The Bragg Book

Mouthwatering Monday - Look what's cookin'!

2010-09-27T13:07:00.001-04:00

With cooler temperatures finally settling in, I wanted a few new fall recipes to try out. We eat alot of chicken in our house too, so I was really hoping to find something other than poultry. I was thrilled when I stumbled upon this recipe for Pork Tenderloin with Caramelized Onions & Apples. I served it with Savory Sweet Potato Wedges (sans brown sugar & cayenne pepper), green beans & rice. It was easy to make, and absolutely delicious. This just might become a new favorite!

Out of sight, out of mind

2010-09-12T22:32:00.005-04:00

The kids were away at Nana's Friday night, so after our date Terry & I decided to take care of a few cleaning chores around the house that are easier done without the kids there. While sweeping the hardwoods, I decided to move the couch in the playroom to sweep under it. This is what I found.

I guess that's what I get for asking my 3-year-old & 2-year-old to clean the playroom while I'm working on the "cue-pitter." The good news is that I found the Moses and the "thassa hot bush" book Drew has been missing for a week. And the even better news is that Abi really cleaned the playroom tonight without any prompting at all. I was changing over my closet to get ready for the fall weather & she announced that she was going to clean the playroom - no argument here! She probably spent a good thirty minutes sorting things that had been put in the wrong place & putting them to rest in their proper home (all facing the same direction, of course). Then she called us all in there to showcase her handiwork - Mamy will be so proud!

Drew's Barnyard Bash

2010-08-27T12:47:00.022-04:00

To say that I love to plan parties would be a gross understatement. I truly wish I could do this as my full-time job. From the invitations to the party favors, I relish over every little detail. Here is a sneak peek from this past weekend's festivities. Photos by my friend & co-worker, Pattie Alliston, of Party Pattie's Photos!

Invitation photos courtesy of my BFF Shana of Shana Cawley Photography. The barnyard bash lawn sign was placed at the corner where you turn into our "neighborhood" directing guests to "Bragg Family Farms." And the John Deere signs were located at either end of the circle driveway welcoming our farm-favorite friends. These were a real find! They were the ends of a bookshelf that was on its way to the dump from the kids' school. I used some 2" and 3" mailbox letters for personalization. Napkin rings were hand-cut from a cow print design I printed. Party shirts for the birthday boy & Abi-girl were made by my friend Sweetie over at MiTy Sweet Monograms & Embroidery here in Milledgeville. The "thanks-a-doodle-doo" party favors were homemade cowboy cookies & the "Drew is 2" photo magnets. I also had cow print name labels for the cups. And the oh-so-cute personalized banner came from 62 card etsy shop, but we didn't get a photo of it - the banner was moved quite a few times through the party to keep up with the ever-changing weather.

What's on the menu?

Ranch Chicken Cheeseball/Dip with Cracker

Caesar Pasta Salad

Corn & Black Bean Salsa with Chips

Butterfinger Apple Dip with (you-guessed-it) Apples

Awesome Fresh Fruit "thrown together" by my Jama

Party Mix

For the kids

Sandwiches - Turkey, Ham or PB&J

Cheetos

Apples, Grapes, Cheese Cubes & Carrots

CapriSun

The chicken feeders were supposed to house candy corn, but apparently it won't be available in stores for another few weeks...SO I improvised with a last-minute substitution of Corn Pops cereal, peanuts, M&Ms, raisins, and chocolate morsels - not a bad fill-in! Kids' lunches were pre-made & served in individual "fish & chip" baskets I found on clearance post-July 4th.

I'm pretty sure if you asked her today, my sister Ashleigh would tell you that she never dreamed she would be making cakes almost every other weekend & gasp - working with fondant! It is really remarkable to look back at some of her first cakes from just a few years ago, and then see the incredible designs she is able to execute. She's the best & apparently loves me & my kids very much. I'm pretty sure there were multiple moments she wanted to kill me during the process of executing my design for this cake, but she can't argue that the end result wasn't worth it...love you Shash!

And a "Barnyard Bash" just wouldn't be complete without farm animals. Many of you know that I grew up on a farm...it's much more of a farm now that when I lived there, but it was a farm none-the-less. We raised cows, had a horse or two along the way, and always grew a garden. I learned to drive when I was about 11 or 12 when my granddaddy left me in the truck in the pasture one afternoon as we were checking on the cows, and he got out to look at something & the hollered for me to "come pick him up." I may not look or act like a farm girl, but I know how to fish, have baled hay (not that I would do it now), and have even helped birth a cow. Anyway, back to the animals. My sweet daddy, Abi & Drew's Papa, came up early Saturday morning with a 10 foot trailer that was as loaded down with "farm" as it could be - a rooster & a hen, bunnies, natural wicker furniture, hay bales galore, gorgeous fresh-cut zinnias in shiny tin cans, and more washtubs than you could do a week's worth of laundry in. All of the finishing touches to really transform our home into the "Bragg Family Farms."

