Casita de Alaniz

Plan B

2010-08-29T23:02:00.001-05:00

Have you ever found yourself at a crossroads in life?

At a place where you are standing looking at two roads...

one road was the life you thought you were going to lead

and the other is the life you have found yourself in?

I am at that place.

We all have a picture of the way we want our life to be

and then we have reality!

And when those two don't match up we feel tremendous

amounts of pain, guilt, frustration, and even anger.

We all have dreams that don't come to fruition.

Some are because of our poor choices, some are because of other's decisions, some are a combination of both of those, and sometimes I think there is absolutely no one to blame,

the only one to blame is God.

And gosh darn it, when you hit those moments doesn't it always seem like everyone else's dream is happening except yours.

I swear it's like;

Everyone else's cancer is being cured.

Everyone else is able to have a baby of their own.

Everyone else's marriage is happy.

Everyone else is being offered a job.

Everyone else is receiving a clean bill of health.

So what do we do with these shattered dreams...

what do we do with our unmet expectations...

What do I do when I'm standing there staring, as my plan A

becomes a distant shadow on the ground...

Man, I think that is such a tough question.

And let me say that I don't believe there is just one simple Bible verse that gives you the answer.

(Believe me I've looked)

It's taken me a long time.

And it hasn't been easy.

In fact, I don't like it much.

But like I said in a previous post,

I have come to the place where I realize that

I do not control outcomes.

And when my life seems like it's spinning out of control

it's just a reminder that I'm not in control.

The solution for me personally has been a long, tiresome journey...

Full of tears, heartache, sadness, hurt, disappointment, confusion, frustration and about every other emotion in the book...but all of those thoughts and feelings have landed me in the place where I can finally say,

Lord, this is not my dream.

This is not the way I'd write the script,

this is not what I expected,

but it's not about me,

it's about you God.

It really stinks and I don't like it, but I'm gonna trust you, walk through this pain and confusion and process it, deal with it, but

I'm not going to let it control me.

Because if I've learned anything it's that if I wrap my faith around my dreams, then when my dreams shrivel up so will my faith.

So everyday we have a decision:

- to make a choice based on our "interpretation" of our circumstances

-OR-

- to make a choice based on God's promises, that

He is who He says He is

I chose the latter and I can honestly say,

my soul has been more

peaceful and joyful

ever since.

I see God working and moving in my life in new ways.

Yes..I promise to share some of them soon :)

I took the step.

Started down a new path.

A foreign road very unfamiliar to me.

One that I don't have a road map for,

but you know what...

I'm at peace with that

because I trust the Man whose footprints I am following.

This will be my final posting

at this blog site.

As we embark on this plan b,

my wonderfully talented friend Kristi

has custom designed a completely new

blog site for me.

You are welcome to join us on the journey!

Leave a comment or email me for specifics...

Thank you to so, so many for your genuine love, endless support and continued prayers on our behalf.

My cup runneth over!!!

Signing off for the final time from
Casita de Alaniz.

Reality Check

2010-08-21T08:47:00.000-05:00

Where to begin?

This week has been really sobering for me.

After Monday, I will no longer be the Mom

with a kid in preschool and a baby...

I'll be the Mom with a kindergartner and a

preschooler.

It seems like only yesterday I was swaddling each of them to take their naps or watching them sleep while we sat in the rocking chair.

Those are precious fleeting moments, I will store up in

my heart for the rest of my life.

My kids have grown up so quickly in the grand scheme of things!

Too quickly...

Every moment I have spent at home with them over the past 5 years has been such a blessing. One that I don't take for granted now that I am about to return to the work place. Everyday I stayed home was a chance for me to love, nurture, care for, play with, teach, and listen to with the ears, eyes, and hands of a mother. Molding and making memories, that's what we did together. Molded each other into the person we needed them to be.

Cade is my first born.

He MADE me a mother and taught me how to be one.

Gracyn came along and molded me into the mother of a precious girl. My heart will never be the same because it sees the world differently. And the world is different because of them

and so am I.

In all of the best ways imaginable

So I will cherish each and every day

because

I know the memories will be with me always,

but my little boy and little girl won't.

Tuesday TRUEism

2010-08-17T14:05:00.000-05:00

It is important to live each day with a positive perspective.

It is not wise to pretend that problems do not exist,

but it is wise to look beyond

the problem to the possibilities that are in it.

When Goliath came against the Israelites,

the soldiers all thought,

"He is so big, we can never kill him."

But David looked at the same giant and thought,

"He's so big I can't miss him."

~ Dr. Dale E. Turner ~

Happy Birthday to YOU, Sweet Libby Lou

2010-08-14T19:27:00.001-05:00

Cade and I made a quick trip over to Frisco

this afternoon to help celebrate the big

NUMERO CINCO

for Miss Regan Elizabeth!

The party was held at a super, huge gymnastics center!

The kids got to rotate around the gym

in small groups

enabling them to try out all the equipment.

After they got good and tired out, we

headed to the party room for

a rainbow themed soiree.

Ginny baked layered rainbow cupcakes and the each

child got to decorate their own cupcake!

It was a BIG hit with everyone :)

What a fun party...

When we drove away Cade asked,

"Mommy can we drive back to Frisco tomorrow?"

That's the sure sign of a good party in my book!

Thanks Ginny

and

Happiest Birthday Wishes

to you

Sweet Libby Lou

Tuesday TRUEism

2010-08-10T14:30:00.000-05:00

A simple friend, when visiting, acts like a guest.
A real friend opens your refrigerator and helps herself and doesn’t even feel the
least bit weird shutting your ‘Fridge door' with her foot!

A simple friend has never seen you cry.
A real friend’s shoulder has been soggy from your tears.

A simple friend brings a bottle of wine to your party.
A real friend comes early to help you cook and stays late to help you clean.

A simple friend hates it when you call after they’ve gone to bed.
A real friend asks you why you took so long to call.

A simple friend seeks to talk with you about your problems.
A real friend seeks to help you with your problems.

A simple friend wonders about your romantic history.
A real friend could blackmail you with it!

A simple friend thinks the friendship is over when you have an argument.
A real friend calls you after you had a fight.

A simple friend expects you to always be there for them.
A real friend expects to always be there for you!

So, which kind of friend are you?

Answering that question will likely tell you
what type of friends you have...

The poison of SHOULDS

2010-08-09T00:51:00.006-05:00

Have you ever thought about how dangerous

thinking and using the word

should

can be?

I found out some information that really

bothered me and that I

did some serious thinking about it.

Over and over I found myself stuck on the word should...

so and so should know better.

so and so shouldn't have said that.

so and so should say it to my face.

It's something I've struggled with for most of my life I guess.

People "should" behave this way,
marriages "should" be like this,

friends "should" respond this way,
life "should" look like this...

but guess what...
life doesn't work that way.

The truth is we all have expectations in our lives that affect the way we live, the way we view others,

and the way we respond to life.

Want to know what some of mine were?

1. People should always make good choices

2. People should tell the truth, always

3. Moms should make dinner for their families

4. Husbands should want to come home to their wives

5. Friends should be honest with you, even when it's tough

6. I should give 100% to everything I do

7. I should stay positive, no matter what

You know what?

