Snow in Texas 2011

“The future lies before you, like paths of pure white snow. Be careful how you tread it, for every step will show.

"Advice is like snow; the softer it falls, the longer it dwells upon, and the deeper it sinks into, the mind."

“Courage is not the towering oak that sees storms come and go; it is the fragile blossom that opens in the snow."

The End

xo

Secretariat Job 39:19-25

Job 39:19-25

“Do you give the horse its strength
   or clothe its neck with a flowing mane?
²⁰ Do you make it leap like a locust,
   striking terror with its proud snorting?
²¹ It paws fiercely, rejoicing in its strength,
   and charges into the fray.
²² It laughs at fear, afraid of nothing;
   it does not shy away from the sword.
²³ The quiver rattles against its side,
   along with the flashing spear and lance.
²⁴ In frenzied excitement it eats up the ground;
   it cannot stand still when the trumpet sounds.
²⁵ At the blast of the trumpet it snorts, ‘Aha!’
   It catches the scent of battle from afar,
   the shout of commanders and the battle cry.

Writing our Will

We have often thought about needing to write a will since our first son was born.  But the other night we went on a date night together, and I just couldn't quit thinking about the "what ifs". I mean, seriously, what if we had gotten in a car accident that night and both passed away. I know that is horrible, but this is just like a speeding ticket (but not), not things you want to talk about or take care of...but you have to! Or rather, you should. How does one decide such a major thing? Sure we have lots of people in our lives that love them dearly, but that is not the same as raising them. Now obviously there is not going to be anyone just like us that could replace us, but what do you bend on? What are the most important things you should think about when deciding? Their current relationship with the kids? Their age and energy? Goals and ambition? Religious beliefs? Our relationship with them? Geeze. Maybe a different person is in charge of the money that they will receive from our life insurance. Are these not horrible things to have to think about?!  I pray that day never comes, with all my heart I pray that. But I feel like we need to plan on some of these things. I know, that no matter what, that they would be loved and taken care of. But I think it is good to get in writing what we desire and make things a little easier, if that day came.
I know this was a very depressing post, lol...but I am sure some of you can understand my thoughts! Have any of  you already done this, or thought about it?  XO

Now, I am about to go tuck my boys in, and thank God I am alive and well to be their mommy today!

Love Wins

Today is so cold out, but right now I am full of warmth and joy. True friendship, deep sisterly friendship, is a love so strong that you can't let go of each other. That no matter what happens or what we go through, our love and bond ultimately wins the fight over the head.  True friendship, like marriage, helps us to become better people and continue to become the people we were created to be. You have to be willing to let walls fall and be open and honest. In every friendship we will have different strengths and weaknesses, different goals and dreams, but true friendship respects the differences and even learns to love them.

7 years ago, a girl named Erin Adkins sat down next to me at a young adults church service. She quickly became one of the best friends I have ever had.  We had a falling out about 6 months ago, and have not spoken. But our love is pulling us back together, and I am so filled with joy that we will be getting together to talk and catch up. I miss her, and can not wait to hug her!

Love you Erin

Homemade Ranch Dressing!

Ok, seriously, who does not like Ranch dressing? Here in Texas, we LOVE us some Ranch! If you don't like it, maybe it's because you haven't had homemade Ranch. It really does taste different! So much more flavor, so fresh! I will NEVER buy store bought Ranch again...I promise you that! This is so easy to make, I would say like 15 minutes. This recipe is tangy, slightly spicy, and oh so good! This is PW's recipe, just tweaked a little.

Ingredients: 1/4 tsp kosher salt, 1 garlic clove chopped, 1 cup real Mayo, 1/2 cup sour cream, 1/4 to 1/2 cup milk or buttermilk (depending on how thick you want the dressing), 1/4 cup chopped flat parsley, 1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives, 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill, 1/2 teaspoon distilled white wine vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper, 1/4 teaspoon paprika, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, good dash of hot sauce (optional...but I say yes)

1. Chop up your garlic, and sprinkle the salt over it.
2. With a fork , mash the garlic and salt together to make a paste. The finer the better, bc the garlic is really strong in the finished dressing.
3. Add all the ingredients to a bowl.
4. Stir together gently, adjusting the seasonings as needed. Make the Ranch dressing yours- add in more of what you like. (for me that is the dill, green onion and extra dash of hot sauce) Chill the dressing for at least 2 hours before serving. Thin with milk if needed.

Helpful Hints: Some great ways to use Ranch dressing:

• Cut a hedge of iceberg lettuce into wedges and pour Ranch generously over wedges, serve on a platter.
• Serve as a dip for your favorite veggies
• Mix in crumbled blue cheese and serve with Buffalo wings
• Drizzle on a sub sandwich
• Pour into a hollowed out red cabbage and serve on a fancy crudite platter

FF(funfacts) It's actually safer to use a sharp knife rather then a dull. A sharp knife handles easier and cuts where intended, making it less likely to jump over and cut you! Sharpen your knife people! ;)

The Stuffed Bell Pepper

One of the  meals that was on the table a lot growing up was Stuffed Bell peppers. I can remember for the longest time I only ate the inside mixture, not the bell pepper. Now, the pepper is my favorite part. I love the sweetness of a bell pepper. yum. This recipe is so easy and tasty! This is basically my mom's recipe with just a little twist. I made this last night with the Olive Cheese Bread, but a fresh salad is good along side of it. And as always, you can change this up or tweak it to your liking!

