I got to see my closest college buds last night. Always SO GOOD to be with them. We all live in different areas - in 3 different states. Man, I hate that.

We missed you, Beeks! Can't wait to see you in January.

For this get-together we decided to have all the hubbies and chillins (aka children) come too. A good idea in theory....There were 10 adults and 9 kids. We are almost out-numbered. And, while it was great to see the hubbies and kiddos, conversation was a bit difficult. :) Imagine a pause after every sentence to find out "Was that my child or yours?" "Who is yelling?" "Is he sharing?" "Is that your son in princess shoes?".

Yes, we love our families so very much... but we were ALL saying we couldn't wait for our next SEESTUR TRIP when we can be all girly, talk and talk and talk, drink coffee, eat and eat, and talk more WITHOUT the kids! Well, that is with the exception of a child or two that might be along since they are still nursing. But still.

Thankfully, the kids had a blast.

It was fun, but it really left me wanting more time with my girls!!

Post-Christmas thoughts

• Why is it that I am always "chomping at the bit" to get the Christmas decorations up, but then by the time the holiday comes I am sick of it and can't wait to get it all down? And putting them up is fun, but oh how I HATE packing it all up. And, no matter how thoroughly I pack, there is always one random snowman found after everything is up in the attic.
• The Beast is so dead - it's ridiculous. I'm sure the great fall and the fact it didn't get water while we were in TN didn't help. My son keeps turning on the lights, and I follow after to turn them off and save us from a certain fire. Mike and I joked last night that if we put it out on the road now, the wind will rid it of all the few needles left, leaving a pile of twigs.
• Since this holiday also includes my son's 3rd birthday, we have more toys than any 3 year old should have. Thanks to our VERY generous family and friends, our home looks like a toy store - but more cluttered.
• I'll give him a few more days, and then I'll start the process of sneaking some toys away so we can rotate them. I know, I know. I'm a mean mommy. Trust me, he will be so thrilled in a few months when it's nasty outside and driving me nuts. Or maybe I'll be the thrilled one... either way is a winner.
• I used the "What God Wants for Christmas" activity (from the makers of Ressurection Eggs) both at home and with the kids at church and it was a big hit. Although, I must say the gradeschoolers were able to get the true meaning of it better. I highly recommend it!
• I got Deceptively Delicious for Christmas. Mike picked it up and looked at some of the recipes and saw all the veggies secretly hidden in them. He was not excited to say the least. I have a feeling that he'll hold all meals that I make in suspect for the next little bit. Be afraid, honey. Be very afraid. :)

Let the festivities begin

Before heading to Knoxville for 5 days, we celebrated Christmas with our friends from The Bridge. We had a great Christmas party at the place that our church uses for services. I was in charge of teaching the children some songs and getting them to sing them in front of all the church. I was a little sceptical, but they did great - especially since most of the kids were 2-5 years old!

Then, we had our annual church staff lunch at Maggianos - my favorite. It did not disappoint and we had a great time. Here's some pics...

And, finally,we held our annual Open House at our home. I learned from last year and assigned some timeslots for people so that our small home could hold everyone. It was wonderful and we got to really connect well with some new church attendees. I overbaked - per usual. But, that meant I had plenty to give out to neighbors and take to TN to share with family. I told Mike that next year our church will be way too big to have over - even with assigned times. What a good problem to have!

way. too. busy.

Too busy lately to think in complete sentences. Here's some thoughts...

• My alum, Appalachian State University, just won their 3rd consecutive national championship for football. They creamed Delaware. So proud of my mountaineers! That, coupled with the defeat of Michigan earlier this season, really helped put my school on the national news. Hopefully now I will stop being asked if my college was a Jr. College or tech school from the non-Carolinians!!
• I have baked more in the last week than I have all year. And, I pray that all these goodies are GONE after our Open House we are having for church members this weekend.
• Mike and I are developing our own little "Biggest Loser" challenge for January. It would just be between he and I. At the very least we'll be training with Gilad - our Fit TV trainer that totally kicks my tail.
• My son is finally out of a 2 week long funk of testing me at every turn and throwing outrageous fits. So glad to have my sweet boy back. I'm researching alien abduction... maybe that explains it??
• I got sunburnt the other day. It's been in the 70's and 80's here. Which is not very conducive for holiday spirit. But, it's great for an active preschooler. We were at various parks all week. In short sleeves. No shorts so that we don't blind innocent people with our whiteness. And, I got pink in the face from the sun. Nothing major, thankfully. Wouldn't that look great for Christmas photos.
• My husband has played the "1, 2, 3, 4" song by Feist OVER AND OVER all night. At least 35 times - no kidding! He even pulled out the guitar and strummed the tune and looked up the words because I made fun that he was mumbling nonsense when trying to sing along. It's the song in the Ipod commercials. I might go crazy if I hear it again...
• Blog Hacker [this is mike] - but isn't it a cool song?

train up a child

Teaching children and teenagers about God is an interesting little thing. I have done one or the other for as long as I can remember. I really enjoy teaching. But, sometimes I get that nagging little voice in the back of my head that questions if anything I say really sinks in. Very much like with my preschooler at home!

Oh, they are great at the whats/who's of the Bible stories, but I sincerely want Scripture to change their hearts. And, every now and then, one of my kids in my class at church will come out with the most profound spiritual truth. My heart swells. And God gives me the encouragement that I sometimes need. And, He reminds me that He can use me despite myself.

Last night, I had a conversation with a college student who used to be in the youth ministry that Mike and I worked with at our previous church. I first met him when he was just a scrawny 6th grader. A great kid, and now a great young man. He, like most of the youth we spent time with, were ones that we saw grow so close to God and yet, we were concerned would get swept away with the new found freedom of college life. I was so pleased to hear him say how he was involved with a campus ministry and how he was living out his faith at school. He blew me away with some of the things he said.

And, to put the icing on the cake, he wanted to know how to become a counselor at CWR this summer. I've written about my days at CWR and what they meant to me here.

I've seen so many of the children and teens that I've worked with grow up to become incredible men and women who serve and love God. Many who struggled so much in their youth. Besides making me feel really old (especially when they insist on calling me "ma'am"), it is such an encouragement.

You never know how much those little boogers are picking up. :)

Train up a child in the way he should go, and
when he is old he will not turn from it. - Proverbs 22:6

The Christmas Focus

This year, more than ever, I am more attentive to how my family and I celebrate Christmas. Not the whats and whens of gift exchanges and get-togethers, but the spirit, attitude, mood. I don't want this season to pass without continual acknowledgement that the Most High God knew and loved the world enough to know that he had to do something about it. He gave us such an incredible gift of love by sending us His Son. He is "Immanuel" (God WITH us). Amazing.

I think this new zeal has a lot to do with the fact that my son is now at an age where he can understand more about why we celebrate Christmas - the birth of Jesus. I want to do my best to keep the true meaning of Christmas in his mind.

Since pulling out his plastic manger scene, he has played with it almost daily. He's learned who's who and knows how to put them into the right position. I've got some crafts, songs, activities and the like lined up for the whole month to emphasize the real reason for Christmas. One of our favorites is going to the Living Nativity our old church sponsors every year. My son LOVED this last year!

