Love this picture & this little boy!!

Motivation

The Christmas story told through Facebook

I am so blessed

If you're

always racing

to the next

moment,

what happens

to the one

you're in ??

Enjoy the ride..

Picture This..

This is Alex and Nina! They asked me to take their engagement pictures! I'm very happy with the way the turned out. Nina and Alex are getting married next year and Brayden is going to be the ring boy!!! I'm going to be one proud mommy :)

Represent Christ in Every Circumstance

For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of yourself more highly than you ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. Romans 12:3, NRSV



Live for something besides self. If your motives are pure and unselfish, if you are looking out to do work that somebody must do, to show kind attentions and to do courteous acts, you are unconsciously building your own monument. In the home life, in the church, and in the world you are representing Christ in character. This is the work the Lord calls upon all ... to do....

Let your aspirations and your motives be pure. In every business transaction be rigidly honest. However tempted, never deceive or prevaricate in the least matter. At times a natural impulse may bring temptation to diverge from the straightforward path of honesty, but do not vary one hair’s breadth. If in any matter you make a statement as to what you will do, and afterward find that you have favored others to your own loss, do not vary from principle. Carry out your agreement.

By seeking to change your plans you would show that you could not be depended on. And should you draw back in little transactions, you would draw back in larger ones. Under such circumstances some are tempted to deceive, saying, I was not understood. My words have been taken to mean more than I intended. The fact is, they meant just what they said, but lost the good impulse, and then wanted to draw back from their agreement, lest it prove a loss to them. The Lord requires us to do justice, to love mercy, and truth, and righteousness....

Men and women are destitute of the stern virtues required to build up the church. They are not capable of devising methods and plans of a healthful, solid character. They are deficient in the very qualifications essential to the prosperity of the church. It is this kind of education that needs to be changed to an education that is sound and sensible, in harmony with Bible principles.

Long time, no blog

Pumpkin Butter

1 3/4 cups solid pack pumpkin puree
1 cup applesauce
3/4 cup apple juice
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, mix solid pack pumpkin puree, applesauce, apple juice, brown sugar and pumpkin pie spice. Bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer approximately 1 1/2 hours. Transfer to sterile containers and chill in the refrigerator until serving.

ENJOY!

Blueberry Oatmeal Bars

This is a healthy snack that you and your kids will love. It even has spinach in it but i would keep that to yourself (:

Ingredients
nonstick cooking spray
2 cups old fashion oats
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup balance trans-fat free margarine, chilled
1 cup no-sugar-added blueberry spread
1/2 cup spinach, puree


Instructions
Preheat oven to 375?. Coat an 8" x 8" baking pan with cooking spray.
In a large bowl, combine oats, flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, salt and vanilla and stir to mix well.
Add the margarine and cut it quickly into dry ingredients with two knives until the mixture resembles coarse meal and is no longer powdery. Do not over mix?bits of margarine will still be visible.
Set aside about half of the oat mixture; press the rest firmly into the pan. Bake until lightly browned at the edges (but not fully baked), 13 to 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, mix the preserves with the spinach puree in a small bowl.
Spread blueberry mixture over the partially baked oat layer, then sprinkle with reserved oat mixture. Bake until topping is slightly browned, 20 to 25 minutes. Set the pan on a rack to cool completely before cutting into 12 bars

after the butter is added

puree the spinach

eat & enjoy

Carrot cake

Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups white sugar
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
4 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
2 cups grated carrots
1 cup crushed pineapple with juice

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
1/2 cup butter
1 pound confectioners' sugar
1/2 cup flaked coconut
1 cup chopped walnuts

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour three 9 inch round cake pans.
In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt and cocoa, set aside. In another bowl, stir together the eggs, vanilla and oil. Stir in the dry ingredients until they are completely absorbed. Fold in the carrots and pineapple. Pour the batter evenly between the three prepared pans.
Bake for 30 minutes in the preheated oven, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. To make the frosting, combine the cream cheese, butter and confectioners sugar in a medium bowl. Beat until smooth, then stir in the coconut and nuts. Frost cake when cool

serves 12 people

Good Luck

Wish me luck!!!

I have entered in my first give away for $25 on tatertot & jello

If i win i will chose a new camera strap!!!

Banana nut bread

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter, melted
1 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
2 medium bananas, slices

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan.
In a large bowl, stir together the melted butter and sugar. Add the eggs and vanilla, mix well. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt, stir into the butter mixture until smooth. Finally, fold in the sour cream, walnuts and bananas. Spread evenly into the prepared pan.
Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean. Cool loaf in the pan for 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely

Free at last...