I also had the great fortune of being introduced to Sharon Varner of Follow That Dream Ponies & Farm. They live in Gray, and were incredible to work with & equally patient with my weather woes on the morning of the party. I must say that Buttercup was an even bigger hit with the kids than I imagined, and Sharon & her family felt like family to us!

I don't think the Birthday boy or Abi-girl ever thought for a second that the rain was going to slow down this party train & it didn't. As you can see, we were surrounded by good food, good friends, good family & good down-on-the-farm fun!

Thanks-a-doodle-doo for being a part of Drew's special day!

Ya'll come back now, ya hear?

Summertime Favorite

2010-07-08T22:27:00.008-04:00

When I was growing up, summertime was always special. Since Mama taught school she was able to be home with us during the summer, and living on a farm provided for lots of memorable warm-weather activities - tree climbing, corn shucking, fishing, bike riding, butter bean picking, star gazing, and the list goes on. Now those of you who know her know that my mother is good at alot of different things, but there is no denying that she can make some delicious "sweet treats." I would dare to say that her pound cake, cinnamon rolls & apple crisp could rival even the best of them. One of my favorite summertime treats though were her homeade ice cream sandwiches made of three simple ingredients - graham crackers, vanilla ice cream & peanut butter. I honestly couldn't tell you if we ever had a real name for them, but these things are just heavenly.

I've been on a couponing rampage the past few months, and it seems like everywhere I turn I've seen the ads & coupons for S'mores ingredients - graham crackers, chocolate bars & marshmallows. Something about the sight of that Honey Maid graham cracker box took me right back to my Mama's kitchen & these ice cream sandwiches. I bought the crackers a week or so ago, but last night I took the kids with me to Kroger to pick up some rock salt for one of my new summertime faves (link coming once Shash posts the recipe on her blog) - watermelon sorbet. We left with rock salt in hand along with a bag of Cheetos, White Chocolate Peanut Butter and Nutella. I now had my inspiration in hand! Much like my mother, there's no "official" recipe to follow; but I'm pretty sure one variety or the other will become one of your summertime favorites too - enjoy!

Recipe

I used 1 quart of vanilla ice cream (1 pint for each variety)
2 (of the 3) packs of Honey Maid graham crackers in the box
& about 1/3-1/2 jar of each - White Chocolate Peanut Butter & Nutella.

Mix your chosen peanut butter into vanilla ice cream with a hand mixer. Break your graham cracker in half & spread the mixture on one half, and top with the other. Repeat until all of your mixture is used. Line your sandwiches on a baking sheet & place in the freezer for about an hour to firm. Then just pop 'em in a freezer bag or container to store or gobble them all up right then & there!

Super Saving Sisters Challenge: Week 1

2010-06-07T19:38:00.007-04:00

So I finally got my sister on the CVS bandwagon the end of last week & in her initial excitement she challenged me to a couponing duel on facebook, to which my response was "bring it." Anyone who knows me well knows that I have quite the compeitive streak when challenged.

Below is a summary of my Week 1 CVS trip at lunch today. It went down something like this...

Transaction #1
Bought:
1 John Frieda Clear Hair Luminous Color Glaze $8.00 (on sale from 9.99)
1 John Frieda Sheer Blonde Shampoo $5.00 (on sale from 6.99)

Used:
1 $2.50 off any JF product coupon
1 $2.00 off any JF product coupon (was attached to the glaze at time of purchase)

Total Due $8.50 out of pocket (saved $8.48 off regular price)
Got back $3 Extra Care Bucks for spending $15 on JF products
Plus
Got back $1 ECB for 6th use of Green Bag Tag
AND
$5 off $15 purchase coupon!!!!!

Transaction #2
Bought:
6 Dove Deodorants @ $2.50 each (reg. $3.49 each)

Used:
$5 off $15 purchase
(2) $3 off 2 Dove Deodorant coupons
(2) $2 off Dove Deodorant coupons

Total Due NOTHING.
I literally paid $.70 in tax & walked away with six free deodorants. (saved $20.94)
Now THAT smells good!
Got Back $5 ECBs for spending $15 on Dove Products

Transaction #3
Bought:
2 Coppertone Sunscreen Continuous Sprays @ $10.49 each

Used:
1 $2 off Coppertone Coupon
1 $1 off Coppertone Coupon
$5 ECBs from Dove purchase
$1 ECB from above for Green Bag Tag
$3 ECBs from JF purchase

Total Due $8.98 (saved $12.00)
Got back $10 ECBs for buying 2 Coppertone products

GRAND TOTALS:
Regular Prices (before sales, ECBs & coupons) $58.90
Total Out of Pocket expense (pre-tax) $17.48 - $10 ECBs credit = $7.48

That's a savings of 88% - beat that, sista. And I'm pretty sure that after I complete Extreme Couponing 101 on Saturday, I will be a savings Jedi!

Breakfast's Ready!