One of the most intriguing ways to teach about Christ's birth that I've seen is the Jesse Tree. For those of you who are new to it, Shannon @ Rocks in My Dryer (http://rocksinmydryer.typepad.com/shannon/2007/12/jesse-tree.html )has a series of blogs about how her family enjoys this. So cool! I plan to incorporate this next year when my son will be even more able to understand (and it will give me more time for the ornaments).

How do you emphasize the true meaning of Christmas in your households?

The Beast update

Thank you for all your concern. The Beast is now back into place. It appears that he warped the old tree stand with the fall. So, we concluded that it was time for a new, super industrial sized one that was meant to hold beastly trees. It is SO VERY sturdy now. And, it has less of the redneck ambiance that the fishing line would have created.

We debated over taking off the remaining lights and ornaments and starting over - since everything had either fallen off or way out of place. But, that just seemed like WAY TOO MUCH WORK. With a little tweaking, it looks almost normal now. :)

Oh, and my son has been a little hesitant near the Beast. For now, anyway.

Meal Plan Monday - 12/3

I'm going very simple this week, due to this week's hectic schedule. Plus, I want to start the holiday treats.

Monday: Pasta Carbonara & Italian Salad

Tuesday: Barbecue Pork Chops, mac & cheese, creamed corn

Wednesday: Breakfast for dinner - french toast & sausage or eggs, toast, grits & sausage

Thursday: Pizza Night (aka Daddy cooks night)

Friday: Burgers with homemade sweet potato fries (carry over from last week).

Saturday: our church's Christmas Party. Dinner will probably be finger foods and sweets. Since I'll be busy coordinating most of the event. :)

Sunday: Leftovers or sandwiches

I'm also starting to make the holiday treats this week to take to the church Christmas party and for our open house next week:

Old fashioned fudge w/ walnuts

Peanut Butter Fudge

White Chocolate dipped pretzel rods w/ sprinkles (kids LOVE this)

Party Mix

more baking next week... still deciding on specifics

Fall of The Beast

Looking back, it was inevitable. But, we like to think that it would not have happened this way. We worked hard securing everything in its place. We didn't want a repeat of last year. Seeing our efforts fail twice before (last year) which resorted to rigging it with fishing line was still in our memory. Not this year, we thought (& hoped). But it happened. Our Christmas tree fell.

Our tree, which I have been calling The Beast, our miracle tree, fell over my love seat, crushing beautiful glass ornaments that had been carefully placed high out of the reach of one almost 3 year old. It was a mess. Shards of glass, hooks, ornaments, and needles EVERYWHERE. And a lovely murkey puddle on the carpet.

My son, who had been at the tree ringing a bell ornament that was still attached, and singing "jingle bells" for the 137th time, must have pulled a little hard on the tree. Thankfully, it did not fall in his direction. (You can stop gasping now, mom). He stood there with eyes as big as saucers and his mouth gaping open. And, yes, I was sitting very close by keeping an eye on him. After making sure none of his limbs were entangled with the Beast's limbs, he immediately sat himself in timeout without saying a word - I didn't even have to ask. That's a well-trained child. Or, maybe he just saw the look in my eye that said "I'm glad you are ok so that now I can kill you".

I managed to lift the tree (with much strain and sumo-like grunting...it is, after all a BEAST of a tree) and prop it in the corner of the room until Daddy comes home. There's a pile of 40+ ornaments on my table waiting to be carefully replaced. Each shard of glass was carefully cleaned and vacuumed over at least 28 times.

I have a hunch the fishing line will be coming out tonight. McGyver doesn't have anything on my man.

after - propped and pitiful

before

Verse on my heart today

I remember my affliction and my wandering, the bitterness and the gall. I well remember them, and my soul is downcast within me. Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, "The LORD is my portion; therefore I will wait for him." The LORD is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him.

-Lamentations 3:19-25

a Christmas miracle - of sorts

We ventured out this evening to look for a Christmas tree. The dilemma is finding one big enough that it doesn't look miniature in our very high ceilings, AND that won't break the bank. Not always an easy task! We pull into a local hardware store (where we've found deals before) and immediately a salesperson showed us this ginormous tree that was somehow marked $19.99. No kidding.

The pessimist in me asked, "What's wrong with it?". He had no idea why it was marked like that. I joked, "it's a Christmas miracle!". The tree measures almost 9 1/2 feet. It should have cost well over $50. It would cost around $100 at the tree stand places on every corner. I told the salesman that if it died within a week I'd come back looking for him!

Now I have an excuse to buy more ornaments and lights. :)

Meal Plan Monday

Monday: Mommy Chef's Dorito Chicken, steamed veggies - never got to this last week, but I've been looking forward to it!

Tuesday: Beef Enchiladas (made with homemade enchilada sauce from Cooks Recipes- SO much better than the can!), yellow rice, fruit

Wednesday: Leftover Buffet

Thursday: Pizza Night (per hubby's request, we are ORDERING out instead of frozen this time)

Friday: Grilled burgers with sweet potato fries (we got a crate full of sweet potatoes from uncle Charlie's farm)

Saturday: Out with friends or grilled steaks (got great deal at grocery store!) with baked potatoes, salad

Sunday: leftovers or sandwiches

To see great menu plans, check out OrgJunkie's Meal Plan Monday carnival.

How Could I Ask For More?

This is one of my favorite songs... and it epitomizes thankfulness.

How Could I Ask For More? - by Cindy Morgan

"There's nothing like the warmth of a summer afternoon
Waking to the sunlight, and being cradled by the moon
Catching fireflies at night
Building castles in the sand
Kissing Mama's face goodnight
Holding Daddy's hand
Thank you Lord, how could I ask for more
Running barefoot through the grass
A little hide and go seek
Being so in love, that you can hardly eat
Dancing in the dark, when there's no one else around
Being bundled 'neath the covers, watching snow
Fall to the ground
Thank you Lord, how could I ask for more
So many things I thought would bring me happiness
Some dreams that are realities today
Such an irony the things that mean the most to me
Are the memories that I've made along the way
So if there's anything I've learned
From this journey I am on
Simple truths will keep you going
Simple love will keep you strong
Cause there are questions without answers
Flames that never die
Heartaches we go through are often blessings in disguise
So thank you Lord, oh thank you Lord
How could I ask for more"

I am truly blessed beyond measure. I can go on and on about how thankful I am for my family. And my friends, my amazing church, our home, our community, etc. But, most of all, I am so thankful for the underserving love that my Savior lavishly gives me. I fail the Lord constantly, yet He desires to forgive me... to love me... to bless me... to call me His child. Thank you, Lord!

The dreaded portrait...

On the way to getting our portraits made this morning, I told Mike that I had prayed that it would not be unbearably crowded and that it would not be a painful process. Mike told me it was a selfish prayer. But, you know what? It worked!

Picture taking with a young child can be brutal - especially with the crowds that the holidays bring. Today's experience, however, was the best we have ever had! We had a great photographer and his assistant, who didn't just make Jack smile - he made him totally crack up. Jackson thought it was the most hilarious thing he'd ever seen. Needless to say, it made for great pictures. And, it was barely crowded. It may sound silly, but I am so thankful for that!!

And, to top off all that fun, Mike treated me to Kabuki for a belated b-day lunch. Yum-o!! I get all his vegatables, so my plate was HUGE. Leftovers for dinner tonight. Jackson was so funny watching the guy cook. He kept talking about the steam, "just like Thomas".

