Sunday in Pictures...

We may have had the most perfect Sunday ever. I slept late, the kids went to Sunday school, we meal prepped, cleaned up outside, read books, made sun tea, watched every Tinkerbell movie made, had a tea party, ate a delicious dinner, went for a family walked and topped it all off with a newly minted training wheel-free bike rider. See for yourself...

Mental note: Let's make every Sunday this good. 

Sunday Sweetness...

 We made it to our church for the first time in a month and the message couldn't have been better. 

Father reminded us that Christians are made in the mundane of life. 

The every day. Those insignificant blips on the radar. When you let a stranger get in front of you in traffic. When you pass on listening in on the office gossip.

When you, potentially, don't start the office gossip. 

Maybe when you love your sister even though she can't sneeze without blowing snot every where.

How do we spread the word every day? As we left church and headed to the grocery store I kept thinking about how I was living in the mundane. Was I doing my best to be the "salt of the earth?" And wouldn't you know, I got my chance? As we were leaving I noticed the giant truck parked next to us - so close that the only reason Landry was able to get in the car was because we have sliding doors. As I was finished loading the car, this truck driver appeared and I really wanted to make a snarky comment.

But I didn't. I got in the car and waited for the employee gathering all the carts in the parking lot behind me so I could back up. And wouldn't you know that when he was finished trucker boy decided that he should go before me and almost hit me. 

Y'all.

I did not want to be the salt of the earth.

I wasn't really caring about being a Christian in the mundane.

I really really wanted to give him a piece of my mind in the form of some well placed SAT words.

But I didn't. I smiled. I waved. And I went on with the mundane.

Because as Emmy taught me last week, they are always watching what we do and so is He.  We went home, unloaded the car and snapped some pics because nothing brightens up a gloomy morning like some Sunday Sweetness.

Sunday Sweetness...

We had a pretty awesome Sunday. Long actually. Cozy. Family filled. We headed to church and then Ryan, Landry and I got groceries while Rad and Emmy were at Sunday school. Before we knew it, naptime was here and we all settled down for a rest. Then, y'all. 

I sat on the couch for the next FOUR hours and worked on some PTO business while the kids played and watched movies and Ryan cooked. It was GLORIOUS. Definitely the way God intended. 

After all that typing, I decided it was time to contribute and got up to make the promised "chocolate balls" that I had been telling the girls about. Emmy stuck around long enough to pour everything in, but didn't really feel like getting her hands dirty for the rolling. 

I think Landry was smart enough to figure out that rolling meant finger-licking. 

(We got a new camera lens and Ryan had some fun trying to be all artsy). 

I saw these on Molly's instagram and had to make them. (I just said "Molly" like we are friends. I haven't met her, I feel like you should know that. I am a stalker.) I am totally good with health food. I love fruits and veggies and can live without most bad-for-me things. 

But, I kinda need a little sweet everyday. This is the perfect solution. 

1 cup dry oats, 1/4 cup cocoa powder, 1/4 cup shredded coconut, 1/2 cup peanut butter, 1/4 cup honey. Mix it all up and roll into balls (Next time I am doubling). I put them in the freezer for about 20 minutes then filled a ziplock baggie and now have snacks for the week.

Whoop. 

And if that wasn't enough goodness for one day. 

Y'all. 

Ryan made this.

Loaded Cauliflower Casserole by Rachel Schultz

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked & cubed
2 heads cauliflower
8 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded
8 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
2 bundles green onions, sliced
3 ounces bacon pieces
1 clove garlic, minced
Salt & pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Steam cauliflower until tender. Meanwhile, combine cheeses in a large bowl. Remove 1/4 of cheese and set aside.

Heaven. HEAVEN. HEAVEN I tell you.

In the form of cauliflower. AND, the kids LOVED it. Every bit. Yum. Yum. Yum. 

Things to note:

1. We took out the green onion for the kids and substituted frozen peas. They just aren't fans of onion. I have to say, I liked their version a little better than ours. I would just put it on top.
2. I would recommend halving the cheese. The pic on her blog shows much more cheese than what ours looked like and ours was too much. You can always add your own on top. 
3. We topped ours with some greens. Ryan wilted some kale and spinach in EVOO and garlic and it was the perfect punch on top. 
4. I am sad that we don't have leftovers. 
5. If we ever want to be foodie bloggers, we need better lighting and crisp white plates.
6. Ryan gave Emmy $20 to taste the kale. 

Seriously. It was like healthy comfort food y'all. DELICIOUS.

Make it. 

Sunday Sweetness...

We baked all of our sweetness yesterday for the Fire Station next to our neighborhood...but I think today may have taken the cake on sugary goodness... 

And would you believe they posed on their own?

#welikeapicture

Sunday Sweetness...

If Ryan was an e-card it would be this…

Seriously. Pumpkin everything. Cookies, ice cream, candy, coffee, and of course bread. So, I was not at all surprised when he picked pumpkin bread for the this week's Sunday Sweetness.


We didn't get a picture of the process or the finished product so you'll have to settle for these faces instead. They're pretty sweet, too!