2010-05-29T07:44:00.006-04:00

Come & get it. This is a modified Taste of Home recipe for Sausage Rolls. If quick & easy is what you're looking for, then this is the recipe for you. With just 3 ingredients & about that many steps, you can't go wrong with this family favorite on a Saturday morning or even for a special occasion! Enjoy.

Sausage Cream Cheese Breakfast Casserole

Ingredients:
- 1 pound ground pork sausage
- 1 8 oz. package cream cheese (softened)
- 2 cans crescent rolls

Step 1: Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Step 2: Brown Sausage.
Step 3: Line 9x13 baking dish with 1 can of the crescent rolls.
Step 4: Drain sausage & mix with cream cheese.
Step 5: Spread sausage/cheese mixture over crescent rolls in dish.
Step 6: Layer 2nd can of rolls on top.
Step 7: Bake at 350 degrees for 15-18 minutes until golden brown.
Step 8: Serve & enjoy!

Not-so-wordless Wednesday

2010-05-12T11:18:00.002-04:00

My baby girl made the sports page of The Union-Recorder. Grab your copy today. Photo & write-up on page 9A!

Wee Ball Season 1

2010-05-07T17:11:00.002-04:00

Click here to view these pictures larger

Diamond Diva

2010-04-27T15:51:00.004-04:00

For those who have only known me in my adult life, it may come as quite a surprise that I was a pretty good softball player in high school. Oh yeah, don't let the "Junior Miss" stuff fool ya. Abi gets it honest - skills, sass, style & my lucky number 3!

Bloomin' Braggs

2010-04-23T13:47:00.003-04:00

Abi was in a particularly festive mood this morning because we will be attending JazzFest tonight to hear Terry's middle school band perform, so I took the opportunity to get a few shots of my cuties. Too bad Drew found that pappy on the way out the door...that boy!

Princesses & Pirates

2010-04-22T10:07:00.003-04:00

Last Friday (my birthday & Abi's half-birthday) we celebrated at Chick-fil-A of Milledgeville with a Princess & Pirate party. Some of my favorite Junior Misses came out in full costume for the event. They even decorated the entire joint & had the cows dressed for the occasion as well. On second thought, maybe they didn't even know it was my birthday. Oh well, I choose to believe they did!

My "Irish"Blessings

2010-03-17T10:18:00.005-04:00

"May the road rise to meet you,
May the wind be always at your back,
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
May the rains fall soft upon your fields,
And, until we meet again,
May God hold you in the hollow of His hand."

*I am from Dublin (GA); so that makes us part Irish, right?

I Don't Want My Kids to Be Happy

2010-03-04T11:32:00.011-05:00

My friend Bridget shared this post on Facebook a few weeks ago, and I loved everything about it. It was written by Missy from It's Almost Naptime. I have been meaning to repost it here ever since then; and well, "life" just got in the way. I've been busy with Junior Miss, a fun-filled Valentine's weekend of food poisoning with Terry, DDA training for MainStreet board re-certification and getting ready for the upcoming consignment sale...oh, and my more than full-time job & two sweet kiddos!

This morning I received just the prompting I needed to share this with all five of my readers ;) I have been subscribing to the Love Worth Finding Ministries daily devotionals ever since my quest to find another set of Proclamation Ornaments last year. This morning's devotional thought was titled "Happiness versus Joy," and I have copied the contents below.

Devotional thought from the messages of Adrian Rogers

BIBLE MEDITATION:Philippians 4:4 - “Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice.”

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:Happiness comes from outside circumstances. Joy comes from within. It’s cruel to say to people who are in sorrow, “Smile and be happy.” It’s better to come alongside and mourn with them than to try to force the square peg of happiness into a round hole of sorrow. The human life is a life of tragedy, sorrow, heartache, and pain. Yet in every difficulty, you can find joy. Happiness is an outside job. Joy is an inside job.

ACTION POINT:There is someone you know or come in regular contact with who longs for that joy. Find some time this week to bring the joy of the Lord to them.

This goes hand-in-hand with the original post "I Don't Want My Children to Be Happy" that has had such an impact on putting into words everything I want for my own children. It is hard not to get caught up in the moment by doing whatever it takes to make our children happy because as parents we DO want the very best for our children; but most of the time stuff is what they end up with and that is fleeting and ultimately unfulfilling. True joy, contentment and holiness can only come from within - from an intimate, personal relationship with Jesus; and our children should learn that by the example of how we live our lives each day as well as by the things that we place value in...which actually, shouldn't be "things" at all.

Please read this post and share with those you love, so the world can be just a little UN-happier! I could go for that.

Snow Daze 2010

2010-02-16T09:01:00.001-05:00

Click here to view these pictures larger

Father/Daughter Dance

2010-02-09T09:03:00.001-05:00

Abi & Terry danced the night away Saturday at their first Father/Daughter Dance sponsored by Young Life. Abi hid under the table when she realized things were winding down because she didn't want to leave. Terry said they were the last ones out of the building! Click here to view the entire album.

