Have You Ever???

Have you ever seen anything cuter?



The.
End.









I love this boy!

Why I Cook...

I have not always "liked" cooking. Dinners were just ho-hum, nothing special. After years of just getting by, I realized that dinner on the table meant more. Now, it's my way of saying "Welcome Home" and "I thought about you today."

My family of 5 have very different tastes and somedays I can feel like a short order cook. I'm always looking for new recipes to try, hoping to find one that may actually please the majority. My husband is really honest, especially when it comes to food, so I would just make a mental note about what was a hit or miss. Life gets super busy and now I've taken to writing it down in a recipe binder. I keep a running list of "family favorites" and keep tabs on new recipes that made the cut too.

Where I find recipes...
Thank goodness for the internet! I'll start there and browse around some very reliable and tested blogs, recipe and tv show website.
Here's my favorites:
Full Bellies, Happy Kids Must try: Orange Chicken. not kidding around. try it. today. A little shout out to Sandra over there :)
Comfy in the Kitchen Must try: Cresent Chicken. made this last week, making it again tonight.
AllRecipes.com Great resource for finding great & rated recipes! i love how people comment and leave notes on what they tweaked.
The Pioneer Woman Can't leave out Ree! must try: Apple Dumplings. simply amazing. She's also getting her very own show on Food Network!!!
Food Network And you can't go wrong with Paula Deen on Food Network! Also a great site for searching and browsing through fun recipes.

Easy? What's That?

Does anything ever important really come easily? Sometimes you come to a moment in your life where a tough decision needs to be made--and guess who's the only one who can make it? YOU! We can make a hundred choices each day, but it's not until you take the cruise control off and realize what's the next crucial question that must be answered.

I'm a people pleaser by nature and serve my God by serving my family. It's a calling I (try to) answer daily, 24/7, 365. Just about every choice I make can effect or influence at least one of the people I live with- that's huge!

Most of the "calls" I make aren't life altering for us, but sometimes they can be. Hard choices are not taken lightly by me and I really prayerfully weigh all options. I will always do my very best to put the needs of the 4 people I share my life with first. I'm not perfect. I can't see the future, but I can live life knowing that my God is bigger than any issue or speed bump I may come across. He sees me through and shows me, ultimately, how things work for our good. Romans 8:28 is my safety blanket in moments of insecurity.


28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

Enough With the Heavy

To quote Renee Dwyer

"Enough with the heavy."

Summer starts tomorrow at noon!!! Woohoo! I spent rest time today coming up with 25 activities for the kids to do at home as soon as I hear the words "I'm bored."

So with that, here's my top 25:

Homemade Ice Cream in a Bag- as long as you make mommy some too ;)
here's the recipe:

What you'll need:
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1/2 cup milk or half & half
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla
• 6 tablespoons rock salt
• 1 pint-size plastic food storage bag (e.g., Ziploc)
• 1 gallon-size plastic food storage bag
• Ice cubes

How to make it:
1. Fill the large bag half full of ice, and add the rock salt. Seal the bag.
2. Put milk, vanilla, and sugar into the small bag, and seal it.
3. Place the small bag inside the large one, and seal it again carefully.
4. Shake until the mixture is ice cream, which takes about 5 minutes.
5. Wipe off the top of the small bag, then open it carefully. Enjoy!
Tips: A 1/2 cup milk will make about 1 scoop of ice cream, so double the recipe if you want more. But don't increase the proportions more that that -- a large amount might be too big for kids to pick-up because the ice itself is heavy.


Chalk Art

Play Card Games

Draw for art show

Bubbles

Read books

Practice singing

Picnic

Write a story

Watch a movie

Computer time

Write in your journal

Take a bath

Wii

Make paper airplanes & race them

Play in your room

Bouncy Castle

Clean your room

Play kickball outside

Slip n’ Slide

Play Frisbee outside

Listen for birds and guess what kind they are

Play Catch

Build a blanket tent in your room

Collect leaves and research what tree they are from

What home activities do you have planned for your summer vacation?

Reason, Season, Lifetime Friends

No one is perfect- especially me! I continue to learn and grow, so with that, I'm "speaking" to someone in particular. If you are reading this, I hope you are well. I'm writing this if I never get the chance to tell you.

I only wish you the very best in life. I'm protecting myself and my family from the emotional drama you brought to our life- probably without even knowing it. I've heard you've had a rocky start to a new beginning and I want you to know that I pray for you in your new life.

I've learned some people come into your life for a reason, season, or lifetime. Thank you for being there when we needed you and I did value our friendship very much. I will always be grateful for our time shared as friends. I'm sorry that I really don't understand what happened or what changed, but I've reconciled it and have moved forward. I will always wonder how you are and will ask about you.

I can only assume that things got in the way of us being friends and choices had to be made. That's life and we all live with the results of the choices we make.

We live in a small town, so I'm sure one day we'll run into each other. Wishing you all the best that life has to offer-
Sarah