks like....

Bananas Gone Bad...

2011-02-28T11:07:00.000-08:00

...but oh so good. So I had 3 bananas that were going bad and I hated for them to go to waste so I went to my favorite recipe site and found this recipe. These are the most delicious banana nut muffins I've ever tasted. I only had a 1/2 cup of walnuts so they could be nuttier. Also, the recipe says that it makes 12. I had a lot of batter left over so I baked the remainder in a loaf pan. The loaf needed a little longer to cook than the muffins did, just FYI.Here's the recipe, shamelessly stolen from Pioneer Woman's Tasty Kitchen Recipe site:
Banana Walnut Muffins

½ cups Butter (soft)
1 cup Sugar
2 whole Eggs
2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
1-½ cup All-purpose Flour
½ cups Bread Flour
1 teaspoon Baking Soda
1 teaspoon Baking Powder
½ teaspoons Salt
1 cup Walnut Pieces
3 whole Medium Bananas, Ripe

Preparation Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Prepare a muffin pan with baking spray.

In a mixer, combine the butter and sugar until fluffy. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat until fluffy.

In a separate bowl, combine the dry ingredients, including the walnuts. Add the dry ingredients and the walnuts to the mixing bowl, and partially combine.

Add the very ripe bananas and beat on high until the bananas and the rest of the ingredients have been well combined into a smooth batter.

Evenly scoop the muffin batter into the tin.

Bake for 15 minutes at 400ºF.

Enjoy!

Ketchup...

2011-02-28T11:05:00.001-08:00

For some it's a condiment. For Luke's it's a side.

Go away, you're not welcome here....

2011-02-09T10:33:00.001-08:00

This is the scene on my back porch. Cats. Hate is a strong word that I try not to use so insert a synonym and that's what I feel for these guys. They are out there sunning themselves without a care in the world. Look at how they're looking at me. I know they're mocking me. They've not budged since I opened the shutter. Or when I banged on the window. They only high tailed it and ran when I opened the door and stomped my foot at them. There were 4 of them but only 3 in this picture. We'll soon be outnumbered. They are a nuisance. They get in the trash. They whine and hiss outside of our bedroom window at night. It must stop. So short of being arrested for animal cruelty, what can I do to get rid of these guys? I want them gone. Pronto.

And in other news, I went to the bakery that replaced my favorite bakery and was pleasantly surprised that they've increased their inventory. I chose a peanut butter cream filled chocolate cupcake with chocolate ganache frosting and I must say it's delicious. I ordered Molly's birthday cake for our small celebration this weekend so that will be the true test of whether or not they've won back my loyalty. Although, I am pretty sure they weren't aware that they were trying nor did they care that they'd lost their most devoted customer.

Quiet House + Little Boy=Trouble

2011-02-07T10:26:00.000-08:00

Or at least something you should check on. I was balancing my checkbook and Luke was playing in the living room. He got quiet and I went to check on him because it's the law. Or at least it should be. Anyway, this is what I found...
He's sitting in what I call his "cubby-hole" which is part of my china cabinet that I had to make Luke friendly. I asked him to show me what he was doing and this is his version of events...
"Let me see if I can find it. Hold on. It's in here somewhere."

"Ahh yes, here is what I'm looking for. I've seen you and Molly do this a lot and I want to be like you."

"Don't I look pretty, Mama?"

Yes, there's never a dull, or quiet, moment around here.

While I'm posting pics, here's what I scored at the Farmer's Market this AM. In the pouring rain I might add. That's 5 cucumbers, 12 potatoes, 6 oranges, 4 apples, 2 onions and 4 tomatoes for $10.00. Love the Farmer's Market!

What's for Dinner?

2011-02-03T11:14:00.000-08:00

Do you ask yourself that every night or do you run to the grocery store at the last minute hoping for some inspiration or maybe the girl at the drive-thru knows you by name. Not that there's anything wrong with any of that above but I know how it can be hard to fix something in a crunch or avoid the drive-thru. Been there. Done that. I've done this once before, if my memory serves me correctly, and since I just meal planned for the next 2 weeks, I thought I'd share and maybe give you some ideas to avoid the dreaded dinner feeling. These are the main dishes and I usually fix a side or two depending on the meal. I'd be happy to share recipes if something looks good to you and there are a couple of things on here that I've not made before so hopefully they're yummy and I won't be sharing something gross.
Friday-Date night...means night off for me!!
Saturday-Buffalo Chicken Burgers
Sunday-Super Bowl party with the youth, I'm baking cookies and brownies
Monday-Breakfast for dinner...scrambled eggs, bacon, fruit, etc.
Tuesday-Chicken Crescent Rolls
Wednesday-Meatball Subs
Thursday-Easy as Pie Taco Pie
Friday-Pork Chops
Saturday-Hamburger Pouches
Sunday-Spaghetti
Monday-Chicken Parmesan
Tuesday-Slow Cooker Stroganoff
Wednesday-Creamy Chicken
Thursday-Breakfast Casserole
What's on your menu? I'm always looking for a new way to cook the same thing so feel free to share.

How big is God?

2011-02-02T10:38:00.000-08:00

Do you ever stop to think of how big God is? All through scripture we're told and it's only been today that I've really put a mental picture to those descriptions the Bible tells us. He's truly incomparable and indescribable and I can't wrap my head around it but I believe the truths of the Bible and know that there's no mistake. So how big is He? Think of the cup of your hand, or in this case, my hand. In Isaiah 40:12, it tell us that He measured the waters (lakes, rivers, oceans, streams, springs, ponds, you get the idea) in the hollow, or palm, of his hand. That, my friends, is a pretty big hand. Just FYI, my hand held about 2 tablespoons of water. It goes on to say that He measured the heaven with the span of His hand. For sake of comparison, here's the span of my hand. (pretend there's a starry sky backdrop) His hand measures the heavens, that's every star, planet, galaxy, comet, again, you get the idea. I hope that I'm making myself clear. He's a big God. He created every single thing without a mistake, without an accident. He knows every star by name and holds them in their place. It's amazing to think that someone so awesome loves little ole me. He knows everything about me, down to how many hairs are on my head. So why is it that we let life get the best of us? That we allow it to rob us of our joy in Jesus? That our happiness is placed on people and feelings? I don't think that's how it should be. No matter how big the problem, how broken the heart, how lonely the person, how stressed out you are, please remember that the Creator of the universe cares immensely. Simply put, He loves us. So much so that He gave His only Son to die for us. I can't fully describe it. I can't understand it. I can't measure it. But I trust it. I have faith in it. I believe it. I love it.

He's a poser...

2011-02-01T11:25:00.001-08:00

...for the camera that is. I took his 2 year old pictures the other day and he kept wanting me to take more. He is too much. I love this little guy with all my heart. Even when I have to leave a store because he is throwing a temper tantrum. Even when he screams "MINE!" at his sister. Even when he throws his plate on the floor because he's "all done." You should hear him sing "Holy, Holy, Holy" or "Jesus Loves Me"...it'd make you want to shout and pass an offering plate. We're teaching him to be a good Baptist. Anyway, here he is...my two year old little boy.

Sweet Baby B

2011-01-31T17:26:00.000-08:00

Can't believe this little guy is 3 months old. He's so sweet and smiley but rumor has it he gives his mama and daddy a run for their money at night time. Here are a couple from the other day. See what I mean...sweet and smiley....This one just makes me smile. I think it's something with his expression.

Then one of him and his pretty mama...

Ramblings....

2011-01-27T10:27:00.001-08:00

I'm not sure where this post will end up...probably somewhere between bore you to tears and wish you'd never clicked this link. My brain is going in several different directions and while I contemplated doing several different posts, I figured I'd hit the main points...
-Tom went with the youth from our church to West Virginia last week to go skiing. He lived to tell about it.
-I stayed home with the kids, one of them sick most of the time, while he went skiing. I lived to tell about it.
-I read Half Broke Horses in 2 days. I would recommend it for sure. I wish I could tell you about it but it's our book club read so I don't want to spoil it for the girls.
-I started a Bible study this week and I'm really really excited about it. It's a Beth Moore study and I've not done one of her's since college.
-We're on a TV fast. Molly's not watched TV since Saturday. She's living to tell about it, though barely, according to her. It's only been 4 days but I don't regret it yet. This was something that I had been thinking about doing and some things our pastor said in his sermon on Sunday just confirmed that it was a move we wanted to make. And not that she was watching it all the time but I just felt that it was time that could be better used. We're having fun crafting, reading, painting nails and talking instead. We haven't completely removed it but from here on out, it will be in very limited amounts.
-Over the last few days and weeks, God has blessed us in so many ways. And if that wasn't enough, today He dumped some more on us. I can't talk about the details but we serve an amazing God and He never ceases to amaze me. I'm so undeserving of anything yet I'm reminded of one of my favorite verses, Zephaniah 3:17, and how He delights in me.
-JEA is giving rebates on having your AC unit cleaned...saved $75 today on that service.
-Speaking of saving, if you're into coupon clipping and would like to attend a work shop, our ladies ministry is sponsoring one this Saturday. It's from 10-12 at the church. The cost is $5 at the door and there will be door prizes and some tips on getting the most out of your grocery shopping experience.
Guess I'll stop there. Laundry doesn't fold itself and if I want to sleep in my bed tonight, I'd best get to foldin'.