These shoulds can ruin lives.

They can ruin friendships. They can ruin your self worth.

These shoulds can poison your attitude and bog you down into trying to figure out other people's motives and motivations.

These shoulds can make us expect things that are unrealistic.

And they allow us to be disappointed when things don't turn out the way they

"should."

They steal our joy.

I really struggled thinking about this.

Finally, in the wee hours of the Saturday morning

{think like 2 a.m.}

I finally came to the conclusion that

I have to release the need to determine

how things should be...

:: I release it ::

:: I let it go ::

:: Go ::

:: Fly away ::

:: Get away from me ::

:: Get out of my thoughts ::

:: Stop stealing my joy ::

I think that my expectations were just a form of control,

born of my need to know what the outcomes would be.

And the more I am able to release that need,

the more I am able to accept life for what it truly is...

a series of ups and downs, triumphs and trials, happy moments
and heartaches.

I encourage you, think about what your shoulds are.

Shoulds with yourself. Shoulds with your friends.

Shoulds with your kids. Shoulds in your marriage.

If you want to share some of them please do so, via comments. Who knows, they may be enlightening to someone else.

Fun Fridays...My Favorite Things

2010-08-06T07:10:00.001-05:00

Going to the

LAKE

My Top Five Favorite Things About

Our Lake Weekends...

1. Seeing the night sky {amazing outside of the city}

2. Laughing at old stories

3. Eating all together @ one big table

4. Joy riding around the lake in the boat

5. Watching the kids play, swim, and scheme together

:: Happy Friday ::

Tuesday TRUEism

2010-08-03T07:51:00.002-05:00

{i second that}

quote from Karl Lagerfeld,

creative director for chanel and fendi

photo source

Blondies Have More Fun

2010-08-02T07:44:00.087-05:00

We're in the triple digits still so to

beat the heat, my friend Ashley invited us over to

her mom's house for a
SWIMMING play date!

We loaded up on supplies

and hit the pool with friends!

Momma's and their boys...

{D and Court}

{Cade and I}

The kids swam up a pretty big appetite

in the pool!!!

Ashley whipped up some yummy turkey and pepper jack cheese bites and I brough over

BLonDIes

to share.

If your not familiar with Blondies, they are similar to chocolate chip cookies, just in bar form. These blondies are fast and easy to bake up one afternoon when you

DO NOT

want to have your oven cranking

for an hour!!!

30 minutes and and these babies are done.

Thanks to Ashley and Debbie for inviting us over

for a splish-splashin' good time.

We can't wait to get together again and

we'll bring the treats if you

promise to bake more

turkey pepper jack bites!!!!!

Blondie Bars

2 3/4 cup all purpose flour

2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

2/3 cup butter, softened

1 lb. light brown sugar

3 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

11.5 ounce package milk chocolate chips {I use semi-sweet}

1 cup chopped pecans {optional}

By hand:
Stir brown sugar into softened {not melted} butter in a large bowl until butter disappears. You can use the back of your spoon to help incorporate the two together.

Add eggs one at a time to butter mixture and stir well after each egg.

Add vanilla, chocolate chips and nuts. Mix well.

Sift flour, baking powder and salt into wet mixture, and stir until well combined.

Coat a 13 X 9 pan with non-stick spray and spread batter evenly into dish.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until top is golden brown. Make sure you don’t over bake.

- A little trick I like to do is line my pan with foil both directions, folding the foil over all 4 edges. Spray the foil with non-stick spray, and then pour in batter and bake as directed. Allow the bars to cool COMPLETELY and simply lift them out of the pan using the foil. Slice into squares and put away your C-L-E-A-N 13x9 pan!

Book in Review

2010-07-29T12:12:00.051-05:00

Our book club just completed a very

moving novel that I'd like to share with you.

A Thousand Splendid Suns

Khaled Hosseini

The novel focuses on the lives of two remarkable Afghan women through a span of thirty years, roughly the 1960's - 2003. From the Soviet invasion to the rule of the Taliban and the post war rebuilding Hosseini is able to bring fear, violence, desperation and hope to life within the pages of his novel. To me it is Hosseini's incredible storytelling ability that propels this heartbreaking story of

Miriam and Laila.

In more than one way, it is a love story.

A love between a man and a woman, family love, parental love, the love that exists within a friendship, love of your country, and love of God. The characters seek love and in certain ways are truly saved by love. Both women are flawed and hurting in different ways, yet are drawn together by a common misery. The story's of Miriam and Laila, their journeys and lives in Kabul became very real to me!

As real as any story a close friend would share in secret.

Their story was so gripping, which makes it hard to pace yourself girls.

At the heart, it is an amazing story of human life,

human loss, and human love.

And Hope.

I thought I would share a few of my favorite quotes from the book:

"Behind every trial and sorrow that He makes us shoulder,

God has a reason."

"Of all the hardships a person had to face, none was more punishing than the simple act of waiting."

And my favorite-favorite...
"In a few years, this little girl will be a woman who will make small demands on life, who will never burden others, who will never let on that she too had sorrows, disappointments, dreams that have been ridiculed.

A woman who will be like a rock in a riverbed, enduring without complaint, her grace not sullied but shaped by the turbulence that washes over her."

Way Back Wednesday

2010-07-28T17:35:00.000-05:00

How did this little guy go from...

~ THIS ~

so quickly?

A FUNNY dog, a FINICKY cat and a hamster who steals the show

2010-07-27T17:18:00.002-05:00

We spent the evening with some friends this weekend

and watched a great family movie!

If you haven't seen Walt Disney's

BOLT

we would definitely recommend that you check it out soon.

Bolt is the story of an American white Shepard who

has lived his entire life on the set of his made for TV

sci-fi action show,

where he believes he has special super powers!

Through an accident, he becomes separated from his owner

Penny and sets out on a cross country trek to reunite with her!

Along the way, he meets an old alley cat named Mittens

and an absolutely fearless, hysterically funny,

TV-obsessed hamster named

RHINO

{who by the way was my favorite

and stole the show with his quick wit, crazy faces, and loyalty}

Through a series of adventures the unlikely friends

realize that it doesn't take "super powers" to

accomplish a mission...

just teamwork!

I love this shot of Punzie {the little dog} eyeing Gracie's

popcorn like a hawk!!!!

Tuesday TRUEism

2010-07-20T14:45:00.000-05:00

This dude is smokin'...

and I get to go see him tonight at the

theatre with one of my sweet friends...

Team Jacob, hands down.

Menu Monday

2010-07-19T20:11:00.003-05:00

Boy do I have a treat for you today!

I tried a little supper recipe from one of

my favorite little blog friends...

{photo credit: the sugar pie farmhouse}

Aunt Ruthie

She is the Southern matriarch who resides over at the

SUGAR PIE FARMHOUSE.

Sugar Pie Farmhouse

A smile comes across my face
every time I have the opportunity to visit Aunt Ruthie's!

Her blog is sweet, cozy, uplifting, and I always leave encouraged.
She has a passion for first of all her faith, then her family and finally her home and strives to preserve the old fashioned ideals that our country was founded upon!

If you don't believe me, scroll through some of her past posts to view her spectacular home in the Ozark Mountains!

