Happy New Year :)

Can you believe that its already here? I am still trying to get over the fact that Christmas is over . . .

Other than watching 24 episodes and eating dark chocolate, I think us Hofpeeps are just gonna lay low tonight. Any parties going on??? ;)


So, resolutions - - - I normally don't go for this sort of thing, but these are more like goals anyway, and I go for goals all the time :)


-The usual - get back in shape ;)

-Get our 2nd bedroom in order. (We are looking to purchase some fitness equipment (see above ;) and make the room more like an office/workout room rather than a junk/craft/everything room ;)

-Landscape our backyard - patio/firepit/magnolia tree/gardening - the whole kit & caboodle.

-Landscape our front yard - rose garden!

-Try out new recipes!

- Have more people over (I need guinea pigs for those new recipes!)

-Visit family

- more to add later ;)

What's on your list???

Windcrest Lights

Christmas Day, we took a little drive for the Windcrest Light-Up. They have some of the most magnificent Christmas lights and displays! ;)

Happy Birthday, Nephew Mine :)

Let's celebrate!!!

Andrew David is 1 today!!!
Happy Birthday Big Boy!!!

Happy Birthday Mom!!!

Its been quite some time since I last had a 'birthday post'. It's high time, don'tcha think!? ;)

Today is my dear Mother's birthday - I will not disclose her age ;)

She is a wonderful woman, a daughter of the King, a beloved Wife, Mother to 7, Grandmother to 2, a Teacher, a Mentor, and a Friend and so many other things.

Mom, you are SOOO LOVED!!!!

Happy Birthday to you, I am so glad that you are my Mother!

I can't wait to celebrate you later! :)

2nd Sunday of Advent

How refreshing this Sunday was for us - an easy morning, waking up renewed, and me not worrying about putting breakfast on the table. This recipe was so simple and delicious!




We lit candle #2 and enjoyed Scripture readings and enjoying eachother's company over coffee and a little toaste francaise ;)

The whole day was a realization of God's love and the rich depth of His blessings through the fellowship of friends and family - What a gracious Giver!

Christmas Blessings

What sweet surprises have come our way, making our Christmas so merry this year -

Thank you Grammy - the bells are lovely! Seeing you was the best gift of all!

Thank you Dad and Laurel - we love our Spode dishes!

Its beginning to look a lot like Christmas . . .

Christmas Decorating :)

We need a stocking for our pup ;)

WOHOO!

We kicked 'em back to Dallas!!!

First Sunday of Advent

Isaiah 9:6

6For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

After decorating and getting our tree up last night, I felt a little more 'christmasy' (more pictures to come). I guess it really doesn't take all that much. I do love this time of year. But most of all, I love the rich depth we find in remembering Jesus Christ's birth, and all the exciting prophecies of old leading up to it.

This morning, we reflected over these things with some passages of Scripture H had pulled out. It touched me even more deeply this time upon reading because we are going through Matthew in BSF this year. All the new things I am learning through the training I am receiving and through teaching these kids is extremely precious.

I had risen early and made Mandelkrans (*see previous post) and we lit our first candle in our red candle wreath that I uncovered in our unpacking ;) (A little red spray paint made it look more festive.)

Oh yes, a little about the Mandelkrans -

I felt like I was wrestling the dough for 15 minutes of tiring kneading and pulling, stretching and rolling. The dough was just not how I expected it would be. But it finally became malleable enough for me to drape over a bundt pan and fill with a crushed almond and craisin mixture. It tasted delicious. It was a lot of work though ;)

I think next Sunday I am going to try this recipe I saw on Rachel Ray last week :) Looks a little easier - and I love french toast!

French Toast Cups with Fresh Fruit and Cream

• Nonstick cooking spray
• 3 eggs
• 1 tablespoon milk
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• Dash of vanilla extract, optional
• Dash of fresh nutmeg, optional
• 8 slices white or wheat sandwich bread
• 1 pint fresh berries such as strawberries, blueberries, blackberries or raspberries
• Whipped cream

Preparation

Preheat oven to 375ºF.

Spray the inside of each cup of a 6-cup muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.

In a medium-size mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, cinnamon, vanilla and nutmeg. Cut a slit in the corner of each slice of bread from the middle of the slice to the edge.

Dip each slice of bread in the egg mixture then lightly press it into a cup of the muffin tin, overlapping the pieces where you cut the slit to make it fit into the cup without tearing.

Bake the French toast cups for 12-14 minutes, until they're light golden brown.

Allow the cups to cool slightly in the muffin tin before removing them. To serve, arrange the cups on a platter and fill each one with fresh fruit and top with whipped cream.

Hope you had a blessed Sabbath!

Zapata Dip Dapata

I am unbelievably happy.

Why?

Haven got the job in Zapata, which is pretty much 2 hours away!

Do you know what this means???

He is supervising this project, HIS OWN!

He gets HIS OWN crew!

He has a pretty manly truck!

He will be able to be home on the weekends!

He will be able to go to church again!

I am on schedule to cook again for awhile!

He can take car of these 'honey do's'!

WOHOO!!! Thank you Lord!!!

Sweet Memories

Our Second Wedding Anniversary is coming up, but, as we will be on the east coast that day, I have to do a little posting ahead :)

~ *~

October 8th, 2005 was a precious day for us. I married my Haven, and I thank God for these 2 years He has given us together & I cannot wait for many many more!

Forecast - these grey clouds are gonna clear, baby

Its a drizzly day here. I just finished one last sip of a cranberry/sprite concoction flooded with crushed ice. Nothing hits the spot like a chilled and refreshingly juicy drink.

