Pics from my iPhone this past month

1. Cinnamon sugar twists I made on Father's Day. YUMMY!

Will post the recipe soon! Super easy and good!

2. Funny coffee cup I saw in a store in Brenham.

You choose the side depending on how your day is going!

3. Me getting my hair highlighted. Lovely pic huh? 

(Dory always sends me one of her when she gets her hair painted, so I figured I'd send her one :)

4. Funny sign I saw in an antique store.  

I saw the naked Barbies laying there and said

"Look- naked barbies!" and then my friend said "I wonder how much they are" 

 and I looked down and there was an actual Naked Barbie sign.  Too funny!

5. Another heart shaped chicken picture. 

I love it when my chicken looks like this!

6. The YUMMIEST rice cakes ever. Seriously. 

Nutri-grain blackberry pomegranate- so good!

7.Front of a funny hat we found out shopping that is perfect for Madison. 

It says Spoiled. 

8.Cute little Henry who stayed with us this past weekend. He is such a hoot! 

Sat. night he kept running into the living room with all sorts of stuff-  socks, bras, 

a pillow pet cow (about 4x's his size), a shoe, a tag off a new shirt, a tennis ball.

9.Back of a funny hat we found out shopping that is perfect for Madison. 

It says Who Me?

So should have bought it for her!

Week 26- Hiding God's Word in Your Heart

Yellow Sheets

When we were cleaning out Madison's very messy closet 

the other day we came across a bag with some 

brand new, twin sized, pretty yellow sheets in them. 

Madison's room is blue and ivory (as are her sheets) and I didn't buy them 

so I was a tad perplexed as to where they came from and what they were for.  

I stepped out of the closet to ask her and she looked 

at me very seriously and said...

Oh, those are for my invisible bed. 

I said....

Um, your what?

She said....

Granny gave them to me for Christmas to use for the bed 

I don't have at my dad's house. 

So, I decided I would just use them on my invisible bed! 

That girl is a hoot!  

Monday Morning Question of the Day

For the next 48 hours would you rather...........

A. Give up your computer AND phone 

(land lines & cell) 

or

B. Not talk at ALL

Hard choice huh? 

Even though I love to talk, I'd say not talk at all. 

Because 2 days with no phone or internet- 

unless I was somewhere fabulous like a cruise, would be awful!

Pink Milk Cookies

Anyone that knows Madison knows that she does not like chocolate

at ALL. 

Since so many desserts - especially cookies- contain chocolate 

I'm always on the lookout for yummy non-chocolate cookie recipes. 

When I saw this recipe for Strawberry Milk Chipsters recently on Picky Palate, 

I knew I had to make them for her. 

I made them one afternoon when her friend Katie was over and 

to say they loved them in a HUGE understatement. 

They are super easy to mix up and are a super moist, yummy strawberry cookie. 

2 sticks softened butter

1/2 Cup strawberry milk Powder, Nestles

3/4 Cup brown sugar

2 eggs

1-2 drops red food coloring

1 Tablespoon pure vanilla extract

2 1/2 Cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

10 oz bag White Chocolate Chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  With electric mixer beat the butter, strawberry milk and brown sugar until well combined.  Place eggs into a bowl and whisk in 1-2 drops of food coloring.  Pour into mixer along with vanilla and beat until combined, about 30 seconds.   Place four, baking soda and salt into a large bowl; mix to combine then slowly add to wet ingredients along with white chips.  Mix on low until just combined.  With a medium cookie scoop, scoop dough onto a silpat or parchment lined baking sheet about 1 1/2 inches apart.  Bake for 8-10 minute or until edges just start to brown.  Let cookies cool for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.

Flashback Friday

I can't believe I'm posting this picture but I had to because 

it makes me laugh every time I see it.  

I remember the night this picture was taken- 

even though it was a  very LONG time ago. 

On this night I had my first loose tooth and I was SCARED. 

It was hanging by a thread and my mom told my dad

 he was going to have to pull it. 

I cried and fussed and cried and fussed and would not let my dad even touch it.

Finally, he got some dental floss,

 tied it to the tooth and to the hall closet doorknob.

Then he quickly slammed the door shut and POP- out came my tooth! 

Obviously I was THRILLED to have the tooth out 

and so my mom took my picture to document this special occasion. 