Now I would be remiss if I did not also mention that
she is also one dynamite cook.

I have eyed her
HiLLbiLLy SpAgheTTi PiE
long enough.

Today is the day to pull out my
cast ,
iron skillet

{this is a MUST item for this recipe}
a jar of sweet tea,
my vintage cherries apron
and give it a whirl.

Okay, let's round up our supplies...

First, pull out your cast iron skillet.

You'll need one of the extra large ones for this recipe!

A 13 and 1/4 " {diameter} skillet is perfect.

Now if you don't own a cast iron skillet,

you could always use a deep skillet with a lid.

INGREDIENTS:

- 1 bunch green onions, chopped

- 2 tablespoons olive oil

- 1/2 pound extra lean ground beef

- 1/2 pound Italian sausage, 4 links {sweet or hot} casings removed

- 4 garlic cloves, minced {or minced garlic in the jar if your like me}

- 3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley

- 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes

- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

- 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

- 1 teaspoon salt {I add more}

- 2 cups water

- 8 ounces spaghetti, broken into 3 inch pieces
{I used half of a 16 ounce package–Thin spaghetti–not Angel Hair– but you can use regular }

- 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream {or half and half}

- 4 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

- 1/2 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese

- 2 cups grated mozzarella cheese

Okay...check, check, and check

Let's get cookin'

1.Pull out your skillet and saute green onion in 2 tablespoons olive oil, on medium heat 5 minutes.

{photo credit: the sugar pie farmhouse}

2.Add beef and sausage, brown over medium-hi heat.

{photo credit: sugar pie farmhouse}

3.When almost brown, add garlic, pepper flakes, oregano, and parsley.

4.Once browned, stir in crushed tomatoes, water and salt.

5.Add broken spaghetti. Push spaghetti into liquid, and cover for 8 minutes.

{photo credit: the sugar pie farmhouse}

6. After 8 minutes, stir pasta so the noodles won’t stick together. Reduce heat to medium low simmer for 6 more minutes until pasta is al dente {almost cooked but still a little firm}.

7.Add basil, Parmesan cheese, and cream, stir well.

8.Sprinkle top with mozzarella cheese, put in oven to broil until spotty brown. {stand there and keep watch or set a timer for 3 minutes at a time until it’s ready, or else you may end up with Blackened Hillbilly Spaghetti Pie!}

{photo credit:the sugar pie farmhouse}

I served this with a big Italian style salad and it

was
DELIZIOSO !!!

Tuesday TRUEism

2010-07-13T07:24:00.009-05:00

I thank my lucky stars

every.single.day

that my life is blessed with
TRUE
friendships.

Petting Zoo Pals

2010-07-10T07:36:00.009-05:00

With cameras, bug spray, and kids in tow,

we braved the Texas heat/humidity

to visit the {free} local

petting zoo with some sweet friends!

Libby Lou

Court Jackson, you are one handsome dude!

My Man

Stylin' & Profilin'

Addison found the goats more to her liking!

Staring at....water.

The ducks were hiding out in the shade!

You know it's hizz-ottie-H-O-T-T-I-E

when ducks hit the shade tree instead of their pond.

And I'll be a mOnKeY's UnCLe if our kids didn't have more fun walking these stumps.

If they crossed them once, they crossed them 10 times.

Even Levi, Gracyn, and Court braved the treacherous stump walk.

Libby, poor girl, was the only one who lost her balance and sustained a slight injury.

She was still a little shell-shocked from the injury and the

deer attack in this photo...

We all walked away unscathed by the animals...

except for Libby's t-shirt which showed an actual

dental impression

from a deer who apparently eats

size 4T cotton tees for lunch!

Thank goodness the alligator on display was only plastic.

Happy FOURTH

2010-07-08T16:32:00.000-05:00

Finally, I took the time to post our pictures from the Fourth of July!

We had a FaNtAsTiC, family-FuN-filled

FOURTH.

After we finally got all of our "stuff" loaded up for a short weekend getaway...

We headed south to Lake Whitney!

My cousin Scott owns a lake house there,

that he so graciously offered to host everyone at.

And when I say everyone, I mean everyone...

10 adults, 3 kids, and one baby!

YES...

luckily it has lots of room and

YES...

there were people everywhere, and

YES...

we shared the bathrooms, and

YES...

it was rarely quiet, but

everytime I looked around,

everyone was Smiling,

Laughing, Joking, or Telling old stories

about going to the lake when they were young.

We had so much fun, what a blessing to be able to

say that about your family!

On his property Scott has several fruit trees.

The peach tree in particular was loaded down with beautiful fruit.

It was so heavy, that the branches were hanging on the ground!

Gracie busied herself with picking peaches and storing them

in a butterfly catching net!

Cade even skinned one with his teeth and proceeded to

chomp away at all the sweet, juicy goodness...

Whitney was quick to warn him to check the middle

for

"white wigglies"

Cade declared his peach

"white wiggly" free

and chowed down!!!

This from my uber picky kid.

The fruit trees attracted a multitude of butterflies.

Lucky for Cade,

he is kin to one expert butterfly catcher...

This girl didn't need a net! All she needed was the 2 hands God gave her to lay hold of those beauties!

Cade took lessons from Whitney and was catching his

own butterflies by the end of the weekend!

They were like 2 peas in a pod.

I think they were cut from the same cloth!

They were the best of friends.

We relaxed

Snuggled with Uncle D after naptime

Swam in the pool

Water skiied, tubed, swam, and rode around the lake on Scott's

awesome boat

Ate more delicious food than you could shake a stick at...

And put on the best fireworks show in the neighborhood...

All said we had tired bodies, but full hearts

on the way

home.

It was a FOURTH to remember.

We each made some new family memories

and I look forward to making more in the years to come!

Thanks Uncle Scott

And

God Bless the USA

Is it just me or does anyone else still tear up

when they hear the ole' Lee Greenwood

version?

Hot Dogs, Homeruns and HEY I KNOW THAT GUY...

2010-06-25T22:27:00.002-05:00

We headed to the ballpark on Tuesday night!!!

It is the first game I've been to this season

and MAN was the Texas heat in full affect.

Luckily, my brother-in-law had tickets to his company's box!

Hello air conditioning,

I love you...soooooooo much

The players were warmed up and ready to go,

the first pitch was thrown and then...

Whose face pops up on the board?

C-o-d-y
{he's in the middle}

He performed the national anthem with his praise team

from North Richland Hills!

They were in perfect harmony and sounded

phenomenal!!!

It was Kelton's very 1st game

he slept like a log.

Tuesday TRUEism

2010-06-08T07:04:00.006-05:00

Do any other mothers ever feel like this?

I can totally relate.

But then I think about this quote,

"Work is love made visible"

Kahlil Gilbran

And when I remember WHO I am working for

and WHAT I am working towards...

it brings a smile to my face and

floods my insides with joy.

You can have it all,

just not all at the same time!

The End of an Era...

2010-06-02T15:25:00.000-05:00

We said GOOD-BYE to all of

Cade's pre-k friends and

teachers at a special

end of the year

PaRtY at the PaRk.