Welcome to the World Little Guy,

2011-01-20T08:25:00.000-08:00

We're so glad you're here! This is one of the sweetest families I know and I'm so happy that God has blessed them with another sweet little baby boy. We shot at their home which was perfect for them and gave me an opportunity to do something different. I can't wait to watch this little guy grow and see how God uses him to do great things.Sweet little piggers...And a shot of big brother...

Celebrating 2!!

2011-01-18T10:20:00.000-08:00

We celebrated Luke's birthday this weekend. He had so much fun. I can't begin to say how blessed we are with such wonderful friends and family. Thanks to each of you who came and made his day so special. Also, a special thanks to our favorite firefighter for hooking us up with the ginormous firetruck bounce house. It was a HUGE hit!!! Here's the bounce house...
He blew out his candles...He had his cake and ate it too...
And opened lots of presents...
I love you Lukey!!

Two Years Ago Today...

2011-01-14T06:23:00.000-08:00

...this was me and Tom. It was January 14 and Luke was scheduled to arrive the next day. This pic was taken the night before we had Luke. (pardon the poor picture quality as I couldn't find the original photo file so this is a picture of a picture) I cannot believe 2 years has gone by. I remember that night...last minute cleaning of my house, packing the car, taking Molly to my mom's and finally falling into bed around midnight. I was so nervous. I couldn't wait to meet my new little man. Here we are two years down the road and we've been blessed beyond our dreams. God has been so good.

Happy 1st Birthday!!

2011-01-12T09:58:00.000-08:00

I really enjoy photography. I've had my camera almost 3 years but I know I've only touched the tip of the iceberg of all there is to know and do. I do take pictures of people other than my crew and I have a blog for the "work" that I do. Unfortunately, it's a sad little neglected blog and for some reason I'm just not on the ball posting there. That being said, I am going to combine blogs and post sneak peeks here. Hope you don't mind.

This little guy came yesterday for his one year pics. It's was all fine and dandy until we wanted him to eat cake. He cried. He kicked the cupcake. He wanted nothing to do with it. So the plan was for him to come back after his nap for a second try and he ate pretty much the whole cupcake. Mission accomplished. I've got quite a few adorable shots and here's a couple.

Out of curiosity..

2011-01-10T12:06:00.000-08:00

...how many board shorts/bathing suits does one man need? The key word being need. And I'm referring to a normal, average every day guy who takes an occasional vacation or a weekend trip to the beach. I will go no further than that to protect the innocent and by innocent I mean he never reads this so don't go givin' him grief the next time you see him. I just want a number. Thank you very much.

So how do you cut corners?

2011-01-07T08:01:00.000-08:00

A couple of years ago, we made the decision for me to quit work and stay home full time. For me it took faith to believe that we could "make it" on one income but we have more than we could possibly need and God is so good. I meal plan and grocery shop every two weeks mainly because I really don't like the grocery store...not my idea of retail therapy. I do clip coupons and look for deals to save money. I recently discovered the Farmer's Market on Beaver Street. I'm hooked and can't believe what grocery stores charge for produce. It's easy to find and never busy. The vendors have all been really nice and I've been happy with the produce I've bought there. I ran over there today and in a matter of minutes had all the produce I needed for now and some extra cash in my pocket. Here's what I bought today and spent only $13.00. So what are your tips for cutting corners and saving money? I'd love to hear them. Have a great weekend!

The Story of Supper

2011-01-06T18:08:00.000-08:00

We had lasagna tonight.
Molly liked it.

Lukey liked it.
Alot.
He needed a bath.
The End.

Easy-Peasy Dinner Recipe

2011-01-05T10:42:00.000-08:00

Sometime back, I blogged about dinner ideas and how I was growing weary of the same old things. One of my friends shared this recipe--shout out to Jennifer Higginbotham--and I've made it so many times. It's really simple and one that every one in my house will eat. There may be a formal name for it but since I don't know what it is, I will call them "Chicken Potato Pockets."

Here's whatcha need:
package of chicken breasts
package of Ranch dressing mix
butter
potatoes, cleaned, peeled and diced--I usually use 1 potato per pocket
tin foil--enough pieces for each chicken breast
Here's whatcha do:
Preheat oven to 350. Grab a piece of tinfoil for each chicken breast. Place a chicken breast on it's piece of tinfoil. Then put the diced potatoes on the chicken. Sprinkle with the Ranch mix. Then put several dollops of butter over the pile of chickenpotatoranchmix. Then close the foil around each one to seal. Put it on a pan or baking sheet. Bake until done. I usually prefer to forgo salmonella poisoning and cook it for an hour. Meanwhile, cook up a side like green beans or broccoli and voila dinner is d.o.n.e. Just a side note, all that butter you put in there will be melted so don't go tearing your tinfoil open or you'll have a mess bigtime. Hope you enjoy this as much as I do. And thanks Jenn for sharing!!

2011-01-04T11:46:00.000-08:00

I've started to write a new post...several times. I just find it hard to believe that anyone would want to read my holiday re-cap. Which would have been gripping and would have included a play-by-play of Luke screaming his head off for 2 solid hours at my in-law's on Christmas eve. It was hardly a silent night. Perhaps I could have rattled off all the stuff my kids got and yet aren't happy with their own things but would rather argue over what the other one has. Next year Santa better bring 2 of everything or else. Maybe you'd be interested to know that I'm a way better Wii bowler than if you took me to a real bowling alley or that I could give Elaine from Seinfeld a run for her money if you saw me attempting to dance to Just Dance for Kids on the Wii. To sum it up...it was wonderful. I hope yours was as well. Here's an out of focus pics of my kids on Christmas Eve...before the weeping, wailing and gnashing of teeth began of course.

Luke's new thing...

2010-12-07T12:41:00.000-08:00

Giving all new meaning to the phrase "put a sock in it." My kids always take their shoes off in the car. For instance, I just cleaned out my van and brought in 5 pairs of their shoes. So now when Luke takes off his shoes he then stuffs his socks in his mouth. This is surely going to give me a heart attack. There's nothing like driving down the interstate and checking your rear-view mirror only to see him with not 1 but 2 socks in his mouth, smiling from ear to ear. It's like he knows I can't do anything about it and chooses that exact moment to execute his little plan. So if you see me swerving down the road or perhaps even pulled over, chances are I'm prying a wet sock out of his mouth.

Oprah has nothing on Shutterfly!!

2010-11-23T12:28:00.000-08:00

So did any of you catch Oprah last night? She was doing her "My Favorite Things" giveaway. It was cah-razy. Seriously. Well, Shutterfly is one of my favorite things and they're doing they're own giveaway. Each year, we send out a photo Christmas card. This year I decided that it was time for a family photo of all of us, not just the kids. My poor friend Tina was coerced into snapping the pics for us. Well, a fellow blogger and long time friend blogged about Shutterfly's Christmas card promotion. Basically, bloggers get free Christmas cards. YAY!! I blog and free is one of my love languages. So I thought I would sign up for their promotion. Oh my word. I don't know how I will ever choose! They've got oodles of gorgeous designs and I'm still trying to decide which one I like best. Here are some of my favorites:Shutterfly is affordable and offers a ton of other products besides cards. From calendars to coffee mugs, nothing would warm a loved one's heart like a personalized gift from Shutterfly. So go. Scoot on over to Shutterfly.com and order your cards and gifts today. Be sure that I am on your Christmas card list so I can see which one you chose. Happy Holidays!!!

Give, and it shall be given unto you...

2010-11-17T11:29:00.001-08:00

Last week, Tom took my van to have the oil changed. As it turns out the oil change showed that we needed some repair work done to the tune of just over $1000. I remember when Tom called me and told me. It certainly wasn't what we thought we would hear that day and here's the shocker...we didn't have an extra $1000 buried in the backyard or sitting in a bank for that matter. As I promptly began to worry, that still small voice of God said, "I will supply all your needs." I knew He would but didn't know how. Some friends of ours had a mechanic connection that works as a mechanic at Honda and we got in touch with him. Lo and behold he was able to do the necessary repairs and a couple of other things for more than half of what the dealership had quoted us. Did you read the fine print...MORE THAN HALF!! God is so good. But wait, the story gets better. Monday night as we were driving through the Publix parking lot, there was a man standing there with a sign and he was panhandling. I only had a dollar but I felt led to give it to him as well as a track from our church. As we drove by I rolled my window down and handed it to him. We had the kids with us and so we used the opportunity to share with Molly about giving even when it's not much and about witnessing. Then on Tuesday, the mechanic called Tom with even better news....he was able to get the part from another Odyssey which lowered our bill even further!! As I tucked Molly into bed last night, I shared with her Luke 6:38 and we talked about giving, obedience and God's blessing. Never at any moment in my life had this verse had so much meaning. God's word is true. You can take it at face value. He does deliver and He blesses obedience. We gave a man in need a dollar and planted the seed of salvation and in return, God gave us $583 off our car repair. Praise the Lord!!

Thanksgiving is just around the corner...

2010-11-16T10:41:00.000-08:00

...as if you didn't know but it's the best I could come up with. I love this time of year. I really do. I love food. I love to shop. I love it all. Since Tom and I have been married, we've always alternated Thanksgivings and Christmases with our families. And with the exception of the Christmas I was pregnant with Luke and couldn't travel, we've stuck to that. This year we'll be in Jacksonville for Thanksgiving. I just can't wait. Both of my brothers and their families will be here. The last time we were all together was 2 years ago...hard to believe it's been 2 years. I'm not going to attempt to make a turkey. I figure as long as my mom is living and breathing she can do it. I'm bringing green bean casserole, Pioneer Woman's mashed potatoes, and Apple Skillet Cake. Yum, I seriously can't wait until Thanksgiving day. God has blessed me more than I could have ever dreamed...a sweet family, wonderful husband, precious babies, I could go on and on but most of all I'm thankful Jesus saved me. I have so many blessings here on earth but they don't compare to the blessing of salvation and a home in heaven.

