Happy Birthday Mom!

Today has been one of those days that I can't quit thinking about my Mom.  Today she would turn 63 had she not joined Jesus 21/2 years ago.  Not a day goes by that I don't think about her, but today every time I moved, she was in my thoughts.

My Mom was a great woman who was extremely talented.  She was more creative than anyone else I have ever met. She sang like a songbird and loved to share her talents with others. She taught music for a living, but was a very talented seamstress, painter, crafter, musician, singer and cook. She loved Jesus, and would share he faith openly.  She was an optimist who always saw the glass half full.  She always saw the best in every situation, and even it if was hard for her, she made the most all things.

Rarely did I ever hear my Mom say a negative word about anyone.  If she did criticize, she was constructive with the criticism.  She was not mean spirited, but wanted to help in anyway that she could.  Sometimes I took her critiques the wrong way, and when I look back, she was right and was only looking out for my best interest.  She was always encouraging and trying to make us better.

I can hear my Mom today, giving me some words of wisdom in her final days of life.  I remember calling her upset one day, and she said, "Sarah, I raised you to know right from wrong, and to trust your instincts.  Give this situation to God, and stick by your morals.  You can't be wrong for doing what is right for you and your family."  I had no idea this would be one of the last in-depth conversations we would have, but I will never forget those words. I often think about what she said and how right she was.

This is my favorite photo with my Mom.  This was taken Easter Sunday 1996, and I was so excited  to be graduating from high school in a few weeks.  This sits on my dresser, and I look at her sweet smile every day!

The day we came home from the hospital. The lady in the white was her roomate, and they stayed in touch for many years.  I think she was ready to take me home.

On my wedding day.  She always gave of herself, and even sacrificed her time to get her hair done to finish sewing the ring bearers outfit.  I think she was hemming the pants to fit him perfectly!

After the ceremony, she was so glad to be helping me bustle up my dress.  So glad I have this picture.

Scott and I with my Mom and Dad on our wedding day.  She was such a lovely lady!

My Mom was one of the most generous people I know.  If she had something you needed, she would want you to have it. Even if it meant she went without.  She always made time for me and my brother and sister.  I don't ever remember her telling us that we couldn't help her do something.  She would let us help her cook, even if it made twice the mess for her to clean up.  I am reminded of her sacrifice when I try and let Pickles help me.  She even would sew with one of us on her lap. I still can't figure out how she managed a straight seam, or even a completed garment. If there is one lesson I need to take away from her, it is to let my children learn by doing.  She was a teacher at heart and had the patience of Job.

My Mom lived for her children and grandchildren. I am constantly reminded that The Little Man will never know her, but I remain committed to showing him pictures and telling him stories so that he will know about her.  We sing silly songs that she taught me, and I even ordered Tom T. Hall's children's album that contained some of her favorite songs. Every time we sing Barndance or Sneaky Snake, I can her her voice and see her dancing along with the tune.

Even though Pickles only shared limited time with Nana, she remembers so much about her.  She knows that Nana could do anything, including make dough ornaments and sing fun songs.  She talks about Nana singing with the Jesus and the angels, and how we will all be together one day soon.  However, my selfish nature wishes I had a direct line where I could call her in Heaven!

I have tried to write this post all day.  I was either interrupted by children, or overcome with emotion,and had to put it to the side. I finally had a moment of quite and thought I would share. Sorry for the limited photos...The Little Man took apart one of my flash drives that contained many of my pictures from the past 10 years.  I hope they are all on the computer that is mothballed in my closet.  There is also a large box of pictures, but they are in the top of his closet, and I know he will awaken if I try and get them out...Like Mom would say, "You never wake sleeping dogs or babies!"

Looking back, some of my fondest memories of my Mom are the simplest of times. Singing with her while she played the piano, cooking with her in the kitchen, or sitting on her lap while she sewed.  Until next time, keep adventuring and looking for joy in the small details of life.  Thanks for letting me share about such a sweet, wonderful lady!

Sarah

A Pickled Pumpkin

We planted a pumpkin patch so that our children could go and pick their very own pumpkin.  The Little Man could care less, and Pickles has taken ownership of all the pumpkins we picked.  The first Goosebumps pumpkin was hers. The biggest Goosebumps pumpkin was also hers.  The littlest Goosebumps pumpkin is hers too.  Then we moved onto the Jack-O-Lantern variety.  She claimed the largest one for her "painted" pumpkin.

