summer's coming.

it's warm. sometimes hot. 

and the fountains are on at fairview. 

friday nights are the best out there.

these are some of my favorite pictures i take ALL year with my big girl camera. so i busted it out for some new pics. 

check out these four from last year. they've grown SO much.

 

and just for fun. here's the four of them from last year. awww.......

birthday weekend.

***all pictures via sarah avitua {photography}***

top five: take-to-a-friend meals.

one of my very favorite things to do is take meals to friends. ones that have just had a baby, of course, or those that have simply had a hard week. we were INCREDIBLY blessed during the campaign by some sweet friends who randomly brought us meals at different points. those special people who couldn't necessarily "do" anything but wanted to - and it blessed me to tears. sometimes it's those random texts from friends saying they're dropping something off for you that make all the difference. i think it's a baptist thing. taking food to others when you can't do anything else.

nevertheless - i have tried {and failed a LOT} to pay it forward. to be aware of people who this might bless. to think beyond myself. and i honestly LOVE to cook. and i don't get to so much right now - so any excuse is a good one to me. my goal going forward is to make this a part of my weekly routine. how hard is it to double a meal? {if you make PW's meatballs you don't even have to double it to have enough for your family & another family!}

i try to keep things simple. but cute. mexican food is always easy because a) we live in texas and who DOESN'T love mexican food and b) because it's easy to pair with chips/salsa/salad and you have a complete meal! tada!

1. my latest favorite thing to bring is this enchilada recipe from six sisters. i found it on pinterest and have made it several times. every time i take it to someone they ask for the recipe and i just send them to this website.

it smells up your refrigerator for DAYS. i like to use the fresh whole wheat tortillas from central market.  they're my favorite. {kroger has good ones too!}

2. PW's BBQ Meatballs: these are amazingly good & you will have enough for your family AND another family guaranteed! they take a bit more time to prepare but keep well if you make them ahead of time. they are easy to pair with mac & cheese {the kind i like in the blue box} and a salad. these are super kid friendly {as opposed to the enchiladas!} 

3. if you're looking for a delicious treat to add into your meal, i like these ooey gooey butter bars. i keep mine in the fridge so they "hold" better and i, personally, like them {even} better cold. 

 

(via paula deen)

4. another good treat is my aunt's chocolate chip pecan pie. {make sure they aren't allergic first!} it's simple & easy but super delish. bonus: there's nothing to steal before you take it to them! 

Ingredients:
1/2 c. flour
1 c. sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 stick margarine, softened
1 c. pecans (I used chopped)
1 c. chocolate chips (sometimes I put in more!)
1 pillsbury pie crust

Preheat oven to 325. Mix flour and sugar. Add eggs, vanilla and margarine. Mix well. Stir in pecans and chocolate chips. Pour into pie crust. Bake 45-55 minutes. Yummy!

5. finish it off: put a little sussy in the bag! i like handmade things so i tend to put some homemade burp cloths for baby gifts or a little print. if it's a girlfriend having a hard week sometimes i make a little mix cd {can you say high school?}. sometimes just a little note is all that makes it in the bag - and all they need. the paper grocery bags from central market, whole foods or trader joes make really good totes for meals. put it in a disposable foil casserole dish - one less thing for them to worry about.

i like to tie the bag off with a little bow at the top. if you're making the enchiladas, try making some fresh salsa and put it in a little mason jar, along with a bag of chips and a bagged salad. YES, i just said bagged salad. it's good - and easy.

it doesn't take much. those extra thoughts go a long way for those friends who are hurting, tired or just in need of a pick-me-up. trust me, i have experienced these special people and it has blessed me tremendously along the way. and you do NOT have to know someone well to know they're in need of a little blessing. they will NOT look at you like you are strange - i promise.

who can you bless this week? i have a sweet family in mind for myself. 

have a very happy monday!

hello, friday.

whew. 

i can't believe how incredibly FAST this week went.

two nugget's birthdays this week. the beautiful girl in between c. and b. turned SIX this week. cannot believe it. i remember holding her in the hospital. she is gorgeous. sporty. oh so kind to my kids. we love her. 

and then b. he turns FIVE on sunday. FIVE. and kindergarten roundup is next friday. WHAAAT? ever since he was born i've been waiting for the day for him to go to kindergarten. i struggled a bit with postpartum after i had him and the adjustment was hard. i remember sitting there counting down the {long} years until i'd be able to "be myself" again. my perspective was totally skewed, of course, but i have never dreaded the kindergarten years. partly because i think he can't wait to go, partly because i know he's ready. and i'm ready too. i think.

