Tuesday Night Dinner

Today seemed a little off kilter. I started off my day with almost over sleeping and missing my first week of the new Bible study that we are doing at church. Zack had to get up REALLY early yesterday to go into work and change some things with the servers while the traffic was lowest on the websites. So, he decided to sleep in today...except that he failed to mention this to me and I typically use him as my alarm clock! So, I woke up this AM about 9:15 and realized that Zack was still sleeping...so, I asked him, "Zack, when are you supposed to be at work today?" ...he told me he was sleeping in, ..."oh, ok" So I laid my head back down for a minute and then jumped up realizing that I had Bible study at 9:30!! So, I threw on some clothes and ran out the door!!! Don't you hate that feeling?!

The Bible study was really good. So, I was glad that I decided not to forgo it this AM because I might be late.

After Bible study, I decided to go to Micheal's to see if I could find stuff to make a wreath...but I ended up just getting some paper to use for invitations to a shower...Where does time go?!?! It is already April and our friend Pam will be having her little one in a few short weeks and we have not even really started to plan her shower!!! Yikes...need to get on that! Anyway, I got some paper that I might use to make invitations for her shower. She is making it a little more difficult to come up with things for her shower. She and Cliff decided that they didn't want to find out what they are having (ok,...that's fine) and she is not decorating the nursery using any kind of theme (hmmmm...seriously?! lol)....so, we have a color scheme...we will have to see what we can do with that! :) nothing like a challenge huh!?!? lol!!!


Tonight for dinner I tried 2 new recipes: Parmesan Cornflake Chicken (I am apparently on a Parmesan cheese kick! lol) and Couscous with Mushrooms. I served them with a salad. They turned out to be pretty good! The chicken was really moist and flavorful. Zack and I both liked them. I did make some small changes to the recipes. I used chicken breasts instead of a cut up fryer...I just don't really like having to deal with fryers...don't know why...I also poured the left over butter (from the breading) over the top of the chicken before placing it in the oven....yum!

I also don't like canned mushrooms. So, for the mushroom couscous, I took fresh mushrooms and sauteed them with a little chicken stock and dale's sauce and mixed them in in place of the canned mushrooms. I think that this would be a meal that I would make again. It was pretty simple to make and had really good flavor.

He is!

Today we started a new four week Beth Moore Study. It is a little different than normal. It is a video series that she did and so, there is no homework to go along with it! It is kinda nice to not have homework to do every week, but this weeks video was PACKED and I sort of wish that we were going to dive into it a little more during the week!!! I feel like I need to watch it again just to soak it all in!

It was really good and I thought that I would share some of it with y'all!! Beth has a way of taking scripture and making it so much more real...and she brings the history to life to make it so much more meaningful! Things that I have read for years taking at face value have new breath breathed into them and become so much more...

Anyway...

Beth started out by reading Hebrews 11:6 in the NIV

"And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him. "

Beth posed the question, Is it true that all that we need to do to bring pleasure to God is to believe that He exists? She suggested that there is much more to it than that!

She then reread the same verse in the NKJ (amazing how differently things read from one version to the next)

"But without faith it is impossible to please Him: for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him. "

hmmm...what does that mean ....who is God...this just says to believe that "He is".

Beth used Exodus 3:13-15 as our one stop shop for Who God is. I AM THAT I AM

The Hebrew translation of I AM is Hayah and means; to exist, to become, to come to pass, to be done, to happen, to be finished.

I thought that this was pretty cool. When God was telling them that He is I AM...it encompassed so much more than I would have thought. By calling Himself I Am, He was saying I exist or I am, I have always been or I was, and I will be...Crazy! One simple statement could encompass all of that!

Beth then referenced Revelations 1:8 ' "I am the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End," says the Lord, "who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty." ' ...The I AM :)

The Jews will not pronounce the name of God or Yahweh. They replace it with Adonai...and over the years scholars have begun using Jehovah , which corresponds to "I Am that I Am"

Beth stated that there is a contraction for Jehovah...it is simply Jah...and corresponds to I AM or He is ...because as Beth said...when we say it we don't say I Am, but He is...because We're not! :)

He is....all that we need!