In case you didn't get the memo, this year we have an Alice in Wonderland theme for Halloween.  Just thought I would share that.  I am so surprised at her creativity illustrating the theme on her pumpkin.  She came up with this all by herself!

The Mad Hatter...

Alice and the cat...

The top is to resemble the tree canopy...

I was all I could do as a Mommy to let her make a huge mess painting her pumpkin. But we learned something I will share.  The best artists palate for a young painter is an empty egg carton.  That way they can keep their main colors separated and then have the other wells to mix colors.

My creative child keeps getting more creative, and I am so thankful she loves to create masterpieces!  In the end, we ended up with a beautiful Pickled pumpkin!!!

Until next time, keep adventuring and looking for joy in the small details of life!

Sarah

More From the Pumpkin Patch...Pancakes

Pumpkin is such a good, healthy, nutrient rich food, but somehow gets stashed away until fall.  One of my favorite holiday memories is Aunt Sherry baking pumpkin bread to give as gifts.  Her entire house would be scented with the likes of cinnamon and cloves and you knew love was in the oven.

Let's face it, pumpkin bread is awesome, but really not practical for those watching their caloric intake.  Over the weekend, with thoughts of pumpkin bread running through my head, I decided to make pumpkin pancakes.  While not quite pumpkin bread, they were a delicious addition to our Sunday morning breakfast.

These stirred up just as easily as regular pancakes and were very simple.  They rose up thick and fluffy and super moist and tender.  I made a half a batch, but if you have more adventurous pancake eaters than I, I will share the whole recipe.

Mix together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon in a large bowl.

In a separate bowl, combine buttermilk, pumpkin, vanilla and eggs.

Whisk milk and pumpkin mixture together until smooth...

Pour milk and pumpkin mixture directly in the middle of the flour mixture.

Whisk until just combined.  It is just fine for it to be a little lumpy.

Drop by 1/4 cup measure onto a hot pan. Flip when bubble stay open on the top.

Serve with a little butter and powdered sugar...

Or go all out and put some syrup on them too!

Pumpkin Pancakes

2 cups flour
1/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 cups buttermilk
1 cup pureed pumpkin
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla

Mix together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon in a large bowl.

In another bowl combine buttermilk, pumpkin, eggs and vanilla.  Whisk together until smooth.

Add milk mixture to flour mixture and stir just until incorporated.  Don't overmix.

Drop by 1/4 cup measure onto a warm pan sprayed with cooking spray.  Cook until bubbles stay open on top and then flip over.

Serve with butter, powdered sugar and syrup.

Enjoy!

Until next time, keep adventuring and looking for joy in the small details of life!

Sarah

Pumpkins...My Favorite Fall Flavor!

Yesterday, the children and I went to our pumpkin patch to see what was ready.  To our surprise, most were some shade of orange, but some were still green and growing strong.  We looked to make sure we didn't miss any and loaded up the back of the truck to bring them home.  I love pumpkins and all things they represent.  In my mind they usher in the cooler days of fall, football and Thanksgiving.

My precious babies and their homegrown pumpkins.

The Little Man and his pumpkins...

Pickles and her Goosebumps Pumpkins

I love all things associated with pumpkins. Pumpkin muffins, pumpkin coffee, pumpkin creamer, pumpkin spice candles...This is becoming a little too Forrest Gumpish for today's exercise.  I guess it is the spice along with the pumpkin, but it makes my heart happy.  I even have a pumpkin spice reed diffuser in the living room!

This morning I made a batch of pumpkin muffins.  I whipped these up from scratch, but while delicious, the results are not exactly what I was looking for.  I think that they needed a little more spice!

I am going to play around with a few more pumpkin recipes, so look for them soon. If you are dying for a super easy pumpkin muffin, mix a spice cake mix with a can of pumpkin. Stir well and portion into muffin cups. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.  That is all it takes and they are delicious!  They are Weight Watcher friendly as well. I have made this same recipe with chocolate cake and the result is a super moist chocolate brownie like muffin, and no one will ever know that it has pumpkin inside...that is unless you tell them.

Until next time, keep adventuring and looking for joy in the small details of life!

Sarah

My Weightloss Journey...Back on Track

On this adventure I call life, I have never been skinny.  I don't think it was in my genes.  Of course during short periods of my life, I have been thinner than others, and at other times, heavier than others.  I have vowed time and again that I will lose these pesky pounds that keep leaching to my hips. And just as I achieve success, I am derailed by some temptation.  Living in Mississippi, we are constantly hearing about how unhealthy our lifestyles are.  One organization names Mississippi the most unhealthy state in the U.S.  Not a statistic to be proud of, but rather one to address.  I personally don't care about being super skinny, but would like to wear clothes well and be healthy!

