tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-53422608026455452032024-03-05T14:17:34.157-08:00All in a day's work...Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01376285056110838384noreply@blogger.comBlogger40125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5342260802645545203.post-50130030175151348852009-08-08T11:26:00.000-07:002009-08-08T11:30:53.841-07:00Fun giveaway!Well, I'm not giving anything away...yet, maybe I will another day!<br /><br />But, I came across a blog doing a giveaway of something I'd really like to win! :) I wanted to share it with you, hoping that if I don't win...one of my friends might be a lucky winner!<br /><br />Check it out at <a href="http://www.thenotsoblog.com/2009/07/spunky-monkey-review-and-giveaway/">http://www.thenotsoblog.com/2009/07/spunky-monkeys-review-and-giveaway/</a> . She's giving away a really cute swim suit cover-up!!Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01376285056110838384noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5342260802645545203.post-28708118862992123262009-07-31T06:53:00.000-07:002009-07-31T07:03:29.116-07:00To the best mom in the world!HAPPY BIRTHDAY!! I love you so much! Taylor says I'm her best friend now...though, I'm sure we'll have a few bumps and rough times as she gets older. But, I hope that I can still be her best friend like you are mine. I wouldn't know what to do without you.Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01376285056110838384noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5342260802645545203.post-77374219467129205022009-07-27T20:00:00.000-07:002009-07-27T20:18:05.841-07:00Things on my mind...Oh, it's been so long since I've blogged. I guess I've lost the motivation to do so lately. Everything has been going well. I have been staying busy with work, and just haven't taken the time to type up a post after the girls go to bed like I used to.<br /><br />We had a great weekend--spending time with my family. My sister came to town and her best friend, Becky, was visiting. It was great to see both of them. Becky had not seen <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Tay</span> since she was 3 weeks old at Ashley's wedding! Ash brought her 2 foster boys with her. This was our first time to meet her newest boy. He's another cute little boy & Ashley is so good with him...she is with both of the boys. I was just thinking in church yesterday (as Ash was tapping him on the head to get him to quit playing with his bulletin like it was a paper airplane!), that when they grow up, I bet they will look back and be so grateful for the great parents that Ash & Seth are to them.<br /><br />Church has been just AWESOME the past few months. To quote Bro. Fred, I left the Sunday service this week thinking ..."woo! WOO!" :) Powerful, powerful stuff from God's Word. This week he spoke from Luke 13:6-7...a parable about producing fruit. God expects that from us if we are His children. One thing he said was that as a part of the church...it doesn't matter if your the eye, ear, nose, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">pinky</span> finger, toe, or belly button (well, I added that last one!)...you are to do your part in the body of Christ. It's interesting because earlier this week, one of my "friends" on <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Facebook</span> wrote this as her status: "<br /><h3 class="UIIntentionalStory_Message">One of the greatest sins in the church is we have made it <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">ok</span> to sit & do nothing and call yourself a Christ-follower." <br /></h3>That's another "<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">WOOO</span>!" statement! I'm still processing that...it's a strong statement, wouldn't you agree?<br /><br />Anyhow, we have a new youth/college pastor at our church, and this Sunday I made the statement that I'd like to be a part of working with that ministry. I'm super excited for what God has in store. He's been showing up in a big way lately, and I'm confident He'll do great things in the coming years to build up young people in the church. We need strong young people now more than ever. I've found from experience that if you don't have a circle of Christian friends to hold you accountable, you'll fall for anything the world hands you.<br /><br />Well, that's about it for tonight. I'll try to post more about the girls later in the week. (Ella turns 6 months old on Sunday...I think I may just cry...why does time fly by so quickly.) I love my girls so much and just want to keep them small.<br /><br />I hope everyone has a great week!Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01376285056110838384noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5342260802645545203.post-72714479860676236802009-07-13T22:03:00.000-07:002009-07-13T22:22:42.650-07:00Recipe to shareHere's a great recipe I tried last week. I've been given lots of fresh blueberries. So, I've found several recipes I'd like to try and will be posting more this week. This one is a <span style="font-style: italic;">Cooking Light</span> recipe from my friend & coworker, Tessie. Thanks, Tessie!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Blueberry <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Streusel</span> Cake<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span></span></span>1 1/2 cups blueberries<br />1/4 cup sugar<br />1/3 cup vanilla wafer crumbs (about 8 cookies)<br />1/4 cup packed brown sugar<br />1 TB margarine, melted<br />1 teaspoon hot water<br />1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour<br />1/3 cup sugar<br />3/4 teaspoon baking powder<br />1/4 teaspoon baking soda<br />1/8 teaspoon salt<br />3/4 cup plain low-fat yogurt<br />3 TB vegetable oil<br />1 teaspoon vanilla extract<br />1 large egg<br />1 large egg white<br />cooking spray<br /><br />Preheat oven to 350 degrees.<br /><br />Combine blueberries and 1/4 cup sugar in a bowl; gently mash with a potato masher until blueberries are crushed. Let stand 5 minutes. Set aside.<br /><br />Combine wafer crumbs, brown sugar, margarine, and hot water; stir until well-blended. Set aside.<br /><br />Combine flour, 1/3 cup sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Combine yogurt, oil, vanilla, egg, and egg white; stir well with a whisk. Add to flour mixture, stirring until well blended. Fold in the blueberry mixture. Pour batter into a 9" round cake pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Sprinkle brown sugar mixture over the cake; bake an additional 10 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool on a wire rack.<br /><br />**Notes: Taylor really enjoyed helping to mash the blueberries with the sugar! :) Also, I used a pie plate since I don't own a cake pan! And, I had to sub applesauce for the 3 T vegetable oil that it calls for. I wouldn't <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">recommend</span> that. I don't think it affected the taste too much, but the texture would have been a bit better if I had vegetable oil.<br /><br />I hope you'll try this and let me know what you think! We served it while it was still warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span></span><br /></span>Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01376285056110838384noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5342260802645545203.post-16385597094538646392009-07-13T20:58:00.000-07:002009-07-13T22:24:32.931-07:00Kiddo updateOh, I get so behind on blogging! <br /><br />An update on the girls...<br />They are both doing good. Taylor had a cold about a week and a half ago, and then we <span style="font-style: italic;">all</span> had it! It went from <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Tay</span> to me and we quickly got better, but Ella and Scott are still fighting it. As much as we begged <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Tay</span> to "keep your hands off your sister!!", it just didn't work! <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Tay</span> just loves her too much! :)<br /><br />Ella went in for her 4 month check up a couple of weeks ago & <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Tay</span> had her 3 year check up. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Tay</span> is so funny because she loves to go to the doctor. She's always telling her baby dolls they have to go to the doctor. And, if she gets the tiniest scrape...you guessed it, she "needs to go to the doctor"! <br /><br />So, the funniest part of the doctor visit was the weigh-in...generally, not a "funny" part of my doctor visits! But, Taylor weighed in a 26 lb. 6 oz. and my sweet Ella...15 lb. 13 oz.! Taylor is in the 5<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">th</span> percentile for weight and less than 5<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">th</span> percentile for height. Ella, on the other hand, is in the 90<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">th</span> percentile for height AND weight! What a contrast these two are! I get a kick out of Scott folding clothes and holding a shirt up and saying "Is this Taylor's or Ella's?!?". Truly, it's hard to tell sometimes! :) I took Ella to the doctor again last Friday because of her stuffy nose & she was already up to 16 lb. 3 or 6 oz....the girl gains fast! It had just been 9 days since she was weighed in previously.