She then gave us a small grammar lesson.
1st person: I am (this is God)
2nd person: You are
3rd person: He is
foolish person: No, I am.

God should be the first person, not us...but we must make sure that we have both a 2nd and 3rd person relationship with Him. We need to have a personal relationship with Him (2nd person) and our lives needs to make the statement "He is" 3rd person. Our lives are most effective to give God the glory when we have a balance of 2nd and 3rd person. Beth stated that some people have only a 2nd person relationship...because well, this is my faith..and it's private...they never share what God is doing in their lives personally. While others have been SO busy showing that "He is" that they have neglected the person relationship with God and are now just using empty words and actions...thus making an act of sharing who God is more about what they are doing for God than about WHO He is.

The rest of the video was based out of Isaiah 26:3-8

She made the point that ...the point is that God uses our lives to show others that "He is."

WOW...I am going to have to sit and ruminate on all of this for a while!!!

Deals, Puppies and Cookies

Today, I did something that I had told myself that I would never do! I bought shoes from our thrift store! I know I know...inside you are cringing just thinking about it!!! I know, I lost my mind in a moment of insanity. I have been looking for some new brown shoes for a while now and these were just so cute, looked practically unworn, and they were my size!!! So, I broke down and bought them...I got them home and took the Lysol to them as though I worked in a skating rink or bowling alley...I feel much better now!


I mean...they were $1.99....It was a deal that I just couldn't pass up!

and I think that they are cute!!

Tonight we had small group at our house for the last time for a couple of months (since our month is drawing to a close). We had a couple visitors there tonight, Jessica and her puppy Parker. Jessica used to go to our church and she and her husband now live in Arkansas. She is in town for a short visit and stopped by with her puppy to say "hi" tonight.

Can I just say that I love this dog. She is SOOOO cute! She is a Maltese/Yorkie mix and is called a Morkie. She is TINY!!! And, she probably will only get about 1 - 2 pounds bigger! :) I want one!!! She is SO sweet! Jessica takes this puppy with her every where; Church, restaurants, shopping...but can you blame her?! Just look at that sweet face!!! :)

ugh!!! So stinking cute!
no animals were harmed in the making of these pictures! lol...
Parker was play fighting with Jessica's hand!

I also tried a new recipe tonight. I found these fun looking cookies at Kraft and I thought that they would be fun to try. We haven't really tasted them yet, because I had to let them chill. But they look yummy. Here is the recipe!

Chips Ahoy Cheesecake Sandwiches

4 oz. (1/2 of 8-oz. pkg.) Cream Cheese, softened

2 Tbsp. sugar

1 cup thawed Whipped Topping

20 CHIPS AHOY! Cookies

1 tub (7 oz.) BAKER'S Milk Chocolate Dipping Chocolate, melted

BEAT cream cheese and sugar with mixer until well blended. Stir in COOL WHIP.

COVER bottom (flat) side of each of 10 cookies with about 2 Tbsp. cream cheese mixture; top each with second cookie to form sandwich. Dip half of each sandwich in chocolate; gently shake off excess chocolate. Place in single layer in airtight container.

FREEZE 3 hours or until firm.

Sunday Dinner

Zack and I had a lazy Sunday today. We went to church this A.M. and then just hung out around the house. I try 2 new recipes today; Crispy Herb-coated pork chops and orange glazed broccoli. They both turned out really well and Zack even said that the broccoli was "good"! Hard to believe I know! I think that vegetables are starting to grow on him...although he denies this. :) One ingredient in the breading for the pork chops was instant potato flakes...It only called for part of the packet. So, I used the rest to make mashed potatoes...definitely a reminder to me why I don't like instant mashed potatoes!!!

I hope that you all had great weekends!