Pickles and I at a concert about a month ago.  Love what the humidity does to my hair...ugh!

The Little Man and I during VBS.

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A few nights ago, I recorded The Biggest Loser.  If you have lived under a rock and have never heard of the show, it is where they place morbidly obese individuals on a ranch and force them to exercise and eat well.  As I lay in bed watching the new episode unfold, I was overcome with a renewed sense of "I can do that too!"

Watching the Biggest Loser, I must say I am pulling for Becky.  She lost her father on the first episode and had to return home.  When it came time for the first weigh in, she lost more than any of the other females in her group.  Losing a parent is a very tough reality of life. I cried with her, and know that she will go far!

I have paid for Weight Watchers for the last six months, but can't say I have tracked my food or stayed on plan more than a week. I have tried everything, and it is time for me to admit that I just have to eat less and exercise more. I know.  This is hard.  This is really hard. I am here with everyone who is also trying to achieve this same goal.  During this six month period, I have lost about five pounds, but need it to be twenty five!

Tuesday I started back with a commitment to exercise.  OK, it started the week before, but I only managed to squeeze in two days.  So, Tuesday I started week 2 of C25K.  It is an interval program that takes you from a couch potato to running a 5K in about 8 or 9 weeks.  Since I had a crazy Tuesday, it was in the evening before I got outside. So that mean the Little Man in the jog stroller and Pickles riding along on her bike.  We all survived and it is tough to try and run uphill pushing a stroller!

Yesterday, I skipped the recommended rest day and completed day 2 sans children.  I went about half a mile farther than the day before, but boy was I sore.  I think it is because I am holding my iPod and need to get a case so I can attach it to me.  I only hurt in my shoulders...

Today, I am resting, but know that tomorrow, I will have the Little Man in the stroller with me again! So, if you see me around town, please don't laugh, but join me.  I promise, if I can do this, anyone can!

I am curious if anyone else is rededicated to building a healthier lifestyle.  If you want to join me, we can encourage each other and celebrate victories.  Sometimes and encouraging word is all it takes to get back on track.

I will try and make some healthier meal options and share those recipes with you.  It is fun to try and make a healthier version with all the flavor and that has less fat and calories.  Let me know what you are looking for, and maybe I will try something new as well.

Until next time, keep adventuring and looking for joy in the small details of life!

Sarah

Tackling My Fears... Homemade Biscuits

While I am in a mood to air all of my dirty laundry, I must tell you that I have been intimidated by biscuits for quite some time. I have tried to make biscuits and must say they never turned out the way I wanted.  I make a mean garlic, cheese biscuit, but it is dropped and not rolled. In the South, biscuits are the staple that appear on tables at anytime during the day. I think of biscuits as a breakfast food, but promise you they are just a delicious with any good southern meal.

You see, a few weeks ago I was visiting with my neighbor and she said that she made biscuits three times a day when her children were growing up.  She was so surprised when I confessed that I didn't know how to make good biscuits.  She said, "you can make anything, and you tell me you can't make biscuits?"  That's right, I can't make biscuits, so I guess I need to take myself back to Oklahoma where they will forgive me.   After picking her brain, I found out what I was doing wrong, or maybe, what I wasn't doing at all.

Here is her advice... You have to use self rising flour, a hot cast iron skillet or a crock pan, and butter.  Lots and lots of butter.

I was so excited to try biscuits, I ran to the store and bought self rising flour just like Mrs. Leslie told me to.  I used real butter that was really cold and buttermilk.  That is all.  Can they really be this easy?  I mean, don't they have a ton of ingredients?  And, mix them with your hands or a fork, but don't over-mix, or they will be tough and won't rise.

Add your self-rising flour to a bowl and cut your really cold butter into little pieces.

Blend with a pastry blend until it looks like coarse meal. 

I think it is ready now...

Add a little butter to a hot crock or cast iron skillet.

Pour buttermilk into a well in the middle.

Mix with a fork, or your hands until just combined.

I kneaded it to make a pretty little ball.

*Important step* Pat with your hand to about 1 inch thick on a lightly floured surface.

Cut your biscuits with a biscuit cutter or a glass, or a clean tin can... My Grammy used a baby food can and guarded it with her life! 

Place in the melted butter in the hot pan and flip so that the butter is on the top of the biscuit.

After about 10 minutes, they are ready to enjoy with a little butter and red plum jam!

