Rain means Breakfast for Dinner!

In our home, if it's raining at dinner time, there is a pretty good chance we'll have breakfast for dinner.  My mom started this with my family when we were growing up.  It was never anything fancy, but it was a chance for the cook to get a quick respite from having to plan something.

Since it's January, and a little chilly and wet outside, breakfast sounds great!  There's always some kind of discussion as to what we're going to eat.  Some want eggs, grits, pancakes while others want a breakfast casserole.  Tonight we're doing the former. I'm going to make a fruit salad to go with our strawberry pancakes, scrambled eggs, and grits, and voila! Dinner is served.  Super easy and warm in your tummy.

Well, today is clean house and errands day, so I'm going to get started on chores.  :)  Stay warm & dry today!

Y'all be blessed beyond measure,
~ashley

Just don't get it in my Hair...

 It's another Homecoming in the bag.  I don't know about the kids, but I had a blast.  Last year's homecoming posting was called Joy Bubbles Up, and I have to say, this year's did not disappoint.   Fun is always afoot when you have teenagers around.  Funny things are going to be said & done! My boys don't like for me to take pictures of them, because I take a lot of pictures.  (how did we ever survive before digital pictures?)  So, we were starting the picture taking process and surprise, Harry started complaining.  Of course he didn't want me taking a lot of pictures, but as big Hopson said:  "Do what your mother says...she can't live vicariously though you when you don't cooperate."  Yeah, it's not about them anyway.  Just kidding, it's all about them, but I do want to make sure I have as much recorded for them to go back at look at when they are my age.  I hope to create an atmosphere where wonderful memories can be made.

Anthony & Harry about to get their dates

Hop, Anthony & Harry pondering the meaning of life.

The girls looked beautiful!

Hop & his date Hedy

Anthony, Harper, Taylor & Harry

Oh to be young again...to have my pre-baby body again...nah, I'm at a great place right now.  I have noticed that I'm slowly becoming more of a night owl.  Don't like being a night owl, because no matter what, the early bird in me always wakes up before the sun (or the alarm clock).  I went to bed at 3am uh-huh, love that time.  Been a little loopy today, but I did get a nice nap though & feel much better.

We had freshmen at our house for the after party, which started at midnight. Hop & his date went to a friend's house. We had breakfast, yummy. I made a Sausage & Grits Casserole and a Hash Brown Casserole. We also had Monkey bread, coffee cake, sausage biscuits, and fresh fruit.

After the shaving cream fight.

The real fun came after breakfast.  Let the games begin!  The girls were so funny, they did not want shaving cream in their hair, but once they started playing...all bets were off.  Several ended up with shaving cream splatted on their faces, in their mouths, a little in their eyes, and all in their hair.  We also had an egg toss, food relay race, and a silly string fight.  They were too funny.




How blessed I am to be able to hang out with a bunch of great kids!  They keep me young and give me so much joy.  I love doing stuff like that for my kids.  I hope they can look back and smile and say they had a good time too.

Y'all be blessed beyond measure,
~ashley

Ever Fearful

When our children are born we have such high aspirations for them.  I remember how I felt when I found out I was pregnant with each of my four children.  I wondered what all parents wonder.  I remember feeling so blessed and excited.  From the moment I realized I would be a mommy, I have loved my children fiercely.  I would do anything for them.  I want to raise them to be Godly men and women.  I want them to love Jesus, love their families, friends, and be Kingdom seekers and soul winners.

The one thing that fills me with fear is drugs.  When your children are born you never wish for them to lead a life of hardship and pain.  A parent would never wish for their child to have a life that is dependent and revolves around a chemical substance.  (natural or synthetic)

I started reading a story today about a young man named Henry.  Henry was a beautiful 18 year old with his life in front of him.  He got involved in the drug scene, and started hanging out with the wrong crowd.  As I started reading Henry's story and seeing the pictures of him, my heart broke for his family.  What a beautiful young man.  His family will always be asking the what if's...Henry passed away May of 2010. 

Henry's story is not unique.  It happens to thousands of families every week.  Drugs don't care about your home life, economic status, religious affiliation, if you're the coolest of the cool, the class clown, or the smartest in the school.  And the people who sell drugs care even less.  These people are selling death.  Yes, there is responsibility on the part of the person who they are selling to, but the dealers are doing the devil's work.  I hate it.  I hate what they are doing and I hate what they stand for.  I hate that they prey on children.  I hate that they pretend to make it look cool and that everyone is doing it.  I hate their lies.