<br /><br />We've gotten down the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">exersaucer</span> from the attic for Ella and she LOVES playing in it. I'll have to post a picture this week. She sits up really well, with assistance of course, but she still hasn't rolled over! She's just not happy laying on her <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">play mat</span> for more than a few minutes. <br /><br />I took Taylor to Cottage Hill Baptist last week to sign up for Mom's Day Out. I think she'll enjoy it, but it will take her going a few times before she feels comfortable. She enjoyed playing in the play area while I filled out paperwork and then we went to see her "classroom". The 2 teachers seemed great, but the kids in the class were so much bigger than Taylor. Really, they were a lot bigger & the teacher even mentioned something about Taylor being so petite! She'll be going to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">MDO</span> on Thursdays from 10-2 and Meredith will be taking her there & I'll pick her up after work. Another concern of mine is that <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">Tay</span> typically goes down for a nap between 12-1...I'm just hoping <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">Tay</span> can hang out 'til 2 and then take a nap when we get home. <br /><br />That's about it, for now. I think about blogging all the time, but just don't get around to doing it. But, some of the things that come out of Taylor's mouth just crack me up and I think "I need to put that in the blog!". But, now as I sit here typing, I just can't think of anything in particular! One thing she did do last week...She's always saying, "Watch, Mama. <span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">WATCH!" </span></span>So, I look up and she's dancing (shaking her behind!) and I ask "Where did you learn those moves?!?" and she quickly replies, "I learned it in <span style="font-style: italic;">SUNDAY SCHOOL!!" </span><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">Hmm</span>...I don't think so!<br /><br />Have a great week y'all!!Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01376285056110838384noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5342260802645545203.post-54881203975950178392009-07-06T17:02:00.000-07:002009-07-13T22:25:44.302-07:00Menu Monday 07.06Hi guys! Here is what we have on the menu for the next week or so.<br /><br />Monday--Cheesy Chicken & Rice Bake, Peas & Carrots<br />Tuesday--Jambalaya, salad, garlic bread<br />Wednesday--Chicken <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Marsala</span>, mashed potatoes, broccoli<br />Thursday--We'll be eating at mom & dad's house. :)<br />Friday--scrambled eggs, sausage, biscuits<br />Saturday--ribs, corn on the cob, potato salad<br />Sunday--hot dogs, pasta salad, baby carrots & ranch dip<br />Monday--chicken spaghetti, green beans, garlic bread<br />Tuesday--Tater tot casserole, Sweet Peas<br /><br />Here's a great recipe that we've tried before & I'm happy to pass along--<br /><a href="http://www.thepioneerwoman.com">Pioneer Woman's</a> <span style="font-weight: bold;">Chicken Spaghetti</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Ingredients</span>:<br />2 cups cooked chicken (I've used just breasts before, too)<br />2 cans cream of mushroom soup<br />2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese<br />1/4 cup finely diced green bell pepper<br />1/2 cup finely diced onion<br />1 (4 oz.) jar diced pimentos, drained<br />3 cups dry spaghetti, broken into 2 inch pieces<br />2 cups reserved chicken broth from the pot<br />1 teaspoon Lawry's seasoned salt<br />1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper<br />salt & pepper to taste<br />1 additional cup grated sharp cheddar cheese<br /><br />Cook 1 cut up fryer and pick out the meat to make 2 cups. Cook spaghetti in same broth until <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">al</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">dente</span>. Do not overcook. When spaghetti is cooked, combine with remaining ingredients, except additional 1 cup grated cheese.<br /><br />Place mixture in casserole pan and top with remaining sharp cheddar. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until bubbly. (If the cheese on top starts to get too cooked, cover with foil.)<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Enjoy!</span>Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01376285056110838384noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5342260802645545203.post-21939330024793934762009-07-02T18:33:00.000-07:002009-07-02T19:30:24.367-07:00Because you won't come back to my blog if I never post anything...!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0rnw0exHQG-wdqCcrT5iP2KOzq32GqlFDCpggyEyy1pkRmW0XdYFuJWWkz2T8mS3gXPKcn7zDc0XUSaRLs7-bPJ1BG3zsqEnUwgJbSMu67VxToqspehICIM_oKEUxU8Hewq_HNapmHUqo/s1600-h/my+girl.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0rnw0exHQG-wdqCcrT5iP2KOzq32GqlFDCpggyEyy1pkRmW0XdYFuJWWkz2T8mS3gXPKcn7zDc0XUSaRLs7-bPJ1BG3zsqEnUwgJbSMu67VxToqspehICIM_oKEUxU8Hewq_HNapmHUqo/s320/my+girl.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354055590488878274" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv3ojRgG_IuXySazdKSTvBshRcb29Tyh29kHx1WupHf62AEhykyZGb2FE25Unv4KQL6JtPM7Rsx_b8KgyUPqrt-ptftwJh_AsFX_MmxZOKymqYboRy81jaPRzX6KXonkFHVnd2QgNA8AJu/s1600-h/love.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv3ojRgG_IuXySazdKSTvBshRcb29Tyh29kHx1WupHf62AEhykyZGb2FE25Unv4KQL6JtPM7Rsx_b8KgyUPqrt-ptftwJh_AsFX_MmxZOKymqYboRy81jaPRzX6KXonkFHVnd2QgNA8AJu/s320/love.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354055355552833506" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPu8SNZtITiCZf8Vql31zOTDDs36TrL1ZiiKoXI3w-sFF55LBfCypxzmsjnFi-9fGqzVuvB6SR8ImYUO1_Y3UlYEUw5qlCOPHxmJzze0rmKHvS69dSoQhQxGlZeeiVL_6gHXi9o5vXZ2vk/s1600-h/smile.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPu8SNZtITiCZf8Vql31zOTDDs36TrL1ZiiKoXI3w-sFF55LBfCypxzmsjnFi-9fGqzVuvB6SR8ImYUO1_Y3UlYEUw5qlCOPHxmJzze0rmKHvS69dSoQhQxGlZeeiVL_6gHXi9o5vXZ2vk/s320/smile.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354054498386162354" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLTUl5NLcb9YqWIvlgB69DaahT8kUZixDBur0k4J4mX5P3rCS90jgT1yj7xZj7VRtZTz0ENNcjX-Wt5ls_BS5IBEpnlRy58ArHZwULcEemKnWx5abrvLwaa0t_EFa1HxLHsSsh7YQjcR6g/s1600-h/glasses.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLTUl5NLcb9YqWIvlgB69DaahT8kUZixDBur0k4J4mX5P3rCS90jgT1yj7xZj7VRtZTz0ENNcjX-Wt5ls_BS5IBEpnlRy58ArHZwULcEemKnWx5abrvLwaa0t_EFa1HxLHsSsh7YQjcR6g/s320/glasses.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354050274929591138" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Ok</span>, so I have a dozen (or more!) other things I need to be doing right now...but, it's been so long since I posted anything here! The month of June just had us going here & there...and staying "busy"!<br /><br />I came across this on someone <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">else's</span> blog & thought I'd copy it! Because I know you want to know all of these things about me...and you have nothing better to do for the next 15 minutes! <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Haha</span>! I know better than that, so if you stick with me...I promise to post something more interesting next time!! ...and I'll even post a couple of pictures of the girls! (Why do my pictures always appear at the beginning of my blog. Can anyone help me with this?!?)<br /><br />FOOD-<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">OLOGY</span></span></span><br />What is your salad dressing of choice? honey mustard<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4"><span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4"></span></span><br />What is your favorite sit-down restaurant? It's a toss up between San Miguel & Macaroni Grill<br />What food could you eat for 2 weeks straight and not get sick of it? Mexican<br />What are your pizza toppings of choice? Ham & Pineapple..or just plain ole pepperoni<br />What do you like to put on your toast? I prefer a bagel with cream cheese, but on toast it's just butter & jelly<br /><br />TECHNOLOGY<br />How many televisions are in your house? 3<br />What color cell phone do you have? crimson<br />What does the first text message in your inbox say and who sent it? "thanks" from my friend, Laura<br />Who was the last person to call you? A lady calling me back with her Southern Living at Home order :)<br /><br />BIOLOGY<br />Are you right-handed or left-handed? right<br />Have you ever had anything removed from your body? adenoids, wisdom teeth & 2 babies! Ha!<br />What is the last heavy item you lifted? Ella in her <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">carseat</span>! Seriously, have you held her...she's a load!<br /><br />CRAP-<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">OLOGY</span></span></span><br />If it were possible, would you want to know the day you were going to die? absolutely not.