Mouthwatering Monday - 6 Week Raisin Bran Muffins

2010-01-25T10:16:00.004-05:00

For some reason, I pull this recipe out every holiday season. I guess it's because there are more opportunities during the holidays for breakfast to become an "event," so it's nice to have something on hand to add to the menu that doesn't require any additional prep. I made the batter & first batch of these on Christmas Eve, and finally used it up last week by taking breakfast to both of my local BB&T branch meetings. This recipe makes approximately 4 dozen muffins - store the batter in a tight container up to 6 weeks. You could also bake the entire recipe & freeze the muffins in a Ziplock bag for breakfast-on-the-run.

Ingredients
1 package (15 ounces) raisin bran cereal
5 cups all-purpose flour
3 cups sugar
5 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons salt
4 eggs, beaten
4 cups buttermilk
1 cup vegetable oil

Directions
In a large bowl, combine the raisin bran, flour, sugar, baking soda and salt. Combine the eggs, buttermilk and oil. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups two-thirds full. Bake at 400° for 12-16 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks.

Fairest of them all

2010-01-19T09:04:00.001-05:00

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Wordless Wednesday: Genetics

2010-01-13T09:40:00.004-05:00

Mouthwatering Monday - FREE LUNCH

2010-01-11T14:27:00.002-05:00

Whoever said "there's no such thing as 'free' lunch" doesn't shop with me! This week Kroger has select varieties of Healthy Choice meals on sale for $1.99 each. You can get a digital coupon for $5 off 5 along with the printable coupon for $5 off 5. That's not just one free lunch - that's free lunch for a week! Happy shopping!

Super Sunday - Jump into the Light!

2010-01-11T09:26:00.009-05:00

Wow - What a day! We had an amazing day of worship at Northridge today. It was "Youth Vision" Sunday & Craig's message was from my life verse, I Timothy 4:12 which says, "Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young; but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity." I will post the link to the sermon on Wednesday when it goes live. Everything in it was so relevant for not only our young people today, but for all of us who are called according to His purpose.

We found out a few weeks ago that the Pre-school choir would be performing during the worship service; and since I got in trouble for not alerting Abi's "fan club" the last time she performed, I invited our family to come to the service. Mama, OE & Jama came as well as one of my favorite JM's Jamie Lynn (aka "My Jay-muh-leen-uhn" according to Abi). We have been planning to partner with the church for some time now, but the holidays just seemed to overtake us; so we thought today would be the perfect time since we'd have family in town. Terry talked to Mike & set things up for Sunday, and also arranged to be baptized since his first baptism as a child was before his full understanding of what it meant to be saved. This was such a special day for our family, and we know that "greater things are yet to come..."

You can click here to view the video of the kids singing/dancing. As you can see, Abi's "performer genes" are in high gear!

We topped our "Super Sunday" off with what was almost an understood tradition growing up of Sunday Night Breakfast - pancakes, bacon & cream cheese grits! YUM! I even attemped chocolate chip smiley faces for the kids, but have found out that they both prefer them plain!

Frugal Friday - updated

2010-01-08T11:07:00.012-05:00

I have several older posts waiting to be published, but I guess I'll just have to backdate those & complete when I get them done. This is too exciting to hold back. I've been couponing for a while now, but have recently buckled down. I had been using the Coupon Mom method, but never felt completely sure what links were actual links in her posts or what was advertisement. My friend Hollie told me about Southern Savers & I am on my way to some substantial savings this year. I had already done my weekly grocery shopping for the week when I saw the P&G spend $25 get $5 promotion at Kroger. Since we can always use diapers & wipes, the $25 was easy to spend AND both were on sale this week AND I had printed & e-coupons for both.

See this...

I got all of it for $25.81! 41% savings!!!

My next stop was CVS to get my free light bulb which they were out of, but I had $2 expiring Extra Care Bucks burning a hole in my pocket. As I was walking out, I spotted a twin pack of Fiber One Chocolate & Oats bars which I LOVE. The price was $6.99 for both with $3 ECB's back, which made them $3.99-minus the $2.00 ECB's I had received from just scanning my card at the "coupon-spitter-outer thing" on my last visit- minus the $1.00 off printable coupon...grand total 99 cents! Simply unbelievable.

I can't wait to put my list together this weekend for next week's shopping adventures...

*UPDATE* Friday after work I went to the CVS on the Southside of town after work to see if I could find the lightbulb & TOTALLY racked up. I got all this for $12.87 AND I even scored a hard-to-find Blue's Clues toy for Abi & Drew for Valentine's Day - operation SUCCESS!

