Yes to VBS!

Today was the last day of VBS- YAY!!! (did I just say that out loud)! Really, it has been a great week. Last year, Gracie was so small at VBS- she was only 14 months old but could hang with the big kids. This year it was no different. The only problem this time was that she wanted her daddy the whole time- so she couldn't sit still for the opening or for the missionary moment time. She did sing and dance in my class, eat a snack, play on the playground, and do a little craft!

Last Year at VBS 2010 (Look how little)

Little Lady Liberty!

I'm so proud of her. She has always been the youngest in her age group and really does well for only being "2"... We say it a lot but Gracie is really a genius! She knows so many things and can remember ANYTHING! She had a few cute phrases this week- Today Stephen took her out on the playground and she didn't want to swing because her "friends" weren't there..hehe! Also, in the mornings I came later and when the kids came in she said "Look, Mommy- KIDS":)

Another great thing about Morning VBS was that she was sooo tired when we got home so she slept really good this week. She loved the VBS music so much. This year I taught it again and Gracie would get up in the front and dance and sing. It was so adorable- she isn't shy one bit when it comes to stages.

Have a great weekend:)

Love, 

KIM

Side Dishes and Other Fun things!

Since I have been trying to eat healthier (I didn't last night cause we had our Anniversary dinner at Red Lobster) I have found a new love for cooking! Side Dishes are the hardest sometimes because we usually have the same Ol' sides- Potatoes/Rice and a Veggie/Salad. Well, I found a blog where she was doing a "Show us your side dishes" blog, and found this awesome recipe for:

Green Beans wrapped in Bacon 

(we used Turkey Bacon)

We had them tonight and it was fantastic plus I loved the presentation!

Ingredients:

2 or 3 cans of whole green beans

Bacon or Turkey slices

1 stick of butter

1 cup of brown sugar

tsp of garlic salt

Wrap a handful of green beans in half a slice of bacon. That makes one bundle - keep going for as many bundles as you would like to have. Melt a stick of butter and stir in one cup of brown sugar (more or less depending on how sweet you would like it). Add a teaspoon of garlic salt. Pour over bundles. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Then put under the broiler for 4-5 minutes at the end. DELICIOUS!

Recipe Taken from: kellyskornerblog.com

Weight Watchers: Grilled Peaches

Ingredients

	1 spray(s) cooking spray
	1/4 cup(s) low fat cream cheese, at room temperature
	2 Tbsp reduced-fat sour cream
	1 Tbsp honey
	3 large peach(es), pitted and halved

Instructions

• Preheat grill. Off heat, coat grill rack with cooking spray.
  
  
• Mash cream cheese and sour cream in a bowl with a fork; stir in honey until smooth.
  
  
• When grill is hot, grill peaches cut-side down until marked, about 1 minute. 
  
  
• Place peaches cut-side up on a platter; top each with 1 tablespoon sweetened cheese mixture. Yields 1 peach half per serving.

Notes

• Use peaches that smell sweet but are still a little firm so they hold up over the heat. Garnish with ground cinnamon or grated nutmeg.
  
  
  
  
  We had these tonight and they were so so yummy! 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Baked Chicken:

Ingredients

	1 spray(s) cooking spray
	1 pound(s) Chicken, breast, raw, without skin & bone, four 4 oz halves
	1/2 tsp table salt
	1/4 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
	1 tsp olive oil
	2 tsp fresh lemon juice, or more to taste
	2 tsp rosemary, fresh, chopped
	2 tsp parsley, fresh, chopped
	1/4 cup(s) canned chicken broth
	1/2 medium lemon(s), quartered (for garnish)   Instructions Preheat oven to 400ºF. Coat a small, shallow roasting pan with cooking spray. Season both sides of chicken with salt and pepper. Transfer chicken to prepared pan and drizzle with oil; sprinkle with lemon juice, rosemary and parsley. Pour broth around chicken to coat bottom of pan. Bake until chicken is cooked through, about 30 to 35 minutes. Garnish with fresh lemon and serve. Yields 1 chicken breast half per serving. On a side note: Today is our official Anniversary and Stephen bought me the cutest Liz Claiborne purse and really surprised me with it. Of course he did true Stephen style and got it for an awesome deal! We also went to Silver Springs/Water Park and had the BEST time we bought year passes so we will be able to go back every weekend if we want! Here are a few cute pics from today! All Ready to have a FUN day! Went on Water slides and was not scared AT all! On the Glass Bottom Boat Ride

Go ahead- Pull those weeds!

Jesus says, “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away.” Matthew 13:24-25

I found a really awesome blog today Raising Homemakers. She posted the other day about weeds and how much they consume your gardens and flower beds. I'm the one in the house that weeds. I really dislike doing it. Its a lot of work and plus its very hot outside but after it gets done I feel so much better because: 1. I just put in a lot of hard work 2. I love to see how clean it looks (I love cleanliness). Ha!

What I find so amazing about weeds is how fast they grow. Before you know it- the weeds you just pulled are turning into new ones. Ever so often we need to take a step back and pull the weeds in our life that are causing us to stumble.

I love this last statement she says: Pluck out the things that seek to destroy. Search your heart greatly and ask the Lord to expose any weeds that are crowding Him out.

