Food Friday

Well, happy beautiful Friday to you! There is not a cloud in this Georgia sky and the weather is Perfection! It's warm but not hot enough to sweat! So to me that is the perfect algebraic weather equation:
Warm beautiful day + no sweat glands activated = one happy girl! Who says I don't know my math problems?

This actually has been a very good day. Mother and I went out to the local agricultural center where the master gardeners are sponsoring the Spring Garden Expo. It was a pure pleasure for the senses. Then we made a stop at the Christian bookstore where I purchased the latest Point of Grace CD. I've been wanting it for some time and I am beyond excited to plug it my car's CD player, open the sunroof and jam out! This weather just calls for that to happen. And I highly recommend it to all of you.

Then in about an hour we are headed to Atlanta for the Hawks game. I wish I was as excited about this game as my husband is but well, not quite as much. But, ya know, I'll go, watch the people and cheer when everyone else does. The best thing about this whole excursion is that we are sitting in one of those private boxes in Philips Arena which has one major (and I mean major) advantage: it has a private bathroom. And I find that such a good thing. Call me crazy but I just hate to share a bathroom with 10,000 other people.

Oh, yes. I almost forgot why we are here. It's Food Friday. Today's recipe is a recipe I whipped up for Easter morning breakfast. I knew we would need something to grab and go and this filled the bill perfectly. These are to die for if you are blueberry muffin fan. Oh wait, I guess that's why they're called "To Die For Blueberry Muffins." I got this recipe from the All Recipes website and I'm just gonna let you link there for the recipe.

Enjoy! and have a great weekend!

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/To-Die-For-Blueberry-Muffins/Detail.aspx

Thankful Thursday

Today I thankful for the clients that God has sent to our Wonderful Events and Celebrations business. So very thankful. E and I met early this morning at Panera to work and talk. We have three weddings between now and the end of May so we had lots to work on and talk about. Tonight we have what we call a "details meeting" with the bride getting married on April 24th. So we were meticulously going over the notes we already have for this event. We also revised and reworked our consultation document so as not to miss a single detail for our brides.

The funny thing about being a wedding planner is that brides don't always think they need you - until after the wedding. Then the bride and their mother, (especially the mother) practically kiss your feet. On more than one occasion, they have said to us, "you are the best money we spent" and "thank you so much, there is absolutely no way we could have done this without you" and "you made this whole process so easy." And that ladies and gentlemen is why we do what we do. Our whole goal is to take the stress of coordinating the mountain of details involved with a wedding off of the bride and her family so they can enjoy the day and then to handle those details in a thorough and professional manner.

I am going to be posting more about this subject here and on the WEC website very soon. Stay tuned!

Happy Thursday! What are you thankful for today?

10 More

Last week, or sometime, I did one of those 10 random things posts. If it's one thing I do have, it is some randomness in my life. And if that isn't all well and good, I'm always glad to share it. I'm an over-sharer like that. So . . . y’all may not give a hoot or a holler about this, but give me a break, blog subjects aren’t always the easiest thing to create.

10 more random things about me.

1. My husband and I had our first date on January 10th, got engaged on March 22nd and married on June 2nd – of. The. Same. Year!! (1984)

2. On our honeymoon, we missed our plane and when we got to our destination they had already closed the luggage office with our luggage locked inside. Now if you’re following me here, you are understanding that we had no luggage on our wedding night and that’s all I’m going to say about that.

3. My first car was a 1975 orange Chevrolet Camaro. Yes, I said orange and it had a white vinyl top and it was totally awesome and I wish I still had it. I could tell you some adventures surrounding this car while in high school, but my mom, inlaws and/or children might read this. So I won't.

4. My second car was a 1977 Pontiac Trans Am - just like Burt Reynolds drove in “Smokey and the Bandit.” Except mine was white with a blue bird on the hood. All the college boys wanted to go out with me just so they could drive my car. Interestingly enough, I had the same boyfriend for all four years of college. He drove my car. We broke up the week after we graduated.