Meal Plan Monday

I'm a little late posting, but here it is anyway!

My week's meal plan:

Monday: Chili & grilled cheese

Tuesday: leftovers from lunch with hubby at a Japanese steakhouse (whoohoo!)

Wednesday: Creamy Chicken Spaghetti - I LOVE this recipe from kraftfoods; garlic bread

Turkey Day: I'm getting off easy - my contribution will be my grandmother's recipe for Cranberry relish (recipe below). We usually have 2 turkeys (one baked, one smoked), mashed potatoes, GRAVY, corn pudding, grean beans, collards, stuffing, squash casserole, and an assortment of 3-4 desserts. For dinner, IF we are hungry after Thanksgiving lunch, we will eat leftovers.

Friday: Dinner on the road. We're going to Mike's grandfather's 90th birthday party.

Saturday: Mommy Cook's Dorito Chicken, salad

For other menu plans, check out orgjunkie.

Lucy's Cranberry Salad

2 – 3 oz cherry jello
1 ¼ C boiling water
6 ice cubes (stir in after jello disolves)

Stir in:

20 oz pineapple tidbits (undrained)
1 can mandarin oranges (drained)
2 apples (chopped, peeled optional)
1 can WHOLE cranberry sauce
1 c chopped pecans

Chill until well set.

For you 24 fans...

24: The unaired 1994 pilot. Jack Bauer saves the world with AOL 3.0.

This video cracked me up. You'll have to be a 24 fan to appreciate it. Caution: Rated PG-13 (a few curse words).

why I won't win any mommy awards this week...

It's been quite a week. I had a head-cold for the first part of the week. Monday and Tuesday were the "unfunctional" type of days - where I laid out on the couch, blew my nose, napped (a rarity for me!), and tried to occupy Jackson the best I could with quiet puzzles, computer games, books, and TV. A difficult task for my busy little bee of a son! Thankfully, I married a quaility guy and he took a 1/2 day on Monday to play with Jackson.

On Wednesday I saw much improvement so I drug Jack all around the mall. I have a case of the shopping bug right now. And, while this was productive for me and good to get out of the house, it drives Jackson bonkers to shop. Just what he needed after 2 days at home with little activity. I did reward him with chicken nuggets at the mall. Quality mom work going on here! Never fear, daddy comes home and engages him all sorts of games. You should see (or hear!) them play music together in the playroom!

Thursday, I work. It's Daddy Day. Jackson was probably so relieved! A day full of ACTIVITY - football, racecars, wrestling and the like. To my shame, my winner of a hubby cleaned house, cleaned the refrigerator shelves, and IRONED (I really hate ironing and sadly, his side of the closet was filled with a wrinkled assortment of shirts and pants). And, offers me a back-rub - my love language! Oh, how I love that man!

And, to top it all off - I have plans that take up most of the weekend. Mike has planned for this and is ready to take care of our son. I feel so guilty. So I am running around pretending to be a puppy with my son this morning. (He just licked my face. Didn't see that coming.) And we played Thomas - he gives me all the "girl trains" to play with.

Thank you, Honey! You get "Daddy/Husband of the Year"! I appreciate all that you do and how even when you have to work crazy hours, you still make time for us. I love you so much!

NC Barbecue - best in the world!

I LOVE North Carolina Barbecue. Eastern NC bbq, that is. And, believe me there is a distinction!

When I moved to NC in 1985, I only knew barbecue could come one way - "Memphis style", or a ketchup based sauce. (I've even heard that some people in SC have a mustard-based sauce, which sounds like a big waste of good pork to me!) It didn't take long for my family to find and fall in love with the bbq here. Eastern NC bbq is a pulled pork with a sauce that is a delightful vinegar, peppery sauce so savory - my salivary glands are working hard even as I type this!

My husband and I are somewhat connoisseurs of all the good restaurants that serve NC bbq in our area. Some of the best are a little drive over to Wilson, NC. Or, we get great bbq that friends/family do in their own backyard. I never knew the derivation of "pig-picking" until moving to NC, where at a get-together they left the whole pig (head and all) on cooker and we were to go up and pick our meat right off the pig. And, while delicious, I would have preferred someone else to do that for me!

While this is one of our all-time favorite meals, I have never attempted to make this at home. It would be hard to top some of the places we go. On a day I was craving some good bbq, I pulled out some things from my frig and discovered a quick alternative that is a huge hit for my family.

I simply take 1-2 lbs of chicken breast (since I always have it on hand) and cook (boil) and shred it, instead of going through the cost and trouble of a pork roast. Then, I take some good sauces (purchased directly from a restaurant or we also like the Harris Teeter brand - HT Trader's Eastern Carolina sauce) and coat the pulled chicken in the sauce. We serve it on a bun and usually have fries or Mo Joes with them. Very simple dinner in a very short time. Perfect for days, like today, when I don't feel 100%. Mike also uses the sauce on his chicken wings sometimes.

PS - Since my mom no longer lives in a state that appreciates this fine meal, she has discovered a recipe to make her own sauce with a pulled pork roast - perhaps I can get her to share it in the comments (hint, hint). That way all you non-carolinians can make it too! :)

Verse on my heart today

"Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory. Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever." - Psalm 73:23-26

Sick of it

I am sick to death of the recalls. They are constantly popping up on the news. I feel like I have to check the websites all the time. We finally got back Jackson's Thomas trains. The trains that I shipped back to the maker had teeth marks all over the lead painted toys. Great. I've heard talk of families boycotting toys from China - sad the sheer volume of toys that they produce... it doesn't leave much options.

And now this - Aqua Dots recalled because they have the "date rape" drug in them. (Thanks for the info, Beth!) It has caused kids to vomit and go comatose. Holy Cow. I thought about getting Jack that for Christmas or Birthday.

I don't want to worry about every toy Jackson encounters. Something has to be done.

Meal Plan Monday

So, I've been doing this & I've noticed a big savings in my grocery bill - and my sanity. Which, is always a good thing! On Sunday afternoons, I clip coupons and set the week's meal plan. Then, I grocery shop (while Jack naps - let's hear it for shopping without toddlers in tow!).

My Week's Meal Plan

Monday – Mexican chicken & dumplings, baked corn dip (leftover from Sunday), steamed broccoli
Tuesday – Chicken Carbonara, garlic bread & salad
Wednesday – Crock Pot garlic turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, green beans
Thursday – Pizza Night (my one work day)
Friday – Steak Fajitas, yellow rice
Saturday – leftovers or out with friends

Check out The Organizing Junkie for great meal plan ideas.

Random Autumn Musings

So, I've shared how autumn-obsessed I am here and here. And, Jackson's blog is filled with fun fall photos. Here's a few more thoughts...

1. I am so thankful to finally have cool, crisp FALL weather. It truly makes me so giddy!
2. Cooler weather makes Daisy, the prodigal cat, want to sit in my lap more to share body heat. I love me some Daisy-Cat! Our friend Dana gave us some catnip - you should see her with it. Flopping around on the floor. Rubbing her face and body all in it. She acts totally doped!
3. Driving through the mountains last weekend. I love the mountains. And the leaves, while not the best foliage ever due to the drought, were still beautiful.
4. Mike has started up with the Christmas music. He actually started listening to it mid-October (driving Tim crazy at the office). Can you guess what season he is obsessed with?? He is absolutely fanatical about all things Christmas. Which in and of itself is not bad. But the Christmas music in October...It is insane to me - or it drives me to insanity. Take your pick. How dare he cut into my fall! Now I just have to hold him off from Christmas decorating until after Thanksgiving...

