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I'll never look at a corn dog the same way again...

It's a lazy Whidbey day. The fog just rolled in from the water behind our house enveloping everything in gray. The rain is now beginning to pelt our back windows. Needless to say I was quite warm and cozy under my favorite blanket on the couch (don't worry I'm not a crappy mom, Nate's home today and is being productive enough for both of us.)

Anyway, Carter just literally dragged me from my nice and cozy cocoon to come and see her poop. She is still very proud of herself every time this task is completed correctly.

So, I walk into the bathroom, give her a very enthusiastic, "Good golly Miss Molly, that's awesome!" And, you know what she says?

"That looks like a corn dog."

And you know what, in a very un-appetizing way, it did.

Happy Happy Birthday Baby...

You are the one for me OHHH BAaABy! I realize as I type this that I'm singing it in my head which probably doesn't come through via computer screen, but Nate will get a good rendition of it first hand. My hunk a' burnin' love is the BIG 31 today. Wow, not just thirty, but officially in his thirties! So, Happy Birthday Babe. And yes, we are those annoying people they made fun of in the hilarious episode of The Office where Michael and Jan called each other babe like 200 times. It wasn't ever intentional...we just started some where along the way and it stuck. These days Carter reminds us daily by saying, "he's babe and your baby."

I'm not sure exactly where I'm going with this, it could possibly be more accurately titled Random Ramblings on Nate the Great. If only you knew how accurately that phrase describes him.

Nate is anything but average, I mean for one he married me (please pick up on the sarcasm people). In all honesty, he just doesn't know how to be anything but phenomenal. He loves that word. He'll say it in this really passionate way. Phenomenal. You know what honey, you are Phenomenal. From the moment you swept me up into this life I've felt like I was a part of something extraordinary. I realize to the outside world we me appear to be two very normal people, living a very normal life...truth be told we are actually CIA operatives (sorry I'm just in a mood tonight)...seriously, we are anything but normal to each other.

To each other we represent all that the future can hold and all that the past has taught. We are stronger for doing crazy things like partnering through those first months of marriage. I should have known what an amazing provider you would be when you took on working a paper route on top of your already very full time job just to support us. Is it weird that I can still smell what it was like when we would roll our papers in the dark in the Wal-Mart parking lot in Belton. There were also those select few mornings when we would over sleep and I could be found rolling and bagging papers in the back seat of the Jeep while Nate would toss em'. We would collapse into bed for a few more winks before starting our day with the sun. Those were some tough times, but looking back were we ever unhappy? I can't remember anything more than just loving the fact that we actually got to live together! And those are the days that we've often looked back on...you know the saying, "If we can get through the paper route we can get through anything!" It's true babe...we can.

We have conquered a lot in our short years together. It is so amazing to me that in a short time our lives have become so woven together...can you imagine what we'll be like in 6, 16, 66 (don't do the math 6 + 66 = real old!) more? I know my heart holds more love and respect for you than any other human being on earth. I love knowing you, I love being known by you. In so many ways you are that piece of my puzzle that made everything else click...God has used you to show me the big picture for my life.

I am forever grateful for the gift you have given me in Carter, for the sacrifices you make so that I can daily experience the constant joy of being her mom. You don't have to tell me how important we are to you...I can feel it in the way you look at us. If I could wish one thing for people it would be to experience that...to know what it is like to have someone look at you in a way that conveys all the love they feel in their heart, to know with just one look you are the most important thing in their life. You encompass it all. And, not only do I feel your love, I'm sending it right back at ya'. Gosh I love you. With all my heart. It beats only for you and hasn't skipped, not once, since the moment I walked through that door at Starbucks. It's no wonder that we became such fast friends, and to this very moment you are the BEST one I've ever had. I told you this the other day, no one knows me like you do. I love that. That is also what makes the time we spend apart so hard. It's hard to say goodbye over and over to the one person in your life who gets you like no one else does. That being said...I am the luckiest girl in the whole world to have you (even the snoring you who just happens to be conked out on the couch right next to me).

I love our friendship, I love our love, I love our life. I celebrate you every day of the year, but on this day, your birthday, I hope you know my life is forever changed for what you have meant to me...babe.