Now why my sister, 

who was obviously sick is in the picture with a thermometer in her mouth,

is also in the picture?

I have no idea but it sure makes me laugh! 

Old Gold Gaudy Frame + Spray Paint = Cute New Tray

I recently went through a bunch of old pictures my sister had sent me.  

About half of the pictures were my mothers 

and the other half were my grandmothers. 

Many of my grandmothers pictures were still in old frames and 

so I spent some time removing the pictures

 from the frames to place them in picture boxes. 

Several pictures were in those gaudy old gold frames 

that all grandmothers seem to have owned back in the day. 

As I removed the pictures from those old frames, I started thinking.........

Hmm.....I bet these would be cute painted! 
And if I took off the stands, they would make cute trays!

So I got Tony to remove the stand from the back of each frame. 

Then we spray painted them with black glossy paint

 (we means it was my idea and I took them out to the garage where Tony actually painted them). 

I cleaned the glass in one and replaced the glass in another, 

cut a piece of scrapbook paper the same size and they were finished. 

I had two super cute little trays! 

I plan to use this smaller tray in Madison's bathroom for her jewelry! 

Such a fun and super easy project!

Week 25- Hiding God's Word in Your Heart

Monday Morning Question of the Day

I've been a blood donor since I was about 22 years old 

and I try to donate as often as I can. 

It's really a simple process and other than one little prick, 

it honestly doesn't hurt that much. 

I have great veins and it takes less than 30 minutes 

from the time I walk in the door until I'm totally done. 

Since I have O+ blood, the universal blood type, 

I try to give every two months and plan to go this week. 

What about you?

Do you know your blood type and have you ever been a blood donor?

Randomness on a Thursday Night

1. Bi-polar nail polish that changes with your mood?

Here's what in the mood had to say about their snazzy nail polish:

These playful nail polishes change color based on your body temperature, your mood, the heat of your latte... or, of course, the chill of your iced coffee! And they will continue changing back and forth as long as your wear them. Cool swim in the ocean? Warm subway ride? Frigid morning run? Sitting under the hair dryer at the salon? Amuse yourself by guessing what shade your delightfully bi-polar nail polish will be at any given moment!

2. Can not decide if I am going to make these Cinnamon and Sugar Twists 

from Babblings from Brooke 

or

these Inside Out Cinnamon Bun Pie Pockets 

from Picky Palate

for Father's Day Sunday. 

They both look super yummy and I can not decide. 

Which looks better to you?

3. In case you haven't already heard, you can get a FREE 8 x 10 canvas

 from Canvas People right now.  

All you have to pay is shipping.  Talk about a great deal!!

4. This post- Pretending the steering wheel is enough

 by Jon Acuff of Stuff Christians Like is fabulous. 

What a great reminder that although we let Jesus take the wheel, 

sometimes we forget to also let him be in charge of the gas pedal. 

5. I am currently reading The One That I Want by Allison Winn Scotch

(suggested by Jen Lancaster here) and it is great!!

I love finding a new author to read and Jen has some great books 

on her summer reading list that I've never heard of and can't wait to check out! 

6. Love this shirt by Heather Bullard

Love it!

7. My friend Pam posted on FB about a new blog -Message with a Bottle- that is written by a stay at home dad who writes all of his posts on Post-It notes.

All his notes remind him what to do, and what not to do, when raising a child. 

Such a great idea! 

8. Can't stop with an odd number. 

Is that weird?

A little OCD perhaps? 

Week 24- Hiding God's Word in Your Heart

Facebook Makes Me Feel Like Poop

I love Facebook.  

I really do.

I love it because it lets me daily connect to and keep up 
with friends in my own town 

that I don't get to see or talk to every day. 

I love it because it has been a great way to reconnect 

with friends from my past and keep in contact with them.

I love it because it helps me to be able to specifically 
be able to pray for and minister to people who I wouldn't normally be able to. 

I love it because it just fun and 
a great way to relax at the end of the day.

But to be honest, there are sometimes that I do NOT love it. 

At all. 

Sometimes it makes me feel like
poop.


Big fat, unattractive, unaccomplished, unimpressive, ugly, stinky 
poop.

