A Challenge

I don't typically post stuff like this, but it was such an encouragement to me, I want to encourage you to listen to it. Yes, it's directed to women, but men could glean from it to. So, download it to your phone and listen while you drive somewhere this week. It's no more than 25 minutes, and extremely insightful. I beg you, especially women, it'll help you day to day life, and marriage... Even if you're single! :) This is fun listening! Nancy DeMoss had a guest speaker today...I can't wait to gear the sequel tomorrow. 

This is from Revive Our Hearts - Nancy Leigh DeMoss. It's titled, "when a lie knocks on the door." 

http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/when-a-lie-knocks-on-the-door/id80040780?i=96818307

Please leave a comment, would love to hear feedback after you listen.

Paw Paw's Paw

On Saturday, we had the privileged opportunity to go see Paw Paw in Sweeny, Texas. Just the three of us drove over there for a few hours. As an added bonus, we got to see Aunt Cindy too!!! (I wasn't thinking & didn't get any pictures of her! :() We visited, then went to Lake Jackson for lunch. Now, we all agreed "the cafeteria" or "Luby's" would be good. I've always liked going to Luby's, especially with Paw Paw (and Grandma), but it was extremely good this time. Mmmmm...I was bad...I got chicken fried steak, fried okra, and yummy Mac & Cheese...oh! And a fluffy, white dinner roll. Doesn't get much better than that. I think the only thing missing was a piece of my Mom's apple pie & blue bell ice cream, vanilla, of course. Aspen was a big girl and ate her cereal while the rest of us downed our yummy food. Thank you Paw Paw for a special lunch & day! After lunch, we headed back to Sweeny where we were able to visit and relax for a little. Brian got a little nap, and Aspen enjoyed scoping out Paw Paw's Paw's house. :)

Okay...before I go any farther, I need to clarify Paw Paw's Paw's. Lol :) I call my Dad's father Paw Paw. Now he's a great grandpa, and it was decided a few years ago he would be called Paw Paw's Paw. From the stand point of his great grandchild, he would be their Paw Paw's Paw. :) Pretty cute, isn't?! I hope I explained that so you can actually understand...

Anyway, it was such fun getting to spend time with my Paw Paw. I'm so very grateful for him, and my Aunt Cindy! We love you both lots & lots!

Double Date...er...Nap

Mom & Dad McDonald have been super busy this summer renovating their home...can you tell?! No more green carpet!!! Lol I'll have to take pictures of the kitchen & dining room...the change is amazing!!!

Anyway, I've been helping Mama this week re-organize her bookshelves...we're trying to make it decorative, but still serving it's original purpose. She has gotten rid of so many "friends" (books)!!! I think each of us kids have a banana box with our names and books in it. As I was working on the left side of the shelves, I turned around, and saw both Daddy & Aspen sound asleep. I thought it was so cute, and wished the picture had turned out clearer! Guess me organizing the books by height was boring!

The Kitchen

As promised, the adventure into the kitchen... :) I didn't expect the rain, so I'm sorry, this post wasn't as quick as I said.

The other day, Aspen discovered Sandie's food & water bowl in the kitchen. After a while of working with her, trying to teach my little one that those bowls & contents are not play toys...she started to figure it out. I was SO proud of her, and praise the Lord for helping. Being a Mommy & training little ones not to touch something isn't necessarily easy...but, I'm still grateful for the opportunity...I just pray the Lord continues to help me & give me His wisdom for each situation. Anyway, when Aspen went into the kitchen the second time, she looked at the food bowl, then kept crawling on!!! Yay!!!! She then discovered the water bowl & we went through the training process again... Lol But, she's getting there! :) I'm curious to see what she'll do today!

Rain!!!

Thank you God for the rain!!! He knows what we need and answers prayer!!!

