Wichita, Kansas!!!

Some of you who read my blog already know our big news, others don't. It all started almost a year ago. Matt began to have questions about infant baptism. He studied it for months and I joined in as well. In the end we came out on the side of the Baptists. Not good when your a Presbyterian pastor. This meant we would have to find a new job. With LOTS of prayers, calls, emails, web searches and even a few visits we have found a place that we are excited about. Matt has been extended a call to Metro East Baptist church in Wichita Kansas. Feel free to check out the website. We are excited and sad at the same time. We have been so blessed by our friends here in Greenwood. We have so many great friends and we will miss them terribly!!!! But after so much prayer and leading by God we are excited about where He is taking us and what He has in store for our future and His glory. We will be moving sometime in May and will keep everyone updated as the time gets closer. Please pray for us that our house will sell quickly and that everything will go smoothly with our move. Thank you!!!

Bathing suits and popsicles

EC has been talking about going swimming since November. We have explained that we have to wait until it gets hot. If the day is even the slightest bit warm she puts on her bathing suit and asks if it is hot enough to go swimming. Yesterday I suggested the sprinkler and she was all for it. Here are a few shots of pure joy.

Alton Brown

OK so anyone who knows me knows that I love the Food Network. There are few shows on it that I don't enjoy and I have been watching since the network first began. One show that I have enjoyed for the past 10 years is Good Eats with Alton Brown. It can be a bit strange at times but I have learned a lot because he mixes cooking with science so you learn the "why" and the "how." Well, yesterday Alton Brown came to a book signing in Greenwood. I was so excited to get to go. EC and Knox both had somewhere to be and I was free. He started by giving a little talk about why he wrote his book "Feasting on Asphalt" and then he took questions. Well, I just can't keep my mouth shut so I raise my hand and asked if there ever had been or ever would be a Chefography about him. (If you don't know what that is, you really should watch more Food Network. It is basically a bio on that person where they interview friends, wife, mom etc....) When I asked this question his countenance changed and he looked at me and said "No, there isn't one and there never will be because my personal life is my own damn business". Yikes. Then he made a few jokes about not wanting his mom interviewed. Well, I did manage to pull myself out from under the table to listen to the rest of the questions. I was rather embarrassed and when it was over I wanted to tuck my tail and go but being the blogger that I am I defiantly stood in line to get a picture (which is terrible of me but I'm posting it dag-um it). To make matters worse, I didn't buy his book for him to sign (because I have cookbooks coming out my ears). So I don't think ol' Alton's going to end up being my best bud - oh well. Maybe not such a loss.

Say Cheeeese

OK, I did this post for 2 reasons: first, Knox is a moving target and I never get good pictures of him. This particular day we were sitting at the bar and I said "say cheese" and he actually stayed there and did it!!!! Secondly, why should I be the only one to enjoy this sweet smile. I hope it makes you smile like it does me. OK, enough being sappy.......

I've Been Tagged

What was I doing 10 years ago:
I was dating Matt and working at HealthSouth


5 things on my to do list for today:
1.Buy a wedding shower gift
2.Change out light for a ceiling fan
3.Do lesson for Explorers Bible Study
4.Take care of kids
5.Post this on my blog
(this is the list but I never said it would all get done)


5 snacks I enjoy:
1.Trail mix - I could make myself sick on some good trail mix
2.Yogurt
3.Just about anything sweet - cake, cookies etc....
4.granola bar
5.dried fruit - banana chips, craisins, raisins etc...


5 things I would do if I were a billionaire:
1.Spend a month in England
2.Spend a month in Scotland/Ireland
3.Pay off all debts (like the mortgage)
4.Give a bunch to missions, especially to those in China, Uganda and all the other place that most people don't want to go.
5.Go back to England


5 bad habits:
1.Eating too many snack like the ones I listed above
2.Losing my patience with my kids
3.Making excuses for not exercising
4.Being to critical of other people (and not seeing my own faults. Maybe I should make this list more often)
5.Being too negative (did I hear an "amen" from my husband?)


5 places I have lived:
1.Panama City Beach - for 2 summers
2.Dallas, TX - where I was born
3.St.Louis, MO - for 3 years of seminary
4.Augusta, GA - Matt's first ministry job
5.Greenwood, MS - the Delta


5 jobs I have had:
1.Backyard Burgers
2.Waffle House (minus the blue eye shadow)
3.Deli at Food World
4.Alumni Office at University of Montevallo
5.Edward Jones Investment Firm

I was tagged by Kathryn and now I am tagging Dawn

April showers

April showers bringWell..... April flowers
Yes, my azaleas meet the roof line. They are huge. I probably should have pruned them a little but right now I am enjoying them. Just in case you are wondering, my house was built in 1965 and the lady who built it probably planted these so they are about 40 years old. Did I mention that they are huge.

Bathroom update???

This post is for Stewart, Abby and everyone else that I have complained to about my ugly outdated blue bathroom. Let me set the stage...... Blue tile (2 of which were missing above the sink), blue sink, blue toilet (Which we replace....see earlier post), blue tub, blue floor and did I mention that all these blue things are not the same shade of blue AUGH!!! Oh and I almost forgot the "cultured stone" countertop that is so glued into place it will not move during a category 4 tornado. Well, after talking to many of you and weighing all possibilities, I have a friend, who is a very talented decorator, (thank you Cyndi) who helped me pick a color to paint and some other ideas regarding lighting, mirror etc.... So here are some before and after shots. I'm not sure they do it justice. But believe me, it looks so much better. And yes, I have learned to just embrace the 1965 blue.

BEFORE

AFTER


Missing Tiles BEFORE

Couldn't get painted tiles to match so had a shelf built instead and I really like it.
AFTER

Wishing it was a white sink but oh well. The blue tub hiding behind the new shower curtain can keep it company.

Roasted Chicken Salad

I got part of this recipe off of someone else's blog. Who doesn't love a recipe that starts with a rotisserie chicken. I didn't like the dressing so I made my balsamic dressing instead. This is great served in a pita or just right out of the bowl.

2 cups chopped/shredded rotisserie chicken
1 cup chopped tomatoes
1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion
1/3 cup chopped fresh basil (or cilantro if you can't get basil)
1 can cannellini beans - drained and rinsed
1 can black beans - drained and rinsed
-Mix all together
I put my balsamic dressing a few posts ago but I'll add it again. Since I needed to double the dressing recipe for this dish but didn't want 4 Tbls of olive oil, I substituted 2 of those Tbls with chicken broth. You can't tell the difference. Don't you love that. So with that switcheroo here is the dressing recipe doubled:
4 Tbls balsamic vinegar
2 Tbls olive oil
2 Tbls chicken broth
4 Tbls honey
2 tsp dijon mustard
salt and pepper to taste
-I like to put it all in a jar with a lid and just give a good shake. Pour over chicken mixture and enjoy. Of course it is even better the next day.