Friday Night Lights

In honor of the fact that it's Friday, AND my dad (who is a high school football coach in Texas) has his first district game tonight, I decided to do my first post on our Texas vacation about FOOTBALL! WooHoo! Football in Texas is big. If you've lived there and seen it you know, and if you haven't you probably don't...but that's ok, we won't hold that against you. There is just something about football in Texas that makes people forget about everything that matters in the world and just go a little bit' nutso! We flew in to Texas in time to make a game and happily joined in the madness! Roxi surprised Carter with a little outfit to and she was quick to take on the role of cheerleader (note: this little cheerleader will be making another appearance around Halloween :)...

Aunt Kimmi quickly stepped in as "cheer coach"...



We were then off to the game! Carter loved it. I think this stems from the fact that she attended her first football game when she was about a month old. It was when my dad was coaching college football and the games could get pretty loud. I got a few disapproving looks from some elderly ladies and one even went as far as to assure me that my baby was going to have colic due to my lack of good judgment! People sure can be interesting! Luckily she was wrong...Carter never had colic but has developed quite a love for football and cheering! Thanks for the uniform Roxi...
Shake your pom pom...

Here's Pops (aka Coach) right there in the middle...

My best bud since the fourth grade Mindi married her high school sweetheart Jerod (who just happened to play for my dad) and he now coaches on my dads staff! It is always a highlight of visiting TX to get to see them...

Carter is always happy to see Aunt Kimmi, now that they live in Austin we hope to see a lot more of them...

The Cougars lost the game, but we still had a lot of fun rooting them on! Here is the cute little Womack family after the game...
Our little cheerleader was pretty tired after the game so she hitched a ride on dad...
We had a whole weeks worth of fun between this game and the next one (more on that later)! But, the highlight of the pre-game activities the next week was getting to attend the pep rally! Carter loves seeing the mascots but isn't too crazy about the idea of getting up close and personal...
This is becoming a popular perch for her...
Me and my dad...
The game was the next day. It was a warm sunny Saturday afternoon, gotta' love the heat!

One thing that is so great is that Carter has made some sweet little friends in Abilene. This always makes visiting more fun for her! Here she hanging out with her buddies Lyssa and Parker...
They had just received some tats...

Now they were all set to do some cheering...

I love this picture...

Carter also loves getting to hang out with Mindi's niece McKinley, isn't she a cutie!

We sweat, yelled, and bit our nails, and in the end Cooper lost in overtime! But, they played great and it was one of those games that they couldn't feel bad about losing. One of our good friends and talented videographer/photographer Cindy took a few of these photos after the game...

Carter with Pops and Roxi (she has the drill down, she knows if they lose a kiss and a hug will go a long way towards cheering pops up, she ran about 30 yards to give him one!)...

Carter and the Coach...

I don't think the streets are quite ready for us to unleash this little monster on them...

There's no doubt about it, there's just something about football in Texas. And, if you ask me there is something even a little more special about football in West Texas. We had a great time getting to be a part of it for a couple of weeks. There is something about this photo that just feels like West Texas to me. I love it. It reminds me of where I grew up...

Go Coogs! We'll be cheering all the way from Washington!

Analogy of a Revelation

Friday I had a revelation. Revelation might be strong word...but what happened was big in my heart and seems worthy of the term. Nate had left fairly unexpectedly for a 24 hour trip to Maine...that sounds weird, but I'm learning the military is not afraid of being weird. His absence meant I would be making the 70 minute drive to Carters dance class on Saturday morning all by my lonesome. This may also sound weird and a little outrageous. Why might you ask do we drive over an hour to take Carter to dance? The answer is easy...we live in Oak Harbor, come stay awhile and you will no longer think I'm crazy! Anyway, Nate was set to arrive in Seattle late Saturday night and I thought it might be fun to surprise him at the airport instead of him riding a shuttle home. I enthusiastically brainstormed what Carter and I might do to pass the afternoon and concluded that a trip to the Children's Museum in Seattle would do the trick. Here's the revelation...as I found myself planning and getting super excited about spending a fun afternoon with just me and my little chick, I realized something. I never do that. It dawned on me that out of sheer necessity (Nate being gone a lot) and choice of lifestyle (me being a stay-at-home mom) I rarely look at getting to spend time with Carter as a special occasion. Don't get me wrong...I love the days we spend together. Right now she is happily chattering next to me about feeding her babies and taking them to the mall...she also just told me she has, "milk in her tummy" and is now attempting to breast feed her stuffed lamb! These are the things that fill our time, and it is a happy existence to say the least. But, while it seems perfectly normal, being that he works full time, for Nate to plan a special outing for he and Carter, I rarely if ever do the same thing. I want to change that. I want her to have special times and outings that she remembers spending with me...not just the day in and day out stuff that is at times so very routine. So, Saturday was great. After dance we stopped to grab a quick lunch. I was heading into Subway, but there just happened to be a McDonald's next door (this of course was much more intriguing for Carter). So, I grabbed a sandwich to go and took it next door so we could please both parties involved. As we stood in line to order Carter was making it known that she just couldn't WAIT to play on the indoor playground. I'm sure to a kid those things just look like heaven...but to be completely honest they gross me out and smell like feet!! She could not stop talking about it or let it go. I started trying to explain to her that we were going to the Museum and it would be way better than the McDonald's playground. She wasn't having any of it and I couldn't blame her. I mean in her little mind it must be very hard to grasp the concept of anything being better than what is right in front of you...what you can SEE. As I was explaining this to her it hit me that I am very much the same way. I am so easily consumed with the here and the now and what is right in front of my face. I get caught up in all the little things that keep me busy and at times lose sight of what really matters. It reminded me that God probably feels a lot like me trying to explain things to Carter. He wants so badly for me to understand and see that there is something so much better out there than the "McDonald's Playground". But, I also took comfort in the fact that in the same way I was able to so easily understand Carter's short sighted fixation, He understands mine. He created me after all and I am very human. So, who would have known that eating at McDonald's could be so beneficial...the Lord works in mysterious ways!