My Little Explorer

Aspen is crawling everywhere. EVERYWHERE! :) It's such fun to watch her discover new things!! (I absolutely love being a Mommy, and am so thankful the Lord has blest us with Aspen. Even when she wakes up in the middle of the night, or gets something she shouldn't...) Today, I was writing down recipes, and let Miss A just crawl around. When I couldn't see her, and she was extra quiet, I'd go find her. (our home is pretty open, so I can sit at the table and she can't get far.) She crawled from her play corner by the kitchen to the living room, in-between the love-seat & recliner, then down the little hallway towards her room. I thought she went to her room so when I went to check, I didn't see her...then I back tracked & found her coming out of the bathroom. She also crawled into the kitchen... That'll be the next post... :D Gotta keep you coming back! :)

Yummy dinner & dessert

I meant to take more pictures tonight, but forgot or just flat out missed the opportunity....the ones I did get really aren't that great. :( But, I had the opportunity of hosting Mom & Dad Moreno tonight. I thought of it yesterday and wanted to have them for dinner, and was THRILLED when Brian's schedule & theirs worked out. We had pork roast, mashed potatoes, green beans, and homemade yeast rolls. :) I meant to get a picture of my plate, but didn't think if it until after I'd stirred my gravy into my potatoes...it just didn't look as pretty at that point. Aspen was a very big girl & at bananas & rice cereal while we ate our dinner. We had such a sweet time of fellowship together! Then, my parents joined us for dessert. Mom McDonald brought coffee to share too! I made a cherry cake w/ frosting. I think you could change the cherry to just about anything and it'd be yummy! My cousin posted it on her blog, and here it is, now on mine. Thank you Melody!!! :) Hope y'all are encouraged to make this  just like I was. If you make it, let me know what you think! 

Thank you both my Mom's & Dad's for coming tonight!!! It was so good having y'all over. Please come again!

Cherry Cake with Cherry Cream Cheese Frosting 

1 box white cake mix 
2 large eggs 
1 teaspoon baking powder 
1 teaspoon vanilla extract 
1 teaspoon almond extract 
1 (21 oz) can homemade cherry pie filling (or canned), divided 

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spray or lightly grease 13 x 9 baking pan. 

Measure 1/3 cup of cherry pie filling and set aside to use in frosting. 

Mix together on medium speed, dry cake mix, eggs, baking powder, both extracts, and remaining cherry pie filling until well blended. 

Pour batter into pan, and level with a spatula. 

Bake for 45 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Remove cake from oven and allow to cool completely in pan. Frost with cherry cream cheese frosting. 

Cherry Cream Cheese Frosting 

2 8-oz packages of cream cheese 
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter 
1/3 cup cherry pie filling 
2 - 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar 
1 teaspoon almond extract 
1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

Soften the cream cheese and butter, but don't let it get warm, just take the chill off. Beat the cream cheese and butter together until creamy. Add in the cherry pie filling and extracts and beat for a minute or two until cherries are broken into small pieces. Slowly add the powdered sugar until completely combined and of spreading consistency. Keep refrigerated until ready to use.

Meagen

Dodge Ball

Tonight is Brian's lock-in for the band. Joshua & Rebekah are out celebrating their 7th wedding anniversary and we offered to keep the girls. So, us girls went down to TC to see & spend some time with Brian. Okay, okay....and my other motive was to get some pizza so I didn't have to cook. ;) We went and watch Brian play dodge ball with the kids...then the kids all went to eat, and Brian was SO sweet and played with the girls. Yes, even Aspen. It was fun watching them and smiling...I've got such a wonderful man!

Beach Day!!!

Beach Day!!!

I've been wanting to go to the beach all year long, and it just never worked out. On Wednesday, my mom planned & orchestrated a girls day for my sisters, nieces, herself & I. We had SO much fun. It was Aspen's first time to the beach and she absolutely LOVES it. I hope Brian can take us back one evening very soon so he can see her play in the water. It would be such a special family outing! Aspen loved playing in the sand and water. The picture I took of her in the water was after she'd been playing for quite awhile...by that point she was ready to get out...she was hungry. All that playing worked up a appetite, and used lots of energy. She took a good little nap in the shade. After we were home, I realized she got a little "sun-kissed" too. Not bad, just a little pink. Thank you Mom for planning such a special day! And thank you Rebekah, Becky, Suze, Annabel & Alyssa for working your schedule so we could go. I really enjoyed the time with each of you! Can't wait to go again!

Moreno Birthday

Last week was Dad & Mom Moreno's birthday, and Ryler our nephew's too. We got together Sunday to celebrate their special day. :) I didn't get great pictures on my phone, but they're pictures none the less. Aspen was worn out again, and "crashed" on her Nanny. These Grandma's know how to put babies to sleep!!! They're pretty handy to have around for sure. Anyway, we had a great time all together. Happy Birthday Mom, Dad, and Ryler! We love you!