Our pretty yard!

She brought so many things to my mind about what in our lives need pulling.. I recently had the tough decision to quite a club I thought was great. The girls were great, Gracie had an awesome time playing with their kids- but in my heart I knew this part of my life needed weeding. I started feeling the Holy Spirit whisper in my heart that I needed to be around other believers- that being amongst non Christians is okay but the friends you spend the most time with need to have the same faith and morals as you because in the end they will pull you down.

I also let the internet (Facebook) consume my life. It got to the point that I was missing out on time with Gracie and my husband because I wanted to know the latest news. I weeded and got rid of people I didn't know much or had never wrote to me or vice versa. I also fasted from FB for 2 weeks.

Love, 

Kim

I can do this!

I have questioned if I should tell the world (or few) that I'm actually dieting because I have tried this off and on for awhile but never stuck with it. Well, just 2 weeks ago I signed up with Weight Watchers. My Great Aunt is doing it and so are my grandparents and seeing them lose weight has really inspired me! I have lost 9 lbs in 3 weeks. The main thing I believe that caused my extra weight was not emotionally eating but just eating because I didn't know what to eat and I felt bad (sugar got low) and just found what ever I could to feel better. 

This is the first time that I've felt like I can do this! I can lose weight without feeling like I'm missing out on things. I love Weight Watchers because of the point system. Lets say you want to maintain your current weight well with this system you can do that. You can eat ALL the foods you love in MODERATION & SERVING SIZE only (this has been my learning point) Today, I got my calculator that adds the points of the food your eating so you don't over eat. Plus if you exercise you can get extra points with it! 

To all my friends out there who need to lose a few pounds- TRY Weight Watchers you will not be disappointed with the results. I have always been a "I want results now- girl" and with this diet its slow but I see the lbs coming off. I signed up online- you can do so to: www.weightwatchers.com

Gracie singing the B-I-B-L-E

Let Freedom Ring!

We had a great Fourth of July yesterday! Every year our church supplies bounce houses for the kids and VBS registration. This year, though it was so hot and not many people came out when it first started but by 8pm it was packed for the fireworks.

Gracie's first 4th at 12 weeks old:)

Gracie last year on the 4th:)

Singing the Star Spangled Banner with her hand on her chest!

Gracie loves anything fun! We have taught her that I think because we are always going and doing something on the weekends. She loved the bounce house so much! Her favorite (and the little girls favorite) was the Hello Kitty Bounce house... I also allowed her to go down the huge slide.. She is not afraid of nothing and I usually let her explore and have fun even though I know she is two..hehe

A church here in town was giving away cotton candy. Gracie loves sweets (yes, I give her them in moderation-I'm a dental assistant so I know the problems with sweets BUT you as a parent need to brush your children's teeth not have the child do it... Theres my public announcement!Ha). I let her try a piece to see if she would want some and so she did and we walked down the lake and she got this HUGE thing of cotton candy:) Did I mention Papa Ray gave her a lick of his Ice cream for the first time at 3 months old during the 4th festivies:))

I love doing things with my family and I'm so thankful for Stephen who always plans awesome things to do... Its so very important when your in the ministry to have down time and dedicate time when you can to your family..

When it was time for the fireworks I didnt know how Gracie would react to it. Last year she did pretty good but this year it kinda scared her and her BFF Elly:) They both were holding onto their daddies for dear life!! Then, Gracie would want me to hold her- I didn't mind it cause usually she's Miss Independent. At the end though she finally came around the last fireworks were awesome. Our little town outdid themselves.

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Hope you had a awesome 4th:)

Love,

Kim

I love the new things you Say & Do!

Gracie makes me smile. Each day she comes up with new sentences and funny things she does to get our attention. Her favorite thing to say to get out of trouble is " But I'm a princess" and it cracks us up every time. Then her imagination is so funny too- Just tonight she said "Dada there are bears in Bella's room" hehe
Dada has to go in there and tell them to go away, then its better.. We have been trying to get rid of the Binky and every time I tell her that Binky's are for baby's and your a big girl- she always corrects me that she is a baby:) HA

Putting her pretend Makeup on:)

Tonight we went to Wal-mart and every time we are in the car she is a back seat driver... If you stop at a red light she says "Go Mommy" then when you do proceed she cheers "YAY- Mommy" hehe or she says "Ye haw, I'm a cowboy" (I tell her your a cowgirl but she says no Boy). After Wal-mart we went to McDonalds (she knows Micky D's now when we pass by) and got ice cream cones.. Stephen gave her a lick and she said "Yummy, Delicious" it made us laugh, we were so surprised that she could say "Delicious".

She told me "I look like Dada" hehe

She makes us smile with the little phrases to like "Come on, Mommy" or "Me, too".... She also is a HUGE Taylor Swift fan.. She always requests we play her cd in the car and her all time favorite songs on there are "Love Story" and "You belong with me". You should see her singing them, it brings so much joy to my heart to know that this baby girl will be a singer like me.. Can't wait till she is singing in church!

This is what she does when I say :"Strike a Pose"

I love watching her grow and learn:) I love being her mom so much!

Love,

Kim