Recipe: Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

I made these this morning and Jackson and I haven't been able to keep our hands out of them. Jack calls them Pumpkin chips. It will take some restraint to leave some for Mike - he loves them too! I might have to go buy another pumpkin, just for the seeds! This is the first time I added pepper & garlic powder - and I will never make it again without them!

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds (adapted from Allrecipes)

1 1/2 c fresh pumpkin seeds
1 Tbs margarine, melted
1 Tbs olive oil
salt, garlic powder, pepper (to taste) - I use 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper & 1/4 tsp garlic powder

Rinse seeds well in colander and remove all pumpkin flesh. Boil in heavily salted water for 20 minutes. Remove & dry them with paper towel. Move to cookie sheet and allow them to dry completely overnight. Mix melted butter, olive oil & salt/pepper/garlic powder until evenly coated. Lay on cookie sheet in a single layer. Bake them at 300 degrees. Stir every 8-10 minutes (mine took a total of 25 minutes). WATCH CAREFULLY so not to let them burn. They are done when golden brown and crunchy. Store in airtight container.

Learning who's who - getting political

Clinton, McCain, Obama, Romney, Richardson, Huckabee, Guiliani, Thompson, Edwards, Keyes, Paul & more..... Do you know all of these names? I've been doing a little bit of reading about the individuals running for President in '08. Mostly because I feel completely in the dark about who's running. It seems to me that a few names keep circulating in the media and, frankly, most of them are a quite scary to me. So, I wondered about those that I was not hearing much about... and I felt guilty that I didn't know much about any of the candidates (Red or Blue) & the issues for which they stand.

Here's part of the reason to why I was uneducated about the candidates (according to this article).... Around the US, presidential hopefuls are soliciting the votes of Americans - but not in NC. Since the primary is not until the late date of May 6th, NC is basically overlooked by candidates at this point, who focus on those battle states of SC, New Hampshire, Iowa and the like. Which means that by the time we North Carolinians get our say, many candidates have dropped out - possibly some that could have best represented the needs of our state. There have been people trying to get the primary moved up to February, but I don't think it has been changed at this time.

So, I'm reading up and learning about who is out there and what they are "selling". What about you?? Next year will be an interesting election year, and I challenge you, friends, to go into the election year with accurate facts before the heinous commercials hit NC, or wherever you are.

Escape from Men's Town

My hubby had his fantasy football league over for a wing-fest today. Which means my furniture was re-arranged so that every seat had optimal viewing of the TVs (yes, he had 2 going inside and one in the garage). In addition, my house was filled with testosterone and the smell of grease. He & a friend had 2 deep fryers going and made a ton of wings with 5-6 different sauces (3 traditional wing sauces, teriyaki, honey barbecue, etc). And, he attempted to deep fry candy bars, like at the fair.

All this to say... after making sure Jack was kept away from the fryers and tucked away for a nap, I left! I started the Christmas shopping. Whoo-hoo!

Also, since I am not a wing kind of girl, I got "chick food". I went to Roly Poly - my new FAVORITE - and got the kind of food that my husband would gag over.... Pesto Chicken with sauteed onions, mushrooms, sundried tomatoes & fabulous pesto sauce. Oh, and I didn't stop there! I used a buy one get one free coupon and got another wrap for dinner! (An incredible chicken salad wrap). Ya'll, it was heavenly!!

Heading into Holiday Haze...

I've got 2 months. Actually, less than 2 months since we'll be traveling some the weekend before Christmas. I'm way behind this year... probably has something to do with the 90 degree weather in October. It's crunch time. I have a very long Christmas list - a topic for another post- so I have to start early and work hard in order to enjoy some of Christmas. And, don't worry, I plan to enjoy the holiday and celebrate the birth of my Savior!

My sanity is tied to my Excel spreadsheet. I have used this for the past 2 years and it has made all the difference. I've got the list of names, gift ideas, budget, item purchased, a running sum of actual expenditures, and columns to check off when it is bought & wrapped. And, I pull up last year's list to make sure I don't duplicate gifts. Anal? Maybe. Needed? Absolutely. Yeah, the list is THAT LONG.

All this to say... I need help. I need creative gift ideas - on a budget. I need dummy-proof, non-artistic crafts that I can make. I need ideas for all ages. Come on, bloggy buddies... help me out! Got any suggestions??

Finding a New Normal

So, my son has gone from a very consistent 4 hour nap, to barely napping at all. The major contributor to this is giving up the pacifier - I think. I also think he is willfully trying to stay awake, even when he is completely exhausted.

The hard part is the inconsistency -- some days he'll sleep, others he'll stay awake the whole time. Sometimes he falls asleep right away, others he goofs off for 2-3 hours and then falls asleep (but is very upset when I wake him at 5pm because he is still wanting to sleep). I am still making him go to his room to rest... but he has been getting into a lot of mischief and I have to keep a listening ear! The other day he unplugged a lamp and had it in bed with him.

The bottom line is that he still needs sleep - he is such a grouch in the evenings when he doesn't nap. And, well, I need the "off time". :) I'm hoping that he'll settle into a new pattern so that I can find a new normalcy to my days.

Linkage

• My friend's The Wells and my neice, Elliott Kate, have gotten into the bloggy-craze. Check out their sites.
  
• I found my cooking alter-ego. Check out MOMMY COOKS, a great recipe blog, for some really good recipes. I have PAGES worth of her recipes that I can't wait to try. In fact, I think I'll try the Potato Soup tonight.
  
• There's a new morning cartoon that I love for my son - "Super Why" on PBS (9am for us). It's targeted for preschoolers ages 3 - 6 to "help with the critical skills they need to read," using favorite fairytales. And, the have a website (see here) with incredible stuff! It has lesson plans, activities, and more that follow along with the the episodes. I haven't used it yet, but plan to soon. Jackson is absolutely mesmerized by the show.
  

Recipe: Breakfast Casserole

This can fall in with the holiday/fall recipes that I've been sharing. It is great to make for overnight company - easy, fast, & yummy! This is actually a recipe that I shared with my mom (as opposed to her giving me all the recipes) and it has become a Christmas morning hit!

Breakfast Casserole

1 lb. bulk sausage
1 (8ct) can crescent rolls
2 C shredded cheddar cheese
4-5 eggs, beaten
3/4 C milk
salt & pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 425. Brown sausage until crumbly & drain. Line the bottom of a greased 9x13 dish with crescent rolls - pressing the perforations to seal. Layer the sausage & cheese on top. Combine eggs, milk, salt & pepper in a separate bowl and mix well. Pour over the sausage & cheese. Bake at 425 degrees for 25 min. (Can add other omelet-like ingredients, if desired). Serve with fresh fruit & coffee (of course!).

bye-bye, baby

It's been a big couple of weeks in our family. My almost 3 year-old son decided to finally give up on the pacifier that we have be weaning for some time, AND he made HUGE strides in potty training (read more here). Both are events that I have been very anxious for (the thought of how much we can save by not forking out the bucks on diapers!)...and yet, now I look around for some trace of an infant with a heavy heart. I look at his growth chart marks on the wall and can hardly believe he is that big! Big beds, real cups, talking my ears off....One of his favorite phrases lately is "No, I can do it by myself".