<br />If you could change your name, what would you change it to? Nope, I like my name (thanks Mom & Dad).<br />Would you drink an entire bottle of hot sauce for $1000? Um...only if my children were starving & I needed the money that badly!<br /><br />DUMB-<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">OLOGY</span></span></span><br />How many pairs of flip flops do you own? I wear flip-flops more than anything else...so probably 5 or 6 pair.<br />Last time you had a run-in with the cops? Never<br />Last person you talked to in person ? Scott<br />Favorite Month? October...just all the months during Fall, actually...cooler weather, football season, the start of the holiday season, my anniversary ( 6 yrs. this October!), etc.<br /><br />CURRENT-<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">OLOGY</span></span></span><br />Missing someone? Yes...I'd love to live much closer to some good friends from college<br />Mood? relaxed<br />What are you listening to? Scott playing NCAA Football on <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">xbox</span><br />Watching? The computer screen as I type<br />Worrying about? nothing really at the moment<br /><br />RANDOM-<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">OLOGY</span></span></span><br />What’s the last movie you watched? <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">Curious Case of Benjamin Button...a very interesting movie</span></span><br />Do you smile often? Yes.<br />Do you always answer your phone? <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">embarrassingly</span>...not often. Either I can't get to it in time because I'm feeding someone, changing <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">someone's</span> diaper, giving someone a bath...well, you get the idea. But, I do try to return all my missed calls!<br />It’s four in the morning and you get a text message, who is it? I don't know anyone who would text me at 4 in the AM and if they did I wouldn't hear it anyways.<br />If you could change your eye color what would it be? I like my brown eyes.<br />What flavor do you add to your drink at Sonic? cherry<br />Do you own a digital camera? yes, we got one when Taylor was born.<br />Have you ever had a pet fish? yes, goldfish when I was a child & I had a beta fish in college<br />Favorite Christmas song? <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">hmm</span>...there's so many. I like "Mary, did you know"...is that the title?<br />What’s on your wish list for your birthday? I usually ask for money & then end up spending it on anything but myself. But, I'd really like a pedicure & could use some new clothes. There's some books & <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">CDs</span> I'd really like, too.<br />Can you do push-ups? I think so.<br />Can you do a chin up? No way!<br />Does the future make you more nervous or excited? Excited!<br />Do you have any saved texts? nope<br />Ever been in a car wreck? no<br />Do you have an accent? I don't think so.<br />What is the last song to make you cry? In Christ Alone by Travis <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">Cottrell</span><br />Plans tonight? not much! we had tacos for dinner, I <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">straightened</span> up the house, but the girls to bed...I know...it's EXCITING around here!<br />Have you ever felt like you hit rock bottom? I've had my moments<br />Name 2 things you bought yesterday. nothing! But, I went to Target the day before & bought plenty!<br />You ever been given roses? Yes<br />Current hate right now? Ooh...tough one...truly, I can't think of anything I "hate" at the moment....I hate black olives, does that count?<br />Met someone who changed your life? yes, most importantly...Jesus<br />What song represents you? Like I said...I really love "In Christ Alone" right now.<br />What were you doing 12 AM last night? just falling asleep<br />What was the first thing you thought of when you woke up? Why won't Ella sleep?!?!<br /><br />Oh, wow...that was really long. I doubt anybody read this all the way through! :)<br /><br />I hope everyone has a great 4<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">th</span> of July! God bless America!Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01376285056110838384noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5342260802645545203.post-64498116291216280642009-06-22T20:10:00.000-07:002009-07-13T22:26:56.103-07:00A couple of recipes...Hey guys!<br />I just wanted to share a couple of really good recipes I've come across recently--blueberry muffins & banana bread. I'm sure you can find dozens and dozens of recipes for these two...but, I think these recipes are pretty fantastic! I hope you'll try them.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Blueberry Muffins</span><br /><br />Ingredients <ul><li> 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour</li><li>1/2 cup white sugar</li><li>1/4 cup brown sugar<br /></li><li> 1/2 teaspoon salt</li><li> 2 teaspoons baking powder</li><li> 1/3 cup vegetable oil</li><li> 1 egg</li><li> 1/3 cup milk</li><li> 1 cup fresh blueberries</li></ul>DIRECTIONS <ol><li><span> Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease muffin cups or line with muffin liners. </span></li><li><span> Combine 1 1/2 cups flour, brown sugar & white sugar, salt and baking powder. Place vegetable oil into a 1 cup measuring cup; add the egg and enough milk to fill the cup. Mix this with flour mixture. Fold in blueberries. Fill muffin cups right to the top. </span></li><li><span> Bake for 25 minutes in the preheated oven, or until done. </span></li></ol>**<span style="font-weight: bold;">NOTE</span>** I doubled this recipe to make big muffins. You just fill the muffin cup right to the very top. By doubling the recipe, it made 14 big delicious muffins! :)<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Banana Bread</span><br /><br />Ingredients<br /><ul><li> 1/2 cup butter, melted</li><li> 1/2 cup white sugar</li><li>1/2 cup brown sugar<br /></li><li> 2 eggs</li><li> 1 teaspoon vanilla extract</li><li> 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour</li><li> 1 teaspoon baking soda</li><li> 1/2 teaspoon salt</li><li> 1/2 cup sour cream</li><li> 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (or pecans)</li></ul>Directions<br /><ol><li><span> Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan. </span></li><li><span> In a large bowl, stir together the melted butter and sugar. Add the eggs and vanilla, mix well. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt, stir into the butter mixture until smooth. Finally, fold in the sour cream, walnuts and bananas. Spread evenly into the prepared pan. </span></li><li><span> Bake at 350 degrees for 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean. Cool loaf in the pan for 15 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely. </span></li></ol>This is very, very good. I sometimes sprinkle in just a tiny bit of cinnamon & nutmeg, too.Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01376285056110838384noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5342260802645545203.post-81908300752309123452009-06-15T18:38:00.001-07:002009-06-15T19:36:25.084-07:00Menu Monday 06.15.09Wow! I can't believe it's been so long since I posted here. Last week just flew by! Here's what we have on the menu until the end of the month. I'll be trying some new crockpot recipes--it's just way to hot to cook something in the over for more than a few minutes. We had a great dinner tonight in the crockpot & I'll share the recipe at the end of the post. And, as usual, you'll see some repeats from my previous meal plan because we didn't end up making them as planned before.<br /><br />6.15--Crockpot Sante Fe Chicken over rice with refried beans<br />6.16--Leftover Sante Fe chicken served in flour tortillas, with chips & salsa<br />6.17--Beef, Cheddar, and Tomato Macaroni with broccoli<br />6.18--Broiled Tilapia Parmesan, with mashed potatoes & sweet peas (This recipe is really yummy, but Scott has requested no more tilapia for awhile after this...he's just not a tilapia fan!)<br />6.19--Beans & Cornbread<br />6.20--Vacation<br />6.21--Vacation<br />6.22--<br />6.23--Quiche, biscuits, bacon<br />6.24--Spaghetti, green beans, garlic bread<br />6.25--Barbecue chicken, pasta salad, sauteed zucchini<br />6.26--Barbecue chicken pizza made with leftover chicken<br />6.27--Steak, baked potato, salad<br />6.28--Taco Salad<br />6.29--<br />6.30--<br /><br />Ok, so I've got some gaps in my menu...please post any great dinner ideas you'd like to share!<br />And, here's the recipe for our dinner tonight...<br /><br /><span><p><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:12;" ><strong><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">CROCKPOT EASY SANTA FE CHICKEN</span></strong></span><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:12;" ><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><br /><span style=""> </span><br />1 15 oz can black beans -- rinsed and drained<br />2 15.25 oz cans whole kernel corn -- drained<br />1 cup bottled thick and chunky salsa<br />5 or 6 skinless boneless chicken breasts -- (can use frozen) <span style="font-style: italic;">(and I only used 3 large breasts)</span><br />1 8 oz brick cream cheese -- low fat is fine<br />1 cup shredded cheddar cheese<span style=""> </span><br /><br />In a slow cooker, mix together the beans, corn, and 1/2 cup salsa. Top with the chicken breasts, then pour the remaining salsa over the chicken.