brotherly love

Sometimes canoodling with your brother lends for a really good snooze.

noodle do

so good it makes your eyes cross

{in}courage

There is a new site out in the blogging world that is DYNOMITE! I love it. These are real women at the heart of God sharing the work He's done in and around their lives. At least that is how I view it.

What {in}courages me?

• my Savior Again and again he is always there. In my heart, around me, always {in}couraging me. I have failures that He sees as hurdles and only with Him can I conquer.
• my boys Showing me how to be a kid again....to let loose and not sweat the small things. To be carefree and have passion. To let the ice cream melt and get dirty.
• my husband Teaching me to never give up on a dream. To work hard and use your dedication as a means to strive. To love and be loved.
• my mom Such a woman of grace and love. I could write a book on this but I'll spare y'all. She is much loved beyond any words!
• my sisters in Christ I've been blessed without measure. I'm amazed at what a true friend is and how God puts them in your life at just the right time. I love my girlfriends!
• cooking I find comfort in the kitchen. There is nothing better than gathering around the table with friends and family to eat, drink, and most of all...be merry.
• imperfection Now this would not have been anywhere in my vocabulary a couple of years ago...heck, even a couple of months ago. But now, as I sit and embrace all my imperfections it is my {in}couragement through and through. Because I was inslaved to perfection, I have given it all to Him. He takes it all and leaves me burden free. I love that my house isn't perfect, afterall...that means we have giggled, played, and loved in our home.

From Merriam-Webster::

{in}courage: to {in}spire with courage, spirit, or hope

i've turned into my mother

Do you remember when you were younger and your mother did something that you just couldn't stand? You would then go on to say "I'll never do that!". Well, the time has come that I'm my mother through and through.

When I was younger, my mother did not cook from a box or from frozen meals. She was the real deal. We ate so many odd things it wasn't even funny or cool. Her culinary skills are ridiculous and still to this day amaze me. I loved absolutely everything she cooked but one thing. One itty bitty vegetable, no matter how it was cooked stood in my way of saying "I love everything my mother cooks". It was horrible. So horrible that my brother and I were given a table for 2 outside when she cooked these. BEETS!!!! Why you may ask were we eating outside when our parents were inside??? Oh this is because we would physically get sick from eating them. If only I could say I was allergic to them my problems during childhood would have been resolved. I thought this was child abuse. Lock them up and charge them...or so I thought. Yesterday I found myself in her shoes. I am standing my ground and making Tanner eat everything on his plate...or at least try it. Tanner has a new "beet" but it is the cucumber. As I watched my baby chew with the funniest face ever, it started. The gagging. Most mothers would make sure their child was okay but I could do nothing but laugh. Laugh at the fact that I am my mother. Tanner thought it was so funny that he decided to put another piece of cucumber in his mouth to gag again. Boys!!!!

So, what do you do now that you said you'd never do?

thankful

Facebook....it's a lifesaver. Really, how did I live without it for so many years? It's where you post about your life, relive your life, and make plans with your life. I have gotten in touch with long lost friends and boy is it fun to recap years gone by. I recently found one of my best high school friends, Chris, and in a mere second my heart broke for him. As I asked him how he had been he let me into his world. His life lately has been filled with heartache and pain. Back in May him and his fiance (a gal we went to high school with) were riding motorcycles when she was hit head on. She literally died in his arms he said. It is a life event that has forever changed his world. I can't begin to imagine the gut wrenching pain that takes over him everyday. He said my love for her literally consumes me. Wow! As I messaged back and forth with him he keep saying never forget those you love.

As a someone who has been close to death on 2 occasions I know this but I sometimes quickly forget. I get so hurried in my daily life that I forget to mention those sweet I love yous. When your life is going well, do you forget to praise our Father for what he has given you? I do but I pick right back up and thank Him for all His many blessings because without Him I could do nothing!!! Hug your loved ones and never forget how precious life is.

stirred love

After some pushing from friends and me in turn saying "I don't wanna" I have started a food blog. I'm no expert, so if you are looking for perfection or thinking you'll be the next Emeril from my tips don't look. But if you want real life cooking by a Southern gal who just loves getting in the kitchen check me out!

http://stirredlove.blogspot.com/

mimi lovin's

Moms...what would we do without them? I have an extra, extraordinary mom! She is my best friend, a constant. She is the first person I call no matter what. She loves me for me and nothing else. I know in years past I had to have disappointed her but she'd never show it or tell me I've let her down (you know those teenage years when you think you know it all). I love her dearly and thank God for giving me such a gracious, loving mother. Many of times we get called sisters and of course she eats it up...heaven already knows, I would! When I was I was young I loved it but now I'm wondering if my age is showing! Ahh, the joys of being 30.

So when Mimi comes we get to.....

take pictures of ourselves

(she is so going to kill me for putting this on here!)

phone call in 5,4,3,2,1.....

shop for figs

then drizzle them with honey and make
the BEST salad ever!
(lettuce, figs, pancetta, walnuts, blue cheese, and mom's famous dressing)

have the scrumpdiddliuptious artichoke dip
(mayo, cream cheese, parm, artichokes)
ahhh, it's heavenly
if you are wondering where the rest of the
pictures are from the meal...well, lets just say wine was involved so
the rest is history!

sleep with Mimi
with an awesome tuxedo shirt on

make a palet next to Mimi's bed

because it's not our night to sleep with her

take a ride to Nashvegas to eat Cheesecake Factory

feed Mimi the most devine carrot cake cheesecake

steal sugars from Mimi

make Mimi laugh

We double heart our Mimi!!!!!