Our Christmas Card

2009-12-22T08:47:00.005-05:00

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace
as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with
hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. ~ Romans 15:13

Rock the Night Away

2009-12-18T10:54:00.004-05:00

To say that last night was amazing would be an understatement. It was Abi's first dance recital & she truly "rocked the night away." I was such a proud Mama. Pics & video are uploaded here. Abi was all smiles from start to finish, but I have to admit that it is still a little weird to see my 3-year-old wearing mascara ;)

Click here to view these pictures larger

My Tiny Dancer

2009-12-17T10:20:00.004-05:00

I have dreamed about this day since I found out that my first child was going to be a little girl. It's Abi's first dance recital!!! I've always loved to dance even though I stopped taking classes in order to participate in school sports and private voice lessons. I started really dancing again once I declared my Theatre major in college and continued for several years after graduation "just for fun." It's no secret that I always wanted a little girl of my own, and it tickles me to death that she enjoys music and dance and "drama" as much as her Mama. Break a leg tonight my tiny dancer!

"I'm so glad it makes you happy see me dance." Abi, after her first stage rehearsal on Saturday.

Wordless Wednesday: Past our Bedtime

2009-12-16T06:31:00.002-05:00

Mouthwatering Monday - Cowgirl Cookies

2009-12-14T13:30:00.008-05:00

I decided to start on the "teacher gifts" from the kids this weekend - as if I didn't have enough going on - dance rehearsal, breakfast with Santa, 2-year-old birthday party, going to see Peyton in The Nutcracker, church, shopping, naps, etc.

Anyway, several weeks ago I came across this post at Bakerella, and knew that this was the perfect gift for us to do this year. I remember my mother getting "Cowboy Cookies" as a gift from one of her students back when I was still in high school or middle school, and I had pretty much forgotten about them - until now!

The post provides excellent, easy-to-follow instructions & the variation possibilities are endless. You could use regular or holiday M&M's. You could separate out the colors to offer a variety of selection or color combinations. I chose to stick with the pink for a number of reasons. 1) I love pink, in case you didn't know that already. 2) We had 2 bags of pink M&M's left over from Abi's ladybug party in October. 3) I was able to score another couple of bags for a seriously good deal last month at CVS (with a coupon & ECB's)...need I say more!

I'm glad now that I started on these early because they do require a bit of finesse when it comes to packing the ingredients into these jars. My first attempt did not permit room for the sugar which is kind of an important ingredient. SO I decided we should bake that batch & see how they tasted! As you can see, even the dough is pretty!

And the finished product - or what's left of it!

I now have 10 jars with flour packed in, and well - that's as far as I made it last night. Below is a photo of the finished product from the original post. I can't wait to finish these & get them to the teachers...I think they will love them as much as we do! Enjoy!

Here Comes Santa Claus

2009-12-08T08:47:00.005-05:00

Last Thursday I had a regional mortgage meeting down in Statesboro. I always look forward to seeing my friends and having the opportunity to catch up with their lives in person. We only have these meetings once or twice a year, but it is inevitable that they will fall on important days in the lives of my kids. This was not any ordinary Thursday. You see, it was also the day that Santa came to visit Abi & Drew's school. I had planned to leave really early that morning so I could move some funds to a local bank down there that is paying FIVE PERCENT interest on a high-yield checking account. Anyway, I'm sure Terry could have handled the preparations for this big day without me; but I just couldn't bear to miss.

As you can see, Abi-girl is quite excited about her visit with Santa; and as for Drew - well, the jury is still out!

Photo creations by Picnik!

Our Jesus Tree

2009-12-03T22:02:00.008-05:00

I can't begin to express just how excited I am about a new tradition we started this year. My Uncle Mike gave us a set of Proclamation Ornaments for Christmas 2 or 3 years ago; and to be honest, I really hadn't given them much thought before now. I found them as we were unpacking Christmas decorations & was amazed at what I found inside the box. You see, our church is celebrating Advent with A Calendar of Devotions for families to read throughout the month leading up to Christmas. Growing up in a Baptist church, this is the first time I've actually participated in Advent and really focused on preparing for the Christmas celebration daily. The Proclamation Ornaments (which are apparently no longer being produced) include 25 ornaments designed to help us remember that the Jesus who has come is the Jesus who is coming again. The Scripture on each ornament shows an Old Testament promise and how it is fulfilled in the New Testament in the life of Jesus. Each ornament's design represents what we have in Jesus. The heart speaks of His great love for us. The cross speaks of His death for us. And the star speaks of the hope we have in our ascended Christ. The culmination of the ornaments, the Jesus Banner, is royal blue and speaks of His heavenly origin.

Our "Jesus Tree" is located just inside the living room, and each night before bed Abi hangs that day's ornament on the tree, Terry reads the Scripture & I read the devotional followed by nightly prayers. Even though the kids are young, and don't really understand what's going on; it thrills me to know that we are laying a foundation for them to understand the real reason for the season while establishing a meaningful Christmas tradition our family can carry out for years to come.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

2009-12-01T11:28:00.004-05:00

The tree is up...

and the stockings are hung...

now we are waiting for Santa to come!

