Catching Up

Today is Sunday...a normally fast paced...church..home...spending time with Daniel and Laura day where we just go-go-go-go!!!  But I had to work this morning, which created an 8 hour hole that was filled with guests, cleaning, paperwork, and stolen bits of me time.  It was quite nice actually to be able to sit down and produce a well thought out plan for attacking the rest of the day and week.  I've managed to do a bible study, plan an approximate menu for next weeks dinners, and put together some photo collages which I will proudly display here. 

As you've noticed I've been on a little bit of a baking and cooking binge here lately.  Russ isn't complaining because he's missed my cooking here lately, and begrudgingly admitted... me too.  So with going back to days...YAY!!!!  I've been able to start cooking more and not just for me!!!  Of course...since I only snapped one photo of each meal that I'm highlighting, I threw in some more memorable moments of wine and whoppers, and Michigan Margarita...that margarita was soooo stout and not in an alcoholic way...I got acid reflux from the mix that night...but it sure did hit the spot!!!

These little and not so little girls are my heart and soul. Zoey and Punky are two completely different girls, but same in many ways.  Zoey and Punky both love to play.  But Punky loves to be outside and Zoey loves to be inside.  Punky sleeps with mommy and daddy but wishes she could sleep outside and Zoey sleeps outside, but wishes she could be with mommy and daddy.  They both love to pick on their older brother Brutus.  They both love to swim...Punky more than Zoey, but Zoey still loves to be in lakes and ponds.  Punky's loud, Zoey's soft.  Zoey's big and Punky's small. Punky loves her daddy more than me and Zoey loves me more than her daddy.  Brutus on the other hand, loves us both, but doesn't like anyone most of the time.  (Leave me alone growls or your playing too loudly is a staple in our home.) 

And next lastt...Roberta's Baby Shower.  I was asked to make the baby shower cake of a very old friend of mine that I hadn't seen in too many years.  In the process of this they invited me to the shower.  (I can hear my BF Tiffany telling me...Of course you'd be invited stupid..your her friend!)  But seriously folks...the last time I saw Roberta I was almost 14.  I'm super older than that now.  So it was great to be invited. 

So I grabbed my sister and a friend Kristen and we headed over the hill to NWA.  Ended up in Rogers at Roberta's sister's home and chit chatted a while before the shin dig started.  We played games, laughed really super hard, ate, had cake, won prizes, and visited some more.  You know the old saying that best friends are defined by not seeing each other for a million years but still being able to pick up right where you left off a million years ago??  That was exactly what it felt like to be with Gina, Melissa, Tiffany, and Roberta.  We all went to school together and hung out together.  My sister Amanda and Tiffany's sister Melissa are BFF's just like Tiff and I were.  Gina is one of our BFF's and Roberta is one of theirs.  After my sister and I moved away and Tiffany's sister moved out Roberta and Tiff got super super close.  There's always that petty jealousy when someone calls your BFF their BFF and you're like...nuh uh she was mine first...yea I always get that way and have to tell myself to quit being so vain.  I absolutely love my girls and am sooo glad to have them back in my life.

The last thing I wanted to share with you guys was a study we're doing in church.  Every Sunday for six weeks Pastor Barry from Mt. Olive Church (my church) will be discussing how to be a follower of Jesus...not just a fan.  A fan is defined as an enthusiastic admirer.  My eyes were opened last week when Pastor Barry basically described how I was going about my life in my faith as a fan.  HOLY COW!!!  I'm not a follower??  So they said join a small group...being back on days...YAY!!! allowed me to do just that.  I found an open small group that was doing the Not a Fan series.  And because these people are so nice they agreed to start all over.  Now mind you they would have been starting week 2, but they didn't have to start again, but they did.  Already in a week the changes in my daily life has been phenomenal.  I'm praying more, actively studying my followers journal (and keeping up with it!)  Russ and I have started praying together at night and last night he told me that he had been thinking about what I told him when I got back from Wednesday's meeting and it made sense to him.  So he prayed last night that we become followers of Jesus not just fans.  Now guys...whenever my husband prays period, I get choked up...but to hear him pray to God that we do something I have been earnestly praying about on my own, did me in...I didn't bawl hysterically...but I was close.  If I hadn't been so ding dang tired, I probably would have.  I definitely encourage you to check out Kyle Idleman's page here, (it's facebook)  and the Not A Fan website here.

Alright y'all...my hands are tired...this has taken just about all afternoon to do..so I'm checkin' out...I'm still gonna post the Pork Chop recipe and the Rice recipe...so keep checking back for that.