Farewell Friend Dinner

     One of our long-time friends, Yancey, is just a few days away from moving to the opposite side of the world. He sold almost everything he owned and bought a ticket to New Zealand. Believe me, a trip to visit him is already in the works in my head. We invited him over for a farewell dinner of sorts. He's an adventurous eater, like us, so I cooked up some of my favorite. . . Indian food. I didn't take pictures, but here are the recipes.
     The main dish was an eggplant curry of my own creation. It's one of those dishes that I threw together off the cuff one night and it ended up being so yummy that I've made it again and again.
Brandi's Eggplant Curry
butter/oil
1 eggplant, cubed
1 onion, diced
1 bell pepper, thinly sliced
4 garlic cloves, diced
1 inch ginger root, grated
1 serrano, seeded and diced
1 large tomato, diced
4 oz. tomato sauce
2 cups chicken broth
juice from 1/2 of a lemon or lime
1 TBS each (garam masala, mild curry powder, hot curry powder)
salt & pepper
cilantro for garnish
1. Saute veggies in butter and oil, adding garlic and ginger toward the end so it won't burn. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Push veggies to the side of the pan and cook the spices for a few seconds. Then mix it all together.
3. Add tomato sauce and half of broth. Simmer until the curry thickens up. Then, add the remaining broth and simmer until it's the consistency that you like.
4. Right before serving, add the citrus juice and the cilantro.
5. Serve it alongside basmati rice. Here's a quick run down of how to make fabulous Indian rice. Toast whole spices (like cumin, coriander, cardamom, and cinnamon) in a little oil. Then add one cup of basmati rice and toast it a bit in the same spiced oil. Pour in 2 cups of boiling water. Turn down heat to a simmer. Cover pan with foil and then the lid. No peeking. 10 minutes on low. 10 minutes off heat but still covered. Remember, no peeking. Fluff with a fork. Yum!

     Alongside my eggplant curry, I served these delicious lentils from Food Network's Aarti Sequeira. Here's the recipe for Mum's Everyday Red Lentils. The spicy oil that you add at the end is the best part!

     Now on to dessert, which was not Indian at all. Thanks to our friends, the Reneaus, we had a bunch of freshly picked figs from the tree in their backyard. I drained some plain yogurt to thicken it up. If you've never done that before, you should. It's delicious and thick and creamy. Add some local honey and toasted almonds and you've got one great finish to the meal.

     Adam made spicy chai to sip with dessert. I love chai! I miss Rama's chai from our favorite Indian restaurant. No one can make it like her! Adam's is the closest I've had, but it's always a work in progress, getting tweaked and adjusted until it's just right.

So, farewell Yancey! Safe travels! And I hope you enjoyed dinner! We loved having you over.

The Big "B"-day Party! (Part 2)

     I am so proud of the little bubble outfit that I made for Sara Beth to wear at her party! It's just a simple pattern, but I appliqued a cute little bird on the front, added bows to the legs, and even made a hair bow to match. She looked so pretty in it. It was even good for playing too (which is important, you know). I was one proud mama!

SB in her B-day bubble

     After all the guests had their fill of the outside activities and yummy food, we headed inside to do the traditional birthday singing and cake smashing. I expected to see SB with cake all over her face and hands, but that's not exactly how it went. We put on her birthday bib and hat, lit the candle, and started singing, "Happy Birthday to you. . . . " She seemed to be enjoying hearing us all sing to her. When it was time to blow out the candle, she reached for the flame. Adam blew it out as fast as he could, but SB grabbed the wick the instant that the flame went out. It was still blazing hot, so she burned (pretty badly) her finger. Que the song: "It's my party and I'll cry if I want to!" She was hysterical for a few minutes and never really took to the cake after that trauma. We tried to stick her hand in the icing and put a little cake in her mouth, but she wasn't interested at all. Poor thing! Check out the sequence of events in the picture collage below.

Here, Papaw. You can have the cake instead!

I have to give big thanks to everyone that helped me pull this party off. I'm sure I'll forget somebody, but here's my attempt. Thank you. . .

• Adam-- for designing the invitations, building the barrels and signs, climbing up into tall trees to hang my paper pompoms and lanterns, and for everything else you did!
• Mom-- for making those delicious nests, picking up the cake, and helping me set everything up!
• Mrs. Jonell-- for the gorgeous flower arrangements, allowing us to use your home, washing all those dishes, decorating her birthday wreath, and blowing up the balloons!
• Mr. David-- for hauling all my stuff back and forth and for grilling the burgers!
• Daddy-- for helping Mr. David grill the burgers!
• Carol-- for being the party photographer! You got some really good shots!
• Diana and Stephanie-- for letting me borrow all your party stuff!
• All our family and friends-- for coming out to celebrate our little girl on her first birthday. Thank you for the books and gifts that you gave to Sara Beth! But, most of all, thank you for being a part of our lives! We love you!

              

Here are a few links to some websites that I used for inspiration:

• The Tissue Paper Pompoms that adorned the trees:  http://www.partyblog.mygrafico.com/diy-party-pom-poms/
• The Birthday Hat: http://www.tinysproutphoto.com/blog/2010/09/01/diy-birthday-hat/



Bikes, Trikes, and One Sweet Friend

     Here's the back story on Tristen, in case you didn't know already. Tristen and Sara Beth were born two weeks apart in the same hospital room. We met his mom and dad, Diana and Justin, through Adam's racing. Since T and SB were born, Diana and I have become good friends and we get the babies together as much as we can. Tristen is a sweetheart and is very energetic! Sara Beth always learns new things from watching him on the move.
     Today we celebrated Tristen's first birthday with an outdoor party at his grandma's house. The theme was vintage bicycles and tricycles. It was so adorable! Diana did a great job pulling it all together! Sara Beth's favorite part was the ball pit. My favorite part was the personalized Jones soda bottle. Here are a few pictures from the party today.