The kids had a chance to visit, play, explore,

snack, and give gifts

to their teacher Mrs. Theodore

I cannot begin to say enough good things about our sweet teacher, she has truly been a blessing to Cade this year!

Thank you a bushel and a peck Mrs. Theodore!

So with a slice of cake, a gift basket, hugs,

and farewells,

we traded our school days in for

summertime smiles!

LET THE GOOD TIMES ROLL!!!!!

{eye candy}

2010-05-27T21:32:00.005-05:00

How playful & cute is this?

I love this little wall!

You could easily incorporate this look in a playroom

or gameroom for a touch of whimsy!

Letters can be purchased fairly inexpensively at

many locations...

{think Michael's, JoAnn's, Wal-Mart, Target,

flea markets, antique shops, etc}

and you can always repaint them with craft

paint to mix up the color scheme!

♥INSPIRE♥

Tuesday TRUEism

2010-05-25T07:56:00.006-05:00

I find so much comfort in God's promises.

He always keep his word.

To ALL my MAMMACITAS rollin' in a Swagger Wagon

2010-05-24T12:21:00.008-05:00

To all my GiRLieS who drive minivans,

hopefully when we ROLL by each other

y'all won't be

TOO COOL TO WAVE BACK

TO ME...

in your swagger wagons!

{go down to my music section on the right side and

press the pause button,

before clicking play, you don't want to miss the action! }

Toyota Sienna - Swagger Wagon - Watch more Funny Videos

Fun Fridays...my favorite things

2010-05-21T07:16:00.001-05:00

Alternative English Muffins

from the Western Bagel Co.

Does a cowboy riding into town on a BAGEL seem a little odd?

Not if you’re the Western Bagel Company.

The story of Western Bagel is a trailblazing tale.

David Ustin was working in a Bronx, New York bakery while attending school to become a rabbi. During his shift one day, he overheard a union representative say there were no good bagels out west. Soon after, David packed up and hit the road with a pioneer spirit and profits in mind.
When he arrived in California circa 1946, David keenly observed the cow pokes on the West Coast had different tastes than the Eastern customers he had come to know. He went on to develop a bagel that was softer and chewier which helped Western Bagel become

“The Bagel That Won The West.”

In 2002, amidst growing health concerns of consumers and if I'm guessing right… the rise of low-carb diets, Western Bagel created a reduced carbohydrate bagel.

Thus, the "ALTERNATIVE BAGEL" was born.

From the beginning, Alternative Bagels were offered in only two varieties, Country White and Roasted Onion. The bagel’s popularity spread like wildfire and now the company offers additional flavors including Sweet Wheat, Very Blueberry and Cinnamon Spice.

While I like bagels,

I LOVE, LOVE,

L.O.V.E

their English muffins!

I'm a thin and crispy pizza girl so it's really only fitting

that I prefer thin and crispy in the mornings as well.

And I'm just sayin' Western Bagel makes the meanest English muffin on the block. They have 2 varieties of English muffins; plain or wheat.

Have I mentioned that I LOVE these English muffins.

Not only do they taste yummy, they are only 100 calories! And their bagels are only 110 calories compared to the average bagel which packs a whopping 300+ calories. They have no trans fat or cholesterol and are a good source of calcium. Alternative English Muffins have 5 grams of precious fiber and will only cost you 1 POINT if you do Weight Watchers for a full English muffin or bagel.

I enjoy snacking on them in many ways. One favorite recipe is to toast & sparingly spread any flavor with Weight Watchers cream cheese over the top. We also love to spread peanut butter on the top for a protein packed breakfast to go. If you try the bagels, I like to toast a Roasted Onion Alternative Bagel, add some fat-free Dijonnaise and top with a few slices of turkey for a birdy bagelwich!

You can purchase these in refrigerated section of your grocery

{a.k.a. Wal-Mart in my neck of the woods}

next to the 101 varieties of cream cheese spreads.

They must kept cold to ensure freshness so keep'em frosty girls!

They are healthy, delicious, and a quick fix making them easily

one of my favorite things.

ENJOY

{when life gives you lemons....}

2010-05-20T07:56:00.000-05:00

As most of you know,

we were involved in a car accident last month.

The responsible party's closest insurance adjustor

was about a 40 mile drive away!

We made the drive down several weeks ago and the kids were

Mr & Mrs Manners Plus

the whole way down and were very well behaved at the State Farm Office while the adjustor wrote up our estimate and everything.

Afterward we were hungry and decided to stop by a newly opened,

to pick up one of these

and 2 of these

There was a park near by so instead of eating inside, we had

an impromptu picnic.

It was a BrIgHt afternoon, SuNNy & cOOl...

my favorite kind of day!

Cade, Gracie and I all had such a pleasant afternoon.

So if life gives you lemons, squeeze the fire out of them

and

make yourself a

lemon drop martini

{kelton...all smiles}

2010-05-19T07:51:00.000-05:00

My nephew Kelton is 2 months old already!!!

Amanda shot some video of him playing

on his playmat the other day!

So adorable

I'm smitten :)

Tuesday TRUEism

2010-05-18T07:52:00.000-05:00

{soccer celebration at mazzios}

2010-05-14T09:30:00.005-05:00

another soccer season

comes to a close...

♥ we love you coach amy ♥
:: soccer pride ::

okay, kids...

look EVERYWHERE but the camera!

NICE ;)

{i am loved}

2010-05-11T10:59:00.008-05:00

On Mother's Day,

Cade came to me saying he wanted to make me a special treat.

I love this kid, he knows the way to my heart

What did you have in mind, I quizzed him.

Well, he said, I think you would really like

some M&M Brownies for Mothers Day.

Oh, you think that would be Mommy's favorite?

Yep.

So what did we do?

Jumped in the car, drove to Wal-Mart, whizzed through picking up our supplies, and got busy baking.

The M&M brownies turned out
DELICOSO

{said in my best DORA voice}

but it was what we made WITH the brownies that really shined.

Thanks to a gift subscription from my Mom and Dad, I am a proud recipient of

Cook's Country Magazine.

In this month's edition there is a recipe for what they call

Magic Vanilla Ice Cream.

This recipe does not require an ice cream machine and I've been itching to try it since I received this month's copy!

We gathered up our ingredients:

and set to work.

You'll need:

1/2 C. Sweetened Condensed Milk

1 ounce white chocolate chips -OR-

1 ounce of a white chocolate bar, chopped fine

1 T. Vanilla Extract

1/4 C. Sour Cream

1 & 1/4 C. Cold Heavy Cream

Start out by placing your metal bowl and metal beater in the freezer. Allow them to get nice and frosty before you begin.

This helps your cream "whip" faster.

BASE:

To make the base, microwave your sweetened condensed milk and white chocolate in a large microwave safe bowl until chocolate melts, stirring halfway, about 30 seconds. Allow it to cool. Stir in vanilla, salt and sour cream.

WHIP CREAM:

Next, take your frosty bowl and beater out of the freezer, attach it to your mixer and on medium-high speed, whip heavy cream to soft peaks, about 2 minutes. Whisk one-third of whipped cream into white chocolate mixture. Fold remaining whipped cream into white chocolate mixture until incorporated.