Maybe I'm the only one who didn't know...

2010-11-15T10:55:00.000-08:00

about the Jacksonville Farmer's Market. Sometime back on my status on facebook, I asked for some suggestions about where to buy fresh produce besides the chain grocery stores. One of the places suggested was the farmer's market off Beaver Street. So this weekend, Tom and I decided to go check it out. I was amazed! I couldn't believe the prices...they're practically giving food away when compared to the grocery store. For $10.50, we bought....1 bag of medium onions, 5 bell peppers, 4 oranges, 4 tomatoes, 8 apples, and 1 bunch of broccoli. Here are some tips if you go:
**Go in the broad daylight. If you go on Beaver Street, after dark, you'd best be packin' your pistol and permit.
**Take cash. While some vendors accept debit, not all do and they each rent space so you pay to the individual, not a collective amount at the end.
**I would also take a bag. I took my big TJMaxx reusable bag and put all my purchases in there. It was easier to do that than to carry the sacks of fruit and veggies.

Guess, that's all I've got for now. Have a good one!

I'll be passing the offering plate at the end of this post....

2010-10-29T11:59:00.001-07:00

So Tom and I get up about the same time each morning. Him to get ready to go to work and me, well, to get ready and go to work. Except I just step from the bedroom to the kitchen and I'm there. Tom however leaves the house about 6:45 or so to head to Bank of America. This morning was going according to plan until my phone rang 20 minutes or so after he had left. I answered it, wondering who would be calling me at 7 AM. The voice on the other end said, "Bet you thought I'd never call you from a pay phone again." (Sidebar:When Tom and I were dating, he roomed with 3 other guys and the one in charge of the bills decided to use the money for other things and opted not to pay the phone bill. You know if you don't pay your bill, they turn your phone off. So Tom and I spent many hours talking on the phone...him on some pay phone somewhere and me tucked in my parent's home safe and sound.) So that is what he was referring to. Anyway, as it turns out, he had a flat tire. Between Normandy and Wilson. It was still pretty dark at that time and so rather than risk getting hit by a car while he changed the tire he walked down the interstate to Wilson Blvd and then to the Kangaroo at Wilson and Old Middleburg. How that was less risky than changing a tire in the dark, I don't know but I think I would have taken my chances changing the tire. Anyway, I quick threw so clothes on Molly and flung a bag of cereal at her as I strapped Luke in and headed to go and pick Tom up. We dropped her off at school and then went back to his car to wait for AAA to come and see what needed to be done. Tire changed. Trip to Discount Tire for new ones. Tom's at work and the world's as it should be. Have you ever seen those "Road Ranger" trucks along the highway? They're part of FHP and their sole responsibility is to help you out. So if you're stranded on the highway they can, within reason, be to you in about 10 minutes. So right now, go save *347 in your phone so if you need it, you got it. Now, we will take a collection to buy my old man a cell phone so that the next time he's stranded with a blown out tire, he can call the "Road Ranger" from the comfort of his own car.

Just a few rabbit trails...

2010-10-22T07:58:00.000-07:00

1....Is it just me or is Dr. Oz a hypochondriac? I don't watch his show so I can't say for certain but recently I've been turning Live with Regis and Kelly on and they are the show before his. So every commercial break has previews for his show and literally every day it seems he's sounding the alarm on something that's completely hazardous to our health. As if we didn't know smoking increases our risk of cancer. Or that not wearing a seatbelt raises your chances of being seriously injured in a car accident. It's a wonder the man even leaves his house. Again, I've never watched his show and may be he's not Dr. Gloom and Doom that his commercials portray him as.

2....We went to a birthday party this weekend. My friend's little girl turned three and while I could park it here and get all sentimental about how time is flying I choose to talk about her house. I know people clean when company is coming but her house is different. Her house is so clean, neat, organized. It smells good. It is refreshing to go in her house. I honestly believe that her house is like that all the time and not only when company comes over. I know it is. I want to be like her one day.

3....We've settled on Halloween costumes. Molly will be a Jaguar cheerleader and Luke a football player without all the helmet and padding. So I guess he's gonna look more like a fan but I don't think he'll care much. He's not into details like his big sister.

4....We're going to the Chicken House for dinner tonight and that excites me on so many levels.

5....My other friend had her 4th baby yesterday. I can't wait to go visit and smell him. New babies are the sweetest...as long as they belong to someone else. Although, Tom's been talking about having another baby and Molly said this morning on the way to school we could just adopt one. I told her it was a pretty expensive process. To which she replied, "Yeah, we were free!" Not exactly and I have the marks of motherhood to prove it.

6....Looking forward to a great weekend in God's house. He always shows up at NJBC. Yay for a wonderful church!

7....I've had some really cute subjects recently, hope over to my photography blog and check 'em out.

8....Got a pretty decent haircut this week at Hair Cuttery of all places...who knew?!? It almost seemed like robbery to pay $21.00 for a haircut and blow dry but it's true, that's all it cost. Now I gotta get these roots covered. I'm thinking Salon 1087 but I first have to convince my mom that I'll still love her even if she turns my hair green.

9....If you have read all of this, God bless your heart. Have a great weekend.

He's got a thing for shoes....

2010-10-14T12:13:00.000-07:00

I think I need to stage an intervention for Luke. The boy loves to wear shoes...just not his own. He is particularly fond of these red patent high heels. Additionally, he likes purses and the more the better. One can never have too many purses I guess. Maybe this comes from having a big sister. Or maybe it's my own love for shoes and purses he somehow inherited. This is how he was playing today and how he insisted on being to go and get Molly from school. Thankfully, he left the cowboy hat in the playroom. I see a lot of GI Joe, Superman, tools and manly boy toys under the Christmas tree for this little guy this year. Speaking of Christmas, it's just over 2 months away. Molly made her list several weeks ago but she's the only one that's prepared. I have bought a couple of things so that makes me a little happy....to have at least started the process. Have you started your shopping yet?

It's that time of year...

2010-10-01T05:27:00.000-07:00

Every year about this time, we start to talk about what Molly wants to be for Halloween. Personally, I liked it when she couldn't talk and I could put her in whatever I wanted her to wear. Now she's 5 and has an opinion and already every.single.idea. I put out there, she shoots down. So this morning on the way to school, we were talking about what she wanted to be and after a few suggestions on my part, she says, "I really just want to be a rock star for Halloween." To which I reply, "Molly, we don't even listen to rock music and you don't know any rock stars so why would you want to be one?" Then, in the innocence that only a child could say, she said, "Well, I could be Dolly Parton." It was all I could do to not laugh out loud. I'm not sure which I find funnier, the fact that she classifies Dolly Parton as a rock star or the mental image I get when I picture her dressed up as Dolly. So we talked a little more and at this moment, she has decided to be a "Jag-wire" cheerleader and as with any girl, that's subject to change at any given second. So what are your little ones going to be for Halloween?

Love this little guy!

2010-09-29T12:57:00.000-07:00

The good news is, Luke insists on feeding himself which totally frees me up to stuff my face.
The bad news is, he usually requires a bath afterward.

Luke and his Ladies

2010-09-23T06:42:00.000-07:00

My son has a love for hair. I don't know why. Some things just can't be explained. He is particularly fond of Barbie hair and so when Molly pulls out the Barbie box and begins to play, Luke gets right in the middle and starts looking at and touching all of their hair. Maybe it's a texture thing. Who knows. Anyway, Molly does not want him messing with her Barbies but lovingly "sacrificed" two of them for Luke. These are the only ones that he's allowed to hold. He doesn't realize that these are the two most undesirable dolls in the box. He's just happy to carry 'em around. Here's a picture of him and his ladies as well as one of just the ladies.

What's hysterical is how matted their hair has become. It stands straight up like that all the time. Hope this doesn't scar him for life.

{Insert Catchy Blog Title Here}

2010-09-22T11:31:00.000-07:00

I live a quiet uncomplicated life and while that works for me, it leaves me with less than riveting things to blog about. So today, you're stuck with what I've been working on this afternoon. Babies grow. (less than riveting, I know. I warned you) Anyway, when they're all little and newborn, those hooded towels are perfect for bath time and for keeping their little heads covered when you get them out of the bath but as previously stated, babies grow. Soon those baby towels barely wrap around their chubby bellies let alone cover their heads. Several years ago, a friend of mine received a wonderful hooded towel at her baby shower that someone made for her. And it was made from a regular sized towel. "I can do that!" I said to myself and so I did. My kids have several and I've made quite a few for friends as baby gifts. Molly is 5 and still uses hers. So Tom's co-worker is having a baby and this afternoon I whipped one up for him to take to the shower. It didn't turn out exactly as it was supposed to but I think it will work. I've made enough of them to not mess one up so I don't know what I was thinking. Here's a quick pic...

The Mickey Report

2010-09-15T11:48:00.000-07:00

Yes, Mickey like the mouse. Mickey is the boy who sits in front of Molly in Row 5 at school. This is the fourth week of school and to date, he has thrown up in front of Molly, fallen out of his seat (on numerous occasions), and told Molly she killed his girlfriends, just to name a few things. Molly always has something to report about this kid. So lately when I ask Molly how her day was she just answers "fine" and I'm okay with that but it's always followed by what kind of day Mickey with a lot more descriptive wording and emotion than the word "fine" conjures up. So, if anyone wants to know, Mickey had an "AWESOME" two thumbs up day today. Maybe Mrs. Yerby should give his mama Molly's number if she truly wants to know the 411 on Mickey in class.

