Words....

Sam is really starting to put together more and more sounds and saying new words. It is so sweet to hear. Our new favorite thing he does is fold his hands at prayer time and he very clearly says, "AAAAAMen." So far his words are: Dada, mama, Tata or nana (our sitter Natasha), dog, duck, brother and uh-oh. He is really comprehending a lot and it is so neat to see his mind at work and how in tune he is. He is just so much fun. We all are loving this stage.

Herbs...

I love to cook with fresh herbs! It is so nice to be making a recipe and be able to walk to your front porch to perk up the recipe. I have done herbs in pots and in the ground and I have had better luck in the pots. I did a total of 5 this year with one pot of cherry tomatoes too. I keep my eye open for recipes that have whatever I am growing too. Our favorite is to add fresh basil to our breakfast egg bake or rosemary on red potatoes. Amazing how much flavor something so small can add.

Spring project...

Trae has been wanting to do a side walkway for sometime. That particular side of the house connects to the opening of the gate, stores the trash cans and doesn't seem to get much sun so the grass doesn't flourish there. We needed a walkway that would make it easier to get around and also make it more visually appealing. Bill came and helped him one morning too. It took longer, cost more than planned but we do really like it and no more mud!

My Birthday evening!

Perfect day, perfect evening and amazing surprise blessings from the Lord! I am blessed beyond measure, I am 40 and driving to dinner to tonight my husband told me I was 40 and hip! I have spent the last couple of months updating my wardrobe and let me tell you it has been SO much fun!!!

Happy 40th birthday to me!

Today I turn 40! God is good, I am a very blessed woman and filled with His joy! Trae and I have a trip planned for next month to celebrate both our special birthdays. This week (in our house we stretch out our birthdays!) for me is one of basking in the love I have in my life and knowing how much my Heavenly Father loves me. I am blessed with amazing relationships and so grateful for each of them. 40 years for me is a time to self examine, embrace life, let go of the dead weight and things that don't work and live with no regrets! Actually most of those things are aspects of me that have been close to my heart for many years however a big milestone makes me ponder a bit more. I am filled with an immense amount of gratitude and my heart is full.

"God bless you and keep you,

God smile on you and gift you,

God look you full in the face

and make you prosper."

(Numbers 6:24-26, MSG)

Sweetness....

There are no words to describe who precious it is to see the love between your children. They made me years apart but there are hearts our very close and have always been connected.

Brothers....

Brothers are Forever

Brothers share a special bond,
Like blood, brotherhood,
It’s thicker than water.
Friends may come and go,
And relationships may drift apart,
But brothers are forever.
Though the sun may rise in the east,
And set in the west,
We will still be brothers.
Though the seasons may change,
Spring, summer, fall and winter;
We will still be brothers.
What God has ordained,
No man can change,
Brothers are forever.

-Alex Romano

Blurry but oh so fun!

Sam has found his groove and enjoy dancing often! Matter of fact any sign of music and he begins. It is so sweet. He has a truck that plays a song and does animal noises and he skips over those animal noises very quickly so that he can hear the song! I wish this was video because it was so sweet!

Andrew turns 18!

We celebrated Andrews birthday on Monday night and had a great evening. I fixed his favorite meal of barbecue chicken wings and tator tots. Andrew is not a cake lover and requested his favorite shortbread for his special dessert. We opened gifts, talked and played ping pong. Andrew brought his camera and took a bunch of pictures of Sam too. Photography is his new hobby and he has an amazing set up already! He has the expertise on the technology edge that I really lag behind on. I am happy for him to find something else that he really enjoys. Happy Birthday to my dear first born son! You are loved, celebrated, cherished and always in our hearts!

Easter fun....

Easter was a great day day! It was busy but full of good things. Church, family, yummy meal together, filled baskets and remembering why we celebrate this day.

Happy Easter

The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified his servant Jesus. You handed him over to be killed, and you disowned him before Pilate, though he had decided to let him go. You disowned the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a murderer be released to you. You killed the author of life, but God raised him from the dead. We are witnesses of this. Acts 3:13-15

Aroma....

I love to bake! My family loves to enjoy the result of my efforts. Baking for me is an escape and something that grows my creative side. Cooking in general does too but I cook daily and I bake weekly so it feels more like a special project than my regular cooking. This is our new chocolate chip cookie recipe. It was amazing and one I will make many more times. I cut the recipe in half and it still made a lot of cookies. For Easter I am making a lemon sandwich cookie that is amazing! I love to have a bit of a fruity citrus dessert for spring.

Ingredients

• 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 2 cups butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 2 (3.4 ounce) packages instant vanilla pudding mix
• 4 eggs
• 2 Tablespoons vanilla extract
• 4 cups semisweet chocolate chips
• 1/2tsp. salt
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 
  
• 
  

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Sift together the flour and baking soda, set aside.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar, and white sugar. Beat in the instant pudding mix until blended. Stir in the eggs and vanilla. Blend in the flour mixture. Finally, stir in the chocolate chips and nuts. Drop cookies by rounded spoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets.

Bake for 10 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven. Edges should be golden brown.

Yields: 6 dozen cookies

Books....

Books are a huge love of ours and our kids don't stand much of a chance of living life with out them. Sam enjoys them already and that brings great delight to us.

Leaders are readers. Charles Jones