<span style=""> </span><br /><br />Cover and cook on the high heat setting 2.5-3 hours (<span style="font-style: italic;">I cooked it on low for 5 hours)</span>, or until the chicken is tender and white throughout; do not overcook or the chicken will toughen.<span style=""> </span><br /><br />Remove the chicken and cut into bite sized pieces (<span style="font-style: italic;">I shredded it...it seems to me that when you shred cooked chicken you have so much more than when you leave it whole</span>...<span style="font-style: italic;">and I like to save a buck!)</span>. Add back to the slow cooker.<span style=""> </span><br /><br />Add the cream cheese (cut into cubes to melt faster), and turn slow cooker to high heat. Heat until cream cheese melts and blends into sauce.<span style=""> </span><br /><br />Serve over rice. Top with shredded cheese.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-style: italic;">I really look forward to serving these leftovers in a tortilla--a yummy burrito!</span><br /><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:12;" ><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"></span></span></p></span>Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01376285056110838384noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5342260802645545203.post-82227306537871889982009-06-02T20:14:00.000-07:002009-07-13T22:25:36.297-07:00Menu Monday 06.01Here's what we have on the menu for the next 2 weeks. I'll also post our favorite recipe from my previous menu plan.<br /><br />Monday--leftover spaghetti & garlic bread<br />Tuesday--scrambled eggs, bacon, & cheesy grits<br />Wednesday--Chicken Noodle Casserole, french bread<br />Thursday--Beans & Cornbread with salad<br />Friday--Taco Melt with <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">refried</span> beans<br />Saturday--we have a wedding to attend that night<br />Sunday--Chicken Bacon Crescent Ring (potluck dinner for Bible study)<br />Monday--Broiled <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">tilapia</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">parmesan</span>, broccoli, stuffing<br />Tuesday--Santa Fe Chicken over rice with cheese<br />Wednesday--Chicken Spaghetti, salad<br />Thursday--leftovers<br />Friday-Sunday--out of town<br /><br />Our favorite meal from the previous menu plan was <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Crockpot</span> <span style="font-weight: bold;">Creamy Italian Chicken</span>. Not only do I love the simplicity & ability to cook it in the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">crockpot</span>--the flavor is <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">delish</span>!! Oh, how I love the sauce! We've served it many different ways--over rice, pasta, even biscuits. I normally remove the chicken breasts and shred them up and return to the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">crockpot</span> before serving. Here ya' go!<br /><br /><span><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span class="post">4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves </span><br /><span class="post">1 envelope <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">italian</span> salad dressing mix (I use the zesty <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">italian</span> mix)</span><br /><span class="post">1/4 cup water </span><br /><span class="post">1 package (8oz) cream cheese, softened (I use reduced fat)</span><br /><span class="post">1 can condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted </span><br /><span class="post">1 can (4 oz) mushroom stems and <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">pieces</span>, drained </span><br /><span class="post">hot cooked rice or noodles </span><br /><br /><span class="post">Place chicken in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">slowcooker</span>. Combine salad dressing mix and water; pour over chicken. cover and cook on low for 3 hours. In a small mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and soup <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">until</span> blended. Stir in mushrooms. Pour over chicken. Cook 1 hour longer or until chicken juices run clear. Serve over rice or noodles</span></span></span></span></span>Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01376285056110838384noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5342260802645545203.post-36931714950354481602009-06-01T21:03:00.000-07:002009-07-13T22:25:36.298-07:00Monday MondayA fresh start to a new week...<br /><br />This morning I attended training at the Watermelon Patch. I think I'll really enjoy working there--they have so many fun activities, events, and parties--from laser tag to "girls just want to have fun" to art & cooking, and many more! In fact, I have several business cards which I have been instructed to give out that entitle you to ONE FREE CLASS! Check out their <a href="http://www.thewmpatch.com">website </a>to see all the classes that are available. Leave me a comment and I'll be glad to get a card to you.<br /><br />After the training Mom, Mimi, Taylor, Ella, and I went to eat lunch at one of our favorite places--San Miguel. We all love <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Mexican</span> food--especially Mimi & Taylor. Two people who don't eat much but can really put away some chips, salsa, & tacos!! :) Taylor also loves the music there and was shaking her groove <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">thang</span> in our booth!! Oh, my sweet, quiet, & shy Taylor--what happened?!?! Well, she's still pretty sweet, but she has quite the energetic & funny personality now.<br /><br />Tonight I headed back to they gym after missing what seems like an entire month from working out. It was good to get back on the elliptical machine, but here it is nearing 11:30 and I'm still WIDE AWAKE! That's what happens when I don't get home from the gym until 9. <br /><br />Ella had 2 firsts today! I pulled out the doorway jumper that Taylor loved as a baby. Guess what..Ella loves it, too! She's always kicking her legs and seems really strong. She just grinned and smiled at <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Tay</span> and I when I put her in the jumper. I'm glad to have something I can put her in for a few minutes to keep her happy! After the jumper, I gave her a few bites of rice cereal. I think she loved it! She was starting to fuss since the jumper wore her out & she fell asleep shortly after that so she didn't eat much. But, we'll try again tomorrow. I'll take some pics and post them.<br /><br />Well, I guess I'll go lay down & hope that I fall asleep soon.<br />I hope everyone else had a great Monday!Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01376285056110838384noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5342260802645545203.post-20257747165110207152009-05-31T21:12:00.000-07:002009-07-13T22:24:32.931-07:00Our weekend...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgspFTu-p03PKs6euzc7aNuZWg2WkdsU2gK0m6KxOnwvK3tj5oRA6jmEcqtkx7P0yWsmG6O3Krx68K2tD4sGEEbuC_cCN-_Kdy8EvbG7CRYxMUPDtObScVvFedHSypMxOSZGiM3o3P0MsMn/s1600-h/tay05.28.09.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgspFTu-p03PKs6euzc7aNuZWg2WkdsU2gK0m6KxOnwvK3tj5oRA6jmEcqtkx7P0yWsmG6O3Krx68K2tD4sGEEbuC_cCN-_Kdy8EvbG7CRYxMUPDtObScVvFedHSypMxOSZGiM3o3P0MsMn/s320/tay05.28.09.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5342213188439324802" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpdYEu1bmanxwVOIEcJPIWLnBxvABD38KmRFujz6tmmH7VCY2rgM_GukFX-tlxWKQjncbucBNrY-V-6DndrnAe14Ls-NjJaNnMn6ojDaBMalWOL_l7BXdga6m5shVmzgwXOCU_kTU2Jxx4/s1600-h/mawmawpawpaw05.31.09.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpdYEu1bmanxwVOIEcJPIWLnBxvABD38KmRFujz6tmmH7VCY2rgM_GukFX-tlxWKQjncbucBNrY-V-6DndrnAe14Ls-NjJaNnMn6ojDaBMalWOL_l7BXdga6m5shVmzgwXOCU_kTU2Jxx4/s320/mawmawpawpaw05.31.09.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5342213041775857490" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwzuVPXw7_r59payY9C2mklU5R6zDeI4y8_-CiEeR4OPk4HHwkTuqzVRITxU02T9v9jsOkbHQaDA03vr92IAC86lcpGdb8iIJljHYFfgqsONKGBDn6ShCTnLaIha7JGYfDtLc3nqafdgEj/s1600-h/IMG_1583_0012_012.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwzuVPXw7_r59payY9C2mklU5R6zDeI4y8_-CiEeR4OPk4HHwkTuqzVRITxU02T9v9jsOkbHQaDA03vr92IAC86lcpGdb8iIJljHYFfgqsONKGBDn6ShCTnLaIha7JGYfDtLc3nqafdgEj/s320/IMG_1583_0012_012.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5342212838868659810" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtFPh1FfM_WDMQegM57ltl-AG2qf2QsWZe-WynmYneK3S61vLXCV3fL6zQHLePn6MN-RL2Z0BtQmzWJe49z6cmjz0ZzFPenK-MJcVfJau6cKC0OZgSNs7XWc0h_vRO9qWlxrw81kdejW_U/s1600-h/me&ella.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtFPh1FfM_WDMQegM57ltl-AG2qf2QsWZe-WynmYneK3S61vLXCV3fL6zQHLePn6MN-RL2Z0BtQmzWJe49z6cmjz0ZzFPenK-MJcVfJau6cKC0OZgSNs7XWc0h_vRO9qWlxrw81kdejW_U/s320/me&ella.