Emma's Hugs Spirit Night at Chick-fil-A

**Updated**

Thank you for coming out tonight and supporting Emma's Hugs! There was a packed house tonight. :) 

 

 

Hey y'all! Don't know what to make for dinner tonight? Well, don't make anything! Head over to Chick-fil-A in Baytown and eat some chikin'! We'll be there for Emma's Hugs from 5-8 tonight. Make sure to mention Emma's Hugs when placing your order so we can get 20% of the proceeds. Thanks so much! Have a great day!

Meatless Monday

 

Fall=Soup, right? Yesterday we had an awesome one. It's great if you're doing a meatless Monday...very filling! I love Italian spices and the aroma that fills the house when I cook with garlic. The recipe says cook for an hour or until beans are tender. You'll probably want to give a little more like two hours. Wish I liked to bake bread. It would have been scrumptous with this pasta and bean Italian soup. I love fall! :)

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Happy Fall Y'all!

Don't you just love fall...and winter, and summer, and spring?!? I have said God really knew what He was doing when He made the seasons. He knew we needed change. I LOVE the seasons, and I'm so ready for each one. I really love summer. I love the beach and the pool, and sweaty little heads running in and out of the house, and staying up late and sleeping in. I love the 4th of July, and bike rides, and strawberries and watermelon. Fall is awesome. Even though our leaves don't change all that much, there is still a bit of coolness in the air occasionally. At least it's not 97 degrees with a heat index of 110. The break from the sweltering heat is such a nice change. I love everything associated with fall...pumpkins, apples, scarecrows, hayrides, festivals, jackets, brisk mornings, and cool evenings, soup, and big piles of leaves. Winter is mild where we live, but I love the thought of snow covered earth, of stillness, branches thick with ice, sleigh rides, and snow skiing, hot chocolate or coffee by the fire, more soup, warm ovens and mittens. I love when we do get a cold snap, and our children are bundled in coats and scarves. I love walks in the cold mornings or evenings. I love lights on houses at Christmas time and the hope that comes with the celebration of Jesus' arrival. Spring is beautiful. My eyes always have to adjust to the bright green of the leaves on the trees. Flowers sprouting up from the ground are a reminder of the goodness of God and the gift of salvation we have with Jesus' death and resurrection. I love the pretty colors of spring. I love time spent outside, grilling and enjoying eating on the porch. I love the newness that comes with the season and the urge to clean and make things better. So, I am thankful for the change that comes with each season and the promises He gives. Nicole Nordeman's song, Every Season, is a beautiful reminder of God's glory in Summer, Fall, Winter and Spring.

Have a beautiful week!

Spuds

Wednesdays are our late nights. Carleigh has dance for two hours. Glad we could fill our bellies with these deeelicious Black Bean and Corn Stuffed Potatoes tonight when we got home. :)

They were a hit!

A food photographer I am not, but here they are in all their scrumptiliousness. Yummy and pretty healthy too. :)

There is only a little cheese on top of each spud. They're filled with black beans, corn, potatoes, and salsa...mmm!

What did you have for dinner?

Tea Party

A couple of weeks ago, our sweet friend, Lesley, had a tea party for her little doll's birthday. It was such a good time. The girls and I were invited, and we all got to go. Our other sweet friend, Shelly, took some pictures of all the fun...

In the kitchen

Carleigh found her way to the Food Network online the other day. She asked me if she could cook dinner. I love that. Well, today we finally made it to the store to buy the needed ingredients for her Chicken Zucchini Alfredo. It's probably a good thing we don't have cable or dish or whatever else there is available to watch TV. We have a Wii and Netflix, and we stream Netflix through our Wii to watch TV. It's a good thing we don't have traditional TV, because we would probably watch entirely too much Food Network, HGTV, and cartoons. I miss not watching football. I know we could get an antenna and connect it to our converter box. I've tried, and it just doesn't work very well. Did a mention our TV is pretty old...like real old? We were excited years ago when we bumped up to the 25" because we always had a 21" or 22"!! Our "new" one is probably 15 years old or more. TV is just not a big priority around here. I'm always shocked when we go somewhere or to some one's house and the TV is on. The commercials are quite appalling, and there is really not much on, even with 200 channels!

ANYway, I totally digressed. Carleigh found an awesome recipe online. It was such a special time going to the grocery store with her and letting her pick out the ingredients. I enjoyed our time in the kitchen. Everything was made from scratch. I love that she is excited about cooking. Last night she made cupcakes from scratch. Betty Crocker has her place. We did buy her icing, but there's something very cool about making your own cupcakes and alfredo sauce!

As much as I hate to see them grow up so quickly, I like this phase. She is learning so much and liking some of the same things I like. This summer she and Luke both shot up like rockets.
At 10 years old, Carleigh is 5 feet tall and wears my shoes! (I wear a 6 1/2, but that is beside the point. I didn't wear a 6 1/2 when I was 10!)

We ate dinner alfresco on the porch she arranged for us. She's such a sweet little hostess. :) Everyone loved the dinner, except my little Picky Eunice, Cora. Kelvin and I gave it an enthusiastic two thumbs up!

Recovery

Ugh! I cannot imagine going through the surgery my sister, and many others like her, endured. She had a double mastectomy and complete reconstruction on Tuesday. She was in surgery for nine hours! She wasn't doing so well the first day after surgery...go figure! I don't guess I would be doing very well the day after both my breasts were cut off, my stomach sliced open, muscles and tissue  removed and used to replace the cancer infested breasts, all while recovering from being under anesthesia for nine hours either! Oh boy! But yesterday, Wednesday, I went to visit, and she was much improved. She was just finishing up walking with the physical therapist, a feat which surprised her and me! I am so proud of her. She has a long road ahead of her with recovery and chemo, but she is going to take it one day at a time. That's all anyone can do. It's hard not to worry, but God doesn't want us to waste the energy. He says,

"Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you." 1 Peter 5:7
"Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?" Matthew 6:27

I wish I didn't struggle with worry. It is such a waste of energy. I am trying to give my worries to God and not take them back. Thank you for your prayer support for Cindy. She will need it even more in the coming days. Will you pray for her husband, John, and her children, Brett and Julia as well? Thank you so much!

And now for something sweet to brighten your Friday!

getting her toenails painted at the nail salon :)

Please join me

Will you please join me in praying for my younger sister? Please pray for Cindy's comfort, healing, and peace. On Tuesday, September 4, she is undergoing a 10 hour surgery to have a double mastectomy and reconstructive surgery. I know cancer knows no age limit, but she is only 36 years old! Thank you for praying and believing with me that God will heal her.  

 

"For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. In those days when you pray, I will listen. If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me. I will be found by you,” says the Lord. “I will end your captivity and restore your fortunes. I will gather you out of the nations where I sent you and will bring you home again to your own land.”