Dear Kristi,

2009-11-30T11:23:00.002-05:00

I don't quite know how to tell you this, so I'm just going to come out & say it. You call me - quite often actually - on your Blackberry - without meaning to. At first, I thought it was because I was "special" or there was something really important, funny or juicy you had to tell me. Then I realized it was probably your butt or your purse or who knows what else dialing my number. I can't believe I haven't remembered to tell you yet considering we talk at least once a day pretty much every weekday. It's usually on the way to or from picking Evan up from school. I must be the first number in your phone. Makes me feel important even if it is only because my names starts with the first letter of the alphabet!

Thanks & Giving

2009-11-24T16:59:00.004-05:00

My friend Hollie wrote this post last week about Operation Christmas Child. I was so excited to see it because last Sunday when we were visiting the church I grew up in, they had a special presentation of the boxes the church had collected so far. During the last praise song of the morning service, children began to file in down the aisle carrying boxes that had been donated - as many as their little arms could hold. After the first dozen or so kids came in, there were several children pulling wagons filled and overflowing with boxes - boxes full of dolls, and toys, and crayons, and card games, and even more things we take for granted like tooth brushes & paste, wash cloths and underwear. As the children came in they all sat along the steps of the alter. And then as the line grew shorter, my little Abi was the last one to walk in carrying the 392nd shoe box. That was it for me. I guess it never occurred to me that she would be there because we were visiting and she was a year or two younger than any of the others. But nonetheless, there she sat, holding a single shoe box, in the center of the worship center, beaming.

They then handed the microphone to a sweet 8-year-old girl who said a prayer of dedication over the boxes & for the families that would receive them as well as the people who had donated...it was definitely the highlight of the morning's worship for me. I knew at that moment that this was a great opportunity to teach about about "Thanks & Giving." During the car ride home, we talked about the importance of being thankful and how God wants us to share what we have with others. We decided to make boxes for a "special boy" and "special girl" to receive this Christmas. Abi & I made a list of some fun items to include in the boxes along with some staples & toiletries.

I had a schedule work trip on Thursday evening, so we planned Friday was set aside to work on the boxes together. Abi had a such a great time packing the boxes together. I think her only real disappointment was from discovering that she didn't get to personally deliver the boxes to the "special boy" and "special girl."

On Saturday morning, we went to a birthday party for one of Abi's friends; and after that we drove out to the Washington Baptist Association for the OCC drop-off. We were greeted by 3 very friendly faces, and Abi cheerfully gave her boxes to David Self, Director of Missions. We were sent home with cute Operation Christmas Child stickers for Abi & Drew along with commemorative ornament for the event. I look forward to tracking our package to discover the destination of our boxes, and continuing this tradition of "Thanks & Giving" to kick-off the holiday season for many years to come.

Mouthwatering Monday

2009-11-23T20:42:00.010-05:00

Ok. So this isn't your typical "Mouthwatering Monday" post, but it sure has my mouth watering! Our dishwasher (circa 1986) finally bit the dust a few weeks ago, so we decided it would probably be more cost effective to get a new one than to try to repair the one we have. Considering Terry is a musician & I'm a "drama queen" - no, literally, I have the theatre degree to prove it; this was a wise move on our part. Anyway, the diswasher & range were the only built-in appliances that came with the house; but they were both black in a white kitchen. Call me crazy, but I never understood the logic there. SO! If we replace the dishwasher (may it rest in peace), then common sense dictates that we must also replace the range. Whoo! Hoo!

This seemed like a simple-enough task, but definitely proved to be one for the books. The diswasher was easy-peasy. They all come in one standard size that hasn't changed since 1986, so we were good on that front. The range however was a different story. See - our range was a drop-in range...didn't go all the way to the base of the cabinets or the full depth of the countertop. And guess what? "That size is no longer available...hasn't been for almost a decade." Really?!? Who knew? Ok, I thought. We'll cut out the counter & cabinet around it, and get a slide-in or free-standing range with no problem. We measure (3 different people on 3 different occasions), and agree on the dimensions that will work.

Lowe's provided a great selection to choose from & I found my favorite.

We get one of God's greatest craftsmen (OE) to cut out the cabinet & countertop and scheduled the delivery. I guess at the point in the story, it would have been smart for us to "re-measure" the opening. You guessed it...when the delivery guys brought the range in, the opening was 1 1/2 inches too small! Gasp! See - the "cooktop" part of the existing range was 30", but apparently it was only 28 1/2" down the main part of the oven. Once again, "OE to the rescue" came to cut out an additional inch-and-a-half of cabinet & countertop; so we could get the range in over the weekend. Needless to say, I had to stay home from church on Sunday to clean all of the sawdust out of the kitchen; but I think the results speak for themself.

Here's to many more Mouthwatering Mondays with the help of my shiny, new friend!

