Who really runs our house??

So part of me is embarrassed about the photos below....but clearly not enough to keep them to myself. ;-) I came out from getting ready this morning, calling for Lilly because I thought she might need to go outside....I walked into the living room to see this:
Now, as far as I know this has never happened and I totally should have yelled at her and made her get down the minute I saw her but all I could do was slowly walk to the camera and hope she didn't move. Obviously she didn't move, in fact she just stayed there and starred at me...it just cracked me up! I kinda feel like one of those moms who can't help but crack up laughing at something their children say and shouldn't!
And I promise I cleaned my coffee table! :)

Summer fun and summer salad!

Nat Drew, Emily Rozell(and Rev) and I went down to the square tonight for the Twilight Tunes, or something like that...basically Denton has live music on the courthouse lawn every Thursday in may and June! Its quite the event, everyone bring food or grabs pizza and wine from the shops on the square and we just hang out! There is a bounce house for the kids and people dance....we decided that they had to have been drinking! ;-)
Anyhow, we went and found The Chandlers ( Steven and Janet , I mean) and the Burkes...what a great time we had just chatting on the lawn for a couple of hours! I'm a sucker for silly nights like these. I love the Summer and cheap thrills like the Twilight Tunes in Denton!
Plus, I get to make delicious salads like this one: ( my mother in law always gives me the best recipes, this is one of those! Thanks Linda!!!)

Potato, Tomato, Corn and Basil Salad

Prep: 15min
Cook:20 min
Servings: 6-8 (maybe a few more)

1 lb baby red potatoes
4-5 med ears of corn
1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes (halved lengthwise)
1 small red onion thinly sliced ( 1/2-3/4 C)
1 large bunch of basil leaves-rinse, dry and tear in 1/2 if you want)
1/4 C olive oil
2 large lemons, juiced
1 t kosher salt
about 15 grinds fresh ground pepper

Place potatoes in a large pot and bring to a boil. Cook until just fork tender ( about 15 min)
Spoon out potatoes and place directly into a bowl of ice cold water to stop them from cooking.
Shuck the corn and break each ear in 1/2. Cook in the same water for 5-7 min. You want them tender but not soft!
Remove the cooled potatoes to a dish cloth to drain/dry
Immerse the corn in the same ice bath until cool.
Cut potatoes into quarters and place in large bowl.
Remove corn from water and let drain.dry.
Cut the kernels from each ear and add to the bowl.
Add tomatoes, onion and basil leaves. Add olive oil and lemon juice, S&P and gently toss! Serve at room temp or cool.

Enjoy!

Homemade Bug Repellent

We didn't have any insect repellent so I googled to see if I could just make something at home and here is what I found, plus it smells good! 4 hours out in the humid day and no bug bites!!!

Mix 1 T vanilla extract with 1 C water and spray on.

Invitations

Here they are...I said I would show pics when I was done so, here you go. This turned out to be quite the prpject because I didn't know that the scalloped paper would be too small to print on but the white ended up looking great as a layer to the whole invite!
I will be making some personalized notecards soon so be on the lookout for those soon!
(I blurred the address and phone number so no creepy un-invited guests show up)

**If you or anyone you know would like invitations or announcements made I would love to work with you to design a product that fits for you and your occasion. I am very reasonable and excited to help!

Surrender

Humble yourselves, therefore,under the might hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. 1 Peter 5:6

A few weeks ago the Lord really humbled me, told me once more that He does love me and He does care for me, I forget that all too often! In fact it is that very truth that brought me to the Lord. I hate that I loose sight of that truth because it is when I don't really believe that that I begin to lean on myself, plan my own life and believe in my own capabilities, I try to live completely on my own abilities. And please don't hear me say that I can't do anything or that I think I am incapable. But the truth is that just like people in my life I will fail myself, we are not a perfect people. I don't know what is best for me and I am so bent to sin that I will mess it up. When I believe that the Lord loves me , cares for me and is my provider- that is when I trust Him and believe in His plan for my life. So a couple weeks ago the Lord graciously provided a very safe place for me to lay my heart at his feet, I let him have it back and He was so faithful. He used several people to remind me of truths in scripture saying that He will protect me, that He cares for me and that He won't give me too much.

Behold, I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderness, and speak tenderly to her. And there I will giver her vineyards and make the Valley of Achor a door of hope...And in that day, declares the Lord you will call me "My Husband", and no longer will you call me "My Master". Hosea 2: 14-16

He is so good and full of grace that he continues to come after me, to pursue me. Hosea has always kind of been my book of the bible. That is where I came to really know the Lord, his love for me and his desire to see me pure. And its interesting to me that even though I may not be turning to the same exact things as I did 8 years ago, I still really am. I am still looking to relationships - just different kinds, I am still looking to myself- just in a different way, I am still worrying about tomorrow- just for a different reason...but its all the same. The Lord longs for me to look to Him, to lean on Him and trust Him.

The Lord and I had a little heart to heart yesterday. There has been something that I have been holding on to in my life, something that I really want and I want it now (gosh that sounds awful) but the Lord has given me something else for now and who am I to try and change something I know without a doubt the Lord provided for me? I told Him yesterday that I will wait on His timing and that I will trust him, and not only just wait but be joyful and content with where He has me! It seems so simple, He is the God of the Universe, He knows what tomorrow will bring, He created the sun and stars and ocean, yet I have a hard time trusting Him...Oh Lord help me to trust you and believe you! Increase my love and joy for you, change my heart Lord, work in me!

My new fav!

So this blog is partly out of obligation..I've been trying to think of something I can blog about and it hit me as I was falling in love with this new company I found yesterday!
It all started because I am creating lingerie shower invitations for one of my bf's...I knew that I wanted to use this paper that I always bought at a store in Portland SOOO...after calling that store, and then the paper company I was told about their parent company- Paper Source....

Paper Source is wonderful! I love it! ( and very reasonably priced!)You can buy online, which I love and Dallas is getting one at the end of the summer! YAY! I will post the invitations that I make once they are done, I still have to order the paper so it may be a week or so...

Go check out all the fun paper and gifts!! Hope you like it as much as me!

P.S. I typically buy the plain card and envelopes under the "envelopes and cards" tab, you can mix and match and layer all styles/sizes of cards..oohh so fun!

Delicious new recipe!

We sat down at the table, prayed and then took the first bite of our chicken kebab, and I literally got excited- I loved it!
Here is the recipe, please try it, its delicious!

Teriyaki Chicken Kebabs

1/2 C low-sodium soy sauce
1/2 C orange juice
2 T rice wine vinegar (I just used rice vinegar)
2 T honey
1 1/2 t minced garlic
1 1/2 t minced ginger ( I forgot fresh ginger so used ginger power, probably not as good but...)
2 t toasted sesame oil
1/4 C chopped scallions
1 1/4 pound boneless chicken cut into cubes
2 large red bell peppers cut into cubes ( i used one orange and 1 red)
*I added fresh pineapple to the kebabs!

In a large bowl, combine the soy sauce, orange juice, vinegar, honey, garlic, ginger, oil, sesame seeds, and scallions. Add the chicken and marinade for 20 min.
Prepare grill or broiler to medium-high heat
Remove chicken from marinade.
Pour marinade into a saucepan, bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook until sauce thickens -5 min (I did longer)
Thread the chicken and bell peppers (and pineapple) alternately onto the skewers. Place on the grill or broiler pan and cook, turning occasionally, unitl cooked, about 7 minutes.
Brush with sauce throughout and when done cooking.

Enjoy!