Rainy Day Blues

I just finished this little dress. I have been seeing little dresses similar to this one and thought that they looked so cute. So, I decided to make one. I sat down this week and brainstormed about how to make this little dress. I cut out all of the pieces and I finally finished it (well, all but buttons). I am thinking about adding a little fabric flower at the waist band...haven't decided yet.

Marriage Enrichment Friday

Last night, Zack and I attended a marriage enrichment evening that was being hosted by a local Christian School.
This was the only picture that I could get of us all night, because Zack was embarrassed...can you imagine that? :) lol. He said that people were going to think that we didn't get out much and that this was some HUGE special occasion! haha! ...maybe it was!

The first 30-45 minutes was spent in fellowship and sharing some finger foods. Then, the couple leading got up and talked about laughter in marriage. They were stating how important this is...and how sometime, you have to make a conscious choice to laugh at a situation.

They then described what healthy laughter in marriage is.

1. Laughter can diffuse tense moments
2. Laughter creates memories
3. Laughter is alluring


And what laughter should not be in marriage

1. Laughter is NOT sarcastic
2. Laughter is NOT offensive
3 Laughter does not belittle or humiliate

They then gave some examples/suggestions of ways to laugh.

1. Laugh at yourself
Try to make a list of your top 10 funniest moments

2. Laugh with others
Go to opening night of a funny movie, or have friends over for a time of fellowship

3. Laugh alone
Try visiting hallmark (for Zack this would be watching "just for laughs" have y'all ever seen that show? I have NEVER heard Zack laugh like he does while watching that show!! :)

4. Laugh until it hurts
Spend time with friends that you can laugh with.

On each of the tables, they had placed pieces of paper with questions on them for us to discuss.

What is one of the most funny or embarrassing things that has happened to us - a time when we really laughed. (Maybe we laughed later!)? When dating? When Married ?

photo from www.versacart.com

During our first year of marriage, Zack and I lived in Mobile, Alabama, and we survived 3 hurricanes; Ivan, Dennis, and Katrina. During the days leading up to hurricane Dennis, Zack and I decided to try to do more to prepare our ground level apartment for the impending onslaught of wind and rain that was forcasted to come our way. So, we went to Home Depot to get some plywood. Of course, Zack and I did not own a truck of any kind or a vehicle that would allow us to transport said wood to our apartment, we were just going to rely on the humanity of others...surely SOMEONE would be willing to help us out during this time of crisis...isn't that what happens? Don't communities come together and help each other out during a crisis?! Apparently not in Mobile, Alabama...after unsuccessfully trying to get a couple people with there big Dooley trucks to take our wood the mere 1/2 mile to our apartment, Zack and I got discouraged and decided to take matters into our own hands....So, we began pushing the VERY awkward lumber cart down the sidewalk toward our apartment all the while laughing our heads off...I can see the headlines now...

"Desperate couple arrested for stealing lumber cart from Home Depot"

I was hiding more than helping probably and I could have died when the cop drove right past us. We were able to get the wood home and then you will be happy to know that we then returned the cart...I'm not sure which trip was more embarrassing...the one to our apartment with cart full of wood or our empty return trip!!!

What was the funniest or most embarrassing part of your wedding day? Honeymoon?

Wedding Day
The most embarrassing part of our wedding for me was when my cousins pulled me aside at the reception and jokingly asked, "Paula, is there something that we should know about?" I looked at them completely bewildered as to what they might be alluding to until they pointed toward the gift table...there in a HUGE unwrapped box was a baby jogger stroller...those darn cross country runners!!! It is tradition to that the runners give each other strange or embarrassing gifts. A door, A large cart, an antique claw foot tub...and we were the lucky recipients of a baby jogger...I guess that it could have been worse...they had wanted to get us a urinal! Seriously?!?! The baby jogger was embarrassing enough...thank goodness our friends and family know Zack and I well enough not to really question our moral standards! Sheesh! :)