Count Your Blessings

2009-11-17T09:35:00.004-05:00

MY TRIBUTE by Andrea Crouch

How can I say thanks For the things you have done for me

Things so undeserved Yet You gave to prove your love for me

The voices of a million angels Could not express my gratitude

All that I am and ever hope to be I owe it all to thee

To God be the glory, to God be the glory

To God be the glory, For the things He has done

With His blood He has saved me

With His power He has raised me

To God be the glory, For the things He has done

Just let me live my life And let it be pleasing Lord to thee

And should I gain any praise Let it go to Calvary

With His blood He has saved me

With His power He has raised me

To God be the glory For the things He has done

Amen

Happy Halloween

2009-10-30T10:01:00.002-04:00

Halloween-ized at Picnik!

Trunk-or-Treat

2009-10-29T09:31:00.001-04:00

Click here to view these pictures larger

Wordless Wednesday: So You Think You Can Dance

2009-10-28T16:35:00.004-04:00

Abi's Ladybug Birthday Party

2009-10-26T16:09:00.005-04:00

Click here to view these pictures larger

My Abi-girl

2009-10-16T08:09:00.002-04:00

I still can't believe your third birthday is already here. You have been talking about turning three since June, and the day has finally arrived! You have been so excited all week. In your words, "I'm gone be free & taller!" And who could ask for more than that?!? When I looked back at your birthday posts from last year, I was amazed at how much you've grown since then. And even though I still call you "my baby," you are a big (little) girl now. What a difference a year makes!

10/16/08 - 2 years old

10/16/2009 - 3 years old

You never cease to amaze me with your wit & charm and all of the wonderful things you have learned to do over this past year. I hope you will always enjoy learning the way you do right now. I love the way you play with Drew even when he tries to take all of your markers. And even though it is often the cause for meltdowns & drama, I love that you know exactly what you want. Now we just need to work on dealing with disappointment when you can't have exactly what you want when you want it. You bring so much joy, wonder & excitement to our lives; and you have so many wonderful people who love you very much. Happy birthday Abi-girl!

All my love,

Mama

Cupcake Cake

2009-10-16T07:13:00.001-04:00

My friend Courtney did this adorable cupcake cake for Abi's school party today. They were made to match the "Oh so sweet ladybug" theme we are using for her party next weekend. I can't wait for Abi to see them this afternoon. Thanks Courtney! These are just perfect for the occasion.

Wordless Wednesday: My Fair Lady

2009-10-14T09:26:00.002-04:00

Wordless Wednesday: Abi can write her name!

2009-10-07T08:50:00.001-04:00

Mouthwatering Monday: Bacon Cheeseburger Mini Meatloaves

2009-09-28T09:26:00.002-04:00

I have to admit, I "hate" meatloaf. I never enjoyed it growing up & have basically shunned any variety of meatloaf...until now. I have been living la vida low carb since mid-July & have found some wonderful recipes online. I ran across this Paula Deen recipe for Bacon Cheeseburger Meatloaf, and decided that meatloaf couldn't be all that bad with these yummy ingredients. I modified the recipe quite a bit to lower the carb count & adjust to my family's personal tastes. I also wanted to speed up the bake time for this, so I opted for the mini version using a muffin pan. I was thrilled with how this turned out & will definitely be making it again...soon!

Ingredients:
1 pound ground chuck
1 pkg. Oscar Myer pre-cooked crumbled bacon
1 (8-ounce) package sharp Cheddar, grated
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/3 cup French fried onions
2 tablespoons Ranch seasoning
1 tablespoon steak/burger seasoning
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup ketchup
1/4 cup spicy brown mustard

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a large bowl, combine the ground chuck and next 8 ingredients, mixing well.
In a small bowl, combine the ketchup and mustard. Stir 1/4 cup ketchup mixture into meat mixture, reserving remaining ketchup/mustard mixture.
Press meat mixture into muffin pan. Spread remaining ketchup mixture over loaf. Bake 20 minutes. Pat with paper towel to absorb some of the grease from the top & sprinkle with French fried onions; bake another 5 to 10 minutes, or until meat is no longer pink. Enjoy!

Change?

2009-09-11T08:55:00.002-04:00

I guess Mickey D's won't take my $75 or $200 bills anymore - geez! Give a girl a break already.

Fruit Snack Stain Remover?

2009-09-10T09:32:00.000-04:00

Yesterday I posed this question to several of my friends: Any idea how to get a melted red fruit snack stain out of the passenger seat of my grandmother's van we borrowed to go on vacation? Terry sat on said fruit snacks for apparently most of the trip to the beach (approximately 6 hours), so the bulk of the mess was absorbed by his khaki shorts. The rest is hard, dried & did I mention red specks in the seat of the car. I honestly have so much advice now, I don't know whether to heat or freeze or blot or scrape. Please weigh in on the poll to the right!

Wordless Wednesday - Proper Exam

2009-09-09T09:39:00.000-04:00

Mod Monkey Party

2009-09-01T09:42:00.002-04:00

I fell in love with the Mod Monkey party theme the moment I laid eyes on it back in May. Little did I know just how appropriate the theme would be for Drew's first birthday. I captured these priceless moments on video back in June, and knew that I indeed had a mod monkey on my hands.