5. My favorite dessert is hot chocolate chip cookies and very cold milk.

6. As I’m driving in the neighborhood at night, I like to look in people’s houses when their lights are on and you can see inside. Not in a weird way – just to see how their houses are decorated. Okay, that may be weird.

7. One of my greatest joys in life is giving someone I love a gift that they love.

8. I cannot stand flip flops because that thingy between my toes drives me insanely crazy.

9. I only paint my fingernails OPI Red or OPI Dutch Tulips. I wear Red from about October through February. Then switch to Dutch Tulips from March through September. Kinda surprising given my personality, isn't it?

10. I love to talk to my children while in the car. I call it having a captive audience. No music or radio. Just good ole conversation going down the road. While this wouldn't necessarily be categorized as random, it just reminds me of my love for my children - more than words can even begin to express. Those two young people are the absolute joy of my life. A mother's love, no one can fathom. Just gives us a glimpse of our Heavenly Father's love for us. Amazing.

Easter in Pictures

Well, I’m just hoping you had just half as good of an Easter as we did. Can I just tell you - it was wonderful!

Saturday night late, E and her hubby came to the house after attending a wedding here in town. They didn’t want to drive home and then back early Sunday morning so they spent the night. That meant that I had all of my children under my roof Saturday night. And that brings me much joy.

I didn’t really have adequate time to enjoy it as that ridiculous handbell director I live with made us be at church at 8:00 on Sunday morning. Which by the way reminds me that one of these years I want to attend the sunrise service on Easter morning. The fact that it starts at sunrise is the only thing standing in my way.

Anyway by 9:30, the handbell prelude had been played and as I walked down off that platform and to our pew, I could have just cried. Sitting there were four of the most amazing and beautiful young people I have ever seen. Just look for yourself.

They really didn't plan the matching outfits, it just happened that way. I couldn't have planned that better if I'd done it myself. :)

Oh, these boys are my favorites in the whole world!

Okay, and these girls are pretty much my favorites too!

After a quick change and getting our food together we headed up to the apple orchards of north Georgia to D's aunts house. These two are anxiously awaiting the egg hunt!

The swings in the back yard were a huge draw for my "children." Reliving their childhoods?

D is getting some serious air!

G's dismount! He's so talented.

Daddy and daughter.

These two are pretty excited about their egg discoveries.

What I Love about April 2010!

What I Love about April 2010!

After an extremely busy March, I’m ready to slow down a little and enjoy the spring! So let’s see, what’s going on in my little word during the month of April!

1. Easter. Love Easter. It is the most important day of celebration of our Christian faith. I love to go to the Easter service at our church. I love to play in our handbell choir during the service. I love to see all of the beautiful children in their Easter outfits on that day. I love to get together for family time. It’s a favorite day of mine.

2. I will get to see my boy this weekend! It has been way too long and I’m missing him like crazy. I just want to see his face and look into those eyes. You don’t know how much you miss that until they leave home. I just want some “face time” with him, to talk to him and hear his heart. I want him to kiss the top of my head. Silly maybe but my heart aches for him.

3. Next weekend, we are headed down to the Verizon Amphitheater to hear our favorite Georgia boy, Alan Jackson. Call us country, but we are what we are. When he sings “Way down yonder on the Chattahoochee” and “The Little Man” –trust me, we’ll be singing and dancing like crazy people! We can hardly wait!

4. On the 12th, my girl and her husband will celebrate their second anniversary. Seems unreal that they have been married that long. What a joy to see the happiness and love she has found.

5. We will be part of such a special time in the life of a bride later this month! Honestly, E and I get so caught up in these wedding moments, we feel like we are part of the family. On more than one occasion, we have stood at the back of the church and cried during our bride’s wedding. Maybe out of relief :) but more likely out of happiness for that sweet couple.

6. I’m going out of town with my husband this month! I’m just telling you, I love to do that. He will be working some of the time but that’s okay, I’ll find something to do – reading, or maybe reading. Or maybe I may work in a little shopping, we’ll see.