And in other news, BSF started back today. We're meeting at different church but not too far from home and much closer to "Dessert First" aka "The Other Bakery" or "Wanna-be Sheila's" Since my first trip, I've not been back and I really want to give them a chance to prove themselves to be the quality of Sheila's. Unfortunately, I couldn't swing by there today 'cause the pesky gas light in my van was on and had been for a while. And with a little poor planning on my part, I ended up going the opposite direction of the bakery when I left the church. So next week, I will pay them a little visit after BSF...I can hardly wait!!

2010-08-31T11:17:00.001-07:00

We survived the first week of school and really the biggest stress was car-line. I mean do you go up the middle row or around the right? Each day is different. One day, I went down the middle row but the line had already begun to form around the to the right so I am sure that I got a couple of looks for "skipping" the line. For those of you not familiar with Trinity or it's traffic patterns, I feel the compulsion to draw you a diagram of what I'm talking about but quite frankly that would be more stressful than choosing which way to go in the parking lot. So, I've decided to just go with the flow and this, my friends, totally messes with my sense of wanting there to a right way and a wrong way of doing it. But short of getting there early with an orange vest and a whistle to direct people myself, I must submit to the whim of the line in front of me.

Molly, as I knew she would, has completely adapted to kindergarten. Even dragging her out of bed has been easier this week. She is not missing a thing and is full of the important info like "soandso had Fruit Loops for snack" and "Mickey threw up today." She is learning new songs and one song she's learned is "Obedience." I was listening to her sing it the other day and when she got to the part where you spell "obedience", she sang, "O-D-E-B-Y-M-C-A!" Besides being confused on the order, I'm thinking she got a little side-tracked with the Village People too. Fortunately, they've done it enough times that she's singing right. Me and Lukey are adjusting to life without Molly and he loves having free reign of all things in this house. I still can't believe she's in school and from the moment I drop her off, I can't wait to pick her up...even though it means car-line twice in one day.

Sad day...

2010-08-20T10:15:00.001-07:00

...for me. Don't worry I am not about to blog about how fast Molly is growing up, I'm saving that for Monday. Here's what's going on...several weeks ago was my birthday and Tom decided he would get me a cake from my absolute fav-o-rite bakery..(Sheila's Cakes and Specialty Treats in case you don't know me at all). So when I went to pick up my cake (yes, I picked up my own birthday cake, I'm not too proud to do it when Sheila's is at stake). Anyway, I went in the bakery and things looked different and not in a good way. Her party supplies were 75% off. Some of the coolers, where all manner of heavenly sweets were kept, were gone. I started to get a little nervous. What was going on here and why wasn't I consulted? So in a very hush-hush way, I was told that due to the economy "Sheila's" as I know it would no longer be. I was assured that a new bakery was opening just around the corner and they would offer the same "quality" sweets and treats as trusty ole Sheila. I was told that I would see the same faces working there too. So I've been anxiously awaiting their opening so I could see for myself if I would still be able to indulge in a cupcake occasionally or order my kid's birthday cakes. I'm a cake snob and while Publix will do in a pinch, it's not Sheila's. Today I went there and they've opened and while things certainly don't look the same I've not written them off completely. Maybe they're just getting started. I decided to give them a chance and I bought a cupcake. I am about to eat it while humming "Sunrise, Sunset." Have a wonderful weekend!

You know you haven't blogged in a while...

2010-08-19T04:26:00.000-07:00

...when you can't remember the password to your blogging account. Got it on the second try though. Since I last blogged, we went on vacation for a week and other than that I have no good reason for not blogging other than trying to squeeze every last lazy second out of summer.

The time is officially here. The day I prayed would come but now that it's here I honestly can't believe it. Today Molly and I are going to orientation at Trinity Christian Academy where she will start K-5 on Monday. Kindergarten! Wasn't it yesterday that I brought her home from the hospital? I remember it well...I was so nervous and positively dreaded "the first night" home. I had this precious little red headed baby that was now my responsibility to raise. I kinda wish I could have a re-do at least for a little while. From here on out, it will become a joint effort and I am going to have to entrust her to her teacher and peers at school. It will never be just us at home. Our lives will now be kept by the school calendar. And while I am slightly melancholic over it, I am really excited to see her learn and grow. I am excited for the routine to life it will bring. I am happy that it will be just me and Lukey for a little while each day. So we've bought the metal Hello Kitty lunch box and her uniforms are all lined up in her closet waiting for Monday morning. New shoes and hair bows are ready as well. Molly, well, she's been ready. I on the other hand am not quite ready to let go so if you need me, I am curled up in bed with a box of tissues watching home movies of my "Little Red."

I Scream, You Scream...

2010-07-08T17:18:00.001-07:00

...We all scream for ICE-CREAM!!! A lady at my church shared this recipe with me and some other mothers from my church and today Molly and I made home-made ice cream. Molly loves to help in the kitchen and with some assistance she pretty much made this herself and got to enjoy it when it was done. It's really easy and for those mamas needing something to entertain your kids, this should buy you 15-20 minutes of distraction. Here's the recipe and it makes one serving.

1/2 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon of vanilla
1 tablespoon of sugar
4 cups of crushed ice (I used the "crush" option on my ice-maker)
4 tablespoons of salt
2 quart size Ziploc bags
1 gallon size Ziploc bag (I didn't have gallon bags, so I used a plastic bowl and lid and shook it)
a hand towel or gloves to keep fingers from freezing

Mix the milk, vanilla, and sugar in one of the quart size bags. Seal tightly, removing as much air as possible. Place this bag inside the other quart size bag so that they're double bagged. Place the bags inside the gallon Ziploc bag and fill the bag with ice, then sprinkle salt on top. Seal tightly, removing as much air as possible. Wrap the bag in the towel or put on the gloves. Shake and massage the bag making sure that the ice surrounds the cream mixture. Shake for approximately 5-8 minutes. I checked the cream mixture at 5 minutes and it was "soft serve" consistency so we did the full 8 minutes. Then it was topped with chocolate and enjoyed by Molly.

Maybe I should look into getting a Fairy Godmother...

2010-06-30T17:01:00.000-07:00

For Christmas, Molly received a doll house. Slowly but surely we have been furnishing the doll house which has about 8 rooms. The other day, Molly wanted to buy some more furniture and asked me if I would take her to ToysRUS to buy some. She's asking for stuff all the time and I am sure that it came as no surprise to her when I told her "no." I did remind her that she had money in her Cinderella bank and that if she wanted to spend it, I would take her to ToysRUS. After thinking for a moment, she told me she couldn't spend that money. I was anxious to hear her reason for not wanting to spend her own money and so I asked her why not. Her reply, "Because I am saving up for my wedding dress!" As if that was the most obvious reason in the world. When I was 5, I do believe that was the last thing on my mind, let alone saving for. Come to think of it, I didn't save up any money for my wedding dress. Anyway, I thought that was pretty cute and I assured her that when the time came, in 40 years or so, we would make sure that she had a wedding dress. So as we emptied Cinderella of all her change, I probably missed a chance to teach her some great life lesson about saving but at least the doll house has a child's room, living room, and minivan.

I need just a second of your time...

2010-06-29T04:02:00.000-07:00

How many of you would say that you're busy? Extremely busy? Your to-do list is longer than ever and there's no end in sight busy? Or how about when you're not being busy, you're thinking about being busy? I am not saying that being busy is wrong. Life, laundry, kids, school, church, the list could go on of the things that we have to do and sometimes all those things can become overwhelming. Does it make you anxious to get to the end of your day and realize that your to-do list didn't shrink? Or did you race from one place to the next and wonder how you got there because your mind was so pre-occupied with other things that you don't remember driving from point A to point B? I read this verse the other day and it just keeps coming back to my mind. It's Psalms 94:19 and for me it means that in the midst of "life" and all that is going on either physically or mentally, God gives a calm and comfort like nothing else can. Think on Him today, He's thinking on you.

Ahh, Toddlerhood, the Age of Discovery

2010-06-23T10:00:00.000-07:00

...and Lukey's discovered this:

He's cute even covered with macaroni and cheese and his finger in his nose.

Here's to many more!!

2010-06-15T19:58:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow, Tom and I will celebrate our anniversary. I can remember the night before I got married like it was yesterday, not 9 years ago and how nervous I felt the moment I made it to the front of the church on our wedding day. It is hard to grasp how fast 9 years has flown by. I married my best friend and God has blessed me with more than I deserve. Yesterday, we were trying to decide what to give his dad for Father's Day and I suggested an "Edible Arrangement." Tom laughed. I asked him, "Who wouldn't want an Edible Arrangement?!? I've always wanted one!" So today, he walks in the door from work with this...

Yup. An Edible Arrangement for ME!! I was tickled pink and it is delicious but I'm thinking that I should have suggested jewelry for his dad for Father's Day...I might have had an even bigger surprise than this! Seriously though, Tom is not only a great husband but my best friend and a wonderful daddy. I love him more today than ever and hope that we get to spend many more anniversaries together.

