Home Sweet Home

We moved into our house last week, and now begins the endless unpacking, painting, and other various house projects. We are loving our home though, and are so grateful for more than one bathroom and plenty of closet space and storage! :)

Please excuse the hideous picture below, but at the advice of my friend Rosemary, I HAD to take a picture of us on moving day to celebrate the excitement of moving into a new home in 98 degree weather.



Jackson is wearing an outfit that his daddy wore when he was a baby. I love summertime clothes.



My parents were a HUGE help in helping us move, paint, install ceiling fans, etc. We are so grateful for their generous help! (and can you tell my mom loves to paint!?)





Off to unpack some more!

4 Months Old

Jackson's visit to the pediatrician went well, and she said he looks great! He weighs 13 pounds, 13 ounces, and is 25 1/4 inches long. He's been wearing mainly 6 month clothing, and the Carter's 3 month onesies just stopped fitting him. He so long and lean that the 6 month clothes fit much more comfortably on him. He's rolled from his tummy to his back, and he's working on rolling from his back to his tummy (he's only made it to his side). Jackson loves to grab any and all toys and puts everything in his mouth. He still tries to cram his fists into his mouth as far as he can! Sleep-wise, he mainly naps in his swing, and he's been waking up about every 4 hours or so at night, as I think he's on a growth spurt. He loves to laugh and giggle, and bath time and diaper changes are his favorite. He's quite the little charmer!

Summer Dinner

There's nothing like a good Southern cook-out on a Friday night. The smell of sweet pork tenderloin baking in the oven, and a yummy Vidalia Onion pie in the oven.

I'm trying to use up the food products we have in our home before the big move, so here are two of my favorite recipes that I'm cooking tonight. They are fail-proof crowd pleasers!

VIDALIA ONION PIE
(from Bham Junior League's "Food For Thought")

1 c crushed Ritz crackers
1/4 c plus 2 Tbps melted butter, divided
3 c chopped Vidalia onion
2 eggs
3/4 c milk
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 c grated Cheddar cheese
1/8 tsp paprika

Combine Ritz crackers and 1/4 c melted butter. Press into greased pieplate. Saute onions in remaining 2 Tbsp butter. Pour into crust. Combine eggs, milk, salt, and pepper; pour over onions. Top with grated Cheddar cheese. Sprinkle with paprika. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

Serves 6


DELICIOUS PORK TENDERLOIN
(seriously, the easiest and best recipe ever)

2 pork tenderloin, trim off fat and rinse (I do only 1 pork tenderloin)
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/4 tsp pepper
1 tsp creole seasoning
1/2 tsp lemon pepper
1 Tbps Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp pick-a-peppa sauce
1/2 c white wine

Rub tenderloin with olive oil.
Sprinkle with pepper, creole, lemon pepper both sides
Rub spices lightly into meat.
Drizzle 3 sauces (Worcestershire, soy, pick-a-peppa) one at a time on top of tenderloin.
Pour white wine on pan around tenderloin.

Baked at 350 uncovered for 45 min to 1 hr. Let meat sit 10 min. before slicing.

Pair all this with a glass of white wine, and you have a fun summer dinner!

Because I don't have a picture of the food (I'm cooking it now!), I'll leave you with these cute chubby cheeks:

Moving!

Lately, we've been doing a little of this:




And this:




Yep, that's right, we bought a house and are in the process of re-doing the floors, knocking out walls, etc! This has all happened in the past 3 weeks. Andy found this great house, we went to look at it, prayed about it, put an offer on it, and 2 weeks later we were closing on it! I feel that gives me an adequate excuse for failing to update my blog. :)

Andy has been SO wonderful in handling EVERYTHING, from the mortgage, to the estimates, to meeting with the home inspector, to lining up workmen, etc, etc! It's been so wonderful, so I get to be with Jackson and help stick to his routine of napping. I'll show some more before and after pics when we get them. We're really really sad to be leaving sweet Homewood, but we're really grateful to move into a house with more space, more than one bathroom, and the potential to live there for many years to come.

Sweet Jackson is now almost 4 months old! We go to the pediatrician this week for 4 month shots and a weight check.

Below is a picture of Jackson with his friend Thomas Menendez. The Menendez' came over last weekend and we celebrated our new home with a fun bottle of Prosecco they brought us! Becker (almost 2 years old) loved running around the empty house.





Andy's Mom, Ya Ya, bought Jackson an exersaucer this past Christmas, and we've set it up at the new house so Jackson can play while we work on house projects. He loves the stimulation (can you tell by his wide-eyed expression??). It's so cute seeing him growing up!



Look at those long skinny legs :)



Off to pack more boxes!

Mother's Day & Jackson's Dedication

It was such a privilege and an honor to celebrate Mother's Day this year with my wonderful mother, grandmother, and mother-in-law. And I'm also humbled and grateful at the opportunity God has given me to be Jackson's mother!

In addition to celebrating Mother's Day, we dedicated Jackson to the Lord at our church. The verse we've chosen for Jackson to be his "life verse" is Zephaniah 3:17, which is also the verse this blog is based on:

"The Lord your God is with you; He is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing."



We love you so much Jackson, and our prayer is that you will become a boy and man after God's own heart!







Jackson listened intently to everything Papaw said :)





Jackson loved meeting his Aunt Rosemary! She was en route to her brother's graduation in Auburn and decided to stop by.

Tornadoes

Wow, have things changed since my last post! As many of you know, the South was ripped apart by devastating tornadoes on Wednesday, April 27, 2011. Thankfully, the F-5 tornado that was headed right towards our home in Birmingham diverted slightly north, and unfortunately hit 5 miles north of us. Tuscaloosa, Birmingham, and many other cities are facing devastating losses.