I can't really say that I have had a productive morning. Then again, I have not been lazy either. I had to get up before the sun to go to a leader's meeting and fellowship for BSF. . . it was a big mistake not to make coffee before I left the house. For 3 1/2 hours, I struggled to stay awake through singing, praying, training, and sharing time. I have a tendency to overestimate my energy levels, apparently. I think that I also forget that I am NOT in college anymore, and late-nite studying is not an option for me anymore.

You live and learn, I guess.


Anyway, I am giddy . . .

My hubby is flying me out to see him next weekend and I am so excited. He has a way of always surprising me even if I know what the plan is. :) I know we are going to have a day to spend in New York, and we'll probably be staying in New Jersey. Other than that, I am kind of clueless. What a fun way to spend our anniversary! Together!!!

V is Very Very, Exrta-Ordinary ;)

We're home :) Well, we've actually been home, but I have not had a chance to sit down and write a little bloggerro until now.

It was a lovely wedding. The bride was gorgeous, the flowers were perfect and the day was spectacular. Everything went without a hitch (except the bride and groom of course ;)

Haven and I had a chance to visit grandma and his uncle in Baltimore as well. It was so good to squeeze in a visit. We even had a late night excursion to the harbor. Its definitely a place we would like to come back too.

I know, this is the part where I am supposed to have pictures - well, this is the part where I have to confess to you that I managed to leave my camera in D.C., but, I did remember it just in time for a family member to pick it up for us. Alas, no pictures for now.

Haven is deciding when he will leave for his next project today. Its been really nice because his boss has let him have that flexibility. He might be in Pennsylvania this time, but will be able to come home more often. I know it sounds rough all this time apart, but I am amazed to see how sustaining the Lord is, and our marriage has grown so much from it. We do hate to be apart, but we are troopers, and I am so excited at how the Lord is leading my hubby :)

Anyway, I have to go get ready for work. Hope ya'll have a happy Tuesday!

Whisked & Refreshed

UPDATE :)

Haven is a winner - we went to Boerne on Friday and stayed at the Crescent Quarters Inn



It was a much needed mini-vacation, filled with the perfect amount of sleeping in, eating, and browsing around charming downtown. The weather was breezy and cool, with a tid bit of rain, and a few puddles here and there - perfect!

Haven bought me this pewter bread plate at the pewter store while we were there - (Mom, recognize it ;)? She has the same one).



I love being surprised - What a special time, thank you Honey!

We stayed in the French Room :)

Sleeping

Royal window treatments ;)

Riverview

From the Creek Restaurant

____________________________________________________________________
My hubby surprised me yesterday with an early birthday gift . . . he told me that he wanted to take me to the hill country tonight! He cheated and told me where we would be staying. . . but, I am still so excited. The last time we tried to get away (to Dallas, for a F0rmula One race), our car coughed up some problems and we only made it to Austin.

:) I'll bring my camera -

Cheers!

Red/White/Rain/Blue/Gray

We woke up this morning to a heavily clouded sky and whelps of rain. Forecast has put our area on every flash-flood, heavy-rain, flooding-watch alert imaginable. It seems relatively humorous, because these warnings have been up for the past 2 weeks, at least.
My favorite is posted on the freeway flasher signs,

'If water on the road, turn around, don't drown'. . .

Anyway. I love rainy summers - I'd take them any day over a sweaty, humid, blinding sunny 105. Well, it being almost noon, and my hair is still wet from the shower and I am still in my pjs, I'd better get myself going. We are eager to join the thousands who will be flooding the malls and movie theaters today -

And, fireworks? Umm . . . we'll see . . . Good deals and Transformers, here we come!

Happy Fourth of July!

Friday - It couldn't have come at a better time ;)

Its been a very long week, and I am glad to see it at its end now.
Hubby and I celebrated the weekend over Chipotle burritos and later, a Lost episode we missed last week. Sigh.
I have the best hubby ever - he mopped all the floors (kitchen & bathroom), unloaded the dishwasher, and disinfected the toilets. I didn't even nag him ;) What a guy :)
I have a lot of BSF lessons to finish before tomorrow's meeting, and its already 10pm!

We are tucking ourselves in for the night, as a sever thunderstorm is headed our way. Night Night!

*Yeah - I am procrastinating about those Ohio trip pics - I'll get to it ;)

Happy Friday - the 13th, AHHH!

Happy Resurrection!

Okay, so this may be a little early, but we are about to head out the door to the airport ;)

I hope that everyone has a blessed Resurrection!


I'll be back Monday!

Happiness

I CAN HARDLY STAND IT!!!!!

my best friend is engaged!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

WOO HOOOOO!!!!!!

Hearts and Flowers

Well, my poor Valentine is sick . . . and I am kind 'out of order' this week, so, this may not be the most romantic day for us. . . however, we are determined to make the best of it.

The plan: Haven began the morning with a lovely rose bouquet, in my favorite colors :)
(also, admire the IKEA tablecloth from Julia ;)-




Later, we are going to have dinner at Olive Garden, thanks to Haven's co-worker, who gave us a generous certificate for there as a Christmas gift.

Hope ya'll have a LOVEly day ;)

Bloggity-Doo-Dah

I just realized that I missed my blog birthday. . . Its been a year and a handful of days since I began this e-journal business last January ;)
I think I am gonna go celebrate with an icecream cone over a 24 episode in my snuggly bed :)

Cheers ya'll!