I promise that these are really easy, and the key is not to work the dough too much.  Less is more, and this is obviously a great example of that.  I made a half batch, but a whole batch will make about 12 biscuits...

Here is the recipe:

Biscuits

2 cups self-rising flour
1/4 cup real butter, really cold
2/3 to 3/4 cup buttermilk
1 tablespoon butter

Preheat oven and pan to 500 degrees.

In a large bowl, add flour and butter.  Using a pastry cutter, or two knives, cut in butter until it is the size of small peas. Blend in buttermilk with a fork until combined and dough leaves the sides of the bowl.  Don't over mix!

Remove pan from the oven and place 1 tablespoon butter in the pan to melt.

Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface.  Knead gently 2 to 3 times.  Press dough to a thickness of 3/4 to 1 inch.  Cut using a floured 2 inch biscuit cutter, or glass, or a clean tin can.

Place the cut biscuits into the pan, and flip to coat the tops with butter.  Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown.

Until next time, keep adventuring and looking for joy in the small details of life!

Sarah

Italian Love Nests... A Fun Twist on Alfredo

Italian Love Nests

My name is Sarah and I have an addiction to reading cookbooks.  So, I have confessed, it is out in the open and maybe now I will be on the road to recovery.  Not hardly, I just can't help myself! Surprising, I know.  I tried to control my inner desire to buy more, and they just keep showing up on my doorstep, and then I read them cover to cover, just like most people would read a novel. I can't help myself! I just love to see what other ideas our out there.  This love of cookbooks is so bad, I have others on the hunt to complete some of the series I have started.  A few weeks ago, my sister-in-law was in a thrift store and found eight volumes from the '80's I didn't have.  I felt like it was Christmas. I am installing new shelving to my kitchen to hold all of these cookbooks that are going to land me on an episode of Hoarders...

Trying new recipes can be a fun adventure, however, very rarely do I follow the instruction to the tee.  I know the flavors we like, and what we don't, so I make it all my own.  If I make something that I think might be pushing the envelope, I don't ever try it out on Scott.  This past weekend I tried basil and lime cupcakes, and our friends were the taste-testers.  Even though it sounds strange, they were delightful. I will post the recipe later in the week.

The Italian Love Nest recipe started out from a new cookbook that came in the mail a few weeks ago.  After making the sauce by the book, I realized that it was lacking something.  Seriously lacking something known as flavor!  By the time I was finished, I am happy to share this recipe with you and know that you will like this as much as we did. 

I know that Italian Love Nests is an odd name, but just think twisted fettuccine Alfredo.  Basically you make a cream sauce with heavy whipping cream and wine and swirl it with Angel Hair pasta and bake until firm in individual muffin tins.  

This was very simple, and I had three unknowing Guinea pigs try them before I did.  Brave and crazy, but it was fun. My father-in-law was the funniest. He thought it was going to be sweet, and ended up being ultra savory.  His lady friend liked them too as well as my girlfriend who returned my daughter.

So, here is how simple it is...

I prepped my ingredients before I started the sauce.  This was important because it came together very fast.  As you can see, I couldn't find Prosciutto, so had to settle for country style ham.

I cooked the country style ham in a heavy skillet prior to make the sauce, just to ease my mind and know that it was safe to eat...Then, remove from heat

Add all ingredients to the pan and wait on you pasta to finish boiling.

Then chase a Little Man who escaped out the back door while I was making the sauce.

Pour prepared sauce over hot drained pasta and toss to coat.

Swirl pasta into greased muffin cups.  This was a little tricky on the first ones and you can see I was a little less than careful.  Top with remaining sauce in the pan and a green olive.

Bake for about 20 minutes at 350 degrees and then remove from oven and allow to cool about 5 minutes in the pan. Remove from pan and place on your favorite serving dish.  Aren't they pretty?  I am really in an individual portion mood lately, and these fit right in.  Enjoy!

This was a great way to make a fun presentation. I think I might just try mac and cheese, or even spaghetti in an individual portion size.  The children thought this was fun too.  

Here is my recipe...

Italian Love Nests

8 ounces Angel Hair pasta, or about 1/2 a package

1 cup heavy whipping cream

1 1/4 cups Parmesan cheese, grated

6 thin slices prosciutto, chopped fine, or thin sliced country style ham

1/4 cup dry white wine, or a little more...

2 large eggs, beaten

2 teaspoons minced fresh sage

2 tablespoons minced fresh basil

2 cloves garlic, pressed

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper

1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper

12 pimento stuffed green olives

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray a 12 cup muffin tin with cooking spray.  Bring 4 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot. Add pasta and cook until al dente, stirring often.  Drain pasta and return to pot.