As I passed by our church on Highway 280, I was in shock as I saw the downed trees, busted windows, and overall destruction at our church and all around Birmingham from these mighty storms. Amazingly, God spoke to me as I was driving through our church parking lot. Jackson was in the car, and I was trying to get him to nap, so I had "Praise Baby" playing in my CD player. The song as I drove into the parking lot, amidst Alabama Power trucks and tree loggers, was "How Great is our God." So powerful. As I was leaving the church, this song was playing:

"Blessed Be Your Name
In the land that is plentiful
Where Your streams of abundance flow
Blessed be Your name

Blessed Be Your name
When I'm found in the desert place
Though I walk through the wilderness
Blessed Be Your name

Every blessing You pour out
I'll turn back to praise
When the darkness closes in, Lord
Still I will say

Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your glorious name

Blessed be Your name
When the sun's shining down on me
When the world's 'all as it should be'
Blessed be Your name

Blessed be Your name
On the road marked with suffering
Though there's pain in the offering
Blessed be Your name

Every blessing You pour out
I'll turn back to praise
When the darkness closes in, Lord
Still I will say

Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your glorious name

You give and take away
You give and take away
My heart will choose to say
Lord, blessed be Your name."

So powerful! God is so good in protecting us, and yet I mourn for all those who have lost loved ones, their homes, everything. As I was huddled in the bathroom with Jackson during the tornado, the Lord brought to mind the verse that my blog is centered around, and I found myself quoting "The Lord your God is with you, He is mighty to save," over and over again to Jackson in the midst of my fear that the tornado would hit us. What comfort this verse brings me, as it shows God's faithfulness to us.

In addition to praising God for His protection over us, I am so grateful that we were at the lake last week and not this week, as another tornado completely destroyed my parent's lakehouse. My parents don't have cable on their TV at the lake right now (only during football season :), and so we would have had no idea these storms were coming had we been there.

This link, http://kennethboone.smugmug.com/News/Tornado-photos-by-Fred-Dobbs/16816576_rzftNC#1269060928_m3DpKfk, shows an aerial view of the lake, and my parent's lakehouse is on the bottom corner.

This is another picture of the lakehouse. This really puts into perspective the things that are important in life. We're taking none of our material possessions with us when we die, and this earth is only our temporary home.



On a lighter note, we will always cherish the sweet memories we have from the lake. Below are some pictures showcasing the fun we've had there with friends and family. Also, the first few pictures are gorgeous sunset views that we captured last week.







Ashley's graduation from Auburn, and the whole York clan celebrated at Lake Martin





Celebrating some Auburn football wins at the lake with family

Below is a picture of Margaret and Tucker enjoying a boat ride.





Andy and his little sister Ashley

Below is a wedding shower we hosted for Blaire Moore in college.



Oh what fun memories!!



Be praying for all those affected by the tornadoes, who lost so much and so much life.

Muffins

All of us in our family like to eat! :) Below are some recipes for the foods I've been making and eating recently.

From Rushton's blog, these are some oh-so-good (but not-so-good-for-you??)
CHOCOLATE CHIP PUMPKIN MUFFINS

1 2/3 c flour
1 c sugar
1 Tbsp pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
(Mix all above ingredients together.)

2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 c canned pumpkin
1 stick butter, melted
(Add above 3 ingredients to dry mix.)

Stir in 1 cup chocolate chips. Place in greased muffin tins and bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes.
Makes 12-16 regular muffins.


BRAN FLAX MUFFINS
(but I really think they need a better name for this, as this name sounds very unappetizing)

1 1/2 c white flour
3/4 c flaxseed meal
3/4 c oat bran (I used uncooked whole grain oats)
1 c brown sugar
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
1 1/2 c carrots, shredded
2 apples, peeled and shredded
1/2 c raisins (optional)
1 c nuts, chpd
3/4 c milk
2 eggs, beaten
1 tsp vanilla

Mix together flour, flaxseed meal (which I bought at Whole Foods; this recipe is from the bag of Uncle Bob's Organic Whole Ground Flaxseed Meal), oat bran, brown sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon in a large bowl.
Stir in carrots, apples, raisins, and nuts.
Combine milk, beaten eggs, and vanilla.
Pour liquid ingredients into dry ingredients. Stir until ingredients are moistened, but do not overstir. Fill muffin cups 3/4 full (I greased my muffin cups first). Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes. Yields 15-20 muffins.

These muffins are delicious, healthy, and packed with Omega-3's!

And while you have the flaxseed meal, go ahead and make these
LACTATION COOKIES!
(Sorry, just for moms who are breastfeeding)

1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
4 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons flax seed meal
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
3 cups oats
1 cup chocolate chips
2-4 tablespoons brewer's yeast (found at Whole Foods, and I do 4 Tbsp)

Preheat oven to 350.
Mix the flaxseed meal and water, and let stand for 3-5 minutes.
Beat butter, sugar, and brown sugar well.
Add eggs and mix well.
Add flaxseed mix and vanilla, beat well.
Sift together flour, baking soda, salt, and brewer's yeast, and slowly add to butter mix.
Stir in oats and chocolate chips (although I may try Craisins next time for variety).
Scoop onto a greased baking sheet and bake for 12 minutes.
Makes ALOT of cookies, so freeze half of them after baking.

It's recommended that you eat 4-6 cookies a day to increase your milk supply, and they really do work! Plus, they're packed with fiber and Omega 3's and lots of heart-healthy grains. This recipe courtesy of this blog

Happy Baking!