FREEZE:

Place in airtight FREEZER SAFE container and freeze at least 6 hours before eating. You can store it for up to 2 weeks.

But trust me, it won't last that long once you taste the silky, creamy texture!

Heaven on a spoon, I tell you...HEAVEN :)

Notes:

- Choose your white chocolate wisely.

The magazine warns that not all white chocolate bars are created equal.

They recommend using a premium brand chocolate like Guittard or Ghirardelli. Since we could not find these brands in the white chocolate variety, we used a Lindt White Chocolate bar that I chopped finely before microwaving.

It worked out fabulously!

- If you plan on storing your ice cream for more than a few days, place plastic wrap directly on it's surface before you freeze it.

Variations:

I made 2 batches, one vanilla and one coffee mocha.

For the mocha variation, you need to follow the recipe as directed, and then I just:

- dissolved 1 {heaping} teaspoon instant coffee into 1 T. boiling water

- poured this into the microwaved sweetened condensed milk mixture.

- Stirred well

- Then I took a bottle of Hershey's syrup and made a few rounds in the whipped cream. Okay, well maybe a couple more than a FEW rounds, but who's counting...

- Incorporate the 2 mixtures as the original recipe suggests and then freeze.

All I will say is...

that the coffee mocha variation is my favorite,

and sinfully delicious.

My thighs quiver every time

I open up the freezer.

OH.MY.STARS

Why do I torture myself?

Oh right, it's Mother's Day and all calories consumed are

automatically cancelled out!!!

Thank goodness for

Mother's Day,

my sweet cooking assistants,

and tread mills.

{my compass}

2010-05-08T22:21:00.009-05:00

Mom,

I have so many things to be thankful for this mother's day,

but the most important one is you.

I thank God each and every day for my blessings

and one of the most important blessings is you, Mom!

You have been a rock, a guide, a compass throughout the years...

always there, always praying, always listening, always encouraging, always loving, always lighting up the path that leads to Christ.

Thank you for each and every act of love you have lived out on my behalf.

Especially for the hours and hours of prayers you have lifted up over the years...

I have felt each and every one.

By your example, you lead me to my greatest possession,

Jesus Christ.

I have seen you serve on countless occasions by cooking food, sending a hand written card, visiting the sick, making phone calls, driving women to doctor appointments, forgiving, and by being inclusive instead of exclusive!

Thank you for being a shining example of what a servant should be.

The hands and feet of Christ.

I pray that I may develop the same priceless qualities that you possess.

That's the one thing about a compass,

no matter what the weather

it always points in the same direction.

My cup runneth over

♥

Becky

“Her children rise up and bless her;

Her husband also, and he praises her, saying:

Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain,

But a woman who fears the

LORD,

she shall be praised.”
Proverbs 31: 28-30

Tuesday TRUEism

2010-05-04T08:05:00.001-05:00

"Better to keep your mouth closed and be thought a fool than to open it and remove all doubt."

"Honest Abe"

President Abraham Lincoln

{my FIRST customer}

2010-05-01T07:47:00.000-05:00

Step right up...

I've been thinking about cutting Cade's hair myself

for awhile now.

Just haven't mustered up the confidence to

ACTUALLY BELIEVE

I could pull it off.

His hair grows SOOOOOO FAST, I'm talking like he could seriously get a hair cut every 2 weeks. Now in truth we get it cut about once every 6 weeks and it costs about 15 bucks with tip!

This kid can put away some milk and you can tell by watching his hair and nails.

They both grow like weeds :)

So I told myself to buck up and live a little...

I borrowed a WAHL clipper set from friends

{who also cut their boys hair},

made sure he was fed and happy,

and watched a YOU TUBE video tutorial

{yes I really did}

then I was ready to roll...

Plus it helps when your kid is saying,

"Go ahead Mom, I know you can do it"

I set up shop on the back patio in a lawn chair with a towel drape and he went

from shabby

to shapely!

Check out a back view!

And yes, that is a lolly pop in his hand...

he gets one at the "official" barbershop

so I figured I could spring for pops

since I was saving myself 30 bucks a month.

Gotta keep up with my competition!

Truth be told I really enjoyed it and Cade did super!

I saved money, had some one-on-one conversation time

with my oldest, and did something I was proud of!

I can't ask anymore of myself.

Always room for improvement, but

I think it turned out pretty good for a

first time Mom cut, what do you think?

Fun Fridays...my favorite things

2010-04-30T07:04:00.001-05:00

Poetry.

Here's one of my favorites...

When things go wrong, as they sometimes will,
When the road you're trudging seems all uphill,
When the funds are low, and the debts are high,
And you want to smile, but you have to sigh,
When care is pressing you down a bit
Rest if you must, but don't you quit.

Life is queer with its twists and turns,
As every one of us sometimes learns.
And many a failure turns about
When he might have won had he stuck it out
Don't give up, though the pace seems slow,
You might succeed with another blow.

Often the goal is nearer than
It seems to the faint and faltering man.
Often the struggler has given up
When he might have captured the victor's cup.
And he learned too late, when the night slipped down
How close he was to the golden crown.

Success is failure turned inside out,
The silver tint of the clouds of doubt.
And you never can tell how close you are,
It may be near when it seems afar.
So stick to the fight when you're hardest hit,
It's when things seem worst that you must not quit.

I needed to re-read over these words myself today! I hope they find their way to someone else who needs some encouragement today...

2010-04-29T07:09:00.000-05:00

Just wanted to share Kelton's birth announcement with all of you!

Baby and Mommy continue to do well.

He has filled our hearts with so much joy, in such a short period of time.

I Love You Keltie!

Tuesday TRUEism

2010-04-27T19:59:00.001-05:00

Complaining is like a rocking chair.

photo credit

At first it feels comfortable and you

feel like you're accomplishing something,

but you don't end up getting anywhere.

Have you also ever noticed that people who

tend to complain

attract more situations to complain about...

food for thought.

It's Pickin' Time

2010-04-26T18:23:00.008-05:00

Cade, Gracyn and I headed out early

this morning for a new adventure.

After meeting up with friends at our church,

we hit the road south toward the hill country!

Our destination... Marble Falls,

to visit the

Sweet Berry Farm's Strawberry fields.

The drive down was peaceful.

Beautiful flowers in bloom everywhere you looked and

Lightening McQueen playing in the background :)

Upon arrival we were promptly outfitted with our baskets

and headed to an open field.

The strawberries were overflowing to put it mildly!!!

The sweet scent of fresh fruit filled the air and

the butterflies were abundant among the fields.

Cade struck out on his own and our friend, Miss Julie made sure

he stayed out of the mud!

She overheard Cade saying to himself ,

"I am REALLY GOOD at picking strawberries"

apparently we have no self-esteem issues!

The strawberries themselves were gorgeous!

Plump,

perfectly Ripe,

and Ready for Picking...

While I was helping Gracyn with her basket,

Cade was determined to pick his entire row clean!

I think he picked every strawberry for a quarter mile...

Check out the basket on this guy,

AND

that satisfied smile!

This is an active farm, with horses, goats, and donkeys!

Gracyn liked the horses the best of all,

she even fed them some of her strawberries...shhhh don't tell anyone!