As I am reflecting all of this earlier today, Jack came up and randomly said, "Oh, I love you, mommy. Hug, please. Kiss me". His arms reaching up to me. And, he sat in my lap and laid his head on my shoulder for a while. It is like he read my mind.

I think I can handle all this growing up stuff as long as he still pauses to love on his mommy!

survivorman???

My husband loves the TV shows on survival...you know the "I'm stranded in the Canadian tundra in the snow with the moose and I'll show you how to survive here for 5 days" kind of shows. They are a regular on our DVR. He says he wants to do something like that. Right.

He is currently preparing for a little spiritual retreat for himself (a must for pastors!). Tomorrow he leaves to brave the wild woods by a nearby lake... in the campground...with pottys nearby... probably with an air mattress....and just a short drive from our house. But, by himself. Of course, when I say "preparing" I mean he is sitting in his recliner and asking me to think of things he'll need for his "survivorman" trip. I am actually the more experienced camper in our family. :)

Enjoy your trip, honey! I know he'll have some great alone time with God and come back refreshed.

Recipe: Pumpkin Dessert Dip

Part 4 of my holiday recipe series...make sure you check out Overwhelmed by Joy for tons more great recipes for the holidays. I'm really into pumpkin recipes lately - breads, rolls, muffins, lattes... and I made this last year and loved it!

Pumpkin Dessert Dip

1 (8oz) pkg of Cream cheese, softened
1 jar (7oz) Jet-puffed marshmallow crème
½ cup canned pumpkin (can substitute pumpkin pie filling for increased sweetness)
¼ tsp. ground cinnamon
¼ tsp. ground nutmeg

Mix all the ingredients until well blended. Refrigerate several hours or until chilled. Serve with apple slices, ginger snaps, or vanilla wafers.

Catalyst '07 - what reverberates within me...

Attending a powerful conference, such a Catalyst, leaves me a little awestruck, convicted, and revved up to serve at The Bridge. There was so much wealth of insight. So much that I think it will take time to fully process all of it. It was easy to sit and take notes of the great quotes and thoughts... but this is far insufficient until I explore the many facets that I need to apply to me (& my ministry & my church).

So, while I digest all of this, I thought I would at least highlight some of the "nuggets" from the conference that struck me:

• Its time for churches to move away from promoting "moral legislation", and focus more on changing the hearts & lives. A pastor shouldn't preach a message without having an avenue for people to respond. It is the role of the church to help people take next steps. Christians are not hated for being righteous, but for our self-righteousness. [ouch] We must redeem the word "Christian". It has a bad connotation today. (from authors of UNchristian - the book next on my reading list...more on this later)
• You can be successful in ministry or building a church without truly loving God or the people of your church. (Francis Chan)
• Practical Atheism -- defn.=believes God exists, but does life as if He doesn't. Happens even to those in ministry at times. We start to believe our efforts are greater than God's power. We believe our private life doesn't effect our public ministry. We feel we must please people more than we please God. The way I do the work of God can destroy the work of God in me. (Craig Groeshel)
• Intentionally add value to people everyday. (John Maxwell)

In addition, I was challenged to pursue more social injustice outlets for The Bridge. And, maybe ways that we can be "green" (no, tim, I am not a tree hugger).

I found out about this company that is doing an incredible thing - they sell these shoes, and for every pair bought they provide shoes for someone in an impoverished country that cannot afford them. Great story and concept. I bought a pair of TOMS. Check out their site and story.

Perhaps you will be hearing more as I am able to process it all. :)

Road trip with the boys

So, what do you get when you combine 4 laid back and goofy guys and one, well...ME for a long roadtrip including a huge traffic jam?? Boy banter, sports talk, boy food, no romantic comedies on the DVD player, and getting slung all around the backseat from Tim's wild driving. All in all, it has been interesting. ;)

Greetings from Atlanta! The church staff is here for Catalyst '07, a huge church leadership conference. The conference has been pretty good, for the most part. Some great challenges and insight. Today we heard from some "big wigs" in church leadership - Rick Warren, Andy Stanley, and others. One fantastic talk by a guy named Francis Chan... who I had never heard of, but he gave the best talk of the day by far. A cool quote that made me chuckle - "Church is like Noah's Ark... it stinks sometimes, but if you get out you'll drown" (Shane Clairborne). Tomorrow continues with more Andy Stanley, John Maxwell, Dave Ramsey, Erwin McManus and some others. Looking forward to it. And then, we'll take the late and long travel home.

Got to see my brother, sister-in-law and beautiful neice for dinner while we were in town. She is getting so big! It was GREAT to see them.

Jackson is doing great with granddaddy and grandDee. He went to pullen park & Cici's today, which is close to heaven for him. I miss him like crazy!! It's been much harder on me than on him.

Recipe: Cranberry Apple Casserole

Part 3 in my fall recipe series. It's sweet like a dessert.

Cranberry Apple Casserole

3 c apples (chopped & peeled)
3 c cranberries (not frozen - whole, raw, washed & drained)
2 c sugar, divided
1 stick margarine, melted
1 1/2 c quick oatmeal
1/3 c flour
1/2 c pecans

Mix apples & cranberries in a dish. Pour 1 1/2 c sugar over and toss lightly. Spread fruit mixture in bottom of cooking dish.

In a separate bowl, melt margarine and mix with 1 1/2 c quick oatmeal, 1/2 c sugar and 1/3 c flour. Crumble loosely over fruit. Sprinkle with 1/2 c pecans. Bake for 1 hour uncovered at 325 degrees.

life in fast-forward

Last week was very hectic. I spent almost all free time running around town getting ready for the Bridge Family Fun Day we had on Saturday. It turned out GREAT. I was so pleased. The kids had a blast with all the inflatables! And, we had a ton of people from the community come enjoy the food and activities. Lots of connections made.

It seems like every time life gets way crazy... a speed bump comes along to slow me down and ground me.... Jackson is sick. Nothing bad - just enough to stay at home and rest until this bug passes. Hopefully by Wednesday, since I am supposed to go to a conference with the church staff and he's scheduled to have some quality time with Granddaddy and GrandDee. We'll see. In the meantime, I am enjoying a super snugly little one....I love that part! :)

Holy Cow - - it's October.

Works for Me - Toy Rotation

I have a system for dealing with all of my son's toys. I rotate them. This became a necessity for me after the abundance of toys my son received for his first birthday & Christmas - which happen to coincide. And it has worked for the last 2 years. Here's what I do... divide the toys up and put some up & out of sight. Theses toys are reserved for a rainy day (literally) or when cold/extreme hot weather keeps us inside (or my son is driving me bonkers). I just pull out the "new toys" and he's totally entertained for the next little while. And, the "old toys" are inconspicuously hidden away until needed for the next time. This also helps my house from becoming too much of a Toyville!

Another tip - we go to the $1 store and buy a few cheap "car toys" for whenever we have to make long trips in the car. When he gets restless, we just pull out one toy at a time and there's peace for at least a little while. It works for me.

For more tips, check out Works for Me Wednesday.