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5342212591213535810" border="0" /></a><br /><br />We had a great weekend with some fabulous weather (finally!). We blew up Tay's swimming pool that Gran gave her for her birthday. She had a blast playing in it. I must admit that I splashed around in it a bit, too! Saturday morning it was so nice before it got too hot.<br /><br />Saturday afternoon I had a training for my new job. I'll be working a few hours a week at the Watermelon Patch! We've made a plan to go to Disney World in November 2010...it seems a long ways a way, but I know it will be here before you know it! Tay can hardly wait--she can name all the characters on Disney Playhouse. So, my bit of extra income from the Watermelon Patch will be just fun money and also go towards saving for our big vacation! Tay actually starts Summer Camp at the Watermelon Patch next Tuesday and I know she'll love it.<br /><br />We had a great morning at church. Bro. Fred preached on "Priorities"--God first, family second, work & other relationships are third. These are based upon God's law as stated in the 10 Commandments--1. have no other gods before me 2. honor thy father & mother, do not commit adultery 3. do not covet, do not steal (honesty & integrity are what God calls us to). It was a great message and something I will consider regarding all areas of my life and how things are prioritized.<br /><br />After church, Tay went with Scott to eat lunch at Gran's and Ella and I spent the afternoon at Mawmaw & Pawpaw's (with my parents & Mimi, too). My Pawpaw is doing so great after having surgery just 5 days ago--it's amazing! Between my Mimi, Mawmaw, & Pawpaw, I have the best grandparents! I think Tay & Ella are pretty lucky with such fabulous grandparents, too! :)<br /><br />I will include a few pics from the weekend. The first is a picture of Taylor with a really cute purse & matching hairbow from Gran. (By the way, Gran is selling these if you know of any girly girls that would like one! She has the purses & bows in different colors (the bows have 3 different color ribbons--Tay's is blue, pink, & yellow--it's hard to tell in the pic) and I can send more pics if interested. They are $8 for the pair.) The second is from lunch today at Mawmaw & Pawpaw's house. The third one is actually Ella sleeping when she about 3 weeks old. The final one is from yesterday as I watched Tay swim--see how much she's grown!!<br />I hope everyone has a great week!!<br /><br />Oh...one more thing, if you happen to read this before tomorrow (Monday, June 1st) at noon...head on over to Dori's <a href="http://yourwordislife.blogspot.com">blog </a>to register for a giveaway of Jennifer Rothschild's book <span style="font-weight: bold;">Self Talk, Soul Talk</span><span style="font-style: italic;">. </span>Just leave her a comment & let her know that I referred you there. I found Dori's site through her comment to a post at Beth Moore's blog. Dori seems to have a great blog titled "Your Word is Life to Me". Check it out! :) Maybe, you'll be a winner of the book!Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01376285056110838384noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5342260802645545203.post-81910199489415320892009-05-27T20:45:00.000-07:002009-05-27T20:48:52.111-07:00Bible study updateWe'll be beginning Beth Moore's newest Bible study on Esther--"It's tough being a woman". We'll start with the introduction video next Sunday night, June 7th, at 5:30 pm at my house. We'll have a potluck dinner for our first night, too. Go ahead and purchase your workbook by next Sunday night. You can pick them up at Lifeway Bookstore. I'm thrilled to be doing this study and am excited to get started. Please leave me a comment if you plan on joining the Bible study! :)Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01376285056110838384noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5342260802645545203.post-73645166969484931662009-05-27T20:41:00.001-07:002009-07-13T22:24:32.931-07:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPc30_tx3IZLCtmqLV-xLmQw6A8J87YftzxjeZRfYzd5I4k2GlZi9rhJYSVAAx3YByd5TBZco8dxcjFnOWT9oGziTTtQrxIXRnDuG3JUelEBkefrX35rBdPVRLjMQxR6I1Bz-7ifjnw3BV/s1600-h/tay052809.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPc30_tx3IZLCtmqLV-xLmQw6A8J87YftzxjeZRfYzd5I4k2GlZi9rhJYSVAAx3YByd5TBZco8dxcjFnOWT9oGziTTtQrxIXRnDuG3JUelEBkefrX35rBdPVRLjMQxR6I1Bz-7ifjnw3BV/s320/tay052809.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340715343050610306" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB4-wOGp35_6qmIz-vFGnFs-qamEbgCFrl5eAsYA6-gl8QAmJ3mNzlA81SxpbF24TcMIfZyevywuuWhzb4qqkd55TJ4BEq0AxJr4zi08h_bTFkh4H2lk75Pruvnagg0dGpfaIaI27Jo395/s1600-h/ella052809.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB4-wOGp35_6qmIz-vFGnFs-qamEbgCFrl5eAsYA6-gl8QAmJ3mNzlA81SxpbF24TcMIfZyevywuuWhzb4qqkd55TJ4BEq0AxJr4zi08h_bTFkh4H2lk75Pruvnagg0dGpfaIaI27Jo395/s320/ella052809.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340715063144820130" border="0" /></a><br />Some pics for my Mimi! (To be fair, I have to post a pic of both Tay & Ella...though, Tay looks like she has bunny teeth in her pic!)Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01376285056110838384noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5342260802645545203.post-42452698251154046302009-05-25T21:02:00.000-07:002009-05-25T21:17:11.677-07:00Checking in...Wow...who knew keeping up with a blog would be harder than I thought! Well, I'm back and just have a quick update before bed. We're all doing good around here. I can hardly believe Ella will be 4 months old next week. And, guess who's wearing 6-9 month jammies already! Yep, my cutie patootie Ella is growing at a rapid pace! :)<br /><br />We plan on having Ella and Taylor's pictures taken this week. Looking back at Tay's 3 months pictures, Ella and Tay really do look quite a good bit alike at this age. It's hard to remember Tay's personality at this age. But, Ella is a very smiley baby and loves to snuggle. She makes all sorts of sweet and funny coos and noises.<br /><br />We had a good Memorial Day weekend, but didn't get to do all the fun things we had planned because it rained off and on all weekend long. But, we grilled Saturday and today and had great food. I love the smell of the grill. Tay is getting good riding her new bike that she got for her birthday. She has a bit of difficulty with watching where she is going though because she is looking and concentrating on her feet so much! Unfortunately, we didn't get to blow up her new pool because of all of the rain.<br /><br />Tay has also learned how to push her step stool over to turn the light off & on in the bathroom. Yay! This is a big time accomplishment. It gives her a lot of independance which she loves. She really likes to do things by herself!!<br /><br />Tay LOVES going to Sunday School. It makes me so glad. She's come so far from screaming and crying when we drop her off to running down the hall when she sees her teacher waiting to greet her! Oh, I love it! She talks about Sunday School all week and is very quick to correct me when I slip up and mention church. She says, "No, Mommy! YOU go to <span style="font-style: italic;">church; </span>I go to <span style="font-style: italic;">Sunday School</span>!!"<br /><br />Ella still hasn't rolled over yet. I say it's because she never lays on the floor longer than a few minutes. This gal likes to be held...all.the.time.!! The batteries on her swing died (again!) this weekend. I thought "Oh, No!!" That's the only way I get a break from holding her during the day!!<br /><br />We're definitely hoping for better weather this week so we can spend some time outside. Whew, we've been cooped up in the house for too long! I hope everyone has a great week!Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01376285056110838384noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5342260802645545203.post-16555815370702591892009-05-18T11:30:00.000-07:002009-07-13T22:25:36.298-07:00Menu Plan Monday 05.18So, I took the week off last week from blogging. Sorry! Once I got so far behind in the week, I just figured I would start over today. Here's what we'll be having for the next 2 weeks. Again, if you see something you would like the recipe for, just leave me a message. And, you'll see some repeats from my previous menu because we didn't get around to cooking every night because of things that came up at the last minute. The beef, tomato, & cheddar mac was a HUGE hit with <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Tay</span>--she had THREE helpings the first night and asked for it for lunch the next day! So, I'll go ahead and post that recipe at the end of this post. It's so easy to change it up to with different type chopped tomatoes & shredded cheeses. I may do it <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">mexican</span> style next time with <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">rotel</span> and <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">monterrey</span> jack. Yum!