Sometimes on Facebook I look at the accomplishments of others 

at the pictures of others

at the relationships of others

at the physical beauty of others

at the good deeds of others

at the homes of others

at the families of others

at the experiences of others

at the hearts of others

at the jobs of others

and it makes me feel like I suck. 

Like what I do, who I am, how I live, where I live, how I look, 

is just not right and 
is just not enough. 

 I let it allow me to compare myself to others

 and find myself lacking in each and every single area.

I covet and compare and I realize that I don't measure up-
at all.

And sometimes I want to just wallow in that.

And sometimes, to be honest, I do.

But lately when I start feeling that way, 

I try to remind myself  of two things -
 that things are not always what they seem and
that God created me to live MY life

I know very well that those Facebook friends 

who seem to have the perfect life,

have their own struggles, their own problems, their own insecurities.
Because there is no perfect life this side of heaven. 


We only show people on FB and Twitter and our blogs the person 
we want people to see- 
not necessarily the one with flaws and problems and struggles.  
It's not that we are dishonest, just that we show only part of our life.


Just because we see only the pretty side of their life, 
that doesn't mean that there isn't another, less pretty, poopy side of their life. 


Instead of focusing on others and the fact that I suck compared to them,
here's what I try to remember:


He created ME, 
he loves ME,
 and called ME specifically and purposefully
 to live out my exact life-
not the life of someone else. 



And so on those days when Facebook makes me feel like poop,
instead of focusing on not being enough
I'm learning to focus on living the life God has blessed me with-
challenges, problems, insecurities, and all.

“This place where you are right now,
God circled on a map for you.”

~Hafiz (14th century poet)

Monday Morning Question of the Day

We have four 5 TV's in our house and 2 DVR's. 

Our TV is on from the moment we get home till the moment we go to sleep- 

and sometimes even after we go to sleep. 

And honestly I hate that. 

I think of all that we could/should/would be doing 

if we didn't have our TV's on all the time. 

On all the things we are missing out on because of TV.

And it makes me sad. 

Very sad. 

What about you?

How many TV's do you have and how often are they on?

Is it too much, just right, or not enough?

Happy 14th Birthday Sweet Girl

Happy 14th Birthday Sweet Girl! 

Here are 14 of the millions of reasons I love you so:

1. Your hysterical sense of humor. 

You are always laughing, giggling, saying something silly and 

you absolutely CRACK ME UP!

2. You are a loyal & loving and would do absolutely 

anything for your friends.

3. That although you are growing into an absolutely beautiful young lady, 

you are still a little girl at heart. 

Your current obsession with sock monkeys is proof of that fact. 

4. You stand up for what you know is right-

 regardless of what others around you say or do.

I pray daily that you will stand strong and confident in your convictions!

5. You persevere. 

Your commitment to whatever it is that you want 

to accomplish is always so strong. 

You are such a hard worker and don't give up- 

even when something isn't easy for you.

6. You are such a people person and seem to have never met a stranger.

It's VERY rare that you meet someone in a store, a hotel, an elevator, anywhere 

that you don't start talking to, find out their name, and visit with them. 

 I love this about you! 

7. You love holidays and traditions as much as I do. 

You never EVER forget a tradition and 

won't let those traditions change for anything!

8. Your beautiful ability to dance.

You are an amazing dancer and I love that you use the gifts 

God has given you to dance for him. 

Watching you dance makes me cry- every single solitary time.

9. You are kind and compassionate 

and hate to see anyone struggling or hurting or doing without. 

You have such a HUGE heart!

10. You love love LOVE your family. 

Although hanging out with your friends is fun, 

you always want to spend time with us and I pray that never changes. 

11. You are so creative! 

You love to draw and are a fabulous writer!

12. You are beautiful- inside and out-

but you firmly know and

 believe that it's what is on the inside that counts.

13. You are FUN!

You love to play, to play games, and to act silly.

Our lives would be so boring without you!

14. Your love of, trust in, and relationship with God. 

 I love how you love and trust Him so!

You have brought more joy to my life than you will ever know.

You are the greatest gift God has ever given me 

and I thank God for you each and every single day of your life. 

I can not imagine my life without you in it. 

I love you a bushel and a peck 

and a hug around the neck my sweet Maddie May. 

xo xo xo xo ~

Mommy

Week 23- Hiding God's Word in Your Heart