Some J Love

He will absolutely HATE me one day.  I will never make the favorite Aunt list but I just can't help myself....

How stinkin' cute is this little face and tushy.

Love you Jackson Scott!!!!!

You light up our life with that precious smile!!! 

Bridal Look

If "Charleston" and I were getting married on New Years Eve, this would be me:

Yes.  YUM!!!!

Bite Sized Goodness

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We had "Charleston's" family over Sunday night for dinner and I wanted to make them a sweet treat to take home with them.  My time was super limited yesterday after church and Christmas shopping so I opted for one of the easiest "recipes" on pintrest.....

I call it:

Nut-thing Like A Pretzle Rolo

Step 1:  Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Step 2:  Lay out square butter pretzles on a baking sheet

Step 3:  Top each pretzle with a MINI Rolo

(They now sell mini rolo's in a bag on the baking or candy aisle so you don't have to unwrap each one indivudually)

Step 4:  Bake for 3 to 4 minutes or until chocolate is soft

Step 5:  Remove from oven and press a pecan half onto the top of each. 

Step 6:  Remove from cookie sheet and let cool on wax paper

DONE! 

Bite Sized Goodness

(I also made a batch with peanuts instead of pecans.  DELICIOUS!)

 

Olivia's Goats

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My niece Olivia got her first official pets a couple weeks ago:

Yeap, she got three goats.

Meet Edgar, Allan and Poe.

Sister says Olivia has become their little mother hen, always wanting to go down to the barn and check on them, feed them and love on them.

I must say...they are kind of cute :)

and what baby goat doesnt need a bath and a good blowout :)

Chicken Rolls with Asparagus and Mozzarella

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I tried this recipe this week and it will become a staple in my kitchen.  Super easy and smart way to sneak those veggies in that "Charleston" usually won't eat;  Just bake them in and he doesn't have a choice!  (Plus, it helps when you smother anything in cheese!)

CHICKEN ROLLS WITH ASPARAGUS AND MOZZARELLA

Thanks to:  Better Balanced Life

Ingredients

•4 chicken cutlets, pounded thin and evenly

•1 bunch of asparagus

•1 tsp. olive oil

•part-skim mozzarella cheese

•non-stick cooking spray

•salt and pepper, for seasoning meat

•whole wheat bread crumbs

 

Directions

1.Sautee asparagus in olive oil until bright green. Set aside.

2.Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

3.Spray a baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.

4.Pat chicken dry and lightly season with salt and pepper.

5.Lay out chicken breast, arrange asparagus on top, and sprinkle with mozzarella.

6.Roll chicken around asparagus and cheese; place seam down in baking dish.

7.Repeat with remaining chicken breasts.

8.Sprinkle whole wheat bread crumbs on top of chicken.

9.Cook for approximately 30 - 40 minutes or until chicken registers 160/165 degrees with a meat thermometer.

** As always, I changed it up a little myself.  I sprinkled my chicken not only with salt and pepper but some Italian seasoning and then rolled the entire chicken breast in bread crumbs before arranging the asparagus and mozzarella.  I also used Italian bread crumbs because that is what I had on hand!**

Disturbing

I was in the process of posting a recipe that I tried this week when across the news screen here at work and across the speakers came live reporting from Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newton, Connecticut where, as of right now, 26 people are reportedly dead...18 of those being children. All of this thanks to a shooter that entered the elementary school and opened fire in what they think was a kindergarten class.  HOLY SH*T what is wrong with this world.  I am sitting here trying to control my every emotion as I feel complete sadness for the family and anger that someone can do this.  All I can say right now is pray.  Pray hard for this community and the families and children involved.
Disturbing, selfish, unfair, undeserving......

Life Is Messy.....But Worth The Ride

Geez Louise.  Last week was a serious roller coaster of emotions.

"Charleston's" precious cousin Madelyn passed away so we spent two days in Kingsport, TN with his family.  I will never question God's plan for each of us but sometimes his plan is very hard to accept.  It was a rough two days, watching such a sweet and dear family go through something that no one should EVER experience.  My heart breaks for Aunt Kathy, Uncle Sam and Samantha and I know there is a long road of healing ahead but I hope each day they get a little stronger, knowing Madelyn is in a wonderful place. 

Upon returning to Charlotte after the funeral, a quick trip to the CVS Minute Clinic left me with a diagnosis of an ear infection and a sinus infection.  Along with that came a fever, cough, and all things glorious associated with a cold.  A heavy dose of drugs and a day spent at home in bed turned the table around enough for me to feel better on Saturday.

My precious college girlfriends threw me a Christmas Wedding Shower at Aquavina for lunch Saturday afternoon.  I could not have asked for anything better; it was AMAZING.  We sipped mimosas and enjoyed salad, salmon, fillet and tomato bisque for lunch while I opened fun Christmas decorations for our house!

I can't thank them enough.

In between all of that, "Charleston" and I picked out a Christmas tree and wreath for our house and I am still in the process of finalizing all of the decorations but stay tuned, Christmas decoration photo's to come!

Me with the shower hosts!

Back (L to R):  Ashley Lackey, Me, Lori Carson, Ashley Smithson

Front (L to R):  Laura Faust, Leslie Resnick, Jennifer Tallent, Leann Spadaro

Sara Boehm and Lee Ann Jones ---you were missed!!!

"Charleston" installed a light to shine on our front porch so you can see our wreath at night.  Pretty good little handyman!

Front Door Wreath

First Christmas in our home.

Doesn't it seem like just yesterday that we were picking out pumpkins for Halloween?!!!!!

I promise we showered before the pumpkin patch...don't know why our friends didn't want to stand near us!

Taking It Back Old School

I was going through some old stuff the other day when I ran across some very funny pictures taken, what feels like forever ago.

Absolutely hilarious.

Me (left) and Blair (right) in Cancun the week after High School graduation; the absolute best vacation ever. About twenty of my good friends from High School all made the trip and had the time of our life.

Can I please have my High School body back?!

 Blair and I went to Camp Tekoa every summer for a week.  This year Sarah and Meredith were going as well.  Who said short overalls were cool AND where is the hair straightner?!  Frizz central!

Back:  Me (left) and Meredith (right)
Front:  Sarah (left) and Blair (right)

Wish I could go back and do all this over again...I would do it exactly the same!