Honeymoon

Our honeymoon was kinda a disaster...which thankfully we were able to laugh about then...and still today. Zack had planned out our whole trip, we were going to be going to Jackson Hole and spending time in the Grand Tetons! Yea!!! How fun! Well, at the last minute, some requirements got changed at school and I had to be back 2 days before I was originally supposed to be. I was REALLY frustrated with this, because I had cleared Zack and I's honeymoon trip with the administrator of the program and the clinical coordinator. So, long story short, Zack ended up having to completely change plans. We ended up going to the Poconos...hmmm...yea. So, Zack had scoured the Internet looking for hotels and things to do. He ended up booking a hotel that had gotten a lot of good online reviews and that from the pictures, looked really nice.

Can you say FALSE ADVERTISING?!?!

When we got to our hotel we had 2 choices. 1 we could get upset and allow the state of our room to ruin our honeymoon...or 2 we could laugh....thankfully, we chose the later option. There was a Jacuzzi in our room....romantic right...ummm, yea, right until we saw the mildew growing on the ceiling and felt the dampness of the sheets. There was also a crack under the bathroom door large enough for a small child to crawl under! I could deal with most of it, but I could not deal with the soggy sheet! eeew! So, I made Zack go with me to Wal-mart and we purchased a set of sheets for the bed! .eeeew!!! Seriously?!?!

problem solved!

We forgot one day to take our new dry sheets off of the bed...so, when we returned from our days activities, we returned to soggy sheets yet again...so, we improvised. We placed the sheets into the rental car, turned the heater on full blast, and left them in the car for a few minutes! Yea!!! Dry sheets!

our mobile drier

I think what makes this memory even funnier to me is that on our first anniversary, Zack and I went to Fort Walton Beach. When we got to our hotel, we headed up to our room...when we got to the floor that our room was supposed to be on, we were greeted by a hall way that looked like a construction zone. there was no carpet on the floors and the doors had paper on them to denote room numbers...I turned to Zack and said..."are you sure that we are supposed to be up here?"

Zack nervously stated the affirmative. We reached our room and opened the door...Zack let out a sigh of relief. The room was beautiful. The hotel had suffered a lot of damage from all of the hurricanes that year and they were in the process of remodeling! haha...poor Zack...he thought that he had struck out 2 years in a row!

What is your favorite "funny" movie scene?

ok, I don't know that this is my FAVORITE funny movie scene, but this is one that has recently made me laugh!

She Loves Me

I told Zack that when we have kids that he needs to sing this to me everyday of my pregnancy!! Haha!!

What is the strangest thing that you ever brought home when you were a kid?

A cane toad on a log (Reuters: David Gray)

I think that the strangest thing that I ever brought home as a kid was toads in my pockets...Isn't this little guy cute?! lol!!

Please leave me comments with your favorite funny moment...or an answer to one of these questions! I SO need a laugh today...and I would love to laugh with you!! :)

Adventures in Gardening

I have to admit to you that I was not blessed with the gardening genes that my Aunts all have. They amaze me with their BEAUTIFUL gardens. I take more after my mother who is a self proclaimed killer of all things green! lol!! I have tried a couple of times to grow things in my home...there are a couple scraggly survivors...

Exhibit A:



Exhibit B:

hmmm....looking pretty rough!

So, after witnessing the tortured state of my current plants, you can imagine that I was a little hesitant to attempt to grow something else...but the packets ASSURE me that they are guaranteed to grow...Besides, I thought that it would be nice to grow some of my own fresh herbs for cooking! You know join that whole "go green" thing! haha! We shall see!

So this A.M. I gathered my potting supplies:

cute little galvanized buckets (leftover from a previous gardening experiment gone bad! Ivy!)
potting soil
gardening gloves (to make myself feel more official)
garden trowel
seed packets
rocks

It is important that despite your gardening skill (or lack there of) that you make sure your gloves are good and dirty.

Also, because I was going to be potting herbs in identical pots, and it would be impossible to tell who was who until (miracle upon miracle) they happen to sprout into little plants. I labeled them.