Remedy is here

David Crowder* Band's latest cd, Remedy, hit the stores today - and yes, I have already purchased my copy. It is good. dc*b is incredible. I love their new version of "O, For a Thousand Tongues". To hear short samplings of the songs go here.

other random thoughts:

1. I drove home the slightly longer way... a back road that I discovered. There's tons of horse farms for Jack to see. Pumpkin patches that I made note of to visit later. Beautiful old farmhouses. An old general store. We go over parts of a lake. I like taking this route - it's just minutes from the suburbia I live in... and it reminds me of simpler things.

2. I signed up for facebook almost a year ago, and completely forgot that I had done so. I don't even remember why I did it - maybe Denise made me... or maybe I was trying to track down an old friend... Anyway, lo and behold, I started getting "friend requests" send to my email account. Which baffled me, because I did not even realize I had a facebook account. So, other people have noticed that I accepted her as a friend... and I keep getting friend requests...next thing you know, I'm doing facebook. And, I'm over 30. Go figure.

The extinction of the redhead

According to this article, and others like it that people keep forwarding to me, Redheads could be extinct by as early as 2060 or by the end of the century.

Here's my completely unscientific thoughts as to why this is asinine...

First, I hope to be alive in 2060, and I certainly hope Jackson will be as well. Plus, all the other great redheads I know. So, barring some sort of redhead genocide, this is absurd.

Secondly, the redheaded gene can be dormant for several generations. As in - ME! None of my parents or grandparents had red hair. I had a great-grandmother with red hair. Also, it only takes one parent with the red hair gene to pass this to their offspring (as in - Jackson!).

Thirdly, um... what about Scotland and Ireland. Huge percentage of redheads.

While the extinction of reds is a fun little musing, I really feel it has NO merit. And, what kind of world would this be without redheads? I love my hair color. It makes me different. And, if these "scientists" get it right, I may be getting more and more unique. :)

Oh, and while I'm bashing redhead folklore...[insert soapbox] ... redheads are not necessarily more temperamental. I can't tell you how many times I hear this. In reference to me, or God FORBID, my son is cranky in public....[soapbox over].

I'll also pause to answer the questions I am constantly posed as a redhead...

1. "Were you ever called carrot-top?" Not really. Sometimes Red, especially by my buddy Ashley. But, none of that remotely bothered me... maybe that's why I never got called it much.

2. "Do you tan?" Um... no. I can get what I call the "redhead tan", where there is a slight beige-ish tint to me. Otherwise, I burn, peel, and I'm right back to the whiteness. Redheads that tan (aka Nate) break the rules and its totally not fair. Tanning in the bottle has been my friend and, per my dermatologist, I am never to intentionally try to get sun. Ha.

3. "Are you burnt?" or "Do you have a rash?" Let me explain this. Redheads typically have very fair skin. I can't touch my neck without a faint little pink spot appearing. I can't cry without people noticing my blotchy face for HOURS later. And, if I am hot, my face gets very red. This seems to be odd to you olive-skinned ones.

Recipe: Pineapple Casserole

In continuing with the fall/holiday recipe series... This is Mike's #1 request for me to take to family get-togethers. Which is surprising, because usually "food mixed together that shouldn't be" is classified as "goop" to him. He's not particularly fond of most casseroles. :) I love him, anyway. It helps that this tastes more like a dessert than a side. Goes great with ham/pork dishes.

Pineapple Casserole
1 (20 oz) can of pineapple chunks (drain and save 3 Tbsp of juice)
1/2 c sugar
3 Tbs flour
1 c grated cheddar cheese
1/2 to 1 stick margarine (melted)
2 stacks of Ritz crackers (crushed)

Drain pineapple juice except for 3 Tbsp. Mix juice with flour & sugar and set aside. Combine pineapple chunks and cheese. Stir in the sugar and juice mixture to coat. Layer pineapple mixture in the bottom of dish. Combine melted butter with Ritz pieces and layer crackers over pineapple mixture. Bake for 23-30 min at 350 degrees (until crackers are golden brown).

Note: This makes a small dish, suitable for one family. If taking to a family event, double the recipe. :)

fundraiser

Yesterday, Mike and I had the privilege of helping with a fundraiser for a new Christian camp for children. The camp, Camp Willow Springs, will be the sister camp to our alum, Camp Willow Run. It will be adjacent to CWR and will be built specifically for grade-schoolers. The big reason for this camp is that CWR has had to turn away around thousands and thousands of campers due to lack of space. Almost 500 just this past summer. Willow Springs will enable us to double the amount of children able to learn about Jesus!

The initial designs for Camp Willow Springs are AWESOME. I would LOVE to send Jackson there... Lord willing, the funds will come in to enable this camp to be built by that time.

We were able to see camp alumni (young and old) that we haven't seen in a while. Also, Dot Helms, the wife of former senator Jesse Helms, spoke at the fundraiser. She and Jesse have been major supporters of both camps for decades. It was so neat to hear about their involvement and love for seeing children come to know Christ.

Another reason to love fall...

PUMPKIN SPICE LATTE. Holy Cow. I'm addicted.

Recipe: Potato Supreme Casserole

In honor of the onset of fall, I will post a series of recipes that you will ALWAYS find at my family's get-togethers, particularly Thanksgiving. My mom & her 4 sisters are all excellent cooks and most of the recipes I get come from something that they made.

This recipe is my favorite side dish. It make a lot - which is good because I can eat this until I get sick. I LOVE it.

Potato Supreme Casserole:
2 lbs frozen hashbrowns (southern style)
1 C butter, divided
1 can cream of chicken soup
2 C sour cream
2 C shredded cheddar cheese
1 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1/2 onion (chopped)
1/2 box cornflakes or Special K

Preheat oven to 350. Pour hashbrowns into a 13x9" pan. Pour 1/2 cup melted butter over hasbrowns. In a separate bowl, mix next 6 ingredients and pour over hashbrowns. Crush 1/2 box of flakes in a ziploc bag. Pour in 1/2 cup of melted butter over flakes and mix. Then, pour over hashbrown mixture. Bake for 1 hour.

(By the way, Bridge Ladies, don't forget about the recipe swap this Saturday night! Dessert swap - Yummy!).

Go 'Heels!

Yesterday Mike and I had a great day date! We were given *Free* tickets to the UNC v. UVA game in Chapel Hill. It was a beautiful day and was so fun, despite the disappointing loss. (How many years can we say, "it's a building year"?) Our seats couldn't have been better. One highlight - our friend's father, who was sitting next to us in his season ticket seats, invited us to join him in the Letterman's club during halftime. So, off we go to this private little club to get free lunch, drinks, and snacks in the air conditioning - and use the private potties! It was quite the hook up!

On the way to our sitter's house before the game, Jackson chanted "Go 'Heels!" over and over and over. It was cute. I can't wait to take him to some games... I don't think he's quite ready this year - or I should say, I am not ready to chase him around and try to entertain him during the game lulls. :)

Note to my family: We have tried to teach him "Go Vols!", but he confuses Vols for balls and just thinks we are talking about football in general. I'll work on it. Don't worry.

Court's favorites - kid activity websites

So, I get asked often, "What do you DO with Jackson all day?". I would love to say that I am the creative type and have our days filled with adventure and fun. I get in ruts of the same old thing over and over. But, I have these resources to do the creative thinking FOR ME. Thought some of you might enjoy as well. And, if you have favorites site of your own, please SHARE!