Brayden is at his Nana's tonight, I'm in deep need of some free time! At the same time I miss him.

For the past week he has turned into a little booger... I guess he is in that terrible two stage, even though he is only 18mo. Now when he doesn't get his way he lays on the grown and kicks his feet and "cries" and he even makes fake tears come...Crazyyyy huh? Its really stressing me out because he was always the best little boy and never cried or anything. Now he hit and stuff. My baby is becoming a little boy.

Garden is still growing....

So we FINALLY got the garden planted this weekend! Everyone in the Cole family helped out, even Brayden!

We had to use nine and a 1/2 bags of the soil. I swear we have spent so much money on this garden, it better bring me some yummy beautiful veggies! :) So this is what we planted onions, jalapenos, cilantro, okra, 2 tomato's plants, squash, and bell peppers

How did her garden grow?

I told my husband that I wanted to do a vegetable garden, what does he do? Goes out an gets the stuff to build me one! How sweet is he?

Building it was a very long processes. It pretty much took all day. If I might add I didn't hear one bad word out of his mouth.:) He usually gets aggravated when he is putting things together but not this time. Maybe this is a stress reliever thing for him?

Workin hard

Brayden loves helping daddy

Happy Mothers Day

I had a great Mothers Day! I sent it with my mom, dad, Phillip, and Brayden.

First we went to church and we went to Pappasito's. It was so busy...but I didn't mind the wait because they had tables under a tent with chips & salsa and drinks. yumm...They also had side walk chalk, bubbles, a sand box and other fun things for Brayden to play with. I got a charm bracelet with two charms. They are beautiful and I love them. My sister got the a heart that means "a mother love" and

Phillip got me one that is a pair of booties and on the bottom i am going to have it engraved.

After that we went home a relaxed for a bit before going to the store and then doing some yard work.

Mothers Day Pictures

Mothers Day Surprise

My friend Taylor had asked me to take a few pictures of her family for Mother's Day as a surprise gift for her mom.

This was my first "photo secession" and I think I did an alright job.

Lane, Taylor, Jake, Kameron, and Kayden

Jake

Taylor, Kameron & Kayden

another Family picture

Now, this beautiful little girl..I mean young lady is Kameron. I have known her since she was born. I cant believe she is getting so old..that means I am getting older as well. She has always been so cute but now she is getting so beautiful!

IT'S NOT FAIR

Am I the only person that sees an old friend or someone you know who had a baby and is now SKINNY and thinks "ugh that isn't fair?" Well, almost every girl I know that has had a baby is skinner than they were before they became pregnant! I not mad that they are i just wish i was one of those girls!

So now I am going to start a diet. Okay not a diet because i am not the dieting kinda person . Only because I can't stick to it and can't say no to fast food!

I am also going to get a friend/mommy to do a fitness plan with me. We are going to try and work out every other day and rest on Saturday and Sunday. We both want to look and feel better about ourselves! Wish us luck and pray that we stick to it!

A mother, there to support you, and hold you up whenever you need her

Family is the most important thing. Well, to me it is. Maybe because mine has always been there for me.

I'm sure my sister will kill me for putting this picture on here but oh well..lol. It's the only one i have of us together. (L to R)Meghan, my mom & me

My mom has to be the best mom in the world. I am for real! She is such an amazing person and I hope to be 1/2 the mother to my children as she was and still is....I love you momma

Sunday Funday

This weekend was a very busy one. It was Phillip's 29th Birthday!! Yes, the whole weekend :) He deserves it. He is a great husband, a great provider and a great friend. I love him so much!

Also, we took Brayden to the beach for the first time!!! He hated it. Brayden doesn't really like sand or dirt. When the waves came he ran straight to daddy....I don't really like the water either.. its just so dirty and sandy. He's like his mommy.

I love this picture of our little family

Happy 29th Birthday Phillip

Happy Birthday Phillip, I love you!

I am not good a surprises! I mean not at all. I am the person that will tell you what I got you for Christmas or your birthday because I'm just that excited!!

Well, some how I was able to keep this a secrete. Well, with the help from great friends and my big sister. Taylor got there early and told everyone to wait inside and then Meghan got the cake.

Overall, I think he had a good time. No, I know he had a great time. I asked him about a million times.

THE END