<br /><br />Monday--Lemon Garlic <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Tilapia</span>, Mashed Potatoes, Mixed Vegetables<br />Tuesday--Homemade Pancakes, Sausage Patties, and Scrambled Eggs<br />Wednesday--Creamy Italian Chicken over <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Rotini</span> Pasta, Salad<br />Thursday--Chicken Pot Pie (I'll be making an extra to take to a friend), Crescent Rolls, and Chocolate Crinkle Cookies<br />Friday--Grilled Pork Chops, Baked Potato, Sweet Peas<br />Saturday--Beans and Cornbread (from Pioneer Woman's website)<br />Sunday--<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Quesadillas</span>, Chips & Salsa<br />Monday--Steak, French Fries, Salad<br />Tuesday--Chicken <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Fettuccine</span> Alfredo, Salad, Garlic Bread<br />Wednesday--Tacos, Spanish Rice, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Refried</span> Beans<br />Thursday--Creamy Chicken Noodle Bake, Banana Pudding<br />Friday--Buffalo Chicken Pizza<br />Saturday--out of town<br />Sunday--out of town<br /><br />Here's the Beef, Tomato, & Cheddar Mac recipe:<br /><span><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Tomato, Cheddar and Beef Macaroni<br /></span></strong>~*~Sandy~*~ from Babycenter.com's Cooking for Your Family Board<br /><br />1 lb ground beef<br />1 cup chopped onion<br />1 can (14.5-oz) diced tomatoes with basil, garlic and oregano<br />1 cup water<br />1 cup elbow macaroni<br />1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese<br /><br />Brown the ground beef with the onions, drain. Stir in the tomatoes, water, and macaroni. Cover and simmer 10 minutes or until tender; stir in cheese and serve.<br /><br />Variations:<br />- ground turkey, onion, plain diced tomatoes, chicken broth, whole wheat rotini, and Irish Cheddar cheese<br />- ground venison, plain tomatoes, smoked paprika, garlic</span>Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01376285056110838384noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5342260802645545203.post-63907461423665685632009-05-08T20:34:00.000-07:002009-05-08T20:53:10.341-07:00Favorite FridayI know I've been going on and on about how great Beth Moore's latest Bible study on Esther is. I've also been following her blog recently and it's great, too!<br /><br />For the past two weeks, her youngest daughter, Melissa, has been blogging while on a trip with Compassion to Calcutta, India. It has been absolutely amazing & eye-opening to read about her experience there. No lie...I've cried every single day I've read an entry she's written from India! It's just incredible to read about how the rest of the world lives while I feel bad for myself that I can't afford something as small as a pedicure or as big as a vacation or a new car. For goodness sakes, these people are starving, without power, without homes, and without knowing that someone loves them. It <span style="font-style: italic;">breaks </span>my heart. So, I encourage you to check out the <a href="http://www.livingproofministries.blogspot.com">Living Proof blog</a>. You'll have to go back just a little ways to start reading about Melissa's trip.<br /><br />You'll also find posts from Beth and her daughter Amanda. They are sometimes thought-provoking posts, but often they are just laugh out loud funny! I just love this family--they are so REAL!<br /><br />Anyhow, back to Melissa's trip with Compassion. Just this week, I was reading about Melissa's final day in India and crying my eyes out! Taylor asked me why I was crying and I showed her the picture of the beautiful children Melissa met. I explained to her their situation and that these children needed help. Well, truth be told, I often feel bad for those left fortunate, but never act on it...never really do anything to help. But, this <span style="font-style: italic;">hit</span> me. That same day, as I was in another room I hear Taylor singing. As I near her, she is singing "Jesus loves the little children, all the little children of the world, Red & Yellow, Black & White, they are precious in His sight, Yes Jesus loves the little children of the world." Of course, I had to decipher a few of the words...but, you bet I got the message! Wow! We sing "Jesus love me" all the time, but I haven't sang this one to her in quite awhile. I was amazed at how God speaks through my own child...right then, I took <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Tay</span> to the computer and we picked out a child from Compassion's <a href="http://www.compassion.com">website</a>. We are now sponsoring a beautiful little 5 year old girl, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Maher</span>, from India. I anxiously check the mail each day waiting on my packet from Compassion with more information about her. I can't wait to mail her a letter. What a <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">privilege</span>!<br /><br />Seriously, I am tearing up now as I type just thinking of them. Here's an excerpt from her last entry. If you don't feel compelled to sponsor a child, simply pray for them.<br /><br /><div>From Melissa:<br />After playing with our children for about an hour or so, I realized that our leaders were signaling some message to us. Our time was coming to an end. We had been so busy anticipating meeting our sponsor children that for some reason we hadn't even thought about the reality of having to say good-bye to them. As we hugged them good-bye for the last time my heart began to race and I noticed that <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Manot</span> urgently kept saying something, the same line, over and over again to me. So, I beckoned the translator and I said, "Can you translate what he is trying to tell me?" </div><!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=""><o:p>He is saying, <span style="font-weight: bold;">“Please pray for us.”</span></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=""><o:p>Seriously, can one heart take it? That’s what nine-year-old <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Manot</span> was trying to tell me.<span style=""> </span>After all the gifts I had brought him.<span style=""> </span>After all the food we had served him.<span style=""> </span>After all the fun we had.<span style=""> </span>This was his one urgent request:</o:p></span></p> <p style="font-weight: bold;" class="MsoNormal"><span style=""><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">“Please pray for us.”</span><span style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"> </span></span></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=""><o:p>I assured him through my tears that I would never ever stop praying for them.</o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=""><o:p>That was the last verbal exchange we had before we said good-bye with <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">oversized</span> lumps in our throats and then we waved and waved and waved.<span style=""> </span>I can’t count the times they looked back at me.<span style=""> </span>They hung out of the window of the van, and we blew about a million kisses back and forth.<span style=""> </span>As the van started to move, I felt my heart sink.</o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=""><o:p>Will I ever see them again? <span style=""> </span></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=""><o:p>Will they make it?<span style=""><br /></span></o:p></span></p>Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01376285056110838384noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5342260802645545203.post-71259236691332170072009-05-07T13:25:00.000-07:002009-05-07T13:33:14.166-07:00Bible StudySunday was our last week of studying Esther. Like I said last week, I've enjoyed it SO much! It's been quite awhile since a study has impacted me as much as this one has. The lessons were so practical and applicable. A few key points from it, I'm sure I'll remember always.<br /><br />I spoke with one of the co-facilitators of our study about getting a group of young women together this summer to do the study. So, I've already put a call in to the church office to get the DVD lessons from them. I'm so excited to get started again...I'm having withdrawals! <br /><br />I've spoken with a few friends who are interested in doing the study already. My hope is to start in June. So, if you are interested in doing the study with us, just leave me a comment! If you've never done one of Beth's studies, she can be in depth and there is a commitment to doing daily homework lessons--but, it is SO worth it!<br /><br />Be praying for a location for us to meet for Bible study. I have a few places to check out before we decide. <br /><br />Also, be praying about getting the word out for the study. The message of the Esther study is so great & I think that so many young women could really benefit from it. If you'd like to see what it is about, you can check it out at http://www.lifeway.com .Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01376285056110838384noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5342260802645545203.post-4034717028724092912009-05-07T13:22:00.000-07:002009-07-13T22:26:22.657-07:00Weight Loss Weigh InWell, I've only made it to the gym once so far this week. :( When I don't make it to workout, I automatically start feeling frumpy. It's amazing how exercise just makes you feel better about yourself whether you are losing weight or not. So, I hope to be able to go to the gym Fri. night & Sat. afternoon to make up for my lack of exercise this week. <br /><br />Strangely, I weighed at the gym on Monday & was down 5 lbs., but weighed today at Mom's house...and I was up 2 lbs.! So, who knows! I wouldn't doubt that I was up 2 lbs. after celebrating Tay's birthday for about a week! We had pizza, cake, & then a big lunch after Ella's dedication. I've been eating more than usual with all the celebrating!Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01376285056110838384noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5342260802645545203.post-59339141399444944662009-05-07T13:16:00.001-07:002009-07-13T22:24:32.934-07:00Pictures!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIWHe0iy7UJtl8EkLACKq4g2nfRFhZrM1PnQRHELH7cJtU4WJL9sFVugOjSoDcjVeJfLBJStvHWwCiTv9MBY5WxmHPJrQ_dn-x4yKEvCvABAo0-y6ArKPVXvbAnQmoyHkb9lbykTnP9u0k/s1600-h/tay+%26+ella.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIWHe0iy7UJtl8EkLACKq4g2nfRFhZrM1PnQRHELH7cJtU4WJL9sFVugOjSoDcjVeJfLBJStvHWwCiTv9MBY5WxmHPJrQ_dn-x4yKEvCvABAo0-y6ArKPVXvbAnQmoyHkb9lbykTnP9u0k/s320/tay+%26+ella.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5333178952274170322" border="0" /></a>"Best Friends Forever!"<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYDJH3VegKYPZQ2srSx0QQvYxKf_ChEOEj81-WSzhwLJJFfZekwHGilchLRnmQ8NJu7fPvnzvUaL79H92GR9louKqSd8ifF3m0JpEiyd_2JzlOFa3rNgmyisVwOi3SQE5OMkhBdAjrWR_X/s1600-h/ella+in+bumbo+05.04.09.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYDJH3VegKYPZQ2srSx0QQvYxKf_ChEOEj81-WSzhwLJJFfZekwHGilchLRnmQ8NJu7fPvnzvUaL79H92GR9louKqSd8ifF3m0JpEiyd_2JzlOFa3rNgmyisVwOi3SQE5OMkhBdAjrWR_X/s320/ella+in+bumbo+05.04.09.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5333178641991313522" border="0" /></a>Ella loves sitting up like a big girl in her Bumbo seat!!Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01376285056110838384noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5342260802645545203.post-38216026302951610502009-05-05T19:50:00.000-07:002009-07-13T22:24:32.935-07:00Toddler TuesdayWhew, we had a busy couple of days! <br /><br />Last Friday, we took a trip over to the Dauphin Island <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Estuarium</span>. We're so fortunate to live so close to beautiful sandy beaches, though we rarely go. I had connections through one of the great nurses I work with to get us a special tour! We went with a few friends from our playgroup and had a great time! The kids loved it. We saw fish, baby alligators, turtles, snakes, octopus, crab, frogs, and lizards. It was a great learning experience, too. The kids got to "pet" the snake, turtles, and crab. We also got to see many of the animals being fed, too. It was a great trip. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Tay</span> loved being outside there, too. The weather was beautiful and she definitely wants to go back to the beach sometime. For a day trip, Dauphin Island is a great place to go.<br /><br />Saturday was <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Tay's</span> birthday party at the Watermelon Patch. Oh, we had so much FUN! It made me so happy to see her so happy! Nana, Poppy, Mimi, and Gran were there. Aunt Ashley, Seth, and Cruz attended. Aunt Shelli came and brought Emma Kate and Hadley. From our playgroup, Miss Hannah came with Parker and Miss Julie brought Cole. The kids wore themselves out! :) I promise I'll get my pictures developed soon & will be able to post pictures.<br /><br />Sunday we had baby dedication at Luke 4:18 Fellowship. It was a very special morning. We were so honored to have <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Mawmaw</span>, Aunt Cheryl, and Uncle Harold drive over to celebrate with us. The poor <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">nursery</span> workers probably had their hands full with <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Tay</span>, Cruz, and Emma Kate all in there together! :) Mom & Dad, Ash & Seth, and Shelli & Mrs. Robinson attended church with us. There were 3 other babies dedicated in the service. Though Ella was the youngest, she certainly wasn't the smallest--love my chunky monkey! Ella did great and didn't fuss or cry at all during church. Afterwards, we had a delicious lunch at Mom's house. What a great day spent with family! I'm so thankful for them.<br /><br />We were exhausted yesterday after a weekend full of activities! So, we've taken it easy so far this week. Tomorrow, we'll be going to the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Exploreum</span> and have a <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">playdate</span> planned with a few friends on Friday. <br /><br />I'm really enjoying the time I have to spend at home with my girls and doing all sorts of fun activities together!Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01376285056110838384noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5342260802645545203.post-19848149917415655832009-05-04T20:39:00.000-07:002009-07-13T22:25:36.298-07:00Menu Monday 05.04In the past, I shared my weekly menu plan with you. Typically, I don't do it this way. I prefer to make my menus from paycheck to paycheck. This way, I spend all I need to in 1 trip with only an occasional trip back to the store for fruit, milk, bread, etc. So, here is our meal plan until next Friday. :)<br /><br />Monday--leftover rotisserie chicken & potato salad, with a garden salad<br />Tuesday--mini taco bowls with chips & salsa (for Cinco de Mayo!)<br />Wednesday--barbecue chicken in the crockpot with coleslaw and corn<br />Thursday--pancakes, sausage, and scrambled eggs<br />Friday--grilled pork chops, baked potato, sweet peas<br />Saturday--out to eat<br />Sunday--dinner at Shelli's for Mother's Day<br />Monday--hot dogs, french fries, coleslaw<br />Tuesday--beef, tomato, and cheddar macaroni with green beans and garlic bread<br />Wednesday--red beans & rice with sausage, corn bread<br />Thursday--beef stew with biscuits<br />Friday--lemon garlic tilapia, mashed potatoes, salad<br /><br />If you are interested in any of the recipes above, just leave me a comment! The lemon garlic tilapia will be a new recipe for us to try. The beef, tomato, & cheddar macaroni is a great kid-friendly meal that you can put together quickly and uses ingredients that I usually have on hand. And, I love the red beans & rice recipe--one of my favorites! I'd be glad to share if you'd like, it's just too time consuming to post the links for all of the recipes. Sorry! :)<br /><br />I can't wait to post tomorrow's "Toddler Tuesday". We had such a fun (but busy) weekend with Tay's 3rd birthday party & Ella's baby dedication at church. I'll try to post some pictures this week, too. I am AMAZED at how fast Ella is growing!Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01376285056110838384noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5342260802645545203.post-88218671149918612372009-04-29T20:15:00.000-07:002009-07-13T22:24:32.935-07:00another random post...!Too much to catch up on...<br /><br />Another busy week has gone by! Seriously, is Ella almost 3 months old & my first "baby" Tay is 3. I've actually been a bit sad over it the past few days. Wow; they're growing up so, so fast. Not that I want any more kids, for sure, but it makes me sad that I can't do it all over again. Oh, how I love my girls. They're my heart.<br /><br />Not much to post regarding this week's menus! It's been over a week since I've been to the store. But...here's what we'll be eating this week. Just leave me a comment if you want a recipe! I'm really not doing much cooking, actually!<br /><br />Monday--Chuck E. Cheese for Tay's birthday<br />Tuesday--Baked Spaghetti<br />Wednesday--leftovers!<br />Thursday--Chicken Dressing Bake<br />Friday--if Scott doesn't work in the yard, we'll grill thick cut pork chops marinated in Dale's (so yummy). If he does work in the yard...I'll have to think of something to cook inside!<br />Saturday--Tay's birthday party--we'll have pizza<br />Sunday--Ella's baby dedication lunch celebration--I'm making zesty barbecue chicken in the crockpot, coleslaw, chocolate chip pie, and banana pudding. Mom is doing baked beans & Mrs. Robinson will bring potato salad. Yummy, a good barbecue lunch! Poor Ella, she can't even enjoy it! :)<br /><br />Catching up with my girls...<br />The girls and I stayed busy over the weekend while Scott was in 'Tega. On Saturday, we tried out a ballet for tots class. To tell you the truth, it was very disappointing. I'm not sure we'll go back. We actually walked out in the middle of it. Then, we went to a birthday party for a sweet little boy from the class Taylor was in at daycare. The only unfortunate thing was that it was at a park...which typically is a fantastic thing! But, I had Ella with me & it was very hot. So, I couldn't juggle holding Ella in the heat & watching Tay play on the equipment. I feel so badly sometimes when I can't do what I used to with Tay because I have to hold and take care of Ella. For the most part, Tay does so well and is so patient with me and Ella.