1. http://www.bozthebear.com/church/ - meant for church groups (I've already got it for ours), this site has activity pages and cute coloring pages. And lessons that go along with their DVDs. Jack loves his B-O-Z! Can also go to http://www.bozthebear.com/ and play games online.
2. http://www.123child.com/ - great activity suggestions for when you get in the activity rut with your kids.
3. http://preschoolrock.com/ - everything for your preschooler - songs, books, crafts, etc. Bonus: My friend, Monica, is one of their writers.
4. http://www.dltk-kids.com/coloring.htm - tons of free coloring pages... Bible, seasonal, you name it.
5. http://momma2beans.blogspot.com/2007/09/wfmw-bum-print-pumpkins.html - Oh my word. I can't decide if this is a cute idea or gross. At the least, it gave me quite a laugh. You must check this out and tell me your thoughts.
6. http://atv.disney.go.com/playhouse/index.html - games and fun activities for kids to do online. Jackson loves fishing with Donald Duck and matching instruments with the Little Einsteins.
   

SHE 'S HOME!!!!!!!!!!!!

It's been a long 6 days. Mike came home from his Connection Group tonight and saw Daisy sitting in our neighbors yard. At first she tried to run when he called her, then he whistled the "Andy Griffith" theme song and she came right to him (she always comes to that song...I have whistled it outside all week). We think she's probably been holed up somewhere close-by and too scared to come out when we called or came near.

She looks perfectly fine - just a little dirty. Didn't even go to the food dish when I put it down... all she wanted was our love! (Don't worry, she ate fine after that).

Thank you, Lord!!! And, thank you, dear friends, for your prayers. It's amazing how much that little furball has become part of our family.

Rough day...

Today has been one of the most difficult in a while... I awoke to discover that our beloved family cat, Daisy, has run off. She is a house cat and is extremely skiddish. Her escape was an accident. She's been gone for over 36 hrs without a trace.

We put up flyers (twice - and recieved a call from our town's office that we cannot do so), called SPCAs, animal control, posted it on Craigslist, and searched everywhere. We even went door-to-door in certain sections of our area.

Did I mention that she is my first pet EVER? I was never allowed to have pets growing up. Except for a fish for about 2 weeks before it died. Needless to say, I was/am VERY attached to Daisy. I grieved today like an 8 yr-old who lost their first pet. I am hopeful, but trying to prepare for the fact that she may be gone forever... and how to communicate that to Jackson. Several times today he called out "Mommy, where's daisy? DAISY! Where are you?". Ugh.

Please pray that we'll be able to find her, or that she is safe with a loving family.

PS - Thank you, again, to my awesome sister Cheri for the hugs, Starbucks, and for looking for her, too. I love you!

Elliott @ the Braves game

I had to post these ADORABLE pics of my neice, Elliott, taken at her first Braves game. Check out the Braves outfit!! Too cute!

Geese & The Bridge

(from my last "Mom 2 Mom...devotional thoughts for Bridge Moms")

I've been thinking lately about how geese remind me of The Bridge. Sounds odd, I know. Let me explain. Have you ever wondered why geese fly in a "V" formation? Research shows that these birds use this formation to conserve energy. They are able to glide more often. And, the V formation reduces the air resistance, enabling the geese to fly long distances - up to 70% farther than if they flew alone. It was also found that the geese take turns leading a the front of the V. As one bird gets tired, they can drop back and another will take its place at the front. That's incredible teamwork and support!

In so many ways, I see GEESE in the people of The Bridge. We have Connection groups that pray, study the Bible, go out to eat, and look out or each other when life gets difficult. It takes a small army to get The Bridge up and running on Sunday mornings as we transform the building from a school to a church - and back again. What profoundly impresses me, though, is the JOY that I see on the faces around me as we serve together. There's something in the DNA of our church that makes people say "it's not all about me". We are all on this spiritual journey together. There are times when some of us are weak and tired, and our friends are there with support and love. That is what being the church, a spiritual family, is about. And, that is what makes me so proud to call The Bridge my church family.

"Let us not give up meeting together as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another" (Heb. 10:25).

"Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. If anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself" (Gal. 6:2-3).

Only Grace

Every now and then a song comes along that seems to epitomize my thoughts and feelings... and this song becomes my anthem, so to speak, for a period of time. For a long time I was hooked on the praise song "In Christ Alone". I still love it.

However, there is a song that I am now captivated by -"Only Grace" by Matthew West. I think what I am drawn to the most is how this song reminds me of why Mike and I started The Bridge. A place free of judgement. We love our community so much, and our hearts ache for them to see the love that God has for them. So many have come to our church without any church background. Others are de-churched... they have been burned by church in the past. They are finding a place of acceptance. Most importantly, they are finding Christ. It is only by grace...the grace that I don't deserve, but that God pours on me... and you. Beyond amazing.

I have the lyrics below, and if you would like to hear the song, play the video below (someone made up this video, it’s not the artist’s video for the song - but it's really great).

Only Grace - by Matthew West

There is no guilt here
There is no shame
No pointing fingers
There is no blame
What happened yesterday
Has disappeared
The dirt has washed away
And now it’s clear

Chorus:There’s only grace
There’s only love
There’s only mercy
And believe me it’s enough
Your sins are gone
Without a trace
There’s nothing left now
There’s only grace

You’re starting over now
Under the sun
You’re stepping forward now
A new life has begun
Your new life has begun

Chorus

And if you should fall again
Get back up, get back up
Reach out and take my hand
Get back up, Get back up
Get back up again

Chorus: (2x’s)

Fear the Mountaineers!!

I have to give a shout out to my alum, Appalachian State, for making history today in their defeat over Michigan - in Ann Arbor. App is the first EVER division 1-AA school to defeat a ranked division 1-A school. Michigan WAS ranked #5 in the nation.

Perhaps my mountaineers will finally get more national attention! As if winning the last 2 national 1-AA championships weren't enough! Woohoo! Go App!

Why I can't wait 'til autumn...

I love the fall and everything about it. I just get absolutely giddy with the sunny and crisp weather. No humidity. Beautiful leaf colors. The State Fair - and fair foods! Fat pumpkins. Hiking and camping. And, of course the football games...

Mike has been talking about it for over a month... reading football pre-season magazines and watching ESPN specials. He's quite obsessed. And, fortunately for him, he married a wife that fully appreciates the sport and will enthusiastically sit with him to cheer on our teams! I come from a long line of college football fanatics. Yes, even the women. My grandmothers wore their Tennessee orange every game day. Life stops briefly when the games on. I know tons of great tailgating recipes. I get it.

My family made sure that Mike got fully outfitted with Tennessee paraphernalia (mugs, shirts, pajamas, golf balls, golf shirts, flags, jackets, etc) as soon as we started dating... which seems to have the effect that they desired...he's now a fulfledged Vols fan, in addition to our beloved 'Heels. (Which is completely possible - they are in different conferences and VERY RARELY play each other).

So, while I still have to wait a bit for the rest of the signs of fall , football season starts this weekend. "IT'S FOOTBALL TIME IN....." the windley house!

The Project

I had this ingenius idea... I'm switching Jackson to the guest room and giving him a full size bed. His room will now become a playroom/office space. Our rarely used guest room will now get maximum use of space. Guest will sleep in his bed when they come. So, I've been getting jackson's new room ready. New bedspread, fixed up a chest, clearing out closets... and now painted. Here's where the mayhem began.