Craft paper
herb names printed on printer paper
double sided tape
scissors

Once I had all of my supplies together "grow green 2009" started. I placed some rocks in the bottom of each little tin and then covered them with potting soil. I adhered the labels to the pots, and I then placed the seeds into the soil at their desired depth, watered them and placed them in the window to GROW!!! :) I guess that even if nothing ends up growing in them that at least I will have the comfort of them looking cute! :) haha

aren't they cute?

pray for them!

Thursday night dinner and a recipe for One Pan Roast Pork with Parmesan Fries

Since we ended our Daniel fast this a.m., Zack and I were allowed to eat meat again! Yea!!! So, for dinner tonight, we had Saucy Parmesan Chicken. It was really moist and had really good flavor, but it was unlike any Parmesan Chicken that I have ever made or tasted. Number one, it was not breaded and number two, it has curry powder in it. I think that Saucy Curry Chicken would be a better name for the recipe....but it was good either way!

It has been a while since I shared a recipe. So, I thought that I would share a recipe that is kinda a go to for us when we need something and I don't feel like digging through cookbooks to find a new recipe to make. (sorry no picture). I think that I originally got this recipe from Kraft. It is for One Pan Roast Pork with Parmesan Fries. (Sometimes I make just the pork and pair it with different sides...but it is SO easy and has good flavor).

One Pan Roast Pork with Parmesan Fries

1 egg white, lightly beaten

1/4 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese

1 tsp. garlic salt, divided

1-1/4 lb. Yukon gold or russet potatoes (about 4), cut into thin wedges

1 pork tenderloin (1 lb.)

2 Tbsp. Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing

1 Tbsp. honey

HEAT oven to 425ºF.

MIX egg white, cheese and 3/4 tsp. garlic salt in large bowl. Add potatoes; toss to coat. Spread onto large greased baking sheet.

BAKE 15 min. Add meat to baking sheet with potatoes; sprinkle with remaining garlic salt. Bake 20 min.

MIX dressing and honey; brush onto meat. Bake 10 to 15 min. or until meat is done (160ºF) and potatoes are tender, brushing meat occasionally with any remaining dressing mixture.

*I normally rub the garlic salt onto the pork tenderloin before putting it in the oven (I probably use more that 1/4 a tsp). I also baste the meat about every 5 minutes until the honey/balsamic vinaigrette mixture is gone. This recipe will work with other types of vinaigrette dressings as well! I think that my mom made it using raspberry vinaigrette dressing once and it tasted good too.

Thankful Thursday

I was reading my friend Andrea's blog today, and she inspired me to take some time to write about things that I am thankful for. It seems like in today's society with the economy being what it is that all we hear about is the negative! How bad things are and how many people lost there jobs! It is SOOOO depressing! How about a little positive thought people!

So, I am going to blog about a few things that I am thankful for!

1. My Man


Ya'll, I have a GOOD one! I couldn't ask for a better husband! He has been SO supportive and patient with me as I have been struggling to figure out what my next step should be! (I would really covet your prayers on this one!!) He is always committed to finding ways to improve our marriage and he is very thoughtful most of the time! ...come on people, he's not perfect!!! ...but he is one GOOD man! :)

2. A good deal

I mean, who doesn't love a good deal?! :)

Today, after being inspired by seeing so many GREAT finds that other people have had by shopping at Thrift stores, I decided to go look at our local Thrift store. I was a little disappointed and at one time a little frightened for my safety by some woman (more on that in a minute!) I live in a small town and so I guess that I shouldn't expect to find great things at our thrift store every time that I go. I did end up getting a long sleeve button up Express Men's shirt for Zack and I found myself a corduroy Jacket from Anne Taylor Loft. I got both for under 7 dollars...can't really beat that! :) They just need to be washed and then I can put them in our closets to be worn!! Yay, "new" clothes!!! Won't We look snazzy in these duds! lol!