Drugs don't make you cool.  Drugs don't make your problems go away.  Drugs will separate you from Christ, your family, society, and even from yourself.  Drugs make you do things that you would never even consider when you're sober.

Have you ever heard an addict say "I'm so happy I started doing drugs, they have been wonderful for my life.  I'm so much better off since I started doing them."  No, you don't, and you never will.  They all say the same thing:  "I never thought I would get addicted." 

Henry's mom is trying to have the dealers prosecuted in his death.  I hope she is successful.  I hope the people who are guilty are in jail for the rest of their lives.  Maybe that's what we all need to do.  Find those people dealing death to our children and have them arrested and put in jail.  I don't want to hear of another child in my community dying from a drug overdose.  I don't want another family hurting because they had to bury a child that had so much potential.  I don't want to hear about a mother who is relieved that her child will be possibly going to jail for doing drugs because at least she will know he's alive and where he is.

Drugs are death.  To anyone who is reading this, if you are addicted, please ask a loved one for help.  They won't be angry with you, maybe disappointed, but they want the best for you.  There are many wonderful programs out there that can help you.  Drugs are not what is best for you.  Choose life.

I've had these thoughts on my heart so much today.  I'm praying for a hedge of protection around our children.  I'm praying that they will have the courage to say 'no' if they are ever offered.  I'm praying that if they ever make a mistake they will tell someone and get help.  I'm praying for them to hear the Savior's call on their lives.  Lord Jesus, protect our precious children, let their legacy be filled with You and life.  Help them to stand strong against the devil's lies, and see them for what they are.  Father God cover them and protect them when we, as their parents, can't be with them.  I ask all this in Jesus Name, Amen.

It's raining outside so we're having breakfast for dinner.  It's almost an unwritten rule that rain = breakfast for dinner.  Pancakes, grits, eggs, bacon, fresh fruit...dinner of champions.  So tonight, because all games & practices are canceled, we will have breakfast for dinner & have dishes of laughter, love, happiness, and memories.

Praying for you to be blessed beyond measure,
~ashley

Cheese Grits that are just too Gouda

This is going to be quick because I have a meeting in less than an hour, yikes...I need to get a move on!

I signed up to bring some cheese grits to VHEC's teacher Christmas breakfast & I just couldn't do the same 'ole cheese grits that I always make.  So, the teachers got to be my guinea pigs.  Sometimes that can be a good thing...sometimes not.  Last week it was a good thing.

I decided to make cheese grits that had smoked Gouda cheese it them.  OK, I can't wait until Christmas morning because I'm making them for my family!  They were smooth and creamy and yummy!  Click HERE for the recipe.  They are super easy, that's a bonus.  I measured nothing, that's a bummer if you like to have a recipe for boiling water.  :) 

I hope you all are having a wonderful Christmas season!  What a wonderful gift we were given at Christmas.  Remember to keep Christ in your Christmas.  May peace and joy be yours!

Be blessed beyond measure,
~ashley

Joy Bubbles Up Part Deux

Ok...it's Monday; I think I've caught up on my sleep; & all I know is the more I look at the pictures from homecoming, the more I laugh!  I don't know if the children had as much fun as I did, but a girl can hope.  I am already starting to plan for what we're going to be doing next year.  But, before 2010 is over there will be a shaving cream war rematch.  It will be BYOSC, so if they want to bring 5 cans...who am I to say no? 

Abby, Hopson's homecoming date has entitled her picture cache on facebook, 'so my hair still smells like shaving cream'.  Love it.  I wondered if it make her hair shiny & silky smooth.  Yes, I'm very weird, and my family is aware of it also.  (they are just watching for when they may have to put me on medication...just kidding)

Henry could not wait to play with the shaving cream!  So he, Abby's little sister, Riley, our neighbor, Katie & another friend's son, Woodson, had a great time the next day covering the slide in the backyard with shaving cream & sliding down.  I've included pictures at the bottom.  :)

Enough about pictures, let's get to the good stuff...the food!  We had enough to feed an army!  The kids needed to eat a lot more than they did.  (I should have gotten down my 'to go' plates & made them each fix one.)  Needless to say, I haven't cooked a few days because my fridge is full.  I told you I would post my friend, Traci's, breakfast casserole recipe.  It is sooo easy & delicious.  It's a great all purpose recipe because it can be tweaked so easily without compromising the taste.  It is also easy to double, triple, quadruple, but very easy to make each one taste differently.

Click here to see the recipe. With Thanksgiving & Christmas coming up, I'm going to be posting some old family recipes to share.  (and of course the stories that go with them.) 

I am going to workout now because I ate so much this weekend I think I gained about 5 pounds...Yikes!