I decided to give my big boy a really cool big boy room - one that he won't grow out of in 3 years. We painted the base color (Carolina Blue, of course) and I decided to put fun racing stripes around the room horizontally. I researched online, got the needed supplies, measured and taped (very tedious), and began to paint the first stripe.

It looked great until I pulled the painter's tape up... no one (including the Internet) mentioned how badly the paint would bleed through the tape. A horrible mess.

More horrible, however, was when I was assessing the damage a spot of paint had, unbeknownst to me, gotten on my shorts. And I rubbed it against the brand new bedspread - twice. Great.

I have tried countless internet suggestions on how to get it out - no luck. (suggestions welcome)So, out I went to buy a replacement while they were still in stock and on sale.

I now am trying a new technique (found on the internet - underlying theme going on here). Seems to work so far. So, hopefully the room will be done by the end of the weekend. And this "quick" little project (ha) will end. Pictures to follow... hopefully.

Recipe: MoJoes (aka roasted potatoes)

It has been a while since I have put up a recipe...I've been asked for this recipe a couple of times lately, so I thought I'd post it. Mike goes crazy for these. Recipe comes from my aunt Genie and has been a family favorite since I can remember. No, I don't know how it got the name.

MoJoes

8-10 medium potatoes
1/4 C oil
8 Tbsp grated parmesan cheese
garlic powder (to taste)
black pepper (to taste)
Seasoning Salt (to taste)

Wash and leave skins on potatoes. Slice lengthwise into 8ths and pat dry with paper towel. Mix all the ingredients together in a large bowl. Place on a cookie sheet (w/ a lip on it so the oil doesn't drip in your oven) or large baking dish in a single row. Bake for 1 hour @350 degrees.

Cool Picture

This is a picture of my grandparents - Tate Irvin ("T.I.") and Imogene Reasor, that my mom sent to me. I think this picture is so beautiful. They look so in love.

Doesn't it look like a postcard?

Interesting...what do you think?

So, I took a what hairstyle is right for you quiz...what do you think?

Your Ideal Hairstyle:

All One Length, Side Part

What Women's Hairstyle Is Right For You?

All together now...

Can I just say that I have been lovin' the 2 new shows "Singing Bee" and "Don't Forget the Lyrics"! (except I am not a fan of the scantily clad Honey Bees that dance - what is the purpose??) I think I enjoy these shows due to all the great tunes that I haven't heard in a while. You should see me singing along on my sofa....Culture Club, the Beatles, the Bangles, Stevie Wonder, Blondie, Boyz II Men, Garth Brooks... you name it. I think I should apply...ha!

Ladies Night Out

A big group of women from The Bridge hit the town tonight -- coffee and dessert at the Cheesecake Factory. YUM-O! It was so much fun and I really enjoyed chatting with the women of our church!! In fact, I think I liked meeting and talking to these women even MORE than the cheesecake - and that's hard to beat!! I love you, ladies! Let's do a recipe swap soon!!

Under Construction

I'm messing around with some new templates... acting like I know something about HTML. Ha. Bear with me for a bit - this site might start to look a little off....Let me know if you like it.

Home Sweet Home

This summer has been a whirlwind for me. Lotsa travelin'! Atlanta, Wilmington, Asheville, CWR, Lake James... and probably a beach trip coming up soon too. I have only been home 12 days this month. We came home today from a fun Windley family (extended family - 13 of us) vacation to Lake James. If I were not so darn tired I'd post fun pics and little anecdotes for you... maybe later.

Instead here's some random thoughts from an exhausted momma...

1. After 2 weeks of a lot of testing and whining, Jackson was on GREAT behavior today. I think he's as happy to be at home, too. It's been a really fun 2 weeks for him, but also a lot of transitions.

2. We (Mike and I) are not great photographers. We take our camera, but we forget to take the pictures. Of course, when you have a sister-in-law like I have (who takes over 200 pictures in 3 days), all you have to do is request the good ones! :) See Cheri's blog for Lake James photos.

3. Our kitty, Daisy, is the cutest. She misses us so much when we are away. When we get back in town she is all over me. She will meow loudly (a rarity for her) at me until I sit on the couch so that she can jump in my lap. It's good to be missed. :)

4. Happy Birthday Mom! Or, as Jackson said "Happy Burbay, Mimi!!". We love you and can't wait to see you in a few weeks.

A reason to celebrate

On Sunday, my church had a really fun lake day and baptism service. It was a beautiful day, and I was so pleased to see the great turn out. Can I just say that I LOVE the people of our church??!! They are so fun, and caring... and they have such a servant's heart! We baptized 3 (2 others couldn't make it due to sickness). Praise the Lord - He is certainly at work!

Besides the baptisms, I feel like our church has so much to celebrate. Church planters are often warned to brace themselves for the summer months when attendance deflates and people feel burned out. This summer, our church is breaking new record attendance and we continue to see new-comers each week, even with multiple "regulars" out of town.

Church work can certainly be exhausting at times, but God continues to remind us why we are doing this. And, His blessing abound!

Courtney's Favorites - Part 2

Favorite place to shop for kids:

Kids Everywear - This HUGE consignment sale occurs twice a year. The Fall one is September 15-21 and registration is now open. This sale is different from other consignment sales that I have been to because they are particular about what can be consigned – stain free, in season, not out-dated clothes. And there are TONS of namebrand clothes there usually priced between $1-$5. My friend Stacy and I go every time, and we have this sale down to a science! We purchase the bulk of our sons’ clothing needs for the next season – pjs, play clothes, swimsuits, coats, you name it. And, we usually pick up some toys, books, etc. In fact, last time we went, I bought a humongous stack of clothing, training potty, musical instrument set, shoes, and some toys for Jackson and left spending less than $100!! Also, if you are looking for equipment (IE cribs, strollers, exersaucers, etc) they have a huge selection.
Some recommendations:
1. If you can, volunteer or be a consignor. This enables you to shop before the general public, which gives you the better chance at the good deals on cute stuff!
2. When going through the clothing, grab EVERYTHING you think is cute. When you are done grabbing all the clothes in your child’s size, find a free space on the floor and sort through the stack – make sure clothing is stain free, practical, a good deal, etc. Stacy and I do this together and then help weed out until we have all we need.
3. If possible, DON’T bring your children. Trust me, you will need to move quickly and space is limited.
4. You might want to bring something to stack your goods in – I see mom’s using empty strollers, wagons, those crates with long handles, etc. I borrowed Lynn’s mom’s crate last year and it was so handy!!

book recommendation

While at camp this week, I am stuck in the boxcar for significant portions of the day while my son naps (usually a four hour nap) and also after he goes to bed at night. At home, this is not a problem at all - there's plenty of housework, legal work, church work, you name it to be done. So, I came super prepared this year - bunches of books.

My current favorite author is Terri Blackstock. She is a Christian Fiction author, whose books usually have suspence, mystery, legal and love portions. I LOVE her books. I mean, I really really LOVE them. In fact, I am really sad because after this week I have almost read everything she’s written. I am on a long waiting list from the library to get my hands on her latest (True Light)!

If you have not yet read anything from this author, you MUST do so! I usually recommend the Cape Refuge series to people (a 4 book series). A couple of days ago I finished Night Light, book 2 of the Restoration Series (book 1 is Last Light). It is the best series yet!!