Pumpkin Bread with Cream Cheese Frosting

Bread:
1 3/4 C flour
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
2 eggs
1 1/2 C sugar
1 C pumpkin puree
1/2 C canola oil
1/3 C water

Frosting:
 2 oz softened cream cheese
2 tbs softened butter
3/4 - 1 C powdered sugar
1/4 tsp vanilla

Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and grease loaf pan
2. In a large bowl, mix flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Make a well and set aside.
3. In a medium bowl, thoroughly beat together the eggs, sugar, pumpkin puree, oil and water. Add to the well of the dry ingredients and mix until combined. Pour batter into greased loaf pan.
4. Bake for 60-70 minutes but tent a piece of foil over the top half-way through to prevent the top from browning too much. Start checking the bread at 0-55 minutes and if it looks too wet on top, take off the foil. Cook until toothpick comes out clean. Let cool completely in pan before removing.
5. Make the frosting by creaming the frosting ingredients together. Spread on top of bread.

(Recipe from Garnish and Glaze)

Sunday Sweetness...

We have officially made our Sunday baking sessions a tradition. My favorite part of this tradition? Ryan is the lead baker! Yep - I am not very good at baking - I don't generally follow a recipe when I cook, I just add things to taste, so baking is a struggle. (The tasting of the baking; however, is not). 

So, dear readers, since we are loving this new tradition so much, I wanted to share it with you all. Seriously - the joy that is created is often times better than the food. The kids adore this time and attention, they love helping, they love being with each other and they love that they made something. 

Give it a try - don't worry about the mess, or even the taste ... just enjoy the time spent in the company of the ones you love. You'll find that you are making much more than dinner and dessert. I will try to post the recipe to what we bake each week and who knows, maybe enough of you will follow along that we can start linking up. This will force us to continue and maybe even try something new!

So, without further ado... 

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Cookies

Ingredients1 C canned pumpkin 1 C white sugar1/2 C vegetable oil1 egg2 C flour2 tsp baking powder2 tsp ground cinnamon1/2 tsp salt1 tsp baking soda1 tsp milk1 tablespoon vanilla extract2 C chocolate chips (I use milk chocolate)

Directions

This is generally the part where I just throw everything in the mixer and go. BUT... you have to follow this recipe just as it states. Something about consistency and mixing and blah blah blah. ;) 

-Combine pumpkin, sugar, vegetable oil and egg. In separate bowl stir together flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Dissolve the baking soda with the milk and stir in. Add the flour mixture to the pumpkin mixture and mix well.-Next, add the vanilla and chocolate chips-Bake at 350 for approximately 10 min

The cookies should feel like muffin tops (the good kind, not the kind that hang over your pants). (And since they are basically muffin tops, I say eating them for breakfast is just fine.) 

I can't tell you how much we love these. I bring them to pot lucks, school carnivals, gifts to neighbors, work lunches and everyone loves them. Even people that aren't usually fans of pumpkin-y things. 

So, thanks, KK for sharing the recipe! 

From good to great...

Our weekend was just that... good to great. Fantastic, actually. 

Saturday began with our season opening soccer game, followed by lunch, long naps, and some general nothing doing. We ended that perfect combo with an evening at the Saturday portion of our annual church festival. We have been members of St. Thomas since before we were engaged and it has been home to us. This parish has seen us through the good, the great and even the bad and we love having such a strong church to raise our kids in. 

This was the first year for the Saturday Disco BBQ - which is exactly what it sounds like. And more. Ha! Several parishioners made their famous pulled pork which we were able to vote on with donations all while dancing disco complete with lessons. 

Ryan captured this delightful moment of me learning something. 

Emmy insisted on this outfit, the boots and the necklace. She was ready to strike a pose. And as corny as the evening was, we had such fun just being silly as a family of five. 

The festivities continued on Sunday with games, bouncehouses, raffles, and food. 

Oh, and smiles. And giggles. And lots and lots of fun. 

And yes, it's almost October and we are in tanks and flops. 

#texas

Radley was cracking us up - he is so stinking competitive. At this point, Kailyn is stuck on the "wall" and is scared to move up. We told Radley to help her and he gave us this look like we were crazy to think he should stop his mission. 

He did stop and attempt to help and what a relief that he still "won"... especially since he was racing no one. 

Emmy kind of rocked the thing, which would not be the only surprise she would give us that day. 

She is a Tough Mudder in the making. 

We walked around for a bit and ended up at the horse riding station. Radley was eager to get up and go. 

Kailyn insisted on being safe. 

And then this one. Y'all. She rode a horse.

Excuse me, a pink unicorn. 

I could not believe it. 

My money was on a last minute mind change, but little girl proved me wrong with her bravery. And will most definitely continue to do so throughout life. 

And then this happened.... 

The waving. Stop. I can't take the cute waving and delighted squeals I could hear across the "arena".

How is it possible that she is this big? 

And that's where the great comes in. Life is good for us, and we are keenly aware of that and ever grateful for the ease in which we get to live. The small obstacles that appear are just that - small. Life is good. 

And then these moments of greatness fly in as if a bottle rocket exploding as it's being lit. These tiny, somewhat insignificant moments of greatness. That to a stranger may seem mundane, but to me, are beyond good. They are the moments that I get to see them and witness their greatness that I know existed but they had not yet discovered for themselves. 

The pride. And delight. And accomplishment that all great moments bring.