7. Believe it or not, I am actually looking forward to working in the yard which is not always the case for me. I’m a fickle gardener at best. All the conditions have to be just right for me – not to hot, not to cold, not too many bugs, etc., etc. But April and May are the perfect months of playing in the dirt. And I plan to.

8. The Corporate Challenge is later this month. And I’m gonna be ready, just wait and see! The official name is The Get Fit Stay Fit Corporate Challenge and it is sponsored by the Hall County Chamber of Commerce. It is a program that promotes health, wellness and fitness among area companies and their employees and families. It is a 5 K run-walk. Our company has been a corporate sponsor every since this program began and we always have a big group participate. We even won “Most Team Spirit” last year!

9. D and I are participating in a class during the month of April at our church called “Bible-ology.” We will be learning how better to interpret the Scripture from a Bible professor from one of our local colleges. We are so excited about this and really looking forward to expanding our knowledge, which is somewhat limited at best right now.

10. As of last Wednesday night, about 30 women from our church completed the Wising Up study – Yeah and Woo Hoo!! I co-led this group with a close friend and we just had the best time with these women! I could not have enjoyed this diverse group of women more! We had young, older, married, single, widowed, working women, stay at home moms, new mothers, grandmothers, mothers and daughters taking it together . . . it was just phenomenal!
This past Monday, the Monday night girls began the Revelation study. As you might remember, I started this study a few weeks ago and honestly, was completely overwhelmed with it. But as instructed, I began praying for understanding and a fresh revelation! And God has already honored that. Within about 24 hours of our Monday meeting, God worked a mighty work in the life of one of the ladies . . . and I mean a mighty work, something that could only be explained as God. Talk about a fresh revelation! You better believe it. God is good! All the time!

Happy April!!!

Food Friday

On Easter Sunday our family is going to D's aunt's home to celebrate with their family. We'll get together for a good old traditional family pot luck, which I love. D's mom is overseeing the menu coordination and has asked me to bring two things - this Sweet Potato dish and cookies. It's a twist on your traditional Sweet Potato Casserole. I can't even remember where this recipe came from but it quickly became a familiar request from the family. The best part, you make it in the crock pot so I will put it on early Sunday morning before we leave for church and it will be ready when we get home.

I hope each and every one of you have a blessed Easter!

Crock Pot Sweet Potatoes

3 1/2 - 4 lbs. sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks
1 20 oz. can apple pie filling
2/3 cup golden raisins or craisins
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 stick of butter, cut into 1/4 in. slices
1 cup pecans, toasted and chopped

Lightly coat 3 1/2 - 4 quart crockpot with cooking spray. Layer sweet potatoes, apples, raisins, brown sugar and butter slices. Cover and cook on low heat for about 6 hours or on high heat for 3-4 hours. Sprinkle with pecans before serving.

Enjoy!

Thankful Thursday

Today I am thankful for Easter and all it represents! Our Redeemer Lives!
"I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live even though he dies." John 11:25

For several years, D sang this song during the Easter season. These lyrics just make me cry, not because I'm sad but because I'm overwhelmed with gratitude for the sacrifice Christ made for us. Just for a moment think about that sacrifice and

"The Day He Wore My Crown"

The city was Jerusalem
The time was long ago
The people called him Jesus
The crime was the love He showed
And I'm the one to blame
I caused all the pain
He gave Himself, the day He wore my crown

He brought me love that only He could give
I brought Him cause to cry
And though He taught me how to live
I taught Him how to die
And I'm the one to blame
I caused all the pain
He gave Himself, the day He wore my crown

He could have called His holy Father, and said,
"Take me away, please, take me away."
He could have said, "I'm not guilty.
And I'm not going to stay
I'm not going to pay."
But He walked right through the gate
And then on up the hill
And as He fell beneath the weight
He cried, "Father, not My will."
And I'm the one to blame
I caused all His pain
He gave Himself, the day He wore my crown.

And I'm the one to blame
I caused all His pain
He gave Himself, the day He wore my crown.