<br /><br />We had a huge day on Monday for Tay's 3rd birthday! It started with a trip to the Eastern Shore Center with Shelli & Emma Kate. We were so glad they came with us. Tay had a BLAST playing in the fountain!! I loved watching her. Then, we had lunch at Chic-fil-a and the girls played there, too. After a long afternoon nap, Gran picked us up & we celebrated again! We went to Chuck E. Cheese for dinner. What a day! Tay is so excited to be 3. :)<br /><br />Well, the weight loss has really stalled the past few weeks. Truthfully, I'm rather glad it's stall and not gone up! After all the celebrating, pizza and cake, etc....I'm surprised! Plus, I haven't been able to work out as often since we've had so much going on. I only have 3 more months until I return to work (wow!) and still hope to lose at least 15 lbs. by then so I really need to get moving.<br /><br />As for my Bible study, this is our last week of Beth Moore's Esther study. It is bittersweet. I have really, really loved it and am so sad for it to be over. What a journey. We started this study just 6 days after Ella was born. Two key points I will always remember from this study and wish for everyone to know for themselves: My God loves me. My God is GOOD. Just these 2 phrases have really changed my perspective. I'm so thankful. I hope to be able to share and do this study with a group again.<br /><br />To share a "favorite" this week, I want to point you to Beth Moore's blog at <a href="http://livingproofministries.blogspot.com">http://livingproofministries.blogspot.com</a>. This week, Beth's daughter Melissa, is in Calcutta with Compassion International and has been writing about some amazing things she's seen there. It has brought me to tears!<br /><br />Ok...well, what an assortment of things have been covered in this one post! The girls keep me so busy & I'm usually holding Ella. So, I thought I better get all my blogging in when I have the chance!Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01376285056110838384noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5342260802645545203.post-27798431329603235482009-04-23T20:45:00.000-07:002009-04-23T21:11:24.450-07:00Where did the week go?!?!Wow, I can't believe tomorrow is Friday...ALREADY! The first two days of this week were spent holding Ella for nearly 48 hours straight! I don't mind doing that typically, but I got absolutely nothing done for 2 whole days and felt like a complete couch potato. Mom & Dad were so great to watch the girls for us Saturday when we went to A-Day, but they said they had to hold Ella all day or else she fussed. This is not typical around here! She's normally totally content napping in her swing which gives me some free time. But...sure enough...I had to hold her A LOT the first few days of this week. (This also made blogging difficult (actually impossible!).<br /><br />When I went to the gym Wednesday night, it had been nearly a week since I had worked out. I was feeling totally frumpy & didn't want to weigh in but I remembered my commitment to do so on the blog. Thankfully, I hadn't gained any. Whew! I'm still feeling rather frumpy though since I haven't been able to work out as frequently this week.<br /><br />Tomorrow we are hosting a birthday playdate for Taylor! She wants a Mickey Mouse birthday party, so we'll get a Mickey Cake for her party at the Watermelon Patch next weekend...but, we're keeping this playdate simple. We'll be serving hot dogs, chips, and rice krispy treats (I'll stick a candle in one for her to blow out!). It will be a pink theme--pink plates, pink rice krispy treats made with strawberry marshmallows, tortilla chips with pink dip (salsa & sour cream mixed together) and I'll made a pink dipping sauce for the hot dogs (ketchup, mustard, & mayo mixed together). All this topped off with pink lemonade! The funny thing is...there will only be 1 other little girl from our playgroup attending...the rest of them are BOYS! Oops! :)<br /><br />We used our new Kirby vaccuum cleaner to shampoo the carpets tonight! It turned out really well considering how terrible our carpets looked!!<br /><br />After getting the abdormal results from Ella's newborn screen done in the hospital, we received a letter about 2 months ago saying they had collected "insufficient amount of blood was collected" for her repeat newborn screen done in the doctors office. I thought...you have to be kidding! After the situation with the cystic fibrosis testing, I surely thought we were done with the newborn screen. Well, here we are & Ella will be 3 months old next week. Yesterday, we got <span style="font-style: italic;">another</span> letter in the mail saying we needed to bring her in for the newborn screen for...you guessed it..."insufficient amount of blood was collected"! Oh, man! So, I guess I'll need to take her back for that again.<br /><br />Scott is leaving for Talladega at 6 in the morning. I don't like staying home alone, so the girls and I have a weekend slam-packed with activities!<br /><br />Mom and I are responsible for bringing refreshments to our Esther Bible study. We really went back and forth trying to decide on what to prepare. Mom is going to make a spinach salad with mandarin oranges, almonds, feta cheese, and poppy seed dressing and a fruit trifle. I'm sure both will be delish! I'm making a pasta salad and chocolate chip pie.<br /><br />We only have 2 more lessons of our study. I have enjoyed it so, so much. Along with the Ester study, I've been listening to Beth Moore's online study from the website I posted awhile back--http://www.oneplace.com. There are just so many things God is teaching me through both studies. This week, as I was listening online, Beth was teaching about holiness--that we are to be holy. God calls us to be holy. You might ask...how am <span style="font-style: italic;">I</span> supposed to be holy!? The only holiness within us comes from the Holy Spirit, nothing of ourselves. So, you must be filled with His Spirit. Another thing that hit me, I actually laughed out loud when I heard this, was that we are called to "other than this world"--set apart. She said we are called to be the "Others"! Now, if you're a fan of the show Lost, you might get a kick out of that like I did! I've really been praying about and thinking about what that means to be an "other". I've also been thinking about how I can best minister to others. I want everything I do, everything I say, and every way I behave to point to my Lord Jesus.<br /><br />Sorry this post was so random, there was just so much I missed out on writing about this week!<br /><br />I hope to be more consistent next week. I hope everyone has a great weekend! :)Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01376285056110838384noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5342260802645545203.post-70724607357445853902009-04-21T16:26:00.001-07:002009-07-13T22:26:07.191-07:00photo fun...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj47o9c8k0tCCJkBr-qYkSD3XNPiMl6sCKuie4g7IZVoK742nH9e5jUH1UYJIjl0IVPeGMkUIVLaHj508HgDc-nN4KQKOAZSBDq9yXaq3ifoJJEyTlV5tNwk6hg4gWORoAtFM3B4Xmicd7o/s1600-h/ella+and+tay.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj47o9c8k0tCCJkBr-qYkSD3XNPiMl6sCKuie4g7IZVoK742nH9e5jUH1UYJIjl0IVPeGMkUIVLaHj508HgDc-nN4KQKOAZSBDq9yXaq3ifoJJEyTlV5tNwk6hg4gWORoAtFM3B4Xmicd7o/s320/ella+and+tay.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5327366963911385090" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt060lIqmqWUHCKIy2UZnZ5ZYX3GuEKp5OETfeVI3jHx3R37VAMODHKz6mikFAvXUR1g64J-Ceeo9Pb8J1ax4vyPpJ2meVG6tfpvVBNoEXULKH4wKnAmlAYmi6Acm3AuurDv5i4eEKE49i/s1600-h/ella1.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt060lIqmqWUHCKIy2UZnZ5ZYX3GuEKp5OETfeVI3jHx3R37VAMODHKz6mikFAvXUR1g64J-Ceeo9Pb8J1ax4vyPpJ2meVG6tfpvVBNoEXULKH4wKnAmlAYmi6Acm3AuurDv5i4eEKE49i/s320/ella1.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5327366038772585762" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR6Hv5sbx4Q4U1zzic7b_A4jAItdiTIOSBiegTzUdX1hDsa9qf1DdHigyffAJabpR-JL4mbMPZGVCt5KD1XfoDZqWmdXUZRrptPU3WAn9JJaZuApZVrW6bk1B3fMci0mx6wtqx4m07o6Tv/s1600-h/a-day.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR6Hv5sbx4Q4U1zzic7b_A4jAItdiTIOSBiegTzUdX1hDsa9qf1DdHigyffAJabpR-JL4mbMPZGVCt5KD1XfoDZqWmdXUZRrptPU3WAn9JJaZuApZVrW6bk1B3fMci0mx6wtqx4m07o6Tv/s320/a-day.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5327342305851739218" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJggOeEqE2U8ci-H0CpxVvVkl89pnl5a3pLrn-K5U8SCEtu6ehFOT0WXPWhUgssEYYJhRvM-TJDTgeIR5-RN0Bqj4YWJrWV8tJy-bwBQGKpJKpEzjSjlf1Fnn8qafHt2jsHcHraTKO3yeO/s1600-h/mimi.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJggOeEqE2U8ci-H0CpxVvVkl89pnl5a3pLrn-K5U8SCEtu6ehFOT0WXPWhUgssEYYJhRvM-TJDTgeIR5-RN0Bqj4YWJrWV8tJy-bwBQGKpJKpEzjSjlf1Fnn8qafHt2jsHcHraTKO3yeO/s320/mimi.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5327290878453792818" border="0" /></a><br />A quick post for my Mimi because I promised! :) I'll post more later...I've held Ella for nearly 48 hours straight so I haven't been able to get much done around here!! She's been clingy, but I can't complain--she's a sweetie for the most part! (These photos are all taken with my camera phone, so please excuse the poor quality!)Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01376285056110838384noreply@blogger.com0