Self-potrait by Molly Swinson

2010-06-08T19:36:00.001-07:00

This past weekend was Molly's VPK graduation. It was really sweet and the kids did a great job. On their first day of school back in August, Mrs. Karla had them draw a picture of themselves. She hung them above the board in her room and every time I looked at Molly's, I couldn't help but smile. Her first self-portrait is the center drawing. Her hair was shorter at the beginning of the year but she wasn't at a military school so I'm not sure why she gave herself a buzz cut. On the last day of school, Mrs. Karla had them draw another self-portrait which is to the left of the center one. It makes me laugh too. Her hair has grown out and that's reflected in not only some colored length but also the addition of some curly-q hair glued on there. She's sporting a fuzzy hair bow which is ironic since she never left anything in her hair that I put there. How 'bout them dangly earrings? She's got a flair for fashion at times. (to fully appreciate the photo, double click on it and see it large.:)) Cute how they perceive themselves.

Anyway, it's crazy busy around here and there's plenty to blog about but I'm going to call it a day. Hope all is well in your part of the world.

It's a Party and You're Invited!!

2010-06-01T12:56:00.001-07:00

This is to all you sentimental mamas out there or maybe a grandma...

As we all well know, time flies by so fast. I am constantly telling Molly to keep her hands off the wall or glass because it makes fingerprints that I have to clean. I know that the day will come where I would give anything to have a little hand print on my wall. Well, my friend Jennifer and her friend have started up the sweetest little business. It is called Sugar Snails Pottery and Gifts and you can find them at www.sugarsnailspottery.com. I am hostessing one of their parties and would love to have you attend. Basically, you arrive at my home 10 minutes before your scheduled time to view their products and then once you've decided, they use paint and your child's prints to make an adorable heirloom. One that you will hang on your wall or display and year after year lovingly look at it...it's a print you won't want to wash off. This would make a great gift for a parent or grandparent. Maybe you are a grandparent and you could sneak over here with your grandchild to make a gift for their mom and dad. Or if you're like me, you just want one for yourself. The possibilities are endless. They accept Visa, MC, cash, and check. In addition to pottery pieces, they do have bags and whatnot that you can have monogrammed which you'll see on their site. Their facebook fanpage has up-to-date photos of their most recent pottery work. So. Go check it out and then contact me for a time slot. Oh, sorry, it will be June 22, 2010 starting at 10:00. And you know I benefit from this so don't leave me hanging, plus you know you wanna come!

Mama said "Eat your veggies."

2010-05-26T08:55:00.000-07:00

And if they were like this all the time, I would. This is an appetizer that my friend Tina makes and so I claim no ownership but feel to not share it with you would be a tragedy. I'm not sure of the exact name but how about we call them "Veggie Squares?" Don't they look delicious? I'm made these this past weekend and I would be embarrassed to tell you how many I ate. I'm not a vegetable kind of girl but these are so good that I overlook the fact that it's primarily raw veggies. So here's the recipe if you'd like to make them. Your taste buds will thank you and if you share them with me, I may eat half of them but I'll thank you too!

Ingredients: 1 can of crescent rolls (8 count)
1 package of cream cheese, softened (8 ounce)
1 package of ranch dressing mix
Fresh veggies-cleaned and cut diced I used broccoli, bell pepper, red pepper, and carrots.

Grease a cookie sheet. Unroll and press out the crescent rolls pinching seams together. Bake according to the directions. I checked it at 10 minutes and my crust was golden brown. Allow to cool slightly. Mix together cream cheese and part of the Ranch mix. I'm not sure of how much I used but don't use the whole pack or it will be way too salty. I had maybe a tablespoon leftover. Then spread the cream cheese mixture on top of the crescent roll crust. Sprinkle with your veggies, press them slightly so they'll stay put and then cut into squares. Voila...Veggie Squares! Then try to eat just one.

Now you see it, Now you don't.

2010-05-25T12:39:00.000-07:00

This is how my baby's smile looked Saturday morning:

And this is how it looked Saturday night:

Yes, somewhere between "I'll never survive raising children" and "Where did the time go?" she lost her tooth. It just doesn't seem possible that her smile now is going to begin looking more grown up. Saturday morning she told me her tooth was loose. I confirmed and while she jumped up and down and cheered, I crawled in corner and cried. I know, I need to get a grip. Anyway, she wiggled and messed with it all day and that evening she said, "This tooth is coming out to-day." Her next words were, "It's out! I pulled my tooth!!" Thankfully, I had made a Target run to get the necessities for the Tooth Fairy. If you believe the Tooth Fairy is real, please read no further. To make a long story, not quite as long, we don't believe in the Tooth Fairy and Molly's good with that. She loved what I did and is anxiously awaiting the next tooth to come out. I want to try and do something different each time so if you have any ideas, let me know!
Here's Molly on Sunday morning:

Evidently Armpits are Scandalous...

2010-05-21T11:56:00.000-07:00

This has been Molly's first year of dance. She's been taking a combo class on Thursday nights...learning both tap and ballet. Recital is approaching and we are getting our stuff together for hair and make-up. Got our tights last week. Ordered our trophy. And we got her costume last night...bright pink and sparkly. She's going to be the cutest shrimp there. By shrimp, I am referring to her part, not her stature. This year's performance is going to be "The Little Mermaid." This will be the first part of the recital. The second part of the recital is a mixture of tap, clogging, jazz, etc. So last night Molly is describing her entrance onto the stage for her group's tap number and the gist of it was "Mom, we're going to shake our moneymakers, raise our arms in the air AND SHOW OUR ARMPITS!!" Here all along, I thought that this was a wholesome dance studio. Yet they've got the nerve to show my little girl's armpits!!! I am appalled and outraged. Not really. If you know me at all then you know those last 2 lines were complete sarcasm. She's still learning about modesty and evidently showing your armpits like that is crossing a line not that referring to any part of her anatomy as a "moneymaker" doesn't but I blame my big brother for teaching her that word.

And in other news, Luke's working on all 4 of his molars and is still smiling.

If you read my meal post the other day, I must say that my mexican pizzas were a hit but the penne pasta (really a lot like baked ziti) I didn't really care for.

Not a lot more going on in our little part of the world so I guess that's all for now.

Have a great weekend!!!

Passin' it along...

2010-05-19T13:57:00.000-07:00

You know I love to read blogs. I have my favorites that I read everyday and so wanted to tell you about one that my friend told me about. Need something monogrammed? How 'bout some froo-froo (yes, that is a word) looking towels with your name on them? Need a baby or wedding shower gift? Well look no further. Susan has some adorable things and I can't wait to get something monogrammed. Gotta decide though first and that means a shopping trip in my future...hey, any excuse to go right? So go check out her blog and while you're there become a follower and when she has 50 followers, she'll have a giveaway. Free...one of my favorite 4 letter words. Here's where you'll find her http://www.mamacouture.net/.

What's on the menu around here....

2010-05-14T10:26:00.000-07:00

For as long as we've been married, I have tried to meal plan and grocery shop every 2 weeks. Of course vacations, eating out, having babies, etc has often changed the plan but for the most part, this is our routine. I am not real fond of grocery shopping so twice a month basically is what I've gotten it down to. I do usually have to go at some point between shopping trips to pick up milk or something like that but often I will have Tom pick it up on his way home from work. The hardest thing about meal planning is variety. I sometimes feel like we eat the same thing over and over but Tom never complains, he's good like that. So here's what we've got going the next 2 weeks. Hopefully there's an idea on here that you can grab for your family and if you see something you like that needs a recipe, let me know and I'll share it.

Friday-Hamburgers with oven roasted potatoes
Saturday-Grilled chicken and veggies
Sunday-Lunch-Sandwiches. (My kids are ready for lunch and nap when we get out of church so Sunday lunches have come to this.)
Dinner-We eat out--Tom gives me the night off from cooking or planning!!
Monday-Roast with potatoes and carrots in the crock pot
Tuesday-Creamy crock pot chicken
Wednesday-Mexican pizzas
Thursday-Italian Penne Pasta
Friday-Steaks and veggies
Saturday-Tacos (Tom's Sunday School Class activity)
Sunday-See Previous Sunday
Monday-Creamy Chicken and Corn Soup
Tuesday-Pancakes, Bacon and Fruit
Wednesday-Ham and veggies
Thursday-Headed to Disney World

Mr. Mom at your service.

2010-05-14T09:38:00.000-07:00

Every night this week I have had something to do. This is unusual as most nights we are just hanging out at home. Monday night some girlfriends came over to my house. Tuesday night, I needed to take Molly to dress rehearsal for the preschool musical at church. Wednesday night was the musical at church and then afterward I was meeting up with friends for dessert. Thursday night was dance for Molly and I was going to a jewelry party. Each night this week, Tom has done both dad and mom duty so that I could be free to do what I had planned. I can't tell you how awesome I think he is. Just to be able to "get away" for a little bit was so refreshing. He loves our babies as much as I do and being able to care for them is a job he loves and never complains about doing. Today one of his friends called and they're cooking up plans for tonight. I hope he goes and has a great time...he's definitely earned it this week. Thanks Tom for all that you did this week. I love you!!

How was your Mother's Day?