Y'all be blessed beyond measure,
~ashley

Henry giving 2 thumbs up before sliding down the shaving cream slide

Riley (in the white) & Katie (in the blue) getting the slide ready. 

Riley up top, Katie in the red, Woodson in blue & Henry in white preparing the slide!

A new look for an old friend

I love Thanksgiving & Christmas.  Not just like, LOVE.  The smells, lights, food, music, and, ...memories.

I always imagine us as being the Norman Rockwell family.  I want it perfect.  (this comes with being an extreme type A personality.)  Unfortunately, we are not that perfect family, but a girl can dream. 

I remember the first Christmas after my dad passed away, it was horrible!  I didn't want Christmas.  It was my dad's favorite holiday & it wasn't the same without him.  There were many tears shed that Christmas.  My mom's last Christmas was hard too.  I knew she was towards the end, and I tried to make it a great Christmas, but I can't remember a time in my life that I have been so tired and overwhelmed.  I still cry when I think about it.  But, thank you Jesus for the promise and hope that comes with Christmas.  I am now listening to Hallelujah (Light has Come) by BarlowGirl.  Click here to hear the song on youtube.  God did not leave me in my tired, heartbroken, overwhelmed state, but He sent His most precious possession to rescue me and set me free.  Emmanuel...God is with me.  Job knew he had a hope even though Jesus had not come yet.   Job 19:25 "I know that my Redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand upon the earth."  For all of  you who have had tragedy happen to you this year:  first, please accept my most heartfelt sympathies; second, the everyday sadness doesn't last forever, you will laugh again; and third, embrace your memories.  It can be so painful at first, but over time you'll be glad you did.

I still want that perfect Thanksgiving & Christmas, but one big realization I've made is that if all my family is with me, no matter their state, it's perfect.  Elizabeth, Henry & I were discussing how close we were getting to the beginning of the Christmas music on the radio & so we decided to listen to some.  Bing Crosby to you.  (it's not Christmas until I hear a little Bing.)  One of the staple foods I make for Christmas morning are sausage balls.  I'm about to shift gears a little here, but trust me, sausage balls & Christmas are involved... 

Our children are out of school today.  It is an in-service day for the teachers.  The hospitality committee at Central decided to have breakfast for the teachers.  A very nice gesture.  I thought I had only signed-up to bring doughnuts.  Luckily, I decided to read the reminder email all the way through, because apparently I also signed-up to bring 2 dozen sausage balls.  I know a lot of  you are laughing at me because 2 dozen of anything is nothing.  (big eaters at home)  It was not the amount, just the timing of everything.  I told myself to suck it up & quit being so selfish, and make the stupid sausage balls.  (The whole 'being a cheerful giver' thing ran through my mind!  Thanks God for that conviction.)  I decided to change them up a little bit.  When an opportunity presents itself....well, I had to take it.  :)  I received two thumbs up from most of the group; the picky one hasn't tried them.  Click here for the recipe.

I'm going to be posting some Thanksgiving & Christmas recipes after Vestavia's Homecoming.  I'm going to have a, hopefully very large group of sophomores over for breakfast. Sausage balls are on the food list...  Love those kids!!! 

Y'all be blessed beyond measure,
~ashley

Here are what is left of the sausage balls that I made for the fam.



Heaven, I'm in Heaven

What do you say to your 8 year old, who still has a high voice, comes and asks you to make pancakes for breakfast on a football Saturday.  Well, you say:  "Yes, of course I would love to make you some pancakes for breakfast."  Then when same 8 year old says:  "make them the way you know, the big guy, Kalvin said to"; you say, "Well, Henry, I think that's a great idea"; and you do.  Kalvin is one of Hoppy's friends, who is ginormous.  (Or at least to our family he is.  He's a 6'4 sophomore, I think he's taller, and my kids love it when he comes over because he's a skyscraper to all of us.)  Kalvin has a warm smile and an easy laugh.  He's a pretty cool kid.

Kal gets a HUGE gold star for this little pancake secret.  I'm not going to say what it is, I want you to look at the recipe.  I am weird and like to taste batters, and this one was delish. I added bananas to the batter & they went very well with all the other flavors.  The pancakes tasted like banana nut muffins.  Well, breakfast is done, and it's 30 minutes to game time, so I have to go get my game face on.  War Eagle y'all!  Thanks Kalvin for sharing the secret.  :)

Y'all be blessed beyond measure,
~ashley
 
ps~for my non-tech friends, click on the word recipe to be directed to the we gotta eat website where I put all my recipe.  <3