While pasta is cooking, combine cream, Parmesan, prosciutto, wine, eggs, sage, basil, garlic, pepper, salt and nutmeg together, then pour over hot pasta and toss to combine.

Using tongs, portion pasta mixture into prepared muffin tins, twisting pasta in cups to form uniform nests.  Pour remaining sauce evenly over pasta.  Press an olive into each nest.  

Place in oven and bake until centers are set and tops are golden brown. About 20 to 25 minutes.  Let nests cool in pan about 5 minutes, then run a small knife around the edges, unmold and serve warm.

I hope you enjoy this fun side dish as much as we did.

Until next time, keep adventuring and looking for joy in the small details of life!

Sarah

Kids in the Kitchen? German Chocolate Pies

A few weeks ago I shared with you a few of Pickles' adventures in the kitchen. She had fully embraced her inner calling to cook. She love it, and when I tell you we have moved from the children's cookbook to Bon Appetite  I am not kidding.  She has been reading anything that she can get her hands on, and I guess it has more pictures than most magazines, so that is her new light reading material.

The Paula Deen's children's cookbook is wonderful. The recipes are simple and easy to follow.  Pickles has wanted to make everything she sees.  One such example is the German Chocolate Pies.  This recipe was in the bake sale section, and even I was impressed.  As Pickles said, what is not to love about chocolate, pecans and coconut?  I am with you sister! Only problem was she doesn't like pie, so I was left giving it away to the neighborhood.

She was so proud of her pies!  Don't you just love the "just out of the bath" look?

I have since used this same recipe to make mini-pies. They are just as good, and have a fun, sophisticated air about them.  I took the individual pies to the dove hunt, and they were a perfect since they could be picked up and eaten with your hands.

Don't they look lovely!

A closeup so you can see the chocolaty, coconut, pecan goodness.

To make the individual pies, I used a large round cookie cutter and cut the pie crust into a 4 inch circle. I then fitted them into muffin tins and filled with the filling. They were fairly easy, it just took some patience to get the crust into the individual muffin cups.

So, enough blabbing out this wonderful pie...her is Paula Deen's recipe...

German Chocolate Pie

3 cups sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
7 tablespoons powdered cocoa
1 12 ounce can evaporated milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 eggs, beaten
1 stick butter, melted
2 cups flaked coconut
1 cup chopped pecans
2 9-inch unbaked pie shells

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, place the sugar, salt, cocoa, evaporated milk, vanilla, eggs and melted butter.  Mix with an electric mixer until smooth.  Stir in the coconut and pecans.  Divide the batter evenly between the two pie shells.  Place the pies on a cookie sheet.

Bake for 40 minutes, or until the pies are set in the middle.  Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely.

I hope you enjoy these as much as we did.  Until next time, keep adventuring and looking for joy in the small details of life!

Sarah

Homemade Pitas

Living in Mississippi definitely has it's positives.  I love the old homes, Magnolia trees, and the fact that people are generally nice.  Overall, I am a very happy resident.  Regardless of how hard I try and convince myself, it will never be home, but that is a discussion for another day.

One of the downfalls of living in Mississippi is the lack of good grocery stores.  If you buy anything and everything at Wal-Mart, this doesn't apply to you.  If you are like me, and like to venture on the foodie side, you must go to Memphis to find what you want.  Even in Memphis, you are fairly limited with choices, but they do have a Whole Foods and a Fresh Market.

While we were at the beach, my friend Carla and I went on a daily trip to Publix.  I know, quite the shopping mecca.  If you have never been to a Publix, you are in for a treat.  I honestly believe they had almost anything and everything you might need.  Carla is a much better shopper than I, and finds the hidden, random things that I would never notice.  One such item she picked up was mini pita bread.  I know we have all enjoyed the beauty of this little flat-bread, and possibly amazed by it's little pocket in the middle.  However, I had never seen the little mini version, and they had them in whole wheat to boot!

After our trip, I longed for those tender little pitas.  I have searched high and low, and to no avail.  I have found the regular sized, but not the mini.  When posed with an issue, I try and search for a solution.  The solution to this problem was to make my own little mini pitas!  I scoured the volumes of cookbooks I have, and failed to find a recipe.  Next I resorted to the internet, and I was successful, but not quite right.  I wanted whole wheat, not white.  I adapted the recipe to make it my own, and the result was a huge success!