2010-05-11T08:39:00.000-07:00

I will spare you the details of mine but suffice it to say I got a 24 hour stomach bug for Mother's day. We did manage to snap a few pics of me and my babies...forgive our appearance but gettin' spiffed up for pictures amounted to me running a brush through my hair. I love these little babies that God has trusted me with. They make my heart a whole lotta happy!! Molly made me a little footprint picture at school. At church, they decorated little candle holders and put a votive candle in it which Molly wanted to light the minute she got home. That's my little pyro! The construction may be a little hazardous for an actual burning candle so I'm thinking of repurposing it to a pen holder for our desk. Luke made me a little card and it had stray coloring marks that I knew someone had let him hold a crayon to do. The card had a bookmark with a poem about growing and some seeds for me to plant. I admit, it made me a little teary-eyed. I
hope that your Mother's Day was special and I'd love to hear about it.

How many memberships do ya need?

2010-05-06T09:02:00.001-07:00

Before Molly was born, Tom and I got a membership to Costco. I loved Costco. It didn't matter to me that it was a little bit of a drive but it was the atmosphere of cleanness and organization of items in bulk that lured me. It's not like we had a large family to feed but those items that you know you're gonna use like toilet paper, paper towels and oh trash bags...1 box of trash bags lasted me a year. We just loved to go there. The cakes were so good and you gotta lotta cake for your money. Not that I eat cake in bulk. While I love cake, I do have a minuscule of will power. Then a year or so ago, we got a Sams membership. I'm not crazy about Sams but it is closer, they have gas and a $5.00 car wash so we fell for it. Then BJs Wholesale sent us a brochure in the mail for a free trial membership. Here's what attracted me...they take coupons!!! Costco sends us coupons in the mail. Sams has some sort of program that you have to pay for to get coupons which makes zilch sense to me. BJs has their own coupons but takes manufacturers coupons as well. The best part is that you can use both their coupon and your coupon on an item. We went last Saturday to check it out and whadda ya know...we now have a BJs membership. I didn't have all of my coupons with me but my best deal was a huge thing of Snuggle fabric softener that I had a $3.00 off coupon for...so I got it for $6.00. They also have greeting cards for 50% off! Having just spent $20.00 at Target for Mother's Day cards, I would have loved to spent half that, not that my mom's not worth it (see yesterday's post, she totally is) but she did teach me to be frugal. So anyway, now that we've got all wholesale clubs covered, if you want to check one out, let me know and please do not tell me if a new one comes to town. Lord knows we don't need anymore memberships.

My Mama, My Friend

2010-05-05T11:25:00.000-07:00

Mamas don't do everything right. I learned that early on. You know how growing up, you think sometimes that your mama just doesn't understand. That she surely hasn't been through what you're going through. That she's just there to make life even more impossible. Maybe you didn't feel like that and I'm the only one. I can remember how desperately I wanted to shave my legs. I begged. I pleaded. I bargained. You name it. Finally the day came that she let me. And today, I would beg, plead and nag to not have to shave my legs. Don't get me started on wearing pants or movie issue, this is a blog, not a novel. Here's the thing. Time has a way of maturing you. The issues that seemed so monumental in my childhood pale in comparison to the real life issues that I have faced as an adult. The heart issues. The values and morals that are instilled when you're young and are with you into adulthood. I can't tell you how many times I found my mama reading her Bible, going on soul winning visitation, meeting the needs of someone or teaching a Sunday school class. She was and is an example of what a mom should be. Loves unconditionally. Sacrifices for the good of her babies. Puts your needs above her own. The list could go on. I guess it wasn't until I became a mama that I could fully understand what it meant to have your heart walking around outside of you. To love a little person so deeply that you would give everything for them and expect absolutely nothing in return. Being a mama has deepened my love and respect for my mama. It makes me ashamed of the way that I sometimes acted and spoke when I was growing up. I am surprised at what she put up with between me and my 2 brothers. Yet, she loved us. I'm so thankful for the mama that God chose to give me. I'm thankful for the friendship we now share. I pray that one day Molly will not only call me Mama, but also friend.

Thank you Mama for your love, your support, your nurturing. Thanks for loving my little family. We are so blessed to have you. ~Jessica

You're Invited

2010-05-03T07:04:00.000-07:00

To join me at BSF!!! Last year a friend invited me to BSF. BSF stands for Bible Study Fellowship. It is a non-denominational Bible Study. Each year there is a specific subject or book of the Bible that is studied. It alternates between the Old Testament and New Testament. For instance, last year was the life of Moses, this year has been the book of John, next year is the book of Isaiah. I grew up in a Christian home and have been in church my entire life. I went to a Christian school and eventually went to Bible college. I've been taught a lot of Bible over the years. However, BSF has grown my knowledge of God's word like nothing else. It's strictly Bible Study. Verse by verse study of His word. This year, the book of John and specifically the work of Christ on the cross has meant so much more to me than all of the previous times I've heard the account of his death and resurrection. I am in awe and so moved by what he did for me, because of me.

I don't want you to miss an opportunity to study God's word like this. We have a few weeks left and then off for the summer. The next 2 sessions have what they call an intro class where you can get signed up and find out more about BSF. I attend their class on Wednesdays at Westside Baptist Church. There may be one closer to you and you can find that on their website. The host church has no affiliation with BSF, they are just gracious enough to allow their facilities to be used for this purpose. BSF has an excellent children's program. Your child will be taught, on their level, the same thing that you are studying. I love BSF and it has been completely worth the time and effort that I have put into it. So, please join us!!!

My little guy.

2010-04-30T12:01:00.000-07:00

Lukey is now 15 months old. He is all boy, well except for the fact that he likes to carry purses. I like to think it's things with handles but he's drawn to Molly's purses more than anything. Some time back, we converted our guest room/office into a play room. Up to that point, everything was in Molly's room which was a broken ankle in the middle of the night waiting to happen. Lukey, being the little guy that he is, puts everything in his mouth and I really do mean every.thing. So we decided to put a gate at the door of our new playroom to keep him out and all the hazardous things in...like Barbie shoes, markers, crayons and scissors to name a few. He despises the gate. It is the one thing keeping him from what he most longs for in the world...to be in the playroom. I have started letting him go in there with supervision....I can count on Molly to report right away if anything he's doing that he's not supposed to do. Fortunately, the worst he's done is climb onto the table. Here's a couple of pics of him in the playroom. Lukey also loves to go outside. One of his favorite things is sidewalk chalk. He doesn't draw with it but chooses 2 just to carry around. I've noticed that he prefers "whole" chalk, not broken ones. Molly is sitting here as I type and she wants me to be sure that I tell you how much Lukey loves
riding her scooter.

.

And the Winner is....

2010-04-28T11:19:00.000-07:00

...St Jude Children's Research Hospital!!! A couple of weeks ago, I blogged about Molly's school having a Trike-A-Thon to raise money for St. Jude. The boys and girls at Grammy's Place VPK raised $1301.00. WOW!!! Molly raised a total of $436.00 and was the first place winner. She won a $50 giftcard to ToysRUs. I really want to say thank you to those who donated. Molly and I prayed that God would bless you for giving. We also prayed for the families who would benefit from these donations and that God would bless them too. I am so thankful for the health that God has given to my babies. Thanks again for your donations!! Here are a couple of pics from the Trike-A-Thon. Molly at the Trike-A-Thon.
Molly and Mrs. Karla Molly opted to ride her scooter instead of her bike.

(gray) Hair today, gone tomorrow

2010-04-15T10:05:00.000-07:00

...or as soon as I can get an appointment. I am reasonably sure that I did not plan on my hair turning gray. Yet where I once had to lean in closely and squint a wee bit to see a single white strand, there lies a crop of white standing at attention waving at me in the mirror. Mocking me. Reminding me that time does not stand still, not even for a second. They are pulling my fingers one by one from the firm grasp I have on my youth. It is slightly worrisome because now I feel like I have to do something about "them." So I've decided to fight the fight but I need the help of a professional. I want a color, highlight, lowlight, nolight whatever you wanna call it to cover this stuff up! I know it's only temporary as they will not only continue to grow but evidently they know how to multiply as well. So, my friends, tell me who does your hair? I've been to a couple of salons here in town but more often than not get my hair cut when I'm out of town so I'm not a regular with anyone here. Me and what few good hairs I got left thank you.

Also, just a friendly reminder to donate. Read the previous post for information on that.

Now Taking Donations

2010-04-14T11:47:00.000-07:00

A while back, my friend blogged about a family whose daughter was losing the battle with Neuroblastoma. I tearfully read each Twitter and blog update as her family said their goodbyes and God took their precious baby girl. I pray that I never have to know the pain of losing a child. Or watch one of my precious babies fight some disease and loose the fight. Many of you are familiar with St. Jude Children's Research Hospital but if you're not it "is the only pediatric cancer research center where families never pay for treatment not covered by insurance and no child is denied treatment because of the family's inability to pay." Grammy's Place VPK is having a St. Jude Trike-A-Thon. During the next couple of weeks, Molly and her classmates will be learning about bicycle safety and will finish off their learning with a Trike-A-Thon to raise money for St. Jude. We need your help. PLEASE DONATE!!! All donations in their entirety go directly to St. Jude. If ever I am faced with my child fighting a cancer or other childhood disease, it's great to know that are resources like this out there that could assist us and it's made possible by people who give.

Here's whatcha do: Decide to donate. All donations are income tax deductible. If paying by check, make it out to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. Send or give it to me and I will turn in all of Molly's donations together. No amount is too small. Thank you so much!!!!

Here's another must read...