Some of our little LaDiEs

{ L-to-R: Landry, Gracyn, Hannah, Bethany, & Bella}

After laboring in the strawberry fields we treated ourselves to some of the farm's homemade ice cream.

Cade chose vanilla {no big surprise there}, but Gracyn tried their Berry, Berry Ice Cream which was out of this world delicious.

It's a combination of strawberry and blackberry ice cream.

It was seriously the best fresh fruit ice cream I have ever eaten,

and apparently the best Gracyn has ever eaten too b/c I had to pry her grubby fingers away from the plastic cup for the 2 meager bites I did ingest!

Here she is in all her ice cream glory with strawberry pulp on her tooth!

Hilarious

While we were walking back I asked Cade if he'd
had a good time and he replied,

"THAT WAS A BLAST, MOM"

Check out the weights of my two pickers...

Yes sir-eee, that's no joke.

Gracie picked 4 lbs

Cade single handedly picked 6 POUNDS of strawberries!!!

Our immediate future includes:

- strawberry pie for dessert tonight

- strawberry preserves

- smoothies for breakfast tomorrow

I plan on sharing the recipe and photos of our luscious strawberry pie!

I guess if kids are going to pick something,

I'd much rather it be strawberries :)

Conversations with a 5 year old

2010-04-23T09:24:00.002-05:00

On our way to school this morning...

Cade: Mommy, look at that red race car!

Me: {seeing the red corvette zoom past us}

Wow, it's really pretty and so fast I barely saw it!

Cade: Speed up to 70 Mom so we can look at it some more.

Me: I can't go that fast Cade, the speed limit is only

60 and besides my car isn't a race car.

Cade: Yes it is Mom, your car goes to 120 miles so we

ARE

a race car!

In the realm of 5 year olds even a Tahoe can qualify as a race car!

Happy Friday,

we'll enjoy driving our race car around

all weekend.

Way Back Wednesday...gone to the DOGS!!!

2010-04-21T12:38:00.005-05:00

I was cleaning out some photo folders the other day and came across these

pictures of Samson right after he joined our family

in February of 2006!

He was only 8 weeks old.

His original name was Misty Mountain Echo, named because he looked just like his father, but we renamed him Samson because of his beautiful black silky hair!

I'll never forget how nervous he was when we drove him home from

Hendersonville North Carolina. I had him wrapped up in a blanket but

he still shook all the way home from being so nervous & scared.

And come to think of it, now even 3 years later he still is not fond of car rides.

But he IS fond of...

- napping next to me on the couch

- napping on the couch any other time he can get away with it

- catching bubbles that Cade and Gracie blow

- chasing his squeeky ball

- treats

- hiding from people who come to our house

- marking his territory

- and licking everyone, especially Gracie because she's short :)

But we still love you Sam-skee-gee!!!

The Beautiful Blogger Award

2010-04-13T08:40:00.003-05:00

WOW, I received my first blog award!

Thank you Jennifer,

how very thoughtful of you.

Here's how this award works:

1 - Thank and link to the person that gave you the award

2 - Pass this award on to 15 bloggers you've recently discovered

and whom you think are fantastic

{ ummm...i don't think I know 15 bloggers, but I'll do my best}

3 - Contact said blogs and let them know they've won

4 - State seven things about yourself

Spreading the LoVe to these Beauties...

Melissa @ Trcka Talk

Rebecca @ Our Online Tome

Amanda @ Girls Just Wanna Have Fun

Kelly @ Kelly's Korner

Aunt Ruthie @ Sugar Pie Farmhouse

Ashley @ Patterson Pages

Ginny @ 5 Texans

Melissa @ 320 Sycamore

Darby @ Fly Through Our Window
Susie @ Bienvenue

and

Edie @ Life in Grace

You ladies bring beauty into my life

and

inspire me.

SeVeN ThInGs AbOuT Me

1. I was a perm-a-holic as an elementary student.

I would beg my Mom to perm my hair and then cry and throw a

ca-nip-shion fit

because I couldn't breathe all the way through the actual "perming" process.

The strange thing was when the lovely poodle perm would wear off,

I'd beg for another...and my Mom would DO IT.

God bless her.

2. I am a Southern Girl to the core.

I love God.

I love my family.

I love my state.

I tear up at Lee Greenwood's "God Bless the USA"

I love living in the heart of Texas.

I love Sonic.

I use words like CA-NIP-TION on a regular basis.

And I stop at every 5th Dairy Queen on road trips.

3. I have lots of little freckles and I love them.

They are part of who I am and when I was little my Granny Tot

told me they were angel kisses.

That when I slept at night the angels would come down from heaven,

just to kiss my face because I was so precious.

She told me that story with such conviction that I accepted

it as absolute truth till I was in 5th grade.

And now, I tell Cade and Gracyn the same story.

4. I was on drill team in high school. We were called the Toy Tigers, ha!

5. I actually enjoy cleaning my house. GASP...I could seriously vacuum

everyday if i could find the time.

I find that when my house is a mess, so is my mind!

6. My greatest joys in life are with my children.

They make me smile more, laugh more, question more, worry less,

and try more things I wouldn't normally do....and I really cherish that.

7. I have a new love in my life.

PHOTOGRAPHY

I am committed to some how finding the time

to devote to honing my skills in this area.

And well, let's be honest...if you've seen my photographs, I'm gonna need

A LOT of time.

There is just something about certain photographs that are able to capture

a moment that would have otherwise been lost forever that intrigues me.

Maybe one day I will be proud of my own.

Thanks again for the award Jennifer, I am humbled.

Menu Monday at a friend's house

2010-04-12T19:06:00.003-05:00

My wonderful friend Jennifer over at the

JANE DEERE BLOG

sent some cooking love my way

by posting her review of my Crawfish Pasta!

She even posted a gorgeous photo of the

creamy crawfish pasta dish!

Go check it out...

http://janedeereblog.blogspot.com/2010/04/creamy-crawfish-pasta.html

Thanks for the nod Miss Jen!

Love ya

Tuesday TRUEism

2010-04-06T07:11:00.001-05:00

Scroll down to my music play list and click on the pause button at the top.

By doing this the blog music should stop playing.

I don't want you to miss a single word of this

beautiful, beautiful

song.

I kind of want to adopt it as my anthem through this season of life,

after reading the words.

It touches the deepest parts of my soul,

stinging with the truth of God's love and grace.

God can bring beauty from ashes...

The powerful words flow like poetry.

Lyrics

Don’t know how it is You looked at me

And saw the person that I could be

Awakening my heart

Breaking through the dark

Suddenly Your grace

Like sunlight burning at midnight

Making my life something so

Beautiful, Beautiful

Mercy reaching to save me

All that I need

You are so

Beautiful, Beautiful

Now there’s a joy inside I can’t contain

But even perfect days can end in rain

And though it’s pouring down

I see You through the clouds

Shining on my face

Like sunlight burning at midnight

Making my life something so

Beautiful, Beautiful

Mercy reaching to save me

All that I need

You are so

Beautiful, Beautiful

I have come undone

But I have just begun

Changing by Your grace

Like sunlight burning at midnight

Making my life something so

Beautiful, Beautiful

Mercy reaching to save me

All that I need

You are so

Beautiful, Beautiful

God sees you and I as a beautiful mess...

and I believe if we surrender ourselves to Him,

even when we walk with pain,

He can still show us something great.

