Weekend

This weekend, we made an impromptu trip to H-town to visit our dear friends, Kristin and Charlie.  They have a BEAUTIFUL new baby.  While the husbands went to the game, we did some shopping, movie-watching, and napping.  They were gracious enough to extend our overnight stay to a three-night stay.  We attended First Baptist Houston, where we talked about the symbolism of baptism.  Adam and I really enjoyed their church!

Baby Jamison just might be one of the sweetest kids in the whole world.   I am always so in awe of babies.  They are just little tiny people, waiting on God to grow them into someone amazing.

Good Advice...

"You can never be overdressed or overeducated." -Oscar Wilde

from herblog.com

Oh what a beautiful morning...

The title of this post is from one of my favorite musicals, OKLAHOMA! Which, coincidentally, is where we went for our family vacation!  Broken Bow Lake, in Hochatown, Oklahoma, is one of my  favorite vacation spots.  My family has been going there for years, but this was the first time to go with all the new husbands and kids.

We rented a cabin that slept 13 people.  Between trips to the lake, we soaked in the hot tub, played ping-pong, roasted marshmallows on the fire pit, and went hiking.

I went fishing with the boys the first day, and the husbands went every morning after that.  They didn't catch much, but it's so beautiful that it's hard to complain! 

We did so much while we were there; we kayaked, played putt-putt, and of course, enjoyed the beautiful water.  We also spoiled the baby; I don't think the little guy hit the floor for three days.

And that smile... 

Babies and Books

This was our weekend!  Saturday was incredibly lazy... We laid around the house and watched "I Love Lucy" re-runs.  That evening, we went to a Gender Reveal Party for our friends Chad and Lexi.  Adam and I were on Team Blue.

This morning at church, we talked about 1 Thessalonians and communication with God and each other.  In an effort to better communicate with each other, Kelsey, Vegas, Adam, and I went to have burgers and chat after church. (Actually, we just really wanted onion rings... but we do like to talk!) Baby Layne provided endless entertainment for the table. He really is just the funniest kid!

And of course, you know I have to squeeze in time to read and hang out with Diesel!  I'm reading The Reading Group by Elizabeth Noble.  I am SUPPOSED to be reading the books I assigned to my students over the summer, but I haven't quite gotten motivated yet.  I think this week is going to call for a trip to the library!

Happy Birthday, Grandma!

Last weekend, my sweet Grandma turned 80.   The whole family made the trip up to Atlanta and went to church at First Baptist.  Then we drove up to Queen City to tea house, Rose Garden Eatery, for lunch, coffee, and cake.  My Grandma is so special to me.  When I was a little girl, going to her house for the weekend was such a treat.  I have six first cousins who all live in Atlanta, and so we would have slumber parties at her house.  The group picture below is of my rapidly growing immediate family, I don't think all the cousins can fit in one frame anymore!

 

Strawberry Pie and Some Brand New Things

Over the last year, my younger sister and her husband welcomed a new baby.  I know he's my nephew, my favorite (and only!), but I really do think he might be the cutest baby in the wide world.  This picture is from around Christmas.  Adam and I call this get-up his "Max Outfit," as  in- "The night Max wore his wolf suit, and made mischief of one kind... and another..." (from Maurice Sendak's Where the Wild Things Are)

My youngest sister was married earlier this summer, and she was an absolutely beautiful bride!  Adam and I had dinner with her and our new brother-in-law at their apartment earlier this week.  I made a strawberry cream pie, and I wish I'd thought to take a picture because it turned out so beautifully!  It's easy-peasy to make, and my mom calls it "Bunny-Milk Pie" because she thinks it tastes like Strawberry Nesquik.  I got the recipe from my grandmother, but I think it actually is a variation on an old Cool Whip/Jello recipe.

1.  Make 3 oz. package of strawberry Jello according to speed-set directions.
2.  Before putting in fridge to set, whisk in 1 8 oz. tub of Cool Whip until smooth.
3.  Gently fold in 1 cup of fresh cut strawberries, put in fridge for 20-30 minutes to set.
4.  Pour into graham cracker crust, leave in fridge to set over night. (If you skip the step before this, your pie crust will get soggy and gross.)
5.  Top with fresh whipped cream and strawberries, and you're done!
 *Note: You could also make this with light/free Cool Whip and sugar-free Jello if you are so inclined, and it tastes about the same!

Happy Weekend!

The Catch-Up Post

So I've been away for a while now, and a few things have changed....We moved out of our "Little House" and into one slightly larger, although it DEFINITELY still qualifies as a little house.  The best part is, this house is right in the middle of "town."

In all fairness, town is only one block of beautiful old houses, but it always makes me think of the E.E. Cummings poem:

"anyone lived in a pretty how town
  (with up so floating many bells down)
  spring summer autumn winter
  he sang his didn't he danced his did."

It's one of my favorite poems!  Happy Friday everyone!