2010-04-12T18:38:00.000-07:00

A couple of months ago, one of my friends invited me to a book club that she was starting. The plan was that we would read a book and then meet once a month to discuss the book and decide on a new one. Hey, time to talk uninterrupted with the girls, I'm in!! So the first book that we read was so-so. It was more of a self-help book with mixed reviews on our parts. You must consider that we are all moms and that most of our literary excursions involve books with lots of color, limited wording, and lots of rhyming so the bar is not real high one might say. At our last get-together, we decided to read Same Kind of Different as Me. (Do you underline or Italics...I can't remember.) It is a true story of 2 men from completely different backgrounds and walks of life but forged a friendship that neither of them expected. I laughed. I cried and if you know me at all, you know I'm not a crier. That goes back to my childhood, my brothers and the movie "Where the Red Fern Grows." Anyway, I don't want to give too many of the details as we've not met to chat about this one. Check it out at your local library, you won't be disappointed. And if you wanna join us at our next "book club" meeting, please feel free.

I promise to bore you with the mundane details of our life next post. Although, I just checked our a new book from the library tonight....

It's always had meaning...

2010-04-02T07:08:00.000-07:00

...this time of year, I mean. I grew up surrounded by the real meaning that we celebrate Easter. It's a time that we celebrate our risen Saviour. Don't get me wrong, we did get Easter outfits and hunted the eggs we dyed but the Easter bunny wasn't the focus, it was Jesus. This year in BSF, we are studying the book of John. I don't believe that it is by accident that the past couple of weeks we have been in chapters 18 and 19. As many times as I've heard the story of the death, burial and resurrection of Christ, there are details that I've missed. I am even more amazed at Christ. What he did for me, for you, for everyone. Like in the garden, the men who had come to arrest him told him they were looking for Jesus of Nazareth. He replied, "I am he." They fell out! An army of men rendered completely inept to do the job they had come to do by 3 spoken words. They asked him again and his answer, the same. What power. What presence. What submission. By this we see that they didn't seize him, he went willingly. Yet, they still didn't believe. They didn't get it. They were focused on bringing an innocent man to justice. Another detail that isn't in the John account but is in Luke's account is a few words about Peter's denial. Jesus told him that he would deny him three times and on that third time, as Jesus is being passed from one place to the next, he passes Peter and looks him in the eye....no wonder Peter went out and wept bitterly. Imagine how it felt. To be told you would deny. To actually deny. To face the Christ you denied. To have him look you in the eye. Yet we're a lot like Peter. We've been faced with Christ and the opportunity to either accept and embrace or to reject and deny. The choice is completely ours. I've made my choice, have you?

Sorry this one's little heavy but it's on my mind. I really do hope that you have a wonderful Easter with your family. We will, I'm sure. We've got our Easter outfits. We've got our baskets and plan to dye some eggs tomorrow but the focus will be JESUS!

Just a share...

2010-03-22T09:52:00.000-07:00

The preschool department at our church is preparing for their spring musical. Molly has a speaking part but that's beside the point. A couple of weeks ago, they sent home a CD with the songs on it so that the children could work on learning them at home. One of the songs is from a verse in the Bible that I'm sure I've read thanks to Dr. Cash and Old Testament Survey at Trinity Baptist College. Anyway, I've just had it on replay in my head. I've turned to it in my Bible several times. It just speaks to me. It's Zephaniah 3:17. I'm a KJV kinda girl, but the NIV version is where the song comes from. It says, "The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing." Am I the only one that this brings tears to my eyes? When I read these words, they just bless me. To think that the creator of the world, Saviour of my soul, delights in me, loves me, rejoices over me, I am just overwhelmed. Any-who, that's just what's on my heart. I hope that this verse brings you comfort and joy like it does me. And if your blesser ain't blessed by it, then I would suggest you get a tune-up.

Maybe I should change my blog name...

2010-03-18T11:38:00.000-07:00

...to "Conversations with Molly." They are, by far, more entertaining than the latest recipe I've cooked or book I've read. You just never know what is going to come out of her mouth, what she's thinking about or what crazy idea she's hatched. For instance, the other day, she asked me what boys her age wore when they went swimming. I'm glad it was a question I could answer for one day I know she will ask me something that I don't know the answer to. Well here's our conversation for today.
(The first part of the conversation, I will spare you because I was beginning to bore myself and deleted it.)
But the last part went a little something like this:
"So Hannah Montana is like a rock star?!?"-Molly
"Yes, Molly, I guess she's like a rock star."-Me
"Well, she doesn't have gold teeth, she has white teeth."-Molly

I can tell you that she doesn't know the difference between Hannah Montana and High School Musical and I'm pretty sure she can't sing one note of a Taylor Swift song or even pick her out of a line-up. So where she came up with the idea that you're only a rock star if you have gold teeth, I'll never know. It sure made me laugh though!

Yum, this one's too good not to pass on...

2010-03-08T17:38:00.000-08:00

So a couple of weeks ago I blogged about dinner ideas. I've tried a new meatloaf recipe, 2 new chicken recipes and have plans for a new beef stew recipe next week. My friend Katie shared this recipe with me and if I weren't trying to keep from gaining any weight, I would be sitting here with my crock pot and a spoon eating the last few bites, then sopping up the sauce with bread. It was that good and I wanted to pass it on. I did change it up a little because I have an aversion to eating fungus so I omitted anything pertaining to mushrooms. Here's the recipe exactly as it was given to me and I'll tell ya where I changed it up.

Creamy Slow-cooker Chicken
6 chicken breasts (boneless, skinless)-about 2 1/2 pounds
2 tsp of seasoned salt
2 tbsp of Canola oil
1 (10 3/4 oz) can of reduced fat cream of mushroom soup
1 (8 oz) package of reduced fat cream cheese
1 (0.7 oz) envelope Italian dressing mix
1 (8 oz) package of sliced fresh mushrooms

(What I did different- I eyeballed the season salt. Used cream of chicken soup. Omitted the sliced mushrooms. Didn't use low or no fat anything...used the good stuff as anything else leaves me feeling robbed.)

1. Sprinkle chicken with seasoned salt. Cook chicken in batches in hot oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat 2-3 minutes on each side or until just browned. Put chicken in the crock-pot. Reserve drippings in skillet.
2. In your skillet, add soup, cream cheese, white wine, and Italian dressing mix. (*white wine was not mentioned in the ingredients list so I wasn't sure how much. I used chicken broth instead and just added it until it looked right.) Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until cheese in melted and mixture is smooth.
3. Arrange mushrooms over chicken in crock pot. Spoon soup mixture over mushrooms. Cover and cook on LOW for 4 hours. Stir well before serving.

This was delicious!! Thanks Katie for sharing it with me.

Bon appetite~Jessica

I couldn't put it down....

2010-03-06T17:41:00.000-08:00

Several months ago my friend Katie lent me a book that her and her mom had just finished. She told me that she couldn't put it down and when I started reading it, I understood why. It was called Left to Tell, Discovering God Amidst the Rwandan Holocaust by Immaculee Ilibagiza. It is a woman's story of survival during the Rwandan Holocaust. I sit here and try to put into a few words what the book is about and the words escape me. Horror. Disbelief. Sadness. I cannot fathom, nor do I wish to, what she went through. The story is one that will grip you. The way that she describes everything leaves nothing to the imagination and the brutality of what happened to her people is mind boggling. She managed to escape her home before the killers arrived and spent the next 91 days with 7 other women hidden in a 3 foot by 4 foot bathroom as 1 million of her people were brutality murdered. She drew on her faith in God and prayer to get her through and He did. Several days ago, I was trying to remember the name of the book for some friends and in my Google search, found that she had written another book. I went to the library the next day and checked it out. This one is entitled Led by Faith, Rising from the Ashes of the Rwandan Genocide. It tells of her life following the genocide and how she was not only able to forgive the killers but embrace them and show them the love of God. It is an amazing story. As I read both of them, I am reminded of how much I have and how much I've been blessed with. She literally had nothing but the threadbare clothes on her back and I'm thinking I wish I had a new dress or, heaven forbid, another pair of shoes. Or food, I've never gone a day without food or water and yet she and these women went days without either. Anyway, I feel like I am rambling and saying so much without really saying anything. Both books, I couldn't put down and I am sure that if you pick one or both of them up, you won't be able to either.

My Interview with Molly

2010-03-05T10:55:00.000-08:00

So Molly has been sick this week and needless to say the week has seemed a little longer than usual. Thankfully she seems to be on the mend and hopefully life will return to what we call "normal." To distract her from pouting and whining, I decided to "interview" her. My trick worked she got to giggling and laughing at coming up with her answers. All of her answers are the first thing she said....
*What is your name? Molly
*How old are you? 5
*Who is the president? Barak Obama
*Who is our preacher? Bro. Herb
*What does mama call you? Little Red
*How old is mama? 22 (my real age, 32)
*How old is daddy? I don't know
*What's mama's favorite food? Chicken minis (She knows her mama)
*What's mama's favorite thing to do? Go out to the movies with the girls (I asked her this one earlier and she said "Take care of us"...I like that one better)
*How much does mama weigh? 20 pounds (my real weight, ha, like I would put that in print)
*Who are you gonna marry? Matthew
*What's your favorite song? I don't know
*What makes you happy? My mama holding me.
*What makes you sad? When somebody hits me in the face....but nobody really did that, it would just make me sad if they did.

I hope that she will always love me. I pray that I can be the mom and role model that she needs and deserves. She's so sweet, so full of life and potential. We've colored, built castles, painted and bedazzled her fingernails and toenails this week while she's been sick and though I've got cabin fever, I am so thankful that I can be home with her. I wouldn't have it any other way. There's just nobody like "mama."

Have a good weekend!

I've got a songbird on my hands.