During my time working at the local newspaper, I learned a little bit about design layout & have since created my own party invitations & Christmas cards for our family. I had seen a photo that my friend Shana took of her little boy in a monkey suit & immediately knew that was exactly what we needed for our invitation.

For the decorations, I pulled the blue and yellow polka dots from the invitation; and (of course) we had monkeys! Somehow I didn't really get many pictures of the decorations with the exception of the giant gorilla in the background of our family photo. The kids’ shirts were such a great find to really make things festive. I ordered them here from a shop on Etsy. They were very well made, and were shipped in no time flat. Now Abi doesn’t typically wear t-shirts that aren’t “girl cut,” so this one seemed a little boxy to me. SO I had the idea to frill it up with ribbon and a cute ruffle around her jeans topped off with a hair bow to match! Thanks to Chassity at Lina Bina’s for getting this done so quickly. I was also quite surprised at how easy it was to find coordinating shirts for us grown-ups to wear to complete the look.

If you haven’t noticed yet, I tend to go a little overboard when it comes to party planning. I can’t help it. I would love to do this kind of thing professionally, but just don’t live in the right market for it – especially in today’s economy. Anyway, in keeping with the monkey theme, I wanted the food to be fun, colorful & oh so mod! My sister Ashleigh always does our fabulous cakes & comes the night before to help me with the other food preparation.

Mod Monkey Party Menu:
- Deli sandwich platter
- Veggies, chips & dips
- Fruit kabobs with chocolate & cream cheese dips
- Twisty Cheetos
- Caesar pasta salad

I think the presentation of the food turned out really great. It didn't hurt that Ashleigh just happened to have that gorgeous watermelon in her fridge. We served the fruit dips in the hollowed-out canteloupe shell. We debated about how to serve the pasta salad so that everyone could get some of the romaine lettuce with their serving. I think the individual pasta cups worked out very well for the informal party setting.

In my opinion, the best part of any 1-year-old’s birthday party is the smash cake. I really wanted to stick with the yellow, blue & white theme on the main cake, so naturally the smash cake had to be the monkey! Ashleigh’s cake decorating only continues to get more & more amazing, and I think she truly captured the theme beautifully. Notice how the writing matches the font from Drew’s invitation – yep…pretty impressive! And (believe it or not) the cakes actually taste better than the look. Instead of ice cream, we served banana pudding trifle (Paula Deen's "Not Yo' Mama's Banana Pudding" recipe) that was out of this world.

Drew had a fantastic time smashing his cake, opening his presents and playing with family & friends. Each guest was sent home with a clear plastic cone of “monkey munch” which consisted of Sweet-n-Salty Chex Mix, blue M&M’s and banana chips tied up with blue & yellow curling ribbon. It appears that we didn’t get a photo of those either, but they were very cute.

Thanks for hangin’ around!

Drews first year

2009-08-27T10:24:00.001-04:00

It's so hard to believe that my baby is one year old! Words cannot express the joy this little boy has brought to our family. He has stretched our hearts to love greater than I ever thought possible, and he has given Abi the chance to grow into a great big sister. I love you "Baby Drew"...with all my heart!

Mama

Click here to view this photo book larger

Just moved here...

2009-08-25T16:09:00.000-04:00

from www.thebraggbook.com

Apparently Wordpress is more than I can handle, so I'm parking in a new lot. We'll see how it goes!

The Bragg Book

Mouthwatering Monday - Look what's cookin'!

Out of sight, out of mind

Drew's Barnyard Bash

Summertime Favorite

Super Saving Sisters Challenge: Week 1

Breakfast's Ready!

Not-so-wordless Wednesday

Wee Ball Season 1

Diamond Diva

Bloomin' Braggs

Princesses & Pirates

My "Irish"Blessings

I Don't Want My Kids to Be Happy

Snow Daze 2010

Father/Daughter Dance

Mouthwatering Monday - 6 Week Raisin Bran Muffins

Fairest of them all

Wordless Wednesday: Genetics

Mouthwatering Monday - FREE LUNCH

Super Sunday - Jump into the Light!

Frugal Friday - *updated*

Our Christmas Card

Rock the Night Away

My Tiny Dancer

Wordless Wednesday: Past our Bedtime

Mouthwatering Monday - Cowgirl Cookies

Here Comes Santa Claus

Our Jesus Tree

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

Dear Kristi,

Thanks & Giving

Mouthwatering Monday

Count Your Blessings

Happy Halloween

Trunk-or-Treat

Wordless Wednesday: So You Think You Can Dance

Abi's Ladybug Birthday Party

My Abi-girl

Cupcake Cake

Wordless Wednesday: My Fair Lady

Wordless Wednesday: Abi can write her name!

Mouthwatering Monday: Bacon Cheeseburger Mini Meatloaves

Change?

Fruit Snack Stain Remover?

Wordless Wednesday - Proper Exam

Mod Monkey Party

Drews first year

Just moved here...

Frugal Friday - updated