Ingredients: 6 green bell peppers, salt to taste, 1 lb ground beef, 1/3 cup chopped onion, salt and pepper to taste, 1 14.5 ounce can whole peeled tomatoes  (Italian style) chopped, 1 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce, 1/2 cup uncooked rice, 1/2 cup water, 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese and more for sprinkling on top, 1 can condensed tomato soup, water as needed

1. Preheat oven to 350

2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cut off the tops of the bell peppers. Remove the seed and membranes and boil for only about 5 minutes. Drain and sprinkle salt on the inside and set aside

3. In a large skillet, saute beef and onions for 5 minutes, or until beef is browned. Drain off excess fat, and season with salt and pepper. Stir in the tomatoes, rice, 1/2 cup water and Worcestershire sauce. Cover, and simmer for 15 minutes, or until rice is tender. Remove from heat, and stir in the cheese.


 4.  Stuff each pepper with the beef and rice mixture, and place peppers open side up in a baking dish. Sprinkle the top of each pepper with a little bit more cheese. Please.  In a medium bowl, combine tomato soup with just enough water to make the soup a gravy consistency. Pour a little over the top of the peppers, but mostly all in the bottom of the pan.

5. Bake covered for 25 to 35 minutes, until heated through and cheese is melted and bubbly. Enjoy!

FF (fun facts) Several times now, in my almost 30 years, I have tried to talk to my mom on the phone...when really I was just listening to her voicemail. It's like I just check out, or maybe, get to enthralled in her (very lengthy, entertaining) message. I did it today again. LOL...In the middle of her message I just started "talking" to her and when she didn't stop to acknowledge my comments I suddenly remembered that it was a voicemail. I was laughing so hard I had tears rolling down my face... I probably should not be sharing this with you, especially all you blonde joke tellers, but it was so ridiculous I had to.

xo 

Heavenly Olive Cheese Bread

Ok, as most of you know, or have noticed,  I am trying all of the recipes out of a new cookbook I got for Christmas. It is The Pioneer Woman Cooks.  So if you see the letters PW in my blog posts, I am talking about the Pioneer Woman :) It's kind of like the movie Julia and Julia, except she is PW and I am AT..lol. Last night as I was cooking I was daydreaming about cooking one night, maybe for a date night, without any interruptions. It's a miracle dinner even got done last night. If my mom and Sean had not come when they did, I'm pretty sure I would have given up, or it wouldn't have been done til' about 10:00! Miles wanted to play with all his toys at my feet, and cried for me to "help" every time he couldn't get a Lego to connect. So cute, but not at the time.  Cooper had to go potty two different times, which required me to stop and give that attention; being excited, cleaning out the potty chair, "cleaning up" Cooper, putting sticker on the chart, everyone washing hands...back to work. Twice people. I had two things that needed to go in the oven, and I currently only have one oven. I also had to make the boys a separate dinner at the same time, bc ours was going to be late. We eventually ate, but I look forward to a date night where it's just me cooking with some music on drinking a glass of wine :)

Ok, on with the recipe! This is a cheesy flavorful bread you will LOVE! It is extremely easy to make and can also be prepared and frozen for later if you want! You can slice it up into chunks and eat with a salad for a nice filling lunch, and it's perfect alongside lasagna, spaghetti, or any meat dish! This is a crowd pleaser for sure! Must try this week!

Ingredients: 1 14.5 ounce black olives drained, 1 6 ounce jar pimiento stuffed green olives drained, 2 green onions ( I used 4), 1 stick butter, softened, 1/2 cup mayo (must be real mayo, no substitutions), 1lb Montery Jack cheese grated, 1 loaf french bread

1. Preheat the oven to 325

2.Place the black olives on a large cutting board and give them a good rough chop. Get most of the large pieces broken up.

3. Put your green olives on the cutting board and give them a good rough chop as well.

4. Now it is your green onions turn. Chop em' up!

5. In a large bowl, combine the butter, mayonnaise, Montery Jack cheese, chopped olives, and green onion.

6.Stir until thoroughly combined. At this point, grab the nearest cracker and take a taste! Repeat as needed! We enjoyed this part a little too much last night. haha

7. Slice the French loaf in half lengthwise. Spread this yummy goodness in an even layer on each half.

8.Bake for 20-25 minutes, until the cheese mixture is thoroughly melted and beginning to turn light brown and bubbly. Cut into diagonal slices and serve immediately. Enjoy!

Helpful Hints:

Here are some make-ahead tips:

• Prepare the olive/cheese mixture up to two days ahead of time. Store tightly covered in the fridge.
• Or, spread the mixture on the bread and freeze, tightly wrapped, up to six months. Thaw before baking.

The cheese topping also makes a delicious spread for crackers!

Variation
Substitute drained, chopped artichoke hearts and grated Parmesan cheese for the black olives and Monterey Jack cheese. Yum!