but let me tell y'all. when i saw that notice on the elementary school marquee, i all of a sudden became a blubbering idiot. i was in the car by myself and i called j. to tell him about how ridiculous it was that i all of a sudden am crying about this. he may or may not have gotten choked up too, i'll never tell you.

why is it that going to kindergarten brings out all sorts of emotions. when people tell me, "it goes by so fast!" i think, no it doesn't. i still don't think it's gone by fast - but how in the world is he old enough to go to school? and i think the part about us not necessarily knowing that we're going to be going to this elementary school {which is superior, by the way!} bothers me to no end.

i moved around a lot when i was little. i went to two elementary schools, two middle schools and then moved again before my freshman year in high school. and although i think it turned out okay and i have never thought i carry emotional "scars" from it, i also hate thinking about b. changing schools and starting over with making friends. it's me, not him. 

so.... as we approach five this weekend, i'm going to have to find a way to get him to understand we will not be attending kindergarten starting monday. we will not be riding a bus {probably never more than field trips, poor guy}. and i will be holding onto him a little tighter the next few months.

that's totally normal, right? 

happy weekend, y'all. 

backyard fun.

loading these pictures this morning made my heart happy.

just pure & simple joy. so innocent and free from any real worry of the world.

sure, their little 'sinful natures' are coming out in full force... but really, they know no true discontentment. they may have selfish hearts and may be a little strong willed, but they bounce back pretty quick. most of the time. i wish i could say that for myself.

sometimes i let my heart linger where it shouldn't. linger on things i don't have, or people i don't have, or places i don't have. and it proves fruitless. always. what's the point??

but our precious little ones, their hearts don't linger. yet. but they will one day. and i hope that i can teach mine how to look to the Lord to bless us... not for the world to bless us.

i pray for my kids. that they won't struggle with discontentment. or bitterness. or worry. truthfully, i don't want them to struggle with anything, but i know that's not reality. i see that b. is a people pleaser. i pray for him to be gentle & kind, but not to a fault. i see that lil' miss is a bit more independent. stubborn. but sweet when she wants to get her way. {is every girl like that?} i pray that she sees how to lean on the Lord for guidance.

but, for now, they will have fun. they will enjoy the world as they know it, and for that i'm grateful. i'm grateful for neighbors and friends who can enjoy some last minute bbq. i am thankful for a safe environment for my kids to live in and grow up. i am thankful for the freedom of religion, that we are not persecuted for living out our faith. but mostly, i'm thankful that the Lord has knocked me down build me up once again. for Him. not for me.

on terri.

***don't forget to enter the giveaway for the little apron! i'm going to "announce" winner tomorrow! yay for a prize on friday! head on over to the post to enter!***

i have a friend.

i've talked about her before.

she's very special to me. her's is a friendship that has been long and short all at the same time. long because she dated my little brother when we were in high school. long because she thought i hated her. long because she is two years younger than i and when i graduated i pretty much never saw her again. 

like ever.

but like i said, it's short too. short because when she found out she was going to have to have a c-section with her first cutie pie she emailed me. short because she had a boy too. short because we ended up having so much in common, after all of these years. short because some weeks i talk to her every day... and sometimes we go a month without actually talking. {and i miss her when that happens.}

because she lives away. she and her husband have made a poor life choice for the family & have decided to stay outside of texas. why would she do that? why oh why oh why oh why?  {she knows i'm just giving her a hard time, but in case YOU don't know that... i'm just giving her a hard time! promise!}

so... she had some complications last summer... which broke. my. heart. but it's all in God's plan. all of it. and she ended up getting pregnant with her second child, and i couldn't have been more thrilled. i even got to hang out with her and go shopping for a bit back in february. a rare treat for me!

but. 

she's one of those people. you know the ones.

the ones that don't find out what they're having. ***gasp!*** with all of the technology out there... why on EARTH would you know use it to find out??? "but we want to be surprised!!!" give it up, girlfriend. you can be surprised the day you find out! 

anyway, moving on. so, she had a precious baby on may 1st. i was so excited for her, glued to my phone that morning waiting to find out what she had. 

and she had a precious baby girl. {i KNEW it!} it kills me that i haven't been able to cuddle her yet, but i know i'll get my hands on her soon. some day real soon, right t.?

so... i had wanted badly to make her something. but - remember i had to wait until the baby was here. and then may was kinda insane.

so it was late. like a month or two late. 

but it all worked out.

and i think it all turned out precious! and it was made with love, for her sweet gradie. {and yes, i notice the year on it.... i have already changed it and will be sending her a new one, shortly!}

she needed some pink in that 'gender neutral' baby room of hers....! my sewing isn't the best... but i'm getting better... am thinking about attempting some SHORTS! woot woot!

 

love you, sweet gradie girl! cannot wait to meet you soon!