Ball pit fun!

He's famous!

The beautiful cake table

Sara Beth trying out T's tricycle

My two favorite people in the world

Flattering, I know. But, look at those two new top teeth!

Time for cake

A wagon of ice is better than any toy

Canton

     My friend, Diana, and I took a daytrip over to Canton Trade Days for the first time a couple weeks ago. Little did we know that bringing two 10 month olds along for the experience wasn't the best idea. Tristen and Sara Beth did so great despite the freezing cold windy day. We couldn't have asked any more from them. Sometimes they played together in the wagon. Other times they napped in the stroller. Still other times they were on their mama's hip. I didn't buy very much at all. The scale of that place is unbelievable and it was overwhelming for this first time visitor! I would love to go back on a slightly warmer day and sans children to explore some more.

Heartbreak Duathlon

     I don't usually post pictures from Adam's races, mainly because they would all look the same- guys and girls in tight shorts captured in mid-run or mid-pedal stroke. . . You get the idea. We got some good shots this past weekend in Tyler, TX at the Heartbreak Duathlon though. It was (I hope I get this right) a 2.5 mile trail run, 10 mile mountain bike ride, 2.5 mile trail run. Adam did a great job and finished 5th overall and 1st in his age group. Go Adam! The weather was beautiful so SB and I came to cheer him on and hang out with our friends, the Reneaus and the Skyles. After the race, we all joined in for an easy hike on the trail. Enjoy the pictures!

And they're off!

Good job, Adam!

All the girls with their babies: Sara Beth and me, Tristen and Diana, Ryder and Katrina

SB walking with Tristen's alligator push toy

Adam with 2 little cuties-- Sara Beth seems to be a little jealous. What do you think?

Peek-a-Boo! I see you!

Sweet, sweet kids- Tristen,  Sean, and Brianna

Adam's cheering section!!!!!

Post-race hike- All the guys with their babies: Rodney and Ryder, Adam and SB, Justin and Tristen

A Louisiana Blizzard

     OK. So it wasn't exactly a blizzard, but it was a lot of snow for this area. Adam didn't have to go in to work because of the weather, so we had a nice day at home. We bundled Sara Beth up in the BOB stroller and trudged over to our friends', Jeff and Nicole Spikes, house. We got to hold baby Isaac and see Eli too. Here are the pictures!

Ultimate Healing

  

Sweet friends, Crystal and Vanessa

 As many of you know, my friend, Vanessa Holland Mullins, passed away last week from cancer. This was her second battle with lymphoma. She trusted God and lived through these painful times with a strength that only He can give. She will be dearly missed, that's for sure, but she has left an amazing legacy for her family and friends. There are two things that I need to share with you from her Life Celebration yesterday. First, this song was the last song that they played that day. I loved it before, but even more so now. Every time I hear it, I'll think of Vanessa's parents, Mr. Doug and Mrs. Cecelia, standing up in worship. True worship in the midst of such pain. . . amazing! Second, this passage of scripture was one of her favorites and was read from the pulpit by Brother Rod. I shared it on this blog back in April, before SB was born. I'd like to share it with you again now. Praise God for His ultimate healing in Vanessa's life! I know she is pain free and wrapped up in the arms of Christ tonight. I'll see her again one day.

Psalm 139
1 O LORD, you have examined my heart

and know everything about me.

2 You know when I sit down or stand up.

You know my thoughts even when I'm far away.

3 You see me when I travel

and when I rest at home.

You know everything I do.

4 You know what I am going to say

even before I say it, LORD.

5 You go before me and follow me.

You place your hand of blessing on my head.

6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,

too great for me to understand!

7 I can never escape from your Spirit!

I can never get away from your presence!

8 If I go up to heaven, you are there;

if I go down to the grave, you are there.

9 If I ride the wings of the morning,

if I dwell by the farthest oceans,

10 even there your hand will guide me,

and your strength will support me.

11 I could ask the darkness to hide me

and the light around me to become night—

12 but even in darkness I cannot hide from you.

To you the night shines as bright as day.

Darkness and light are the same to you.
13 You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body

and knit me together in my mother's womb.

14 Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex!

Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it.

15 You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion,

as I was woven together in the dark of the womb.

16 You saw me before I was born.

Every day of my life was recorded in your book.

Every moment was laid out

before a single day had passed.
17 How precious are your thoughts about me, O God.

They cannot be numbered!

18 I can't even count them;

they outnumber the grains of sand!

And when I wake up,

you are still with me!

23 Search me, O God, and know my heart;

test me and know my anxious thoughts.

24 Point out anything in me that offends you,

and lead me along the path of everlasting life.

Going Visiting

     Thank goodness for Thanksgiving break (especially when all your friends are teachers)! I love being home with Sara Beth, don't get me wrong, but I do miss seeing my friends. This week we did a little visiting while we could. On Monday, we met Diana and Tristen for lunch and did some shopping with them. I love getting to visit with Diana and it's always fun when SB and Tristen get together. We didn't snap a picture (which is sad because the babies had on coordinating outfits), but we had a fun time with them.
     On Tuesday, we went over to visit the Wibbens. Crystal and I have been friends for what seems like forever and we are used to seeing each other every day at school. Since I've been on sabbatical this year, we haven't gotten together as much as we'd like. So, Crystal and I chatted up a storm while SB played with Caden. He sure knows how to handle a baby! I guess he's had lots of practice with his sister, Caroline. John Collier was in the mix too, of course. All in all, we had a great time with the Wibbens! I just wish we could do it more often!

Wrestling with Caden

Sweet Caroline

SB with her "Aunt" Crystal