ALMOST a Wordless Wednesday

Dear Nani,

Just so you know, I plan on sending the "parent note"

straight to your door

next year in kindergarten when his teacher says

he enjoys crafting airplanes out of his papers,

instead of working on them!

Thanks for the life lessons!

We love you dearly.

Tuesday TRUEism

{NOTE TO SELF}

Menu Monday

After a busy, but fun weekend {filled with LOTS of college football & a date night to Octoberfest} we invited friends over last night to share a pot of chili, cornbread, and a chocolate chip pie! This little pie is a fast fix, only requiring 7 ingredients and 10 minutes to stir! Baking takes the longest, but it's totally worth it. YOU GOTTA TRY IT :) I can't really describe the deliciousness except to say...it literally IS just like eating a chocolate chip cookie, except in chewy, gooey pie form! Top it off with a generous dollop of Blue Bell Vanilla Bean Ice Cream and you have a crowd pleaser! I make 2 pies when I have groups over to the house and it's always gotten rave reviews. Quick. Simple. Delicious...what's not to love!

Now go get to baking!!

Nestle Chocolate Chip Pie

1 unbaked 9-inch deep-dish pie shell*, completely THAWED
2 large eggs
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter, softened
1 cup (6 ounces) semi-sweet chocolate morsels
1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

Serve with ice cream (optional) But not optional if your name is Becky!!!

DIRECTIONS: Preheat oven 325 degrees. Beat eggs in large mixer bowl on high until foamy. Beat granulated sugar and brown sugar, followed by the flour. Beat in butter. Stir in morsels and nuts and spoon into pie shell. Bake for 55-60 minutes. Cool on wire rack. Serve warm.

*I recommend using Mrs. Smith's Deep Dish Pie Shells, I have found that they turn out the best of all the brands I have tried. Also, be sure to thaw your shell completely prior to baking!

Recipe from Nestle Classic Recipes, 2003

Fun Fridays...FIELD TRIP!!!!

We arrived back in town yesterday {from a week of visiting family in Irving} just in time to attend Cade's first official preschool field trip of the year to the pumpkin patch! All four of us went last year and enjoyed it, so we were excited to be returning. Lo and behold would you believe who was the first person we saw after stepping out of our car? Our soccer coaches' sweet wife, Coach Amy and her son Landon were out and about manning the pumpkin fields and reading stories! How fun!

We really bundled up this year because a cold front moved in over night and our car temperature was reading 59 degrees on our way over! Brrrrr....bring it on FALL, we love you! Fall and spring are my two favorite seasons here in Texas. Mainly because I would not really classify our "winter" as an actual "winter"...especially when it's 70 degrees on Christmas Day and our summers just seem to be getting hotter and hotter every year! The fall air is so cool and crisp and always smells like rain and firewood to me :)

Fall, thank you for blowing in & refreshing my spirit!

Cade and Gracyn,

I had the best day with you today...

because of your beautiful spirits.

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Words of Wisdom, on Wednesday

Reading through the book of Proverbs this month and this one stood out to me today. Luckily it fit right into a photo I snapped in our yard too!

So much wisdom to be gleamed from Solomon, I am loving my quiet times...

Menu Monday...on Tuesday!

So I'm a day late and a dollar short...In this season of life, I am just happy to actually be making time to post! Fall has swung in with a vengeance this year. I started feeling sick this past Friday with body aches, low grade temperature, a severe headache and exhaustion. After resting over the weekend and taking Tamiflu, I am feeling much better! But I must admit, I wanted something simple, quick, and low mess to whip up for dinner on Monday. Thanks to my sweet friend Jennifer, who gave me this recipe, my wish was granted. This recipe is definitely worth

posting! Once you taste it, you won't give me a hard time for running a day behind...trust me.

Italian Tortellini Soup

Serves 6:

1/2 pound ground beef

1/2 pound Italian sausage, casings removed

15 ounce jar marinara sauce

1 C. sliced mushrooms

14 1/2 ounce can diced tomatoes

9 ounce pkg. cheese filled tortellini (refrigerated)

1 C. Mozzarella cheese, grated

Brown beef and sausage (i use the mild Italian sausage for the kiddos) in a skillet over medium heat. Spray inside of crock pot. Mix meat mixture, marinara sauce, mushrooms, and tomatoes in crock pot. Cover and cook on low for 7 to 8 hours (or on high for 4 to 6 hours). Stir in tortellini (i use the new whole wheat variety); sprinkle with cheese. Cover and cook on low for about 15 minutes more or until tortellini is tender. You can add a little water to thin, if needed.

Serve with toasted Italian bread, sliced thin or Italian bread sticks!

Recipe courtesy of Jennifer Locklin

{The kids and I also baked a delicious poppy seed bread yesterday! I will post the recipe very soon}