Ok, back to the crazy lady! I was perusing the thrift stores selection of jeans when I started hearing a ruckus off to my left. I couldn't help but notice that there was a middle aged woman yelling at and berating one of the store workers. She was furious and was telling him that she was going to march herself right downtown to complain to the mayor about the treatment that she was receiving there at the thrift store. The poor man tried unsuccessfully to get the woman to settle down and told her that since they had had issues with people going into the bathrooms and stealing clothing by stuffing them under their clothes, that they had had to close the restrooms to the public. I had seen this same indignant women march herself right past the large signs stating the same thing...not to mention the rope hung across the door way...seriously?!? I have very little sympathy for her getting called out on it! Who does she think that she is!? :) Personal friend of our mayor apparently! lol. She made such a big scene! I hope that she thoroughly embarrassed herself...because I was embarrassed for her poor husband!

3. Fun Surprises -

Ok, so this isn't exactly a "fun surprise," but I just had to share this with ya'll!

Today when I got home from my thrift extravaganza, (I call it that, but we only have one thrift store that I know of! haha) I had just closed the garage door and was in the garage about to open my house door when I saw this!!!

The Lizard King!

After screaming...I realized that it was not some crazy attack rodent, it was just a little (well, kinda big) lizard. So, I laughed at myself for my reaction and then did what any sane person would do, I "sneaked" past the lizard king into my house...praying he wouldn't follow me...and I ran to get my camera! haha! He then jumped from the wall onto a little shelf that we have sitting there by the door...into a box of latex gloves (yes, I have them everywhere! lol) So, seeing my opportunity, I quickly hit the button to open the garage door and grabbed the dust pan that conveniently was sitting there...and I proceeded to cover the box (the opening of which the lizard king was peering out of at me) and picked the box up to move him outside...I realize now that had I thought this through, I would have used the bottom of the dust pan to cover the hole of the box more securely....but who is thinking rationally when the lizard king is sitting there looking at them with his beady little eye...He started to launch himself out of his hiding place...I then screamed and dropped the box...which thankfully was outside by that time. I got a pretty good laugh at myself, and the Lizard King looks much happier in his new home! I decided that I better let the lizard king know that he was not welcomed back into our garage and asked him to please tell all of his relatives the same!

4. Food/Recipes

Ya'll already knew that from my ridiculous obsession of taking pictures of meals! lol!!

I am thankful that we have successfully completed the three day Daniel fast that we have been doing as a church body, and that I can now eat whatever I want....don't get me wrong, I love me some fruit and veggies, but I think that this fast was harder than any fast that I have ever done! I have never been so hungry or so obsessed with food in all my life...all I could do, it seemed, for the last three days was think about food! I don't think that it helped that I had some mint oreo truffles staring me in the face every time that I opened my refrigerator!!!

Despite my obsessing about food all week, I was able to take extra time and spend it in God's word and the fast did serve as a reminder to seek God through prayer throughout my day. I think that it served to prepare my heart for our churches upcoming 21 day fast...now I just have to figure out what I plan to give up for 21 days.

I LOVE recipes! I Love love love them! They are so fun and I love finding new and yummy ones! I love to look through magazines, cookbooks, and the internet to find them. So, if ya'll have some favorites that you love, I would SO love to try them out! ...please do share! I am trying to build up my recipe collection.

I had been thinking the other day that I haven't posted any new recipes on here in a while. I will have to get on that! :)

5. Loving family and friends

Zack and I have been SO blessed by our family and friends! I do not have enough words to express how thankful Zack and I are for the people that God has placed in our lives. We have two of the most loving and supportive families, and our friends have been such a HUGE blessing throughout our lives! We have enjoyed experiencing life with them...these are the people who have shaped and continue to shape our lives! I cannot imagine life without them!! ...I couldn't possibly put pictures of all of them up here, but I posted a few...If you aren't in one of them...I am sorry, we do love you...but to find pictures with each one of you in them would take me HOURS!...so please forgive me! I am just getting them from the limited supply that I have saved to my computer hard drive!