Still worn out...

Worn out...

Aspen has been a trooper today. She woke up at 5:30ish, I fed her at 6:30...she went back to bed for a little bit, then up for 45 minutes & down Til 9:00. She was then awake while we got Granny's car washed, waited our turn for pictures at Sears, took the pictures, then waited for the pics to upload. Granny got Aspen to sleep, and she was completely out! "It's hard work keeping up with my mommy. Just ask my Granny!!"

Little Italy, with a dash of Colorado

> Last Saturday night we went to Italy...well, not exactly, but pretty close. :) Becky made an incredible Italian spread for us. Let's see, we had Lasagna Rollitini, Greek Salad, Summer Squash blend if some delicious sort, homemade garlic/Italian bread w/ pesto basil or garlic butter. Oh, and peach tea!! :) I think she may have made the lasagna noodles too! It was all wonderful!!! My eyes were bigger than my stomach, and I very sadly left food on my plate. While we ate, Aspen sat on the floor playing...for a little bit anyway. I snapped a picture, because I thought it was so funny...she loved playing with the wall! Lol!
>
> After dinner, we watch Joshua & Rebekah's CO video and pictures. It was such a fun time all together. Made me miss CO and look forward to next year already! In-between the video & pictures (I think) Becky brought out dessert...wow! It was so good! Can you guess what it was?! :) Tiramisu! I really enjoyed it, and need her recipe for everything! Thank you Becky for opening your home, and serving us in such a special way! We love & appreciate you!
>

Wrapping up the trip, super fast!

Auntie gave us coupons to Spring Creek BBQ and it was SO delicious! Def. my favorite BBQ!!! We both were able to get rib dinners with the coupon...so I got all the sides "piled high" and Mama traded her sides for fried okra, then we shared. Yum!!! It was superb. Plus, Mama & I had a special time visiting together. Aspen enjoyed sitting in her carseat squealing for attention. Lol

The last picture was pretty sweet...finally in Daddy's arms again! (at Granny's "new" house! You can see the new doors, and if you look closely you can see the hardwood floors!)

Busy Day in Dallas - 3

Lol...sorry. This was at Auntie's rehab...there's no place for Aspen to play, so I took this bin for her...she was pretty happy to be able to play and not "be in arms."

Busy Day in Dallas - Part 2

So after the book reading, we went back to see Auntie, then went to the cemetery where my Grandparents, and other relatives are buried. We met my cousins & their families there, so it was nice. (their dad is buried there) Evidently, my great-grandparents helped establish this cemetery, and my grandpa made it a special place for us to visit as children...I know, kinda weird, but it's part of me. :) We arrived before my cousins, so I placed a blanket down for Aspen...behind the "Welch" headstone to the right is my grandparents stone...Strait. The neat thing about it, my grandparents aren't there! There in heaven with their Savior & Lord! They accepted Him as their personal Lord & Savior and will spend eternity with Him. How exciting! I look forward to seeing them again one day.

The final picture needs explaining...it shows the time & temperature after we got back into the car after walking through the cemetery...crazy! Praise the Lord for a/c!! And, the temp was correct...I promise.

Busy Day in Dallas

Today has been super crazy, and Aspen an incredible trooper. The Lord has blessed me with such a wonderful little one!

First, we went to see Auntie at rehab. Aspen was a big girl & played on the bed with Granny's special toy airplane. Next, we visited Grand-Mary...Mary Strait, my step-grandma, who I proudly claim as my grandma. Grand-Mary is nearly 92! Doesn't she look great! Aspen enjoyed playing on her floor. Thirdly, we picked up Mrs. Dorthy Pate and went to Furr's for lunch. Dorthy is yet another adopted grandma of mine. She too is 91!

After all that running around town, we were hot & tired. It's been over 112 degrees today here, and the heat index 120. I was very thirsty, so I figured Aspen was too. I decided it'd be okay for her to have some water. So, I shared mine, and she LOVED it! :) She helped me hold the cup like such a big girl! I then laid her down on the floor, and she started "reading" a book by herself that "Granny" had read to her. I thought it was just TOO cute. :)