2010-02-27T08:14:00.000-08:00

What started out as a morning rush has given way to a relaxed day. The day started with a photo shoot at 9. It was 9 adults and we were done in 25 minutes. That, my friends, is a record. I usually practice on children but having grown-ups who listen, follow instructions, and stay put made it easy! So Tom and his fellow youth workers have a full day planned for the 10th and 12th grade boys and I expect to not see him until much later. He gets to go paintballing...how much fun would that be?!? Me and Molly are waiting on Luke to wake up from his nap so that we can go do some shopping. Clearly I must be insane to take both of them on a shopping trip but with only $15 burning a hole in her pocket and plans to go to Sweet and Sassy, we shouldn't be gone long. Then later we'll drop Lukey off at Mimo's and we'll head to a birthday party for one of the girls in my Sunday School class.

As I mentioned a second ago, Luke's napping so Molly has been playing so well by herself while I facebook, catch up on the blogs I love to read, look for Photoshop help, and update this. So while I'm sitting here at the computer, she's all dressed up as a Princess and singing to her reflection in our full length mirror. What cracked me up, other than the fact that her skirt is my old gray fleece sweatshirt, are the lyrics to the song she was singing, which to my knowledge are her own. It went a little something like this...{insert words I wasn't paying attention to} but then she sang "it's hard to love somebody that you don't actually like...." Yes mam, I guess it would be now wouldn't it? That girl, I love her. She just makes me laugh. Which I'm usually laughing at her which really makes her mad but sometimes I just can't help it. She's easy to love and I like her too.

Dear Lady in the Bathroom,

2010-02-24T04:14:00.000-08:00

For some time now, my friends and I have been hitting the movie theater about once a month on Tuesday nights. It's usually a chick flick and though we don't do much bonding I believe for each of us it's the getting out of the house and leaving our precious babies under the careful watch of their fathers that drives us there. What it takes for us to do that is an entirely different post and not the purpose of this one. Anyway, last night we met up at Tinseltown and in usual fashion smuggled our own snacks into the theater. I realized I didn't have any napkins so I went back out to get some out of the lobby. I decided I would make a quick pit stop at the ladies room before the movie started. So I am in there and I can hear this lady talking in the stall but I don't hear anyone responding to her. I take care of business and wash my hands and all the while she's chattering away. She comes out of the stall and has the nerve to bypass the sinks! Seriously?!? You're not gonna wash your hands? I mean this place is the mecca of all germs, staffed by teenagers which are not known for their deep cleaning habits and you're not even compelled to give them a rinse? So I'm muttering and shooting her dirty looks but she paid me no heed....I guess the phone call she was on was more important than standard bathroom etiquette. Grody to the max lady. Your mama would be ashamed of you. And while I am on my podium for bathroom etiquette, in addition to washing your hands and not talking on the telephone I will add, if you pee-pee on the seat, please wipe it up. For more on this, visit my friend Jennifer's blog. She's got a great one! Have a great day everyone!!

randomness....because it's my blog and I can.

2010-02-23T08:38:00.000-08:00

Just wanna say thanks for sharing your meal ideas with me! They definitely helped me fill the next 2 weeks with some yummy meals. Lest I be considered a taker, not a giver, I did want to share a few meal ideas with you. One of my all time favorite meals is roast in the crock pot. I should write a book about the joys of crock pot cooking. It really goes beyond the meal. It's happiness in knowing that as I sit here and type, dinner is done...well will be done and with little to no effort on my part. I don't know about you but that hour before my husband gets home and I'm trying to get dinner done, seems to be the time that Molly and Luke melt down, the UPS man rings the bell, I get a call wanting me to donate to the police or fire department and so on. It's nice to know that all I need to do is slice the roast, stir up a little gravy and toss it on the table. Simple and delicious. So I love my crock pot for roast but I also do chili, taco soup, potato soup, to name a few other ideas.

I've tried 2 new recipes in the last week or two as well and might I recommend them? One is bacon wrapped chicken. This is not for the person on a diet or a heart patient. It involves cream cheese and bacon, two ingredients that always make me sigh with happiness. The other one is chicken turnovers. It's a homemade glorified hot pocket with all kinds of goodness tucked inside and then covered in a creamy sauce. Again, dieters beware.

And in other news, Lukey is trying to walk. He's been taking those wobbly steps now for a couple of weeks and I know just any day he's going to take off running. Molly walked at just over 9 months so I don't know what Lukey's hold up is. He's a speed crawler and I guess he figures he can get to stuff faster that way? Who knows.

Well, you're saved by the waking baby. I had 4 more paragraphs to type but I hear Lukey calling me from his crib. Nap time is over and I gotta go punch back in. Have a good afternoon!!

Calling All Cooks!!

2010-02-19T07:43:00.000-08:00

I need help....desperately. Ever since Tom and I got married, when it's payday, I meal plan and grocery shop for 2 weeks. This works out quite nicely and having a plan helps us to not eat out as much. Here's the problem: I am sick of fixing the same ole things over and over and over. I am out of ideas. Stuck like an old piece of gum underneath a park bench. Tom never complains because he's learned that complaining on his part will usually end up in my suggesting he do the meal planning and prep which we both know would be disastrous. So my dear sweet friends, would you be so kind as to give me some yummy meal ideas? Comment here or on my facebook. Please be sure that it doesn't require a degree in culinary arts or has some funky ingredient that I would have to go to the other side of the world, country or even county to get. I thank you. My family thanks you. Come back and see what's been posted, you may just get a fresh idea for your family dinners too.

I got Roses for Valentine's Day!!

2010-02-10T11:36:00.000-08:00

From Molly. She lovingly made me a rose bouquet using her handprint for the roses, pipe cleaner for the stems and green construction paper for the leaves. I don't think I've ever been more tickled to get roses. Though they weren't delivered in a vase of water from FTD, these mean more to me than anything like that. I will keep 'em forever...I promised. They also had a Valentine's party and when I went to pick her up, her blue eyes were sparkling as she handed me a wadded up napkin and said "Mama, I got you something!" I unfolded the napkin and in it was a heart cookie. I know it's not much but when I think that she even thought that saving her cookie for me would make me happy...well she was right. It made me all kinds of happy. Happy that she's my little girl. Happy that she thought of me. Happy that she shares. Happy, just plain happy.

She's gonna turn 5 next week and well, that only makes me a little happy and a lot sad. There's something about the age of 5 that seems to mark their true transition from baby to big girl. It really doesn't seem possible and I am certain that time is playing a mean trick on me by how fast it is slipping through my fingers. I look at her and can't help but thank Jesus for blessing me with such a precious little girl. She's my pride and joy.

When I have the time...

2010-02-03T11:43:00.000-08:00

I really love to read. I think I have always loved to read. I can remember as a child curling up in my bed at night and using the light of my alarm clock to read by when I was really supposed to be sleeping. As an adult, I don't get to read nearly as much as I'd like to and I have a really bad habit of reading part of a book, then putting it aside to collect dust on my nightstand. So this week, I decided to finish one of the books that has been sitting there.

The book is titled "All I need is Jesus and a Good Pair of Jeans." It is written to all of the women and mothers in this world who try to do it all, be it all...or in the author's words to be "supergirls." So many times in life we struggle with trying to be the perfect wife, mother, friend or whatever hat we are called onto wear at any given time. The fact is that the devil tries so hard to defeat us and this book shares with us those common struggles that we all face and give us practical advice on how to tackle them and to be the victorious Christian women God wants us to be. One of the lines in the book is "Jesus doesn't pick and choose between the holy and the unholy. He loves simply because we are his. Like a mom loves her newborn baby. She loves that sweet bit of a thing because that baby is hers. Jesus is the same." I think of how much I love Molly and Luke. How I know every detail of their precious faces. How I know their voice, their cry, their laugh. And to think that Jesus loves me and knows me far more than that is almost unfathomable.

The author has another book coming soon called "My Bangs Look Good and Other Lies I Tell Myself." I can't wait to read that one either. So in your spare time, I would encourage you to read this book. What books have you read that have been an encouragement to you or have really blessed you? I need something for my nightstand.

My little boy...

2010-01-11T07:43:00.000-08:00

I cannot even believe that my Lukey will be one on Friday. This year has gone by in the blink of an eye. He is absolutely the sweetest baby I've ever met. Even when he's sick he can muster up a smile for anyone. I sit here with tears in my eyes when I think of God's goodness and how he answered my prayers. Not only answered them but when I look at my precious baby boy, I see how God exceedingly answered them...above anything that I could have thought or imagined. Luke's smile is contagious. His laugh priceless. He loves his mama and I love him more than I thought possible.

We're having a small birthday party for him this weekend. It's a cowboy theme and I have plans to sew him a shirt. I made Molly's first birthday dresses so I figured he needed something homemade to wear for his first birthday so I am making him a shirt. I better get started if I'm going to get it complete before this weekend. We decided last night to cut his hair for the first time. Nothing like an impromptu decision to cut hair at bedtime on a Sunday night. He was okay at first but then got pretty upset. Whenever Molly feels that we're doing something to make him cry or get upset, she starts crying. So we're in our kitchen, Tom and I trying to cut Luke's hair while Molly and Luke are both crying. It was pretty funny. Here's a before and after shot of my little guy. It's so sad to see the slow transformation from baby to boy that I've noticed in his precious little face. I did his "cake smash" pictures on Saturday and when I have those edited, I'll be sure to share. Let's just say Luke was singing, "It's my party and I'll cry if I want to."