Love it

A gift from Eric a few months ago for my birthday. I just love it.

From here.

Good Stuff Maynard

Recently added four new wonderful albums to my playlist entitled "Good Stuff Maynard" on my Spotify account.

Mason Jennings- The Flood

Mason Jennings-Minnesota

Avett Brothers- The Carpenter

Mumford and Sons- Babel

Not sure when I decided it was a good idea to start incorporating my mom's favorite phrases like "good stuff maynard!" into my own repertoire. The other day, I was entertaining Eric by bringing out some of her most often used including "Home James! And don't spare the horses!" said to my dad just about every time we got in the car after church. Also, any time I would moan about my need to go shopping due to having nothing to wear, she would say " Well, just put a raisin in your belly button and go as a cookie!" Really mom?? And whenever my 15 year old self would let her know how unfunny that was, she would say "now don't go getting your britches in a twist".. and most recently she was telling me about something to do with useless anatomy on a tom cat. 
Pretty special lady. 

My Most Favorite Dorks

Sweet Potato Sausage Soup

It's been starting to get a bit chilly around here and since I'm still hanging on with tightly clenched fists to my shorts and bare feet, I figured I needed something to warm me from the inside out. Go figure, the day I made it, it got up to 70 F and I should have been outside grilling. Regardless, this hit the spot. Perfect for Fall. 

Sweet Potato Sausage Soup

Adapted from Smitten Kitchen

When I first started to add all the ingredients to this soup, Eric and I both agreed that it seemed much too healthy. BUT we both ended up loving it, the added cheese didn't hurt. Also, every bit of spinach was worth it, adding the perfect texture. 

Makes enough for a dutch ovenfull.

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
15 ounces of chorizo sausage broken into chunks
2 medium onions, chopped
2 large garlic cloves, minced

1/4 cup of garlic chili sauce

2 tablespoons of Sriracha sauce

1 tablespoon of red pepper flakes
2 pounds red-skinned sweet potatoes (yams; about 2 large), peeled, quartered lengthwise, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices
1 pound white-skinned potatoes, peeled, halved lengthwise, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices
6 cups low-salt chicken broth

1 1/2 cups of parmesan cheese, divided
1 9-ounce bag fresh spinach

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add sausage; cook until brown, stirring often, about 8 minutes. Transfer sausage to paper towels to drain. Pour about half of the oil from the sausage out. (I know, gross, but it adds alot of flavor.) Add onions and garlic to pot and cook until translucent, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Add all potatoes, garlic chili sauce, sriracha sauce, red pepper flakes, and cook until beginning to soften, stirring often, about 12 minutes. Add broth; bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until potatoes are soft, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes. Using potato masher, mash some of potatoes in pot. Add browned sausage and 1 cup of parmesan cheese to soup. Stir in spinach and simmer just until wilted, about 5 minutes. Stir in remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Season with salt and pepper. Serve with parmesan cheese on the side and top as you see fit. Don't forget some good crusty bread straight out of the oven. 

Oh you were hoping to see a picture of that little guy I like to hang out with??

Apparently, he has been sneaking dutch ovenfull's of soup. By the looks of it, he isn't too pleased with me broadcasting this. Already has an attitude..kids these days.

Thankful

If somehow you happen to be the only person that is not my mom reading this blog, and you haven't heard the news, I have an announcement:

 And

It says “Easy Bake” on the front..

Can you connect the dots?

Yep. After a lot of waiting and praying and learning about Him, we have been overwhelmed by His undeserved blessing.

And now, being only 7 weeks away from my due date, I can sit back and see how perfect His timing is.

So often, while I was waiting I was reminded of this:

“Child of weakness watch and pray, find in Me thine all in all.”

I feel that the Lord was so tender with me through it all, not dealing with me harshly in my discontent, but gently. Reminding me time and again how blessed I already was, how blessed I was with a wonderful husband, family, friends, and all the comforts life can offer, how could I think I needed more?

And now, I am so thankful for that waiting period, for the tears, because I feel that I caught a closer glimpse of who the Lord is and His deep love for me, for Eric and I.

This all can sound very trite as I think of so many friends and loved ones who still are waiting, but either way, I am reminded that the Lord is good, and sometimes we can only fully understand that in hard times.

“It would have been enough, but You blessed us more.”

Shark

A family was on holiday in Australia for a week and a half when husband, wife and their 15 year old son decided to go scuba diving. The husband is in the navy and has had some scuba experience.  His son wanted a picture of his mom and dad in all their gear so he got the under water camera ready to go. When it came to taking the picture the dad realized that the son looked like he was panicking as he took it and gave the ‘OK’ hand sign to see if he was all right.
The son took the picture and swam to the surface and back to the boat as quick as he could so the mom and dad followed to see if he was OK.  When they got back to him he was scrambling onto the boat and absolutely panicking. When the parents asked why, he said ‘there was a shark behind you.’ The dad thought he was joking but the skipper of the boat said it was true but they wouldn’t believe him.

As soon as they got back to the hotel they loaded the picture onto there laptop and that was what they saw.

(via yanilavigne)

P.S.I saw this on another blog and couldn't resist reposting. I'm not quite sure if this is ethical to post to my blog, even though I did credit it on the bottom.  Feel free to correct me if I am wrong.

Peaches and Cream

 

One of my new favorite recipes of the summer, and oh so simple.

credit: http://weheartit.com/entry/12046329

Peaches and Cream

3-4 peaches (very ripe)

1 cup cream cheese

2-3 TB honey

1-2 tsp vanilla

1-2 TB brown sugar

dash of cinnamon

dash of nutmeg

1/2 cup of white sugar

1.5 cups of walnuts

Soften the cream cheese in the microwave and then mix in the brown sugar, vanilla, and spices.

Next, saute the walnuts with white sugar and butter

Pit the peaches, and place face down on the grill for about 10 minutes or until they have nice grill marks on them. Next turn the peaches over and put a large dollop of the cream cheese mixture in each pit opening and leave on the grill until the cream cheese is warmed. After the peaches are done, drizzle each liberally with honey, and then sprinkle plenty of the sautéed walnuts on top.