Don't be intimidated.  Pita bread is fairly simple.  The hardest part is rolling out the dough.  It is basically a French bread that is risen, allowed to rest, and then shaped into the pitas.  They are then baked in a super hot oven for about 5 to 10 minutes. That's it.  I think it took me about 30 minutes to bake up an entire batch.  They were super delicious, and I think I will definitely try them again soon!  I can promise, I am not likely to purchase them again, they were so easy, and so much tastier!

My pretty little pitas.  The perfect companion for basil hummus!

Pita Bread

3 cups all-purpose or bread flour, or a little more if needed
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 packet active dry yeast
2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 cup warm water

Combine the flour, olive oil, yeast, salt and sugar in a food processor.  Turn the machine on and add the water through the feed tube.

Process for about 30 seconds, adding more water, a little at a time, until the mixture forms a ball and is slightly sticky to the touch. If dry, add another tablespoon or two of water and process for another 10 seconds.

Remove dough from the food processor bowl, and gently knead a few times.  Place a little olive oil in a large bowl, and place dough in the bowl, turning over so that the dough is coated with oil.  Cover with a clean kitchen towel and allow to rise until doubled in size. This step took about 2 hours, maybe longer...

When dough is ready, punch down down and form it into a ball.  Make the ball into a rope, and cut it into pieces.  Mine made bout 24 pieces for mini sized pitas.  roll each piece into a round ball on a lightly floured surface.  Cover with the towel and allow to rest until they puff slightly.  About 20 minutes.

Roll each ball out to less than 1/4 inch thickness, using additional flour as necessary to prevent stickiness.  As you work, spread the flat disks out on a floured surface and keep them covered.  When all are rolled out, preheat oven to 500 degrees.  If you have a pizza stone, this is a great chance to use it!  Place your stone on the lowest rack in your oven and allow it to preheat as well.  If you don't have a stone, lightly spray a cookie sheet with cooking spray and put it on the middle oven rack.

To bake on the stone, slide the individual disks onto the stone with a large spatula. Put as many as will comfortably fit on the stone.  Or bake 2 disks at a time on the cookie sheet.  Or, if you don't have an oven, you can bake them in a very heavy skillet over medium to medium low heat, until lightly browned on the stove-top.  Baking time will be between 5 and 10 minutes.

As the bread finishes baking, remove from the oven.    Allow to cool, and then place in a plastic, zip-top bag.  To reheat, place in a 300 degree oven or skillet before using.

* If you too want whole wheat pitas, substitute half of the regular flour with whole wheat flour.  It's that easy!

I hope you enjoy this as much as we did.  These were awesome with basil hummus!!!

Until next time, keep adventuring and looking for joy in the small details of life!

Sarah

The Dove Hunt...

Saturday we were invited to a dove hunt.  To my knowledge, this is the only hunting activity that includes the entire family.  They did shoot at dove, but the fun of the hunt is the fellowship with friends. We enjoyed old friends and made new ones.  I was a great evening and it even rained while we were eating dinner.  Just enough rain to cool things down a little and settle the dust.  The children had a ball playing and riding 4-wheelers. If you have never been to a dove hunt, the dress code is cammo, the more the better. It was a great night, and here are a few of the pictures.  

Gracie cheesing for the camera...

Pickles taking a break from riding 4-wheelers...

The Little Man playing with all the fun tractors and toys!

My buddy Nolan...

Sweet Jules...enjoying his Dr. Pepper!

The Ladies... enjoying the afternoon.

Two of my favorite boys, Nolan and Jules, taking a short break.  They rode 4-wheelers all afternoon!

Love, love, love this one.  I think you can see the ornery in his grin!

The Mettetals...our wonderful and gracious hosts.

Silly time!!!

Cary and Bill...showing some love...

The best picture of the day... Scott helping in the kitchen!  I didn't know he was capable!

Lexi found a friend.  I promise she loved on him for a good 10 minutes.

Gracie the chauffeur...

The Little Man and his new buddy Creek. They loved the Barbie Jeep.  Don't think they even realized it was pink and purple!

We even had cheerleaders trying stunts!

Scott and Pickles loving the hunt!

Shelly and Coates...he really didn't want his picture taken!  Have to love boys that are too cool!

Sweet hugs...

A few that hunted.

The Little Man kept feeding the dog all night long!

Creek drove the wheels off!

Shelly and Carla...

Shelly, Lane and Carla enjoying the band after dinner.

Carla and I.  It took five tries to get a picture...We had to change photographers!