Here's a few photos from our afternoon at the museum...

The Catch of the day...

My little artist...

After a quick fill up...

This little bus driver was all set! She was quick to let everyone who got on know they were headed to Texas...

Mama bears chair was a little big...

But, baby bears chair was just right!

Looking forward to more "special" days ahead! Love you little chick!

Sunday afternoon Apple Pie

We kicked off our Sunday (literally) with some new kicks! These boots from Roxi were just the thing to brighten up a chilly Whidbey day!

After church we stopped off at an apple tree and picked to our hearts content.

I had already started a stash from my neighbors tree across the street and was looking forward to spending my Sunday afternoon elbow deep in apples! I'm no Pioneer Woman, but was raised in the South, and my Mama (who not only looks a little like Paula Deen, but can cook like her too) makes one mean apple pie! Of course, time in the kitchen wouldn't be nearly as fun without my trusty little assistant. First things first...cute aprons are a must!

The other must have is an apple corer/peeler/slicer...this task would not be possible without it!

Here are our partners in crime...

Add to sliced apples...

And don't be afraid to get your hands a little dirty!

These are all ready to freeze...I'll add them to a pie shell when I don't have time to whip something up another day!

Another project for the afternoon was homemade applesauce...I plan on freezing this in small bags to thaw as needed...

Of course, we couldn't freeze all those yummy apples! Here's a little trick my mama taught me...

She alway's makes her pie crust from scratch...I'm not that handy...but ANYONE can use this box mix and it is the next best thing! There is definitely a noticeable difference between this and a crust you get from the refrigerator/freezer section at the grocery store. Trust me it's worth the extra trouble!

Next, pile apples high and remember they'll cook down, so stuff that puppy to the brim!

You can top with another crust, or what I prefer is a crumbly streusel topping...DElish!

Pop that baby in the oven and plop yourself on the couch...it's been a long afternoon of slaving away in the kitchen (or "appling" as Carter likes to call it)!


Just in case this has got you itchin' to make an apple pie here's the recipe!

Roxi's Killer Apple Pie

8-10 Apples peeled & sliced

lemon juice

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

1/2 tsp. ginger

dash of salt

1 T flour

Mix apples with lemon juice then toss with dry ingredients. Heap high in a pie crust and dot with 1/4 stick butter. Top with streusel (recipe below)...

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup flour

stick of butter

place all ingredients in food processor and mix until crumbly (if that's a word)!

Bake for 15 minutes @ 425 and then reduce temp. to 350 degrees for one hour! Top with ice cream (preferable Blue Bell) and enjoy!

Gotta' go...my pie's awaitin' for me to eat it up!

Time's Up!!

So FUN! Thank you all so much for entering my little give-a-way...I love knowing who is reading all my nonsense! So, I decided to pick three winners (using that randomer integer thingy) and without further ado, the WINNERS are...

#5 Heather from Heather on the Homefront!!

#12 Jessica from Jason, Jessica, Benjamin and Lucy the Dog!!

and last but not least...

#16 Alison from Double Squared!!

If you are a winner please email me at to start the brainstorming/creating process! I'll look forward to posting the winners new headers when they are finished!