Some of Zack's family

some of my family.

Lifetime friends...

sharing moments together...


Still today!

College friends!

and roomies!

and friends of friends that have become dear!

Sisters!!!

..and lets not forget the runners!

..and their "wacky" ways! haha!

Dear PA friends.

God continues to bless us with new godly friends!!!!

Some that we are only with for a short time...

and some that we live life with on a weekly basis

But, we love them all!!!

I have MANY more things that I am thankful for, but those will have to wait for another instalment of "Thankful Thursday"!!!

I hope that you have had a blessed Thursday!!! Love you all!

What I did today.

Today was a rainy gloomy day, and I think that it affected my mood some...I felt very unmotivated today. I did complete some projects. I put button holes and buttons (thanks to my wonderful friends Caren and Forrest) on a couple of little outfits today. I also made a little outfit using an embroidery design that I found, while looking through my Easter designs,...and it was so cute that I just had to make something with it. So, I made a little CC Callie dress and a pair of ruffled pants...I cannot decide if I like it or not...maybe it's this rainy day funk I'm in!

Another Easter Outfit complete!

A couple of weeks ago, I made this dress for the daughter of a friend of mine.

When we tried it on her it came to mid thigh, so I made these pants to go with it...

I have finally gotten the coordinating dress done for her other daughter...

The best part is that, because the girls wear about the same size, mom can mix and match pieces, because both of the dresses coordinate with the little pants...
...Although, both dresses would also look cute by themselves or paired with jeans! :)

vegging out

...and I don't mean the sitting in front of the TV kind of vegging out.

Tonight for dinner, I decided to use up some of the vegetables that I have had sitting in my refrigerator for a few days. So, I made up a recipe for vegetable soup...basically what that means is that I took all of the veggies in my fridge, chopped them up, threw in some random spices, and then let it simmer for about an hour...The result was actually pretty tasty...and it had a bit of a bite. I had forgotten that I had some cut up jalapeno peppers mixed in with some green bell peppers in my fridge...surprise!!! :) Zack liked it, surprisingly...since it was only vegetables. (I think that he is a closet veggie fan! :) lol) I doubt that I could reproduce this recipe if I tried to. The picture doesn't really do the soup justice..but I was in a hurry to get dinner done...and eaten before our small group showed up so I couldn't really have some elaborate photo session and plating!! :) haha!

Vegetable soup surprise!

there are some who thought that this day would never come...

Hipp is getting married!
I am SO excited about it...and Rachel, his fiance, is SUPER sweet!

The Happy Couple!

Today, Zack and I went to a wedding shower for Hipp and his Bride-to-be, Rachel. I am VERY excited for Hipp. He is such a great guy and has always been such a good friend. I am so happy that he found a wonderful and godly women to marry!!!

Also, I know that there are a few people who are looking for some pay back. Hipp has a nasty tradition of wishing the happy couple off with a full moon salute! (thankfully, Zack and I had our reception in the middle of downtown and thus did not have to suffer the sight of Hipp's bare behind!) However, the rest of our friends have not been equally as lucky, and they have been plotting payback now for years! :) poor Hippy! lol! I am almost feel sorry for him! :)

It was SO nice to get a chance to see (almost) the whole gang together again. I even got to hold my friend Chad's new baby girl! She is PRECIOUS!!! Then I had a blast catching up with my friends and watching their children...who are already getting SO big run around and play! It is hard to believe all of us are growing up and starting families of our own! It kinda blows my mind! I have been so blessed in my friendships over the years and those friendships and the new friendships that I have formed in recent years continue to bless me. God knew that I needed and continue to need godly and fun loving friends!

My "sister" Hanna and I
I love this girl!!!

Chad's super cute baby!

Kissing the baby!
So sweet!

Chad's older daughter

Ugh, she is SOOO cute! You just want to hug her!