Lately

I've been decompressing a bit the past few weeks, which is why I haven't been blogging.  My work schedule has picked up quite a bit (thank God someone invented overtime), so any moment I don't have to be at my computer I'm not.


I cannot believe it is already July. We had a great 4th of July with good friends, enjoying delicious food and the best fire works show I have ever seen! I left my memory card at home, so no pictures except for the one I borrowed from a friend.

Caleb turned 25 last month.  As is typical, Caleb wanted to do "nothing" for his birthday, so we grilled steaks and did nothing.  It was nice.  So grateful for a man that works incredibly hard, is determined to reach his goals, and loves me so much. God has been good to us.


I made a pie last week that was superb. 

Peach & Raspberry Pie

3 large egg yolks

1 cup sour cream

1/4 cup all purpose flour

1/4 tsp vanilla

3/4 cup plus 1/3 cup sugar

1 graham cracker crust

5 large ripe but firm peaches, peeled, pitted and cut into thin wedges

1/4 tsp vanilla extract

6 oz fresh raspberries

Preheat oven to 350*. Whisk together yolks, sour cream, flour, 1/4 tsp vanilla and 3/4 cup sugar. Pour into crust; bake until set, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool completely on a rack. 

In a skillet, cook 1/3 cup sugar and 3 tbsp water over medium low heat, stirring for 2 minutes. Stir in peach wedges and cook, stirring gently, until syrupy, 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly; stir in vanilla. Using slotted spoon, transfer half of peaches onto pie; scatter half of raspberries on top. Repeat with remaining peaches and berries. Chill for 30 minutes before serving.

To continue on with the randomness of this post, the sky has been beautiful lately. . .

Our summer just continues to get busier, many exciting things happening so I'm sure that I will continue to be scarce.  Summer is just that way though - too many fun things to be doing besides sitting behind a computer.

Hilton Head, SC 2012 - In Pictures

we stayed at the Omni Hilton Head Oceanfront Resort and the property was lovely 

 the weather was beautiful for the entire weekend

the sky in Hilton Head was so pretty, took more photos of it than I care to admit

the resort was pretty during the day and at night - beautiful atmosphere

breakfast and lunch - berry french toast and a turkey sandwich

coffee and orange juice on our balcony

 for dinner one night we went to Skull Creek Boat House

the view was beautiful, right on the bay

the wait was over an hour, but they had additional seating outside of the restaurant where you could order drinks and appetizers - every restaurant should do this!

chips and guac - Caleb didn't know what to think of these chips

 hush puppies, my favorite part of beach side vacations

the best cornbread I've ever had

shrimp, sausage, potatoes and corn

the view was awesome, outside and breezy

wonderful relaxing weekend getaway.  thankful for the chance to get away for a bit

PMP and Hilton Head!

Friday afternoon, while I prayed and contemplated "what if's", Caleb took his Project Management Professional exam and PASSED!

This has been the last big check mark for us, because even though we both wrapped up our bachelors last month we knew Caleb had this test coming up.  All weekend we kept staying, "I can't believe it's over and you passed!"  God is SO good!

We had been planning a weekend trip to Hilton Head for several weeks and it just so happened that it was the same weekend Caleb took his exam, so we had even more reason to celebrate.

On the way there we stopped at Zaxby's and ate our calorie allotment for the day.  If you ever want to panic, look at their nutritional facts.  Calories don't count on vacation anyways.

don't worry, we shared this

We got to experience a beautiful sunset on our drive over as well, wish this wasn't taken from a car going 80mph.  The colors were unbelievable!

We stayed at the Omni Hilton Head Oceanfront Resort, which was really nice.  When you first pull in, it's a bit deceiving because it looks older, but they've done a great job with the interior and the landscaping.  They had 2 pools, 2 hot tubs, and several sun decks with plenty of sitting. 

This is what our room looked like

When we arrived, they even had a surprise waiting for us!

lemonade, butter cake, and candied pecans

The view of the fire pit and pool from our balcony, like I said before, they did a fantastic job with the landscaping and atmosphere of the grounds.

Next posts will show our Saturday activities (which equates sitting by the pool and going out to eat) Until then, Happy Monday!

Recipe Box #27

All pictures are property of the blogs that originally featured the recipe

Silver Dollar Blueberry Sour Cream Pancakes

Real Mom Kitchen

Hot Potato Salad

Kayotic Kitchen

Savory Spinach Bites

The Curvy Carrot

Orange Stick Rolls

My Baking Addiction

Enjoy!

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Worship of Safety

So many times I hold myself back from embracing new opportunities or trying something different because I haven’t done it before.  I decide to sell myself short and limit my influence in order to stay within my comfort zone.  I choose to ignore His voice and His direction because I am afraid I won’t be received. 

I’m too young, I’m inexperienced, I don’t have the right personality – these are all thoughts I believe as truth instead of believing what God says about me.

Sounds a bit like Moses, a man that heard God’s voice audibly… 

Moses objected, “They won’t trust me. They won’t listen to a word I say. They’re going to say, ‘God? Appear to him? Hardly!”. . . Moses raised another objection to God: “Master, please, I don’t talk well. I’ve never been good with words, neither before nor after you spoke to me. I stutter and stammer.”. . . God said, “And who do you think made the human mouth? And who makes some mute, some deaf, some sighted, some blind? Isn’t it I, God? So, get going.  I’ll be right there with you – with your mouth! I’ll be right there to teach you what to say.” Excerpts from Exodus 4

But you know what?  God used Moses to lead the Israelites out of slavery - a man that stuttered, that feared how he would be received and then elevated his fears over God’s voice.  This is a Bible story we’ve heard time and time again – but are we applying it to our life? Are we accepting the responsibility that God has given us to speak freedom into His children’s lives?  Are we trusting that He will give us the words and that He will go before us?  How I wish doubt and fear wasn’t a part of so many areas in my life.  That I believed the truth that He is handing to me – you are loved, you are My vessel and I will pour out My spirit through you

The worship of safety emasculates greatness

Linked Up to:

Women Living Well Wednesdays

Women In The Word Wednesdays

Life Unmasked

Thoughts for a Sunday Morning

People are illogical, unreasonable, and self-centered.
Love them anyway.

If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish ulterior motives.
Do good anyway.

If you are successful, you will win false friends and true enemies.
Succeed anyway.

The good you do today will be forgotten tomorrow.
Do good anyway.

Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable.
Be honest and frank anyway.

The biggest men and women with the biggest ideas can be shot down by the smallest men and women with the smallest minds.
Think big anyway.

People favor underdogs but follow only top dogs.
Fight for a few underdogs anyway.

What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight.
Build anyway.

People really need help but may attack you if you do help them.
Help people anyway.

Give the world the best you have and you'll get kicked in the teeth.
Give the world the best you have anyway.

The Paradoxical Commandments by Dr. Kent M. Keith

Highschool Graduation

My little brother graduated from high school this weekend!  We had a great time spending time with family and celebrating David!


As I was writing out his graduation card, I found this bible verse to include and it fit my prayers for him exactly!

“Every time you cross my mind, I break out in exclamations of thanks to God. Each exclamation is a trigger to prayer. I find myself praying for you with a glad heart. I am so pleased that you have continued on in this with us, believing and proclaiming God's Message, from the day you heard it right up to the present. There has never been the slightest doubt in my mind that the God who started this great work in you would keep at it and bring it to a flourishing finish on the very day Christ Jesus appears.” Philippians 1:3-6

I am so thankful for David and I am so proud of him! He is going to accomplish so many wonderful things with his life and I can't wait to watch it happen!