Friends with hats

When we went to Dallas a couple of months ago Katie had to have this hat.  She had a vision of pictures in the hat.  I couldn't say no to it because I had the vision of these pictures, I just hadn't planned hats...

I had vision of the bike and this field, the hats were a good touch.  I am planning on a picture of the girls and I like this for Father's day for Mike...I'm just waiting on Jennifer to come take it.  She needs some bike pic's too...

they brought the best guy friend as well...

Love this one...

 

Take time to frolic with your friends this summer!

Summer is here

Yesterday was the last day of school.  It doesn't feel like summer vacation to me yet....
We planned a cook out and told both girls they could invite their friends.  And of course we invited a few people...
10 teenagers and 6 adults later...

Last week my sister texted me that she saw a t shirt Mike needed to embarrass the girls... I saw it in the store today and thought it was perfect for a night when they were having friends over...
"Dads against daughters dating"...
It took them awhile to notice but both were pretty put out when they did.  Mission accomplish...

 I will never get used to the wind here I don't think.  The first cook out of the season and it was so windy there was no eating outside...

 This was "warm up" plate of one of the teen boys...

 there were smores for one dessert option

And my dessert choice

Browned Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies Ice Cream Sandwiches

They were wonderful!

Browned Butter Chocolate Chip Malt Cookies

1 cup plus 2 tbsp flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup unsalted butter

1/3 cup sugar

1/3 cup brown sugar

1 tps vanilla extract

1 lg egg

1/3 cup malted milk powder

3/4 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

Whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt in small bowl.  Cook butter in heavy saucepan over med. heat, stirring constantly until it foams, turns clear, then turns deep brown.  Pour browned butter into glass measuring cup and chill in freezer till semi solid.

Preheat over to 350 and line baking sheet with parchment paper.  Beat solidified brown butter, sugars, and vanilla at med. speed till creamy.  Add egg and beat slightly, then beat in malted milk powder.  Reduce speed to med. and gradually add flour mixture and beat till incorporated.  Fold in chocolate chips.  Form approx. 1 1/4" balls, place two inches apart on baking sheet.  Bake 9-10 min. or till golden.  Cool on wire rack.

Make these today.  They are great!



I hope the start of summer is fun for you this weekend.  Please celebrate with us by embarrassing your children.



It takes a long time to grow old friends

One of my oldest and best friends, Deana, came to see me this weekend. 

Well, she actually came to her niece's college graduation which happened to be here so it was really like her coming to see me and going to a graduation while she was here.
Her family is in Dallas so I don't see her very often since we've moved to Lubbock.  We never seem to be in Dallas at the same time.
I did see her every summer for the last several years because she lives in Branson near the camp we went to every summer. 
That was one of the worse parts about skipping camp this year was that I hated to not get to go see her.
Sooo, I was thrilled that she had a reason to visit me!

When I was 17 my mom died.  My dad was working out of the country so I had to move from Mississippi to Dallas to live with my (much)older sister.
This was quite an adjustment on many levels.
The very first Sunday I was there we went to my my sister's church and the minister introduced me to Deana.  We have been friends ever since.

We lived together through college and off and on till we added husbands to the picture.

I look back now and know what a gift she was to me.
She was a constant, stable, loving friend when I needed one.  And she came with a family who took me in like I was theirs.
I have always been grateful for them.

So, now that a 12 hour drive separates us I am always so glad for any visit!

She brought her two oldest girls and her mother even spent one night with us.
We talked and enjoyed every minute of it!
Our girls enjoyed each other and even pulled a little prank on the mama's...

I'm so glad our kids have fun together.

I did some senior pictures for one daughter...Katie had to be a creeper in one of them of course...

I really enjoyed her beautiful girl!

Let's do this again soon!

I'd love to help clean your room for Mother's Day

I hope you all had a wonderful Mother's Day.
Mine was very good.  I still never fail to realize how lucky I am to have these two girls.  Even now, when they are all teenager-y and sassy...
I also never fail to remember my mom.  I didn't get to keep her long enough... But she was a great mom while I had her.

This morning when I went to wake up Kellie for church, this is what I found

She was asleep on her floor next to a tray she had gotten ready to bring me breakfast in bed

How sweet is that? 

 It made my day!  Even though I didn't get that breakfast in bed. 

I told her she could bring me a snack in bed or dinner in bed...

Mike and the girls took me out for Mexican food after church.

and I rounded out the celebration with Katie cleaning her room

If you are missing any clothes they might be in that pile.

I know mine were.

She managed to get rid of two big bags full even though she told me she didn't have anything she needed to give away before she started...

I helped by sitting in the floor folding clothes and hanging up clothes with her for over an hour.

But, I did ask her to clean her room for my mother's day gift.  I knew I would end up helping and that's OK.  If only she' let me clean out her drawers!

I love being their mom.

All I need is a reason

You know cooking for people is my love language.
If if you are from Mississippi this is in born.... Wait, I just remembered my sister who will only make you brownies from a mix and then only for certain occasions and realized that if you're a good Mississippi girl you have this trait... 

Last week one of my good friends had a little surgery and I've used that as a reason to take her a couple of meals. 

Tonight with the Chicken Spaghetti I took for dinner, I took a Black Eyed Pea Corn Relish and a bag of fresh chips....
I am not a huge black eyed pea fan but knew that she is. 

and forgot how much I liked the black eyed peas in this...

Black Eyed Pea and Corn Salsa

1 lb. Frozen sweet corn kernels

1  can Black eyed peas, rinsed and drained

2 lg Tomatoes, diced

1 Avocado diced

1/2 Red Onion, diced

1 jalapeno, minced

1 clove garlic, minced

3 tbsp chopped Cilantro

1 lime, juiced

Tabasco to taste

Salt to taste

Thaw corn and drain well.  Combine all ingredients in a lg bowl and mix well. 

I never made it to the Chicken Spaghetti...



Lemon brownies, I could eat them all

May always seems like the busiest month.  We have something almost every night.
Last week we had a birthday, dance practices, theater practices, a dance recital and NJHS induction...
Katie has also added a part time job to the mix... a couple of more months and she'll be driving there without me.  As nice as that will be, you know that makes me sad...
She's working part time at a florist and gift shop that just opened.  I told her only working two hours it day it's going to take her forever to earn enough for a tank of gas...

I did some cooking so I could take dinner to friend.  I decided while I was cooking to make some treats to share with the neighbor and take to Bible study tonight...
If you like lemon you need to try these.  They are that good....

Gooey Lemon Brownies

1 1/2 cup flour
1 1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt
3 eggs
10 tbsp butter melted
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
zest of one lemon
Mix all ingredients thoroughly, pour into 9x13 pan and bake at 350 degrees for approx. 20 minutes till toothpick comes out clean with inserted. 

Remove from oven and cool slightly before glazing.

Glaze:
Mix one cup powdered sugar, 3 plus tbsp lemon juice, and zest of one lemon.  Add extra lemon juice or small amount of water till glaze is thin enough to pour.  Pour over cooled brownies.






A warning though, if after the brownies are done you find your melted butter still in the microwave go ahead and start over.  It is a key ingredient I found...