Let God into your heart,

He made it and only He can heal it.

2010-04-04T20:53:00.001-05:00

This scrapbooking design created with Smilebox

Lord Jehovah Reigns!!!!

2010-04-02T10:10:00.000-05:00

On Tuesday night, while on our way to Cade's Spring Musical, we were involved in a car accident. A car rear-ended us, pushing us into the car in front of us, which in turn pushed him into the car in the very front.

No one was injured {although I'm a little stiff now} and everyone's car was still driveable {except the car who rear-ended me}. Police were called, reports filed, stories told, information given. But Cade missed his concert. I thought giving him a chance to sing and make a little "movie" might capture some of those moments missed Tuesday night! He was excited for me to turn on the camera and continued to click replay once it was uploaded on the blog! He watched himself proudly

SIX times!!!

Lord Jehovah does reign!!

What a great song choice for the upcoming weekend,

good singing little man, Mommy is so proud.

A Tisket, A Tasket, Ideas About What to Put in a Basket

2010-04-01T14:05:00.006-05:00

When it comes to treats for Cade and Gracyn's Easter Baskets each year,

I try to be creative!

I'm sure the kids would be satisfied with 4 lbs. of chocolate,

but truthfully they're not BIG chocolate eaters,

it's not ALL that good for their little bodies,

and I am left to deal with the 4 day post Easter chocolate high!

So instead of filling their baskets entirely with chocolate,

I came up with a few fun ideas to mix it up!

- a book

- a new Bible

- a little lotion

{Bath 'n Body Works sells their travel size for only a buck}

- shower gel

- bubble bath

- chap stick or chip chap as Gracyn says!

- sunglasses

- nail polish

- something handmade

{I got this done today}

- something for them to grow

{Lowe's sells little Sesame Street sets

which include seeds, a pot and soil for only $4}

- gardening gloves

- watering can

- flashlight

- bubbles

- a coin purse or wallet

- scented markers

- stickers

- coloring book

- spring cookie cutters and sprinkles,

for the little cook

- gum

- flip flops or crocs

I hope this gives you some new fresh ideas to choose from for

the Easter baskets you are going to fill this year!

I finished up my handmade gift for Gracyn's basket today!

SwEEt,

SpRiNgY

posie clippy

shhhhhh....it's a secret :)

I hope this motivates you to think outside the box this Easter!

Hoppy Handmade Sweet Friends!

Way Back Wednesday

2010-03-31T08:50:00.002-05:00

The Biltmore Estate

Asheville, North Carolina

February 2006

Cade

(14 months)

Tuesday TRUEism

2010-03-30T07:52:00.000-05:00

What a SwEEt pair!

This couple recently made the national news with their story.

Herbert and Zelmyra Fisher.

Married 85 years…to be 86 on May 13, 2010.

What is the secret to a long & beautiful marriage?

“No secrets,” she says.

“There isn’t any secret. It was only God that kept us together.”

Menu Monday...a recipe for gettin' messy

2010-03-29T08:36:00.000-05:00

3 Moms Chatting & Drinking Coffee

2 Spunky Little Girls on the Back Porch

D-O-U-B-L-E T-R-O-U-B-L-E

EVERYONE had a fun time at coffee

this morning, especially these

2 parteners in crime!

We love you Callie Girl :)

2010-03-26T09:18:00.003-05:00

My sweet friend Jennifer recently started a new blog,

http://www.janedeereblog.blogspot.com/

Jennifer knows more about cooking delicious food, baking delectable treats,

herbs, gardening, livestock, organics, tools,

friendship, honesty, loyalty and laughter than anyone I know!

Which makes her blog a pure

DELIGHT

to read...

Go visit her, stay a spell, drool over her cinnamon roll recipe

{which I can personally attest to is divine}

and leave her a little note!

All bloggers need your feedback

via comments!

And we all LoVe hearing from new people :)

Gettin' Springy With It

2010-03-25T07:46:00.006-05:00

If you have read this blog for any length of time,

you'll know how much I love a good crafting session.

Now I can hot glue gun, snazzy up, create, and glaze all the live long day,

BUT...

In my book, crafting and sewing are in two totally different arenas.

I mean like they live on two different planets...Venus vs. Mars!

Both my Mom and MeeMaw can sew like

nobody's business, pattern or not, but somehow or another

I did not inherit that gene. BLAST IT.

Figuring out the pattern pieces, laying them correctly onto the material,

cutting on the right size line, translating the pattern LINGO

into layman's English...

UGH, it makes me fidgety just thinking about it!

~ SHOCKER ALERT PEEPS ~

I, Becky Alaniz, being of sound mind and good humor

completed my first official sewing project!!!!

Don't laugh, this is for REAL :)

Y-E-S,

I...ACTUALLY...SEWED....SOMETHING.

And oh.my.stars. did it ever turn out cute!

{yes i just said that about my own project &

please do not look at the seam stitching ever so closely}

With {much} guidance from my sweet,

wonderful, patient, all knowing seamstress friend,

Amanda
I actually made an adorable spring frock

for Gracyn.

I found a shop on ETSY that sells little dress packages

where all the pieces are pre-cut, numbered, and ready to simply just sew together.

It even included the pre-cut elastic & little bow!

The seller sends detailed instructions WITH pictures which is also helpful.

What a perfect starter project for a novice!

It cut out all the NOT FUN stuff and just left you to do the actual sewing!

And do you want to know what

the most satisfying part of this sewing project was?

When Gracie tried it on for the first time, she got this gigantic smile on her face, twirled around three times and said,

" Mommy, I pweddy!"

Spring Break

2010-03-23T16:20:00.007-05:00

So this was Cade's To-Do list for his Spring Break...

We had a super time in Dallas over Spring Break

checking things off our "to-do" list.

And no where on there do I see

Give Mom some concentrated time on the computer,

which is why this Spring Break post is coming late!

Oh well, it was a fun week!!!

Here's a little peak...

Way Back Wednesday

2010-03-17T09:06:00.000-05:00

March 2009

She is still rockin' the chubby cheeks, one year later!

Tuesday TRUEism

2010-03-16T08:22:00.000-05:00

photo credit

“The beauty of the house is order.

The blessing of the house is contentment.

The glory of the house is hospitality.

The crown of the house is Godliness.”

Author Unknown

I have never read a better definition of what home really means.

THIS IS SIMPLY THE BEST...

These beautiful words would look ever so lovely painted

on one of my walls

or hand painted into a hanging plaque.

I fell head over heals in love with this quote

after reading it for the first time.

It embodies exactly the way I want my home to

feel to my family as well as my friends.

What a remarkable reminder to read, of what home means

each & everyday!

I'm scrawled this quote onto a sticky note to hang on my mirror....

there it will stay,

until the day that I will hang it in a future home!

Easter Decorating on a Budget of ZILCH

2010-03-10T09:01:00.001-06:00

Okay girlies,

Easter season is upon us!

Remember this guy?

Well check him out now!

~ Bada-Bing ~

Bada-Boom

My little branches are all dressed up for Easter baby!

All you need to do is take out your shredded paper and replace it with moss, remove the hearts in place of your happy little eggs, switch out your bow and

~ SHAZAM ~

Your Easter center piece is ready for oogling by the masses,

especially your kid folk, who enjoy asking...

1) Are those eggs real?

2) {in response to answered question numero uno}

Do they have candy inside?

and

3) Mommy, can we put some candy inside?

And I know someone is bound to ask, but the answer is

NO.

my sweet little candy-eyed chocolate bunny is a decoy, a fake, a fraud...

but a good impostor, no?

I purchased him about 3 years ago at a quaint little decor shop in Salado, Texas.

If I was brave enough to stick a real one up, he'd either be

a) dog bait

b) kid fodder

c) mom's stress snack by sundown

Hoppy Easter Decorating

Sweet Friends

Tuesday TRUEism

2010-03-09T08:30:00.003-06:00

what would our homes, towns, cities, states,

nations look like if our lives embodied these words...

i CAN

start with me.

Happy Birthday Sista'

2010-03-04T14:13:00.006-06:00

After celebrating the birth of the NeWeSt addition to our family,

we celebrated the 31st birthday of another!

Since Amanda had yet to be discharged from the hospital on

her birthday, we decided to take the party to her...

With cake, gifts, and 2 ecstatic cousins in tow

we brought some birthday cheer to room #117!

It will definitely be a birthday to remember...

PaRtY PaTrOl

give this hospital

fiesta

2 THUMBS UP !!!!!

Welcome Sweet BOY

2010-03-01T22:13:00.004-06:00

Kelton Marshall McCain

7 lbs. 15 ozs.

20 inches

was welcomed with

LoVe

March 1, 2010

at 4:45 p.m.

"Every good and perfect gift is from above..."

James 1:17

To my sweet sister,

A whole new world has opened up to you this day,

your heart will never be the same...

I am completely enamored with your precious boy!

Love you bunches...

Tuesday TRUEism

2010-02-23T08:45:00.001-06:00

Menu Monday...ALL THE GOOD STUFF Linguine

2010-02-22T08:55:00.004-06:00

First off, where did this artic blast come from?

We were picnicking on our patio yesterday in barefeet enjoying

the glorious sun and today

I sent Cade off to school in long sleeves & a hooded coat!?!?

What's the scoop with the little groundhog?

I need the 411 from some of my readers who actually watch the news.

Okay...on to cooking.

Today I'm sharing one of my favorite pasta recipes.

This is not your typical "Italian" pasta recipe however, it's a twist on

Greek Pasta

{photo credit}

complete with artichoke hearts, feta and black olives!

I call it,

"All the GOOD STUFF linguine"

because it has all the "good stuff"

I love to splurge on in the recipe.

ALL THE GOOD STUFF LINGUINE

1 lb. Linguine, cooked according to pkg.

1/4 C. Butter {1/2 stick + 1 T.}

1 bunch Green Onions, chopped

1 C. White Wine {please use something that you'd actually drink!}

1-14.5 oz. Can Low Sodium Chicken Broth

4 boneless Chicken Breasts, sliced into 1/2 " strips

1-14 oz. can Quartered Artichoke hearts, drained well

1-4 oz. can Black Olives, drained

1/4 C. Olive Oil

2 t. Minced Garlic

2 t. Oregano

8 oz. fresh Mushrooms, sliced

8 oz. crumbled Feta Cheese

While pasta boils in salted water, melt 1/4 C. butter in olive oil in large skillet. Add garlic, oregano, and half of the green onions, saute until garlic is slightly golden. Add wine and chicken broth to skillet and boil rapidly to reduce the liquid by one-third.

In another large skillet, melt 1 T. butter and add fresh mushrooms and saute on medium heat until slightly browned, place on plate and add chicken and remaining green onions season well with salt and pepper and cook chicken throughly. Add mushrooms, chicken, artichoke hearts, olives to reduced liquid and simmer to heat through. Pour over drained linguine noodles and sprinkle feta on top!

mmm, mmm, mmm,

I've already got my pasta pot out & ready to roll at 9 A.M.

Dreaming of walking down these steps to the Aegean Sea,

one day.Santorini, Greece

Laughing my way into the weekend

2010-02-19T08:04:00.000-06:00

Needing some humor to make it through your Friday afternoon?

Go visit Lynn over at

For Love or Funny

Her post on "Help for Baffled Spouses" had me in stitches!!!!

Signing off as Lynn likes to say...

"For love or funny, here's to friends who speak the same language."

Conversations with a 5 year old

2010-02-17T21:02:00.004-06:00

There is no doubt about it,

Number

has some MAD

on the

court.

Just check out the scoreboard.

He of course plays for the MAVS with one hand and makes shots for Texas with the other.

How industrious is that I ask you?!??!

According to my son the future NBA'er, guess who sponsored the half time break....

and I quote,

Mommy...it's Target whose sponsoring half time today!!!

The kid knows how to get me hooked :)

Fun Fridays....My Favorite Things

2010-02-12T22:01:00.001-06:00

While holiday shopping

{well...we'll call it "shopping", truth be told I actually just

roamed the store, listened to the piano player and drooled over all the

uber-trendy, ultra expensive clothes that I would never actually purchase for myself}

at Nordstrom, I found myself in the hat department.

Not that I was actually in the market for a hat, but it was close to the area that had scarves

and I was in the market for a new scarf!

While browsing the hat department I actually tried on this little

Juicy Couture number,

I thought it might be my one purchase for the day {because I refuse to pay 40 bucks for a scarf}until I saw the $48.00 price tag...

Seriously...for a basic black knit cap?

Liked it, but kept walkin' girlfriends.

And, is it just me or is anyone else not interested in a cap that actually

says "Juicy" in bold black letters on the back. Anyhoo...

Fast forward 2 months.

We here in the heart of Texas have had A LOT of rainy days in the past month.

With all the damp weather lately, I'm sick

of wearing ball caps to hide this

hot mess

I call my HAIR.

Lucky for Target, I was perusing their aisles shopping for Valentines

goodies for my little darlings when I happened upon this little guy...

Hello CUTIE...

What's that, you cost $9.99.

Love IS in the air!

{photo credit}

She was the last one in black so I guess I'm not the only girl needing

another way to hide NOT fixing my hair in the mornings, but ACTUALLY look like

I just want to roll with my super trendy military cap!

I just love finding a good deal.

What's been your bargain FIND of the month?

Valentine Decorating, on a budget of ZILCH

2010-02-11T23:21:00.005-06:00

Take one vase you already own,

Some ruffle paper that you have stored in your gift wrapping tub,

A few branches from that leafless tree in the back yard,

And some words that describe the people in your house,

how you feel,

and hints about what you'd like to receive for Valentines from your

kid folk,

and VOILA...

YOU HAVE A perfectly precious VALENTINE TREE centerpiece!!!

And just think,

all you'll have to do at Easter is change up the ribbon, delete the paper and add

moss instead and spread around your ribbon Easter Eggs to the branches and you'll be ready for

Spring!

Simple, Sweet & Home Spun

Tuesday TRUEism

2010-02-02T21:20:00.001-06:00